Early at the dawn of a chill morning, with the birds flocking around, still many, yet to get off their beds but some already tying the luggage with chords. A kick or two and the Bull`s starts with a thunderous sound ready to roar and conquer the unexplored. The open highways, the great Deccan pastures and fields along the way or the Topsy turfy curves of the western ghats with a waterfall here and there make the way, the cool breeze getting past torso with eyes having a treat of this panorama, the first rays from sun create an Utopian Horizon. This is what I felt or saw when I had been on a Biking tour of the South India.
Prologue
It all started when I bought my bike a Royal Enfield Thunderbird in Feb last year, from that moment i was just waiting for an opportunity for riding. Had to wait for the initial servicing at first and then for the agonising hot summer to get past, but was lucky to get a change to do some rehearsal before the big one, so went to Vizag and Aruku in march. But after that, the waiting was still frustrating. Then at last after gathering all the resources and double checking all the checklists, the day had arrived 3rd Aug 2007 when we would be exploring 3500 KM of our motherland covering plateaus, ghats, waterfalls, backwaters, the land of temples, the gods own country and the mighty Jog.
Day I - Hyderabad to Chennai - 700 KM
The first day would be long tiring journey from Hyderabad to Chennai but thanks to the NH-5 which is a part of Golden Triangle project and the fact that we would be riding a good 300+ Km on it, so the life was still quite easy. It was a wonderful experience riding on such roads as you hardly get below the three digit speeds and a light drizzle would definitely help the machines cool off. But as we would come to know in the later days that this drizzle would continue all the way and getting wet and Dry process would continue for a weeks time. The 700KM stretch was done in flat 12 Hrs. Here are some pics of the day.
At some place 150 Km from Hyd.
DAY II - Chennai
The second day was just spent lazying in Chennai as we had a day off with some relatives. Just roamed around the city for a while but soon realised that the best place would be at home where AC was present. As still the mercury was quite high so the climate had become quite sweltry. So went back and took some rest thinking about tomorrows ride as the twisties would start off.
Day III - Chennai - Ooty - 650 Km
We again started off early in the morning as it would be the second longest distance to be covered in a day. We had to ride on NH4 which was again magnificent but after that we would be entering the unknown territory. The climate was just perfect for riding and we were really enjoying it. The huge plantations of the Coconut trees and Mangroves added to beauty.
The Bikes......
The Riders......(Except one who took the snap)
Zipping along the NH-4
At Metur Dam
Climbing towards Ooty
See the wind blowing here??
It was an wonderful journey till now on the Golden Quadrilateral National Highways but the time had come to bid adieu to them and start the new beginning on the narrower State Highways. But the fun just increased as their condition was quite good and now that we had negotiate the on coming traffic while overtaking. Now that we took a lot breaks and photo stops, the sun was setting and we had to cover a good distance to reach Ooty. So we started zipping until the climb started where we had to slow down as the road was too slippery and we encountered the first land slides. Safety First.........We eventually reached Ooty by 7 PM.
Day IV - Ooty - Munnar - 250 Km
In the Morning we went to DoddaBetta peak and loitered there for some while and after tasting some different types of Tea and Coffee and we continued with our journey.
Towards DoodaBetta.......
My view of Freedom............
Today's journey was to Munnar and it promised to be an exciting one as we had to get down the hill, travel some distance through the plains and then again climb up to munnar. The road we took for getting down Ooty was different from the one on which we had climbed. This was good solid dry tarmac and with less traffic, so again the zipping started off and it was continued till the break which we took for a snap. The blinding turns, the hairpins, the big downforce twisties all added to the excitement.
Remember the Zen Estilo's Ad......
A blind turn....................
At last we got down and the plains begin but at a place near Pollachi we saw something which was just unbelievable, a field of huge windmills. From far away one would under estimate its size but once you stand below any of them you would realize how gigantic they are and the sound they made while the blades rotate, made them even more terrifying monsters.
A Windmill...............Find me and you would know its size?????
Field of Windmills
Now that only the last phase of the days journey was left and again the ghats were visible at the end of horizon we started zipping and at the foot hills it came as a surprise that we had to cross a forest to reach munnar.
A bridge in the woods.......
Now this was some kind of an forest as we were lucky enough to see a croc in open, deers with huge horns, peacocks etc but unfortunately no Elephants for which the God's own country is known for.
The croc is present at the marking.....It was a lot closer.
The road had became still narrower and bumpy but this is what you expect there and anyways we did not encounter a single on comer for almost 30-40 odd Kms. It was an life time experience as neither of us had ever been to jungle of such an extent, it was vast thickly covered with big trees and innumerable small ponds and waterfalls. As we climbed we could see a steep gorge and a waterfall far away, but we could hear the sound of the waterfall, it was so silent that it some times raised the chill in the spines.
A distinct waterfall........
But at last some checkpoints started to appear and we were back to civilization. It would be a great place for camping. We reached munnar after getting totally drenched in rain but by now were accustomed to it.
Day V - Munnar - Kochi - 200 KM
The first phase of the journey was completed and second or the last started where we were to witness the Jog in monsoon, in a couple of days. The journey to Kochi was a short and pleasant one with lots of huge waterfalls, typical kerlait house holds, backwaters, ferries and houseboats to be seen. Here are some pics for the day....
You hardly find a straight road....
Spot us.................????
Again a waterfall......
The ferries and Backwaters
Houseboat on the backwaters.....
Day VI - Kochi - Udupi - 500 KM
From kochi we took the NH-17 which could be called as the Marine Drive of India as the Arabian Sea pops up here and there beside the highway. Apart from this one would encounter lots of bridges over the backwaters. We also visited the Bekal Fort and Kaup beach as they were alongside the highway. We also would enter Karnataka today and then tomorrow it would be Jog. So we stayed at Udupi for the night.
A view of Bekal Fort.............
Kaup beach and it light house in the back end.....
Day VII - Udupi - Manki - Jog Falls - Sagar - Shimogha - 250 KM
The day had come when were about to witness one of the highest and biggest water fall in India. So again the climb started and there were so many falls, we would think is this the Jog???
On the way to Jog.....
But we moved on and at last when we had the first glimpse, we were just spellbound, it was so huge, the roar of enormous volumes of water falling from 1000 ft was ferocious and add to that a good coincidence that this season saw the Jog at its full flow after many years. And anyone who asks, is it really that huge, my word for them is to get down till bottom and climb up you will realize how big it is. We had to move on and it was now a long journey back to home.
The Mighty Jog Falls
From the other side......
Day VIII - Shimogha - Hyderabad - 600 KM
So for the last night we stayed at Shimogha and then had to cover a good 600 Km to reach home one day earlier than expected and the South Indian Extragavanza was completed.
It was a great journey and many things in life which I had an opinon or thought about were not even close to my imaginations. Travelling through all these palces espically on road (On bike) has definetly took every one of us a step closer to nature, I saw and expeianced so many shades of it, learnt so many things about the people and places and how they change vastly from place to place. A kind of happiness creeps in that I belong to such a wonderful nation with so many different landscapes and people. There is still much more to travel and explore and as the famous lines go "If Life is a BooK, and if one has not traveled then he has just completed one Page"
Eagerly Waiting For the Western India and Goa on Wheels
Happy and Safe Riding
