Tag: family travel

The Sunrise Never Came. The Waterfall Made Up for Everything.


This was the final day of our 30-hour trip with Santhanam’s family. The day did not go exactly as planned, but it ended up giving us some of the best moments of the trip.

No Sunrise, But the Kids Got Their Morning Swim

Santhanam’s family and my wife went to the Kanyakumari sunrise point early in the morning. Unfortunately, it rained and there was no sunrise to see.

I stayed at the hotel with the kids. At around 7:30 AM, I took my children and Santhanam’s daughter to the swimming pool. My son enjoyed the pool so much that he continued swimming until he became completely tired.

We then went back to our rooms, took a shower, packed our things and checked out of Hotel Rajeshwari International.

A Wonderful Breakfast and an Unexpected Temple Visit

We stopped at Hotel Chitra and had a wonderful breakfast. We ordered poori, masala dosa, uthappam and coffee.

Inside Vivekananda Kendra, there was also a temple with large statues of Shiva and Hanuman. We visited the temple and walked through an exhibition showing stories from the Ramayana.

We went there only for breakfast, but we also got to spend some peaceful time inside the Kendra before leaving.

A Huge Queue Changed Our Plan

Our original plan was to visit Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the glass bridge. But when we reached there, the queue was huge. We did not want to spend several hours waiting, so we cancelled the plan and started driving towards Thirparappu Waterfalls.

It was around a 90-minute drive from Kanyakumari.

The Children’s First Waterfall Experience

Because of Onam, we got a combined ticket for the waterfalls and boating for just ₹60 per person.

This was the first waterfall experience for both my son and daughter. The water came down with good force, and my wife, the kids and I had a wonderful time standing under it.

Yamuna with Aradhya and Advaith enjoying their first waterfall experience at Thirparappu Waterfalls
The children’s first waterfall experience at Thirparappu.

After all the walking and driving during the trip, the force of the water helped reduce our body pain and body heat. We felt fresh and relaxed when we came out.

We then went boating. The place was surrounded by trees and greenery, and the children enjoyed the boat ride as usual.

Both families enjoying a boat ride surrounded by greenery at Thirparappu
Boating together after our time at the waterfalls.

Cancelling the Vivekananda Rock plan and coming to Thirparappu turned out to be a good decision.

Padmanabhapuram Palace Was Closed

From the waterfalls, we drove for around 40 minutes to Padmanabhapuram Palace.

The palace was closed because of Onam. We spent some time near the entrance and then left. We could not see the palace this time, so that is something we can plan for another visit.

A Quick Visit to My Aunt’s Property

From there, I went to see my aunt’s property in Nagercoil, located next to Canara Bank. I wanted to check its present condition and make arrangements to find a tenant.

After completing the visit, we started our return drive to Madurai.

One Last Stop Before Reaching Home

We stopped at Hotel Haris for dinner. By then, all of us were damn tired, so we had a light dinner.

The hotel had a play area, and we allowed the kids to play for some time. I am still not sure how children find the energy to play when all the adults are already waiting to crash!

After dinner, we continued the journey and finally reached home.

Thirty Hours, Two Families and No Regrets

With this, our 30-hour, two-family trip came to an end.

We missed the sunrise, cancelled the Vivekananda Rock visit because of the crowd and found Padmanabhapuram Palace closed. Still, there were no regrets.

The kids experienced a waterfall for the first time, we enjoyed boating, visited the temple and Ramayana exhibition, ate good food and spent quality time together.

It was a short trip, but it was a truly rejuvenating experience for both the mind and body. We returned home fully tired, but also fully satisfied.

A Family Ferry Ride That Outshone the Monuments


Travel blogs often highlight the grand monuments. But sometimes, the real story isn’t in stained-glass windows or centuries-old bricks — it’s in the smallest, most ordinary rides.

Today in Kochi, my wife, daughter, and son taught me this lesson. We had walked the charming lanes of Jew Town, browsed spice-scented shops, and stepped into the Paradesi Synagogue, a 400-year-old Jewish temple with chandeliers that looked like they belonged in a movie set. I thought that was our big “cultural moment.”

But the highlight wasn’t inside the Synagogue’s tiled floors. It was on a Water Metro ferry.

We boarded at Fort Kochi and cruised toward the High Court jetty. For me, it was just convenient transport. For my kids, it was pure cinema. Their eyes widened at every boat that crossed our path, every splash against the glass, every gull that soared beside us. Getting them to smile for photos at the Synagogue took ten tries; on the ferry, one wave hit the side and both burst out laughing, grins so wide the camera almost clicked itself.

And that’s when it struck me: in family travel, the ordinary moments become extraordinary. Not the UNESCO sites or history lessons, but the way your daughter giggles when the ferry honks, or the way your son waves at strangers on another boat.

So if you ever find yourself in Kochi, absolutely walk through Jew Town’s antique shops and admire the Paradesi Synagogue’s history. But don’t underestimate the Water Metro. For the price of a coffee back home, you might just capture your family’s most genuine smiles — the kind you can’t stage in front of any monument.