The Wilderness

Who would have imagined the thrill of a 4X4 Gypsy ride in the middle of the night in the thick of a Jungle at the start of this trip? This was one day trip to Masinagudi, a place about 250 Kms from bangalore. Our journey began at 7 AM with all the three cars meeting in koramangala and then heading out on to Mysore Road towards Ooty. Our first stop was at Bidadi for the famous Thatte idli and to my surprise it was the first for a lot of my friends.

The journey took us through the Bandipur-Mudamali Tiger Reserve before reaching Masangudi. The resort or home stay wilds was located some 6 kms from Masangudi in the thick of a jungle. The hotel guys were supposed to meet us at a check gate to take up to the hotel in a Jeep. This was the moment of a thrilling ride. We started down a slope in to the woods. No roads all slurry and rocks through a dense coffee estate of Rafiq Sait. The driver showed us Tiger Pug marks and pop on the way to the hotel. We also were lucky to see the giant malabar Squirrel sitting on top of a hill. This wasn't our first animal siting though, it had started much earlier just as we entered Bandipur, we were lucky to catch a herd of elephants in their playful best. Loads of spotted dear, Sambar dear and Biasons had already made their presence felt. I am not very educated on birds but we did spot a lot of parrots, peacocks, wood peckers and many other birds.

Finally, we reached our hotel after all the stops and camera shoots around 1 PM. Wilds, the place was very neat with beautiful, Spacious rooms tastefully decorated.  Among other things, there were these Tree houses and some huts, rather expensive huts. The place was serene and comfortable for stay however not too many options for food. And whatever was being offered was very expensive for the price one pays. After settling in our rooms and a hearty meal, all guys gathered to have a game of Cricket. This indeed was fun playing in the jungle and making all the noise, amply encouraged by our Monkey and langur audience around the play area. Our team won 2-1 in a 3 game series. Wat a start!! However, the most exciting leg of the journey was still to come, in the form of a nigh safari. Until then we all had time to catch up light up some fire, catch up some old jokes and sit around. I got my cooking hat on and this time it was not just potatoes but onions too cooked in the wood fire. I was so happy with the cooking and how everyone really enjoyed it or so I assume.

Here comes the show stopper, a journey in to the dark, in an open gypsy. What seemed to have been almost cancelled a while ago because of the rain was now a reality. Totally unaware of what to expect, we started on our way in to the jungle. We spotted a mice first thing we entered and I said to myself, certainly a good omen. Just as I said that started the thrilling ride, the roads where slippery and tricky, with large rocks and the car almost floating. Our driver had incredible control and even in that darkness very aware of the way around. I remember an instance when one of the cars following us just took a wrong turn, to catch the other guy, our driver had to speed up and he did just that, the accuracy of his turns and his speed was breath taking. This was certainly worth the ride even if we didnt spot any animals.

After riding in the jungle for a good hour or so we spotted some rabbits, deer and finally a herd of elephants. Now, this was the most exciting wild animal experience I have had. The driver of our car and his seeker seemed to be preety good at what they were doing. We saw a baby elephant and her mother on the right side of the car seemingly calm, what we didn't realise was that on a left was probably a giant elephant getting ready to charge in case we did anything to the mother or the child I guess. The ranting and charging of the elephant was simply amaging. Never heard a sound that loud this close. The elephant would charge a little but then we stood our ground and made some elephant noise ourselves, the  elephant backed off in the jungle, or at least it seemed so. But that was not to be, he came charging once again and this time from behind us. A loud Grant, wowwww, it was awesome. We stood our ground and kept at it for sometime. We didnt mean to hurt the animal to enrage him more so we moved on, just as we moved a few 100 meters away from the elephants, the elephants crossed the road and was back into the group. It was an amaging sight. We were heading back to the hotel and almost in the final leg of our journey, just as we took a turn, I heard a feeble but a definite roar. Our seeker moved the light in the direction of the roar and there it was staring at us from a distance, a tiger. It made another one of its rumble. It was such an incredible feeling. The trip was such a success. The ride was simply awesome, but couple of hours of the ride was certainly exhausting, I wonder what would have been the case with the driver. The whole sequence of things and the ride was something I will cherish for a long long time..........As we go in to our beds, our minds are filled with some really good thoughts.

The next morning, some of our friends wanted to feel the jungle one more time before we leave. The rest of us choose to laze around and enjoy the nature walk around the coffee estate.  A stream of water trickly down, fresh air, chill in the wind  and chirping birds were such soothing sounds. It was so worth it. After our breakfast we were all set to return to the wilderness where we all belong, Bangalore calling bangalore.

A trip that will remain as an experience I shall remember for some time to come. Thanks to all the friends and Vivek who did all the hard work to search and finalise on the place.

1500 Kms of Destress road therapy

Though I have driven well over 1500 Kms in the last few days through probably the worst possible roads in God's Own Country Kerela, but the sights and sounds of all the places made it all worth it. A much needed break, I call it a search, search for nothing yet you get all that you can ask for.

My body is tired but the mind relaxed. A Journey that was planned at the nth moment. The idea was to spend 4 days in Munnar and back but fate had some other plans. I did some route search and chalked out a plan to drive through hosur-Krishnagiri-Salem-Iddupadi-Thippur-palladam-Munnar. The first leg of the journey for about 150kms was all tranquil as you drive on NH7 on to NH47. But the first turn on to Mutter road was the start of getting lost. My sincere advice to all those driving in Tamil Nadu state highways please learn reading and speaking in Tamil before you venture in any of these highways. The stretch which was intended to save us 50 Km costed us additional 50 Km. There are absolutely no signage in any other language other than Tamil. The roads a narrow with two many cuts and directions. One wrong turn and you are lost in villages. We finally found our way back onto NH47 and then on to Palladam. The place was amagingly windy with tons of wind-farms good 40-50 km with good roads, and then you enter Kerela through the Chinnar Wild Life Sanctuary. This is a single road with tons of pot holes. Which is true for most part of kerela. (A Sad thing considering so many tourist visit this Blissful place). We were driving through the jungle with no tools (We forgot the Wheel Wrench and other tool kit at home, luckily we didn't need any). As we made our way through the hills,(Munnar was still approximately 50 Km) we were soon approaching nightfall. The winds picking up every km we drove into the woods. Suddenly out of no where we are greeted with some very beautiful birds, none that I have seen before and then a playful elephant very close to our car. We almost ran into a herd of elephants but were lucky to have just passed them without troubling them. The winding roads were only getting more regular and bumpier with more and more pot holes, there it was our first waterfall of the journey from a distance the sound of the water crashing down on the ground below was simply beautiful. The splendor only grew as the rains started and we climbed up the hills. Presenting ever changing view of the Blue hills. The water falls presented a very good break everytime we passed one falling on the road and passing under it. It was almost 9 PM when we reached our resort near the perinakal fall. Another majestic fall. The resort was on the NH49 and I must say that the roads are pathetic for a good part of the journey in Kerela. The lockhart estates presenting breath taking view of the hills. I remember driving through a tea factory I guess when a whiff of tea being blended greeted us. I must say that though I am not a tea drinker, the aroma was simply awesome. We had traveled our first 500 Km today. After dinner we all crashed.

The next day when we woke up near the pandavas rock, a view out of the window presented Blues Hills and the Fog almost hugging all the rocks. The wind and the drizzle was simply beautiful to watch. This being said, it never is very nice when you have plans to go sight seeing. After our breakfast we started for the Top Station some 50 Kms from the resort. There were many sights that were simply superb. I am skipping all to reach straight to Top Station. This ironically falls in Tamil nadu. What is the top station, it a walk on a cliff taking you to the edge of a hill providing a 360 degree view of the hills around you. The Cliff almost fills you with awe of its splendor and might. The only thing is you really need strong legs and powerful lungs to trek down the cliff to the vantage point. The walk back is steep and really tests your stamina. I strongly recommending spending time on this hill. After shopping in the local bazar and food in Munnar, we returned on time back to the hotel. Our Little angel Gia getting her first cold. The weather the whole day had been raining. The flooring in our cottage was super cold for our baby to play anywhere other than the bed.

The next morning, there was strong winds and thick fogs. The weather a huge deterent when you have a small 8 month old who doesn't like to just sit in a car or a room. How in-different they are to the changing environment. She didn't seem to mind the cold at all but running nose a little warm body was good enough for us to escape the cold hills into something more bearable. We then drove to thekkady, through the winding hills and ever increasing pot holes to reach thekkady. Another wild life sanctuary around a lake. We were again greeted with tons of rain and waterfalls on our way. After spending a few hours here we started for Kumarakom. The back waters. The roads are such a deterent to anything that you want to do here. The distance, rain, bad roads only made the travel a very painful experience to an otherwise awesome trip. After checking in our hotel for the night we retired after the tiring road trip. We had traveled good 800 Kms by now. What to say about the back waters and house boat. I think its an experience and only an experience can define it.

The last leg of the journey was to the historical city of kochi and its heritage sites. After spending a day in kochi we headed home. I never imagined the roads would be this bed. What should have been just 8 hrs drive turns out to be 11 hrs ride. Thanks to very bad roads. Good 120kms of non motor-able roads.

Though we traveled 1500 kms, this trip with my parents was one that will be long engraved in our memories. Personally this trip for me was a much a needed break from the monotony of life and the tired feeling.

I will definitely recommend driving down to kerela inspite of bad roads. Only thing you need may be an SUV instead of a small car.