Team-BHP - Story of a Vacation (:-))
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Quote:

Originally Posted by laluks (Post 1676538)
Star,How much does a stay at teh british bunglow cost?
The place looks nice and good sceneries around.

BTW, very nice photos too.

Thanks Laluks, The Stone house / British Banglow has a listed price of RS 3000 plus taxes, there are two rooms in the old bunglow and there are more rooms in the new building. We got a special deal thanks to you know how, Mr. Lukeskywalker. I will let you know the price when we meet next time.


Now going forward

Kodanadu view point is approx 17-18 Kms from Kotagiri, One needs to drive through narrow roads and coffee plantations on either side of the road.

I will not try to describe Kodanadu view point. I think Mother Nature does not need my adjectives, She is a great Personality on her own, self standing and self explanatory. So i will let the pictures speak for itself.

We even do not know whether this is the best suit the Queen of Hills has worn or not. For us it is.

Fog started coming up by 11:50 AM, Soon we left the place towards Catherine falls.

I am waiting for the catherine falls account. How was the trek?

Dear MODS

Please delete this post as it was a duplicate one
thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by laluks (Post 1677083)
I am waiting for the catherine falls account. How was the trek?

Aap ke farmaish par, mein catherine memsahib ki kahani ab kaharaha hoon
(As per your wish i share the story on Catherine memsahib).

From Kodanadu view point we started back at 12:10 (after a cup of tea at the tea stall), we returned to Kotagiri (by 12:25) and took the road towards Coonoor. We asked for directions at 2-3 places and eventually were on a very narrow road towards Catherine falls. Roads became narrower and eventually we stopped at the board which said "Catherine Falls" this point appears to be approx 6-8 Kms from the main road.

From there we had to walk to the water fall. Total distance is approx 1.5 KM, the path goes through the tea gardens and is well paved.

Eventually we reached the dead end. But we could NOT see the water fall as there was dense fog (~1 PM). We also do not know why it is called Catherine falls. My speculation is as it was found by some British lady named Catherine and she happened to be some one famous in Nilgiries. I do not know the real reason anyway.

We took "we were here" type of photograph, on way the girls freaked out in the tea gardens and the boys took their pictires as needed. While doing this one KG of banana chips were consumed by all together. :D

i have also attached here a snap of one of the wonder of this nature.
A spider web.. a delicate work of art, Spider a born weaver and artist. it never stops to amaze me.

When we visited Kodanadu view point and places in Conoor also the fog played spoil sport. Catherine falls, falls from a decent height. Were you able to listen to the music of the water splashing down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by laluks (Post 1677562)
When we visited Kodanadu view point and places in Conoor also the fog played spoil sport. Catherine falls, falls from a decent height. Were you able to listen to the music of the water splashing down.

Yes, I noticed that in your travelogue. As cautioned by the manager of the retreat, the fog played spoil sport after 12 noon.

But we could hear the music from water fall very clearly, It is a pity that fog blurred our vision. May be better luck next time.

After Catherine falls, we started towards Coonoor. There were some more hair pin bends to be navigated. We took several snaps on the way.

Interesting one is where the vehicles (Car & Scooter) is parked on the terrace of the house. Yes a car & a scooter parked on the house top.
"Any thing can happen in India"... witness is among the photograph.

why is the car parked on the roof :) very nice photos.

Quote:

Originally Posted by srikanthpotluri (Post 1678634)
why is the car parked on the roof :) very nice photos.

It appears that the roof is the only place available for the house owner for parking purpose. As one can see the picture, the house is well below the road level. The Terrace of the house is at the same level as the road.
so it is easier to drive the car to the roof top :uncontrol, Hence Parking is on roof top.

Moving forward with the story...

Reached Coonoor by 2:15 PM. Everyone was feeling hungry, We went into Maghalalaxhi Bhojanalay. It was jam packed. waited for some 15 minutes for getting a table. Only one option was available... Veg Thali consisting of 2 vegitables, roti, rice, sambhar, rasam, pickles, papad etc with un-limied helpings. So, we opted for the same. Immediately the BILL was placed in front of us w/o even we getting our meals.

But till we finished our meals, the papad was never served. Everyone in the resturant seems to be extreemly busy and whenever enquired, the enquiry was passed on to some one else. Eventually "Everybody" among the waiters thought that "Somebody" can serve us papads, but "Somebody" though that "Anybody" can serve us the same, but eventually "Nobody" served us papads till most of us finished our meals. Kids were very eager to have their favourite papads, so eventually "Yours Truely" had to give his "Piece of Mind" to the owner/cashier sitting just behind our seat.

Even after that it took more than 10 minutes for them to get the needed. by the time papads arrived most of us had finished their meals. This was the only incidence of "Difficiency in Service levels" during the whole nine days trips. Anyway...life goes on...

After the meals, we went into the SIMS park. Opposite to the SIMs park is Louis Pastuer Institute, which reminded me of the great scientist's contribution to the field of medicine. It was a pleasure to meet the statue of the great man.

Regarding the SIMs park, i will let the pictures speak. If we have to understand the plant and flower diversity available in this park, it would be few days work on it's own.

We spent about 45-60 minutes at SIMs park, Kids wanted to spend more time in the kids play area as well as they wanted to do the boating.
We almost dragged them out..

The next stop.. Dolphins Nose

Road diversion to Dolphin's Nose is 2-3 KM prior to SIMS park while coming from Kotagiri.

The intial roads go through a set of bunglow/row houses on either side. Later on a well paved road consisting of clay bricks leads you to Dophin's nose. On our way we saw a gate of Christian Misson, a water fall and as expected Dophin's Nose view point was fog clad. We learnt from the shop keepers there that the hill is in the shape of Dolphin'e Nose, hence the name.

There is a watch tower on top of the rock sourrounded by a road. There are two view points one in the direction of the so called Nose, Second in the direction of a water fall. We have been able to faitly capture the waterfall. But could not capture the so called Dolphon's Nose.
There were two horses, kids wanted to ride, but on one wanted the weaker, shorter horse.

Hence by one by one three musketeers donned the horse back. After the kids, it was the turn of the ladies. There was a photographer who offered them a role of a "Tea Garden Worker", but no compensation was offered, instead the worker's husband needs to pay the photographer RS 50/- for a moment's glory. One can see the dress rehersal as well as the moments of truth. The best looking moments were printed immediately in exchange of currency notes.

While the Tea Garden moments were getting printed, we had a suppose to be out of the world, but in reality not so great and extreemly sweet nilgiri tea in the nearby shop.

Then it was turn of the big boys. A Quick Gun Murugan's Hat was purchased then and there, snaps with tiger cubs taken, proof attached.

After a while, all seven kids boarded the chariot and Asif bhai started the drive back towards the Stone House at Kotagiri...

The waterfalls you see from Dolphin nose is st. catherine waterfalls.

Reached Stone house by 7 PM with very high hopes that we can have dinner nearby the camp fire.

But it was not suppose to be so. It was a cold night, Refreshed after taking bath, we had a quiet dinner in the Prana resturant in the main building. I remember having some soups, vegetables, basket of roti/nans, some rice. Once again the menu available was very small, most of the items in the menu were not available. But meal was decent enough that whatever ordered got consumed.

We found that we were the only one having the dinner in the resturant at that time (8 PM to 8:45 PM).

During the dinner, the plan for the next day changed, we were suppose to reach Mysore, having seen KR Sagar dam and gardens, But the ladies wanted to stay back in Ooty for one one day, key reason was...as one can imagine...Shopping.

We asked the manager to find whether 2 budget rooms would be available in Ooty. He told us that he will let us know by morning.

We had to leave the Stone House by 8:30 AM on 30th Jan. We had got the accomodation on this condition because, Dy CM of Tamilnadu was suppose to visit Kotagir on 30th noon. He or some of his key aids were suppose to stay at Stone house. Manager adviced us to leave early and reach Doddabetta prior to 8:30 AM as the road from Ooty to Kotagigi might get blocked for security reasons and passage to the convoy later in the day. So we decided to leave by 7 AM, accoridngly Asif bhai was informed to be ready.

As we, were leaving early, we also settled the formalities at the reception as well.

After dinner, assembled in my friend's room. the youngest kid was already in his first dream. My friend immediately jumped into his e-mails. Mothers started discussing extra circular activities of their kids, Asked the eager duaghters to demonstrate the Classical Dance steps learnt till now and started exchanging notes on the method of teaching, steps, ragas, talas, respctive Guru's etc. The duaghters one by one enthusiastically demonstrated what they have learnt. I was limited to the role of silent spectator and appreciator. After some time kids got tired, feeling sleepy, climbed on to the bed and joined the boy who might be in his third or fourth dream.

The discussion then moved towards schooling, parenting, hyper competition, un-necessary comparisons among the children etc etc. Soon both father's joined the debate. Eventually when we retired to our rooms, it was almost 11:30 PM.

I went into the sleep thinking about our stay at Kotagiri and what all we need to visit next day.

Alarm woke us up at 6 AM, we had the target of leaving by 7 AM. But the cold outside made us stay in the bed longer. Eventually we had to get up at 6:30 AM. Quickly freshened up, packed the remaining stuff, packed the kids snack boxes. Packed and Ready by 7:15 AM. Asifbhai was cleaning the vehicle, had kept the engine idling as he useally does during morning.
Asked him to load the luggage on to the carrier, We all moved to the Resturant for the morning cup of coffee. The Kitchen was still not open, but Hot Coffee, Tea, Bournvita were waiting for us. Everyone grabbed their respective cuppa.

We took some we were here photographs, Also once again looked at the folowers in the garden, bid farewell to stonehouse and started towards Ooty by 7:50 PM.

We had a target to complete the following during the day

1. Doddabetta
2. Tea Factory
3. Ooty Lake & Boating
4. Botanical Garden
5. Rose Garden
6. Booking a Hotel Room for the night
7. Shopping

Let me share how we fared during the day...

It was a bright and sunny day, very less fog. roads were clear, cool breeze hitting our face.

the entire (Most of) stretch from Ooty till Kotagiri was decorated with banners, welcome boards for the Dy CM of Tamilnadu. It was very quick to reach foot hits of Doddbetta.

We reached the Doddabetta (= Big Hill) by 8:30 PM.

One needs to wark from the car park to the entrance gate.
The 200 meter stretch is full of shops (food, caps, sweaters, muflers, toys etc etc). The stretch is not well maintained with lots of stinking waste just thrown arround. If the residents of Ooty do not care for the environment, then the visitors may not care for it at all.

We were one of the first ones to buy the ticket. Doddabetta has a Rock with a watch tower on it and with Telescopes inside the watch tower. From Doddabetta one can view the Ooty Town and nearby towns. View is very panaromic, i now begin to regret not buying the DSLR. The Telescope is controlled by the assitant and every one need to come in a Q to get a Darshan (=view). It was very uncomfortable for me to bend down and adujst myself to suit the telescope.

There are couple of other watching points. There are some flower plants, some not working children's park gadets, a resturant/snack shop, a toilet, a statue of mermaid, few benches for people to relax.

We took some snaps, had our breakfast (Dal vada, Omlet Bread, Tea), kids played in the park. Vada's were very tasty and we do not mind going back to have those Vada's again. My daughter who is just learning to eat eggs, eat the bread-Omlet without any fuss. Tea was also very good.

After spending about an hour plus we walked back to the parking.

I will let the pictures speak for themselves...

We reached the Doddabetta (= Big Hill)
Quote:

by 8:30 PM.

hope the time is typing mistake !


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