Travelogue approved

Lovely pics there Ananth.

Day 2: 04 -June-2011 ---The Wanderer goes Wandering!

Day 2: 04 -June-2011 ---The Wanderer goes Wandering!

The boat ride continued on, I was informed it is a two-hour ride and would go into the extreme ends of the lake. The weather started to be even cooler and I was shivering till my jaws. I went on shooting images as I pleased. Every now and then the big family towards my left would ask me what animal it is and I would zoom in to check what it is and let them know. I always wondered how using a flash in a digital camera would cover the animal, which is at-least half a mile away! I did help them take few family photos and asked them to cover few other places in Idukki, which is en-route to Munnar.


After so many struggles, I reached the NH49 at Chitrapuram. But the roads were in a real bad condition and I had to tail behind a bus for a very long time. Finally, around 8 PM, I reached Munnar. Was it worth it I asked, when I saw the board! Yes, It was worth it. The night ride on the hills made me closer to nature and to talk to people of unknown localities and still get their divine help!

Day 3: 05 -June-2011 --- Majestic Munnar

Day 3: 05 -June-2011 --- Majestic Munnar

After crossing the dam, few folks stopped me asking me to pay parking money. I told them I am not stopping and am visiting the Top Station. They told me it is a private road and everyone needs to pay. I laughed myself out when he said that, I removed my helmet gave him a piece of my mind stating that the Dam belongs to the government and so is the road on top of it. I would rather pay 1000 rupees for a person suffering on road than to pay 10 rupees for something that is unnecessary.


Another few kilometres passed on, the rain did not stop but the traffic got immense around the boating centre and also the Echo-point. I did not want to stop there because of too much crowd and the possibility of unsafe parking lots. I reached Kundale Lake and traversed the small da around. I really liked the dam, it was small and beautiful and not many takers to enjoy the view of the dam.

The mist started setting in as I started from Kundale, I knew the viewpoint at Top station is not going to help and I would have to trek at least for an hour to get to the top. I took a U-turn and went back the same route I came from. I was somewhat worried where the folks at the Dam would stop me again. Surprisingly, they smiled and waved at me while going back. So much respect for talking out the facts? I felt special! Then, I was back into Munnar town and took the other route towards Pollachi. I had already covered these places many a times and hence knew the route / directions.


It was 11 AM, and I was hungry already. The climate was cold and my riding jacket, Wrangler denim was wet and cold. The denim atleast gave me some warmth but the jacket made me shivering. I stopped by the first village after munnar to have some tea. There was a private estate behind the shop, offering some splendid views and vistas. It was a huge green field with cows grazing and water running around. But, the entry was prohibited and the security would not let me take pictures from inside. My next stop was around Rajamalai. Every corner makes your heart melt, so much green and so much to see. Every angle makes you preserve the scenery on your eyes and no camera could photograph the actual beauty!


It was a challenging ride since most of the time I had to travel on first two gears and the bike starts wobbling and chocking if get on to the third gear. Did not stop much for the next 20 kilometres, reached Marayoor and was looking for a mechanic shop. I suspected the sir filter could have conked off or some water in fuel line. The mechanic told me the bike is overheated because of poor engine oil and asked me to replace it immediately. I changed it to an ELF 20 W 40, as nothing else as available in that town. The carbon deposit on the sparkplug was too much and replaced the plugs as well. The mechanic suspected the engine head or oil seal would have damaged hence not allowing the bike to perform normally. Tightened the chain and moved on after an hour.


It was 1:30 PM and I quickly had some snacks to munch on. The decent started and the bike behaved the same or rather the top end improved a little. I still suspected water in fuel line. I had to halt in Pollachi to sort it out. I have faced mechanical issues in pollachi in the past and hence knew the mechanic there as well. It took me about 3 hours to reach the last 60 kilometres, as I went slow and steadily Even the long free straights from Udumalpet to Pollachi covering through the wind mills had to covered slow, if not would have been in the three digit speeds much easier. I reached Pollachi by 4:30 PM and took a room near the bus stand. Thankfully, the data card was working. Logged on to the internet started uploading the pictures in queue and I came out looking for the mechanic.

Awesome pictures Ananth. The pictures look much and much better than on Facebook (Thanks to Facbook compression). Two thumbs up!!

Thanks Ravi!

You have very aptly demonstrated - A picture is worth a thousand words. Absolutely mesmerizing pictures capturing the true beuaty of gods own country. Monsoons in Kerala are really wild, but thats also the time you get to see nature in all its splendour. Great ride and thanks for sharing.

Thanks Haroon! Monsoons were really wild and crazy, Glad to have made it through and return home in single piece!

Thanks one again for such kind words..

Great pics bro. Guess you remember me. we met at Kollam.

Thanks! I do remember! Sorry, I was in a hurry and could not spend much and as it happened i could manage to hit kovalam that night by 8 30 PM or so

Actually i was worried as i had killed your time,anyway great.

Day 4: 06 -June-2011 ---One Crazy Ride!

Day 4: 06 -June-2011 ---One Crazy Ride!

It was a calm and beautiful morning, I woke up with a plan to visit Nelliampathy, Athirampalli and reach Thrissur or anywhere after that. Got ready by 6 00 AM and another 20 minutes for packing things. 6:30 AM, I had checked out and was well on my way towards Nelliampathy. I did not want to stop by much as there was no rain ever since I landed in Pollachi. My first stop was at Kollengode, Kerala some 35 kilometres away from Pollachi. Sipped up some fresh tea and moved on slowly. I had to stop every now and then to take some random snapshots and for other nature calls.


By now the jacket was a bit HOT! The shop owner advised me to put the jacket on top of Tea boiler or some closed vessel that heats up something which would absorb the moisture in the jacket. The shoulder, back part was OK but the hands were cold, very cold. So everywhere I stopped, I had to remove the jacket and put it on the boiler vessel or simply remove it and let it dry in a warm place. I then rode into the Poabs estate for seeing Seetharkundu, the suicidal viewpoint in Nelliampathy. There are many other placed like waterfalls, lakes and much higher viewpoints available but one has to trek or drive on a 4x4 vehicle. The rain again started by time I reached the tea estate. I had to stop by shady place every now and then.At the top, the rains were intermittent. There was no one else (except for the tea plantation workers) to visit the viewpoint. There was a Tea shop and the estate powder factory show. I left my jacket there and took my tripod, umbrella and camera.


All the lakes, river streams and falls were full of energy and rather over flowing in many places. The clouds always seemed dull and gloomy. I had not seen Blue sky ever since I left Chennai last week; I was eagerly waiting for a bright and dramatic sky. There were usual places where I stop to take pictures, like the bridge across the river, the river entry point etc. There was not a single soul around for the last 15-20 kilometres in the forest. When you are afraid or unsure everything comes against your way. Even a big stone looks like an elephant. I did not have the luxury to stop by for pictures; whenever I stopped I took some random shots and moved on. The biggest problem is to take the camera out of the tankbag and put it in without having the lenses and laptop get wet.

The pics are absolutely stunning! Your images brought the beauty of Kerala right before our eyes!

Awesome Ride and Pics! Great going buddy!

Cheers & Ride Safe

Thanks! Glad you liked them

No sweat, I anyway stop by every now and then to set the rain cover properly!

Great writeup, pictures are spot on WOW