[laluks]

Thanks @venom_rider for the Pulikat update.

[jeevmenon]

The following snaps were taken on the 40 minute drive from the falls to the Kalyani Dam from 12:10 to 12:50 pm. It was bright, sunny and pollution free. The drive down the ghats was more enjoyable this direction than it was when we drove to the falls. We clicked around 100 during the period out of which 10 are posted here.

[rock18]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

Next destination: Jungle Huts:
There were a few log huts and a bunch of guys in their late 20s having fun in the swing/slide. We were hoping to get some lunch or some snack at this place and were hoping that the dal-wada being fried (in the open just outside the cafeteria log hut) by the care-takers was for sale. But they refused saying that one had to order these well in advance. Disheartened we drove back hoping to get something to eat at the next stop. Would it be Bhakarapet/KalyaniDam/Chandragiri?

I went to Talakona last month and stayed in this place.Since it was kinda bachelor's trip(7guys all in 16-28 age group) we booked a dormitory for 1000rs/night. Stay was decent for us. I guess the huts were charged 400rs/night.

Food will be available only on order as they have to go to town to buy things. we ordered 2kg chicken for the dinner.
Dinner was cheap and taste was excellent.

We went to the source of the falls instead of the one we see here in the picture..Little bit of walking and you will be rewarded with a clean and less crowded falls...force was good enough for us to have a nice massage/bath.

I would definitely recommend this place for a day trip to families and if you are a large group then one day night stay will be a good experience.

Will try to post a travelogue soon.

[Venom_rider]

Originally Posted by aargee

Place looks real good, would like to stay in one of those huts, but for the insects; mosquitoes are quite OK, should be under control with Good Knight. Any idea, if we could stay there?

Yes, you can stay in one of those huts.

Originally Posted by aargee

Prepare youself for different types of bugs & other creatures ; may be off rainy season would be ideal.

Yup... that's what I meant, sometime between Nov - Jan.

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

I do not know how Mamandur would be. Thats more unknown. Maybe worth a try. Btw the cell number of Mamandur got cut because of the team-bhp logo. The number is 9440810303.

Thank you Jeev! Appreciate you putting up the pics here.

[jeevmenon]

The previous night I had noticed a water hole on the google maps - Kalyani Dam. So the plan was if we have the time on our way back we shall go to this dam. And at around 1 p.m wifey spots this on the left side and I pull over. This area is a police training college cum Dam. As we enter the arched main gate, the security asks me to enter details in a register and we started the walk. We knew it would be a km or so. As we walk through the nice concrete road and quarters for the police folks to stay, we see a huge crowd of police men having their Sunday lunch. We see a couple of hills a little away and guess the dam to be close to that. We also see shooting range - no wonder police training locations are close to hills - stray bullets wont do any harm!

At the end of the concrete road walk we see an end-gate. Cross this and there is a half-tarred road and I site a wild pig. There is no one around. It vanishes into the bushes. In that sweltering heat it was a bit too much of a walk but as we found out worth the walk.

[jeevmenon]

Truly rewarding views of the dam upon reaching the top. There were few people on the dam walking area beyond the gate. They had actually climbed over the chained gate. We did not. The water in the catchment was not much, but hills all around! At the banks of the catchment area we saw a few people - fishing? They appeared as toys from the top.

[jeevmenon]

Here are some more snaps of the Dam. Good part done and now the walk back to the car in that heat. Neha was a bit tired by now, carried her off and on and through the tree shades on that straight 1.5 km stretch in the police training campus. Back at the bus stand. Sprite/Maaza/Chips. Back in the car and off we go. Now we were running short of fuel both for us as well as the Spark. We thought lets reach that Hotel Sindhu residency junction and we might find some hotel. We did not want to revisit Sindhu since the last time during our Chandragiri trip the Rs 100/- meal was not worth. We thought of doing roti/sabzi this time.

[sami316]

Wow,
Awesome pics again Jeev. Really liked the pics of your 40 minute drive from the falls to the Kalyani Dam.

[jeevmenon]

Thanks Sami. So we were on our way and as we had not seen any hotels on our onward journey thought of taking the Srikalahasti route to Tada and then the NH to fill up much needed fuel and food. Some snaps on this route: I just loved the sky/cloud colours (no pollution!)















Finally found both at the Renigunta junction. And it was going to be meals at 50 bucks at Ugadi. But that meal was really something!!

[ampere]

Very nice snaps! I have started liking the interior roads far better than those GQ! Esp if they run through dense green patches. Very nice indeed.

Dam also looks very good and also an location on top of that!

[jeevmenon]

Dam is damn good! Indeed. Further we reached Srikalahasti. Here we got a bit confused and lost our way a bit to get into the Tada road.





Srikalahasti-Tada road is also a very beautiful scenic country route, guys. We encountered a buffalo herd and it was tricky to get through them.





Here is a couple of snaps and a query for all of you as to what this is? I named it Kulfi




Five km before hitting the NH at Tada we saw this white magnificient building that most of you would have seen and what we call the White Meditation Center.



And finally the home stretch / last-mile:

[supremeBaleno]

Nice Travelogue, menon. Looks like we are seeing another hvkumar in the making. :-)
P.S.: Am glad you got the Spark, else knowing you, you would be doing this on the Splendour.

[jeevmenon]

Thanks sB. However its pre-mature to be compared to HVK, its like comparing anyone to Tendulkar in cricket. Long way to go. Anyway, good to see you sB in the TL section away from your regular tech area, TDs, Indian car scene.

[Driving_Dreams]

Very nice Travelogue. The one which you named Kulfi is actually Bajra Crop. In tamil it is known as "Kambhu". We used to roast it(like how u roast corn) in fire and seperate the grains from the stem and eat in our childhood days. Nowadays you get these in the form of raw grains/flour packed in supermarkets.

[jeevmenon]

Thanks for the info, Driving_Dreams. Bajra. Hmm. We also saw these dried and on the road, lots of them and on one instance could not avoid driving over them as it was spread across the breadth of the road. What do Tamilians do with Bajra flour / grain? Roti? Bajra roti is usually a northern thing (Maharashtra/Rajasthani). Or as a soup/kanji in those "Aruna Soup" stalls seen outside the grocery stores in the evening times here in Chennai? Or sell it to Dhabba Express?