[laluks]

Yes, you turn left at the arch while coming from Pollachi to Valparai. Its few Kms before reaching Waterfalls, and around 25km before Valparai.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Spectacular photos, Lalu.

I can not rate this again, if it would have been possible i would have rated it 5 star again

Next time you may post different threads for each location as i feel pictures of each of these locations deserve a seperate applause.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

I can not rate this again, if it would have been possible i would have rated it 5 star again

Next time you may post different threads for each location as i feel pictures of each of these locations deserve a seperate applause.

Thank you star. It is such feedback which is all I need to keep going in my lil world of photography and travelogues. I have miles to go still and all encouragement helps

Different threads

[mjothi]

This one going like the TV Mega serial Oops, sorry, sindbad.

Nice pictures as usual. You are doing real justice to your SLR toy...

[laluks]

Originally Posted by mjothi

This one going like the TV Mega serial Oops, sorry, sindbad.

Nice pictures as usual. You are doing real justice to your SLR toy...

No Sindbad, Mahabharat...... it'll not end saar just like that. More than double is remaining to be written. Hope I get enough time to complete it before I go off air!

Thank you sir.

By the way Long Time No See, where are you these days?

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by laluks

By the way Long Time No See, where are you these days?

Good question. But from wrong side. I should ask you this Q.

You never stay in Bangy and ask us where are we hiding

OT: Btw, MacD opened near Cosmos. When are we meeting

[laluks]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Good question. But from wrong side. I should ask you this Q.

You never stay in Bangy and ask us where are we hiding

OT: Btw, MacD opened near Cosmos. When are we meeting

Hey, I was in bangy the last two months fully for a change You are the one who goes to Italy for breakfast, paris for lunch and back to india for Dinner.

We'll plan a MacD soon.

[laluks]

Day05, 23.08.2010
Vaalparai

Finally we reached Nirar Dam by 13:00PM. It's a small Dam, but lovely views.

Nirar Dam


The Reservoir


The Canal


PPGs on top of Nirar Dam









We then drove to the Upper Nirar Weir. It is from here the water enters the tunnel and exits at Vellamalai end.

Upper Nirar Weir


The Canal


The Tunnel Entry


The Dam





Chinna Kallar falls is just 500m trek from here. But since it was heavily raining and the hanging bridge was broken, the localites advised us against the trek. So did not venture out for that. We returned from there.

By 14:00 we reached back Mudis. From here these View points are nearby.


But since we were already behind schedule we returned back to the Villa. (We subsequently visited these view points in September, after our encounter with the LTMs). We reached back by the villa by 15:00PM.

After a heavy lunch we rested for a while.


The time was already 16:30PM and we were booked in Thekkady for the night.

Our initial plan was to start from the villa by 14:00PM, and drive through Sholayar, Malakkaparai, Vazhachal and Visit Athirampally falls and then head to Kumily via Malayattoor, Kalady, Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha, Pala, Erattupetta, Kanjirapally, Peerumedu, Vandiperiyaar, Kumily. A total of 320Km and an arrival time in Kumily by 23:00PM.

Since we have got delayed, I put plan B into action. Udumalpettu, Palani, Dindigul, Theni, Kambam, Kumily. A total of 295Km, and plain roads. No CP, and only 6Km of ghats and bad roads near Kumily.

We started by 17:00PM from the Villa and reached Kumily at our Hotel by 22:45PM. Roads all the way is beautiful two lane till the Kumily ghats.

We finally hit the bed by 23:00PM.

Thus ends the Thiru Onam Day of 2010.

[laluks]

Day05, 23.08.2010
Vaalparai

A few words about the stay at Valparai before moving on.

The cottage is just a cottage. Costs 1500 per room per night, and 350 per head for non veg food per day.

But the experience is made heavenly by the cook with his skills. We were almost craving for his food delicacies and were hungry often though we often ate like there is no tomorrow.

If you want to roam around Valparai, then consider the fact that the villa is atleast 20Km from Valparai.

There is a hotel Green Hill in Valaparai town itself at economical rates of Rs 650 and above, if sight seeing is your agenda and hard pressed for time. I was told a Rs950 for a family room. Guess it's negotiable.

[laluks]

Day06, 24.08.2010
Thekkady

Before continuing with the Thekkady part, let me put up the experience in the Thekkady hotel where we were booked and some realisation.

We were booked at Michaels Inn in Thekkady Road, 3Kms before the Reserve.

As part of the planning process I wanted to book in Periyaar House or Aranya Nivas inside the reserve. Bookings were available but since the Periyaar Reserve closes the gate by 18:00PM, my arrival time of 23:00 became a problem. They were giving me a buffer till 19:00PM, but then that was something I could not achieve. Moreover it made sense to look else where since I was booked at Club Mahindra from the afternoon. Hence when Michaels Inn popped on a google search thought of talking to them and book it.

Spoke to Mr. Chayichan who introduced as the manager of the Hotel and got the bookings done. I told specifically that I'd reach only by midnight and would check out by the next day. He offered me a plan with break fast. I booked them in May and based on an assumption of August sultry climate booked an AC room with extra beds.

On arrival, I was given the room fast. We checked in asap, and then comes the disaster. Their restaurants are closed. Infact entire Thekkady slept by 22:00PM. This was a surprise to me. The hotel offered some Bread and Bananas.

I checked whether the ac is working, and it was not. There is a master switch for AC under the receptionists table to convert a room to AC or not. That was not switched on. And since it was midnight no one was at the reception. Hence basically we ended up in a Non AC room.

Next day morning I've told the guy at the reception about this, and he agreed to reduce the bill amount. So far so good.

The breakfast menu was shocking. The place being a very NORMAL hotel, the rates are explosive. Thank God I was on plan with breakfast included. A cup of tea at a NORMAL hotel at Rs 60/- is absurd. Almost all breakfast dishes were above Rs 100/- I would not mind paying this if the Hotel offerred that kind of service. This is just because the Hotel is in Thekkady. Further not all items in the menu are available, though the menu itself did not have much choices.

Welcome to Thekkady!!

I had told the guys before going out that I'd be late for checkout, may be two hours late, and the receptionist says no issue.

Finally when it came to checkout, the bill showed up pretty heavy. AC room rent - which is more than double the non AC part. A gentle man claiming to be the Manager explains that it cannot be adjusted, and he did me a favour by not charging for the 2 hour extension!

Here comes the shocker, dinner of 10 slices of bread and 5 bananas charged at Rs300/- I did not want to speak any further. I saw the expression on wifey's face. She was shocked and stuck for words.

I gave my credit card, and as usual the hotel does not accept it. I paid up the money and left the place with a bitter taste.

The realisation - It is my own state, my own people, my own language, but this GREED for money, not selling a customer an experience put me off.

Satisfaction is mine, Price is yours is my policy. But it turns out to be Price is ours, who the hell are you??

Considering the money you pay at Michaels Inn, you are much better of booking in Periyaar House which is a KTDC undertaking and cheaper, or in some named resorts nearby which is marginaly expensive.

To be fair, the room we got was neat.


Well this was a dampener, but not for long.



On a comparative note, the Parmbikulam guys just rocked. No amount of Hospitality Industry training can make anybody like them. They just rock, since they do it with passion and not just for the money.

[laluks]

Day06, 24.08.2010
Thekkady

Got up early and rushed to the Periyaar Wild Life Sanctuary for the early morning boat ride on Periyaar. The first ride is at 07:30AM and lasts about 2 hours. This ride is interesting since you'll be taken all the way to the disputed Mulla Periyar Dam, and since the first boat the chance of animal sighting is some what good.

Reached the Ticket Counter by 06:30AM, got the tickets, and waited for the boarding gates to open. By 07:00AM we were let to the boats waiting. Rains were doing hide and seek all the while. The entire sky looked so gloomy. The blue in the sky turned out to be a luxury. It was WET WET WET.

Jr. PPG waiting to get to the boat. Beautiful Periyaar as the back drop


Our Boat for the trip - Jala Raaja


The other boats


Periyaar


Jr. PPG all ready for the trip


Sr. PPG all ready


Some people just cant stop reading


Periyaar


Finally we started to sail. The boat on the banks is the ill fated one which drowned killing almost all the visitors some while ago.


Periyaar


Some Birds


Cormorant


Some attempt to get this guy, amidst the rains


Jungle Fowl


Periyaar



continued...

[laluks]

Day06, 24.08.2010
Thekkady

Some more pictures from the boat trip.


A white birdie perched up on the tree stump


King Fisher


Langur


Cormorant


















Indian Gaurs grazing near Periyaar








Periyaar


Herd of Sambar Deers










Wild Boars






Periyaar








The other Boat guys having a nice time



continued...

[ampere]

Nice parallel TLs online. One guy just fresh from it, while the other fresh from reminiscences!

EDIT : Have to add this one: While a third guy spotting them!

[laluks]

Originally Posted by ampere

Nice parallel TLs online. One guy just fresh from it, while the other fresh from reminiscences!

Have to finish this one. Else you will be chasing me

[ampere]

Originally Posted by laluks

Have to finish this one. Else you will be chasing me

I wont but @Khoj for sure! What say you MX? Its been long since Khoj started sending reminders?
So looks like based what you and star went about Parambikulam itself is a 3-4 day effort.
Any basic sequence of places to be kept in mind while planning this one?