There are moments in life when you realize that you’re doing something amazing; something that many would dream to do, or at least that you’ve been dreaming to do for ages. I experienced that when I first glanced at the wide landscapes of Arizona for example, when I met Mohamed Ali, or everytime I’m taking an after-lunch nap on top of a mountain in the Alps.
This is just how I felt this morning when buying my first Indian train ticket: Calicut to Trivandrum, Janasatabthi Express, Dec. 1st, 13.40. I was beaming and smiling stupidly. The ticket agent looked bored, the people behind me annoyed, but I didn’t care. I was holding the golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s factory. I chose seating class, non-AC, to get a sense of the worst at first. That’s always worked for me (to understand how Indian trains work, visit http://www.indiamike.com – this guy is my best friend, even if he doesn’t know it.)
I’ve been in Kerala for a week and a half now. I’m based in Wayanad, in the mountains around the town of Kalpetta. Imagine a jungle of coconut and banana trees, covering 6,000 feet peaks where elephants and monkeys enjoy a peaceful life. I’m here to work with Kabani (www.kabani.org), an Indian NGO dedicated to bringing up the issues created by the tourism industry in Southern India; the team also trains and empowers local communities (mostly around the coasts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu) to advocate for their rights and to fight abuses. Tourism creates a huge amount of problems the world over, but in Southern India we’re talking displacement, environmental damage, water shortages, sexual abuse, cultural impact and poor workers condition to name a few. Loads of work then.
The district of Wayanad has its share of problems, but small communities are organizing themselves and offering nice alternatives. I’m staying in Thrikkaipetta, a village of 2,000 souls (mostly farmers) which in 1996 decided to provide a way for 400 of them to make a decent living through the use of bamboo. From plantation management to treatment, crafts and sale of the finished products, many have learnt new skills and are now sustaining themselves. Uravu (www.uravu.net) is the non-profit association behind the initiative. Homestay tourism is one of the projects they oversee, with 5 homes (soon to be 8) certified to welcome guests. My hosts are amazing – but you’ll hear more on them later.
The trip to Trivandrum marks the start of my travels through Kerala and Tamil Nadu. I’m to meet with Kabani’s field officers there and see with them the damage done and the solutions put in place. My mission is to bring content, videos and photos to Tourism Concern’s interactive map of Southern India, which will be launched next January. I feel like a James Bond girl (minus the classy car – I’m sticking to public buses and rickshaws.) I hope you’ll enjoy following me there and meeting these communities. Comments and questions welcome!
Yours truly, The recently renamed “Veroni”.