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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

November 29th: Alleppey

Awake at 8:30am to leave by 9:45am. Do we ever leave on time? No. Does it really matter? No.

We board a new bus and drive for six hours down and out of the chilly, green mountains. I fell asleep for three hours and was woken up by nervous excitement. A large tree fell in the middle of the winding, narrow road. Traffic is stopped both ways. We could've just squeezed by, but an electrical wire was tangled in the fallen tree.

I'm not exaggerating when I say we could've squeezed through there. The art of driving like an Indian.

Twenty minutes pass and they finally figure it out. No one died, or at least I didn't see or hear anyone... it's a mystery to me. Anyway, so we continue driving. I close my eyes for ten minutes. In reality, it was at least half an hour. At the point when I was last awake, this is what was around me.

Beautiful, cold, green mountains
I mean - look at our clothes. Sweaters, and rain jackets, and blankets.

When I open my eyes, this is what's around me.


Water...tropical plants...?




My face when I woke up

I woke up to the similar smell of Chennai. A heavy, humid air with the scent of fish. The only difference is I woke up wearing two sweaters and a scar f wrapped around me.


The Alleppey backwaters is a huge tourist destination in India because of its houseboats. It's exactly as it sounds...it's a house that's also a boat. Bedrooms, bathrooms, sitting areas, electricity...the works. This is where were spending the day and night.


There were two house boats between us. Later on, we'll stop and we'll be able to travel between the two boats.
It may or may not be a rule that when you are on a boat, the "Titanic" pose is necessary. Thank you Chris and Sabrina
Brii, sitting at a table with delicious fresh fruit.

The main room of the bigger boat.


It's literally like a big, blue watery road. (You see what I did there? I made a reference to "I'm On a Boat", 'cuz I'm on a boat in real life) Life continues as normal, but water replaces grass and roads. I look out to see dozens of other houseboats sailing down this watery suburb. To my sides, there are palm trees towering over little patches of land where small houses stand. People come in and out of these houses. To attend chores, to sit and relax, to live. Indians continue their daily life with water as their front yard and boats as their main mode of transportation.



Sabrina caught this adorable moment.


A convey of boats with their products

Baby Jakob chillin'.

View from the front of our boat.

We're sitting in the open area. We're hot, sticky and just straight up disgusting. But accustomed to such a feeling. The tropical breeze and laid-back atmosphere helps us forget, or ignore it.


Serenity, Baby Jakob, Michelle, and Nikolas bahut enjoying.

A good time to philosify!
Uhh....

One of my favourite things: Communal nap time.

Gettin' our khanna (food) on.

Then the sun set...sat? setted? Whatever, enjoy the pictures.





And during this beautiful time, some of us went swimming.

Nikolas, Brii, Sebastian

Chris, Sebastian, Franzi, Baby Jokob
Sebastian and Jordan





When night came, the lights had to go off. Though the idea of a house boat with no screens is nice, it forgets about mosquito's. So we talked and danced in the dark, until slowly we all went to a room to sleep.

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