[LongDrive lover]

Day 11:

Exploring Munnar - part II Continues..PHOTOS

Views at Mettupetti reservoir, and Boating in itOn that bright sunny day, we enjoyed there a lot..so much so that we clicked countless pics there, views and ambiance were great, posting a few!

[KRRaj]

Looks very serene and Calm. Are those domesticated elephants?

[MX6]

@KRRaj. Those are WILD. They are IN THE WILD.

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by MX6

@KRRaj. Those are WILD. They are IN THE WILD.

Yes, they were wild. Thanks MX for replying. Our boat driver took to that side, and he also took our pics with those elephants in the background! Those elephants too were so serene and calm!, just standing there.

More snaps from the same place..

In last 2-3 shots, you can see Mettupatti dam

[LongDrive lover]

Day 11:

Exploring Munnar - part II Continues..PHOTOS

Our 'successful' attempt at 'Elephant Safari' near Mettupetty dam and few more snaps there. It was on our daughter's insistence, that we spent those 350 Rs. for 10 mints, but, I enjoyed it!

[MX6]

From one elephant to another elephant. So how was the transition for your daughter? Seems like very soon you will enter Karnataka!

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by MX6

From one elephant to another elephant. So how was the transition for your daughter? Seems like very soon you will enter Karnataka!

No Sir, First, its going to be TN (Ooty); then KA! It was a mammoth trip, and I am writing it in some detail (off course, still it is not in full details!), so that it'll be here for long as reference to us; and also, it'll give lot of heart to other fellow members from North who might have some hidden desire in their hearts to go for such trip 'with family to south in their own car' .

Though the daughter had insisted, but, when finally on it, she was scared, even her mother was scared! but, I was enjoying and giving them courage to 'enjoy'. And once over, they were also in joy to 'have done it'.

Day 11 Munnar Part II continues..

Now pics from the Blossom Park, Munnar

[MX6]

Afraid of elephants? You should have shown your daughter this photo before setting out.

[KRRaj]

Keep them pictures coming. You really did have a great time down south.

Originally Posted by MX6

@KRRaj. Those are WILD. They are IN THE WILD.

Wow!! Seems they come there regularly. Never seen so many elephants at a time in the Wild.

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by MX6

Afraid of elephants? You should have shown your daughter this photo before setting out.

Ha ha.. brave daughter of a brave traveler.. Yes, she liked them from a distance, but, afraid to go near. We also had pics like the one you showed, at Meenakshi temple. But, it was me and wife who got the blessings of the Gajraaj in that way! We tried to get the daughter too, but she was very hesitant, came till her mother only, not close enough to have the 'full experience'.

Day 11 Munnar Part II continues..

Eravikulam National Park, Rajamallai - An unforgettable experience

It was 3.30pm when we came out of Blossom park. I called Mr. Deepak, he told, we can still visit the Era..Nat. Park. Not wasting time, we immediately drove, reached there. Again views on both side of the road were great. As I went to park the car at proper place, I asked the family to buy bus tickets. When I returned, they were in Q for Park bus, ready with tickets. We boarded bus, and as it started to take us to higher and higher altitudes, views got amazing! Those experienced drivers from both sides were turning those buses on those blind sharp and steep hairpin bands like anything . After some time, we thought as if, til now we were in foot-hills only! Though it was getting mistier, thus blocking the full valley views, but, still at times we got god views, and they were stunning. We were thrilled.

We reached there, at 4.35 and were given time to roam around till top and come back by 5.30 pm. to bus stop. We felt tired to trek up, but, the nature therapy gave enough energy and we reached till the end limit, saw soothing natural water flowing in from top of hill, and got several very close views of Nilgiris Thar, but we neither touched or disturbed those docile creatures. They were very cute, posing there for people like us.

We got back to the bus stop in time completely satisfied, and all the tiredness of climb was gone! had hot coffee there, and were impressed with Kerala Forest Dept management and cleanliness of toilets even at that altitude.

Now few snaps from this visit.. Though, again I should apologize for their very ordinary quality. Couldn't capture views of valley, as in evening it was misty.

[MX6]

@LDL. Was she seeing elephants from close for the first time? You know 90% of people I've interacted to in US and UK have not seen elephants in real life!

@KRRaj. Elephants need water. Lots and lots of water. And they always live in herds. You are safe as long as you see a herd of elephants. If you run in to a lone tusker, you are in for trouble. Surprisingly Elephants run fast, climb up quickly and easily too and swim. So you want to run away from a mad tusker, start climbing down hill. They can't climb down hill that quickly and take ages.

I remember a joke about elephants and a british family
A British couple touring south India wasn't actually enjoying their trip, with the lady being very disgruntled. The husband however was a riot hitting out well with the locals. While they were driving through Bandipur, the wife wanted to rub it in stating how she'd have preferred the beaches of Malaysia or the mountains of alps against a mosquito infested tropical jungle, the husband tried cheering her up exclaiming, "Herd of elephants!".
The wife got even more irritated and retorted, "What do you mean Heard of Elephants? Ofcourse I've heard of elephants".

[StarVegabond]

Hi LDL.

It is indeed an amazing trip, especially considering you are from heartland of hindi belt - UP. Hats off to your wife and kids for their courage to be with you on this trip.

it appears that your kids had some of the best time of their life on this trip.

[TaureanBull]

@MX6 : Is the elephant giving some kind of blessings? or is it my imagination?

BTW The thinking here in Egypt is something different. For, the India is famous for Elephants and Amitabh Bachchan (of late bollywood movies). The most funny part is that they believe that in India people have personal elephants like an Egyptian having a donkey.

@ LDL : Very nice pics. Keep them coming.

[KRRaj]

Originally Posted by MX6

@KRRaj. Elephants need water. Lots and lots of water. And they always live in herds. You are safe as long as you see a herd of elephants. If you run in to a lone tusker, you are in for trouble. Surprisingly Elephants run fast, climb up quickly and easily too and swim. So you want to run away from a mad tusker, start climbing down hill. They can't climb down hill that quickly and take ages.

I remember a joke about elephants and a british family

I see you have a done a lot of research on how to escape from elephants. I will remember the same. So what is the escape routine for lions? You mentioned you were 8 feet away from one at Gir.

Sorry LDL for the OT

[MX6]

Originally Posted by KRRaj

I see you have a done a lot of research on how to escape from elephants. I will remember the same. So what is the escape routine for lions? You mentioned you were 8 feet away from one at Gir.

Sorry LDL for the OT

Asian lions don't attack humans unlike African lions. Never come in between an Asian lion and it's prey. That's the only thing. Never go too close to any lion.
Else be armed with a shot gun with tranquilizers. Or run fast enough to lead the lion to a herd of neelgais or sambars. Else better grow wings.

Here's a photo I took of a lion in Gir just 8 feet or so away. I don't have the original exif details as I'd taken this with an Analogue SLR Pentax MZ50 with a 50 mm lens way back in 2000. This is the photo of my own photo.
I have to digitise all my old photos those are on prints. Many off them are priceless gems which are slowly being eaten by moisture of the second wettest place in India!


There's another bugger who got irritated seeing me close in on her and showed her canine to me. Me being alive now is a miracle actually. I'll load those photos of the lions and lionesses of Gir in a separate logue.

@Taureanbull. Yes. It's a gesture that Elephants in temples are trained to do to earn some quick bucks to their mahouts. Go to any temple in South India that houses an Elephant. Hand over anything from 2 - 5 rs coin in their trunk. They hand it over to the mahout and do this to you. It's fun. If you are lucky, they might even blow some water on your head from their trunk (which is essentially their saliva).