[fundagenie]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Since you are starting early you can take NICE road to Mysore road and continue till Masinagudi.

Originally Posted by kala

- From Chamarajanagar to Malavalli, follow the same route I suggested in the first link (T.Narsipur-Talakad-Purigaali-Malavalli) instead of the one you've shown.

Guys thanks for all the inputs. One more small help. Planning to visit thepekadu elephant camp on the way back. As per the eco tourism site, elephant feeding happens in the morning 8.30-9am. So any idea regarding how much time would be actually required thepekkadu from ooty. Distance seems to be around 37kms.

FundaG

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by fundagenie

Planning to visit thepekadu elephant camp

Elephant camp is near turn off towards Masinagudi, if you are coming down via Masinagudi it will take below 1.5 hours to reach there. If via Gudallur route it will take around 2.5 hours.

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by fundagenie

Guys thanks for all the inputs. One more small help. Planning to visit thepekadu elephant camp on the way back. As per the eco tourism site, elephant feeding happens in the morning 8.30-9am. So any idea regarding how much time would be actually required thepekkadu from ooty. Distance seems to be around 37kms.

FundaG

Time depends on the route you take. Generally police don't allow climbing down on Sigur ghat and if you are lucky in taking this route, then it may take anywhere between 1.5 hours 2 hours for a sedate drive. Once you cross Masinagudi forest checkpost, just before Theppakaadu Junction where routes fork out to Gudalur and Bandipur, you will find elephant feeding camp.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by NPV

I think a similar question about traffic ticket from Mysore Police and where to pay it was asked on another thread very recently and from what I remember, the conclusion was that one needs to go to Mysore to pay it.
Please search the forum, meantime I will also try to locate the relevant posts.

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Thanks NPV. After this post, did some digging online and came across the Mysore City Police FB Page. As per a post there by someone else who encountered a similar issue, once can send a Money Order for the fine amount. I have put in a post there to reconfirm this.

Update on this. Got a confirmation from Mysore City Police via their FB Page that the fine amount can be paid through a Money Order. So will be doing that.

Would also specially like to thank bhpian SunnyBoi who sent me a note volunteering to help since his hometown was Mysore. Thank you very much.

On a related note, while I was browsing to get some details on payment, came across the following article in the Hindu about the inauguration of the automated challan system in Mysore.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle5131165.ece

What it means is that Traffic Police will not stop you if and when they see you commit an offence, they will just capture your information and submit it to the central location from where a challan will be issued.

Considering that Mysore is a tourist city and a key pass through location for everyone headed to Ooty, Kerala, Coorg and also considering the fact that these outstation vehicles will be more prone to break rules due to unawareness (like one ways, speed limits, parking), I am sure that a large number of out station vehicles are getting challans being sent out (assuming KA registration).

For those with other state registrations or KA registrations where the address is no longer valid (This is clearly mentioned in the notice-Not updating the RTO records is an offence by itself), it could be possible that there are unpaid violations as per the Mysore Traffic Police database. Unfortunately there is no online portal where one can check for violations against a number (like available in Bangalore).

So in summary, exercise extra caution when driving though Mysore limits.

[SunnyBoi]

I got a speeding challan some time ago from Mysore TRaffic Police. The challan seemed weird; I got a notice dated 22-Jan-2015 for a violation that occured on 14-Nov-2014.

The post landed up in Mysore since that is the registered address of my car. My dad however paid up the fine before I could investigate.

Since then, few of my friends in Bangalore have been challaned as well. I had initially thought they sent me a challan since my registered address was in Mysore however it is not so. In fact this week I'm paying on behalf of two friends who got caught speeding in Mysore and are based in Bangalore

My challan:



Payment Receipt:

[john.gt]

Hi all,
I am travelling to coonoor from bangalore, tomorrow, planning to stay at acres-wild
I heard about a flash flood in coonoor last weekend which washed away around 50 vehicles. The news does mention about a few land-slips in the ooty-coonoor NH.

Would anyone have any information on this and also suggest if its safe to travel under these circumstances?

I had called up Mansoor (the farmstay owner), who reassured things are fine now, but I'd still like to hear from the experts

Thanks in advance,
-John.

A stream in spate washed away a number of vehicles at Coonoor during the small hours of Sunday.

The flood was triggered by heavy rain. Though the exact number of vehicles which were washed away is not known, residents have claimed that about 36 vehicles, including cars, autorickshaws and two wheelers were washed away in flash floods

[WheelWake]

Hi Guys,

I am going to Yercaud this Good Friday for 1 night. Wanted to know if I can/should plan another day or two nearby or at Yercaud itself. I have never gone to Ooty/Coonoor, so was wondering if it will be close by from Yercaud where I can spend couple of nights before heading back to Bangalore. I looked at Coimbatore (Tamara Resorts) also as an option but doesnt look that inviting. May be there are similar places just outside Bangalore. Hence here are my queries:

1) Is 1 night ideal for Yercaud
2) Any other place that is close by (may be ooty/Coonoor) that i can cover? If yes what are the driving times I should planning about.

Thanks in advance

[NPV]

Originally Posted by WheelWake

I am going to Yercaud this Good Friday for 1 night. Wanted to know if I can/should plan another day or two nearby or at Yercaud itself. I have never gone to Ooty/Coonoor, so was wondering if it will be close by from Yercaud where I can spend couple of nights before heading back to Bangalore. I looked at Coimbatore (Tamara Resorts) also as an option but doesnt look that inviting. May be there are similar places just outside Bangalore. Hence here are my queries:

1) Is 1 night ideal for Yercaud
2) Any other place that is close by (may be ooty/Coonoor) that i can cover? If yes what are the driving times I should planning about.

There isn't much to see beyond a day in and around Yercaud. Mostly it's the lake, Shevaroyan temple, Lady's seat, Gent's seat.
GRT Nature Trails is a great place for a relaxed stay if you're ready to splurge a bit.
Spend another day at Coimbatore ? No offense but doesn't seem interesting at all, not worth it especially with summer just about setting in you'd need to endure the heat as well
Alternately (if you drop Yercaud), you could spend 2 days at Coco Lagoon, Pollachi. You could also visit the Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary which is nearby.

[WheelWake]

Originally Posted by NPV

There isn't much to see beyond a day in and around Yercaud. Mostly it's the lake, Shevaroyan temple, Lady's seat, Gent's seat.
GRT Nature Trails is a great place for a relaxed stay if you're ready to splurge a bit.
Spend another day at Coimbatore ? No offense but doesn't seem interesting at all, not worth it especially with summer just about setting in you'd need to endure the heat as well
Alternately (if you drop Yercaud), you could spend 2 days at Coco Lagoon, Pollachi. You could also visit the Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary which is nearby.

Hi NPV,

Thanks for the quick response. Yes I am staying at GRT Nature Trails!! Got it at decent discount somehow (under 4k ;-)...I had similar apprehensions on Coimbatore climate but I need some more drivable places to call it a complete trip...May be Coonoor? I checked Pollachi Coco Lagoon which looks good but increases the driving time I believe...I shall include this when I am drving down south...

Any further pointers will help me finalise the last 2 nights of the trip or else i will have return to Bangalore :-( on Saturday itself!!!

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by WheelWake

Hi Guys,

I am going to Yercaud this Good Friday for 1 night. Wanted to know if I can/should plan another day or two nearby or at Yercaud itself. I have never gone to Ooty/Coonoor, so was wondering if it will be close by from Yercaud where I can spend couple of nights before heading back to Bangalore. I looked at Coimbatore (Tamara Resorts) also as an option but doesnt look that inviting. May be there are similar places just outside Bangalore. Hence here are my queries:

1) Is 1 night ideal for Yercaud
2) Any other place that is close by (may be ooty/Coonoor) that i can cover? If yes what are the driving times I should planning about.

Thanks in advance

My thought is why Yercaud at all? If you have never been to Ooty/Conoor, then there will be plenty to see/do in Ooty/Conoor itself for 3 days. I think Yercaud in April will be pretty hot. Ooty will at least be better.

On the down side, this is the first and I think only long weekend during the summer holidays and that will mean that Ooty will be super crowded.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

On the down side, this is the first and I think only long weekend during the summer holidays and that will mean that Ooty will be super crowded.

Not to deviate from the topic. But Ooty has entered my "No Entry" list nearly three years back. The small town has become too crowded, too dirty. When I made the trip three years back, luckily I decided to stay put at Masinagudi. The resort owner promised us views of elephants etc., but that did not happen. But we escaped from staying at the cramed town of Ooty, paying more higher room rents.

Perhaps Manjur (on a path lesser taken) near Coonor can be a better option to pitch camp. Kodaikanal seems to be a much better place, and cleaner as well.

[prabhuferrari]

What is the best way to Coonoor from Bangalore? I have a Vento. Family of 3 with one 3 year old brat. Please advice. Is mysore-nanjangud not good now?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

What is the best way to Coonoor from Bangalore? I have a Vento. Family of 3 with one 3 year old brat. Please advice. Is mysore-nanjangud not good now?

I would say:

Bangalore-Srirangapatna-Bannur-T Narasipura-Chamarajanagar-Sathyamangalam-Mettupalayam-Conoor.

+ives
- Takes advantage of Mysore road from a food point of view.
- Avoids Mysore city as it exits at Srirangapatna
- Avoid the climb through Masinagudi
- Avoids the Ooty traffic by going via Satyamangalam

There is an option to not take Mysore road but go via Kanakpura directly to T-Narasipura. But then food options are limited. Only decent place on that route would be Nwijaguna at Chamarajanagar.

Route Link

[prabhuferrari]

Originally Posted by ampere

I would say:



There is an option to not take Mysore road but go via Kanakpura directly to T-Narasipura. But then food options are limited. Only decent place on that route would be Nwijaguna at Chamarajanagar.

Thanks. I hope this is safe for an early morning drive from Bangalore(Around 6 AM at NICE road junction mysore road). Also how long will it take from Srirangapatna?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Thanks. I hope this is safe for an early morning drive from Bangalore(Around 6 AM at NICE road junction mysore road). Also how long will it take from Srirangapatna?

- Its 75 km to Chamarajanagar, which you should cover in about 2 hours max
- Another 60 km to Sathyamangalam. (Assume 80 minutes)
- Another 40 km to Mettupalayam.
- And then another 40 to Conoor.