After sampling Indian village life I made my way back on the bus to Kottyam and the Hotel Aida and as bunches of bananas flashed by and then an Empire bakery my stomach began to rumble and the manic munchies had really set in by the time I was back and so went directly to the hotel restaurant to be confronted by a line of about 15 waiters armed with a sensational menu, unsure where to begin.
Finally, as a starter, I had a strawberry milkshake, a naan bread, salt and pepper mushrooms and prawn satay, all unbelievably delicious. Then I went up to the best room of the trip - the kind you want to take round with you - and had another bifta, then a shower and a rest. Incidentally, Indian hotels can be surprisingly smoker friendly; something to do with Hindu tolerance.
A few hours later I was back in the restaurant for round two and ordered crackling spinach, strawberry milkshake, chicken satay, onion bhajis, a cup of ginger tea, dawab fish, topped off with fruit salad and ice cream at which point I realised I'd forgotten all about the poppadoms and so ordered four of them along with a lime and soda.
Some sort of karaoke struck up from a small stage and various people got up to bang out the hits with families clapping along, enjoying the music and the grub while hyper-active, well-off kids began to scream and dart around the tables and into some sort of kids play area as I slurped on a lemon and ginger tea.
All in all a great day out and off I went to hit the hay and sleep like a baby.
Finally, as a starter, I had a strawberry milkshake, a naan bread, salt and pepper mushrooms and prawn satay, all unbelievably delicious. Then I went up to the best room of the trip - the kind you want to take round with you - and had another bifta, then a shower and a rest. Incidentally, Indian hotels can be surprisingly smoker friendly; something to do with Hindu tolerance.
A few hours later I was back in the restaurant for round two and ordered crackling spinach, strawberry milkshake, chicken satay, onion bhajis, a cup of ginger tea, dawab fish, topped off with fruit salad and ice cream at which point I realised I'd forgotten all about the poppadoms and so ordered four of them along with a lime and soda.
Some sort of karaoke struck up from a small stage and various people got up to bang out the hits with families clapping along, enjoying the music and the grub while hyper-active, well-off kids began to scream and dart around the tables and into some sort of kids play area as I slurped on a lemon and ginger tea.
All in all a great day out and off I went to hit the hay and sleep like a baby.