MEKEDATU

August 21 ‘05
MEKEDATU

We were roaming around MG, Brigade on Saturday night and suddenly decided to go somewhere on Sunday. Then decided to go to Mekedatu. We knew only the name of this place and nothing else. Then went to net cafe and got very little details about the route and other things.

But anyhow we wanted to spend Sunday outside B'lore...

Next morning we started around 8 in the morning. Had our breakfast on the way to Kanakpura. Road to Kanakpura is exceptionally very good.(NH 209) I really wonder about the road condition. One thing that I noticed was the way this department works. The bad patches which I had seen during my last trip (in March2005) were still there this time also. Nothing has been done about that.

Mekedatu is around 40 KMs from Kanakpura and ~95 kms from Bangalore. This road is also very good and less traffic. And the countryside is amazing.





On the way landscape turns into hilly ranges and from one point you can see a beautiful view of river Kavery through coconut trees.
The ghat is really beautiful for bike drive. And I really enjoyed my HONDA drive.



We reached sangam at around 11 O’clockHere near at sangam we parked the vehicles as water level was high and it was not possible to take the vehicle across in small coracle (circular boat).
We crossed the river in this circular boat. Main gorge is about ~2-3 kms from here. First we thought of walking till the gorge but later decided to go by bus.



You can go till the gorge. Here river Cauvery falls down through a deep narrow gorge, on top of which is a chasm around 5 m wide.
The water flow, its speed, the sound everything is terrific. The distance to other side is truely a meke-datu [meke(goat)-datu(leap)].





We walked back to sangam and got tired. Searched for food but in vein. finally had omlet-bread. You wont find anything proper to eat there.




Then we started back to Bangalore at 4'O clock. We thought of going to chunchi falls which is on the way and 5kms from sangam. But cancelled the plan.

It was a great day and as usual ended with Bangalore traffic mess and it took 1 hr to reach home from Banshankari.


Route : Bangalore - Kanakpura (~55Kms)
Kanakpura - Mekedatu (~40Kms)

PEARL VALLEY

Our trip to Pearl Valley was in big doubt when ppl started dropping out one by one from the initial list....now there were doubts about the destination itself.....but none had better idea...so finally, we decide to go to PEARL VALLEY.

We started at 9:30 .... it was a beautiful Sunday morning....nice climate...clouds had gathered in the sky....and our car was on the way to valley with a great speed as the wind outside. But no one had any idea about the location. But instead of staying at home, watching same Movie-TV, it was a good option going out and explore.
As we reached till EC, we realized that no one had a map or exact idea about route. What I knew was, to reach Annekal and from there Pearl Valley was just 10km.

Annekal : You have to take a right turn on Hosur Road at about 10-15 km from EC to go to Annekal which is 10-15 km from there.

We had our breakfast on the way to Annekal. The road was impressive

We reached at the turn at around 10:45 which takes you to Pearl Valley. One can see a big hording which reads “Pearl Valley Resort”. But the only thing is, it’s in opposite direction. (We went further...asked at the shop about valley and when turned we could see the board.)
The road condition suddenly became worst...our car was going at 10kmph or may be less than that.


(Now with this road condition if you take a wrong turn and go 3 kms in that way, what would you say to this???? Great na....!!!! We did the same...took a wrong turn and instead of going to pearl valley, reached pearl valley resort.)
We again traveled back 3kms from PerlValleyResort to Pearl Valley ....
But as we reached the valley, we realized that the exercise was worth.....



The view of the valley from the top was excellent.... the wind was terrific.....
From there you have to go down the hill to see the waterfall.... but the waterfall here depends on the rains ... one can see the waterfall only if its raining else there will be a small stream.
For trekking it’s a good destination...


After little trekking we were back on the top....clouds started to gather in the sky......



After spending such a nice day we started back to Bangalore.........

TravelMates: Akhil, Ganesh, Prawal, Sagar

Route : Bangalore-Annekal-PeralValley (around 45 KMs)

School

May 2, 2005



I am in my School after a long time. Its a pleasure to revisit those golden days and the place which built the foundation of my career.

I am thinking of the years I spent here. 12 years of my life.



Checking each and every class room, trying to sit on the bench (its very difficult now to sit on it now :)) remembering the lectures and things that we used to do during lectures(playing games, eating dabba, etc).

So many things are there but cant put all on paper.....

Can I go back to those days ever?

My first Biking trip.

March 26, 2005

The route:
Bangalore - Kanakpura – Bandipur (Day 1).
Bandipur – Mysore – Kanakpura - Bangalore (Day 2).

•After finalizing the destination- Bandipur WildLife Sanctury - decided to leave at 5:00 am, but we started at 6:00 AM from Bangalore. We reached Kanakpura(55km) at 7:15 am without any stop. Had our breakfast (idli and wada.. what better one can expect). The Bangalore –Kanakpura road was too good. I didn’t expect that good road condition.

•We left Kanakpura at 7:30am for Malvalli. Green rice fields, coconut tress along side makes a picture perfect sight on the way from Malvalli. It was an excellent drive with no traffic.

•On the way we visited ShivaSamudram Hydro electric project site. The waterfalls there are marvellous. It would be excelent place to visit in monsoon season.



•As we reached Kollegal, and started towards Chamrajnagar, road condition changed from bad to worst. After leaving Chamrajnagar, we realized that we had lost our way and instead of Bandipur we were going towards Mysore. We took one dusty road along the canal (which was totally dry). But it was comparatively good than the tar road and saved aroubd 10kms of drive. Good that we lost the way.

•Reached Gundlupet at around 12:15pm. We had our lunch. Again filled petrol for next run. Badipur is 18 kms from here.

•We reached Bandipur reception at 1:00 pm. We were very excited after reaching our destination. But all the excitement went away with no proper information from the reception crew. Actually only one lady was there who didn’t even know proper English. With the help of Kannada speaking tourists there, we got that all the cottages were sold out and the Safari was at 4 O’clock.

•Among the many private resorts nearby, we went to MC resort, which is quite good. Had some rest and came back at 3:45 for safari.

•In the evening, we headed out on a safari in the Bandipur forest. I thought of safari in a open jeep as I had seen on NatGeo, and also expected the same looking at open jeeps parked there. But we got tickets for bus safari. I don’t understand how others managed for jeep safari? (specially privileged?) and it was a bus safari, lost all the hopes of spotting elephants or tigers or any other animal.

•Even people who accompanied us were very irritating making silly comments. You should always keep in mind to keep silence and respect the nature when you are in Jungle. As the jungle has major deer population we were able to spot sambar, cheetal, peacocks… but no other animal.

•We drove through Bandipur in the morning, beautiful morning with birds on the trees and deer playing, grazing along the road side. Some of them were crossing the road as we passed by.


•Admiring the nature beauty we decided to go further till Tallkad in Tamilnadu, through Jungle. As you enter Tamilnadu it is Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctury.
You see beautiful Nilgiri Ranges infront as you drive.


•I enquired at the checkpost about the presence of elephants there, and the guard raised my hopes saying that elephants were seen a day before crossing the road. I was very excited. So finally I might see elephants.

•As we were passing by the road, Kedar shouted, “Chitta” (Leopard). Suddenly I stopped and saw my right. A cub was stading few meters away from us watching us. What a moment it was! In the excitement we forget to remain silent and calm, due to which it got scared and ran away. But before that Kedar managed to capture it in camera. It made our day.


•Same day we started back to Bangalore. Now decided to return via Mysore road. But due to traffic we decided to follow the same route by which we came.And instead of going to Mandya we returned via Malavalli, Kanakpura.

My traveling companion:
Kedar – Finally agreed to come on bike. I think he enjoyed the trip. So wont be having any regret.

After spending 2 days with mother nature, it’s back to business :)