Lindsay: Kochi, Kerala

I finished the program…ALREADY!!?? Now it’s backpacking time! On April 21st, a majority of people from my program went on a six hour bus ride from Jaipur to Delhi so five girls could catch their flight back to the U.S.  Since me and one other girl who will travel with me, Leigh, had a flight out of Delhi the next day to Kochi, we also went with.  
It was a crazy, chaotic single night stay near the New Delhi railway station.  That was plenty of time for me in Delhi, that’s for sure.  After a two hour flight from Delhi to Mumbai, a seven hour overnight layover in Mumbai airport, then another two hour flight from Mumbai to Kochi, Kerala, Leigh and I finally made it! We took a bus down to the island of Fort Kochi where we will stay for the next couple nights. Ate cinnamon bread and assorted tropical fruits for breakfast (so good!). Later, took a short ferry across to another island called Vipin to explore the beach and visit the ocean.  Had a rock thrown at me (but missed) at the beach by a young Indian man because I didn’t respond to his obtrusive comments.  On a better note, tomorrow we will take a cruise through the famous Indian backwaters and maybe eat some seafood!!
Kerala is probably one of the most humid places I have ever been too.  It is such a contrast from Rajasthan.  There is actual green life, and bodies of water.  The literacy rate is the highest in all of India, around 97%, with little poverty and clean(er) streets.  Matrilineal practice, though not as common nowadays, has given women one of the highest statuses in all of India.  Kerala, coincidentally, is one of the least traditional states in all of India, in comparison with Rajasthan, which is one of the most traditonal states of India.  Hindi is not the native spoken language, instead it is Tamil and Malayalam.  So my Hindi skills really aren’t much use of me here, unfortunately!
So exited to start my travels! I’ll try to post a general outline of my plans once I had a better idea. And I’ll do my best to post pics too.

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