Life in slow motion - Toy train ride in Ooty

Work, family, responsibilities, career commitments and the never ending race to get everything in life, and get it FAST. Our life has become so busy in the clutter of city jungle, that we have all forgotten what being close to nature means. How would you feel if your life could just move in slow motion? How is that possible? You may ask. Well, no there is no new scientific invention to slow down the ever racing pace of life, just the magic of an 114 year old “invention” which would do the trick.

Take a break, pack your bags and just head to Ooty. Yes, I’m talking about the same hill station location deep in the Nilgiri hills in the state of Tamil Nadu. Also known as the Queen of Hill Stations , Ooty or Ootacamund is a beautiful little hill station perched at an altitude of 2240 meters above sea level. Apart from the pure bliss of being in the Nature’s paradise with the dense forests, diverse bio-diversity, lofty mountains, sprawling grasslands and miles and miles of tea gardens; Tourism of Ooty prides itself with the historic Toy Train ride on a 46km stretch between Ooty and Conoor! The track was first laid down in 1899 and ever since is attracting tourists with its old world charm. The blue and white carriage chugging its way through 16 tunnels and 26 viaducts passes through breathtaking view of tea plantations, tall trees and rocky terrains.

One way of associating this train journey is the slowness it brings with it. Sitting with a group of friends, sharing aloo-poori and just chatting away to glory, this is when your journey becomes equally if not more memorable than the entire trip. Its not just the train, the station itself looks like it has come alive from a 70’s movie! The porters, the chai-walla, the station master –everything will leave you mesmerized. The wonderful memories stay with you for a life time to say the very least.

Among the other things to do in Ooty, being famous for its natural vegetation and the tea plantations, are a visit to the Botanical and Rose Gardens; a picnic by the famous Ooty Lake or a trek to the unique Dolphin’s Nose and the Doddabetta Peak (the highest known peak in the region).

One trip to this paradise will definitely capture you with its beauty and old world charm. So, once again pack your bags (you don’t even need to load it with heavy woolens thanks to the pleasant weather throughout the months of October to June, which is probably the best time to visit Ooty) and just head to the hills!

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Alisha

intern at WeAreHolidays

Alisha Yadav has spent years studying French at Alliance Francaise de Delhi and also teaching privately. Finally realizing that there are many more countries on the world atlas other than just France, she decided to broaden her horizon and spend her summer holidays writing about those new places.

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• Life in slow motion - Toy train ride in Ooty - June 14, 2021