Ooty has remained a favorite choice of honeymooners for decades. For us, it was the obvious choice because it was one hill station neither Sharath nor I had ever visited! We had heard and read a lot about the pristine beauty of this hill station but we could not believe our eyes when we caught the first glimpse of the misty mountains. The following week was one of the best weeks’ we spent together – lovers in the Queen of hill stations wandering on the cobbled pathways and visiting all the scenic spots including the Botanical Lake, Deer Park, Charring Cross, Dodabetta Peak and Kodanadu's View Point. At 6000 feet above sea level, the chill that greeted us every time we stepped out of our cosy Fernhill Palace cottage and the piping hot coffee simply added to the romance.
Sharath and I have always been the kinds who seek adventure in all that we do. It was no surprise that we wanted our fair share of adventure on our honeymoon too. We checked at the palace and found that there are plenty of options for Angling, Hang-Gliding and Trekking. We decided to trek the high mountain ranges of the Nilgiris. Its gentle and low lying slopes makes for easy trekking routes but breathtaking sights. It is a real delight to watch the clouds move and view the bounty of nature. The mountains form excellent natural sky scrapers and we could only talk about building a holiday home in Ooty in the next few years!
Waterfalls have forever held a special place in my heart and I was very excited to visit the Pykara waterfalls close to Ooty. We left early in the morning to catch the first glimpse of the frothing water falling in to the clear water. We enjoyed our meal at the boathouse there and clicked a few great shots from the bridge before heading back to the Palace.
There are a number of stores in the marketplaces which offer natural products such as oils, tea etc. We had a great time shopping at the Upper and Lower Bazaar roads. We found some great handicrafts and local fabrics at the Charring Cross, making our honeymoon all the more fun! We bought a lot of Nilgiri Honey and Cinchona products to take back home.
We got back with wonderful memories after a week. The return journey by train was too misty for views but we dwelled on the eventful week.