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Published: June 25th 2010
RGI Airport, Hyd
all set to soar!They say life begins at forty or almost - that’s what we made believe when a bunch of my friends and I set off from Hyderabad to Ooty as part of a three day retreat to the ‘Queen of the Hills’. With hubbies at home, kids taken care of, the home and hearth in order; it was time for some ‘ladies time out’! And so on a beautiful summer day we assembled at Hyderabad’s RGI airport to embark on what was to be my ‘first of its kind’ vacation sans family…If there were any apprehensions before; they became a thing of the past and as we boarded our Coimbatore-bound flight, all those feelings were allayed - tucked in along with our seat belts!
Coimbatore’s airport was a far cry from Hyderabad’s swanky one - nevertheless it was still a pleasure to walk down the tarmac from the aircraft to the terminal, reminiscent of the good old days; and it’s these memories that lure us back to quaint little towns that look forward to their returning folks. For me, the drive uphill to Ooty brought back memories of a time gone by; of a wide eyed, awestruck teen, fascinated by the
at Coimbatore
destination Ooty! enchanting scenery around - the misty peaked hills of the Nilgiris mountains, the undulating valleys, the vegetation, the rolling tea gardens and the many hair-pin bends along the way - however, now as we gained altitude and approached Ooty -- Alas! -- the commercialization of the place was all too apparent.
Kluney Manor however came as a breath of fresh air. Far from the madding crowd - our haven for the next three days was built during the British Raj. Even today, the place retains its Victorian charm and aristocratic aura; its sprawling lawns and pervasive tranquility are punctuated only by the sound of tweeting birds. The unwritten rule in any hill county is to step out and smell the outdoors - and that’s what we did by dedicating the next morn to a trekking experience! We set out to Mystique Ville (a sister property of Kluney manor) and met Balu, our guide who led us through a trek of the tea estate and its surrounding unchartered territory. Along the trail we found bison footprints and a robin’s nest with eggs. The untrodden path did come with its prickles and thorns, scratches and stings, but it was an experience
drive uphill
scenic splendour we’ll always remember. For many of us it was a path not traversed, far less travelled, and yes, it did make all the difference!
Some of our other activities included a visit to the Ooty boathouse and a speed boat ride down the lake. Pedal boats, which had their own designated area, dotted the waters while motorized boats had another domain. A mild drizzle greeted us as we reached the place and with its extending horizons it was hard to believe that the lake was man-made - perhaps like the Periyar lake near Thekkady in Kerala, I presumed. As we were the 'not so secret seven', (!) we decided to take a speed boat that would accomodate all of us rather than the two or four seater pedal boats and after the customary round of picture taking, our boat ride was done sooner than we expected! The Ooty Lake, with its foresty banks has a calming effect on the beholder, is an absolute must on any tourist’s itinerary and rightly so!
The next day’s journey downhill to Coimbatore came with its share of ups and downs and lightheadedness and nausea, and when we finally reached flat terrain, it
drive uphill
clean and green resources! was indeed a relief. After retail therapy at a factory outlet in Tirupur, it was time to board our return flight to Hyderabad.
I will always cherish my visit to Ooty for all the precious moments spent in the company of friends, our trekking adventure, our philosophical late night discussions, our sharing and bonding experiences and simply for the time out!
Who says boys have all the fun? 😉
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Fern Ecotel Hotel
non-member comment
Interesting :)
Thanks for sharing this Asra. A documented version of any trip is important as it best describes the journey! It is inspiring to see women folk making such a vivid trip. This is a trip that gets one in touch with mother nature. We in fact have our own blog in place for nature loving travelers. Have a look and you may like reading up :) Look for the Fern Ecotel Blog. We put up at Word press!