warm welcome to our "GODS OWN COUNTRY" and especially to cochin as i am a cochin xbhpian...

just enjoy the ultimate ride....

Captured this yesterday at Munnar. Having a blast so far.



This is route that we have planned:

Day 1: Kochi - Munnar: 130 kms : 18th Feb
Day 2 : Munnar - Ooty : 240 kms : 19th Feb
Day 3: Ooty - Coorg : 240 kms : 20th Feb
Day 4: Coorg - Kochi: 381 kms : 21st Feb


Any ideas if the last day would be stretching too much?

Also, is there any nice place with a 100kms from Munnar towards Ooty that we can stop for the night?

As the 'official' riders of the trip we were the workhorses yesterday. Sunil and met got up at 5.30 AM and started from Kochi at 6.45 AM since the MTS arrived in Kochi (via truck from Mumbai) at around 5 AM only!

The roads were decent from Kochi to Munnar, with some bad patches, however the drivers (especially in buses and taxis ) were suicidal. This truly is God's own country because i dont think that people here would survive it were for god himself. I would have no hesitation in declaring this as one of the most dangerous roads I have ever ridden on.

However, all's well that ends well. We arrived in Chinnakanal (15 kms from Munnar) by 10.30 after a breakfast break in Munnar. After a short 15 minutes break we had to get back on the bikes with the winners of Shell Riding Wonder (Donadello and Alessandro from Italy). A crew from UK (which included a man who had taken jeremy's interview 'when he was no so famous') made us run up and down the winding roads of Munnar for video and static shots.

The day finally wrapped up for us at 4 PM from where the other journalists too turns to ride the bikes.

Right now we are in Munnar waiting for all the journos to get their turn with the bikes, so that we can load our stuff and start the actual ride.

Some photos taken by the Shell photographer yesterday:

great photographs and i do also accept thats a hell dangerous as last month myself and few other from cochin had a bad crash there at Munnar

I completely sympathise with you about the horrors that you had to face from the Kerala State transport buses I remember being scared witless as if it was yesterday!

So the motographer gets a taste of his own medicine eh!

Nice photos here.....

Awsm pics sunny sir. Have a great ride.

simply amazing.....

A friend of mine caught you guys...

This is amazing! Where was this? Funny that the boy at the reception of the hotel that we were staying in Le Meridien also knew of xBhp! Not everyday you here "Godspeed, Ride Safe!" from the people manning hotels!

Here is one shot en route to Valparai:

Loving it loving it loving it...


Please do take care

You wake up at 5. The first sun rays just hit the land. You look out of the window and there lies a giant green carpet as far as the eyes can see. The fresh tea scent in the air. Thats what happens when you live in a 100 years old bungalow in Valparai, in the middle of the tea estates. And then you flick your leg over that red Ducati and ride to pluck your own tea as the sun tries to get a glimpse of you from the thick canopy of trees above.

One of the reasons why motorcycling is what it is.

I've been to Munnar 4 times but never saw it as Beautiful as what I am seeing it through your lens
Was asked for an urgent G2G at Cochin to meet you guys but couldn't go as I was in Office.
Admire your Photography man



RIDE SAFE

Btw that art form isnt Kathak IIRC..