My WAYANAD STORY. ...series 2.

It's the morning of 13th Mar 2017....woke up to a very chilling morning at Vythiri. ..with a cup of tea , I sat in our villa balcony to admire the surrounding freshness , which we miss in our city life at mumbai....Today's agenda was to go for local sightseeing around Wayanad, Sultan bathery and also visit KURUVA ISLAND, 17kms east of Mananthavady....
    So had to get ready by 9.30am  and head off towards BANASURA DAM , which is Asia's 2nd largest earth Dam....on our way we stop over at the tea estate for few photoshots. .....By the time we reached Banasura dam site , sun was almost on top ....Hardly did we feel like walking up to the top of the Dam ....so took paid vehicle to reach the top...it's really very beautiful. ....but didnot opt for those speedboat rides in its waters as we had a packed plan for the day ....one need to carry their sun gear aswell water & snacks....After spending sometimes there we just wanted to get back to our vehicle but my husband instead wished to walk down the Dam slopes😀😀....our driver asked if we were interested for trekking at Eddakal Caves and Chembra peak ....of which we just had no intention to do walking in the hot sun. ....Since its beginning of summer in South India , all waterfalls had dried up so we had no option rather to quit visiting those places instead we opted for KURUVA ISLAND, which is a newly added location on tourist map of Wayanad.
KURUVA ISLAND comprises of 3 islands which are uninhabited  and few submergible islands covering an area of 146.01 hectares in the middle of Kabini river. The KURUVA  ISLAND is a tropical evergreen forest representing unique vegetation with rich biodiversity. It's the only compact protected uninhabited island in Wayanad.
One has to cross the Kabini river by bamboo floating boat to the island and the trek around....We spend almost an hour inside the KURUVA ISLAND. ..No package water bottles or food items / packs are allowed to be taken inside the island ...one needs good pair of shoes and sun gear to walk thru the forested areas....it was almost 2pm when we crossed over to the other bank of Kabini where our vehicle was parked ..  my husband asked Leela hotel driver to take us to any place where we can have authentic Kerala cuisine of this region....our driver took us to his friends place close to KURUVA, where we luckily relish awesome local homemade lunch....
Little away from where we had our lunch is the TRIBAL MUSEUM,  though a small one but neatly displaced ..... 
We were totally exausted by the heat and humid climate there and just asked  the driver to push off to the resort instead.

My WAYANAD Story....series 1.

The word Wayanad is derived from Vayal Nadu , means " The land of Paddy Field"...It's a picturesque plateau nested amongst the mountains of the western ghats on the eastern portion of North kerala state.it is known as Pepper & Coffee belt....Kalpetta is the headquarters  of Wayanad. Nearest Rly head and airport is at Kozikode.
   Places to see at Wayanad :
1.Wayanad wild life sanctuary.
2.Chembra Peak.
3.Edakkal Cave.
4.Banasura Sagar Dam.
5.lakkidi view point.
6.Meenmuthy falls.
7.Pookot lake.
8Soochipara falls.
9.Kuruva island.
10. Tribal museum
11. Vythiri.

My story.....
It was the Holi holiday ie 12th Mar 2017 , after Darshan at Guruvuyur Sri Krishna temple at Trissur  we drove 172.4kms  to kozikode, and after lunch head off for Wayanad  , which is 85.8kms from Calicut by road....We were looking out for booking at Vythiri village resort but could not get ,....it's alway a rush at the Tree resort , .....instead we got Villa  booking at Vythiri Meadows for 2 N stay at  wayanad.
The drive off to Wayanad is picturesque. ...it's better to have a hired vehicle that gives lot of comfort for the travellers to give stopover at locations during the ghat climb. ....it was almost evening by the time we reach our resort at Vythiri; it started chilling too .....we just loved the weather ,the dense jungle across and the fresh air .....

PICNICING AT MALSHEJ GHAT IN HEAVY RAINS.

Rainy season is the best time to make a visit to Malshej ghat. ...it's some 100 kms off navi mumbai in Maharashtra. Visiting Malshej ghat in heavy showers was alway on my agenda but couldn't make it so far....Finally last week as it started pouring very heavily  , we could not resist the idea to go on a drive but was not sure about eateries there , so instead thought to prepare lunch and carry it along with us and then enjoy the food amidst the ghats.....
We were bit late to start from home, so got stuck up in traffic jam as we entered mumbai -Pune highway at Vashi crossing itself in Navi Mumbai. .....then we crossed over to Vashi-Airole side taking cut to drive towards Mahape. ....Road was full of traffic all across ...above that it was raining heavily. ...After Mahape , took towards Selphata onto kalyan and then onto malshej ghat road. .....road upto kalyan was very hochpoch , without Google guiding us ,would have stuck up in traffic only .....it's almost a straight road after crossing Kalyan towards Murbad onto malshej ghat . .......we were driving almost above 100kms/hr speak. ...almost empty road and rains lashing over us left and right ....it was just fun ......almost a 100kms we drove thru before we reach the ghats .....it was chilling cold outside. ..Saw young people soaking in the rains by small gushing streams flowing down the ghats....hardly any good/ proper eateries on the way...Good that I took our food along...The ghats were all in the clouds. .....Half way into the ghats ,the district authorities closed the road as rocks were rolling down from the ghat zone onto the national highway.....so we had to take an U turn from there.....stopped in a beautiful location .....now it's picnic type ....once just felt to soak in the rains but it was quite chilling so instead we put on the heater of our vehicle and started enjoying our home made lunch ....mast Alu parathas with achaar, fruits , cranberry juice ....maza agiya......what more do anyone require. ...good food , awesome weather and chill in the air ......JUST LOVED IT.
     After sometimes we thought to get off the ghats  as we intended to stop at some nice locations for some photo opts. .....it was pouring nonstop as we started off on our return journey. .......After coming out of the ghat zone , we thought to skip off kalyan route instead, and opted for another route Murbad - Badlapur  via BARVI Reserve forest .....it had been a very good decision indeed......Dense jungle and we were loving the drive ....often I whispered to my husband, the road looks so scarry, if in any case some dangerous animal come onto our way.....ha ha ha .......it's really a lovely drive .....after along drive thru Barvi reserve forest finally we reach onto a road that lead us to Lodha's Dombivilli property. ..then onto shelphata -Mahape and navi mumbai. .......
Just loved the drive in the rains ...what an experience  indeed.

MESMERISING EVENING AT KAPPAD BEACH (KOZIKODE ),NORTH KERALA.

It was holi holidays, in march 2017 that we planned our first visit to North kerala. ....Though had seen south and middle kerala region throughly but could make up the northern portion of kerala state ....our itenary included kozikode, Thissur, wayanad and Vythiri. ....
We took flight direct from Mumbai to kozikode, which saved our time a lot  Orelse 4 days holidays wouldn't have been sufficient to cover up our itenary.
Our first day at kozikode, started with our stay at THE RAVIZ  , KOZIKODE. ...awesome hotel in the heart of the city.....after  the authentic  kerala cuisine  , at the hotel's  restaurant we thought to head for a drive to KAPPAD BEACH some 40+ kms away towards northern tip of kerala.....
KAPPAD BEACH,  is considered as one of the best beaches of kerala....it's not crowded, very clean and serene. Though  we came across only 1/2 resorts  at the beach , making it a very private location  away from the mad rush of tourists at beaches across kerala .I would recommend  it for people who would I to enjoy there private moments at beach in kerala.
At kozikode, everyone might say that kappad beach is only some 10+ kms away but that's not kappad actually. ...since its a bit long drive thru locality towards Kappad,  local people have developed a local zone and started calling it kappad.
By the time we reach KAPPAD BEACH, the sun was about to go down ....the surrounding with tall coconut trees and waves thrashing the golden sands of Arabian Sea made a lovely atmosphere. We stepped out of our vehicle , and started walking down the Golden sands. ......it's peace and serenity just made us so relaxed ....we walked along almost a km ahead on the beach , until we climbed some rocks there ....WOW !!! What an evening by the sea .....I sat on the Rock and kept gazing the waves as it kept hitting the shore and rocks breaking it down. .....the dusk came it ....it's just me and nature at its best .....it's an evening I will ever cherish to remember. ...

Driving PALI TO KHAPOLI route in Monsoon.

Monsoon is the best time to go around Konkan region of Maharashtra. ....The whole region looks like draping a green shawl around and the small streams and rainfed waterfalls add to the already mystic environment. ...
Both Pali and Khapoli is famous sites for 2 of the 8 Ashtavinayak darshan. ....
Though we stay in mumbai ,  visiting Pali -khapoli region  is not often possible due to our hectic schedule. ....it was one fine Sunday morning  , we thought  to take on the drive from navi mumbai to pali first via Container road  and then drive the ghats to khapoli and return . It was raining profusely  and that added the charm to our driving out plan ....we were very thrilled to take on the drive ....Taking the first right cut at Belapur via Palm beach road, towards  Ulve  , we drove towards Uran road and then took a short cut diversion onto the Container road , which is basically a shortcut route to hit patalganga  on old mumbai -Goa highway. .... Container road itself , is a lovely drive , if not it's full of heavy container trucks driving towards Mumbai Port  .......anyways,  after joining the Mumbai - Goa highway at patalganga,  we headed to Pen and ahead towards Alibaug  road  and then onto the diversion towards Nagothane. ......it's was mystic all around as we continued our drive .....after crossing Nagothane, little ahead there's  a short cut route to PALI Ashtavinayak temple .......once we took on the pali route , the road turned quite narrow but just so so beautiful  drive.....often welcomed by tiny gushing streams , green jungle covered our way all along upto the temple at Pali . After doing our darshan and puja at Ashtavinayak temple , pali , we thought to have our lunch there itself and small restaurants at pali as after this as we hit the ghats towards Mahad Ashtavinayak, there's hardly any place to have food......it was raining nonstop and temps did drop very low. ......we didn't wish to stay back long at Pali as we had to cross the ghat roads before the evening falls.....it was quite a long drive.....After we left Pali Town the surrounding turned out more and more beautiful. ....Eyes could see total greenary all around ...beautiful rice fields and above all the waterfalls , just mesmerising. ....we often stopped on our drive for some photoshots.....Roads are very well maintained even in severe monsoon (July month)......No words , we were so so thrilled  to drive across the ghats....I thinks it's called Tahini ghats. ...and By the time we crossed Novatel  hotel , onto Mahad Ashtavinayak,  it was almost 4.30pm. ....Rains looked to slow down a bit , making it possible to go for darshan at mahad Ganpati temple; After darshan , a tea break is a must ....and some hot bhajias  added charm to our drive ......Omg,  it again started pouring heavily and hardly could I see the vehicle ahead of me  but we had to get back home without any excuse.....taking a diversion  from Old Mum - Pune highway route towards EXPRESSWAY WAY  , to make our drive bit easy......once we drove into Navi Mumbai, it's home only .....what a drive out in the heavy rains. ....just loved it all ....