We all know Ooty, (British) short for Udhaghamandalam, the beautiful hill station of Tamil Nadu. Often flocked by tourists and a weekend destination for Bangaloreans, the place is a relaxing retreat. But not many take out their time to stay and explore Wellington, which is just about an hour before Ooty.
Situated in the Nilgiris, just about 3 kms from the popular Connoor, Wellington can be reached by road from Coiambatore. Now, if you really enjoy being with yourself and in nature, it is best to ride on a toy train from Coiambatore to Wellington. The charming railway station that you see in the pic will make you crave for the slow and beautiful journey.
Wellington is prominently a cantonment now that houses the Madras Regimental Center and Defence Services Staff College. Cantonment areas, by nature of the profession, are well maintained and clean. Now imagine the same surrounded by cloudy hills and colourful trees. It surely will re-energize you. There is also a beautiful lake named after Wellington in the area. When I had visited it in April 2022, I was the only tourist and I could not admire the beauty more. Have a look!
This is what I sincerely love about offbeat destinations. Unlike the touristy noise and crowd in Ooty and other commercially popular places, a place like Wellington is so calm that bird chirping form the natural music. Simply sit down and admire this for hours. It is a beautiful feeling.
Me and my car were in an exploration phase when I found some beautiful houses (probably owned by rich people!!!) in and around Wellington. The one above surprised me in the most pleasant manner. It seemed like those dream houses amidst the hills with a clear undisturbed sight of the valley. It really gave me a goal of my life to have one such. How wonderful it would be to live and work from this place!
Now it ain't that everyone has houses like this. The majority of the population lives in the town, well within the range of daily necessities which makes the place lively. It also is worthy of a photo frame or a postcard.
As I had always preferred and suggested, offbeat places will give you a better view and experience. A stroll in my car led me to this place where I could see the entire Wellington town from a distance. The prominent red and white rectangular building is the MRC! The beautiful tea gardens and the breath-taking sight of the town immediately relieved any tension in me.
I saw some offbeat tourists on their bicycle, motorcycles and even cars who were more interested in exploring Wellington than visiting the popular Ooty spots. Network isn't a problem anymore which makes the stay even more comfortable and satisfying.
This short trip was intensely satisfying for me which also gave way to some thoughts. Today I am more willing to work hard to live in a place like this and probably own one of those houses that I could perhaps rent out! Travel not only gives you a sense of relaxation, but also makes you think what you actually want to do in life. I wish that someday I become an amazing host of my holiday home and welcome you people! Trip to Wellington made me fall in love with the charming hill towns of India.
Unfortunately, I could not take a ride in the toy train as I got to know that bookings have to be done in advance through IRCTC. It is normally full during the tourist season. Nevertheless, I managed to take a selfie in front of the station. The tracks took me back to my childhood days!
Commentaires