Trip to Kerala: God's own country

 

            

Have you ever visualized a picture while reading or hearing any story? What would your reaction be if you witnessed the same picture when you least expected it in real life. Yes, I was stunned to see the picture of two coconut trees surrounded by a river like an island and the clouds were grey in the pewter sky just like I had imagined when I read "God's Own Country" by Arundhati Roy. You can check out my review to know my views on one of the best works in Indian literature history. My recent trip to Kerala allowed me to explore and I'm more than happy to share it with you.

Places visited

 (This is the place I visualised)

Sri Masani Amman Temple

The temple is located southwest of Pollachi and belongs to Anaimalai Taluk. It opens at 6 a.m. There are places around the temple for tourists to freshen up.

                                       

 The 15-meter-tall presiding deity, Masani Amman, is seen in a unique lying posture with a baby at her feet. We were informed that walking around her trident would help cure any form of illness and fertility issues. Temple maintenance was good but encroachments around the temple made parking difficult. The belief that writing our wishes on a paper they give and placing it on the palms of Masani Amman would come true was interesting to hear.

Alappuzha houseboat or Kettuvallams

                     

        

We stayed the night in the boathouse. The cruise through the backwaters of Alleppey was breathtaking. 

We felt a little dizzy at first but it was amazing once we got comfortable. It has snug bedrooms, a dining area, a sundeck, and a living room. They offer meals with options for vegetarians and the evening snacks they provided were my favorite. Watching the sunset and sunrise over the upper deck was exquisite. 

                                           

We can't expect hotel-like facilities. We have to tolerate the insects as we travel through backwaters. The food is allocated in proportion to the number of passengers. You will have to pay for extra food.Speed boat adventure was phenomenal.

Wonderla Amusement Park, Kochi

Located 14km from Kochi, Wonderla offers the best entertainment one could expect from an amusement park. There are 60+ rides. With a wide range of rides, both dry and wet games, it served as a family-friendly experience.

                                       

 I totally respect the eco-friendly infrastructure. It had roller coasters ,recoil, skylit, windmill, and so on. Water rides like Korneto, twisters, and water pendulum were my favourites. Wave pools and boomerangs were a great experience.

 Waterfalls was enjoyed by all. I really enjoyed the 3D shows,VR rides, and magic shows. Let me share you a secret,Wonderla offer a "Buy 1, get 1" offer for birthday celebrants. It is said that that march to june is the best time to visit this amazing place. Do try this year.

LuLu Mall

                                              

Ernakulam boasts of the largest mall in Asia which enticed us to give it a visit. There are 7 LuLu malls in India and Kochi's mall is the largest.It was awe-inspiring.It had famous branded products,exclusive lounges, and a great gaming area with classic video games and VR.the 9D theatre was majestic. We experienced diverse culinary experience with more than 30 food outlets. But the products were expensive. It is said that it holds more than double a hundred shops.

Kerala-Hub of tourism

Kerala received 2.22 crore tourists in 2023 alone. The state serves as the best tourist destination for the following reasons

• Nature of splendid beauty
• Cleanliness (I felt it so inspiring)
• Cultural heritage
• Ecotourism
• Cuisine

I totally loved the experience and it had a profound impact on my creativity. If you are planning for any trip, I would suggest these places. Comment your own travel experience this summer