The Olives homestay is located in the heart of Wayanad... just a stone's throw from the main Kalpetta town. When you get to Biju and Raji's home you will not believe that you are just 1 km or so from the town.... so silent!
Biju, like any good son-of-the-soil did his stint in 'the Gulf' and "came to India for a holiday and never went back. Just felt I had had enough of that life... wanted to be home!" he says.
Raji is a great cook and can dish out veg and non-veg dishes with equal mastery. The only thing that hindered the meal experience was that she and Biju did not join us at the dining table and insisted they would "serve now and eat later". This meant we had to eat in a hurry to keep pace with their overpowering hospitality... something that brought back memories from childhood of grandmothers and aunts 'feeding us’ during summer holidays.
That night we sat in the balcony and watched the moon rise... full moon at that. The next morning Biju suggested a trip to Edakkal caves. Biju gave us precise driving directions to the caves from his place. But what he did not tell us was that there was going to be a very, very, very, steep climb!
That night Biju suggested we go for a "night drive to try and see some elephants". So after dinner we all left... Biju, Raji and the kids, all comfortably seated in the Xylo and off looking for adventure. We spotted a lone tusker, lots of deer, wild
boar and what not!
The next day we moved on to Goa.