[NutsNBolts]

Originally Posted by laluks

Hi NutsNBolts, nice log.
I am all eyes, all the legs are eqqually beautiful and green.
Waiting for all the pictures coming up.

Thanks Lalu. It was only after reading your log that I got the idea of making this trip. Pics coming up shortly.

Originally Posted by ampere

NutsNBolts, Just a correction. I think the NH at Perinthalmanna is NH213 and not NH212. But I do agree that its very crowded! That must have been an amazing drive though.

If you stayed next to Coaker's walk, it must be Villa Retreat !

Also a curios question for all:

How is the route to Kodai via CBE instead of Palakkad? That is : Kalpetta -> Nilambur -> Gudalur -> Ooty -> CBE -> Pollachi ?

You are right Ampere, it is NH213. The drive from Kalpeta to Nilambur can't be expressed in words or even photos. Vistas are too beautiful to be captured truthfully.

The hotel where I stayed is Kodai Resort Hotel and it is just next to Coaker's Walk. I had tried for booking at Villa Retreat but it wasn't available. Here is the link to the hotel Kodai Resort Hotel

I was advised to avoid the Ooty - CBE - Pollachi route due to heavy crowds at Ooty.

[NutsNBolts]

Next morning after a surprisingly good breakfast, started for Coaker's walk. The hotel is nicely located and as soon as you come out of the hotel, you can choose to enter either coaker's walk or Bryant's park. We decided to head for Coaker's walk first. At 9 AM it was pretty pleasant with no views hidden by mist or fog. Here are a few pics:



















After Coaker's walk, we decided to head for Bryant's Park, which was in full glory of color and sunshine. A few pics:

Found these old vehicles "parked in the park"





Mr Junior



























Continued.....

[aargee]

Pictures are great; Coakers walk is one of my favourite place in Kodai. Yes, as you said, early morning walk is great over there. The picture right after your Jr's looks more of like drawing than picture - a paradise.

[NutsNBolts]

As you exit from Park, you are staring at Kodaikanal Lake. The idea of "boating in the lake was straightaway vetoed by home ministry. So we took to walking on the outer ring with junior cycling to his heart's content. By the time we finished walking, it was time for lunch. Decided to have lunch in the city. Red Apple restaurant, looked like newly opened and we headed there. Despite a large menu, they had only a few chalu items available. So we make did with staple diet of Biryani and moved on for a drive around Kodai, including Pine forest, Silent Valley, Guna Caves, Pillar Rock and Suicide point. We had half day to finish these and did so in a typical touristy manner. The fog was dense and few places were not visible. Guna caves, we learned, have been closed due to some deaths. Suicide point had huge number of tourists, which made me wonder. A few pics:

Upper Lake View



Pine Forests





Silent Valley









Guna Caves





Suicide Point





Kodai Lake in the evening





Some snaps of Kodai Hotel Resort

[NutsNBolts]

@aargee. Coaker's walk indeed is a nice place. I find Kodai to be better and compact as compared to Ooty. Three main attractions are closely located in Kodai which is great.

[aargee]

The pine forest looks clean; it was worst during my last visit in 2004; good to see & probably the govts initiative on green Kodai is working.

PS - Hush!!! My Wifey doesn't need to read this; She wants to go to Kodai & me to Ooty & we've never been to both place as we're in tie.

[i.1979]

NutsNBolts, good travalogue. thanks for those nice snaps.
me too agree with ampere. even i was wondering why did you select perinthalmanna route to pollachi instead of CBE. CBE route is almost 40 KMS shorter than the manjeri - perinthalmanna- pollachi route.

[i.1979]

sorry for the repetition of those questions. i think it is happened because of the post verification (newbie).
i like these hill stations and wild life so much, so waiting for your updates.

[ampere]

Thanks NutsNbolts. Yes Ooty traffic IS heavy. In fact I just came back from the place.
So how much extra distance you had to cover? Is it too high or just OK to offset the Ooty traffic advantage?

By the way very nice snaps.

[NutsNBolts]

Originally Posted by aargee

The pine forest looks clean; it was worst during my last visit in 2004; good to see & probably the govts initiative on green Kodai is working.

PS - Hush!!! My Wifey doesn't need to read this; She wants to go to Kodai & me to Ooty & we've never been to both place as we're in tie.

I too feel Kodai is cleaner compared to other places. Odd cases of neglect are there of course. Why don't you plan a trip which includes both Ooty and Kodai .

Originally Posted by i.1979

NutsNBolts, good travalogue. thanks for those nice snaps.
me too agree with ampere. even i was wondering why did you select perinthalmanna route to pollachi instead of CBE. CBE route is almost 40 KMS shorter than the manjeri - perinthalmanna- pollachi route.

It is shorter but there is more traffic.

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks NutsNbolts. Yes Ooty traffic IS heavy. In fact I just came back from the place.
So how much extra distance you had to cover? Is it too high or just OK to offset the Ooty traffic advantage?

By the way very nice snaps.

Thanks ampere. I think I covered extra 28km, which I feel was worth it, just for the sake of travelling a new route. Have been to Ooty a few times and Ooty-Metupalayam-CBE was too familiar. In addition, reports about heavy traffic kept me off.

[NutsNBolts]

Next day morning, after paying bills and a hefty breakfast, we set off from Kodai under a pleasant sun. Heavy traffic till the junction where road from Palani and Batalagundu meet. Once we turned for Palani, traffic was pretty scarce and we thoroughly enjoyed the empty road with surrounding beauty. Comparison to day before's night night climb brought a smile. Since there was plenty of time, decided to route from Amravathi Dam. The crocodile farm was a lot of excitement for junior. The dam did not have ant water though. Some pics of crocodile farm.

Signs Of Stuggle











After this we continued towards Pollachi after a short tea break at Udumalpet. Got lost in Pollachi, looking for road to Valparai. Language problem came to the fore here and due to our mis-understanding, we turned into a one way. The traffic from other side was only huge buses and heavily laden trucks. Somehow managed to get out from here and were piloted by a Amby towards main highway to Valparai. 34 hairpin bends is what you have to negotiate while going to Valparai. They come at you pretty thick and fast. Traffic from opposite side, though sparse, can be un-nerving. We were in Valparai by 1630 and it was raining heavily there. Any chance of going out for site seeing was washed away. Prior to starting the trip, had made booking at Hotel Green Hill Top (thanks Lalu). Decided for a quick dinner and crashed out.

Here is the GPX file of route from Kodai to Valparai via Amravathy.

kodai to valparai.gpx

In the morning, after breakfast, we were all set to go home, via thick forest. As long as we were in Taminadu side of road, it was all smooth sailing. Enter Kerala, and road, all but vanished. Drive was reduced to 2nd/3rd gear for major part. The dense forest all around and sheer greenery and silence takes away the pain of driving on non-existent roads. About 60km was covered in two and a half hours. Stopped at Athirapally for coconut water drink and from there, to Oberon Mall for lunch. Back home after short trip to Concorde for showing them the accident damages by 1700. Thus ended five days of a beautiful beautiful drive. Some snaps:
































GPX file: valparai to athirapally.gpx

[laluks]

Nice Nice Nice.
Lovely pictures, and lovely places. Waiting to see more.

Kodai is too small. Bryant park and further the loop road has almost all touristy places around it. Kodai on a weekend can check your patience with all those vehicles squeezing through this small road.

[jaisha8]

Excellent travalogue, Kapil. Enjoyed every word of it and of course great photos. Which camera are you using, is it a SLR. But very sorry to know about the minor accident you had. Such thing would spoil the entire mood of the trip, but good that you continued. I would've have returned back with a broken heart.
I was also at Tholpetty wildlife sanctuary on 17th May & returned on 18th May. We stayed night in the the Tholpetty forest guest house. It was a great experience.

[NutsNBolts]

@lalu. Thanks. I think Kodai being small makes it a better alternative. If only they could manage the traffic better.

Thanks Jaisha. I use Canon EOS 1000D. Accident had turned the mood off for that day, but I guess the decision to press on was well rewarded.