An ‘Experiential’ Experience.

Most holidays follow a set pattern:

Planning:

1. Pick out a destination
2. Look for a place to stay.
3. Arrange how to get there and back.
4. Make a tentative itinerary

On arrival:

1. Freshen up/Eat
2. Set out for Destination # 1, # 2 # 3 and so on.
3. Return to the hotel/resort by evening.
4. Dinner and crash into bed.
5. Next morning repeat from Point 1.

I speak from experience. The number of destinations covered depend on the energy and interest levels of the traveler. As a traveller, I have always preferred quality over quantity- see fewer places but see them well. Soak up the place. Absorb it. Make it a lasting memory. But the holiday is mostly about ‘doing’ something. We carry a mental checklist with us, consisting of things we want to do and see. Time spent just sitting around in the hotel room or even at a resort is time wasted. We take holidays to get a break or have a change. But we take with us all the ingredients that will stress us out: deadlines, timelines, checklists and expectations.

And this is why my experience at an ‘experiential home stay’ was so novel and satisfying. At thekokumtree one is informed right at the start that it is a home stay, Not a hotel. We long for home because it’s the one place where we can relax and unwind. Similarly, this Home Stay is where one goes to relax and unwind, but amidst calm, serene surroundings. It is as if time slows down here. There is no rush to go anywhere or do anything. In the morning all one can do is sit in the balcony and listen to the symphony of birds. Breakfast is leisurely. After breakfast again there is nothing to ‘Do’; unless it’s reading, playing board games or just taking a stroll through the farm. Or discover the artist in you by dabbling in water colours.

Lunch is just as leisurely. Delicious, light and varied. I counted 11 items on and around my thali! After which the only option is to head back to the room for a siesta. The rooms have no televisions so there are fewer distractions, barring the ever-persistent mobile. Evening tea is served at 5 so the siesta can easily be extended beyond the cursory 30 minutes or so.

Evenings are meant for longer and more exploratory walks around the farm- pluck water apples from the trees and crunch them up, sample the ‘karvanda’ berries straight off the bushes, wander among the pineapple plants and cashew trees, cast longing glances at the varieties of mangoes dangling from the branches, all the time looking out for birds that are more heard than seen. And finally end up at the banks of the little river that flows along the property and hope to spot some water birds.

All this activity does work up an appetite so one can head back for some yummy home made snacks and a refreshing drink made from any of the fruits from the farm. Watching Netflix outdoors on a projector screen, while sipping on a chilled sharbat and nibbling on pita bread smeared with hummus can be a real treat. (Netflix is optional. I’m fine with just the snacking and lazing under the night sky)

Dinner is casual but the dessert is something to look forward to. There is no need to rush to bed in preparation for another busy day. Just commune with the sounds of the night or with fellow guests in the large and comfortable common area. Gaze at the moon through the fronds of coconut trees that reach for the sky. Browse the bookshelves for something to read before nodding off. Remember to set an alarm for a morning walk but sleep through it because hey; you’re on holiday! There are a few nearby places to visit. Or not. No fear of FOMO!

But since we’re a species that needs checklists and instructions, here are some. Follow these in order to make the best of your experiential experience!

1. Go without pre-conceived expectations or assumptions.
2. Go with an open mind. And keep it open.
3. Go with the flow. Everything does not have to be pre-planned to the last detail.
4. Be flexible. A home stay is not a service provider.
5. Be kind and compassionate. To your surroundings and to those who inhabit them. (This can work for any holiday, actually)
6. And finally, let both those sleeping dogs lie!

Here are some more pictures of #thekokumtree that flash upon my inward eye and remind me of the blissful time I spent there.