[shishir_bn]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Come ON Shishir, you can't blackmail the guy.

have to do this "Star.." I have seen him on other threads so that HIS thread will also be avtive and alive so i thought this is the best way.

[mjothi]

Ha, lalu. just went through your travelogue after a looong break. And still you have 1.5 days to go. man, come on. Get it done sooner

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Majic

Now that is a welcome note, 1.5 days and so we would have a few hundred pictures coming....keep them coming!!

Sure. Will post more pictures by night.

Originally Posted by srikanthpotluri

Hi Laluks, nice narration and awesome pictures, last couple of hours got glued to this log alone, just came to page 13. keep them coming!!!!

Thanks Srikanth.

Originally Posted by Aquarian20

Awesome, Beautiful, Majestic I am at loss with words to describe these pictures. Truly you have knack of taking gorgeous pictures. Please continue.

Thanks Aquarian for the kind words.

Originally Posted by MuraliR

the Emerald Lake seems well disguised behind those woods - and also very true to its name.

Yes, Vey true, Murali.

Originally Posted by Majic

????? What is this no more posts today, ok i think work has become more of a priority now. Keep posting them when the time is right!

Majic you got me
Year end is a trying time.

Originally Posted by shishir_bn

Lalu many of us have hooked onto this thread. SO post some more of your specials before we look for other threads

Shishir, I can post pictures only by night. Please bear with me.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Come ON Shishir, you can't blackmail the guy.

Thanks Star for the rescue.

Originally Posted by shishir_bn

have to do this "Star.." I have seen him on other threads so that HIS thread will also be avtive and alive so i thought this is the best way.

Shishir, I was planning upto go for an OTR at coorg, to see our bhpians using their 4x4, 4 wheeled toys

Originally Posted by mjothi

Ha, lalu. just went through your travelogue after a looong break. And still you have 1.5 days to go. man, come on. Get it done sooner

Thanks mahesh.
Will post by night.

[shishir_bn]

Originally Posted by laluks

Shishir, I was planning upto go for an OTR at coorg, to see our bhpians using their 4x4, 4 wheeled toys

Good to see that is BOLD letters or else people would have thought the other way. No problem lalu you can post the snaps today night.

[optimist]

laluks: Missing are the details of how you planned your trips. It would really add a few more stars to this thread. Please do consider putting it down as you don't seem to miss anything.

[laluks]

Day 3, November 29th 2009 continued

We wanted to see the route we had taken in 2006 through the forest and decided to go further inside. There is a bridge and if you drive further inside you'll cross a few small villages and Tea estates and then reach a quarters of EB. Further if you go you'll reach Porthymund and Parson Valley dams and then you can reach Ooty. In 2006, the roads were bad, but since we had got in we continued this way through the night, negotiating many hairpins, deers and other small animals on the roads surprised at a vehicle coming that way, and removed twice tree trunks from the way to make passage till we found a board that said Ooty this direction We finally reached Ooty by 20:30PM that night, starting from Avalanche lake at 18:30PM.This scary experience we had in 2006 made me buy a GPS immediately, just to get a sense of direction and distance.

Just to see that path in day light we decided to drive a little further. We crossed the bridge. From the bridge you can see Emerald lake to the right and Avalanche lake to the left.


Red Riding Hood on the bridge



Avalanche lake to the Left



Emerald lake to the Right



A view from the other direction.



Avalanche lake.




Emerald Lake.





After a while we got into the thick vegetation, and saw the roads have become worse.





Further on we found that the roads changed to just stones and decided it was just not worth driving this way. Further we also did not have the permits for Parson valley and if we have to return this way, the roads were simply just not worth that effort. So we turned around after seeing Emerald lake from another vantage point.


Emerald Lake peeping out of the vegetation.



Emerald Lake




Views around






In 2006, we had gone a much ahead from this place during that scary drive. Some pictures from then











We reached the Emerald Dam area back by 13:10PM.

Emerald Dam Gate - Dam is out of bounds, though you can open the gate and go in. Since we had seen it from the other side, we skipped it



Direction board at the Fork. Both dams are 500m either ways.


Views around at the Fork.


We decided to go to Avalanche Dam and take a look.


continued...

[anekho]

laluks, man, I'm speechless

Mesmerizing thread with fantastic photos. I can't wait to go to ooty by next summer.

[vdiatech]

wow! truly amazing pics ! I hope to do a similar trip soon. It been pending for a very long time !

[laluks]

Originally Posted by optimist

laluks: Missing are the details of how you planned your trips. It would really add a few more stars to this thread. Please do consider putting it down as you don't seem to miss anything.

Optimist, normally where to go would be finalised a few months before. Then it is a flat reading about all information about the place you could gather. Internet, especially our Bhpian's travel logs would give a lot of information. All these once collected, we start a focused look into the number of days, places that are in the same direction, estimate of the time required, priority, etc. This would be done, and the missing gaps filled in by talking to people from that place. This normally helps if you are interested in going to offbeat destinations that are not very touristy / or your find kinds.

And most often, things just have happened on the ground. Just go there and make plans. This time Ooty was like that. We went for a relaxed holiday at the resort, but thanks to the resort we got bored in a day and got out to see around. Second day we just looked at the tourism boards and moved around


I really do like Lonely planet's India for their perspective. They also do gives the hotels and restaurant details around most of the places, and to me it's phone numbers to query a lot.

Originally Posted by anekho

laluks, man, I'm speechless

Mesmerizing thread with fantastic photos. I can't wait to go to ooty by next summer.

Thanks anekho. More to come.

Originally Posted by vdiatech

wow! truly amazing pics ! I hope to do a similar trip soon. It been pending for a very long time !

Thanks vdiatech. My intention is to instigate you guys to go around!!

[laluks]

Day 3, November 29th 2009 continued

Avalanche Dam (Canada Dam).


We reached Canada Dam, and found that the gates were open. So we went inside for a look. It is deserted - childrens playground with broken things, garden left to grow on it way.


The Canada Dam



Water flowing out. Note the Pipe, it goes all the way to Avalanche Pumphouse



Running Race ?



Nah, they were escaping from the Bees



Views of Avalanche Lake from the Dam






View on the other side




We decided to drive till Avalanche and turn back for the day. They will not allow us to the pump house, but just a drive to the place named Avalanche.

Further is Upper Bhavani etc. which we skipped, any way it was far, at least another 35Km, and we were told it is out of bounds.



continued...

[Majic]

Wow, wonderful pictures, your skill is improving and its getting better and better each time, please continue!

[hvkumar]

Lalu, the new camera reflects your creativity very well!
Surprised that there were no traffic jams in the Bandipur-Mudumalai stretch now that the road is closed at night. I suppose the night drive restrictions are still in place.
Any way one can get permissions to drive from Avalanche to Upper Bhavani - that is a lovely route - now that you say the roads are closed to the public?

[shishir_bn]

man what shall i say!!!!!!!!!! no words at all....superb man..You are just trying to make us envy you for the snaps and places you visit.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Majic

Wow, wonderful pictures, your skill is improving and its getting better and better each time, please continue!

Thanks majic

Originally Posted by shishir_bn

man what shall i say!!!!!!!!!! no words at all....superb man..You are just trying to make us envy you for the snaps and places you visit.

Thanks Shishir

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Lalu, the new camera reflects your creativity very well!
Surprised that there were no traffic jams in the Bandipur-Mudumalai stretch now that the road is closed at night. I suppose the night drive restrictions are still in place.
Any way one can get permissions to drive from Avalanche to Upper Bhavani - that is a lovely route - now that you say the roads are closed to the public?

Thanks HVK.

The night restriction is still in place. I was also surprised on that day, why there were no traffic. I was also a bit bothered - I was remembering your statement at Malling Nalla - if there is no oncoming traffic there's something wrong. But it just turned out that nobody travelled that day other than me

The local resident of Avalanche told me many areas are out of bounds further. Could be that he mentioned about the critical installations alone. But that generic statement put my family off :(, since we already had a scary drive in 2006 through the forest. Moreover they said road conditions might be bad. Hence I turned around after visiting Avalanche. But from what I saw till there, the roads were in good conditions.

You still can go there with Permissions. So is the case with Glennmorgan and Parsons valley.

[Aquarian20]

Superb Lalu. Please continue. Did you had permission to go on the dam or one doesn't need any permission to go on top of the dam?