Just Back From ...

Kerala, Southern India

by Bill Lee

Kerala - Paradise almost

It's easy to see why they call this 'God's own Country'. This chili shaped strip of land on the South Western tip of India has all the essential ingredients for a fine adventure. Fabulous food, handsome people who are both friendly and welcoming, an amazing variety of scenery and outstanding accommodation in all categories which doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. Kerala's coastline is wall to wall coconut palms. Also known as the 'Venice of the East' there's mile after mile of tranquil backwaters before the land rises through tea and coffee plantations to the hills of the Western Ghats.

So why Kerala? - actually it all started from a travel article in a pre loved English magazine about a resort on Poovar Island which also had an Ayurvedic centre. Tracking this place down was not easy but the end result was so amazing it'll be a separate newsletter story so watch this space.

We flew into Thiruvananthapuram (I'd only just learned to say it when it was time to leave and most people, quite wisely, still call it Trivandrum). Silk Air is a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines and a delightful company to travel with. We were surprised and impressed with the standard of service we received and the 4 hour flight from Singapore was pure pleasure. Having been to India before we were actually expecting our arrival to be a hassle - we were wrong. Our transfer was waiting, no one hassled and we were transported to the really super Muthoot Plaza Hotel where we were greeted once again hassle free and our driver didn't even hang around for a tip. We sat in our finely furnished bedroom in shock, wondering if this really was India!

The city of Thiruvananthapuram is well worth taking time out for. The Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is hugely impressive. Right next door to the Puthe Maliga Palace Museum which houses many relicts of the area's spice trade and the rule of the Maharajas. The elaborate carving here just has to be seen to be believed.

Our drive then took us to Kovalam, once a hippy haven now a full on tourist resort but still quite beautiful, and from there to Poovar Island resort where you could really stop the world and get off. As I said, more later.

From Poovar we drove through Kollam where you can opt to board the backwater cruise to Alappuzha. It was also where we navigated a traffic island that I thought we, and 2 bullocks pulling a cart, would never survive. I have never seen so many vehicles converged in the one spot and only here would you see an arm appear from a vehicle and hold the 2 bullocks back while the car forced through!. When asked who had the right of way our driver said no one did! We all did of course survive and continued on to Alappuzha where we boarded our houseboat to drift through the quiet canals. When we weren't eating carefully prepared meals we lounged on cushions watching the daily lives of the people along the river banks - washing, bathing, fishing and, not to forget, the astounding bird life. Hey this is one helluva way to spend some time out.

We disembarked the next day at the lakeside town of Kumarakom and were driven from there up into the Western Ghats to Periya and southern India's most popular wildlife sanctuary. At this point you will think that a very rich person is writing this - you're wrong - but yes, we decided to stay at the Lake Palace which is the old hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Travancour. You can only get there by boat and it's hard to imagine that the original owner walked up all those steps to the lodge unaided but what an amazing experience. The delightful 'man in charge' was Sabu ( I did not make that up) and advised us that we were the only guests in this 6 room piece of history and that we could therefore be the Maharaja and the Maharini. We were certainly treated as such. Dinner was set up on the terrace looking out over the lake to the grazing wildlife - was this heaven or was this heaven? Game viewing the next day was by boat on the lake - no we didn't see any tiger but we did see bison, wild boar, deer, otters etc etc (we'll see tiger next time).

Back to Alappuzha by car for an overnight stay at another 'Lake Palace' - this one a truly luxurious modern resort on 356 acres accessible only by boat, which has the most fabulous swimming pool built into another lake. Another great spot to spend some time and to use as a base for exploring, but for us it was unfortunately just an overnight then a train back to Thiruvanthapuram and Silk Air back to Singapore.

There are no 'hordes of tourists' in Kerala but we did meet several Europeans who were on return visits. It was easy to understand why and surprising that more of our own country folk weren't in evidence. We loved the food, the people, the scenery, the Kingfisher beer (well it was hot!) - and we felt at all times safe and welcome. The Ayuverdic experience was something even more 'out of this world' - as I said, more on that later.

To get to Kerala we took a Gulf Air 'special' to Singapore and then a really reasonably priced Silk Air ticket to Thiruvananthapuram. If you'd like to ask me anything more then just email blee@travel.com.au and I'll be happy to try and answer your questions. In the meantime I'll be planning my next visit - ohmmmmmmm!

Bill Lee