Kerala - Peace, relaxation... and the Mozzies!!
Trip Start
Nov 16, 2008
1
5
32
Trip End
Feb 07, 2009
Alappuzha,
Kerala,
India
Monday, November 24, 2008
Our next stop brought us to a small scale Ayurvedic resort set on the backwaters. After another hair raising journey in a taxi ignoring traffic lights and on coming traffic we arrived in one piece. Of course Mish slept most of the journey as is the case in most four wheeled vehicles.
After changing rooms from the dungeon that opened up onto the dining area for everyone we ended up staying in a cute palm-leaf hut which opens straight onto the water's edge - perfectly placed for us to sit and watch the houseboats chug by.
Apart from swatting mosquitos and having treatments there was little else to do in this place so Mish opted for a massage and Mike took on the mozzies! Mike scored many kills with no casualties and only ended being bitten twice......
Our main reason for coming to Kerala was to experience a night travelling through the waterways in a houseboat. They all range in size and quality so it was really pot luck as to what we would get.
Thankfully we landed a beautiful boat that was maybe a bit too big for the two of us and we had 3 staff on board, 2 double bedrooms, air conditioning, tv, dvd..... What more could we ask for?
Welcomed with fresh coconut water, we sat back and watched the world go by. And what a different world it is.
We travelled through a labyrinth of waterways composed of lakes (the biggest in Asia), canals and rivers lined with either huge paddy fields or dense greenery which helps preserve rural Keralan lifestyles that are completely hidden from the road.
Every now and then we would catch a glimpse of homes, farms, churches, mosques and temples, watch the kids play and see the mothers washing clothes at the water's edge.
The food we ate was another highlight. Keralan food is yummy! The flavours are much more subtle compared to your average curry as roughly ground coconut and yoghurt are often used as the base for the sauce.
We ate lots of rice with dhal, rasam (watery hot soup) and avial (root veggies in thick sauce). But no meat!! Yes, you heard us, we haven't eaten meat in over 3 days!! Mike is a little light headed but coping fine.
The only thing we were not too crazy about was the typical keralan breakfast of iddlis (steamed rice cakes) with sambar (potato and lentil type broth). Bacon sarnies still rule.
Kerala has been an interesting experience but 3 days was definitely more than enough and we are now desperate for some action.
We are now heading to Rajasthan the long route via Mumbai and Delhi to soak up some culture, eat some meat and if we are lucky, maybe spot a tiger or two - raaaaaaah!
