[Wind_mill]

@ trrk & @ hellstar

Thank you very much for the pics, I'm a native of Upper Kuttanad (Tvla) and enjoys driving through this route.

Originally Posted by hellstar

These fellas are called varaaal and they are yummuy when cooked properly

I think the fishes in pic looks like "Puncha Vala" , not varaal.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Wind_mill

@ trrk & @ hellstar
Thank you very much for the pics,

Thanks. Would try and add more in the coming days. But rains are playing hide and seek!

[trrk]

Hi,

Rains have cheated me and it was just like any other summer day on SH11.

Anyway I clicked a few:


This area was full of water a week back (4th picture in my initial post). They have pumped the water out and are preparing it for cultivation, I think. I will follow this patch every week.

I have never understood what these were. They don't seem to be used.


A little close up of the same:


Another quaint foot overbridge! There are more in different sizes and shapes.


I am lazy to get down from the car or I could have had more!

[unni.ak]

Ah the famed AC Road. I've done this route inumerable times. Some of the pics I have:















Hope you guys like it.

[trrk]

Hi,

@Unni: Thanks for the pictures.

Rains seem to be hiding these days.

So I will post a couple of Off SH11 pics.



This is the school in Champakulam where my daughter studies.



On the way to the school.

Some from Kollam:











I envy the guys who work here. They get to enjoy these sigths whenever they look up!

[gadadhar]

Lovely snaps.. love those varal ones.. hope to see some Tharavu, Karemeen and Chemmen snaps soon..envy you for commuting this road..

[muralisk]

Thanks for posting the pics and yeah, it did revive my memories of my visit to this amazing place. I did drive down from Bangalore to attend a friends wedding and a before the wedding, we did drive down to Alleppey and it was quite awesome.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Lovely snaps.. love those varal ones.. hope to see some Tharavu, Karemeen and Chemmen snaps soon..envy you for commuting this road..

Well, the 'varaal' one was from hellstar.

Will try to get the others.

Lucky me for using that road almost on daily basis!

[deepclutch]

nice.Is there any alternate route from kottayam to alappuzha without touching changanassery.will someone reply.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

nice.Is there any alternate route from kottayam to alappuzha without touching changanassery.will someone reply.

I think you can now drive from Kottayam-Kumarakom-Chertala-Alapuzha also. Never been on this road but heard that some interlinking bridges are complete.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I think you can now drive from Kottayam-Kumarakom-Chertala-Alapuzha also. Never been on this road but heard that some interlinking bridges are complete.

done that route several times. its been heavily dug up over the last month. it is now very good fun in an SUV
I also feel it is a better route to kottayam from the southern parts of cochin, traffic wise.Scenic drive too.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

done that route several times. its been heavily dug up over the last month. it is now very good fun in an SUV
I also feel it is a better route to kottayam from the southern parts of cochin, traffic wise.Scenic drive too.

Thanks, by any chance do you have the coordinates - exact route, turn off points, distances, etc?

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Thanks, by any chance do you have the coordinates - exact route, turn off points, distances, etc?

Dont have the numbers for the route. Never did think i'd need it. Its pretty much in my backyard, so didnt bother, sorry.
Its pretty straightforward though,

Turn off where the 4lane NH47 highway ends(In front of Hotel Karthiyani)
Cherthala Town
Thanneermukkom(over the Bund)
Kumarakom
Kottayam.

there arent many junctions on this route, except when you get to the outskirts of kottayam, so just following the road that looks "correct" works.

If I have access to an SUV, i shall redo that route one of these days and get you the readings. Else, I'll have to wait till the initial 10- 15kms of road past cherthala town is redone and can be handled by my swift. Right now, it can be done by hatchback, but it will be annoying. Huge craters, narrow roads, plenty of slush and sand. will be a cakewalk for RWDs with good GC though.

[deepclutch]

@hvkumar,@rippergeo:thanks for the info.
--
I have covered few kms through AC road from changanasery side to a place called mithrakari last year.the life in these places is tougher than what I felt first.all surrounded by water.

[trrk]

Hi Ripper,

Originally Posted by rippergeo

Turn off where the 4lane NH47 highway ends(In front of Hotel Karthiyani)
Cherthala Town
Thanneermukkom(over the Bund)
Kumarakom
Kottayam.

If you are bothered about the dugup part of Cherthala Thanneermukkom road, there is an alternative.

Go to the south side of Cherthala byepass, continue towards Alleppey, about 2 / 3 kms down (I am not very sure about the distance from the Cherthala side, could be less also) there is a road going towards the left (next itme I will try and get a land mark). Take this road, continue until you hit a T junction, take a left (you are on the Alleppey Thannermukkom road) and go to Thanneermukom and onwards.

Sorry to be a little vague, very poor regarding distances and landmarks!

This route courtesy my MapMyIndia Navigator.