Place: Dandeli, Karnataka, India
Mode: Tempo (Bangalore - Hubli - Dandeli - Bangalore)
Date(s) of Travel: January 23 & 24, 2010
You can read more about the place(s) here: Dandeli
My Experience:
1. Me and my colleagues started at around 10.00 PM from bangalore to Dandeli. Till Tumkur the traffic was very bad since some bridge construction was going on. After Tumkur, our tempo van driver felt very sleepy and he took some power nap for 2 hrs :(. During that time we were playing some music in the portable speakers on the highways.
2. Next day morning just before Hubli we had breakfast and I forgot the place name. Finally we reached Dandeli only at 12.30 PM, since the distance between bangalore and dandeli is around 500 kms. (blame the driver)
3. We arranged for home stay which is after Kulgi Nature camp around 12 kms from Dandeli city. The stay was too good and water streams flowing behind our house. The home food they prepared was too good and we just went on a rampage.
4. Just outside our house we spotted a big squirrel in a tree. We also spotted some jackals. But we couldn't spot any other wild animals.
5. In the night we had campfire and some music and I should say it was a pleasant one. The walk on the moonlight in the road was an thrilling experience, but we didn't go very far.
6. Next day morning we reached Jungle Lodges and resorts where we took a jeep to the Kali river for white water rafting. The early morning drive from dandeli to Kali river was sexy. It was so cold and green everywhere.
7. Doing water rafting on the Kali river was so good. I have no words to explain the awsomeness we experienced while rafting. Floating on the water with life jacket was simply good. We spotted lot of wild birds.
8. In the afternoon we went to a place called Syntheri rocks which is a natural granite sedimentary rock. Then in the evening we had plans to do jungle safari but time din't allow us to do that. Finally reached bangalore next day morning around 5 AM with dinner break at Rani Bennur town.
Thought of Day:Sometimes one pays most for the things one gets for nothing. - Albert Einstein
Place: Kudremukh, Western Ghats, Karnataka, India
Mode: Tempo (Bangalore - Hassan - Kalasa - Kudremukh - Bangalore)
Date(s) of Travel: December 5 & 6, 2009
You can read more about the place(s) here: Kudremukh
My Experience:
1. Me and my colleagues started at around 11.30 PM from bangalore to kudremukh. We arranged a tempo traveller as we were 10 of us. I would say it was very comfortable in the whole journey.
2. Reached a small village which is situated between Samse and Kudremukh. This is the starting point of our trek to Kudremukh National Park. From there to reach the base camp village we travelled by jeep and the travelling experience was good.
3. We have arranged for a home stay. There are some three homes and they provide food, take care of the forest permissions and guide for the trekking.
4. After having the breakfast and packed our food for the lunch we started to trek around 10.30 AM. On the way we found lot of water streams and vertical stretches. After some rest here and there, reached the peak around 3.00 PM. The peak was awsome.
5. Since we have no plans to stay at the top we started trekking down around 3.30 PM. It was getting late and we want to reach the basecamp before sunset. We spotted a bison in a long distance, hurray.
6. But I started having groin injury and one other member was unable to walk becoz of knee injury. So our phase started slowing down and it was complete dark and still we were only half-way through.
7. Then the fun started as we were having only one torch. But somehow managed to reach the base camp around 8.00 PM. After some hot bath had some good dinner.
8. Next day we went to Kudremukh town and Lakya dam. We went to the Hanumanagundi Water falls but we couldn't make it in time as it was closed. After some rest started back to bangalore and reached around 2.30 AM the next day.
Thought of Day:It is not talking but walking that will bring us to heaven. - Matthew Henry
Place: Agumbe, Western Ghats, Karnataka, India
Mode: KSRTC Bus (Bangalore - Shimoga - Agumbe - Chikmagalur - Bangalore)
Date(s) of Travel: October 31, 2009 - November 1, 2009
You can read more about the place(s) here: Agumbe, Narasimha Parvata
My Experience:
1. We started by Friday Night to Agumbe by direct bus(Rajhamsa Executive). Since the bus goes through the shimoga route, the road was pretty bad as you can't even sleep for a minute.
2. We reached Agumbe around 7.30 AM and it looked like heaven. Agumbe has very few shops and houses. It was the place where the famous Malgudi days shoot happened. We went to the Malgudi days home and took snaps. I still remember one or two episodies from my childhood memory.
3. From Agumbe we took an auto to Malandur which is the base camp for the trek. We met our guide Thimmappa who is a localite in the village. After having a little break, we stared our trek around 10 AM.
4. After some walking, we entered the dense jungle. It was full of leaches. As we had applied salt on our legs and shoes, it was ok. It was sunny, but since we were trekking inside the forest, the trees were giving us shade all the time.
5. Around 1 PM, we reached a big water stream. We decided to have lunch over there itself. At the end of the stream, it was a big water falls. Standing on the top of the falls and seeing down was like too scary but it was fun. Again we started trekking towards our place where we have planned to stay overnight.
6. After some few steep hiking and mountain hoping we reached the small house. The view throughout the trek was awsome. Lot of people got so tired because of the dehydration. Seeing the sunset from top was a nice one too.
7. We had some camp fire and enjoyed our dinner. Next day morning 9.00 AM we started towards the Kiga village and reached around 11.30 AM.
8. We took a local auto and went to Srimane falls which was too good. We went to sringeri and had the god's blessings. That night we started back from sringeri and came to bangalore.
Thought of Day:No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess. - Isaac Newton
Place: Hogenakkal, Tamil Nadu, India
Mode: Bike Trip (Bangalore - Dharmapuri - Hogenakkal - Salem)
Date(s) of Travel: October 15, 2009
You can read more about the place(s) here: Hogenakkal Falls
My Experience:
1. I was planning to go to coimbatore for diwali. One of my colleague said why not we do a bike trip till salem, as he stays in karur. Then the plan was on for going to Hogenakkal too. Thatz how this trip happened.
2. We started early morning around 5.30 AM from Domlur. Driving pulsar 180 on the empty road was fun. It was little bit traffic until the outskirts of the city. Once we crossed electronic city, we pushed our limits.
3. We had few breaks in-between and reached Hogenakkal via Hosur, Dharmapuri around 11 AM. When we went to see the water it was like a heaven. Water Water everywhere. The beauty of cauvery reaching tamilnadu was an amazing view.
4. We hired a parisal and did boating on the river which is above the falls. You won't believe we spotted a crocodile. Sitting above the waterfalls in a rock and viewing it was a fun experience.
5. After tasting the local fish, we headed towards salem. Driving on the NH7 from dharmapuri to salem was like kick ass. The road was too good.
6. Overall the trip was too good and tiring.
Thought of Day:Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. - Albert Einstein
Place: MM Hills, Karnataka, India
Mode:Car (Bangalore - Kollegal - MM Hills - Bangalore)
Date(s) of Travel: October 2-3, 2009
You can read more about the place(s) here: Malai Mahadeshwara Hills
My Experience:
1. Myself and two of my colleagues started to MM Hills around 8.00 PM from bangalore. We had a heavy dinner at hotel kamat on the mysore road. We took the road before Mandya to Kollegal. Finally we reached MM Hills around 1.00 AM after taking few breaks.
2. We couldn't find a place to stay at night and slept in the car itself. That was too tiring.
3. Next morning, we took a jeep which takes us to the base village of nagamalai. The jeep journey was so awsome and adventurous. Actual plan was to trek to palaar through the dense forests of MM hills. The trek to nagamalai was good as we could see lot of adjacent hills. It was bit sunny though.
4. After reaching nagamalai, we enquired some local villagers about helping us reaching pallar. They weren't ready as they said it's risky becoz we might experience elephants. And also they said, forest officials will question us. So we dropped the plan to reach pallar.
5. Had blessings from the shiva temple in nagamalai and reached back bangalore the same day.
Thought of Day:
God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant, and the cat. He has no real style. He just keeps on trying other things. - Pablo Picasso
