Writing on "General advice on Nilgiri Hills" will need far more space that what MS can give me. This little piece is confined to a small part of Coonoor, the second biggest town in the Nilgiris.
While there’s is quite a bit to see in this town Sims Park should be on top of the itenary. You should see the park for the variety of trees, plants and flowers that it abounds in. Unfortunately you often also get to see a lot of people, some of whom do not know how to behave in such a beautiful park! You need to leave the park to unwind, - if you have about three quarters of an hour.
Come out of the main gate and turn left and walk along the road that skirts the park. Within minutes you leave the crowd, the litter, the diesel fumes and the noise behind you and begin to experience what a hill station is all about. Birdsong replaces the sound of automobile engines as you look over the hedge on your left into Sims Park and on the right at the pomological station. That unusual smell you begin to notice is that of pure, fresh, clean air.
You amble along past the back gate of the Park and the nursery where you cross a little stream and pass some nice looking bungalows and some tea fields before you reach the buildings of the Industrial Training Institute which stand in mute testimony to the fact that the people who design our Government buildings do not have a clue about aesthetics. Fortunately, the sight soon passes and its time to frequently stop and stare at the ferns and a variety of wildflowers.
The road begins to gently slope upwards and soon you need to slow down to take I the green of the Golf Course and the Wellington Gymkhana on your left . looking further ahead, again on the left, you see the tea bushes and the Highfield Tea factory, which, a board tells you, that you are welcome to visit and see the tea making process, if you are so inclined.
After this point, you beging to see "development" in the form of a cluster of modern cottages and you also notice a small shrine, which was obviuously built by some "paint challenged" soul. Soon you are on the Kotagiri Road, where you turn left and pass some nice colonial bungalows, taking care to avoid the smoke spewing speeding buses and cars as you head towards the Sims Park gate, where you started your stroll. The shacks around can give you a good cup of tea and some tasty bajjis or vadais to recharge the batteries of your body - those of the soul are at full charge by now.
On second thought, it may be Its a good idea to retrace your steps once you reach the tea factory.