So after plenty of offers we got ourselves a houseboat for the night. Allepey is the main place from which to explore the backwaters of Kerala and known as the Venice of the East we were pretty excited. Our houseboat, or 'rice barge' hand made from wood and bamboo had a covered seating area and bedroom with ensuite bathroom, and came with a driver, an engine man and a personal chef! We set off from Allepey and spent the next 22 hours on the water. We drifted along canals and lakes, lined with palms trees, rice field and villages. It was so peaceful and we were able to watch the villagers going about their everyday work. Women washing clothes or pots in the river, the children washed themselves or played and waved to us whenever they
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