It’s been different

Here’s our entry on Trip Advisor and we’re pleased that we are a Traveller’s Choice 2020 and are still number one in Mysore out of 171.

Life is different as I’ve had nine years of wonderfulness with the Madam, sharing our home and making new friends.

Mysore bum hurts from bouncing on a roller coaster, pot-holed ride since she slipped through my clumsy fingers but now we’ve all had to deal with exceptional pandemic times. I hope you’ve fared well and can begin to feel positively motivated.

We can announce that ……..

We plan to open again in December and promise a friendly dog, the inimitable Lucie, the noisy Yindian and the penetrating presence of the beauty who will always be with us.

Our trademark cleanliness, appropriate distancing and limited rooms will help us all take care of each other.

We look forward to hosting old and new friends,

peas and love,

Stephen, Lucie and

the Manjula

xxx

Yindian: Yorkshire by birth, Indian by marriage.

29/08/2020 2

Sharing Stories

Our stories true, about our life here and fictional can be found on our other site

A popular ‘factly fiction’ story written by Stephen is is about Mysore and cycling, provides another view

Our cycle tours are another opportunity to share stories

01/07/2020 0

our friends

You know what they say?

It’s the people that makes a place, as reflected in many of the guest comments in our books and online reviews.

I don’t think it’s possible to over emphasise. In my view, people connecting well, becoming friends, enjoying life, is what it’s all about.

Yes we’ve set it up and it is our home and you’ll feel us, throughout the place and while she’s not with us anymore and by now has hopefully found another place or is waiting for me, Manjula’s presence, her essence is most definitely here and with me and always will be.

It’s a happy, open, welcoming home.

It’s the many varied, rich mix of guests (see photos below) that add the icing on the cake. That make it all worthwhile. Even over her last few months when she became more ill she wouldn’t close the place, meeting and interacting with guests until the very last, was what she wanted. Manjula recognised that you had become our family and the incredible support both she and I have received when she was ill and for me over the more recent difficult times have been incredible.

I want to introduce you to a few of the members of this constantly evolving extended family.

The lovely couple, Amy and Tom…

…first came to visit us maybe five or more years ago. After that first holiday trip they got married, resigned from their jobs and became nomads, travelling and working around the world. We sort of adopted them (and they us) and see them regularly here or elsewhere. Amy was our celebrant at our wedding, Check here and here and here Tom took the photographs! They knew of Manjula’s illness and so were with us on two occasions early this year and once they’d learned that she’d moved on to another life (our previous postings and Manjula’s story can be found here) they came again, especially flew in to support me for two weeks. I hadn’t realised how much I needed it but I really did.

Ina, moved to Australia from Scotland as a young child, so I wonder how does she still have such a strong Scottish accent after a few years!? Ina visits every year and became a great friend to Manjula. Her first visit was to meet up with a Tibetan monk, living a couple of hours away in Bylakuppe. It was the first time she’d met after over ten years of providing financial support.

Meet more of our team and guests, our family here and recent guests Jean-Yves and Nathalie and their great blog entries of their visit.

Manjula and I have visited previous guests in the UK, I’ve visited guests in Canada and the US, two guests have sent paintings of Manjula and Lucie, we’ve celebrated birthdays and Christmas, I’ve met guests at the music festival featured in a fictional story on our site here, a guest has planted trees in New Zealand in memory of Manjula, I can go on and on (as you will realise)….

We are so lucky.

As a guest of Mysore Bed and Breakfast you’re not expected to do all these things,(although you’re welcome to) just come stay and have a great visit.

We look forward to welcoming you,

Peas and love

Stephen

check the photos, there are many more in our flickr albums here

01/07/2020 0

Can you Ride Tandem?

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.

thanks to our lovely models Andrea and Alya

contact Stephen (in advance) for more details: tours@mycycle.co

09/12/2017 0

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

20/09/2017 1

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 there’s all the regular stuff which are also great for we younger ones: Mysore Palace (looks splendid in the photos), Devaraj Market, so atmospheric with its smells and colours of fruit, veg and flowers; Chamundi Hill for Nandi the giant bull and wonderful views of the city, museums and art galleries; Silk Mill, fab food, artisan’s workshops (stone and wood) or just wandering around the streets to stumble across the hidden gems, like the yak man….. it’s a drama!

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

17/09/2017 0

guest photos now online

well what a wonderful time we’ve had….. same but different…. Now most of those who visit are returners, or those who hear about us via word-of-mouth, you are all our friends.

So its been the usual mix of fab guests from all around the world, with a significant increase in travellers from Canada. We’re now getting to the end of our busiest period and we’re feeling the heat a teeny bit. The photos taken of our guests on cycle (or other tours) and at our lovely home can now be found on flickr here.

Please just search for the album that corresponds to the date you were here (sometimes albums might overlap!) and feel free to download any photos you like. Any problems, can’t find or download please contact Stephen at tours@mycycle.co

01/03/2017 0

lovely people, fab reviews

I’m just catching up and responding to reviews on Trip Advisor. Its such a nice job, its actually one of those we should all aim for, a job that’s not a job, because we love it so much. We’ve got exactly that here, whether its welcoming guests, helping them get the best out of Mysore, helping them solve problems (lack of Rupee notes, comes to mind), chatting over dinner, making breakfast and dinner, preparing for new guests, keeping it ship shape, sharing jokes, building bridges across oceans and cultures. super!

Thank you so much to all of you who have left feedback and reviews wherever you’ve done it. Fact is we wouldn’t have been able to create what we have without it, our guests over the years have depended on fair, open and frank reviews. Thank you.

15/12/2016 0

Mysore Weather

I’m British and we like to talk about the weather (we’re usually complaining). Here, in Mysore, I’m denied that dubious honour as the weather is pretty good throughout the year.

Even in the main Monsoon period of June, July and August, we mostly receive just limited rain, maybe one shower per day.

After Monsoon and throughout winter is the best weather. It’s in the 20’s and sometimes might reach the 30’s with a cooler evening and night.

It can get quite hot, into the 30’s and sometimes at the top end of the 30’s, that’s in Summer which is April, May and June.

Whatever, the heat is quite dry so we escape the humidity that’s often found elsewhere in South India and especially on the coast in the summer months.

Having said all that, India is anything but predictable so it can change. Over the last few years we have experienced earlier summers, even less rain and cooler nights, but it’s still really good.

So, Mysore actually is a great all-year-round destination.

Our roof top sit-out is available to enjoy it!

26/08/2016 0

fond farewells

We absolutely love having our wonderful and diverse range of guests. There’s no continent which hasn’t visited us many times over, except perhaps the Eskimos and Penguins, and their neighbours.

I’m often heard declaring how it’s one of my best jobs ever (except it’s not really a job) because it’s providing great opportunities to engage and communicate with people and one’s input has perceivable impact which we can feel, real results. so it’s Fab.

As a consequence, we make good friends, our family extends and the BnB community grows, and when we say goodbye, so much, it’s sometimes sad.

Yet, you know, we wouldn’t change it.
So thank you to all our wonderful friends.