Knowing we have this long trip and a very late lunch before reaching our houseboat, we woke up early and was greeted by a lovely sunrise vista. Simply beautiful 🌞 It makes us anxious that it would be another 5 hour backbreaking, butt-numbing bus ride. Our houseboat is waiting for us in Allepey. From zigzag roads hemmed in by tea fields, we navigated around mountains and hills in the same zigzag pattern. Milder though this time. 🤪 Lush forests dotted by coconut trees 🏝️and rubber trees, we passed a few towns’ temples, schools, and churches. After about an hour, we stopped to drop in at Pattumala Church, a Marian Pilgrimage Center also known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health. Unique Gothic- inspired architecture, built entirely of granite, impressive interiors but I’m not a fan of the punishing staircase to reach the church from the street. Phew!
Our houseboats were ready to receive us way after lunchtime. The bus ride took nearly 5 hours. Late lunch was ready as soon as our (smaller) overnight bags were delivered to our rooms. The river cruise starts after lunch till sunset. Some took off to explore the rural town before dinner while others idled the early evening hours enjoying cocktails. Allepey is teeming with tourists eager to board ferries plying the river or hire houseboats for the night. The sound of the boat engine can lull you to sleep and houseboats plying the river make a pretty sight. I love our rooms with wide glass windows as well as the dining room with a long table that can seat 30 people. By sunset, our 3 houseboats were docked side by side that some of the boys in our groups can easily jump from one houseboat to the next off the open deck. All meals are cooked by the Chef on board. Some of us got off the boat and bought shrimps to add to the buffet dinner of Keralan cuisine.
This sleeper houseboat is quite an experience. We are only too glad that we have Chef on Board and that the rooms are sized just right. I can imagine Ernest Hemingway hiring a one room houseboat, having early evening cocktails with the boat staff, perhaps even writing a whole book here. Very calming. Balm for the soul. Just what we need.
lifeisacelebration 