Backwaters, India Style

I don't want to have a billion posts on India, but I do want to get everything in, 'cause this is a great record keeping system.

Our last week in India was crazy, and two big events happened. We first went on a backwaters tour for about 24 hours and then we caught an all night train to Bangalore and met up with some of John's friends. Maybe the last post, if it ever comes, will be on Dubai and last thoughts. I'm still waiting for really cool pics from our friend Steve that you have to see. They are classic. So hold on to your elephants, here we go.



You're gonna love this, but I just now figured out that I could put more than five pictures on a post. Ok....now....get up off the floor from your laughing and focus. ;)
We started our backwaters tour with a little hike, as seen above. Following our leader/guide, who might have expected more of a tip than we gave. At this juncture, I will mention that, as a tourist, our impulse is to overdo it with the tipping. 1 Euro is like 100 something rupies. That coupled with the abject poverty, our inclination is to send their kids to school with our tips. That's just not helpful. They start to expect it, and it makes it difficult for the locals. It's like giving a grocery store to a starving man, he'll die. That's just a little side note, giddy up elephants.

When we got to the house boat this is what we saw. Not exactly our great lakes house with a rudder, in the states. So, I was instantly excited and started to explore. If you look closely, you can see a commercial being filmed or something (I forgot about that).

I had to take this next one because my brother's name is Ben.


We had three men on the boat with us. That's when your trust skills get exercised. We were fed three FABULOUS meals, including Chai and fried bananas in the afternoon (all made fresh), and had excellent accommodations. Though John, in hind sight, would have wanted to splurge a little and get A.C.. I don't mind telling you, that all this was just around $100 Euros. Basically the cost of a nice hotel in the city.


Journal Entry,
Well, today I definitely feel like a tourist. The slow droan of the houseboat engine, the feeling that I get with a lot of fresh air, sun on my face, sweat on my eyelids, rolled up pants, five dishes of Kerala cuisine, Chai served in the afternoon...
I'm with my 3 favorite companions, a book about Amy Carmichael, my husband, and the Lord.
The light is golden on John's face and I hear the bawing of sheep or goats...
Things dark and otherwise come to life about a mission field when you are actually in it. I've been going back and forth with God, but I can safely say, though there are many things I don't like. I can never turn my back on India.



There was a whole other side of India that we saw out there. People got around in canoes, in fact I think I saw a Woolworth's on a canoe, going house to house with a huge stack of pots and pans. There were men and women in the water diving for oysters. We even saw a canoe taxi. Houses lined the backwaters like houses line neighborhood streets. Way cool, way different.



I don't think we could have handled more than 24 hours, though you can go for a week. We would have gone stir crazy unless there was more to do and/or we brought some friends. I do have a funny story for you that I hope I do justice to.
We were able to get off the boat at night. Keep in mind I'm a white girl and my husband looks African American (he always gets the "hey wuzup" upwards head nod from black boys). So we are getting off and these pre-teen girls were saying stuff in Malayalam like "hey, come over here," etc., or something like that, thinking my husband didn't know what they were saying. Well, my husband waited long enough for them to make fools of themselves and then responded to them in Malayalam and they ran off screeching in embarassment.

John loves to tell that story to other locals who know exaclty what the girls were saying. I just kind of smile.

Here are a couple pictures that were taken while we were off the boat. I better end it here, or I'll get a call from National Geographic. Kerala is Communist, by the way.