honey valley lovin'

My childhood friend laura [gosh, that makes us sound so old! me more so than you] has recently started a new series called take me there tuesday [there's a way to link it up so her fancy logo appears, but I have yet to figure out how all of that works. so just use your imagination for today] where each week she talks about a place she is looking forward to visiting or a dream getaway spot. So today, in order to "link up" with her ["quotation marks" since again, I'm not entirely sure how the whole thing works], I wanted to write about one of my favourite places in the whole wide world: Honey Valley.

I first visited Honey Valley in the summer of 2008 when I took a group of girls from Impington on a trip there. I had no idea what I was in for - all I knew was that there would be coffee, trekking, honey, leeches, and lots of pork. [the people of Coorg are famous for their pork. it's amazing] There was all that, and so much more.

[who wouldn't love to live here?]

Honey Valley is a beautiful homestay nestled into the hillsides of Coorg. Run by a wonderfully sweet family, it remains one of my favourite places to unwind and relax. There are wonderful little nooks where you can sit and read amongst the flowers and trees, there are dogs to keep you company, and there is an endless supply of chai.

[I always say this is going to be where I build my house]

[trusty guide dog. never leaves a man - or woman - behind]

[that waterfall is in Kerala. we practically walk to another state]

And then there's the trekking. If you decide to leave your comfortable reading perch and bottomless chai, you have about 8 different trails from which to choose. Some go up, some go down, some go around...my personal favourite is the one that goes into the jungle and then straight up. Along the way there are some breathtaking views, and none of these pictures manage to do them justice. It's amazing to go in June, because you go from the wet jungle, through the mist, into the sunshine at the top, and then over the side into the pouring rain, all within the span of about half an hour. And then in the afternoon, once you've had lunch and a quick nap, you can wander a few kilometers down from the resort to their private waterfall and take a dip. It's cold, but it's also pretty great.

Honey Valley is such a great place to relax, reflect, eat, stretch your legs a bit, read, meet fascinating people from all over India and the world...you name it, you can do it there. It's my little piece of heaven nestled within a bustling country that never seems to stop..until you arrive here.

Every time I go back, I wonder why I ever left in the first place. When my parents came to visit a few years ago, I took them to Honey Valley; on every return trip after, everyone asked how my parents were and when they would be returning. Every single person there makes you feel like part of their family, no matter how long you stay. I've been there with school groups, I've been with my parents, and I've been with my friends, and each trip carries its own significance for me. It's one of the places I hope to take my brother in June, not only because I think everyone should go there, but because selfishly I want to go back. One of my goals is to go there on my own and stay for a week - I think it would be good for both my soul and my body.

And did I mention it's all sustainable? They use the water from their waterfall and streams to create electricity, they use fires to heat water for bathing, they cultivate their own honey and coffee.

Like I said, little piece of sustainable heaven.
xx