Kodaikanal – Hassle free canal to cloud nine

Kodaikanal has always been the unsurpassed mount that I had been and I would like to sketch my experience in Kodai this summer for my birthday eve celebrations. Although this is not my squad’s first expedition to Kodai, we continue exploring something or the other as spanking new on every visit. Kodai had always been an amusing and tranquil enormity focal point with plenty of spaces to unwind and squander good time around.





The familiar desirability in Kodai encompass the Silver Cascade falls, Kodai Lake, Pillar Rock, Berijam lake, Coaker’s Walk, Green Valley View, Suicide Point, Guna Caves, Pine Forest. However, Kodai can’t be conical by its topography. It has a bundle of additional singular places which most of them never identify. Few of the fastidious places are Dolphin Nose, Bear Shola Falls, Silent Valley and many more.

We took a drive from Bangalore to Kodai a month back. It was yet another awesome experience driving down the plains and clamber up the hill in the premature morning as we always plan and do. We started our voyage around 9PM on 3-Apr-10 from Bangalore. The action item was to pick one more buddy of ours, from Palani on the way to Kodai. The drive was on the fence with no hiccups and the roads have been laid striking which made us arrive at Palani greatly in advance. It took us roughly 5 hours to reach Palani by 4AM next day morning.



The direction we pursued is, “Bangalore : Hosur : Krishnagiri : Dharmapuri : Salem : Erode : Kangeyam : Dharapuram : Palani : Kodaikanal”. The rotate route which I would propose is, “Bangalore : Hosur : Krishnagiri : Dharmapuri : Salem : Karur : Namakkal : Dindigul : Bathalagundu : Kodaikanal” laid by the British in the late 1800. Both the tracks have their own Pros and there is no such unambiguous Cons on either tracks. If you necessitate a factual stress free drive with no much of turns and twists then I would suggest you to opt for the track 2 via “Karur : Namakkal : Dindigul : Bathalagundu : Kodaikanal”. If you are a freak who adore escapade and ecstasy with hairpin bends and twirls in the track, then track 1 “Erode : Kangeyam : Dharapuram : Palani : Kodaikanal” is the better wage.

Being an ecstasy aficionada we opted for the track “Erode : Kangeyam : Dharapuram : Palani : Kodaikanal”. We, the 4 member crew started from Palani about 4.30AM after a half hour break in Palani. It was a scintillating drive in the premature morning in the belts of Kodai. The valley drive starts just in 15 KMS from Palani and it has 14 hairpin bends with ample scenic sight spots to stop by. We took a fresh and relaxed drive to incident the picturesque valley and reached the kilt of Kodai around 6AM in the morning with a blistering zing coffee in the outskirts. We had a booking in Carlton Resorts which is a lake view resort gives an amusing reside. We took a little respite with a fine breakfast to initiate the place stalk.





Kodai has an excellent lake spread across for 5 KMS and cycling round the lake is undeniably an eventual pass by. Cycles can be rented in the lake area and the rates can be Rs.10 per hour which is worth a shell out. The shores of lake has roadside eateries such as Bajji, Ice-cream, Masala Puri, Masala Tea which is worth an attempt. Kodai is spread across in a wide varieties of spots which has the tender for all range of fondness for the communities and age groups. We have been to Silent Valley, Pine forest, Green Valley View which takes a breathing drive. Never have your car windows closed then you might not get the wisdom of Kodai. After a vigorous wander we curved back to the resort for evening feast with a blazing campfire. Usually they charge Rs200/- – Rs300/- to radiate a campfire.

The next day was not a glad morning to elucidate as we had to start back from Kodai routing to Bangalore. However we started packing our baggage with the feel “this is not the end and it continues…” and signed off at 11AM from the “Princess of Hill stations”. The return journey was satisfying and refreshing sticking to the traces on couple of days in Kodai and we reached Bangalore by 9PM with ample halts and stopovers.

Verdict:
“1. Do you wish to be absent for couple of days from mental stress, work pressure, pollution, need a change and a relaxation with hassle free bottlenecks”
“2. Do you need bunch of places with lot of exclusivity for all kind of age groups?”
“3. Are you glancing for a hill station which is not commercialized and crowded?”
“4. Did not find Ooty, Coorg, Wayanad, Munnar to be that serene and appealing?”

The answer is “Kodai – Let’s go”

Barbeque Nation, Koramangala – I am barbeque

I have been to Barbeque Nation, Koramangala for a team lunch a week back. The average meal costs around Rs.450/- per person. We were around 60 in head count and have been spread across the tables in the terrace. The word “Barbeque Nation” plunks for itself. The “barbeque” culture has not been in reach to India these days and it’s a good walk in to start on with Barbeque Nation. They have their tables equipped with a grill to toast the meat or vegetables to get the live barbeque experience right in front of you. The ambience is a customary contrast to any other counterpart eatery with no extra magnetism. They serve mineral water which is inclusive in the buffet giving a first-rate inkling to start with.



We were given a welcome drink of our choice among the list of Lychee, Strawberry, Coke and Sprite. I opted for Lychee which was a sea blue color drink looked appealing to taste. My choice was fortunately better than the blood red strawberry which my strawberry fondness neighbor mates had to exchange with Lychee drink. They had an immense array of starters which I can verdict to be worth a wage if you are a starters freak. The VEG starters had Panner, baby corn, mushroom, pineapple on the grill stand followed by Aloo Mint Kebab served impulsively by the attendants straight to the plate. In the NON-VEG front, there were varieties in Chicken, Mutton and Fish. 2 varieties of Chicken kebab and fish fingers have been served in the grill stand and the mutton sleek kebab has been served straight to the plate. I am a chicken freak and doesn’t try much on fish and mutton however the fish fingers they served in the grill sparkled my eyes to direct my hands on pulling a couple of it to my plate. After a long gap I have mutton and fish and it was in my errand to like it.



Ufffff… Do I need a main course after such an enormous and delicious range of starters? I asked this question myself and in spite of my tummy saying NO, my mind pulled me to the buffet area. There have been a wide variety of main course with VEG: veg briyani, salads, curd rice, raithas, pickle and plain rice. NON-VEG: chicken curry, crab curry, mutton briyani and roti served straight to the plate. The main course was not that remarkable however the starters were still keeping me high on thoughts. Tasted a few spoons of mutton briyani and moved on to the Desserts.

I have to undeniably say about the desserts. They had ice cream, pineapple cake, chocolate cake, strawberry cake, chocolate fountain, gulab jamoon and few fruits – water melon, cucumber and grapes. The gulab jamoon served hot with the touch of ice cream was undoubtedly the paramount pick anyone can try. It was lip-smacking. Finally we ended the appetite with a blast picking couple of pepper mint sashes!!!

Verdict: “Barbeque Nation” as the word barbeque means, go with it if you are a starters freak, adore desserts and not much anxious about the main course.