A series of trips- Munnar

Munnar - breathtakingly beautiful - a haven of peace and tranquility - the idyllic tourist destination in God's own country. Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, Kerala, Munnar was the favored summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. Unending expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains- exotic species of flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests - aroma of spice scented cool air - yes! The word beautiful is an understatement..

We left Bangalore on friday night and took pit stops along the way to complete our 500-odd km journey one way. We stopped for breakfast in Tamil Nadu. Pongal and coffee was good. We were given a government guest house by the local tourist offices. The view from the cottage which was set on top of the hill over-looking Munnar city was simply fabulous. We checked in at 2 after lunch which consisted of Kerala style Mutton biryani. After picking up cold sodas and snacks we headed to the cottage. There was no Air Con or fan in any of the rooms but the breeze was terrific. The sun was shining and the winds were cold. All I wanted to do was sit, relax and inhale nature. We all felt so high on nature. Intoxicated by the beauty of the place. It was so simple. Just sit and take in the calm, the peace. The evening was even more brilliant. A bonfire was burning in the clearing and we were sipping cold Red Bull and munching homemade chocolates. Lying down under the warm blanket looking up at the full moon it was probably one of the best moments I had wit myself in a long time. It was so romantic to the core. I was high on life. Slow tracks playing from our laptops set up the whole thing for a riot of the peaceful kinds. The last time I probably got this feeling was at Niagara Falls, Buffalo, NY couple of years back. That night I had a very peaceful sleep in ages. My bedroom wall was complete glass overlooking the valley. It was breathtaking especially in the night..

Sunrise was beautiful as anything else till now in that enchanting place. The sun creeping up from the moor lands all orange and hot. But the cold breeze was on as ever. We in the highlands around in pursuit of elephants and snakes. We wanted to see the former more than the latter ones. We eventually saw the big animal on one of the rides up the valley. Sunday, we reached a dam where the water was crease less. Horse-riding and boating ruled the place. Everyone around was honeymooning or trying to escape heat from their respective places. My agenda was none. I was in pursuit of happiness, peace and some serenity..

We entered Top Station which is 41 kms away from Munnar city and offers the best panoramic view of the whole area. The whole hilly region lies between the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It was like standing and watching the Swiss Alps.. Only the snow-caps were missing. A few deep ravines and trenches across the hillside gave a spectacular view. We negotiated hundreds of steps to the lookout point and the climb back was too much of an exercise. But the landscape was amazing to say the least. I felt I attained Nirvana! Lunch was local fish and Appam. Makes you want to go back again. And again.

We ran in to a few monkeys at the check post. One small one in particular stole one of the bags of food and run off. So much for animal hospitality. We drove on wiser now. Many wildlife parks exist in the area. The whole region is heavily monitored to prevent any mishaps or forest fires. Littering is a strict no and smoking is banned as well. But then this is India end of the day and as long as you don't get caught it's okay. Everyone bends the rules. Birds are very diverse. From Sparrows, Hummingbirds etc to Crows they all exist. I'm bad at birds so can't name many. After Top Station we descended back towards Munnar where we picked up more pics and some snacks for our last leg of the journey to Bangalore. It was a sleepy ride back with dreams proclaiming, Life is Beautiful.. Until we go tripping again, Cheers!