India 2022-23

We had an early start today and were on the minibus for 7am for a 4-5 hour drive to the Kerala backwaters. The first part of the journey took us through some beautiful scenery with views across the hills of the Western Ghats, although the road was very windy!

As we descended the landscape changed from tea plantations, to pineapple and rubber farms and finally rice fields. As we started to approach the area where we were going, the houses on the side of the road grew grander and more well maintained.

At just before midday we arrived at Alleppey, our boarding point for a trip on a houseboat. There were many of these boats moored up along the river bank, often with up to half a dozen tethered to each other. The one that we had hired was the fourth deep and we crossed through three other boats to get to it, navigating the small gap using a plank of wood!

Our boat was very pretty with a downstairs sitting area, two bedrooms and another upstairs sitting area. We set off along with many other boats on the river and cruised along at a state pace watching the world go by and seeing the houses built along the river bank. After a short while the river emptied out into a large lake which we cruised through.

Lunch was served which consisted of fat (rose) rice, chicken curry, pearl fish and a Dahl along with some poppadoms. For dessert there was fresh pineapple.

We continued the journey and headed up another river. The backwaters are named because they are partly tidal and the water backs up on high tide.

At 4pm we arrived at our final destination and the homestay which would be our accommodation for the evening. The house is a traditional Kerela style and had all rooms had a private bathroom.

After checking in our host took us on a walk along the river bank and through the village, describing as we went how the land has originally been reclaimed and pointing out some of the plants that grow there, the rice fields and describing how life had been (with a very rigid caste system) and how it is now, including the community farm system where costs of large scale maintenance and machinery are shared.

After about 90 minutes we climbed aboard a traditional open canoe, belonging to our hosts, which is operated by a man with a very long pole, a bit like the gondolas in Venice. He guided us back upstream, as the sun was setting, to our accommodation.

We sat around for a while watching as the sky and river changed colour as the dusk settled in the setting was idyllic and peaceful with some occasional boats passing by and the view across the water to the opposite bank.

We had a shower before meeting in the dining area for dinner. The food consisted of more traditional curries, chapattis and a delicious beetroot dish made with yoghurt and spices.

After dinner we spent the rest of the evening with the group having a few drinks, playing a game and chatting. Tired, we turned in at 10.30.Read more