Part 2. Ride to Madurai - Rameshwaram - Dhanushkodi - Theni - Kumily - Kodaikanal - Bangalore.

THE "FREEZING" RIDE.

India is no stranger to Extravagant places. Be it the Mighty Himalayan Peaks, Snow covered highways, Magnificent Oak Forests, Enthralling Wildlife Sanctuaries, Splendid Coral Reefs, Mystical Palaces, Haunted Ruins or any other place in particular (you name it). Incredible India has it all. It’s about time we appreciated the Eternal Beauties that Mother India has to offer.

ZROYA RIDES TO THE PRINCESS OF HILL STATIONS.

1701 Kilometers - 6 Destinations - 4 Days - 1 Killer Ride. 

Day 3 - 17th of January 2015.

I never liked manmade structures, but structures like these are beyond beautiful. The Vaigai dam stood bold. An hour at the dam and I found myself cruising towards Suruli Falls.

Suruli falls - A two stage cascading waterfalls is not much to see and do, but if u like nature, then there's more sights and sounds here which makes you forget your ego.

I reached Kumily by 3 pm. Riding around on these picturesque boulevards was a very welcoming change from the usual highway I encounter. The hairpin bends made it more interesting. A quaint place which houses natural waterfalls and badass view points makes this place a must visit destination for any traveler. And yeah, how can I forget those Elephants, Spice Estates, Malabar biriyani and Banana chips??. It was Kerala after all.

The 17th of January was planned to go witness a world event called as Jalli Kattu which happens in a place called Allaganallur near Madurai. The event got banned due to various reasons. I guess sometimes you don't get what you ask for. Next year may be.

6 pm and I started descending and headed towards Kodaikanal. Kodaikanal is one of those most beautiful places to freeze your butt off. You can guarantee a white winter here (all year long). Well, the main reason was to travel on those freezing ghat sections by night. You may be the BADDEST THING around town but I can guarantee you that the consequences of making mistakes on this stretch of road sends shivers down your spine. I met this cute little girl on my way up. A little Parakeet named as "Panchavarnam".

Then it was 52 kilometers of uphill ride. Temperature decreased as the altitude increased and then, there was this exclusive view - "Kodaikanal by night". It was Cold, it was Freezing and it was Awesome. A little Old Monk would have been apt, but then I'm a responsible traveler. A big no to "Drunk Driving".

11 pm - Checked into a nice hotel and crashed.

Day 4 - 18th of January 2015.

It's always good to be on top and even better if there's a view to boot. There are a whole host of hills, mountains and valleys filled with dense fog and Kodaikanal is one of them. Yes, the journey may be treacherous but once you are at the top, the experience can never be forgotten.

No wonder Kodaikanal is one of the best places for couples. It's so cold here, the weather makes cuddling a no brainer. 7 am - The view from the hotel was surreal. I just sat there soaking in the morning mist to enjoy the unbelievable green surroundings. The sprawling hillsides buoyed by lilies and rhododendrons for leagues on end makes this place a Stunning and Pleasant locale.

I needed to beat the pressures of putting up in a metro city; visiting Kodaikanal and just do nothing was the right thing to do. I just reveled in the cool air, lush green surroundings and indulged in some locally grown delicious tea (not to mention the local grass (wink*)). This was a perfect place to unwind. What made it special ??, the Thick Fog.

Popularly known as "The Princess of Hill Stations", Kodaikanal has nothing more than Pristineness.

9 am - It was about time that Zroya wandered along those mysterious roads of Kodai. With Scenic Destinations in a close proximity, this place gets a Double Thumbs up if you wanna stay close to nature.

Initially it was the Pine Forests, and then came the Pillar Rocks, followed by Green Valley View, Guna caves and many others, each with its own Charisma.
Words cannot describe these nature's wonders, but luckily pictures can.

If trekking is your thing, then Dolphin's Nose is a must place to visit while you are here. I wasn't surprised to see a bunch of Foreign Backpackers in Dolphin's Nose minding their own business (Smoking Weed).

Couple of pictures along the waterfalls, lakes and scenic places, it was time that I bid adieu to Kodaikanal. Well, I was a bit heartbroken to have completed 4 days of traveling, but then I could have only wished that Traveling was FREE.

2 am on 19th of January 2015, I was back at my pretty home. With a high sense of having completed the ride and have had many Jaw Dropping Experiences, I just felt super happy and went to bed with the broadest smile I could have ever had.

Ridesntreks: Part 1. Ride to Madurai - Rameshwaram - Dhanushkodi - Theni - Kumily - Kodaikanal - Bangalore. - http://ridesntreks.blogspot.in/2015/01/part-1-ride-to-madurai-rameshwaram.html?m=1

Next Ride : Gandikota - The Grand Canyon of India and Belum Caves - 2nd Largest Cave System in India. 

Until then, ride hard ride safe. Peace !!!!.