Tuk Tuk Driver For Cochin

Old Aug 9th, 2017, 04:03 PM
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Tuk Tuk Driver For Cochin

I am travelling with Indian Panorama for two weeks in September, and I thought I was all set. Tim just informed me that I am supposed to contact his favorite tuk tuk driver for a day out in Cochin, and he will not be making the arrangements for me. I just got the driver's What's Ap number, but he has not responded back. His name is Saneesh Kuku.

Has anyone used a good tuk tuk driver for the day in Cochin? At this point, I would like someone who can take me to the basic sites, including the synagogue, for the day. If I had known earlier, I would have been able to plan the day myself, but I'm leaving soon, and my mind is on packing, etc.

Thank you.
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Old Aug 9th, 2017, 04:45 PM
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The area I think of as Ft. Cochin, which includes the area of the synagogue, is quite a small area. If you're staying right there, everything that's in Ft. Cochin that you might want to visit is walking distance from all the central accommodations. That's one of the reasons I loved it so much. I stayed relatively long there, then returned after some touring around. I love places I can just wander around and this was one of those.

If you should need transportation to visit something out of town, your accommodation will easily arrange it. I recommend you don't bother pre-arranging anything as it's perfectly simple to do it all on arrival.
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Old Aug 9th, 2017, 07:25 PM
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I agree with MmePerdu. I don't think I used any transport other than my feet in Old Kochi. Of course, my hotel was central.
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Old Aug 9th, 2017, 09:27 PM
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Thank you, MmePerdu and thursdays, you're both always there for me. Yes, my hotel is smack in the middle of Ft. Cochin. However, Tim told me early on that I needed a tuk tuk driver because of the heat, but perhaps he doesn't know that I'm a really good walker. It would be nice to have a free day on this trip without a driver under foot.

And now, if I may ask you ladies one more question....Other than the synagogue, are there any "must sees" in the area? Thursdays, I remember you mentioning the fishing nets, anything else? I am going to the evening dance performance.
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Old Aug 10th, 2017, 01:49 AM
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The main accommodation area is some distance from Jewtown where the synagogue is situated. I have been in Fort Cochin dozens of times and I usually use a rickshaw to get around. It is definitely a walkable distance, I would estimate about 25 minutes, perhaps a little more, from the main accommodation area to Jewtown,
If you do go by rickshaw you will probably get pressured by the rickshaw driver into being taken to a shop or two. You'll be told the shop owner will give the driver petrol vouchers or something similar, even if you don't buy anything. Usually these are the Kashmiri shops all selling the same thing. If you want to avoid this, just make it clear at the beginning and before you get into the rickshaw.

Fort Kochi is very touristy yet it's still a really lovely place. I hope you have great time there.
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Old Aug 10th, 2017, 04:28 AM
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Checked rome2rio - two miles from the lovely boutique hotel I stayed at to the Synagogue. (http://www.malabarhouse.com/malabar-house/index.html )

By the time I reached Kochi I was at the end of a three and a half month trip including ten weeks in India, and the friend who flew in to meet me for Christmas had had a tiring end-of-year rush at work, so we took things easy (starting with a peaceful couple of days on the backwaters before they were discovered - this was 2001).

Aside from wandering around enjoying the town, we visited the fishing nets, attended an evening dance performance, went to the service of Nine Lessons and Carols at the Anglican church and Christmas Eve mass at the Cathedral. Ate a very good Christmas dinner with musical accompaniment and had a massage at the hotel.

Checking Lonely Planet Southern India i see there is a museum and a palace we missed - or maybe they weren't open in 2001.

No reason you can't hail a rickshaw on the street if you get tired. You might check with your hotel for the going rate. You just need to be (very) firm with the driver. In some ways I prefer to negotiate the fare, if they can be persuaded to use the meter they often try to go the long way round. I have been known to get out of a rickshaw or taxi trying that one. But do not get in without an agreement on the fare or the meter.
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Old Aug 10th, 2017, 09:15 AM
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I once went to the Portuguese museum at the Bishop's Palace - I think those names are correct. It's a smallish museum and houses some beautiful religious statues among other things and it is close to the main accommodation area of Fort Cochin.

If you decide to walkIwould
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Old Aug 10th, 2017, 09:19 AM
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I once went to the Portuguese museum at the Bishop's Palace - I think those names are correct. It's a smallish museum and houses some beautiful religious statues among other things and it is close to the main accommodation area of Fort Cochin.

If you decide to walk I would suggest talking the route around the shore line. You set out towards the Ernakulam ferry terminal and keep going.


Sorry about the incomplete post earlier - I didn't know how or if I could edit it.
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Old Aug 10th, 2017, 01:32 PM
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Ah, CaliforniaLady, you've now learned one of the frustrating lessons of India travel---difficulty in local driver contacts. Phone numbers and email addresses change frequently. (I just tried unsuccessfully to contact my fabulous Udaipur tuk-tuk driver from 6 months ago via his now-kaput email and mobile #.)
I spent half a day with Saneesh (or Sanesh?) last time in Cochin two yrs ago and he was lovely, not just for his help, but for his personality. Meeting and chatting with him was a great experience. However, if I couldn't reach him again, there are numerous other resources for finding someone good: your homestay or hotel, the local Indian Panorama office folks (I've always received, once in the car after airport arrivals, their phone numbers on information folder) even choosing someone parked on the street (usually plenty around but if you need a specific point, there are a group of tuk tuk folks in front of Old Harbour Hotel) or other online recommendations, e.g. http://tinyurl.com/yccfds69.

My experience with Sanesh, and another tuk tuk (not cab) driver in Cochin , was different from Thursdays. They left the amount up to me! Maybe naive, but I was ok with that method.

Getting a tuk tuk driver for the day, or half day,or an hour, is not the same as a set prebooked tour. There are too may variables, on both ends, for a tuk-tuk driver to be booked in advance. I doubt you will need a full day. If you get a number from your travel planner, or a friend's recco, you, not they, would call after you arrive. You don't need to go to the trouble-time-energy three weeks before you arrive, of contacting them. Decide once there, at your convenience, based on your time. This was my understanding when getting Sanesh's number. A tuk tuk driver can take you where you want to go, wait while you shop , eat , sightsee, etc. Certainly, there's no need to use him if, as you wrote, you feel he will be "under foot." Take things as they come, rather than having anything prebooked for aparticular time.

Mme Perdu and Thursdaysd describe it perfectly (and far more succinctly than I) -- Fort Cochin area is a very walkable, wanderable town! I was there twice and would happily return. That said, it was hot and humid in late Feb 2015 and I sure preferred being driven to walking midday. (You, being from SoCal, might be more used to the heat than I, a wimpy Bay Arean!) Best times for wandering and avoiding the humidity sun were starting right after dawn (having just arrived on a flight, that was easy!) and early evening. There's plenty to see and enjoy within a 15 minute walk in the center, and by the busy seaside---lots of little lanes, shops. I was alone at this point, and felt very safe. But a few hours into the day, when the heat/stickiness was oppressive, I was glad to return the cool hotel, and asked them to call the tuk-tuk number i had for the trip to Jewtown and and the synagogue. On the way, we stopped at a local spice market then walked around the area around the Paradesi synagogue, then went for a seafood lunch.

So why not start your day with walk? if you are ok with the day on your own, go for it. You leave in September, with three weeks to make a list of what interests you. Fort Cochin isn't a large section of Cochin--there isn't a big list of must-sees-- so it won't be too time-consuming to do so. DO check the synagogue site for visiting hours-- i assume these are still accurate, but double-check at your lodging.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/the-jew...esi-synagogue/

Ideas: St Francis Church (oldest in India) and Santa Cruz Church--check hours. Wandering through Jew town (not just the syngagoue). interesting lanes around Vasco de Gama Square, or the open square area (in front of Old Harbour Hotel). They are all so close. I liked having a go at pulling up a fishing net (for a small fee ) to get a sense of what it takes, but some think it too "touristy." You are also walking distance to the Kathakali Dance Theater, though if it is late at night after the performance, you might want a tuk tuk instead. Do you like good coffee drinks? There are a bunch of cafes in the area. Some of the streets you can follow are Rose, Tower, Lily, Bastian.
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Old Aug 10th, 2017, 03:45 PM
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http://www.timesofisrael.com/the-jew...esi-synagogue/

Try this site--the one I posted in the first reply above didnt work--missing a letter.

To add to all above ideas: See if you can meet Sarah in her embroidery shop. (I'm hoping she is still there.) She is the oldest of the few remaining Jews in Cochin--in her 80s I think. Anyone who takes you to Jewtown --or someone in the synagogue or nearby shops--shoud know where the shop is. She is still beautiful and gracious. If you get there, check out the old black and white photo of Sarah, her husband, and her wedding party.
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Old Aug 10th, 2017, 07:32 PM
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Bluekito - Welcome to Fodor's, and thanks for the information. The Portuguese Museum looks great, but it is closed on Mondays, when I plan to sightsee.

thursdays - Thanks again for the information about your Cochin visit. I'll have to check out the cathedral, and I do already have tickets for the dance performance. Is there anywhere you have not been? My son just went to Iran, and enjoyed it immensely, except for his lethargic driver. Did you ever post a trip report about Okinawa?

CaliNurse - I was hoping to hear from you. You actually used the famous Saneesh? Tim keeps telling me, in so many words, to stop being so uptight, and go with the flow. Based on your advice, I'll wait until I get there to call him. What do you think is a reasonable amount to pay Saneesh or a Saneesh-equivalent for half a day? Thanks.
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Old Aug 12th, 2017, 04:44 PM
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CaliforniaLady, thanks for the welcome.

If you’re in need of rest and refreshments whilst in Jew Town try Cafe Crafters. It's a great place to watch the comings and goings on the street below, sitting on the little blue balcony. It’s great vantage point and the food is good.
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Old Aug 12th, 2017, 05:43 PM
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Thanks, Bluekito. I just looked up Cafe Crafters, and I will definitely have lunch there. I do enjoy people watching while I travel. So many people rush from museum to museum, but the moments I remember most are when I wander around or sit and watch the world go by.
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Old Aug 19th, 2017, 08:31 PM
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Crafters Antiques Shop below the cafe is great fun. Was there once in 2008; didn't notice a food place upstairs. Thanks for providing an excuse to return, Bluekito!

Speaking of cafes: CaliforniaLady, I'm sure you'll enjoy Fort Cochin, but should you experience a stressful moment, there's a cafe called Oy's I didnt go there, but did have yummy coffee just down the street at Kashi Art Cafe,

Yes, I had the pleasure of spending a half-day with Saneesh. Here's my review of Old Harbour Hotel, from 2.5 yrs ago. I'm referencing it now as there's mention of the area in general, and Saneesh, as well as an attached photo of him with his tuk tuk. http://preview.tinyurl.com/y9ksa2zo (If it doesn't open directly, click on "proceed to this site.") He's a mellow, wise, lovely young man. Did he reach you via Whats Aop? If not, and you need ideas for how to contact him once there, I'll share some. O/w, as said above by me and others, your lodging can refer you to a driver as needed.

You asked about cost. Sanest left it up to me. For approx 5 hours, I gave him about $18-$20 total (rupees equivalent). There are numerous (some heated) discussions on assorted sites about "correct" tipping/payment amounts 'round the world, so I won't digress much into the topic here. For the cost of a several gussied up lattes in the USA, we had a lovely day, which was hard to put a price to.

Re:Tim's advice to "go with the flow" I, saying this in a most commiserative way, agree. Whatever he advised you, based on the experiences of both me and friends using his help, he would've meant it with only the best intentions. He wants, given the client's constraints of interest, time, and budget, to help each person have the most fantastic trip possible in his beloved India. So as hard as it may be in these final weeks, stay confident in the knowledge that you are going to have a wonderfully memorable time, and details will come together as seamlessly as possible in crazy lovable "Incredible India"! Having traveled extensively ,including to India already, you know 100% seamlessness isn't possible most places, and certainly not in India, but I'll wager your trip will be as close as possible tot hat.

Before every trip to India, I re-read Indianpanorama's pdf pre-departure booklet. Interesting and useful info, including what you need to bring, what to eat (or not), the driver's role, the unpredictability of getting wine, that anything you forget at home can be obtained for much less $ in India, and mostly for the very wise advice that you 'll likely have an emotional reaction to the intensity of India which will stay with you upon your return home. Read it now and you'll feel more prepared in every way.

You'd better get back in one happy piece, CaliforniaLady, because I'm very curious to read your report on how so-called "India Lite" aka Sri Lanka compares to nitty-gritty India. There were plenty of times in India when "India lite"sounded darn good!
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Old Aug 20th, 2017, 06:26 AM
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"how so-called "India Lite" aka Sri Lanka compares to nitty-gritty India."

Dogster got it right. I flew from Chennai to Colombo and took a car to my first overnight. I thought either I had gone deaf or the car had soundproofing, because it was SO QUIET. Sri Lanka was also cleaner with no hassles. Less vibrant, but a good rest after India.

Click on my name for my SL TR.
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Old Aug 20th, 2017, 07:15 AM
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I'm also looking forward to reading about S. India and Sri Lanka as I hope to make a visit to both places in early 2019. I'm excited about returning to India but have been curious, too, about the place we think of as "India-lite".

CaliforniaLady - CaliNurse gives great advice on approaching a trip to India - it will all fall into place! You've planned it well and I've no doubt you will have a fabulous trip! As far as tuk-tuk drivers, my experience was limited, but we had no difficulties getting one through our hotels/guesthouses the few times we needed one.
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Old Aug 20th, 2017, 07:57 PM
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Thank you, CaliNurse, thursdays, and progol....

CaliNurse - Yes, I finally heard from Saneesh via What's App. In fact, he called me! I asked him to pick me up at the hotel at 9 AM, and he kept assuring me that I should not worry, that we will have a good day. Tim had advised me a few days ago to pay about $10 - $15, and that tips are not required "because he runs his own business." So I guess you were extra generous, but I tend to do the same thing. I have a weakness in my heart for drivers that I have had all over Asia that are amazing.

I think that Tim is used to my schtick. We had a moment when the first payment was due, and I kept asking him for an itemized statement. He finally explained to me that the agreement with their hotels forbids them from disclosing the rates. I in turn explained to him that this is the first time I have used an agency for all services, so I did not understand. I explained that I plan to morph into a jellyfish once I arrive. Isn't that the best way to travel?

thursdays - I just reread you trip report, which I had seen about a year ago. I'm hoping to be in the minority opinion here about the Sri Lanka ruins--I'm a ruin rat, and I have a copy of Eyewitness Sri Lanka to take along.

progol - I recall reading your posts somewhere with planning suggestions. Weren't you planning a trip there a couple of years ago? Boy, I better get this trip report done on the plane returning home, as everyone will be waiting eagerly for it. No dumb chick flicks on the flight--I have to do my homework.
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Old Aug 20th, 2017, 08:17 PM
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California Lady, reading the above, I'm more convinced than ever that you'll be FINE!!!
Your great sense of humor will certainly get you through any challenging times. That, and a relaxed wander, or weather permitting, brisk walk, through the winding streets of the towns you'll see in Sri Lanka and India.

Thursdays, I too read your SL report. Thank you. Have you heard/read if Sri Lanka has changed much in the last six years? No wonder Dogster called it India-Lite. Just outside the Oberoi Kolkata's gate was, he wrote, his favorite stretch of street in the world. It's a block of in-your-face, lively, loud bright color, as you run the gauntlet of salesman trying to get Madam to buy from their stall or shop!

Try to post prior to departure, CaliforniaLady, so we en masse can wish you "Happy Trails"!
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Old Aug 21st, 2017, 01:49 AM
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Hi, CaliforniaLady,
Yes, I had planned a wonderful 2-week itinerary for South India with Tim at IP, but had to cancel it because of my MIL's health. And I was really looking forward to the trip, too - I was very pleased with my experience in planning with IP, and it felt like a well thought-out itinerary of the So. India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala) sights and locations. To say I was disappointed in canceling is the understatement!

We also felt that given a 2-week vacation, the time changes have become increasingly difficult to manage and have decided to wait until the length of trips can be longer. I'm now planning to retire at the end of 2018 (yay!) and my first trip will be -- you guessed it -- South India! Right now, I'm anticipating a trip in early January -- but I'm holding off before I really start the nitty-gritty of planning until the spring. I'm hoping to make it a longer trip and include Sri Lanka as well, so your TR will be very welcome.

And I can only second CaliNurse's comments with her own fine sense of humor - I'm sure you'll have a great trip as you've planned it beautifully. My one trip to India taught me that whenever something doesn't go "exactly" as we hoped, the answer is, "That's India!" -- although, truthfully, what trip has EVER gone exactly as planned (and wouldn't that be sorta boring?). But India is SO much more than that, and you will have, no doubt, an exciting experience in a fascinating place.
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Old Aug 21st, 2017, 02:21 PM
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Thank you CaliNurse and progol for the good wishes. Countdown is ten days.
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