My Kerala Story - A Trip To God's Own Country

I recently traveled to Kerala with my best friend on a group trip. The tour made me realize why the state's tagline is God's Own Country - the beauty was mesmerizing and breathtaking. It would not be wrong to say that it felt like being in a mini Switzerland (although the tag has been given to Khajjar in Himachal Pradesh).

We traveled in the first week of October, and both of us were excited and anxious as we were setting on an adventure with a group of unknown people. Numerous questions were running in our mind - will these people be good? Will they be old or young like us? Hopefully, they wouldn't ruin our trip. But all of these worries vanished away when we met them. In total there were 10 people on this group trip - 3 young couples, a mother-daughter duo, and my friend and I). All of us embarked on a journey of creating a lifetime of memories with strangers.

Our first stop was Cochin, and since my friend and I reached the city in the late afternoon, the only place we could visit was Marine Drive. It was the best way to spend the evening, as we could chill and relax after a 25 hrs of train journey from Mumbai. We walked the promenade, clicked many photos, made reels (because why not), enjoyed the sunset, ate dinner at a nearby shopping mall, and then returned to the hotel. Being a Mumabikar what astonished me the most was that the city gradually closed down after 8 pm.

The next morning, all of us got ready for our next destination - Munnar. The proverb held- ' it's the journey and not the destination', the picturesque view, the laughter in the bus, and the songs that we sang at the top of our lungs are still fresh in my mind. We visited the Valara and Cheeyappara waterfalls & Spice Plantations. Finally, we checked - in at the hotel and freshened up. Before dinner, the 10 of us bonded over playing card games, charades, and antakshari (Indian Music Game). It felt like we had known each other for a long time; after dinner, we said goodnight. The next day, we did more local sightseeing in Munnar - Mattupetty Dam,

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Echo Point, Kundala Dam, and Rose Garden. 

It was the 4th day when we checked out of the Munnar Hotel and proceeded to Thekkady. Again the ride felt like heaven - filled with serene views and lots of fun. The group reached Periyar National Park, the famous tiger reserve in Kerala, where there were many activities and shows to enjoy. Some of us went for an elephant ride, while others opted for an off-road Jeep ride (which felt like a roller coaster). After that, all of us enjoyed Kerala's Cultural Shows - Kathakali Dance & Kalaripayattu Martial Art, which was the first highlight of the trip. 

The next morning, the group bid goodbye to Thekkady and proceeded to Alleppey. The excitement was much more, as we were going to spend the night on a houseboat. We embarked on the boat, which then glided down the backwaters - the experience was peaceful.

Our next destination was Trivandrum, where we visited the World’s Largest Bird Sculpture based on Ramayana Character JATAYU (the second highlight of the trip). The monument was built on a mountain top which could be either reached by cable car or by climbing approximately 826 steps. We chose cable cars and spent a significant amount of time admiring the art. The evening was spent enjoying the sunset at Varkala beach, after which we retired to the hotel. 

The next day, the 10 of us continued with our sightseeing journey and visited - Kovalam Beach, Azhimala Siva Temple, Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, and the Zoo. The Siva Temple was the third highlight of the trip - the detailing of the sculpture was mind-blowing. By the end of the day, all of us were both happy and sad, since our trip had come to an end. It was time to say goodbyes and return to reality.

This amazing tour made me realize that it is not the destination but the people with whom we travel that make the journey memorable. These strangers became friends who shared their stories and experiences and created new ones.