[ampere]

Here is one for you VRP. What say you?

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...-55k-nh212.jpg

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Here is one for you VRP. What say you?

Nothing - because I am speechless!!!

And that Fusion made my jaw drop. Apart from Palio that is one car which I yearned for. Unfortunately, was priced beyond my reach. Still dreaming of a second hand (red) fusion....

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Nothing - because I am speechless!!!

And that Fusion made my jaw drop. Apart from Palio that is one car which I yearned for. Unfortunately, was priced beyond my reach. Still dreaming of a second hand (red) fusion....

Those 2 as you say were the only guys, way ahead of their times and hence did not sell well esp. the Fusion. Palio still did better!

But yes, it was an absolute beauty to drive on NH212!

[vrprabhu]

The intensity of the rains depleted the farther we drove away from Wayanad.

Just as no two beaches are similar, no two roads also are not similar... And on the NH212 the foliage changes dramatically.


From the densely wooded trees, we approach a canopy of bamboo trees (plants?). The melody created by them with the help of wind was soothing.. no wonder somebody coined the term 'windchimes'.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

@vrp,
fantastic pics.
pics of bamboo tunnel reminded me the scene on 12mati-nira road where such tunnels are formed due to banyan trees.

[vrprabhu]

Re-posting - earlier post has vanished. Don't know what I clicked

Thanks, AP! I also recollected the tunnels created by banyan trees on the Sangamner-Akole-Rajur road. Quite a sight to see the roots spouting and inching down, to turn into trunks, facing all adversity and tough conditions...

As we cross the Kerala border and drive into Karnataka, the rains cease. The overcast sky creates an ethereal ambience to the whole area....

The roads teach me patience!! Head tells me to hit 100 - heart tells me to take it slow, no second chance to enjoy such a place, time and setting any time soon again. Heart wins.

You are right, Ampere. NH212 is the best forest road. Period.






This is a guest appearance! Much like Alfred Hitchcock making an appearance in his movies



There is a reason why we stopped there.....

[ampere]

VRP, Bang on! The idea is never over speed on such beauties, where you need to soak in the emerald surrounding!
Gundlupet to Kalpetta is absolutely enchanting.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ampere

The idea is never over speed on such beauties

Unfortunately, I am a slow learner :-(. How many miles of such roads have I missed in the past?

Anyway, this is why I stopped -


So much rain and water till now, and now a dry stream! The sand on the stream bed was begging for water. (P&S can't reproduce the what one has seen). Talk about the vagaries of nature....

[MX6]

Anyway VRP. Neither trees or plants. They are called Bamboo shoots. Just for your information!

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by MX6

Neither trees or plants. They are called Bamboo shoots.

Thanks for the info. Now I can claim to have shot the shoot...

Good roads and sparse traffic enable us to make a good progress.

The landscape has changed dramatically - and this is how it looks.



Overcast sky and a carpet of marigolds prompt us to halt for a while, and I coax my wife for a pose. To be honest, it felt good to stand there and enjoy the solitude, and I wouldn't have minded spending a couple of days in a place like this!!



Know what, marigolds are a cash rich crop during Dussehra season. Wonder where these flowers are headed?

[ampere]

Second round of Marigold shots at Gundlupet after @Bigzero went on for his famous Kerala jaunt! Good one.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Second round of Marigold shots at Gundlupet after @Bigzero went on for his famous Kerala jaunt!

Bigzero's pictures are many zeroes better....

Thanks, Ampere, for pointing me to his thread. I think everyone else should take a look at his thread, just to see what the Ghats and tea estates of Wayanad look like. Unfortunately, it was raining heavily on my trip, so no pictures.

Anyway, moving ahead, before we leave the last of the isolated hamlets, we helped ourselves to these...



I like tender coconut water and my daughter drools over it. Don't know why people haggle with these people to pay Rs. 10 or Rs. 12 when they spend Rs. 20 or more on soft drinks?! Nothing artificial, no adulteration and good for health drink, wouldn't you say? Eco friendly, too....

The idea was to by-pass Mysore and proceed towards Shrirangapatna and have lunch somewhere in-between, so that we could make up the time lost on un-scheduled halts....

[MX6]

+1 on the tender coconuts VRP. I love tender coconuts too. They are very beneficial during long runs. We even shear off the top and carry 3 - 4 in the car which we open and give to our daughter (in her feeding bottle). Helps her cool down after hours of sitting in car seat!
Here's a photo which I saw in a shop that was selling tender coconuts in Thane! Best marketing for tender coconuts I've ever seen till now. This was in 2007.
Look who's drinking!


He's got two of such photos!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

I like tender coconut water and my daughter drools over it. Don't know why people haggle with these people to pay Rs. 10 or Rs. 12 when they spend Rs. 20 or more on soft drinks?! Nothing artificial, no adulteration and good for health drink, wouldn't you say? Eco friendly, too....

The idea was to by-pass Mysore and proceed towards Shrirangapatna and have lunch somewhere in-between, so that we could make up the time lost on un-scheduled halts....

There are two standard Tender coconut halts on this sector: 1. between Nanjangud and Gundlupet. And the more famous second between Gundlupet and Bandipur.

I dont remember seeing any between Gundlupet and Kalpetta.


Mysore-BLR road is a veritable eatery joint. You will get anything to everything!

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by MX6

Here's a photo which I saw in a shop that was selling tender coconuts in Thane! Best marketing for tender coconuts I've ever seen till now.
Look who's drinking!

Kudos to the guy who put this up - we require more like him. And, if I am not mistaken, the price of tender coconut is almost static between Rs. 10 and Rs. 15 (at least in the south) over the last five years. Don't know how much money these people make by selling them.....

Originally Posted by ampere

I dont remember seeing any between Gundlupet and Kalpetta.

All I can recollect is that this after Maddur and before Gundlupet.

To continue with our journey -

Much as I would have loved to stop every now and then, the thought of covering the distance to Pune by the end of next day prevents me further halts.

Pretty soon, the villages and hamlets are left behind and we are in the vicinity of Mysore, as evidenced by the following!





Strange sight to see two bridges (three if you count the under-bridge for the vehicles) side by side, one presumably for carrying water.... The barrier (in the first picture) which prevents the entry of tall vehicles was higher than the railway bridge. Logically, shouldn't it be a lower - or the three structures play an optical illusion on the eye?