We woke up early to catch a bus taking us to our backwater boat tour with a handful of other travelers. The whole state is laced with channels of water flowing toward the sea. They range from wide arteries to small veins skinny enough to step over. It is virtually impossible to tell at a glance which way the water is flowing unless you find a leaf start taking direction.
The first half of our trip was taken in a small canoe wide enough to sit two side by side and small enough to navigate the narrow canals. Rather than being rowed with any ores, the boatsman pushed us along using a long bamboo pole. This was the most silent and serene time have spent in all if India.
Our tour stopped in the forest where they harvested coconuts, split them, dried them, and later used the inner skin from the shell to make oils. The husks were then soaked then sifted and we watched how the women wove them into the ropes that tie everything in India together.
We walked through plantations growing over twenty different types of spices, fruits, herbs, and even poisons used as anti-venom. Like everywhere else in this country the banks had people bathing and slapping their laundry across the rocks.
At noon we jumped boats onto a larger vessel with a wicker roof to shade us in the afternoon heat. Again, it was powered by two men with bamboo poles. We tools a short ride to an inland in the middle of the river where we had our lunch on banana leaves. I even got a large cold beer.
The afternoon was spent falling in and of a midday nap while where were slowly pushed down the banks of the river. Nearly everyone on the boat when into dream state during the afternoon float. The only sounds were coming from birds. The men steering us down the river made no sound whatsoever gently dipping the bamboo gently and tiptowing barefoot along the deck of our water bus. No wonder everybody slept - we were in the quietest peaceful place in India.
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| From 2011-01-11 xillas |
Location:Kochi India
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