Getaway for the long weekend

Weekends make me happy. What makes me happier is a long weekend! A three-day vacay is just right to rest, recharge and renew myself for the rest of the year. No parties, sightseeing or shopping trips, what I want is quietude. I’ll find all that and more at Bob’s Place, a quaint little cottage resort set in the midst of a fruit orchard in the heart of Kumaon.

Getting to Nathuakhan is a visual feast. Verdant valleys and mountainous forests, a melange of gold-y greens and browns. About 325 km from Delhi, the drive can take you up to eight hours. But once there, every bumpy bit on the road is worth it.

This isn’t the usual touristy place, it’s like a warm homestay, named after a former Kumaoni caretaker, who went by the improbable name of Bob! The main stone and wood cottage is enchanting — plush sofas and book-lined shelves, a huge fireplace, beautiful lamps and curios, even a television.

Me, I’m going to say tata to the telly.

Instead, I’m going to laze in my warm and toasty bed (there are bukharis in every room), catch up on some reading if I feel like it, maybe get started on that story I keep threatening to write. I may step out if I’m feeling more adventurous, to a lovely old temple just a short walk away. And stop off at a beautiful green nook made perfect by the stream that gurgles past.

If the temperature plunges and I choose to stay in, the staff does a wonderful selection of pakoras (onion, alu, gobhi, mirchi) with steaming cups of chai. The meals are simple, home-style (spicy chicken curry, bean salad, dal), and taste divine in the sharp mountain air.

Last year, I did a solo rejuve trip. This year, my BFF has signed on.

I’m so looking forward to it!

Bob’s Place, Nathuakhan, District Nainital, Uttarakhand, Phone: 05942-285510, Email: holidays@welcomheritagehotels.com. Tariff: Starts Rs 2,200 for a single room and up to Rs 7,700 for a cottage