Team trip this year was to be something different as we had Eldhose married and his wife working with us. Hence the long time wish to make a 2 day tour was materialised. This called for a lot of planning and a lot more expenses. Full planning was done and perfectly executed by Eldhose courtesy of his college days when he did all the college tour organisings. Expenses were controlled with some wise decisions by the team. This time things were a bit more complicated as we had 2 offices at 2 different geographical locations. We had estimated 17 people to come and none to drop out as this was a premium event, but alas due to personal reasons many could not make it. Princy and Salini would have really liked to come, but there were more things that demanded their attention, hopefully next time we can have a full team event.
We needed to start at evening to reach mettuppalayam at early morning. Me and Dilip started from Palarivattom office at 8 pm to join the rest of the team for food at Aluva. After dinner we started off around 10 and reached Mettuppalayam at 3.30. We had booked accomodation at Asoka Inn. Every one were sleepy and most started sleeping even when we only had couple of hours to leave the place.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
Day 1
We had arranged breakfast also from there and took off around 6.30 to the railway station. The Nilgiri Express was waiting for us. We had booked tickets earlier (something very wise to do if you wish to really get seats) and only the day before they had got confirmed.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
Here are the details of the train travel. It was a steam powered engine, one of its kind. It was stopped once and restarted so it will be advisable to take this tour before they shuts down again.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
I cannot possibly explain the whole journey where a train snakes through mountains, enters long tunnels, clutches to cliffs and passes over georgeous water falls and coffee estates filling all around it.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
The 2 family got onto one coupe and all the rest were in another. Train had a 4 hour journey to make to reach ootty. It made many stops at different picturesque locals and stations where it also filled the engine with water. We could have photo sessions at these points.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
Some of those stops were extremely beautiful and looked like out of a wallpaper.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
But there were times when after few hours every one got contented and started sleeping off due to the last nights long journey. TA certain station the engine was changed to a diesel one and we continued onto ootty. We reached there to see ootty town covered with mist.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
Suddenly rain started as though to welcome us and we all were terrified if this was the end of all our fun. Some decisions were to be taken fast and we decided to check in at our stay. The traveler was already there and had reached hours before the train. Our stay was at a most picturesque local called green county resort, although not much posh, yet satisfactory.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
Misty mountains topped all around us ans we were all feeling the cold. Family couples were given individual accomodations when bachelors crashed into 2 rooms. After lunch we set off to botanical garden which needs to introduction. We spent a lot of time there even though partial rain try to play spoil sport.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
I hope the couples too had a great time. I felt like the odd one out here LOL.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
If you are interested in flowers and nature then this is your paradise. All kinds of vegetation was there and it was spread for acres.
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| From Ootty Csharks Aug 2010 |
We visited the Tea Factory after wards on our way to Dodabetta. That place made us buy some tea powder and home made chocolates for much higher prices than outside and made us late for the dodabetta entry. It had closed at 5 and we decided to call it a day. We had skipped rosegarden as everyone were feeling the cold and wanted to get back to the house. Had couple of beers and food at night and the team were terrified at the idea of a campfire. The cold was really too much for most of them but as the locals had later informed us, it was really low and a god given gift for us.
Woollen covers saved the day for us and we were all shivering while we slept that night. Next up Day 2.
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