Family Trip to Agumbe and Surrounding Places

Very funny to re-visit the same place within five days!!! But it was one of the most memorable relaxed journey with Wife, Daughter & Son.  There was huge demand from family to take them across Western Ghat during long holidays of Dasara.  I can remember, this is one of the unplanned scheduled and places of my journey.  Certainly, it was one of the challenging Maruthi 800 single man drive about 1243 km in Ghat, curve roads.  Literally, I was worried till last moment of the journey, come back to home safely, and it happened. We not done much preparation, just loaded luggage along with sleeping mats & bed sheets.

Route

Day – 1: Kolar – Bangalore – Birur – Shivani [Night Halt]

Day – 2: Shivani – Shivamogga – Gajanoor Dam – Sakrebailu – Theertha halli - Kuppalli – Agumbe [Night Halt]

Day – 3: Agumbe – Kundadri – Udupi – Malpe – Kollur – Nagara – Theertha halli – Agumbe [Night Halt]

Day – 4: Agumbe – Sringeri – Balehonnur – Chikkamagaluru – Belur – Hasan – Chennaraya Pattana – Tipatur – Dabaspet – Doddaballapur – Devanahalli – Kolar

02.10.2014

Reached Bangalore sister home on 1^st October 2014 to leave in the early morning.  The day was started with very bad traffic jam within the city limits.  Took almost 4 hours to cross the city and reaching Tumkur highway.  Crossing the toll booth in Bangalore was become painful.  Never seen such traffic on the highway.  The whole traffic was like a centipede across the journey.  The traffic one thing made irritation even apart from Bangalore.

Had breakfast at outskirt of Tumkur, which brought from Sister home.  My son and daughter had good enjoyed at break time.  

Reached Birur around 2 pm and reached one of cousin home Shivani at 4 pm.  The purpose of visit to Shivani to meet a little baby who born three months back.  The village is typical semi Malanad region.  They all are warmly welcomed us.  We had a delicious lunch.  The home is a kind of heritage and well structured, and it was very spacious and duplex home.

After lunch we relaxed some time and Vinay [cousin] took us around the village.  There was a small lake which has very scenic view. 

Spent some time and headed towards to their farm house.  The main crop of their field is Coconut, Paddy, Onion and Adike.  Enjoyed the farm house. 

My son and daughter enjoyed maiden bullock cart ride.  The day was passed memorable without any hurdles.

03.10.2014

The day started at 5 am, finished our morning duties and had yummy breakfast Chithranna.  Left the Shivani and got heartiest farewell from the entire family members.  The Shivani will be more remembered in our life. 

Through interior roads we reached Bhadravathi at 9.00 am.  The internal roads were very bad however it was more scenic.  We have crossed many streams, lakes and a small reserved forest too. 

The next stop was at Gajanoor Dam.  My son was keep on asking about the Elephant since the beginning of the journey.  I did not like to miss the Sakrebailu Elephant training camp.  Spent very less time at Gajanoor dam and headed towards Sakrebailu.  There were around 10 – 12 elephants which are under training.  Took many photographs and spent good time at this place.

Nothing to say much about this journey since my last visit was talked about the beauty of entire region.  The next destination was Kuppalli.  Hema was more eager to visit this place.  I have taken care to my naughty son and they both thoroughly visited the entire house.

Now the very inspiration place where the great poet inspired to write poems, Kavishaila. Really it is very great place. Spent some good time.

Next target was Agumbe Doddamane before sun set.  The journey is around 50 kms, and took a same path till Theerthahalli. On the way had coffee and reached the Kasturi Akka home at 6.30pm.  

Due to series of holidays the house was fully crowded.  Luckily one of the reserved team not turned up and cancelled, hence we got a room.  Dumped the luggage and got refreshed.

We had enough time for dinner, so went a casual around the street.  We were more comfort than any other places.  Sipped another round coffee and reached home for dinner.  Had delicious Malnaad dinner said adieu to the day by 9.30 pm.

04.10.2014

I was known the Kundadri stretch and I was not ready to take driving risk, hired the auto to watch the sun rise.  Got up very early around 4.00 am and boarded the Auto by 5.00 am.  We were the first batch to reach the top, later the crowd joined us.  Sun disappointed us; since the entire valley was full of mist.  There was no chance to see the sun till 9 am.  Spending some good time photography returned back to Doddamane.  

Finished our breakfast and informed one more extra day stay at Doddamane.  Since all rooms were pre-booked they promised us to accommodate on warranda.  However we were expected same thing.  The day destinations were not chalked out and decided to drive around Udupi region. 

The journey started with descending the 13 hairpin bend curves at Agumbe Ghat.  It was most memorable and very cautious drive across the curves.  At last when I finished the strech, I was happy and got more confidence about my driving. 

The next stop was Udupi.  We did not like to encounter any crowd and any other long queues. Without visiting the Sri Krishna Temple directly hit to Malpe beach.  The beach was witness of huge crowd.  Spend some time and left towards Kollur.

The day was full of driving, visited the Kollur and paid darshana to Mookambike.  Now the journey is become more adventurous to ascend the Mookambika ghat.  The roads were empty and not much traffic like Agumbe ghat.  Slowly with more cautious finished the entire stretch and bad roads were welcomed us.

The stretch from Nittur to Nagara road condition is very bad.  We had witnessed beautiful valley, landscape of the entire stretch.  We had no more time to visit Nagara fort since the night halt was again Agumbe.  Not taking much risk skipped the fort visit and headed towards Agumbe to watch the sun set.  Again disappoint; the evening was cloudy.   We reached Doddamane comfortably by 6.15 pm.  Today I have covered around 265 kms in Ghat.

As per expectation we did not get rooms and settled down in warranda after dinner.  Son enjoyed the Doddamane as ATM watchman.  The day was memorable one for me.

05.10.2014

Got up early morning, got refreshed at Doddamane.  Packed the lugguage and adieu to Kasturi Akka.  The Agumbe sun set point was pending so spent little time for photography.  Finished the morning breakfast at Hotel in Agumbe and headed towards Sringeri.  Paid darshana to Sharadambe and next stop at Baalehonnur.

Reached Baalehonnur at 10 am.  There was no crowd and it was very calm entire premises of Baalehonnur.  Had very good time and took prasad.  Left the place by 12.30 pm.  The road as usual from Baalehonnur to Aldur is very bad.  Taking couple of short breaks on the way reached the Belur at 3.00 pm.

The Belur Chennakeshava temple was fully crowded, not spending much time decided to leave early to Bangalore.  The highway become worst by traffic.  Observed the same traffic of 2^ndOctober 2014.  B-B traffic entire stretch.  We have to wait a long queue at toll.

Decided to deviate the Hasan route and take Shivamogga the parallel highway.  Reached the Chennarayapattana by 5.00 pm.  Very fed-up with the traffic and took a connectivity route to Tipatur.  Reached the Tipatur by 7.30 pm and it was full of dark.  This highway was not different like Hasan, however the volume of traffic is little less.

Reached the Tumkur by 9.00 pm and the painful traffic to pass the toll.  The sky was full of clouds and thunder sound.  With great difficulty passed the toll and took a deviation at Dabaspet towards Doddaballapur.  I had very bitter experience of Bangalore, so took decision to skip the city.  The entire stretch of drive was fully risky one.  The rain was pouring like anything and road was not so visible.  Managing 30-40 km speed reached safely Doddaballapur at 11.30 pm.

The rain was still on its stretch, taking the Devanahalli, Vijayapura reached Kolar in midnight 12.14 am.  Each one of KM stone of Kolar was looking very far.  Was more worried about the vehicle breakdown in the night.  God is great!!!! We have reached home safely without any hurdles.  My mind was keep on reminding the entire journey “TAKEN RISK”!!!!!!!!!!!

Each journey will remind one or other things.  This will be remember me as a very casual family trip without any time bond and places in the list.  Stopped the wheel wherever we want, turned the steering whenever we want.  Overall it was my personal family [Wife & Kids] long drive………..

Total Expenses – Rs.8,600/- including petrol [Rs. 4,500/- petrol]

Day - 1

Day - 2

Day - 3

Day - 4