This is the way to Silent Valley. The picture above and the last two pictures were taken the previous evening. I am posting Silent Valley pictures in Daylight Again
Please click on the pictures for a full screen view
This is how you reach Silent Valley
Coimbatore - Palakkad - Mannarkad - Mukkali
There is another way
Coimbatore - Anakatti - Aghali - Mukkali
I took the second route on my way up
Both the roads are beautiful and are in good condition, but there are too many speed breakers and there is no mark or any warning. This may break your car if you are not careful.
I took an early morning train from Chennai, had lunch with Suresh, took a bus to Anakatti. Had to change as Anakatti is the Tamil Nadu border. Had to cross the border on foot to take a Kerala Bus. It was drizzling. Suddenly it started pouring in buckets, no umbrella, had to rush and take shelter.
It was a tin shed tiny shop run by a lady who asked me to come inside as the rain was still falling on me, saw a man sitting inside having tea, which happend to be the shop keeper lady's residence also, just a tin shed. I was shivering with cold. tried to dry my hair with a towel.
I asked the lady if I can have a cup of tea. the man said this is not a tea shop. The lady darted inside and popped her head out and asked, no milk black tea ok ? I said splendid. The man said I'd have to wait for a couple of hours for the bus. they lady brought a glass of hot steaming tea.
It was a life saver. Just as I took a couple of sips, saw the bus coming.
I panicked.
Can't afford to miss the bus, discard the life saving tea, insult and hurt the lady who gave me shelter treated me as her guest and refused to accept money for the tea, and board the bus. In kerala you are not even sure if the next bus would come, more over another couple of hours wait in the pouring rain. I decided to miss the bus and enjoy the hospitality, Sat down comfortably, dried my hair taking small sips and enjoyed black tea peacefully.
Same thing happened in Plachimada a couple of weeks ago, there in the tea shop I was just a coustomer, I discared the tea and decided to grab the bus, but here I was a guest. It turned out to be a good decision, next bus came after a very long wait of more than an hour, Folded my hands, offered nameste' to the lady, She grabbed my bag and helped me into the bus which was not very crowded.
By that time the rain stopped. got a window seat and the sky was just more than my eyes could take, it was at its full glory, sun popping out and the sun rays falling out of the clouds like a waterfall.
I was sitting right above the wheel and the bus was tossing me up, half the time I was suspended in air and I was clicking pictures of the sky through the bus window. But I did not take my eyes off the sky.
Next day it was very misty, took a ride with my friend Sherji to Silent valley. I knew that I chose a wong time, the whole area was covered with mist.
I was not disappointed that I could not see much of Silent Valley, but the road was just too romantic for me, perhaps I may not get this misty atmosphere again, decided to make the best of it.
Couple of more stories to come, a unique Church experience, I'll post them in a few days. Please see what ever Silent valley forest pictures I could get in the misty atmosphere in Daylight again.
