TL;DR. If you have already visited Munnar, then spare some time and take a look at this photo blog as an opportunity to relive the places you had visited and the memories which you had created !
We were able to visit few prominent places from the "places to visit" list.
Going places
There is a common belief among certain people, that unplanned trips are the best. But, for some people, they are a "way of life" . It is in the same fashion, that we, a group of rare travellers, grabbed the chance for an impromptu trip to Munnar, The Kashmir of South India. As fast as it happened, the rental car and the hotel were booked just a day before, although the trip organizer and fellow traveller, Mr.Johnny, was secretly checking up on their availability and revealed the plan :).
There are various routes to reach Munnar and you can choose the most scenic or shortest route, based on your plan. We made a detour, hoping to visit additional places before reaching Munnar, which resulted in a delayed check-in to the hotel.
Thekkady Elephant Camp
The first spot we stopped at, is an elephant camp after crossing the Kumily-Theni border checkpost. It was already five in the evening, while we reached this spot, hence we were left with a tight parking lot and a lucky close up view of few gentle giants from the camp.
Trip members were excited to go on an elephant ride, but due to lack of time, we had to start back after a cup of Tea and snacks..
Costly thrills
After leaving the camp, we went through a series of detours and roller-coaster rides which delayed the hotel check-in time further. One guy was given the task of guiding through google maps and another guy, sitting next to the driver, will clarify doubts in the route with people who pass by. We were driving on and on, following unknown trails and tricky hill roads with no street lights on the path. Guys with travel sickness were having a bad time due to bumpy rides.
Roads were turning from dark into pitch dark ! Network signals were getting weaker; Smartphone batteries were running out! Battery saver mode was of no use ! Only one water bottle was left ! At the neck of this moment, we turned right where we shouldn't have taken a right ! The road was getting more narrow! Guys were arguing over it ! Tension was increasing ! There was a huge tree, a small gate and only a single street light ! Suddenly the car got stuck in thick mud and stopped ...!
There was complete silence ! Eerie ! A gentle breeze added more eerie.
Somehow, Johnny managed to get the car back on track after a wheel spin attempt. Found our way back to the road where we got lost and then, we were back on track. We heaved a sigh of relief while reaching the hotel, after multiple detours. Chill after the thrill !
The Hotel
It was about midnight while we reached, but the rooms which we had booked were not sold out to anyone else, luckily. Rooms were decent, with hot water facility (only in the morning ) and a minimal car parking space. The day ended after a long day of travel, with a view of the surrounding hills from the balcony.
The weather was cold early in the morning and we were excited like kids, to see the "cloud smoke" billowing out as we breathed. The day started with a quest to watch the sunrise, something which we cannot miss while at the hills.
Search of Sunrise
With the right mix of songs, the morning drive was bliss. As we were driving in search of the next view point, we stumbled upon beautifully winding mountain roads and amazing views of the tea estates which surrounded the entire region, with a touch of the morning sun, as far as our eyes could see. It was time for some photography.
Moving on, we went in search of a Attrukadu waterfalls, which was also a beautiful spot with even more dramatic views. The roads leading to the falls were rocky and rough, which reminded us of the previous day's adventure. It was not possible to dive in and have a bath, but was still scenic. Lived in that moment.
Dams on the way
One our way to the next view point, we crossed by Mattupetty dam, again with pleasant views of the surroundings. Since it was a weekend, traffic was high and parking was tight.
Kundala dam is a lake cum dam and it offers boat riding activities also. Buoys are floating on the water body to mark the boundaries within which boating is allowed.
This view point exists very near to the Kerala-TN border line and the views are breath taking as every other place we visited.
Way back
We checked out of the hotel, right after breakfast, so it was easy to spend some extra time at every place we visited. We couldn't afford to make detours, hence we selected the route carefully before starting back. We chose the Munnar-Udumalpet forest highway which passed along the stretches of Eravikulam national park, Chinnar wildlife sanctuary and Anamalai tiger reserve to Udumalpet.
Crossing through checkposts, we passed through the parts of these 3 national parks with lucky chances of animal crossings and pitch dark roads. It was like a night safari with precautions and thrilling stories of man-animal conflict shared by the fellow travellers. We ended the trip at Trichy, where the trip began on Day 1.
What I learnt
1. Due to the detours before reaching Munnar, we had to spend extra money on fuel and food. So, make sure to get good route suggestions before heading on your holiday, from a localite or anybody familiar with the route; Especially while planning a holiday on hills, as shortcuts may not exist around every corner.
2. Do some research on the opening hours of tourists spots before hand. For example, certain spots may not be open on a Sunday.
3. Have some cash in hand for fuel and food, as there is no guarantee of network availability in petrol bunks and restaurants situated at remote locations.
4. Prior driving experience on rocky, rough, steep inclined and disinclined roads on hills are a great advantage. With Johnny's effortless driving skills, we were lucky. For driving, is his passion.
5. Streaming songs from your smartphone will drain battery and mobile data. So I wish that, you have a power bank with you or copy your favorite songs to a pen drive and take it along.
This trip happened in the month of February,2020 BC (Before Corona). Eventhough this is a delayed post, I am happy to share with you and relive the memories of this trip. Stay safe and let us hope to continue travelling AC (After Corona) :)
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