We did a backwaters canoe boat tour yesterday and it was one of the best experiences we've had - 3 hours on a canoe with an Indian guide poling us through the waterways of Munroe Island in Kerala. We stopped at a rope making place (they make rope out of the husks of coconuts by soaking them in water for three months and then breaking them up into individual fibres and spinning them in a rope making machine). We discovered that the daily wage of a rope maker is 50 rupees - about AUD$1.30! Which means that their yearly wage is around $1600 and this is considered an excellent job by Indian standards.
We don't know how good we've got it in Australia.
We also visited a spice garden where we saw ginger, green pepper (they are dried to make black pepper) and acres of coconuts. And we were lucky enough to have a local man scoot up a coconut palm, break us off some, lop the top off for some coconut milk straight from the husk, and then give us the tender flesh inside. The indian people like the "tender" coconut best - no tough old coconuts like we have in Oz.
The tour was great - gave us a real look at village life in such an amazing place.
Tonight we hop on a train to the South of Goa to a small beach town called Palolem. We can't wait - apparently it's one of the best beaches in India. Yum!
Meanwhile, I've just had a look at some photos of my gorgeous friends partying for Melbourne Cup in Brisbane. You all look so beautiful and clean and groomed. I dream of the day that I will have my hair done again! ha ha. And a pretty dress! And makeup!
Cruel vanity!
Ha ha....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment