The Land of Coconuts

Day 8 - 27 March 2006

It's our third day proper on the Intrepid South India tour, and we're really stuck into Kerala, or the Land of Coconuts now. This morning we leave the Keralan Homestay we arrived at yesterday. I'm lazing downstairs in the cabin of a local boat nursing my stomach after a bout of the you-know-whats, through the Keralan backwaters. This area covers 630 sq miles and 33 islands. All of this lies below sea-level and is reclaimed land. This process started centuries ago with the Indiginous Dravidian Indians, who dredged up mud from the river bottoms. They were known as mud diggers. As years passed and Hinduism took over, they became effective slaves under Hindu caste groups.

We've been staying with a lovely local family, the Zachariahs. After arriving and providing us with an excellent homecooked meal, they took us on a walk around the backwaters, showing us traditional farming, housing, families, boat building etc. A tough and busy life, no doubt. To western eyes taking a glimpse it seemed pretty idyllic. These are small self-sufficient communities who, although assimilating some pop-culture through television, have managed to preserve a traditional way of life over the centuries. If we end up going back down the path in the future, it is possible we could be receiving more than we are losing. I saw animal living happily amongst and largely undisturbed by man, ducking in and out of the undergrowth. Everybody in the community knew each other and seemed to enjoy a level of congenialty unprecedented in anywhere else I've seen.

We enjoyed an organised walk, with our two hosts, Mathew and Thomas guiding us (there is a significiant Christian population here). We walked through the man-made islands and canals, but it was hard to imagine that an environment which looked so peaceful and natural could be several feet under sea water in reality. The Keralan backwaters are lush, green and teeming with wildlife. The locals happily smiled and waved at us and we're happy to pose for photos. Thomas distributed the photos taken by previous groups to the families and it is not an exaggeration to say they were thrilled. As we continued down in interior canal the indolent atmosphere of the afternoon was sharply fractured by a clap of thunder, after which the sky greyed and rain fell. We continued the journey by canoe. The Sun began to set and as the light filtered through the storm clouds an enchanting unique light lit up the firmament and all below. As the rain gently fell, I stopped musing on my upset stomach and was lifted in mood. I felt genuinely chuffed - this was definitely the most enduring moment of the tour so far. Dad - you would absolutely love it here, if they served salad nicoise as well, you'd be in hog's heaven.

As the night set in Mathew and Thomas, together with the boatmen paddling the canoes sang folk songs to us, that we apparently dying out at the same rate as the dimming light. The experience of listening to this in the pouring rain as the power on the banks flickered house lights on and off sent the proverbial shiver down the spine. After precariously getting out of the canoes we smapled 'Toddy', the local alcoholic drink made with coconuts. This was in a small brick hut, which despite the location had a similar atmosphere to most pubs the world over. I couldn't partake myself, although I was consoled with a damp trip to the outdoor latrine - damn Morton stomach.

Back to the present, the water temperature is pretty high and I'm tempted to get in and join the local who are waist deep doing their laundry. It's extremely humid here, but I'm surprising myself with how easy I'm finding to handle. I've skipped a few days - I know. We arrived in Cochin, joined a small and friendly tour party, and explored Ernakulam, Fort Cochin and saw the local dance. More about this place when we return at the end of the trip but it is much less crowded than Mumbai! It has Portugese, Dutch, Jewish and British influences, and was a self-governing state until partition. That's all for now.