Monday, November 30, 2009

Trip to Ooty


After marriage it was our first trip to both of us. Though it was the second time for me to visit Ooty(first with my mom and bro) i was excited to go along with Sri.

Ooty also known as Udhagamandalam is located in Nilgiris meaning "Blue Mountains". It is a land of picturesque picnic spots and had been a popular summer and weekend getaway for the British during the colonial days.

We started from Coimbatore on saturday morning. Its 1 hr journey from Coimbatore.  We hired a cab from local travels. The ghat road was really steep and the vehicle had trouble going up. With each hair pin bend we were going up by about 100 feets. Around mid way we could feel the chilling breeze.Mid way there is a small village named coonoor which was shot in the movie Roja by Mani Ratnam and not in Kashmir as people thought and Chaiyya Chaiyya song was also shot there.

After reaching Ooty we booked room in LakeView resort .After freshing up we planned to go to Filmi Chakkar spot which covers the usual film shooting spots in and around Ooty.



Our next destination was Pykara waterfall. Now this was something funny. We were climbing down the steps in search of waterfall and we could see none! Then a localite told us that the place we were standing itself was the waterfall.Have a glance at this so called waterfall..

We then proceeded towards Ooty golf course / Ooty Gymkhana club. This is located in Wenlock Downs, another meadow, and a famous shooting spot. After taking some more pictures, in the evening we did loads and loads of shopping.. i bought a sweater, a pure sandal perfume,a gunny bag of spices for us , in laws and for mom, 6 flavors of tea powder(green tea, chocloate, masala, elachi,lemon, black tea) and number of medicinal oils like eucalyptus, Gaultheria(oil for body pains and joint pains), lemon grass oil,oil made for cloves for teeth cleaning. Its worth buying of them , all are too concentrated and relieves from pains immediately..Finally we boughht a box of home made choclotaes for my bro and sis..

Next day we went to Govt. run botanical garden and were there till evening. The garden is good for evening time pass and worth visiting.We were never exhausted even after climbing up and walking along such a long way thanks to the aromatic space around. That made us the vigor to move to the second highest peak of South India, the Dodda Betta.Telescope and other observatory facilities are available at every highest point in Ooty hills.Later we went to tea factory where a demo was given how the leaves are dried, powdered and tea powder is made.


Finally we started our return journey. We both were depressed all the way for leaving back the rejuvenating hill station and coming down to the scorching native. While whirling round once again down the greatness of Nature, we were turning back to the parting Lavender flowers, blooming waysides, immeasurable fathoms and incredible valleys. Amazement was the only expression on our faces then.