Leisure & Travel

Seven day whistle-stop tour of KeralaA desire to check out if the God’s own country hype which attracted 2.5 million foreign tourists last year is unwarranted, prompteda short investigative tour of the better northern half of the state-Within a continent-sized nation which despite its rich heritage of ancient cultural monuments and natural attractions draws a mere 3.5 million foreign tourists annually (cf. China 30 million), the southern littoral state of Kerala ‚ heavily promoted as ‚ËœGod‚s own country‚ ‚ is a rare success story. Last year this modestly populated (32 million) state attracted a massive inflow of 7 million tourists including 2.5 million from abroad to savour its unique combination of beaches, backwaters, game sanctuaries, ayurveda, meditation and yoga.Though overseas, Kerala has projected itself as an exotic holiday destination offering sun, sand and ayurveda, in India the state has a dubious reputation as a bastion of communism, a thousand trade unions and cantankerous clerks who have driven out the best human resources and capital from the state, creating an industrial wasteland. The desire to check out if the God‚s own country hype ‚ ironic for a state which has been ruled by communist governments for decades ‚ is warranted, prompted an investigative, short holiday tour of north Kerala, reportedly the better half of the state.In the high-pressure scribe‚s profession in which deadlines are omnipresent, lengthy holidays are impossible. Therefore a tightly-packed six nights-seven day tour package (entirely self-financed) which would combine sight-seeing (to get a feel of the much-hyped Kerala experience) with rest and recreation, was carefully designed in consultation with the Bangalore-based tourism and travel firm Tour Planners (estb. 2003).December 1 (Bangalore-Cochin)The starting point of the tour (Rs.16,000 per capita for four adults) was Cochin which can be conveniently accessed from Bangalore by train. Indian Railways‚ Kanyakumari Express departing at 9.45 p.m daily from Bangalore (city and cantonment stations) offers a convenient and painless passage to Cochin arriving at 9.30 a.m. Tour Planners‚ Hilna Paul recommends making train reservations at least 15 days prior to the date of departure.Included in the price of the toughly negotiated tour package was a Toyota Qualis SUV (with English-speaking, law-abiding driver Godfrey at the wheel) provided by Indian Voyages Pvt. Ltd, a Cochin-based travel firm, which was ready and waiting at Ernakulam/ Cochin station and stayed with us night and day for the duration of the tour.December 2 (Cochin-Allepey)Following a tepid breakfast in Cochin at the Avenue Regent (Best Western) hotel, the seveBackwaters cruising: clean and tidy backdropsn day tour of Kerala began with a two-hour drive to Allepey aka Allappuzha, a scenic backwater town (pop. 2.6 lakh) which is the most-preferred jump-off point for Kerala‚s famous backwater cruises. Fully furbished houseboats can be hired on a day or night basis to cruise the tranquil backwaters of Alleppey. Though one could strike a bilateral deal with any of the several houseboat operators located on the main jetty, it‚s best to book your houseboat beforehand through a travel agent who will bargain hard on…