Week 4-5: Kerala

Here is a brief update of the past two weeks before my internet time runs out in 15 mins.

So Week 4 we went to the state of Kerala. Highlights were we went to see a botanical sanctuary where we learned a great deal about plants and how to grow a sustainable forest. This was followed by a trip to Kanavu, an alternative education school for the local tribal people which links education with real life. For example, students learn how to dance and sing local songs, martial arts for self-defense as well as how to read and write.

Highlights in Kerala:

• Climbing into and out of an elephant trench. The elephant trench was maybe 2-3m deep and 2m wide with almost vertical sides made of bud. The trench was to keep elephants out of the village. We got really muddy and had a lot of fun falling on top of each other.
• Being charged at by a male tusker elephant in heat. Resulted in 33+ people sprinting at full-speed back onto our bus that was also just pulling away. For a while, I thought that I was going to get trampled/get killed by the elephant. Had a great laugh afterwards though. Now realize how dangerous elephants can be and how fast they can move.

Week 5: Vacation in the state of Kerala

Brief outline of vacation:

Wayanad --> Calicut (bus) --> Cochin (6-hour overnight train) --> Munnar (few hours drive) --> Alleppey (4 hour drive) --> Fort Cochin (1 hour drive) --> Ernakulum --> Bangalore (12 hour overnight train)

Highlights:

1. Munnar - beautiful gorgeous tea plantations everywhere. Rowed a boat unsuccessfully. Climbed rocks, trees and even our van.
2. Alleppey - Went on a beautiful houseboat and boated through the incredibly scenic backwaters of Kerala. Then got into a little boat and rowed through a local village. Reminded me of Venice. Beautiful evening star-gazing with the sound of water lapping onto the shore and a nice breeze. Have never seen so many stars in my life. Was like a clear night at Wellesley x 10 visibility.
3. Fort Cochin - 500 rupees (around 12 USD) for a room for three people. Generally satisfied as no big bug problem in this room. Lots of walking around and working on my country paper for India at internet cafes. Visited Jew Town - very tourist-oriented area. By far, the most tourist-oriented place I've been to in India so far. Everyone spoke English. Shopkeepers looked like they had mixed blood (Indian + Western??). Overpriced souvenirs, but the type of thing that you would get for friends at home, such as little handicrafts and small samples of spices. Saw a synagogue for the first time. INCREDIBLY hot weather. Impossible to sleep without a fan on and impossible not to be sticky. Reached new stickiness levels and survived.

Okay, that's it for India. Flying to Beijing tomorrow!