From Munnar, we set off for Thekkady, part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, and stayed at a KTDC lodge. Only those who pre-book a stay are allowed inside with their cars, but jungle safaris in the forest department's buses are available from the checkpoint.
We almost glided through the well-built road, drinking in the greenery. I have stayed here once before with my cousins and my only concern with the place is the monkeys. Their presence is a given since we are visiting their home. So far, I have developed a calm way of dealing with them but I wasn't sure about our guests. But, if you stick to the rules and bear a cool attitude, you're good to go.
Moving luggage is a challenge with the curious monkey invigilators trying to grab anything they fancy. But it can be tactfully handled by hiding small items in your pockets and giving off a confident, unafraid vibe. Worries aside, watching baby monkeys playing around is worth it.
There is a children's park before the office and bigger swings on many trees. You can swing as high as you want in those and it became my favourite pastime. While at it, I saw a pair of Porcupines walking in a line just a few feet away. I watched them in silent awe. I have found their shed-off spines before but not the animal in person.
Another such sighting happened while we were coming back from our evening walk. We saw a few people looking around, searching for something. That's when I heard the loud wing beats from above - almost like that of a helicopter! It was a pair of Hornbills. It is the state bird of Kerala and very rare. The story of the Hornbill is bittersweet.
Hornbills are birds that only mate once in their lifetime. When they are about to lay eggs, they find the tallest tree with a hole for the female bird to stay inside. By plucking her feathers, she will build a comfortable hearth inside for the young ones to sleep. Since the mother cannot fly again, they would close the hole leaving a gap just enough for the father hornbill's beak to pass food inside. The tragic part of the story is that if something happened to the father bird, his family would be trapped inside the hole and die of hunger. This is what I learned from the staff there.
For more info, check out https://roundglasssustain.com/photo-stories/great-hornbill-nesting#:~:text=Great%20hornbills%20are%20fascinating%20birds,for%20months%20at%20a%20stretch.
The next day, early morning, we went for boating. It was cold with the wind blowing at us and we were glad to have brought our jackets. We saw Gaurs, Sambar deer, and wild mongoose on the banks of the lake. There were also different kinds of birds perched on poles with their nests on them.
Overall the stay was pleasant and comfortable. Breakfast and Dinner buffets were splendid with a delicious variety of items.
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