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We have all been blown away by Kerala and it has exceeded our expectations. The hospitality of the people we have met & stayed with has been exceptional, the local people on the streets or in the shops always greeted us with smiles which has made our stay here feel very welcoming.
There are few people who have stood out such as our driver/ body guard who always looked out for us. Also we had a very enthusiastic guide in Cochin who was very knowledgable about the areas history. He even brightened up a journey by teaching us a song about munnar, So We brought a bit of western to his day be teaching him "soft kitty".
During our trip we stayed with an Indian family who have opened up their house for travellers. We enjoyed home cooked food & a tour of their spice plantation.
The drives on our trip were a highlight as we saw true India. The vibrant colours of the flowers, landscape, foods & clothes were very captivating & made you instinctively smile.
Lorna....
India is such a beautifully diverse country which hits all your senses. I have been stunned by the explosions of colours & the welcoming culture. I have loads of happy memories & once in a life time opportunities to cherish. Trekking through the jungle on the tail of a family of elephants with our own Indian Bear Grylls was fascinating, to see elephants in their natural habitat felt very special. Also being invited to be part of a Hindu festival was a completely unforgettable experience, we were welcomed with such joy & it was wonderful to see how passionate they are about their culture. Floating through the backwaters was a truly eye-opening experience, seeing families wash, play & use the river as their life line was very humbling. They all seem to have such a zest & appreciation for life, caring for their loved ones seems to be their main aspiration for life. It has been such a special two weeks & I have been lucky to experience the sights, sounds, smells & tastes of India with 3 wonderful friends! I will always remember incredible India & I know it will be reflected in my values for life.
Kayleigh...
Where to begin.....what an incredible journey we have had! India has completely blown me away and at times made me speechless! What a beautiful country full of wonderful people! Particular highlights for me have been trekking through the jungle on the hunt to catch a glimpse of elephants! Seeing them in their natural environment was a true privilege and one which was truly appreciated when we returned to our home stay to find the British couple staying there had done the trek but didn't see elephants at all! Our very own Bear Grylls made sure we had a true jungle experience which was perfect! Another highlight was the Hindu festival . Watching the community gather together to celebrate with music and fireworks was spectacular! India has been a wonderful experience and a massive thank you to Lorna for her hard work organising this trip! A once in a lifetime trip loved by all!!
Claire...
India, well what can I say? What an AMAZING experience!! We have seen so much. The people are so inviting and friendly. The culture and history has been really interesting and the colours just spectacular. I felt so honoured to be welcomed as the only tourists to the Hindu festival. We met beautiful girls in gorgeous embellished dresses who were fascinated by us. We enjoyed fireworks & met the guest of honour... the giant elephant wearing a beautiful gold head piece. A highlight for me was washing our elephant and then for her to return the favour by squirting us in the face with water! Awesome. For me the best place we stayed has to be our private house boat. Again we were privileged to see children washing and playing along the river banks. The entire trip has left me speechless, I loved it. It was also lovely to meet Kerry, fun to go on my first holiday with Kayleigh & again a big thank you to Lorna the pro of trip organisation. Thanks girls.
Kerry
Wow, what an amazing country! I have been totally overwhelmed with how vibrant, colourful and welcoming India is which is reflected in the friendly smiles of the local people. There has been so many incredible highlights for me, but the one that makes the top of my list was the elephant walk and washing. I even had the pleasure of been jet hosed with water from an elephants trunk! I also enjoyed watching the local children splash about, having fun in the back waters and seeing how families go about their daily lives together. They appear to have very little in terms of security and material items but what struck me most was how happy they looked. You can see how much they value their family and cultural beliefs which is something so lacking in our society. I feel truly blessed to have experienced this and hope to embed these values in my life. Thank you Lorna for booking this amazing trip and for taking care of me too! I have enjoyed making new friendships with Claire and Kayleigh who are truly awesome and fun ladies to share this experience with. I am now going to enjoy my chocolate Toblerone bar which I have missed! Looking forward to seeing my wonderful husband and kitten soon:-) x
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