Ooty - Here I come ... All alone ...to romance you !

My office will remain closed until January 2nd..... So, I have decided to take a vacation.  To add some thrill, I have decided to travel alone this time.  But where? Isn't that an obvious question?... Yes... The moment I thought of a solo vacation, the image of the famous "toy train" flashed my mind.  So, here IAM ...sitting in the nilgiris express.. S2 seat 9, heading to Mettupalayam.  My Day 1 of the Ooty expedition begins tomorrow 😀

Day 1 : can't ask for a better start 😀.  I got down @ Mettupalayam and got into the famous toy train and managed to occupy a window seat 😍

The toy train journey is no less than a fairytale.  Thoroughly enjoyed! With every metre of ascendency, it discloses the mountain's pristine beauty.

A shed for steam engines.

It all started here 😊

First bridge

There were plenty of water falls too on the way.

Train halted for a few mins to enjoy nature.

Water is getting pumped into the engine Everytime the train stops at a station.

End of the five hour long journey.  Thumbs up!!

In the evening I managed to visit one of the gardens and the boating spot.  

Day 2 : it was 6 o clock in the morning when I woke up.  Saw this white magic when I opened the door to take glimpse.  The temperature was 6 degrees while this picture was being taken.

 

8 45 am : Boarded the bus to pykara lake. Since it was early morning, the place was very silent and without much tourists.  When I reached there and enquired about the price for boating, they told me its 800 for 8 people.  I told him that I am a solo Traveller.  He responded that they don't have any specific package for solo Travellers and if needed, I should pay 800 rupees and proceed.  I waited annoyingly for another twenty minutes.  Finally, a North Indian family of five members arrived and asked me if I could join them.  Its a win - win situation for both of us and I happily agreed.

View from the ticket counter

Managed to sit on the best seat

Astonished!

The real beauty of the day started while returning to Ooty from pykara.  Don't know who irritated the bus driver !? He drove with such speed that it made me very giddy and felt like puking.  Courtesy : banana bajji @ pykara.  I made up my mind not to venture out any further for the day and returned to where I stayed.  Having booked rooms @zostel lovedale for the next two days, I packed my things and got ready to leave from Ooty station room.  I managed to buy train ticked to lovedale station and waited for the train.  The train arrived on time and I boarded it.  Lovedale is five minutes from ooty.  As soon as I got down at lovedale, had to walk for about five minutes to reach zostel. A couple helped me to locate zostel while I was walking.  Later I came to know that they are staying in the very next room of mine 😀.

     Zostel is a new age hostel specially for backpackers.  To be precise, its kind of a safe haven for solo Travellers to meet fellow travelers and get new friends. Zostel was the best thing happened to me during this short trip.  Though I stayed there only for a couple of days, it gave me plenty of positivity.

Played chess with a fellow Traveller

Played carrom too