Sunday, November 18, 2012

A Holiday with the Queen.



Coimbatore Junction
This Diwali, we decided to pay a visit to Udhagamandalam, better known as Ooty, the Queen of Hill Stations. Our journey to this beautiful and bustling little town began from Chennai where we were visiting some family members. Ideally, one should board a train to Methupallayam and then hop aboard the toy train that winds its way all the way up to Ooty.  Having done our bookings rather late, we had to make our reservations aboard the Cheran Express from Chennai Central to Coimbatore Junction. Reaching Chennai station early isn’t much of a bother at the station as there is an AC waiting room (charge, Rs.30/hour) where travellers can relax in comfort and watch TV as they wait for the departure of their respective trains. Our train left Chennai at exactly 10.10pm as scheduled and, after a comfortable, uneventful night, we were outside Coimbatore Junction at 6 am, all set for the next leg of our journey.

Now, there are three ways one can get to Ooty from Coimbatore - by train (via Methupallayam), by bus or by cab. We chose the last option. Here’s how it works. We call one of the cab services (We tried Capital Cool Car -0422-2452626) and hire a chauffeur driven cab which will be at our beck and call for the entire duration of our stay at any of the hill stations we chose to visit. There is a fixed rental charge for the cab and a daily allowance for the driver (in our case, it was Rs.1000 per day. i.e. Rs.800 for the cab and Rs.200 for the driver) Apart from that. One has to pay a rate of Rs.5 for every kilometer travelled. Fuel charges have to be borne by the travellers, but the amount spent is deducted from the total bill at the end of the trip. Convenient, isn’t it?

Our driver, a senior gentleman named Michael, was an experienced driver. And, to add to that, he was cheerful, friendly, humble and honest. Luckily for us this Tamilian man also spoke enough English to be able to converse with when required.
Nilgiris
 Having hauled our bags into the booth of the silver Indica, Michael started us on or 2 ½ hour drive to Ooty. Although long, the drive is pleasant and refreshing. Once outside the city, we passed through small villages and long, deserted stretches of landscape all the way to the Nilgiris.
As the name suggests, Nilgiris, or the Blue Mountains, are said to have been so called on account of the kurunji flower, which blooms here every twelve years giving the slopes a bluish tinge. Another theory assumes that this name comes from the blue smoky haze given off by the eucalyptus trees that cover the area. Well, there were no kurunji flowers for us to see, but yes, we did pass through some dense eucalyptus forests which frequently made way for lush green tea plantations at regular intervals. Here and there, a few houses and temples added colorful relief to the vast expanse of green that spread out on every side.

Methupallayam
 On the way, we stopped at the Methupallayam Viewpoint from where we can see Methupallayam spread out far below us. Then, passing through Kotagiri, we finally arrived at the bustling little town of Ooty. This beautiful botanical paradise was first brought to the public eye by John Sullivan, Collector of Coimbatore district in 1819. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations of South India, and has previously been a summer retreat for many a British officer in days gone by.

Our reservations were made at the tourist hotel managed by the TTDC, or the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department. The guesthouse is clean and surrounded by well-manicured gardens with a variety of colorful flowers all around. Our cottage was just what we expected – clean and spacious. It consisted of a hallway, a large furnished bedroom, a little balcony and, of course a nice big bathroom (off-season rate, Rs. 1000 per day) The cottage, like every other place in Ooty, lacked fans or ACs. They aren’t really needed as the weather is always pleasantly cool here. One thing we did however wish for was central heating. Thankfully, we had come prepared with thermals and woolens to keep us warm.
After checking-in, we drove down to the town center, commonly known as the signal or the Charring Cross junction. Here, the streets are lined with restaurants and shops selling woolens, home-made chocolates, filter coffee and other little knick-knacks to attract tourists. We chose to have our breakfast at The Garden Restaurant, one of the many run by the Nahar Group of Hotels. This clean little vegetarian restaurant has comfortable seating beside large picture-windows. There are pretty, floral watercolors adorning the walls between the polished, wooden furniture. If you do plan to stop by here, do try their club sandwich. It’s got the right amount of chutney, cheese and crispiness and it goes well with a cup of hot filter coffee or masala milk.
Botanical Garden
Post breakfast, we took a walk and explored the shops along Charring Cross junction and decided to visit the Botanical Garden at the end of the street. By the way, there’s said to be a Tibetan market along the way, but it wasn’t too spectacular or out-of-the ordinary, really. So, there we were at the entrance to the 22 acre Botanical Garden. This garden was laid out in 1847 and is currently maintained by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The gardens have around a thousand species, both exotic and indigenous, of plantsshrubsfernstrees, herbal and bonsai plants, including a 20-million-year-old fossilized tree. There is an entry charge of Rs.15 per head and Rs.30 for cameras. Not much to do here other than admire the vast variety of plants and flowers all around, but it’s sure to be a treat for any nature-lover.
Making our way back to the town center, we stopped to sample some of the much talked-about chocolate that’s available in every shop.  After much sampling and exploring, we zeroed in on NPS Supermarket, a little store that had the widest variety of chocolate we’d seen. Here you can choose from chocolates filled with various flavors like orange cream, strawberry cream, coconut, caramel and hazelnut. Also available are chocolates sprinkled liberally with dates, nuts, fruits, butterscotch and rice crisps. Take your time choosing, but do remember that there’s no such thing as free samples given out in Ooty. Also, another thing you’ll notice as you walk around town is the various signboards encouraging people to keep the surroundings clean as the Nilgiris are a plastic-free area. Plastic is actually banned here. Wow!
Boat House
Carrying a little bagful of chocolates, we headed to Ooty Lake for a spot of boating. This lake, covering an area of 65 acres was constructed in 1824 by John Sullivan. It was formed by damming the mountain streams flowing down Ooty valley. The lake is set among groves of Eucalyptus trees with a railway line running along one bank. At the entrance of the Boat House is a small amusement park for children and adults. There are fun rides and also a house of mirrors and food stalls. There is a parking charge of Rs.20 and an entry fee of Rs.30 to get into the Boat House. One can choose from a canopied speed-boat that carries 15 people, an old-fashioned row-boat or a paddle-boat. We chose the paddle-boat and after paying a fee of Rs.100 for a 30 minute ride, we stepped into our paddle-boat and paddled off towards the shadier side of the lake where we stopped awhile before paddling back to shore.
Shinkow's
For lunch, we opted for Shinkow’s, an old Chinese joint recommended by a travel site. The restaurant was quaint and cozy enough, but we were disappointed by the fare provided. The menu is very limited and food is rather insipid, dry and bland. The staff is fairly friendly, but do bear in mind that this restaurant does not charge a service charge. However, a few of the waiters are most likely to mislead you into paying a 10% service charge in the hope of getting a fatter tip. Check the bill carefully and pay the exact same amount mentioned therein. We refused to be taken in by one such ‘over smart’ waiter who proceeded to follow us as we left the restaurant and stood casting threatening looks as we drove away.
St. Stephen's Church
We then spent the afternoon exploring the 19th Century church of St. Stephen’s, one of the oldest churches in the Nilgiris. This church was thrown open to the public on Easter Sunday, April 3rd, 1831. It is said that the beams of this church have been made from the wooden beams taken from the Mysore palace. At the back of this church is an old British cemetery with many a British citizen lying beneath the gravestones. This cemetery also houses the final resting place of the young wife and daughter of John Sullivan, the man who is credited with the establishment of Ooty.
Sunset at Doddabetta
 Evening is a good time to drive up to Doddabetta, the highest peak in the Nilgiris (2,623 m) about 10 km from Ooty. It lies at the junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats and offers beautiful vistas of the Nilgiri Hill ranges, with Ooty town on one side and Coonoor and Wellington on the other. One can enjoy a panoramic view of the landscape through the TTDC telescopes placed at the peak. It can get very cold and windy up here and tourists can draw some warmth from the hot cardamom, lemon and masala chai available at the TTDC stall at the peak. Although this look-out point closes at 5 pm, we managed to dawdle around in the hopes of shooting the sunset. In the process, we managed to get so cold that our fingers got absolutely stiff. Stuffing our frozen hands into our pockets we had to run to the car as we were at the risk of being left stranded on the slopes of Doddabetta. The place is under the care of the Forest Department and they probably shut the road to all motorists by 5.30pm.

Sidewalk Cafe
A very good option for dinner is Sidewalk Café, a warm, bright and pleasant little diner-styled restaurant situated in the center of town. The interiors are tastefully done-up in soothing greens and a soft, summery yellow. Here you can get a break from the usual South-Indian fare and tuck into pizzas, sandwiches, pastas and burgers. Also available are delicious smoothies, milkshakes and teas. Rates are fairly good and although service is a little slow, it’s worth the wait.

The Guernsey Tea Factory
After a long, tiring albeit happy day, we tucked ourselves under our sheets and caught up with much needed sleep. The next morning saw us driving down to the neighboring hill station of Coonoor, which is approximately 40 minutes away from Ooty. The town center here is awfully crowded and noisy, with nothing spectacular to boast of. Drive a little further and, away from the chaos, you’ll soon come to some breathtakingly beautiful tea plantations and misty valleys. Although there’s much to see here (Wellington Cantonment, Sim’s Park and Lamb’s Rock) we drove straight towards the Guernsey Tea Factory, where, for a fee of Rs.20 we were given a guided tour of the factory and shown the various steps that go into sending the tea from the plantation to our homes.
Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint
Our next stop was Dolphin’s Nose Viewpoint, which not only provides a panoramic view of the vast expanse of the Nilgiri Hills but also of Catherine Falls across the valley in Kotagiri. The place is teeming with friendly monkeys who skip around the tourists in the hope of getting a tit-bit or two.
Veg Special Meal
Back in the town center, we entered the crowded Hotel Sri Lakshmi, a South-Indian restaurant and ordered the Special Meal for Rs.90. What arrived was a thali laden with 15 different delicacies including papads and two sweet preparations of kesari and payasam.  This heavy meal ends with a serving of bananas and, if you wish, a cup of filter coffee.
Thread Garden
Driving back to Ooty, we stopped at the Thread Garden. Most people in Ooty are strangely ignorant of the existence of this little display exactly opposite the entrance to the Boat House, but there it is, a large board that advertises ‘The Flower Show’. With an entry ticket of Rs.15 (additional charge for cameras) you can see a beautiful display of flowers, plants and lawns fabricated entirely from thread, canvas and wire. The brainchild of Mr. Anthony Joseph, it is the end result of 12 years of untiring work. Absolutely everything is done by hand and no machinery or needle is used at any stage.
Rose Garden
The next morning after checking out from the guesthouse, we took a short drive to The Government Rose Garden, the largest rose garden in India. Today this garden has one of the largest collections of roses in the country with more than 20,000 varieties of roses. The collection is said to include Hybrid Tea RosesMiniature RosesPolyanthas, Papagena, Floribunda, Ramblers, Yakimour and roses of unusual colors like black and green. Unfortunately for us, there are hardly any roses blooming in the winter months of November and December, so except for a few roses scattered here and there, all we got to see were some well sculpted lawns and trimmed hedges.
Nahar Wellness Spa
Driving back to Coimbatore via Kotagiri isn’t too interesting as this last hill station in the Ooty-Coonoor-Kotagiri triad isn’t much to speak of. Except for tea plantations there’s nothing much to do here, unless you plan to visit Catherine Falls. In retrospect, it would have probably been more eventful to drive out via Coonoor. Anyway, having time to spare, we dropped in at the Nahar Wellness Spa at Kotagiri. In preparation on the long drive ahead, we indulged in a foot and head massage, Kerala style (Total cost, Rs. 900).
The drive back to Coimbatore’s Omni Bus Stand was uneventful and, completing all payment matters with Michael, our driver, we went to the KPN travel office to wait for our bus back to Chennai. This particular trip was one packed with lots of travelling and, although it was a wee bit tiring, we returned with the satisfied feeling one gets after a holiday well spent.

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