KERALA- It really is "God's own country"!! 

Although I was dozing off during the ride but I can vaguely remember how picturesque the views were. Finally, after 4 hours of driving up top, we managed to reach Valara waterfalls. Though the falls are visible from Munnar highway, it’s always advisable to trek to reach the bottom of the falls. The waterfalls are surrounded by lush, dense forests that are home to a variety of animals and birds.

We also discovered later by the locals that it is pronounced as "Moon-aaar", meaning the land of three rivers in Malayalam. We arrived at our accommodation, Cuckmere Resort which is as alluring as it sounds. Totally recommended to anyone who is heading to Munnar! After travelling for almost 9 hours, we just had enough energy to have dinner and retire for the day.

Our driver who was a local from Munnar somehow became our tour guide and took us to places. We woke up, got ready and had a sumptuous breakfast while looking out to this view.

The pristine mountain air with its distinctive smell, the surrounding which was nearly two times cooler than the plains, the mist descending into the valley, everything about the place made us more thrilled for what was there the following day and otherwise. The same day we were to explore Mattupetty, Pothamedu and Rajamala park.

People flock to Rajamala to watch Nilgiri Tahr (mountain goat) in its natural habitat but it is the intrinsic beauty of the destination that makes you wish you never leave. Rajamala is among the finest Hill Stations in Idukki, located around 15 km from Munnar.

We were surrounded by what seemed like a lush green carpet on all sides. And we were lucky enough to witness the Neelakurinji which blooms every 12 years. After visiting Rajamala, we headed for a delectable lunch at a resolutely unhurried restaurant.

"I would definitely want to go back there when Neelakurinji blooms the next time, so I thought to myself." We returned back to the hotel after exhausting ourselves and started preparing for the next day.

The following day was all about exploring Thekkady, also known as Periyar and sometimes Kumily too. We left the hotel after having the most delicious breakfast. There is something about South Indian food that always makes me want to have it more. Maybe because it's vastly different- think steamed, spiced and coconut-flavoured.

On our way to the Periyar tiger reserve, we visited the spice and herb plantation and bought ourselves some herbal medicines. Misty all around, raindrops making the Fortuner's windscreen hazy and wild fragrance of spices turning our senses on- that's the briefest description of how we felt while travelling on that serpentine road that takes you from Munnar to Thekkady.

Thekkady is generally recognised for the spice plantations and the world-famous Periyar National Park which is an adventure in itself. There are many options like boat safaris, jeep safaris, treks, camping, bamboo rafting, nature walks etc to explore Periyar and witness the wildlife. It's advisable to book any of the above activities in advance. (https://www.periyarfoundation.online/)

Out of all the options, we preferred to go for a boat cruise. We could actually see some wildlife in the surrounding hills including wild elephants and deer from the boat. Unfortunately, spotting a tiger only happens once in a blue moon! KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation) has maintained the place rightly and they make sure that no animal is harmed/disturbed during the visit. There are a lot of Eco resorts too nearby but the booking is not easy due to limited availability. So, BOOK IN ADVANCE!!

Once you are done with the Tiger Reserve; myriad of extra activities awaits you at Thekkady. Before going for shows in the evening, you can go for an elephant ride, give an elephant a bath or even get an elephant shower which is quite thrilling! We were running late so we opted for the last show of the very famous Kathakali dance. I had always admired this dance form while watching it on the television, but witnessing the live show was an affair in itself!

Are you passionate about art or a lover of folk dances? Then the Kathakali show here is a must for you! Trust me, your journey will be incomplete without watching it. One of the oldest dance forms includes a highly developed language of gesture, through which the artist conveys various stories. The body movements are meticulous and the stories are conveyed with poise and grace with the help of expressions and hand movements.

Later on, we headed towards our hotel which was situated almost 7 km away from the main town. We had a warm welcome from the staff. (http://themountaincourtyard.com/). Since it was situated on a hilltop, therefore we could see the hills from our room’s balcony.

This was the most awaited day for me because I have always wanted to experience the backwaters of Kerala. I am assuming that most of us know about it and even if you don't, don't worry, add it to your wish list already! We opted for the most quintessential way of experiencing the backwaters, a houseboat. Alleppey (Alappuzha) is the most popular backwater destination, when we asked for suggestions, everyone had unequivocally answered "Kerala backwaters". And now, we owe them big time for the recommendation.

These houseboats take you around the backwaters depending on the package you sign up for. We stayed overnight in the deluxe AC houseboat that we had booked. The landscapes were a personification of a serene and stunning wonder.

While travelling on the boat, the only sound we could hear was the slicing of the smooth water as we moved ahead through the Kerala backwaters. What we had experienced in those few hours, was something beyond the almost-in-your-face picture-perfect beauty of the Kerala backwaters. The day came to an end by relishing the sumptuous Kerala food cooked to perfection by the local chef that accompanied us on the boat with the view of a star-studded sky and the tranquillity of the backwaters.

The sun was now up and the golden carpets behind the coconut tree barriers caught our attention. The backwaters, coconuts and rice trees- the views match the image of Kerala that I had always had in my mind! Since it was the last day of our trip, all we wanted to have is authentic South Indian food- Idli, dosa and vada! Later on, we headed to the city that is an amalgamation of old and new India. Cochin/Kochi (you may call it anyway) is lovingly called “Queen of the Arabian Sea”. Once a flourishing port, this city is a major metropolis in the Southern Indian state of Kerala and a blend of many cultures.

During the colonial era, it was first occupied by the Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally the British. It is no surprise that this city is packed with plenty of historical attractions! Since we had little time on our hands, we wanted to explore as much as possible before we could catch our flight for Delhi. Because of our last night’s experience, the first thing that we did was to explore the backwaters of Cochin as well. Thank God that we did!

Nothing can be more fascinating than cruising through the serene lakes of Cochin that are lined up with coconut trees. The backwaters have a sprinkling of well-kept bungalows. Some are even nestled on the tiny island in the middle of these backwaters. A perfect recluse from the maddening crowd! We got to witness the Chinese fishing nets, Arabian sea, Nutsedge (grass) and many bird species like Great Indian hornbill, water ducks, Cormorant cuckoo and Heron.

Afterwards, we could only explore one more place that is Paradesi Synagogue, known as the oldest active synagogue among the Commonwealth nations. ‘Paradesi’, the Tamil word for ‘foreigners’, in this context refers to the Spanish-speaking Jews who built it. Then we headed towards the airport after having a quick lunch from a local place to catch our flight back to Delhi.

In a nutshell, Kerala is one place which I would love to visit again and this time, for a longer span of time. "Whether God's own country or not, Kerala is a taste of heaven on this earth, a place where you can be as healthy and happy as you wish to be."