Holiday review by Mrs Julie Ryan
Name: Mrs Julie Ryan
Date of trip: 26/03/2015
Number of people: 2
We had a wonderful stay at Maranat Mana. Praveen and his wife told us so much about their culture and traditions. The Vegan diet was so different and we even learnt to eat with our right hand, which was a bit of a challenge but caused much amusement!
Ironing with a coconut heated flat iron in the Cochin outdoor 'Laundry' much to the amusement of the workers and elderly lady whose job it was. It is incredibly heavy!
Tribes Overall:
Varied and a real opportunity to engage with the local community. Extremely well organised and friendly attentive guides and drivers overall.
Guides:
The guides were excellent, especially the guide in Delhi
and Mumbai. Our driver in the North was amazing and all guides and drivers in
the North were very punctual. It was little more haphazard in the south but
overall excellent.
Social & Environmental Responsibility:
In terms of social responsibility we felt that we learnt a great deal about the culture, our trip helped us to be 'responsible tourists'
Although we were shocked by the poverty in some locations, which we could do little about. Discussing politics with Indians was enlightening, as were cows in the middle of the motor way and twenty people in a tuk tuk!!
The places you stayed
Colonels Retreat
India
Simple but very friendly and whilst limited in choice, the dinner on the terrace was very cheap and a pleasant location.
Our only criticism was the packed breakfast which was inedible!
Samode Palace
India
A real touch of luxury. the food was excellent but perhaps little more sensitive to western tastes, fusion food.
Samode Haveli
India
The menu was a bit limited in the evening and clearly accommodated a range of tourists who may not have wished to eat Indian food. Lunch time snacks were dull and western!
The grounds and pool were lovely!
Fort House Hotel
India
Incredibly helpful staff and a delightful menu. We would have liked to stay an extra night in Cochin.
Kerala Houseboat
India
A lovely trip, nice crew and good food. A day trip would have been fine as the boat moored up for the evening just after five opposite the starting point near a track with motorbikes and houses. It was not the tranquil location that we had expected.
Tranquil Resort
India
It is exactly what it says, tranquil. We did two of the walks, including one marked as difficult, clearly they have not been up Scottish mountains!! The scent of the coffee flowers and the sound of birdsong was balm after a busy period of travel.
Again the food was excellent and it was nice to have a gin and tonic after several days of abstinence.
