We drove from Mysuru to Madikeri today. I knew it was going to be around 3 hours, so put my knitting and my notebook in my bag, road-trip style. However, my camera never left my hands and I doubt whether it was switched off for more than five minutes at a time.

Starting with the group of girls going to school, immaculately dressed as all schoolchildren seem to be, there was never a moment without something interesting to see on the roadside.

On the very next street corner, there was all the usual paraphernalia of traffic management and street furniture, all painted brightly, the lampost as a national flag. But then someone had added a few pot plants, a flower or two and another flag as well. Oh, and as if that’s not enough, let’s hang some bunting!

Driving out of the city centre it soon becomes clear how much life is lived on the roadside in rural India.

Business is conducted in the open air, with all goods out there on display. Peering inside any of these “shops” is difficult, for they are dark and ill-lit (if they are lit at all, which I seem to think is the case). All the more reason for putting everything out there then, to attract the passing trade.

There’s quite a bit of that, here on National Highway 275 - and only when taking that photograph do I realise that Sheka, our driver, has acquired a couple of jasmine garlands since we saw him yesterday, one of which is hanging from the mirror. Hmmm….shame about that.

There are cows here and there, too. Mostly minding their own business, but occasionally being led by their owners along the roadside.

To begin with, it seems to be mostly men out there, standing chatting or settng out their wares.

The women are there too, though, going to market or waiting with children for the schoolbus.

This bunch are hurrying along - maybe to catch the bus or perhaps the school is nearby?

Sorry, I know the garland’s in the way, but how lovely to catch a glimpse of this passing by on the other side of the road.

Most of the villages along our route were built of small, single storey concrete structures like this. Many were painted with all-over advertisements for building materials, sweets or for insurance companies. I wonder how much the owner is paid for such advertising space?

It being India, there were also some bobby-dazzlers!

If you were out to buy fresh fruit and veg this morning, there was a great choice!

But you could get a bit of photocopying done just along the way as well, or get your hair cut…

upgrade your phone, visit the dentist, have the tailor make a new shirt, get your old one ironed…

visit the doctor, have some printing done, get a new battery for your autorickshaw or perhaps for your house…

and bring home a nice bit of fish for supper!

I guess the cows also have to be brought home.

The never ending pageant of people (my Hero’s description) provided interest and entertainment throughout the journey and my knitting didn’t see the light of day.

As we got closer to Madikeri, we began to see coffee plantations. This one had a sign “Nescafe Training Plantation”.

We headed up into the hills, to a remote spot high in the rainforest - where yes, there were still people walking!

Eventually, we arrived in the most idyllic spot from where there was not another soul to be seen (well, apart from the Birthday Boy and his fiancee, that is!) We have two nights here to soak up the magic and as I sit looking at the view from our window, I’m rather pleased that it wasn’t exactly a piece of cake to get here, for if it were I think I’d be looking at an altogether different scene!