All the Way to Pondicherry...and Back

We've been spending alot of time apart as a family at the moment so when Ian arrived back from his 3 week US stint we decided to get away for some family time.

The Dune resort near Pondicherry came very highly recommended so we trundled off down South again in the hope of some 'chill out' (Ha ha ha!) time. Unfortunately it was not to be.

The place was lovely, our 'Kerala House' which had been renovated and transported to Dune from Kerala was beautiful and full of character but the A/C was minimal and with temperatures soaring way above 40C and with very little shade to be found unless you were inside we began to melt.

It had a fantastic pool and beach but again, no shade. We arrived lunchtime on the Friday, the kids played and we all had a refreshing dip in the pool around 5ish. Fine so far. Luke was up and down and all over the place and then he discovered the pond in the garden...Well, that was that neither Ian or I were going to be able to sit still and relax ever again and short of tying the little tike up there was no way to contain him. More to the point I was beginning to get concerned at the speed he was going and how little he was drinking and was imagining heat stroke or drowning.

We had dinner, very nice...French (ish!), Luke finally fell asleep and we turned in for the night...only Ellie couldn't sleep, it must have been past midnight by the time she settled and guess which little person it was that has us ALL awake at 6am? I don't think I need to tell you.

We were all in the pool at just gone 7am, we had breakfast, we took the kids on bikes to visit the animals on the Dune Farm and all the while the temperature was rising and rising. At 10am Ian and I looked at each other, looked at a tired and melting Ellie, looked at Luke bombing around the pond with sweat soaked hair...and asked ourselves what exactly are we going to do until 5pm when it's comfortable enough to go back to the pool? Neither of us wanted to be the one to disappoint and suggest the inevitable but then a little voice piped up.

"It's too hot here, I want to go home".

Within minutes we were packed up and ready to go, we called Kumar to meet us in the car park and I think he was as relieved as we were..."Too much hot here Madam". Tell me about it!

We have never enjoyed an A/C car drive home as much as that one and as we had plenty of time we stopped off along the way and took in some of the sights.

By the way, if you are thinking of going Dune it is a lovely place...probably more comfortable in December/January/February!

Make a Smilebox slideshow