Backwaters

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We had our last delicious fruit and yogurt breakfast in the garden at Odayam, and got the bill. Including a few tuktuk trips to and from town, and three breakfasts, it worked out at about £4 per night each. Can't blame the Italians for staying on! But we have places to go, things to see.

We got Shah, the tuktuk driver to take us to the station, where I bought the tickets to Allepey. 30% discount for being so old! We had allowed plenty of time, as you are never sure about timings in India. So we trotted over the road where there is a nice little tea stall/cafe. When I saw the locals eating breakfast, there was no way I could resist. So we sat down at a table, with some locals, and ordered chai, and for me a dosa with the works - a vadai, some sambar and coconut chutney. The guy brought two, so Baska tucked in as well. Just such an amazing breakfast.

We waited on the platform for our train, and watched as Indians young and old, male and female, jumped down on to the track to cross to the next platform and clamber up, with the help if necessary of any passengers on the platform.

The train arrived, and in we got for a 2 1/2 hour scenic ride through the backwaters. When we arrived at the station, there was a queuing system, where you told some guy through a window where you wanted to go, and he printed off a ticket. You didn't pay anything for it, it didn't say how much the fare should be, or where you wanted to go, and the tuktuk drivers totally ignored them; another of life's little mysteries in India. We got in out tuktuk, and showed him the map in the guide book, and explained exactly where we wanted to go. But this is India! He had a far better idea than we did, and he knew some really good places to stay! And there seemed to be nothing we could do to persuade him otherwise. After quite a long drive, with me shouting that he was not going where we wanted to go, he pulled up outside a guesthouse called - "Johnson's nest"! We had looked at this in the guidebook, and it was a long-stop for us, as it was a bit more than our budget (which ain't very much). And as I argued with the driver, another tuktuk pulled up, and Johnson himself climbed out. A larger than life character, once the top disc jockey in India - about 30 years ago. He told me that we might as well look, as we were there, and we needn't pay our driver, as he would look after that. So we went in, and the house was great. Very old, with high ceilings and thick walls making it cool even in the middle of the day. And a beautiful garden, full of jasmine, orchids, and fruit trees. Johnson showed us a room upstairs, and to our surprise it was much less than the guidebook had suggested. 650Rs a night, around £9. A big clean bathroom, and a balcony shaded by a big tree, with swinging rattan chairs. And I got another 50Rs off for having the same name. Actually, Johnson is his first name, but he still agreed!

As we were just settling in, there was a knock on the door, and in came ones of his helpers with a cool freshly squeezed lime soda - just what we needed.

When I went downstairs, Johnson was sitting on his big porch, and invited me to sit with him. There he explained that he also owned a new houseboat on the backwaters, and offered a special deal to those staying at the Nest. We looked at the offers, and plumped for the middle one, with a village walk and fishing. Going on Sunday, as the boat is booked for tomorrow (Saturday).

We strolled off to the town, walking alongside one of the canals that straddle Alleppey. Baska found a great shop selling saris, shawls etc to the locals. After about half an hour feeling like extras in an Indian version of 'Are you being served', we left with Baska the proud possessor of about 10 chiffon scarves in a magnificent array of colours.

Alleppey is clearly not a tourist town; just a setting off point for the backwaters, so I guess we saw about 6 other Westerners that evening. Restaurants are sparse, but we found one catering for the natives, where we had a chapathi set and a lime soda each - 4 chapatis, an excellent veg masala, and of course cocnut chutney - and left with change from a pound.

Bought a big bag of tangerines, and back to Johnsons to sit on the balcony scoffing the fruit and watching a couple of episodes of the Wire.

Saturday, we decided to go to another of Johnson's recommendations - 'the secret beach'. He arranged for a tuktuk to come and pick us up, and drive us about 40 minutes away to a great secluded beach lined with coconut palms - idyllic, though the number of signposts pointing to 'secret beach' rather belied the name! After about 3 hours, we returned to the tuktuk, where the driver was snoozing in the back, having waited the whole time. He drove us back to Johnson's, and left quite satisfied with his 400 Rp fare - just under £6. Dinner that night in the garden of a restaurant recommended by Johnson, and once more a really good S. Indian vegetarian. Then back to the Nest for more fruit and more Wire.

Sunday was the day of the houseboat trip. Shortly before we were due to head off in the tuktuk, a couple of French people turned up. They really wanted to do the houseboat, but thought it was a bit expensive for them. I told Johnson we were quite happy to share the trip and the cost with them; Johnson was happy with this, and shot off to the market to buy some more provisions. When we arrived at the houseboat, we were a bit surprised that when Johnson told us there was 1 double and 2 singles, we assumed he meant cabins. No, just 1 cabin, with a double bed and 2 single beds! We just accepted it, and by the end of the trip we were good friends!

The trip was brilliant; not like it must have been about 10 years ago, but still well worth it. And with 3 crew on board to look after us, we were in the lap of luxury. Of course, I had a go at driving. The fishing was like something out of Just William. or maybe Tom Sawyer. A short stick, a piece of line tied to the end, with a hook on it. A lump of bait, and off we went! We caught a few, the largest about 3 inches long. They all went into a bucket of water. When we set off again, there was a sizzling sound from the galley, then the crew appeared licking their lips - we never saw the fish again.

The trip came to an end about 11 o'clock Monday morning, then back to Johnsons to pack and check out. Johnson suggested we get a taxi which would pick us up and drop us at our next stay. in Fort Kochi. But we like public transport, so off to the bus stand, and on the bus we went. 2 hours (and 72Rp) later, we were in Ernakulam, the nearest we could get to Fort Kochi on the bus.

Next time, our stay in Fort Kochi.

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