January 3, 2016
Fort Kochi: Backwater tour of Kerala
"This adds an all new meaning to shuttle bus" Rachel says as people from one shuttle bus exchange places with people on another shuttle bus. We've been waiting for the ride to take us to the Backwater tour for over a half an hour. Finally its all sorted out and we are on our way with another experience of India roads.
The driving is one big game of chicken except at the end there is cooperation to avoid a crash. The first rule of the road is "there are no rules". If the road does have lines marking lanes it is only for the purpose to ignore, because if there is a space, something will occupy it...either direction.... bus, truck, motorcycle, bicycle tuk-tuk, mini van. There is an order to the chaos conducted by short beeps. One beep for awareness, two beeps to get out of the way. We sat in the front seat, not sure if this was a good thing.
Out of Fort Kochi and the part of the state of Kerala we drove through to get to the Backwater area are surprisingly quiet! Besides canoeing in the backwater, the tour included a walk with guide pointing out the trees and plants of different spices. Lunch was a typical thali meal of rice and different sauces served on a banana leaf.
The 7 hour tour ended up being 9 hours, a full day! We decide to stay one more day than planned in Kochi to see more things in the area.
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