It would look like this:

@aargee:
Noted..

@Anant:
I have gone through Thekkadi and Idukki only in a cage and that was during school days a long long time ago. I have this memory of lush greenery on both sides. The attached pics just gave me a huge dash of enviable nostalgia .

Incidentally, I was reading your trip logs as well.

Hope to meet you sometime before the trip, the maps would be useful. I already have one of those Map booklets, but I don't think they are detailed enough.

Get Eicher maps, they're damn accurate.

For Wayanad another best way - Bangalore -> Mysore -> Guldalpet -> Sultan battery -> Wayanad.

@Aargee
Thanks for the hint. Looks like its available everywhere

@Tarc
My vacation has been postponed by a week. So its most likely to be during the first week of Oct now.

I remember someone was able to find this at Odyssey; I'm too looking to buy one. Its a worth investment, next to GPS.

provided you have a gps phone, you can *cough*download*cough* Garmin, the second best would be eicher maps. read somewhere on what a life saver it can be when you run outta batteries.

If you have a Nokia phone, download Nokia Maps from OVI website. Its free for life time & has decent route calculations. Eicher maps are a must if you are solo & haven't ridden through before (into the smaller towns of Karnataka / Kerala). Otherwise, you can ask people for directions - the best way.

Also, do your homework before leaving:

1. Take print outs from MapMyIndia / Google Maps of the total route.

2. Waypoints - Including smaller towns - will help you navigate through even if you are lost.

3. Pen down if the locals tell you any other shorter / scenic route - it will again help you if you are lost.

4. Use your GPS phone ONLY if you are really lost & have no other go - The GPRS is normally charged more than usual in roaming.

5. Use lots of common sense, ride on in accordance to nature, start early - take a lot of breaks and try to call it a day just around sun set & dont just push onto the night in the hills / forest