Kaleidoscopic Kerala: Harikesh Shahi’s Kerala Trip Review with Thrillophilia
When our plane landed in Cochin, Sudha whispered, "I can't believe we're finally here." We promised ourselves that we wouldn't rush through our plans or wear ourselves out. We wanted to take in every detail slowly and feel every moment. That's why we chose Thrillophilia, they took care of all the planning and details so we could just enjoy being together.
It felt like nature was rolling out a welcome carpet on the way to Munnar. As we drove through the city, the busy roads slowly turned into quiet winding paths, misty valleys, and green hills covered in tea plantations. Sudha walked into the cool spray at Cheeyappara Waterfalls and threw her arms wide open, laughing like a child. I fumbled with the camera to catch her happiness. But I knew that some feelings couldn't be captured in pictures, they had to be lived.
It felt like I was walking into a storybook when I went to Munnar. Every morning, we sat on the balcony of our hillside resort and drank steaming cups of chai while the sun slowly turned the hills golden. For the first time in months, there was no rush, no deadlines, and only peace. I could hear birds singing in the distance.
Munnar had its own charm at night. We went to see a Kathakali show one night. The stage was full of colours and expressions that were so strong that Sudha leaned forward in awe and stared at the dancers as they told old stories through their movements. The next day was all about visiting tea estates. I never appreciated the simple act of drinking tea as much as I did when I walked through endless rows of bright green bushes, breathed in the earthy smell, and went to the Tata Tea Museum. We laughed at Echo Point, and the hills echoed it back to us. My camera was almost full when we left, but my heart still had room for more.
Thekkady drew us into adventure from the calm of the tea hills. We took a boat safari at Periyar Lake, and the water was smooth and calm, with the thick forests on either side reflecting on it. We saw something every few minutes, like elephants at the water's edge, sambar deer eating, and flocks of kingfishers flashing their wings like jewels. Our guide told us stories about the forest that made the ride even more special.
But the best part was at Elephant Junction. I was surprised that I rolled up my sleeves and gave a baby elephant a bath. The big guy splashed me with water, and Sudha laughed from the sidelines, not wanting to get too close but enjoying every second. Later, we walked through spice farms, where the air was thick with the smells of cardamom, pepper, and cloves. Sudha took a deep breath and said, "This place smells heavenly,” and she was right.
Alleppey gave us a break we didn't know we needed after days of exploring. As soon as we stepped onto our houseboat, it felt like we had entered a different world where time moved at a different pace. As the boat slowly moved through backwaters lined with coconut trees, children waved from the banks and fishermen cast their nets with practised grace. The real sadhya lunch was served on a banana leaf and was so good that I was full and wanted just one more bite.
We sat on the deck that night and watched the sun set in colours that blended into the water. As night fell, the stars above us began to twinkle, and the candles in the breeze flickered. The stars' reflections twinkled in the ripples of the water. We talked for hours, laughed at old memories, and sometimes just sat in silence, listening to how quiet it was around us. I felt like we were falling in love all over again.
Kovalam was our last stop, and it was the perfect way to end our trip. I went parasailing, which gave me a rush of adrenaline as I flew over the ocean. Sudha, on the other hand, chose to stay on the ground and happily build sand castles on the beach, her smile bright and carefree. We finished the day by going to the Azhimala Shiva Temple. It was a humbling, almost surreal moment to stand in front of the huge statue of Shiva with the endless sea roaring behind it.
We went to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum on our last morning. We prayed for our family’s health and prosperity and expressed our gratitude. In that moment, there was a deep sense of peace, as if everything had come full circle.
Sudha leaned her head on my shoulder as our plane took off from Trivandrum. Her eyes were closed, but her lips were curved into a smile. She whispered, "We should do this again next year." And she was right. We got more than just a vacation in Kerala. It had given us room to breathe, reconnect, and make memories that would last a lifetime.
I thought about everything we had done as I looked out the window at the coastline getting smaller. We had marvelled at waterfalls, enjoyed the quiet of tea estates, had exciting adventures in the wild, and found peace in temples by the sea. It wasn't just a trip to celebrate an anniversary. It was a collection of moments that came together to make one of the most beautiful trips we had ever taken.
And for that, I was very thankful to Thrillophilia for making the trip easy and to Kerala for reminding us what it feels like to really live in the moment.
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