Sati, Satish and I planned to board at Central and Vel from Katpadi as it doesn’t stop in Arakkonam. So all set and waiting for execution. Everyone left their offices and college by 2-3PM and started to central. We caught the train by 5 quite easily in spite of some hiccups in the mid of journey. The train started by 5 PM and our journey towards the Wayanad started with much promise and delight. The train was like PULSAR (Definitely Male) with the African people sitting and murmuring in their slang which we couldn’t figure out :) the train journey was 12 hours and we didn’t enjoy in it rather than pulling each other’s leg. We also didn’t sleep till 1-2 at night (I hope till tiruppur). By the way we didn’t see only palakkad station in our journey.
We Reached Kozhikode by 5AM. After taking some snaps in station we started our journey towards Kalpetta where we had booked for home stay. We went to KSRTC bus stand in auto and started our journey by 6.30 towards the hill top. The Mist around the mountains was great scenic beauty and we enjoyed thoroughly the magic of nature in the god’s own country!!! The cool air was soothing and we enjoyed every moment in the bus. The journey was about 2 hours towards Kalpetta from Kozhikode. We got down at Kalpetta and started to Home Stay. We were just 4 in numbers and so we went in Maruti 800 towards our home stay. The Home stay is nothing but a cottage. But we were astonished by its structure and neatness. We had 3 bedrooms with 4 beds and a beautiful garden. We can’t believe our eyes and it was such an astonishing place to stay.
We got ready and had idly as breakfast and started our journey in Wayanad. The hospitality was awesome and we thank John for it. Really an awesome experience as he was ready to help us in all regard. Thanks sir :)
The hospitality was the one which we didn’t expected from him. The Stay was short in that cottage but we had visualized some good scenic beauty beside and the cottage was awesome and I will give the Picasa link so that all can visualize it :) :)
Picasa Link : https://picasaweb.google.com/ravishan.ramanan/HomestayWayanad?authkey=Gv1sRgCPeerYr62rrvYQ#
Banasura Dam
Our First visit was to Banasura Dam. It is the largest earthen dam in India and 2nd in Asia.
Banasura dam at first seemed a vague destination and we were getting bored off. We had to wait for the boat for almost one hour and the sun was beating down which was unusual n Kerala!!! But the sightseeing was good and refreshing too!! We enjoyed taking some photographs and it was more of a boring day till 12 PM. After some time we got the boat and we specifically wanted the Speed boat so that we can have the thrill of the boat riding.
The Scenery from the boat was awesome and the Mountains with the ravishing falls in their head were an awesome sight to watch. Also there was Banasura Hill Resort which was a beautiful place to live in!!! Specifically for newly married people :) :) The Important aspect was we befriended one Maharashtra family with whom we had some time talking about the differences in the cultures of the Indian sub continent :)
The twisting and sliding in the boat with none of us having the practice of swimming was cool and also terrifying :) :) the boat rower was at his best when he tried to twist and slid the boat as was in Dhoom film!!! It was a journey of half an hour but we attained the happiness of almost next to heavenly paradise:) :) then we had another photo session while we came back and we had some butter milk for getting out from the sun’s heat:) :)
Pookut Lake
Our Next destination was Pookut Lake. This lake is a small one considering the Banasura Dam but it has been visited by many school children and we can have our own mode of boating here. We can row, canoe or Pedal boat ourselves and enjoy the lake’s Beautiness. It is well covered with the bushes and flower garden .The Scenic beauty is prevailing all over Kerala and we can witness it everywhere in Wayanad. The Mountainous terrain follows us wherever we go :) The Mountain was seeming to be moving all the way through to our eyes which we couldn’t believe but it can a true thing:) :)The Distant mountain was moving in the outset as the trees beside us was stand still.
We missed the Soochipara falls on that as we were unable to reach there before 4.30. So we planned to go to some nearby places and enjoy our tour. Pookut Lake is a small lake and the persons who like to ride more in boating can come and try a hand here. We had some experiences like lever coming out of the driving lever and we got the help of our friends to fix it and it was by luck we reached the starting point :) :) but all in all it was all fun over the lake and we enjoyed every bit of it.
We had some time out in the Hotel once we left the Pookut Lake. Then we played football with 2 guys Amal and Ajish (John’s son and his friend) in our free time. The game of football was refreshing and made us realize how energized we were : P after playing we had the plan to visit the tea estate and Kanthanpara falls. So we got ready to explore some more places after the football game:) :)
Tea Estate
After playing football we started outside to visit a Waterfall and Tea estate. We had a rigorous photo session in Tea estate and everyone tried to give their pose in a different style!!!!! The way the persons enjoyed showed the childishness in the faces and explicitly enhancing their youthfulness :) :)
Kanthanpara Falls
The next part of our journey was the Kanthanpara falls. It was not a big one and it’s a real small one but the view point was good and we went into the bushes and took the photos. All the places were of scenic beauty and photogenic. The Nature lover will love this kind of places and ought to enjoy the way of nature presented in god’s own country!!
Then after finishing the falls we came back to our room and had rest. Then by 7.30PM we went outside and bought some snacks. In the night we were provided with the dinner and it was also well served. The Room where we stayed was awesome. It was in Meppadi and we felt like it was living in a palace. The Home stay was awesome and it presents us the case of living in a very good place with kitchen, Fridge and washing machine. If you come as a family too you can enjoy by trying a hand in cooking :) :)
The Night was awesome with mist covering the mountains :) :) the night was not much chilly but was pleasant and we didn’t slept for many hours and we talked and spent the night. We also saw some songs and sati danced for it :) Also I tried a hand in dancing!!! The Next day we planned to go to Kuruva Island. The Place which was said to be one of the better spots in Wayanad!!
Kuruva Island
Kuruva Island is one of the better places we visited in Wayanad. It is a land surface surrounded by the water all the way through and walking across the rocky terrains with water splashing across you gives you immense pleasure :) The Island also provided some visual treat with Mallu gals and they were very homely!!!!!!!! We had the enjoyment of walking through rocky places and also took some photographs.
We went to Kuruva Island by 11 odd in morning and returned only by 3PM. SO plan your trip as well so that you might not miss many things :)I slipped in the Kuruva island and fell into the water and so the mobile too!!!! But we did a good thing by removing all the parts and keeping it dry:) :) I need to thank god as it worked after i reached here and giving it to customer care :) :)So my Sony Ericsson W705 Survived :) :) :) We had lunch by 3.30PM and we returned back to our room by 5PM.Then we starte playing football with the young people there. They played very well and it took us by surprise :) In the evening we spent by roaming around the streets of Meppadi :)
At Night we planned to be awake and do not sleep. We played Truth game and it had everyone in a spot of bother and we heard some unknown stories of the specific persons and it was like a get together after a long time. all of us spoke without any limits and we didn't felt sleepy until it was 5 in morning :) :)
Soochipara Falls
The next day we planned to go to 2 water falls but to our misplanning we went to only one. Soochipara falls is one of the beauthiful falls in the Wayanad. The way to reach it is also awesome and photogenic. We need to walk for almost 2 KM in the way in betweeen the forest vigil and we need to reach the falls :) we did so easily and had a great time entering into the falls. Since its the start of sunny days the water was not much but to enjoy the part of the nature it would suffice :) :) The treak will have the slope of about 1.25 KM and the steps of about 1 KM and the steps distance was large and so we needed to refresh ourselves with the cool drinks available at that place. After several harships we conquered Soochipara and we didn't took bath but the photo sessions were severe and helped us to learn photgraphy :) :)
After the enjoyment in Waterfalls, We went for the shopping :) :) We bought Thumb rings and all of them had the same type of design in theirs :) :) I bought Key Chain in my Initial and then a chain with Vinayaga dollar :) Others also bought some things which can be useful for them or the family!!!!!!!!!!! Then we began the shopping for the Chips.. We had 3 kinds of the chips- Sweet, salt and chilli :):) All of them bought according to their needs. Since we had the OOTY bus at 3.30 PM we started to bus stand by 3.15Pm. Don't think the journey is over!! It begins here :) :) :P
Return Journey
Our journey was over as far considered by us and we got seated in a bus stop near Meppadi and waited for the OOTY Bus. The Sun sign was Soooooooo Good on our side that there was a strike in Kozhikode and bus came to Meppadi by 4.55PM.We heard that the bus will go to ooty only by 9.30PM. So we planend to get down at Gudalur and get a bus from there to Coimbatore. But the ill fated luck followed us there too. We heard that the last bus to Coimbatore has just left gudalur and there is no other way of transport.
We were happy to hear that there was another bus to mettupalyam by 7.45PM and so we had faith that we can reach quicker :) :) But after boarding the bus we came to know that this bus will also go through OOTY and then to Mettupalayam. At that time we felt we could have gone in the same bus but what can we do when god plays the part in making us to put leave for an extra day :) :)
It was extreme cold when we were travelling from Gudalur to OOTY. We were unable to sit inside the bus and shivering virtually. The Cold was severe that even the Sweater and Shawl's got wet during the travel :) :)
Then We reached Mettupalayam by 12.15 AM and from there we caught the bus to Coimbatore and reahced there by 2AM. From Coimbatore also we couldn't find the direct bus to chennai and so we went to Salem and to our good luck we found the direct bus. It started by 6AM and we reached our placed by 1.30PM. A journey to cherish and can't be forgot in our life time. 21 Hrs in bus :) :)
So the things which we learned from our tour was to plan beforehand !!! (Which we won't do anyway :P :P ). We didn't saw many places but we thoroughly enjoyed the free time and a beautiful place with whole heart.We could have gone to Sun rise valley and edakkal caves if the way has not been closed. We could have visited Chembra peak but missed it as we didn't had the time :) But we are planning to give it a go next time when we go there :)
So this is all about the Wayanad trip which we went and will try to go so many places and blog as i have done here :) :) Enjoy the life :) :)
