g from house boat, triggered me to write. Our whole trip was planned by Guruju Travels; contact was Kanika (8130638792). From the very start of the planning, she was extremely helpful and communicative in planning, accommodating my suggestions. She also involved her team to book flight tickets as well. My overall tour was fantastic, everyday check from this team's Rekha if all were fine, added more confidence. Hotels offered were quite good. At Munnar we were in Blu Haze, which I found clean and services were also good; except not allowed to use bath tub. View from room balcony was just awesome. At Thekkady, we were in Spingdale Heritage, a 5 star, hotel and services were very good, as expected from this kind of hotel. From there we moved to Allepey. Coming to this in later discussion. We had one car and driver from Cochin to Cochin. Driver was good and acted like a local guide. But car quality could have been better, specially seat covers need a change. But driving, professionalism and timeliness was at per. Coming to Allepey - we reached there at around 1:15 PM on 24-Jan. Boarded a very nice, cosy, clean Whiterose boat, having two ACs - one at bedroom and one at the drawing room. We had this boat booked for us only, not sharing. Stay on boat, roaming around lake, buying fish everything was fine, specially the cook "Siddhartha" Jeta was a very humble and nice person by heart. We had arrangement to stay in the boat that night. Both lunch and dinner were served just as expected, nice. But in the boat TV was not working, not even the music system - which is not good, but we managed. The boat driver, Ajay, left the boat after parking it to shore at 5 PM. Only the cook was with us. At around 11:30 PM we went to sleep in the boat. We slept in the room, locking it from inside and the cook slept in the drawing room. The worst, frightening and life-threatening experience starts at 6 AM next day morning, where we all including the cook was sleeping inside the boat. At around 6 AM in the morning, I was forced to awake by sound made by some people on the door of our room. When I opened the door, people were shouting, which at first glance I could not understand. One of them says "save your life", then I sensed something wrong. My wife and son (5 years old) were in deep sleep. I just called my wife and took my son and rushed to step out of the boat. There were lot of villagers outside and I handed over my son to them. Then came back to room to pack the bags, whatever I could, with the help of some other villagers, saved most of my luggage. But my wife got trapped and she was literally rescued by one villager and the cook. Thanks to the nearby villagers, who could sense from outside that our boat was sinking and they called other villagers to rescue us !! This event still annoys me after 2 weeks also, just thinking that if this incident happened at 4 AM instead of 6 AM in the morning, then there were no one to sense this issue from outside and rescue us. Then what would have happened to us !! Specially when my 5 years son was also inside the boat. We lost some of our important belongings, like Sony Camera Battery + Charger, Mobile Charger, Some dresses of my son, and some other small stuffs ! While these are something we surely did not want to loose, my concern is the safety ! We spent another 30 minutes there with the villagers, who were kind enough to console us, provide hot teas etc. Boat owner came there, but did not speak to us. We called the cab driver and started for Cochin, our next destination. On the way we called Rekha, the Guruji Travels contact and told about this incidence and requested her to talk to Cochin hotel, Elliot Pallazo, for the possibility of early check-in. Not sure whether she understood the life-thretnening experience we just passed through. She was checking whether we were offered any other boat to board, whether we were offered for breakfast etc - I know she was going by rule book, may be her duty. Anyway - after some time she called to confirm that hotel will give us one waiting room and then at scheduled time of check-in at 11 am, we will officially check-in. Unfortunately, when we reached the hotel, we were asked to wait in lobby and at 10 am they did official check-in and at the same time told us that as it was 1 hour early check-in we have to check-out 1 hour earlier next day at 10 am !! We checked-in and informed Rekha and asked if she can talk to hotel to allow check-out at 11 am next day, as our flight back to Kolkata was ar 3:30 PM next day. She in turn called me at night and said she could not manage yet and she will continue trying. Next morning, no call from her and we had to check-out at 10 am only. Then at around 10:40 am, Rekha called me to inform that we could stay till 11 am !! I encountered her that she could inform us earlier before our check-out, she said I did not pick up her call and she can send screen shot of her mobile. That's absurd !! [Sorry to use this word] After reaching Kolkata on 26-Mar night, next day morning Rekha again called me to ensure whether we have reached safely. Thanks for that. After 2 days she called me to inform two things, which raises question - 1- She got information from boat that there was a collission with one Govt boat and that's the reason of this mishap. I instantly replied saying that I stayed in the boat from 1 pm Saturday thru 6 am Sunday and there were no collission happened. Then is this collission happened earlier that we boarded? If so, why this was not checked ? Why people have not ensured that boat was in correct condition? If anything happened to us, who would have taken the responsibility ? Guruji Travels ? As they have suggested me for White Rose houseboat as the best boat in the lot !! 2- She also mentioned she have got information that after the incidence, we were offered for another boat and breakfast; which I already have mentioned earlier that even while boat owner was present there but did not bother to exchange a single word with us !! So, this information is complete false statement. After this discussion, I told Rekha that I would like to talk to Kanika, who was the person to whom I always communicated for planning this trip and she was very communicative. But of my surpise, even after 11 days of this incidence, Kanika did not bother to just make a call to my number !! This is completely unexpected. I want to end this writing with some questions - 1 - Guruji Travels, Kanika in specific, suggested White Rose boat - after this incidence, can I be helped to understand who was checking for our security and safety ? Is Guruji owning this responsibility ? 2 - This is an accident I agree. But what is the compensation of the mental shock, loosing of some important belongings? Even Guruji Travels could not arrange a room in Cochin hotel for us temporarily and we had to wait in lobby. They even could not extend our check-out time for 1 hour only. So, what is the compensation ? 3 - Travel Triangle being the main vendor, has Guruji Travels contacted Travel Triangle to inform about this incident, at all ?

rk

r my next South India trip

ned for some time and as a result in the last moment our houseboat was changed.Everything should be crystal clear from beforehand so that the people don't get unnecessary Harrassment for the inconvenience caused. Please work upon that Munnar sight seeing was very great.

ional park in Munnar. N ticket booking is accepted only via the e-ticket kiosk for which we wasted almost an hour trying to do the bookings. Their wi - fi there never worked. If the trip advisor could Inform travelers in advance which network works well specially in Munnar then may b the travellers could arrange for a sim before hand. Also there is an option for ticket booking for the wild life boating online. But not all travelers r aware of the same. That could b also informed so that the tickets can be booked Atleast 1 day in advance. Overall experience was satisfactory.. also the waterfalls in summer r dry. This is not mentioned to the travellers so sight seeing to these places r not worth it. Something better can be planned instead Have taken back some good memories from the trip. The back water house boat experience was good. The boat had wooden carvings.. our driver also was very cooperative n took good care of us during the trip. Would recommend the same driver to more passengers travelling in the future.

r. Vinu informed us that Many sightseeing and Safari locations mentioned in the travel itinerary planned by Mr. Robin like Soochipara Waterfalls, Wayanad Muthanga Wildlife Safari, Kuruvadweep Island, Thusharagiri waterfalls were closed due to Forest Department issue. He suggested that we cannot go to these places as they are closed for many days. Ideally, we would expect the travel booking manager to inform us about such temporary closure of sight seeing areas before we reach Wayanad, so that we could have planned and booked tickets for other Wildlife Safari's and sight seeing like Bandipur National Park, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Sulthan Bathery. We only realized that once we reached there. We even tried to book online Safari tickets to Bandipur when we reached there, but the tickets need to be booked atleast 3-4 days in advance. The price of the overall trip (Resort stay + Cab) could have been more competitive given a lot of tourists had skipped coming to Wayanad in May 2024 due to heat wave (hot weather conditions during day time). Most people were local Keralites. Overall, it was a decent experience with hotel stay, food and travel arrangements. Mr. Robin is prompt in answering queries through call / message making an interactive booking experience.

vy handled all the small small things very professionally right from picking us from Kochi Airport on first day to dropping us at Trivendrum Airport on last day. Breakfast provides by the hotels was very hygienic. Overall I will rate 10/10 to the service provided to me by the travel agent & all my further trips will plan from Travel Triangle only. Visit to Eravikulam National park at Munnar Elephant ride & Kalaripayattu at Thekkady Houseboat experience was best at Alleppey Kanyakumari & Padmanabhan Swami temple visit was the best part of the trip .

e stopped at 5.30 pm and resumed next day morning. Rest of the time, it was like a stay at a hotel. But hospitality was good.