Trip Taken July 2009

The House Boat Experience

Early morning on the second day

Synonymous with Kerala is the cruise through the back waters of Kerala, also known as the Venice of the East, and the houseboat experience. My group, this time, was a very different one than I am used to travelling with normally: the youngest was three, the oldest sixty six, a total of eleven family members! Also, since it was a family vacation, we decided to stay on the boat for two days.

 So, as it were, the planning itself was a little difficult at that time of the year. It was the rainy season, hence off season. We did not want to be on two different boats as that would defeat the purpose of a family vacation, but the largest boat we were able to find was a four bedroom boat. The explanation made sense on why there weren’t any larger boats: they would be difficult to maneuver through the backwaters through the canals.

 The way to get to Alappi, as the locals call it, is to land at the Ernakulam (Cochin) airport and drive down to the spot where the house boat you booked begins. Ours was a slow 2.5 hour drive as you have to go through the city and very populated areas. So we got to the area where we get on the boat almost at sunset. The boat itself was only a week old. Everyone, including the children, ran around and did a quick study as the crew invited each of us on board with a garland of flowers and a fresh coconut. It was indeed nice to be there, and it was rainy on the lake-like body of water we were on. A relaxing evening, with great food (the captain and crew double as fantastic chefs and can make some unforgettable traditional Kerala dishes).

 The next morning, we started after an early breakfast into the open waters. By this time, however, the rain had come down pretty good overnight and the water was high. To us, it just added to the boat house experience and didn’t dampen our spirits a bit.

So, shrimp or lobster, you think?

As we had time on our hands, we stopped at a local fish shop on an embankment where the small boat used for fishing was docked outside and picked up our lunch, what they call jumbo shrimp, what I call mini lobsters, at Rs.800 per kg. We got four per kilo, three kilos in all. The crew made two traditional dishes out of it, and we ate every last one without leaving anything for the crew themselves; it was that good!

An esctuary

The next wish to fulfill was going into the actual small canals in the neighborhoods on small boats that can carry 2-3 in each boat excluding the fisherman who takes you out there. We asked if it could be done, to which the captain took us to where there were a collection of a few boats, spoke to them, and off we went on a side trip. It was unique in the sense that the houses were on an even level with the water, some were lower. I can’t say much more to describe it, except it we were glad we asked and glad to have seen it.

 A hectic day over, we docked at a picture perfect location and settled in for another great meal. Already, just 24 hours into the trip, we girls knew we were in trouble weight wise, but that would be taken care of later!

 The next morning we set along the waters again, taking in the sights, looking at boat stops instead of bus stops for public transport, and shopping in a small village for local handicrafts. We then stopped at a temple, the name is now lost on me, and there is a significant difference in the architecture and material used for building them in Kerala. Unlike the other southern temples, this area used wood in most of its decorative construction instead of stone.

 By that afternoon, we were far enough south to where we got to see the extent of the coir industry and how the abundant coconut trees provide a stable and healthy income to that area in the form of oil, building material and coir. Our house boat itself was made of it, without the use of a single nail, they said, as were all other traditional house boats.

 By the late afternoon, around 4pm, we got to Thotapally. Because of the high waters and the force of these waters through the narrow canals, we had to disembark here. Two days and two kilos later, we thanked the crew for their wonderful hospitality and food and headed for the beaches of Kovalam. We had covered about 180km in two days.

 Do note that although they say the check-in time was before 4pm and check-out was for the boat is noon, we were able to ask for a more convenient one as there was only one flight a day that went from Hyderabad to Cochin and it landed around 3pm. Maybe because it was off-season, they were more flexible. Nonetheless, the service was first class and they spared no expense on the food. You do, however need to carry your own alcohol on board and any snacks that you may want. Also, if you let them know before hand about any allergies or preference in oil, they will prepare for it. If you are vegetarian or picky about what you eat, you should let them know that also.

A houseboat with a sitting deck on top

The other thing you want to be aware of is the how the boat looks. Ours did not have a top deck that is covered we could sit on, but I saw a boat going by that did. It looked pretty nice, a picture of it is here. So if you want one like it, ask for it. Even a few one bedroom boats that went by had the deck. Hope the picture helps you find one if you’re have a hard time derscribing it!

All in all, the two day trip, including the canoes, cost us Rs45,000.

Trip taken: Dec 2009

An old church near Calangute

 If you’ve heard people say Goa is out of the world, and wondered how good it can be or how different from the rest of India, well, they meant it and it is everything that a good break can bring to those close to it.

 Mine was a similar short trip, one that said, “Let’s see what all the fuss is about Goa”. So, having done very little research, having no idea if I was going by myself or not until the very last minute, I landed in Goa on a Thursday evening, not sure if my time was going to be filled enjoyable until Sunday.

 The drive from the airport to Calangute (North Goa) is about an hour flat. So my guess is that the drive from North Goa to South Goa is a two hour drive down the coast. The first day was hectic and long, but I didn’t want to miss the sight seeing aspects of Goa and be just a beach bunny!

 Co-incidentally, the Saint Francis Xavier festival that takes place around his death anniversary was in full swing that weekend so there was plenty activity in and around the church. So I started my lonely tour there. It seems strange to be going in to these very Portugese structures, including the names, and seeing things that just don’t seem to go along with the rest of India.

 Proceed from there to the St.Augustine tower in the lane right across from St.Francis church. As I walked through the ruins, there was a feeling of immense loss of what must have once been a magnificent structure and church with different prayer halls and beautiful Portugese tiles in their typical white, blue, yellow and red colors. Just the bell tower remains of this huge church.

Relics of St. Augustine Church, Bell Tower

There are a couple of temples that are popular and tourists seem to visit. The architecture or beauty of these was lost on me. They were very modern, white, brick and cement structures that lacked anything I was used to in temples I saw in the South. Maybe I was too stuck in the old style temples I missed the significance of anything in these.

 Further down the road, there are spice gardens and a trip into plantations. Ask your guide or driver to take you to a real plantation, a not so tourist driven or busy one. The one I went to was the Tropical Spice Plantation. Although the whole experience wasn’t bad, it was Rs.300 for a twenty minute tour with twenty other people into a well landscaped spice garden. It included lunch at the hut in front of the plantation, and they sold some very good, fresh spices too. It was a good trip, I just would have preferred to go into a more rustic and natural plantation.

 A long drive down the coast took me past the famous Vasco da Gama beach and down to Margoa. Truly a beautiful part of Goa, it feels like a village mixed with different flavors and brings forth a relaxing feeling. There is a large market there that should not be missed. Fruits, flowers, vegetables, poultry, pork and sausage products, fresh fish including hammer head sharks and lobsters and several other eatables that are regional and a delicacy in that area are available. Easily an hour or so will go by as you walk through the stalls and take in the smells.

 In Goa, the sunset is not to be missed! So I settled on the Colva Beach to take in the different colors of the Arabian Sea. A few Para sailors drifted by and

Para Sailing at Colva Beach during sunset

made for some interesting pictures during the sunset. If I was having so much fun taking pictures of the, I could only imagine how much fun they were having up there!

 As luck would have it, two of my friends did decide to take me up on the offer and come down for the weekend. So, after the sunset, I drove up to the airport, picked them up and drove back north to Nagoa, where we were staying.

 Dinner was at the Taj facing the Baga Beach. Drinks followed at the main strip and then continued at Tito’s lane, which was suggested by one and all. Some shopping along with drinking added to the vacationing-by-the-sea-side feeling.

 The next day started with a boating trip to see dolphins, which we did. Beautiful, graceful, playful, pink nosed creatures in two different colors: dark grey and creamy white, bouncing in and out of the waters all around the boat. Then, we headed off to do the real beach stuff to Baga Beach.

 Some beaches offer all the water sports, some offer only a few. But the list is

Yes, those are my feet. Yes, I did it!

 para sailing, jet skiing, snorkeling, diving, fast jet boats into the ocean. We did a few of those, got tired, showered, repeated Friday night at the night strip, bought a lot more things for myself and headed home at 3am!

A tiring trip to Goa, it is going to have to be repeated at a leisurely pace, and less like a glutton without food for a week! That way, I am not trying to admit myself into a hospital for IV when I get home! But 4 pairs of heels, 3 dresses, 2 pairs of shorts and a partridge in a pear tree… Not bad shopping for Christmas, I’d say.

 Cost of the trip including the guesthouse shared by 3 people for 3 nights, a car and driver all day and evening (12 hours a day), beach activities: Rs.18,000. Not bad when you have so much fun!