Early start today, a hair-raising 80 minutes through rush-hour Kochi in an ancient packed mini-bus driven like a bat out of hell by Tommy Cooper on speed with no second gear. The twelve of us arrive at the Malabar Coast of Kerala where a chain of lagoons have been adopted and named by the tourist industry here as The Backwaters of Kochi. Shaken but not stirred we climb into our punt, a large one with comfortable wicker chairs and a roof. We have hot sunshine today so shade from the roof is much appreciated.
This is not our boat. The Backwaters are beautiful, serene and quiet. There are (almost) no motor driven boats. The local population live in small villages, harvest fish and shellfish from the waterways, collect coconuts, mangos and other useful stuff from the totally uncultivated land areas, and work in cooperative cottage industries. There is peace and tranquillity here.
This is a (water) snake catcher. We also see cormorants, crows, an egret and an iguana. We visit two cottage industries. The first buys shells from fisherman after the mussels have been taken out for eating.
The shells are mixed with coal dust, burnt in a kiln, then mixed with water which triggers a chemical process to produce calcium hydroxide in powder form.
It is used as whitewash, natural fertiliser and for medical purposes.
We are also shown rope-making from the hairy bits of coconuts. The skilled manual process, using very basic machinery that twists the wispy material, makes a very strong cord that is sold in local markets.
Back at our starting point we climb out of the boat for the last time and embark on the even hairier return minibus journey. Same driver but with the added hindrance of thousands of schoolchildren wandering the roads on their way home. Scary.
All the Best to everyone, John
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