Recharging one’s batteries with nature is a blessing in the summer season, just imagine it poured cats and dogs on the 13th April, which happened to be my wife’s birthday. Even the nature does bless who deserve, seems to be an understatement. .
One place I wanted to check out in Ooty very badly, to travel down the memory lane was Fernil Palace. It had etched a permanent memory in my chip because we had a rollicking sales conference in 1984 in the peak of summer. We were shivering during day time due to the chillness despite the borrowed blazers. The 3 day conference was filled with professional agenda and the nights were filled with cocktail and fireworks lit in the sky. One of the best turkey was cooked by TAJ group chef and served as a delicacy, it was polished off within 30 minutes by preying party poopers. It was black & white combo which kept us warm during those nights. .
Today the Maharaja’s palace is taken over by the by the Welcome Group and Mr Fiyaz who is the manager of the property invited us to stay over, with hefty discount on the offer for a client who revisited the property after 25 years. The property has been refurbished and looks like connoisseurs delight. The suites look fabulous and reminiscent of Maharaja’s lifestyle. The tariffs quoted is around 10 K plus tax and he was kind enough to offer me hefty discount. Well it was tempting offer that I would accept in the next visit. .
I was shaken but not stirred by the urgency to reach Ooty from Blore. I clipped at 110 km which may have stretched my vehicles limit. We had a narrow escape of nearly crashing into a loaded truck by virtue of his veering to the left to avoid a bullock cart. Fortune favours the brave, is not just a idiom to be cherished, but even the Lord helped us to survive the accident..
The overall two day trip was a eye opener and telling in terms flexing one’s driving skill and planning the itinerary in a quick and efficient manner, we had the on the hindsight a guide luckily who took us through the meadows and landscape of Cooner like a fleeting look at the pages of racing novel. It was Sridhar s advice which prompted me to hire a guide and Mazhar in between was checking with me as to how I was enjoying the weather and scenery. I only wish how we had a big gang of Msians to enjoy in such a lovely natural settings. But one thing I have realized never to visit during season any tourist destination to enjoy its real beauty. Take time off and visit destinations during off season when you will feel like a monarch, that is what I intend to do during my next visit.
Epilouge
Some people call it as Yorkshire of India, if you ask Geoff Boycott for his comment, he would utter " roubbish, how can you compare Ooty to Yorkshire, where my mom taught me how to play cricket in a defensive manner "
The purpose of writing an annexure was that i went to Ooty to get my car batteries recharged which had gone down very badly due to my accidental switching on the AC while it rested.
Well the beauty of the Ooty which was enhanced by heavy shower cannot be captured by a video camera, nevertheless with amateur skill i have loaded another one with oriental instrumental music background. It is just an experiment to perfect my editing skills.
The everlasting beauty of Ooty we missed when we were young as bachelors, we wasted time in consuming nectar made out of molasses and barley. I am sure the bumble bees will avoid and taste the natural ones on the botanical gardens and Sims park.
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