Summer trip to the Hills

I'm just back (very reluctantly, I may add!) from a short vacation in the Nilgiris. I was brought up there as a child and haven't visited since my father's passing away. So, in many ways, this was a trip down memory lane. I love the mountains and their sense of isolation- with each hairpin bend that you cross, you can feel the human trappings peel away - layer by layer. All the dust, the noise, the frenetic pace seems to fall behind in the face of those stone massifs, which stare back at you impassively as they seem to mock our mere human existence. The birds and monkeys , the abundant and verdant foliage - it's like a different world. Mountain streams are a-plenty, a wondrous sight to watch as they cascade over weathered rock like silver.
Well, we stayed at Coonoor because from experience, I knew that Ooty would be more crowded with tourists. Tourists are a big no-no for my family - all of us love solitude and a leisurely, laid-back holiday away from the swarming hordes.
The place we stayed in, Hillworth Resorts, was a big surprise - a brand-new offering from the MGM family with about 10 suites done up in the decor of the bygone days of the British Raj. A four poster bed that needed steps to climb up on to it was a delight - as were the spotless furniture and bathrooms. Vintage newspaper cuttings encased in glass added a quaint touch to the walls.
The view was to die for - just a vista of trees and blue, misty hills over which a golden sun would come creeping up to catch us in its rays. We had breakfasts in the brilliantly sun-lit restaurant with bulbuls and magpies serenading us in fluting song, while a small brook rushed on madly below us downhill, burbling and splashing. A very attentive and helpful staff made it a very memorable stay.
We had an Indica with a driver engaged for the entire stay and that made things very simple. Any time the urge to sight-see came on, we just hopped in and went.
More on Coonoor later!