Boat Rides

I always knew boats to be a recreational mode of transport. Growing up in a city with lakes drying up every year, the only time I could go boating was when we went on holidays.

I've been on all kinds of boats, from pedal boats to a house boat. Most times we never really travelled to places on the boat, only from one tourist spot to another and back.

One of my earliest memories of floating on the water in a container of wood was in a pedal boat with my parents. My mother and I were sitting on one side and my father on the other to balance it. We peddled around the lake, getting a good workout by doing so. I remember being curious about whirlpools and my curiosity caused me to see one in the water. I was terrified we would get sucked in so I pedalled harder away.

I sat in a speed boat that took us around a big reservoir where elephants wandered. We were surrounded by hills occupied by elephants, and as my paranoid grandmother kept mentioning, leopards and jaguars and all sorts of animals. They probably wouldnt have attacked us in the boat, but she was convinced we wouldnt be able to get away as quickly.

The biggest boat I've ever been on is a yacht. We were in Thailand on holiday, and the only way to get to one of the islands was by ferry. It was such a big boat. I felt so small compared to it.

Thailand was one of the places where I had to travel by boat to go around. We went kayaking through forests and caves and ended up in a river behind where we started. It was a fun experience, although I did feel seasick once after being on a boat the whole day.

Unfortunately, we still do rely on cars. It was funny to me, but in California, to get to an island we had to sit in our cars on a boat. A small ferry where we saw the sunset. We basically took our car for a boat ride.

Or a house for a boat ride too. If you have been to Kerala and not on a houseboat, you're really missing out. I went twice with my family. The first time I went, we spent the night on the boat. The views, the food, the people, it's an experience I'll always remember.

I'm glad to be from places where we can easily get boatrides. I love visiting my hometown every year and boating through the river. If you are ever in the North-east, visit Dawki in Meghalaya and sit on their boats through the river. The crystal clear water under, the soft noise of the water lapping on the sides, the fresh air, I love the feeling of belonging when I'm there. Sometimes I really do feel like the ocean's child.