Mr. Keith Bellows, the editor-in-chief of the National Geographic Traveler, the magazine that described Kerala as 'one of the 50 destinations of a life-time' was in Kerala recently. On his very first visit, he is bowled over by God's Own Country. 

Excerpts from an interview: 

What are your first impressions about Kerala?

It is a beautiful, beautiful place and totally unique; incredibly seeable for anyone curious about the world.  

Do you think Kerala lives up to its billing as one of the 50 destinations of a lifetime?

Absolutely. 
To compile the list of destinations, we had spoken to hundreds of journalists, photographers and writers from the National Geographic Society, which, as a group, is probably the most widely travelled in the world. And now, after coming here, I feel that in including Kerala, we were more right than we thought we were at the time.  

What do you think of the Keralite culture and heritage?

Last night, I saw performances of Kathakali and classical music. I was very impressed. But culture for me is not really about these classical aspects. I like to discover the culture of a place by driving around the streets, meeting and talking to people and so on. I still haven't found the time for that. 

What are your impressions about Keralites?

Keralites are friendly people, very aware of what they've got in terms of tradition, heritage and so on. Kerala hasn't sold itself out in its efforts to boost tourism. 

Have you tried Kerala cuisine?

I loved all the seafood preparations I have tasted so far - I had lobster for breakfast this morning! I tried a few other things also and quite liked them. 

Will you be coming back?

Most definitely and the next time, I'll bring my family. My wife was very jealous of me when I made this trip alone.