From Madurai we took another overnight train back to Varkala; washed, changed, ate and said our final goodbyes; and loaded up into Babu's taxi for our six-day package tour of Kerala. First stop, an overnight stay on a houseboat on the backwaters.
We were fed on board and slept in comfortable, if very hot bedrooms on the water. I got to steer us up a wide canal and across a huge lake at one point - very relaxing.
We took the public ferry from Allephuzha (Allepey) to Kottayam - a noisy three-hour trip (glad we avoided the seat by the engine!) which was worth it for the glimpse of the backwaters as the living transport backbone of the communities alongside - many of which have no road to them. There are a lot of backwaters: a three or five day tour wouldn't be too long.
Over the engine noise we chatted with Allon and Alma from Tel Aviv - embedded systems programmer/designers, like Paul Campbell, as it happens. They've been out of Israel for nearly two years, the last year in India, and are heading back home in the next couple of weeks.
- Mark
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