This is the best trip I ever had so far. It is amazing when
you get a very good travelling partner who thinks like and acts like you. Yeah
I am talking about my best friend Neeraja. Even though is is elder to me by 3
years I call her by her name. Neeraja currently works in Peerimedu in Idukki.
She has called me many times to visit her there, unfortunately we didn’t have time, so we postponed many journey and plan. Finally from March 28th
to 31st it was holiday since it was good Friday and Easter. So let
me talk about the trip….
On 28th March I went to kottayam via train. I had
to select a train which would stop at Kayamkulam also since Neeraja would get
in from there. We then went to Peerimedu via bus. It is altogether 5 hours
journey. I stayed with Neeraja in her realtives place. That night we had
‘Kappa” and chicken curry. It was so tasty. Thanks to her aunty for preparing
such a spectacular dish for me. At night I played badminton with Kichu (
neeraja’s cousin). He is a great player like me… night time it is cold there,
same way early morning too. But not that much cold, still cold enough to use a
blanket while you sleep. I decide I wouldn’t be taking bath early morning,
water is so cold there. Cold enough to give Goosebumps.
Next day morning Kichu
showed me tea garden behind their house. This was something new for me.. to have a tea
garden in your backyard.. kind off cool thing… but it was not as green as I
expected. Moreover it has been planted recently and still at initial stages of
growth. But that morning walk was so good and hot that it made me to take bath.
Neeraja said we would be going by “Hero Honda pleasure”, her
another aunty’s scooter. I gladly said ok. When we got the scooter, to my senses
I understood that the self starter won’t work. The next option was to kick
start. Uncle started kicking, no result. Neeraja started kicking, no result.
Finally she asked my help. I started kicking, it won’t work. I became
desperate. That scooter was our only vehicle for adventures and that damn thing
won’t work. Then I decided I would keep kicking till it starts or it
breaks. Brrr brrrr brrrrr
Wow the ‘Pleasure’ started. I was so proud to be a great
kicker… Bravo !
She started riding and I started exploring the wild hills,
tea garden and all. The journey in it with her was one thing which made our
trip memorable.
She said she would be taking me to Wagamon, a place where
green plain hills are there. It is almost 1.5 hours journey. Her another cousin
Akash joined us with his friend Muffin. They were our bodyguards… after all the
family wouldn’t leave 2 girls to travel so far alone. Akash with his heavy
super bike was guiding us.
Finally we reached there. Akash’s dad is renowned
businessmen. He was also a popular kid there because of the same reason. We
went from one hill to another. It is a tourist spot, there is lot of rush in
morning afternoon and evening. Don’t go there at night, because local people
may be having drinks and drugs there. It is a place for couples to walk, talk
and get lost.
We started to walk from one hill to another. When we reached
other hill the old one became more green and beautiful, when we returned the
other one became greener. Finally we understood that hills are playing with us.
We had carried one umbrella with us; it helped us to save our skin from
scorching sun. Even though there was wind, it was not good enough to keep us
cool. After spending 30 minutes there we went to another hill which was a
bigger one.
We then went to Pine forest which is 15 minutes away from
there. It is again another tourist spot but the local dudes were shouting and
holing, we were fed up with them. They were like monkeys in the tree. I wanted
some silence, peace and I wanted to get dissolved in nature. But these monkeys
wouldn’t let me, then there were children who imitated them. I loved the place
but was disappointed with people.
FOR PUBLIC NOTICE: IF
YOU LIKE TO SHOUT, HOWL AND DO SIMILAR THINGS, PLEASE GO TO PUB OR SUCH PLACE.
DON’T DESTROY THE PEACE OF NATURE, PLEASE.
We said bye to Akash and his friend.
Again in the ‘pleasure ride’… On the way back to home..
Our next destination happened to be PATTUMALLA PALLI since
it was in the route of our way back to home. It is a big church but it was
closed by the time we reached there. I got info that Italian marbles were
imported to build the same. I would say it is worth because the church was such
a beauty. Tea gardens were surrounding it. These tea gardens were green and
green. Simply beautiful. We spend some time there enjoying the beautiful tea
garden, then we came back. That was truly beautiful…
Next day we planned to go to Thekkady which is about 30
minutes away from home. Neeraja, Chikku and his mom and I went there in a
prepaid auto. Thekkady is one of the most favorite destinations for tourists
and all grocery items, food etc are priced accordingly for the tourists. Ten
minute walk inside the forest to reach the Lake. If you want boat ride you
should have booked it earlier. Boat journey will last for 3-4 hours. Aunty told
that Lake has dried up a little more and hence boat journey would be a waste. So
we just viewed the outside and came back.
Aunty had plans to buy plants and flowers for her garden, so
we visited few nurseries for the same. There a number of nursery’s there and
huge collection of wide varieties of flora.. Soon we came back and had lunch
from home.
Our next destination was PARUNTHANPARA which was almost one
hour from home. Only domestic tourists go there because foreign tourists might
have less idea for the same. Anyhow this time I was riding the scooter and
because of my careful driving we reached there, little late. Akash had already
reached there and he was ‘admiring’ the speed of my ride. Parunthanpara has
very good mountain scenery and there is spot called ‘Tagore head’. It got the
name because it resembles the head of tagore with similar face and beard. And the
interesting thing is that we can go to spot and sit there. ( we can stand, sit
and enjoy the view of mountains over ‘Tagores head’). We spend sometime there
and went to AMMACHI KOTTARAM. Since it was late and there were local drunkers
there we couldn’t go there. We stayed in Neeraja’s grandmom’s house.
So far I had a nice time and it was time for me to go next
day. Next day morning we went to Akash’s house, his mom made us good breakfast
and we talked a lot and said bye to them. I took bus and went to Kottayam,
Since we missed the train, I took another bus to Trivandrum.
Back to Trivandrum…
The days were awesome, really felt happy and good. Thank you
my dear friend Neeraja and family for giving me beautiful memories… I will miss
you all !
