Travel – Life and Times of Piyu

Christmas break in a tree house in Devon at Otterfalls

on January 26, 2026January 26, 2026 By lifeandtimesofpiyu

Shel Silverstein knew what he was talking about when he wrote –

A treehouse, a freehouse,
A secret you and me house,
A high up in the leafy branches,
Cozy as can be house.

A street house, a neat house
Be sure and wipe your feet house
Is not my kind of house at all –
Let’s go live in a tree house.

Back when we lived in Singapore a few years ago, one of my absolute favourite walks was a treetop walk or just about anything where our feet was far off the ground. It didn’t matter much whether we were in a tree house because being up there, high up, where the world felt and sounded soft was enchanting. But those experiences have nourished the desire to live in a forest, ensconced in the leafy tree tops.

And we have inched closer to that dream of being closer to the sky and the tree top this Christmas when we spent a few days in east Devon in the beautiful Otterfalls. It is a house on stilts and the one we were lucky to be in was truly wrapped amidst trees and the kind of mystery that only wintery dusks and dawns when the world turns quiet and small in a silvery haze, bring. And if you were to go during Christmas, when the woodland is studded in fairy lights you are in wonderland.

As much as we are all forest children in the family, I have to say the experience of staying in a woodland went up a notch starting with the staff at the reception and housekeeping (we didn’t see them) who were absolutely lovely in their interactions but also followed it up with actions. When we arrived the tree house was immaculate, everything so thoughtfully done. It was spacious and cozy and the design, layout and fixtures made it extremely friendly.

One of our favourite feature/s was the window, all of them as they all brought the forest in and made sure we always remembered just how special a place and experience this was. It was so cold and also sometimes rainy when we went here but every corner of the treehouse was so toasty and the temperature so well controlled and maintained, it was these windows that reminded us we were here thick in the middle of winter!

Each child had their favourite parts of the house and K and I just shared them all.

For Ishoo, it was this bunk bed which also happened to be his first one! Many hours were spent perched up on top with us hopping on and off, refreshingly reminding us of what child-like fun is!

Mili spent all possible time out on the deck, overlooking the lake and the trees and the very many birds and squirrels that frequented in and around us. Not once did she bark, quietly taking it all in and perhaps realising what a world it must be to have birds constantly strutting around!

I started my mornings a bit earlier than the rest, soaking in the lull around me interjected with the pitter patter of raindrops or the call of the birds around. It was and felt magical.

There is so much to explore around the cabins and that is what we loved about the whole set-up. You could stay put and go no where but just around and experience the joy of being immersed in nature.

The ducks and geese were very much used to people and perhaps people with food for them (which we unfortunately did not have!) and then followed Ishoo just about everywhere. He was only too thrilled with the prospect of being so popular while Mili wondered why they played so hard to get with her!

The doggie play park is just another experience and highlight altogether. It was such a glorious, open and fenced spot for doggies. We love such inclusive holiday spots so much – where there is something for all and enough thought has been poured into it. It was after all a woodland and doggies will be absolutely fine but to have a dedicated space with activities and ramps for them just speaks oodles of the care that has gone in.

One of my favourite parts about a holiday is how I feel when I go to bed. It is such a small thing but I hold that moment so close and someday will articulate what about it makes it so special. We’d watch episodes of Bing Bang Theory, get incredibly busy with play-doh or poke boards and sleep with a smile knowing we could do it all again the next day.

An autumnal long weekend in Cotswolds: Lower Slaughter

on November 17, 2024November 17, 2024 By lifeandtimesofpiyu

I was looking for tiny quaint villages in the the north of Cotswolds, villages that are really small and not big market towns and definitely ones we had never visited until then. That is how I stumbled on Lower and Upper Slaughter, the twin villages about a couple of miles away from the more popular Bourton on the Water. And ofcourse, the fact that registered with me is how the word Slaughter came up – definitely nothing to do with slaughtering, it is derived from the old English word “slothre” that means “muddy place” which I can assure you along with every other article on the internet, it most certainly is not.

What it is though, is ethereal.

My research had told me of how scanty parking space is and all of my searches only threw up one road near the Manor House and said there are only a few spots available. And so we found ourselves there at 8 in the morning, with just one or two joggers who were residents, in sight. Bliss.

We parked by a stream that I later realised is the river Eye that runs through the village and was potentially the source of “muddy” banks. It really looks like a stream though it is a river. Walking along the river is one of the most memorable highlights of our entire trip.

I was in love with those beautiful stone foot bridges! You will find a couple as you walk along.

To watch the reflection in that pristine glass like water as we (read: I) tried to be as quiet as possible because I wanted to break into a song and announce to the world of how much beauty there is to be discovered all around us! I am sure the residents would not take too kindly to it, so I was on my best behaviour.

As you start walking further up along Copse Hill road which according to some of the sources has been voted the prettiest road in Britain, you cannot help falling in love with this beautiful village but also wonder how the residents must feel when it gets all busy with tourists. It is not easy being a resident in picturesque towns, is it?

I was really mesmerised by this style of stone houses – hundreds of homes across Cotswolds built in this distinctive style with Cotswold stone. This must have been so time consuming to build and yet stands tall and strong to this day!
I was trying to read more about how these stones are formed (makes for a fascinating read, especially so when you are procrastinating on something) and I stumbled on these words by J. B. Priestley who wrote of Cotswold stone that – “the truth is that it has no colour that can be described. Even when the sun is obscured and the light is cold, these walls are still faintly warm and luminous, as if they knew the trick of keeping the lost sunlight of centuries glimmering about them.”

As you walk along, you will reach the unmissable Old Mill with its trade mark red brick tower and the water wheel.

If you just turn around, you will walk into this charming little horse trailer that doubles as the delightful mobile coffee van and sells some delicious coffee and pastries. What warmed my heart was they have doggie treat and smoothies for the infants/toddlers all served with a smile by the thoughtful owner.

We kept walking further up and had the most peaceful town to savour that morning.

We were peckish and decided to turn back and try the beautiful Manorhouse for breakfast but unfortunately it was only open to residents so we just had a quick look around and decided to head to Bourton on the Water for some breakfast and explore the market centre. All of that in my next one!

An autumnal long weekend in Cotswolds I: A photo essay of our home away

on October 29, 2024October 29, 2024 By lifeandtimesofpiyu

When we decided to go away for a surprise weekend away with the littles in Cotswolds, I knew we wanted to stay in a home. It is my preferred way of holidaying these days, especially after Mili and Ishaan have come into our lives. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a good buffet breakfast and a midnight room service and not having to do the dishes. But I more love the prospect of being in a place that someone made a home of, the idea of cooking in a new kitchen and whipping utterly simple meals with local produce, the thought of waking up to someone else’ garden views, the joy of sometimes making friends with a new temporary neighbour and the absolutely divine feeling of having figured how the places come together on your last day of the trip when roads to your home away from home, start to feel familiar. But most importantly, I love how someone else thinks of what a home should be like for a stranger who has chosen to stay at theirs and pour their thoughtfulness into it, in the small corners that bring the living room together, in the fireplace that smells of yours, in the kitchen that overlooks the road where the horses clippety clop away at about 7:30 in the morning as you brew your coffee, in the extremely well positioned baskets with blankets that always seem to be within your arms’ reach and the open spaces that let your crowded mind relax.

We stayed at the beautiful Daylesford cottage in Barton on Heath, very close to Moreton on Marsh, a part of north Cotswolds we had never been to. Here is what greeted us on arrival.