Adventure trip in 1975 by my Vauxhall Velox car about 450 miles from Trichur - Munnar- Kodaikanal - Thekkedy - Trichur

It was in 1975 we six members  planed to a week end trip to Munnar, Kannan Devan tea garden hill station of Kerala .We started on a Saturday afternoon with six friends to Munnar about 100 miles from my home town Trichur which is the cultural capital of Kerala and the venue of the National Festival of India "Pooram" the Elephant Festival .My Vauxhall Photo is the venue of Pooram colorfull umbrella changing competition over thirty healthy well decorately dressed Elephabts (Tuskers)

We reached Muunar at around 6 PM without any problem at hairpins. Munnar is 4500ft above sea level and very cool climate .This is a very beautiful station of India. We saw the tea gardens around Munnar and stayed at Tata Hospital Guest House . On Sunday morning after Mass  I  suggested to go Kodaikanel as I saw a narrow road at the India road map. So enquired the Taxi drivers at Munnar Town . They said the road is a jungle road and it is a jeep road with very steep gradients on way and about 100 miles from Munnar to Kodai.They also told me this car can climb since it is a six cylinder 2300 cc car.

So we decided to take this short route to Kodai around 9 AM on Sunday. This road is the Great Escape Road since the road was built for the quick evacuvation of  military force from Kodai To Cochin Port via Munnar during Second World War anticipating Japan bombardment over Kodai Base camp. So the name of the jungle road " The great Escape Road"  But there luckly the bombing not happened as the world war ended by the time.

We reached Mattupetti dam about 10 miles from Munnar from where the road leads to Top Station .From Top Station the real thick forest starting with full of bamboo and Elephant grass grown on sides of the mud road.Then after a few miles we have to cross a rever on the way . Every one get out of the car and I drove the car into the shallow rever to cross the other side to get the lead road to Kodai. We saw many elephants , Deers, Monkeys, Bisons on the way. Fourunately they have not blocked our car on the way.There were no  people on road except I have to apply sudden brake while negotiating a bent . On our suprise one Jeep with few white man coming from Kodai . both applied brake head to head. Then one bike also came with them. We both wished for a happy journey and we proceeded to Kodai . At around 1 PM we reached at a height of 10000ft which is the topest peak of South India.There the temperture was aroud 6 c.. There we saw some teas shops and few peoples. The paromanic view from there is fantatic which canot able to describe .Also the natural view travelling by this road is very beautiful.

At last we reached Kodai around 3 PM and had our lunch there.We stayed one night in Kodai Town near cocks walk.Evening we took a round over Kodai area to see all the sight seeings.There are lot of things to see in Kodai and the wheather is very pleasant. Next day after 10 AM we started to Thekkady wildlife via Thenni route . We saw many wide life at Thekkady on our boat trip . From there we  proceeded to Kottayam route to reach back Thrissur late at night.