Wayanad - Day 4 - Final Day

Read Day 3 here 

As it was the the final day and our check out was at 11:30 we planned to leave the hotel around that time compared to the other days when we left around 09:00 AM. Our train from Kozhikode to Chennai was at 20:30 so we had time between 11:30 and 20:30.

There was campfire the previous night in the resort which was wonderful. We went around the farm within Sylvan resort one more time. When went around last time it was raining and this time it was not raining heavily and there were occasional drizzles. As usual I was watchful for the leeches. We went around the farm and left the resort around 11:15.

We hadn't tried out the zipline so far and understood there were may places that offered zipline ride. Our guide and the driver stopped at one such place and we tried the zipline ride.

It was raining on and off and our next stop was at Pookode lake. The place was crowded compared to the previous days and probably it was because it was a weekend. There was a huge sign near the ticket counter which read "Caution::Leeches". We got the entry ticket and went inside. There was the lake surrounded by mist. There were boat rides available and we took the 4 seater boat which costs around Rs 450 for 20 mins. That was one good ride. There are gift shops inside the lake area and there is also a cafe.

We stopped for lunch and then headed for Tussaragiri waterfalls. While we descended there was a bus which had broken down just before hairpin bend 2 and so there was a huge traffic jam. One should factor for such things in their plan.

Tussaragiri waterfalls was even better than Kanthampara. There was mini waterfall before the main one and people were bathing in that.

Then we headed towards Kozhikode beach and there was heavy traffic on the beach road and somehow our guide managed to drop us at a spot and we spent some time in the beach.

Then we headed for our last minute purchase especially the famous banana chips and then he dropped us at the station around 18:30.

Overall it was a memorable trip.

Some after thoughts we didn't spend much time in the resort while with such beautiful resorts we can spend one full day there just soaking in the atmosphere.

Most of the places we went were not crowded so there were no waiting times and I am not sure if that will be the cases always.

Each places would require us to walk uphill and downhill so we have to be prepared for good walking.

It rained all the days so we should be prepared for that. While it rained everyday we didn't use the umbrella we carried with us.

The roads are mostly wide and well maintained except at some odd places. 

Even with 4 days we couldn't cover all the places such as Karlad lake, Attamalla glass bridge, Soochipara falls, Meenmutty falls etc. Some we couldn't visit as they were closed and some we had to skip for other reasons. 

If you rush through all the places with a early start you might be able to cover all places in 3 days but if you plan a relaxed itinerary  you would need more days.

You definitely need someone who knows the place so they can plan things better.

Wayanad is a beautiful place and God has blessed it bountifully and yes there have been some tragedies which we cannot ignore when we hear the name Wayanad.

Wayanad - Day 3

Read Day 2 here

Our legs were still aching from the previous days walk especially the Edakkal caves visit.

We headed to Bannasura Sagar dam and reached around 10:00 AM. There is a van which can take you to the top of the dam. We chose to walk and it is again a long walk and a climb. It is a massive dam. It was full of water. I noticed a sign saying "Beware of snakes" there. There is a zipline but we did not go for it. We chose the speed boat ride and it costs Rs 1000 per boat which can take 5 people. They take you on a long ride for around 15 mins and the scenery is just amazing.

Then we went to a place called Wonderland which is close by. It is a place where they have various birds and pet animals on display. You also get a chance to feed the birds and their nails does hurt. If you are brave enough you can snap a photo with a python or iguana. I ran away from them. There is also a fish spa inside.

Next stop was at Spices Garden. There is a spices shop and a saree shop. 

From there we headed for Kanthampara falls and skipped Karlad lake. Kanthampara falls was amazing. Taking bath in the falls was not allowed but people were allowed to swim upstream.

Then had our lunch and headed for the famous 900Kandy.

At 900Kandy it costs Rs 1250 for a trip to the top where the famous glass bridge is there. Once you reach the top it is again Rs 250 per head. The offroad trip to the top is not for the weak. It can make you vomit easily. I am surprised that the vehicles survive this ride. I will not forget this ride for a long time. There is nothing much at the top. The view from the glass bridge is great but the glass bridge was ok. 

We were lucky that these places were less crowded.

I tried Unniappam and Pazham pori. Unniappam is Paniyaram in Tamilnadu.

Tomorrow we have to check out and that will complete our 4 day visit to Wayanad. 

Wayanad - Day 2

Read Day 1 here 

Vettaiyan got released and learnt Ratan Tata expired. 

After breakfast we started out Day 2 at 09:00 AM. Our first stop was at Karapuzha Dam. There was almost no crowd when we reached there around 10:15 AM. There are some standard rides there and there is also longest Zipline. They have VR zones like we see in any city mall. But the dam and the garden around that and the view of the mountains from there is awesome. It is well maintained.

Our next destination was Edakkal caves. I didn't know what was in store and it is not a easy one. From parking till the ticket counter is a steep walk. There are lot of shops on the way and every one literally pulls you. From the ticket counter to the actual cave is a heavy climb. But I could see small kids just doing it easily. At last when you reach the cave it feels good. The downward journey is also not an easy one. My legs are still aching.

We had lunch after that and headed towards Muthanga for 15:00 Hrs safari. We reached the ticketing counter by 14:45 but they opened exactly at 15:00 Hrs. The Jeep costs Rs 2000 and for the bus it is Rs 350 per head. They said no Jeep available so I went ahead for the bus but we had to wait till the bus is full. The safari started around 16:00 Hrs. The trip lasted an hour during which we could see few Elephants, some were walking with humans, and few Deers. Other than that it was just the expanse of the trees. Some fell asleep. It was raining and it was very chilly.

On the way back we stopped at the Jain temple. There is nothing much to see but I could tick off that in my list.

We came back the resort around 18:45.

It was raining on and off and it was mostly chilly. It gets chilly especially during the nights.

To continue in Day 3.

Wayanad - Day 1

 Based on recommendation from a friend who visited Wayanad few months back I planned to visit Wayanad between Oct 9 - 12. I booked my tickets for Chennai to Kozhikode and return and also blocked hotel bookings. Post that Wayanad was badly impacted because of rains. The news that was coming out was very grim. I did not change my plans and still went ahead with the visit.

We started from Chennai on Oct 8th taking Mangaluru mail from Chennai Central. The train started at 20:10 and we reached Kozhikode 10 mins delayed at 07:40 on the 9th of Oct. Prior to this I searched on what to do in Wayanad and prepared plan based on location of the places where I was planning to stay.

I had chosen Sylvan resort for my stay based on my search in agoda and bookings. I called the resort directly and made the bookings. They also gave me a reference to a driver and I had arranged for him to pick us at 07:30 at Kozhikode. He was there waiting for us as we reached Kozhikode. We got into the cab and our first stop was for breakfast at Annapoorna around 09:00.

Then we proceeded towards Wayanad and the route offers some scenic views of the mountain. There are 9 hairpin bends. The roads are quite wide. We stopped at Lakkidi view point. It was not as cold as I expected. The view was great.

The next stop was at En Ooru a tribal village set up. We have to wait for a Jeep to take us further inside and there are two options to book the Jeep. You can either book an entire Jeep or book for shared. Booking for shared is not a good option as we had to wait for 8 people. Many people book their own Jeep so wait time is high for shared option. En Ooru has some shops and scenic settings in the top of the mountain. There is some good amount of walking.

The next stop was at Honey museum and one volunteer comes with each visitor group and explains interesting things about bees. I learnt a lot about drone bees, queen bees, worker bees, bee wax, different types of honey etc. There is a shop where you can buy different honey.

Had lunch around 13:30 in Vythri and when we came out of the hotel it started raining and we reached the resort. The resort is set in Kalpetta and it is around 2 kms from Kalpetta town and the road is not a easy route. It is situated in remote part and it will be difficult to walk to nearby places.

The resort itself is surrounded by thick forest. It was as if you are inside a jungle. The view from the room was great. The staff are very friendly. The only gripe I had was it was raining continuously. The staff took us around the resort which has a farm, a pond and some interesting plants. All the while it was raining and he warned us about leech, so I was looking out for leeches throughout the walk. 

We settled inside the room for the rest of the day and I started typing this. The resort has good wifi connection. There is a great little pool as well and kids playing area.

I am hoping for a sunny day tomorrow and hope we will be able to hit some of the places I had planned.

This is my first visit to Kerala. Everyone I spoke to can respond in Malayalam mixed Tamil. It is slightly difficult to understand but we can manage. Buses mostly has name boards only in Malayalam which is a problem for non natives.

Will update more in the next post.

Chennai to Mysore - Day 4

This was the last day for us and our train was at 2100 Hrs. So we had an entire day to ourselves. The check out time at the hotel was at 1200 Hrs. So the kids made on last visit to the pool and we finished our breakfast. We packed our bags, vacated the room and left the bags at the hotel. 

We visited St.Philomena's Church first. It had European influence and reminded me of Cathedrals in Cologne. You have to enter the Church through the front door and exit through the back of the church. The problem is we left our footwear at the front and its quite a distance you have to walk from the back to the front. It was a hot day and we had to run through the hot floor to grab our footwear. We had to do it twice as we exited first without checking out certain sections inside the Church. We were not aware of the fact that you can only exit through the back door.

After that we went to Kauvery shop and did some shopping. We bought Sandal soaps, key chains, talcum powders etc. We still had lot of time to spare so we went to a Mall and spent some time there and finished our lunch there.

I had learnt that my school teacher is living in Mysore and we paid a visit to her house in the evening. While return to the Hotel we went to Mahalakshmi sweets and bought sweets to take back home. Then we returned back to the hotel collected our bags and went to the railway station around 1900 hrs.

We bought packed food for dinner and the train started exactly at 2100 hrs for Chennai. The problem with the return train journey is people get into reserved compartments and they ask you to adjust by squeezing in. It includes even educated people. Till Bangalore even the reserved compartments can get crowded.

We met a nice friend Naveen during this journey and he helped us with the travel during the last 3 days. We travelled all around in his auto and that made the entire travel part comfortable.

Chennai To Mysore - Day 3

Day 3 again started with a great breakfast and some time in the swimming pool. We wanted to visit the famous Mysore Zoo and Karanji Lake that day. When out friend took us by Auto to the Zoo I can see it was crowded. While it was Tamil New Years day I did not realise it was public holiday in Mysore for Ambedkar Jeyanthi. We got the tickets and went inside. They check your bags for eatables and plastics. Plastics are strictly not allowed. Only after going inside we realised we forgot to bring water bottle. Luckily there are lot of drinking water stations inside the Zoo and we survived. 

The Zoo has huge canopy of trees and you will not feel the heat. The Zoo is well maintained and they have designed it in such a way you wouldn't miss anything. This is not the case with Vandalur Zoo where I found you have to move around a lot to cover all animals. There is also an option to take electric vehicle but we chose to walk.

Some of the interesting animals I found here included Gorilla, African Elephants, Giraffe, Rhino and Hippo. We also witnessed some feeding and it made us realize how the animals were almost made like beggars.  It is not right to hold them inside cages.

There is an option to buy combo ticket for Zoo and Karanji Lake but I didn't choose that option. There is an entrance to Karanji Lake from the Zoo and if you have combo ticket you have go ahead.

It can get very tiring and we managed to cover all enclosures and finally made the exit.

By the time we were out it was 2:30 PM and it was hot. There were few hotels outside and all of them were overflowing with people. So we called our Auto friend and he took us to few other hotels and everyone was full. Finally we waited for sometime in a hotel and ate whatever was available.

Then we were dropped at Karanji Lake. Karanji lake almost gave me the feeling of Senthamizh Poonga in Chennai except that Karanji Lake has a huge lake. As mentioned earler it is an extension of Mysore Zoo and you can enter Karanji lake directly from the Zoo if you have bought the combo ticket. Else you have to travel through the main road to Karanji Lake entrance.

It has a huge natural park with huge trees. Though it was summer the lake was brimming with water. There are two types of boat rides you can opt for. One comes with a person who will take a group of people around and another we can take for a self ride. The self ride is limited for 10 mins.

It has a children playground as well. It also has birds in cages.

No eatables or plastics are allowed inside.

We came back to the hotel and settled for the day.

Chennai To Mysore - Day 2

 We kick started our Day 2 after a good breakfast and enjoying the swimming pool within the hotel.  The plan for day 2 was to visit Mysore Palace during day and evening. We met a good friend who agreed to take us around in his auto. One thing in Mysore is all roads lead to the Palace. It is like the city is built around the palace. In whichever direction you travel you can see a glimpse of the palace.

We were dropped at the entrance and there is no ticket for kids. At the entrance there were lot of vendors selling lot of stuffs. Once inside you can see the majesty of the palace in full form. We took  some snaps with the palace as background. There are also photographers who do it for a cost.

Then we joined the line which will take us inside the palace. We learnt that we have to remove our footwears and leave them at a counter. While it was very hot outside, it was relatively cool and breezy inside the palace.

Like any palace this too has amazing architecture and paintings. I think we had access only for 2 floors and other floors were closed for visitors.

We came out and if it is hot it can get uncomfortable as you have to walk barefoot to collect your footwear.

Drinking water is made available inside the campus.

Then we visited the Cauvery Art shop inside the campus. There are only two authentic Cauvery shops and one is inside the palace. Snacks and ice creams are available inside the campus.

You need maximum 60 to 90 mins to complete the visit.

We came back to the hotel as one of us were not feeling good. 

We took some rest and then went back to the palace for the evening light show. We reached the palace around 6:15 PM and they open the counter only around 6:45. We go inside the same entrance but this time they had laid out chairs in the huge lawn facing the palace. Once we take our seats the light and audio show began. It starts exactly at 7:00 PM and end exactly at 7:45 PM. They explain about the history for Mysore and the palace through music and drama. Towards the end the entire palace is lit up and it is a vision you cannot forget.

We came back to the hotel had dinner and settled for Day 2. 

Chennai To Mysore - Day 1

 I planned our annual visit in December 2022 for Apr 2023. I shortlisted Mysore and I booked my hotel Southern Star through Agoda. The train tickets were also booked in December 2022 for Apr 2023. 

Few days before the actual start date the scheduled booking through Agoda did not go through. My manual booking also failed and it was just one day before the actual travel, Multiple calls to Agoda and my bank did not go well and Agoda happily cancelled my booking instead of helping. 

Only during these calls I realized Agoda helpdesk is not within India and is from southeast. Just one day left for travelling and my booking cancelled I was left with no other choice to hunt for hotels on my own. Through some search I finally booked into Metropole, Mysore.

April 11th

April 11th I took Kaveri Express to Mysore. I had booked sleeper class and there was not much crowd and we settled into our respective berths. 

April 12th - Day 1

One of the issues I had to deal with was the check in time @ hotel. For Metropole the check in time was 1400 Hrs and my train reached Mysore at 0640 Hrs, The train reached on time and I spent close to 30 mins within the station. 

Mysore station is clean and has a clean toilet and there were lot of water outlets. I called Metropole and they were accommodating to drop in my luggage before check in time. I walked from Mysore Station to the hotel and dopped my luggage's there. 

I had my breakfast at Mysore Grand hotel which is very close to the station and Metropole. Then I thought of spending some time in Railway museum till the check in time. The museum opens only at 1000 Hrs so I had to kill some time outside the museum.

Mysore Rail Museum

When the museum opened we went inside. The museum has life replica's of trains and engines. The kids enjoyed them. The good thing is it is an outdoor museum. There is also a restaurant inside a train set up. There is also a playground inside for kids.

Around 12 we went back to Metropole and they helped us check in early around 1300 Hrs.

Royal Orchid Metropole

The hotel is very close to the station and it is on the main road. The hotel is set inside a natural setup surrounded by trees. It has a nice swimming pool, kids play rook and a gym.

Brindavan Gardens

After refreshing we wanted to hit the Brindavan Gardens by 1600 Hrs so we left the hotel by 1400 and went to have lunch at McDonalds @ Dasappa Circle. I was originally planning to take a cab to Brindavan Gardens and later realized there were buses from Dasappa Circle. 

We took 303 bus to the Gardens around 1500 Hrs. It takes around 45 minutes from Dasappa Circle to the Gardens.

It was very hot that day and we reached around 1600 Hrs and we went around the gardens. It was very hot and the fountains and Garden was a relief. Its a huge place and you need to walk around a lot. The musical fountain was under maintenance. We waited for the lights to kick it but only the dam had the light set up and the fountains were not lit as expected.

We left around 2000 and there are lot of shops outside the garden for buying gifts and to eat. We luckily got a bus as uber bookings never got confirmed. We had to stand the entire ride back to Dasappa circle. This route did not have much traffic so we reached Dasappa Circle around 2100.

We got down at Dasappa Circle and went to Ananda Bhavan for Dinner and settled for the night.

A trip to Tirunelveli

 Nothing can match the happiness that a travel to our native brings. There was a time I missed many chances to travel because of various reasons but nowadays I try to compensate for the same. There was a wedding and I was the first to book the tickets. This time I booked in Second class sleeper. All my A/C 3 tier travels ended up with very cold temperatures inside the compartment. Also the price difference is huge. I want to give the second class another chance and found it to be a lot better. The compartments were clean and they were less crowded than the A/C 3 tier.

I had booked food through irctc and was expecting food at my seat. But it never came and I did not have any snacks packed. I started to panic as we always feel hungry during travel especially the kids. Also everyone will advice "I said so". The caterer was not picking the call. By the time the train reached Tambaram I raised a complaint.

There came a groundnut seller and I bought some. Everyone around us started eating their dinner and we were sitting as if everything is under control. I didn't want others to find out that I had been duped. When it reached Chengelpat the  words "Parotta, Chappathi" from the platform sounded heaven. Got down ran to the nearest vendor and bought Parotta and Chappathi. The chappathi was very rough but I was not in a position to complain.

The train reached Tirunelveli earlier than planned even after so many midway stops.

We travelled to Mukkudal from there by taking a Maruti Omni which costed more than what it costed for the travel from Chennai to Tirunelveli.

Attended the wedding and visited all relatives.

During the evening went to the river for a bath. I hope they preserve these in future. We cannot experience this anywhere else.

The next day went for a trip to Manimuthar Dam, Papanasam Agasthiyar Falls and Coutrallam. We took bath in Agasthiyar Falls. The places were crowded.

The next day spent time in Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai and took the train back to Chennai.

Exploring new places is an experience but visiting our favorite childhood place is another experience. Such trips helps us to recharge to face the regular life.

A trip to Pondicherry

 When I thought of a quick get away from Chennai the only thing that popped into my head was Pondicherry. I wanted to give my kids a taste of road trip and also wanted to prepare them for a longer one. So Pondicherry easily fit into my plans. 

I booked my hotel one month ago through Agoda. I find Agoda easy way to book hotels but I am still not sure if I got the best deal around. I had booked Shenbaga Hotel from 22nd Apr to 24th Apr.

We started from Chennai around 10:00 AM. The check in time was 1400 Hrs and I didn't want to be too early. I estimated 3 to 3.5 hours including a stop over for lunch.

The traffic was relatively less and I could also see GST road has been broadened and the drive was pleasant. Made a quick halt for fuel and realized petrol was 111 Rs/litre. From then on it was a great drive and took left at Tindivanam for Pondicherry. It was my first time in this road. The road was great.

There are three tolls in this route which costs 60, 65 and 45.

Had lunch at KFC, Jipmer and then headed into Kamaraj Salai, Anna Salai and turned into MG road and reached the hotel. As usual Google Maps helped here.

My room was in 6th floor and view was great from there.

Since I had learnt Paradise Beach can get crowded during  weekend and closes by 1800 Hrs, we freshed up and immediately headed out to Paradise Beach. To avoid any traffic issue I decided to take Ola cab and the cost for 7 to 8 KM travel to Chunnambar Boat house was 400 Rs. There is an entry fee to get into the boat house and we had to purchase ticket for the boat ride to the beach inside the boat house. There are couple of shops inside the boat house.

It was a hot day and we took the boat to the beach. The beach was not that crowded. The sand is softer compared to other beaches. After playing in the waves we took return ride and reach the boat house by 1700. We walked few meters to take an auto back to the hotel. It costed 300 Rs. I regretted not taking my car.

We freshened up again at the room and went out looking for a restaurant and took all wrong routes and couldn't find one. Finally we had chat items in a near by shop. That completed day 1.

Day 2 I wanted to start early so I could take my kids for swimming in the hotels swimming pool. I wanted to avoid the crowd as it was weekend. Also breakfast at hotel can also get crowded. So we decided to have breakfast around 8 and then we headed to the swimming pool. The breakfast spread was good.

We had the swimming pool to ourselves and the kids enjoyed it. Then we headed to Botanical garden as per plan but this time I decided to use personal transport. Botanical garden is a great place to spend some time if you are there in Pondy. We noticed it was already 1200 and Aurobindo ashram closes by 12 and reopens at only 1400. So we headed to the Providence mall for lunch and shopping. We decided to skip aurobindo ashram and headed back to hotel. We refreshed and then took a stroll to rock beach. It is 1 KM from the hotel but then you have to again walk from one end of rock beach to the other. So altogether it was a long walk.

For dinner I was looking for a french restaurant and went to one and they told the waiting time was 40 mins. We roamed around and found a restaurant named Hope and we just went in. I found out it was a vegetarian restaurant. The food was extremely good though.

Then we walked back to the hotel through the white town. It wore a deserted look but never felt unsafe. I also found Manakula Vinayagar street on the way. Finally we reached the hotel. That was end of day 2.

Day 3, the day we should start back to Chennai. This day we first went for a swim and found it had more people than the previous day. I was already told that Sundays can get crowded. We finished breakfast. We wanted to do some last minute shopping so we decided it will be good to check out and head for shopping. 

Since Amit Shah a minister was travelling through the road where the hotel was, the traffic was stopped for few minutes. We checked out and headed towards the white town. We shopped around Manakula Vinayagar temple and then started towards Chennai around 1230.

With stops to buy nongu and for lunch we reached home around 1600.

Overall a memorable trip.

Summer Holidays 4 - Palayamkottai

 Read Part 3 here 

There used to be a vast agriculture land near my grandfathers house. Usually during summer holidays in the month of May, the field will be empty. In fact I have never seen it green. It will always be dry with the left overs of the harvest. During evenings our favorite thing to do is go there and spend as much time as possible there. It is a great spot for flying kites. Far away we used to see passing trains. In between us and the train it is just the harvested paddy fields. Many times we used to attempt to walk till that railway line but never made it. 

We includes me and my holiday friends. These are friends I meet only during the summer holidays but we never felt that we had a years gap between our meeting. We will continue from where we left. It will be almost like nothing has changed. Those few days I spend with them has always felt like forever. Those days are so fresh in my memory. They have now have moved on to different parts and I was able to meet only one person few years back. 

The field used to contain purple flowers which used to smell like lemon. Another favorite activity is to fly kites from these fields. In city where the skyline is overflowing with cables and the fields used to provide unobstructed skies where many people can fly kites.

There used to be a small temple and a small shop near the temple. Small pocket pickles used to be favorite snack which we used to buy from the shop.  

There used to be many tamarind trees around and you will find lot of tamarinds in the ground. You will find ripe tamarinds, not so ripe, just right ripe etc. Each will taste unique.

The canal nearby used to be full of running water and I remember my Dad taking me for a swim. I used to be scared of the water and at the same time excited. But over a period it became dry and we used to cross the canal and go to the other side where we used to have huge trees. Now I can find only sewage water in the canal and there is a huge wall constructed on the other side so you cannot cross and go other side.

Playing with cycle tires used to be another favorite activity. Everyone will have a tire and a small stick to drive it. I remember the day when a protruding cable from the tire punctured my palm deep. I still have that mark in my palm.

I will leave the rest for part 5.

Summer Holidays - 3 - Palayamkottai

 Read Part 2

From Tirunelveli to Palayamkottai where my Grandfathers home is used to be another interesting part of the journey. Since he was a car driver by profession for Thalayuthu cement company owners sometimes he used to bring his Jeep to take us from the station to home. Othertimes it will be some Ambassador car and sometimes it will be a black Amabassadaor taxi. That's the only time we get to travel in a car in that year. It will feel so good to just touch the car. The car's those days used to have a distinct leather scent. It used to have a small table fan placed in the front. After loading all the luggage, the car will travel towards Palayamkottai. The way the steering wheel rotates inside the drivers hands used to be a treat to watch.

The first landmark would be the famous double decker bridge, once we cross that the Thamirabarani bridge. We will lean out to see if the river had water and always it used to have but sometimes it will be in trickles. Then we cross TVS and then the famous "Oosi Gobiram" church and then Vannarapettai and  then the play ground and finally we have to take a turn towards right opposite the Palayamkottai bus stand. It is a road which will branch from the main road and it used to have a vast open space on the right where you will notice small temple like structures. You will also notice lot of goats around that area. As we travel further inside there will be a small provision store and then famous Daily Thanthi Adhithanar house and then a small bridge across a canal. Our grandfathers house was right at the bank of the canal.

When we were young the canal will always be having abundant water and it reduced as we grew and now sadly it has become a sewage. As we get into the house I will try to absorb in as much scenery as possible and look out for my summer holidays buddies.

The entire place used to have an unique scent which is a mix of the scent of dried palm leaves used for roofs, the scent palm fruit, the scent of just harvested paddy field, the scent  of huge tamarind trees, scent of the cow dung used to layer the floors , the unique scent from the canal water, the scent of hen house etc. It used to feel like heaven and we have just arrived there.

My Grandfather's house was constructed well above the ground level and we have to climb few steps to get inside and both sides of the steps we had the platform to sit and talk. The kitchen used to be separate from the main house. The kitchen was very small and it had thatched roof and to get inside you have to bend and get inside. At most the kitchen can accommodate 3 people. Earlier they had stoves which used wood as fuel and later they upgraded to kerosene based stoves. Since it was always summer when we were there the kitchen will be very hot but still we used to love that place.

On the right side of the house there used to be a huge tree which used to have small black seeds. Behind the tree there used to be the bathroom. We cannot call it a bathroom because it's an open space with a huge cement basin to hold water and an hand pump. You have to first pour some water into the hand pump for it to extract water. The water used to have a distinct scent and taste. As soon as we had landed we head to this space to take a bath. No hot waters just pure cold water. While my grandfather fills the cement basin we used to take bath till our hearts content. We used to use Chandrika soap which was my grand fathers favorite. 

In those days to finish your number 2 you have to sit behind house in open and cover the dump with ashes. I remember sitting there in the open ground in harsh sun and having a good dump.

to be continued..

Summer Holidays - 2

Read Part 1 

Tirunelveli was always our summer holiday destination. There was one time we went to Bombay but after that it was always Tirunelveli. This was so till I went onsite as part of my job and discovered world outside Chennai and Tirunelveli. As part of college tour I had the opportunity to visit Delhi, Agra and Shimla. As part of job searching I visited Hyderabad twice and Bhopal for Short Service Commission. The job search travels were my first travels alone. I went ahead with those travels because the organisations agreed to bear the travel expense.

Coming to back to summer holidays, every day and every minute I spent in Tirunelveli are etched so clearly in my memory. Every day before I sleep I live through those memories once again in my mind. Sometimes which I drive these are the memories that keep me company. This part explains the excitement we went through as children right until the moment we board the train. and this blog explains what follows inside the train.

As I grew the expectations changed as well. While we were kids the only longing was for a window seat but as I grew I became interested in a Tamil crime novel which I can read through the journey. When I moved from Tamil novels to English the expectations changed to studying who will be my neighbor I will be sharing my seat with. But the excitement was always the same it cannot be compared to anything else. Even now whenever I hop on a long distance train either for travel or to drop someone the station and train are always magical.

Once we hop into the train the next interesting stage is to look forward to the time when the train crosses our home. Since our house is located near by the railway track whether you are at home and someone close is in train or vice versa waving to each other is an important milestone. During early days since my dad wouldn't have reached home after dropping us we will just look at our home pass by. 

The next milestone is to look forward to Chengalpattu. It always carries a charm because that the first halt for the train after Egmore. The lake before Chengalpattu will signal that the station is approaching. Those days trains to south expecially to Tirunelveli used to start between 1700 and 1730 hrs. So by the time we reach Chengalpattu it will be 1830 to 1845 hrs. It will be not be dark but the sun light won't be there either. 

The sound of tea and coffee vendors will hit your ears but it will only be a quick stop and the train will start with a light jerk. While we were kids we never got down from the train in intermediate stations. So we were waiting for the time when we can hop off into those stations. As we grew we used to get down and get back on the train as it leaves.

The next milestone will be Tindivanam and it will be even a shorter stop compared to Chengalpattu.

The next milestone is Villupuram. Those days Chennai to Villupuram will be electrified engine and post that it will be diesel Engine. We always felt diesel engines were faster. They change the engines in Villupuram so we always look forward to that station and that event. Also since the engine is changed there usually it will be a long stop there. It used to reach Villupram sometime around 2100 hours and you can hear lot of vendors selling Tea, Coffee and Dinner. Mostly we have our packed dinner in Villupuram. Usually it will be Puli satham or Idli. While we keep having dinner we keep awaiting those engine changing jerks which can be felt. Sometimes we will miss that. We keep observing the trains in other platforms and try to read their signboards.

After a long stop we can hear the sound of the diesel engine horn and the train departs from Villupuram. It is quite dark outside and you can see may parts of the station is dark as the train leaves the platform. We see the last huge signboard saying Villupuram Junction in English, Tamil and Hindi. As we leave the station we can see the city outside for couple of minutes and then darkness surrounds the train.  

At this point most of the people get ready to sleep. Middle berths are brought up, people climb over to the upper berths. I try to hold on to the window seat. With sun set now and the summer heat reduced considerably it is a pleasure to feel the air on your face. Once everyone has settled and lights switched off my mother will ask me to close the window and sleep. But how can I let of this once in a year experience. "I will sleep little later you go to sleep" will be my standard answer. 

With my face pressed to the window I can always see the reflection on the trains light rolling along with the train outside. Its total darkness outside and the only company is the sound of the train and the sound crickets outside. You can see occasional light far in the dark which will kick start imaginations on what the people in that house might be doing in such a lonely place. With strong winds on your face one can get tired easily but the adrenaline doesn't let you to sleep. You keep checking for the next light in the dark. Those days it's the yellow light which had its own charm.

Some trains stops at Vridhachalam and some doesn't. Once we cross that it is Trichirappalli. The train usually reaches Trichy by midnight. There will be limited activity in the station but still vendors will be selling Tea/Coffee/Milk. You can see the empty station with some people sleeping on the concrete seats covering themselves with lungi. It used to be a great feeling to see the "திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி  சந்திப்பு". We see the last huge board in the station as the train leaves Trichy. Within few minutes the train used to stop at "பொன்மலை " or "Golden Rock". This station will look deserted than Trichy and you see silhouettes of a hill and some lights on top of the hill. After a very brief stop the train will pick off from there. The next station will be Dindugul but most of the time I fall asleep here.

Sometimes when I wake up I can listen to the rhythm of the train sound and sometimes I can feel the train had stopped somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Mostly I will miss Dindigul but there were times I have seen the station as the train was just leaving the station.

Kodai Road Junction will be the next stop which will be usually busy. I never wanted to visit Kodai those days. I was only looking forward to Tirunelveli. After Kodai Road it is Madurai. The train usually reaches Madurai between 0430 and 0530. By the time it reaches Madurai people inside the train and the station will be active. It also means another 3 to 330 hrs to Tirunelveli.

We can hear lot of announcements in the busy Madurai station and this will be slightly a longer stop compared to other stations. Atlast you get a glimpse of the last board "மதுரை சந்திப்பு " as the train leaves the station. The air now feels different, it has more chill and more energy. 

The next stop is "விருதுநகர் ". By the time we reach Viruthunagar people become active in the compartment. While some remain sleeping we can see people walking back and forth to the restrooms. While Indian train restrooms can be nasty sometimes it is manageable most of the time. The restrooms themselves have their own scent which adds to the atmosphere. Post Viruthunagar depending on the side you are sitting in the train the sun rays may can fall directly onto your face. The scenery outside becomes more green and among the paddy fields, coconut trees, palm trees you will notice huge wells and pump sets. 

When the train reaches Kovilpatti and Sattur you will see lot of local vendors with local sweets and savories. By this time we would have brushed our teeth and my mother would have bought Methu vada and coffee. Though people complain about the quality of the coffee it is an experience. Unless we drink the experience is not complete. Near Kadambur you will see Poli sellers getting into the compartment. When the train reaches Maniyachi we can see peacocks outside. By this time advertisements about RMKV and Pothys start to appear on the walls of buildings. We start notice advertisements of Sunlight detergents.

Its just few minutes before we enter Tirunelveli. There is a station called Nanguneri which announces we are almost there. Then comes "தாழையூத்து" and its famous cement factory. My grandfather was an employee there. We used to watch the factory with an awe and I still do that. If we are sitting in the wrong side we strain our neck to make sure we see the factory. Now it is just minutes to Tirunelveli.

Finally the train enters "திருநெல்வேலி  சந்திப்பு" we can clearly see the board with the words written in English, Tamil and Hindi. While in Tirunelveli the word Junction takes a new meaning as everything will be referenced by how far it is from Junction. By this time we had already pulled the luggage from under the seat. We press our face against the window to see which side the platform will be. Once the train enters the platform your heart starts to beat faster. We press our face even harder searching among the crowd the face of our grandfather and grandmother. And then "Oh ! there they are". A huge wave to them and now they notice us and starts running along with the train. We can see the porters hopping into the compartment. The train now comes to a complete halt. Our grandparents come and touch us and talk to us through the window while the passengers alight the train.

We wait for the crowd to clear and take out luggage and walk towards the door. We look at the seat once with love before we move towards the door. We get down and our grandparents hug us with all the love. They share with us the coffee they had brought with them in a flask. From here everything will smell and taste differently in a good way. Finally we gather all the luggage and walk towards the exit. While I walk I look at the train which had carried us this far. There was an unspoken relationship that was developed with the train. I feel that the train can now take rest after such a long journey. It will almost look like a living being with all feelings. With heavy heart I say a good bye in my mind to the train and step out of the station looking forward to what Tirunelveli had to offer me for that summer.

I write these as these thoughts have been in my mind for so long. I do not want those good thoughts to get lost. My grandparents are not there anymore. I have been to Tirunelveli so many times sometimes by bus and even by car but none of them equal these memories I have. I do not have my grandparents to welcome me like they used to. But still the station is there, the yellow board is there, the junction is there. Everytime I look at them I will bring back all those people and memories alive. Thanks to GOD for giving our mind that ability.

Besant Nagar Beach

Just visited Besant Nagar beach yesterday and I could see some difference in the way the wave was hitting the shore. Normally the shore will be slanted towards the sea. The waves will hit the shore and then go back as quickly as it came. But I could see the bed had become flatter and the water stagnates. Even if there is no wave there is some amount of water that is present like a lake. This was something weird has I have never seen it in Marina or in Elliots. Kovalam has a flatter bed compared to the city beaches but it was really weird to see the flat bed yesterday.

Chennai to Dindigul

Though a big fan of road trips in movies and in life was not fortunate enough to go on many such trips. This weekend completed my third road trip and this one is the longest.

My first one was from Chennai to Cuddalore and it was close to 200 Kms each way. The second one was Chennai to Trichy which was 300 Kms each way. The last one was Chennai to Dindigul and it was 400 Kms each way.

Me and my friend started from Palavanthangal at 8:30 AM. After filling the tank to full and checking Nitrogen in tyres we hit the road. The plan was to pick up another friend in Chengelpat. After a brief stop at Chengelpet we were on the highway. There was close to 5 to 6 tolls and each one costs a lot. There were huge queues in each of of the tolls.

We had a brief stop for restroom and snacks around 1130 closer to Villupuram. Then we made our biggest mistake by taking Trichy bypass and were on our way to Madurai. We had another brief halt for lunch and didn't realise were on wrong route until we checked google map. By that time we were closer to Madurai and we had to stop and take a different route through Thuvarankurichi. And there were took the route through Elamanam to connect to the NH which will take us to Dindigul. We lost closer to an hour and 40 KMs because of this. By the time we reached Dindigul it was nearing 5 PM.

The next day we started early at around 8:15 AM for the return trip and took the right route. We made just couple of stops one for Elaneer and another for restroom. We also bought big Jackfruit. I was more confident during the return trip and mostly hovered around 100 in the speedometer. We dropped the friend at Chengelpet and was back in Palavanthangal by 245 PM.

The trip was really a good stress buster.

A walk in the woods

Happened to watch this movie yesterday and it was another great experience. Travel movies are always great and this one was not an exception. It is about two old men getting together to trek through Appalachian Trail. As any travel movie this one has some extraordinary cinematography.

The surprise element was the look of Robert Redford. After watching him in The Sting, Out of Africa and Indecent Proposal it was difficult to realize the he has aged and we will be there soon.

If you are looking to spend a Saturday afternoon with a slow paced movie this one is for you.

Some great road movies

Travel has always fascinated me and that fascination led me in search of some great road movies. I have listed below some of the greatest road movies and movies focusing on travel.

1) Tracks

This is a great movie set in the Australian outback about a woman who walks 1900 miles with 3 camels and a faithful dog. The movie is purely about that journey and nothing else.

2) Wild

This is similar to Tracks but set in America about a girl who walks 1100 miles.

3) The Way

This is about a father who wants to complete the journey his son couldn't complete. The movie is about the El Camino de Santiago walk. The movie makes you wish to take that walk

4) Rabbit Proof Fence

While the other 3 movies listed above are about people who wanted to embark on the journey this one about three kids forced to take a long journey across the tough Australian outback.

5) The Straight Story

While the other 3 movies listed above are about travelling on foot this one is about a travel on a lawn mover.

6) Charlie and Boots

Another great movie set in Australia about the travel of a father son duo.

7) Everything is illuminated

This one is probably more commercial than the movies listed above but this is set across a beatiful journey across eastern Europe.

8) Y Tu Mama Tambien

This is another awesome road movie about a road trip by two teenagers and a woman across south america.

9) One Week

Though it has a sad feeling running all through be prepared for a great ride through Canadian wild side

10) A walk in the woods

A movie focusing on two old men trekking through Appalachian Trail.

11) The Art of Travel

A single guy's travelling experience through South America

Train Journeys

My childhood was filled with lot of beautiful memories of train travels. As I grew up train journeys got reduced and my last train travel was from Chennai to Salem in 2012 an eventful year. But I continue to cherish those memories and within no time I can travel in my mind to any of those moments. During such times I can even smell the unique scent associated with Indian Railways.

Now the reason I wanted to write this blog was a thought which I used to have while travelling in trains. This thought is linked to the night time travel in trains. Night time in long distance travel is a very interesting experience. As darkness slowly engulfs the environment within the train will get busier. Those days it used to be the dim yet bright yellow lights which have now been replaced by white fluorescent bulbs. People used to get ready for having their dinner and the entire compartment will be more alive with passengers and merchants.

The scenario becomes more interesting when the train stops at a station with tea/coffee vendors walking to and fro in the platform. The cool drink salesman making triiiiiiiiiiiiiing sound using the bottle opener on the bottles. The scent of hot medhu vadai and omelette will trigger the hunger inside you.

Slowly the activities will reduce and passengers will settle down as the train runs through the lonely track with the light through the window falling over the bushes and changing shapes and running along with the train. Observing that light by resting your face over your arms which rests on the window as the window flowing through your hair is one exhilarating experience. The wind which was warmer during the evening would have become colder. The wind rubs your eyes with your eyelids dancing to the tune of the wind.

Once all lights are switched off with most of the windows rolled down lying on your berth and experiencing the to and fro rocking of the train is one great lullaby. Now at this time when all activities have died down and the dim yellow lights have been replaced by the blue night lamps the train will stop at some stations. Waking up at that time and observing the station which is asleep is a calming experience. Many times I have wished for that experience to last forever. The trolleys at rest, the bags and bags of luggage lying around the platform, a man sleeping on the concrete seat in the platform are worth seeing.

Now sometimes we will be lucky to notice another train going in the opposite direction has also stopped. From this train we will be able to observe the dimly lit coaches of that train. We can notice one or two people moving around inside the coach. That is when the thought which I mentioned earlier in the post used to pop in my mind. When watching the people in that train some sleeping few lazily moping around my thoughts wander about where those people are going and what those people are going through right at that moment. Sometimes I have wished to become part of that journey and experience whatever they are going through.

I am struggling to put in words the exact thought that used to to go through in my mind. But it was one unique experience which will always linger in me.

We should thank GOD for the ability to imagine. We can experience so many things without even moving a finger and by just sitting at wherever we are sitting.

The Way

Why do we love movies and books? There are many reasons for that and one main reason among them is you can watch someone do the things that you want to do but is not in a position to do. Being a person who would love to travel around but not in a position to do Movies provide the easiest solution for my problem. That's one main reason for me being a fan of road movies. Road movies in any form be it horror, drama, comedy I just love them.

Now coming to the point, I recently watched a really beautiful movie called "The Way". Until I watched the movie I was not even aware there is such a thing called Camino de Santiago. Ever since seeing the movie I have a great urge to participate in the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage starts from France and moves through the mountains of Spain.

It does have a documentary feel but with a story line. The walk is beautiful. We feel like we are walking the same path that Martin sheen takes. When he settles in a inn we are there with him. During night when its just the stars to his company we can feel the cool breeze.

This is one movie which a road movie fan should not miss.

Sphinx

Just completed Sphinx by Robin Cook. I have always been fascinated by the medical world and Robin Cook is very good in creating one. So naturally I have been hooked to his novels. I have read most of his novels and recently had the chance to read Sphinx and I was pleasantly surprised. He had ventured into another one of my favorite topic which is travelling.

The novel unravels entirely in Egypt and he brought Egypt right in front of my eyes. Cairo, Luxor all those cities were described so well that I felt as if I was right there in the middle of those cities with great histories.