Kurumba Village Resort.

'In the lap of nature...' said the tagline of this resort. I was a bit apprehensive about the place since we decided on the place purely based on reviews online and our passion for trying out a road less travelled.Once we took the narrow lane down one of the valleys I knew this was going to be one great holiday in the 'lap of mother nature..'

* with a canopy of trees as far as the eyes could see.
* a symphony of music played by cuckoos, oreoles, barbets, hill mynas and many different birds.
* monkeys playing peek-a-boo in the balconies
* sipping refreshing nilgiris tea while watching the full moon rise in the eastern night sky.
* sitting around the bonfire on a cool summer night.
* reading 'Rain in the mountain' by Ruskin Bond by the poolside.
* the excitement of spotting fireflies in the dense dark mountain night.
* Life couldn't get any better.

You can check out their website here:http://www.kurumbavillageresort.com

World Environment Day.

Let's make our planet a better place. Let's do our bit.
I plan to
* Switch off lights & fans when not in use.
* Close the tap water while brushing.
* Carry my own basket or bag while buying vegetables & groceries.
* Find innovative ways of reusing bottles & jars.
* Minimise use of plastics.
* Trying walking instead of taking out the car.
* Teach my daughter all these things so that she can also do her bit in making this WORLD -Beautiful.

...hilly holiday.

We decided to take a quick holiday before our daughter's school session resumes and we get sucked into the daily routine of city life.
After much research we zeroed in on the Nilgiri Hills. Our destination was a resort nestled in the Coonoor valley...but the journey was as breathtaking if not better than the destination.

* Lush green hills covered with tea plantations.
* Quaint little roadside shops.
* The fragrance of eucalyptus & wintergreen trees.
* A nip in the air as we started the ascend on the 36 hairpin bends on the hilly road.
* White-washed churches.
* Narrow lanes leading upto old British style bunglows.
* An old world charm just enveloped us as we passed by many tiled houses.
* Trucks carrying fresh vegetables from the farms on the hills.
* Grey clouds threatening to rain.
* The mountain railway tracks appearing now and then at various bends of the hilly road.

...left us completely enthralled and in a state between a sweet dream & reality.Little did we realise that the reality waiting at the end of the road nestled in the lap of nature was no less than a dream.