TRAVELOGUE: Mist & Meadows in Vagamon

VAGAMON... National Geographic referred to it as 'The Scotland of Asia'. So I & my most beloved travel mate Vishnu Pisharody (fondly called 'Pishu'), being the crazies we are, thought about finding out why. And I tell you, it was one of the best findings we had ever made... !!

[The meadows of Vagamon]

Here is how it unfolded. Let me wind the clock back about three years. The time when I owned a spanking new black Bullet STD 350. I & Pishu were working in a software company in Trivandrum at that time & I bought the Bullet with my hard earned money. It was my love for touring that made me buy her. I had to attend my classmate's wedding at Kottayam & Pishu came up with the idea: Ride to Vagamon & then go to the wedding the next day.

[Route map: Trivandrum to Vagamon]

We set off early morning 5.00 am, since we had to cover 267 kms to reach Vagamon from Trivandrum. We were in high spirits & the rising sun welcomed us with its gentle rays. But as we move further, the sky started getting dark, overcast & suddenly the heavens opened... We were not in our rain gear & got drenched. We ran to a nearby abandoned shed to take refuge. As the rain eased it fury, we ventured out again... We felt cold with the water seeping into forbidden areas ;) & hungry. We stopped by a small hotel enroute to Anchal. Hot tea, dosa & egg curry... Ah.. One of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time.

Vagamon is situated in Idukki district... Idukki, along with Wayanad has to be the most scenic districts in Kerala. We decided to deviate from the normal route & take the less traveled Sabarimala road... Though it was like taking a detour of 30 kms, it was worth it. The road started to swerve crazily like a snake & the canopy of trees formed a cover over us. The sunlight seeping through the leaves made patterns on the road like a kaleidoscope. The scenery is so stunning that many times you will find your eyes wandering off the road.

[At Vagamon]

As we reached Ranni, the rain started again. We stopped by a small shop & lit a smoke. Nothing like taking a warm puff on a cold day!! I was getting restless because rain was playing havoc with our plans. So we decided to push on despite the rain. I was trying to the get the bulky Bullet back on the road when it got stuck in the kerb. I was unaware of a bus coming from behind. I heard Pishu scream, but with my helmet on, it was not clear. The bus just nudged the handlebar... It was a narrow escape. The bus driver called some 'f%$*&#' words, swore & drove off.

[Wanna play??]

[Lush green meadows]

We reached Erattupetta, tired & soaked from head to toe. After a warm lunch, we headed off... Only 24 kms separated us from Vagamon. The road started to roll up into the mountains in loops of hairpin bends. The fun in riding a bike is in such sections... The ghats seem to welcome us with open arms. There was mist & slight rain... We could smell the freshness in the air. We stopped to admire the nature's magical beauty. The fatigue of the trip faded away like the mist surrounding us.

[Tea plantations]

[A sip from the stream]

As we rode further, we came across beautiful green meadows with grazing cows & lush green tea estates & pine plantations. Stop & listen... the chirping of birds, the symphony of flowing streams & the gush of the wind filled the ears. It was so peaceful, so magical.... It has to be experienced.
We drank water from the flowing stream... So pure, given by mother nature. But all good things must come to an end and it was time for us to leave this mesmerizing place. The roads were pretty bad in some places, so I carefully descended downhill.

[Treacherous roads]

The darkness was slowly creeping in like an intruder... It was very dark as we reached Pala in Kottayam district. We checked into a hotel for the overnight stay. It was a comfy room. We ate dinner like we were famished & the people at hotel stared at us. We collapsed into bed & slept like babies :) We woke up early next morning & started our journey to Kottayam to attend my classmate's wedding. With less amount of traffic, we reached Kottayam by 11am. It was nice to catch up with some old classmates & we chatted for a long time. It was a Christian wedding & the main attraction of wedding is the feast afterwards... After having a sumptuous meal, I kicked the Bullet back to life . Waving goodbye to friends, we rode back to Trivandrum....

Looking back at the journey now, I feel it was the best I ever had... The rain, the mist, the mountains, the meadows.... It is been almost three years, but it still lingers fresh in my memory... !!!

"Once you have travelled, the voyage never ends, but it is played out over & over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey." - Pat Conroy

Visakh. A
[Photography: Visakh & Vishnu]