Episode Do (two in Hindi): Cruisin' The Backwaters

Vacation. There are few times in our lives when we are truly on vacation. Most times we pack our relaxation schedules so full of fun, meaningful, touristy, and "getting-our-money-worth" activities that we completely miss the whole resting and recovery part altogether. So after soaking up some sun rays and salt water in Kovalam, we were fortunate enough to actually enjoy a genuine time of vacating for 21 straight hours on the backwaters of Kerala aboard a kettuvalllam (converted rice barge). Our houseboat left Alleppey at noon and began serpentining through the vast maze of canals bordered by endless rice paddies and narrow villages.


When we boarded the 50 foot barge, I first noticed that there were 2 other sleeping cabins in addition to ours. After the engines started and we began to pull away from the dock I realized that Jen and I were the ONLY passengers on the boat. The captain, engine operator, and cook were there for no one else but us. It felt very strange to have a crew for our very own personally chartered thatched yacht...


I also wondered how I would keep myself occupied without a book, guitar, computer, etc., etc., etc. It was simply enough to sit, watch and enjoy. A few hands of rummy and lots of fresh pineapple reminded me why we take vacations - to intentionally do nothing and remember that life and love need no props.


The captain was gracious enough to let me steer the boat during a rather wide and straight stretch of the canal. He has no motor controls up front - only a string he pulls that runs to the rear of the boat and rings a bell for the engine operator to hear. They have a code of rings that I never figured out. Of course, if the engine man didn't either, a hearty yell always worked too. The captain did have a single switch under his spoked steering wheel for operating the horn. Yes, it's not just the cars that honk their horns incessantly in India.


The thin, elevated borders hedged with coconut trees between rice fields and canals proved big enough to settle for many workers and families.


The Keralan backwaters are often called the "Venice of the East," though space is certainly not an issue there.


Fisherman, merchants, farmers, and more use both paddle and pole to navigate the backwaters.

A bloomin' lilly! (I think it's a water lilly.)


The sunset and near silence of twilight was the most peaceful moment we experienced in 4 months in India.


And finally, our Christmas star. Since it was December 23rd and 24th, it was only appropriate that we had a Keralan style, holiday decoration accenting our boat. Not only did it help bring Christmas cheer and warm our hearts, it served to distract the mosquitos from sucking our warm, festive blood too.


Jimmy

P.S. Speaking of blood, did you know that leeches secrete an anti-blood clotting chemical into the laceration they create so that blood flows freely even after the leech is removed? Now how would we know that?..... Find out more next time on "Episode 3: Oh Christmas Leech, Oh Christmas Leech..."

Safely Home With Stories To Tell

Between fighting off toe-sucking leeches, hunting for lost luggage, stalking elephants in the wild, nabbing last minute souvenirs, remembering how to drive a car, and fighting the urge to haggle for a bag of chips in our hometown grocery, we’ve had very little time to write about our adventures over the last 3 weeks. Our last days in the Indian subcontinent were full of rich experiences and the mixed emotions that come with any major life transition. You know, sadness, longing, anticipation, curiosity, hope, jet laaaaaaaag…

In the interest of keeping things concise and keeping you coming back for more, we’ll break our trip to Kerala and then back home into more cliff-hanging, nail-biting episodes sure to satisfy your quest for vicarious adventure.

Episode Ek (that’s ONE in Hindi) – HAWKING AND GAWKING


After leaving Chandigarh on the train, we dropped off our insane amount of luggage in Delhi, tossed a few things into two small day bags, and flew to southern India – the state of KERALA, where they call it “God’s Own Country”. (Not to be confused with my home state, West Virginia, where it’s “Almost Heaven”.)


Good idea – leave the cold north and hang out on a beautiful hot beach
Bad idea – stay only two days

What were we thinking?!



Reclining in our rented lawn chairs on the sands of Lighthouse Beach, hearing the waves of the Arabian Sea lapping on the black and cream sand, and feeling the steady breeze bring scents of cooking fish, coconuts and sea air, it was easy to relax even with the hawking and gawking surrounding us. Every 3 or so minutes, we would be approached by a different vendor trying to secure our loyalty and business for anything from beaded necklaces and roasted cashews to peacock feather fans and lungis (wrap skirts that the men in southern India typically wear.) The women selling fruit salad especially made it a point to chat us up and smilingly remind me that it was “later” because I had earlier refused a purchase by saying “maybe later.” Though persistent, they were always kind.


Aside from the vendors, there were often packs of guys, numbering 3 to 15 that would slowly walk and often stop among the sunbathing tourists to openly stare at any piece of exposed female flesh in a pathetically indiscrete way. It was almost comical to watch. I started playing the game of staring straight back at any guy that even looked in Jen’s direction. Once caught, they left in a hurry. Stalkers or gawkers – neither have a chance when I’m around!


The beach was lined with rows of wooden boats used for fishing and the waves provided some good breaks for body surfing, boogie boarding, and a little surfing.

As we traipsed down the boardwalk at night, we got to see each restaurant display their fresh seafood collection in some interesting ways. Mmmm.....


After getting a little sun-burned and filling up on fish curry, we left the hamlet of Kovalam and headed north to Allepey to enjoy an overnight cruise through the backwaters on a house boat made from a converted rice barge.

Would the maze of backwater channels prove too intricate for the Bradbury crew? Would they spend Christmas next to a rice paddy? Tune in next time to find the answers as well as learn something new and exciting about leeches..…

Until next time,
Jimmy

P.S. I can't in good conscience leave the fish as the last image you see. Sorry for that. Here's Johnny Abraham with our hotel's very own outdoor nativity scene.