8-10 Jan 2010
Yercaud was the 2010 new year treat given by Karthik's employer for all employees (+ spouse + children). Inspite of 2 travel intensive weekends, we were all excited about the 3rd one. The big question mark was the crowd that would accompany us but the comfort factor was Karthik's friends with whom we will anyways hang out.
The train journey started quite formally with the organizers distributing one bottle of water and softdrink tetrapack before everyone snoozed off. The question mark became a pleasant surprise as the crowd (about 100 people) let their hair loose for the reminder of the trip making it a memorable and jolly weekend. Sizeable credit should be given to Vaibhav and his team from Maks tour opertors for injecting energy and enthusiasm to people across ages.
8th Jan
Mini buses picked us up from Salem junction in the early hours of Friday. The late night journey effects continued and I was asleep until we reached Sterling Resorts. The resort was located just next to a viewpoint (Ladies seat) and inherited a lovely view on all sides. However contrary to our expectations, the facilities / room turned out to be ordinary. The resort was full with few other groups too occupying it for the weekend and hence about 20 of us were placed at lesser known Ajith guesthouse - less than a km away from the resort. Ours was a 2 bedroom, 1 hall arrangement - Me, Karthik, Mukul and Garima shared the space. The quartet was soon to become the infamous 4 for being late always and having maximum fun.
Our first spot, Pagoda viewpoint, was good to look around, click pictures and laze about. Before we left for the next place, we ensured that our bus was filled with young couples and bachelors adding to the entertainment quotient. Our next destination was Botanical Gardens which unlike the rose gardens in Ooty, was primarily an interest for Botany lovers. We were welcomed by some interesting plants which were named - "Kiss me not", "Hug me not", "Touch me not", "Forget me not". They were all thorny plants warning the visitors. The garden was vast and full of variety. The most captivating species was the Pitcher plant, an insectivorous variety which traps and dissolves the insects which land on its cavity.
We moved on to the ancient Shervaroyan cave temple - the guide informed us that the cave which starts here stretches all the way to Coorg in Karnataka. None of us were inclined to test it but the temple in itself was nicely poised inside a dark cave. A huge playground and plenty of time initiated a surprise cricket tussle between the employees. While the players enjoyed being a part of the match, they also provided ample entertainment for the onlookers to rejoice. After a nice workout, we had a relaxed noon playing cards and enjoying a cozy nap.
Superb DJ, good lighting, inviting dancefloor, decent food, perky games and an enthusiastic crowd rocked the evening. We were sweating it out even in the cold weather and totally loving it.
9th Jan
The itinerary mentioned that we would be given a wake up call at 6.30 am. Thankfully sense prevailed and we were asked to assemble for the trek at about 8.30 am. We started our trek down the hill to Killiyur falls. The overall stretch was about a km with about 0.5 km of steep climbdown. An hour later, we happily landed in the foothills to enjoy the waterfalls and munch on our breakfast. Post the trek, we moved on to some boating at the lake. As our ill luck would have it, rain gods started showering cutting short the boating expedition but we had some amazing bajji, masala appalam and snacks out there. After a relaxed afternoon, a round of table tennis and carrom set the mood right for moving and shaking on the dance floor later on. Mukul & Garima were judged the Best Dancing couple for setting the stage on fire. Hours later, we were still awake playing cards and chatting until our eyes begged of us.
10th Jan
We were leaving post lunch and the morning was left to us. Post breakfast we went on a long stroll - first to Ladies Seat viewpoint and then to State Horticulture farm to visit the Rose Garden. The garden deceived us as there were no roses but the layout was beautiful and worth a visit. Pepper was growing in abundance in the region, so it was but natural for us to purchase some spices and eucalyptus oil bottles for our near and dear.
Few tips & tricks:
1. Sterling Resorts - average facilities and food. Walking up and down the vast expanse in the resort is a fun exercise. Sports room is decently equipped and provide entertainment in the evenings. However, the place shuts by 8.
2. Yercaud is best in Dec-Jan. Day temperature hovers around 22 degrees and drops to about 12 degrees in the night. Summers would be quite warm as the hillstation is about 1500 meters above sea level.
3. The place is ideal for Bangalore and Chennai dwellers as its just few hours away.
Our Take:
Priya’s rating – 6.3/10
Karthik’s rating – 7/10
Yercaud is a small hillstation with nothing much to do but relax! Ideal for a lazy weekend away from the mad city rush.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Merry Merry Christmas!!
25-28 Dec 2009
It was indeed a Merry Christmas vacation for all of us!! We had paid our dues much earlier - waking up early just to book tickets, calling friend's father's friend's friend's friend to do our bookings, endless calls & confirmations, strategic planning for 5 month old baby's travel, flying in from Singapore / Delhi.... and it was totally worth it.
JK, Shiv, Seetha, Navya, Karthik & I started our journey dramatically on 24th with JK making it just a couple of mins before the train departed! JK was to be Navya's acting boyfriend and caretaker while the couples relished the trip :P The fun element of the trip doubled with Sathish & Razi joining a day later at Alleppey! Our target: Chennai - Cochin - Alleppey - Nagercoil - Chennai in 4 days!
25th Dec - Cochin
We checked in at Sree Krishna Inn - a reasonably decent hotel just outside 'Ernakulam Town' station for a couple of hours to freshen up. Brushing aside demands from our sleepy eyes, we got ready in time for rocking Veega Land (a reputed theme park). The lush green Kerala started unfolding in front of our eyes as we travelled towards the theme park. Veega Land was unusually overflowing with people given the vacation time... but then, whats the fun about screaming and jumping with no one around. The first ride that caught our attention was Twin Flip Monster - there was too much excitement around that ride. Me & Seetha were the most enthused.... after a 15 min wait we set our foot in the monster and it really turned out to be one. At the end of 5 mins... all of us were left with spinning heads, nasty headache and puky feeling. Me & Seetha were the worst affected - and took a couple of hours to recover! The monster also ruined a large part of the day as we became averse to any fast motion for quite sometime. Navya became cranky too with the new atmosphere, crowd and humid weather getting on to her. Water sports were a savior in the second half but we all decided to end the day early and head to Alleppey.
It was about 7 pm when we set our foot in Pagoda Resorts - the place was colorful and fully decorated for Christmas. After 2 consecutive bad meals, we were delighted at the dinner buffet spread. Apart from the normal pulav, roti, subzi we had kappa (traditional kerala dish) and Christmas cakes. Good spread of food, friends to chat up and a cozy atmosphere called for a nice long dinner. Navya was still not out of the travel hangover and almost got her parents to abandon the further travel plans. We ended our night with a game of 'Business'!
26th Dec - Alleppey
What a bright day it was... Sathish & Razi reached even before we woke up.... Navya had a good night's sleep which means the trip continues as per plan.... JK stepped into the caretaker shoes and ensured Navya had a good morning nap ....We had a delicious breakfast!! Except for some billing issues at the resort, we were in the best of spirits when the autoricks came to pick us up. Roads in Kerala amaze me - some of the most travelled roads are not more than 1.5 meters wide and can just about manage to fit in a Hyundai Santro. We travelled through many such lanes before arriving at the houseboat area. I fell in love with the boat the moment I set my eyes on it. It looked both majestic and cozy with the sundeck and living area being the major highlights. Ours was a 2 bedroom one and perfect for the 8 of us. A summary of the next 7 hours: Custom-made egg bhurji+music+cards...Vembanadu lake.... Sweet toddy+fish fry... chat/laughter... cards... lunch with rice, sambar, 3 veg curries, omlette, fish fry, chicken curry.... envisioning JK's future (a.k.a. having fun at JK's expense).... cards.....songs.... yummy tea+pakoda.... silent goodbye sitting on the sundeck! We all wanted more of it... but alas, it was time to bid goodbye to the lake.
27th Dec - Nagercoil
We reached Nagercoil in the wee hours of Sunday morning and checked into Hotel Singar. The plan was to take a quick nap and head to Thiruparappu waterfalls by 10 am. The lazy bums that we were.... took our own sweet time in getting ready and finally started by 11 am. The journey was beautiful... we crossed villages, cultivating fields, fruit orchids,streams of water and gigantic trees. Karthik finally relented and started singing (which is not necessarily positive). The waterfalls was way too crowded and we started wondering if we would enjoy. Once we stepped in, all that mattered was the sheer joy of being overpowered by the falls. The crowd didnt bother us and we had loads of fun soaking in water for hours together. By the time we half heartedly decided to wind up, it started drizzling. Perfect ending to it all.... hot chai and bajji. The route on our way back was even better - the road was sandwiched between giant rubber tree farms giving a forest feel to the ride. After another quick nap, it was time for meeting the bride & groom in the evening. One of our juniors, Karthikeyan joined us for the reception and we all had a great time teasing / embarassing the couple on stage. Dinner was total Ashok style - Egg dosa, Appam, Parotta, Uttappam, Veg & Non-veg curries. The night wouldnt end without another session of cards with Sathish's nakkals overflowing in full form. The sane bunch went insane rolling with laughter!
28th Dec - Nagercoil
The dream come true marriage was full of filmy dialogues for most of us attending a Tamil Christian marriage at such close quarters for the first time. Karthik, Shiv & JK danced their way in the procession from the wedding hall to the church attracting attention from the entire town. What seemed like a peaceful wedding thus far turned into a thiruvizha (festival) at lunch time. 100s of people suddenly poured in and it was an interesting experience fighting our way to the pandhi (wedding meal). I was drowsy even before I could complete the meal - the payasams were the best. All we wanted was a good nap but we had just enough time to pack our bags and leave for the railway station. The bunch of us started our journey hoping to relive our college days... and the trip did total justice! We did it all.... non stop laughing, mocking, teasing, gossipping, playing.... and I do feel a couple of years younger right now!
Our Take - Cochin:
Priya's rating: 5.5/10
Karthik's rating: 6/10
Alleppey - Houseboat:
Priya's rating: 8/10
Karthik's rating: 8/10
Perfect relaxed vacation is best spent on Alleppey houseboat!
It was indeed a Merry Christmas vacation for all of us!! We had paid our dues much earlier - waking up early just to book tickets, calling friend's father's friend's friend's friend to do our bookings, endless calls & confirmations, strategic planning for 5 month old baby's travel, flying in from Singapore / Delhi.... and it was totally worth it.
JK, Shiv, Seetha, Navya, Karthik & I started our journey dramatically on 24th with JK making it just a couple of mins before the train departed! JK was to be Navya's acting boyfriend and caretaker while the couples relished the trip :P The fun element of the trip doubled with Sathish & Razi joining a day later at Alleppey! Our target: Chennai - Cochin - Alleppey - Nagercoil - Chennai in 4 days!
25th Dec - Cochin
We checked in at Sree Krishna Inn - a reasonably decent hotel just outside 'Ernakulam Town' station for a couple of hours to freshen up. Brushing aside demands from our sleepy eyes, we got ready in time for rocking Veega Land (a reputed theme park). The lush green Kerala started unfolding in front of our eyes as we travelled towards the theme park. Veega Land was unusually overflowing with people given the vacation time... but then, whats the fun about screaming and jumping with no one around. The first ride that caught our attention was Twin Flip Monster - there was too much excitement around that ride. Me & Seetha were the most enthused.... after a 15 min wait we set our foot in the monster and it really turned out to be one. At the end of 5 mins... all of us were left with spinning heads, nasty headache and puky feeling. Me & Seetha were the worst affected - and took a couple of hours to recover! The monster also ruined a large part of the day as we became averse to any fast motion for quite sometime. Navya became cranky too with the new atmosphere, crowd and humid weather getting on to her. Water sports were a savior in the second half but we all decided to end the day early and head to Alleppey.
It was about 7 pm when we set our foot in Pagoda Resorts - the place was colorful and fully decorated for Christmas. After 2 consecutive bad meals, we were delighted at the dinner buffet spread. Apart from the normal pulav, roti, subzi we had kappa (traditional kerala dish) and Christmas cakes. Good spread of food, friends to chat up and a cozy atmosphere called for a nice long dinner. Navya was still not out of the travel hangover and almost got her parents to abandon the further travel plans. We ended our night with a game of 'Business'!
26th Dec - Alleppey
What a bright day it was... Sathish & Razi reached even before we woke up.... Navya had a good night's sleep which means the trip continues as per plan.... JK stepped into the caretaker shoes and ensured Navya had a good morning nap ....We had a delicious breakfast!! Except for some billing issues at the resort, we were in the best of spirits when the autoricks came to pick us up. Roads in Kerala amaze me - some of the most travelled roads are not more than 1.5 meters wide and can just about manage to fit in a Hyundai Santro. We travelled through many such lanes before arriving at the houseboat area. I fell in love with the boat the moment I set my eyes on it. It looked both majestic and cozy with the sundeck and living area being the major highlights. Ours was a 2 bedroom one and perfect for the 8 of us. A summary of the next 7 hours: Custom-made egg bhurji+music+cards...Vembanadu lake.... Sweet toddy+fish fry... chat/laughter... cards... lunch with rice, sambar, 3 veg curries, omlette, fish fry, chicken curry.... envisioning JK's future (a.k.a. having fun at JK's expense).... cards.....songs.... yummy tea+pakoda.... silent goodbye sitting on the sundeck! We all wanted more of it... but alas, it was time to bid goodbye to the lake.
27th Dec - Nagercoil
We reached Nagercoil in the wee hours of Sunday morning and checked into Hotel Singar. The plan was to take a quick nap and head to Thiruparappu waterfalls by 10 am. The lazy bums that we were.... took our own sweet time in getting ready and finally started by 11 am. The journey was beautiful... we crossed villages, cultivating fields, fruit orchids,streams of water and gigantic trees. Karthik finally relented and started singing (which is not necessarily positive). The waterfalls was way too crowded and we started wondering if we would enjoy. Once we stepped in, all that mattered was the sheer joy of being overpowered by the falls. The crowd didnt bother us and we had loads of fun soaking in water for hours together. By the time we half heartedly decided to wind up, it started drizzling. Perfect ending to it all.... hot chai and bajji. The route on our way back was even better - the road was sandwiched between giant rubber tree farms giving a forest feel to the ride. After another quick nap, it was time for meeting the bride & groom in the evening. One of our juniors, Karthikeyan joined us for the reception and we all had a great time teasing / embarassing the couple on stage. Dinner was total Ashok style - Egg dosa, Appam, Parotta, Uttappam, Veg & Non-veg curries. The night wouldnt end without another session of cards with Sathish's nakkals overflowing in full form. The sane bunch went insane rolling with laughter!
28th Dec - Nagercoil
The dream come true marriage was full of filmy dialogues for most of us attending a Tamil Christian marriage at such close quarters for the first time. Karthik, Shiv & JK danced their way in the procession from the wedding hall to the church attracting attention from the entire town. What seemed like a peaceful wedding thus far turned into a thiruvizha (festival) at lunch time. 100s of people suddenly poured in and it was an interesting experience fighting our way to the pandhi (wedding meal). I was drowsy even before I could complete the meal - the payasams were the best. All we wanted was a good nap but we had just enough time to pack our bags and leave for the railway station. The bunch of us started our journey hoping to relive our college days... and the trip did total justice! We did it all.... non stop laughing, mocking, teasing, gossipping, playing.... and I do feel a couple of years younger right now!
Our Take - Cochin:
Priya's rating: 5.5/10
Karthik's rating: 6/10
Alleppey - Houseboat:
Priya's rating: 8/10
Karthik's rating: 8/10
Perfect relaxed vacation is best spent on Alleppey houseboat!
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