Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Day 27 Thekkady to Allepey Backwaters May 8th
First stop of the day is at Abraham's Spice Garden where we are introduced to Mr Abraham Kallummakul, the owner, a man of 58 wearing the traditional Dhothi cloth (to us a sort of oversized nappy) and a western shirt. He has thick grey hair streaked with white and black and thick black tufts of hair sprouting out of both ears. He tells us how his grandfather started the garden in 1952 and died aged 93 without ever going to hospital in his life. Mr A's father still tends the garden now aged 82. He also proudly announces that the garden featured in Monty Dons " Around the World in 80 Gardens" book and TV series.
He proudly shows off his plants and trees explaining their uses in both food and medicine. There's a plant it seems for every need from cancer treatment to skin cream, something for toothache and even leaves to give your children to improve their IQ! It's a fascinating and beautiful place spread over 2 acres.
We move on to the Backwaters about 4 hrs drive away through the mountain tea plantations and across rice fields. Down a narrow unmade road is our Homestay a guest house that you share with an Indian family. We cross the river on a ferry boat (but of course we don't pay the ferryman until he gets us to the other side!) There we meet the owner, Mr Thomas, a man of about 45 who is proud of his homestead and rice farm of 8 acres. The property is quite idyllic, clean, but a bit run down by our standards. We are welcomed with a good lunch of chicken and rice (yes I am back on the meat!} It's high summer here, hot and sultry, Indian TV plays in the background and traditional whicker houseboats ply up and down the river just a few yards from the verandah where I am sitting.
Next door is a very impressive new house built by Mr T's sister a nurse who has just returned to India with her family from Manchester to bring up her children here.
After the afternoon rest Mr T takes us on a walkng tour of his farm and explains the process of rice growing, about his church and village life, as the sun sets behind us just above the palm trees. We also see how "toddy" is made from the sap from the flower stems of the coconut tree. Earthenware pots are placed on the stems to collect the sap. If drunk straight away it is sweet and mildly alcoholic. If left to forment for 1 or 2 days, it gets stronger and bitter.
After reaching the other side of the island we get on a row boat across the river and a chance to sample the brew at a toddy shop (where else?). It's like a shack but is full of men chatting and drinking just like a pub at home. We gingerly sample the different brews and a bowl of water buffalo meat with spicy gravy that is also offered to us. We don't want to offend but we are acutely conscious of what this stuff is doing to our insides! And yes I am now officially drinking as well as no longer vegetarian.
As we sit in our private cubicle there's a power cut and we are plunged into darkness. As we light candles and torches the insects descend on us and we quickly put them out again and leave. Back on the boat for the 20 minute ride to the homestay, we are serenaded by Mr T sitting at the front of the boat singing Keralan folk songs with the 2 boatmen at the back responding with the choruses. It's not our taste in music but it is anoither of those magic moments that India seems to serve up at the most unexpected times. I am goaded to respond with a poor rendition of "What shall we do with the Drunken Sailor"!
Dinner at the homestay is more vegetable curry but very nice and rounded off with a glass of Pastis offered by the 2 French women that are staying with us in the homestay and who accompanied us on the walk and boat trip, an international mix indeed.
Day 28 to Allepey and Cochin May 9th
Last day and we leave on the public ferry accompanied by Mr T who inisists on carrying our bags to the ferry stage. Farewells are genuine and snicere as we set off. The ferry is a large rickety motor boat and it takes over an hour through the backwaters to Allepey. From there we pick up the bus and drve back to Cochin where we arrive at 12.45pm.
The trip is over and now there's only the long journey home to look forward to tomorrow morning.
PS I managed to find out finally how to upload photos but I have so many that it would take an age to upload them. I think I have succeeded in uploading a few and when I get back I will try to set up an album that you can look at if you are so predisposed. I'm sorry about my failure on the technical side, if I do a trip like this again, I must bring someone who is not a technological numpty!
Thanks for your interest in my blog I am pleased so many friends and family members have enjoyed it. I have really enjoyed the trip but I will be very happy to get back home to Lindsay and the family and enjoy some real food and especially a nice glass of cold white wine! And maybe a beer or two!
- comments