Hard to believe but I only have 4 days left in India! Tomorrow morning waking at like 5am to catch an express bus back to our first homestay, which is in Cochin. We wanted to get the early one because the next one isn't until 9am so the bus would be stopping all over the place for rush hour stuff.
Since my last post...
Dec 10- met Anton and Coby (a couple we met at the first homestay) at the boat jetty to find a nice houseboat. Found a great one and since we split the cost for a double bedroom houseboat we were able to get a 'premium' boat. It was really huge and fancy. The package included a big lunch and dinner and breakfast. We spent the day on the roof of the houseboat that had a little patio, talking with them and reading and looking at the beautiful views. It was a great experience.
Dec 11- the next day, after a nap back at our homestay, went for a 5 hour canoe tour of the backwaters. It was not as exciting since we had just been on the backwaters, but it was calm and still so pretty.
Dec 12- after breakfast took a 5 hour government bus to Kumily, where the Periyar Tiger Reserve is. When we got here we went for an elephant ride and the for dinner. The hotel here is really nice and there is cable TV with a few english channels, so we've been watching movies and stuff.
Dec 13- today we did a full day tour of the Tiger Reserve. Our tour was a bamboo rafting tour with 6 other people and 4 guides and an armed guard. We did a few hours of paddling and many hours of walking. Saw black monkeys and some big squirrels and birds and things. No tigers (very rare to see) but we did see tiger footprints which was pretty cool. Also saw evidence of elephants but couldn't see any, which was too bad cause that's more common. Good to get some exercise finally!
Tomorrow we bus back to Cochin for 6 hours, and then we hope to go see the traditional Keralan dance and get a cooking lesson from our homestay. Then Saturday afternoon we fly to Mumbai, and spend 2 days before our flight. It's been a whirlwind since we left Jagori! Having fun though. I'm torn between not wanting to leave India and being super excited to get home and see everyone.
xo Clarke
Since my last post...
Dec 10- met Anton and Coby (a couple we met at the first homestay) at the boat jetty to find a nice houseboat. Found a great one and since we split the cost for a double bedroom houseboat we were able to get a 'premium' boat. It was really huge and fancy. The package included a big lunch and dinner and breakfast. We spent the day on the roof of the houseboat that had a little patio, talking with them and reading and looking at the beautiful views. It was a great experience.
Dec 11- the next day, after a nap back at our homestay, went for a 5 hour canoe tour of the backwaters. It was not as exciting since we had just been on the backwaters, but it was calm and still so pretty.
Dec 12- after breakfast took a 5 hour government bus to Kumily, where the Periyar Tiger Reserve is. When we got here we went for an elephant ride and the for dinner. The hotel here is really nice and there is cable TV with a few english channels, so we've been watching movies and stuff.
Dec 13- today we did a full day tour of the Tiger Reserve. Our tour was a bamboo rafting tour with 6 other people and 4 guides and an armed guard. We did a few hours of paddling and many hours of walking. Saw black monkeys and some big squirrels and birds and things. No tigers (very rare to see) but we did see tiger footprints which was pretty cool. Also saw evidence of elephants but couldn't see any, which was too bad cause that's more common. Good to get some exercise finally!
Tomorrow we bus back to Cochin for 6 hours, and then we hope to go see the traditional Keralan dance and get a cooking lesson from our homestay. Then Saturday afternoon we fly to Mumbai, and spend 2 days before our flight. It's been a whirlwind since we left Jagori! Having fun though. I'm torn between not wanting to leave India and being super excited to get home and see everyone.
xo Clarke
