[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Details of last weekend round trip to Palani, this time via Perundurai both ways:

A couple of points regarding eating joints:
1) Noticed a new Kamat Upachar on the left side (same side while coming to Bangalore) about a couple of minutes after we cross HP Petrol pump and SriKrishna Inn/CCD/(New) McDonalds on the right side along Shoolagiri Bye-pass.
2) Personally, I like A2B and goes to their outlet in Koramangala or BTM (the latter preferred mostly for the sake of car parking). But, over the few trips, I found A2B Thoppur getting degraded in terms of food quality, service aspect as well as ambience. Last sunday evening, around 5 PM, while crossing A2B Thoppur, I found the place resembling a refugee camp with so many people packed in the available space and cars being parked all around resembing a cramped used-cars sales mela. Even people inside, perhaps due to lack of choice regarding hotels in this stretch, were very aggressive and pushing each other (after growing terribly impatient due to dull service) just like a crowded majestic bus-stand on Diwali eve.

As in the last couple of times, we skipped A2B Thoppur time too, except for Petrol/Toilet break. Last 2 times, we stopped at SriKrishna Inn where the crowd was manageable. This time, stopped in the reasonaly big hotel just after Chennai road joins NH-7 under the Krishnagiri flyover.This is on the same side towards Bangalore and the name of the hotel is "Hotel ARS Vasavi Classic". This has a typical "big hotel in a small town" look-n-feel with lots of car parking space and 2 separate hotels for Veg and Non-Veg. There are a couple of big buildings in the same compound and one seemed to be a regular lodging-hotel and the other a marriage/function hall. Overall, food was good, decently priced and the best part is a car-full of people can go inside, each person can order a different dish, eat to heart's content and come out in real quick time, say in about 30 minutes.

[ampere]

If you note Kamat would be typically empty compared to A2B.
That may also be because, they came on this road pretty late.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

A couple of points regarding eating joints:
1) Noticed a new Kamat Upachar on the left side (same side while coming to Bangalore) about a couple of minutes after we cross HP Petrol pump and SriKrishna Inn/CCD/(New) McDonalds on the right side along Shoolagiri Bye-pass.
2) Personally, I like A2B and goes to their outlet in Koramangala or BTM (the latter preferred mostly for the sake of car parking). But, over the few trips, I found A2B Thoppur getting degraded in terms of food quality, service aspect as well as ambience. Last sunday evening, around 5 PM, while crossing A2B Thoppur, I found the place resembling a refugee camp with so many people packed in the available space and cars being parked all around resembing a cramped used-cars sales mela. Even people inside, perhaps due to lack of choice regarding hotels in this stretch, were very aggressive and pushing each other (after growing terribly impatient due to dull service) just like a crowded majestic bus-stand on Diwali eve.

As in the last couple of times, we skipped A2B Thoppur time too, except for Petrol/Toilet break. Last 2 times, we stopped at SriKrishna Inn where the crowd was manageable. This time, stopped in the reasonaly big hotel just after Chennai road joins NH-7 under the Krishnagiri flyover.This is on the same side towards Bangalore and the name of the hotel is "Hotel ARS Vasavi Classic". This has a typical "big hotel in a small town" look-n-feel with lots of car parking space and 2 separate hotels for Veg and Non-Veg. There are a couple of big buildings in the same compound and one seemed to be a regular lodging-hotel and the other a marriage/function hall. Overall, food was good, decently priced and the best part is a car-full of people can go inside, each person can order a different dish, eat to heart's content and come out in real quick time, say in about 30 minutes.

The other option is you could stop at the new Aaryas between Perundurai & Salem onto your left.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

The other option is you could stop at the new Aaryas between Perundurai & Salem onto your left.

I have seen the same too. It is exactly at the start of Perundurai bye-pass from Salem side and looked very decent.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Details of last weekend round trip to Palani, this time via Perundurai both ways:

Details of last weekend round trip to Palani, this time with an intermediate overnight stay at Namakkal to cover the famous temples there. Also, helped break the drive into 2 parts both ways - a late evening drive and an early morning drive. Had thought of visiting Thiruchengode on the way back (Palani-Kangeyam-Tiruchengode-Namakkal) but took about 8 hours in Palani against the expected 3-4 hours and so postponed that to next time, probably as a break on the way towards a farther destination.

EDIT: Tea Break (7.15 AM) mentioned in the table is at a Petrol pump in Krishnagiri just after Chennai/Pondy road joins from the right. Copied the line from Pondy/Kanchi trip log and so it says "after left turn to NH-7" by mistake.