My wish materialized in the last weekend of July 2007.The whole bunch of us from work, about twenty two of us, decided to take off to Coonoor. Three of us decided to drive down while the rest came by train from Chennai to Coonoor.

The drive was beautiful when we reached the Blue Mountains, at the crack of dawn, by 4 AM.There was a nip in the air and clean, fresh, oxygen going through my lungs. What bliss that we miss in our crowded and polluted dirty cities.I already felt my skin glow, mind alert and senses at their best!We saw wild boars and buffaloes go by and wild hares hopped about with their large floppy ears.

Day 1 Ralliah Dam

We catnapped from 4 AM to 7.30 AM and then showered and sipped our hot morning cuppa tea.The tea was aromatic and soothing and I couldnt help imagine that it must have been freshly plucked and dried from the vast tea gardens outside.At about 8.30 AM the rest of the gang arrived by bus from the train station and we were there to welcome them to the guesthouse in Coonoor. Highfield Estate is where we stayed, in the midst of tea gardens, interspaced with graceful silver oak trees and a tea factory at a stones throw.After a home cooked hearty lunch made and served lovingly by our guesthouse cook, we set out to see the Ralliah Dam.

After driving for about an hour we decided to trek to the dam.It was a beautiful woody path, freshly rain kissed with the smell of pine wafting through.On route, we encountered a herd of wild buffaloes.They were huge and hefty compared to the ones we see in our cities.One of them gave me a piercing look straight into my eye when I decided not to tread to close to them.

Finally we arrived at Ralliah Dam.We were awestruck by the picture perfect scene with the mist setting in slowly from far away.Click click clickty click we all went about with our cameras.A couple of wild monkeys pranced around.

On the way back to the car, it drizzled and then rained.Though we wore raincoats it was fun getting wet in the fresh, cold rain.We rain danced our way back to the car.This was followed by a picturesque ride back to the guest house.

Day 2 MukurthiPeak

The big day finally arrives.We are to trek to the MukurthtiPeak.

We drive down from Coonoor via Ooty up to the Mukurthi Dam, on the PykaraLake.Its a 32 kms drive from Ooty, a tonic for eyes, scenic ride.The peak is a 9 kms trek from there.

We start on the slightly moist trail.It had rained and there are spells of drizzle now and then.However, rain or shine, nothing deters the determined trekkers in us!As we go deeper into the woods, it gets woody and thorny and the air gets fresher.

There are streams and waterfalls on the way.At one stream we had to swim across!It was ice cold and the water was fresh and clean enough to be drunk.When I took sips of the clear blue water I imagined the minerals gushing through my blood stream!

We saw fresh panther pug marks, wild buffaloes, sambar and barking deer from a distance.We also saw a skull of a sambar and clicked pictures with it like mask!

We then arrive midway at the fishing camp base to rest a bit.Its a quaint little cottage maintained by the Nilgiris Wildlife Association.We rest and drink hot cups of tea.Soon were all set to resume the trek.

It gets tougher now with the uphill and sometimes slushy slippery trek.As we go higher, we can see the blue green pristine PykaraLake shimmering below.A slip there, a fall here and a twist around adds to the adventure.Were quite famished at one point and breathless.Our guide advises us to get back midway as we have been slow and wont be able to reach the peak and get back before dark.We must have covered about 6 kms.

Despite not being able to make it to the peak, we thoroughly enjoyed the trek and the scenic fantasy.We all slept like babies that night with sweet dreams and aches and pains the next morning.