This colonial bungalow in the hills of Ooty is about a 100 Years old. Ooty is a hill station in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in the Nilgiri mountain range. Famous for its tea, Ooty also has a lot of plantation stays. Though there are loads of hotels in Ooty, only now a lot of the heritage properties are being converted into bed and breakfasts and homestays. www.namastay.in is building a network of these homestays and heritage stays across India.

Riding the rails in India is very different than in any western country. The window glass may not be present. The doors are often wide open when the train is underway. The toilets are... uh, very Indian. The wallas sell some great snacks for pennies. The locals are friendly and it is a good opportunity to practice each other's language skills.