Desi Destinations: Better Late than Never Travel Post

A flower mat during the Onam festival in Kerala

I can't believe it's October! The pace of this year is really picking up, especially as my travel opportunities increase. I've had a few very memorable trips in the past month, so I thought it was time for another update, starting with my trip to Kochi (formerly known as Cochin). I spent a day in Kochi and a day and a half in Allepey on the backwaters houseboat cruise. I've been to both places before, but it's been about ten years, so it was interesting to see what had changed and what had not. Fort Cochin was virtually unchanged, and it was fun to walk around the narrow streets of Jew Town (the home of one of India's only Jewish synagogues to support its tiny and shrinking Jewish population), see the Chinese fishing nets, and visit the crumbling Dutch and Portuguese churches and palaces. We had the opportunity to take an evening boat cruise from Willingdon Island around the Cochin bay, and had some really pretty views of the sunset and the buildings lining the coast. See for yourself.

Chinese fishing nets at sunset

me with some of my course mates sporting the
obligatory orange life vests for our cruise

Baby Chacko, our cap'n

Here are some pictures from our houseboat cruise in Allepey. The tourist industry has really developed since I did this about 10 years ago. Tons of boats, all well-equipped with AC, kitchens, 1-2 bedrooms (or even more), and real furniture. We even saw a "conference" houseboat that had a room on the roof for meetings. I guess you would have a captive audience!

Late afternoon on the houseboat

Despite the inital clogged canals, the boats eventually spread out and we had the sense of being out in the middle of nowhere, floating along. Despite the increased tourist traffic, it appeared that traditional life goes on as it has for centuries - rice paddies going for miles, women washing their clothes and dishes in the river ways, lots of farm animals. We had a really relaxing time on the houseboat - and ate some great food: fresh prawns, banana fritters delicious fish served on banana leaves, yum!

I also recently had the rare opportunity to visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, just West of Thailand in the Bay of Bengal. It was an interesting trip - although we got a lot of rain, it was a beautiful place, and wonderful to be near the ocean again. Havelock Island has been well developed as a tourist destination with resorts, diving spots, and unusual experiences like diving with an elephant on the menu. I'd love to go back when it's not raining! :) We did get to visit a couple beaches and go swimming!