This past weekend there were 3 different festivals. As a result our kids had a long weekend. No school on Friday! On the original school calendars it didn't show a holiday so we assumed there would be no vacations, but on Wednesday, the school emailed us and told us there would be no school on Friday. At the last minute we were able to arrange for rooms in Ooty.
We had never been to Ooty yet and didn't really know what there was to do. Some quick research and an 8 hour drive later, we were marveling at the beauty of Ooty.
To get to Ooty you have to drive though a jungle. We saw elephants, lots of monkeys, some wild boar, and some deer.
We enjoyed taking pictures of the signs as we drove though the jungle. You also have to drive up a mountain that has 36 hairpin turns. These turns made the S curve up the canyon in Salt Lake look like nothing.
We stayed at the Taj Savoy Hotel. The first morning that we were there the kids spotted some ponies as we were headed to breakfast. After a quick breakfast and playing on the playground, the kids all got a ride. They all loved it and Annie wouldn't get off when the ride was over.
We then went on a train ride through the country side and ended in Coonoor. It was really pretty. The mountain side farms were so green.
Vijay met us in Coonoor and drove us around showing us the viewpoints We went on a tour of the Swamy & Swamy Tea Factory and saw how they make tea.
We then drove back to Ooty and walked around the Botanical Gardens. When we walked though the gates we started to get bombarded by people wanting our pictures. After an hour of picture taking we were able to make it past the entrance. :) We walked through the gardens until it closed.
We finished off the day by doing the end of our homework in the hotel.
The second day of Ooty was spent at the hotel. After being swarmed by the people at the botanical gardens, the kids just wanted to run in the open fields. They played tag all morning and then played on the playground until around noon. We jumped in the car and headed back to Bangalore.
It was a quick trip, but it was fun to be together and see another side of India.
One note about Ooty: The people here think it is really COLD there. I think the temperature in the night dropped to the high 50s, and the highs in the day were low 80s. It is more humid there than in Bangalore, which made if feel cool, but I wouldn't say any colder than a nice Fall evening in Salt Lake. Our driver was freezing. He bought himself a winter snow cap, and borrowed one of our blankets to keep himself warm. I don't think I ever saw him take off his sweater. He told us before we left it was cold there, so we packed long pants and jackets just in case. We were shedding layers, as fast as he was putting them on. In a lot of the pictures our kids have their jackets on, just because I got sick of carrying them all.
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