Saturday 25 January

Marari Beach

It’s our second full day at the Colonial Club Marari Beach Resort. Matthew was up an out early as usual – an early run and then yoga followed by  breakfast then a trip to the Butterfly Garden – a really lovely area on the edge of the compound where plants are grown to specifically attract butterflies and insects. 

We had a nice, well-informed guide who explained the development of the garden and how they work to maximise different local species of butterfly. There were many butterflies and our guide advised us to return later in the day to see even more.

There’s a family from the USA on site – parents and four kids. They were at the Butterfly Garden too. The woman and the kids are quite chatty – they’re from Utah, just moved to Kochi for two years for dad’s work in computing. He seems to be rather studiously not speaking to us … I can’t imagine why!

Then some more time in and by the pool. And then at 1800 time for the ‘Farm Kitchen’ experience – the main reason why Matthew wanted to come here – a guided tour of their large vegetable gardens, selection of vegetables with the chef and then they’re cooked and served up for us.

It was wonderful – Ajo was our chef, he was sweet and I interesting – said that there are 60 chefs on site! He thought he’d be an engineer, but his brother is and advised him against it. Ajo came into being a chef through a hotel management course. He made us some wonderful food – Matthew has already written about that. It was really nice to sit down together and eat, talk and be quiet. A lovely evening.

Finally, after dinner a wander back to our cottage for a drink. A lovely day.