Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” – Dalai Lama Ever felt like it’s time for that much-needed vacation with yourself? To just let everything go and discover your true self? Kotagiri, in the magnificent hills of Nilgiris, allowed me to do just that. The search for a perfect vacation spot began with places to stay on Airbnb in and around Coonoor and I stumbled upon Fuschia. I’m so glad I came across this place! I read every review that I could lay my hands on and finally decided to head to this place. This was my first solo trip and I was in love with the feeling it gave because I only had 3 days. I flew down to Coimbatore and drove to Kotagiri from there. Desperate to get away from the humdrum of the city life, I left as soon as work permitted me to. The owner of Fuschia, Mr. Sharan, was kind enough to arrange a cab for me from the airport and it was the best drive of my life. We drove through clouds, fog, rain, in the middle of the night and it was just perfect! I reached Fuschia at 1:15 a.m. It was a little scary yet exhilarating. As I reached I called Mr. Eeshwar, another savior, who looked after the place. He escorted me to my room which was a 10-minute hike from where I was dropped off (Main road). Hiking to my room in the dark while taking careful strides barefoot with my shoes in one hand while listening to the gushing waterfalls and the crickets chirping was a wonderful experience. It was pure bliss. I was finally amidst nature, away from the noisy city, away from the pollution, cars and the concrete jungle! Day 1: My alarm was the chirping of birds. I got ready with super speed and went to greet the owner, Sharan. He welcomed me with a warm cup of tea and a stimulating conversation. He gave me a rough idea of all the places I should visit. At breakfast, I met some of my fellow travelers. Some of them from my very own Hyderabad others from different cities. Surprisingly most of them came from the IT sectors and in conversation, they shared stories that I’ll always cherish. Right after a scrumptious breakfast, cooked by Baby and Big Baby (called so out of affection), I set off for the waterfalls. This is a hidden gem without a name. It’s a slightly dangerous trek up to the falls since the route is covered with barbed wire and I had to walk through the stream to get to the falls. At first, I lost my way and took the wrong route and got caught in the barbed wire and ended up hurting myself. I managed to cut myself deep enough that I needed stitches. For immediate protection, I tore pieces of my shirt and tied up the cuts to prevent blood loss and rushed to the hospital with the help of a new friend I had met earlier that day. A big thank you to Sharan, Eeshwar and the Fuschia family that I got the medical attention I needed and they made me feel like I was at home and took really good care of me. Day 2: I was disappointed that I did not make it to the falls on day 1 so I decided to give it another shot. Everyone told me that getting there would be easy once I found the right route. So, this time around, I carefully walked through the slow-moving stream and within 20 minutes reached the falls where I fell in love! Once you get a glimpse of those surroundings you will never want to leave. Unfortunately, I had to because I was told that bison walk the area in the dark and it would be dangerous to stay there all alone. Back at Fuschia, I went into the kitchen, got myself a cup of tea and sat down in the gazebo which offered a magnificent view of the valley. The smell of the green trees and grass along with the cool breeze and a warm cup of tea was absolute perfection. Doggie, the adopted dog at Fuscia and I were enjoying the evening and later that night, a couple from Chennai and Sharan joined me, Eshwar arranged for a couple of beers for us as we sat down with our blankets to listen to one of them play some music for us. He played all the old school classics and sang impeccably. The day ended with a delicious meal put together for us by Baby. She is a great cook and made a tasty curry, Sambhar, Rasam, and rice every day. Her chicken curry was to die for. She also taught me how to make Pongal one morning. Day 3: The third day was very relaxed. Sharan gave me a ride into the town so I could shop for some souvenirs. We drove along the scenic tea plantations and I would recommend you drive by these picturesque roads when you visit Kotagiri. The beauty will leave you awestruck. Once we reached the town, we went to a specialty tea store and had some tea and biscuits, then walked a few miles stopping in the middle to pick some flowers. On the way back I stumbled upon a weavers association selling the beautiful handmade Toda tribes merchandise. *Fun fact: Toda people are a Dravidian ethnic group who live in the Nilgiri Mountains of Tamil Nadu. They use a special embroidery technique which is reversible.* Since Fuschia is a little secluded from the town, I lost my way but managed to take a rickshaw back to my room. Back there, I had dinner and relaxed on the balcony and a little later, everyone staying there came together for a small party. Day 4: My last day at Kotagiri! I did not want to go back to the grind of a full-time job or the pressures of being an adult. I freshened up and put on my shoes and trekked back to the waterfalls and then went uphill to see the tea factory and got some tea to take home with me. I had to be back early in the afternoon and headed to the Coimbatore airport after finishing my lunch. Kotagiri was my first ever solo trip and has left me with a lot of memories. The warmth and hospitality of the Fuschia family were truly heartwarming and I did come back with a few scars but they will always remind me of the wonderful time I had at this paradise in Nilgiris.