Masala Trails…Spicy side trips off the road less eaten

  

Culinary enthusiasts now have the unique opportunity to take one-of-a-kind, cuisine themed trips through India! Beacon Holidays, the travel company synonymous with niche travel, and Celebrity Gastronome Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal today announced the launch of their luxury culinary food tours of India – a country in which the cuisine changes with every fifty kilometers!




The tours feature a smorgasbord of boutique culinary experiences of India, a country where food takes a priority; and yet the explorations of its most delicious and undiscovered culinary secrets are overdue



Called Masala Trails, these tours aim to take the food traveller off the ‘eaten’ track into lesser-known regions of India, showcasing local cuisines through the street food, home kitchens and fine dining experiences. On the menu are dozens of carefully selected experiences designed to bring out the full flavour of India.



The Masala Trail will wind itself through some of the most vibrant culinary cities such as like Kolkata, Hyderabad, Cochin, Goa, Mumbai, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.



The tour will feature culinary experiences that will span the gastronomical spectrum – from market tours and street food to private kitchen experiences and demonstrations with



expert cooks and chefs. Our clients will interact with and learn from, local food artisans, and experience a very different side of India through intimate contact with local regional cuisines, food customs and traditions.



“At Beacon travel is a passion and this is a legacy that we as Heena Munshaw’s daughters have inherited; putting all the elements together to create a perfect holiday, discovering the unique experiences that will really transform that holiday from a mere tour to a memory, these characteristics are in our blood. Having grown up in India, selling Indian holiday experiences to the world is a personal project for me and with a Foodie in the family, this culinary tour was a given!



The Masala Trails product enables us to take the next step into experiential travel, offering access and encounters only the right pairing of travel and food knowledge can provide with the quality and consistency consumers can expect from one of the travel world’s most trusted brands. It’s taken us a year to ‘cook’ it up travelling all over India, trying out all sorts of things but finally we are ready to dish it up and I can’t wait!” says Himanshi Munshaw – Luhar, Director, Beacon Holidays (Australia).

“Indian cuisine or spices, it is hard to say which is the more abused! Both have been eulogised and exoticised to such an extent that their reputation precedes them, inspiring – at the very least – a reluctance to try them and – in extreme cases – ABJECT FEAR!” Says Celebrity Gastronome Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, the other half of the sister duo behind Masala Trails. “And much of what is best of India’s vast and incredibly diverse cuisine is hidden from the visitor’s eyes in home kitchens and street corners across the country. Masala Trails has been simmering for a long time; it just needed the right ingredients to become a perfect offering. Through it, I hope to realise a lifelong dream of showcasing the rich culinary heritage of my country”

Visit us at http://www.beaconholidays.com.au/masalatrails/masalatrails.php

Kerala – Gods Own County

Where do I start, I landed in (Kochi) Cochin, and Fort Cochin is a pleasure to walk around. The Chinese fishing nets, smiling coconut men at their stalls, and the backdrop of water and greenery – Kerala is definitely a unique part of India.

Stay at the charming heritage hotels of Brunton Boatyard – as the name suggests it used to be a boatyard and they have preserved a lot of their Portuguese and British influence or try Malabar House, and if you’re after something a little more personal the Old Lighthouse Bristow Hotel is the perfect option.

The drive from Cochin to Thekkady is on a bit of a windy road, but when you get there the plantation hotels make it all worth it. Stay at the Spice Garden, appointment amidst a mangos, nutmeg and cardamom its natural environment and friendly staff with a restaurant serving high quality Italian food amongst other cuisines is special place.

The other property that really comes to mind is the Spice Village, run by the CGH group you can’t really go wrong. Make sure you take a walk around the property with their naturalist and eat at their 50 mile restaurant – All the ingredients are from within a 50 mile radius.

By Far my best ever experience was the Houseboats. Once I boarded it was like time stood still….and I was instantly relaxed. Cruising around the lake and being waited on for evening tea took all my troubles away. The beast meal I ever ate in Kerala was on this houseboat. Cooked in the traditional fashion, it was simple food, healthy food and food I was literally liking off my fingers. If you have a choice, choose the traditional houseboats. The experience of sitting outside is much better than sitting behind a window. You cruise till sunset and then docked by the edge of the lake sleep comfortably in an air-conditioned cabin.

Of course being in Kerala one has to have an Ayurveda treatment, this is after all the capital of Ayurveda. Though after the houseboat you might not need it. Ayurveda is a gentler form of massage so remember to let them know if you would like a bit more pressure. Relaxed, rejuvenated and I was ready to go again….

Kerala truly is Gods Own Country.

Queenstown Part 2 – What to do there!

One of the most exciting things to do in Queenstown is to visit the Remarkable rocks. There are a number of ways to do this. You can take a scenic flight over the area and land on the snow…big thumbs up for this one… or your can drive up there , take a coach up there , or do what I did and take a Nomad Safari.




Nomad Safaris have custom build vehicles that they use for their various tours and one of them is the Lord of the Rings tour. Now if your not a Lord of the Rings fan don’t worry it’s only part of the experience. The tour starts by driving you to various parts of Queenstown from Coronets peak to the Remarkable rocks, and along the way your charming guide will stop and show you the various places where some of the scenes of the movie were shot, it must have been hard job for the location coordinator to settle on the locations because it’s all beautiful.


The best part of my tour was the stop half way up the Remarkable rocks where I got to play in freshly fallen snow. To some of you that might not be a big deal, but for me this was almost my first experience. It’s soft and pure white and so easy to make snow balls out of, and of course throw at each other! From here we went to Arrowtown to drive through a river – which by the way is a public road, my recommendation get a 4WD and go nuts!

And here are another few things to try, for some more amazing views of the city take a ride up the Gondola, once you get there have a go on the Luge – race down and slopes for a bit of a thrill. If that’s not your thing, here’s what perked me up.



It’s called the ZIPTREK. Flying fox is just the funnest experience, but do it with these guys and in this backdrop, they have the perfect recipe. It runs every day rain or shine, it’s incredible, and currently there are 4 ziplines at various heights. Some of the best views and a very cool way to see them… and while you’re at it, try a few stunts…perhaps do and upside down star. ZIIPPPPPPPPPPPEEE!

Queenstown, New Zealand Part -1

Wonderful Queenstown

So I’ve just returned from my very first trip to Queenstown and let me just tell you, every picture you’ve seen of that fantastic view is really what it is. It’s not Photoshop and it’s not edited. Most places die down in the winter, but Queenstown is just waking up. A few days away from the snow season and the locals are practically up the mountain, and boy are they REMARKABLE.


There are 2 major ski areas in Queenstown Coronet peak and the Remarkables. In my understanding they offer equally exciting ski runs for beginners and experts alike, since they have such a varied terrain.

But let me tell you about my experience of Queenstown…..the most amazing flight in, and I’m not talking about a scenic flight, I’m talking about the regular Air New Zealand flight into the city. When you’re landing the flight crew says “Please remember that you are not permitted to take photographs or use your mobile phone till you are inside the terminal”. This is the hardest thing to do… I guarantee that when you get your first look at Queenstown you will fall in love with it….the beautiful back drop of the Remarkables that just roll on with the beautiful white peaks, the cold breeze that hits you in the face and wakes you up and if your lucky enough to get the clear blue sky – you’re a gonner!

I spent the rest of the day exploring what the city had to offer, a delicious lunch by an open fire and an exceptional glass of pinot noir at Amisfield Winery, followed by a thrilling jet boat ride over the Shotover river, a quick scenic flight over the area and finished up with a steam cruise (TSS Earnslaw) in a boat as old as the Titanic across to Walter peak for a hot soup and varied selection of salads and food. All in all a perfect day in Queenstown.

East African Encounters… Tell us about yours….

So like most travellers to Kenya , our family also decided to go to the Masai Mara. If you haven’t been there you should definitely put it on your wish list.




It’s endless planes of beautiful land and the most amazing sunsets…. The perfect picture , the single Acacia tree in the orange backdrop of the sunset or sunrise…


The safari is the most exciting thing… We wake up before sunrise to go out…because it’s cooler at this time you are likely to see more animal about. We started the drive with the Zebras…..I’m not talking about 1, or 2 or 3, I’m talking about over a 100! Safaris as they are in East Africa are no where else….They are just blessed with numbers here… driving around for a few more minutes and there we see giraffes and buffalo, a little more into the drive and we encounter the Elephants…. The most adorable creatures are their little ones…. struggling to stand ever so playful learning to use their trunks and all the while being protected by their family.



But something that will definitely get you to stop and stare are the Kings of the Jungle! They sit there looking glorious, the lionesses surrounding the lion and his big main. They were 6 that we saw together. Our 1st time and 6! i can’t begin to tell you about our excitement. Sitting around a bush and doing their thing. They must have fed recently , because they didn’t look like they wanted to move anytime soon. We just sat there and enjoyed watching them for a while…

These are moment you can’t capture on a camera so don’t even try (unless of course you have a fabulous one with a big zoom)

Beacon Holidays India Brochure

Our India Brochure for 2010 is now released.... Let me tell you a little about the behind the scenes.




The Brochure is like a coffee table book. Unlike most travel brochures, it is not full of itineraries and prices. It's meant only to give you information and a feel for the destination.



Written by the famous Travel writers Jeroo and Gustasp Irani and images by Gustasp Irani it is turely a master piece. Also find among it's pages inspirations for culinary journey's with Food Writer Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal.



Order your copy and get a fantastic discount on your holiday.

Our Holiday to India

Dear Himanshi,



Thank you so much for organising such a wonderful trip for us. The planning, booking and travelling was made so smooth and easy by all your hard work. We enjoyed all of the cities we visited and we deeply appreciated your suggestions for areas we did not know.


The 4 star hotels around India really allowed us to explore different styles as each hotel really represented the city in which it was located. We loved Jaipur and Goa. The different lifestyles of each city and state really helped bring India alive for us.

The mini food tour in Mumbai was also a great. It was a real chance to understand the food and the people. Rushi is so passionate about Indian regional food that it really is something unique and special.

Most of all we just want to thank you. From the moment we started talking about the trip to when we finally arrived back in Melbourne, you made everything as smooth and easy for us as possible. The India team were very professional, and the service was good in every city and every location. The personal guides and drivers allowed us to really get to know the Indian people and the local cultures in more depth.


With deepest regards and affection


Marion


Dr Marion Steel


Course Coordinator / Lecturer