A Journey !!: 2006-12-24

ocean se7en - most memorable trip ever

this trip was done exactly 2 years back. it was long weekend - christmas weekend. this was the weekend when tsunami caused havoc in many asian countries. i 'll not be writting in details and instead i'll just be copying the original plan. yes we had a proper doc file prepared by nit ( for more photos and trips, check out his website http://www.flickr.com/photos/trance_nut )

Ocean's Seven

Bangalore Kanyakumari (23 Dec 2004 - 27 Dec 2004)

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The Seven

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1. Ashish a.k.a Dhoom Dhadak

2. Deepak a.k.a DJ

3. Eesh a.k.a Born Free

4. Guppi a.k.a Sparking

5. Nitin a.ka. 6 mein 1 ka mazaa

6. Vishal a.k.a Choos Lee

7. Vivek a.k.a Tan D

Statistics

Total Distance: 1900 km

Trip Start Time: 5 PM

Trip End Time: 8 AM

Trip Duration: 51 hrs

The Route:

Bangalore à Kanyakumari

Bangalore -- Coimbatore -- Ernakulum -- Kochi -- Alappuzha -- Kolam -- Thiruvanthapuram – Kovalam – Kanyakumari

Kanyakumarià Bangalore

Kanyakumari -- Madurai -- Kodaikanal -- Dundigal -- Salem – Bangalore

Vehicles:

Esteem: CH01-L-XXXX

CBZ 1: DL4S-Z-XXXX

CBZ2: KA03-EE-XXXX

ZMA: KA03-EP-XXXX

23.12.04

Leg 1: (Bangalore—Coimbatore)

Distance: 382 KM

Approx Time: 8 hrs

Route:

Bangalore--90--Krishnagiri--40--Dharmapuri--75--Salem--164--Coimbatore

<---------------------NH-7--------------------------><------NH-47------->

Depart by 3 PM (latest)

Reach Coimbatore by 11:30 PM-12 AM. Sync up with car. Rest at any hotel for 3 hrs (sleep, do anything). Start at 3 am.

24.12.04 (3 AM Start)

Leg 2: (Coimbatore – Kovalam)

Distance: 430 km

Approx Time: 10 hrs

Route:

Coimbatore--114--Thrissur--79--Ernakulum--2--Kochi--218--TV Puram--16--Kovalam

<------------------------------NH-47-------------------------------------------->

Sync at Kovalam with car. Have lunch. Chill till sunset. Leave for Kanyakumari.

view from the hotel @ kochi. this is where we had breakfast and took rest for 3 hrs

first view of sea @ alleppey

back waters @ alleppey. a night in this boat would cost you around 20k

sunset @ kovalam

sleeping @ kovalam beach

24.12.04 (7 PM Start)

Leg 3: (Kovalam – Kanyakumari)

Distance: 90 km

Approx Time: 2 hrs

Route:

Kovalam --90-- Kanyakumari

Search for a hotel for the night. Have dinner. Off to bed by 11 pm (latest).

its christmas time - on the way to kanyakumari

waiting for sunrise @ kanyakumari ( our bad luck, it was cloudy )

25.12.04 (6 AM Wake Up)

C THE SUN, RISE J. If we miss it, the whole trip is worthless.

Once done with the sunrise, have the option to go and sleep till 11 AM (negotiable). Have brunch, and leave for Vivekananda Rock. Assume to spend about 2-3 hrs for the rock visit. Lunch time (2:30 pm). Finish by 3:30 – 4 pm. Chill around, watch sunset, depart by 7:30 PM latest.

view from our lodge - vivekananda rock, thiruvalluvar statue

on the way to vivekananda rock - inside ferry

vivekananda rock

thiruvalluvar statue

@ vivekanand rock

experimenting - sun shades in front of camera

sunset @ kanyakumari - we were lucky enough to atleast see the sunset

Leg 4: (Kanyakumari – Madurai)

Distance: 235 km

Approx Time: 5 hrs

Route:

Kanyakumari--81--Tirunelveli--72--Virudunagar--89--Madurai

<-------------------NH-7------------------------------------>

Spend the night at Madurai. Plan to leave by 5 AM (latest by 6 AM)

madurai temple

26.12.04 (5 AM departure from Madurai)

Leg 5: Madurai – Kodaikanal

Distance: 130 km

Approx Time: 4 hrs

Route

Madurai --50-- Batlagundu--80-- Kodaikanal

Starting on the NH7 towards Salem/Bangalore, cruise for 32kms on a not so smooth road and too narrow for a National Highway. Once you take a left turn to go
under the BG Railway line and cross the road level MG Railway line.

Note: Uphill climb is not smooth. Roads are in a bad shape.

Reach Kodaikanal by 10 AM (latest). Have brunch. Roam around (Coaker’s Walk, Lake, some caves also, can decide there). We have 8 hrs in Kodaikanal. What to do is up to us.