Kollam - A hidden gem (Day 1)

Off we go - I thought finally and was super excited even for our super short trip to Kerala ( Gods Own country it is called in India due to its divine locations, general calmness and the beauty). Due to some repeated health issues and other obstacles our different kinds of trips planned to Thailand, then to Bali etc did not get implemented. Cancelling all the foreign trip plans - we rounded on somewhere near - udupi ( TamilNadu) or Kerala in June - even they all got postponed or cancelled and so on...

This summer threw me a curveball - some health issues turned chronic and demanded long treatment sessions. I ended up spending weeks indoors, barely touching my usual hobbies or even picking up the phone. Also I believe there is NONE to call to coz all are in their soup! I don't feel like calling friends when there is really no plan or nothing exciting happening. Just to mope, it doesn't feel right! Every one nowadays prefers to mope like a mop in a corner😜 Doing otherwise is a blasphemy for adulting :) and anyway so all plans kept getting cancelled!

So we finally planned a 3.5 days or I must say just 3 day trip to Kollam , Kerala via Trivandrum. As soon as we reached, huge waves of Arabian sea welcomed us just outside the airport premises (I thought it is Bay of Bengal and my daughter corrected me with a taunt that what did I even study in school? 😀). Our moods got lifted seeing the sea...and another highlight of the day is meeting an old friend, who became a good blogger friend during one of A to Z writing challenges - Shail Mohan, she and her husband suggested a restaurant and we all met for lunch there...Sea food eating folks ordered some prawns and all of us tasted some Kerala style chicken biryani. Even if I don't eat fish, the fish gravy tasted great and biryani is okayish for my palate.

I felt jubilant on meeting Shail and we recollected , relived all the moments from our last meet which was nearly a dozen years ago in Hyderabad! Phew. Time did fly. I felt like a baby then, now am meeting her with my baby ☘️♥️ . We all guffawed , talked and went click click click but we had to disperse sooner as we wanted to continue with our trip and do some boating the same day...

We reached the Fragrant nature resort around 2 PM and were welcomed with a sweetish tangy beetroot juice I guess. I didn't ask what it is but felt good on the taste buds. The drizzles also gave a lyrical welcome to us. The resort is located just on the shores of paravur lake. The resort itself is nearer to paravur beach and a local Elephant park! Quite a dreamy setting for a long weekend get away. As I started taking in my surroundings, the resort manager or whoever it was - greeted us and explained breathlessly what we can do, what we need not, weather updates, complimentary boat rides so on so forth! As we already had an early lunch, we had time to relax for a while before we go ahead with our Kayaking! 

Welcome 

Interiors at the resort

    

Window view

It started raining on an off, we thought it would flop our plans! Somehow as we saw that everyone was doing motor boating, canoeing and even kayaking in rain, we too felt motivated to give it a try. Me with my sciatic pain didn't feel so sure about kayaking, however the instructor offered to do all the rowing while I sat in front and relaxed. Later I realized the tax to relax was to hear to his unending chit-chat😅. I don't mind talking but most of it was lost in translation and he was disrupting my peace in silence. My husband and daughter did row the kayak together just near to me and seemed to be having much better time! 

At first glance, the row of white birds perched so neatly along the water made us think they were seagulls ( in the below pic), all sitting in perfect line and discipline. But Shail upon asking, (who is a bird enthusiast) identified them as Great Crested Terns and a quick Google search confirmed she was absolutely right!!

The lake we were kayaking on was vast and ever-changing. With every twist and turn, the scenery shifted, each corner revealing something new. In the distance, a railway track and a cooing train added a certain rustic charm to the landscape. I couldn’t click too many photos as I balanced uncomfortably in the kayak, at some points felt it may almost topple, I tried to ease the pressure on my back (thanks to the nagging pain), and rowed occasionally just so I wouldn’t feel completely idle 😛!

Entering into the mangroves

The Kayak Jam :)

Things got even more exciting when we paddled into the mangroves. They were dense, lush, and mesmerizing like an isolated forest tucked right in the middle of the lake. Some groups got off their kayaks and waded into the water, tossing a ball around or just soaking in the rain and the fun.

The Oh! so gorgeous Mangrove tunnels!

We spent nearly two and a half hours (an entire evening) on the water before heading back, right when the skies opened up. The rain poured down in full force, and by the time we reached the bank, we were all completely drenched. Thankfully, our cottage was just a short walk from the lake.

After a quick freshen-up, we set out to explore the property, walking a few kilometers under a shared umbrella. That’s when it hit me that the next day we must buy raincoats!

A hot cup of coffee and a plate of crispy pakoras (fritters) lifted our spirits. We wound down for the day, relived the moments, and soaked in the views from the comfort of the cozy room!

Meet you all again with Day 2!