Travelogue - Bootiful Ooty : Day1

After intermittent breaks in the sleep, at 7 in the morning
reached the kewl (really koool... ice kool!) Ooty.

Even while Jins and Sho were asleep, and me taking guard,
Geo, KK and Jose got out and found out a decent place to
stay. Parcelled the 2 sleeping booties into the rooms..
2 rooms were more than enough.
Finished the formalities of brushing.
Some of us even dared to take a bath!
Phew.. They deserve bravery awards..
Geo was heard singing, rather attempting to utter the
lyris of a popular Hindi song from Dhoom.. (and failing
miserably)
Sho also got up, thanks to the peaceful galatas by KK.
Jins had to be brought back to on-foot position with a
lot of manual effort from the roomies..

Jins woke up to see all dressed up and ready to go for
breakfast. "Da.. eppo ethi? Ningal evide povvaa ?"
KK "Etheettu oru 23 varshamaayi.. Ippo povunnathu ninte
**** de 4 aam kettinu. Neeyum vaa.."
Jins was happy to listen to such a nice 'prabhaatha bheri'
The rejuvenated Jins got up and got ready in a snap..

Breakfast from the same hotel.
And since the introduction of CF back in end-2003, there has
been no stopping.. usually strict diet Sho also joined the
bandwagon and ended up ordering a thing each of what the others
ordered. Jins as usual ordered for extra poori and ended up
wasting a couple.
Since CF was being managed by KK, I could peacefully enjoy
the hot served madalasa on my table..

By 10 it was time to go..
KK had a map of ooty and its neighbouring islands(?)
Since Geography is allergic to Geo, he grabbed my camera
so that he could distract himself from the rest with the
false impression of taking pix.. Even otherwise, Geo with
a cam - Monkey with a garland !!
I was busy pulling legs of Sho and Jins.
KK and Jose decided where to go, what to do etc etc..
And somehow communicated it to the driver.

Jins "Da.. Khushboone arrest cheythille"
Geo "Yes, athondu?"
Jins "Alla... Ooty, Khushboo, boat, jab glab puf muf.."
KK "Da, mindaathiriyeda... Oronnum ponanjondu vannolum.."

Silence.
KK paranjaal appeal illa..
Later KK himself came up with a germ (?) of an idea.
Eda, namukkithu kayinju Munnar poyaalo ?
Jose replied "ngaa.. oru kaaryam cheyyaam.. Munnar kayinju
namukku mulla periyaar dam um, khajuraho guhakalum koodi
sandarshikkaam.. samayam undenkil ashtamudikkayalil pandu
train marinjidathu poyi randu photo koodi eduthekkaam. Alle,
PK ? "
Muttan chiri.
Even that driver was seen rolling with laughter.
(na na.. dont ask that qn - if he was rolling, who was driving?)
Wonder whether that driver got a gist of what ws being said,
or was simply laughing seeing the monkey face of KK !

Within an hours time, learned that our first destination was
the Botanical Garden.
Wow! What a wonderful place to roam around, at 12 noon, under bright
sun. But no one (dared) question KK's plans..

A lot of trees, some beatiful plants - rather, flowers - and a pond,
some rocks..
Jins was jinxed "Ee paara kaanaanaano angoonnu ibde bare bannathu?
Ithu polathe kure paara ente beetinte aduthundu."
KK onnu nokki. Onnum paranjilla.. Aa notathil thanne Jins dhehichu
poyi.

Finishing the Botanical Garden (I mean, finished enjoying the booty
of the garden). Lunch time. Sneaked into the first hotel in sight.
With CF in action, all was excited.. But finding late, that this is
a veg hotel faded the smiles.. Geo was heard murmuring something..

Post lunch destination is a water fall.
30 mins drive..
Water fall ennu paranjaal bayankara stimpi fall onnumalla..
oru kunju fall..
Kurachu vellam abdunnum ibdunnum okke peekkiri piller mullunnathu
pole ozhuki barunnu! Thats all.
I guess, it was the wrong time for us to visit the place..
But there is a dam nearbay.
An beautiful site.
(sorry, wrong use of article.. Shemi)

Shobin grabbed KK's camera.
"Yedaa.. Njaan oru photo edukkatte.."
KK "Da.. athu pillerku kalikkanull saadhanamalla.."
Jose, who was silent for most of the trip chipped in
"Athenthaa KK angane paranjey.. Sho um edukkattenne orennam"
Geo "Athaanu, athu thanneyaanu, athu maathramaanu"
Rat "Nirthuvo.. ithu kettu maduthu"
Geo "Enthu cheyyaanaa.. swabhaavathil alinju chernnu poyi"
And his usual chiri "buahahahaa"

Took some group snaps from there.
Kure chips um lathu polathe alakuluthu saadhanangalum vaangi.
Enthinaa kuraykkunney ! Why lessen !!

Back in Sumo.
KK mapum kettipidichondirikkuva..
Ethaandokkeyo pichum peyum parayunnundu..
Ithu ketu Jose um koodi. Pinne urakke aayi pichum peyum.
We, the geeks, did not give an ear to that.
We had some chicks to look at :-)

Finally, the next venue was decided, in consultation with the
driver. He is a frequent visitor to this part of the planet.
And was helpful in a great way.


We were busy finishing off the Lays Pack, and soon
it was a mountain peak, where we stopped next.
It was all white.
I mean, white with fog (or it called mist? whatever)
Visibility was near-zero, and we had trouble walking
along the path..
Jins "Manichan ibde business thudangiyo aavo.. Onnum kaanunnilla"
KK "Athinu nee ibde bannitt ithu bare bellamadichillallo!"
Jins "Alla.. ini engaanum bellam adichaalo!!"
Geo "Oh.. Langane!"

KK clicked a few snaps, just to find out its all white.
But luckily for us, a wind wiped away a bunch of suspended
white particles, and we could have a birds eye view of the
land beneath.
Jose pointed out to a distance "Dhaa aa kaanunnathaa Coimbatore"
Geo grinned, pointed to a different direction and said
"Aa kaanunnathu Cherpalassery"
Jose inu athishtapettilla "Entha Geo vidditham vilichu parayunnathu?"
Rat "Correction. Redundancy benda. Entha Geo vilichu parayunnathu, ennu
maathram paranjaal mathiyaakum"
Giggles.
Geo in petti.

That indeed was Coimbatore which Jose pointed out.
Overheard a guide saying so..
A part of Mysore was also visible from that point.

But very soon, the visibility became poor again, and we had to return.
There was a thattukada on the way back.
Mulaku bajees, parippu vada, tea Yummy.
When there was nothing left in the store, we paid the bill and quit.
What a price catch for them !

Well, it was geting damn cold out there.
The effect of the tea couldnt hold for long.
Bought some monkey caps.
We were already tucked in with jackets..
The caps kept us comfy..

It was approaching 5, and we thought, there can be one more privileged
place, that can be blessed by our foot steps.
The Lake !
A very familiar place..
Even for a first-timer.
The reason - so many films are shot at this place.
This is Mithun Dha's Favorite spot.

And this place reminded of Kodai Kanal..
A similar lake is there, around which you can go cycling.
And on which, you can go boating..

Here we dint find any cycles, but boats were there for sure.
Got into 3 boats.. pedal type.
KK, Sho in one.
Geo, Jose in one.
Rat, Jins in another..
Did some racing on water.
Geo and me are the only ones who know swimming (read, the trick
to stay on top of water)
KK's boat was making circles..
KK was heard shouting "Daa.. nee aa kuntham ingu thanney. ithokke
ariyaavunnavarude kaiyil irikkenda saadhanamaa" He was referring to
the steering rod.
Half an hours boat trip around tha lake and back we are..

The tired gang decided to wrap it up for the day.
It was getting dark too..

Went to some of the street shoppers (with no intention of buying,
of course. Had been to Forum Mall for at least a dozen times. Dint
buy a thing in any of those trips)
:-)
Jose bought something.
Geo picked up a few 'funky' hats and caps, just to put them back in the
respective places.

Back to the hotel rooms.
Had a quick hot water bath, all of us..
The boozers - KK, Geo and Jins - had their own plans.
They got some bottles and started the routine activity.
I finished up most of the french fries, with ample support from Sho.
Got some scolding from KK, but that dint discourage us too much.

Jins "ibdathe madhyam pora"
Geo "Atheyathe, Gujarathile madhyamaanu madhyam"
Jose "Athiningere Gujarathil eppo poyi"
Geo "Alla.. poyillenkilum, parayumbo ellaam parayanallo"
Rat "Madhyam vishamaanunnee.."
KK "Da *** , nee ente vaayennu vallathum oke kelkum"
Rat "Haavo.. Enthoraashwaasam"
Sho (shaking one bottle rigorously) "Why doesnt this foam?"
Kk "Da koppey, athu mineral wateraa"

I tried to take a snap with my cam.
KK "Photography is probibited ennariyille ? nee aa board vaayichille?"
Sho "Pottaa.. athu Smoking is prohibited ennaa.."
KK "Aanno.. ennaa kozhapamilla.. Ratey, nee edutho. nee midukkanaa"
Rat "Athu pinne enikkariyille.."

Extra curricular activities okke kayinjappo kallukudiyanmaarku vishappilla!
We 3 were hungry like hell.. The boozers joined us on four legs just to
give us a company.
But KK ate like a pig, as if he dint drink at all.
Geo was happy with a 'vada'
Jins ordered naan (and as usual, spared it for the 'poor' )

Back to hotel.
Hit the bed.
Zzz...

End of Day1