A place called Munnar

Open the Jungle Book. Now turn on the TV and put the movie "The Sound of Music". Try to group them together at the same time and you can get a rough idea of the landscape in Munnar. Munnar is beyond beautiful. Munnar is Munnar. It is also India. After spending nearly a month in South India, I thought I had gotten a taste of the region. And how I was mistaken. Since the first time I saw these mountains, until the time that I left them, my jaw did not leave the ground.

Walking

There is little to write about this area. The attraction is the nature, consisting of high mountains. We reach the small village of Munnar through the roads that cut through the steep slopes, and sometimes deceives us into thinking that we're flying. Here reigns the green. First, in the rainforest and then in the tea plantations.

I eventually see this region in two ways. The first was on foot. I decided on the first day, to follow back the path that brought me to Munnar. It's a slow pace that allows you to enjoy the mountains and its clouds. Contemplating the velvety hills of tea plants. Or just be on top of a stone in meditation. It's a lonely path, but prone to details. It is also a risky path. The road is too narrow to fit two cars. A person is always a plus in this set. Neither the choice of which side to walk is easy. On the one hand I can be flattened against a rock wall that rises over 100 meters. On the other, the slope makes me pray that the Tarzan movies I have seen have not been in vain.

This tour is good for being with ourselves. Allow the thoughts to flow, while we are distracted with the landscape. We feel a quiet difficult to achieve elsewhere. And when I finished the walk looking at a waterfall lost in the middle of nature, I can not stop smiling.

On Tour

Another way of doing this region is on tour. And if the limited time to see each location can make you walk away from this option, the opportunity to meet other travelers is a must. I do not know what it is, but some places seem to be magnets for good people. It had already happened in Goa and Hampi, it happened again in Munnar. I ended up spending the day in the company of three special people. Dotan, Israeli musician and friendly. Dani, Spanish and a lot of fun. Nadeshwari, Sri Lanka, multi-artist and very interesting.

And with the "spend the day", I mean I walk by a small but beautiful garden of flowers. View the lakes created by dams. Visit a tea plantation. Dinner and learn to eat with your hands. And end the night in a traditional play and a Indian martial arts spectacle. It was certainly a very special day. Another of those moments that I cherish as dearly.

And when I left Munnar, one more piece of me was left behind. That place is magical. I know one day I will return there, it's impossible not to....