Love Struck Kodaikanal

Route -: Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Salem - Dindigul - Kodaikanal

Time Of the Trip -: August 2015

Distance Covered -: 1300Km in 2 days

Type of Trip -: Romantic Weekend Getaway

Road Quality -: 8/10

The road is really good till dindigul. You will be able to cover a lot of distance easily at high speeds.

We had booked a Ford Figo Diesel from Zoomcar and it proved to be a great car. After dindigul, once the twisties start, you will have a lot of fun driving.

Day 1:

Left Bangalore around 6:00AM.

Had breakfast on the way around 9:00AM

After that we cranked up the speed and made sure we were right on track to reach kodaikanal by 2:00PM

The Awesome Highway till Dindigul

After Dindigul, the road is single lane. So your average speed will come down but still there are fewer trucks and buses on the road, so you can cover distances easily.

The Twisties

Bear Shola Waterfall on the way just outside Kodaianal

Fruit and Flower Market next to the waterfall

Reached Kodaikanal by 3:00PM.

Went out for sight seeing the same day.

Palani Hills

Pillar Rock

 Amazing vertical rocks just emerge out of the fog. Its like olympus coming out of the clouds.

Kodaikanal Lake

Definitely try to go for a serene boat ride in the lake and let the cool breeze and calm water take you for a ride of your own.

Really good Cafe just next to the lake with great tea and chicken sandwiches

If you want my advice, make sure you plan at least a 3 or more day trip to here since the places around here need to be enjoyed slowly. You need to let the beauty and serenity sink in slowly and you wouldn't wanna leave this place.

Do Not Rush..!! 

And if everything else fails, you have the world famous mushrooms..!! Shrooms all the way..!! :P

Day 2:-

Went for seeing the remaining things around kodaikanal.

Pine Forest

Left the place around 1:00 and were back in Bangalore following the same route by 9:30PM.

Life slows down here and it allows you to take in the amazing beauty of nature.Its a heavenly place and needs to be appreciated for its serenity. The roads are awesome as long as you don't mind driving in a bit of traffic. Me being from Bangalore felt quite at ease there.

Final Verdict:-

Kodaikanal is a must visit place especially if you are looking out to enjoy a romantic getaway. This place doesn't shout, it just whispers in  your ear and you would love just sitting next to the lake enjoying a hot cup of Tea.

Go here with the people you love and this place will never disappoint you. You will come back a Happier Soul.

Travel Brings you closer to your inner self. Never stop Travelling.

Conquering the Southern Tip on 2 Wheels

Route -: Bangalore - Salem - Madurai - kanyakumari - Madurai  - Kolli Hills - Bangalore
Time of the Trip - 1st May to 4th May
Distance Covered :- 1550 KM

Day 1:

4:30 AM - Left Bangalore from Silkboard
8:30 AM - Stopped at Salem for Breakfast.
11:30 AM - Stopped near Madurai for Drinks.
2:30 PM - Stopped around 200 KM from Kanyakumari for Lunch.
6:00 PM - Reached Kanyakumari.



We were 3 bikers on 3 bikes and none of us had done such a long single stretch on a bike before this in one stretch.

The weather was against us too with temperature constantly above 36 degrees and no signs of rain.
We had to cover around 720 km on the forst day and we wanted to cover it before dark so rushed on the NH7. Our bikes averaged almost 100 - 105 Kmph hence we were able to follow this commitment through. At least our bikes did, our bodies was completely another story.
By the time we reached our bums and neck were sore and sitting down on any hard surface felt agonizing.

Our Breakfast

Had to take a few drinks break since in that heat it is very east to dehydrate. My riding jacket has a water pouch in the back but in this temperature it felt like a medicine for sore throat having all that boiling water on my back to drink.

The Evening Sky 

Any cold water was a welcome relief. Its in such adversities that even the smallest things like gulping down cold water bring joy to the soul.

Finally reached kanyakumari and checked in a nice hotel that was already booked for us by a friend.

Had some nice dinner and since May Day is a Dry day  so had to sleep sober the first night.



Day 2:-

Left at 6:00 AM to roam around the city and see the Tourist Attractions.
The line for the boat ride to Vivekananda island was extremely long hence decided to cover other things first.

1) Gandhi Memorial

Gandhi Memorial

2) Local Markets.
3) Watch Tower

2:00 PM got in line for the ferry ride to Vivekananda Island.

Trust me guys , do not go on a weekend for this. We had to stay in the line for almost 1 hour in the boiling sun to reach the ticket counter and then take the ferry ride to the island.

Huge Line waiting for the Boat Ride

Finally reached the island and the entire island is made of rock which gets super hot in the sun , hence they have painted a white paint line for tourists to walk on since you need to remove your foot wear before going inside.

Finally again there is a line to get back from the island to the mainland.
After getting back had lunch and came to the room , took a bath and rested.

The around 6:00 PM we got out to see the sun set and to our surprise a crowd had gathered to see the sunrise. It was a huge crowd hence the roads were almost packed with cars. we had to park our bikes and run to the sunset location.

The sunset wasn't very great since there were a lot of clouds.

Finally had some local beer (COLT) in the night and had a fun night.

DAY 3:-

6:00 AM - Left kanyakumari to go to Kolli Hills.
3:30 PM - reached Namakal

Found a dam on the way to Namakal

There are around 72 curves and hair pin bends to reach the top of Kolli Hills and you would love every one of them.
Just be a little careful of the trucks and buses coming down.

5:00 PM - Reached our resort Nallathambi Resort.

The resort is surrounded by trees and plantation all around and we were able to park our bikes right in front of our room.

Our Bikes parked just Outside our room.

The weather was cool and we rested and roamed around to see any local attractions.

1) Boat House (Not worth it.)

2) Botanical Garden (Not worth it)

3) View Point (good for watching the sunset and the valley)

Sunset from the View Point

Day 4:- 

left at 9:30 AM to go and see the waterfalls nearby.

There is a temple and you need to park your vehicles there and then go to the waterfall on foot.

Its around 1 KM from there but this 1 KM is not that easy. In fact it is the toughest 1 Km i have ever done not because it is steep or there is a jungle, but because this 1 KM is almost entirely stairs.!!!

Around 1500 steps to the bottom to see the waterfalls.

But its worth it.

That's us under the Waterfall

There is a rope tied to on e side and it ends near the waterfall. You can follow that and go under the waterfall.

Its an amazing experience there. The force of the waterfall will just blow your mind and the rocks are slippery so you need to hold those iron pillars buried in the stone there near the waterfall.

It was exhilarating and scary at the same time as the force of the waterfall will try to take you with it and the cool water will numb your body after the long walk down the stairs.

The tough part is going back up. It will take you around 30 mins on an average to reach up.

try to pace yourself and not rush.

2:00 PM - we left Kolli Hills for Bangalore.

7:30 PM - Reached Silk Board

A few things to Remember :-

1) Carry a lot of water as you will dehydrate quickly.

2) In Tamil Nadu 95% of the sign boards will be in tamil and if you cant speak their language or read their script, God help you.Good thing is that people will try to help you but you will need to know some of the southern language. Lucky for me, the other 2 guys on the trip spoke kanadda and broken Tamil.

3) On such long journeys you have to pace yourself and plan ahead. Try leaving early so that you can reach your destination before sunset.

4) Carry a first Aid Kit for sure and Tools as there will be really long stretches on NH7 where there will be nothing for kilometers.

Me doing Minor repairs on my Bike's mirror.

Finally 

It was an amazing journey. None of us were sure if we would be able to cover the distance but we did. None of us were sure if our bikes would make it but they did.

I guess it makes you believe in yourself after you attempt such a journey which is out of your comfort zone. You know that nothing is un-achievable if you just believe.

Believe in yourself , trust in your machine and you will go farther than you had ever thought.

and finally, as always..!!

 Fell in Love with Jenny all over again..!!

Mission Solo 1000 - Accomplished

A 1000 KM Solo trip across south India.

This was something that i wanted to since a long time. Finally the Diwali vacations gave a perfect opportunity to plan this.

Distance - ~ 1000 KM

Road Quality -  National and State Highways (mostly in good condition)

Duration of Trip - 4 days 3 Nights

Cost of Travel - 6000/- (including fuel, stay and everything)

Time of Travel - October End 

DAY 1

1) Left Home (Bangalore) at 6:00 AM in the morning.

2) Reached Ramnagara (the location of Sholay). Roamed around and saw the mountains.It was mostly isolated and i was the only one there. The mountains are lovely and great to trek but i did not want to leave my bike alone so i just saw them from below and clicked some snaps.

3) Had Breakfast on the way at KFC.

4) Started out for B R Hills. (Distance ~ 150 KM from ramnagar). Decided to not follow the google maps and follow the road signs hence took the kunagalli road from mudigundam. A different experience going between small villages. 

Found some amazing landscapes on the way.

My suggestion -  if you want to cover the distance quickly take the NH or SH but if you want the journey to be interesting take the small roads.

Had an amazing drive up the hill. It got cold and the traffic was minimal hence you could have a lot of fun in the bends and corners.

5) After finishing the hill ride decided to find a place to stay and settle for the day. Didn't want to over exert on the first day. Hence decide to go to Chamraja Nagar and settle there (approx 45 KM from B R Hills). Found a nice lodge there called Mayura Lodge. Took a nice AC room as it was super hot that day.(Cost ~ 1000/-) but i think you can get cheaper lodges there. I was just lazy to find more options. 

Saw the famous Sri Chamarajeshwara temple there. 

Sri Chamarajeshwara temple 

6) Watched TV and had dinner in the room.

FYI - Do carry Pudin Hara as the food might be too spicy for your taste as it was for mine. :P

DAY 2

1) Left the Hotel at 7:00 AM after having some nice idli sambhar.

2)The First Destination was Gopal Swamy Temple ( approx 60 KM )

3)Found awesome lonely roads leading to the top of the mountain.

      The roads get worse as you climb but its manageable.

4) Reaching the top in itself is an achievement as the 4 wheelers had a hard time trying to climb the steep road and caused jams while you on 2 wheels could easily go past them.
The temple and the surrounding view, covered in lush green and immersed in milky white fog just takes your breath away.

Gopal Swamy Temple

The Garden of Eden

5) Leaving from there I started for my next destination. Dodda Betta (Highest peak in the Nilgiris at 2637 m).

This route will take you via Bandipur and you might be lucky enough to spot some wildlife on your way. Stopping and clicking pictures is not allowed but seeing these wild creatures in their habitat is a reward in itself. I was lucky enough to spot a deer and a pack of wild boars on the way. The road is great and fun to ride.

You will even cross Ooty to reach to this place and there are amazing hairpin bends up the mountain which are lovely on a bike. Just be careful of big vehicles especially the buses.

The climate was really cold and foggy. Thanks to my riding jacket i was coping up well against the weather.

The peak was over crowded due to the long weekend and the parking lot was like a fish market. The weather was extremely foggy hence you couldn't see any view from the top. But definitely a great place to visit.

6) Once finishing up from there I decided to go to Coonoor from there which is merely 25 Km from there and the winding mountain roads and the cold weather just added to the fun. Coonoor has a few places to see like the SIMS park, Dolphin's Nose, Lambs Rock , etc.

The view from the mountains was just breathtaking.

The Clouds and Fog

7) Had Lunch in Coonoor and then met up with a friend in Ooty. Stayed with him in a lodge called Grange. It was a really nice hotel and the stay was awesome.

FYI - Do carry some warm clothes when you are going there. I was only carrying T-Shirts hence had to wear my riding jacket while roaming in the city.

DAY 3

1) Got up early or atleast triued to get up early but got late and left Ooty by 8 AM. The orignal plan was to cover the entire distance till bangalore that day and have dinner at home but the gods had something else in store for me.

2) The planned route was as below.

But there were a lot of obstacle son the way which made me alter my route on the way and chenged the trip to a 4 days 3 nights Trip.

Firstly, there was a land slide and the road from coonoor to mettupalyam was blocked for about 30 mins hence there was a really long traffic jam,

Secondly, there was too much fog and there was a good amount of downpour to slow the traffic down.

Hence i was completely drenched and had to keep my phone and my DSLR safe from the water yet had to use my phone for navigation so it was really tricky.

3) Lost my way and had to take a longer route to reach Sathyamangalam via Annur. This added about 30 km extra to the route and driving in the rain with heavy traffic inside the cities was getting tricky.

4) Finally reached Sathyamangalam and started my ascent up the mountain via the awesome hairpin bends.

5) From there continued forward till Chamrajanagar in the heavy downpour. The rain had reduced the speeds at which i could drive considerably hence i was loosing precious daylight time and i did not want to drive in the night.

6) By the time i reached Malavalli it was already 6:15 PM and it was getting darker by the minute. I still had more than a 150 Km to reach bangalore hence i decided to stop at mysore for the night and rest.

Driving in the rain for almost 10 hours non stop was extremely draining. All my gear and my clothes were completely drenched. And the weather did not seems to clear up hence took the detour and stopped in mysore. Found a decent lodge and dried up all my belongings for the night.

Had a bad craving for Dominos Cheeseburst Pizza so quenched that thirst too and came and relaxed in the room.

DAY 4

1) Left Mysore by 7:00 AM and wanted to reach home early to relax as it was a sunday and wanted to recharge before the boring monday.

2) The rain still followed me and i stopped at a few places for breakfast and coffee.

3) Finally i was home by 12:30 PM.

My Experience

What an eventful journey it was. I had never done anything like this before especially solo .It made me push my boundaries of comfort and come out of my shell. Knowing that you are the only one responsible and no one is there to help you with your mistakes, makes to look at things in a completely different perspective.

My family and colleagues were really apprehensive of my idea of a solo trip and each one tried to convince me to drop the idea but in my heart i knew that i wanted to do this journey for myself.

Driving solo has its fears and freedoms. I could stop wherever i wanted, whenever i wanted. I was a master of my time and could make my own milestones along the way. On the same hand i had to be careful with where i stopped and where i stayed. The routes i took and the Machine that i was riding.

Thankfully my machine did not give me any problems and i always love her for that.

I experienced 3 Completely Different weathers on each day

Day 1 - Extreme Hot

Day 2 - Extreme Cold

Day 3 - Extreme Rain

But such a journey makes you realize that if you can tacke these hardships alone, then there is nothing that can bring you down. As long as you are a bit careful, a bit adventurous and always open to new ideas you will never get bored and you will always win over the situations .

Driving solo makes you understand your inner self, Away from the city and all the distractions you start to understand who you really are at heart.You start to appreciate the simple things in life.

Its a journey that everyone should do as it will bring you closer to yourself and make you realize that you only need yourself to be happy.

and finally, as always..!!

 Fell in Love with Jenny all over again..!!