Glowing Mist

Early morning, the day announced itself with mist over the planes hoping it would clear out up in Kodaikanal ?

Kodaikanal 2009-01-11 oochappan ©®

Road to Kodaikanal

And even when clouds invade, covering the sun, you still can enjoy the beauty of the vegetation. Everybody who once went to Kodaikanal should know this spot as you have to pass here on the way to.
I took it from the frontseat of the buss and before departure the driver was pleased I cleaned the window, he even slowed down for me to get a shot ... :)).
Enjoy this road, one hour drive through the mountains to the plains up to Madurai. I did this road several times with the bike even when it was totally broken I broke my record once doing this road down in even less then 45 minutes, together with a taxi who spontaneously took the protective lead with his horn, marvellous driving a bike here when it is sunny, only had once rain and that's terrible cold on a bike here.

2005-02-22 oochappan ©®

Kodaikanal above the clouds

But the real magic is still in Kodai itself when a friend drags you out of bed at 5:30 to see this sunrise 30 minutes later ... no I didn't blame him at all !
Under the clouds there are the plains of Tamil Nadu ... but let me show you more a few seconds later !

Kodaikanal 2005-02-20 oochappan ©®

Living on a mountain

Although more basic, still a disk to see the world on television !

Pannaikadu on th way to Kodaikanal 2009-01-11 morning 10:00 oochappan ©®

Her two goats

A young girl feeding her goats, the charm of being shy ...

Pannaikadu on th way to Kodaikanal 2009-01-11 oochappan ©®

6 pounds of Chicken

Chickens are more healty in the mountains ... as if they don't care to be chopped sitting there in a corner.

Perumaal Malai A tea stop half way to Kodaikanal 2009-01-11 oochappan ©®

A domestic morning scene

Women taking care washing all up in the morning, one her dishes, the other her husband :).

Pannaikadu on the way to Kodaikanal 2009-01-11 morning oochappan ©®

Pannaikadu - road into the village

A view of this little village in the mountains, let's take a look around ... men on the left, arms on the back ... young and old aside ...

up to Kodaikanal 2009-01-11 oochappan ©®

To chop or to be chopped

No, we are not talking about photo shopping here but about chopping with a sharp knife ...
The chicken were more afraid of my camera, swinging it in the midst of them, then seeing their colleagues been chopped into bits and pieces !

Perumaal Malai on the way to Kodaikanal 2009-01-11 oochappan ©®

Winding Road

Winding road through nature, up to Kodaikanal taken from the bus while driving. Indeed this time with the bus as the motorbike was in repair and it was time to go from Madurai as the sun would be on the party.
Apparently I had luck although it lasted only for two days, then also the clouds were closing in Kodaikanal.
Often I went there to cool off and to visit friends but as time goes by, some are no more, left to Sweden or gone from this world but still some others like a farmer on the way to Palani are a good reason to go there again and again.

Kodaikanal 2005-02-20 oochappan ©®

Warming up together

In the morning it is very chilly in Kodaikanal.
That year I stayed in a family near to Kodai. They put each early morning a big kettle on to a fire to heat water for a warm shower. As the youngest was already up, waiting for his breakfast before to go to school, he warmed himself at the hot kettle and his pet found that a good idea !
I had fun to watch them both and he was looking very serious as he didn't like the cold at all.

Kodaikanal 2000-02-26 oochappan ©®

The cloud blower

Kodaikanal on a sunny day and I thought I was the only one blowing smoke out of my longs .... apperantly the man in the cloud was blowing clouds over the mountain into the plaines of Tamil Nadu too ..... !
Indeed an unusaul moment that shows that there is more to see in India .

Kodaikanal 2005-02-20 oochappan ©®

The valley

And when slowly the warm sunbeams dissolve the clouds,
finally the valey of Tamil Nadu appears veiled in a soft haze.
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Kodaikanal 2005-02-20 oochappan ©®