Grad trip to Kerala: Munnar and Aleppey

Tripoto
21st Feb 2017
Photo of Grad trip to Kerala: Munnar and Aleppey by Devraj Jee
Day 1

The end of a memorable 2 years of MBA and our close-knit group of 5 decided to take a trip to unwind and relax before we had to rejoin the hectic corporate world. After Thailand plans fell through, we picked Kerala and bid adieu to our college.
The first day was just lots of traveling as after taking the overnight train from Jamshedpur to Calcutta, we flew from Calcutta to Cochin with a layover at Madras. Having arrived in Cochin we got into the cab which we had asked our hotel to send and drove 3 hours to get to Munnar.
With the alcohol ban in Kerala, booze is hard to come by and is available in just a few govt-run stores where you have to stand in line with the locals. We bought substantial amounts on the drive to Munnar and reached our hotel just as the sun was setting. All weariness disappeared however upon seeing the fantastic views we got from our room balconies with the red sun rays lighting up the endless tea-gardens. We had dinner at a beautiful sit-out on the steep slope of the hill and turned in early.

Photo of Grad trip to Kerala: Munnar and Aleppey by Devraj Jee
Photo of Grad trip to Kerala: Munnar and Aleppey by Devraj Jee
Day 2

Our first day in Munnar saw us having a late breakfast and heading out to for some local sightseeing. First place on our agenda was the Tea Museum where apart from viewing antiques from the old days of the plantation and a documentary about the history of the Munnar High Range, we were also walked through the tea making process in a mock-factory.
Walking back to Munnar town we had a traditional Keralite lunch and then took a long-winded walk through the tea plantations and the villages lining them up to the Pothamedu Viewpoint. This walk along the lush greenery and chirping birds was easily one of the highlights of the trip.
Taking an auto back to the hotel, we had dinner and a few drinks.

Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Day 3

Having booked a jeep with a driver the previous day, we got up pretty early and started on our sightseeing tour. Stopping on the honeycomb-infested tree, we went over to a place where you get elephant rides. We then continued on till Echo Point where we got off to sit by the water and test out the name of the place. Our next stop was a strawberry farm deep inside the eucalyptus forest after crossing Top Station. We spent about an hour in the farm, picking strawberries and sampling their home-made strawberry jam and wine. After making our purchases, we headed back to Top Station for lunch and drove back.
On the way we stopped at Mattupetty Dam for boating but gave up on that seeing the long queue. We made one last stop at a spice garden where we were taken through an elaborate guided tour through the different herbs and plants being grown there, and ended up purchasing a ton of ayurvedic medicines and organic spices.
One last thing that deserves mention is that the strawberry wine we bought were given to us in plastic mineral water bottles. They fermented for the entire day as we blissfully did our sightseeing and later in the evening, each bottle exploded, the plastic giving in at last to the air-pressure built up inside. So yes buy strawberry wine only if you plan to drink it immediately.

Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Munnar, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Day 4

We made the 4 and a half hour long drive to Allepey the next day and checked into a beach side dormitory where we booked 2 rooms for ourselves. In front of our dorm was a beautiful cafe overlooking the sea which became our haunt for the next 3 days.
After a quick dip in the sea during sunset we walked over to one of the few places which served beers and wines for dinner. We continued drinking on the beach into the night as Shivratri parties continued in 'greener' establishments

Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Day 5

The trip had been very hectic so far and we decided to chill the entire day. So we settled in with our books in the cafe eating fish and drinking refreshing green mango coolers all day.
I, with my love for the ocean, took multiple dips in the sea. We set out to the same place for dinner and then settled into hammocks drinking into the night.

Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Day 6

Last day of the trip, and we set off for a shikara ride through the famed backwaters of Kerala. There couldn't have been a better way to top off this wonderful vacation. The boat took us through lush green vegetation with the air filled with bird calls and the coolest freshest breeze blowing in from the sea. Taking one last dip in the sea we set out to Cochin for an overnight stay at a hotel near the airport and then dispersed the next morning.

Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee
Photo of Alappuzha, Kerala, India by Devraj Jee