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TRAVEL MAIL 31Mail Today, New Delhi, Sunday, July 3, 2011

traders from the court of Kublai Khan.Our next stop after Kochi was Periyar. The

five-hour drive from Kochi to Periyar i s a feastfor the senses. Going up the highlands of Ker-ala surrounded by cool mist, one realises thatthere is more to Gods Own Country than justthe backwaters. The unending chains of greenhills; teak, spice, tea and rubber plantations;the quaint homes perched precariously on jut-ting rocks, it all rolls by in one beautiful blur.The Periyar forests of Thekkady are consid-ered one of the finest wildlife reserves in India.Spread across the district are picturesqueplantations and small villages that offer ampleopportunities for trekking, cycling andmountain walks.

We stayed at the wonderful CGHSpice Village that proudly pro-claims its lack of air-condition-ing, television or nightclubs but Kerala had lulled me intoa supreme feeing of bliss thatthe lack of these modernamenities didnt even register.All CGH Earth Properties runon the principle of organic andecologically-friendly practicesthat is reflected in the environ-mentally sound way they operate.

We began our day with ElephantJunction, which is a must-visit! To begreeted by the sight of an elephant spa wherethis gentle giant is being scrubbed, rubbedand splashed till you can almost hear himpurring contentedly is what memories of a life-time are made of.

Next, we went to the Periyar Lake set bangin the middle of the Tiger Sanctuary. The Lakeis marked by long tree stumps that jut out ver-tically and are used by the birds to rest beforeswooping off to their next destination. Andalso by the forest officials to mark the depth of the water. If you are lucky, you might see a

herd of elephants, Sambhar deer or a pack of Indian Bisons by the water but even if youdont, the boat ride is worth the cool breezeon your face and the thick green forests oneither side.

Next morning we whizzed into Kumarakomin all its backwater glory. We stayed at theCGH Coconut Lagoon that can be reachedonly on boat. The resort is criss-crossed bycanals and pools that run through the her-itage mansions and plush pool villas. You aretransferred on a kettuvalam or a long narrowwooden boat with a little inboard motor (soas not to disturb the fish) that glides in to the

reconstructed 19th century mansion thatis now the lobby. Your boat putters

sedately through a narrow canal, itsbanks covered with flowers. Tiled-

roof bungalows peer through thefoliage. And with a revivingcoconut cocktail in one hand, you step off the boat to be wel-comed by a mrindangam playerand jasmine flowers.

The hotel offers a complimen-tary cruise in the evenings, so we

set off accompanied by glasses of tangy nimboo-paani and a flautist.

The cruise goes through the Vem-banad Lake that is flanked by the bird

sanctuary spread across 14 acres and is afavourite haunt of migratory birds such asegrets, darters, herons, teals, waterfowls,cuckoo, wild duck and the Siberian stork. Wegot back in the evening with a dip in the gor-geous Jacuzzi pool that has a perfect view of the lake.

Flocks of bats circled over the horizon andthe sun set in a blaze of orange. The greencharm of Kerala had worked its magic on mecompletely and I barely remembered Mr Khanor the fact that I still hadnt watched his latestblockbuster.

A

S THE flight to Kathmandu starts its descentinto Tribhuvan International Airport, Imoverwhelmed by awe-inspiring scenery andnostalgia. This beautiful mountain kingdomwas a vacation spot, just a few hours driveaway from my home town Lucknow via the

Gorakhpur border. But that was before the 2001 shoot-

out at the Palace which threw the country into turmoil.But the good news now is that Nepal is back in action.It is barely an hours flight from Delhi and there are

daily flights. Our money translates wonderfully well inNepal. The land of yak and yeti is also the land of greathistory and architecture in the three mini kingdoms of the Valley Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.Day 1: Begin with Kathmandu,which most travellers come to seefor its Old City, a patchwork of nar-row alleys and temples north andsouth of the Durbar Square. If youwish to stay near the Square, thenHotel Annapurna (www.annapur-na-hotel.com), the countrys firstfive-star property, is good.

Begin with Hanuman Dhoka (OldRoyal Palace); you will need at le-ast two hours to check it out. Your next stop is Kumari Chowk, homeof Kathmandus Living Goddess.Only Hindus are allowed past theChowks courtyard. Finish off withKasthamandap, the ancient build-ing that probably gave the city itsname. Next, head to Thamel for drinks and dinner. Order a pizza atFire and Ice (Tridevi Marg; www.-fireandicepizzeria.com) and set-tle down at Paddy Foleys Pub(near Tibet Guest House) for someHot Rum Punch and retro rock.Day 2: Embark on a daylong tour of Patan. Begin with the Durbar Square (similar to Kathmandus),which has a palace on one sideand temples on the other. A tour-isty shopping street will engage

you. Next, walk 10 minutes to theiconic Mahabouddha Temple. Theshikhara temple takes its namefrom the terracotta tiles withwhich it is covered, each bearing

an image of the Buddha. Comeback to the Square for a meal atthe Patan Museum Caf beforeheading back to Kathmandu.Day 3: Leave Kathmandu after breakfast for Pokhara. You couldeither drive for five hours or takea short flight. The road to Pokhara with potholed stretches takes

you past serene rivers, forested sl-opes and hamlets where you cou-ld stop for omelettes and chai .

Check into Hotel Barahi (+977 61460 617; www.hotelbarahi.com),north of Phewa Lake, or Fish TailLodge (www.fishtail-lodge.com)or Fulbari Resort (www.fulba-ri.com). You cant skip Pokharaspulsating nightlife. Mamma Mia,by the lake, is great for pizzas andsizzlers. Club Amsterdam draws

you with its top-class bands.

Day 4: Wake up early to catch thesunrise at Sarangkot. This villageis the most popular of the moun-tain viewpoints around Pokhara.Go paragliding (contact Avia ClubNepal: +977 61 462 192; www.avia-clubnepal.com) thereafter. Theless adventurous can take a boatride at Phewa or go pony-trekking. Post lunch, start for Nagarkot, a village that offers aclassic panorama of theHimalayas. It is 160 km fromPokhara. Stay at Hotel View Point(+977 66 80123; www.hotelview-point.com).Day 5: Rise at dawn to see the sun-rise, which is easy to catch betwe-en October and May. Reach

Kathmandu by noon (its two hoursby road). Its now time to go shop-ping. Souvenir hunters must visitThamel while foodies should go toBhat-Bhateni, a supermarket cha-in that has everything from gour-met cheese to organic tea. Finishoff with a date with Lady Luck, thecasino at Soaltee Crowne Plaza.MY MUST DODinner at Krishnarpan, thefamous Nepalese specialtyrestaurant at the heritage prop-erty of Dwarikas Hotel. Beautifulwomen in gorgeous traditionalattire greet you. Take off footwear, wash hands and getescorted to a floor-level seating.The restaurant serves from six to22-course meals. Start withSamaya Bajee beaten rice withroasted meat, smoked fish,boiled-then-fried egg, black so-

ybeans and diced ginger, usuallyserved during ceremonies. Fol-low it up with momos that youfind in every corner of Nepal.Then it all begins to flow on tothe table ceaselessly: Roti withsauted spinach, oyster mush-rooms, steamed rice, chickencurry, dal , hog plum pickle, driedfish... Try out Choyila, which isbuffalo meat fried with greens.Locally brewed liquor Chang isserved on the side. By the time

you reach the fin al cour se of Panchamrit, an emulsion of fivedivine nectars, you are truly inheaven. (Call: +977147488 for reservations).

Paddy Foleys Pub in Thamel, Kathmandu, is a great placeto end your day spent hiking or going on a heritage tour.

IN GODSGREEN

COUNTRY

A breathtaking viewof the backwaters atKumarakom from theCGH Coconut Lagoon(above), fringed bythe gently inclinedpalms. The only wayto reach the hotel isto take a boat ride,preferably in thekettuvalam , or ahouseboat. (Left)Birds use these treestumps in Periyar Lake as resting poles,and forest officialsto keep a tab on thedepth of the water.

The greencharm of Keralahad worked itsmagic on me. I

barely rememberedMr Khan or

his newblockbuster

Nepal beyond the lure

of theEverest

Editor, India Today Travel Plus

RITUAGARWALROHATGI

PHOTOS: ABHISHEK HAJELA