Bangalore, India 21-27 May

What a way to arrive in a country… a driver awaiting you with a sign with your name on it, waiting to chauffeur you to a welcoming second-family! Ravi and Nandita are family friends of Jayden’s grandparents. They have a beautiful 8 year old son called Naren (who we later nick named muscles!) and the family of 3 shares a gorgeous 3 bedroom apartment right in the heart of Bangalore. The first day we had the pleasure of going to their club where Muscles swims 3 days a week. The club is very prestigious and holds a great load of tradition, unfortunately Jayden did not have one piece of clothing fit the requirements of entering the building!! It is an old Colonial club set up by the English many years ago…all the English clubs had swimming pools and tennis courts.

Ravi was extremely kind to take a few days off work and drive us, Nandi and Muscles, 6 hours south-west to their coffee plantation in Chikmagular, called Moolemane. We learnt more in 3 days from Ravi and Nandita then we would of in a month. They were such knowledgeable tour guides. We walked for 5 hours around the top half of their property/plantation/forest the first day, getting to know how the coffee is planted, grown and picked. We also saw a vast array of fruits and spices that grow pretty much all year round. We saw and ate fresh pineapple, jackfruit, banana, guava, mulberries, mandarins, coconut and used fresh chillis, cloves, cinnamon, lemongrass and coriander. I don’t know how we managed to fit this in our bellies when each meal was a delicious traditional south Indian five-course feast. We were constantly entertained with outdoor activities. Jay’s highlight was that his first-ever-cast in India caught a Blue Fin Mahseer fish! His lowlight was nearly treading on a snake at the end of the day after walking through shrubbery for hours and then finding another snake hiding under the front doormat! It was then time to head back to Bangalore!

It has been such an amazing week, we have been spoilt rotten and experienced a different side to India. We are extremely grateful and are currently trying to devise a plan to repay our very hefty debt as we have not been allowed to buy a single thing or lift a single finger (unless eating!). Thanks Ravi, Nandita and Naren for a very special time.