Kerala ~One of the Most beautiful places on Earth!. Review on Kerala, General

Kerala cannot be described in one short piece as it is appearing here. There is so much to write about. This piece will give you a feeling for Kerala. For a more comprehensive study, please consult Lonely Planet's latest guide ''Kerala'' ($15.95 US).

Having travelled in many parts of the world, including Holland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Kuwait, Dubai, Great Britain, France, United States, Canada, Kenya, Tanzania,

and most parts of India from the Kumaon Himalayas to Kanya Kumari, I found Kerala to be enchanting with its beautiful beaches from Kovalam to Calicut, the western ghats and its majestic mountains, the evergreen forests and its wildlife sanctuaries (see detailed review on Periyar Tiger Reserve); its friendly and well educated and cultured people, the delicious foods including the salted plantain chips (ooperi), cashews, and its many fruits (mangoes, guava, papaya, dozens of different bananas)- all of these and much more makes this tiny state in the south western part of India, one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I love Kerala, as I have good friends and fond memories of that place, and wish I could visit it often. But it is quite an undertaking for regular trips to Kerala from North America where I have been a resident for the past 37 years. Tony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco; I left mine in Kerala.

Kerala has two major airports, to handle international travelers. Cochin and Trivandrum. The Cochin (now called Kochi) is some what in the middle of the state while Trivandrum (or Thiruvananthapuram) is in the south, both close to the Arabian sea. Accommodations are plenty to suit everyone's pocket, and the food is cheap comparing to our western standards.As an example: Three of us had a sumptuous lunch at a first class eatery in Cochin, and it cost us only Rs.216 or just $4.00, (while an average meal in Delhi cost me Rs.1500) There are restaurants specializing in vegetarian dishes as well. Try the masala dosai with sambar, or some idli with chutney for breakfast. If you like exotic fish, try Kerala's own ''Karimeen'' roast or a plate of prawn curry.Rice is the staple food here, mostly imported from Andhra Pradesh or Madras (Chennai) as the local cultivation of this grain is sadly diminishing for the reasons I quoted elsewhere.

While in Kerala, you may want to try a day and night in a house boat, popularly known as 'Kettu Vallam', which will take you through the backwaters of Kerala, the land of coconuts. Try a tender coconut, available for two or three rupees everywhere, or sample some delicious mangoes, or guava when in season. You can also buy fresh nutmeg (Jathika), cardomom (Elakkai), cinnamon barks (or karuva patta), cloves,Pepper (kurumulaku) and other spices that are available everywhere. The local language is Malayalam, and in some way it resemble Tamil language spoken in the neighboring state of Chennai (Madras).

Kerala has numerous book shops that sells books on every subjects in English and Malayalam. I was able to buy a large quantity of books on India's natural history from various branches of D.C. Books scattered throughout Kerala.

Travelling from one end to the other end of Kerala is easy. Most of the costal area and inland routes are accessable via train and buses. But if you are looking for comfort, avoid both and rent a taxi which is available at a very reasonable rate. Negotiate the fare first.

The people are extremely friendly, and honest. Here, the majority of them speak very good English (the literacy rate in this state is almost 100%, the highest in India). Most Keralites are adventurous and love to travel and explore. You will see them in every corner of the world. The majority of the work force in the middle east are from Kerala.

For nature lovers, like myself there are several sanctuaries in Kerala, the most famous one being the Periyar Tiger Reserve, situated in Thekkadi on the mountains, appx. 4 hours drive from Kottayam through a scenic and shaded route. On the way enjoy the many tea plantations on the hill sides, neatly trimmed and looked after, and the many rubber plantations. The Silent Valley and Parambikulam wildlife preserves are situated near Palghat, north of Cochin.All these wildlife areas contain tiger, leopard, chital, sambar,langur, giant squirrel, wild boar, buffalo and an assortment variety of birds and reptiles including the common cobra, King cobra, banded krait, Russell's viper and Rat snake.

Communicating with the outside world is a breeze now in Kerala, with internet cafes and phone booths scattered

throughout at a very reasonable price. Internet cafes charge about 20 cents (Rs.10) for a half hour use. Long distance phone calls are expensive though.

June to August is monsoon season in Kerala, cool and wet. November-January are ideal months. I have met several people from around the world who visited Kerala, and they were all excited to talk about it, many of them want to go back for another visit. What's the secret?? Find out yourself and have a pleasant journey!