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Self-isolation in the Coorg district of Karnataka
During my I stay at the hostel outside of Madikeri an increasing number of corona virus cases were detected in India. The first sign of the developing crisis was when my temperature was scanned at the main supermarket in Madikeri town. The government issued the following day a directive closing all hotels, hostels and home stays. The owner of my hostel very kindly sought permission from the district health authority for me to continue staying at the hostel as I was the only person there. This was granted but I was asked to ‘home quarantine’ for 14 days mainly as a reassurance measure for the locals living nearby. I had…
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Mysore to Madikeri
I left Mysore to head back up into the western ghat hills to the region of Coorg in Karnataka. The drive from Mysore to town of Madikeri was great passing through the lowlands before climbing up into the hills which are a major coffee growing region. I recently brought a camera for my bike helmet as some of you have been asking what it is like to drive on Indian roads. The video below captures some of my journey from Mysore to Madikeri. I have also captured some of the hazards when driving in India! I arrived in Madikeri mid-afternoon and checked in the hostel which is outside of the…
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Wayanad to Mysore
I left beautiful Wayanad to visit Mysore known as the city of palaces. To get to Mysore I had to ride through Nagarhole Nature and Tiger Reserve. I felt a bit vulnerable on the bike as there were many signs saying not to stop or get out of your vehicle and warning of wild bear, elephant, bison and large cat crossings. It was around 11 am when I reached the reserve and so most of the animals had gone deep into the forest. The only animals I saw were spotted deer along the roadside. I was disappointed not to see any wild elephants but it was a beautiful ride through…
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Exploring Wayanad
I left tranquil Coonoor heading back into Kerala to visit the Wayanad region. Wayanad is another area of the Western Ghats (southern hills) and I had a beautiful drive through tea plantations and forests. I booked into Zostel Wayanad which had excellent reviews online. The hostel is located next to one of the Chembra Peak which is one of the highest in Wayanad. At first I thought Google Maps had made an error as I rode along the winding road up towards Chembra Peak but I came across a forest warden who told me I was on the right road. A bit further along I saw a sign to the…
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Coimbatore to Coonoor
After my brief stop over at Coimbatore I headed off to the cooler climate of the Nilgiris hills and the town of Coonoor. The Nilgiris district has three hill stations: Ooty which this the largest and most well known; Coonoor which is smaller; and Kotagiri which is the least developed. I chose to stay in Coonoor as the guide books suggested it would be quieter and I read some great reviews about the Birdhouse Backpackers Hostel located on the edge of the town. I left Coimbatore later than I hoped as the chain on my bike needed replacing. It was 5 pm before I was finally on the road which…
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Madurai to Coimbatore via Theni and Pollachi
I left Madurai and continued my journey north. I decided to stop in the transit hub of Theni as the motorbike was due a service as I had already clocked up over 1500 km. The ride to Theni was good along the highway and took me towards the base of the Agamalai Forest Hills. Once I arrived in Theni I checked into the hotel and headed out to explore the surrounding area as the town was a busy and dusty transport hub. I looked on Google maps and saw that the large Melmangalam reservoir and dam were located 30 minutes from the town. I rode out to the reservoir which…
Mark's year of world adventures
