The big thing to do in Kerala is explore the coastline's many canals, lakes and lagoons on what's called a "backwater cruise." I took a wonderfully relaxing all day boat ride yesterday from Kollam to Alappuzha.
About 25 of us floated along the Kerala waterways for eight hours with brief stops for lunch and afternoon tea. We watched men fishing from boats and casting from the banks, women doing laundry, children cheering and waving, and boys jumping from palm trees. We saw temples, houses of all kinds, rice patties, coconut farms, fabulous tropical flowers and millions of beautiful palm trees.
I met a scientist from Sweden, Anna, and a backpacker from London, Ali, and we shared travel stories and laughed a great deal on our backwater journey. Ali, who has my utmost respect for traveling in India for four months, confessed that he has "gone Indian" and given up toilet paper. Anna took full credit for the lovely weather because she went to a Hindu temple before we left and crushed a coconut to ensure a sunny and dry day. We basically lounged in and out of the sun, soaking up the laid back lifestyle all day.
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