Visit to Evergreen County

 

After a very long-time, our holidays towards the year end of 2020 was blocked for an all new experience. The excitement had kicked in as five families with ten adults and three kids were meeting for the first time post the lockdown. We decided to breakfast in Mysore and visit Zoo like 8:30 am in the morning for the tiny tots to get excited about the journey. While it took a decent time, we had to continue our journey towards Kodagu where we had made all arrangements to visit a not so familiar place near Bittangala in Virajpet via Gonikoppalu, Kodagu. While the staff made sure we get the basic facilities and were well informed about no such luxurious amenities available at the venue. We agreed to it and were open to experience something new as it would be the authentic village kind of stay. If you’re in for an adventurous and rustic experience to be with the nature …this is a must place to visit.

Around 2:00 pm we arrived at our destination - Evergreen County, a coffee estate maintained by Bajan Bopanna nestled 2.5 kms towards the interior side from the main road welcoming with all its serenity. This place was conceptualized by Bajan and is being managed very well. A techie, an ex-employee from Infosys and a very familiar face in Coorg who is also an ace dancer being part of a professional troop knew exactly what people would look for during the stay. As it goes with their tagline “Let’s make it different”. Personally, we had never heard of a stay in Coorg with adventurous activities and game to keep yourself occupied during your stay. Must say that you will get hooked onto some of the activities available – Zipline, Archery, Water Balloons (reminds us playing during childhood), Cricket, Badminton, Table Tennis, Shooting of course became my favorite while we were the winners along with Sarah. We credit Anthony for teaching us how to shoot using a double barrel gun with 0.177 MM caliber pellets. A down to earth person who went on to make us more comfortable throughout our stay. Theja was adjudged the best shooter who was our opponent, professionally an ace photographer – he deserved it – it sums it all that he shoots well, Click-Click!

 

 

 

 

Day 1, As we finished shooting game, hot lunch was waiting to fill our hungry tummies made with local chef Chengu and his team. While Sagar and Kishore’s wife greeted everyone at the food court, we were informed about the invisible chef who never steps out of the kitchen due to his business in preparing authentic coorg cuisine for everyone at the county. You have to taste these foods which gives you a sense of different taste for the binge eating habits that we all have had developed in the metros. The spread on the menu is simple yet good enough to your taste buds.

Post lunch the plan was to head towards the lake area for Kayaking, yes.. you heard it right! Sounds an overall package isn’t it. A pond area big enough to accommodate two kayaks and you get to experience a coracle ride between the farmlands, the overall view looks very pleasing, after all any place with water is always soothing to mind. The location seemed to be too perfect.

Later in the evening we had another activity which we had not expected to be so thrilling – ‘A Lantern walk’ in the estates with our group. We were told that the darker it gets the better the experience it would be. Indeed, this was really a great experience with Bajan and Naresh leading us from the front. It was surreal and we loved the star gazing too. Also, the anecdotes from Bajan at every stop point was really informative, one has to hear from him along the way. This one activity should definitely be felt in person, so you know what it is all about and it’s definitely not an exaggeration about those beautiful things that we miss in our lives.

As the darkness dived deep into the night, the barbeque was very much inviting next to our wooden cottage named ‘Eagles’ where we had the bonfire. This cottage had beds to accommodate 12-14 persons with an attic upstairs. Each cottage has been given a name and they all are artistically painted with a rural touch. Not to forget that the venue has camps to stay as well. While the rest enjoyed barbeque, I stepped out to thank the person who helped us get some logs for the bonfire. This person looked at me and asked with a base voice, ‘Do you know my name?’, while I took time to recognize him, he wore a beanie with his beard grown well, instantly I said, ‘Kishore’. With an affirmative yes, he did mention that he was our cottage in charge and the supervisor for the county as well. Kishore an ex-cop and once a colleague to Bajan is well versed in five languages. His voice has a DTS effect when he speaks just like Bachchan Saab. He has a big no if he ever wanted to get into movies . Rakesh whom we fondly call him as DJ was ready to strum his brand-new Guitar. We spent our best time at the Bonfire and heard about 7 to 8 gun shots and why was that? Well Bajan had his reasoning for that.

Day-2, the morning was very cool, we got ourselves out cottage only to see people gathered near the food court. To our surprise Bajan managed to find a small snake that was rescued and only to be let go so that the baby snake is safe. Harish was keen to hold the green snake in his hands while Ranjitha managed to capture the moments in her mobile. I did mange that myself too. Holding a reptile was not a new feeling for me, but it did grab many eyeballs with the onlookers. How Snake-y!! 

We quickly had our breakfast. Hoopla game and water balloon did remind of our childhood memories. We managed to take some time out for kids to play too. While we men started playing cricket our ladies enjoyed a quite time at the swing and seesaw.

Bajan asked us to get ready for an exciting sport post lunch. We sure did that thing, and all were at the open area for the zipline and Bermuda bridge. Must say this added an impeccable memory to all of us. Samyuktha, Preksha and Hariprada were the stars of the game. DJ managed to convince Rachana and my wife Shruthi that kids would love it. Harish as an uncle took extra care and ensured that the harness on them snugly fit so that all these little kids can take to zipline with utmost safety and precaution to fly down the zipline. County professionals Naresh and (name) did make sure that they thoroughly check all the safety gears without fail. Am sure DJ and Naveen would have felt the same way as I did. Our daughters were looking like angles flying in the sky for a moment, such a fabulous treat it was. We were cheering and clapping for their grit and confidence while some of the adults would really not think of playing these sports just because of the height. Thanks to Mythri for capturing the best moments for us on the other end of the line. This lady had an interesting answer when I asked what made her work here. All she had to say was, “I don’t think that I am working here, it is just that I get to meet a lot of people from different background”, and this makes her job easy. Well that was very apt in what she had to say.

 

Theja and Pooja managed to drive back after the zipline sport as they had to attend a family function. Must say that this new couple did manage to drive 600+kms within 24hrs only to make this event memorable. Darlings of our group.

It was dusk, hot pakodas and tea/coffee were served much to our temptations. Kishore had mentioned that the dinner menu spread would be different and that we would love it. Both Veg and Non-Veg was very tasty in fact. Thanks for the chefs (Changu and team).

We had to check out in the morning the next day, so we managed to spend the night a little late until 2 am and the bonfire kept our conversations going. We spoke to Prashanth who is the admin to help us with few more blankets as the night was very cold. He was surprised to know that our day 2 stay was close to 16 degrees. Yikes, we were freezing out!

Day-3, we checked out with some of the farewell pics at the county. Small gift of homemade chocolates to the kids was the perfect ta-ta and our final say with the entire team for their hospitality who always carried a smile throughout our stay.

Indeed, this was a perfect getaway for a not so perfect planning – all of this happened due to our stay in Evergreen County. This stay will always be evergreen in our memories to come and hoping to visit this place again with a bigger group of family and friends.

 

Best Wishes to the county from,

Rakesh (DJ), Sarah and Baby Preksha

Naveen, Rachana and Baby Samyuktha

Dharam, Shruthi and Baby Hariprada

Harish and Ranjitha

Theja and Pooja

Bengaluru