A drive through some of the National parks on the Western Ghats

[xelas]

"It is the journey and not the destination that counts." - absolutely spot on @@Earthian

 

​You photos of temples have further strengthened my will to explore Sri Lanka.

Edited January 12, 2016 by xelas

[kittykat23uk]

I'm really enjoying this trip report!

[xelas]

@@Earthian

 

Do you have, by chance, any photo of how the traffic looks like, says on a "bad day"? In the town and in the country?

[Earthian]

@@Earthian

 

Do you have, by chance, any photo of how the traffic looks like, says on a "bad day"? In the town and in the country?

The traffic here in my city, Ahmedabad is quite bad during the rush hours and otherwise too. The traffic in the countryside would depend upon the road taken. If you travel by highways or expressways, the traffic would depend upon the highway or proximity to a city. Bigger the city, higher the traffic. I like to travel by the small roads now since i get to see much more and interact much more. On the highways you drive at a constant speed and are insulated from the small villages, hamlets and roadside delicacies.

Will try and get some shots and forward to you.

​Secondly, travelling by road is great fun. It is pretty safe too, and one must take sensible precautions like avoiding travel in the night and so on. If self driving is your passion, then go for it. If travelling by road, and not necessarily self driving, is what you would like to do; then my suggestion would be that hiring a car and driver here or in Sri Lanka would not be prohibitively expensive. i am basing my analysis on the assumption that you would be hiring a self driven car in Sri Lanka. The additional cost of the driver may not be as much as you figure, since the hiring cost of self driven cars could be high in the first place.

Yes, the driver would encroach upon your privacy and one's sense of decency and equality would mandate that we ensure proper stay and food facilities, which could be an unnecessary responsibility.

Check out the Ramayana Trail. Have not done that but would do so when the opportunity presents itself.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Earthian

[Earthian]

The surroundings are very clean and well maintained. Temple going is a practice in Southern India which is maintained to this day. Unlike some other states, where the most of devotees prefer to go on auspicious days, in South India, visiting a temple and partaking blessings is done without a thought just like we would go to a Cafe for a cup of coffee. Children are encouraged to visit temples and pray. In most temples, some sweetmeats are distributed as prasad (a devotional offering made to a god, typically consisting of food that is later shared among devotees) which further adds incentive for the young ones to visit. Good strategy.

Devotees eagerly wait for a glimpse of the lord, while preparations are being carried out. Once darshan ( an opportunity to see or an occasion of seeing a holy person or the image of a deity) is over, the priest offers the aarti ( Aarti is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a part of puja, in which lights from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities) to the devotees who eagerly throng toget it.

 

The guides are explaining the architecture to interested tourists. There is a light and battery powered torches which can freely be used to check out the interior of the temple.

 

The interior is quite dark as can be seen from this photo:

i rack up the ISO to 10K to take these pictures since i am not using a flash.

 

We leave the temple, marvelling at the commitment, dedication and tenacity of these artisans who made this their life work.

This is a dying breed. When we built our house and wanted to furnish it- cupboards, beds, stuff like that- a family ( of carpenters) came from neighbouring rajasthan and camped for more than 6 months- doing everything from first principles and in situ. it is actually more expensive that going and buying stuff off the sheves- and one needs patience for this sort of work.

Hunger pangs and since our hotel's lone restaurant did not look very inviting, I ask a local store keeper (lady) where one could get a lip smacking breakfast. Since we don't know Kannada ( the local language) and the only way i could explain "lip smacking" was to purse my lips, make a smacking sound, and make a sign with my index finger and thumb in the shape of a "O". The lady was very amused (my wife was not) and she directed us to this place, a photo of which is given in the end:

Edited January 13, 2016 by Earthian

[Earthian]

The breakfast consisted of hot idlis (a south Indian steamed cake of rice, usually served with sambhar) and dosas (a pancake made from rice flour and ground pulses, typically served with a spiced vegetable filling), accompanied by spicy chutneys and sambhar. Good, very good! i commented while my wife looked suspiciously at me. Still, she too had a second helping and i figured all was forgiven.

 

After breakfast, we settled up at our hotel, loaded up and on our way to Dandeli National Park.

 

We did not want to take the highway and wanted to go by the beautiful meandering roads on the ghats and forests. It is a great drive. Ideal for a motorcycle ride, with the weather cool, the surroundings beautiful and sparse traffic. We rolled down the windows and enjoyed our drive. This is probably the first, among all the drives that i have undertaken, where i have not been in a mad rush to reach the destination.
Live and learn. I consider this drive as probably one of the best trips that we have done. There was no sense of urgency, no milestones to reach, no timelines to breach. My daughter commented that i had indeed changed. Earlier ( meaning when i was working), the standard answer for a request to stop ( by them) for anything considered unwarranted, frivolous, unnecessary or just plain stupid by me; would be just that- That it was unwarranted, frivolous, unnecessary or just plain stupid. Now, i stopped for all the unwarranted, frivolous, unnecessary and at times plain stupid stops- funnily they did not seem so anymore.

We reached Dandeli (Kali Adventure Park see: http://www.junglelodges.com/kali-adventure-camp/ ) and the first impression was that we had made a mistake. It was a bustling commercial place, a far cry from the peace and solitude of the forest that we had imagined. We checked in, had dinner and went to bed with mixed feelings.

The next morning, i had opted for a "walk" with a naturalist and i had imagined that we would go into the forest where i would have a pleasant, relaxed morning walk taking in the jungle's offering from a different perspective.

The reality was that we drove down ( less than a km) to the jungle office and old saw mill compound, which still houses the staff of the camp and walked through their grounds amidst scooters honking, cars and such. Bummer!

The only saving grace was the compound was the favourite roosting place of the Hornbill and i got some shots at the end of the walk (and my patience). The shots are not very good since my mood wasn't good.

 

The long and short of it was during breakfast, i discussed the matter with my daughter and wife ( they had opted for a sleep in) and we decided to leave. After the beauty of the jungle resorts of Nilgiris, Madumalai, Bandipur and Kabini, Dandeli was a complete let down. We settled our bills ( quite expensive for a 14 hour stay), loaded and set off for Poona, having decided to give Koyna National park a miss too.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Earthian

[Tom Kellie]

~ @@Earthian

 

Without putting too fine a point on it, what you've described about your Dandeli ‘wildlife experience’ is eerily similar to much of what is offered to unwitting tourists where I live.

They're enticed by glowing hyperbole extolling the glories of nature only to find that the only birds on the premises are the same house sparrows, magpies and tattered crows they see at home, plus a feral cat or two as predators.

Methinks your family's decision to move on was a tad costly but for the best.

Thank you for telling us!

Tom K.

[Earthian]

We had originally planned to stay 2 days at Dandeli, but seeing the environment, we decided to leave after breakfast. We had spent a total of 14 hours at Dandeli and at 15K+ it was quite expensive.

We drove through the ghats till Belgaum, and then got on to NH4. After a short halt at Karad to meet one of our friends, we reached Pune in the evening and checked into The JW Marriott. Spent 2 nights sampling the local cuisine and catching up with some relatives.

We had actually planned to visit Koyna wildlife sanctuary, but after our experience at Dandeli, we were not sure. When you come into the weekend catch zone of the big metros, then the nature of the resort changes. It becomes multi functional to increase footfalls. So you have rafting, para gliding, safaris, kids play ground and such. Catering to all needs and tastes. Not our cup of tea, sorry. And actually we are coffee drinkers!

 

Secondly, there comes a point in your journey when you just want to go back home and i think we had reached that point. No doubt the Dandeli experience brought it on, like a catalyst so to speak. So after a hearty breakfast and a parcel of croissants and muffins and some fruits, helpfully packed for us by the Manager (Thank you) we left Pune for Ahmedabad.

 

So after spending 2 nights at Pune, we left for Ahmedabad after breakfast at 9:30 am and stormed into Ahmedabad around 8 pm, after a short break at Surat. This probably was the least enjoyable drive of the trip, as far as scenery or environment is concerned. But it probably was the fastest!

Thus concluded our Western Ghats Wildlife Tour.

Summary:

Start: 0600 hrs on 1st Dec, 2015
End: 1955hrs on 12th Dec, 2015
Duration: 12 days
Distance covered: 2800 kms
Halts at Salem, Mukkali, Bandipur, Mudumalai, Nagarhole, Belur, Dandeli, Pune.

[xelas]

@@Earthian

 

Self driving is indeed my passion. Thanks for your good advices. And thanks for not using the flash! With today's sensors using a flash is almost obsolete ... and very disturbing.

 

"Now, i stopped for all the unwarranted, frivolous, unnecessary and at times plain stupid stops- funnily they did not seem so anymore." - and those stops have produced the most memorable moments of our travels! That is why I prefer to do a self driving trip.

Edited January 13, 2016 by xelas

[Earthian]

In conclusion, i would like to share the following:

1. Driving through the country and seeing wildlife, historical places is very relaxing, enjoyable and allows one to bond with family.
2. Proper planning does reduce anxiety - but also increases stress and does not allow any leeway, since you must ensure that you follow the time schedule: A way out is plan stay at certain places where you either don't have a choice or you don't want to miss out. The rest take it as it goes. You will be surprised how enjoyable it is once you adapt to it. Keep a day or two spare in between.
3. The best part is one does not have to be stressed out on hand luggage and the number of lenses you carry! Carry everything. ( Yes, but what about the intercontinental flight?)
4. It is initially difficult to drive in places you are not used to: In india you would find the lack of adherence to traffic rules mind boggling initially. Soon, you will adapt to it and provide for it in your manoeuvring. You don't have to subscribe to it, though. Stopping and starting at signals is best done behind someone so that you just follow the flow.
5. Just to prove my point, initially i found it quite stressful to drive in New Zealand, since i was consious that i needed to follow not only the rules but the social etiquette in roads. While acknowledging people giving you way is easy to practice, what was difficult was driving at 90 kms/hr; when the speed limit was 80 kms/hr ( this is what i meant by road etiquette, when you break the rules simply because everyone does the same- and not be a road hog and hold up every one)
6. ​Proper understanding of the basics of car would help, as will taking with you emergency tools and such. After this experience, i have bought an air compressor and a puncture mending kit)
7. You can either choose to live with the regret that you did not follow your heart's dream; or try it out-irrespective of whether you succeed or fail since:
8. It is the journey, and not the destination, that counts!

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils

-WW

Edited January 13, 2016 by Earthian

[Earthian]

@@Earthian

 

Self driving is indeed my passion. Thanks for your good advices. And thanks for not using the flash! With today's sensors using a flash is almost obsolete ... and very disturbing.

 

"Now, i stopped for all the unwarranted, frivolous, unnecessary and at times plain stupid stops- funnily they did not seem so anymore." - and those stops have produced the most memorable moments of our travels! That is why I prefer to do a self driving trip.

Look forward to read your TR of the Sri Lanka self drive , Alex. Please post a thread about the preparations too. Will help us.

[Pennyanne]

@@Earthian A most enjoyable report. Thank you for sharing. I love your philosophy on stopping during the drives and on not planning too much. I agree that can lead to some great experiences..

Edited January 14, 2016 by Pennyanne

[michael-ibk]

Really enjoyed this, thank you! You had some excellent sightings and I too like the general flow of this yourney you have described so beautifully. Also very good to know which places to avoid.

[janzin]

Wonderful report! I really enjoyed seeing the cultural sights as well as the natural ones. It makes me a little regretful that we will not fit in any monuments or temples on our trip (other than 1/2 day in Delhi) but...there will hopefully be a next time.

 

One photographic note, I am surprised that you say the 70-200 2.8 is not sharp! It is probably my sharpest lens, other than perhaps the 500 F4.

[Galana]

Another vote of thanks for taking us all along with you on the journey. Some excellent photography and a personal philosophy on travel and tourism too. I liked it a lot. It also brought back memories of a similar drive I took around the Western Ghats a few years back although I had the services of a driver in his ubiquitous Hindustan Ambassador to remind me of how much progress the automotive industry has progressed with vehicle suspension. Ouch!

Interesting to see how little Kabini River Lodge has changed. This was the venue of one of my strangest encounters. I was sitting at a table awaiting dinner when a very attractive Indian lady dressed in her fine Sari approached me. She held out her hand and said "Hello! You must be ....(using my real first name)". When my jaw had returned to its normal location it transpired that she lived not 20 miles from my home in the British Isles and had picked up on this from the Registration book. Darn it! It was not my handsome charm but curiosity that had brought her to my table! We do remain in touch though. She runs a lovely restaurant and everyone knows the true way to a man's heart!

Forgive an old man's reminiscence.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Galana

[Earthian]

. Darn it! It was not my handsome charm but curiosity that had brought her to my table! We do remain in touch though. She runs a lovely restaurant and everyone knows the true way to a man's heart!

Forgive an old man's reminiscence.

I have never had a beautiful woman approach me thus , in a sari or what ever. I suspect that there is a heart all of 32 years beating in your chest!

 

 

 

One photographic note, I am surprised that you say the 70-200 2.8 is not sharp! It is probably my sharpest lens, other than perhaps the 500 F4.

 

I love my 600 mm f 4. IQ is very good and with good bokeh. In comparison, this falls short. do you have the VR II?

 

. Also very good to know which places to avoid.

Yes, i think we should include this in our TRs though it may be relative and possibly unfair?

Edited January 16, 2016 by Earthian

[Galana]

Having re-visited your account I noted some unanswered questions so let me close them for you.

Very early in your account you queried the Magpie Robin as a Nilgiri Blue Robin. The bird you sought actually appears as a young one under post #59 along with a male Streak-throated Woodpecker. The female was of course correctly Identified at post #45.

Later #47 you had a query "Shrike?" again. This was correct as a Long-tailed Shrike. This can be a confusing bird to identify as the plumage varies markedly across India from Grey Cap with eyestripe and back to a fully black cap with Fox brown back.

Once again I had the opportunity to admire your excellent photographs of the Hawk-eagle.

[janzin]

 

One photographic note, I am surprised that you say the 70-200 2.8 is not sharp! It is probably my sharpest lens, other than perhaps the 500 F4.

 

I love my 600 mm f 4. IQ is very good and with good bokeh. In comparison, this falls short. do you have the VR II?

 

No, its the original VR1...but its very sharp.

 

[Sangeeta]

Really enjoyed reading about your meander, Earthian. Would love to follow in your footseps one day. You had incredible luck with so much wildlife in quite short stays at each park, actually. I am always particularly happy to see wild eles in India - so it was lovely to see so many, including the little one & that big tusker.

 

That selfie taker is lucky your driver was there. What an idiot! Though I have to confess, I've seen people doing this with bison at Yellowstone as well!

 

Tell me, if you had to do this over, where would you have stayed longer and what might you have done differently? Also, is there another road that hugs the coast and is driveable?

 

Fully agree that these journeys can be transformative. Look forward to reading about your adventure in the NE!

Edited January 17, 2016 by Sangeeta

[Kitsafari]

Post #54 - a set of sterling photos. Loved the birds of prey, the langur, the gaur.

 

Of course the tiger in the pond. Fantastic. I'm thoroughly enjoying the report....

[Earthian]

 

Tell me, if you had to do this over, where would you have stayed longer and what might you have done differently? Also, is there another road that hugs the coast and is driveable?

 

Fully agree that these journeys can be transformative. Look forward to reading about your adventure in the NE!

 

I would have spent one more day at the doctor's homestay and gone for a walk/hike to the adjoining madhumalai hills. i would have also spent a day each extra at Bandipur and kabini. Often, we realise the mistakes we have done ( photographers) when we are back and analyse our pictures. This gives a-funny-feeling-in-the-pit-of-my-stomach feeling and one hopes for one more chance to set things right. At Kabini, i would have liked to do one more river safari, with the 600 mm.

 

The NE is under the planning stage at present.

[Earthian]

Post #54 - a set of sterling photos. Loved the birds of prey, the langur, the gaur.

 

Of course the tiger in the pond. Fantastic. I'm thoroughly enjoying the report....

Thank you Kitsafari.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Earthian

[Kitsafari]

Finally found time to start and finish your wonderful drive in one go.

 

Thank you for taking us along with you and showing us the western ghats through your eyes.

 

Love the elephants as well, and sorry that Mr Murphy had stalked you.

[Earthian]

Having re-visited your account I noted some unanswered questions so let me close them for you.

Very early in your account you queried the Magpie Robin as a Nilgiri Blue Robin. The bird you sought actually appears as a young one under post #59 along with a male Streak-throated Woodpecker. The female was of course correctly Identified at post #45.

Later #47 you had a query "Shrike?" again. This was correct as a Long-tailed Shrike. This can be a confusing bird to identify as the plumage varies markedly across India from Grey Cap with eyestripe and back to a fully black cap with Fox brown back.

Once again I had the opportunity to admire your excellent photographs of the Hawk-eagle.

Thank you, Galana. Very good of you to tie up the loose ends. But i am confused now on two issues:

1. Is the unidentified bird (under the magpie blue robin in page 1, post 17)?
2. Are the birds in post 47, page 3 long tailed shrikes or brahminy starlings?

Thank you for the kind comments on the photographs.

[Earthian]

 

Also, is there another road that hugs the coast and is driveable?

 

 

yes, there is are roads along the cost, on the other side of the ghats. Must try that one day