My Travel

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I boarded the Nelliampathy bus from Nenmara at 5.45 am. Good 2 lane road to the Nelliampathy hillstation (29 km, Bus fare is Rs 21). Pothundi dam is on the Nelliampathy road, 6 km from Nenmara with good views. The morning was cool and misty. The bus slowly climbed the 10 hairpin curves and reached Pulayanpara via Kaikatty at 6.45 am. The AVT tea plantation on the narrow Kaikatty - Victoria road was a nice experience.

The last stop of the Nelliampathy bus is Victoria (7.15 am). Following the forest road/ walking the forest hill track needs permission of the forest officials. The bus left Victoria at 7.45 am and reached Puliyanpara at 8.15 am via Nooradipalam and Kaikatty. Kaikatty - Puliyanpara is 2.5 km. Further 5.5 km road to Sitharkundu view point via POABS estate. Jeeps ply in this route for tourists (Rs 300 for return trip for 5 persons). Puliyanpara hotels serve basic meals. ITL Dormitory, Pulayanpara : 04923 246 465/ 9446818961.

Sitharkund view point, Nelliampathy is 5.5 km from Puliyanpara. The route is via tea plantations and POABS estate. Nelliampathy hill station is 30 km from Nenmara in Palakkad disttrict, Kerala.



Sitharkund Video



Watch the Great Indian Hornbill found near the Sitharkund view point, Nelliampathy, Palakkad. It was around 70 cm in length and flies with a 'shh' sound.

Hornbill video

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Ooty Flower show 2011

Ooty is a popular tourist destination and is located 100 km from Coimbatore. The famous flower show (115th) was organised at Government Botanical Garden, Ooty from 20 to 22 May 2011. Vintage car ralley and horse race are organised in May.



Government Botanical Garden, Ooty (near Charring Cross stop) : Entry Rs 20, Video Camera Rs 75. Videos: 1 >> 2 >> 3 >> 4 >> 5 >> 6

Botanical Garden

This garden was laid out in 1847 by the Marquis of Tweedale, then the Governor of Madras and is spread over 22 hectares ascending the slopes on the hill. Lush green well maintained lawns, rare trees species (like the cork tree which is probably the only such tree in India, the paper bark tree and the monkey puzzle tree-monkey cannot climb this tree), a 20 million year old fossilized tree, an Italian - style garden bordering, a clear pool, a vast variety of flowering bushes and plants , Fern house with a vast range ferns and orchids are some of the highlights of this garden.

Videos: 1 >> 2

Toda tribal hut is located at Botanical Garden, Ooty. Toda people are the original inhabitants of Ooty. A model hut selling tribal items, shawls etc can be seen at the Botanical garden entrance. A further climb takes one to the tribal temple in a village just outside the boundary wall. Videos: 1 >> 2



Nilgiri Mountain Railway : The meter gauge steam engine with four bogies (wooden coaches with large windows) travel through 16 tunnels, 31 bridges, 326 m to 2193 m , 1899 AD, 46 km in 4.5 hour. There are five stations between Mettupalayam and Coonoor - Kallar, Adderley, Hill Grove, Runnymede and Kateri. From Kallar the 21 km route to Coonoor is through truly rocky terrain. The track passes over 26 viaducts, and twist and blends through 13 tunnels. The train uses the rack and pinion system to climb the incline.

Toy Train videos: 1 >> 2

Toy train timings

The Ooty passenger train leaves Mettupalayam at 7.10 am daily and reaches Ooty by noon. Mettupalayam Pass leaving Ooty station at 3 pm, reaches Mettupalayam at 6.35 pm.

Daily 4 passenger trains from Ooty to Coonoor and back.

Coonoor Pass from Ooty station (7.15 am, 7.30 pm). Ooty Pass from Coonoor station (7.30 am, 4.30 pm)

CSI Wesley Church, Mission Hill, Coonoor.

Peacock sighted near Mettupalayam: video

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I got the Alleppey - Dhanbad Express from Cherthala at 6.30 am and the train reached Coimbatore at 12 Noon. I just missed the Mettupalayam passenger train. The nest passenger was at 3 pm, so I opt travel by bus. Bus No 32A goes from Coimbatore Railway station to New bus stand (for Ooty bus) Rs 3/ Rs 60 by auto.

Cherthala - Mettupalayam : 275 km, Rs 124 in SL M/E. Coimbatore - Cherthala : 239 km, Rs 113 in SL M/E.

Mettupalayam is at the base of the Nilgiri hill range and has plenty of good-cheap hotels. Ooty is 55 km away via hairpin curved ghat raod. Black Thunder Water theme park, 4 km from Mettupalayam on the Ooty road. Entry Rs 400. The route goes via Burliar, Coonoor, Lovedale and Wellington. The famous Defence Staff College is located at Wellington.



Bus travel is cheap in Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore - Mettupalayam : 80 min by bus/50 km, Mettupalayam - Coonoor : Rs 13, Coonoor - Ooty : Rs 6, 23 km

Ooty - Gudallur : 50 km
Ooty Circuit bus fare Rs 60.
Route : Central Bus STand-Children's Park - Boat House - Botanical Garden - Dodabetta peak - Tea Museum - Rose Garden junction (near Alankar theatre/Hotel Saphire Paradise/Hotel Alkapuri).

Tea Museum cum factory, Doddabetta tea factory, Melkodappamund, Ooty : Entry Rs 5 (2 km before Doddabetta junction on the Kothagiri road)
One can see the Home made Chocolate production. The Ooty view point has a telescope and has good views of the hill town. video



Telescope House, Doddapetta : Rs 5 (9 km from Botanical garden/ 3 km from Dodabetta junction - on the Ooty - Kothagiri road)

Where to Stay

Amritha Lodge, Annaji Rao road, Mettupalayam - 64130, Ph : 04254 229102.
Hotel Ragavendra, Eldee complex, Coonoor - 643102, Ph : 0423 2235333.

Where to Eat

Hotel Sri Lakshmi, TDK Pillai road, Coonoor -2, Ph : 2238889
Hotel Aaryas, Near bus stand, Mettupalayam
Hotel Maruthi, Near bus stand, Mettupalayam, Ph: 222955

Distance from Mettupalayam in km

Sathyamangalam 43
Anoor 22
Avinashi 41
Covai 36
Tiruppur 53
Erode 101
Coonoor 32 (90 min)

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Rose Garden, Ooty : The Rose garden has the largest collections of roses in the country like Hybrid Tea Roses, miniature rose, Floribunda, Ramblers, roses of unusual colours like black and green are some of the more than 3,000 varieties of roses that will captivate your senses. The Rose Garden is situated in slopes of the Elk Hill (4 heactares in 5 terrraces). Entry Rs 20, Camera Rs 30 (2 km from main bus stand)





Dodabetta Peak : It is the highest peak in the Nilgiris at 2637 metre. There is an observatory at the top of Doddabetta with two telescopes available for the public to enjoy the magnificent Ooty aerial view. Located 9 km from Ooty with road access. The Sunset is spectacular from this view point.

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Athirapilly waterfalls is one of the beautiful waterfalls of Kerala located 32 km from Chalakudy on the Valpara road in Thrissur district of Kerala. Chalakudy -Pariyaram - Dream World - Konnakuzhy - Silver storm - Vettilapara - Athirappilly : 32 km, 1 h, Rs 18 by bus. Dream World & Silver storm (Mob :9447603344) are two water theme parks en route.

0630, 1320 & 1420 h Valpara bus from Chalakudy. Chalakudy - Athirappilly - Vazhachal - Peringalkuthu dam - Puliyilapara - Malakapara - Valpara (in Tamil Nadu). Sholayar dam is 43 km and Malakkapara is 58 km away from Athirapilly.



Athirappilly & Vazhachal waterfalls Entry : Rs 15. Camera and video charges extra. Timings : 8 am to 5 pm. Chapra falls is 3 km from Athirappilly. Further 2 km is Vazhachal waterfalls. The last bus from Athirapilly to Chalakudy is at 7.10 pm.



Treks from Athirappilly : Season: Dec. Beware of Leech. Rate for a group of 5 persons.

Athirappilly to Kundoormedu : 1 day, 30 km, Rs 1000.
Ittiyani to Kundoormedu : 2 day, 50 km, Rs 2000

Vazhachal to Orukombankutty : 2 day, 50 km, Rs 2000
Vazhachal to Karanthode : 2 day, 40 km, Rs 2000

For booking Contact : DFO, Chalakudy. Ph : 0480 2701713.

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Nilambur Tourist attractions

Conoly's plot (3 km) : World's oldest teak plantation, planted by Chathu Menon. It is accessible via a hanging bridge across Chaliyar river. The no 23 teak tree has a height of 46.5 m, GBH : 4.2 m. Entry Rs 10, Camera Rs 25, Video Rs 75.



Teak museum & Bio resources Nature Park : Access from Chandakunnu, Nilambur stand by Vazhikadavu bus (3 km). Monday Holiday, Timings : 10 am to 4.30 pm. Entry : Rs 25, Still camera, Video: Rs 200 : Rs 20. Ph : 04931 222846.



Adyanpara falls (14 km) : Travel by Erumamunda bus from Chandakunnu stand, Nilambur and get down 1.5 km away from the falls. Follow the road to the falls. Entry : Free.





Kozhikode - Medical College - Mavoor - Areacode - Edavanna - Mambad - Conolly's plot - Nilambur : 62 km, Rs 35, 2.5 h.

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Vypin lighthouse







Cochin port in the back waters formed by the Periyar river estuary providing a natural harbour site capable of affording shelter to a number of large vessels has been an important trading centre since the 16th century. Mr RC Bristow, Harbour Engineer-in-Chief, prepared a four stage plan in 1935 for Expansion, Development and Modernisation of Cochin port.

There is regular passenger cum cargo ship service from Cochin port to different islands in Lakshadweep. Cochin is the base of Indian Navy’s Southern Command. The Cochin Shipyard built its first vessel ‘Rani Padmini’ (85 kt) and sailed it here in 1984.

The first Lighthouse was provided in 1839 at Fort Cochin. It was a masonry column constructed at a site south of the entrance to port. The light source was an oil wick lamp inside 6th order optic with fixed character. The system worked for 63 years when in 1902 it was improved by inducting a new lantern and an optic. In 1914 a 4th order cut and polished optic and occulting mechanism replaced the earlier equipment. A new 10 m high column was constructed in 1920. It was painted in two white and one black band. The same lighthouse equipment was shifted onto this new column.

Specifications

Flash every 20 second, 46 m high Circular Ribbed Double shell RCC Tower (Red and White bands), a range of 28 Nautical Miles, 375 mm 3rd order 4 Panels Resolving optic inside 2.4 m diameter Lantern house, Cluster of four 150 W, 230 V Metal Halide Lamps, Mains supply 440 V, 50 Hz (Standby Genset provided).

Visit Timings : 3 to 5 pm. No Photography.

The Lighthouse is situated on Vypin Island opposite Kochi at Puthuvaipe, Ph: 0484-2502443. Few Bus service direct to the lighthouse from the High Court bus stop. Otherwise one has to get down at Puthuvype stop and walk 1.5 km to the lighthouse at the beach.

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The Krishnapuram Palace is a rare specimen of the Kerala style of architecture - complete with gabled roofs, narrow corridors and dormer windows. The palace museum has rare antique bronze sculptures, coins, stone inscription, wood sculpture, king's sword and paintings. This two storied palace has a pond, high boundary walls and has an area of 103 are. The palace garden has a 10th century Buddha statue.

The palace museum is located 3 km from Kayamkulam KSRTC bus stand/ 50 km from Alappuzha/40 km from Kollam. The museum is closed on Mondays and other National Holidays. Timings : 10 am to 5 pm. Entry Rs 10, Camera Rs 25, Video Rs 250.

Gajendra Moksham - 49 sq.m - Largest single mural painting in Kerala. Literally, the salvation ( Moksha) of the elephant king ( Gajendra), the theme of the mural is mythological and depicts an elephant saluting Lord Vishnu in devotion while the other gods, goddesses and saints look on. It is said that Lord Vishnu was the family deity of the Kayamkulam rajas. This mural was placed at the entrance to the palace from the pond to enable the rajas to worship the deity after their bath.

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President Pratibha Devisingh Patil inaugurated the race at Ashtamudi lake, Kollam on 30 Aug 2011 at 3 pm. Sree Ganesh lifted the maiden President's Trophy.

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The ettu nombu feast is celebrated on 8th September - Feast of the Virgin Mary's birth. On 8th Sept devotees make payasam using rice, coconut and jaggery. Manarcad Church (St. Mary's Cathedral) is a Jacobite Syrian Christian pilgrim centre located 10 km from Kottayam.



On 7th Sept is the Nada thurappu. The ancient painting of Mother Mary and infant Jesus is open for public adoration and a grand procession is made on that day (raza). The big stone cross is located in front of the church. It's base is covered with brass and oil is poured on it by devotees.