[v1p3r]

Good to see that Rameswaram is only 30km from Kodaikanal and Munnar.

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

This is a really nice picture.

[xinome]

Mommy i want to go to team-bhp meet in Munnar for 3 dyas! so whoes in shall i start a thread!

@mclaren : amazing pics and nice rims! and would love to see your ride in the metal!

[THE-U-]

McLaren, Great Write Up. I missed visiting Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi earlier and am still regretting it. Munnar looks like great place to go to.

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

2. Thekkady - A tourist spot much before Munnar came into existance. The guide told me its a must watch. Also has a wildlife sanctuary, a breath taking boating location.

Thekkady is ok, but I would not recommend anyone to go there when there is not sufficient water in the lake. Besides, the facilities there are downright awful and the boat operators etc. have typical Kerala Government Employee mentality (read no customer service). We even had to witness an unfortunate incident of these KTDC guys beating up a bunch of tourists. After visiting there earlier this year, I am never going to go back because it is definitely not worth while and there are very few animals too.

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

TN state highways have always been good, as far as i can remember.

I absolutely agree. Most TN state highways have good surfaces and amazing, the speed breakers are well marked too (at least those I have seen).

[akroy]

Great Writeup Rahul and Excellent pics too !!! You took the right decision since you were travelling from Rameshwaram, Munnar is nearby (My suggession was based on the drive from bangalore to Kodai plus you told you had very little time), ANyway take 3-4days off and enjoy Munnar next time...

Any reasons for taking the Mettur-Bhavani-Namakkal route? there is a shorter route Mettur - Bhavani - Erode - Karur !! Still I feel Salem - Namakkal route would be better if you are travelling in the night (you can do it faster)..

One more suggession to others, avoid tiruppur always...Better route is Palladam - Avinashi or Palladam - Somanur - Karumnattampatti (u will meet NH47 here)

Kool buddy, your pics is compelling me to take leave for 5 days and take off but sadly it will be just a dream for now.

Abhi

[mclaren1885]

Rev_hard, I was itching to see top station but it wasn't to be. Will be going back soon.

Xinome, maybe sometime in late September. Any earlier and many will not be able to make it. Besides its not the season to visit in either. Mid October is the best time to visit I am told.

The-U, the guide said since it had rained Thekkady made for a good visit. Also one tends to get to see more animals here than at Munnar.

Abhi, most part of the GQ towards Coimbatore is bad. Roads dug up, multi dimension pot holes, not to mention the insane number of trucks plying this road ala Hosur style (drag racing at some 10kmph). All this kept me from going to Salem - Namakkal. Instead choose the Mettur - Bhavani route which is fabulous. Besides after travelling to Coimby almost 7 times in the last 2 months I have come to the understanding that it is better to travel through TN state highways than the GQ.

While going to Rameshwaram, even the stretch from Salem - Erode - Karur is so so. Also going from Palladam to Avinashi would mean a further deviation towards the left. The NH 47 from Tirupur is in good condition. Once I got to Bhavani the road is excellent till Dharmapuri.

[mclaren1885]

Infact, I had several other plans during the trip as well. Was thinking about visiting Kodaikanal from Rameshwaram and land up at Munnar early morning on 31st. But it wasn't to be.

At Rameshawaram we also had plans to visit Kanyakumari and then head to Trivandrum and drive through the western coast all the way to Cochin to Kozhikode and back onto the Mysore road. I tried calling zak but couldn't get through to him besides the fact that it could be raining heavily in these parts made me change my mind (also Tadu did mention that the traffic could be mad along this route too). Will be doing this drive too very soon with family.

Originally Posted by v1p3r

Good to see that Rameswaram is only 30km from Kodaikanal and Munnar.

Akshay, lot many more places I plan to go to in the future are "On The Way" .

This is a really nice picture.

Glad you liked the pic, have a load of baleno wallpapers for the 6233. Must say I am falling more in love with the car everytime I look at these wallpapers.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

Abhi, most part of the GQ towards Coimbatore is bad.

Small Clarification, that is not part of GQ but part of North South Corridor developed by NHAI. Golden Quadrilateral consists of only Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai-Kolkata-Delhi stretch. In addition NHAI is also working on NS and EW corridor as well. NS corridor consists of Kashmir to Kaniyakumari stretch.

Ya, NH47 had lots of deviation between Avinashi and Salem and work was on when I went to Sulur last time, I wish the road is done quickly.

Rahul, one more question, Did you see any 4 laning work start between namakkal - Madurai stretch? During my last visit to kodai-Madurai last sept there were hoardings by NHAI mentioning that the work will complete by Dec2008.

Abhi

[mclaren1885]

Abhi, pardon my ignorance. These days any 4 laner to me seems to be the GQ .

Yes, the work has started from Namakkal. Infact there is a stretch of some 6 odd kms which is already a 4 laner now. In parts the places are being dug up and the land flattened. Though I doubt the stretch will be completed in the stipulated time. I guess work is happening almost till Ramanathpuram IIRC.

[madan80]

the grass is always greener on the other side....
man, the pics of yours with the green grass looks like its been touched up. your camera sure has picked up the right colors.
lovely pics and travelogue.

[jraj]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

Dhanushkodi is a place that comes with a lot of important historical and religious background.

mcl,
Dhanuskodi had unfortunately also faced the nature's ire somewhere in 1970's when the entire island was wiped out by a killer cyclone.....the island is just a left over of the biggest devastation caused by mother nature in TN's history.. it was only overshadowed by the Tsunami that came later..
Also a train ful of people lost their lives,when the same cyclone took along with it a train passing on the famed Pamban bridge...

The pic of this bridge brought this to my mind...Man can construct any engineering marvel..but they are nothing when mother nature gets angry

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

maybe sometime in late September. Any earlier and many will not be able to make it. Besides its not the season to visit in either. Mid October is the best time to visit I am told.

Hmmm...reminds me of the innumerable bike trips we made to Munnar. Then, its been long since I've been there, though the place is very close to my home.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by THE-U-

Thekkady is ok, but I would not recommend anyone to go there when there is not sufficient water in the lake.

Actually one SHOULD go during summer when the water level is lower in the reservoir (its not a lake, but the reservoir for Mullaperiyar Dam) - this is when the animals come out of the forest to chill out on the 'beach'.

If you go during monsoons the reservoir will be full but you wont see ANY wildlife.

Originally Posted by THE-U-

Besides, the facilities there are downright awful and the boat operators etc. have typical Kerala Government Employee mentality (read no customer service).

I dont know when you've been there - the facilities available in Thekkady today are second to none. You have a whole bunch of really good resorts available other than the KTDC Aranya Nivas that was the only option earlier. Some of these resorts (Spice Village, Taj Garden Retreat, Carmelia Havens, Cardamom County, Elephant Court etc) are good enough for you to live in without even bothering to visit the lake.

Then of course you have the very very secluded Lake Palace on a forest island in the middle of the reservoir - only accessible by boat and can be scary at night!

I dont know about the attitude part, but the facilities are definitely not lacking!

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I dont know about the attitude part, but the facilities are definitely not lacking!

the guide who showed us around did mention that you get to see a lot of animals at Thekkady & it being a much older place compared to Munnar there are well set up establishments with every facility one can dream of. He also said room tariffs were slightly on the higher side when compared to Munnar.

Btw, how many of you know who "sort of owns" Munnar for another 50+ years (actually on lease) ? Dad is planning to buy some land here and spend their post their retirement life.

Also, I hear there is a lot of illegal construction that happened in the town. All of which is going to be broken down soon. There was also a train service a long time back to Munnar that was stopped and also a ropeway which the family starting with "T" withdrew. They now hold the right to one of the most beautiful places on the country for the next few decades to come.

[brraj]

Hi Rahul,

Well written dude.

By seeing those wonderful pictures i am remembering all those spots which i had seen 3 months back.

You have really missed the speed boat drive near the dam, its awesome.

My next long trip will be Dhanuskodi.

[kuttapan]

Great write-up Mclaren...Want to do it sometime.