Coorg Calling – Travelogue (Part 1 of 2)

Karnataka abounds in tourist spots – Historic, Religious, Cultural, Architectural, or the Nature. I have seen quite a few - just a drop in the ocean. Lekin koshish jaaree hain (efforts are on).

We were three senior couple, two from SFV. After a joint meet, we first considered and selected the place of visit - Coorg – because we did not want the tour to extend beyond three days. Then came the mode of transport – Innova Crysta, Volvo electric bus from Mysore Road Satellite bus stand, or through a tourist operator. Innova would mean two persons will have to sit at the third row, which could mean suffocating and squeezing. Eliminated that. Volvo would mean we would have to carry the luggage up to Gate 3 or 4 for taking Uber, then carry it to the Volvo bus, and then again take it to the taxi at Madikeri.  Gave up that too. And that gave us the tourist operator option - just carry the luggage upto SFV Gate. At Basavangudi, the operators would transfer them to the bus.

Then comes booking. The easiest way is to book online. But we are a moke hi talaash (looking for opportunities) group. We get away from home at the slightest opportunity and make a day of it. So, days in advance, all the six drove to Basavangudi, had lunch at the 100-year old Udupi Sri Krishna Bhavan, and booked tickets at the tourist operator’s office. 

As the date of departure neared, the weather began to play truant - red alert, orange alert, floods, landslides, safaris closed for tourists, roadblocks, deaths… For the first time we did a negative prayer: “Oh God, please have the operator cancel the trip. If we cancel, no refund at short notice. On top of it, all friends and relatives discouraged us to the hilt, just short of physically holding us back.

It is with such mixed feelings that we boarded the bus last Friday. It was a 35-seater. The bus was in good shape – 4 out of 5. When the boarding was complete, Santosh, the tour manager, welcomed us on the mic, introduced the crew – Lokesh, the guide, Prasanna the driver, and Diwakar to ensure upkeep of the bus (names changed).  He briefly apprised us of the day’s plan. He then asked passengers to introduce themselves. 

“I am …., I retired from…This is our fifth tour with this operator and hope to do several more.” Then the next, “I am …., I retired last year as Regional Manager of … bank. This is our maiden attempt at a long-term tour plan. We hope to continue with this operator if the going is good.” And so introduced everyone. It turned out that I was the senior most, followed by Ramesh at 80 – not happy at being second to someone.

Meanwhile the driver sped fast to take us to the designated restaurant for breakfast - idli, khara bath, kesari bath, vada, dosa, coconut chutney, sambar and coffee or tea - 3/5. Ambience could have been a little better.

Fortified, he drove us to Ranganathittu – the bird sanctuary and lake, with crocodiles moving freely. Strangely, children whom we thought would dread them, requested the boatman to get close to crocodiles. He just smiled. He showed us the migratory birds from Russia, North America, Europe, and several other countries. He pointed to a bird and said that its neck stays yellow for six months and changes colour the next six months. Santosh arranged fresh cane juice for everyone before boarding the bus.

Prasanna stopped at the hotel for lunch – 2.5/5. Then we were taken to the Tibetan Golden Temple. What was offered by the Government of Karnataka as a vast barren land for settlement in the 1950s when the Tibetans had to flee their country in the wake of Chinese invasion, this determined group has converted it into a compact township.  From there we went to Cauvery Nisargadhama (the bamboo forest) and finally to the hotel in Madikeri. Dinner at Shanti Sagar 4/5. End of Day 1.