Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Travelogue Approved

From 2015? Throwback Tuesday

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Happy to see a two years old ride...Bring it on

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

So after my Solo drive in 2014, it interested my 2 buddies to join the next ride. Like always we started of with going thru multiple routes and plans. It was decided to do 3 day trip with 2 bikes. One my beast (Hunk) and with Sarav's Avenger. The pillion of our ride will be Vino. You will never get a more happier pillion rider than him. He enjoys it so much. So the initial plan was to do munnar on day 1 and head to Athirapally falls and Nelliampathy on Day 2 and head back to chennai on Day 3. It was decided we do the trip in early September. However for various reasons it delay by 2 to 3 weeks and finally we decided to do it in the first weekend of October.


After much discussions we decided we start the trip right after our office hours on thursday night, so that we can reach Munnar as early as possible. As usual we had our bikes serviced and got the packing done on the previous day so that we can carry the luggage to office. We did even buy a pair of gloves for our pillion. The whole day was all excitement and discussion on our trip at the end of the day.

In the evening we decided to fill the tank and buy other things. So the first stop would be in the Shell petrol bunk in Chromepet. Then we did the rest of the purchase, basically it was all for our pillion rider. got him a new helmet, nice jerkin and some dinner to have before we leave.

So after completing all the days work, we couldn't sit back in office any more. Went ahead to the parking around 10:30 pm and started loading the bags. We had 2 bags that needs to be mounted on my bike. We had multiple ropes to tie them. Finally after a bit of struggle and taking the customary pic we started our Journey from MEPZ tambaram by around 11 pm.




Right after we started, we had our first problem with the luggage. Even before we could exit out of MEPZ gate, one of the rope was broken and luggage moved to one side. Spotted and stopped immediately and somehow fixed and started again. The traffic was quite dense till we crossed Perungalathur and after that we started to accelerate. After another few kilometers i had the feeling of luggage completely falling off on the left side. Slowed my bike, but this time the other bike was ahead of me and no one to help. With lot of difficulty managed to get down from the bike and got the luggage fixed again. Not a very good sign and this was trouble for us all the way during the trip. Started again and did catch up with the other bike in a few kms. Decided the other bike should always be behind my bike henceforth. After this the ride was smooth and we crossed over 100 kms. Initial plan was take the break in Villupuram but stopped over after identifying a good shop just about 10 to 15 kms before.

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Took a good long break, as it was a good 125 kms ride and also after a long day. Updates provided to the family and we set off again at a brisk pace. There was not much trouble after this. We maintained good speeds and enjoyed the night ride with minimal traffic. Took another stop near one of the toll gates and had a nice hot cup of tea. From then on we headed straight to Trichy. Just around 4:30 AM we reached Trichy, and ideally we should be in the highway towards Dindigul. After 5 kms realized we are in the wrong road (towards Madurai). Stopped over at the next tea shop for a much needed break after a long drive. Asked the locals in the shop about way to catch the dindigul highway, multiple suggestions came by but finally they came to a conclusion of taking a right in the next intersection which actually takes you through same villages and will finally lead you to the highway. After a good 30 mins we set off by the plan and took the right, what was about to follow was uncertainty. Literally there were no roads, but we continued. Every now and then few houses will pop up out of no where and it was dark all around. We were patient for the first few kilometers. There was no people on the streets to even talk to. Soon we started to worry but kept enjoying this thrill ride considering the 300 kms of straight highway ride we had for the last 6 to 7 hours. After a good 20 to 30 mins we were out of this and rejoined the Dindigul highway. A BIG sigh of relief to see the highway again. What was told to be just a kilometer or 2 ride ended up being very longgggg........


So after this unexpected diversion we kept of going forward until the sunrise was about to happen. The photographer inside our pillion suddenly woke up and asked us to park the bike by the road side and started clicking pic after pic. This went on for a good 30 mins and the sun was completely out. Some pics from the wonderful morning....


























After this we started moving slowly towards our next target of Dindigul. The roads were pretty good except the vehicular and human traffic started to grow every minute. We stopped over quite often now as we started to feel the effects of the overnight ride and also the previous day work and no sleep. Some how we managed to slowly eat up the kilometers and finally managed to reach Dindigul by around 8 am. We were so tired that without any hesitation we took our breakfast at the sighting of the first hotel. Unpacked the necessary things and moved into the veg hotel to refresh ourself with food and some energy. We were kind of very slow in doing things that we took good amount of time to complete the breakfast. Nobody complained, somehow managed to gain some energy and started again.

When we thought our spirits are now high and let complete the last leg, our navigators to Theni ensured we get frustrated to the core. We were in one busy junction where road go in all direction. Not to repeat the same mistake in Trichy we took the help of humans, but that was even a bigger mistake. Being it a friday the roads were heavily crowded and we were made to go back and forth. The unfortunate part is we end up in the same spot. This went on for a good 30 mins, decided to trust google and took up our own decision to take the route. Finally ater some struggle we moved out of the city and was travelling thru some state highway. There was no roads for the next few kilometers, only dust. It was also getting hotter to make the things worse. Finally we on the way towards Theni. I literally dreamed of a different Theni, the one we used to see in the movies :-) but it was no where to be seen. The heat, under construction roads and pollution started to kill us. Once we crossed those difficult stretches stopped over for a fresh coconut water. God it was really bad, had far better ones in chennai. My expectations on Theni was going even lower.

Out of topic - Have my one good friend from this place. Based on this experience i continue to tease her for the rest of my life.

So after facing all these for the last few hours, things started to get better slowly. As we moved towards Bodi the temperature and view started to mesmerize. All the troubles were behind us now and we enjoyed our ride up in the hills. Around 12 pm we crossed the borders and had around 1 hour and 30 minutes of drive. Again our photographer woke up out of no where and stopped us in a good spot. Had a photo session and started again. With some 500 meters of starting a huge group of workers for the estate near by blocked the road. They started some agitation against the owners. We requested if we can crossby, but they requested us to wait as it will be only for few minutes. Actually the slogans in the protest were so catchy, we enjoyed it a lot. It was a mix of tamil and malayalam. It took a good 45 minutes to get over. Had we started from the previous stop a minute earlier we could have missed this agitation and reached Munnar by now, but we never felt bad as it was quite an experience having the front row of viewing the agitation. We moved on and completed the rest of the kilo meters and reach Munnar by around 2:30 pm. Went around in the bike for a few minutes and found a good accommodation of around 1000 rupees. Parked the bikes safely and refreshed our self. We were so hungry so walked around to find some good hotel. Our only aim was to have beef. Found one and ordered all the things and treated our tummy with full food. The beef was especially spicy and wonderful. Post the lunch we roamed around and headed back to the room for much needed rest after a goood 16 hours on the road. We were not much interested in sightseeing, as we have gone to quite a few places in our previous visits. Woke up after a got 4 hours sleep. The tummy was still almost full so was not in a mood to go for the dinner. It was very cold in the night, roamed around the place and just had some fruits and juices. After a long walk headed back to the room and spend the next few hours with watching TV (still remember it was some news channel where it was telecasting one of the huge meetings hosted by Vijayakanth's party, full of fun it was) and discussing on Day 2. With the experience and tiredness from Day 1 we were not sure of doing 300+ kms on Day2 in the hills. After analyzing decided it is safe to go to kodaikanal which is around 160 kms drive. Post providing the day's update to family went to sleep.

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Day 2 - Munnar to Kodaikanal - 160 kms

So this was not really in the plan to go the other way. But at the best interest of all 3 of us we decided to go to Kodaikanal. We lazily got up after 6 am and completed the morning routines and bid goodbye to Munnar. The sun was no where to be seen, but the visibility was good. So we slowing started moving out of the town, the place was just about waking up for a busy weekend. It was the ideal time for us to leave and head towards Kodaikanal. The route was not much different from the one we used yesterday, but it looked more bliss in the morning than the afternoon of yesterday. After the initial few kilometer the climate suddenly changed and all you can say was WOW.....
We never really planned to stop so early by nature best was on display and we couldn't resist stopping. We stopped near a tea shop which the just about to be opened, we took this time to do the first of many clicks for the day. It was quite a beautiful start for the morning. Spent enough time and started again, but actually never wanted to move away from that place. Some pictures...........



Words not required to explain the next set of pictures







It started getting very dark...







The best tea from this little shop....





We were not it in a hurry to cover the distance as it was a short yet picturesque ride. Maintained average speeds and stopped over at another shop where they were selling the various varieties of tea and other things. It was quite cheap there and took home some packets. Just after this shop on the slope there was one tea shop, asked for a black tea with lemon. Very frankly the best one i have had in my enire life. The place, climate and the tea everything was picture perfect. Started again and after reaching down in Theni had our breakfast quite late. After another one hour drive in the Theni-Dindigul highway, we take the left to the Kodaikanal ghat road. Right after the left stopped for a tender coconut water drink. It was super good after the last hour ride in the sun. Right after the shop fuelled up the bike before we do the last stretch.

IT was around 50 kms, maintained decent speeds and leisurely we reached the lake by around 1pm. Went around in search of accomadation, but decided we take the same hotel which i used for the SOLO ride last year. Infact got the same room as well. It was just costlier by 200 rupees than the last time. Settled down quickly and had a good rest. Around evening we head out and roam around the lake and head towards Coakers Walk. suddenly the climate changed and mist was all over us. As we entered Coakers walk, it was perfect condition to look over the valley. Had some icecream and returned back to the room when it was dark. As we skipped lunch because of the heavy breakfast, had a good non veg dinner, filled our tummy to the core and head to bed right after making some calls back home.





The slope right next to Bryant Park which leads to Coaker's Walk

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Day 3 - Kodaikanal to Chennai via Palani - 560 kms

Got up as usual at around 6:00 AM and completed all the formalities. Tied the luggage on the back of my bike. Even before this trip started i gave enough information on my SOLO drive from Kodaikanal to Palani. Luckily they had the opportunity to feel it themselves. Without wasting much time we took the diversion to Palani and it was as expected a wonderful experience. The view of the valley, the twist and the turns, the climate everything worked out really well. We took a small tea break half way through our journey and without much fuss exited the hills and headed to Oddanchatram. On the way had our breakfast in a small hotel and sun started getting on us. Most part of the roads were two laned, but most of them were very nice roads. You got to be careful on the speed breakers which come so suddenly, also not to mention the town after town that comes all the way till you reach the NH. Once we are on the highway our only aim now was to head back home, partially because of the heat. On the way we crossed Manapparai, famous for the muruku (crunchy snack made of rice and flour). There were temporary shops basically van which sell them all along the highway. All the 3 of us bought few packets. The muruku was really tasty and crunchy,everyone in the family liked it. By around 1 pm we reached Trichy. Damn it was seriously hot, very hot. We couldn't drive more than 40 or 50 kms at a stretch. Took hell a lot of breaks, we started to sweat a lot and dehydrate. Somehow we managed to compose our self and move on. Had our late lunch in some non veg hotel on the highway, it was just before one of the huge toll gate. After this the sun started to show some mercy and we managed to roll over. By the time it was about to get dark we were in the outskirts of Chennai. Waived goodbye to them and headed straight to home. It was safe and satisfying trip all around. Enjoyed going as a small group and still doing it actually. Will come up with the other logs soon. Because of the eagerness to reach back home, not much photos were taken. Sharing a few below.

Overall kms covered - 1290 kms
Days - 3
Fuel expenses - Around 2200 each bike
Stay - Munnar (Saravana Inn - 1000) Kodaikanal (JH Residency - 1000)

Happy reading and keep traveling....Cheers.

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Great set of pictures there bro...keep riding

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai


Thank you bro...all the credit should go to our pillion rider Vino

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Cool pictures!

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Thank you

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Real treat to the eyes.. in fact we r going on 25th nov.. keep riding brother...

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Well done. Riding around Kodaikanal is a treat and your post brings back memories from my ride last year.

Re: Ride 2015 - Chennai - Munnar - Kodaikanal - Chennai

Thank you Bro Yep ride all your life

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Good to hear that...infact i don't get bored of going back to kodaikanal no matter how many times i have already been there