"K"ERALA – IN MY COUNTRY!

Courtesy : Google Images

After being swept into the endless chatter about Kerala and its beauty, I finally decided to plan family trip to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. After going through a lot of travel and tour agency websites, we decided to create the tour on our own which was more in sync with the DIY attitude. What;'s better than starting the new year with a holiday in God’s own country.

 

Courtesy : Google Images

We landed at Kochi airport on a hot afternoon and rested at our lodge till the evening. The main Central City was not that green as I had read and expected. Concrete structures and opulent malls had poached the greens. In the evening, we decided to go for a journey to the Kochi fort and were left bewitched by the Chinese fishing nets. The mesmerizing

Mohiniyattam and kathakali dance performances awaited us at the famous Kathakali center. From viewing the glorious kathakali dance to the associated make-up by the artists on-stage, it was a wonderful experience. Post that, we had an early dinner at a restaurant nearby. It was an open restaurant and we chose a seat next to the sea. As the starters were being served on our table, the crows self-invited themselves to our table. It turned pristine post the sunset and we finished our supper and returned to our hotel. 

 

Courtesy : Google Images

The next day we left for Thiruvananthapuram. The car journey was stupendous and we got a glimpse of verdant pastures once we moved towards the city of Trivandrum. On our way, we decided to halt at Varkala beach adjacent to the Arabian sea and lingered there till the sunset. I must say it was a beach of foreigners. Many tourists were surfing or swimming around and one was even performing a yogic dance form with his eyes closed. We were mesmerized at his ability to focus. We ran by the beach, made some castles and climbed the colourful rocks to gaze till extremity. The cool breeze and refreshing waters were enough to relieve us of all the tiredness because of a long car journey. My parents strolled around enjoying the azures.

Courtesy : Google Images

It was late in the night when we checked-in near Vizhinjam Lighthouse in Kovalam. Kovalam has three beaches namely Lighthouse Beach, Hawa Beach and Samudra Beach. The platform at Vizhinjam Lighthouse gave a terrific view of palm laden Kovalam city. I woke up early to soak in the morning sun by the beach side the following day. I jogged and exercised on the shore and saw many visitors relaxing on the beach beds, which had a cost of Rs.200/hour. As the sun grew hotter, I had to ebb away from the crashing waves after having brunch and fresh mixed fruits with coconut. I stayed at my hotel to relax for some time before being back again at the blue waters around evening. Midst the swashing waves and zephyr, I read my novel: Steve Jobs. After an hour or so, there was an increase in the intensity of both the air current and the waves crashing at the shore. The colorful sunset and natural element’s voices left me vivacious. My sister and I kept strolling till late hours near the beach until our parents pestered us back to the guest house.

Courtesy : Google Images

The next day, we took a boat ride in Poovar Island and were amazed at the beauty that was in store for us. The mangroves, the green waters, colourful birds and finally a location which per the rower was that from the movie Anaconda left us spellbound. The last point in our cruise was the Golden Sand Beach with clean and clear blue waters. We waited there for the golden and crimson sunset and then retreated to Kovalam.

Courtesy : Google Images

The last day commenced with a tour of Alappuzha aka Alleppy backwaters inclusive of Vembanad lake which was full of ducks, swans, doves, pelicans and many other migratory birds. The serene beauty was very pleasant and worth immersing our souls into. The light drizzle and the infinite blues made the visit a worthwhile one.

Finally, we returned to Delhi only to again get busy with our mundane routines.

As I rest my itchy fingers with reminiscence of Kerala backwaters, I wonder if you have already started packing your bags to get your souls lost into viridescent land.

This is the 11th post in the series #A2ZChallenge.
This post is also for #BlogchatterA2Z -----> 'K'.