Crossing the Western Ghats on our way from Tamil Nadu to Kerala, we spotted a number of picturesque tea plantations. We wanted to stop for photos, but Renju, our driver, told us that there were even better photo opportunities further along on the Keralan side. By then we had been together for over two weeks and had learnt to trust his judgement. As usual, he was absolutely right.
Renju also suggested to wait for one of the buses to come through in order to add more colour to the shot. Unfortunately I missed the bus as it came round the corner and only caught the rear of it as it roared past me.
The tea plantations of Peermade lie in the lower reaches of the Ghats, at an elevation of just over 900 metres. It is a truly beautiful area.
A total of 39 sections of the Western Ghats are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites, for their biological diversity as well as their “high geological, cultural and aesthetic values”.
The roads wind their way through the mountains and the journey times are almost always a lot longer than you expect. However, as long as someone else is doing the driving – thank you, Renju – you can sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery.
Sri Lanka’s tea country is just so beautiful! One of Britain’s greatest legacies, and still loved and treasured by the people of the country.
Agreed – although this, of course, is India. A few years ago we managed to arrange a guided walk through some plantations higher up in Kerala (you are not allowed to enter without a licenced guide). It was a very memorable experience, but surprisingly exhausting – largely because we were not used to the altitude.