“DULQUER GREETED ME!” I wrote to my friend, after I noticed a life-size cutout of the actor, with a thumbs-up sign, smiling at me. After years of planning, cancelling, and planning again, I had finally made it to his home state! And my destination was Thekkady, the spice capital of Kerala.
It was midday when I reached Kumily, a town near Thekkady. After the three-hour flight from Delhi to Kochi and a four-hour drive, I couldn’t wait to reach my home for the trip, Poetree Sarovar Portico.
As we approached the hotel, the waft of spices enveloped me. “Cardamom, ma’am”, said the driver Shiva, pointing towards the greenery outside the window. Surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Western Ghats, Poetree Sarovar Portico is a luxurious resort, with spice plantations and…