There is this thought that was running in my head during the entire November – “2024 is almost here, and I feel like I haven’t gotten the most out of 2023 yet.” When I say I didn’t get most it’s not related to my accomplishment in terms of my career. It has always been an experience. It has always been how much unfathomable beauty of earth I have encountered, how much art I have witnessed, how many people I have met, and how many people’s lives I have touched.
That is when I decided to go somewhere… Somewhere alone, somewhere new, I just wanted to run away desperately. 26 Year Old me, still feels suffocating to live the capitalistic life. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you should have known that after my recovery, I am still figuring out where I’d fit myself and how I’d fit myself. In this process, many times I have felt lost. There are days when suddenly everything looks bleak and dark. And at that time, I travel. I run away. So that I could find me somewhere along the way. And this time that place was Kodaikanal and Poomparai for me.
Well, I had 3 options: Yelagiri, Yercaud & Kodaikanal. With whatever money I have, these are the places I could afford. So yes, after deep thought I decided to go with Kodaikanal – FYI Poomparai wasn’t an option at that point.
I thought of staying in Kodai Resort and just chill and do nothing. But… I felt like for a single person… It was way too expensive. But then, again my entire plan always filters down to not spending too much and being a responsible traveller. Luckily I saw there was a room available at Poomparai Zostel. Bam, booked it on weekdays. Again… its cheap. Plus I didn’t get availability on weekends.
So… yes, booked my bus as well. Mentally prepared for my first trip to Kodaikanal that too solo.
Chennai To Kodaikanal
I have to get on my SETC bus by 6:30 PM. It was an unlucky day. Some chaos happened at work so we were forced to do some market visits. I planned to leave from work at 3:30. But of course it didn’t happen that way… But somehow managed to reach the Perungalathur bus stand by 6:15. Bought Chicken gravy and Chapati at Kumar Mess at Tambaram. I was sitting and working till the bus arrived. Still not got the travelling vibe. Finally by around 7:30 PM got on the bus. Got on it… And who… Off to Kodaikanal, no turning back. Of course my parents were still doubtful if I could pull it off. They are so confident when sending me alone to Pondicherry or Tiruchendur or Tuti, but not to Kodai.
Anyways… I worked till my laptop shut down and then slept. I am travelling on a Sleeper bus these days. You know what happened to me during the Ooty trip and Gangaikonda Cholapuram. I am done with the seater bus.
I woke up around 6:00 AM. It was raining. I didn’t have much expectation over this trip. Because it’s just an act of me running away to find peace. So whatever Nature was trying to throw at me, I was ready to take it. So, the rain didn’t bother me. Surprisingly that view felt like comfort. That coldness felt like comfort. Yes, I guess I was broken in a bad way at that time. I reached the Kodai Road bus Stand at 6:40 AM.
Kodaikanal To Poomparai Village
It was foggy, it was all just white and grey. Everything is covered. I grabbed my bags went inside the common area and sat down. Stretched a bit and then walked towards a man and asked where I can find the Poomparai bus. The first one didn’t know. I asked the second person, a cab driver who pointed out in the direction where two buses were standing. One was a brown government bus and another was a Yellow private bus.
I don’t know if I was biased or something, but I went into the Govt bus and asked if it goes to Poomparai to the young conductor. He said “NO” and asked me to wait and it will come after some time. I stepped down and went inside again. After a few minutes, the cab driver saw me and asked me, “I showed you the bus, why are you still here.” I said everything that happened to him, only to figure out that the yellow bus was the one that goes to Poomparai.
Yeah! Nice Start Bharathi! I said to myself.
And then I waited, waited and waited, meanwhile, I already befriended a few more cab drivers who were on the lookout for the bus for me. They asked me to wait. When it comes, they said, they will inform me. I was surprised by how nice the Cab drivers there are. If it’s Chennai, let me tell you what happens… Bros just purposefully make you miss the bus so that they can take you on a ride and charge you a lump of amount. Yeah, that’s my greedy ppl.
I also noticed one Old lady was also waiting for Poomparai, so I just chatted with her and started waiting with her. Around 8:30 AM… it was funny, 2 buses entered, all the conductors were calling me out and pointed me to a bus and asking me to get on it. I felt like… Finally! Yes!
Got on it! Sat on the last leftmost window seat. Everyone who got on the bus was rural people and all of them were relatives. Not for the name’s sake. But they are like total relatives. It was such a nice vibe. It’s funny how I feel at peace around rural people. Maybe it’s because my genes are partly from that extreme. I started speaking with this one old man asking if the bus goes to Poomparai, so he took up the responsibility of making sure I got down to the right place.
Suddenly there was this other bus that came, there was a little bit of commotion. And then the old man asked me to follow him and get on the other bus because it would take me further into the town. With the heavy luggage I had, he felt like the other bus was the better option.
So, most of us including the old lady who was waiting for the bus also moved to the other bus. The bus left around 9:25. And we reached Poomparai in an hour. The conductor was a hardcore Ajith fan so all you could hear in the bus was all the hit songs from Ajith movies, especially the 90s & 20s. All of them are my favorite. That was one hell of a vibe. The misty weather, lil drizzle, rural gossip, Ajith songs and the foresty scenery I can still feel it even though it’s been a week already.
Poomparai Village To Zostel Poomparai
The bus dropped us next to Kuzhandai Velappar Temple. One of the most well-known temples in that region has an Idol of lord Muruga which was also believed to be crafted by a Boghar saint.
Zostel has shared the cab pick-up guy’s number. So I tried to call him. Guess what! No signal. Airtel sim owners. Let me warn you. If you are planning to go to Poomparai. You are actually in a not-reachable zone. I was shocked. And then the old lady saw me and she asked me to go with her to her home to have some tea instead of wandering alone.
I was hungry. I was like – Sure, Why not?! And went behind that total stranger. I am not dumb per se. But, my gut didn’t warn me. I trust my gut more than anything in this world. So I went to her tiny warm home. Had some tea, with her and her husband. And then suddenly remembered my other Motorolla phone with a Jio sim. Motorolla had a 5% charge and my Pixel had a 10% charge. So I was actually in a state close to uncertainty.
Luckily Jio worked, I immediately called the cab guy, and since he was local he spoke with my kind host to figure out where I was, and yeah I got on the jeep and swoosh to the Poomparai Zostel.
The entire place was covered with fog, and the roads were too wet and bumpy because of rain. Anyway! I reached safely.
Day 1 @ Poomparai
Poomparai Zostel! First impression – A cave for someone who wants to hide themself. A place for someone who can be themselves. A place for resting and bringing a part of you which you have lost while working too hard.
My check-in time was 12PM. So I had my breakfast at Zostel Cafe. Sat on a spot where I believed people couldn’t see me. I had a cheese omelette and toast with amul butter. Perfect for the weather. The weather is still, silent, and cold. But not the kind of cold that I feel at my workplace that threatens to kill me.
Once I was done with my breakfast, I put my head out of the window and enjoyed the view. That’s when the staff came and said my bed was available. I carried that load, climbed that friggin stairs and entered the room to find my other roommates.
Some coolest women – some are college students and some are working people.
I greeted them and unpacked my stuff and sat on my bed and saw the view from the balcony. Damn… I felt peaceful after a long time. It’s not like I hate my life or my family. It’s just I wanted to be alone and away from whatever that makes me me.
Once the bathroom is available… I went in to find there was no bucket. And no cup. That was the beginning of me learning some new survival skills. Anyways… I freshened up, came out introduced myself to the people and learned a tiny bit about them. And set my bed and slept. Yes! Others got perplexed. But… I went there to sleep. I had the best view out of all, so I was looking through the window before sleeping… and had the best sleep which I didn’t able to get in a while thanks to work pressure. Though it was cold there, It was neither painful nor suffocating.
I woke up around 2:30 PM. My other roommates bid adieu to me and left. And as I went to have lunch, a new room mate came in – Vijaya! Another solo traveller. She, just like me freshened herself up and went to sleep. I went to the dining area and had some chicken ghee roast and ghee rice. The chicken was good, but the rice was meh. I sat in the same spot while having lunch again. I enjoyed the moment of being with just me.
I went back to my room, worked for a while and then slept again. By evening, I woke up and had some hot chocolate. I noticed the fog was clearing up a bit, so I stepped out to go for a walk. Walked for a little bit, dogs suddenly started to howl. I came back to my room. I’d rather do a bravery check in the morning.
Now, I started to jell with Vijaya and others. I started talking with others as well and we all decided to have dinner together in the common area. It was fun to see different types of people. I slowly started to mingle. Slowly the clouds start to clear and start showing up as well. After having food, one of the people asked me if I’d like to join the bonfire. They sang songs that were either completely new to me or completely trending, but the vibe that came out of those few hours was new to me. Very new that, I was cherishing it and saving it in my memories frame by frame.
It’s funny how I always get high and overdosed when I experience something new, listen to specific songs or eat too much food. No need to sniff stuff or eat mushrooms to make me hallucinate.
After a long, worry-free night, Vijaya and I went back to our room and dozed off.
Day 2 @ Poomparai, Kookal & Mannavanur
I woke up and saw the sun.
That made everything better. Better a thousand times. I went to the common area roof top and enjoyed every bit of the view. Take it into my heart, had a video call with my family showed that view that was healing me from skin to bone.
I went down stairs and thought I’d have some hot chocolate while enjoying the view but unfortunately, I was a bit early. Zostel is strict. Even if its 5:00 min before breakfast time… They won’t feed you. So, I decided to go for a small walk around the locality and then have food. While I was prepping, Vijaya also wanted to join me. So, together we stepped out, I didn’t carry any money as I thought we were going to just walk around in the proximity.
But guess what, I underestimated the spontaneity of my co-traveller. She asked for a lift from a Family who was leaving from the nearby stay. And yes, I went along. Those people are too lovely. They dropped us in Poomparai village. Since this is so sudden, I didn’t get my purse. So, I was penniless that day. I was dependent on Vijaya and decided to gpay after we return to room.
We first went to Temple. We bought some Pooja stuff like flowers and coconut. I paid a 50 Rs fee to get to see the god. World… And then we stepped out. Went to a local restaurant. We shared our story while eating the ghee roast dosa, vada and hot chai. I have been to therapy and I always know how it feels and its energy. I always get the same energy while travelling and while sharing stories with strangers. It was like that. She heard my story and said, “People are not what they seem outside are they?”.
And I am glad that I have healed to an extent that people can no longer see how much I got broken before becoming whatever person I have become right now.
After breakfast, she called up the driver who dropped her in Poomparai on her first day. Together we first went to Poomparai view viewpoint. Then we went directly to Kookal. Along the way I spoke with the driver and shared the stories while translating our conversation to Vijaya who is from Bangalore.
Along the way, we stopped at random places enjoyed the bountiful beauty of nature, and had Passion Fruit for the first time. That weird-looking fruit was sooooo thirst quenching and yes a part of me was in love with it and I miss it sometimes.
We dropped by Kookal Lake, the greenery was stunning, especially under direct sunlight. I tried to capture the vibrant-coloured butterflies in my frame. They are so fast and so smart that whenever I attempt they just fly. Then, we also met a strange-looking white dog… that looks somewhere between a country dog and a white horse. Cute fella. From there we went to Kookal view point. It was such an exhilarating experience. How peaceful it feels when you stand in a tall place and look down.
Then from there, we went to Mannavanur farm and lake. We also had a wild encounter along the way to the farm. Snake.
At the farm, I loved the view. But I wasn’t happy with the fact that all the cutest Rabbits and their babies were being caged. I hated it. We went to the Mannavanur Lake viewpoint, I lay on the grassy scape, lay down and stared at the sky, took tonnes of photos and then slowly started walking back to the car. On the way had some pineapples and then we briefly went to see Mannavanur Lake a bit closer. Had some Maggi before that and we realised we were so tired so went back to Zostel.
We reached there around 3. Vijaya booked a room till Thursday, so she checked out as soon as we reached Zostel. And now, again new roommates were there. I greeted them. I didn’t have lunch so went to the cafe, but it’s already 3:20 so they said no lunch. What a bummer?!
I had some Kurkure, and my two coolest roommates who are also solo travellers asked if I would want to go with them to trek and find the waterfall.
Trust me. I was super hungry and tired. But I said yes. When it comes to adventures. No is never an answer.
I changed my clothes and then started walking with them. We introduced ourselves. Aishu lives in Chennai closer to my neighbourhood, Gulafsha is from Bangalore. Two unique and inspiring people with unique stories. They are so cool and admired them during the entire trek.
The fun part, we got lost and searched the way ourselves. I lost hope, but Gulafsha was so determined and sis just found the way to the waterfalls like a pro. Because she is a pro trek leader.
When we find the waterfall’s foot! That moment felt more like an accomplishment. An accomplishment which I haven’t felt for a while. It was a magical sight indeed. I didn’t step into the waterfalls. I know what I am capable of so I sat and enjoyed watching them having fun. It was a happy and memorable 45mins. We just met. But it felt like we already created a strong bond with just being together, travelling together and finding a way.
I made some core memories that day.
After having enough of the waterfalls and taking lots of photos and videos we decided to get back before it gets dark. Plus I also saw leaches for the first time in my life that day.
Now… here comes the hard part.
For a person with pulmonary fibrosis. I know things get hard for me while climbing. But I didn’t know it would be this hard.
As we started to climb up, I realised I was fighting to catch my breath. I struggled… I just thought I was done and I am gonna die on the spot.
But I loved the way these two women waited patiently and gave me the space and time to walk along with them.
They never made me feel guilty or made me think like there was something wrong with me. It was just me hating myself for not being able to be normal. But still they scolded me saying nothing is wrong with me and I can do it.
At that moment I fell in love with those two newly found friends. We came to to the flat road and I was back to normal.
We went back safely to the room. On the way, we laughed together and exchanged more information about us, and took some crazy photos.
After getting freshen up, we ordered dinner. Finally, I had my first proper meal at the cafe for the day. Phulka, Chicken Ghee Roast and Hot Chocolate. Yum Yum Yum.
After finishing it, Gulafsha and Myself played ludo. I lost. Obvi.
Then we went back to the room. I was sitting outside on the Balcony for a while, had a call and then came back to my bed and slept realising that was my last night at Zostel.
Some eire story coming through: In the middle of the night, I went to the rest-room came back. I tried to sleep, but I heard some footsteps. I looked around. Everyone was sleeping. The door is closed no way for air to come. Suddenly my bottle fell. That’s it I don’t want to open my eyes. I just shut my eyes and opened only by morning. I think that’s one of the best moments. What is fun when there is no horror story to share on your solo trip?
Day 3 @ Kodaikanal
Morning! The last day! I took a bath, decked up, ready to leave the place that felt more like home over the stay.
I sat out and chatted a bit with Aishu. We went to gether for breakfast. Ordered Hot Chocolate, Cheese Omelette and Toast. I though that is the only food that won’t fail us. But it partially failed. Meanwhile, we came across this new friend – Vignesh.
A guy from Chennai. And this guy became my saviour. Saved me from spending 2k. Cause my girls asked if he could drop me at Kodai. Bro just said yes. I checked out at 10 AM. Bid adieu to my newly found friends.
It was the first ever bike ride I ever had on hilly roads. It was so good and Vignesh was a really good rider and as a person as well. We asked for our names only while we were on the drive. And the most interesting part is that his family is also from Tiruchendur. FYI my mom is from Thiruchendur. So we spoke a lot about our life, childhood, aspirations and our family along the way. It was new, but I loved it.
He safely dropped me at Kodai and left.
With my heavily loaded bag, I planned to rest at Byrant Park. Well, do you think life would be easy for the clumsy me? I missed it and I walked around the Kodai Lake for 2 hours with my luggage. It wasn’t bad though cause I love walking, plus the view was lit.
I watched happy people cycling around the lake, families, friends, couples and kids.
After a while, I paused and looked at the calmest side of the lake. Then I started to walk and an old foreign gentleman walked passed me. I glanced at him and then started walking as well. But I missed him along the way but only to find him at a cafe I entered because I started to get hungry.
I ordered Ginger tea and sat a little away from him. He smiled at me… so did I and we started talking. His name is Leo. He shared his story, his time and experience at Kodai. And then asked about me, the meaning of my name and this and that. He asked out of concern if men weren’t bothering me because I was travelling alone. It was a nice 20-minute chat. From there we bid adieu and parted ways.
Finally, after a few minutes, I found the park.
I went in and waited until Vijaya came. We decided to meet there as her bus is also at 5:30 PM.
We chilled there for a while and went to Royal Tibetian Restaurant for Lunch. The food was good, I liked it because it was mild. Vijaya didn’t like it. Also, the guy on the counter was very cute. So cute. One of the memorable faces. I don’t think I could forget that cute face. Okay… Let’s move. My bottle was empty so I filled some hot water from the restaurant and we started to move.
From there we went for shopping.
Chocolates and Cheese. I bought some chocolates from Melitez. Vijaya bought some chocolates as well and some cheese from The Kodai Cheese store. I have never seen that much variety of cheese in my life. So I was looking at everything in awe. I wanted to buy it. But I don’t know how to use it. So I am pretty sure I’d waste it. So gave up.
After shopping, our bags became a bit heavier, we sat in an open space as we had a few more minutes for our buses to come.
We chilled!
And it was time so we decided to leave and some random old man came and started talking rubbish to me. But anyway I listened to some extent until things conversation started to get weird and we started to move.
At the bus stand, me and Vijaya hugged and parted ways. The bus started to move and my short vacation came to an end.
I felt like Kodaikanal blessed me with the loveliest and kindest people. And I am grateful for every bit of experience I had. Not a single moment I regretted. And this is the first time. Somehow, whenever I wanted to breathe, I felt like I would come here again and again.
A Solivagant's Shoes 