Munnar is known as the tea capital of Kerala. It took us 4 hours to drive from Cochin to Munnar with at least 3 pitstops. Reminded us of trips to Baguio, our country’s summer capital as we passed waterfalls, visited a Spices Garden and sensed the temps dropping. A long day as we settled in our hotel to prep for the next 2 days visiting tea plantations amidst misty hills and placid lakes. While we found time to enjoy cooler temps, we weren’t prepared for the zigzag drives climbing hills along narrow roads. We can hardly look as buses and cars glide past each other with only a few inches between them. Not even the green, verdant hills and serene lakes can calm our nerves as traffic grew congested while tracking steep roads and navigating sharp curves. These Keralan drivers are simply good and patient, like tight situations are par for the course.
Admittedly, we lost a lot of time because of the slow traffic. Our driver and guide tried to push it all the way to the top hill station. The Echo Point by the lake is where we stopped to stretch our limbs and vocal cords. True, the sounds reverberated as we shouted out names, and some Pinoy inanities. Another challenging episode were the trips to the loo. And if something weird or crazy is about to happen, you bet it will happen to me. But that’s another story I hope my travel mates will not repeat outside our group 🤣
Today, we’re headed to a Tea Museum and perhaps a stroll in the nearby tea gardens. Will update this blog after today’s visit! See ya.
Update: Went to the Tea Museum and to Srishti, a charitable trust and welfare institute — a haven for specially-abled children of Munnar’s plantation workers. It aims to prepare and empower these children for life where they can positively contribute to society by learning skills like traditional craft techniques. Some of us bought fabric, bakery products, traditional apparel, paper products made from the fiber of non-wood raw materials like tea leaves, bananas, coffee, papyrus and marigold flowers. The day after, we saw more tea gardens and some locals asking to have photos with them. I find that very warm and welcoming. As for the tea gardens, my apo said they remind her of Royce matcha chocolates cut neatly into tiny rectangles. Hmmmm, you know, she is actually right.
lifeisacelebration 
I really enjoyed reading this post. Munnar looks so beautiful with the misty mountains, tea gardens and peaceful lakes. I especially liked the part about the drive from Cochin and the visit to Srishti. It’s nice to see a travel story that includes not only the popular places but also a meaningful local experience. Your description of the tea gardens made me want to visit Munnar again. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Regards,
Mythili
https://www.yanseva.com/
Glad you enjoyed reading , and relate it to your own visit of Munnar. Srishti was a trip highlight for me, as the experience is indeed quite meaningful. Thank you for the kind words. Namaste!