Our starting point is Alleppy ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alappuzha ) where we have chosen a small 1 Bedroom houseboat as it will give is access to the smaller canals & villages & less competion with the larger tourist boats.
Leaving Alleppy is like being on a Melbourne freeway at rush hours and reminds of Halong Bay ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halong_Bay )
We soon leave the rush behind & head into the smaller canals where we pass countless small villages, where most of the people are local rice farmers.
The backwaters of Kerala's biggest lake is a wonderland of birds espcially Indian Shags (cormorants), egrets, brahminy eagles & kingfishers.
A lot of the smaller lakes are being 'dyked' so the land can be reclaimed to create India's vast rice paddies.
Along the way we are introduced to a local alcoholic brew - a "Toddy". Bit like a fizzy drink but not to our taste, so the Captain & Cook happily polished it off after dinner. Yes it is in a 1L Water bottle & costs 50Rupees ($A0.75)
The food that isproduced from this very small on-board kitchen is nothing short of 5**** - with freshly caught fish for lunch very day (even if they are only 6" long)
Every single village has it's Christian or Roman Catholic Church - a leftover the the Portugese/Dutch/English period of occupation.
Highlight of all the churches is the 1500s Syrian Catholic Church which also includes a Seminary, Nunnery and Hospital for the local town.
Transport around the backwaters & canals is by any means
(including 'duck herding')
So ends 5 nights on Kerala's backwaters. In hindsight, we would have chosen 3 nights as you can easily fit everything in. Unless you are in a group, we would solely recommend a smaller houseboat for 2 people.
Our recommedation is Binu Joseph at Kerala Boat House
From Alleppy, it's 4 hours south to Kovalem Beach before flying to Sri Lanka.
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