28/09/10 After a train and a bus, we took an 'off-road' rickshaw into the middle of nowhere. Our first stop in Kerala. We found it difficult to find somewhere to stay with lots of phone calls and email failures, but finally found Varnam Homestay...and landed on our feet!
The Varnam's back garden.
"I don't think there's anything greener than a rice paddy"
Flutterbys :) Kuruva Island
The Wayanad District is home to wild Elephants. We were lucky enough to have 5 of them cross our path one day!! Our guide was half excited, half scared. SWEEEET :)
Climbing Brahmagiri: Lots of leeches (which are grosse and suck your blood ewwww) our guide did the day trek in flip flops (dude)
Going on walks is all about finding a good spot for food :)
Climbed through huge boulders to see a bat cave!
Overwelmed by coconut goodness after a long climb :)
The Varnam Family: Varghese, (J&G), Beena, Vardna, Don (highly recommended people!)
One highlight of our stay was that Varnam is a working farm, growing Rice, Bananas, Jack Fruit, Coconuts, Avacado, Tapioca, Coffee, Pepper, Ginger, Cashew, Rubber and loads of other stuff, so everything we ate was fresh and AMAZING!!!!!!!
Menu:
Pink, Ayurvedic water (tasted a bit like paprika)
Pineapple Juice
Avacado Shake
Masala Coffee
Appam with wild Honey (collected by the tribals)
Wholemeal Pancakes with banana-honey sauce
Masala Fried Egg
Fat Rice and Curd
Fish Fry
Garlic Banana Curry
Buffalo Curry
Tapioca with Green Chili Chutney
Ginger Fish Curry
Kerala looks great - was the buffalo curry good?
ReplyDeleteOnly 13 days to go, looking forward to it already.
Poppa
Dad pipped me to the post! It looks fabulous and it isn't raining - just can't wait. Glad you have had a good homestay, it will be a great memory when you come home.
ReplyDeleteAll this talk of food is making me hungry and there's not even a decent curry house in this country dammit!! Gonna see if Sharma will start doing buffalo curry mmmmm not sure about the garlic bananas tho?!!
ReplyDeleteLooks like your having a great time, am v v jealous!
Bruv