Day 14 Fri 9th Nov - Backwaters of Poovar After breakfast I get itchy feet and ask at reception what we can do today. They suggest a backwater cruise, which I jump at, Russ obliges as he can see my face light up. I think he really just wanted another day lay on the sun bed reading! So at 930 a Leela car meets us and takes us half hour drive to Poovar, we climb aboard a little motor boat, the driver introduces himself, a young lad who has been touring the backwa...

Day 13 Thur 8th Nov - Kovalam Today we head off for a walk to the Lighthouse beach after breakfast, it feels good to be walking. It’s only a 20 mins stroll across the next bay where locals are laying their nets and fixing them or loading back onto their wooden boats. Locals share the shoreline with Egrets dipping their toes. We reach the next bay and the lighthouse rises on the rocks ahead. We climb to the top with fantastic views of the coastline, villages ...

Day 12 Wed 7th Nov - India houseboat and Kovalam Sleeping well in our houseboat I awake around 7 to the sounds of the birds. I quickly dressed and went out to the lounge and deck area. A fresh pot of milky hot coffee already prepared and waiting for us. I sat drinking it watching the bird life the villages opposite emerge for the day ahead. I thought at one point I was seeing things. A long neck was rigging in the water making its way towards me. I quickly put m...

Day 11 Tue 6th Nov India - Houseboat Kerala Backwaters I woke around 6 and popped my dressing gown quietly leaving the room with my camera and phone. I walk through the bungalows looking out for a glimpse of the birds I can hear and the red squirrel. It’s not long before I spot one high up in the nut tree, it is enormous! He is sat there munching on a nut, his tail hanging from the branch. I am so chuffed, I stand there for ages, neck aching from looking up an...

Day 10 Mon 5th Nov -India - Rainforest Trek After meeting Bidhu in reception at 06:45 we drive 5 minutes to the Periyar Tiger Reserve for our mornings trek in the rainforest. We are kitted out with leech socks and water. A guide takes us into the rainforest and over the 2 hours of walking along tiny tracks and scrambling through the vegetation we see a herd of deer, Indian Bison, endangered lion tale macaque & the Indian Giant Red Squirrel which can make le...