I took another quick 40 minute train hop to Quillom so I could catch the ferry the next morning. The guide books described the place that I'd booked into but I wasn't prepared for it! It was a huge old colonial mansion that is now run as the Government guest house. The ceilings must have been at least 25 feet high. There were huge doors opening onto verandahs and cool breezes blowing through. You could easily imagine the people from the days of the Raj sitting drinking G&T's and complaining about the damn heat. My room was big enough to play football in! It was very run down but they did do their best to keep everything clean (by Indian standards). The staff were amazing they asked if I wanted dinner and told me it would be at 8pm. I asked if they had beer thinking I'd get a couple in town if not and he said give me the money I go get. Off he went on his moped and came back with it and put it in the fridge. When others saw me having a beer that night he ended up going twice more!
I went for a walk around the bazaar then down round the beach. I never get tired of looking at all the colourful fruit and veg and the huge sacks of every spice you can think of, apart from sporty, baby, posh etc.
Dinner was all you could eat basic rice, chapatti and veg curries. Very simple and delicious. Breakfast was great too. Every time I sat down in the communal space they came over and gave me the remote control regardless of who else was there. Just shows what pretending to be interested in the cricket does in this country! If you think Brits are obsessed by football you should see these guys about cricket.
Next day I got the ferry. An eight hour journey up through the backwaters. It was stunning. The scenery was great, the weather goes without saying but there was a constant breeze because we were moving. It was great to watch all the other river traffic too. the kids on the riverside would all come rushing out to wave at the foreigners on the boat even though they see two a day every day. We stopped halfway for lunch. A huge veg curry and rice that just kept coming. Later we stopped for tea after about six hours. A guy came up to me and said we've met before. It was someone I met in November in Varanasi. All that time on the same little boat and we hadn't seen each other. I had a hotel booked and he was lucky enough to get in there too. That was nice to have company for a night but we were both knackered from being in the sun all day. I'd started to have those almighty sweats again on the boat so I stayed another night. I wouldn't have because there is sod all to see in Allepey unless you want to go into the backwaters. Which, although nice, you can have too much of in a few days.
The room I got (in hotel number 25) was a huge round room (like a big bay window) which had glass all around it. Because the sun shone on the room all day it got pretty hot without the fan. Guess what? There was a power cut the next day and I was sweating enough already. I found it cooler to go out in the sun.
It took a bit of doing but i managed to get myself a room booked in the next stop and headed off for the train.
I was going to upload a couple of photos from my cruise to make you all jealous but the guy caught me and went mental thinking I was planting a virus or something.
I went for a walk around the bazaar then down round the beach. I never get tired of looking at all the colourful fruit and veg and the huge sacks of every spice you can think of, apart from sporty, baby, posh etc.
Dinner was all you could eat basic rice, chapatti and veg curries. Very simple and delicious. Breakfast was great too. Every time I sat down in the communal space they came over and gave me the remote control regardless of who else was there. Just shows what pretending to be interested in the cricket does in this country! If you think Brits are obsessed by football you should see these guys about cricket.
Next day I got the ferry. An eight hour journey up through the backwaters. It was stunning. The scenery was great, the weather goes without saying but there was a constant breeze because we were moving. It was great to watch all the other river traffic too. the kids on the riverside would all come rushing out to wave at the foreigners on the boat even though they see two a day every day. We stopped halfway for lunch. A huge veg curry and rice that just kept coming. Later we stopped for tea after about six hours. A guy came up to me and said we've met before. It was someone I met in November in Varanasi. All that time on the same little boat and we hadn't seen each other. I had a hotel booked and he was lucky enough to get in there too. That was nice to have company for a night but we were both knackered from being in the sun all day. I'd started to have those almighty sweats again on the boat so I stayed another night. I wouldn't have because there is sod all to see in Allepey unless you want to go into the backwaters. Which, although nice, you can have too much of in a few days.
The room I got (in hotel number 25) was a huge round room (like a big bay window) which had glass all around it. Because the sun shone on the room all day it got pretty hot without the fan. Guess what? There was a power cut the next day and I was sweating enough already. I found it cooler to go out in the sun.
It took a bit of doing but i managed to get myself a room booked in the next stop and headed off for the train.
I was going to upload a couple of photos from my cruise to make you all jealous but the guy caught me and went mental thinking I was planting a virus or something.
In a new place so here it is
I've got to post this. I was walking back to the hotel in Quillom and I passed a shop selling nothing but wellies. As usual the owner was there with "You come look Sir, you buy?"
I said, laughing. "What on earth do I want wellies for?"
Quick as a flash he said. "To keep your feet dry Sir"
Can't argue with that can you?
