Kerala

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I am sat here by the pool in the middle of Sri Lanka - we did say a few words in an earlier blog about Kerala - but here’s the full low-down.

I’ll give you a breakdown of each of the places we went but first it’s worthwhile covering a few points.

Kerala is different - the roads are good and there are road markings and even zebra crossings. Everything is organised and the people are straightforward. It is easily the most overall advanced part of India that we have been to. The prices are very low and the quality and variety of food is first class. Of all the areas we have been to it is a place we could live for a significant part of the year. The countryside is varied eg backwaters; rural villages, tea plantations, jungle, highland areas and great beaches all within 4 hours travel of each other. The people are great with a strong sense of humour and good English. It is the area with the highest level of literacy; highest drunkenness, and highest life expectancy and lowest infant mortality.

OK you say but Ian tell us what you really think about the place. Well the most important point is that it is a Happy Place and people have the opportunity to live their lives as they choose.. One guy said to us “Relax, you are in Kerala!” It should be their strap line.

We flew into Cochin International Airport from Mumbai. Got a prepaid taxi to Olavipe - and as we walked out of the terminal there was the taxi driver with his car. No probs, cheap and hassle free!!! We went into the deep backwaters and then to the end of the track. Arrived at our homestay which was an old house in large grounds and a very welcoming family. Antony who now runs the family home as a homestay with his wife is ex- Indian Civil Service and spent a lot of time in NE India as a District Officer. After a quick lunch with the family we changed into lighter walking clothes in our suite complete with wooden shutters and little bells on the bamboo blind cords (warns if someone is lifting them up) as there is no glass in the window frame. Plump cattle, tethered, goats tethered, and ladies waving to us from nice homes across the creek… one with a brand new baby in her arms. The tranquillity and the serenity of the greens and swaying palms etc is like something from an idyllic dream scene. Talk about bucolic!!!
Walked into the village where Ian asked for a cool drink. The man in the little shop mixed us a concoction from a bottle of soda water, salt, a slug of sugar cane syrup from his jug and couple of limes. We then had variants with more salt and sugar.
Next morning Ian was up at 6.30am and went for a bike ride through the area - lovely roads said hello to everyone - ladies and children on the way to Church

Came back for breakfast -idlis and coconut stuff - honey, toast - fantastic Kerala coffee.Then went off in a canoe!! Paddled through the backwaters for 3 hours - Carol very game in helping lift the canoe over the narrow spits of land between the water. The spits of land are only 10 feet wide but people live on them. Wonderful seeing how people live in a watery environment - we were an oddity to them and it certainly livened up their Sunday morning.
During that night there were a number of explosions and at breakfast it was explained that there was the annual festival of the local Hindu temple. A car took us to local temple celebrations - lots of very loud bangs - we created a stir and people came up to us to talk and practise their English - very hot - had 2 watermelon drinks - bought some peanut brittle - there were 5 elephants in full headdress - lots of market stalls selling drinks, food, plastic sparkly items from China and posters. Great fun - the locals were fascinated by the whiteys looking lost in the middle of their village


Following day had a trip to Fort Cochin in the local Ambassador taxi - saw the famous Chinese fishing nets working bringing the catch in and visited the Portuguese museum with its heavy carved wood ceilings then into Jew Town with its antique shops.

Then left Olavipe and felt quite sad - it is an absolutely fantastic place and with only a few rooms everyone eats together round the kitchen table - very companiable.


We got the local taxi again and went down the coast to Alleppey. Again used the Lonely Planet guide and found a great place actually backing onto the water so that afternoon sat at the waters edge just outside of our lovely bungalow (£25 a night) and watched the houseboats float by. Water hyacinths cover the backwaters and coconut palms line the edges with ladies in saris gliding back to their villages and men in lungis strolling in the cooler air. Had a quick Tuk tuk ride into Alleppey - straightforward working town with everyone busy. Back at our place man with lovely canoe told us that he runs 5 hr trips around the small backwaters and we agreed for him to pick us up at 6am the following morning!


So we set off in the dark with the stars above - we had arranged breakfast which was put into the boat - saw the sun rise as we were paddled along and had omelette, tea toast and marmalade (very bizarre) - stopped at the local shop in the backwaters (again everything is very organised and well kept) - saw the children going off to school on the water bus - went down very narrow backwaters and saw the paddy fields - saw the ladies with umbrella hats working in the fields - white herons and egrets as well as kingfishers. There were a couple of fishermen with coracles from Karnataka - they are very poor and our man stopped to buy fish for his family. 1250 rupees for 5 hours and not an ounce of petrol used - hard work for him and his mate rowing but much better than a night on a houseboat.

After a couple of days decided to go inland and organised a taxi up to Thekkady. Again taxi was cheap and we drove through the Keralan paddy fields and lovely countryside gradually climbing towards the Cardamom hills. Amazing small towns with some lovely suburbs - clearly wealthy. Inviting looking shops with people strolling around on clean streets and some decent coffee shops. More Mediterranean than Indian. Some fabulous houses as we climbed through what could have been Italian or French hillsides. Views were gorgeous. Stopped for freshly squeezed juices and sodas. Gooseberry soda really delivered, lime and ginger very refreshing.
When we reached the tea plantations it was just like a scene from the PG TIPS box. Acres of clipped bushes crowded neatly in lozenge patterns down sloping hillsides.

Again using the Lonely Planet guide found a place but taxi driver recommended another LP place so we looked at both and his recommendation was cheaper and better. Good size room with large balcony with chairs plus hanging swing chair and table and en suite wet room (£10 night) We were going to stay 2 nights and ended up staying 4 nights. Explored the little town and found a great Italian place with home made pasta and pizza that would be good even in Italy. Again, in LP guide.
Following morning having had a pot of Kerala coffee went out to find breakfast. We were also wondering how to choose what to do as there are lots of different tours. Found the Pepper Garden Coffee House and had the BEST banana and jungle honey porridge IN THE WORLD. I am getting very boring about porridge but it just seems to start the day right. The secret is apparently just after it boils coconut milk is added. Carol had cashew/date and raisin porridge and with a large pot of fresh coffee and homemade caraway and cinnamon toast - total 190 rupees £2.50) So in a very mellow mood we got talking to the owner and he we decided on a tuk tuk to take us to the elephants then onto an organic spice garden and then to a tea plantation and factory.
We had one of the best days of our lives.
Chugged off to Elephant Junction. Fabulous elephants having their morning bathe. There are hierarchies even in the elephant world in Kerala - the mahout gets to clean the front of the elephant and his helper has to wash the back side of the elephant. The helpers brush wasn’t very long either! As a side point an average grown elephant eats 180 kg of food a day and has a dump 14 times a day.
On a softer note a Mother and 1 year old baby were also being fed and watered… it was in a wonderful jungly, spice land setting and the elephants were very happy. One very clean 24 year old male was saddled up and off we went on his back! He strolled up through the lush pathways barely making a sound unless it was a happy trumpet! Ian was ecstatic and we had to swap places so that he could talk to the elephant and stroke his ears. Then we watched the mother and baby. Ian managed to attract the young one by swishing his arm, who then tried to pinch his hat.
Dragged ourselves away to go to the organic spice garden where we met Mr and Mrs Sebastian in their neat house in the jungle. Genuinely lovely people with a massive enthusiasm for the spices they grow. All in all a tasty and fascinating couple of hours.
Then onto a tea plantation. Neat hillsides of tea bushes and a factory processing the leaves. The finished product bore no resemblance to the original leaf. No health and safety in sight at all though plenty of fast moving cogs and belts.

Then back for Lunch - vegetable fried rice, banana pancakes, pineapple and banana lassi 170 rupees.

Evening walked through town and bought fruit nuts and sweets. As we had had a tiring day and it was a Saturday night decided to see if we could buy something alcoholic. Got a tuk tuk to take us to the licensed liquor store. So Ian joined the long queue of furtive men - and bought Honey Bee brandy and some lemonade!

As I said a pretty perfect day!

Next morning up at 5.30am to do a trek through the Periyar Nature Reserve. We crossed a stretch of water on a bamboo raft (and Ian naturally, ended up with wet feet.) Walked through the forest and the lakeside thinking " this is just like the walk behind Horkstow where we live….. apart from the elephant droppings and the call of the Black Monkeys. Saw two types of monkey, a giant squirrel and a wild boar. Any self respecting animal would be far far away from this madding crowd. Boatfuls of chattering Indians chugged up and down the lake so how they expected to see or hear any wildlife beats me. The three hour walk was excellent though as we at least saw the habitat used by the animals.

Next afternoon Ian did the “walking with clouds walk” up in the high hills surrounding Thekkady - just him and the guide - absolutely knackered as a result but it was wonderful to see the whole area from its highest spot - only the eagles were higher.

Whilst Ian was recovering that evening Carol was whisked off in a Tuk tuk to do a cookery course. Ian insisted on knowing the address and Sheril, the driver and as it turns out the chef, gave him a card with the address etc and invited him to join us at 8.30 when we would be eating whatever we cooked. We stopped at a fruit and veg shop to buy the fresh vegetables for the dinner. Very picky over his vegetables. 3 young Brits there when I arrived…2 girls travelling for 4 months and a boyfriend who had joined them for 2 weeks. Campfire Café was tacked to the front of a family home and Sherils wife, mother and sister along with assorted guides who brought a further party of Swedes to join in the fun, all pitched in with the chopping grating and kneading of loads of veg, coconut parathas, chicken and fish.
Dinner green bean and coconut curry, fish fry, chicken and coconut curry, vegetable noodles, okra and plantain stir fry all with home made pastes of spices and coconut. Very labour intensive…. Especially making the parathas!

After having a fab time up in the hills we arranged a car to take us to Varkala which had been recommended to us by some people we met - and saw another aspect of Kerala - miles of different types of plantations - pineapple, rubber, etc. Passed through a town nicknamed “Little America” because of all the young inhabitants that were sending money back from the USA and the Gulf States..

What happened this afternoon stopped for a quick bite at a coffee shop in another small town. All very neat and had chat with a group of Keralan students who thought that they were having a quiet break, until we turned up.
Again looking in the Lonely Planet guide for a place to stay - Driver recommended Sea Breeze hotel and we took a quick look . Our room, like the others in the hotel, was immaculate and had a large private terrace overlooking the beach. With hammocks everywhere, breezy open areas and a lovely rooftop breakfasting area for snacks etc, we were chuffed to stay here.2000 rupees a night inc breakfast ( £25) instead of 6000 at the Taj.

Very quiet place (lots of young and middle aged hippy types - Ian fitted in very easily) and if Carlsberg did beaches this would be it. The cliff walk is a seaside paradise - enough shops and restaurants displaying brilliant fresh fish, and even a couple of tailors who will knock up anything you want in a couple of hours.
Had dinner watching the sun set in a lovely beach shack with a top floor. Prawns, tuna, chips salad, fresh juices, pizza all for under £10.
Afterwards listened to the full moon party underway at coconut grove… lit up with candles inside bags filled with sand.
We couldn’t get over what good value everything was eg
Barracuda chips salad, spaghetti carbonara, 2 fruit lassis, 2 lime sodas, bottle of water 395 rps= £5
As it was so cheap we treated ourselves to 2 cocktails, pot of keralan coffee, 2 massive wedges of chocolate and coconut cake all for 296 rps=£3.75

So we spent 4 days in Varkala going for walks, lounging on deserted beached and eating. Carol had a pair of trousers made for £4 and Ian had a couple of shirts made for a fiver each. We will definitely go back there and we hope it won’t get spoiled in the meantime. It is a truly laid back and happy place.

Which brings us back to our summary of Kerala - it is truly God’s Country (like Yorkshire with palm trees and heat) - if you are thinking about where to holiday next GO to Kerala!

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Comments

[Tony in LA]

Escape from Alcatraz...
I distinctly get the feeling that I'm trapped in a hard labor penitentiary which you two escaped from....and whilst reveling in your freedom you send us lovely postcards whilst on the run! It does brighten our hum drum existence, but also high lights what is truly important in life. Good for you for setting the example!!! LOL T