1st Feb - Houseboat and Alleppey

View India To 23rd Feb 2011 in a larger map

Woke up about 7 and decided that I actually really needed to wash a load of my clothes and I asked the guys what I should do. They told me just to wash them in the river. I decided to give it a go. When ever I have hand washed my clothes in the UK I have done it using a very different technique to the way that they do it in India. They first wash with soap on a flat concrete surface and then they beat the clothes my throwing it over their shoulders and hitting the clothes on a rock or solid surface. I gave it a go but I was really rubbish and the guys on the boat just ended up laughing at me :-)

They gave me breakfast on the ride back. We had not moored up far from where we started and so it did not take long to get back. They normally try to get back early so that there is time to take the next set of people for the day. Most people usually just do one day and so leave about 11 and return about 9 the next day. It really was worth doing it for the 2 days as you really get away from the other boats and having a full day on the boat rather than an afternoon, night and morning makes a massive difference and means that you can really relax into the experience.

I was going to leave Alleppey today after I got back from the house boat but I took my time in town and went shopping for some more Indian clothes. My cheap trousers had ripped when I was on board the houseboat and so I needed to replace them.

Fawaz called me to ask what I was doing and invited me for lunch at his family home and then said he would take me shopping for more clothes. I changed my mind on leaving today and biked back to Hotel and did some internet stuff for a while and then Fawaz came to pick me up and took me for a fish curry with his mother. His mum was really friendly and lovely but did not speak any English. According to Fawaz his family are very open and unlike other Muslim families in the area are more friendly towards Westerners. The lunch was extremely tasty. I am getting really used to eating Indian food with my fingers now :-)

They showed me the family wedding videos and all of the family photos - very cute. After lunch Fawaz took me on a grand tour of the area. We climbed up the local light house to look at the great views - shame it was a bit hazy today and so the photos were not as great as I was hoping. Fawaz had never been up the light house himself as it has only just opened to the public. It is a working light house.

We then went on Fawaz's motorbike into Alleppey shopping. He took me to loads of shops and was very patient as I did not find any thing I liked for ages. Eventually as I was giving up I saw a lovely green outfit. It was great to go with Fawaz as he translated for me and taught me loads about Indian culture as we were traveling round.

As the sun was setting he took me out of town to see the views over the massive lake that runs from Alleppey up to Kochin. He really took the time to show off his native area. On the way back we happened upon a massive festival at a local Hindu Temple. We asked if we could go in and they said it was fine. They made a huge amount of noise banging their drums and singing. There was a huge elephant all dressed up. It was so surreal just turning the corner and seeing this major event just by chance. I love the Hindu religion! It is SOOO loud, colourful, happy and in your face - such funky Gods. It makes Jesus and Christianity seem so boring.

We drove from the festival to Alleppey beach (just down the road from the homestay where I was staying). It was dark but I felt very safe with Fawaz. There were loads of other Indians there just chilling. We sat and chatted and watched the waves crashing. There were so many lights on the horizon that it looked like there was land in the distance and houses with lights on, however Fawaz explained that it was actually the lights from hundreds of fishing boats.


When we went back I tried on my new clothes and I was very happy. I was chatting with Fawaz and the others while I was on the internet when we got back and he suggested going to see his Grandmother and all of the rest of the family on the Keralan backwaters tomorrow morning. I thought that this would be really cool as we could go on a local water ferry and I would see the inside of the houses on the back waters.

We went back to the hotel and sat and chatted with Tony and ate Banana and Porotta for dinner. A fab way to spend the day and learn about Indian culture and explore with a local. Fawaz really is a lovely lad. He was taking me on a tour to try and earn money - just to practice his English and learn about a different culture.