A few months back , one of my friend I decided to meet after a really long time. I left all the planning to him. A day later I get a call from him asking me to pack a few warm clothes as we were going on a trip to Ooty. I jumped at the thought as I had wanted to go to a hill station since a long time but just dint have the time and the company.
First let me give you a few details about this small town. Ooty also called as Udagamandalam is situated on the Nilgiri Hills - meaning the blue mountains. It is named so after the Kurunji flower which blooms every 12 years giving the hills a slight bluish color. Wondering why is it called the Queen of hill stations ? Since it is surrounded by mountains and hills it is called as Queen of Hill Stations .
We took a early morning flight from Mumbai to Coimbatore where we had booked car. I took the role of the navigator using google Maps and he of the driver and we set off for our destination. It was going to be a 6 hours drive from Coimbatore so we decided to enjoy our time during the drive.
We reached resort last in the evening and was in awe of the location where the resort was situated. The view from the room was just spectacular with trees covered in mist . My friend also managed to get us an upgrade to a cabin . The cabin had this glass ceiling . We could actually see the moon through the glass ceiling.
We woke up next morning to the rays of sunshine through the glass ceiling. After a sumptuous breakfast , we jet off to the city. After exploring the local market, we went on to visit the rose garden , botanical garden and the famous Ooty lake. The Ooty lake offers a variety of attraction for the tourists that throng the city . Boating , 4D cinema , horror house, a gaming arcade for the children. We both almost did all these things. My friend suggested we visit the reserve forest which was a short distance from the lake. At first thought I said yes but on the way I read a signal which said beware of wild animals. That was enough for me to abandon the plan and go elsewhere. After a nice relaxing day we retreated back to our resort. Upon reaching the resort , we came to know that they had organized a small karaoke event for all the guests. My friend sang one of the songs and was applauded for the effort . Though i doubt anyone liked the singing part.
Next day , we went for the famous steam train ride. It is basically a 20 min ride from the railway station, tickets for which can be bought on the spot from the station. The train takes you to the next adjoining town of Connor. After a brief visit to the nilgari hills and various tea plantations in Connor, we took the same train back to Ooty.
The next day , we both caught the flight back to Mumbai from Coimbatore after having made some sweet memories. Although a short stay, but the strip was just the break that we both needed .
The message that I want to give through this post is to take a break from your hectic schedule and visit places with your family and friends. The place doesn't have to be some exotic locations where you need to spend lots. Just ample time and natural beauty is what it takes to relax your mind.
Cheers and have a great day !!