It has been 3 months since I was out on road and my mind was literally begging me to switch off my phone and escape from monotonous office atmosphere. For me travelling is like disappearing for a while to find where you stand.

An HR by profession, a photographer by passion (though I don’t have a cam now) and an avid nature lover my road trip plans always revolve around forests and mountains. I always prefer to ride solo as it makes decisions easier and less confusions. And this time I was very keen on being alone as I wished to spend time alone with myself.
I may not be a good writer as the other travel bugs here but I will try my level best to make this thread short and precise. First travelogue and hope its approved.

Kochi- Valparai-Erode-Kochi

October 26^th

Went with a friend to take a look at his proposed used car he was planning to buy and at end of the day he convinced not to go anywhere as he would need me to go purchase the car within two days. After reaching back home, I was pondering it over and over whether to go for trip, and to add on top, it was raining too which made me back out a little. Anyway I set my alarm for 6 am and crashed onto bed.

October 27^th 6 am

Pictures Under Construction, will update soon

Woke up at 6 am and was thinking to snooze or to get up and be ready to ride. I got up and went to the window to check the climate, and to my surprise it was dry and not raining. I got my spirits lifted up and body started to work faster. All the morning chores was competed and packed a two pair of T shirts and jeans and other necessities to complete with a trip. At around 6.45 I started and set the odometer to zero. Bike was on mains and I thought of filling up when it hits reserve which was a bad idea if I am correct. (FE calculations are a joke). I started riding towards Angamaly via container road and cross checked the Google map to double check where to take the turn towards Athirappally. This was a really bad decision to trust a gadget as it showed the shortest route and the most kachada road in the whole trip. The correct route was from Chalakudy and I made the turn a little earlier (hope it helps if anyone is going through again).

After an hour of rugged to no roads to curves and butt cracking trip I finally touched the actual route and felt relieved. I reached Athirappally in no time and dint even think to stop there as my destination was somewhere else. Been to Athirappally previously and did not want to waste time walking up and down the falls. I reached the Vazhachal forest check post and signed up the register and guard was like” you have to reach Malakkappara Check post within 2 hours, tourism is only till here. No more parking along the road, do not feed animals, do not litter, OK?” I nodded like as child as I could see his hatred towards the current generation of nuisance bikers, which affects all the normal bikers like us. When people see us in all jackets and gloves, they are like” where had this guy come from” and one can read it from their faces?
OK jokes apart, i was slowly cutting through the forest, very less vehicles and an OK road with little potholes here and there, but nothing major. It started to drizzle a bit as I climbed up the hill and I really wished I had a shelter. I stopped and took out my rain coat and wore it on top of my jacket and to my utter surprise, I have forgotten to pack the trousers for rain coat (What an Ass I am).


Some pictures will help you get out of the boredom I hope. excuse the edits

In Vazhachal Forest



Reached a small town like place where I had my lunch and once I stopped, it started raining heavily. I finished my lunch and rode towards check post when the poring started to decline. I reached check post and finished the signature process there also. After half Km there was Tamil Nadu Check post and I stopped and got out, and to the guard is like, “Go on, no need to stop”. I happily started to go downhill and the happiness faded in a few minutes. It was raining cats and dogs and I had to stop, or else can cause a really bad experience with wet clothes. I stopped and noticed a mosque nearby. The funny looking me started walking towards the mosque to perform my Friday prayers and take a little rest. The whole one hour of the prayers the rain was constant and I waited for another 30 minutes for it to stop. Finally I lost to nature and started wearing all my jacket and rain coat and people around was curious as to where I was from and where I am going. Still some people cannot imagine a bike other than for commuting purpose.



I started my ride and as I covered some distance, I realized the rain is lesser and the views got better. I could see tea and coffee plantations with odd looking tractors from the movie CARS. The roads were well paved and signal where good. I reached a division where I saw signs for Valparai and Pollachi. I took my turn to Pollachi as I had enough views and roads to satisfy my hunger for nature. But the roads and nature was the best as I moved down the hill towards pollachi. At 4 pm, I needed my tea very badly and this is what is got.



40 hairpin bends and smooth roads, a true biker’s paradise I guess and I was having the cornergasm almost 40 times. I was never a twisties person and this trip had made me realize how fun it is to corner with a controllable speed. The views was good with half way down and you could see monkeys everywhere and some Neelgiri tahrs resting on the side of road. The road was really really good and picked up a little speed due to excitement and reached the plains too fast. It was almost 5 pm and the clouds looked a little scary with all those thunder and lightning backing the scene up. The roads were straight and perfect for hitting 100kmph, but I sticked to a decent 65kmph and enjoyed the ride. A break was needed and I stopped for a tea and chat.




The Temple Rain Story-6.15pm

Soon after the tea, I was reaching pollachi and from nowhere it started raining heavily. I dint find any shelters to stop and I was almost like completely drenched. To add to the experience the power also went out and I couldn’t see a damn place to take refugee. From the long sight, I saw a shelter and stopped there only to realize it was a temple gate. Who knew me and the god there would be having a nice 1 hour long company. I stood there for a straight 1 hour or more and the rain was scary enough for me not to ride. It was windy, dark and all the vehicles were crawling through the road due to low visibility. I stayed put and around 7.30 or so I started again with little rain to disappoint me. The rain water and the mud on road were directly on my face when trucks and buses were overtaking me. Again the rain started to pour and I took shelter on a fuel station with many locals waiting to reach their homes. The rain and I played along a few times, and finally at 9.45 I reached Avinashi by-pass (thanks to an auto rickshaw driver who made me take the wrong route). I was taking palladam- kangayam-erode and he showed me the wrong way. The only positive thing was I had a 6 lane road, but again with rains and mud on my face I was quite irritated now.

Bucket List Checked

Birthday on Road-At 12:00 AM


At 12 am I turned old enough to be a scapegoat for not completing the society set norms of not being married, not being successful and not being mature enough and travel around on a motorcycle. But I chose to be a different person and not get married until I find myself successful.
At 12 AM I was alone on road with none to talk to but myself and frankly speaking I enjoyed it. I would say to try it out once. I was waiting for the rain to bless me with a little time of 30 minutes so that I can reach my cousin’s place to call it a day. Around 12.45am I reached Home and already have few miss calls and since I made my FB privacy hidden for birthday, as expected there was no messages or wishes.LOL

October 28^th- Idling at home, food, sleep and chat

October 29^th

Proposed time to leave 6 am
Actual time: 10 am

I left Erode at 10am and took the Erode Perundurai route to Coimbatore. The heat was gaining on me, the exact opposite of the climate I had while I travelled to Valparai. The roads were as usual, pretty neat and less traffic.

No views whatsoever but heavy wind blast and cross winds. I have never ridden upward of 75 kmph and I thought why not hit a 100 kmph (I am a slow coach BTW). I did a 105 kmph and I was already feeling the rush. But I slowed down to my comfortable band and cruised. At around 12.15 pm I passed Palghat and Reached Alathur, stopped for food as I was tired and thirsty.

As always when the trip starts we are all excited and when we come back, it’s all dull and I just wanted to reach Kochi already. I started again after food at 2pm and reached Kochi by 4.15pm.

Overall it was a pleasant experience on road and I loved every bit of it.

About the Bike, its NS200 BS4 version, clocked 8.5k
I changed the oil to Motul 20w 50 prior to the trip and I really don’t know if the oil had shown any kind of change. But I guess the engine was smoother. But the gears have a mind of its own, its smooth some times and sometimes it is like a rock crusher.

The FE is yet to be calculated, but I filled for Rs.1000 and petrol price averages at 72.5 and I covered 610 kms.

Thanks for being patient and reading and I know the pictures are less, Courtesy to rain


Until next trip, safe travels for all.