Monsoon Road Trip Chennai - GOA - Chennai

கோவா - எங்கள் கனவு பயணம்..பயணம் சொல்லி கொடுத்தது பல..அதில் இங்கு சில...

Its been a dream come true for us. Myself and Priya planned for vacation to Goa by train. After spending time in internet for few days, i found that other then Goa there are lot many interesting places to visit in and around Goa and in Karnataka. Karnataka is like a real heaven with interesting landscapes, water bodies, sea shores, wildlife. Karnataka can be defined as "One State many Worlds".


So we dropped the plan by train and thinking about alternate transportation. When searching the blogs many buddies done Bangalore to Goa. It gave me a idea, why cant we do a road trip from Chennai - Goa? I done long trips in my Swift Dzire, but not like this!!. We calculated the total distance and it comes around 3000!!. I asked my close buddy Olani Mohan (now working in Chennai, previously in bangalore!!) to join the trip. He asked me some time for deciding but i know for sure he will join this trip..



He has a hands on experience on Driving and good geographical knowledge and atlast we have a good rapport among us. So i want him for my trip, and he replied with a big "YES". So now the trip comes to a shape by deciding the transportation by Car and at present we are three. I want Meithilli ( my close friend) also to join the trip. She also agreed and her Sis ( Vinitha) also wants to join our club. I am happy to see the team as Priya gets proper company even i am!!



We decide to start by Sep 26th of 2009 and ends by October 4th of 2009. Prepared a pakka trip chart. It follows as

September 26 ( Saturday) - Travel Distance 365Km.
Leaving from Chennai to Bangalore. ( Around 5 in the morning)
Reaching Bangalore by afternoon. Night halt in Bangalore.


September 27 ( Sunday) - Travel Distance 425Km. approx.
Leaving Bangalore by 3:30am in the morning towards Jog Falls
Reaching Jog falls by around 12 in the afternoon.
Sight seeing Jog falls and Sharavathi Valley.
Night halt. Reservation booked on Hotel Mayura Gerusoppa (KSTDC Property)- Jog falls

September 28 ( Monday) - Travel Distance 254.91 Km approx.
Starting from Jog falls around 6 in the morning to Goa.
In between Sight seeing and reaching Goa by afternoon
Lunch. Sit back and relax for few hours.
Evening sight seeing.
Goa Stay arranged in Santana Beach resorts, Candloim ( yet to reserve!!)

September 29 (Tuesday) - Travel Distance 100 Km approx.
Local Sight seeing - Goa


September 30 ( Wednesday) - Travel Distance 100 Km approx.
Local Sight seeing - Goa


October 1 ( Thursday) - Travel Distance 140.43 Km approx.
Leaving from Goa to Dandeli. Starting by early in the morning around 5am
Staying in Horn bill Resort - Paid Advance for two tree houses.
Adventure activities included in the package. Enjoy those things and night halt in tree house.
All meal included only in Dandeli Resort and not in the above accommodations.


October 2 ( Friday) - Travel Distance 100 Km approx.
Leaving Dandeli by afternoon to Udupi (Just for night Stay, breakup journey towards Bangalore.)
Stay in Udupi


October 3 ( Saturday) - Travel Distance 518.13 Km approx.
Udupi to Bangalore. Starting by early morning 5am
Reaching Bangalore by evening. Halt in Bangalore.


October 4 ( Sunday) - Travel Distance 365Km.
Starting from Bangalore to Chennai by early morning 4am
Reaching Chennai by afternoon.



Even though the plan seems to be clear, we desperately changed the final two days plan because of floods in Karnataka. We changed the destination from Udupi to Hubli. The We returned back from hubli to Bangalore and from Bangalore to Chennai.



Day 1: We reached Bangalore in the late afternoon and i stayed in Mohan's room, as Priya and Meithu stayed in Vinitha's room. Vinitha is totally helpful and she is ready to volunteer in all kind of work fundas. I felt safe as my team looks very stronger. Mohan will be my mental stamina, Meithu, Priya and Vini took care of food and other snack fundas.


Day 2: We started very early (2:30am) and reached first tumkur. had a tea and again proceeded to jog falls. Ghat section starts immediately after tumkur and throughout the trip we faced beautiful ghat sections. Amazing views and everyone has to feel it!!! Reached Jog falls and felt little disappointed with some less water flow and high crowd. We stayed there over night. But our disappointment changed to surprise the next morning!!!



Day 3: Every sunshine has its own beauty and tone of color. Water flow drastically increased in the water fall and it gave us a very good view and we took plenty of shots from various angles of the water fall. Food was ok there and Myura stay is worth for the money. Clean basic rooms with all facilities. Kudos to Karnataka tourism. Started from Jog falls and proceeded towards Goa.



Afternoon we had our breakfast at Honovar and lunch at Karwar. Visited Om beach in the intermediate and it been a long drive in the ghat roads and reached Goa by night. Rain was our one more co traveler towards the trip and gave us a pleasent mood towards our travel. We stayed overnight at Santana Beach resorts.


House keeping and Manager were so kind and they upgraded one our rooms to deluxe from ordinary without any extra fare!!. As usual girls took that room. Everyone felt so tired especially myself. I drove the vehicle all along the way from Chennai, as Mohan got some ankle injury in his leg. But he guided me through out the way and we listened to good tracks of Illayaraja, Yuvan, A.R.Rehman and few Hindi tracks too. Mohan's Song collection is simply superb and even today i kept it safe as a treasure.


Day 4: Local sight seeing in Goa. Since its monsoon all the water sports got closed and we enjoyed the rough sea shores with drizzling chill weather. Food items seems to be bit costlier but don't miss the sea foods. We strongly recommend RITZ CLASSIC hotel for perfect goan foods. Do not go for "Delhi Darbar". Poor hospitality with high menu rates. In the evening went for Cruise ride



Day 5: Went to Anjuna beach and Fort Tricol. Its a real nice expeirnce driving to Fort Tricol. Its been a 1 hour drive from Panjim and we have to board our self with the Car in the ferry.


The fort was tiny but the view of the shore from the Fort is tremendous.





Day 6: Said a bye-bye to Goa and had a very tough drive towards Dandeli - Kali river. Roads are really bad near the borders. Real tough time gives us some frustration. One more reason for some frustration is because of heavy monsoon Water rafting been closed in Dandeli. We expected a lot but after some instances we are ready to enjoy with what we are having. Stayed in Tree house of Hornbill resorts.



Really awesome experience staying a whole night in a tree house. Our girls got scared initially but We have no other option there and made up our mind to enjoy the mother nature. Done boating in kali river, Natural Jacuzzi id reaaly good at a point of Kali river. Enjoyed and had a great dinner. Next day early morning went for animal safari also. Able to find some deers.




Day 7: The day is very important in our life. the whole day is sitting in the corner of the seat and watching a horror movie or a disaster genre movie like "2012". We started from the with real happiness and proceeded towards Udupi. Planning to have lunch in Honovar and want to take ride towards Coastal roads of Karnataka. While we started we had a sudden decision to visit Sindheri rocks near Dandeli, so we had a deep diversion and the roads are very close to nature and the forest is very dense. We took some shots in Sindheri rocks are planning to return back to Karwar first. We again got a road diversion to Karwar and reached some how around afternoon.

We heard the shocking news that Coastal Karnataka was totally under flood and we are not able to cross a single bridge in Karwar. All the bridges been flooded with water and gave us a scary shock in our hearts. he remioanig plan was screwed up and now we have no option of retuning back. Rain was hitting real hard and making the scene more scary. A driver in Kadra dam project guided us to stay for few hours in their Inspection bungalow and he arranged for some hot rava uppuma. It is like motherly care and i still have hope that nature will not create any problem to us. I love and care nature up to my extent and i am in a confident level that it will reciprocate good things to me.



After our lunch we got a alternate route to reach hubli and catch NH-4 to Bangalore. Everyone made up our minds to cancel the Udupi visit (not only Udupi. We wished to visit Murudheswar, and want to cover the Mangalore - Bangalore ghat section!!) and re route to Hubli. We had to get permission for the alternate route from the Police station , since the route is been very dangerous ghat section and been a private road used by the forest officials. We got the permission by giving our identities and they provided their phone numbers for emergency. I drove the car like anything and the ghat section is full of dense forests and in the day time itself there is no sunlight. i never saw a ghat section like that!!!!.


Its been a scary 3 hr drive and we got the highway to Hubli and stayed there overnight in a hotel.

Day 8: Its been a clear sunny day and we started our drive to Bangalore. The highway is good at parts and totally damaged at most parts. We informed our parents that we are safe!!. Mohan drove the car and reached Bangalore in the evening. Refreshed and went to "Forum Complex" for dinner. Had a real good dinner and stayed over night.


Day 9: Started early to Chennai and reached Chennai by afternoon.

Its been a life time experience for us. Road trip taught us Courage, Planning things, Driving skills, Team coordination etc. Since we are five we are totally dependent with each other. Thanks to Meithu and Priya for their hindi speaking skills. Thanks to Vinitha for coordinating the stuffs especially in Bangalore. Thanks to Mohan for the mental support and at last i that my Car for providing us safety, comfort etc.



Some Hotels for Staying with budget accommodation:

Udupi Accommodation:

HOTEL SWADESH HERITAGE
Maruthi Veethika,
Udupi - 576 101
Karnataka,
India
Ph. No.:+ 91 820 2529605 / 2529705
E-mail: udupi@hotelswadesh.com

Goa Accommodation:

Santana Beach Resort
www.santana-goa.com
Dando Beach Sinquerim Road
Candolim, 403515
0832 2479556

Dandeli Accommodation:

Horn bill Resorts
Address
Ganeshgudi-Joida Taluk
Near Super Dam
Dandeli
Karnataka - 581362
India Telephone No: 0 - 9880683323
District: Uttara Kannada

Jog falls Accommodation:

KSTDC Mayura Gerusopa
Address
Jog Falls
Sagar Taluk
Karnataka - 577435
India Telephone No: 08186 - 244732
Website: www.kstdc.nic.in
District: Shimoga

Approximate Distance Coverage

Ø Chennai to Bangalore – 350Kms
Ø Bangalore to Jog falls – 393Kms
Ø Jog falls to Goa – 360Kms
Ø Goa to Dandeli – 240Kms
Ø Dandeli to Hubli – 315Kms
Ø Hubli to Bangalore – 490Kms
Ø Bangalore to Chennai – 350Kms

Approximate Trip Expenses:

Ø Vehicle fuel & Maintenance – 6500 Rs.
Ø Hotel Stay – 25600 Rs. ( Jog falls, Goa, Dandeli and Hubli)
Ø Food & Snacks – 12000
Ø Water Rafting – 6000
Ø Other Accessories (Medicines, Water, Battery Cells etc.) - 500

Total Expenses per head: 8000/- ( All Expenses from Chennai to Chennai)
Days Covered: 9 days ( Sep 26th to Oct 4th of 2009)
Road Conditions: 70% good and 30% totally bad
Driving Skill difficulty: Difficult but its heaven.

"NO PAIN NO GAIN". See you guys in my next post with lot more interesting places!!