by Judy Handley | Feb 16, 2010 | India, Sailing Logs Year 5 |
Day 113, Year 5: In Memory of My Brother
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Weather: Hot, Hot, Hot
Location: Bolgatty Hotel Anchorage, Cochin (Kochi), India
It is 7:30 pm and it is still 90 degrees F inside the boat. A week ago the temperature inside at t his time of the evening would have been in the mid-80’s. That was hot, but this is stifling. We have to keep the fans blowing directly on us all the time. There was a nice breeze outside during the day. But no complaints. We both prefer hot to cold.
I want to thank everyone that sent messages of support to me. I will write each of you individually, but it might take a day or so. Just know that I am so appreciative. I talked with family this morning and hope to talk to my brother’s sons and their families tomorrow morning. My brother’s funeral is at noon which is 1:30 in the morning here, so I will talk with them about 9 pm at night their time. I wanted to get home from the mountains so I could talk with family while they are gathered together, but somehow talking to them makes it even harder than ever for me to feel okay about being here instead of there. But I am here, and I’ll just have to make the best of it. I wrote what I am calling An Ode to Dickel (a nickname) in memory of my brother’s life. I think his two sons are going to read it at the funeral and I want to share it with you. Here’s my tribute to my brother, Richard Lee Martin.
When my brother Dickie was a senior in high school, he played the role of Frank Butler in the 1953 Nitro High School senior play, “Annie Get Your Gun.” I was six years old at the time, and sitting in the front row. I was totally enthralled with the play and with my brother’s starring role. One of his classmates gave Dickie a painting of him front and center singing “The Girl That I Marry.” Unfortunately, that painting has been lost, but it will be forever imprinted in my mind. I can still hear Dickie singing, “The girl that I marry will have to be as soft and as pink as a nursery. The girl I call my own will wear satin and laces and smell of cologne . . .” A decade later, my brother found “that girl” and married my sister-in-law, Conda. She was the love of his life and she stuck with him all through the years. They had Tommy and Todd, and now eight grandchildren. I last talked to Dickie to congratulate him on the birth of his newest grandson, Kyler Channing, just a little more than a week ago. He will not get to see those grandchildren as they grow through the years, but I hope that those grandchildren will always carry with them the same wonderful memories of their grandfather, as I have wonderful memories of my big brother.
Dickie was almost twelve when I was born and many of my very first memories of life are centered around him. There was the time when we caught a green snake in the back yard and somehow let it ‘escape’ up brother Bennie’s pant leg. When Dickie was in high school he seemed to care less about girls, but they were always trying to get his attention. We had a mother cat that had more kittens than we could deal with, so when Dickie was trying to find someone to take those kittens, there was always a line of young girls willing to take one. They always wanted boy kittens so they wouldn’t have to deal with the babies, so Dickie would let them pick out the kitten they wanted, then pick it up and flip it over. He’d get this very serious look on his face, take a close look and say, “Yep, this one’s a boy.” Of course, he had no idea, but we got rid of lots of kittens that way. When it was time for my first day of school, Dickie took me by the hand and carried the old dark red stuffed rocker to the trash dump. He told me I was too old to be rocked because I was a big girl now, and on my first of day school, it was not my parents that walked me to school, but it was my big brother Dickie. On Wednesday nights when I was little, a whole bunch of Dickie’s friends would gather at our house and watch the Gillette-sponsored boxing. I thought I was just one of the guys and would bet my dime on my pick of the night. And then the really exciting day came when he got his first car, a bright red and white 1955 Chevy Belair. He’d take my long braids and stick them under a baseball cap that he put on my head, backwards of course, and off we would go in that car. I don’t think my parents ever knew he was taking me along when he was drag racing on the Old Winfield Road, but as a first grader, I thought this was the coolest thing in the world. Dickie wanted me to be able to play the piano so badly and he paid for me to take lessons. Year after year, I never got beyond playing “Scampering Puppies” as a recital piece, so he finally gave up on that dream. Then the time came when he was called into the Army. I have a picture of him standing in the doorway with his suitcase saying goodbye. I was devastated. But he would send letters home and while he was in Germany, he sent me this beautiful orange mohair sweater. I thought I had died and gone to heaven until my father told me nice girls don’t wear orange. Well, that didn’t stop me from wearing that sweater. When I was in high school, I wrecked my dad’s new baby blue and white Rambler. I stopped at an intersection, looked to the right and then to the left. And there was Conda and Tommy, so I waved and then drove across the intersection without looking back to the right. Not the best idea I ever had, because I was hit broadside by an oncoming car. I wasn’t hurt, but the car sure was. Daddy was just a little more than upset with me, but Dickie came to my rescue. And this happened over and over as the years went on. Dickie was always there for me when I needed him.
The memories go on and on, but the last memory I will share is about salmon cakes and potato salad. These were some of Dickie’s favorite foods but they had to be made just the right way. The onions had to cut just right and you had to use Heinz apple cider vinegar. No other brand will work. So look out up there in Heaven. If you don’t know how to make salmon cakes and potato salad the Dickel way, you’ll soon be shown how . . . because it’s “a family tradition.”
by Judy Handley | Feb 15, 2010 | India, Sailing Logs Year 5 |
Day 112, Year 5: T-E-A
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010
Weather: Another Beautiful Day
Location: Bolgatty Hotel Anchorage, Cochin (Kochi), India
We are back home on Windbird after a whirlwind two day visit in the mountains. Today we actually managed to visit a spice garden just outside Kumily, drive on to visit tea plantation and factory, catch a bus just outside the tea plantation as soon as our tour was over, and get back to Ernakulam by 5 pm. By 5:30 we were on Windbird, so it was a much faster trip coming down out of the mountains than it was going up. It is always good to be home, but we did have two great tours this morning before hopping on the bus.
Our first stop was Abraham’s Spice Garden. This spice garden has been going since 1963. It is small, but jam-packed with flowers, spices, and fruits. The tour cost us a whopping $2.25 US and for one hour we were given more information than we could possible process. We learned that the difference between green, black, and white pepper is simply the way it is dried. We learned that cloves come from harvesting the blossom before it actually flowers and that allspice comes from one tree instead of being a combination of spices. We saw the world’s tiniest bees in little honey pots that evidently make wonderful honey and learned how tumeric, cardomon, and vanilla are harvested and processed. It takes an entire year to process the vanilla bean, thus the higher cost for that. It was such a surprise to us that the leaves of the cinnamon tree, the allspice tree, and the clove tree smell just like the spice although the spice does not come from the leaves. It was just a great one-hour tour, and then we were on to the tea plantation.
We traveled to the Connemara Tea Plantation, established in 1941. We learned that if a tea plant is left alone, it will grow into a tea tree that can grow to be about 50 feet tall, but that doesn’t happen with tea that is being grown to harvest because it would be impossible to harvest. So tea trees are now tea bushes that are just the right height so that you don’t have to bend over to pick the leaves. Tea “bushes” are kept in production for 150 years, but are cut back every five years. Only the two leaves surrounding the bud and the leaf bud are harvested, every fifteen days. All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant with black tea, green tea, tea leaves, and silver-tipped tea just being prepared and cured by different methods. Again, in a one hour tour, we were overwhelmed with the information passed on to us. We walked through the plantation of tea bushes, watched a PowerPoint presentation on how tea is processed at Connemara, and then walked through the processing plant. Here’s what happens to tea leaves that are hand picked. First they are placed on screened racks and air-dried or withered. The leaves are still green after withering, but are then sent into the CTC process. This is C-crushing, T-tearing, and C-curling. Just as an apple or banana browns after being cut, so do the tea leaves. So when you see them coming out of the crushing and tearing process, the tea looks like finely ground, wet coffee grounds. Then it is sent through the curling process on rolling screens and on to the fermentation process. Fermentation happens in something that looks like a cement mixer that keeps turning while heat and moisture are applied. From here it goes through something called a ball breaker, that simply looks like a huge vibrating colander that shakes the product so that any balls of tea are broken up. Then the tea is sent to the drying room where any fiber from stems is removed as waste and the good tea is sent on to the grading room. The best black tea is like powder and the lighter tea is much more granular. After seeing this process, we got to taste the best black tea from the powder and the lighter tea from the granular mix. Our guide was fantastic and we really enjoyed each stage of the process. He told us that the word tea stands for T-taste, E-energy, and A-appetite. He kept telling us about all the good things tea can do for your body. The only thing we saw that disturbed us was the spraying that has to be done to control tea leaf fungus. If we understood correctly, the sprays used are copper and nickel-based, so the next time I buy tea it will be organically grown!
Our guide helped us stop a local bus that would take us Kottayam where we would catch another local bus to Ernakulam. This local bus stops for people all along the way and makes detours in each major town to their bus station, but it was much faster than the super deluxe bus that we took on our way out to the mountains. Of course, on our way to the mountains, we were climbing all the way. Today we were flying down the mountains, but even when we reached the flat lands, the local bus seemed to be faster. But the local buses are crowded. We were often sitting with three of us on a two-person seat, along with our two huge backpacks. At one point, an Indian woman got on the bus and there were no seats. So Mark offered her his seat. She was probably younger than me as she still has a son in secondary school. Her name was Philomina. She spoke a little English and she wrote the names of her daughter and son for us and explained that her daughter could speak English and would call us tonight. And indeed, she did. The daughter explained that we were the first foreigners that her mother has ever met and that she would like us to come for dinner. That is difficult because she lives south of here about an hour and half bus ride away. I explained that it would be easier for us to come in the early afternoon so we could still get home before dark and I suggested this coming Sunday afternoon. I also said four of us would be coming. I included Lynne and Ed of Constance, as on Sunday we should be returning from a festival south of here. The daughter took in all the information and said she would call back. The logistics are a little crazy, but it would be wonderful to go to Philomina’s home. We’ll just have to see what happens with this one.
It is good to be back home and we made it just in time to say farewell to Judy and Dave on Freebird. They are leaving tomorrow morning for Oman. We will miss them and wish them safe sailing.
by Judy Handley | Feb 14, 2010 | India, Sailing Logs Year 5 |
Day 111, Year 5: Happy Valentine’s Day
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Weather: Beautiful Day with Blue Skies
Location: Kumily, Idukki, India
We were half-way through our day before we remembered it is Valentine’s Day. There are no reminders of such a holiday here in India, but we decided that our jungle safari was our present to each other. Hope all of you have a good day. Our Valentine’s Day is ending, but yours is just beginning.
Today we received a photo of Ziggy wearing a “Wild Periyar” shirt. Not sure where he got that, but it was certainly a timely photo as our today was all about touring the wild Periyar jungle and then going to a performance of Kalarippayat. This is an ancient form of martial arts and many believe that all martial arts can trace their beginnings to Kalarippayat here in Kerala beginning in the 12th century. We started our day at 5:15 am with a covered jeep ride that took us some twenty to thirty kilometers from here and into the Periyar Wildlife Reserve. Erica, young woman from London, joined us in the jeep. It was still dark when we arrived, but the top was rolled back on the jeep and we started our adventure. We saw a couple of elephants and a sambar deer on a ridge far in the distance, and later we saw long-tailed monkeys locally called lion monkeys because they have a shaggy mane surrounding their faces. As the mist lifted and the sun rose, we had a beautiful ride through the park, but there were no close up encounters with elephants and not a tiger to be seen. We had a lovely breakfast in the park as part of the tour, took a three and half hour guided walk up and down the mountains. For the walk, another young woman named Deepali joined us. She is from Toledo, Ohio, and has just completed graduate work in Mongolia. We all had lunch, and then headed back to Kumily. In the evening, we attended the Kalarippayat performance. We are totally exhausted and start again at 8 am in the morning. Tomorrow’s tour will be of a spice garden and a tea plantation and factory, before getting on a bus headed back to Cochin.
by Judy Handley | Feb 13, 2010 | India, Sailing Logs Year 5 |
Day 110, Year 5: From Sea Level to High Mountains
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010
Weather: Back to Sunny and Warm
Location: Kumily, Idukki, India
I’m so glad we decided to go ahead with our weekend trip to Periyar Wildlife Reserve. The mountains here are so beautiful and the high tea plantations are just spectacular. But our morning started off a little shaky. Dave of Freebird took Ed and Lynne of Constance and us to shore at 7:15 am. So far so good. But our troubles began when we arrived at the bus station and everyone we talked to gave us a different location for finding the bus to Kumily. The station master’s office sent us to the side of the station. People there sent us to the front. And two different people in front gave us two entirely different locations. We went back to where we started and Mark went from bus to bus asking. Finally someone from the station master’s office came up to us and pointed to a white bus. We bolted in that direction and tried to confirm with the bus driver that he was indeed going to Kumily, but it was just not clear. Then we saw a sign on the front of the bus indicating that it was headed to Madurai in Tamil Nadu (the state to the east of Kerala) and I had read that the bus to Kumily goes on to Madurai, so we were getting closer. We finally boarded and hoped for the best. I had decided that I was going wherever that bus was headed and once we paid for our tickets, it was confirmed that we were going to Kumily. So that whole experience was a little more confusing than we had hoped for, but otherwise the bus trip went fine. It took seven hours instead of five as advertised, and we traveled 180 kilometers from Cochin through crowded towns for the first half of the ride and then climbing higher and higher on the switchback roads for the second half. We actually had to cross into the state of Tamil Nadu before getting off the bus and when we did disembark, we had a very pleasant surprise. A young man had come to meet us to take us to the Green View Homestead. I had called there last night to make a reservation, but I was told they had no rooms in the price range I had set as a limit. But the man I talked to said to come and that if he didn’t have something, he had another place where we could stay. I had no idea he would send someone to meet us. So we walked with our heavy packs from the bus station to the Green View. It is a delightful place, clean, and comes with very friendly people. The young man who had come to meet us is Ranesh and he also sat with us and went through the various options for seeing the wildlife reserve. He convinced us that our best option for seeing as much as possible in one day is to go on a jungle safari all day trip, so that is on for tomorrow. Our hope is to see some of the wildlife here, bison, sambar, wild boar, langur, elephants, and tigers. There are no promises on what will be seen, but it will be an adventure. We are considering going on a tea plantation and spice garden tour on Monday morning and then heading back to Cochin on the 2:15 pm bus. We won’t get home until about 9 pm, but if Judy and Dave of Freebird have not left for Oman, Dave will come get us and take us back out to our boats. You can’t leave your dinghy on shore while you are away touring, so you have to have transportation to and from shore. I think we will probably stay and do the Monday tour, but I’m not sure that Ed and Lynne will.
The seven hour bus trip provided a great glimpse of southern India life. India has twenty-five states with Kerala being one of them. Kerala is advertised as God’s Own Country and is divided into eighteen districts. Some of the most beautiful parts of India are in Kerala to the east of Cochin. And that is what we experienced today. We started in the district of Ernakulam, drove south through backwater country in Kottayam, and then headed east through Idukki. Most of the homes here are built of block, covered with plaster, and then painted in sherbet shades of lemon, lime, orange, raspberry, and blueberry (Is there a blueberry sherbet?). Many homes are newly painted, but just as many are way past due for a paint job. But whatever the condition, it was interesting to see how the people live. Once we entered the tea plantation area, the sherbet shades gave way to emerald green. We will see more of this tomorrow and the next day, so I will write in more detail about the plantations then.
Last night I had a wonderful conversation with my sister-in-law Conda. It helped me to know that she is okay and enjoying the time with her two sons. They are busy putting together a photo tribute to my brother Dickie. Other family members and friends will start arriving this weekend. Being in this beautiful part of India is helping to keep my mind off the fact that I can’t be there with my family right now. My body is here, but my heart is there.
by Judy Handley | Feb 12, 2010 | India, Sailing Logs Year 5 |
Day 109, Year 5: Sadness Doeth Prevail
Date: Friday, February 12, 2010
Weather: Back to Sunny and Warm
Location: Bolgatty Hotel Anchorage, Cochin (Kochi), India
Mark’s mother always said “Sadness Doeth Prevail” when there was a very sad situation. The sad situation is that my brother passed away, but he went quickly and painlessly after the life support systems were removed. For that we are thankful. So on Thursday, February 11, 2010, Richard Lee Martin left us. And that leaving has left a big hole in my being. He was just the best big brother that any little girl could ever hope to have and I will miss him so very much. I so appreciate the messages I have already received from some of you. It is just so very hard to be here when I really need to be with family, so any messages are certainly welcomed. I talked with my sister and my children this morning (Thursday night East Coast US time) and then talked with my sister-in-law Conda this evening. She is doing as well as can be expected and has a wonderful support system of family and friends surrounding her. She understands our decision to not travel home for the funeral and is planning a celebration of my brother’s life once we get home in 2011. My brother’s funeral service will be on Tuesday afternoon, and we are hoping to be able to connect via Skype with family and friends on Monday and Tuesday evenings. In the meantime, we are going to continue life as planned, as I know that is what my brother would want me to do.
For some time now, we have been planning to leave Cochin tomorrow by bus and travel inland to the Periyar Wildlife Reserve. We put those plans on hold once we knew of my brother’s condition, but now we have decided to go. It will take us five hours by bus to reach the reserve. We are trying this trip using public transportation and Lonely Planet travel tips on where to stay and what to do. If this doesn’t work out, we hire a driver with travel experience for future trips, but we shall see. We will be back here on Monday so that I can talk with family gathered for my brother’s funeral, and then we will prepare for our next trip south of here.
It is possible that we will have no communication for the next three days. We are hoping to be able to send our logs from internet cafes, but we are told by others that cell phones and wireless internet dependent on cell communication does not exist in the hinterlands. So if you do not hear from us for three days, don’t panic. Just know that we will be out there communing with the animals in the reserve and thinking of family so far away..
by Judy Handley | Feb 11, 2010 | India, Sailing Logs Year 5 |
Day 108, Year 5: Waiting for News from Home
Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010
Weather: Totally Overcast Day with No Wind
Location: Bolgatty Hotel Anchorage, Cochin (Kochi), India
This morning I talked with both Heather and Justin to give them the latest update on my brother Dickie’s condition. Justin was at work, so our conversation was short. But Heather was just getting ready to put Jonah down for the night, and we had a great little session watching Jonah crawl, pull up to a standing position, and then fussing and fussing until Heather finally figured out he wanted to touch the computer screen where he could see us. We remember Sam going through this stage where he would look behind the computer monitor to see if we were there, and Jonah is now at that same place. Sam was already in bed, and it was nice to have time with just Jonah. It’s going to be a long time before we see him again, so hopefully these Skype video calls will help keep him aware that we are out there somewhere-just behind the computer monitor!
We are still waiting for news of my brother’s condition, but things do not look good. No matter what happens, I do not believe that I will be able to fly home. So I am going to have to deal with this situation from afar. I know my brother would want me to keep doing what I am doing, but it is so hard for me to be so far away from the family I love so much at a time like this.
