Today we have booked a organized touristic trip. Therefore we needed to be ready at 8:15 to be picked up. Once the group was complete we drove to a houseboat.
On there we met British, American, Japanese, Greek and Swedish people. We went for a boattrip that should take around 3 to 4 hours. After a cup of tea we drifted away into the backwaters of Kerala. Underway a guide named Shajaz (what means flower)
talked us through some facts about the area we where boating.
He told us that most of these little boats
are occupied with mussel fishers. They fishers go to catch the mussels out their boat into the water with their net.
They feel then with their feet whether there are mussels around. They can do this because the backwater has a water depth of 1 to 5 meters.
These islands join three districts (counties/provinces) and that on each island a couple of families where living without clean water, supermarket, hospital or electricity.
This area is also very important for Kerala as it is the largest backwater of the district (205km diagonal)
After the talk he invited us to come and eat some mussels. To do that we needed to go to one of the local families that he knew there. On the island, while the mussels where being steamed, we where told a bit more about how these people live. So it seems that they have clean water for six months(what they do in the other six months I forgot). That they trade tender coconut’s,
mussels, chips made from “tapioca” ( looks like a wooden stick)
And raw material for medicine, gain from all different kinds of plants.
Once back we got a traditional Kerala lunch and when in the bus to our next boat trip.
This boat was a bit smaller and is why we went with two little boats. Here we went through some kind of jungle where also a few families where living.
Above, black peppers
These families where more modern than the once we just visited. They had basically everything they need. However they where also specialized in making ropes (this is something that is been done at much more places, but we were allowed to take a closer look here.
The base product is coconut fiber.
They peel this of the coconut and let it dry in the sun. Then they put it in a pouch on their belly. From here they twist the fibers, By twisting the fibers, they hook into each other and lock themselves in. A movie will demonstrate how this is done. However due to the internet connection will these be uploaded later on.
After a boat trip of around 3 hours we docked back in and went back to the hotel. This was the end of Kerala. We were now about to leave for the 22:30 train to GOA. For that Liny’s mum booked us a second class A/C train. Liny told me that it is rarely that she goes in such a luxury way of travel. Namely, you have 1st A/C, 2nd A/C, 3rd A/C and no A/C class. Normally they travel in 3th and no A/C class. 2nd A/C class means sockets and onboard dinner and breakfast. The journey took about 12 to 13 hours, and we where having beds to sleep in. How this all worked out is shown in a movie that I made again which I cant upload at the time.
About GOA, see next blog
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