My decision to travel to India, on my own, came at a time in my life when it was all about the adventure. Needing an escape from a volunteer contract with the Canadian military in Afghanistan, I thought South India was just what the doctor ordered.
I was told that no matter how much I travelled or how many countries I visited; when you first arrive in India it will hit you like a gale force wind. So arriving in Trivandrum tired and jetlagged it was confusing and chaotic but mesmerizing and exciting all at the same time.
With the Arabian Sea to the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 m in the east and connected by endless backwaters and an extensive coastline, Kerala has it all.
The perfect way to enjoy the backwaters is through a number of Kerala backwater cruises that will take you on a memorable trip on board traditional houseboats called “Kettuvallams”. Giant crafts, measuring up to 80ft in length, these floating hotel rooms offer all the amenities one requires. Made with wooden planks, joined and stitched together with coconut fiber called coir and painted on the outside with cashew nut shell oil or fish oil.

The major backwater stretch is in the Alleppey district and this is where my backwaters adventure begins. When I first step onto my houseboat I am awed at its beauty and feel a sense of excitement knowing I will be spending the next 3 days and 2 nights leisurely gliding down these peaceful and scenic waterways. The cost includes freshly cooked food, made on-board, and drinks. For my houseboat adventure I share with 5 others but houseboats can be rented privately.
Over the next 3 days we travel about 30km a day while I relax, reflect and re-energize until the journey comes to an end and I carry on with my adventure in India.
For me, Kerala was one of those places of reflection where you quickly come to a richer understanding of someone else’s life, and your own, and the common places between them. Visiting one of those places cannot fail to send you home a little different from the person that set out and I realized that sometimes the most valuable things you take home aren’t packed in your luggage.