Boat trip to Varapuzha

Varapuzha was also called Verapoli.

Was linked to Ernakulam by a boat service.

About 20 boats plied across these points, touching some 20 other points of jetties in various islands.

The trips lasted about 100 minutes. Some found entertainment in card games on the engine cabines.

Each boat required, a pilot, called srank, an engine man, two laskars. Laskar, no idea if it is Malayalam or English, did the tieing , untieing of boat in each jetty, while passageners were embarking and disembarking. That would mean, each boat provided employment for minimum four workers, and earnings for the owners family.

Then there were ticket sellers at each jetty, who were also petty shop keepers at the jetty. Most jetty area had a shop, selling tea, beedies and the like.

Things have changed.

Gosri bridge connected the Mulavukad island, people abandoned the boat service. Varapuzha bridge did the boat service in.

Twenty boats had no business, they reduced the number of trips to four, done by two boats. That is not full time employment for boats, and staff. Soon, the boat owners may decide to stop this service.

A boat trip that last 100 minutes, from Ernakulam to Varapuzha Church jetty costs Rs. 7.50.

(currently Rs 46 makes a US Dollar if you wish to compare).

If the people in the islands of Bolghatty, Moolampilly, and places like Vaduthala, Kurungotta, Pizhala and Nettor, make concerted efforts, more tourists, will know about this area, make trips and keep the boat service live.

Back water tourism is cheap here, and gives good value for money

Cochin Calicut and then on to Wayanad via Kalpetta

There are plenty of luxary buses, many of the brand Hino going to Bangalore. They go via Kalpetta and Sultan Bathery (Sultan's Battery). Most of these buses start at Cochin in the evenings, something like 6 PM and reach Bangalore in the Morning. Idea is that , while passengers, sleep, the driver keeps going. These drivers are chaps with good night vision, and with a good idea of where every pothole is. Buses and big, and even where there is an accident, deaths are rare. At least, we dont hear of them in the news papers. So Consider them safe.

Convenient and cheap, is train travel. But why do people opt for road trips like this. The point is that, rail seats are limited, and one has to plan and book his railway seat much , much in advance. Would Laloo prasad try to make money of this route as well. May be he could introduce something special like Gharib Rathh ( means poor mans chariot, for what ever reason) which has only airconditioned seats, and charges are like three times higher. Even so, charges are much cheaper than an air conditioned hotel room. Don't you see, these trains offer , sleep while you travel- in airconditioned comfort.