A Rhapsody of Love- Subhojit’s Honeymoon Trip Review of Kerala
There was a layer of thick fog, hindering our vision. The headlight of the car shone bright, but was diffused by the mist ahead, so we could not see more than 3m ahead of the car.
The fog started to thin gradually with the sun rising higher, and then there came a turn.
The driver suddenly slowed our car near the turning, crossing which we saw the fog clear off, revealing a sight that still remains fresh in my mind-
The sky reflected a mellow hue of yellow, and the valley beneath it stretched on and on, covered with tea plantations that boasted a deep shade of emerald. The landscape was hilly, and we could spot some mountains in the distance, their peaks blurred by heavy clouds.
And that was the moment we felt,
Yes, this is indeed God’s own country.
What is love?
We arrived at Kochi airport at 5 in the morning, after which we were heading towards Munnar by the car provided by Thrillophilia, our travel planner.
Kerala was the dream destination for both me and my wife, and we could not be happier taking this trip on our honeymoon!
We had been planning this venture for almost a month or two now, and being greeted by such beauty of Munnar’s landscapes on our very first ride, seemed like a blessing.
By the time we had reached the hotel, we could hardly keep our eyes open. After a sound sleep, we woke up around the afternoon, and that was when we could register the sheer elegance of our hotel room. It was decorated with local handicrafts and natural elements, and the best part, our window opened to let in a stunning vista of rolling green mountains.
Since we visited in March, there was still a lingering wisp of cold in the air, which kind of made our experiences better. We freshened up, got ready, and headed to a good restaurant as suggested by our driver and guide. On our way, we saw some huge balloons gliding in the air, and upon asking, we were informed by our guide that it was a hot air balloon ride.
The sound of it thrilled us, and we looked at each other immediately.
“Do you want to?”
“Why not”
“Lets!!”
So, after munching on some crispy pomfret and stuffing some tasty daal, rice, salads, and chicken curry, we went straight to the hot air balloon launching pad. Getting tickets was easy as there was not much crowd, and then we boarded our basket.
We were so high up in the sky that everything below seemed tiny and insignificant, all that mattered in the moment was “Us”.
The height of the balloon resembled our ‘high’ of love, the experience felt just like the way we feel for each other- exhilarating, ecstatic, and engulfed.
The Hunt
It was morning, and we were gliding on the Periyar Lake through the Periyar Tiger Reserve when all of a sudden, we saw a deer running like a flash of lightning along the banks of the lake. We got scared for some time, but our guide asked us to keep calm and the boatsman stalled the sail. Within seconds, we saw the big cat come out, chasing the deer with twice as much speed and fierceness.
The sight was powerful, portraying nature in its rawest form.
We were too stunned to take videos of the same, and before we revived our senses, the melee was over.
The dead deer was being dragged by the tiger deep into the forest, it vanished in seconds, but we kept on staring in that direction.
Everything became still again.
The jeep safari following that seemed dull. So, wrapping up the itinerary we went straight for lunch and then to exploring the markets to find some local handicrafts and arts.
Cannot deny that there was a certain feeling of restlessness bugging us from within, the hunt that we witnessed in the morning had shaken us. We needed a good night’s sleep. So, after buying some sandalwood-carved souvenirs as a form of distraction, we headed to the hotel.
We had ordered dinner in bed for that night, an unplanned thing for sure.
A Tribute to Ancient
If you ever visit Kovalam, please go for a stroll on the beach for a sunrise session, and you will find people practising Kalaripayattu- the oldest form of Indian martial arts that is still in practice.
We did not attend any shows, because we wished to see their practice session, their rehearsals, and their method of teaching. It is something that caught my interest long ago and as a dancer, it was one of my ardent desires to learn this art form.
But for now, witnessing the rehearsal was sufficient.
Then we headed to the beachside for swimming and sunbathing. The scenic beauty of Kovalam beaches is unparalleled…fringe-leafed trees lined both sides of the beach and the horizon of the ocean and sky lay straight ahead from where we sat, sipping on some huge coconuts. The beaches were clean and we had a really good time chatting, laughing, and even indulging in some romantic walks.
Later on in the evening, to both of our surprise, Thrillophilia’s guide took us to a restaurant. He left us at the door, from where a waiter escorted us through the restaurant to their open area. There was a table set, decorated with candles and plates of some amazing seafood dishes.
It was completely unexpected, and we had a lovely time together.
Finally, the voyage to remember, and sustain
We won't say much about it- no incident took place, no drama ruined our moments, and no surprise dinners, but the feeling of boating on the backwaters and then staying a night on a houseboat …was unreal.
From catching fish to cooking it on the boat, from snacking on banana chips and hearing local ghost stories of the region from the oarsmen, our last night in Kerala was unforgettable.
It was a voyage for a night, but mine and my wife’s voyage for a happily married life had just started.
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