[dhanushmenon]

Originally Posted by ampere

Did you go into CBE ?

You can also do : Pollachi-Palladam-Karumathampatti-Annur-Karamadai
No need for me to mention about snaps and the drive! Picture perfect.
The location of Vazhani dam is beautiful.

Yes Ampere, I went into COimbatore as I was staying near Red Fields. I broke the journey over night at CBE.
Thanks for your kind words. Thats great inspiration for me considering the quality of the photos you take. I don't measure anywhere close to it.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

So the travelogue is up and running. Great. Waiting for the rest - hills during the monsoon is always ethereal.

Beautiful snaps. (btw, I remember someone commenting about 1/3rd rule and what not in whatsap!! To hell with the rules - when the location is so heavenly, of what use are the rules, eh?)

Yeah, when the location is so beautiful, all you have to do is just click. The frame will automatically turn out to be fantastic.
Anyways, I am sure that if our 'director sir', our official Kochi TBhp photographer, vaisakh.r comes along to Ooty, he is gonna die of ecstasy
The place is so beautiful, he will turn his fingers sore due to so much of clicks

Originally Posted by majumon

Dhanush,wonderful travelogue, really enjoyed it thoroughly and you gave me a new insight into a totally different route to reach ooty from Kerala with enough and more of curves to negotiate. Photos are a wow.Will definitely mark the Tata holiday home for future.

Originally Posted by voyageur

Eagerly waiting for the remaining part of your travelogue. I can understand about the time constraints you are facing, but still I hope you upload more pics and details soon.

I am really happy to see Ooty again. Its a very nice feeling especially for me.

I guess I had told you this, but again it was fantastic decision not to choose Kovai-mettupalayam-conoor-ooty route. Landslide rates are high in that route AFAIK.

Drive safe.

Cheers.

Thanks all for your kind words.
Thanks again to voyageur. Your suggestions and advice about Ooty and surroundings kept me in good stead through out the journey and also during stay

[Prowler]

Wonderful pictures and a Nice Travelogue.
Your photos capture the essence of the beauty of Ooty.

This Manjur - Karamadai road you used to go up the hills - Was it broad ? You said that it was bad and good. How bad was this route ? Other than the usual Mettupalayam - Ooty and the Mettupalayam - Kothagiri route, this route was considered as long winded and badly maintained once.

[voyageur]

Thank you for your info on Glenmorgan estate. Can you just describe what interesting sights are there ? Is it just the scenery or Is there something more to it ? I havent been to that place, so its definitely in the next to-do list at Ooty.

Drive safe.

Cheers.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

Thats great inspiration for me considering the quality of the photos you take. I don't measure anywhere close to it.

Thanks Dhanush. But to be fair all the folks here on the forum, I am nowhere close. In fact I bought my DSLR, only after I got enough inspiration from people here. I don't even want to name a few, because it does gross injustice to the talent of so many out there. And all the learnings that I have trying to gather, is after what I have seen people demonstrate here. This aspect of life has been one big learning curve and I am enjoying it to the full.

[Ddrive]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

The main person to play spoilt sport was the rain and visibility.

Actually the Rain, Fog and Invisibility indeed have helped you a lot in clicking these amazing photographs, So beautiful are the pictures that followed, especially the Glenmorgen ones.

Feels like going there once again, during these rains .

[Vihari]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

What a tea man!!... I had three in a row

Dhanush, you having tea is not a news since you were in the thick of things.

Just seeing all the fog / mist, the impression of the sights is so strong that I can feel the misty climate here in my house. Hence I suddenly have a strong urge to have a hot cup of tea and in fact I will, just after posting this.

That is the effect of your travelogue!

Excellent. Will contact you when ever I take the plunge and decide for a trip to Ooty. Also thanks for the useful information about the guest house and the maps.

- Sai

[dhanushmenon]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Wonderful pictures and a Nice Travelogue.
Your photos capture the essence of the beauty of Ooty.

This Manjur - Karamadai road you used to go up the hills - Was it broad ? You said that it was bad and good. How bad was this route ? Other than the usual Mettupalayam - Ooty and the Mettupalayam - Kothagiri route, this route was considered as long winded and badly maintained once.

It definitely is long winded. I had put up a screen shot picture of the 43 hair pin bends. The surface is broken at places through out till you reach Manjur. Where as, it is good at the rest of the journey to Manjur. So, till Manjur, it is a mixed bag. It is definitely motorable and would not pose any serious threat to the safety of the car and the under body. The road further from Manjur till Ooty is very well laid.

Originally Posted by voyageur

Thank you for your info on Glenmorgan estate. Can you just describe what interesting sights are there ? Is it just the scenery or Is there something more to it ? I havent been to that place, so its definitely in the next to-do list at Ooty.

Drive safe.

Cheers.

Glenmorgan, as I could comprehend is a private estate. Though it is private property, I do not think people would object if you go ona astroll on the lush green meadows.
They also have various types of farming all along and in the estates.
There is also a dam/ reservoir or something of the kind. I do not knonw about that since I did not venture that much.

Originally Posted by ampere

This aspect of life has been one big learning curve and I am enjoying it to the full.

It definitely looks like your learning curve is giving you good dividents as is obvious from your pics.
Keep clicking!!!

Originally Posted by Ddrive

Actually the Rain, Fog and Invisibility indeed have helped you a lot in clicking these amazing photographs, So beautiful are the pictures that followed, especially the Glenmorgen ones.

Feels like going there once again, during these rains .

Originally Posted by Vihari

Dhanush, you having tea is not a news since you were in the thick of things.

Just seeing all the fog / mist, the impression of the sights is so strong that I can feel the misty climate here in my house. Hence I suddenly have a strong urge to have a hot cup of tea and in fact I will, just after posting this.

That is the effect of your travelogue!

Excellent. Will contact you when ever I take the plunge and decide for a trip to Ooty. Also thanks for the useful information about the guest house and the maps.

- Sai

Thanks a lot Vihari and Ddrive for your kind words.
And yes, I would strongly suggest that you should visit Ooty during the rains.
You will find an Ooty which is far distanced from your earlier experiences.
Ooty in a separate charm and beauty of its own.

The fog and mist really adds a lot of charm to the greenery there.

[voyageur]

Hey Dhanush,

Recently I happened to search my laptop for some old pictures of my friends. I found some pictures of ooty which are 6-8 years old. Haven't been there in last 4-5 years. Some of the pics have faces, which I have painted, are of my friends and known people there at that time. But I don't think you must have visited the interiors of Ooty and the adjacent places. I will search, if I can find more.

These are old but strong memories of mine, each and every snap brings a smile to my face. There are lots more but need to search

If you have some more pics left, please share!

Cheers.

Taken from Yellanhalli, near the SBI Atm ( I think )






Charring cross fountain at midnight or later than that. We were a bunch of college guys, what else can you expect !!!












Foggy mountains, Ooty is all about this




Ketti valley railway station, Ketti Valley is said to be India's 2nd largest valley I believe (please correct me if I am wrong)


One of my friend teaching other friend to tie a dhoti, while the third friend slips and the fourth guy gets all this in a snap, Perfect timing isn't it ??



Pic courtesy : To my various friends at that time.

[dhanushmenon]

Originally Posted by voyageur

Hey Dhanush,

Recently I happened to search my laptop ....I will search, if I can find more.
.

Thanks a lot voyageur for contributing those snaps, and good ones at that.
Looking forward to seeing more snaps from your collection on this thread as promised.

[Speed.Demon]

Simply beautiful pictures, voyageur.

I can guess the feeling of nostalgia washing over you as you take a trip down memory lane.

Do put up more pics, its interesting to see Ooty through the eyes of someone who studied there!

[voyageur]

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

Thanks a lot voyageur for contributing those snaps, and good ones at that.
Looking forward to seeing more snaps from your collection on this thread as promised.

Originally Posted by Speed.Demon

Simply beautiful pictures, voyageur.

I can guess the feeling of nostalgia washing over you as you take a trip down memory lane.

Do put up more pics, its interesting to see Ooty through the eyes of someone who studied there!

Thanks guys for your kind words. I will definitely post some more pics in the coming days.

[Gokrish]

Hi Dhanush

Travelogue was superb and photographs were mind blowing. In fact, more than the pictures, it is your taste for photography which is reflected in these photographs. Glenmorgan looked like scarywood and the engulfing mist was adding fuel to the fire.

When did you make this trip? What was the camera you had used? Does the karamadai-ooty route have (43+34) hairpin bends in all and is there any time restriction on entry into this Ghat section? Good that you had used google maps on your iPhone instead of their stock app, as this would have landed you into Kerala instead of Ooty!

[dhanushmenon]

Originally Posted by Gokrish

Hi Dhanush

Travelogue was superb and photographs were mind blowing. In fact, more than the pictures, it is your taste for photography which is reflected in these photographs. Glenmorgan looked like scarywood and the engulfing mist was adding fuel to the fire.

When did you make this trip? What was the camera you had used? Does the karamadai-ooty route have (43+34) hairpin bends in all and is there any time restriction on entry into this Ghat section? Good that you had used google maps on your iPhone instead of their stock app, as this would have landed you into Kerala instead of Ooty!

Thanks a lot for your kind words.
My camera is a Nikon L510.
Not a hi fundoo thing, but suffices for amateurs like me.

I did this in mid July when the rains had freshly hit Nilgiris.
The route from Karamadai to Ooty has 43+16 hair pin bends if you go through Ketti and 43+34 if you go through Avalanche.

I don't think there's any kind of restriction on the timings of the route. But I would suggest that you travel during day time only as the roads are pretty much deserted and it will be all the more difficult to find help at night in case of an eventuality.

And yes, the google maps was a great help. I had discarded the iPhone maps long back!!