Up into the Western Ghats for a night at Spice Village – thatched bungalows set amidst the trees and shrubs with my husband’s favourite bar, Woods Bar, sitting amongst the trees. We have stayed many times before but it is always a treat to dump the cases and sit outside our
cosy hut enjoying a cup of tea to the sounds of the wind in the trees and the langur monkeys chattering in the distance. This is another great CGH Earth property, so different from bustling Brunton’s Boatyard and the village vibe of Visalam but still with the CGH Earth touch, emphasising sustainability with the design of the property modelled on the native Manan tribe from this region. The proximity of Lake Periyar means it is a great place to wildlife watch and there are daily cultural programmes.
A drink at Woods is a must, and a chat to Francis the keeper of the venerable snooker table to enliven proceedings and then a stroll around the small town before dinner – perfect!
The following day a morning trip to my friend Taj’s organic spice garden ensured that my larder is now stocked with the greenest cardamom, pepper corns, really good turmeric and some herbal remedies too – he is a font of knowledge and his products are fresh and fantastic. I have a copy of his book The Indian Aroma beside me now and if you are in the area his address is
The Planter’s House, Munnar Road, 1st Mile, Kumily, Thakady email theplantershouse@gmail.com
Photos Taj, left and our wonderful driver and friend Joshy. Our snug hut in the trees.
Off to the land of the Chettinars…..
One of our favourite hidden places, the gracious Visalam hotel hidden amongst the crumbling palaces of the Chettinars. The Chettinars were rich, they built palace after palace from the middle of the 19th century to early 20th – and then they left. Their legacy is the beautiful and melancholy villages with row upon row of architectural gems slowly decaying in the heat of the sun.
Visalam was a private home built for a favourite daughter and is now a small and charming hotel and the perfect base to explore. Take a bicycle or a bullock cart and just wander through the streets – some of the palaces are open with maybe a caretaker to let you in but this is no tourist trap, little known it remains a gem.
It is also the region of the horse temples, out in the countryside, quiet apart from the birdsong and with the astonishing terracotta horses guarding the shrine and offered yearly by villagers. It is also home to my new suppliers of hand loom cotton the Mahalakshmi weavers, so happy to be able to offer this wonderful quality cotton in scarves, shawls and towels.
Marvellous Munnar
Well how about this for breathtaking scenery! Day 2 saw us driving up and up – and up- to Munnar weaving our way through the tea plantations. The scenery was simply stunning and served to distract us from precipitous drops and hair pin bends, along with the usual extra excitement of Indian bus drivers- a unique breed who seem to specialise in roaring up behind the vehicle in front honking wildly and lurching in and out until overtaking becomes even a vague possibility. How we love them as the disappear in a cloud of black smoke and noxious fumes! However arrival at our hotel dispelled all thoughts of crowded roads and noise. We were at The Spice Tree perched on the edge of the valley and a haven of peace and birdsong. Two days of doing not a lot restored our equilibrium and dispelled jet lag and sitting on the balcony with a cool breeze, the birds and the sound of temple music drifting up from the valley below was just a magical start to our travels.
Dates- and more dates
I will be out and about in the next few weeks and so have interrupted the travel news to update everyone….
Saturday 25 March Cirencester Corn Hall
Sunday 26 March Lacock Village Hall
Saturday 1 April Pewsey Bouverie Hall
Sunday 2 April Frome Cheese & Grain
Hope to see you there🦜
India 2023
I did try to do this whilst I was in India just a week ago – but failed, so I am making up for it by writing a travelogue now. Lots of my lovely customers ask me where I went, where I stayed and where I recommend so I will pop those details in too, along with some photos which I hope give some idea of the wonderful places I visited and some of the people I met too.
We flew Emirates, changing Dubai and it was, as ever, a long day – but the sight of the sun rising over India kept me glued to the window whilst everyone else was dozing – it is my own little ritual and as soon as I see the first glow of light I know I am about to embark on another Indian adventure!
We were met at Kochi airport by the Kuonis rep – and our very good friend and wonderful driver Joshy, who has kept us safe on the unpredictable (I am being kind) Indian roads for a number of years – he should be called Mr Unflappable as nothing ever phases him and he is endlessly patient when I want to stop and take photos too!
Day one was recovery mode at CGH Earth’s delightful hotel in Kochi, Brunton Boatyard.
It is, as its name suggests, on the waterfront so cooling breezes blow in and you can sit on your balcony drinking the loose leaf tea provided in your room and watch the water – dolphins, dredgers, fishing boats, a naval vessel proceeded by a motorboat waving a red flag – yes really, and, rather unbelievably, a small coracle that appears most mornings to fish in these busy waters!
A dip in the pool, an excellent meal in the hotels History restaurant where a diligent chef has collected recipes from some of the many communities that have settled in Kochi, trading spices, making rope and the myriad of other pieces of a very old jigsaw that is Kochi and a very good nights sleep completed day 1.
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