It’s 10 AM in Kochi, the bags are packed, and I’ve just checked out. Today’s plan feels like one of those road-trip montages from a movie: equal parts sweet, scenic, and slightly unpredictable.

The first pitstop on my route is Adimali’s Mc Bean Chocolate Factory. If Willy Wonka had set up shop in the Kerala hills, this would be it. For my kids, it’s less about “bean-to-bar” and more about how many flavors they can taste before we get back in the car. For me, it’s about breaking up the drive with something they’ll remember — because when kids talk about a family trip, they rarely mention churches or monuments; they remember ice cream, chocolates, and funny roadside moments.

From there, the road climbs into the misty highlands toward Ramakkalmedu. If you’ve never heard of it, imagine a windswept ridge lined with giant windmills and views that stretch into Tamil Nadu’s Cumbum Valley. It’s the kind of place where you stop, breathe, and remind yourself why road trips beat airports. My driver-self calls it “a quick view stop,” but I know my family will turn it into a full-blown photo session, with me trying to capture smiles while the wind tries to steal our hats.

And then, as every good journey demands, the day closes with the long ride back to Madurai. My caption for the drive? “Chocolate at the start, wind in the middle, temple city at the finish.” Simple, but that’s today’s storyline.

Traveling with family means weaving together very different chapters in one day. For some, it’ll be the chocolate factory; for others, the wind at Ramakkalmedu. For me, it’s the whole arc — the highway conversations, the unplanned tea stops, and the comfort of knowing that even when the miles are long, we’re together in the same story.

So here’s to today: a little sweet, a little scenic, and a whole lot of road.