Author: Guy Roberts

Dewlokam Homestay – more orchard photos

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Who knew pineapples grew in bushes? For some reason I thought they grew on trees, clearly they don’t! You get one pineapple in each bush and each bush lasts one year, these are prickly little things as well.

No photos for the next activity of the day, but I (Alison) had an ayuruvic massage. This is where you lie on a smooth, polished table top and 2 women pour loads of warmed sesame oil all over your body and they massage each side of you whilst you grab onto two handles in an attempt to stop sliding onto the floor in a massive oil slick.  It was an interesting experience and I now smell like a chinese stir fry, delicious!

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Lunch today was individual fish biriyanis, they were fabulous, tasty and full of fresh spices. Washed down with the pink water we have here which is water boiled with cinnamon and cardomen, refreshing.

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Afternoon refreshment is coconut from the tree, freshly picked by men old enough to be my Dad and who are happy to shin 10m up a tree to get the fruit…….not sure my Dad would do that for us…..no offence meant Dad!!

Dewalokam Homestay & Garden Tour

After the rush of the transfer, we were delighted and surprised to see our rucksacs. (One nil to Guy on carousel challenge) Even more pleased to see a man with a board which had Alison Roberts written on it. He drove us calmly with minimal horn honking at oncoming buses to our homestay where we were wonderfully greeted with jasmine flower garlands, coconut bindis and lime juice by our gracious hostess. Our bags were taken to our spotless room and we had time to relax before and amazing lunch of south Indian food on a banana leaf. The food was delicious, colourful, spiced and eaten very messily with the hand despite the offer of cutlery.

After lunch we were shown round the organic garden which we were both looking forward to. The tour was carried out by Tara, the daughter of the Homestay owner and was fascinating. She showed us black pepper, curry leaf, sweet potatoes, coffee, ginger, tumeric, all spice, clove, cardamon, vanilla, nutmeg, lemongrass, passion fruit, star fruit, cinnamon, bananas, pineapple, snakebeans and gourds. They also keep bees, chickens, turkey, goats, cows and water buffalo. Whilst on the tour, the kitchen chef was out collecting veg for tea and we would also have water buffalo yogurt with the evenings curry.

Flight Transfer

We transfered flights in Dubai and before leaving knew we had a 2 & 1/2 hour wait. However our plane out was delayed by one hour fifteen, halving our time there. As we descended into Dubai, flight announcements told us to board our outgoing flight at least 45 mins before take off and that boarding would close 20 mins before. Our flight out was at 2.45am. We touched down at 2am. We disembarked and briskly walked to transfers. We kept walking. “Wow, Dubai is a big airport” we nervously laughed. We got to transfers. Other less relaxed passengers we shouting at an attendant “this way, this way” he calmly replied. We walked further, pace picking up all the time. Finally we turned a corner and saw a security check. Bags down, belts off, pockets emptied. We waited less than patiently. Bags grabbed, belts grabbed, change recovered. Up a flight of stairs at the double to be faced with a departure board that reported that our flight wasn’t delayed but was on a final call. This is when we started shouting “Gate B6, Gate B6” loudly at each other with no sense of English reserve. Al spotted a sign and we began to sprint at full pelt through the airport in a way that didn’t show 7 hours of inactivity drinking G&Ts and watching movies in economy class. We dodged peaceful shoppers and cornered round perfume sellers until red in the face we came upon B3 and B4. “B6, B6” we started shouting again until I saw an empty gate with no queue and staff packing up. Helloooo I wheezed at the departure staff, waving my boarding pass at them.

We were so relieved when we got on the plane, it took a few moments to notice the lady sat next to Al had a child on her lap. The toddler was breast fed and had a nappy change in her seat before we took off. I was just thankful I only had a broken seat.