Longer road

May 10, 2026May 10, 2026 SFLeave a comment

Go on stick it up him.

Maïlis, Sowbhagya, and Tilak. —- Let loose on the roof — gathering the Mangoes.

Just a part of today’s crop.

They can’t get enough.

…..

And next …. Variety counts.

I’ve lost count, how many I’ve had today.

Mango Mania

April 26, 2026April 26, 2026 SFLeave a comment

At our new house, we’re now hearing the thud of mangoes landing (and not just cricket balls hitting the bat. )

I’m reliably informed by my good friend Ananth who grows them on his farm in Srirangapatnam … they’re …. Raspuri.

“Delish!
These don’t get sweeeeet
But are the best variety of mangoes in my opinion
Sweet with some tart and that characteristic aroma!

Taste best 1–2 days after they get soft, not towards the end when they start getting black dots, which is the optimal time for Alphonso’ “

“break the stems off if you want them to ripen faster —
Leave em on for a slow burn.”

Sharing our new home.

April 11, 2026April 11, 2026 SFLeave a comment

We haven’t quite finished moving yet as there’s much moving to do within the house itself.

The moving that’s necessary is distributing things within the house, emptying the garage, getting rid of more excess (selling art and whatever remains being hung) and I suppose generally diminishing the chaos.

Here’s photographs of the main rooms and guest bedrooms.

Guest bedrooms (en suite)

First guests have been and given it the thumbs up.

…

Library and study

Photos to come later

Sit out and garden, Out front. Tibetan flags

Terrace (what could go here?) on the first floor

Halls (aka lounge or living rooms), there’s two and a dining area

It will, of course, continue to be sharing our home….. with other species too…

Welcome to our new home

March 23, 2026March 24, 2026 SFLeave a comment

and another chapter for our family community.

We’ve been here a week.

and visited Depth and Green

Nearly everyday. My fave drink is Beetroot, ginger lemonade and we all like the veggie burger, pasta, pizza and apple pie! When they’re available.

But very sorry to let Gingee go …

Two young dogs had proven too much.

And Kaveri set out on a ‘new foot’ with a bath for Lucca

Breakfast is ready.

We’re on a slow start with Kurt and Loe returning to visit from Belgium (with a third member of family) our very first guests.

Last evening we even had games night.

Thanks for helping relaunch us.

…

Manjula and Lucie in their varied forms are beginning to settle into their new home. Dragonfly and pennants are already here with a dramatic new episode to their story.

More later.

Today : cycle tour, dogs, hanging out

February 4, 2026February 4, 2026 SFLeave a comment

After getting up at 4am to try and sort out the new house agreement, I had fun with the Brits (Charles and Rosie) on a cycle tour, hung out with Luka and Gingee in the drive, and Satish kindly rode my Enfield to be fixed.

I’m beginning to wonder if the first bike accident (a twit coming towards me on the wrong side of the road and round a corner on the ring road! ) — was exacerbated by my tiredness from lack of sleep.

That’s why I was — this and most mornings — awake before four.

The dogs need more contact time and to learn how to behave outside their yard. So we’re bonding and I’m watching carefully (occasionally bossing them) so they don’t chew everything in reach.

Lucie’s death anniversary.

January 26, 2026January 26, 2026 SFLeave a comment

We remembered MAnjula and Lucie today in the field where we buried Lucie.

Wonderful that guests Maïlis (who was there helping support Lucie on her last day) and Maria and Ani were with us.

Also our loyal team members Satish, Akram and all put together by Sowbaghya.

And then there were dogs waiting to pounce …

Satish carrying one of the matching plants that we’ll have at home as part of our memorial.

Umesh has set it up as

Bow Wow pet resort and cemetery

a place for dogs to go holiday while we go on ours … plus somewhere to bury our pets, and a final resting place for dogs found on the roadside.

More details and how to support Umesh’s work.

Advertising cycle trailer for sale

January 23, 2026January 23, 2026 SFLeave a comment

https://extrawheel.com/products/advertising-bicycle-trailer/

New unused, for sale. Imported from Europe. Current retail price equivalent of 30,000 Rs available for 12,000 Rs or nearest offer.

Our other trailer has been used for weddings, promoting business and memorials.

See and collect from Stephen Mysore Bed and Breakfast Siddarthanagar.

9886705179 voice

9880565179 WhatsApp messages

Reason for sale.. . Moving house and this is an extra one we bought for our cycle tour business and never used.

A Christmas wish from the guy in red.

December 23, 2025December 25, 2025 SFLeave a comment

But who is he?

and what’s it all about?

Wishing you

.. a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

And us ….

It’s a home …

December 13, 2025 SFLeave a comment

We are so fortunate to be able to share our home with wonderful people

Homestay and BnB means such different things to different people. Ours is a shared home and not a commercial set up — plus of course we have mycycle tours — the second city cycle tours to be set up in India.

We continue to provide insights and adventures from all sorts of perspectives initially from a beautiful wife, Manjula plus a pale, stale firangi (me). We now also have Kaveri, age 11 who has plenty to say, Sowbaghya who’s helped hold me and the place together for over five years, Billet-Doux (aka sweet letter) our cat sent by Manjula and the two barky monsters (following on from the other irreplaceable — Lucie): Luca and Gingee.

It’s a real place and that’s partly why people come again and again. Since 2011 we’ve had thousands of guests from around the world.

Just this last week we’ve had guests from India, Australia, Germany, Netherlands and U.K.

Richard, (with Rhonda) from Australia, first came over twelve years ago