It was the long weekend of October and the busy life in Bangalore was becoming a routine. What could have been a better time to plan a trip and take a break from the concrete structures and bustling traffic?
It took time for us to decide the destination for our liberation. We had many options. Coorg, Wayanad, Ooty etc. But,we wanted to avoid the crowd which flocks towards hill stations and beaches during long weekends.So, finally, we planned to leave Coorg and other weekend getaways for the next time and shortlisted a beautiful homestay amidst nature’s lap in Wayanad, Kerala.
Mountain Dew Homestay in Wayanad was indeed the best choice. Read my detailed experience of staying at Mountain Dew Homestay here.
When we reached the homestay, the surrounding beauty was majestic. The trees fluttered in the soothing calm wind. The birds chirped joy and the raindrops, still fresh from the recent showers, made the leaves look lively. The homestay was perfect to spend a lazy holiday, admiring the surrounding dense forest. Here are some pics which make me relive those 3 days in Wayanad.
Small Balcony with tree branches spread right at the door step
Dining Table with a splendid view of the Wayanad forest. Here we had the best meals ever
Great collection of books
The car journey from Bangalore to Wayanad was exhausting because of the dishonest driver and time spent to deal with his tantrums. Exhausted, we checked in the homestay, devoid of any energy to explore the surroundings and waited for the delicious dinner to be served. We savoured every bite and enjoyed the melody created by the forest winds. The dinner was truly satisfying and left us lazy. While dining, we had already planned the next day.
As the sun was rising the next day, we waited for the coffee to be served with authentic Kerala style breakfast. Next we left for Edakkal Caves, considered to be one of the best attractions in Wayanad. However, when we reached the caves and parked our car, we noticed tourists swarming all over the place. We trekked 2 KMs to reach the caves. But, we were disappointed by the crowd and returned without actually visiting them. I have no regrets as I am not a big fan of ancient paintings and carvings. While returning, we chose the safest option for lunch, maggi. We would have tried some Kerala cuisine. But, we were very famished to wait till we reach a proper restaurant that would serve it.
About to start the trek
This is where we waited for the crowd to dissipate
Our next destination was Pookot Lake. I will be frank here and not recommend this spot as it is like any other lake in any other hill station. As a travel enthusiast, I was disappointed by the commercialization of a seemingly artificial lake.
Anyways, we decided to set the mood to ‘lazy’ and decided to not go to any other point in Wayanad crowded by tourists. So, on the last day, we spent the whole day lazing in the homestay. We savoured some lip-smacking Kerala cuisine for lunch and played poker till it was evening. Eventually, we decided to explore a jungle trail behind our homestay.
The Jungle Trail. Waiting to be explored
This was our best decision. As we ascended the trail, it seemed that we were getting closer to nature. The afternoon rains had made the forest lust green. As raindrops dripped from the beautiful green leaves, we kept discovering new turns in the trail. All that we could hear was our feet rumbling through the dry grass and birds chirping to signal the sunset. Far away in the forests, some local tribe was playing folk songs and some village girls were singing as they approached their home after a busy day. It was blissful.
After capturing the magic moments on celluloid, we headed back to our homestay, where delicious dinner was waiting to be served.
Next day, after having a scrumptious breakfast, we left the homestay with a heavy heart. It was an invigorating holiday and if I ever return back to Wayanad, I would stay no-where but at Mountain Dew Homestay. Thanks to the owner for being an amazing host and to the awesome friends Sanchit, Sudha & Shruti to accompany me!
With the Mountain Dew Homestay Owner and friends, Wayanad