January is a good time to visit Chennai and the area around, as the winter cultural festival wlll be in full swing, with assorted performances in Chennai and Mamallapuram.

If you are going to Varkala specifically for the beach, it might be disappointing if yo've already been to Goa. Due to time/route constraints, we deliberately skipped that area as a destinatin, having heard from many that the beaches are not of a particular beauty compared toothers i'v been fortunate enought to see (Hawaii /Caribbean) .

Sorry for the disorganized rambling--memories of India made me do it!!

The Taj at Lucknow might be a good place for your "splurge) (LOL re your definition of a splurge--me too!!) because it is lower priced than many other Taj hotels. Friend lives ijn Lucknow and says Taj there is lovely. However, ...a more interesting place she mentioned in Lucknow, is a converted fort which a young couple has been working on as a labor of love. If interested, let me know, and I'll get the name.

CaliNurse - yes, I was going to Varkala for the beach - I'm not much of a beach person, but I read that Varkala has a cliff, which would be a plus.

I'd certainly be interested in the labor of love in Lucknow! And the Taj, amazingly for a hotel with 110 rooms, says it has no availability for my dates. I wonder if there's something special going on in Lucknow then....

That is wierd, the reply all about Coonor and Ooty was totally cut off!
Ooty vs Coonoor!--Coonor !!!! Lovely misty hills near the tea plantation just outside of town center, Nilgiri hill views, little English cottages, etc. I think two full days is sufficient.

To get to Coimbatore--consider the marvelous "Toy train" from Coonoor! We took it only on the Coonoor to Ooty segment, and it was wonderful. Recommend sitting in first class (which is much more basic than it sounds) as you will be right behind the driver--so you will see both ahead (at the approaching tunnels) and to the side. Lovely views, great fun , pssing local villages where people walk along the track and wave or stare (-; Driver pointed out upcoming tunnels and interesting sites to us. a MUCH better than the Himalayan Queen toy train, which we took from Shimla in June.

Part of the Nilgiri train track was out of commission following sevefd rains of Winter 2009, but i think it's all repaired now--can check Indiamike for info, or let me know and i will ask Faith Pandian, the lady from Trichy who helped plan the trip and seems to know everything about the south!

Byelukuppe--Tibetan village. Temple there is beautiful, you walk though the monastery/school to get to it, but since you will have just come from Nepal with its Tibetan Buddhist influence, I dont think it is worth an out=of-the-way trip for you.

There are two places nr Kannur, right on the beach, that are supposed to be lovely. One is a small hotel/homestay; one is a large house owned and run by a fascinating lady who wrote back with great humor and info to all my enquiries (had to cancel that trip...but it's on "the list." If interested, i will send her name to you.

Have fun planning. Ooo, i am envious!!!

If you go to Lucknow, visit Bara Imambara. It's a building that was built just to give work to the poor so they could earn money about 200 or so years ago. Find a guide who speaks English and they will take you upstairs into the labyrinth. It's a serious series of hallways and you have to insist the guide not be out of your sight.

Also built was an underground tunnel between Lucknow and Agra so the royal family could escape if needed. Supposedly that tunnel was ordered destroyed by the British. You might spend one to two hours there, but it's cool to see and doesn't involve much for stairs unless you go up a flight to the labyrinth.

Lucknow has a lot of Moghul history and architecture because it was ruled by the moslems during the pre-British era.

I will second the vote that the Taj Hotel in Lucknow is very nice and elegant.

There is an airport in Lucknow (Amausi) if you need to fly in or out.

That is weird - thanks for resurrecting it. Did you see my short piece on Lucknow posted at the same time?

The "toy train" is one reason I'm going to Ooty/Coonoor - although coming from Mysore I'll actually arrive by bus instead. I still have good memories of the toy train to Darjeeling.

Costa Malabar was the place I was looking at in Kannur, but other suggestions welcome. As would be recommendations for a car and driver in the south - although I might just arrange those when I get there.

Jaya - I checked the Taj to see what their rates were, and was told "no availability" for my dates. Any idea whether there might be a festival or convention in Lucknow at the end of November?

Hi again Thursday. Yes, our messages crossed in the mail.

The name of the restored place to stay in Lucknow is Fort Rampura.

Jaya ,thanks for info on Lucknow. My friend/coworker who grew up there says it'sa fascinating city that is filled with great things to see...(but having lived there , she still has yet to see them all--isnt it always that way!-- and what she of course says is the BEST food in India.

The lady nr Kannur is named Hyacinth--great fun, and very interesting! She started her homestay business about two yrs ago. Her place is Ezhara Homestay. Again, this is word of muth, but i have heard that the beaches in that area are lovelier, and far less crowded and commercialized , thant the ones farther south such as Varkala. That may not be the case much longer!

the other place nr kannur is Kannur Beach House , but personally, I'd chose Ezhara instead--jsut based on Hyacinth's great communicatin!!

CaliNurse - is this the place you were suggesting for Lucknow? http://www.fortrampura.com/index.html Because if so, it looks gorgeous, but Google maps says its 300 kms from Lucknow, and I want to be in town - especially as my train won't get in until early evening.

300 km!! Oh dear, she said it was near Lucknow!

Once the cooler months come, travel really picks up in India and reservations are increasingly difficult.

There are no major holidays in late November.

Just as an aside, Lucknow is the capitol of Uttar Pradesh so you will see more government buildings and police in certain areas.

If you do make it to Lucknow, one of the handicrafts famous from there is call "chikan work" (pronounce just like "chicken"). It's a type of embroidery work. You will recognize it from Indian clothing sold here in the US, BUT... in Lucknow you will find a much finer and more detailed quality of it than you will on the run of the mill imported cotton clothing. You'll find the cheap stuff too, ask for the better quality work. If they don't have it, move on to another shop. It's not only for clothing. You can pick up a beautifully embroidered bed cover, table cloth, etc if you don't want it on clothing.

Even if you cannot stay at the Taj, they have a restaurant that is open to the public. When I was there last we stopped in for the lunch buffet.

Your plan looks perfect.I've stay at resort called Chera Rocks(2yrs ago),between Kannur & Thelessery.Lovely bunglow 'bang' on the beach.Very secluded.Good fresh seafood.Calm waters.The owner is an ex-bank official,a very decent man & his son run the place.They pick you up from town.Its tough to locate this place otherwise.Take a look at this link:
http://www.cherarocks.com/
Bus from Kannur to Madikere(Coorg)would be a little tedious.You could consider a day or two in Waynad,Close to Kannur on the way to Coorg.Ther area has lots to offer including wildlife santuary(Matunga & Nagarhole).There are some wonderful resorts.All would depend how much time you have.Just a few suggestions
There was a shorter road from Kannur to Virajpet(South Coorg)then to Madikere(I guess thats where you headed??),was closed down for repairs.Not sure if its open now.Car would be a better option.A hilly terrain,busing would be long & tiresome.
Could give you more specific leads(places to stay & things to do)in that area.I've done it pretty extensivly.

Thursday - Having never been to India and only in the initial planning stage myself, I can't contribute, but I love hearing that there are other Fodorites that stay at budget hotels. Looking at the lovely premier hotels that many here stay at is scary when I look at prices of $300-600 per night!

thursdaysd: Your experience with having Tajs booked was similar to mine. No matter what time I entered (I was just checking prices), all dates were booked. I suspect that a lot of travel agencies reserve whole blocks of rooms. We finally stayed in two modestly priced Taj hotels, one in Agra, and one in Khajurahao.

inquest - I think I'm going to skip the far south, which will give me four days to play with, so I could indeed do Waynad (Wyanad?) on the way to Coorg. And I was thinking I would probably need a car for that stretch. Suggestions welcome.

dgunbug - I mostly paid under 1,000 INR back in 2001, although some places were very basic. This time I'm aiming a little further up-market and am seeing quite a few good-looking places in the 2,000-3,000, and certainly 3,000-4,000 range - so well under $100. Except so far in Lucknow!

indianapearl - I think the Taj in Lucknow is out of my price range in any case. Checking kayak and asiarooms shows a lot of other places booked too. Since Lucknow is partly a buffer in case there's a strike in Nepal, I don't want a prepaid place, but I'm wondering how dangerous it would be to show up without a reservation. I think there may be a collection of cheapies around the station...

True,heading south is one long haul,though Varkala & Kanyakumari are great places.Instead Wayanad would be a good stopover.Some very good resorts around Kalpetta for which I'll dig out leads.There is Edakkal Caves where prehistoric pictoral wall inscriptions.There is a tribal village close by too.This is one good resort:http:
//www.vythiriresort.com/
http://www.wayanadresorts.com/-Bule ginger Eco resort.
http://www.orchidresorts.com/index.html- Orchid Resort

Ooty is not as good as it use to be.A pretty dirty town,filled with tourists.Coonoor is a better bet.From Coimbator,Kodaikanal is about 180km.A very scenic drive,highly recommended.

BTW,Thursdaysd,pardon me if I'm being inquisitive.Whay Palolem?Though a nice cove & a lovely beach,there are hoards of young Isreali revellers very gregarious & loud.Since no permanent structures allowed on the beach & the surrounds,there are thatched accomodation,which is very,very basic.Where are you staying there?

inquest - well, the reports on Goa seem to be that Palolem is still quieter than a lot of places. I'll be there at the begining of December, so I'm hoping the scene won't have really gotten started...

If I could be sure of the trains connecting I'd go to Gokarna instead, although that's likely to be even more basic, lol! This place doesn't look too uncomfortable: http://www.villageguesthousegoa.com/

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to find somewhere not too basic and not too pricey for Lucknow... Looks like it may be http://www.hotelmohan.com/ although the photos aren't too encouraging.

inquest - that Ginger resort looks absolutely gorgeous - but well above my splurge limit, unfortunately. Vythiri would be possible, and in comparison Orchid is positively affordable, lol!

You seem to be enjoying your planningI too am off to Tanzania & Zanzibar next month & doing a lot of research.This is the best part.
I remembered I had stayed in the Park Inn some years ago,when I googled it,looks like its been taken(unsure if it is the same) over by the Sarovar Group,they are a large hotel chain & I trust they would have refurbished it.Its location seemed convenient.I was there on work & had to meet people at the hotel.
http://www.sarovarhotels.com/lucknow-la-place-park-inn.shtml#
Do a background check on Mohan.

inquest - seems we think alike! I emailed the La Place Sarovar last night. All they have available are executive suites at 8,000 + tax.

Is that a specific warning about Mohan? I can't find any reviews online: LP says it's the best near the station (but presumably best of a bad lot). The other possibility is Simla Palace (although its web site also says it's full), which gets some good reviews on tripadvisor, but one very bad one which is more believable.

Nothing specific about Mohan itself.Just seemed 'best of the bad lot',as you put it.What concerned me was the location.Normally,in all my years of travel in India,living in the business district,especially around the train/bus stations(invariably the oldest part of town) is normally unpleasent.The buzz & din gets you.Prime habitat for touts,hawker & their ilk.Though convenient,not an ideal location.
I emailed an old acquaintance of mine in Delhi,who frequents Lucknow.He suggested Hotel Deep Palace.This is the link
http://www.deephotels.com/deeppalace/dpindex.htm
Thought it was worth a look.

Thanks so much for asking your friend! The price is definitely on the high side, but might be worth it. However the tripadvisor reviews are awful - but it's not clear that they are all for this hotel and not Deep Arvagh.

Thursday, my SIL lives in Lucknow for the past 15 or so years. I will call her tomorrow and try get hotel info from her and will post what I can find out.

She would know the better areas of Lucknow to stay in and to shop.

Thanks jaya! I'd love to keep this around 3,000 INR, or at least under 4,000. I'm definitely thinking about buying fabric and having a shalwar kameez made.

Hello Thursday!
I can't contribute anything sensible but I'm enjoying reading your plans. Your route covers some of the places I went to in Feb/March. I too go for non-top-range hotels; I'm sure you'll find some! I'm just back in TX after most of the past 8 months on the road and I'm having adjustment problems. Hope to follow your travels and wish I were there too! Are you doing a blog?

I will then also try to find the names of a few tailors and fabric shops.

Hi Thursday, I spoke to my SIL. She said the Taj in Lucknow is the only hotel she would recommend for you as it is the best and also in the safest area. She said Lucknow doesn't have many choices for good hotels.

To answer an earlier question you have about why is everything so booked up, she said November and December are very busy months for weddings and therefore many hotels are booked well in advance. She said to call the hotel directly with the date(s) you want to stay there because they often have reserve rooms that don't appear on their website

There are many markets throughout Lucknow. The one she shops at for chikanwork fabric and handicrafts is "Janpath" (pronounce "JAAN-put"). It's about 15 minutes from the Taj Hotel.

Some years ago we stayed at the Carlton Hotel in Lucknow, an experience we will never forget. At that time an old rundown building no other guests staying, but weddingparties in the evening.
It has 2 reviews on tripadvisor.
They must have renovated the hotel, when we stayed there they had just sold of some land for building a shopping mall, and we hoped, they were going to invest the money in the hotel.
I cannot find any contact info, but you can se a picture here:
http://www.indianholiday.com/hotels-in-india/hotels-in-uttar-pradesh/lucknow-hotels/carlton-hotel.html

Two options here for your dates thursday
http://hotels.travelmasti.com/searchedhotelresult.doy:

Eight options here:
http://www.cleartrip.com/hotels/results?city=Lucknow&state=Uttar Pradesh&country=IN&ckIn=22/11/2010&ckOut=24/11/2010&noOfRooms=1&ad=1&cd=0&nri=false

That link didn't come out right. Go to cleartrip.com and look yourself.

Jaya</> - thanks so much. I'm sure the Taj is lovely, but I'm also sure the price is out of my reach. Google maps recognized the name of the market, so I should be able to find it. I was thinking of spending an extra day in Lucknow, but with the hotel problems I'll probably keep it to two nights (one day) and get the fabric made up elsewhere. The wedding thing makes perfect sense.

k44skov - the Carlton looks interesting on the outside, but LP says it's in dire need of renovation, and it's not clear whether that's happened yet.

dogster - thanks. I thought I had tried cleartrip, but I see it's now showing the Tulip Inn, which I think will be OK for two nights, at around $20 less than any other site. I've found somewhere in Hyderabad that sounds quite nice for only $45, so will recover from Nepal there (I think I'll be spending my last couple of nights in Lumbini in a temple).

NB - those wondering "why Lucknow?" might find this blog of interest - http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/malariamonday/1/1275832197/tpod.html - I'm going for the fabric, the food, the historical resonances (the Residency) and the architecture.

Oops, sorry for yelling - should have previewed.

Welcome back to Texas, Gertie. yes, those firt weeks at home are hard. India gets "into your blood" doesnt it? Rent lots of movies about India or India themes--that will help!!!

An absolutely amazing traveler like you, thursdaysd, has the right to yell once in a while. I'm looking forward to following you on your trip.

Yes, welcome home gertie! I need to go reread your TR. (And thanks, marija, although I'm really just someone who keeps putting one foot in front of the other, not always in the right direction, lol.)

There should be tweets - mytimetotravel, blog entries - mytimetotravel.wordpress.com, and maybe even an on-the-road TR here. I just bought a new, lighter, netbook (Asus 1008HA) that will go with me.

Thank you Thursday. No TR, sorry. Have been in Europe for the past 2 months: Belgium and Greece and lots of UK. A quick look at Arizona too.
But I shall be following you on your travels.
Thinking of Egypt/Syria/Jordan/Lebanon/Turkey next in no particular order. Will need your input.
Keep in touch.

And Hi CaliNurse. Yes, tricky getting back into TX mode. I was in India much earlier in the year for 6 weeks followed by another 5 in Vietnam etc. I guess I have to do my travelling vicariously for a while until I get my next trip together. Following Thursdays plans with interest.

Hi dogster - I took a look at cleartrip's terms & conditions & it say's it's for resident Indians only - have you used it without difficulty checking in?

If you book something claiming to be a resident Indian, they may ask for proof when you arrive (ie Indian passport, Indian driver's license).

It looks like it's not cleartrip in general, just the hotel I was trying to book. Maybe that explains why it was $20 cheaper on cleartrip than elsewhere.

I sent an email to cleartrip about the resident Indian rate, and got this reply:

"Please note that in case if there are any rate differance amount that you need to pay directly in the hotel at the time of your check in." Which suggests that if I booked that hotel I might get hit up for extra money at check-in.

Fortuitously, I now have a reservation at La Place in Lucknow, thanks to travelocity, which I was initially checking via kayak for Mangalore. I will actually be staying in a Taj hotel in Mangalore - the Gateway - although it's hardly one of their top properties (at $60/night I couldn't resist).

Question for inquest - I just spent some time with the maps (different ones for each state, of course!). It looks like the good resorts in Wayanad are around Kalpetta and Sultanbatheri, in the south (I really like the look of Edakkal). But if I'm actually on the way from Kunnar to Coorg, I'd want to be in the north, around Tholpetty, which seems short on good places to stay. Do you know what travel would be like (type of road, length of drive) from Sultanbatheri to Coorg?

gertie: There's a small band of Indiaphiles in TX (We go there to see our kids and will move there within the next year). Perhaps you can join us for Indian food and stories!

Indianapearl and Gertie--where in Texas? I have a house in Texarkana, 3 hours from Dallas, and am there occasionally.
There is a large population of people from India in Houston.
"Don't mess with Texas" !! Did you know that started out as an advertising logan to keep Texan highways litter-free?

CaliNurse and indianapearl: if you will be in Houston doing Indian-style things, give me a shout. We can have a GTG.

OK, no more hijacking Thursdays thread.

Thursdays..apologies for interruption to the thread. Thanks for the reminder, Gertie.

Dgunbug, dont be scared off by the very expensive recs fo the Oberoi level hotels which often dominate the responses on Fodors India forum. (It's one of the reasons i visit Indiamike--so i can keep perspective on how most people travel, and not feel like the poor relative who can't afford--or chose to-- to pay $300or $400 or $500 for only ONE night. )

Rarely should yo have to pay over $100, if that is the maxbudget (close to mine) for a decent, clean, and lovely hotel or homestay in a nice are in India. IT will be 3 or 4*, not 5*, and you will probably encounter have more Indian travelers than foreign visitors.

No need to apologize. But TX is a bit far for me - wonder if there are any Indiaphiles in NC (aside from the one I already met through fodors). Do wonder if inquest saw my post on Wayanad - but I've decided to go straight to Coorg anyway.

Dgunbug - I just booked my second Taj hotel for under $100 - admittedly a Gateway, which seems to be their lower end offering? Anyway, I have a room at the Gateway in Coonoor for $80/night, and that's high for me. I couldn't resist the description in LP, just as I couldn't resist the Windamere in Darjeeling.

CaliNurse - looks like I'll be staying with Hyacinth at Kannur - she has availability for my dates. Tx.

Due apologies thursday.Been a wee bit busy of late & did'nt look at the forum.All the interesting places are around Kalpetta & Sultanbatheri.Less than 1/2hr drive.The road from Sultanbatheri to Kutta (Karnataka border)is good the stretch from Kutta to Virajpet was bad about 6mths ago.Virajpet to Madikere is good.
BTW,thursday,you must try some Coorg cuisine,very unique.Their pepper pork (Pandi curry) served with rice dumplings is superb.A local delicacy,but be warned,its very spicy.Could give some interesting things to do & places to dine in Coorg.Will keep you posted.

Calinurse and gertie: Austin. Bonnieheather also lives in the area.

No apologies needed, inquest, but thanks. I just thought that post might have gotten lost.

For Coorg, the Rainforest Retreat has space, Alath-Cad hasn't replied yet. Any other suggestions?

You will love Hyacinth--i say that based on her marvelous emails,in which it is evident she is great fun, very intelligent, and well traveled. I just checked the most rcent TA reviews and wow...I am happy for her success!

We came into town and ate at the Gateway (which had justbeen converted in name from a Taj to Gateway) and had the most wonderful lunch.It was delicious-not a lot by US standards, but cant recall exact price. Worth saving for, for the food, and the atmosphere. Did you book a room where breakfast is included? Great dining room overlooking gardens. YOu'll swear you're at the English country estate. From the front lawn, you go out to a little park like ara and you see the church steeple. Don't miss the old bar/lounge. It all has this wonderful , somewhat faded Raj-era atmosphere. We stayed out of town (Kurumba Village) but if we return ,will def'lly stay here.

You are not too far there--though too far to walk--to the edge of town where the tea factory and farm are. Try the free samples ...the wonderful way they make milk tea at the stand there when you first arrive--even chocolate tea--yummy. But don't buy the big bags of their tea--it is the "dust" not the leaves. We made that mistake and lugged around heavy bags of tea cause they seemed like such a good deal.

There is a homestay right in Coorg town (Aas opposed to outside of town) that is supposed to be good. Do you want a place right IN town, or out a bit in the countryside? Let me know and i'll dig up that name. We stayed at Orange County, the most expensive place on that trip, although Faith (travel planner) got it far more inexpensively than we could have. Glad you do NOT want to stay there--unlike the vast majority who love it, we did not.

OOps i meant, homestay right in Madikeri, not in the outskirts, or the COorg countryside. Have you ever seen a coffee plant? You'll see LOTS and LOTS of there (-;

CaliNurse - from my Gateway booking:

Rate Description Rate Includes Breakfast. Additional 12.5 PCT Tax Applicable On Published Tariff.
Room Description STANDARD ROOM QUEEN BED GARDEN VIEW\/COLONIAL STYLE\/SITOUT

Of course, it's the Raj-era vibe I'm going for (I'm still really a Brit).

For Coorg LP strongly recommends being outside town, although a homestay would be nice.

Now I have to figure out the cheapest way to do wire transfer. I think there was a recent thread about using xe.com... Plus I'm now running into availability problems for around New Year.

Thursday,as a brit,I'm sure you'll love the legacy,the English,left behing in Coorg.Some of the finest properties are now owned by Tata Coffee.Called Plantation Trails,these bungalows once occupied by the gentry is now let out.this link showcases them
http://www.tatacoffee.com/plantation_trails/overview.htm

I've stayed in a couple of them and can vouch for it.One for instance was Elk Hill(dont see it mentioned in there list,happened to be their guest a few years ago)
Most of the places to visit are around Madikere,though,Tata Coffee properties are around Polybetta(an hrs drive).I was'nt too impressed with Rain Forest(there are better places than that).Club Mahindra is a good resort,has lovely cottages over looking a valley.A full fledged resort & Spa offer everything,just about 5km from town.
http://www.clubmahindracoorg.com/
This link has a list of home stays around Coorg:
http://www.homestaykodagu.com/tourist_place.html
The reason I prefer Madikere (not the town) is the elevation(altitude) it offers.Estates around have a 'hill station' feel as the mist engulfs them.Its a wonderful experience.The town itself has not much to offer,though worth a visit.
Another place that comes to mind is Java Mane.Its an old bungalow renovated,right in the middle of a large pond,with beautiful artefacts,a gazebo to sit out.Its about 30km to Madikere.
http://www.javamane.com/index.html

Inquest, i love those mists swirling around the hills. That is what i remember about the hills on the road from Coonor, and the road down the hills from Ooty toward the flatlands (direction toward Mysore. Thursdays, these are spots you'll be using your camera for sure.

The place i recall is Gowri niwas--got good reviews on HolidayIQ last time i looked. But it is in town. We ended up not staying in that part of Coorg.
One homestay near Orange County, and located right by the river, and def'lly below oyur budgeted max, is called MIna's Nest. It is just outside Siddapura village. When we drove by it, I thought--"Next time i'll stay there" but other than the outside, which looked new and bright, i know nothing.

There'sa waterfall just outside COorg, on road to the Tea Factory,. Lots of monkeys, you cant miss it--loads of people walking over the rocks and getting photos with the waterfall backdrop. Not spectacular, but lots of fun--the monkeys and tourists as much as the falls!

Be aware, however, thursday, that these little bits of England may well be just that: expatriate enclaves where the very Indians you have come to meet are relegated to the role of silent servants endless deferring to Memsahib. Sawdays is full of them. Choose carefully from the excellent suggestions above. Homestays are, of course, the go. When you see a property owned and run by an expat, take care. Unless, of course, you're in the mood for a bit of non-India India.

LOL,dogster,the white men have long left,not even a straggler.Tata Coffee is wholly owned by the House of Tatas have been into tea estates in Munnar & Anamalai & coffee in Coorg & Chickmagalur.Replaced by a young crop of executives looking after these estates.A fine lot.Interesting.
I've spent many an evening at the Pollibetta Club close by, open to member only,as a guest.We were joined by local planters(Kodavas who speak impeccable english with linguistic fluency)along with their lovely ladies in tow.
Oh yes CaliNurse.Those misty hills.Should be back next year.
My only hangup with 'homestays'was that one has to compromise on privacy.They are overly hospitable.Believe,that they have to spend time with you,since you are actually 'living' with them.Found it a bit stifling.

Dogster still remembers the Chicken of Death served to him by a replanted Brit.

Thanks so much everyone - lots of great stuff to research there!!!

dogster - I'll be in India for six weeks, I don't think a little detour into the Raj would hurt - and it was part of India - for a little while. I think of the hill stations as quintessential Raj.

I know have two choices for New Years Eve (Tanjore and Pondy are still problems for right after).

http://www.thebangala.com/ for two nights (my first choice there, Chettinadu Mansions, was full) or
http://www.cardamomhouse.com/ for three since it's harder to reach

Bangala is easier to get to (from Madurai) and from (to Tanjore - or points north) but there may be more to do at Cardamom House. (It does occur to me that CH may have featured on dogster's rampage through Tamil Nadu.) The prices, with meals, are almost identical, although on the high side for me.

'tis true Marija. The Death Chook of Dindigul still comes back to haunt me.

Those Tata places are on the Doglist, inquest. Nothing better than that breed of Indian gentleman for an interesting conversation. And, I agree, you DO have to sing for your supper at a homestay - however, if in the mood [and a solo traveler often is] and if the situation is embraced, the results can be fascinating. My favorites are ancient maharajah's sons mouldering in their heritage homes {Gujarat is good for this] - ahh, the stories they can tell if prompted.

We posted at the same time, dogster. So, was the Cardamom House the Death Chook? You took that saga down, and I don't remember the precise details.

Update on the state of play (NYB = not yet booked - I may not bother for Hospet, Mysore, Trivandrum and Kanyakumari):

Mon Nov 22 - Lucknow (2 nights) http://www.sarovarhotels.com/lucknow-la-place-park-inn.shtml
Wed Nov 24 - fly to Hyderabad (via Delhi on Indigo) (3n) http://www.minervagrand.com/banjara/home.htm
Sat Nov 27 - car and driver via Bidar to Bijapur (2n) NYB
Mon Nov 29 - drive via Badami to Hospet (3n) - end car and driver NYB

Thu Dec 2 - train to Madgaon, bus to Palolem (3n) http://www.villageguesthousegoa.com/ - in process
Sat Dec 4 - car and driver to visit Chandor area, train to Mangalore (2n) http://www.thegatewayhotels.com/index.htm?hotelId=TIXEMH&page=Overview
Mon Dec 7 - train to Kannur (3n), arrange to see Theyyam http://www.ezharabeachhouse.com/
Fri Dec 10 - bus or car to Coorg (4n) several RFQs out

Tue Dec 14 - bus or car to Mysore (4n), possibly via Tibetan village, spend first or last night in hotel in Brindavan Gardens, NYB
Sat Dec 18 - bus to Ooty/Coonoor (3n) http://www.thegatewayhotels.com/index.htm?hotelId=TCJBTG&page=Overview
Tue Dec 21 - bus or train to Coimbatore, night train to Varkala (2n) NYB
Fri Dec 24 - bus or train to Trivandrum (3n) NYB

Mon Dec 27 - bus or train to Kanyakumari (1n) NYB
Tue Dec 28 - train to Madurai (3n) NYB
Fri Dec 31 - bus or car to Chettinad region (2n) http://www.thebangala.com/ - in process
Sun Jan 2 - bus or car to Trichy (2n) - visit Thanjavur from Trichy, NYB - and have yet to find rooms available

Tue Jan 4 - bus or car to Puducherry aka Pondi (4n), NYB - also a problem - may wind up at the Ginger
Sat Jan 8 - car to Chennai via Dakshina Chitra and Kanchipuram (1n) NYB
Sun Jan 9 - fly to Colombo

Wow thursday!!! what a trip, I will wait very patietly for your report. I hope Nov. and Dec. will be good months for your journey. We will be going in Nov. of 2011... I wish you a good trip and many splendid memories so you can share them with all of us

Thursday,if you have'nt booked Mysore as yet,could take a look at the Green Hotel.I highly recommend it.Itsa heritage property & actually a palace belonging to a nobleman,it was earlier called the Chittaranjan Palace.All the antique furniture intact.Wonderful property.Spacious garden.Oper air restaurant.
the link:http://www.greenhotelindia.com/
The other (I'm sure you would have checked it out)Is the Metropole Hotel of the Royal Orchid Group.They have one in Brindavan Garden too.

inquest-I notice that the Green Hotel does not have a/c. We are planning to be in Mysore in early Feb. We will be out sightseeing during the day, but worry about sleeping w/o a/c. How were your nights there with no a/c? I prefer to sleep with a/c, but I am wondering if I could be comfortable here at night without it. Other than no a/c, the hotel looks great.

Inquest, shellyk - Mysore is the one place (aside from Chennai) that I've visited before, and I stayed in the Green Hotel! In the Writer's Room, I believe - small room in the main palace - I wouldn't bother with the garden rooms. I'm pretty sure it had AC!

I'm thinking of spending one night in the Royal Orchid Brindavan and then going down market in town.

thursdaysd-The hotel website says the hotel has no a/c. Hope you have a wonderful trip. I'll be watching for your posts and following along with you.

shelleyk - that's interesting. I certainly remember being comfortable. I was there in December, though.

OK, I looked it up in my 2002 Footprint India - seems it didn't have AC when I stayed there either! My only caveat about staying there (aside from avoiding the garden addition) is that you can't get anywhere on foot, and I got tired of arguing with the rickshaw drivers, who flatly refused to use their meters.

I loved the Royal Orchid Metropole. Great location for walking. Delcious and wide variety breakfast, either inside , or out on the patio under the trees. !Rooms was definitely air conditioned. The only possible "negative" although it didnt bother me , was that with the rooms around the courtyard, you could sometimes hear people who were there having drinks,etc. For us, it added to that "heritage" atmsphere--low muffled voices and the tinkle of ice in glasses!
I love the huge terraces outside the room, and the lobby with that marvelous old swinging chair.
The place gets mixed reviews on TA, so maybe we were just lucky. It was a lovely heritage hotel, and i 'd return there in a heartbeat if in Mysore again.

Shelley,I too dont recall if the rooms were airconed or not.But the stay was very pleasant.Thursday is right,its a bit out of the 'way' & the tuk tuk fellas can be uncompromising.I'd always use the hotel to do the negotiations for me & its helped.
Feb is a good time in Mysore.A time of the year when the weather will be very good.
Metropole ofcourse has the best location.

Well, I just booked for Mysore. One night in luxury at the Royal Orchid Brindavan (great online special rate), and three nights in town at the no frills Ginger (good online rate). The Ginger seems to be the Taj's low end business chain, I'm interested to check it out.