[Dippy]

Amazing write up Abhi. Youre one of the travelogue kings around here. And yes you have your faithful "Let's Go" with you. Some how I've never seen your car in your travelogue pics

[akroy]

Originally Posted by Dippy

Amazing write up Abhi. Youre one of the travelogue kings around here. And yes you have your faithful "Let's Go" with you. Some how I've never seen your car in your travelogue pics

Dippy, this is a year old travelogue, during those times I used to only drive and drive and never bothered to click the car pics..
Subsequently with public pressure in this forum, I make sure to click the car as well, You will see my car pics in the more recent travelogues like Goa, kolkata etc..

Abhi

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by akroy

Karur and..... these towns...

karur is a district headquarter in TN !!

[ramkya1]

Hai Roy,

That's a graphic travelogue. I practically lived the trip; you have captured the flavour of sights, sounds and scenary and people so well. Thanks for sharing that; the tit-bits about people inside the car added life to the story.

This is very useful information to me; though I know the routes around south pretty well; road conditions change everyday and affect our timings and schedules. I am planning a 6k km trip from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Trichy, Terichendur, Kuttalam, Cape, TVM, Cochin, Mysore, Goa, Mumbai -A'bad tirp on my new scorp in Oct/Nov-07.

Happy Driving,

--Ramky
=========

[binoy_tharakan]

Originally Posted by akroy

I have already done this Thoppur - Mettur - bhavani route.. It is a relaid and excellent road now and well marked.
I did it once in complete darkness while going to Sulur and return in daytime.

Abhi

Good, but the road will be deserted at night I think (At least it was -2 years back!)

If your vehicle brake-down at night (may that not happen!) its will be a horrible experience (with family but with bachelor friend the story is different!)

I learned the shortcut from a fuel station guy! and now its reallly useful as at Salem still the road construction works are going on.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Hai Roy,

That's a graphic travelogue. I practically lived the trip; you have captured the flavour of sights, sounds and scenary and people so well. Thanks for sharing that; the tit-bits about people inside the car added life to the story.

Thank You Sir !!

This is very useful information to me; though I know the routes around south pretty well; road conditions change everyday and affect our timings and schedules. I am planning a 6k km trip from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Trichy, Terichendur, Kuttalam, Cape, TVM, Cochin, Mysore, Goa, Mumbai -A'bad tirp on my new scorp in Oct/Nov-07.

What happened to your Fusion? I think you once did a full coastal trip in Fusion before...

Pls include Rameswaram in your plan. Also I dont see any Hill station in you agenda. Any specific reason to avoid it?

Abhi

[ramkya1]

Originally Posted by akroy

Thank You Sir !!

What happened to your Fusion? I think you once did a full coastal trip in Fusion before...

Pls include Rameswaram in your plan. Also I dont see any Hill station in you agenda. Any specific reason to avoid it?

Abhi

Hai thanks for remembering that, yes we did most of the Konkan coast and most of the hills in the region in 2005 on the Fusion.

The deal to sell fusion off is inked, a friend of mine has offered a good price @ 4.25 L, it was a July 2005 basic; this guy can afford a stable of cars, he has a fleet of 8 lux cars sleeping!!!!

My sense is, fusion will be a liability 1 yr down the line with sale dipping with the arrival of the Diesel and practically no resale. It is still a gret car, I will regret not driving it, but the head must rule over the heart. I needed a roomier one, my sons have grown really big, 19 & 14, scorpio was a choice.

We will actually be touching all temples, Kumbakonam, Tiruvayar, Tirichandur and surely Rameswaram.... there are lots of others on the plans. We need to skip the hills to save time on travel and no. of days for the whole trip. We had lots of hills last Diwali time in the Himalayas.

Happy Driving,

--Ramky
----------------------

[ravi@64bhp]

Originally Posted by binoy_tharakan

Good travelogue Abhi...

Its common to get struck up at Salem due to the truck drivers. Most of the time its because them hitting the divider when they enjoy a nap during the night drive.

Later I found a shortcut to reach NH47 without touching Salem. The route is via Thoppur -Bhavani. When I was at Bangalore I used to ride my HeroHonda CD100SS alone-over-night to reach palakkad this way. And now drive my Safari during Hyderabad-Palakkad(Kerala) trips via this short cut. The road is considerably good with very few gutter spots. As its a village route you wont find many fuel stations-I fill my tanks before I reach this road always!

If you drive during daylight the paddy and sugarcane fields gives a panoramic view. I like to drive a 'not so polished' road with some scenic values than a super highway!

I have done this route last week, and the roads are excellent, a lot better than the National Highways. I have always done 100 kmph on my WagonR. Very less traffic. You can find a Reliance petrol bunk between Thoppur and Mettur.

I have done Banglore-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Thoppur-Mettur-Bhavani-Perundurai-Kangayam-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai. Excellent route all the way, except krishnagiri to Dharmapuri, the NH7.

[ramkya1]

Originally Posted by ravi@64bhp

I have done this route last week, and the roads are excellent, a lot better than the National Highways. I have always done 100 kmph on my WagonR. Very less traffic. You can find a Reliance petrol bunk between Thoppur and Mettur.

I have done Banglore-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Thoppur-Mettur-Bhavani-Perundurai-Kangayam-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai. Excellent route all the way, except krishnagiri to Dharmapuri, the NH7.

Hai,

If I remember right, the Thoppur Mettur stretch is Ok (about 30Kms ?)in all seasons, mainly paddy on the sides. But from Mettur down hills to Bhavani, its the sugar cane belt; during the seasons this road gets jammed near the villages due to the tractor & bullock carts traffic to the legal/illegal distilleries all along the way. I would avoid it during the season.

I wonder if anyone has experienced this?

Happy Driving,

--Ramky
============

[s0uljah]

Originally Posted by ravi@64bhp

I have done Banglore-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Thoppur-Mettur-Bhavani-Perundurai-Kangayam-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai. Excellent route all the way, except krishnagiri to Dharmapuri, the NH7.

Originally Posted by ramkya1

I would avoid it during the season.
I wonder if anyone has experienced this?

Ravi, my dad had suggested the exact route you mentioned as an alternative and I had driven through there during April 2005, it was a pretty nice and scenic drive (since we passed so many villages.) We kept great timing and reached Kodai before dark.

Same route during december that year we had a reall bad time, roads had virtually disappeared due to rains and there was some commotion / procession too. We took the Salem route while returning.

[lancersfx]

Hi Abhi. The write up is very nice... I am planning a trip to trichy on 15th october. So just looking for some good travel directions. Not very precise but this sure helps Welcome to Roads of India.

[asifpm]

Nice write up Abhi.

I am planning for a trip to Kodai on this weekend. Any one has updates on the present condition of roads suggested by Abhi . Or any better route

Cheers
Asif

[akroy]

Originally Posted by asifpm

Nice write up Abhi.

I am planning for a trip to Kodai on this weekend. Any one has updates on the present condition of roads suggested by Abhi . Or any better route

Cheers
Asif

Road conditions are pretty much the same barring the Krishnagiri - Thoppur section but I suggest you to take the Palani route...That is traffic free and also roads are good...

Abhi