TRAVELLING VARIOUS PLACES

• THE DRY COAST

The Tamil Nadu coast gets rain from the retreating monsoon,  which makes this classic route one of the few dry drives.The weather is more salubrious after the monsoon, but that’s also when the tourist hordes attack. Be smart get a nice AC car and set out early one morning from Chennai coast along the East coast Road to Pondicherry. After a day or two here push on to Chidambaram, for the wondrous Natraja Temple.  Distances between the remaining stops are short, so more than one overnight stay is unnecessary. Set aside a full day for splendid Thanjavur.

Distance 600 Km Route chennai - Pondicherry-Chidambaram-Kumbakonam via Sirkazhi and Mayiladuthurai-Thanjavur-Nagapattinam-Karaikal via Nagore - Pondicherry ia Tarangambadi-Chennai.

BEST PLACES TO STAY in Pondicherry, the Hotel de L’Orient (from Rs 2,500).
TIP  Stay a night at Sterling Swamimalai from Rs 4,800 - excellent as a base to visit Kubakonam, Dharasuram and Gangaikondacholapuram.

• SOARING SOUTH

The Mysore - Ooty highway is straight out of a motor and wildlife enthusiast’s dream. While the road after Gundlupet deteriorates, you won’t complain too much as after Bandipur you’ ll be driving through dense forest.
Once you enter Tamil Nadu, at Theppekaddu junction you will be faced with the proverbial two roads branching off into the wilderness. The one on the right is the actual highway, neither too taxing on your car nor your nerves. But we suggest you turn left. This takes you to Masinagudi. From there, Ooty is a mere 30 Km away. While the 35 Hairpin bends on the route can be dizzying, the views are great. You will be driving through ‘Prime Tiger Territory’, so keep your fingers crossed for a sighting.

DISTANCE 140 Km
ROUTE    Mysore- Gunlupet- MAdumalai- Theppekaddu- Masinagudi- Kalahatti- Ooty
PLACES TO STAY Masinagudi is a good place to halt. The Jungle Retreat (Rs 473 for a dorm to Rs 4,500 for the tree house .Phone 0423-2526469, www.jungleretreat.com) and the Bamboo Banks Farm homestay (Rs 1,125 - 2,000: phone 0423-2526211, http://bamboobanks.in) are good options.

• HEART OF THE MONSOON

Pune to belgaum and thence to Hubli is on NH-4, four lane throughout and often six, with some spectacular ling straights an a very fast ghat sections -on both of which you can drive flat out. Road surface and drainage is comprehensively safe, design engineering and execution is superb, and the slow as well as two-wheeler simply stays off when it rains. leaving Pune can be tiresome, but once Katraj tunnel is behind, it is time to do the 250 Km to Kolhapur non-stop. And after lunch in Kolhapur, it gets even faster past Belgaum to Hubli. It is not just the monsoon greens on all sides, but also the way the horicultural guys have done the flowers in the central verge and the sides that’s rewarding.

DISTANCE 465 Km

ROUTE Pune-Karad-Kolhapur-Belgaun-Dharwar-Hubli

FOOD There are too many bars on this route, so look for family type eateries.Food is mundane, and owners as well as cuisines change frequently.

TIPS Kolhapur has a refurbished ‘Palace’ hotel. Nipani is a sacred spot.

NOTE that tolls in Maharashtra are suddenly very high

Enjoy taking ride and visiting the places.