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-   -   Swifted : Nelliyampathy via Valparai (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/79257-swifted-nelliyampathy-via-valparai.html)

Prelude

It's been a while since we went out for a holiday. Kids just finished their exams and were getting restless with the idea of being at home. And for me and my wife - we just wanted too badly to break free for some days from the hectic official schedules.

Bangalore is getting terribly hot. We were getting drained with our routine daily stuff. It's just 3 more days for Easter weekend. Easter weekend - a long weekend due to the holidays was the ideal one. But we were not sure of the destination, and we must plan and execute everything soon as we must drive out in 2 days. The only hint we had was the place must be cool, green and just for ourselves.

We've heard about Valparai and Nelliyampathy. It was like Valparai is down and Nelliyampathy is above the reserved forests of Parambikulam. It can be made like a loop for a drive, it is hectic, but beautiful. Pollachi - Valparai - Chalakudi - Nemmara - Nelliyampathy - Nemmara - Pollachi. The idea of driving through the greens and staying somewhere there fascinated us. Called up a few places in Valparai and Nelliyampathy, and they were like comeover anytime we'll accomodate you.

Hence we decided to drive out and see for ourselves which destination we must chose for the holiday. And hence we planned to do the driving on the first day to see around and chose our destination for the holidays. So we set out on our Swifty again, after a long gap of 5 months in search of a destination for our first holiday in 2010.


watch this space...

So finally the traveller of the year 2009 is back on the road trip again.

i have heard a lot about Valparai, looking forward to follow your log and learn more.

Hey good start,just got back after a drive to N'ampathy,am looking forward to your tlogue and pictures:)

I have posted my share of pics in my tlogue(http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-tn-ka-ap.html)

So back again huh!!!! awaiting all the details, as we are planning to go to someplace which is cool in south.

Thanks Ranjith

Finally rolling again :)

Why didn't you take the Civic for the trip? It would have blitzed the Valparai ghats.

:D, just sorting out the distances done on both cars. Moreover Swift Zxi is our SUV

Some Teasers till I get the details ready.



Swift resting in some beautiful roads


Amaravathy Dam



Aliyar Dam


Winding roads to Valparai - there are 40 Hair pins to negotiate.



Pipelines which we made famous


Wax Flower


What is this? But the colour combination was catchy


Sheer drop below. See it to believe it. Seethar Kundu in Nelliyampathy


Mountains and Mountains. Forests and Forests - All for us. This was just behind our resort.


Inside the thick forest


Sunset


A Bug.


Malabar Giant Squirrel - These fellows were plenty, making too much noise.


Bird watchers - name these birds please.

Bird 1


Bird 2


Bird 3


Bird 4


Bird 5


Bird 5 marching ahead.


Road Crossing ?? Bird 6 and a smart Chameleon.


Bisons. The first one was not very friendly. He chased me :Shockked:


Fire Flies - You have to see it to believe it!


Broad Headed Skink


Scorpion King?


Crocky :Shockked:

The shocked smiley and the pic of the crocky go welll so together :). Fireflies are a treat to watch. Did you notice that when you flash lights on them they go off and come back again when you stop flashing the light?

Nowadays, looks like fireflies have become extinct. This is a treat for the eyes.

Yes. We were doing that with the torch for sometime. We were the only guests in the resort and we had switched off the entire lights to watch them. When they flash together - it is just so mesmerising.

HVK sir, Nelliyampathy in the night now is a real treat. Pitch dark and these guys dancing to some tunes. It was heavenly. I just cannot express the feeling in words nor photos. You really have to see them. Our nature is so amazing, and we miss a lot living in the concrete jungles .:Frustrati

I remember someone saying in a thread out here that there are no bisons in India.

My favourite. Did you bring it for me or not? :D

We'll try to figure it out, but can we have more pictures please? :D

The Gaur is a wild buffalo which is the same family as the bison. It is found extensively across India, but mainly in the Western Ghat Region, (KL,KA,GA,MH), Corbett area (UP/UK), Central India (MP/CG/JH) and AS/AN.

Lalu very nice shots as usual. I usually don't reply but mostly savor such shots.
But this time I had to ! Very nice indeed.

I have a plan for Valparai after rains.

:Shockked:, You want to get me killed or what?
The black one which I saw will "only" paralyse you. The Golden ones can kill.

Some more firefly photos from me. I must admit I was in no technical / photographic skill to capture the beauty as seen there.








I did some google and found the following pictures. Copyright of these photos belongs to those respective owners.

Fireflies





Firefly close up



An artists impression of a summer evening with fireflies around


This was one amazing impression as well. Kudos to the person who did it.


Probably I must watch this!!



I hope now you got some idea what I am trying to convey. It is difficult, words and photos failed me. You have to see it to believe it.

Some details about fireflies for you.
Source : http://catchingfireflies.typepad.com/catching_fireflies/2008/06/catching-firefl.html

The life of a firefly seems romantic, doesn't it? From about May through August, these twinkling insects can be seen dancing across the dark summer sky in search of a soul mate.

Fireflies, or lighting bugs as they are sometimes called, aren't really flies; they're actually beetles.

There are many different species of fireflies, many of which are bioluminescent, meaning they have the ability glow. According to Rochester Hills entomologist Dick Taylor, fireflies produce a cold light in their abdomens, caused by a chemical reaction. Different species of fireflies possess different flashing patterns, varying in sequence and duration.

On warm summer nights, males can be seen flying about attempting to attract a mate. Females, which stay close to the ground, will flash in response if interested. Her luminescent body acts as landing lights for the incoming male and mating takes place - sometimes.

Even insects aren't immune to rocky relationships, and because female fireflies are predacious, the males literally risk their lives when it comes to the dating scene.

Females will actually eat other species of fireflies, thus making courtship for the boys complicated. The females have the ability to mimic up to 11 different species. Taylor says, therefore being able to trick the male and lure him into her trap.

"By eating the males, the female acquires a poisonous substance which makes her distasteful to predators like birds and spiders," Taylor says.

If the female is sincere and mating does take place, she will lay her eggs and the cycle continues. Even so, as summer comes to a close, the firefly's days also are numbered.

So before the dance of the fireflies ends, Taylor encourages youngsters to observe these fascinating insects both in the wild and in captivity. Fireflies are best found in meadows, along the edges of streams and near woodland trails. Observing their true flashing patterns is best done in the wild, Taylor says. Try to find different species by observing the frequency of their flashes. Taylor also points out, "Wherever they are flashing, kids should look on the ground to see if they see a female flashing back."

Remember, these little critters won't live past a week when captured, so be sure to always release them back into the wild.

Thanks HVK for the clarification. I did some google and found the following pictures. Copyright of these photos belongs to those respective owners.

Bison


Gaur - Indian Bison



The ones I saw




Thanks ampere.

We headed on to Nelliyampathy and only drove through Valparai - For us it looked more like Munnar, and decided to come back later. But I will give all the details I have collected. Nelliyampathy - especially the resort and its surroundings bowled us over and we stayed put there :)