Repairing the roof in Pilerne, Goa

We headed to Goa to give the old homestead a look see. There is always work to be done in the house and this time one area of the roof needed work. So because we work on a terribly tight budget, we buy the wood and call in the workers and supervise the job. We are the contractors, we dont contract it out and lose more money.

So we drove down like we always do and called in the workers and got down to work. They came in very early as in Goa the heat on the roof gets unbearable as the day goes along. So the earlier the better. By seven the men had arrived and they hared up the roof like monkeys, lithe and fit and in no time were pulling off the old tiles to get to the rotten rafters.

The rotten rafters came down with a crash and clouds of mud and dust. We ran to cover the beds where our stuff was kept. The men worked fast and furiously. Pulling up the new rafters we had bought for them and with the kgs of nails hammered them into place.

Once the new rafters were put in place, the tiles came up fast and furious. Beautiful, mellow terracotta tiles. The roof was starting to look like a roof again, but many tiles broke while the work was being completed. Thats part of the deal anyway, thats why extra tiles are bought.

In the remaining days we began painting the windows so the house began to look good. It was a happy feeling to see the new coats of paint come onto the old main door and the mother-of-pearl windows. Dad would have been pleased. And I was happy I was there in the kanta season.

Two days in teacountry Kotagiri

What an amazing place, Kotagiri. I cant understand why we took so long to go there and discover its scenic beauty and unpolluted air. Well I guess it was just a stroke of good luck. An old friend asked me to come view the new property they had leased and made into a boutique hotel. Called Teanest, Nightingale, it took us seven hours to drive down from Bangalore.

As far as the eye could see were rolling slopes of the Nilgiris hills covered in tea bushes. Simply heavenly, we stopped to stare and gape at the sprawling untouched vistas before us. Kotagiri which my Uncle priest always spoke about and who came to every single year for a retreat. For some calm and stress busting time and now we understood why.

The inside of the elegant colonial bungalow was done up with a lot of care and love. Muted colours blended and luxurious furnishing had turned the insides into a restful and luxurious homestay. Just four rooms and yet, it was a place we will never forget. None of the posh new resorts came anywhere near this.

A tiny little library was well stocked with books to cater to the tourists who wanted to spend a little quiet time reading in the comfortable balconies with a hot cup of chai.

Take your next holiday in Kotagiri at Teanest Nightingale and I can assure you, you will come back refreshed and ready to take on the mad whirl of what life in the city has become.