Kodaikanal (3,4,5 Mar 06)

Click, eat, laze and booze (not necessarily in that order) would be the ideal defintion of a vacation. We had our share of all during the Kodaikanal trip. To add to it, we had a nice and cool weather.

We reached Kodai at around 10:30 am by KSRTC bus (Rajhamsa) which we boarded from Dairy Circle (Bangalore). Thanks to Namit, a perennial organizer ;-). Cost around Rs. 258 per head. Got down to arrange for the return tickets as we couldn't get any from Bangalore (only 10 seats are reserved for bookings from Bangalore; rest are Kodai quota). So we got one agent who was continuously pointing to the K.S.R.T.C. written on the bill-board of his shop. The ticket costed Rs. 325. We tried some logic to deduce why it should be more expensive, but I guess, in the excitement, we just forgot all about it.


Walking back towards the lake that we saw while on the bus, we spotted a cycle shop and after some initial confusions because of the big group, decided to rent 8 bikes for 24 hours. Total cost Rs. 450 - 100% advance, no deposit. One of Namit's friends had suggested to stay in cottages of CSITA (Church of South India Trust Association). And when we found one, it turned out to be really cheap 100 per head for a cottage of two bed-rooms and drawing room with a fire-place. We paid 100 extra for the firewood, threw our bags on the beds, and off we went to get beer ;-).

Boating, roaming and eating consumed rest of our Saturday, and at night, all engineers bent down like the Neanderthals to lit fire. For me, it was the first time near a fire-place so I let the experts handle it. But once it came up, wow it was cool. While I was enjoying the warmth of the fire (and another person ;-)) arbit discussions were going on about German and Indian politics (I don't understand any, so spare me).

Sunday morning was lazy. The sun was so comforting after a cold night in just two very thin blankets and a jacket. Such a sun with a cup of nice tea and puffs to go along is just amazing.


After bath we headed back towards the "downtown" ('cause our cottage was uphill), returned our bikes and went to a trail called Coaker's Walk - a pathway at the edge of a mountain; beautiful but foggy. Moving on, it was a quest to search a waterfall. Intially when we asked it was just about a kilometer from one end of Coaker's Walk. But after 1 Km, it was still 2 Km (such an irony). When we finally heard water, it was a winning feeling. And the waterfall was more than worth the walk.

Clicked, ate, and lazed back into the bus. Confirming our seats in the bus was a little pain in the a**. But don't want to spoil my travel-blog with my anger against corruption. Writing another for the same.

Overall, if you want a nice cool two-day vacation away from the honks and potholes of Bangalore, go to Kodai.