Kodaikanal
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Kodaikanal to Coimbatore
Today I start heading out towards Vallikkapatta outside of Manjeri in Kerala where I will stay with an old friend Hari and his family. To break up the journey I decided to stop over in Coimbatore from where I will be able to catch a train to Tirur and a bus to Malappuram where I will meet Hari. The bus service from Kodaikanal was limited as it is a remote hill station. I planned to catch the 10.30 bus to Palani from where I could change buses to Pollachi and then onto Coimbinatore. I woke at 7.30 to pack my bags and have my last breakfast in the cafe next…
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Exploring Kodaikanal
I woke after a very broken night’s sleep as I was so cold. I had a thick blanket but even that was not enough to keep out the damp chill. I had a much needed hot shower and asked the manager of the hostel where I could get breakfast. He pointed to a neighbouring house which he said was a cafe. I walked into the house and was taken to their dining room where they served me an Indian breakfast of dosa’s and idlis washed down with ginger chai. The home cooked food was amazing and the best food I had had since arriving in India. After the filling breakfast…
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Kumily to Kodaikanal
I woke early to take a jeep safari around the perimeter of the Periya National Park with is home to tigers, elephants, leopards and other wild animals. The jeep arrived at 6 pm and we drove off towards the park passing by the largest river in Kerala. Whilst crossing a bridge over the river we spotted a kingfisher. The jeep took us off road towards the national park perimeter fence. We stopped at a number of view points where you can spot wild elephants, deer and bison. Unfortunately the early morning sun had created a haze making it difficult to spot the animals. Our guide had amazing eyesight and was…
