Week 10 in the Backwaters of India

Week 10 in the Backwaters of India

1. Humidity; this is good for my skin right?
2. If we play ten fingers when I get home, I will no longer be able to say, "Never have I ever ridden on a motorcycle."
3. Everest Basecamp adventure begins in 2 weeks, yikes!

The view from our houseboat and an
example of what one looks like!

This past weekend we went on our last Indian excursion to Kerala. You could tell we were all worn out from travelling by just observing us on the houseboat Saturday day. We spent most of our time simply lazying around, reading our Kindles, or taking naps. But hey, India has really tired us out!

Kerala was a fantastic way to wind down from our Indian adventure and begin the process of ending our time in India.

Although the humidity of Kerala wrapped around us like a wet towel when we walked out of the plane in Kochi, I have a feeling that all of that humidity and sweating must have been somehow good for our skin, at least that is what I like to believe. The coconuts were aplenty in Alleppey as well as the palm trees they dropped from. A popular honeymoon spot, the backwaters of Kerala were like a mini foray into paradise, albeit a hot and sticky one. 


 


On Sunday we explored parts of Kochi Fort where the Portuguese had colonized Kerala in the 17th century.  There we watched the locals use Chinese fishing nets in the river and visited St. Francis Church, where Vasco de Gama had originally been laid to rest. He now rests peacefully in Portugal. 

It was wonderful to once again to see how many people live in India and steal a quick peek of a cricket game. 








And although my adventure here in Asia is not nearly over, and really is just about to begin, many of my colleagues will be leaving in a week to go home to the States. I think I have passed the point of being homesick and now have just gotten used to being away for so long. While I cannot wait to get back to my family and friends, I am in a rhythm of exploring, conversing in broken Hindi, getting teased about my 'Western-ness,' and eating thali for dinner every night. 

My trek to the Mt. Everest Basecamp is in approximately two weeks and as it draws nearer, I cannot help but feel more and more nervous and more and more excited.  What new people and facets of the world will I discover and more importantly, what will I learn and uncover about myself?  Throughout all of my travels, and believe you me, there have been a lot, (I recently calculated that out of the last 12 months, 6 were spent abroad) I have learned that travelling and exploring is just as much about exploring and discovering the places you are in as it is exploring and discovering yourself.

Because to me, to travel is....

To Explore. To Experience. To Discover.