Munnar valley of mountains

This is second part with respect to kerala blog

It was around 2 in the night when we left for Munnar, as it was 126 km’s and we were more excited to find out what Munnar holds for us. 

Soon after 80kms we left the concrete highway and were on the dirt roads

As I recall we stopped at 4 am at middle of nowhere for tea and coffee, as we were getting away from city and heading towards the more debts of nature, temperature began to drop, as I remember it was 6 degree Celsius when we took a halt for tea. 

Munnar was nothing like fort kochi, it felt like we were in different state or something. 

Munnar is the most popular hill station not only in kerala, but in India. Munnar is almost covered in sloppy tea plantation. We were not yet in Munnar but I can say that I have been to many hill stations but nothing is magnificent as compared to Munnar. 

Soon all the songs and chit chats were turned into dead silence as everyone passed out. 

The roads were full of crazy twist and turns and full of surprise, to one side there was rocky mountain and other side it was steep cliff. 

Every time on each turn I had a mini heart attack looking the steep cliff  beneath us, those cliff were on every turn, they were very scary but they too holds a beauty in them, I was feeling very sleepy but couldn't sleep because of the heart full view outside. 

It was dark outside till 5 in the morning but as soon the clock hit 6, trust me the tables turned. 

I was struggling to look outside of the window, I was so desperate to get a glimpse that I was peeking out of every window. 

I was stunned, I had seen many sunrise and sunset but still, sunrise in Munnar are gorgeous 

I gazed at the orange sky, the textured clouds hovering above the mountain had just started to reveal the rising sun. 

Just then I knew a brilliant day was just started. 

Throughout the journey I enjoyed uncountable beautiful stream of small waterfall, leaking from the gigantic mountain with the steepy slopes of tea plantation with thick forest

In any window all I could see was paradise, dark sky was turned tangerine color behind massive green lush of mountain. Trust me this is not a metaphor, I had never witness a sunrise like this ever before 

Soon after a long run of turns twist we reached our cottage, 

I don't know what happened as I stepped outside; an ecstasy ran though my body. My body was shivering with cold winds, finally fresh winds after a long journey. I can't tell you how great it felt. 

I don't want to exaggerate or hyperbole about the cottage but it was a huge property more like a mansion in which there was numerous cottages. 

This mansion was on the  toppest  ground above all. From here we could see the all the other hotels and people beneath us. And above us was just snow white textured clouds. 

It was -3‎°C or something we all were freezing but still the excitement in our body was keeping us warm. When we reached our cottage and to be real, it was nothing less than heaven. Even better than the photos we referred  when we booked it. 

Cottage staff escorted us to our rooms with warm smile that could even melt stone, you know what I mean. Hahahahahhaha 

We all were tired and dizzy but still no was willing to rest, as they have seen the glimpse of Munnar, we all were wondering how much more better it could be? 

We explored the cottage; all the cottages were identical to each other and were built on uneven surface as we were on a hill. 

As soon as we saw the snooker table all of us rushed towards it as paparazzi runs towards celebrity.

Later we had some rest and then at 3 we were ready to explore Munnar. The view from my room was worth remembering, 

As we stepped out of our cottage to witness the beauty of Munnar on foot. 

It was 3 in the afternoon but still it was 6°C and the sun rays that falls on our faces was making it soft warm ohh what a delightful atmosphere it was. 

From the top everything felt tiny and cute, all the vehicles, people and hotels 

As I inhales, I could feel the pureness and  nature in every breath. I could feel I was in seven cloud. I felt calm and quite 

All the mountain covered with green tea plantation and with hovering icy clouds was a stress reliever, sun was right ahead of us but it still felt like smooth warm.

This is all I crave about; this is what we call heaven, 

As we were walking on the dirt road surrounded by tea plantation I was dancing on the song..... 

"Yun hi chala chal raahi

Yun hi chala chal raahi

Kitni haseen hai yeh duniya

Bhool saare jhamele

Dekh phoolon ke mele

Badi rangeen hai yeh duniya"

Am I the only one who pretend to be in the song? Or are you guys normal? (Youre a dumbass)

Later we had lunch, did I told you about the food here? No wonder I was fool to think that I would only get appam in all kerala, no this is not true 

Kerala is famous for its lachha parotte, I mean it was awesome, the parotte were folded multiple of times before making it, so when its done, it has a texture and breaks in pieces when you eat it and melts in your mouth as you take a bite, trust me I never had anything like that before, throughout my entire trip I only ate it, nothing else. 

I remember talking to zoya (don't  know who zoya is? well read my varanasi blog) on WhatsApp while having lunch, it was regarding about the milkshake in the menu of restaurant 

Yes I know what you are thinking; we were on speaking terms then. Hahahaha 

I told her how beautiful kerala is, and that she should definitely visit it, more like I wanted to say was that I would had loved if she was here with me, as I recall after this trip things between us went rock hard, I guess my expectation were too high, which she couldn't grant for, was it really zoya? 

Later next day we were scheduled to leave to visit tekkady, we were welcomed by the stunning views of hills, tea plantations and jungle as we climbed the ghat by road we reached tekkady, 

Periyar Lake was something that stuck in our eyes, a huge beautiful lake between mountain, from above it appears to us that the lake was floating in the air, lake shining as bright it could be with crystal clear water, seems like a fairytale destination with incredibly scenery, 

Ample view of lake with the cold breezing climate, making the atmosphere even more delightful

As we reached near the lake, table turned, the whole scenic view was completely changes, it was foggy now with all green art to its surrounding 

It felt like something spooky, but fun

We did a quick boat ride and enjoyed ourself 

We played in the water for a while, splashed at each other’s and relaxed. 

Spend the whole day in tekkedy exploring 

Next morning was even wonderful as we were about to go for a hike to the nearby mountain, it was 5 in the morning when I was yelling at everyone to move fast otherwise we would miss the sunrise. 

After a short walk we started the hike, it was a bit difficult at start because of the dark but as the sun was rising up, everything was great.

We all were breathing heavily, despite the freezing cold we were sweating, but were moving with a constant pace, soon we were up  

The view was worth climbing, sky was reddish orange, with the huge tea plantation on the mountain, the massive mountain were of different shades and layers from each other and the sun rays were falling on it, they too glowed orange, the breezing cold winds were brushing our faces, our eye were shining, I looked at everyone faces they too were smiling, 

It looked so unreal, that the mountains looked like somebody craved them, careful and artistically with proper efficiency, this is paradise, We could feel the strong aroma of tea and coffee with the winds flowing. The green lush of plantation were in layers of colors, as far as eyes could see. What I felt and saw is something I can't simply put it words. 

We sat there for a while and froze, without blinking and gazing at the paradise. 
I was screaming from the top and waving to people beneath us. There was some kind of energy that I had never felt before 

There were people working in the plantation with the basket on their back, other people were busy with their morning chores 

We almost sat there for 2 hours till the sun was up and it felt like a moment ago everything was dark 

Who every invented the slang Netflix and chill, hasn't been to kerala. 

As we were getting down the hill, my conscious was screaming to get back there and witness the view once again. 

Later we were ready for the sightseeing route to the forest of Munnar. We all were asked to sit in jeep which went up the hill, we all were jiggling like jelly in that jeep, our guide showed us many plants and trees and their benefits but, I was overwhelmed because I was in middle of flora and fauna. Basically it was a lovely paradise with endless loop of tea plantation on the Western ghats of hill. Our guide even showed us many locations where chennai express were shot. 

We decided to stop at a massive lake in middle of nowhere for the sunset. 

The lake was like a peal in the necklace of massive mountain 

I remember the skipping stones in the lake with the highest record of bouncing: 8, and trying to whistle loudly with any reason. 

The sun was setting down behind the immense lake against the magnificent Rocky Mountains stretching as far as the eyes could see 

Later that night we played housie, but unfortunately there was pens so, I deliberately walked out to get them because I wanted to witness the beauty of night, everything was quite, even I could hear the sound of night insect hissing and the plantation rubbing as the gush of winds flows. 

I walked a little more as I enjoy the night, soon I ended up at a small stall like shop and asked for pens, and I was shocked as I heard the response, she was speaking fluent English, she seems to be in her sixties but still, I was impressed, 

Ohh did I told you that in Munnar there's only one liquor shop, I mean seriously, no doubt why we had to stand 4 hrs in the queue to get them

Later that night we had dinner outside the cottage, as we wanted a change in taste, it was almost 10:30 in the night, it was freezing cold but still we had ice-cream, I don't know why but we had an urge about it 

Sitting till late in the garden chit chatting near the born fire while sipping booze, god I really miss Munnar now

Next day we all wanted to do a bicycle ride in the roads covered with plantation, but to sadly there were no bicycle shop as Munnar is too away from the city, I feel pity I couldn't do that, what a experience it would be, ahhh 

Later we visited the market, market was full of busy vendors and hawkers attracting customer. 

Market was cute and large with mostly commodities which there to attract foreigners. Spices, tea, coffee and handmade chocolate, hand crafts and all. 

I wasn't interested the market and wandered off from the group with my earphones on, music, mountain, cold winds and delightful atmosphere, what else you want. Betrayal?. Hahahahaha 

I didn't brought anything from the market, I though to buy for zoya but still, I didn't find anything special worth giving to her. 

We reached our cottage, 5 in the evening and we were scheduled check-out ourselves by 10 in the night and leave for allepy. 

I Wasn't ready to leave Munnar yet, not physically nor mentally, I felt like I haven't seen Munnar yet, I want more, I wander off from the group and talked towards the roads to absorb as much as i can, i was breathing heavily just to realize its aroma. I wished there was a way to lock the aroma of Munnar in a bottle or something just to take it with me. 

Munnar was something beyond my imagination; i never thought this place could make me feel bad about leaving 

But its time to leave.... Why do I have to leave? Im almost in tears. I was already making future plans in my head to visit again I have to come back here thats all my conscious was screaming 

I was smiling and was in tears at the same time as the view of paradise was fading in front of my vision 

Throughout my way to alappuzha i was cursing myself that why we should go to allepy and why did we wasted one day in fort kerala? Instead we could have spent some more time in Munnar, i guess i wasn't ready to leave Munnar yet, i was already making plans in my head to visit Munnar again with the same excitement and energy. 

I don't know when I pass out but when the sunshine woke me up I was in busy street of allepey.

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Here are some munnar photos i click from my phone, just to show you the beauty❤️