The pandemic gave us a lot of good and bad memories. Just after the lockdown, we planned a 9-day tour to Tamil Nadu. The idea was to visit Chettinadu first. We then expanded the plan by adding more days and places to it. Finally, we decided to visit Dindigul, Chettinadu, Velankanni, Thanjavur, Trichy, and Ooty. To make it more interesting, we decided to ride through the Mulli-Attapadi border road and reach Kochi through Palakkad.
The first thing we solved is the long days’ leave requirement. As we were already working remotely at that time, my company approved my request to let me work in the afternoon session (2 PM to 11 PM). We bought a new bigger duffel bag for the trip along with a large Orange bag cover. As I wanted to take my laptop along with the luggage to work while travelling, we made the luggage extra secure with new cords. We were all excited for this journey and prepared by getting all that we needed for the tour prior. Finally, the day came and we decided to go to Thuravoor the day before and start from there early morning.
Day 1 – Starting in Rain & Thalappakatti Biriyani
We started at 4:45 AM from Thuravoor that day. It was pouring heavily that day from early morning. The weather conditions have been harsh for the last 2 weeks due to depression over the Arabian Sea. Velankanni and some of the Tamilnadu places were affected. Some of our well-wishers asked us to postpone our dates but we wanted to go on.
After wearing all the riding gear we wore the raincoats as well and covered our shoes and glove with plastic cover. We took the Kundannoor-Thripunithura-Neryamamgalam-Rajjakkad-Rajakumari-Poopara-Theni route this time. It did not stop much till Pooppara as it was raining throughout. Once we reached the other side through Poopara, the climate suddenly changed and it became sunny. Removed our raincoats as it started to become hot. We reached the Dindigul, Thalappakatti restaurant by around 1 PM. The restaurant was well set up with all the facilities and there was a rush as well. We ate Mutton Biriyani and it was amazing and worth all the hype.
To Karaikudi
We started off to Karaikudi soon after lunch. There were around 100 more km to travel that day. The road was so good that we enjoyed the ride well. we saw a lot of cows, goats, birds and barren land on the way. There were also shepherds in some places. After every long stretch of barren land, there will be a small town which will be a market with full dirt, cows, and a lot of traffic. We still find it interesting as that’s completely different from what we used to see in Kerala. By 5:15 PM we reached our hotel at Karaikudi.
We checked into our hotel got freshenup and went out to have dinner. We also contacted a local guide from the YouTube videos we had seen about the place but he didn’t show up. We slept early as the long day’s journey made us tired.
Day 2 –
Karaikudi karakkam!
Athiravile unarnu. Niayarazhcha aanu. Kurbana kandu. Athinide cheriya oru pinakkam rajnu aytu! Ennal aa divasathinte santhosham aa pinakkam eratti aakkiyathayi pinneedu thonni.
Athangudi palace, tile factory, sari thari, kanathukadan palace, cvrm heritage mansion, enniva kandu. Sariyum sweetsum vaangi. Athangudi palace oru chettiyar Kalyanam nadakkunna kondu ull kayari kaanan patteela.
12:45 ode Priya messil ethi. Aviduthe oro curryum njangale ambarapeduthunna ruchiyode albudhapeduthi kondirunnu. Naatukozhi, kada, kili meen fry, mutton, chemmen curry enniva aaswadhichu. Mattullavayude gravy edayku avar thannu kondirunnu. Rajnu avduthe chechimarodu odane kootay!
Uchayku shesham thirumayam fort poy kandu. Nalla kalakkan kota! Otha mukalil parayil theertha oru padakkappal pole niraye peerangilalum vedi koppukal sthapikkan ulla sangethangalum aay oru karingal kota! Oru para thurannu oru shiva lingavum. Kuthane ulla eni Keri mukalil chennapade Shivalingam kandappo onnu pathari.
Ksheenam vakavaykathe, Karaikudi antique market lakshyamaki paanju. Ennal Sunday aayakondu kadakal undayila. Rathrikkula bakshanan kayariyappo yadhrishchikamayi kanda kasargodukaranumayi othiri samsarichu. Marunatil vechu oru malayali kaanumbo ulla santhosham orikkal koodi anubavichu.
Roomil vannu swasthmay food kazhichu. Ooty train cancel aayathu kandu, vere route book cheythu. Naale velamkanniku pokan ullathu plan cheythitu, sukamayi urangi.
Nadakkumennu athra Vishwasam ellathirunna oru yathraykulla avasaram dhyvanugraham kondu nadakkunnathil ulla santhosham!
Day 3 –
Karaikudi to Velankanni
Started from hotel subam palace at 7 am. Roads were wet after rain and there was a slight chill. The road ahead surprised us with green fields, grasslands and lush tree tops. We saw a greeny TN for the first time. There were peacocks in few fields. On the way we met a Malappuram boy in a bakery.
We reached Velankanni by 10:30. Soon after reaching the church premises, we took a photo of our Adventure Hunk parked near the velankanni main church. This was special and I never thought I ll come here in my motorcycle.
We check in to hotel, and after 2 PM we went to church, made offerings, prayed at church, done some shopping, and went back to hotel to work rest of the day. The room at Orchard Inn was small yet it met our purpose.
Dada as usual ring me up in the evening and enquired about everything about today’s travel experiences.
After doing some important updates at work, we slept. Thanjavur is the next destination!
Day 4 –
To Cholan’s Tanjur
Started from Velankanni at 6:45. We took the Mannargudi route to reach Thanjavoor. Stop by a nice cafe near a paddy field in Mannargudi. It was amazing.
We reached Barnabas homestay at 9:30 AM. After getting ready, we visited Thanjavoor Periya Kovil, Maratha palace, Beerangi, and went to thiruvaiyur to taste Asoka – a kind of halwa Thanjavur is famous for. We also bought few handmade wooden toys, dancing doll and a few antiques.
Had food from a top restaurant in the town and returned back to home. I was lucky that I did all the works for the week in the previoy week itself.
Rajnu became very friendly with the security man at the resort. We bought some grilled chicken and kubboos as dinner.
Praying to get a good climate in coming ways, we are getting ready to experiy Trichi.
Day 5 – Trichy
Started from Tanjur at 7 am. The sky was cloudy but the rainy condition made us feel comfortable. The ride was easy and free of any tensions.
The long bridges and flyovers to sreramgam and samayavaram made us excited.
Visited rockfort first, the elephant at the entrance to the rocky pathways, everything there was astonishing. We saw a church from the fort and visited it next and it was worth our time.
Then we headed to Srerangam temple. The multiple number of temple gopura and they amazing architecture and sculptures made go wow again and again. Entering the temple compound opened our way to more brilliant mandapas and art sculptures in the form of pillars.
Has food after that and then got my bike headlight fixed from a nearby Hero showroom. We went back to room but rain made us wait first in a cafe and then in a petrol pump for around 2 hours.
The biriyani we had as dinner was nice. The owner asked us to just leave the keys and leave whenever we want. That’s impressive because we don’t have to wait for anyone. When you are ready, just go!
Next is Ooty and we are hoping to have an ever memorable 3 days of vacation there.. let’s see what is waiting for us there.
Day 6 – Ooty
Started from Trichy at 6:45. We reached Ooty by 3 pm. It was cold and raining too. We visited Dolphins nose and went to lambs rock but it was closed.
The path to these places where adventures and exciting. Enjoyed every bit of the view points.
Dolphins nose have a waterfall straight in front of it, which is so cool. The best part is that we were the only visitors at that time. We then went to a nice cafe and bought burgers to dinner. It was costly but rich in taste.
Day 7 – Ooty
We woke up by 7 am and got ready to go for sightseeing at 8. Our homestay manager suggested Sims park instead of going to the botanical garden. We were so impressed with the place that we too a bunch load of photos. Ooty lake, botanical garden, st Stephen’s church, tibeten market, and toda temple are other places we visited.
The Shaul from the market looked cool. We also went to the Udagamandalam railway station to enquire. Spend some time there and took some photos. The guy we met in the parking lot shared a lot of useful information.
We returned to the homestay and our manager provided us food as we asked.
Day 8 – Ooty
Morning we went to Lambs rock. It was foggy but beautiful. We had breakfast from a rajasthani family’s restaurant.
We then went to Laurence school, love dale station, and gov museum. We also went to Willy’s coffee pub to taste hot chocolate. I loved it. Rajna tried a brownie.
Google map again played with us a d we ended up invsome rurual area, yet we found it worth as the place was calm a d seren.
The. Left to coonoor railway station was we wanted to catch the toy train. The train travel was a fantastic experience. We went back to coonoor by bus. After dinner we slept.. and tomorrow is the last day of our trip.
We are planning to go through mulli-attappady route. Hope it ll be another great experience.
Day 9 – Back to Kochi via Mulli – Attappady
We woke up at 6:30 AM but we were only able to start from our stay Check Inn Today at 10 AM. As it was Sunday we saw online mass. The manager boy showed us a 1970 model Yezdi and a 1990 model Contessa Classic of the owner which was for sale.
On the way to Mulli we had breakfast from a small country side tea stall run by Malayali family. It was after Kaikety. They showed us their grandfather’s and relatives group photo while they visited Sabarimala in early 80’s or 70’s. We saw carrot farmlands from there.
The way to Mulli was scenic. On the way in a 2-3 KM stretch, there were lot of worms landing down from trees in the middle of the road, like tarzans.
The mulli-attapadi road consist of around 56 hairpin bends. The Geddai bridge and the small water fall was nice.
After TN and KL checkposts the road till Attappady was under construction. The route was scenic though.
We met a boy who worked in Kochi when we stopped at Attappadi for Lunch. Two tribal ladies came to sit on our table while we were about to leave. The uncertainty I saw in their faces will stay in mind for a long time. The tribe people are not very confident to mingle with other people it seems.
We saw Fr Vattel’s Sehiyon retreat center nearby. The Attappady churam was nice but the road was bumpy. We cruised through Mannarcad, cherplassery, outskirts of attappalam etc. Went through a few roads that are going by the middle of paddy fields.
By 8 PM we reached Thrissur round. Spend about 30 minutes in the round. Then we headed to Vypin through kodungalloor n Malyankara.
Had food on the way.
When we opened our home, there was small snake there. It was a snake we call Vellikkettan in the locality.
Had a word with Vineesh and his family about this and they told one was found in their compound too.
Tiger and Shadow was fine.
After sprinkling some kersosine and white onion in the area we slept by 1 AM.
We were happy that we reached back our home but THE TRIP ENDED HERE.
