29th May 2010, 00:58
| #1 |
| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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| Civved : Yercaud via Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry This is not a recent trip. The trip was done in September 2008. TBHP friends @jacs and @tortoiseNhare was mentioning I had not taken my Civvy in any of the fun drives, and Civvy is missing it all. This trip was done in my Civvy just before I did my Goa and Karnataka Coastal drive. You can read that here. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...km-8-days.html Yercaud is an off beat and unassuming destination. And for the nature lovers there are unspoilt places where you can just drive into and stop and walk around. And for the tourist there is a lake by default and for the drive crazy guys like us there are the hairpin curves  I do not have much good pictures, it was just the driving craze then and any place with hairpins - off I go. We keep travelling to Pondicherry often as my sister in law resides there. This trip to Yercaud was and immediate branch off to one such trip. A sudden plan. Before reaching Pondy we had a break at Mahabalipuram too. So the trip was like Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry - Salem - Yercaud - Bangalore. From 30.08.2008 to 04.09.2008, 6 days. Bangalore, Mahabalipuram and Pondy was hot, and Yercaud was a bit cool then. Day 1. Bangalore - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry Day 2. Pondicherry Day 3. Pondicherry - Salem - Yercaud Day 4. Yercaud Day 5. Yercaud Day 6. Yercaud - Salem - Bangalore I seem to have misplaced the time distance log. But anyways that would be redundant now as Bangalore Salem and Pondicherry Salem roads in 2008 was a mess with all the deviations. Hoping to relive a few wonderful days now, sharing with you all  |
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29th May 2010, 02:31
| #2 |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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| Day 1, 30th August 2008 Bangalore - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry We left Bangalore by 05:00AM to Pondicherry. Nearing Krishnagiri, we suddenly decided to drive to Mahabalipuram, spend a few moments near the beautiful Shore temple and take the picturesque ECR road to Pondicherry. Mahabalipuram And thus we reached Mahabalipuram by 11:00AM. It was too hot, the sand was too hot and it pricked very badly. But all this is OK, since the beauty of the place is immense. We had been there after the tsunami. Most of the shore was already eaten away. Further the sea here is very rough and unpredictable. I had lost a couple of known people here. You can have more details of the Shore temple here Mahabalipuram Some pictures from Mahabalipuram.                     Having some Ice to cool us down   After cooling down we went ahead to the Coromandel Coast and the waters of Bay of Bengal  continued... |
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29th May 2010, 02:42
| #3 |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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| Day 1, 30th August 2008 continued Mahabalipuram After visiting the Shore Temple and Cooling down, we moved on to the beach for the customary leg wetting and shell collection drive Some pictures from the beach. I am afraid of this beach even though we are very much away from the waves. I have lost a few known people here. Having some quality time together with my Power Puff Girls.  I am holding them firmly.  Enough of the leg wetting ritual  Wifey does her part  Power Puff Girls calling the waves to come to them.  The rough Sea  Shell Collection  We lazed around till 12:30PM and drove via the beautiful ECR to Pondicherry. We reached my sister in laws place by 14:30PM and had a very good lunch. Post lunch I dozed of only to wake up for the evening tea. Chit chat followed by dinner, the day ended very fast. Last edited by laluks : 29th May 2010 at 02:50. |
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29th May 2010, 03:20
| #4 |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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| Day 2, 31st August 2008 Pondicherry We had been to Pondicherry so many times that we had lost count. So no more Pondy sight seeing. Me and my Brother in law went out to buy some fresh sea fish, while the ladies prepared the dishes. Kids were on their own playing some funny games. Had a sumptuos lunch with nice fish and mutton dishes, and dozzed off again . This time I was woken up early since the kids wanted to go to some water theme park nearby. I too wanted to jump into the water as it was terribly hot and humid at Pondicherry. So off we went to a tiny water theme park nearby. We reached there by 15:00PMJunior Power Puff Girl cooling off  Artificial waterfalls  Me and Junior Power Puff Girl cooling off under the waterfalls  Everybody in the family decides to have a ride  Junior Power Puff Girl finds her Super Bike  Everybody in the family decides to have another adventure ride  Enough of water and adventure. Ready to go back  The water slides which was much fun  Senior Power Puff Girl decides to take a ride with her Uncles.  Senior Power Puff Girl with her Uncles in front of the Theme Park.  The ladies waiting for me to unlock our Civvy to get in  Junior Power Puff Girl with our Civvy  Palm Trees near the park  By 18:30PM we reached home. Again tea, chit chat, dinner, and I never knew when I dozzed off. I love such trips, I just have to eat and sleep only. Its fun Next day by 12:00PM we decided to leave Pondicherry. Suddenly an idea struck me - why don't we drive via Salem and go to Yercaud?? And thus a plan to visit Yercaud was done. Called up Sterling Resorts and booked a room, since Club Mahindra property- Lake Forest was fully occupied. Yercaud trip details to follow |
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29th May 2010, 03:45
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29th May 2010, 09:06
| #6 | |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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29th May 2010, 10:38
| #7 |
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| Day 3, 1st September 2008 Pondicherry - Salem - Yercaud We left Pondy by 12:00PM after lunch together. At the entry to Pondy nice welcome structures are made to welcome you. Some pictures of the Welcome structure from some previous trips. These pictures were taken in 2005 October.   Yercaud is around 240Km from Pondy. In 2005 October I took the Pondy - Villupuram - Veppur - Sirupakkam - Attur -Salem route. I had my Esteem then. The Veppur - Sirupakkam - Talaivasal route is through some thick vegetated area, and roads were non existant after a while in 2005. Veppur Sirupakkam Talaivasal route   A slight deviation from the main story since there is a nostalgic memory associated with this route. This trip of 2005 was special because I had Dashy with me after I picked her up from Coimbatore. This was her first ever road trip, and the first days with me. She was just 30 days old then That trip was like Coimbatore - Salem -Attur -Pondy - Bangalore, with a very well behaved Dashy in the Passenger Seat - Mostly looking at the sky passing by. The first glimpse of our Dashy at her home in Coimbatore  After the long drive she's comfortable in her new home in Bangalore  Bangalore was cold in December 2005 . We always used to laugh at the way she sits The floor is cold for her   Getting back to the story of 2008, This time we drove through Pondy - Villupuram - UlundurPettai - Elavasanur - Kallakkurichi - Chinna Salem - Attur -Salem - Yercaud route. We reached Yercaud by 17:00PM. Yercaud After checking in at Sterlings and Coffe break, we got out for a walk by 19:00PM. Sterling Resorts is right at Lady's Seat and a few minutes walk from the Gent's Seat.  The weather was chill and the watchman makes a fire for himself, and we also were happy to be a part.  A few pictures from Gents Seat   The walk to Gents Seat  Since the weather was getting chiller and we were not equipped with any warm dress we decided to get back to the resort and have hot dinner and retire. From Ladies Seat, Gents Seat and Child's Seat you get to see a beautiful view of the valleys below. |
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29th May 2010, 11:26
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29th May 2010, 11:30
| #9 |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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| Day 4, 2nd September 2008 Yercaud Resort - Horticulture farm - Child's Seat - Pagoda Point - Montfort School - Serverayan Cave temple - Loop road - Yercaud lake - Ladies Seat - Resort After a very lazy breakfast we started walking by 09:30AM. A view from the resort  Senior Power Puff Girl enacting the famous Statue  Horticultural Farm and Child's Seat We reached the Horticultural farm that was very nearby. It was green all around. Romantic - wish I could turn back time  The present is fine too...  A beautiful plant  Steps to the Child's seat  A little later we reached the Child's Seat, and enjoyed the views around for a while.    Senior Power puff Girl doing a customised Bunny Rabbit Smile  Having some quality time amongst the greens  A walk way inside the farm  Wifey checking out pepper vine, missing our home in Kerala  Amazing place to laze around. After an hour we walked back to the resort and took the car for our next point. continued... |
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29th May 2010, 11:37
| #10 |
| BHPian  Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Delhi
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| Amazing TL sir really enjoyed reading it.  Last year I went to Pondicherry with my family this was my first trip down south, as I'm from Delhi couldn't make it a road trip so we took a flight to Chennai and from there took a cab to Pondy. We also did a pit stop at Mahabalipuram the temple and its architecture is amazing and backdrop with the sea is just too good. Even I have many pics but won't hijack your TL with those  One thing i really wanted to mention was the drive between Mahabalipuram and Pondy the roads were amazing with sea running alongside the whole time its just awesome. The only down side was we were driven and that too in an Indica would have loved to drive myself all the way to Pondy. I even spotted a Jaguar on the way back and they were not a common sight back then. Cheers |
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29th May 2010, 11:44
| #11 | |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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Mahabalipuram is a very scenic place, except for the temperatures The sea is rough, and the depth varies and also rocky at some places. The waves take you by surprise and becomes dangerous. Here you can find the stone that Lord Krishna found in his food while being fed. Though I never chanced to see it. Many resorts are here catering to all budgets, and our favourite was TTDC. But I guess now it is taken over by some private players - don't know much details. For us it is always Pondy for the night. | |
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29th May 2010, 12:16
| #12 | |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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The East Coast Road is an amazing road to drive. I know how you'd have wanted to push the indica driver and drive it yourself Jaguar - you mean the car or the actual black leapord? Last edited by laluks : 29th May 2010 at 12:21. | |
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29th May 2010, 12:47
| #13 |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore
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| Day 4, 2nd September 2008 Continued... Yercaud You can read more details of Yercaud at Yercaud Lake, Yercaud Park Pagoda Point We reached Pagoda Point by 12PM. The place was indeed touristy with some people around. We had always found a way to have our private space even in any maddenning crowd, rather than just cribbing. You are out there to enjoy - so are the others, accept that simple fact. Else you lose out - nothing else!! Expecting everything beautiful only for you in your way is either vanity or being down right selfish, and when you don't get it it, its just immaturity to say everything's bad. Civvy parked at Pagoda Point.  Wifey finds a nice spot to view around  You can see the Kakkambadi village immediately down, and Salem far away.  Good views around.  Trying to take it all in.  We then drove to Montfort School.  The Park in front of the School.  Sorry no pictures from the Campus. By the time we exited the campus, it was already late and we were hungry. We decided to go to Club Mahindra property Lake Forest and have lunch. The restaurant with a view.  The indoor games center, which had some old traditional board games. Wifey enjoying the rest after lunch.  After lazing around for some time after lunch, we set out to our next destination for the day.  continued... |
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29th May 2010, 14:31
| #14 |
| Senior - BHPian | What are the odds laluks, I change my avatar to the brown spotted pup and Dashy makes her appearance in the very next post. She sits like a human baby!! Last edited by khoj : 29th May 2010 at 14:34. |
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29th May 2010, 15:04
| #15 |
| BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kottayam
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