FRIDAY  10^TH JANUARY 2013                DAY 8

I sleep well. There are two bites on my ankle in the morning but it’s a search to find any. They are not uncomfortable. The bed rocks gently and all my bones are warm, lovely.

Breakfast is tea, small pieces of sweet toast with butter and mixed fruit jam, served on the front of the boat while we chug on towards the Zuri resort and spa, my next stop. We’re all relaxed now – aged English woman is obviously enjoying herself.

The view is lovely, a vast stretch of water to the horizon populated by these houseboats. The bank lined with coconut and banana palms, a popular place to live and a man passes on his way to work with his daughter off to school, the wake swaying us slightly. 

Keralites are very proud of having 100% attendance at primary school which is free and 60% at secondary. We pass a shack with a hammer and sickle painted on the door.

‘Oh, communist party?’

‘Yes Mem.’

‘Many communists in Kerala?’

‘Yes Mem. Many in India’

‘Are you a communist?’

Yes Mem, me and all my family all are communists.’

‘Wow…. My husband was a communist.’

H e gives me a terrific smile.

My small book by Salim Pushpanath, tells me that Kerala installed one of the first freely elected communist governments in the world. I am fascinated. 

I fill out their feedback form with a glowing report and all 'excellent' ticks. They withdraw to the stern and I see them poring over it intensely while I sort my luggage out.

You can see the hotel in the distance.

We draw up to a small pier, guarded by an officious military looking man in a khaki uniform. He looks down his nose at my three men as they tie up and speaks brusquely to them. I notice they drop their eyes and shoulders when answering. I am ready. My voucher and luggage is passed up and his attitude becomes all smiles with me. Pah – some communist. I bet he votes for the congress party. I take a photo, thank my boaters and give them what I hope is a big tip.

A golf cart drives me to reception and I realise the Zuri resort is seriously posh and beautiful.