Thread Starter
#1
Pre Plans :
It all started when we received a free coupon to stay for 2 nights and 3 days at The Accord Highland Hotel, Ooty. This coupon was given as an award for winning an event on Dec 31, 2015 (New year eve party) at Chennai – The Accord Metropolitan. The coupon was valid from Jan 2016 to 31st March 2016 and 01st July 2016 – 31st Oct 2016 in between it is a peak season. It was since long time we as a nuclear family drove for an holiday. Since my daughter school was closed and her vacation started around 14th March, I decided to make use of the coupon. I had no choice of destination and Ooty was already in my mind and the coupon given was also be redeemed only for Ooty. Hence we decided to zero in on our location as Ooty – The Nilgiri’s.
As we were heading a long weekend for Good Friday, Saturday & Sunday I thought of making the best use of it. At first week of March called up the Hotel and they replied asking me to write a mail in this regard. I wrote a mail to them telling about the details of the coupon the validity and the dates I required. The mail was promptly replied by the Manager Mr.Sathish Kumar stating that the hotel had already been booked for the said dates. He also gave me an other available dates in the same mail. Now quickly called up wife and we decided to pre-pone our trip by a week. The dates now decided was 17th March – 19th March 2016. Immediately applied for leaves and sent a mail to hotel confirming the dates for which I received a reply confirming my booking for Bed & Breakfast in the Deluxe – Valley view room at the Accord Highland hotel, Dodebetta Junction, Ooty and all that I need to pay only the taxes which came around Rs.2500/- nett . The amount was payable upon my arrival.
I was very much worried on the route to take and hence drafted the route query in TAI. Thanks to Arun Prasad and DJ Bro for their prompt response.
Please follow the below link.
http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/travel-itinerary/25625-chennai-ooty-road-condition-update-needed.html
Initial plan was to stay at Ooty and checkout on 19th March and drive to Kovilpatti to attend my close friend sister’s daughter 1st birthday. I was invited with other friends who had plans to travel to Kovilpatti. Hence checked the route map in google which showed around 340 kms from Ooty to Kovilpatti via Avinashi, Pallapati, Dindugal, Madurai & Virudhunagar. However due to unforeseen circumstances the friends who were about to travel had dropped their plan. I will be an odd man out in a family function hence I also dropped my plan to visit kovilpatti. Now for Plan B I called up the hotel again to know if I can extend for one more day for which I was ready to pay. The team could not organize since they were running full for the weekend. Immediately surfed the net and found an other Hotel. This time it is Astoria Residency via Make my trip and quickly booked a Studio room on a good deal. My ride was already in good condition and was recently serviced. Hence I felt there is no requirement to service it again and only need to check on the alignment part which I did at my usual place BM-LAL (Opp to Sathyam Cinemas parking entrance) and brimmed the tank with diesel at the Cathedral road BP outlet (near Stella Maris College).
The previous night came very late from office and quickly packed all my things and kept ready. By time I hit the bed it was around 1.45 am. Quickly set the alarm to 4.30 am and planned to leave around 5.30 am to avoid the traffic.
The D-Day – 17th March 2016
Got up and quickly packed all the stuff in the car and neatly cleaned the car. Had the quick shower and we were all set to leave my house at Korattur by 6am (late by 30 mins though).
Members Travelling : Me, Wifey and my daughter (6 years)
Ride : My white little bumble bee. (Maruti SWIFT VDI/2013)
Clocked around : 56000kms + in the odo
Camera : Nikkon S9600 digital and my mobile Micromax Nitro 13mp
The route I set finally in my mind was as below
Chennai -> Dindivanam -> Villupuram -> Ulundurpet -> Attur -> Thalaivasal -> Salem -> Perundurai -> Avinashi -> Annur -> Mettupalayem -> Kothagiri -> Ooty
The thursday morning was awesome without much traffic and with no time I reached the ORR via Ambattur. The morning whether was awesome and since my daughter was half sleepy in the back seat the AC was turned on with 90% thermostat. Due to little traffic at the Chengalpattu toll we got delayed and reached the Arya’s for Breakfast around 7.45 am somewhere after Melmaruvatur. After a plate of hot idly and coffee left place and started cruising around 120 km/hr happily. The bumble bee was very soft and the road was butter smooth as well. Post ulundurpet we need to take right to Attur – Salem route which is again a mixture of 2 ways and 4 ways. The road was neat and had a good tarmac so continued the same speed and at around 11.30 am we reached the famous A2B outlet in the outskirts of Salem – Perundurai road. Need not to mention they had very neat toilets and took a break for about 45 mins stretched for some time. Packed some sweets and left the place the sun was already scorching and the bumble bee’s AC was saving us from the heat.
Post perundurai, the road all of a sudden turned out to a 6 lane and was again awesome to do some good speed. In most of the strech the car was cruzed upto 150km/hr. Concentrating more on the speed and I blindly left the service road leading to Annur and entered Coimbatore with no time. Quickly turned on the map which showed a U-turn and some 30 kms with no much choice I drove into the city with bumper to bumper traffic for an hour and reach Gandhipuram.
Why gandhipuram???[thinking].......
..... to be continued..... Meanwhile some feast for your eyes…!!
It all started when we received a free coupon to stay for 2 nights and 3 days at The Accord Highland Hotel, Ooty. This coupon was given as an award for winning an event on Dec 31, 2015 (New year eve party) at Chennai – The Accord Metropolitan. The coupon was valid from Jan 2016 to 31st March 2016 and 01st July 2016 – 31st Oct 2016 in between it is a peak season. It was since long time we as a nuclear family drove for an holiday. Since my daughter school was closed and her vacation started around 14th March, I decided to make use of the coupon. I had no choice of destination and Ooty was already in my mind and the coupon given was also be redeemed only for Ooty. Hence we decided to zero in on our location as Ooty – The Nilgiri’s.
As we were heading a long weekend for Good Friday, Saturday & Sunday I thought of making the best use of it. At first week of March called up the Hotel and they replied asking me to write a mail in this regard. I wrote a mail to them telling about the details of the coupon the validity and the dates I required. The mail was promptly replied by the Manager Mr.Sathish Kumar stating that the hotel had already been booked for the said dates. He also gave me an other available dates in the same mail. Now quickly called up wife and we decided to pre-pone our trip by a week. The dates now decided was 17th March – 19th March 2016. Immediately applied for leaves and sent a mail to hotel confirming the dates for which I received a reply confirming my booking for Bed & Breakfast in the Deluxe – Valley view room at the Accord Highland hotel, Dodebetta Junction, Ooty and all that I need to pay only the taxes which came around Rs.2500/- nett . The amount was payable upon my arrival.
I was very much worried on the route to take and hence drafted the route query in TAI. Thanks to Arun Prasad and DJ Bro for their prompt response.
Please follow the below link.
http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/travel-itinerary/25625-chennai-ooty-road-condition-update-needed.html
Initial plan was to stay at Ooty and checkout on 19th March and drive to Kovilpatti to attend my close friend sister’s daughter 1st birthday. I was invited with other friends who had plans to travel to Kovilpatti. Hence checked the route map in google which showed around 340 kms from Ooty to Kovilpatti via Avinashi, Pallapati, Dindugal, Madurai & Virudhunagar. However due to unforeseen circumstances the friends who were about to travel had dropped their plan. I will be an odd man out in a family function hence I also dropped my plan to visit kovilpatti. Now for Plan B I called up the hotel again to know if I can extend for one more day for which I was ready to pay. The team could not organize since they were running full for the weekend. Immediately surfed the net and found an other Hotel. This time it is Astoria Residency via Make my trip and quickly booked a Studio room on a good deal. My ride was already in good condition and was recently serviced. Hence I felt there is no requirement to service it again and only need to check on the alignment part which I did at my usual place BM-LAL (Opp to Sathyam Cinemas parking entrance) and brimmed the tank with diesel at the Cathedral road BP outlet (near Stella Maris College).
The previous night came very late from office and quickly packed all my things and kept ready. By time I hit the bed it was around 1.45 am. Quickly set the alarm to 4.30 am and planned to leave around 5.30 am to avoid the traffic.
The D-Day – 17th March 2016
Got up and quickly packed all the stuff in the car and neatly cleaned the car. Had the quick shower and we were all set to leave my house at Korattur by 6am (late by 30 mins though).
Members Travelling : Me, Wifey and my daughter (6 years)
Ride : My white little bumble bee. (Maruti SWIFT VDI/2013)
Clocked around : 56000kms + in the odo
Camera : Nikkon S9600 digital and my mobile Micromax Nitro 13mp
The route I set finally in my mind was as below
Chennai -> Dindivanam -> Villupuram -> Ulundurpet -> Attur -> Thalaivasal -> Salem -> Perundurai -> Avinashi -> Annur -> Mettupalayem -> Kothagiri -> Ooty
The thursday morning was awesome without much traffic and with no time I reached the ORR via Ambattur. The morning whether was awesome and since my daughter was half sleepy in the back seat the AC was turned on with 90% thermostat. Due to little traffic at the Chengalpattu toll we got delayed and reached the Arya’s for Breakfast around 7.45 am somewhere after Melmaruvatur. After a plate of hot idly and coffee left place and started cruising around 120 km/hr happily. The bumble bee was very soft and the road was butter smooth as well. Post ulundurpet we need to take right to Attur – Salem route which is again a mixture of 2 ways and 4 ways. The road was neat and had a good tarmac so continued the same speed and at around 11.30 am we reached the famous A2B outlet in the outskirts of Salem – Perundurai road. Need not to mention they had very neat toilets and took a break for about 45 mins stretched for some time. Packed some sweets and left the place the sun was already scorching and the bumble bee’s AC was saving us from the heat.
Post perundurai, the road all of a sudden turned out to a 6 lane and was again awesome to do some good speed. In most of the strech the car was cruzed upto 150km/hr. Concentrating more on the speed and I blindly left the service road leading to Annur and entered Coimbatore with no time. Quickly turned on the map which showed a U-turn and some 30 kms with no much choice I drove into the city with bumper to bumper traffic for an hour and reach Gandhipuram.
Why gandhipuram???[thinking].......
..... to be continued..... Meanwhile some feast for your eyes…!!
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