Its 4.45 ,the alarm rings you cant even bang it on the head any more as the traditional alarms have given way to sleek mobiles. You do the next best thing; you snooze it to go to the land Morpheus, alas the mobile chimes again. Dredge up from the bottom of your soul the energy to get up……and start the day on wheels….different utensils and cookers on all the four stoves….gulp down something on the go……breakfast on the table by 6.45….lunch boxes packed by 6.55 for all the four of us…rush into the wash room for a quick bath…..step out by 7.oo in time to wave bye to hubby…grab a quick bite…..comb daughters hair….drag the kicking and screaming son to oil and comb his unruly hair…flick the comb through my locks once……gather the bags and the children by 7.15 and off to school. (phew…….)
well it does not end there, while the kids make their way to their respective classes I too make my way to my class( I am a Montessori directress). Take a breath out side to calm myself before stepping into face 34 boisterous six to nine years old and the next round of craziness starts…….you look up at the time…its 3.30 …..time to go home. Gather the children ,board the car…..come home quickly set the house right…… take a quick 30 minutes break….start dinner…..do the work out…..help children in their studies….dinner…clean kitchen….read for them……. and finally fall down in the bed after 10.30 exhausted. Morpheus is ready to take you into his world and the next instant the alarm whines.
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
William Henry Davies
I visited Fruitsnbeans, a mountain resort a couple of weeks back.
“What a joy it is to feel the soft, springy earth under my feet once more,
to follow grassy roads that lead to ferny brooks
where I can bathe my fingers in a cataract of rippling notes,
or to clamber over a stone wall into green fields that
tumble and roll and climb in riotous gladness! “
Helen Keller
An inviting cozy place in the Palani hills. It is situated inside the coffee estate where the owners have converted their homestead into the comfort zone for weary souls. Its helmed by a delightful host and the staff’s motto is, to please you. I have travelled to many places and in all the places that I have stayed, the guests are always treated well. What makes it different here is that the personal touch, its like staying in your grandma’s place. The feeling of belonging but at the same time its a place to chill. Right from the host to the last member of the staff, we were looked after like the apple of their eyes.
Though the stream that runs through had dried leaving behind puddles, it was a little haven of nature. You can go for walks around the estate observing the workers carrying on with their day of plucking peeper corn from the trees or pruning the trees. I was lucky as our delightful host took us around for a walk around the estate sharing with us stories about how the idea for a resort blossomed. There was a story about every tree that he had grown.
Oh forgot to tell you, if you are an avid bird watcher then this is the place to go. Being an avid bird watcher , our host could point out the local birds that were chirping around(For the life of me I couldn’t see anything the first time he pointed. By the time I figured out where he was pointing out they flew away…. After a few trials and errors I did manage to spot of few with the help of my hubby ,who in turn is a birder himself!!!!) I can list out a few names though I might not able to identify them again…the trogon which they said was a bird you see once in a blue moon. There were other varieties too, the thrush, blue fairy bird, wagtails, hoopoes, raptors, nut thatch, leaf birds and many more. You can sit near the stream and watch them take bath in the glorious water. There are wild bison too and my hubby had a close encounter with one at 2 in the morning outside our window, he scarred the living day lights off it when he took the camera to take a picture.
It does not stop there , our friendly host made it a point to take us around his pick up truck to a couple of places to watch out for birds. I do not know about the birds but it was so dense that it felt like I was taking a walk in the tropical forest while an orchestra of cicadas performed all around.
It’s a place of tranquility away from the rush. Its a place to get up early not because you have a schedule to keep up but to enjoy the mist and the cold air by taking a walk. Its a place to walk not with a purpose but to enjoy nature and one another’s company having meaningful conversations. Its a place to sit outside curled up with book not to be completely engrossed in it, but to look up now and then to drink in nature. Its a place to rewind with your companion not only to enjoy silence but to share laughter. Its a place for birders, for walkers, for nature lovers, for lovers. Its romance not in the traditional sense of roses and candle light dinners but walking, sharing and smiling.
Its a place that can revive you.
Kavini
MUSINGS 