Cycling in Kerala
Dave and Carol Birch have recently returned from what sounds like a wonderful a cycling holiday in India. Here’s Dave’s report.
On March 4th, Carol and I flew to Kochi (Cochin), the main city of Kerala for a 2 week cycling tour. There were five of us on the tour, plus a Keralan group leader and a driver for the accompanying minibus.
Although this was essentially a road tour, we used mountain bikes – very heavy – not at all what we’re used to, but the suspension forks came in very useful on some of the tracks and backroads.
After an easy first day it was 5 days in the hills, which included 4 x 7 kilometre climbs, very tough going on heavy bikes with temperatures consistently above 35 degrees. The return leg to Kochi, thankfully, was much easier.
Kerala is just wonderful – green and forested with plantations of rubber, tea, coffee, cocoa, bananas, coconuts and lots of spice gardens –the state is noted especially for its cardamoms, but grows virtually all the spices used in Indian food.
We stayed in very well appointed hotels and the food was consistently excellent: it came in huge portions – great for the downhills but not so good for the climbs. We were well prepared for Keralan food as we’re regular diners at Kayal in Leicester, though the Keralan food was much spicier.
Coping with the traffic was sometimes rather challenging, especially in the towns. It wasn’t a matter of careless driving – there was just so much traffic – lots of cars and commercial vehicles with thousands of scooters and tuc-tucs weaving through the gaps between them. Having said that, Keralan high streets are so vibrant and fascinating – such a contrast to post covid Leicester.
It was a superb trip – I was so taken by it that I presented my club shirt to the group leader who promised to wear it regularly – nothing wrong with publicising WVCC in India!
What a great place to spend my 81st birthday!
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