Television anchor Meera Anil has earned numerous fans in Kerala, especially among the family audience, with her unique style of talking. Meera, who studied engineering and journalism before venturing into anchoring, is a travel lover.
Meera is now fortunate to have found her life partner in Vishnu, who also is an avid traveller. Their wedding took place in a simple ceremony following COVID-19 protocols at Attukal Temple in Thiruvananthapuram on July 15 this year. "Each journey offers an exciting and refreshing experience. All my future trips will be with Vishnu," says Meera.
After their wedding was fixed, Meera and Vishnu began talking to each other regularly. "I soon realized that like me, Vishnu too was very keen to travel. We got to know each other better by discussing travel. When I said that my biggest dream was a journey across India, Vishnu commented that he had already done that. Vishnu's statement that he had toured the entire country astonished me," says the celebrity.
Vishnu also told Meera that during their all-India trip together, he would act as 'Google.' "He is familiar with almost major destinations in the country," explains Meera. She adds that Vishnu's promise filled her with joy.
Kerala trips
In Kerala, both Meera and Vishnu love to visit places which are endowed with natural beauty but witness few tourist footfall. "It is Vishnu who selects our destination and does all the planning. He thoroughly studies the entire route and charts detailed plans, listing the places where we can have food, park the car and even fill fuel," says the TV star.
Among the places Meera has visited so far, she found Calvary Mount in Idukki the most stunning."It is a heavenly place which each nature lover should see. No other tourist spot in Kerala can match Calvary Mount in beauty," affirms the celebrity.
"From the top of the Mount, the view of the reservoir created by Idukki, Cheruthoni, and Kulamavu dams is amazing. The water collected in the reservoir from the Periyar River is taken to Moolamattom power house for generation of electricity," informs Meera.
From Calvary Mount, the newlyweds travelled to Meesapulimala. They woke up at 3 am for the trip and reached Kurukkumala by 4 am. "A spectacular sight awaited us there; an orange-coloured sun rising between the clouds. Being there at that time was an indescribable experience," says Meera.
According to the star, she has enjoyed every moment with Vishnu and describes their trip to Illikkalkallu."A picturesque place, Illikkalkallu is a mere one-hour drive from Vishnu's house. There isn't a better place to spend the time with your loved one," says Meera.
All travellers heading to Vagamon can devote half-a-day to visit Illikkalkallu, says the star. "The place has something more to offer than Vagamon. The constant presence of mist and an exciting journey would certainly thrill adventure seekers. Vishnu hugged me in this picturesque setting and a snap was clicked," reveals Meera.
Plans that didn't take off
Vishnu loves adventure and has driven along some of the most dangerous roads in the world. "His experiences of travelling along the Kishtwar - Killar Road frightened me. This road connecting Jammu Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh is among the most treacherous on earth. It is a very narrow stretch with numerous dangerous curves. At an altitude of 8,280 feet above sea level, the road has deep gorges on one side. It is riskier to drive along the stretch during the rains. Vishnu would love to travel along that road again, but I won't let him do that," says the star.
After their engagement in January this year, Meera and Vishnu had made several plans for a honeymoon trip and finally decided to travel to the Netherlands. "The sights of that country are amazing. Moreover, the people there are known for their hospitality. We were also keen to visit a village named Giethoorn where there are no cars or buses. In fact, the entire place has only boats and bicycles," says the star.
However, the plan was cancelled after the pandemic struck.
Yet another trip charted by the couple was to the north-east and Kashmir during August. This plan too did not take off. "Vishnu had earlier travelled to places such as Mizoram, Meghalaya, Bengal, Kolkata and Kashmir and I too was eager to go there. But the virus played spoilsport," rues Meera
Something to remember
Now mostly confined to their home due to the lockdown, the newlyweds hardly travel beyond their native place. "Vishnu points at the Manimala River and quips that it is Ladakh and shows me the signs of the containment zone in Thiruvalla, commenting that it is the Wagah border," says Meera sadly.
Even then, the celebrity is happy to remember the four destinations she has visited so far with her loved one – Chembera peak in Wayanad; Meesapulimala; the arch dam in Idukki and Calvary Mount. "Nature had blessed each of those places with a bounty and I thoroughly enjoyed those trips with Vishnu. Those sights and memories would remain with me forever," winds up Meera.
