Sobhayamanam

A 2007 family travel story by Sobha Kalyani Years rolled by, still some journeys remain forever in our memories. Our short two-day trip to Ooty in September 2007 was an unforgettable experience. The memories of peaceful hills, cool mountain air, rich vegetation all around with colorful flowers, tea gardens and moments of togetherness - are cherished forever. A travel in 2007 was very much different from what it is today. It was a time before smartphones and social media, when travels were meant for real enjoyment with togetherness and bonding. But things have changed with smartphones and social media. People are more engaged on smartphones with selfies and reels and instantly uploading them on the social media. Now tourists are more concerned about the likes of their uploads than living with nature. In those enjoyable days, there were no endless selfies or reels and instant uploads, no GPS navigation — there was togetherness and only conversations, handwritten notes, printed ticke...