One of my favourite parts of the trip had to be the day and night that we spent in a houseboat starting in Alappuzha (known to foreigners as Allepey), Kerala. There are said to be more than 1000 houseboats motoring calmly along the canals that have been dubbed the “Venice of the East.”

It costs anywhere from $90 CDN to $250 CDN to hire a houseboat for a little under 24 hours, including three meals. We arrived around lunch time and split off into three boats. Each boat has at least two bedrooms with two full bathrooms, a kitchen (including a fridge), and a comfortable dinning/seating area at the front. Some have a second level with additional bedrooms and seating:

 

Soon after we got on the boat, we made a brief stop to allow us to purchase fish. The fish are somewhat overpriced in these spots, but you really cannot get fresher fish. As I noted above, the houseboat rental already covers your meals, but if your purchase a fish the cooks will incorporate it into your lunch/dinner.

 

 

Eating lunch. I have no idea why John was shirtless, but this was a common occurrence. Sigh …

 

John and Flo were braver than most. In the evening, they went into the water for quick swim. I considered going in until I realised that not a single local was in the water. However, things seemed to have worked out fine, they’re both still alive and kicking (though perhaps they have taken on a parasite or two).

 

I’ll leave you with some shots of the houseboat in the evening: