Culture
Picturesque Wayanad
Of Rolling Hills and Velvety Tea Gardens
On the occasion of our little one's third birthday, we went to visit Wayanad of God's own country, Kerala. Wayanad was on our travel list for a long time, so, I have already spent enough time on researching accommodation--Greenex Farms was the choice for our family.
On a busy Friday evening, our little man, the husband and I were nudging along the crowds at Chennai Central to board our Mangalore Mail to Calicut. Little man was very excited for his first train trip, and so were we. The cab arranged by Greenex was promptly waiting for us at the Calicut station.
Through the winding roads, along the misty mountains, we proceeded to Chundale town. The fun started from there..the route to the farm was rugged and we had to take a Mahindra jeep. After a terribly bumpy ride, we were in the middle of nowhere--Greenex!
True to its name, Greenex was not like a typical resort but a green hamlet. The facilities were minimal but there were other things abundant to make us happy: birds, insects, flowers, trees and peace. Being the only guest, we had the place to ourselves. We stayed at the rustic Tree House for a night, where eerie insects sang lullabies for the night and birdsong gently woke us in the morning. The view from the balcony was mesmerizing; the lush forest, misty mountains, and the gorgeous birds were out of the world for us city folks.
After a hearty breakfast of puttu, aapam and other Kerala specials, we were off to sightseeing. The first stop was the Pookot Lake which literally translates to Flowery Lake in English. We had to skip the boat ride, thanks to the crowd and waiting time. But strolling along the banks, we enjoyed the beauty of the lake as it meandered slowly, filled with pretty pink flowers and boats with excited passengers. You can even try a Fish Spa here.
Next was Banasura Hill and Dam. Here too we enjoyed the river and the surrounding nature but didn't take the boat ride due to the waiting time. The rain started pouring down when we were in a little garden near the Boat House. The rain made the lawns lavish, the mountains misty, the flowers fresh, and our little man happy to splash in the puddles.
There was Meenmutty Waterfalls nearby, and our driver suggested us to visit there. It was a slippery hike to reach the falls, which was hopelessly crowded. The water was too cold to get in but little man splashed away anyway. The crowd seemed to be having a gala time: some adventurous youths climbed on the rocks and dangled dangerously, families enjoyed the small puddles left behind by the falling water, and couples enjoyed the camouflage of the big rocks and bushes.
We came back for a sumptuous campfire dinner at the farm. I particularly enjoyed the warm food on that cold night, amidst the stars and cicada's calling. The traditional brass lamps added a magical touch.
It was really a thrilling experience to sleep in the Treehouse. The place smelled damp and musty. The cherry on top was that I spotted a lizard and some spiders in the treehouse. It was pitch dark and I laid in the bed awake for a long time, hearing eerie sounds of the insects. Treehouse is definitely not for the faint at heart.
The next day, we safely moved to Orchid Room with all the creature comforts of modern life. A rich carpet of tea plantations greeted us at the balcony. We could hear beautiful birds knocking at our glass window throughout our stay. The luxurious bathroom had a full sized glass window looking over the forest--I felt like a movie star!
Having no plans to go out, we hiked the various trails in Greenex. Little man enjoyed ducks and dragonflies along the trails. We were at pace, no running to see tourist spots or no nudging through the crowds or no keeping schedules. Then, we had a sumptuous lunch and watched a movie. I caught up with the sleep that I missed the previous night at the Treehouse.
The last day turned out really beautiful with a pleasant weather. We had to drag ourselves out of the resort. Except for the treehouse experience, I did enjoy our stay at Greenex. The friendly staffs, laid back service and the untouched greenery made it a memorable getaway.
On the occasion of our little one's third birthday, we went to visit Wayanad of God's own country, Kerala. Wayanad was on our travel list for a long time, so, I have already spent enough time on researching accommodation--Greenex Farms was the choice for our family.
On a busy Friday evening, our little man, the husband and I were nudging along the crowds at Chennai Central to board our Mangalore Mail to Calicut. Little man was very excited for his first train trip, and so were we. The cab arranged by Greenex was promptly waiting for us at the Calicut station.
Through the winding roads, along the misty mountains, we proceeded to Chundale town. The fun started from there..the route to the farm was rugged and we had to take a Mahindra jeep. After a terribly bumpy ride, we were in the middle of nowhere--Greenex!
True to its name, Greenex was not like a typical resort but a green hamlet. The facilities were minimal but there were other things abundant to make us happy: birds, insects, flowers, trees and peace. Being the only guest, we had the place to ourselves. We stayed at the rustic Tree House for a night, where eerie insects sang lullabies for the night and birdsong gently woke us in the morning. The view from the balcony was mesmerizing; the lush forest, misty mountains, and the gorgeous birds were out of the world for us city folks.
After a hearty breakfast of puttu, aapam and other Kerala specials, we were off to sightseeing. The first stop was the Pookot Lake which literally translates to Flowery Lake in English. We had to skip the boat ride, thanks to the crowd and waiting time. But strolling along the banks, we enjoyed the beauty of the lake as it meandered slowly, filled with pretty pink flowers and boats with excited passengers. You can even try a Fish Spa here.
Next was Banasura Hill and Dam. Here too we enjoyed the river and the surrounding nature but didn't take the boat ride due to the waiting time. The rain started pouring down when we were in a little garden near the Boat House. The rain made the lawns lavish, the mountains misty, the flowers fresh, and our little man happy to splash in the puddles.
There was Meenmutty Waterfalls nearby, and our driver suggested us to visit there. It was a slippery hike to reach the falls, which was hopelessly crowded. The water was too cold to get in but little man splashed away anyway. The crowd seemed to be having a gala time: some adventurous youths climbed on the rocks and dangled dangerously, families enjoyed the small puddles left behind by the falling water, and couples enjoyed the camouflage of the big rocks and bushes.
We came back for a sumptuous campfire dinner at the farm. I particularly enjoyed the warm food on that cold night, amidst the stars and cicada's calling. The traditional brass lamps added a magical touch.
It was really a thrilling experience to sleep in the Treehouse. The place smelled damp and musty. The cherry on top was that I spotted a lizard and some spiders in the treehouse. It was pitch dark and I laid in the bed awake for a long time, hearing eerie sounds of the insects. Treehouse is definitely not for the faint at heart.
The next day, we safely moved to Orchid Room with all the creature comforts of modern life. A rich carpet of tea plantations greeted us at the balcony. We could hear beautiful birds knocking at our glass window throughout our stay. The luxurious bathroom had a full sized glass window looking over the forest--I felt like a movie star!
Having no plans to go out, we hiked the various trails in Greenex. Little man enjoyed ducks and dragonflies along the trails. We were at pace, no running to see tourist spots or no nudging through the crowds or no keeping schedules. Then, we had a sumptuous lunch and watched a movie. I caught up with the sleep that I missed the previous night at the Treehouse.
The last day turned out really beautiful with a pleasant weather. We had to drag ourselves out of the resort. Except for the treehouse experience, I did enjoy our stay at Greenex. The friendly staffs, laid back service and the untouched greenery made it a memorable getaway.
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