Should I be Retracing steps?

August 5, 2022August 13, 2022 SFLeave a comment

After meeting up with our mysore BnB family at WOMAD and knocking on a few of their doors I went camping.

I was apprehensive about revisiting the same places in Dorset where we’d had a family camp to celebrate Alice and Ben’s (eldest son) wedding and my 60th birthday during Manjula’s second U.K. holiday

I shouldn’t have been.

It proved to be a tonic.

Rachel and Simon of the lovely ‘hive’ cafe even remembered our visit five years ago.

over to bee-man Stephen to drop our beautiful tent, return the fancy hire car and prepare to return home

In my experience, when grieving, we regularly get ambushed by memories of magical times together. They make me both happy and sad. I’ve learned not to run away but to face them, even create them, so it was ok to retrace my steps.

Thank you for joining my journey and your support.

making connections

May 24, 2022May 24, 2022 SF1 Comment

Thankyou to Aarthi, mum, daughter Aria and son Aroh, oh and the irrepressible dad Ajit — visiting from Canada — for a lovely opportunity to meet and get to know each other. We had great fun cycling on the amazing Srirangaptnam.

Well done to Aroh for cycling the whole distance independently on a child size cycle.

What a wonderful family who have reinforced an important lesson.

It was equally a pleasure to meet Paul, originally from the UK who after a spell of work in Bangalore also joined the tour before returning to Australia where he now lives.

*Coconut water continues to be an essential part of our tours, complete with SS re-usable straws.*

There’s lots of interest on our tours… history, culture, birds, each other and….

*Soda bottles using co2 and a marble to seal the bottle were a great discovery, now being carried back to Canada as a souvenir.*

It’s why we do it…. What? …. It’s meeting and connecting with people and hopefully adding to their enjoyment of their visit to Mysore. We’ve been doing it since starting Mycycle tours and Mysore Bed and Breakfast ten years ago.

It is especially important as with the loss of my Manjula combined with the closure of the business because of the pandemic I’ve become more isolated. Haven’t we all?

The advice from the new book I’m reading is ….

that …. Connecting with people, realising how we’re part of something bigger and helping us feel good is critical for a healthy heart.

Obvious really but we need reminding…

Thanks guys…

What better way is there to connect than to lead cycle tours and share our home?

So MyCycle Tours are now available again as will be Mysore Bed and Breakfast.

It was fun

April 24, 2022 SF3 Comments

the survival of the famous twelve, an englishman and his dog

We’re all back home now but what an adventure.

Manjula’s Mysore, our new venture — sponsored our happy holiday — to thank everyone for their help and helping us commemorate Manjula

Enid Blyton anticipated the challenges of five young people holidaying together but eleven of all ages in India! Now that is madness. Who’s idea was that then?

Chera Rocks is a great location. Chosen because it was close to where Manjula and I first went on holiday together but had the capacity and closeness to the beach that we needed. We ate together, could join or not as we preferred and had enough to entertain us without leaving the ‘resort.’

Holidaying as a family let alone a group with no previous experience of being together can be a real challenge but what a wonderful trip it turned out to be. Maybe our angel was watching over us.

Kerala and food, enough said.

the motley bunch say farewell, for now.

some of us sneak an extra night and have the exciting storm and refreshing showers

Our own fragment left at last

It was a wonderful trip thanks to all and a big hug for Manjula

Five families going together on holiday together is a challenge anywhere so, the Englishman had to visit beforehand to get the ‘lie of the land’. with a half-hearted attempt at planning. Sally and Shabaz as always were an essential help.

Finding our space

April 7, 2022April 7, 2022 SFLeave a comment

The holiday was a thank you from MAnjula and I

We just had to build castles as it’s such a strong English tradition

It was a real joy spending time with good friends who are all so interesting and different.

Directors of Manjula’s Mysore being monitored

I’d already spent 30 mins on Kaveri’s hair and Sowbaghya had to finish the job. How do you girls manage?

Lucie becomes communist, she explains that vegetarianism is a step too far.

Travelling around 2

November 23, 2021December 3, 2021 SF2 Comments

A king’s love for India reflected in the Pavilion

Tom and Amy, aka the lovely couple, who Manjula and I adopted after the first of many visits to Mysore Bed and Breakfast.

Their apartment looks out onto the sea. What a fab location.

Brighton and Hove on the English south coast an hour from London.

February 22, 2021 SF2 Comments

To visit vetenarian hospital in Bangalore for a Lucie blood test

The results are good so no need for a scan and after handing over parcels for Usha

we’re off back home.

Stopping on the way for lunch at fishland one of our favourite restaurants.

Manjula and I would have a drive through the countryside in the Ambassador drop in here for lunch after her regular visits to the clinic.

The staff asked where Madam was, I continue to share the old news which helps recognise and celebrate.

One of the Magicians of Mysore

February 21, 2021February 21, 2021 SF4 Comments

Jan Brouwer does it again, with the relaunch of his popular and well regarded: Cottage Chamber Concert.

On the 14th February, in his home in Mysore we were entertained by Faleen and his sister Falisha.

Imagine you’re in a lovely house, tastefully decorated and well designed but it is a home. You meet the other guests in the downstairs hall (Lounge) for snacks and politely talk about the concerns of the day, in this case, no surprise as it was about vaccinations and the pandemic. Promptly, on time you’re invited upstairs to the Music Room where a Yamaha C2 concert grand piano is centre stage. You’re seated on attractive 19th century Dutch furniture, surrounded by paintings and images of some of the featured composers.

We were entertained by two young people to the music of Burgmuller, Chopin, Shostakovich, Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Prokofiev, Grieg, and Moritz Moszkowski. Phew, yes, all that.

It’s as if many years of training, practice and performing as concert pianists had been crammed and concentrated into two small , young bodies who gently teared across the grand’s keyboard to provide a wonderfully unexpected experience. A musical talent demonstrating a sensitive maturity way beyond their years. You just had to close your eyes to imagine you were in a concert hall in one of the European capital cities but with the comfort and intimacy of visiting a favourite auntie and uncle.

Congratulations to Faleen and Falisha for a wonderful concert and thanks to the Brouwers, as we look forward to more entertainment from the jewels you find.