[paragsachania]

^^ Not to forget the Charmadi Ghats as well which always invited drivers who would prefer a much scenic route as opposed to the Shiradi.

[f1fan]

Originally Posted by MX6

Another amazing place which many people driving this circuit end up missing is Kudremukha. I missed suggesting this to LDL. Actually Kudremukha is a bikers paradise.
Coming to your place, yes. I've been there.

U Bet. During my MIT days, we were a group of 8 bikers and used to ride there often. Those were some days.

[MX6]

f1fan. I thought you were in Delhi. Now notice your location says Mumbai. Did I see wrong or did you move to Mumbai?

[f1fan]

Originally Posted by MX6

f1fan. I thought you were in Delhi. Now notice your location says Mumbai. Did I see wrong or did you move to Mumbai?

Nope, have been a Mumbaite all my life.

[vrprabhu]

Sorry for the break guys. I am acting like the monsoon in Pune - all built up but no action!!

Been having a spate of problems - with the car. Still trying to isolate the problem and solve. Will be posting the entire experience / episode in the appropriate thread. Problem is yet to the solved, BTW.

Compiling the pictures, will continue soon!

[vrprabhu]

Before I start with the events of Day 5, I will get the quiz of the ground...

Which is this place?


One of the few pictures with my family in it - so they and place were quite photogenic!! (That's the hint, btw)


And the answers to the earlier quiz -

Name this place.

Hint - Nothing!

OK, OK, don't get worked up - this is the fag end of a chain; and, the real place is, well, ahem, unspoken...

SILENT VALLEY!!

Beginning or End of the valley - depending which side you take (Kerala or TN!)

This picture was taken somewhere near Walayar. A forest always brings this place to my mind...

[MX6]

And you know why the silent valley gets that name? Not that it's completely silent. There's some bugger missing there. He makes noises and he is found almost all forests except this one.
It's is alleged that the noisy cicadas are absent here due to which some english explorer named this place as silent valley.
Some people also think that Silent is how the brit's pronounced Sairendri, the name Draupadi took during 1 year of hiding. Seems the Pandav brothers with their wife stayed here for a year! Now, that's some Story!

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by MX6

Some people also think that Silent is how the brit's pronounced Sairendri, the name Draupadi took during 1 year of hiding. Seems the Pandav brothers with their wife stayed here for a year! Now, that's some Story!

Glad to note that you are in full flow!! Esp. after the meet...

Also glad that I posted that question..

Here is the update on Day 5 -

We are up and early - deadline given was 9.00AM at counseling hall at Manipal. We are there by 8.30. Very few people in sight - mostly students hurrying to classes.

The process starts and my daughter was third on the list!

So she gets the seat of her choice (with some pushing and brain-washing from the parents) at MCODS, Mangalore. Formalities are completed quickly. We have to return to Manipal after 16th for other work.

We plan to vacate the room and reach Mangalore by evening. So one more darshan of Krishna, a quick bite at Diana and we are on our way...

The first halt...












After this, I get sick of the traffic - especially the bus drivers overtaking from left, right and centre. And nightmare at Suratkal - is that bridge a 10 year plan? - negates any further idea of visiting nearby places. Reaching the destination in one piece is the priority now..

Oops, have I let the cat out of the bag by posting these pictures?

[MX6]

2448 is an amazing composition!
That suratkal is a 20 year plan I guess. I was warned by locals to look out for the dangerous things near the bridge as I was driving from Udupi to Mangalore at 4 in the morning. So nearing surathkal, with poor visibility I decided to reduce from 80 to 40. It wasn't as bad a stretch. ofcourse at 4:40 am, with no other traffic, it was fine. On the way back when the traffic started building up and with light, I realised, this stretch is a pain.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by MX6

Some people also think that Silent is how the brit's pronounced Sairendri, the name Draupadi took during 1 year of hiding. Seems the Pandav brothers with their wife stayed here for a year! Now, that's some Story!

ye pandava log kidhar kidhar ek ek saal rahe hai!!
There are lot many places in India where people tell that pandava stayed here for 1 year and there for 1 year.
If someone really count the number of places with the hide out time, i think it will be more than 100 years of hide out.

Originally Posted by MX6

2448 is an amazing composition!

Little cropping from rock side will be good one.
[ look, i am talking like seasoned photographer]

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by MX6

2448 is an amazing composition!

That suratkal is a 20 year plan I guess.

Thanks! One of the reasons why I wanted to attend the meet - to ask you, how do you decide which pictures to upload?

20 year plan - priceless!!

I have always been fascinated by light houses - too immersed in Famous 5, Secret 7, Adventure series et al by Enid Blyton instead of text books.

To get to the point, these light houses were primarily designed to warn the sailors of the shore or danger near the shore. I came to know that each light house has its own pattern of light (signals) and the person manning the light house also has been given training on signaling (special / disaster mode) in case of impeding disaster, rough weather etc.

One of the interesting places, which I remember visiting as a kid, was a place between Quilon and Trivandrum. Vytilla, was it? There is a temple atop a steep cliff, where there is lamp which is supposed to be aflame 24 / 7! I remember being told that Vasco-da-Gama was facing a difficult time in stormy weather and this light guided him to the shore... and thereafter this lamp is aglow throughout the day!

Fascinating - is it true?

What I recollect is that standing inside the temple, you can see the sea bang opposite to the idol and the lamp.

[MX6]

True. Pandavs have stayed in Coastal gujarat. They've stayed in caves of maharashtra, they've stayed in jungles of kerala! That's why we call them Mythology. There's huge myth surrounding where all they could have been. And in between they have to engage in battles, they have to go to Devaloka (to hide, fall in love with apsaras, meet their respective fathers, get some boons etc etc).

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Little cropping from rock side will be good one.
[ look, i am talking like seasoned photographer]

Don't you start! As it we are crazy about cars and travel - adding photography to the list will be pure disaster!!

Originally Posted by MX6

True. Pandavs have stayed in Coastal gujarat. They've stayed in caves of maharashtra, they've stayed in jungles of kerala! That's why we call them Mythology. There's huge myth surrounding where all they could have been.

Myth or not, I love the stuff. Just the way I used to lap "Ten Commandments" whenever I saw it.

Just marvel at the imagination of the person or persons who must created this stuff...

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

The first halt...

it appears you did not go up the light house to to the top balcony.
you may check it out in the post #133 in the below linked thread.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-meetha-3.html


BTW congratulations on your daughter securing admission in medical stream
Wish her all the success.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

it appears you did not go up the light house to to the top balcony.

BTW congratulations on your daughter securing admission in medical stream. Wish her all the success.

Nope - it was rainy season, and we were lucky that the rains stopped briefly. Besides, the entrance was closed. The sea was rough - we were lucky that there was a small patch of sand available for us to walk across.

Any one seeing the two pictures side by side will understand what I mean.

Thanks - I will.

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

After this, I get sick of the traffic - especially the bus drivers overtaking from left, right and centre. And nightmare at Suratkal - is that bridge a 10 year plan? - negates any further idea of visiting nearby places. Reaching the destination in one piece is the priority now..

We reached Mangalore by about 6 PM - a couple of wrong turns gave us the darshan of what has become of this city. Can't believe that this was a laid back town where we wanted to enjoy lazy days. Saw the Infosys Complex - couldn't believe it - wasn't there a couple of years back. And all the roads getting concretised, traffic jams... whew!

Day 6 entailed a quick look at the college, the hostel etc. BTW, the first year for MBBS and BDS at MCODS, Mangalore is at the same place - which is different from KMC - Centre for Basic Sciences, Bejai.

Liked the idea. Definitely would help the students to bond well and get them settled for the next few years of campus life, don't you think.

The evening was spent at Venkatramana Temple and Ideal. Think it was bad gorging ice-cream after ice-cream at various places - I can't even think of having one now!!

Day 7 was meant to be an early start to Calicut, via a couple of interesting places, including the places where my wife spent her childhood, and a couple of famous beaches.... more of that tommorrow!