The Backwaters

It's not as sinister as it sounds.....or is it only me who thinks that?! For me it conjours up images of deep south American hicks who chew tobacco and play that banjo tune that makes your blood freeze. A little research showed nothing could be further from the truth....

Within Kerala there is a whole system of backwaters that are lovely. Clauds and I arrived at Alleppy early in the morning to haggle for a good price on a 24 hour house boat. The usual conversations are had, "What?! 4000Rs is riduclous, I'll give you 2000Rs, my friend got for 2000", (I have so many imaginary friends that seem to always get such amazing deals....)
"No no no madam, that is impossible"
"Puhleeze, it's end of season and there is hundreds of boats not doing anything"
"They are all booked"
I proceed to laugh in his face, "Come now lets make a proper deal..." And so it goes for another 10 minutes until it is 3000Rs for two people on a boat by ourselves with three staff and all meals included. That works out to 38.50 Australian dollars and I happily part with my money. We met up with a couple of other people who compared prices. 3 girls paid 7500Rs and one guy alone paid 3000Rs. Hearing this made me all warm inside, like I'd just taken a shot of rum. There was nothing more satisfying for me than knowing I can haggle confidently and successfully.

Also Shardenfreudah - German word for taking pleasure in other peoples pain. I'm enlightened but I'm still human.

The houseboats were (I think) originally fishing boats that have been converted to house tourists in their meanderings of the backwaters. They are beautiful to look at, thatched walls and roof that holds two rooms, bathroom, kitchen and a lounge area to watch it all go by. After a massive lunch of rice, pappadoms and four different curries I lie down so that gravity can stop pushing against my very full belly. The coconut trees drift pass to the small 'put-put' sounds of our boat and then.....nothing.

I wake up two hours later. Claudia filled in the gaps saying I promptly fell asleep and the staff outright laughed at me for missing the main stretch of scenery. Then she called me a bitch for falling asleep first because she had to be polite and stay awake when all she wanted to do was nap.

It was very pleasant to while away the hours reading, looking at the view and eating. When we docked for the night we took a little stroll, were asked twice for pens by locals, then sauntered back to contemplate life over beers. We bumped into a friend who had a laptop and I was overjoyed to sit and watch a movie.

People, I can't stress enough how much I love movies and how much I know about the movie world. Only through the lack of it do I realise my passion for it. And I now realise that I am that freak who knows everything. People give random and seemingly incoherant facts about an actor or movie and I can pull it all together for the answer and further information that they didn't know.

I swear when I get to Mumbai I will track down the nearest English speaking cinema and work my arse groove into their seats. Heaven help me when I get to Thailand, I will go ballistic buying EVERYTHING on pirate DVD.

....But enough of my addictions, backwaters. Yes, very very beautiful, glad I went.

xoxo
Sim