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Episode 1: Swaswara Retreat

Episode 1

Location: Swaswara Retreat, Gokarna, Karnataka

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Swaswara hides in the lush, undeveloped west coast of India just south of Goa. Its spacious cottages have bedroom, writing area, internal courtyard, open-air shower, plenty of storage, and a back door leading through woods to the Arabian Sea. Ecology is taken seriously - water harvesting and recycling, home-grown rice.

Guests are encouraged to do exactly as they please, guilt-free - from sunrise yoga to following trails to hidden beaches, from lounging by the pool to consulting the Ayurvedic doctors for a more structured stay. Helping cook lunch is a must-do!

Swaswara buzzwords: peaceful, approving, informal, non-groupy

Breaking news: During the Covid 19 pandemic, Swaswara's Ayurvedic doctors recommend making these small lifestyle additions

Ideas for unpacking your kind of slow-down wellness at Swaswara

Let the cow set the pace for a beach walk as the sun lowers.  I did this barefoot on my arrival.  Locals run a beach shack serving chai and fresh pakoras.

Make a clay pot, paint a picture, read or just daydream shaded by the ancient banyan tree that forms its own grove. Swaswara has its own art teachers.

Private cottage living: a front door leads to sleeping, living, writing and open-air shower areas, a back door to paths through ancient woods to the beach.

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Eat home-grown organic rice as part of the Ayurvedic doctors' comprehensive advice on wellbeing including a special diet for long-stay guests.  Or just enjoy the daily set menu.  Everything is fresh, local, and delicious!
Most mornings you can watch the chefs at work - and join in to cook the local fish recipe for your lunch.  Love those brass cooking pots!
Take a 30-minute walk up the coast to time-warp Gokarna.  Locals sell flowers to pilgrims who visit the temples and perform rituals for their ancestors.  Tiny shops sell colourful beads, Brahmins' cotton threads, and more.

Episode 2 visits the Lower Himalayas outside Rishikesh

For a preview, follow me on Instagram @louisenicholson999

My 2020-2021 Small-group Tours will be suffused in wellness - it's what we need!

If you have not traveled with me before.....

please know that we experience great sights in the best possible way, with lots of add-on encounters and visits to off-beat places. We meet conservationists, curators, craftsmen and musicians, we walk with naturalists, we cook with local chefs.

In sum, we imbibe the essence of each area thanks to my four decades of studying and visiting India - and making great friends who I share with you.

I also create tailor-made trips to all corners of India, for all budgets, for all interests and special needs, for families and parties of friends, for business groups and for honeymoon couples - India is ideal for everyone!

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Episode 2: Taj Rishikesh
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