The April heat was on our heads but we persisted with our week-long shooting schedule without a hitch. Our next spot was the Eco Park and its lake on the outskirts of Cochin. There is an entrance fee to enter and you have to pay Rs 250 extra to take the camera equipment. One is greeted with a row of palm trees, huts and tin shelters. On one side is the kitchen that serves lunch and meals. In the middle is a huge muddy lake which has wooden huts with straw roofs right in the centre. One can sit on many benches near the pond and fish. It was the first time I did fishing and, man, one needs a lot of patience for it. I got a lot of fishes and then posed for the camera with one of my fishes in one hand and the fishing rod in the other. I sat on beach swings and spoke about tales of life. But the most fun was taking a bicycle ride around the lake. I loved it and it was also a great exercise for me as I paddled my way in circles around the pond. I almost slipped into the pond but I managed to jump back into the safety of the land.

The fish I caught was fresh and that was the one I gave to the cooking staff to cook. They made a delicious fish curry and even steamed prawns with the usual Kerala rice and sambar. The Eco Park has been built so that man and nature can live together in harmony and coexist without troubling each other’s habitat. Fresh fish is cooked instantly and I had it for supper. All plants and vegetables are grown with natural fertilisers with no chemicals and additives mixed into the soil.

I took long walks around the lake and engaged to do some paddle boating with my film crew. I was spotted by an Asianet news crew who were also shooting a TV show at the Eco Park. I was able to chat with them and told them about my blog www.tikksutravelthon.in. I also showed them my videos and enquired about their shooting equipment. I hope they give me some promotion but still, it was fun to learn from them.

The kitchen was clean with taps to wash up and the food arrived with extra sambar and papad served if one needed it. The bony fried fish was my favourite with green chutney. The sun was about to set and a cool breeze started to flow as we decided to pack up and head back to our hotel after another day of adventure with nature.