you can in Mysore…….
Tandem Tours to be launched by MYCycle.
Yes, we’ve bought a Tandem and will launch our tours in the new year.
contact Stephen (in advance) for more details: tours@mycycle.co
Can you Ride Tandem?
Why come to Mysore Bed and Breakfast
What makes the difference?
At lunch yesterday, after the cycle tour with a mix of cyclists some from our BnB and some from a different Airbnb in Mysore the difference between ours and this other BnB became apparent from their conversation. It was super to get that feedback and how different peoples experience can be….
Both were comfortable clean places. But the difference?
You’re sharing our home.
We start welcoming you with an introductory email about us, the house and how we can help you have a great stay in Mysore. These are packed full of information about things to do to help plan the stay including our own useful web site at http://www.manjulasmysore.in and getting to know us through our blog http://www.meandmycycle.com
Our guests really appreciated our help but equally important was beginning to feel welcomed and making a connection right from the outset.
We provide detailed information about how to find us and if it’s required, a pick up from the airport or helpful details for dealing with autorickshaws.
Once you arrive, and Lucie has said hello, we welcome you with a guided tour, (most guests get confused between the different floors), a welcoming drink, visiting the roof terrace, understanding the necessity of filter water and the availability to top up your own bottles a refreshing tea or coffee and especially important a simple map showing where we are with highlights of places to eat and visit tailored to your interests.
We’re here to help with information and advice, arrange easy going transport from drivers we know and trust.
So, we want you to have a great experience and want to return for more!
Above all it’s “the people that make it” sharing our home with a rich mix of wonderful people from around the world.
Top Tip 4
Is about tipping
Its quite amazing how many people forget to tip or think its not done to tip (really?!)
Tip, Obviously if you’re happy with the service you’ve received provide a thank you in the form of a tip. Round it up, minimum 10 Rs maybe five to ten percent of the cost. There is no golden rule. but do tip. Try to remember the people behind the scenes: the one who clears the table, the cleaner wherever you stay, they get paid the least and may not see anything of the usual tips. The minimum wage is 200 rs per day and with the growth of the middle classes and effects on tourism prices are seriously going up. It just might not seem it to you.
If you’re not happy then it’s an important statement not too.
I was a bit mad when I first visited india twelve or so years ago. Someone just had to look in my direction to get ten rupees. At one hotel, with a lift, every time I went up or down I gave him a tip. Now that was too much. I was his best mate. 😉
It’s really easy to forget, especially if you’ve had an itinerary arranged by a company so you’re not paying for things as you travel around.
So its important to tip but also to keep in mind what’s an appropriate amount. If we go the other way and tip too much then it feeds foreigner inflation. Maybe we’ll do another top tip covering how to work out the correct price to pay.
I was amazed to hear that some travellers had read advice that you shouldn’t tip in India, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Please do tip.
At our house we have a tin for tips that go directly to the cleaners and the gardener. Manjula only takes for the money she’s given to pay for any meals she makes.
If I ever get any tips from delivering a cycle tour (it does happen once in a blue moon), they go to charity.
So what to tip?
we’ve found a great intro to how much to tip on this site
Created by our wonderful friends at Indiasomeday, (check their main site, they put itineraries together for people) whose guests when visiting Mysore come stay with us at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.
Here’s our inconsisten take on what to tip. (On reading it again, it definitely seems like I’m a bit tight.)
Just today we were at one of our favourite lunch time ‘hotels’ (meaning restaurant) the cost of the meal was 600 Rs, we left a 20 Rs tip (its shared amongst all the staff) tip and another 10 rs to the car park attendants (its maybe not shared!). I’m from Yorkshire and we’re known to be a bit tight but we DO tip.
In Hampi, during our last visit (check the blog for more info) Manjula and I were discussing the young guy working at the Guest house. I can’t believe it but Manjula gave him 200, now she’s acting the Maharani. He said that foreigners never gave tips, just the Indians gave. Astonishing!
Oh and another thing: Drivers. they are of course a mixed bag but we do tend to get a little bit fed up of them trying it on all the time. (We have found a selection of great drivers who promise no hassle!) So I’m really careful how I tip a driver. I want to tip to reinforce good behaviour (the ineffective stick and carrot) so if they use the meter, are helpful, do their job well, I’ll definitely tip. I see it as an encouragement to be nice guys. In particulate our drivers will not be tricksy ( I hope) and if they’ll been hanging around at the airport for your flight, they’ve been helpful with the baggage and generally driven well, please do get them a tip.
On the other hand if you get an auto driver that will not use the meter, don’t use him (if you can be bothered) and if in anyway he’s tricksy make a point of demanding the exact fare. and wo wo wo if he wants you to visit a shop to help him get a voucher for petrol then he’s just lost his tip and any future work!
That’s my approach anyway. It might be pushing a rock up the hill to try change the approach of the drivers but I’m trying and our drivers are pretty good!
Moving on from Mysore
Well if you must move on….. 😉
We’ve received a few recommendations from local friends and previous guests about where to go.
National Parks
We’re often asked which is the best national park to visit (there are so many) our good friend Tanu suggests that Kabini is often considered the best in terms of sighting wild animals. Here’s a selection of places to stay, we’ll provide more info as we receive it from guests. Prices vary widely but it’s not cheap!
Kannur Beach House
We’re just back from there for our fourth visit (so must be good!) we’ll do a posting soon on this great place to stay and local things to do. In the meantime any questions email Stephen tours@mycycle.co
Wayanad, Kerala
Here are two suggestions from Dennis and Katja, originally from Germany and currently living in Bangalore.
Both places are in Kerala. The first is in the countryside of Wayanad
Tranquil Resort
Kuppamudi Estate, District Wayanad, Kolagapara, Kerala 673591, India
“Lovely Homestay thanks to Ajay and Nisha and their wonderful staff. It really feels like home every time we visit, great place for hiking, amazing accommodation even tree houses, cute dogs, our paradise in India 🙂 “
Web site is here
Check where it is here
Kerala coast
and the second is further north and offers a combination of sea, sand and backwaters. It’s away from the hustle and bustle associated with the backwaters further south near Cochin.
Neeleshwar Hermitage
“Excellent place to relax and make the world around you disappear. They have beach and garden cottages, which are very well maintained and equipped. The vegetarian restaurant serves amazing food, there is also a seafood restaurant which we did not try. Staff are very attentive and friendly. It feels like heaven 🙂 “
Kerala 671314, India
Check it out here
Check where it is here
The Guardian Newspaper an addtional suggestion for cruising the northern backwaters here
Silvia from Germany via the Canaries has now visited India once a year for three years. She’s got the bug! Sylvia’s recommendation in one of the closest national parks is Jungle Retreat. “ every person who likes nature must make this trip at least once in your life “ Sylvia stayed in the tree house.
Check it here
So why choose a homestay?
and why choose ours?
Its sharing our home……
which is clean, comfortable, with a great atmosphere, home cooking, continental or Indian breakfasts, an outdoor sit out and roof sun terrace with lots of plants, two lounges, small library, fast WIFI, in a quiet residential area with super amenities next door and which is just ten minutes from the action in the city, such as the Palace and Market.
we provide insights into India with information and advice on what to see and do, from the perspective of Manjula (from Mysore) and Stephen (from the UK) to help you make the best of your time here.
we have a lovely dog, Lucie
a series of over ten parks starting opposite our house
a house with wonderful art from around the country
MYCycle tours, scrumptious meals and cookery lessons
oh, and we’ve been no 1 in Mysore on Trip Advisor for five years
according to India today these are the ten top reasons to choose a Homestay here
Our gardens.
Opposite our house is one of a series of parks offering flower displays, places to walk and hang-out and relax, children’s climbing equipment, badminton and even roller blading. The one’s opposite are especially good at the moment as we approach Dasra.
Top Tips
The first of our tips focus on how to deal with some of the challenges you might face, particularly if you’re a first time visitor to India.
So if you’re aware, take your time, and follow the simplest traveller rules you’ll find India the richest of experiences where you’ll wish to return for more.
Number One: Everything, always takes longer than you expect.
Number Two: India will change you, so be prepared.
Number Three: one night stands aren’t all they’re cracked up to be
Number four: is about tipping.
More top tips will follow.
Follow us
Top Tips
Number Two
India will change you. It’ll take you out of your comfort zone and you’ll not want to find your way back. Maybe 😉
Most people love India and it’s people, and admittedly a very small number find it a step too far.
Whatever you feel it’s unforgettable.
You just need to be aware that it will seem contradictory, and unfathomable but it’s a good thing.
It helps to find somewhere extra easy for the first few days while you find your feet.
If we’re from the west. We often wish to experience, analyse and understand. We try to place things in boxes and stick on a label. India by contrast is consistently inconsistent, so to put it mildly you need to expect the unexpected.
It can’t really be boxed.
It’s important that you ‘go with the flow’ you might be the equivalent of bobbing about in the river, shooting the rapids or on the ups and downs of the rollercoaster.
But whilst it’s exhilarating just follow the basic traveller rules and it’s safe with mostly helpful people that want you to love their country.
At times it can feel a bit full-on and in-your-face, so you may need to build in places to stay or find hangouts that provide some respite so you can just switch it off.
There’s a great article on the BBC that might help, check:
Any questions?
Contact us at Tours@mycycle.co
Minor’s Mysore
things to do for children and the ‘young at heart’
this is just a quick list as its occurred to me, I’ll add links and images, in due course,
Parrot rescue centre and Bonsai gardens. Ask for details
Karanji Lake: birds, butterflies, walk, play area, boats (not up to standard), 20 mins walk from the MysoreBnB
Sand Museum, sculptures of sand, located on the road to Chamundi Hill, where there’s a few other attractions for the tourists. 15-20 minutes walk
Lalith Mahal Hotel: check out the entrance hall, the restaurant decor (what style?) is also amazing, after 7.00 there’s a Raj bar and restaurant. It’s 20- 30 minutes walk from MysoreBnB. The swimming pool might not be accessible as it’s been renovated for ever. It’s possible to visit the bar and get street food on the way home.
Zoo, its a zoo after all but reputedly one of the best in India. Ten minutes away in Auto Rickshaw
Ransoms (its a shop opposite the zoo) where they often have exhibitions in the basement of dolls and board games (of course they are also for sale)
Parks, immediately outside the Mysore BnB is the first of a series of twelve small parks, each with a slightly different focus, that offer places to sit and relax, play on climbing frames, even roller blading ….. is that what it’s called?
Natural History Museum, need to go check that one out myself as when I first went years ago I was not impressed.
Wax Museum: bit basic but some have liked it. There’s even a blog entry from previous guests ten minutes walk
Festivals, depends, on the time of year but there’s Dasara around october time, Ganesh september/october, Diwali (mainly in people’s homes) and many many more throughout the year.
and of course… shopping!
and of course tara tara. our Mycycle tours of Srirangaptnam are all geared up for children with small cycles, tag-a-long and child seat for ‘toddlers.’
SF/17Sept2017
Manjula's Mysore 