The Back waters

these are waters just behind the coast in the state of Kerala, which is situated mainly between Alleppey and Kollum. A trip over these waters, passing the most gorgeous landscapes, is one of the more exciting 'things-to-do'. While in Alleppey, I was really preparing myself for a journey like this. Departure 10:30am, arrival in Kollum 8 hours later. And indeed it is a wonderful area and a lovely trip. But here, too, tourism has taken over and that is why lunch exists of a quick blob of rice on a banana leaf with some vegetables in haute cuisine quantities (they do have beetroots [25 grammes...]!) and two little fishes for which you have to pay per piece. It's a shame. Yet it couldn't spoil my excitment of being here. And if you think I am taking many pictures (after almost six weeks I have got 20 rolls of film), then you are very wrong! Today I was surrounded by fanatics who would be taking pictures of any bit of movement in the water. But then, they had impressive cameras with them that had regiment, wide-angle, tele, hard, soft and many more sorts of lenses I can't even name. Oh well, next week they are going home and I am not!!! After a relatively pretty sunset (yes, again - sunsets are really fashionable over here) the evening soon started. I don't really enjoy being in a strange city at night, but with the help of my Lonely Planet guide I quickly found a hotel. It was a bit dodgy, but I didn't feel like looking further and this was the nearest hotel, so there you go. Then I had to find myself a dinner. The little restaurants from the Lonely Planet guide had all disappeared, so I tried a local restaurant, Pinky's. The name should have warned me... I ordered a chai, a Pepsi (you do have to make sure that you remain clean on the inside and a coke helps), an omelette, four mini charpattis (a sort of pancakes) with sugar, for pancakses with sugar are very delicious. All was alright until I started eating the omelette. It was as if I had swallowed chili peppers! The flames burst from my ears, the tears started to my eyes; my lips were roasted; but the Pepsi was my Saviour! The chef was laughing his head off as he watched me. I did see the funny side of it and happily finished my pancakes. After some chatting (weer yoo from? yoo aloon? etc.) I left. When I walked back to my hotel I felt really tired. Just when you think you can go to sleep after having brushed your teeth a new surprise awaits you and it is in the bathroom. A VIP visit from Mr and Mrs Cock-Roach, size "Will-I-see-you-again-tonight?" (that is, without palps: 5 centimeters and with palps: 10 centimeters). During my course exchange programme in Belgium I would be jumping on chairs every five minutes, screaming my head off. Then, I would try out my Pro Set hairspray on the whole cockroach community. Now, I had to think of something better to do. (Putting a 5 centimeter cockroach in a gel jar did not seem to be a good idea). Luckily, in every bathroom here there is a bucket (because... well... they haven't got loo roll, that's why!) and a little jug. So, I quickly put the bucket on top of one and the little jug on top of the other cockroach. But the jug had a nozzle and the creep tried to escape. Bang! I put the bin on top of it. Arghhhhh! No sleep for me anymore! That night, I would also visit the bathroom in a less relaxed mood (on top of it all, the loo wouldn't work after I'd flushed it once, so that was a little celebration in itself...). Taking a shower was quickly finished, too. The next morning I swiftly walked around the little town, which was very crowded; but I did like the Dutch houses that were also there. After that, I hurried to my bus. Get out of here; and on to the beach!!!

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