The best boat ride and more travels

When the five of us originally started planning for our adventures, I had just watched Anthony Bourdain's episode about eating amazing fish and chilling on a houseboat in Kerala. I told the group we had to go for it, and somehow they listened and we booked a trip down south. 

And let me tell you, it was worth it. Our day on the houseboat was one of the singular best days in recent memory. 

I've always been a lady partial to a booze cruise, but this one was truly stupendous. Put it on your bucket list, folks. This trip was one for the books

A driver took us from our house to the bridge where our houseboat picked us up. 

And she was a beauty. 

The place was just beautiful and so cozy. 

A little kitchen in the back where they were cooking us an amazing lunch. 

From the bow.

We took off and floated down the backwaters of Alleppey. 

Fees being gorgeous as always.

We stopped along the way and bought some massive prawns to be cooked up by the chefs for lunch.

Megan and peter being typically adorable.

Before long we cracked open some beers and got the party started. 

And then an INCREDIBLE lunch was served. There was the fresh prawns and fried fish, chicken curry, an amazing garlic lemon sauce, a spicy veggie sauce, an amazing cabbage thing... We ate and ate until we were stuffed...

...and had to lay down for a nap.

We lounged, read, chatted and lay in the sun for the rest of the afternoon.

And Peter even got to drive for awhile. 

By the time we got back to the port, we were relaxed and sleepy. All in all, an absolutely dreamy day on the water.

On our way home from the houseboat, our driver surprised us by stopping at a beautiful (and clean!) local beach in perfect timing for us to watch the sunset. It was just gorgeous. 

The ladiess

On Wednesday, Lindsey, Megan and Peter took a tuk-tun into Fort Kochin to do some exploring of historic churches and other sites of interest in the city. Fees and I had an aryruvedic massage scheduled so we set out for that. Kerala is well known for excellent Aryruvedic massages, one component in this field of  ancient Hindu medicine. 

The outside of the 'clinic' looked sketchy but our homestay host had made the reservations for us and we trusted his judgement. 

The experience was very unique and rather hilarious. Two women directed me to strip naked and lie on a hard table. They poured hot oil on me and simultaneous rubbed my arms, back legs and just about everywhere. It was less comfortable and calming than a traditional massage in the US but I made the decision to enjoy it and I did. I was even sore the next day! I'd certainly recommend the unique experience but it's not for the modest! 

After our 'treatments,' Fees and I were hungry so we had our tuk-tuk driver to take us to his favorite seafood place in town (another great traveling foodie technique). We split a great fish curry. 

In the afternoon, we found a pool to lounge by for a while, then shared some wine at a restaurant on the water and watched he sunset. We finished the night with another Fodor's recommended restaurant that turned out to be absolutely wonderful but of course forgot to photograph. Woops! 

Thursday we flew to Delhi in hopes of continuing to Nepal, but a plane crash on the runway in Kathmandu left us layed over at the Hilton in Delhi. Not an ideal situation, but we know how to make the best of it. The pool and drinks! 

 

Fees (a chef back in Lynchburg) asked the men at the pizza oven if she could take a turn making one of her own. They traded techniques and it was pretty adorable. 

 

Leaving Delhi and celebrating Holi next time! 

Xoxo,

Lily