Day one contd..........
Coffee bean plantations, Loop road, Yercaud.
Loop road, Yercaud.
Coffee bean plantations, Loop road, Yercaud.
Coffee bean plantations, Loop road, Yercaud.
Sengalathupadi view, Loop road, Yercaud.
Sengalathupadi view, Loop road, Yercaud.
Sengalathupadi view, Loop road, Yercaud.
Loop road, Yercaud.
Meanwhile, my friend Preethi called and said they were waiting at the Tamil Nadu Hotel. I promptly met her there. She had come along with Selvi, both of whom were my undergraduate friends. Since there were no rooms available at the Tamil Nadu Hotel, we checked in at Guru Residency, which was located at the start of the loop road from the lake. After refreshing ourselves, we waited for our other friends to join us for lunch.
Meeting Selvi and Preethi, at Tamil nadu Hotel, Yercaud.
Two more of my undergraduate friends, Shiva and Sudha, joined us, and around 2 pm, we went for lunch at the nearby Saravana Bhavan Elite Hotel. Sudha and Selvi were pure vegetarians, so we decided to have a completely vegetarian lunch. The restaurant was quite crowded, and it took some time to receive all nine items we had ordered. By the time we got our food, it was already 2:30 pm. We finished our meal and left the restaurant around 3 pm, heading towards the boat house.
All of us checking in at Guru residency, Yercaud.
Lunch at Saravana bhawan Elite.
Lunch at Saravana bhawan Elite.
Lunch at Saravana bhawan Elite.
At the boat house, we opted for a 15-minute rowboat ride, which cost us Rs 200. Once we were on the boat, we decided to extend our ride and explore more of the lake, so we handed over an extra Rs 200 to the boatman for a longer journey.
On the way to boating at Yercaud lake.
On the way to boating at Yercaud lake.
Tamil Nadu tourism Boat house.
Waiting at the jetty for the row boat.
Boating at the Yercaud Lake.
Boating at the Yercaud Lake.
Yercaud Lake.
Yercaud Lake.
After our boat ride, we strolled back to Guru Residency, pausing for a delightful evening tea en route. We returned to our rooms and changed into suitable attire, eager to embark on an adventure to Kiliyur Falls, where our plan was to indulge in the refreshing waters. Locals had warned us about the less-than-ideal road leading to the falls, but undeterred, we decided to press on.
We managed to find an autorickshaw driver willing to take all five of us, with the condition that he would drop us off at a point where he wouldn't venture further. We accepted the offer and agreed that he would wait at the designated spot while we made our way back. The falls were about 4.5 kilometers from the lake, with the final 500 meters requiring us to descend a flight of stairs.
The journey in the autorickshaw was quite bumpy, and we eventually reached a point at the top of the waterfall. From there, we descended the stairs to reach the base of the falls. The ladies in our group found it challenging, given that most of us were nearing our 50s. However, we managed to refresh ourselves with some mango juice, which was rich in sugar.
As I had my DSLR camera with me, I refrained from taking a dip in the falls initially. However, when all my friends had finished their bath, I couldn't resist the temptation and joined in. The cold water was invigorating, and after our dip, we mustered the energy to climb the 200-300 steps to return to the top.
Kiliyur Falls
Kiliyur Falls
Kiliyur Falls
Kiliyur Falls.
Kiliyur Falls.
Kiliyur Falls.
My friend Shiva at Kiliyur Falls.
My friend Shiva at Kiliyur Falls
My friend Shiva at Kiliyur Falls
Our autorickshaw driver was patiently waiting for us, and he safely transported us back to the hotel, arriving at 7 pm. After changing into dry clothing, we headed out for dinner. The ladies were in the mood for a grand dining experience, so I checked out Sweet Rascal and Altitude Kitchen at The Grand Palace.
Sweet Rascal Restaurant, 1km from Lake circle junction (requires Prebooking).
Sweet Rascal was only a kilometer away, so we decided to walk there. However, upon arrival, we were informed that a table wouldn't be available until 8:30 pm, whereas we had arrived at 7:15 pm. Not wanting to wait, we opted to visit The Grand Palace, which was situated atop a hill. Auto-rickshaw drivers informed us that they couldn't take us there, so we took a cab.
Altitude Kitchen, located on the edge of a cliff with a swimming pool, offered a breathtaking evening view. However, their menu predominantly featured Italian dishes, which were somewhat pricey.
Altitude Kitchen, The Grand Palace. (Only Italian dishes).
Altitude Kitchen, The Grand Palace. (Only Italian dishes).
Consequently, we shifted our plans to dine at another multicuisine restaurant within The Grand Palace called Orange restaurant.
The Orange restaurant (multicuisine), The Grand Palace.
The Orange restaurant (multicuisine), The Grand Palace.
The Orange restaurant (multicuisine), The Grand Palace.
Preethi, Sudha, Selvi and Shiva at The Grand Palace.
We had a satisfying dinner, although I wouldn't describe it as sumptuous. After our meal, we contemplated walking all the way back to our Guru Residency. As we started our walk, my friend Preethi and I picked up the pace slightly and reached the outer security gate of The Grand Palace Hotel just in time as a sudden downpour began.
Taking refuge from the rain, we entered the security room, where the kind security personnel offered us chairs to sit on. I called our other three friends, who found shelter beneath the hotel building about 200 meters away from us. During a conversation with the security guard, we learned that he was a newly employed staff member and didn't have the phone number to contact the hotel reception for arranging a cab.
The rain continued to intensify, and then, unexpectedly, a staff bus was leaving the hotel premises. The security guard requested that we be dropped at the Lake Road Roundtana, and they agreed. We boarded the bus, and I informed my three friends that I would arrange for a cab once I reached Guru Residency. Shiva was unhappy that I had left three of them behind, but I argued that it was a reasonable decision given the offered assistance and the opportunity to arrange transportation.
Upon reaching Guru Residency, I promptly arranged for a cab to pick up my friends. The rain continued incessantly throughout the night, and we all gathered in our room, reminiscing about our college days and the immature quarrels we used to have over trivial matters among ourselves. We decided to sleep in and planned to have breakfast at 9 am before heading to the Lady's Seat viewpoint.
Distance covered on day one: 271 km.
