[aargee]

I wanted to visit Vattakotta at the next opportunity when I was at Nagercoil/Trivandrum & this time I didn't want an excuse.

Vattakotta isn't opened until 9:00 AM; we'd no intentions to wait until then to witness the beauty of Sunrise; my cousin & I had to yield to corruption to get through; first time I ever felt...corruption rocks...sadly though!!!

[aargee]

Same day evening, when our cousin came back from college, we pulled out his Polo for a short spin to Mathur hanging bridge & Colachel.













Would you believe if I said this is Nile

[aargee]

Colachel...wow!!! What an awesome beach. Sadly...I didn't know this is the last beach I'd be visiting in this trip until then!!!











This is more interesting to watch than the freaking IPL isn't it?

[aargee]

Let's recap the map of day 4

[aargee]

The sore in the throat gave up & I'd rescheduled my plan to skip Cherai beach & start with Muzhapalingad in Kannur. So the ride would resume from Trivandrum to Kannur on a single day on day 7 & this evening I could probably visit Kovalam, Veli or Shanghumukam beach.

With this in mind, I lazed around till afternoon & left to Trivandrum. By the time I reached there, I got 2 SMS asking to cancel the coastal ride due to Tsunami warnings. I wondered how 75 minutes could collapse everything

That evening, I spent considerable amount of time rescheduling where to continue the ride, say towards Munnar etc. But finally when all the Tsunami warnings were pulled off, I went to fuel station got the tank filled up & came home to find both mine & my Wife's families against me riding through the coast. It took a while for me to assure them nothing is going to happen. So I set the alarm to 4:30 AM, so that I could leave by 5:00 AM

Little did I know what was bound to happen next morning...

[aargee]

After dilly dallying the GMap for over an hour, I decided to do the famous Punalur-Shenkottai route & then come back to Trivandrum. One of the reasons being I missed out this ride with my fellow mates last month.

So the route was planned...


Finally when I started it was around 6:00 AM; Roads were inviting


Scenaries were stunning


This looked like road to heaven; pics are simply eye wash, in reality, the ambience, the sound of insects, the birds, the cool air, the green trees cannot be described over words or pics


Soon I hit the famous Punalur hanging bridge


After that the roads were even inviting

[aargee]

After a while, I stopped at this location; the scenaries were getting more & more amazing & beautiful. I think this is Paalaruvi because after few Kms from this location, there was entry to Paalaruvi, but the range officers said entry is prohibited due to lack of water.

Quite strange because, here there's a full fledge water flow & how come there's air flowing at that location They said it has been closed to public since Mar 19. Anyway, didn't want to argue with them & spoil my mood further, so I carried on.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by ecenandu

Wow, keep it coming...the risks involved in these kind of trips
BTW how did your CBR fair?

I'm glad it's of help; please keep watching this thread as I keep mentioning about how the bike did during the trip

Originally Posted by Ddrive

Going great guns RG bro !!...you virtually.

Thanks for your kind words

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Awesome start to an awesome trip. Waiting for the rest

Thanks for your encouraging words

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Awesome, awesome trip. But what were the dates in which you did this? I thought you had planned this long back

March 2012 for over a week, but couldn't complete the trip; I could only do ECR in 2012 & WCR in 2013

[aargee]

Finally I got the scene I was waiting for


Closer look; was so excited as a child to the see the place in reality of those places which have been portrayed in movies





Seriously...2 lanes rocks better than 4 lanes


Fields of TN


And then I spotted this at Coutrallam


Needless to say, this ride has become a BFast ride now, just that its not a Sunday

[aargee]

Wait a minute!!! I should've ideally stopped & returned at Shenkottai, I not only came to Thenkasi, but also to Coutrallam. Anyway, I've ample time & nothing to do, so I decided, I'll take the Ambasamudram-Kallidakurichi-Kalakkad-Panakudi-Aralvaimozhi-Nagercoil-Trivandrum

Awesome roads












Great plains




End of the day I'd clocked about 333 Kms; went to fuel station to tank up & it held about 8.8 lts. Surprisingly a whooping 37.8 Kmpl for the entire trip. Learnt a valuable lesson, keep the speeds within 91-95 & you get an excellent FE. The second highest being clocked between Keezhakarai-Tuticorin for 35.xx Kmpl.

Circuit map end of the day

[aargee]

Day Eight was nothing but a straight run to home all way from Trivandrum to Chennai.

This is the only pic that I took


So when I started the journey for ECR, the ODO read 17314 & when I returned home it was 19612 making 2298 Km in about 8 days. Despite the road trip, awesomeness of the experience it offers, visiting different place, I wasn't very glad that I couldn't stick with my original plan. It was on back of my mind to complete the West side of the coastal trip & was waiting for a chance to complete.

[aargee]

Finally got a chance during March 2013 & it's also quite unexpected; true that life is full of surprises. Until I start the trip, the entire trip was confirmed less than 16 hours before I could start the trip.

Per the original plan, Wife & kids had gone to their hometown for vacation; I couldn't join them because due to work. Two days after they'd left, I got ease with work, which means, I got that desired vacation I asked for but only for a limited 4/5 days.

Immediately I dumped things into my Viaterra CLAW & jumped on to my CBR. After visiting Wife & kids, I couldn't do much there sitting idle. Called up HVK Sir, asked for guidance & then kept aside about 3 days to ride like this...
Day 1 - Trivandrum to Kodungallur
Day 2 - Kodungallur to Mangalore
Day 3 - Mangalore to Chennai

What happened eventually is another surprise, true, life is full of surprises. Here're some pictures...

Varkala


Edava








Mararikulam (the most beautiful beach after Colachel)


Enroute towards Chavakkad I guess






No man's beach; there was really no one around; I think it was Baby beach, not sure though

[aargee]

Continued (Baby beach I guess)...


Ponnani


Ponnani again


Enroute to Tirur via Chamaravattom Bridge


Enroute to Kozhikode, couldn't help clicking this


At Kozhikode beach, spotted this BHPian's car; small world


Kappad


Kappad again


Rode up to Koyilandi the first day, which I never expected & stayed over night & then continued next day.

Next day; I think it's Kannur beach

[aargee]

Again Kannur...




Towards Azhikode (Meenkunnu beach) I guess; it was a wonderful site & sight






Approaching the big surprise...




Imagine a big cliff where you feel you can jump a little high & touch the sky & you see Water on all three side & can swing your head 270 degrees to see only the water & at horizon the sky & water mate each other. I was absolutely spell bound

[aargee]

Needless to say about this place...the famous Bekal Fort; since I've spent a good amount of time there, I didn't bother to visit the beach


Enroute to some beach in Kasargode or may be Kasargode beach, not sure though






Enroute to another beach, forgot the name again; It's in Kasargode district though






After this it was a straight run home towards Mangalore & then back to Chennai; from what I'd originally planned, this is what happened finally...
Day 1 - Trivandrum to Koyilandy
Day 2 - Koyilandi to Chennai