Wednesday, October 28th was a travel day. We set out at 8:30, stopping along the way at a a rice paddy, where women were replanting rice plants, to thin them out, while a man in a yellow turban was plowing with oxen. 
Then we visited a brick-making facility, where we talked to the women who were making four dollars a day, turning 4500 bricks a day, so that they would dry evenly. 
We headed up into the mountains, the Western Ghats, eventually driving up a twisty mountain road, with buses and trucks going both ways. When we got to the state line, between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, there were many buses parked there, because they hadn't gotten a permit to operate in Kerala. Our hotel was a very nice mountain jungle resort, run by Americans who also run eco-resorts in Costa Rica. 
It is on the edge of a large national park, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. We were warned not to leave anything out on our porch, or the macaque monkeys would grab it.
After rest, we visited a spice plantation, where the energetic young owner showed us various spice plants: pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, turmeric, ginger, coffee, cacao, etc. Then, of course, we ended in the shop, where damage was done to the U.S. balance of trade.
After rest, we visited a spice plantation, where the energetic young owner showed us various spice plants: pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, turmeric, ginger, coffee, cacao, etc. Then, of course, we ended in the shop, where damage was done to the U.S. balance of trade.
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