Year 3 -4 March 2026 – Relaxing Day in the Indian Summer Palace - Mavatupuzha-India
We were supposed to have an early start but due to Jules’s late arrival to India and our late arrival the night before we agreed to postpone the activities until the day after. We therefore had a bit of a lie in and I got up by 8.30pm and Jules a little later. It was a lovely morning and we could see the large square courtyard with a walkway around which was covered, otherwise open and it was surrounded by flowers, shrubs and trees giving it a very country feel.
We walked out of our suite and found the pool which was off one section of the courtyard which was a large pool surrounded by palm trees (with coconuts hanging) and shrubs and flowers with lots of sun loungers. It was a good size and looked inviting. We went for breakfast which was a bowl of fruit, a fruit juice and eggs of your choice. You helped yourself to tea and coffee. The sun was out and you could hear the tweet of the birds. The setting was lovely and there are only 6 rooms here and only 2 were occupied including us.
We met our fellow guests who were a lovely couple James and Margaret from Sevenoaks in Kent. James had been a very good swimmer when he was young and just missed out on going to the 1962 Olympics in Mexico. He had also been in India as a boy when Indian Independence was declared in 1947. He was present when Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi to celebrate India's independence on August 15, 1947. This act marked the symbolic handover of power from British rule, turning the historical fort into a symbol of a free India. He remembers his Uncle telling him at the time that this was a very historical day which he appreciated later and was glad to have been there at the time. He has travelled to India many times since. His wife had lived in Sudan and Japan and they were a very interesting couple to talk to.
The hotel is built in a colonial style and was lovely and quiet and set in the countryside.
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. It is located 35 km (21.7 mi) east of the district headquarters in Thrikkakara and about 204 km (126.8 mi) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Muvattupuzha has a population of 30,397 people of which there is an exact amount of males and females.
Muvattupuzha is bordered by the Kottayam district on the southern side and the Idukki district on the eastern side. The town is named after the Muvattupuzha river that flows through it. The name is made up of three Malayalam words: Moonnu (transl. "three"), aaru (transl. "small river"); and puzha (transl. "river"). The three rivers are Kothayaar, Kaliyar, and Thodupuzhayar, which merge to form Muvattupuzhayar.
We went and relaxed by the pool and I got on with writing the blog and looking at a Maldives book which Jules had brought out. There was an Indian newspaper which I looked at which had some news on the Middle East situation and it was interesting to read that it appears that an American submarine torpedoed an Iranian ship about 40 m South of Sri Lanka and Stormbird passed through this area when we sailed to Sri Lanka. I have also been reading various WhatsApp Groups I am part of and many boats are now reconsidering their decision to go via the Red Sea route and to have consider what I am doing and going round Cape Hope and South Africa. I have been getting photos each day from the man looking after Stormbird at the marina. I noticed in these pictures that the Italian boat was back. They must have had a problem or had reconsidered their decision to head for Oman.
We swam and then had lunch cooked by the house Chef and then we relaxed again in the afternoon and the day slipped away reading, swimming and chatting. We showered and dressed for supper and Jules and I went a little early and had a beer and played dominoes. We then had supper with James and Margaret who have managed to get a flight back via New Delhi and Almaty (which I saw on the news was -3 temperature). They will leave tomorrow for New Delhi.
We had a good supper and then an earlyish night as we are up tomorrow to go Toddy tapping. All will be revealed.
The picture of the day is Jules and I by a rubber tree.
Need/Opportunity Year Three
In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.
I am looking for one crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town (mid June to end of July). If of any interest do email me.
The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com