Life is so busy,humdrum and hectic for most of us , that we hardly have time to appreciate nature. Take a break, a small one at least, to get away from this
hustle bustle and enjoy the beauty of pristine nature, Rejuvenate and come back fully refreshed ready to
get into the daily grind, is the mantra I keep telling my hubby.He did relent and we
finally did take a short break. He planned the holiday and I had no clue about the place until I
landed there.
Think of Ooty and we instantly dream of a verdant Nilgiris, uncluttered scenic
beauty and far from the maddening crowd of the city life, But Ooty proper has become so
commercial these days that you might not find these very things you came looking for. Instead go to the near by
places in the hills and you will enjoy that pristine scenic beauty which you crave for. One
such locale is in Avalanche near Ooty. Here is my short travelogue on this trip and some information
about our stay at Destiny Farmstay
We started by the Indigo flight from Chennai at 10.AM (preferable
to start by the earlier flight), landed on time at Coimbatore at around 11.15.
The prearranged cab that was waiting at the airport took us towards
Ooty. We took a short break en route for lunch and also refreshed ourselves with
the very inviting sugar cane juice from the roadside vendor. My son was
wondering if it was hygienic ….who cares :). All we wanted was some cool juice
to quench ourselves.
We took the Kotagiri route towards Avalanche and the scenery and
the drive was really good. Seeing the green hills I knew we would have a
wonderful weekend getaway but did not realize how great it would turn out to be until
I reached the place. Traffic on the Kotagiri route was not much and we reached
emerald a small hamlet in two hours. There was near zero traffic towards the
destiny farms. There was no hassle as the route was clearly mentioned both in the website and their mails.
We were constantly contacted by their staff so that
they could arrange out transport from the parking lot. I was wondering what the
whole fuss was about. We would anyway reach their place in our vehicle. Well
well well…. Only on reaching the parking lot did I understand the importance of their calls. At the
parking lot , we were pleasantly received by some courteous staff with a smile and welcome drink. After refreshing we were taken to their
vehicle. The drivers of our vehicles have arrangements to stay there. Their
vehicle is somewhat like an army truck that can easily maneuver along the rugged
path of our adventurous trip that started right from here. There are no smooth roads laid here.I am not sure of the reason though I saw a board saying that the
place belongs to forestry department. Could it due to that,I wondered?The staff at Destiny
say that it is meant to give an adventurous feeling to the guests. Well it did
give:)
Destiny Farmstay is nestled in the valley surrounded by Nilgiris and overlooking a lake. It is a perfect holiday destination. Just one look at the surrounding ambiance, I knew I would enjoy the next two days.
On arrival at the reception of the Destiny Farmstay amidst rain , we were escorted inside their administrative building with ever helpful staff who had umbrellas ready for the guests.
After a quick check in, we then walked to out cottage called as
chairman's villa. Up we climbed the stairs and into the balcony and the glow in my husband's face and the wow expression spoke volumes of how impressed he was at the enchanting scenery!! What a beauty!!! We must have all seen the
beautiful Nilgiris from Ooty but the view from here was at once breathtaking and awe inspiring.. The clouds kissing
the mountains , the blue lake below, the greenery all around , the chirping of
birds, the neighing of the horses from the stable and the cows grazing
the grassland, what more can one ask for? This is real heaven on earth. The weather
was just perfect for this blessing and I was in cloud nine that KK had planned this wonderful holiday.
 |
| Charman's Villa
I think the one striking thing about the stay here is that you are
cut off from the outside world except in the reception area.
No WiFi or TV in your rooms. So we can again relearn to connect with fellow
human beings, talk to strangers, smile at kids and wish if you like at a fellow walker when you go out for your walk. Well I did connect with many lest I be seen looking at my phone all the time.
|
There are deluxe rooms and cottages and these rooms are cozy, well
maintained and very neat.
The food is good. You have an excellent room service room and
staff who do their work with a big smile. We had buffet and the spread for the
vegetarian and non-vegetarian was good. Coffee was excellent
They have organised activities keeping in mind the needs of most
of us. For the adventurous type, you have horse riding, trekking, rappelling,
climbing on the rocks, fishing etc.
 |
| Fishing activity by the guests at destiny |
For the romantic ones who would like to croon karaoke corner beckons
them
For those who like to relax playing a game of TT or carom, here is
the perfect spot and of course you can go for a walk enjoying the salubrious climate
Young kids can swing and slide and have fun.
They have a dairy farm and the milk supplied to their restaurant is
from here.
 |
| Dairy farm |
Some of the vegetables that are used are grown here locally like
the beets, cabbage, broccoli and many herbs. An herb tour is organised by them
if you are keen to know the herbs grown here.
There were so many activities and we thoroughly enjoyed our two
days stay here.
The only suggestion I could think of was, they are not yet physically
challenged friendly. No doctors on call or no medical facility nearby. So If you
are planning to take kids or elders, do prepare yourself with the necessary
medicines.
For more information do check their website HERE
After an early breakfast and flag hoisting ceremony on Independence
day we headed back to Coimbatore airport.
Was the trip worth it????....OFCOURSE !!If given a chance I would go again with my daughter.
Till the next post, happy reading and planning for your visit
