Work from the Gorgeous Backwaters of Kerala 

When the pandemic hit the world, the way we live and work radically changed. During the three months of lockdown, working from home in Cochin made me realize that this just might be the way things will be for a while. And if I (or anyone) needed to reboot the mind and be productive, I needed a change of environment but continue to work.

So, as soon as the first two phases of lockdown were over, my girlfriend and I decided to take our work to a new locale. But of course, we had to consider all safety measures and ensure the hygiene standards while traveling. After weighing all options we decided to take the road instead of crowded trains or buses. Fortunately, with Savaari, I found a reliable and sanitized car with a great cabbie.

I had pre-booked a small backwater resort called Deshadan, on the Vembanad Lake, about 16 Km from Kottayam town. Considering the low influx of visitors, there were only a handful of guests, helping with social distancing. It was well-maintained and cozy with good WiFi and clean rooms. Waking up to fresh lake air every morning was indeed rejuvenating, making me work better.

Around afternoons we would take a walk around the property, or I would sit by the lake, reading, or creating Instagram stories on my “life in lockdown”. After the first few days, we took a trip to Kottayam town to pick up a few souvenirs, food, and other essentials. We avoided walking or using local transport, just to be safe and managed to rent a safe and sanitized car in Kottayam with an expert driver for a drive around the town.

The first couple of weeks went by working and relaxing in the calming environment and improving our productivity, mind, and body. The resort staff constantly made sure we practiced necessary hygiene as much as they did. Amid all this, my girlfriend’s birthday came up and since we were away in an exotic locale, we figured we might as well head to Munnar as a way to make her day special, within the limited options we had.

We booked a cab from Kottayam again for the four-hour drive. But you could also hire a reliable and safe car rental in Munnar for your local travel. I have been to Munnar earlier but never seen the town so quiet and free of tourists. It was good in a way to explore without much interruption. It was early monsoon and the hills were alive with fresh foliage and misty air.

We mostly drove around, stopping at a small shop to buy local tea and spices to take home. Regular cafes and restaurants being shut, we had to head to Café Silvertips at the Rivertree resort for the “birthday meal”. Despite the limited menu, the food was good as we had experienced in one of our earlier visits to the hotel.

It’s been a couple of months since our workation and it has turned out to be great so far! We were worried at first but unexpectedly, we both managed to get our work done every day, and still feel alive, and find little joys amid the challenging times. The idea of a workcation is definitely worth a shot!