Wayanad was a spontaneous destination I visited at the end of 2023. It surprised me because I hadn't planned to visit the greenest town in Kerala, especially after exploring some villages in Kerala earlier that month. After my trip to Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, and Alleppey, I returned to Bangalore and Mangalore to attend a wedding on Christmas Day. From there, I returned to Bangalore to have my Vaikunta Dwara Darshan on December 30th in Tirupati. After returning from Tirupati, I planned to spend New Year's Eve with my friends in Bangalore. However, the birthday girl suggested a group trip to Wayanad on her birthday, January 1st, 2024.
They insisted that I join them after I visited Tirupati. I had to rush back from Tirupati very early, at 4 am, and it took me around five hours to reach Bangalore. My friends didn't give up on me and waited until I reached the city. I learned that they were earnest about having me join them. That's how I celebrated the last day of 2023 and the first day of 2024 in Wayanad, making exciting, adventurous, and fun memories.
"It was a long drive in a car with five people and a dog, and it was one of the most enjoyable group car rides I've had in Bangalore. I've travelled to Mangalore in groups in people's cars before but have yet to go to Kerala. After multiple pit stops, conversations, and crazy glitches in the beginning, we reached Mysore after almost two hours of driving, where we planned to have lunch and relax for a while before heading further. After crossing Mysore highways and the beautiful yet exciting forest roads and ghats of Berambadi, Karnataka, we reached the district city of Wayanad. The drive was exciting because it crossed the borders of Karnataka and explored the wildlife, animals, and extensive forest floors of Berambadi. Those routes were supposed to be open until 7 in the evening, and we were allowed as we entered those highways in the afternoon, almost nearing the borders of Kerala at Wayanad. There were times I stood on the seats through the block shade of our car to enjoy the breeze like a kid. I was damn happy to be going amidst nature on the high notes of ending the year peacefully."
We stayed at the borders of Wayanad, a paradise in Kerala. While crossing all those roads in the late afternoon, I felt fantastic, like a kid enjoying the fresh breeze of greenery. By 5 pm, we checked into a pet-friendly hotel in Sulthan Bathery, near Wayanad. The view from our rooms was breathtaking, with a blend of buildings and greenery. Brahma, the hotel, was a beautiful accommodation. It was pet-friendly, and they provided us with warmth. We had no glitches throughout the stay, and it was peaceful despite our wild night there.
The surroundings were filled with shops, churches, and markets, making it convenient to grab anything at any given time, except for the nights, as the town slept relatively early. Even though it was New Year's Eve, there wasn't much buzz in the village like any other typical city, and I felt relatively peaceful. Unlike many New Year parties I have celebrated, it was different, cosy, and lovely, with a few pals around me. Even though getting booze was a hectic task, we managed to arrange everything and decked ourselves up before the actual night started. When we looked out of our hotel, the town was pretty silent, and there were only the noises of firecrackers for the celebrations of the new year.
We were all busy getting things together for my friend's birthday celebration, as we were more focused on her birthday than the arrival of the new year. The party became wild, filled with booze, cakes, dancing, pictures, and many memories. Since it was a last-minute plan, we had only booked our rooms for a one-night stay in Wayanad. While my friends wanted to extend their stay, I was determined to make the most of our time at the hotel and nearby areas. However, my other friends came up with an exciting plan to explore, and that's when the real fun began.
After checking out of the hotel in the morning at around 11, we had a typical Kerala breakfast at a nearby hotel. Our next stop was the unique tea plantation called "The Muddy Boots," known for its zipline. After driving for about an hour through the town roads of Wayanad, we arrived at the plantation. Unfortunately, we were disappointed that the zipline services were halted for the day due to an unexpected accident involving one of the staff members.
However, we couldn't resist exploring the vast and beautiful plantation. We walked through the muddy grounds with our dog, Miffy, taking pictures and soaking in the greenery for over an hour. Even though we initially stopped only for the zipline, we didn't regret visiting the plantation because of its breathtaking beauty, almost like any other hill station. Famous for its green paradise, this place in Wayanad can convince any traveller to take a break, relax, and connect with nature by walking through the terrace paths of the plantations. The rich aroma of the tea and the earthy aroma of the mud from the plantations made us feel connected with nature. The photos we took at this place always remind us of the beautiful memories we made in Wayanad, and they remain vivid no matter where we are. Before leaving, we enjoyed some chocolate teas from the Muddy Boots store, which exclusively sells tea from the plantations.
After that little disappointment of not exploring the zipline of Muddy Boots, we indeed had a fully satisfied with an unexpected yet adventurous once we headed from Muddy Boots towards Vythiri. Stay tuned to those explorations through my words!
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