Chandoori Sai

The drive from the station took about an hour over roads of very mixed quality. Our Bolero driver was a rather nervous young man who did his best to miss the worst ruts and potholes but it was a pretty hopeless task. As we neared our destination he kept stopping to ask directions and the tracks down which we were directed got narrower. At a small village our chap managed to take a bum steer which then involved a multi point turn on a track barely wider than the vehicle. Back in the village we got the right road and soon pulled up outside our destination - the Chandoori Sai homestay.

We were welcomed by Leon, the Australian guy who built and runs the place and his team of cheerful local ladies who provide the muscle. A glass of lemon squash was very welcome after the dusty drive.  Our room is charming with ochred walls and tiled floors, basically just what we need. Lunch was called more or less straightaway - salad with bruschetta. We ate a a veranda table with a stunning view of the countryside.

As we ate Leon told us a bit about the place and what there is to do in the local area. He explained his catering style which includes quite a lot of continental food such as pasta and salad but done to a Western standard. As today is Sunday the local highlight is the loading and firing of the potters' kiln in preparation for tomorrow's market at the nearby small town. We walk over to the village and promenade along the main street carefully avoiding the cowpats. Small children emerge from every alley with requests to have their photos taken. R finds a shop and buys some sweets for her handout bag. Twenty yards further on there is another shop so she buys another 20 rupees worth to be even handed.  We signally failed to spot the pottery but had an interesting hour before returning to base for tea.

A short snooze and it is time to get ready for supper - mushroom pasta with garlic green beans and apple pie to follow. We eat with our host and conversation ranges around cooking, bread making, train travel and a host of other topics.  We've had a long day and after a quick nightcap we turn in.