EC-Rider Travels

This morning, we had a wonderful walk around Mariam‘s immaculate garden, everything with a little label written by the staff with the most fantastic spelling eg: Tabble Radieas (table radish) and Green Sugini (green zucchini, of course!). We also met the rest of her menagerie, including Melinda the goose who has her own, specially made, lake with jacuzzi supported by its own (huge) hydration plant and pump!

There are two Falabella ponies, Isabella and Arabella each with their own groom, Sukho of course with, not only his own house, but own paddock to run in. Unfortunately none of the animals can meet each other so they are on a strict rota during the day as to when they can be exercised. Most importantly they must all be inside by sunset as leopard have started to come into the village. Mariam now employs a guard to keep watch for leopard through the night. There are more lovely people working in the garden, than you can possibly imagine, it is exquisitely beautiful and very, very spoiling to be a part of.

We then walked a little way down the road to go and see Mariam‘s pack of hounds. The local hunt club had fallen into disrepair, as indeed had its pack of hounds, so, Mariam bought them and employs several men to look after them ensuring they have the best possible food and lodging. They look so well and their carers took great pride in showing them to us and how well they respond to the hunting horn. Mariam has great plans to reforest the area in front of the old army clubhouse and turn it into an equestrian centre with riding stables, cafe, party venue and small villas where you can come stay and enjoy the hounds. She doesn’t in fact own the club but I am sure it is only a matter of time!

I was then taken to the village to get a Sim card for my phone. No easy matter here in India, you need passports, photos, forms signed etc and I was told it would take several hours; but not if you are with a member of Mariam’s staff – it was all done in an instant via the Government Office of course!

We returned for lunch, and were joined by a friend of Mariam’s called Sandeep, who she had asked to show me his showjumping stables. So, after lunch, we headed up into the hills and down the other side to meet his very beautiful, showjumpers, mares, foals and two beautiful German warmblood stallions, which was a bit of a treat. Sandeep was in the army for most of his life and having ridden throughout turned to show-jumping. He is a national champion and now breeds and trains show jumpers.

On our windy journey home we saw a malabar squirrel (Indian giant squirrel) which is very much bigger than ours (30cms) and endemic to India. It is found in the higher altitude forests where the trees are taller so they can avoid predators. Needless to say, as soon as Sandeep told me how lucky we were to see one, we saw a second and managed to get incredibly close. Bit of a treat..

You cannot believe the roads here – if we think we have hairpin bends ….I can tell you they are mere dents in the road in comparison to these! And quite a lot of the road is not there at all, which is a bit of a surprise as you suddenly bump over completely broken up road on the edge of a precipice. We passed women picking tea, and others sitting on the side of the road with their enormous sacks of leaves waiting to be weighed so they might be paid. There is also extensive vegetable farming – carrots, cabbages and garlic – all sewn and harvested by hand.

Quick change when I returned as, although, at breakfast-time, we had no one coming to dinner we are suddenly eleven for dinner. Mariam has arranged for me to go on a trek tomorrow morning to see one of the indigenous Toda villages, so, naturally, has invited the world expert on Toda’s to come to dinner. At such short notice, Tarun Chhabra came with his two guests (Indian but lived in New York) and there was also another charming man called Hari who Mariam thought I might enjoy meeting. She has the most incredible chef, Lawrence, who once again gave us the most delicious dinner with more of a Chinese slant this time, and still quite spicy! As indeed was the evening, with a lot of very lively debate.