Backwater cruising in Kerala
If I had to work it out then it would probably be close on thirty years. A lifetime since I had flipped through holiday brochures for Kerala; and the glossy enticement to spend a few days cruising the backwaters in Kerala. Year after year we had returned to Goa having decided against it. There had been a number of factors that I still recall all these years later. The cost was the main factor. Followed by the potential for Mosquitoes to descend in clouds. Also I had fear that to spend days on end, lounging around, would drive me crazy.
Years later it would come as some surprise to discover that the water is brackish, waterways flood annually during monsoon. The presence of the brackish water ensured a lack of mosquitoes.
Behind the waterways are paddy fields, which need to be pumped out after each monsoon; a feat of engineering.
This land was grabbed by the government at a time of famine and given to the farmers to work and maintain. I guess you can’t farm land when there’s no land to farm.
Being mindful of my fear of being trapped, just lounging around, we booked one day and one night. Boarding Aqua Jumbo at 9 am.
I can’t praise the management of this boat enough. From the moment we booked it we were taken care of. With a level of customer care we had come not to expect in India. On Aqua Jumbo close attention was paid to everything, including three mountainous meals. Prepared for us on board (and I suspect also doubled as the crew’s meals) we enjoyed delicious food. Varied and simple in nature, as we had requested. So far our focus on vegetarian-based dishes has served us very well.
For the duration of our journey, we shared the beautiful vessel with just the chef, first mate and Captain. Slowly lazy hours slipped by as we negotiated the lake and learned more about its inhabitants. The diving birds, eagles, water snakes, the Indian Kingfisher; the farmers and their bountiful dogs. Hours came and went. The grey sky never really allowed the sun to shine, but the weather remained dry and calm.
After lunch, we turned. After completing a loop of a huge farming island we returned to the main lake. Now it had become very busy with day boats beginning to return to their moorings before darkness fell. All boating activity ceased at 17.30, releasing the waters back to the fisherman.
For us, we once more slipped into a navigation channel between fields. Our mooring for the night was next to a long abandoned house. Bought by our boat owners so there was somewhere to ‘plug’ Aqua Jumbo in at night.
As the light faded tiny little black flies descended, kept out of the vessel by mesh screening. We sat in the darkness, listening to the sounds of the water. Trying hard to avoid attracting the wildlife.
Following a very hearty dinner, we slept soundly in our lovely cabin. Gently rocked to sleep After breakfast, at 9am, we disembarked, waiving goodbye to our lovely team.
It may have been a thirty-year wait but it was most certainly worth it
We had two hours to fill in Alleppey before our train. So we headed for the beach and its lighthouse. Climbing to the top we sat watching trains disrupt the traffic flow at the level crossing. A little further out we could spy people taking their driving tests in a local carpark. The beach here ruined by its proximity to the new N66.
The Train App advised of a delay to our booked train. We made our way back to the station and waited in the ticket hall. A train pulled in exactly when ours had been due. We checked it out, almost as an afterthought. Discovering that it was our train, it was now a massive rush. We weren’t standing in the right place to board it.
We surprised ourselves. After two months in India, we now think nothing of hopping on board a moving train.
This train went as far as Mangaluru. This was our destination but our booked tickets fell short of this destination due to lack of availability. So once more we found ourselves in Kochi. A town we had hated just a few weeks earlier, and resolved to give it another look.
