Theni to Munnar
Just 80kms from theni, Munnar is very popular hill station in South India.
I took the route that crosses Bodimettu. Road was under construction en route, but my verna managed the muddy stretches.
Nothing much to do solo in Munnar I felt, after all it was an unplanned drive. Had lunch, enjoyed the drive.
Took an alternate route back to theni through Rajakad, Kerala. Amazing sceneries and dense forests. I stopped wherever I found a spot to park my car on the narrow roads to slurp in a dose of nature.
Reached theni by evening.
#munnar #theni #solotrip
Theni to Suryanelli (Kolukkumalai)
I liked the road till bodimettu from the previous day's drive, today I wanted to visit the sun rise view point in Kolukkumalai. The road to Kolukkumalai just after bodimettu was a right turn. Just as I took that turn, my brain said - bad decision, bad decision, turn back. The roads were too narrow and too steep downhill. Just after 500m the road turned good.
The road till Suryanelli was lush, full of cardamom plantations. Small villages on the way. The roads were narrow but well laid.
Turned out, the sun rise point was approachable only by rented jeeps. I dint want to park my car in the middle of nowhere and take a rented jeep. So I continued west, I reached Anayirankal Dam view. Had a tea, and turned around to theni.
#cardamomplantation #damview
The Twist
On day 2, as I came downhill towards theni it was only afternoon. I had lunch at theni and kept thinking if I have to stay the night at theni.
Sudden thought came to look for hostels nearby. I found a bed at @zostelkodaikanal. Map showed a little over 2 hours.
Took the drive to the kodai hills. The roads were narrow, I hated the traffic. People should learn to enjoy driving slow through the winding roads. Most idiots race on the winding roads.
I reached Zostel Kodaikanal around 6:30PM. A cool Bungalow converted into a hostel. I liked the ambiance. And I met good people. Made few friends at the hostel.
The night was cold 12 degrees. I woke up to birds chirping. I could see the rising sun painting the skies with amazing colours. I couldn't sleep after looking at the stunning view.
Kodaikanal is too commercialised to my liking, almost all the spots are crowded and I don't think it's worth spending time to goto those spots.
So I started back to theni. I remembered the stupid drivers on the kodai road.
I found an alternate route to theni through Adukkam.
Lonely narrow roads, well laid, winding through villages. Deep valley views. It was a right decision to take this route. I reached theni afternoon.
Go solo, drive safe, experience you...
#kodaikanal #gosolo
