Javvadi
Hills: A Delightful Getaway
Lush green forests thick and impenetrable… thrilling night rides in
open jeep and trailer… fireflies glowing softly in the velvet darkness…
lantana flowers covering the hillsides in a riot of colours…butterflies
rising up in clouds from moisture on the road…
Javvadi transported us to a state of mind where time stood still, all cares
forgotten. Beautiful, isolated and fairly inaccessible, it took the Wildertrailers
almost 8 hours to reach the forest rest house where we were to camp for the
next three days. But the effort was well worth it.
Arriving at destination at around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the Wildertrailers
were soon ready for action again! The tantalising glimpses of jungle we had
seen en route had made us all eager for more, so around 5pm we decided to
open up the Major's unique hard top convertible jeep, the youngsters piled
into the trailer - and we were off on a 40-odd-km ride into the jungle…
It was absolutely thrilling to be in the middle of the silent, ghostly forest
at night, with the only lights for miles around being the lights of the jeep,
our flashlights, and the soft twinkle of fireflies. The pungent fragrance
of lantana filled the air, and when we stopped and switched off our lights,
it was so dark we could barely see one another.
The enchantment continued over the next few days. With hillsides ablaze with
masses of lantana in red, orange, white, pink and lavender; butterflies everywhere;
a 3km trek through forest and stream bed to a waterfall; more trailer rides
by popular demand; the excitement of spotting sandalwood trees (which once
covered whole slopes); an enlightening visit to an expert beekeeper…
Relaxation and rejuvenation apart, our impromptu participation in the Independence
Day celebrations of the local Forest School also gave us an insight into the
magnitude of the work being done by the Forest Department, in terms of the
education of the children of the Javvadi Hills.
On the morning of the 16th, we had another exciting drive through thick jungle
and scenic hills to the Kavalur Observatory, which unfortunately was reported
to be closed on account of damage to its computer room - by elephants! Then
it was time to pack up our bags, and another Wildertrails experience drew
to a close…
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