Our house in Varkala
March 27, 2010
Topics: India
We arrived to Varkala (Kerala, South India) mid of November’09, and it took us 10 days to find the house we like. The 3-room house had a few cupboards and we were promised a fridge, a gas stove, 2 tables, few chairs and 3 beds (1 in each room). There were no kitchen utensils. We could not move in before they supplied the promised furniture. At the end, it took us 6 more days before we could move-in, and as of this day we are still waiting for the 2nd table (and we will not see it, that’s for sure).
Location
Our house is located in one of Varkala’s suburbs called Vachar Mukku. It is about 2km (25 min walk) to the touristic area and the beach, and the same distance to Varkala town center. In front of our house there is what locals call Vachar Mukku welding workshop, which is a perfect reference point for rickshaws/taxis and parcel couriers. “Welding workshop” means that they do lots of work with metal. That includes – daily hammering, cutting, and polishing, thus making sometimes lots of noise. It took us 1-2 weeks to get used to it, and now it sounds more like a part of India 🙂 There are 2 or 3 small shops in our street, but we prefer to go shopping in Varkala town or in the fish & vegetable market and their surrounding stores, which are only 15 min walk from our place.
Electricity and Water
Electricity here is paid every 2 months. The last bill showed the consumption of 200 kWh and we paid 385 Rs (€6.40). However, the electricity guy, who brought the bill, saw us – foreigners – living in the house. So, there is a chance, that next time the bill will be adjusted to the “foreigners’ rate”, which is 4-5 higher (not fair!).
There is no governmental water supply in our house. The electric pump (we switch it manually every 1.5 days) gets it from the well in the garden to the huge tank on the roof. In some nearby areas well-water is drinkable. However, we noticed that the water tank on the roof gets covered with tiny brown dust inside, whatever it is. So we prefer not to drink this water, but we use it for cooking, washing veggies and brushing teeth. Drinkable water we buy in 20 liter bottles (50 Rs – €0.85), which is delivered once per week right to the door. We need 2 of such bottles each week.
Expenses at a glance
- 35000 Rs (€500) – rent for 5 months (paid at once) – the currency rate shown is at the time we paid for it, now it is more € euros.
- 600 Rs (€9) – gas bottle 30 kg (gross) – we will need 2 of them during 5 months.
- 3400 Rs (€49) – moving-in cost: houshold items, kitchen utensils, bed sheets, pilow covers, curtains, etc.
- 5900 Rs (€85) – Internet (Asianet Homenet 880, 384 Kbps) for 5 months + cable modem
Interior
Our house has a big hall, a big kitchen, three rooms (two for us and 1 for guests), two toilets+shower, a backyard and a compost hole, which we have started upon arrival.
Other photos of all our house inside and outside you can find in this photo gallery:
http://followtheroad.com/en/pictures/india-2009-2010/our-house-in-varkala/
We will leave this house in the first days of May 2010.
We love our HOME in India sooo much 😉
Our Recommendation
If you are looking for a house to rent or a place to stay in Varkala, we can recommend our good friends Faith and Saji. Saji is a native local and Faith lives in Varkala for many years. For contacts and more information please visit their website: http://skylarkguesthouse.hotels.officelive.com
I would like get a rental house for 1 year.Please inform me if you have 2or 3 bedrooms.
Hi! We are looking to rent a place from 14 th nov- 15 january in varkala. We are family of 5, 3 children. Any reccomendations are very welcome. Thank you in advance!
Hello! We already arranged the rent, but our friends would like to come along also, so please send photos to julia-philippova@yandex.ru
Hi
I had sent the details in your personal mail
Thanks
Hi
Still i dint get any reply from you if you want the house pls let me know
Nisha
Dear sirs,
We are looking for a house to rent in Varkala for 15 days in February. We are 2 nice families with 3 children all together:)
Your help will be much appreciated!!
Julia, please check our good friends on this website: http://skylarkguesthouse.hotels.officelive.com – they will certainly help you.
Hi
I have house in varkala.It is a 3 BHk house.2 portion are there Grond + first
ground floor rent is 12000 per month and first floor is 14000 permonth.Send me ur mail id so that i can send u the photos
Hi,
We are a family from french (with 2 children) and would like to rent an house in varkala (october 2011 to march 2012). My indian husband is already in Varkala and would like to visit your house. Can we organize a meeting please?
Best regards
ANSU MARQUES
We have a house available in Varkala for rent, you can email me for details or call me on 0091 9946 069770
Hola,
Mi amiga esta en Varkala ahora buscando una casa por un aquiler larga-anos. Si sabe algo que puede ayudar la sera muy agrecida. Gracias. Nos espero. Mari
Hi,
I’m heading towards Varkala very soon, and I came across your site looking for the possibility to rent a house there for six months.
Your house there looks very appealing to me 🙂
Do you still have the contact of the people who rented it to you by any chance?
I can help u find a suitable place as per your requirements for a nominal service charge.
If interested, mail me @ promise.madhu@gmail.com
or my contact number is +91-8547383039
looks so peaceful! i wish we could be there now sharing a coconut 🙂
Hola Katja,
Ya veo que estais muy bien por allí, por que os vais a marchar? que planes teneis? cual es vuestro siguiente destino?
Espero que estés muy bien aunque por lo que veo, es así…muchos besos a los 2 y a ver si vienes pronto por España…Pilar
Pilar 😉 Cuando sabemos nuestro siguiente destino, vas a saberlo rapido. Hasta alla – paciencia cariña ;D Y si, estamos muy bien aqui en la India, disfrutamos cada momentito igual de las temperaturas altas ;))