Ooty

Date: 22-August-15 to 23-August-15

Ooty, often called the Queen of Hill Stations, is the picturesque capital of the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu. This trip was particularly special for me, not just because of the destination, but because of the people who made it memorable.

Thilak’s friends had planned a weekend getaway to Ooty and kindly included me in the group. What started as a trip with strangers soon turned into a wonderful experience filled with laughter, conversations, and new friendships. By the end of the journey, I had gained eight new friends. Our group consisted of ten people in total, five boys and five girls.

To make the most of the weekend, we boarded a Tempo Traveller from Banashankari at 2:00 AM. Since the route to Ooty passes through the Bandipur forest and the forest gates open only after 6:00 AM, an early departure was necessary. The unusual timing did little to dampen our enthusiasm. For a while, the vehicle was filled with conversations as everyone got to know each other better. Gradually, one by one, most of the group drifted off to sleep while a few continued chatting through the night.

Travel snapshot

Before the trip, I had been slightly nervous about how easily I would fit into a group where I knew very few people. Thankfully, those concerns disappeared almost immediately. Everyone was warm, friendly, and welcoming, making me feel completely comfortable from the very beginning. What I expected to be just a short trip to Ooty soon became a memorable journey shared with a wonderful group of people.

• Route Travelled: Banashankari > Mysore > Bandipur > Ooty 
• Total expense (for two of us): 3400 Rs

The detailed day-wise travel journal of this trip can be found in the following posts:

• Day 1 – Doddabetta Peak and Botanical Garden
• Day 2 – Beautiful Coonoor

Route Map