Gaurav, Rahul, Priya, Neeraj, Sourabh, Ramesh and Shireen beside the Coorg coffee plantationsOne of the advantages of being in the IMLP program is that you always have a big circle of friends to hang out with. If I want to plan a weekend trip, I always have a big gang of IMLPs to accompany me.

We, the IMLPs from Bangalore, made the best use of the long weekends in 2009 when we decided to go on outstation trips.

In the month of March, 5 IMLPs and 2 FMPs headed off to Coorg (also known as Kodagu) in the Western Ghats of southwest Karnataka, India.

Coorg is a nature lover’s paradise famous for its Coffee and Cardomom plantations, variety of flora and fauna, beautiful waterfalls, and scenic surroundings. On our way to Coorg, we also passed through the town of Srirangapatna (known for its historic importance) and through the beautiful Nagarhole forests.

We stayed in Bamboo cottages located on a hill slope close to the Brahmagiri forests,  trekked through the forests and  visited the Iruppu waterfalls. We spent the night beside a bonfire on the hill reliving out junior bootcamp memories!

On our way back, we also visited Bylakuppe, which is one of the biggest Tibetian settlements in India known for its handicrafts and monasteries. We were amazed by the beauty of the Namdroling Monastery, which is the largest Nyingmapa teaching center in the world. The huge golden idols, the ornate altar, the spiral columns adorned with dragons and divine figures mesmerized all of us.

In the month of April, my next weekend trip happened with 3 other IMLPs to Goa in the west coast of India.  Goa is known for its beautiful beaches, water sports, vibrant nightlife, rave parties, flea markets, old forts and churches.

We spent most of our time at the beaches doing water sports (like parasailing and water skiing), enjoying the beach parties and savoring the seafood and the Goan cuisine.

A special mention must go to the locally brewed Goan drink called Feni that is made from coconut flower stalk or the fruit of the cashew tree. We visited the Baga beach, the Calangute beach, the Chapora fort and the church of St. Francis. We also visited the Saturday night market at Arpora, which has buyers and sellers from all over the world, artists performing on stage, food stalls from tandoori to Italian and a lively atmosphere.

All in all – Great fun!

Post Submitted by IMLP Blog Guest Author: N. Ramesh