[DocwithFiesta]

The best way to refresh your mind is by visiting a hill station, and that was exactly what we needed.

After some back and forth discussions, we decided to go on a trip to Munnar, also known as the Kashmir of South India.

Now there are multiple ways to go to Munnar: by train(to the nearest station, and then by cab), by bus, by cab directly from home or by our own car. It was a no brainer that we were going by our own car.

We decided to go during the long Pongal weekend, beginning our journey on Sunday, the 14th of January.

I quickly sent the car for its 90,000 km service, on Thursday (11th of January), which was due and advised them to thoroughly inspect the car and give a detailed report about the condition. The car was perfectly fine and was delivered back on Saturday, ready to begin a 1000+ kilometer road trip on Sunday.
We chose the Dindigul-Theni route and Maps showed a distance of 590 kilometers from our home to the hotel, which was 10 kilometers from Munnar.

We planned to start by 5:30 am, expecting to reach the hotel by 5:30 pm including stopping for breakfast and lunch.

We started at 5:50 am, on the morning of Bhogi Pongal and as expected the roads were covered with smog, which reduced our pace by a bit, but not much.


The initial 2 hours of driving was difficult, but we made it through. By 8am, as we crossed Chengalpattu, the smog started to clear away, and we could increase our pace a bit.


My mom made breakfast and lunch the previous day, so that we spend minimum time stopping for food.

We made our first stop at 9am, for breakfast and a cup of tea, at a place named Dosa Spot/ Tea Bar, about 160 kilometers from home. They very kindly allowed us to have our home made breakfast at their place, along with a cup of tea for each of us purchased from them.


After a 20 minute breakfast stop, we resumed our journey, and by this time the roads were perfectly clear of smog and we maintained a constant speed of 120kmph on our wonderful highways.

Traffic was minimal, which helped us maintain such speed for hours together.


The next 350 kilometers was pretty much smooth sailing.


Our next stop was at around 2pm, on the Dindigul-Theni highway, right before the ascent, where we stopped for a fuel refill. Had lunch in the car, by the road, and quickly started again, now ready for the interesting and thrilling part of the journey: the hill climbing!

At the petrol station


Beginning of the ascent


The climbing part can be divided into two: first part in Tamil Nadu and second part in Kerala. The Tamil Nadu part is about 20 kilometers long and the Kerala part, about 40 kilometers.

The Tamil Nadu part is rather narrow and steep, as in the above picture, while the Kerala part is much wider and less steep.

It took us about two and a half hours to climb to Munnar, including stopping for some photos on the way.


The famous Gap Road






We reached the hotel by 5:30 pm, and that ended our first day. We chose Moonline resort for our stay, as Maps showed very reassuring views from the rooms and it was a pretty good hotel as well. Also, it was not very far from Munnar town, about 30 mins(10 kilometers) or so.

The hotel was good, the views were mind boggling, and we could see the Sun rise from our room itself.


Before the journey, I ordered a tyre inflator and a puncture repair kit, just in case we ran out of air on the way. Little did I know, the following morning after reaching Munnar I would be greeted by an almost flat tyre. The tyre inflator did its job in 3 mins, and we were good to go. Sigh!


At the hotel


We visited Pothamedu View Point first, and were not impressed by the place, as there was nothing special over there. Disappointed, we continued to drive beyond Pothamedu view point in search of a scenic location, but as we continued to drive, the wilderness kept on increasing and after 3kms of driving, we decided to turn back for our own good.


On the way to Pothamedu view point


We then visited the Rose Garden, which was nice. Entry fee was Rs. 50, and it is a good place if you like flowers, especially roses.


We then proceeded to Photo Point, which was truly a wonderful place to take photos, as the name suggests. There were a lot of tourists there, and we were lucky to find a parking spot.

One shall find numerous photographers ready with their DSLRs and photo printers, at Photo Point. We had our own DSLR, and hence we didn't require their service.

Photo point






We explored the place a little more, and on the way found a Ripple Tea outlet, where we had their tea, and bought tea leaves as well. Ripple tea owns the majority of tea gardens in Munnar. We then headed back to our hotel for lunch and ended the day.


The next day was returning day. We had our breakfast, and by 8:50 am, started our return journey. Stopped multiple times at Gap Road, to click the perfect pictures, which did consume a lot of our time, but was well worth it.








We took good 3 hours to cover the 60 kilometer descent.




Stopped for another full tank of petrol, and Nitrogen top up at an Indian Oil pump on Theni highway. There are numerous petrol pumps on this stretch and Nitrogen is available at almost every alternate pump.

We then took a 2 km detour to stop for lunch on Salem-Madurai Highway. Quickly had lunch and resumed our journey at 2:30 pm.


This time around, we wanted to take it slow, and decided to cruise at a speed of 100kmph, which quickly got boring and we occasionally did 120kmph.


Our next stop was at a Tea Time outlet in Villipuram, at 5:45pm. After a 15 min stop, we resumed our journey and reached home at exactly 9pm.

The Fiesta performed flawlessly throughout the journey. Cruised at 120kmph for hours on our wonderful highways, climbed 4800 feet without overheating. We never felt lack of power, never felt lack of comfort, never did the car complain a bit. It was easy to keep up with most modern cars. I had no intentions to compete or race with other cars on the highway, so didn't push the car hard.

Although, the ABS light lit up just before reaching our hotel, I don't think there's any problem with the ABS system, as the car did not show any such symptom upon braking hard, and made the 600 km return journey without any problem.

At the end of the trip


Total distance covered: 1270 kilometers.
Total fuel consumed: Two and a half tanks (almost) i.e. 102 litres
Average mileage: ~12.5 kmpl.

Munnar is truly a wonderful place and must definitely be present on everybody's must visit list. The roads to Munnar, from Chennai are truly wonderful, and there are no reasons to not go by car.

The initial 20 kms of ascent is little sketchy, and one must be careful during that time. The rest 40 kms is absolutely amazing.

It took 12 hours for us, both ways.

Also, do carry basic medicines with you, as during such long journeys, you never know when you may fall sick.

Thank you

[sbenstewart]

Awesome travelogue on Munnar! It is a place I have always wanted to go but happenstance meant I have never gotten to visit it.

We have had the ABS sensor go kaput in our 1.4 diesel Fiesta too. Just gives up with age I guess. And really doesn't cost much to change the component, given that the ABS functionality itself does not work when the light is on.

[Mrs&Mr_Shenu]

Nice one Doc. Beauty of Munnar captured in great way and story told truly beautiful by the pictures you shared. I also have an ex colleague from Chennai who had a Ford classic with 110k on odo and vehicle is in absolute mint condition. For a moment I thought you are him.

More happy journey..

[Kumaran93R]

Hi Doc!

Great write-up of a beautiful journey. The fiesta is one of the few cars in India that will plaster a smile on your face after a long highway journey. Its a great travel companion esp on the hills. The 3k-4k rpm surge in any gear is addictive. The car also holds its line regardless of the speed and begs you to go faster around corners. The steering and the suspension setup compliments the engine beautifully too. They just don't make simple, fun to drive cars like this anymore. Take care of her for the years to come and she'll continue to make you grin.

Signing off with a photo of my fiesta at Ooty last month


Cheers,
Kumaran

[GForceEnjoyer]

Lovely travelogue. I'm glad that you take your Fiesta to the types of roads it calls home: twisty mountain ones! This car holds its own so very well even today, as you rightly noted; no issues keeping up with and overtaking traffic on the highways!

I have very fond memories of the road trips to Nainital, Shimla, Dalhousie, etc. in our Fiesta 1.6, the car is a blast on the open road as well as on mountain roads.

Looking forward to reading more from you, and wishing you and your Fiesta many more joyful years of driving to come!

[DocwithFiesta]

Originally Posted by sbenstewart

Awesome travelogue on Munnar!

Originally Posted by Mrs&Mr_Shenu

Nice one Doc. Beauty of Munnar captured in great way and story told truly beautiful by the pictures you shared. More happy journey..

Originally Posted by Kumaran93R

Hi Doc!
Great write-up of a beautiful journey.

Originally Posted by GForceEnjoyer

Lovely travelogue. I'm glad that you take your Fiesta to the types of roads it calls home: twisty mountain ones!

Thank you .

Originally Posted by sbenstewart

We have had the ABS sensor go kaput in our 1.4 diesel Fiesta too. Just gives up with age I guess. And really doesn't cost much to change the component, given that the ABS functionality itself does not work when the light is on.

Ohh. I have booked an appointment with the service center next week, let's see what happens. Hopefully it's nothing major.

Originally Posted by Mrs&Mr_Shenu

I also have an ex colleague from Chennai who had a Ford classic with 110k on odo and vehicle is in absolute mint condition.

That's so nice. I always love to see and hear about well maintained Fiestas. The car truly holds a special place in my heart.

Originally Posted by Kumaran93R

The fiesta is one of the few cars in India that will plaster a smile on your face after a long highway journey. Its a great travel companion esp on the hills. The 3k-4k rpm surge in any gear is addictive. The car also holds its line regardless of the speed and begs you to go faster around corners. The steering and the suspension setup compliments the engine beautifully too. They just don't make simple, fun to drive cars like this anymore. Take care of her for the years to come and she'll continue to make you grin.

The Fiesta indeed possess the characteristics you have mentioned above. I do not remember a single instance where I had to slow down mid-corner with the Fiesta, fearing the car going out of control: I have had to do that with Hondas and Hyundais. And with the S, Ford took things a notch higher, and I believe it is still the most fun to drive 'regular' (non BMW) car out there. Have absolutely no plans to part away with the Fiesta.

Also, you have got a wonderful Aquarius Blue S out there, surely drool-worthy!

Originally Posted by GForceEnjoyer

This car holds its own so very well even today, as you rightly noted; no issues keeping up with and overtaking traffic on the highways!
I have very fond memories of the road trips to Nainital, Shimla, Dalhousie, etc. in our Fiesta 1.6, the car is a blast on the open road as well as on mountain roads.

Absolutely, the Fiesta is still a fast and relevant car on the highways. You rarely feel the need for more power, even with the AC on. Turn off the AC momentarily, and my word, does it haul! I have read about your Fiesta before, kudos to you for keeping it in perfect shape!

Originally Posted by GForceEnjoyer

Looking forward to reading more from you, and wishing you and your Fiesta many more joyful years of driving to come!

Thank you. Will surely try to go on more adventures with the car.

[xotiq]

Originally Posted by sbenstewart

Awesome travelogue on Munnar! It is a place I have always wanted to go but happenstance meant I have never gotten to visit it.

We have had the ABS sensor go kaput in our 1.4 diesel Fiesta too. Just gives up with age I guess. And really doesn't cost much to change the component, given that the ABS functionality itself does not work when the light is on.

Nice pics, looks clean and neat as with most towns in Kerala. I do see Split AC's installed in the hotel pic, which means the weather does get warm?

On my dad's Fiesta diesel, the ABS sensor had malfunctioned multiple times. After his demise this car was gifted to one of my uncles, and he has reported the same ABS sensor issue, and also AC Compressor going faulty.

[VigneshMC]

Originally Posted by DocwithFiesta

Total distance covered: 1270 kilometers.
Total fuel consumed: Two and a half tanks (almost) i.e. 102 litres
Average mileage: ~12.5 kmpl.

Funny coincidence, I took Chennai to Munnar trip on 13th January and returned on 15th. We both have matching mileage. My mileage could have been much better, but thanks to super heavy traffic on 13th January, Chennai to Munnar took around 13.5 hrs.

[DocwithFiesta]

Originally Posted by xotiq

I do see Split AC's installed in the hotel pic, which means the weather does get warm?

Yup, it does, in the afternoon. Early mornings and evenings/nights are rather cold, but in the afternoon we had to use the AC.

Originally Posted by xotiq

On my dad's Fiesta diesel, the ABS sensor had malfunctioned multiple times. After his demise this car was gifted to one of my uncles, and he has reported the same ABS sensor issue, and also AC Compressor going faulty.

Sorry for your father's demise..

The ABS issue seems to be a common thing with the Fiesta? Anyhow, will get it checked next week, let's see what they find.
AC compressor, condenser and cooling coil were replaced in our car in 2020 at 70k kms. A known issue between 70k and 75k kilometers.

Originally Posted by VigneshMC

Funny coincidence, I took Chennai to Munnar trip on 13th January and returned on 15th. We both have matching mileage. My mileage could have been much better, but thanks to super heavy traffic on 13th January, Chennai to Munnar took around 13.5 hrs.

That's a nice coincidence, indeed

This is probably the best mileage for me, as I did not face any sort of congestion anywhere on the way.

[Voodooblaster]

Originally Posted by DocwithFiesta

We then took a 2 km detour to stop for lunch on Salem-Madurai Highway. Quickly had lunch and resumed our journey at 2:30 pm

Is this KFC+A2B outlet near Dindigul ?

Originally Posted by DocwithFiesta

The Fiesta performed flawlessly throughout the journey. Cruised at 120kmph for hours on our wonderful highways, climbed 4800 feet without overheating. We never felt lack of power, never felt lack of comfort, never did the car complain a bit. It was easy to keep up with most modern cars

The Fiesta was one of my favourite cars during schooldays (I knew only how it looked and nothing about the engine / transmission etc). Congratulations on a well maintained Fiesta

Originally Posted by DocwithFiesta

Also, do carry basic medicines with you, as during such long journeys, you never know when you may fall sick.

Can you suggest a few general medicines (just the chemical and dosage as brands popular in chennai may not be avbl in other parts of India ) for weekend trips to cover eventualities like:

1) Food poisoning
2) Vomitting
3) Diarhea
4) Fever / headaches
5) Cough / Cold
6) Any other possible ailments

Also the proper way to take them and dosage (before food / after food )

I understand this won’t be a substitute for proper medical advice, but would be better than to be left at the mercy of the local medical shop in an emergency

[vnabhi]

Lovely TL and pictures, @DocwithFiesta! Loved going through the details of your trip. I dont think I've read your reviews on the Fiesta 1.6 so far on this forum, but I agree fully with your views.

I miss my Fiesta 1.6 sxi of 2007 make that I owned for 13 years 7 months. I still go through past pictures for recreating the fun I'd had with it. It unfortunately met with a watery grave during the October 2020 deluge in Hyderabad. I've got an Ecosports tdci Sports to replace it. Though the Ecosport is more comfortable to drive over long distances, it is no match for the sheer fun the 1.6 Fiesta, especially on ghat roads. I fondly recall my trip to Ooty and Coonoor on the Fiesta, and the ease at which I could climb those twisties. The Ecosport, being a BS6 diesel, cannot match the power of the 1.6 Fiesta, especially on corners and on steep ascents.

I wish you many more miles on your Fiesta. I could use mine till 82k on the odo only.

[DocwithFiesta]

Originally Posted by Voodooblaster

Is this KFC+A2B outlet near Dindigul ?

Yes, it is. Quite a life saver on such trips.

Originally Posted by Voodooblaster

Can you suggest a few general medicines (just the chemical and dosage as brands popular in chennai may not be avbl in other parts of India ) for weekend trips to cover.
Also the proper way to take them and dosage (before food / after food).

I don't think I can advise medicines here on the forum, will DM you generic names of the necessary medicines to carry during such trips.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Lovely TL and pictures, @DocwithFiesta! Loved going through the details of your trip. I dont think I've read your reviews on the Fiesta 1.6 so far on this forum, but I agree fully with your views.

I miss my Fiesta 1.6 sxi of 2007 make that I owned for 13 years 7 months. I still go through past pictures for recreating the fun I'd had with it. It unfortunately met with a watery grave during the October 2020 deluge in Hyderabad. I wish you many more miles on your Fiesta. I could use mine till 82k on the odo only.

Thank you so much sir!

I have read about your Fiesta and the unfortunate incident as well, even before joining the forum. You did not deserve to lose that car. That being said, Ecosport S is a wonderful car and I wish you many years of happy miles with it.

It is truly a pleasure that you have come across my post and found it relatable.

[Shyam92]

Hello DocwithFiesta, great travelogue. Thanks for sharing.

I am from Chennai as well, planning a trip to Munnar this April and I got a few queries regarding the same. Could not get answers on the internet. Could you please help me on the same? I tried messaging you here but I could not. My mail ID is taluri.shyam@gmail.com.

Thanks in advance

[HighOnSpeed]

Originally Posted by sbenstewart

We have had the ABS sensor go kaput in our 1.4 diesel Fiesta too.

Originally Posted by DocwithFiesta

Although, the ABS light lit up just before reaching our hotel, I don't think there's any problem with the ABS system, as the car did not show any such symptom upon braking hard, and made the 600 km return journey without any problem.

Originally Posted by xotiq

On my dad's Fiesta diesel, the ABS sensor had malfunctioned multiple times. After his demise this car was gifted to one of my uncles, and he has reported the same ABS sensor issue, and also AC Compressor going faulty.

Seems like it was a common issue with the car. The ABS was also malfunctioning in our car. The same issue propped up on my friend's car as well. Still, it was a solidly built car. Had one MAJOR accident but we all managed to come out unscathed from that.