Munnar

Trip: Kodaikanal > Munnar > Periyar > Alappuzha > Kovalam

We moved to Munnar after a day stay in Kodaikanal. To reach Munnar in itself is an unforgettable experience. Atleast 20 Km before the place, large estates of tea, coffee and cardamom are visible and as the road meanders through these lush gardens, one has a feeling of sailing in an endless green sea. We stayed in Munnar for three days.

Tea Estates @ Munnar

Kodaikanal

• Best time to visit is March with exams ensuring little crowd. Coaker's Park is the place around which most of the attractions exist.
• You will need a vehicle to cover the distant points like three pillar rock, silent valley and Guna caves. Lake is in the middle of city and readily available.
• Try hand made chocolates and coffee for which Kodaikanal is famous. Relax. You can go for the Elephant Valley nearby which is famous for a gorgeous ravine view and elephants.

Trip: Kodaikanal > Munnar > Periyar > Alappuzha > Kovalam

Kerala trip was a bit more than what the three of us had expected from it. Manish and Vikash were with me. We started with  Kodaikanal which is in Tamil Nadu by taking Tuticorin Express from Bangalore to  Kodaikanal Road. There we took a bus and in another couple of hours we were inside the hill station. Thanks to online hotel booking on www.cleartrip.com, we quickly settled in our hotel which was just in front of the bus stand.

Coaker's Park, Kodaikanal

Taj Mahal

 Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan

• Given the walk around and marbles that reflect heat, it is best adviced to visit Taj Mahal in Winters. The access roads are blocked for half mile where you need to park.
• Foreigners are charged 20X more than Indian nationals for entry fee. The amenities are almost non-existent and if you go on a weekend, be ready to go through a crawling crowd.
• Book a hotel nearby for a glance at night. People plan their visit on a full moon to see the white marbles glow in the dark.

Taj Mahal is magnificent - a structure unmatched in grandeur across the globe. A rich history and an exquisite location at the banks of Yamuna makes The Taj Mahal a wonder among wonders. My friends who had come from UK were insisting for The Taj. Hence we started early morning in August at 5.30 AM for Agra. Shaun and Nicola were the ones I was giving company. The highway is pretty smooth but the key to trip to Taj Mahal is starting early. We reached Mathura by 8 AM. There is a McD on the highway where we had our breakfast. 

Taj Mahal, Agra