Kodaikannal, Munnar, Alleppey, 1600 km on car :)

During one of the recent long weekend i planned a trip to the most scenic places in South India

i was accompanied by Mohit Mittal, Lalit, Viraat and Kapil Sir, who has flown down from Delhi

Thanks to our decision to go by a car and that too WagonR with only two driver among us (Kapil Sir & Viraat) it was the most adventures & enjoying trip till now. A quick itinerary for the people who are planing to visit any of these south Indian tourist spots in future

Bangalore to Kodaikanal 480 KM

Bangalore -> Hosur -> Krishnagiri -> Dharmapuri -> Salem -> Rasipuram -> Namakkal -> Karur -> Vedasandur -> Dindigul -> Kodai Road -> Kodaikanal

We started at 10:30 PM in the night and Kapil Sir drove from Bangalore to Salem

We took a break at Salem had tea & coffee at a road side shop

It was fun to converse with a local Tamilian boy in symbolic language

We were interacting like deaf & dumb

Viraat drove from Salem to Kodaikanal we reached around 11:30 AM

I have been taking care of all the land marks and turns as i have printouts with me

I handed it to my beloved lazy bro lalit and slept for a while

as expected from him, he forgot to take a right turn at Indian Oil Petrol Pump which is around 20 km from Kodai Mod (turn)

we have to travel around 40 km extra after taking a U turn from a small town after inquiring about the way to Kodaikanal in Symbolic language

After taking right turn at Petrol Pump there was a place to refresh with room & toilets but we missed it too and have to travel through Ghat Roads (around 52 KM) resisting the pressure More about Kodaikanal & its surroundings Click Here

Kodaikannal to Munnar 172 KM

We stayed and roam around for full day and next day around 9 am we left for Munnar

KodaiKanal->Oothu->Theni->Bodimettu->Munnar

the road from Theni to Bodimettu & Kerela Border was very fearful, Hairpin band turns on a road full of path holes

Kapil Sir was driving from Kodaikanal and drove for rest of the trip till Alleppey

There were 17 hairpin bands till Kerala Border and i was wondering what if we have been traveling through this road in night

but believe me as we enter Kerala Border and it was all changes from naked mountain with stones and bad road the scene has converted into cardamom gardens both side of the roads, every km drive was bringing lower temperature wit it

cardamom gardens converted into tea gardens and soon its start raining

everybody in the car was like “Ohh Wow!!!!”

Munnar to Alleppey 224 KM

We stayed for two nights in Munnar and left early in the morning to Alleppey

We touched Cochin (Ernakulam) on the way to Alleppey but beware that you don’t enter the city otherwise u will end up wasting time in city traffic

The houseboat experience in back waters was heavenly.

Mohit & Lalit Danced and gave flying kisses to the people who are watching their open air dance show

Alleppey to Bangalore 560 KM

Alappey-> Cherthala->Cochin (Ernakulam) ->Chalakkudi->Trichur->Palakad->Coimbatore->Tirpur

Tirupur->Salem-> Dharmapuri -> Krishnagiri -> Hosur -> Bangalore

We left from Alleppey late in the evening around 6-7 pm and reached bangalore at 8 am in the morning

The man with a previous experience of 19 hour continuous drive (Tata Safari) from Lucknow to ISM Dhanbad took the charge and drive for 14 hours continously

I can’t explain my experience of sitting next to him and seeing large trucks overtaking or by passing the small match box like car

for the whole 8-9 hours i wondered what if?

but Viraat made it as we both salute the rising Sun behind the stony Hosur

there were a lot of other hilarious, scary and fun filled experience throughout the trip e.g. Grass & mushroom Stuff , Mittal & Lalit’s BC but will write about them some time later

I don’t suggest anybody else to follow the same itinerary even i will not repeat it again

it was so dangerous to drive on the scary Ghat Road after Theni or the return journey of 14 hours in night

best is to take a break after 250-300 km or travel only in the day light

To top it all, me & Lalit went to drop Kapil sir at airport and we were sipping coffee as we reached early

We were discussing the trip and before leaving Kapil Sir told us

“I never drive on Hill Station Roads and It was my first experience!!”

It was shocker to me. Come on, this man has drove around 150 km on western ghat road with one of the most dangerous mountain roads.

But there is something called ‘Confidence!!’

The Accident, The Learning and The Overconfidence

thanks guys to add me on ur blog roll though i don’t deserve it

i am not a regular blogger

rarely writes and that too not very interesting

I feel guilty ‘Man you are not giving enough time to ur blog!! gurrrr… :X’

but yes i do read a lot of blogs

i have a separate bookmark folder for my favorites

i haven’t learn how to add my favorites in my word press blog

recently i have been learning car drive from few in house trainers

and they all have been boasting about my driving skills and quick learning

on the 3rd or 4th day of my learning, i am driving with one of them sitting next to me in a swift

if this man (Lovleen Bhaita ) is happy with you then he makes you feel like ‘The God’

so here we are driving on Outer Ring Road in Bangalore on Sunday

i have just started with car drive and i have never crossed 3rd gear

but the man thinks i m doing great hence we go ahead with 4th gear and the little extra press on Petrol (no Gas here heheheh )

In Bangalore you rarely find people  respecting yellow light

but my bad luck this gentleman driving ahead of me did the same on Sarjapur Junction and boss i press the break

but but but but…

its accelerator phew !!

i tried i tried  i tried hard  to avoid the  collision

but in the end a sound and right bonut of Swift has gone

i hit the esteem from back

sad! very sad!

Overconfidence turned in to lack of confidence

i didn’t drive back from Bharatiyam (HSR Layout)
i was warned n number of times ‘Careful about Break & Accelerator’

and here i was executing the blunder

i am yet to feel the ‘First Car’ as the swift wasn’t mine