Kerala, India
Day One in Kerala
After a busy week of preparations, wedding ceremonies, and lots of socializing, we are heading to Kerala for the week. Our flight left from Bangalore at 12:30pm. The flight to Kerala, another state in India, is a short 40 minutes. Although I absolutely adored Bangalore, I am excited to get out of the noisy, crowded, fascinating city and experience the more serene and slow-paced environment of Kerala. Our first stop in Kerala is a hotel in mountainous Munnar, called the Leaf Resort. Travelling up, up and up through winding roads with waterfalls, palm trees, and monkeys, we finally reached the resort about four hours after we landed in Kerala. The view from the resort is unbeatable, and the clouds aren't too far out of reach. The first night here consists of dinner, where I ate the best spring rolls I've ever had in my life, and a few games of table tennis. We make sure we have a good sleep tonight, because tomorrow we will explore.
Day Two in Kerala
This morning, I woke up to the sound of the rain beating on my roof like a drum. By about 7:45am, the sun started rising over the hills, reflecting off the serene infinite pool and the clouds became misty and light. We begin heading even higher into the mountain's winding roads. Young children walk the distance through the sleepy town to school, and people begin setting up their shops for the day. We are heading to Eravikulam National Park. As we drive, I feel optimistic and inspired. At the base of the National Park, we're sitting at 8000 feet, and still have another 4km ascent to the top. We hop on a large bus that carries more than a dozen people, and begin the drive to the top. Since being in Kerala, I had already taken roads like these, but this was different. Cliffs that were thousands of feet high loomed right below the wheels of our bus, and at every turn, my heart began to beat out of my chest. The dangerous drive was worth it, because at the top, all you could see were rolling green hills peeking through the clouds. In the distance, mountain goats grazed. At this height, you can really feel the openness and magnitude of the world. The wind blew, and a few raindrops touched my skin. During monsoon season, the rain can be relentless, but it also comes and goes throughout the day. We are lucky because it only started raining once we were safely back in our small bus with our driver, Uni, who will be with us for the week. As we drive, he tells us about Kerala and points out some interesting views along the way.
Day Three in Kerala
An early start to the day today. We have a five hour drive ahead of us from Munnar to Alleppey, where we will be staying overnight on a houseboat through the backwaters. Alleppey, being below sea level, was a change from Munnar. Once again, I woke up to the sound of the rain on my windows, even harder than the day before. As we drove, the fog rolled through the hills and people walked barefoot through the rain with black and rainbow umbrellas. On this particular day, taxi drivers are on strike all throughout the state, protesting the 15 year tax they are forced to pay on the spot when they buy a new vehicle. As we drive, we see a group of men holding red flags as they walk through the small city streets. Once we've arrived, we board our houseboat for the evening.
Cruising through the backwaters, I get a taste of what real life is like here. On either side of the river, palm trees line the shore, along with small houses of purple, blue, and an assortment of other colours. Locals hang their laundry to dry, wash their hair in the river, and sweep their front yards. It's so quiet here. As we travel further into the backwaters, the reality of this years monsoon season sets in. Many houses here are half underwater and abandoned. The government relocated many households to safer areas for refuge, providing them with food, water, and shelter, and the other households took refuge with family members in other parts of the state. Cats settle themselves on roofs to protect themselves from the water, chickens are left abandoned in a cage, and some laundry is still hanging on the line. Some people, the luckier ones, have been able to keep their homes safe, and go about their daily lives, although I'm sure they are noticing the absence of some of their neighbours.
At 5:30pm, a prayer plays loudly over a speaker system for the whole community to hear. At dinner, the chef serves us a feast of Indian food, complete with rice topped with dal and rice pudding for dessert. Sitting on a houseboat in the middle of the Alleppey backwaters, eating a meal with my family whom I love with all my heart, and watching the sun set behind the trees was an experience that will stay in my heart forever. We dock for the night, and fall asleep to the slow rock of the boat.
Day Four in Kerala
I was awoken by another prayer at 5:30am that I could hear through the walls of the houseboat. As the boat rocked gently, I listened to the singing. This is how the people here start their day every morning. How completely different than how I start my mornings, and how completely beautiful. Breakfast was an array of colourful fruits, fresh pineapple juice, and omelettes. A cup of chai masala topped it off, and had become a daily enjoyment for me. In the morning, the water is serene. You can feel the day beginning. Children walk to the water taxi stop in their school uniforms. Adults wait in line as well, on their way to work. As we cruise along the waterway, the rain begins and it doesn't let up for most of the day. By the time we reach Marari, a small beach town about an hour away from Alleppey, the rain still hasn't stopped.
By about 3pm, the sky finally begins to brighten up. We decide to take a walk to the Arabian Sea, about 5 minutes down the road. As we walk, I can feel the difference in the atmosphere compared to Bangalore. Life is quiet here, relaxed. Palm trees sway, and it's not often that a honk disturbs the silence. We walk through some back roads, and once we finally reach the sea, my heart swells. I can taste the salt water on my tongue, and I can hear the waves crashing against the shore. They are unforgiving here, and very powerful. Dogs lounge on the beach while men reel in their fishing nets. There is something so enchanting about the ocean, how it seems to go on endlessly. You can't see what's on the other side and you begin to realize how small you are and how huge the world is, and I often use this to comfort me. I always feel sentimental when I see the ocean, and the Arabian Sea was no different.
Kerala was a colourful and dynamic place. Within a few hours time, you could go from tea plantations high in the green mountains to the crashing Arabian Sea. The vibe here is laid-back, although you still get some bigger, buzzing cities. This is a place that touched my heart, and I would love to return here one day.
