A jinxed trip to Charlie's spot - Leap of faith

Call for another trip!!

After the Chimmini Dam trip, which was supposed to leave me buzzing with happiness and trance for at least a week, my contentment was abruptly sliced when I received a message from Mr. Kiran which gave me greed for our next trip. He is a non-resident Indian nomad, caught in the web of our, domesticated society. All he wanted was a chill trip to somewhere peaceful, and he offered me the reins to plan it, which is totally up my alley. You see, I'm greedy about travel and obsessed with bike trips. I thrive on the thrill of picking a destination, planning every detail, and then flipping the plan on its head whenever I spot a scenic gem along the way. You could call me a sophisticated nomad or, to be blunt, a tantrummy nomad. 

Jinxed!!

We managed to rope in two more musketeers for Vagamon trip. From the get-go, the trip seemed jinxed: dangerous weather in Idukki with a red alert, one of us getting robbed two days before the trip, and another two backing out due to a horrid accident on the night before the trip. All of this only made my stubborn self, more determined to go solo since I cannot cancel the trip once am all set to go no matter what because, for me, the destination matters more than the company. Mr. Kiran, trooper that he is, agreed to come along, and we embarked on this unpredictable adventure without a solid plan. The idea was to head back home if the weather turned too gnarly.

Leap of Faith!!

We started late by 9:30 am from Alleppey on his Royal Enfield Standard 350, a beast that never fails anyone, embodying the trust it gives, that makes every Enfield so Royal. There was definitely a certain amount of ice to be broken between us, especially after all that messy conversations regarding change of plans where he could perceive how stubborn I was about the trip. 

We set out via the picturesque AC Road with its scenery of endless paddy fields touching the horizon—always a matter of pride for any Alleppian. We did stop by a houseboat halt point there, and as jinxed as it was, we saw a dead cow floating on the lake. But nothing could stop us; we continued our journey undeterred. We kept our raincoats on in case it started raining. I couldn't remember AC Road with its full-bloomed paddy fields being such a soothing sight. After fueling up from a nearby station, we headed towards Kottayam Changanassery Road. 

On the way, we halted at a beautiful church (St. George Gracey Memorial Church. Parathodu) to enjoy the view, thanks to Mr. Kiran for the vibe. We were equally enthusiastic about the religious places for their sculptural beauty, not really bothered about the religious part. We had homely meal one the way, which was tasty, especially for someone who had skipped breakfast. Still grateful for the trip and anxious whether we will make it to even a single viewpoint, we took off our raincoats and rode in the seemingly cooperative weather. 

We headed to Peerumedu, still uncertain about where exactly to go. 

On the way, we stopped at viewpoints and an empty Sree Krishna temple, which made us calm with its scenic beauty. It made me wonder if anyone, even God, was residing there in this weather.

Gradually, we started enjoying the journey, forgetting our worries and the uncertainties of the bad weather, fallen trees, JCBs clearing landslides, and the immense wind that kept me on my toes. 

Off to Charlie's

We headed towards Landrum Estate, now with a plan to visit the Charlie Viewpoint—a spot made famous by the Malayalam movie "Charlie," about a nomadic traveler, which Kiran, bragged about being a movie person unlike me.

The road within the Landrum Tea Estate was nothing less than an off-road adventure, especially when Google tends to reroute you to the "fastest" way. We somehow ended up at Landrum GL.P school instead of the much-anticipated Charlie Spot. I'm sure Google is directing many wandering souls like us there. Before long, a friendly man from the school came out and amiably gave us the exact location of the viewpoint without even asking. 

After soaking in a few moments at the school with its unexpected but delightful view, we eagerly headed towards our original destination.

Riding through a road adorned with colorful, cute houses on one side and a valley with a beautiful stream on the other, we finally arrived at a guarded private property. It was around 3 PM, and the gatekeeper informed us the place was open to the public until 4:30 PM. Determined, we began our 1 km trek from the main road to the viewpoint. The muddy path meandered through the most scenic views of tea plantations and mountains on either side. Even when it is muddy. no problem at all, right? 

Adding to our jinxed trip, a Thar rushed ahead of us through the muddy, waterlogged road, making it even more "off-road" for pedestrians. But we were unstoppable by then, determined to make this happen. Nothing could stop us from creating epic memories, and we were all in for this adventure.

We passed many tombs scattered across scenic spots beside the road, each one adding a touch of mystique to our journey. 

From the last 200 meters, we could see the breathtaking view of Charlie Spot, with the trees lined up beside the overflowing lake in the midst of that greenery, it felt like a rewarding achievement. 

Even the light drizzles seemed like blessings from the unknown, enhancing the beauty of the scene.

We sat there, walked around for a while, and clicked some pics and reels—thanks to the irresistible pull of social media these days. 

After soaking in the quality time and feeling content about turning a once-jinxed trip into a successful one, we retraced our steps back to the main road. 

This time, we witnessed the lives of women working in the tea estates, whose friendly smiles warmed our hearts. 

We wished we could stay longer to explore the nearby valley and Siva Mala, which our watcher had told us about in his endearing Tamil accent. Finding roads not mentioned on Google Maps sounded like an adventure waiting to happen. With a promise for another trip, we headed back home.

On the way, we had our pit stop at a cute and cozy café in Kuttikanam, where the scenic location made our tiramisu and customized pesto pasta taste even better. Seeing a horse on the other side of the road was like the cherry on top of an already perfect day. 

Satisfied and happy, we drove back to Alappuzha, humming songs all the way, grateful for the risk we took. 

This memorable trip proved that sometimes, the best experiences come from the most unexpected plans and uncertainties, just like the most beautiful places are hidden in rough terrains!