Back from my most recent trip to Coorg! I stayed at honeyvalley and also hiked up Tadiandamol, which had been on my wish-list for 4 years now, from when i started with the idiscoveri programmes! This has been the only exciting adventure -all by myself- so far! Suresh and Susheela Chengappa have always been lovely hosts with their most generous smiles and delicious home-cooked food.Met some other wonderful backpackers there and every now and then, had some time to get my sketch book out. Of everything that i saw, I guess i formed a more special bond with the moths at honeyvalley! They loved to be sketched and i loved to sketch them too. They sat ever so patiently until i sketched them.. and heh! they kept sitting even after that!!
The trek up Tadiandamol was just amazing, but tiring as hell! From honeyvalley to the peak its about 9 kms and the last part of it is steep and uphill all the way. It was so misty and cloudy when i reached the top and i couldnt see more than 30-40ft from where i stood. to make it more memorable, it showered just so much to refresh me from the hike to the top. Between the showers, i just made a quick sketch of the Ground-Orchid on top, which left me smiling as i had something to take back from there, other than some pictures! As i was heading back, decided to take the other path which is longer but would pass through the Nalkunad palace...It was 14 kms from the peak to honeyvalley! Most of the path in the beginning was downhill or either flatish.. but the last 4 kms were kind of uphill and gosh it seemed to take forever! My legs had almost started giving up on me, i trotted along so slowly at my own pace and finally reached honeyvalley at 6:30pm. Exhausted like never, hungry and wanting to hit the bed as soon as i could.................but if only the Wolf Snake in my room let me! :)
The trek up Tadiandamol was just amazing, but tiring as hell! From honeyvalley to the peak its about 9 kms and the last part of it is steep and uphill all the way. It was so misty and cloudy when i reached the top and i couldnt see more than 30-40ft from where i stood. to make it more memorable, it showered just so much to refresh me from the hike to the top. Between the showers, i just made a quick sketch of the Ground-Orchid on top, which left me smiling as i had something to take back from there, other than some pictures! As i was heading back, decided to take the other path which is longer but would pass through the Nalkunad palace...It was 14 kms from the peak to honeyvalley! Most of the path in the beginning was downhill or either flatish.. but the last 4 kms were kind of uphill and gosh it seemed to take forever! My legs had almost started giving up on me, i trotted along so slowly at my own pace and finally reached honeyvalley at 6:30pm. Exhausted like never, hungry and wanting to hit the bed as soon as i could.................but if only the Wolf Snake in my room let me! :)
4 comments:
:-)! what was the first thought that came to you when you reached the peak?
you might like this website: http://www.whatsthatbug.com/
moths are special! very special! :-)
-fc
Well.. dono about my first thought.. but it was sheer joy that i made it all the way on top and a strange calm feeling!A smile that never vanished! And the best part is.. when that joy is so immense, it doesnt let even a wink of a bad thought get any closer to you..its just bounding and rebounding with all kinds of exciting thoughts! :)
The view was not all that enticing..in the sense.. no valleys,no sholas, views of distant waterfalls and mountain ranges.. as it was misty all around me.. but it was great to be one with the clouds and i guess my legs knew how high they had climbed! :)
jolly nice :) eh!
Love ur sketches! Somehow couldn't get down to doodling in Honey Valley...just kept ogling at the greenery...wishing I would die there!
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