As you can imagine, their visit was extremely highly anticipated. They were the first familiar faces I would see in over 5 months (web conferences with home excluded). So I went all out in preparing for their journey. I used my lonely planet guidebook to determine an itinerary that would be both relaxing, affordable, and action packed. I also consulted with a local friend of mine, Sajesh, who is originally from Kerala, to ensure that the trip was reasonable in terms of times spent and places visited (more on that—probably the best decision ever—later). I also made a trip to Fabindia (www.fabindia.com), a popular store here that sells nice, traditional clothing and home goods. They source their products from artisans throughout India, so I thought it would be a good place to purchase each of my friends a typical Indian scarf. I’ve learned from experience that a good scarf can be a savior in countless situations. A sheet or pillowcase for train rides, a shield for emergency roadside bathroom breaks, a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off your head, or a mask to cover your face with in the most polluted areas (to name a few). I also asked Erama, our now infamous maid, to prepare my favorite dinner of chickpeas, chapati (flat bread), ochre, and rice. And lastly, I had my coworker Natesh draw a welcome sign in Kannada saying, “Banaglore Welcomes you.”
When they arrived at Bangalore’s airport they were tired, dirty, and hungry from nearly two days of travel, but of course, it was as if we hadn’t skipped a beat. We got back to my place and shared their travel stories coming to India, talked about work and life, and just relaxed over Erama’s delicious meal. It was so nice to hear their laughter, something that seems to be so much less common in this country, particularly coming from women.
The next morning we woke up to fresh Chai that Erama made for us, and rushed off to get started on the day. We first went to do some shopping, so that the girls could attempt to fit in during our travels (as if sticking to 5 ft. 10 blond girls in traditional shirts would make any difference). Mel on the other hand had no problem fitting in. Her skin color and long dark hair can easily blend in throughout Latin America, the Middle East, and North India. The girls first seemed a bit uncomfortable in their new shirts, but would later sing their praises as they realized how cooling, quick drying, and practical they were.
After shopping we went to meet up with my friend Sajesh for lunch. I got to know Sajesh a few
months back when he started volunteering to help build our website at work. He’s in his mid 20’s and works for a US based IT company here in Bangalore. He had been telling me for a while that he would help me out with my trip, but I never would have imagined just how much.Sajesh, got in touch with his friend Dhaneesh, who currently lives in Kerala and asked him to help us with booking hotels, cars, etc. for our trip. Dhaneesh did a lot more than just build an amazing itinerary and get us great deals that, as white foreigners, we would never have been able to get. Without having ever met us, he took off of work for three days, and arranged virtually every second of our trip to ensure that each detail was thought out and every experience would go perfectly. Sajesh told me Dhaneesh would be doing this just a few days before, and when I began thanking him as profusely as I could, he brushed it off as merely “Indian hospitality.”
Knowing that when we arrived in Kerala we would have someone there to help us out made me even more excited for the trip. I knew that this would be a once in a lifetime chance for my friends to see the caring, welcoming, beautiful side of India that is easily hidden to travelers just visiting for a short time.
Of course, we had to get to Kerela to start our vacation, and as is typical of my travels in India, it did not go smoothly. My friends were very weary about the idea of taking a 12-hour overnight bus without a bathroom on it. “Don’t worry, I told them. I did it on the way home from Goa and it was great. We will even have our own beds.” They were vigilant about their eating and drinking habits leading up to the bus ride, making every attempt not to consume something that would come back to haunt them.
Call it bad luck, or just typical of my life, but it was not my friends who needed to worry most. Lying in that damn bed, which was on the top level of a bus that was speeding down bumpy and windy roads, proved to be too much for my motion-sick prone body. Within the first few hours, I could feel it coming on. By around midnight, I made my first frantic dash to the driver pleading for him to pull over. Thank god the sign for vomiting is universal, and this bus driver felt bad enough for me to make an emergency pit stop. There would be several more of these that night, which would result in me arriving weakened, tired, and dehydrated in Alleppey, Kerala.
I must admit that when Dhaneesh called at 5:30 A.M just 15 minutes after we arrived, I was not particularly looking forward to meeting him, or having to get started on the day. In fact, I was perfectly happy just sitting for a few hours on the curb in front of the gas station whose bathroom I had just been very happy to see. Recognizing my fragility, Dhaneesh brought us to a hotel to rest up, and shower before getting started. That was the best couple of hours of lying down I think I’ve ever had.
Refreshed, but still weak, we headed off to pick up freshly caught prawns to have later that night for dinner. Dhaneesh took us to a place that sold them for nearly half the price that we would have paid if we bought them out on the water. They were enormous—more like lobsters than shrimp.We had some time to kill, so Dhaneesh also took us down a
passageway in the backwaters to his cousin’s house. They took us out on a small boat ride, where we caught our first glances of the type of houseboat that we were about to board and stay on for the night. To be honest, I actually thought that the boats we were seeing were much bigger and nicer than the one we would have. It seemed too beautiful and luxurious, both for the price we were paying, and for this point in my life in general.
When our small boat got back to shore, one of Dhaneesh’s cousins had climbed the coconut tree in his front yard and picked us some fresh coconuts. He and Dhaneesh hacked them open and gave us a taste. It was Cat and Lauren’s first time tasting the juice, and they thought it was kind of strange. I generally wish it would be either colder or sweeter, but I sucked as much down as I could, because I’ve heard that the juice perfectly matches the ideal electrolyte content of your body, therefore making it great to have when you are dehydrated and sick.We parted ways with the first of Dhaneesh’s family members that we would meet over the
course of the trip, and headed next to the docking area where our house boat awaited us. Seeing that our houseboat was one of the nicest one’s there, and that it contained two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dinning room, and an upper deck to lounge on was SWEET. Knowing that Dhaneesh, once again, had arranged it for nearly half the price that we would have been charged if we had tried to get it on our own, made it even better.I walked on and felt like a famous rap star or hotel chain heir, but better. Unlike the vacation spots of the rich and famous, the backwaters of Alleppey seem so untouched. The water is clean, and surrounded by rice patties. The locals don’t fuss with you, and just go about their lives as if we aren’t part of it at all. There aren’t tourist booths set up along the side, and when you stop and listen, you can enjoy the sounds of nature. Dhaneesh told us that the area is known as “Venice of the East,” but I think Venice should be nicknamed “Alleppey of the West.”
We spent the entire day relaxing and enjoying our surroundings. We got off the boat to taste local liquor made of what else—coconut juice. We also made a stop to trek about a half mile into the rice patties along side the water where Dhaneesh introduced us to more of his family. He pointed out where his parents had gone to school and where he used to play soccer as a child. We were stopped by hoards of little kids who adorably would ask us for “One Pen? One Pen?”Many foreigners bring pens and pencils to hand out as presents to children that they meet, and
this fact must now be ingrained in them to the point where they see white skin and think pen.
Back on the boat we played our first of many Yatze games. I think I have officially gotten Dhaneesh and the girls addicted. Before long, the boat docked for the night in a spot that was perfectly situated to see the sun set over a rice patty and the sunrise over the backwaters. I made sure not to spend too much time behind the camera, so that I could just relax and see the most amazing sunset of my life.
Once the sun was down the boat crew began preparing our delicious fresh prawn dinner. They made some other amazing curries and rice to go along with it, all infused with the favorite local flavor—coconut. By 9:30 we were stuffed to the brim and exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before. We headed straight to bed.
Waking up to catch a breathtaking sunset is so refreshing. It makes up for all the days when it feels so unnatural waking up early to go to work. Our, crew prepared us a delicious breakfast of omelets, toast, jam, and Chai. Within another hour or two we made our way back to the dock, and parted ways with our beloved boat.Dhaneesh had arranged for a car and driver (Shibu) to be waiting for us at the dock. Shibu was Dhaneesh’s new neighbor. He was recently married and expecting a new baby. At first he was quite and didn’t interact too much with us (which is typical of Indian’s in service sector jobs), but over the course of the trip we won him over, and he began to relax, and maybe even have some fun. Shibu was an absolutely amazing driver. We joked that he could have a very successful and lucrative career racing nascar. In all seriousness, he had complete control over the car, even when speeding down curvy, narrow, and bumpy, mountainside roads. At first we were fearing for our lives, and literally screaming and saying our final prayers as huge trucks would come charging at us around blind corners. Eventually, we learned to trust in Shibu, which probably also coordinated with the time that Shibu was able to relax around us.
Back to the trip.
We headed next to Alappuzha Beach, which is right in the city of Alleppey. Lauren aptly
described it as the “New Jersey Shore of the East.” From the sand, to the murky water, to the waves and deteriorating pier, it seriously resembled NJ’s coastline. The main difference is that there were no sunbathers or swimmers. Its not very common in India to use a beach in the way we do in America. Therefore, we didn’t spend too much time there.We headed off next on a beautiful drive to Thekkady. This is a small city in the mountains on the way to Munnar. The scenery on the way was stunning. It really felt like we were in a tropical rain forest with massive, old trees, giant leaves, bright flowers, and spots of sun shining through. We passed through fields of rubber trees, and cardamom plantations—both part of the local agricultural economy.
We arrived in Thekkady around 4:00 and checked into a nice “guest house.” That term is used pretty loosely, but generally refers to a small hotel that is either part of someone’s home, or small enough that a family living nearby can run it on their own. Dhaneesh’s dad is an ayurvedic doctor (a type of homeopathic medicine) and consults at a clinic that is owned by the man that owned this guesthouse.
So, shortly after arriving, we arranged an ayurvedic massage at his clinic. We each had an hour and a half, full body message followed by steam bath. It felt incredibly relaxing, but was not exactly what we were expecting. First off, it was much closer to naked than I was comfortable with. Also, the technique was different than the only previous message I’ve had. It involved tons of oil (probably a litre or more), and rubbing the body to generate heat. Then they stick you in a wooden box that is completely sealed and locked except for a small hole for your head, and crank up the steam. You literally feel like a turkey basting in the oven with all of the oils melting off your body. 15 minutes later, and a few near blackouts, I was finally released, and given a hand towel to dry off. I laughed because I was sweating so much that there was a puddle of sweat and oil on the floor where I was standing, and the towel was drenched before I wiped off one arm. There was no shower, so I just shoved my greasy body into my clothes and headed to the waiting area where I knew my friends and I would have a good laugh.
While we were getting messaged, Dhaneesh booked us tickets for a traditional Keralan martial arts show. The show started at 6, and it was already 6:15, so with grease stains seeping through our clothes and slick hair, we glided into the auditorium. As gross as I felt, I was happy that we didn’t miss the performance. It made karate and taekwondo look like ballroom dancing. The guys were so fierce and the weapons were so bad ass. They finished by diving through two tiny flaming hoops.We ended our long day with dinner, and more importantly SHOWERS! When we got back to the guest house, we were once again exhausted, and hit the sack early so we could wake up early the next morning to check out the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
The nice thing about having American’s visit is that they bring things like granola bars so that
you can have a quick snack when racing to early morning activities. We got to the animal sanctuary at around 7:00 am, just in time to make the first set of boats that tour you around the lake that is in the center of the preserve. Apparently on normal days it’s common to see a herd of elephants drinking from the lake. On a good day you can even see tigers. It was neither a good day or a normal day, because all that we saw were a few birds, a family of wild boar, and a buffalo, which Dhaneesh referred to as a “wild beef.”
Next up on our action packed itinerary was Munnar. This required another lengthy car ride, under the skillful hands of Shibu. I didn’t think that it was possible, but this ride was even more scenic and breathtaking than the first. We quickly got into the thick of the tea plantation covered mountains that the region is famous for. The tea trees grow almost perpendicular to the mountainside, so they literally look like a blanket as they roll with each nook and cranny of the hills. They are evenly spaced, and tall, skinny
trees grow intermittently throughout them. Groups of tea pickers spend their days scaling the mountains and picking the fresh tea leaves with basket contraptions that connect to pruners. I thought it would be the best job ever, but I’m sure they get used to the scenery and appreciate it less over time.On the way to Munnar we stopped off at several interesting places, including three damns and a lake that is famous for its natural ability to produce echoes. The lakes created by the damns were peaceful sanctuaries in the valleys of the mountains. I had trouble leaving one of them as it was approaching sunset, and there was a slight breeze, and monkeys were swinging in the enormous trees above. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect place on the planet.
That night we were full from so many huge and delicious meals over the past few days so we decided to ask the owners of our guest house to prepare some eggs and toast for us. We also arranged for them to set up a campfire, which they fueled with a mixture of dry wood, plastic water bottles, and some black tar paper. We were careful to stay clear of the smoke, as we sat in the warmth of the fire, ate our dinner, and played a game of Yatze. Back in the room I turned on the TV. and started watching animal planet, but I was destined to have another early night.Our final morning, we set off early to go for elephant rides at a stand along the roadside that a
few guys had set up for tourists. The elephants were really nice, and seemed to be well taken care of. The ride was less bumpy than I expected, and afterwards we got to feed them pineapples.
Which reminds me. During this trip to Kerala I discovered, or rather solidified, my love for a popular Indian snack: Pineapple with chilly pepper and mixed spices sprinkled on top. It’s amazing!After the elephant ride we stopped at Eravikulam National Park, famous
for the Nilgiri Tahr, a type of mountain goat that is only found in this particular mountain range. The goats, tea covered mountain-sides, and appreciation of nature preservation were all highlights of this park.
Afterwards, we said goodbye to Munnar, my favorite place that I have visited in India so far, and started our drive to Cochin. Cochin was our final destination, where we would be catching our overnight train back to Bangalore. It is also the current home place of Dhaneesh and his family. He had called ahead to his parents to request them to prepare us a meal before we left. They really pulled out all the stops. His mom and aunt made a delicious meal with probably 8 or more dishes, each one better then the next. Prawns, fish, clams, vegetables, rice…mmm.
Dhaneesh’s entire family was so warm and welcoming. It is always so amazing entering into a family’s life, even if just for one meal, when it has been a while since seeing your own family.After dinner, Dhaneesh gave the girls a ride on his motorbike, and we played one final game of Yatze before heading off to the train station. It was a bitter sweet goodbye. On the one hand, we had grown so close with Dhaneesh over the course of the trip that we didn’t want to have to part ways. On the other hand, it was a really exciting moment for me. I realized that out of this trip with some of my best and oldest
friends, I would walk away with a new one. It means a lot to me to really connect and build friendships with Indians, because there are so many barriers that can make it difficult to build strong friendships here. I hope that this will have turned over a new leaf, and there will be many more to come.So overall, the trip was amazing. Sure, we had a rocky start, but it was well worth it. My friends got to experience the side of India that many tourists never see, we visited one of the most stunning places in the country (and the planet), and we all made a very great friend out of it. Plus, you will be happy to know that I slept straight through the entire train ride back to Bangalore without any problems.
