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A long pending travellogue, done with. This is my first TL, so please bear with me. I will try to edit some photos and post it later.
Firstly, this trip was not planned and it happened suddenly. This is how I like it as well. This is my 3rd trip to kodai in 6 years. Dear members please excuse the coarse writing style as this is my first travelogue.
Why Kodaikanal? Well, this is the popular destination in south in summer. As the summer was soaring in Bengaluru and to escape sweltering heat just drove off to Kodai. As we thought of going to Kodai, Weather gods showed some mercy on namma Bengaluru and showered heavy rains which calmed the soaring mercury to certain extent.
As it happens with others and other travelogues, we never left on intended time and our start was delayed not due to work but due to my oversleeping. I was super excited that I would be driving on ghat sections (this is my first drive on ghats) and couldn’t get much sleep and slept very late and woke up late as well. So we started our trip at 6:30AM, our intended start time was 5 AM. As it was start of the week, BTM layout road to Hosur road was choc-o-block with office goers and there I was going on vacation for 3 days. Heavy traffic on Hosur road till the time we crossed electronic city. It was nice pleasant morning and we were cruising on Hosur road to Dharmapuri after crossing sea of office goers.
Aah.. Forgot to introduce my ride. Let me introduce my Reddy. She is red in color and was resplendent in morning sun. Yes, it’s Celerio AMT VXI. <pic> and that’s truly yours at helm.
There was a surprise waiting for me at toll. I was paying toll in Hosur and one tiny, puny guy with a not so noticeable limp came in with angry look and shoved a Kinley water bottle and a pamphlet in my window. I thought he hadn’t sold anything since morning and was quite angry. I said no I don’t want it and he said with a smile (at last) it is free. We all love freebies, Don’t we? Later, I came to know that it was distributed by a veg restaurant called Adithya veg near Dharmapuri. After seeing the pamphlet, we both started feeling hungry. In the pamphlet were photos of mouth-watering idly with sambar, Puri, Pongal and Pepsi. We went there for breakfast; this place looked neat and clean and was pleasant. We finished our breakfast and started again. Food was neither very good nor bad. Ambience and location is very good.
I was driving on a smooth high way feeling pleasant and happy. Cool breeze blowing and Reddy showing interest to redline her. Traffic was moderate on this road.
We crossed Dharmapuri and later Krishnagiri on a smooth tarmac and it was fun driving. Weather was pleasant with moderate clouds and no harsh sun. Once we reached KG or KK Pallam not sure about initials road became more darker (freshly laid) and believe me it was butter smooth. I was reminded of Lalu’s comments about road after driving over it. Once we started on salem-coimbatore highway, we were reminded that we were in TN as it was mid-afternoon with scorching sun on top, and Salem was hot and humid. I also saw a badly-mangled face of a truck. Wonder what kind of accident it was involved in but still it was being driven around. Nothing much to write about after this as this tarmac was smooth and sailing as well. I missed a right turn on a flyover and had to reverse back, I don’t know the place name. Strangely, I saw no board for kodai anywhere on this road, there was board for Coimbatore, Madurai, and even Kanyakumari as well. I was confused whether this was right route and Wifey constantly kept on reminding me that we are right path (thanks to google maps).
Only near dindugal, I saw board for kodai and I took the left there and after crossing 2 busy intersections took right turn and saw board again indicating to take right for Kodaikanal. I was relieved and at same time feeling hungry. Weather was peaceful till that time and it started raining as soon as it took right turn. Sun was playing hide and seek with clouds. We had lunch at Meenakshi Hotel. Funny enough, they had a tagline saying high class restaurant and nothing was high class about the hotel. Food was bad in taste and they charged exorbitantly for that food. Service.. oh.. what is that? They don’t understand that word at all. They charged 70 rupees for a meal. We finished what was given and drove off.
Beautiful tree lined avenues and slight rain made drive up the hill more pleasant. As we climbed up the ghat section air was moist and it was bit foggy. Fresh hilly air coupled with fantastic views made this ride more pleasant and endearing. Scent of fresh niligiri, moist wood, and rocking music made this drive a memorable one. Reddy climbed up ghat sections easily in automatic mode. We reached there at 8:30 PM and it was raining and was damn cold and coming Bengaluru’s summer heat to cold was most welcome change for us. We stayed for 2 days and returned via same route. Well, what else to write. A short and sweet three days trip.
Time to say “the end”.
Firstly, this trip was not planned and it happened suddenly. This is how I like it as well. This is my 3rd trip to kodai in 6 years. Dear members please excuse the coarse writing style as this is my first travelogue.
Why Kodaikanal? Well, this is the popular destination in south in summer. As the summer was soaring in Bengaluru and to escape sweltering heat just drove off to Kodai. As we thought of going to Kodai, Weather gods showed some mercy on namma Bengaluru and showered heavy rains which calmed the soaring mercury to certain extent.
As it happens with others and other travelogues, we never left on intended time and our start was delayed not due to work but due to my oversleeping. I was super excited that I would be driving on ghat sections (this is my first drive on ghats) and couldn’t get much sleep and slept very late and woke up late as well. So we started our trip at 6:30AM, our intended start time was 5 AM. As it was start of the week, BTM layout road to Hosur road was choc-o-block with office goers and there I was going on vacation for 3 days. Heavy traffic on Hosur road till the time we crossed electronic city. It was nice pleasant morning and we were cruising on Hosur road to Dharmapuri after crossing sea of office goers.
Aah.. Forgot to introduce my ride. Let me introduce my Reddy. She is red in color and was resplendent in morning sun. Yes, it’s Celerio AMT VXI. <pic> and that’s truly yours at helm.
There was a surprise waiting for me at toll. I was paying toll in Hosur and one tiny, puny guy with a not so noticeable limp came in with angry look and shoved a Kinley water bottle and a pamphlet in my window. I thought he hadn’t sold anything since morning and was quite angry. I said no I don’t want it and he said with a smile (at last) it is free. We all love freebies, Don’t we? Later, I came to know that it was distributed by a veg restaurant called Adithya veg near Dharmapuri. After seeing the pamphlet, we both started feeling hungry. In the pamphlet were photos of mouth-watering idly with sambar, Puri, Pongal and Pepsi. We went there for breakfast; this place looked neat and clean and was pleasant. We finished our breakfast and started again. Food was neither very good nor bad. Ambience and location is very good.
I was driving on a smooth high way feeling pleasant and happy. Cool breeze blowing and Reddy showing interest to redline her. Traffic was moderate on this road.
We crossed Dharmapuri and later Krishnagiri on a smooth tarmac and it was fun driving. Weather was pleasant with moderate clouds and no harsh sun. Once we reached KG or KK Pallam not sure about initials road became more darker (freshly laid) and believe me it was butter smooth. I was reminded of Lalu’s comments about road after driving over it. Once we started on salem-coimbatore highway, we were reminded that we were in TN as it was mid-afternoon with scorching sun on top, and Salem was hot and humid. I also saw a badly-mangled face of a truck. Wonder what kind of accident it was involved in but still it was being driven around. Nothing much to write about after this as this tarmac was smooth and sailing as well. I missed a right turn on a flyover and had to reverse back, I don’t know the place name. Strangely, I saw no board for kodai anywhere on this road, there was board for Coimbatore, Madurai, and even Kanyakumari as well. I was confused whether this was right route and Wifey constantly kept on reminding me that we are right path (thanks to google maps).
Only near dindugal, I saw board for kodai and I took the left there and after crossing 2 busy intersections took right turn and saw board again indicating to take right for Kodaikanal. I was relieved and at same time feeling hungry. Weather was peaceful till that time and it started raining as soon as it took right turn. Sun was playing hide and seek with clouds. We had lunch at Meenakshi Hotel. Funny enough, they had a tagline saying high class restaurant and nothing was high class about the hotel. Food was bad in taste and they charged exorbitantly for that food. Service.. oh.. what is that? They don’t understand that word at all. They charged 70 rupees for a meal. We finished what was given and drove off.
Beautiful tree lined avenues and slight rain made drive up the hill more pleasant. As we climbed up the ghat section air was moist and it was bit foggy. Fresh hilly air coupled with fantastic views made this ride more pleasant and endearing. Scent of fresh niligiri, moist wood, and rocking music made this drive a memorable one. Reddy climbed up ghat sections easily in automatic mode. We reached there at 8:30 PM and it was raining and was damn cold and coming Bengaluru’s summer heat to cold was most welcome change for us. We stayed for 2 days and returned via same route. Well, what else to write. A short and sweet three days trip.
Time to say “the end”.
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![[surprise]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Surprise.gif "Surprise [surprise]")
