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Agenda For 2020 Southern India Trip
Boston - Dubai - Chennai

​8 Days 7 Nights
Friday February 14 through Saturday February 22, 2020

Carole will help you find a roommate for the trip.

**Chennai is 10.5 hours ahead of Boston's Eastern Standard Time.
Roundtrip Flight on Emirates Airlines

(Schedule subject to change)

Friday February 14    
Leave Boston Logan Airport bound for Chennai, Tamil Nadu in Southern India.
Fly on Emirates Airlines, one of the top airlines in the world.

Saturday February 15
Explore the wonders of the Dubai International Airport during your quick layover

Sunday February 16 
Welcome to Chennai!  Our hosts, Revs. Sarah and Abraham Peddiny and the people of India greet you at the airport with unbelievable hospitality in the wee hours of the morning. 

We'll check into the hotel and have Breakfast sampling foods from around India and the world at the multiple food stations. We'll have an overview of the week's activities on Day One, exploring Chennai, the 4th largest city in India. We'll attend  a culturally rich worship service at Hope Center India (Optional Activity).

City size estimate according to this and other websites:
 https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-10-largest-cities-in-india.html

Optional: You'll be fitted for a custom-made Indian Salwar Kameez that will be tailor made for you and ready for your suitcase by Friday evening!

Monday February 17
Enjoy the loving, kind and spirit filled women, men and children of India. Day Two takes us 100 miles to the state of Andhra Pradesh where we learn about village life in India. Widows often have a tough life, but you learn how they are supported by groups that care about improving the quality of their life. Full dance performances by the women and children of the villages are a part of our cultural experience. 

Tuesday February 18
One of the highlights of Day Three in India is meeting with the community leaders of the region. It is a joyous occasion, learning about their work, the people and fellowshipping with them. And who knows...you may eat a delicious lunch on banana leaves and
​eat with your hands for the first time!!! When in India, eat like the Indians!!

Wednesday February 19
Day Four in India will be packed with cultural and historic activities. We'll visit the famous gold store and watched our local host use fierce negotiation skills to help reduce the purchase price of our items.
​Then we'll visited the sacred cave where St. Thomas, Jesus' disciple, hid before his death.
Finally we'll tour a famous Hindu Temple in Chennai. India is alive in culture, history and tradition!

Thursday February 20
Day Five is one of the highlights of our trip. We'll visit Thirumani Village, a Dalit (outcaste) community where some of the most gracious and hospitable people live. Bethel AME Church (Boston) supports the Educational Center in this village, and the children continue to excel in school, thanks to the activities in the Center. We will also visit one of the largest Leper Colony in ALL of Asia, will fellowship with the residents and bring them warm greetings and nutritious food. (Optional activities for all travelers)
Then we will travel to to the beautiful seaside town of Mamallapurum on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. What a fast-paced day in India!

Friday February 21
On Day Six our whirlwind trip will come to a close! We'll visit the Shrine of St Thomas, the place where Jesus’ disciple was murdered in 72 AD, followed by a visit to one of the few Catholic Basilicas in the world. Then shopping at a fabulous Chennai Mall. Birthday and anniversary celebrations for our travelers in the group are not unknown on this last day in Southern India. We make sure to have fun straight through boarding our Emirates flight back to Boston.

Saturday February 22
Leave Chennai in the wee hours of morning on Emirates Airlines. Transfer planes in Dubai and arrive in Boston mid-afternoon on Saturday.
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Excursion: Bonus Trip To Mumbai, Goa & Kerala
Spend 6 Exciting Days In Mumbai (Bombay), The Beaches of Goa and Balmy Kerala
Saturday, February 22 through Friday, February 28, 2020
This Excursion Follows The Week-Long Trip To Southern India/Chennai
Separate Pricing Applies
(Schedule subject to change)

**Western India is 10.5 hours ahead of Boston's Eastern Standard Time.
Roundtrip Flight on Emirates Airlines


 Day 1 – Saturday, February 22 Chennai - Cochin (Kerala)
  • Fly from Chennai to Cochin
  • Upon arrival transfer to Hotel
  • Evening witness the Kathakali Dance Show
  • Overnight stay in Cochin
Kochi (popularly known as Cochin) is spread across islands and promontories in a stunning location between the Arabian Sea and the Backwaters. The city was founded in 1341 when a flood created a natural safe port which became the principal harbour for Malabar coast’s spice trade. Cochin was on the main trade route between Europe and China. The rulers invited people of various religions to settle here, attracting the Jews and the Christians who built places of worship and their own communities.Upon arrival in Cochin, transfer to the hotel and check in for your stay.

In the evening, you will visit a local theatre to experience Kathakali performance. Kathakali literally meaning "story dance" is the pantomimic dance drama, the dancing and the acting being blended together into an inseparable form. It is a combination of facial expressions and body movements, which brings out the thought and emotion of the character.

Day 2 – Sunday, February 23 Cochin - Alleppey
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Morning city tour
  • Drive to Alleppey
  • Day Cruise with lunch
  • Overnight stay in Cochin
Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and begin your exploration of the city with a walk through the bustling harbor area and quaint backstreets to discover it’s rich and multifaceted past.St. Francis Church, originally named after Santo Antonio and dedicated to him as the Patron Saint of Portugal. Once a wooden building, it was replaced by the present stone building. Vasco De Gamma died on site in 1524 and was originally buried in the cemetery. His grave is still marked with a plaque and a brass rail, though his remains are back home in Portugal. Across, the four-century old Jewish synagogue was built in 1568 AD, it was destroyed by the Portuguese and rebuilt by the Dutch a century later. We will explore the Jewish community, which abounds with fascinating antique shops and wares. Looming protectively over the synagogue is the Mattancherry palace, erstwhile home to the Verma kings and today a fine museum.

Later drive to Allepey where you board Kettuvallam, a traditional houseboat and cruise through the day drifting through the backwaters of Kerala. The Kettuvallam or ‘boat with knots’- was so called because the entire boat was held together with coir knots only - not even a single nail is used during the construction.  The boat is made of planks of jack-wood joined together with coir. This is then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. With careful maintenance, a kettuvallom can last for generations. While most boats are poled by local oarsmen, some are powered by a 40 HP engine.

The backwaters are a network of canals, lakes, lagoons and estuaries stretching over almost 1000 square miles. Here, palm-fringed narrow canals wind through a vast expanse of paddy fields. As you float along, enjoy the picturesque hamlets that line the banks, migratory birds in abundance, water lilies and coconut groves.Arrive Alleppey and check in to a traditional Houseboat – Kettuvallam for day cruise & lunch. Originally these boats were used as ferries to carry rice from one point to another through the backwater canals.

Day 3 – Monday, February 24  Alleppey - Cochin  - Hubli - Goa
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Fly to Goa via Hubli
  • Upon arrival transfer to Hotel
  • Overnight stay in Goa
Post breakfast, transfer to Cochin airport to board the flight to Goa (via Hubli).Goa is much more than white sand beaches and mesmerizing sunsets. It has a soul, which goes deep into unique history and rich culture. On the banks of the Mandovi River stands centuries – old complex of magnificent churches, monasteries and convents; the remains of the once mighty colonial capital, which controlled the trade of Portugal’s far – flung overseas Empire. The region’s easygoing ambience, good food and salubrious climate make it a popular spot to unwind and enjoy the simple, undemanding pleasures of life on the beach.
Arrive Goa and transfer to hotel for your stay.

Day 4 – Tuesday, February 25 - Goa                                                                                                                           
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Full day city tour
  • Overnight stay in Goa
After breakfast, take a sightseeing tour of Old Goa for a visit to the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which is the most famous and popular church in Goa. The mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, kept in a silver casket, are enshrined here. Next, visit the Se Cathedral the most imposing of all churches at Old Goa. Its vaulted interior overwhelms the visitors by sheer grandeur. This Cathedral has 5 bells of which one is the famous Golden Bell.
Afternoon is at leisure.

Day 5 – Wednesday, February 26   Goa - Mumbai
                
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Fly to Mumbai
  • Upon arrival transfer to Hotel
  • Overnight stay in Mumbai
Post breakfast, transfer to Goa airport to board the flight to Mumbai.
Bombay also known as Mumbai is the economic powerhouse of India. It is young, its lively and a confluence of varied cultural currents and cross currents have given Mumbai a unique position of the most multi-ethnic city of India. Mumbai is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million. Mumbai is also country's financial and commercial hub and has a principal port on the Arabian Sea. It is also the hub of Indian film industry, which has played a pivoted role in the development of cinematography. "Bollywood", as it is called, produces the second most number of pictures in the world every year, next only to Hollywood.

Arrive Mumbai and transfer to hotel for your stay.
Day 6 – Thursday, February 27   Mumbai
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • City tour
  • Dharavi Tour of Mumbai
  • Overnight stay in Mumbai

Morning:  city tour of Mumbai. Visit the Prince of Wales museum built in grand Indo Saracenic style, drive past Marine drive, visit the Jain temple, Mani Bhawan where Mahatma Gandhi used to stay, and Dhobi Ghat, the outdoor laundry. Drive past the Flora Fountain, the colorful Crawford Market and Victoria Terminus train station. 

The Dharavi Slum in Mumbai is one of the largest slums in Asia but it is more than a place of poverty. ... Take a small-group guided tour through the slum to see the bustling plastic recycling industry, leather industries, schools, and local homes to get a feel for the day-to-day life of residents.
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Day 7 – Friday, February 28  Depart Mumbai
  • Transfer to the airport to board the flight for onward destination
Today, your magical journey comes to an end, as you are transferred to the airport for your flight home.