ScrewYouGuys!

..So we happily board the boat for the trip to Alleppey and its full of other tourists from all over, we got taking to a group of about 8 Indian vets who were on a conference trip, lovely bunch and they fed the whole boat lunch with a sort of bombay mix and sweet dumplings very nice indeed. The boat was a bargain we only paid 400Rs each and we had such a lovely day just cruising through the palm fringed backwaters and past fishermen and local villages would definitely recommend this as a way to spend a leisurely day in India.

Sam found this coconut and was very impressed he got a free drink/meal!

We see some not so nice bits such as the bloated goats intestines which occasionally floated past but the rest of the scenery more than covered it.

never get out of the boat!

After 8 lovely hours we arrive in Alleppey at night and as soon as I step of the boat I’m surrounded by indian men trying to offer rooms and rickshaws so much so that I couldn’t even walk forward or cross the street, a harsh smack back down to reality, Sam pulled me outta there and we wandered off to find that nights place to stay.

After unsuccessfully finding a place to stay even with the unwanted help of everyman in Alleppey who’s brother has a ‘lovely place to stay’ and they all know someone with a boat to do the backwaters we jump in a rickshaw and end up at the Vrindavanam Hertitage Home, now this place is massively under rated in the book a little beautiful clean safe haven from the bustling streets. The price was only about 350 Rs the room was lovely made from bamboo and thatch and they were all set around a courtyard garden. When we arrived other travellers were sat out on the communal balcony or in hammocks, they serve really good food and semi cold beer in the garden too and then a guy started playing guitar and singing, this was so chilled out and one of our favourite days so far.

Vrindavanam Hertitage Home - garden

Next day we laze around, drink chai and read papers in the garden, had a little look at the beach and then we headed off for another backwater tour this time on a canoe just for us with the promise of seeing far more than the previous days trip which we loved. 

Our Canoe

We had had thoughts of taking a few bottles of red wine with us but luckily didn’t find any, now its not like me to say luckily but the boat wasn’t quite like the picture, very small and carrying many other passengers to which my legs are still carrying the bites! It was a lovely day though we stopped off and tried the local toddy which is the homebrew tapped from coconut palms. best word s to describe it are swamp waters, looked tasted and smelt like it, I gave it a few goes but it started to make me gag, Sam on the other hand got a take out! Thankfully he decided better of it later on otherwise he’d have been a very poorly man. The canoe was more expensive than the boat and to be honest we didn’t see anything different just lovely backwater scenery and we got to stand in a rice paddy field, the boat man was quite keen on keep getting us to go in these but after more nibbles on my legs I was good for seeing rice to be honest especially after the ravaging they had just got when he took us down the murkiest swamp bit, we though to look for bats as we had mentioned, the bats here are enormous! still trying to get a picture..anyway it was one bit after another second after second, turned out he was just nipping home to get his phone charger off the missus!! That night we got back just in time for a fantastic down pour and lightening which was great to watch with a semi cold beer!