5000 Kms Road Trip: Daman - Haveri, Chitradurga, Mysore, Kerala

[autosafari]

Re: A Peak Summer Southern Odyssey - 5000 Kms Round Trip To Kerala

Reaching Chitradurga.

This place can be called as a land of wind mills. We can windmills lined up on those hills on either side of the highway and its a scene running for several miles.











At Chitradurga we have booked our rooms at Hotel Naveen Regency. Rooms are neat and its an apt location for highway travellers.
Thali meals lunch at the restaurant in hotel was not good.

 

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Re: A Peak Summer Southern Odyssey - 5000 Kms Round Trip To Kerala

Chitradurga Fort

 

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Re: A Peak Summer Southern Odyssey - 5000 Kms Round Trip To Kerala

Chitradurga Fort continued

 

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Re: A Peak Summer Southern Odyssey - 5000 Kms Round Trip To Kerala

Next day morning we started late at 10.00 and left for Bangalore.

Enjoying the drive and cruising at 90 -100 kmph

This was the same stretch of highway which was wonderful, smooth and straight where we did 165 kmph and even 170 last year.
This time we felt sad that this beautiful road has been cut across to make crossings which they must have forgot in the first place.
There are lot of diversions on this stretch now between Chitradurga and Tumkur.

















They have made stone walls along this stretch as barricade to prevent animals and humans crossing the highway. However, we can see that stone walls are broken re build and again broken in several places.

 

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Reached Indira Nagar, Bangalore by afternoon for lunch at a family friend's home. Spend rest of the day meeting friends and some shopping.

Next day morning at 7.00 left Bangalore and our next destination is Erode.

Elevated highway which led us out of Bangalore was nice but some car drivers moving slow and in parallel thus occupying both the lanes and blocking traffic was creating an issue.

Stopped for breakfast and fuel near Krishnagiri.

Those places for a pit stop in Bangalore - Chennai highway are some of the best we can get in Indian highways in terms of easy access, overall cleanliness, food quality and availability, wash room cleanliness, parking space neatness.

This is what we miss in Pune - Bangalore highway and in Mumbai - Pune Expressway, its exploitation of highway travellers.

After refreshment, we were enjoying the drive like a relaxed get together of family and friends and reached Salem even before we could realise the time.
Dropped our collegue Saravanan at Salem circle itself and we were rushing towards Erode.

Now we are on NH 544 (old NH 47)

 

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From NH544 (old 47) took a deviation to Erode.

Sumptuous lunch at Siva's home and took rest for an hour.

Siva's father sketched the route and driving directions in a paper for our further journey.

Erode - Kangeyam - Palladam - Pollachi - Kollengode.

So both of them (Saravanan and Siva) who gave us company for last three days got down in their respective destinations and my family and me continuing our trip.

Rural Tamil Nadu - Roads are good and traffic was less.

Just enjoying a pleasure drive.

After reaching Pollachi, we took the help of local people to find out the route which lead to Kollengode. In junctions, just down the window and tell your destination. Those nice people are keen and happy to help us with crisp directions.

 

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After 1744 km and 4 days, we are just 2 km away from our destination to wind up first phase of the trip.

















Another few 100 meters more.

 

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This is where we stay in Kerala.

 

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[Highway Ranger]

All the photos of the roads is tempting me to make another long trip.

I wish my health problem gets solved soon as I am itching for a long drive.

Glad to know that you had a great trip.

Great photos. Thanks for posting.

 

[singh890]

Those are really nice photographs and the roads are amazing as well.

Liked the fort and windmills pics. Nice work buddy.

 

[autosafari]

All the photos of the roads is tempting me to make another long trip.

I wish my health problem gets solved soon as I am itching for a long drive.

Glad to know that you had a great trip.

Great photos. Thanks for posting.

Thanks Highway Ranger.

It was a great trip.

What happened to you ?
Wish you a speedy recovery.
Your Valparai travelogue was real good and inspiring us for a travel.

Those are really nice photographs and the roads are amazing as well.

Liked the fort and windmills pics. Nice work buddy.

Thank you singh.
Wanted to see windmills closer and share the same here. So took a detour and spend an extra day for the trip. Rock garden was a bonus in that.

 

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Some more pictures.

 

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Mysore:

After a short break of 3 days, we were on the road again. To Mysore this time.

Started at 6:30 AM.

Palakkad - Mannarkkad - Alanallur - Nilambur - Gudalur - Bandipur - Gundulupet - Nanjangud - Mysore.

Weather is fine, roads are good and its a pleasure drive.

Reached Palakkad within 45 minutes. Since it was early morning, crossed the City and reached Olavakkode in another 10 - 15 minutes. After that it was a smooth rubberised road (NH 966 - 2 lane road without a divider).

After Mannarkkad, we have a take a deviation from NH966 at Chungam towards Alanallur to reach Nilambur.

Surprised to see that this State highway was equally good and rubberised too.















Breakfast at a small restaurant in Alanallur.
Place was neat and looked hygenic. (Rs 150 for a group of 4 adults and 2 kids)

 

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Areca nut trees