Alappuzha ( Allepey) Rice Barge Kerala.

Allepey: Just an hour and a half South of Fort Cochin is the Town of Allepey. This is one of the main centres for hiring out house boats or Kettuvallam's so we did. To make it more enjoyable we went with Colin and Sue who we met up with again in Fort Cochin. Allepey itself isn't that special but a good place to get a hair cut early in the morning !! We set off around 11 a.m to start a cruise on a relaxing rice barge. Indeed it is very relaxing and the company made it even more enjoyable. we even learned a new card game called Wigan Rummy.. which Mal won ( just ).
We moored up for the night near a small village and went for a walk just before sunset. While we were out we saw an amazing day to day sight, a man in a canoe shepherding a whole " Badling" of Ducks along a small back water.. ( This is the correct collective Noun for a bunch of ducks !! as they were a mixed bunch an not just Mallard ducks we couldn't call them a "Sute or Sord" !! ) how anorak is that eh? .

After a superb evening meal and a few beers we slept over on the barge ( which was really hot as there was no air conditioning ). Next morning we sailed back to Allepey to pick up on the next leg of of our travels to Kumily, a hill side town next to the the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.

A great day on the Backwaters !

Captain Col and his crew.

The small port at Allepey.

Kerala Back waters

4 men in a boat.

Another Kettuvallam

Floating Blue Hyacinth..

Another Kettuvallam.

And another.

And one more, they come in all manner of shapes and sizes.

Kerala waterside.

Village stop.

One man in a boat.

The Duck Shepherd..

A small amount of the Ducks

Ducks on the way home for the night.

Linda hard at work doing her crew duties.

Next Blog Kumily and the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.