Incredible India!!!!!

India is a vast melting pot of cultures, colours and customs with amazing sights, sounds and smells. Homestays provide a unique, authentic slice of India. A chance to gain insight into the destination from the local perspective. An opportunity to experience life in a wide range of homes from mountain cottages to plantation homes and waterside retreats. A chance for adventures not normally found on the tourist trail!

I travelled on a nine hour flight to Mumbai with excellent service from Jet Airways and then a connection down to Goa. It was a very exciting time to be in India, arriving in the middle of Diwali, the largest festival in the Indian calendar. We were taken to a very popular local restaurant to celebrate followed by traditional delicacies and the traditional fireworks at Arco Iris homestay. A great ending to a very long day as we then settled in to our first night of homestay experience at Stain Glass Cottage in Margao, the cultural centre of Goa. The following day saw a trip to Northern Goa and visits to several homestays, 30 Assagao, the stunning Capella and the amazing Olaulim Backyards. A visit to Old Goa and an evening riverboat trip with the local people finished our day.

The next day brought a flight to Madurai via Chennai and then an onwards journey by road to eventually reach our destination, Munnar, in the Kanan Devan Hills. The highlight of our journey was the crowd that gathered in a small village to see the five English ladies stopping for a 'comfort break' with the locals! Two nights were then spent in the mountain cottages of Ambady Estate surrounded by 70 acres of cardamom plantation interspersed with pepper, coffee and tropical fruit trees. After an early start on our first morning we reached the Kolukkumalai Tea Estate, the highest tea plantation in the world. A delicious lunch at a Club Mahindra then a short time spent bargaining for amazing spices in the shops in Munnar and we were heading back for a delectable dinner at Ambady followed by a private performance of the local Kathakali style of dance.

We continued our tour via Thekaddy for an elephant ride then a fine lunch at an elegant plantation house, Pepper County, followed by a tour of the plantation before continuing on to stay at the traditional Heritage Plantation. The following morning saw a very early departure in jeeps for the Gavi Wildlife Reserve. A hearty breakfast at the reserve followed a couple of hours of searching for the elusive inhabitants and then a real jungle trek which was one of the highlights of the trip for me!

The following day saw us at Kottyam where we lunched at Meenachil Enclave, an exclusive farm with beautifully landscaped gardens en route to Alleppy for a lakeside dinner followed at Taamara with another private local dance performance and where members of our party spent the night in two over water cottages. The remainder of us were accommodated at Vembanad House, a stunning Kerala-style house surrounded by water on three sides.

Sadly our last day had arrived but this started with a relaxing ayurvedic massage followed by an even more relaxing lunchtime cruise on the Kerala Backwaters in a typical kettuvallam houseboat. On our return to shore a couple of us wandered into the local village, chatting to locals and exploring the surroundings. As darkness fell we took a trip on the lake in the homestay's dugout canoe to view the local fishermen at work catching lobsters!

An early bed before an early start for home but our last day closed after dining on an Indian feast of local lobster and prawns! A wonderful way to finish a truly amazing visit to Incredible India!!!

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