Actually it is now officially called Alappuzha, but Alleppey seems more common (even in the train schedules!).
2 hours by train (Rs70/$1.75 for “sleeper” class). I almost missed getting on the train!
This is the gateway town to the backwaters of Kerala – canals and villages accessible only by boat (over a huge area).
I already did a 3-hour canoe ride (2 paddler guides) shared with Anne, a nice German almost-a-doctor I met on the train (who is travelling after studying at a hospital in Tamil Nadu for a few months). The first part was a little disappointing, and it really wasn’t until the 3rd hour (which we negotiated at the point they wanted to turn around and return by exactly the same route) that it became more relaxing and interesting – that 3rd hour definitely made it worthwhile! Anne had negotiated Rs250/$6.25 for 2 hours, which became Rs350/$8.75 for 3 hours (total, not per person).
We saw this woman and grandchild at a canoe stop for coconut water (Annerose gave some white balloons to the kids):
Tomorrow I go to my backwater village homestay in my “ridiculously picturesque backwater village” for 1 (or maybe 2) nights. Should be fun, and there better not be internet access! 😉
Update: I forgot to mention that on the train was also a 22 year old Finnish girl who had just married a local Indian boy in Varkala!