Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu - My First Solo Experience
Located in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Kodaikanal is region's most popular hill station and literally translates into 'The Gift of the Forest'. My visit to Kodai (as it's commonly known) was unique and the beginning of a new chapter in my travel life.
Read on :)
It was the first Solo Trip that I ever did and this was way back in 2002 when I had just started earning and was just begging to realise that exploring the world might not be impossible! This was the time when I had just started working with TVS Motors in Hosur as an Engineer. My gang of GETs (Graduate Engineer Trainees) was superb and we often hung out together and had loads of fun. This was Diwali break and we had about 3-4 days off. As usual, I was keen on traveling while everyone else saw this as an excellent opportunity to relax and recuperate.
KPN is a big name in Tamil Nadu, and they have an office in Hosur too, right across the highway. Somehow I was adamant to travel to any destination, and Madurai topped my list. I couldn't get the ticket and so bought the one that was available - Kodaikanal. The journey was planned with the bus operator, with no companions and absolutely no plans. This is not unusual for me now, but back then everyone made a big fuss about it and tried hard to convince me to stay back and relax in our houses in TVS Nagar. But I was already too excited to back-out of my plans.
Kodaikanal is not close, it took me about 10-12 hours to reach. The place was almost empty and I managed to find an awesome room with mist all around. It was only later that I realised that the room wasn't exactly as awesome when the mist disappeared, but still decent enough for the money I shelled out.
I did very little but walk around the town, on the hills and around the lake. Taking a bicycle is a great idea. This was also my first trip to anyplace down south and I was especially taken in by the white mallu sarees, and bought one for ma. And lots of other things for my other friends. For the two days that I spent there, mist was my constant companion. I would get up in the morning and would see hills through a thick sheet of mist from my room window. I only had a basic roll camera and could take only 32 pictures in the town, and the album is already lost somewhere at home.
My images from the town are extremely surreal, I remember walking uphill on the town road and looking at people drinking tea. It was cold and misty and very enchanting. I also remember sitting far away from the town and people and writing some poem with only green around me.
Often people who travel with me complain to me as well as their other friends about me being a boring and no-fun travel companion. I have tried changing that, but unsuccessfully. With a companion I have had disastrous trips, but never alone.
Read on :)
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| Kodaikanal - image ref: Wikipedia |
KPN is a big name in Tamil Nadu, and they have an office in Hosur too, right across the highway. Somehow I was adamant to travel to any destination, and Madurai topped my list. I couldn't get the ticket and so bought the one that was available - Kodaikanal. The journey was planned with the bus operator, with no companions and absolutely no plans. This is not unusual for me now, but back then everyone made a big fuss about it and tried hard to convince me to stay back and relax in our houses in TVS Nagar. But I was already too excited to back-out of my plans.
Kodaikanal is not close, it took me about 10-12 hours to reach. The place was almost empty and I managed to find an awesome room with mist all around. It was only later that I realised that the room wasn't exactly as awesome when the mist disappeared, but still decent enough for the money I shelled out.
I did very little but walk around the town, on the hills and around the lake. Taking a bicycle is a great idea. This was also my first trip to anyplace down south and I was especially taken in by the white mallu sarees, and bought one for ma. And lots of other things for my other friends. For the two days that I spent there, mist was my constant companion. I would get up in the morning and would see hills through a thick sheet of mist from my room window. I only had a basic roll camera and could take only 32 pictures in the town, and the album is already lost somewhere at home.
My images from the town are extremely surreal, I remember walking uphill on the town road and looking at people drinking tea. It was cold and misty and very enchanting. I also remember sitting far away from the town and people and writing some poem with only green around me.
Often people who travel with me complain to me as well as their other friends about me being a boring and no-fun travel companion. I have tried changing that, but unsuccessfully. With a companion I have had disastrous trips, but never alone.
hi, beg ur pardon...as this comment is not related to this post.May be this question of mine wud seem irrelevant to u, but still
ReplyDeletei wud like to know.....how did u get my blog address? I mean, mine is not quite a famous one and only have, my family n friends, as readers (poor me).Ofcourse i was quite surprised by seeing ur comment but the next moment it made me glad, by telling that there is someone out there (now I know the name atleast) who also shares the same affinity for Orhan Pamuk :)
r u also a member of blogadda?