Last trip to Mutamela

Sunday, February 11, 2007



My siblings! They're posing on Mutamela, in front of the cow that nearly ate Cristy's slippers.

On the Sunday before I left, Cristy, a couple of Standard X students and I walked up Mutamela ('egg hill') one last time. I love that hill, even though the trip up can be a bit tiring because of the relentless sun (then again, it's nothing compared to hiking up to Kailasappara!). It takes 30 - 45 min to walk up at a comfortable pace, and because Cristy and I had much to do that day, preparing for Annual Day on Monday, and preparing for me to leave, we wanted to get an early start, so we could be back by roughly 11am.
But we didn't want to go alone! So we almost forced Benet and Ajay (Principal's son)to come with us. Suhila, a Standard X girl, wanted to join us, too (she was more enthusiastic about it than the boys). So we decided we'd pick up Suhila at her house (it's on the way to Mutamela) at 8am, which meant we'd leave our place at around 7.45am. So, Ajay told me to give him a wake-up call at 7.25am, which I did. Of course, the silly banana had turned off his phone, so I had to call the Principal's house (actually, I think I made Benet do it because I didn't want to be blamed for getting the Principal and his wife out of bed. I know; I'm an evil chechi).
Of course, the boys made us wait. While we did, Cristy decided to pose for some photos. Finally, probably around 8.30am we started off towards Suhila's house and were 45 min late in arriving there. She'd been ready since 8am, so us 3 girls gave the boys a good lecture. :)



Cristy posing on the school wall while waiting for the boys.

They took their time walking, though! All three students were rather slow, so of course we could throw our hopes of being back early to the wind. But we did make it to the top in the end, having picked up another Standard X student, Sumi, along the way.
As always, the wind at the top made us feel much better very fast, and the view left us breathless, as it does every time. Being elevated above everything else so much is just so great, because you can see really far, and under the deep blue sky, in the bright sun, all the colours (especially the green!) are so vivid! It's a feast for the eyes, as is so much in India.



L to R: Sumi, Suhila, Cristy, Benet and Ajay on Mutamela. In the background you can see Nedumkandam, my Indian home!

We spent quite a while up there, lazing around, enjoying the view and the sun, running away from a cow (that almost ate Cristy's slippers), talking about where we'd be in 10 years, playing 'Chinese Whispers' (I always messed it up because I didn't understand the Malayalam - or the English)... :)
For one last time during the end of my time in Nedumkandam did I relax, before we walked back down, the students had an ice cream, and we headed home, via Bindu teacher's house (where Cristy and I were stuffed with delicious chappathi with cauliflower curry! It was the best cauliflower curry I'd had, and I've forgotten the recipe!).
At home, preparations for Annual Day and my departure were picked up and the stress continued...



Ajay, Benet and me! Ajay is wondering what Benet and me are so happy about. :)

But I truly enjoyed those few hours on Mutamela. It was a great last visit. The view, the sun, the wind, the sky, and of course the company were so amazing, I wish I could be there again right now! I miss that place so much...