Team-BHP > Travelogues


Reply
  Search this Thread
16,862 views
Old 30th September 2009, 00:05   #1
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala

Went to hometown in Kerala during 18th Sep - 28th Sep holiday. Visited few places enroute and Wagamon. Have some photos from the trip. Trip was in our WagonR with four of us including two kids aged three and one.
Details:
Drive#1 * Bangalore - Salem : 215 Kms : 3Hrs 30mins
Drive#2 * Salem - Namakkal - Karur - Dindigul - Theni - Bodinaykannur - Pooppara - Rajakkad - Ponmudi - Parathode : 340 Kms : 8Hrs
Drive#3 * Parathode - Cheruthoni - Kulamavu - Thodupuzha - Palai - Kottayam : 135 Kms : 4Hrs
Drive#4 * Kottayam - Palai - Erattupettai - Wagamon : 65 Kms : 2Hrs
Drive#5 * Wagamon - Thodupuzha - Adimali - Parathode : 125 Kms : 3Hrs 30mins
Drive#5 * Parathode - Rajakkad - Pooppara - Theni - Dindigul - Salem - Bangalore : 530 Kms : 10Hrs 30mins

Last edited by bijuks : 30th September 2009 at 00:06.
bijuks is offline  
Old 30th September 2009, 00:15   #2
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times

Started from Marathahalli thru outer ring road and Sarjapur road on 18th Sep at 3:00pm.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0900.jpg

Climate was good and started drizzling at Sarjapur and became heavy on the way to Attibele.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0901.jpg
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0902.jpg

After crossing Attibele, the sky was kind of clear. It was a smooth drive till Salem paying the Rs.25/-, Rs.48/- and Rs.34/- at different toll booths.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0903.jpg

Just after the Mettur turn-off at Thoppur.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0904.jpg

Reached Salem by 6:15pm and checked in to friend's house on Yercadu road. Kids had a fun time with some dance and the company of two more there.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0905.jpg

End of day 1
bijuks is offline  
Old 30th September 2009, 11:53   #3
BHPian
 
WhiteKnight's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 996
Thanked: 659 Times

Shaping up well. Most of those places are my backyards. Looking forward for the rest
WhiteKnight is offline  
Old 30th September 2009, 12:06   #4
BHPian
 
Nutty Nair's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Trivandrum, Kerala
Posts: 284
Thanked: 39 Times

@bijuks - nice start to the travelogue. Pl. post as much pictures as possible.

@whiteknight - Nice backyards you have!

Ranjith
Nutty Nair is offline  
Old 30th September 2009, 20:23   #5
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times
Drive#2 * Salem - Namakkal - Karur - Dindigul - Theni

Next day moring, had breakfast and left Salem by 9:15am. It was sunny and we went straight to NH7 towards Dindigul. There were lots and lots of butterflies on the road and were hitting the windshield all over. Next toll booth, payed Rs.29/- for one way travel.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0906.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0907.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0908.jpg

Another toll booth - under construction
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0909.jpg

The four laning is almost done, but there are still stretches where both incoming and ongoing traffic use the same side of road.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0910.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0911.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0912.jpg

And some diversions too.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0913.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0914.jpg

Smooth lanes
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0915.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0916.jpg

The turn-off for palani / Kodaikanal.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0918.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0919.jpg

For Theni/Kodai, take this left turn-off and go to the right side under the bridge. Then, take left to the service road on the other side of the road.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0920.jpg

Keep straight till the next junction where you take a right towards Theni.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0921.jpg

Right turn
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0922.jpg

Theni directions. From here, follow the main road to Theni and then on to NH49 towards Kochi.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0923.jpg

Name:  sep0924.JPG
Views: 5747
Size:  82.2 KB
bijuks is offline  
Old 30th September 2009, 20:38   #6
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times
Drive#2 * - Theni - Bodinaykannur - Pooppara

Begining of the climb uphill from Bodinaykannur
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0926.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0927.jpg

Small waterfall aon the left fter crossing Kerala border
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0928.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0929.jpg

Name:  sep0930.JPG
Views: 5717
Size:  97.8 KB

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0931.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0932.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0933.jpg
bijuks is offline  
Old 30th September 2009, 20:48   #7
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nutty Nair View Post
Pl. post as much pictures as possible.
It's on the way - slowly driviing in.

Quote:
Originally Posted by WhiteKnight View Post
Looking forward for the rest
Thank you guys. Some more photos are in.
bijuks is offline  
Old 1st October 2009, 11:18   #8
BHPian
 
NaTuRe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 30
Thanked: 64 Times
Thanks for the route details

Nice photos. The directions from Dindigul to Theni/Kodai is useful as I have always missed it and had to come back.

Where is Wagamon snaps? Waiting for more photos.
NaTuRe is offline  
Old 1st October 2009, 20:16   #9
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times
Drive#2 * - Pooppara - Rajakkad - Ponmudi

Ponmudi - a Thookkupalam - "Hanging Bridge". Age of this bridge is over 35 years. You can make the bridge swing my shaking the handrails.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0939.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0934.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0935.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0937.jpg

When we walk, the wooden pieces will make the creaking noice. Looking down through the gaps caused by broken wood pieces need some courage. You will feel the butterflies fying in your stomach.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0940.jpg

Name:  sep0941.JPG
Views: 5633
Size:  120.3 KB

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0942.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0943.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0944.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0947.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0948.jpg

And yes - you can drive your car on it, if you are brave enough. Couldn't believe until I saw the car coming though the bridge.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0949.jpg

The walk on the bridge was very much refreshing.
bijuks is offline  
Old 1st October 2009, 20:37   #10
Senior - BHPian
 
vinaydas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 1,399
Thanked: 148 Times

nice pics.
i was on the theni madurai road last week while coming back from thekady
must say some stretches are not complete but most of the road is amazing.
its tough to judge diversions at 1 in the night
the hanging bridge looks scary i suppose no large suvs can pass through it
vinaydas is offline  
Old 1st October 2009, 20:46   #11
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by vinaydas View Post
the hanging bridge looks scary i suppose no large suvs can pass through it
Not sure on SUVs. Must check with locals next time. I saw one Alto and Scoda passing through it.
bijuks is offline  
Old 1st October 2009, 21:00   #12
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times
Drive#3 * Parathode - Cheruthoni - Kulamavu - Thodupuzha

View of idukki dam from Painavu.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0952.jpg

Rain again.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0953.jpg

Climbing down from the top of hill to Thodupuzha
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0954.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0955.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0956.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0957.jpg
bijuks is offline  
Old 1st October 2009, 22:19   #13
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times
Drive#4 * Kottayam - Palai - Erattupettai - Wagamon - Thodupuzha

Uphill to Wagamon from Erattupettai.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0958.jpg

Wagamon Meadows. Be careful of leaches, my one year old enjoyed the meadows and got bitten by a leach. Luckily there is no pain when this leach bites. But, the blood keeps flowing even after it leaves after filling it's stomach. Best solution at hand there was to stick a small newspaper piece to the spot where the leach had bitten. That stopped the
folow of blood.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0959.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0960.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0961.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0962.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0963.jpg

On the way to Pine forest from Meadows
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0964.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0965.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0966.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0967.jpg

Pine forest in Wagamon
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0968.jpg

Climbing down to Thodupuzha. Deserted road with lots of hairpin bends. Could see only two vehicles in the opposite direction for a distance of 10 Kms.
Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0969.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0970.jpg

Bangalore to parts of Idukki and Wagamon in Kerala-sep0971.jpg
bijuks is offline  
Old 1st October 2009, 22:49   #14
BHPian
 
bijuks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 215
Thanked: 109 Times
Return to Bangalore

While returning to Bangalore, saw an accident while coming down to Bodinaykannur through the ghats. Road got blocked when a swift car went and hit one jeep. It was raining heavily and looked like the car was at high speed and could not control on the trun. Traffic piled up and people from other vehicles got down and and they pulled the car to the side with bare hands to make the road clear for traffic. Lost some 30 - 45 mins there.

Otherwise, dirve was smooth till Bangalore.

End of Travelogue
bijuks is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks