Day 5 - The Rain Forest

24-12-2014

1009 KM

Wow!!! This green tea taste really nice. Satish's spouse would be getting a nice bed tea everyday. We are sipping green tea, prepared today with the compact stove I had bought online. It's pretty good try to use this stove, but can be used max for making a cup of tea and nothing more. Oh!!! there are so many thing happened from morning, let me put them in front of you.

Missing the bell and bhajans of the chruch and temple as alarm, today we just woke up early to maintain the consistency over last few days. By this time we had realized that waking up early is the best we can do for a freezing ride. It was around 6:30 AM, we could hear couple of estate workers early morning talks about their day plan. We started packing the stuff and we could hear Ganesh Anna opening his grocery shop. He made us a nice tea, which was a booster for us to load the luggage on Shakila. In the course of having tea, we started asking our local experts for road to Anemudi. With my fragile Tamil I was able to convey them that our next destination would be Anemudi. To our surpise one of them told Anemudi is just 30 KM from Valparai. We were both surprised and  confused about the distance, as the map told a different story. Then a truck driver confirmed that Anemudi and Anamalai are two different peaks. Anamalai is the mountain ranges of Valparai and Anemudi is the highest peak of South India which is near Munnar. We thanked Ganesh Anna for his kind help in allowing us to stay last night at his place and started looking for a place to freshen up.  It was crystal clear water stream running in between the forest valley heading towards estate area. We wouldn't have found a better place.

Route map discussion with locals 

Route map discussion with locals

With Ganesh Anna

Crystal Clear Stream

While I was busy drawing some imaginary pictures in the down stream, Satish was approached by some estate workers asking him "Anna, neengal ingha Aluminium Cups sales panniku varinghla, evalu oru cup" (Brother, are you here to sell Aluminium Cups, how much does each cost). He just nodded is head and told "Illa Illa, Navu travelers" (No, No we are travelers). We wouldn't have mind handing over one to them if we had some extra cups. Next time we will make use of this as a good business opportunity.

After a quick fresh up, it was time for us to feed our hungry tummy. With our previous experience, breakfast is a no skip while in TamilNadu, for its taste. So we hit the same "Mary Matha Mess" to bring down our hunger.  Though it was around 8:30AM, the climate was still cold and we got on to the Sholayar Dam route. The road was sliced between the Tea estates and ride was nice. In one of turns we could see a pair cycles parked in the shade and a couple busy sipping tea. We thought it would be very nice for us to share our travel experience with them and we hit the brake pedal. Amazing is the only word which passed across us, when we heard their experience. This German Couple, Claudia and Bernd are in their 50's travelling all the way from Kazakhstan, China, Pakistan to enter India. They were travelling since past 18 months. Bernd is Meteorologist and Claudia teacher by profession. They had taken a long break for their long desire of cycling between multiple countries. It was a very nice chat with them and we found a competitor bicycle for our Shakeela, I mean in terms of cost. This bicycle was a German made with some latest gear system which wasn't exposed but covered with casing. As usual we envy German technology. They had already traveled for more that 5000 KM by now, giving breaks for cycling only in an unavoidable conditions. We could term them "couple, made for each other". After a warm bye to this couple, we started towards Sholayar Dam. We did clicked couple of amazing shots at this place. We enquired the gate keeper, if we could stay at this place tonight and he agreed. Now we got into the relaxing mood and thought of making our first tea with the Green Tea leaves, we bought at the Dam entrance. Now we are done with our Tea we will halt writing here to head back to Valparai to explore more. We will be back here for night stay and would  share our experience for rest of today.

Sholayar Dam

Sholayar Dam

Sholayar Dam

Sholayar Dam

Sholayar Dam

Sholayar Dam

With German Couple

With German Couple

Potrait for Bharatmatrimony at Sholayar Dam

Sholayar Dam

We could hear the water flow coming out of the Athirampally Falls. Whaaat.... aren't we suppose to be at the Sholayar Dam for night stay. No... we aren't.

This is the best thing we like about ourselves. As said earlier, we started back to Valparai to explore more. But lets blame (actually thank) this Yellow bus carrying the "Chalakudy" board which dynamically changed our driving direction from Valparai to Chalakudy. Having heard a little about Chalakudy from Uday, we were just getting ready for our forest ride. We reached the check post at round 1:30 AM. It's a strict checking which happens at the Forest Check post for every thing you are carrying in this route. Plastics and related items will have to be thrown to the dustbin located at the checkpost before you enter this route. After verification of our identification and some general instructions, we got handed over the forest check in pass, and was instructed to hand that over at the exit check post.

Sholayar Dam

Sholayar Dam

The road started with a very bad patch and we were disappointed. We reminded of our Father George who had raised concerns about road condition in Kerala and blaming government for not maintaining. By the time we started experiencing the thick canopy allowing very few rays of light to fall in. It wasn't much different from the rain forest, we had seen in the NGC. This was the thickest forest we had ever seen in our life.

Canopy

Bad Road

It was for a kilometer we could see some Tea shops, after which we didn't see any civilization around. We got our camera prepared for the current lighting. The roads started getting smoother and the drive got more exciting. We did switch off our engine in between to experience the jungle sound. We could hear so many animals, chirping birds. Some calls were really scary. Birds are plenty to see here and it will be feast for bird photographers. With the eyes wide open we were enjoying every bit of this forest. We also decided that we will stay near the Athirampalli falls.

Only heard these sound in NGC before to this

Just after few kilometers we got to see a view point of the Chalakudy river. The view point was amazing. We just envy why aren't we related to any of the forest officer in Kerala. This pristine beauty need special time of your travel plan. We were hoping to stay down near the small Island, but again reserve forest and hence no permission. We met Thomas, driving along with his friend from Bangalore. They started their journey @3am this morning. He was a regular traveller in this route and had asked us to visit this place in Feb to experience the foggy road, in rainy season to enjoy the forest at its best. He also informed that his group is planning for a off road bike trip from Valparai to Munnar in the trekking path. Not sure if its possible, but if so it would be one of the amazing experience. By that time our brain had planned for a cycle trip to this forest by next monsoon. We also met Mr Rajesh with "L" series Canon lens clicking some pics. He is a wildlife photographer from Cochin and is also a regular visitor to this area.  He had informed about "Aane Khayam" which was further towards checkpost, where elephant sighting is very common during evenings.

Chalakudy River View Point

Chalakudy River View Point

Chalakudy River View Point

The beauty about the forest is, there is no civilization for around 40+ KM. Valparai to Athirampalli is around 81 KM, in which we get this dense forest. This beautiful jungle made us forget about hunger, also there wasn't any option for us until we reach the check post. We just drove slow to try our luck to get some sighting. We were able to see elephant dung for every 10-20 meters in this road. We were completely confident on sighting an elephant today. We could see another bullet from the opposite direction and we waved a thumbs up for his beautiful journey. Surpisingly it was Rajeev, Cinematographer we met in Gudalur. After a quick chat and giving him the info we knew about the route, we started towards the check point. By now our stomach was starving and wanted some thing badly. We continued and completed our lunch at Ponny's Hotel just before the check post. After this nice late lunch, we continue further towards checkpost.

On the way to Aane Khayam

On the way to Aane Khayam

Aane Khayam View Point

"Satish . . .  wait a sec . . . we didn't sight an elephant till now, shouldn't we go back and try our luck once more. Any how we don't have any plans for today, right?" He didn't answer me, but turned the bike back towards Valparai. At some point we were having discussion to continue our journey till valparai, but finally decided cut it short till Aane Khayam for a sighting. We reached Aane Khayam by 5:30. Rajiv also joined us at this place. With an extra eye of Camera we started looking out for elephants. With the information we got from Thomas, Rajesh we promised Rajiv we will get him an elephant sighing at this place. Not sure if the elephants were scared to see us at this point or our presence at this point disturbed their habitat. Though we weren't lucky enough to sight even a single elephant, we saw many lion tailed macaque. With the disappointment we started back towards Athirampally falls for our stay to recall the days drive and pen it down. We handed over the reciept given at the starting point, and after few questions we were allowed to continue. While we were about to start from there , a group of people who were few minutes behind us sighted a tiger crossing the road. It wasn't in our fate :(.

Aane Khayam in the evening

It was time for us to hunt a place for stay. Though we had decided Athirampalli falls, we were trying for a better alternative if found. After so many enquiries no one agreed for providing a place for night stay. Many were worried about the Maoist problems. It was already very late. People at Athirampally told us to put the tent near the Vehicle Parking lot. The place was little dirty and hence we decided to move on and enquire in the police station about a safe place. On the way we enquired couple of churches and many said "No". Finally we reached the police station to enquire. The converstation went on as below.

Where coming? 

Sir, we are travellers coming from Bangalore for a 15 day Travel in Kerala.

Where Going? 

We are looking for a place to stay tonight, morning we will start to Munnar.
Hmmmmm

They discussed among them selves and finally one person with his broken english told.

Here full wild animal problem, Maoist problem... near jungle stay problem. Go chalakudy get room. This good solution.

Sir, can we put the tent ouside the police station?

They started laughing. We were surprised. Later realised, if a maoist attack happens police station would be the first target. Though they didnt gave us a place and we had communication problem with them, they inturn helped us to understand the actual problem why people are scared of giving place for strangers to stay. On the way we tried to convince one private bus conductor to stay in his bus for tonight, giving the reason we are running out of cash. He gave us a strainght answer to use the ATM card if we don't have cash. Are we that dumb :(.

With these many disappointments we decided to head towards Chalakudy for the night stay. The Sambar deer which we saw on the way gave us more hope of sighting more animals. We just found  ST JUDE CHURCH @ KANJIRAPPILLY, which was in the process of getting decorated for the christmas eve. We thought of trying our luck for last time before reaching Chalakudy, as this church looked to have a dormitory. Though we had disappointment at starting, our friend Rahul comes as a saviour for us in the end. He agreed to get us a place where its safe for us to put a tent. We just followed his bike. He just waved to a group of friends who are busy with their drinks and smoke. The road led us towards lot of shurbs. The road was very small and shurbs started kissing our jacket. By this time I started smelling fishy about the complete situation. But Satish was confidently driving towards looking for a place to pitch up our tent. Rahul along with his cousin stops the vehicle near a small tree, where the area is completely covered with shurbs, and tells us to stop the vehicle. We got down of the vehicle and Rahul suggested us to put the tent there. By that time I was totally scared and started suggesting Satish for hotel stay.  Saitsh was actually surprised by my behaviour about not staying in tent, but in hotel. Now he told me that he had never felt any foul play. Later we convinced Rahul that it would be very difficult to put tent in this shrubs as its not safe, rather show us a open place like a ground which would be safe. He agreed and started taking us back. Still I wasn't completely out of fear.

Finally he ended up showing a ground where we could pitch up our tent. I was wrong. Rahul was very innocent and very helpful. He wanted us to stay near the river shurbs so it will be more adventorus rather staying in a plain ground. We thanked him so much to get this place for our stay tonight. We quickly arranged our 1 BHK and were ready for the christmas eve party. By this time Rahul's friends who we had seen before entering the place joined us. Rahul called up couple of his friends to arrange dinner for us. We all together started celebrating christmas by bursting crakers and flower pots. We wished each of us a Merry Christmas. Rahul wanted us to experience tiger sighting in night. As the forest officer didn't pick up the call, we had to cancel the plan. We saw his cousin holding a big python of around 14ft lenght. Wow....What a snake it was. As the mass timing approached near, we convinced Rahul to continue with his plan. We came under the roof of our 1 BHK, giving a big thanks to Rahul for making 2014 Christmas celebration most memorable of our lifetime. Thanks a Ton Rahul, was the last word we would want to say before we go to sleep Tonight, Good Night....