Sunday, July 25, 2010

.::MONSOON TREKKING -1::.

Another Monsoon Trekking in progress and that explains my absence from this wired (Read weird)world. We always choose the wilderness for our trekking expeditions. This time we chose the Silent Valley and the wilderness around it for trekking. 

Shiruvani is the place that we visited first.This place is near the Kanhirappuzha Dam, [Near Mannarkkad] in Palakkad District of Kerala. Almost 22 KM scenic drive from the base of Kanhirappuzha Dam!
Monsoon, is when the nature is at its awesome prime. I loooove it!!! Beauty it is!!! The weather is sooooooooooooooooooo amaaaaaaaaaazing!


The winding road on the way to the Shiruvani Dam area is a wonderful way to unwind from your nagging boss and those nagging feelings. Be careful while you are cruising along this road.
Keep your eyes open for domestic animals like humans and cows without directional coordinates, wild animals like elephants and also the killer iron nails on the road which are strategically placed so that the tyres wont miss it. 
The road is narrow, but quiet good and well maintained, which is enough reason for biker dudes to attempt and break land speed record or what ever they can break.
Unlike us geniuses, do keep a spare tyre and do make sure that the spare tyre has air in it. keep Sodium Chloride also called Common salt [ A WHOLE LOTS OF PACKETS OF IT] if you are planning to swim 




This is the wild stream where we took our first break.Brrrrr......Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..the water was soooo brrrr...coooolllddd!! The stream water is so clear and see through like the Victoria Secret Lingerie. We took off our shoes and dived into the ice cold water. Took some good snaps.A few primates in our group managed to find a fallen tree trunk in the stream and climbed on top of it,George of the Jungle style. 
Check yourself for 'politicians' clinging on to your body.Errr..I mean leeches.Here we have the cute dotted variety leeches.Unlike politicians, they won't kill you . Common salt is a good remedy for leeches.



"An idle wall is any guy's awesome canvas" So sayz the Sorcerer. Some great personality [no..Not me] has said that, we should always leave our mark on this planet. That explains why many people shoo shoo out in the streets, leaving their scent marks. But when its soo sooo cold and fog comes out through your nose while you breathe, it's not a great idea to shoo shoo in such extreme climate and have a 'system malfunction' cuz of ice factor.
So I decided to do it the caveman way and wrote my name on the fern infested stone wall with another stone.[Shamelessly! Yes!]


The climate is great. Even after mid-noon, the climate its unbelievably cold. If you ask me to choose between Ooty and this place, I will definitely choose this place. Cuz, this is scenic, untouched by dirty human  hands and unexplainably beautiful if you have patience to stay and cherish it.


Every time the sunlight changes its ambiance,the light pattern bathes our surroundings with a different color filter.In the horizon, you can see the fog drifting with the upwind and below the earth like a beautiful carpet in green. The valley way below changes it's appearance every moment with the fading lights and the retracted light from the clouds above.
With the fog settling around you, the whole setting feels like heaven!!!


The valley way below, looks beautiful every time.The whole of it is thick forest![ The last of the reserved forests trying to keep us humans alive] . That hill at that distance is a beauty. The cliff face bald and steep gives it an impressive and bold look.


As we stood there waiting for the tyre change, nature cycled through the  many awesome light show.You are way..way above the sea level and you could hear the wind howling [Loud!!!!!] in your ears. Instances like these puts you on an entirely different emotional level. Somewhere deep within you, it kick starts your respect and fear for the unpredictable nature.


Do notice the trees that stand tall on both side of the road.The trees those bare to the elements are beautifully sculpted, always! so are those humans !

____________________

Mission Briefing:

If you are planning for a trek along these roads

{

Be sure to pack enough ration, and drinking water while you are on these roads. There are no hotels in these parts and very rarely you find another of your own species[humans] on these roads.Means..roads are almost deserted. There is always curves and blind spots! respect your commonsense while you are driving on these parts.
Blaring music too loud will attract unwanted attention from humans and animals,.If you are there to see the nature, use all your senses to feel the views.

Vodafone has a decent network on these parts.[Muaahahahahah!!!] .Make sure you fill your vehicle with enough fuel at the base of the hills or else be prepared to buy fuel with a proportion of 80% kerosene 20% petrol from people who 'refine' own oil.

Apart from gravity that sucks around these parts, there are leeches. Carrying common salt is common sense.NO!! Beer does not work!

The natives here is quiet friendly and always ready to help. seriously. These people rely on agriculture for their living and most of them doesn't have 'corporate' human emotions.So treat em right and they will go that extra mile to make you comfortable and help you.

If you are coming down hill on the same day, make your way  back down before its too late in the evening, as fog could limit the visibility  beeeeeeeg time, combining that situations  it with HUGE wild animals on the narrow strip of road gives you limited chance to say your prayers.

Ps: "OH FUCK!!"  Doesnt work .[Darn!! it rhymes too!!]

Unlike humans who put a different face and act entirely different from what is shown on face, you can trust wild animals.Don't panic.Stay calm, don't fiddle with your headlight beams; nor switch it off or try to scare[annoy] a many tonne animal with your air horn and impress your fellow traveler with your low I.Q.

Remember that animals don't read news paper and won't have the information that you have 'connections' with people in power and the animals need to get their arse off the road for you, cuz your uncle has opium farm..

Give the animal the priority on the road. Have patience and wait. They would move off the road and give you ample space to drive off.

DO YOU KNOW!!! your TERMINAL VELOCITY?

While passing that animal , make sure that you howl, throw stone/beer bottle at it and try to touch it; just to make sure who is the BOSS!! around those parts.Do remember to blare music soo loud that astronauts in space stations can dance to it.
Thus..you can know attain your terminal velocity!

Remember..It's the wild and we humans are sooo way down the food chain and they don't speak human nor ASCII

}

____________________

There are many, many, places in our own country that's so amazing with breathe taking views.
The second part of the Monsoon trek is scheduled this weekend..will keep you posted!

__________________________+

34 comments:

sanket kambli said...

wow! what a great trek... even I want to go to such a trek...but my friends are either too lazy or too busy...so that wait is on..

el_idioto said...

looks beautiful.. will go there soon...

- http://theparanormalguy.blogspot.com/

el_idioto said...

looks beautiful.. will go there soon...

- http://theparanormalguy.blogspot.com/

chitra said...

Sorci
Really nice post on the trek and beautiful photos. I think I will just enjoy reading posts like this. Trekking, lonely places, leeches....my heart misses a beat when I read such things.

Ankur Nigam said...

I am more of an indoor type ;)
http://hellisnext.blogspot.com/2010/07/conversation-of-week.html

Sorcerer said...

@Chirainda blogger
thank you for the comment.

@Chitra
Yes! The area around silent valley is amazing.
:)

@Rishi
Yeah! you should try and visit that place.It's never gonna disappoint you.

@Sankoobaba
It happens.Its hard really hard to get people with same frequency.
Most of our treks happen spontaneously. But it's better to plan well in advance.

siji said...

amazing really...haffun sorcy..:)
p.s. u make me sooo j :P

Anonymous said...

hey buddy nice place n post too, south india is asum for treks...enjoy...

Rajlakshmi said...

that must have been awesome... trekking in such beautiful place :D
lovely photos :D

Aparna (Life Takes) said...

wow...i always knew kerala was this scenic...

lovely pictures....

better than ooty coz the forests here are virgin and unpolluted by humans...

I went to munnar in kerala and was mesmerised by the scenic nature and traquility

Samarjit Roy said...

Those pictures are lovely !!! And good advises, too.

KittySigurdardottir. said...

I know exactly what you mean in this post:"When you are one with God and nature you get True Satisfaction".Shoot,you even forget about crushes then,they are so cumbersome,don't you find,Sorci!

Sorcerer said...

@Barbie Jones.
One thing I believe in is nature.
Thanks for the comment.

@Sam
thank you buddy.

@Aparna.
Munnar is good! This place is really really amazing.Other than a resort setting, this spot is really good for adventures and camping out.

@Rajlakshmi
Thank you for the comment. Yeah it was really fun.

@Sunshine
Yes! so many reserved forests and monsoon as the bonus!!

@Siji
haha..c'mon.;..runaway and take a break!

P. Venugopal said...

Nice pictures, Sorcy. Silent Valley warden Shivadas is my friend, the man with a very luxurient beard whom you might have met.

санжог said...

sorci...man...this is beautiful! me comming soon over there! LETS GO


I noticed that while changing tyres all the dudes have taken there shoes off...I bet sorcirator put something into their head...and laughed alone...as he pulled a fast one.

rohit Iyer said...

Awesome.. Palakkad is my hometown... I've been there as a kid.. I have to go again... After seeing these pics, I DEFINITELY HAVE TO GO!! :D
--
RoHiT
dial-a-denial.blogspot.com

mantiz said...

wow dude!! those are some amazing pics.. sure you guys had a great time. went to munnar a month back and that's it. life's been stagnating since, i think i might be gettin cramps. This post just makes me wanna get back on d road again! ;)

DiDo said...

Lovelyyy picss soczz..:) hope u'l had fun

Anonymous said...

Damn nice...still going strong Sorcy! So glad I'm one of the hundreds here :-)

Sorcerer said...

@Dame
Thank you for the comment.
Yeah its a pretty nice place..

@Dido
Thanks for the comment.yeah we had a rwaking time

@Mantiz
Run away..Take a break! Reboot the system buddy

@Rohit
You should really visit Silent valley and Nelliyampathi.
The places are near to palakkad town.you can finish off your trek in a single day!

@Sanjog
We were coming down after the swimming thingy..The shoes is behind ze car!!
Yeah...when you hit these parts comrade..we go on wild hunting..

@P.Venugopal
Hmm..Cant remember...
but..the place is soo wonderful

Anonymous said...

hai! how are you?!!
It was a great post Sorcy! Beautifully written!
We humans are nothing compared to the beauty and the greatness of nature!

leeches?? And you people got into that water?? OMG!
And did you people encoounter any wild animals on your way??

will be waiting for yours next awesome post on nature!!

take care bye!

GhostScriptWriter said...

Nalla parichayamulla Alto (Etho oru mahante veetil ninnu veruthu eduthonduvannathu pole))!!!!Any way great work with photoshop!!!Hats off boss!!!!


Hari Nandakumar

subu.ps said...

Superb write up and photos. Sorcerer, u rock even if it is a travelogue or ur funky stories.

Gautam Anand said...

great dude..u had an awesome trip it seems but I feel Ooty shd also be gud for trekking.. but here in Pune too .. its like trekking paradise..

In b/w
Awaiting ur comments on my new poem..finally after a gap of 3 months I am back at my writing ways...

Maya said...

out of our concrete worlds there certainly is a world outside thats beautiful

The introspective wanderer said...

nice stuff man, looks like you had some good fun! would love to hit those places some day!

Sorcerer said...

@The Introspective Wanderer
Yeah! Thanks for the comment

@Uncommonsense
Yes.ofcourse..still untouched. Dont know for how long though.

@MariaMcclain
Sure thing.Thanks for the comment

@Gauatam
Yeah..Ooty is good too.
Sure, I will check back soon.

@Subu.P.S
thanks buddy! This break was much awaited one.

@Hari
Hmm..Alto yude karyam parayanda..Ella awishyam illatha sadhanom adil undu(you included)..oru spare tyre mathram illa.
Adobe Potatochops il cheruthayi onnu sharpen cheythu.Chila alkkarude Mobile Cam nu vicharicha athra clarity pora.. I miss that sony Cyber shot!

@Yemiledu
Thanks for the comment.>Yeah it was a nice trip
No wild animals actually.They are so scared of humans!

*Sigh

~*. D E E P A .* ~ said...

am back
lots of posts to read

~*. D E E P A .* ~ said...

leeches ...oh yeah .... we had gone to irpu falls once, maaaaaaaaaaan ! those leeches ...... uff .. cnat forget how they bloat with our blood.

you should have made the animal part more threatening a-la Kaal film .. that was one film i really loved !

i know , the untouched, non commercial , off for visitors places are the most awesome, especially when you have to combat hostile situations (provided you overcome it) :D: :D :D

~*. D E E P A .* ~ said...

reg: "One Small Doubt"

Once burnt, twice shy ... huh ???
Why is it that the most curvy women are the ones with either fantastic brains (and therefore, loads of questions), or extremely dumb (and even higher load of questions) ????????

Sorcerer said...

@Deepa

Welcome back...Welcome back!

Yeah!! Understood the question!! Cease Fire!!
Cease Fire!!!!


Leaches ..yeah they look harmless from a safe distance.

Unknown said...

Gorgeous photos Sorcerer .Still sends a shiver down my spine when I think the Kerala Govt planned to inundate it with a dam

Sorcerer said...

@eve's lungs
yes! The Govt teaches us patience!
O:)

there is a dam..but its a check dam and no related projects in development over that area..as of now!

Anonymous said...

Good brief and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you for your information.