Hyderabad / May 28 – May 29
It was time to get back. I wanted to drive all the way back to Hyderabad but we started late around 10:30 AM from Ooty. In addition to that we have this soft rule which prevents us from driving after dark. We have driven enough in the dark and it’s just not enjoyable.
Route Recap
Hyderabad – Chennai – Kodaikanal – Marayoor – Munnar – Kochi – Vagamon – Thekkady – Munnar – Palakkad – Kalpetta (Wayanad) – Masinagudi – Ooty – Ananthpur (AP) – Hyderabad.
For previous part, click here
May 28, 2016
Started at 10:30 AM because of delays caused by multiple factors. Route via Gudalur-Mysore was the obvious choice. It took quite sometime to drive down those hairpin bends. I stayed in 2nd gear mostly as oncoming cars were being driven unnecessarily fast for this road. Probable weekend mania and people getting restless to reach Ooty.
Lovely elephant with his/her kiddo by the side. Somewhere on NH-181.
Roads were smooth mostly till Nanjangudu. Between Nanjangudu and Mysore there is still a 3-4 KM stretch which is still a work in progress. Mysore ring road is mostly a useless road despite being six lane. No flyovers at interchanges and countless famous barricades. Still it’s much better than going through Mysore. NH-275 Bangalore-Mysore again doesn’t feel like a highway. Passes through many densely populated areas. Urgent need for a few bypasses on this stretch.
All was well, till we hit the NH-4 after exiting NICE Ring Road. It’s a maze with only a little signage. A smart city planner will put directions for Hyderabad at every interchange or flyover entry because he wouldn’t want people bypassing the city accidentally getting lost and contributing to the already monstrous traffic.
We took this route to bypass Bangalore. Not sure if that’s the best way. Traffic in our direction was not much but the oncoming traffic jam was like a few kilometers at least. There is a flyover on Railway track which is still a work in progress.
Once we crossed Bangalore, it already started feeling like home. But it was already 5:00 PM or so. We were targeting Kurnool earlier and Ananthpur was plan B. After another hour, there was no plan A and we decided that we’ll find a hotel in Ananthpur and stay there irrespective of how it is.
We reached Hotel Masineni Grand and was totally surprised to find this amazingly neat and clean upmarket hotel at a really affordable price. This was probably the best value for money stay for the entire trip.
Mind
Blown
They have a regular restaurant and a pure vegetarian restaurant.
May 29, 2016
There was no rush really. We don’t have a single traffic signal between Ananthpur and home 
Yeah, beat that! We drove real slow, enjoyed the rain drive for a while as well and were home by 3:00 PM I guess. But I guess adventurous stuff just follows us. We had this right before we hit the NH-44 in Ananthpur.
If you live in Bangalore, first thing that comes to your mind is Bellandur Lake.
People have to walk through this poison
It’s so cool that people want pictures with it.
And a broader picture
That’s all for this adventure. Well, we had a time of our life driving through the Western Ghats, crossing the borders of Tamil Nadu & Kerala. We transcended through Valleys, Tea Gardens, Forests, Sanctuaries, Caves, Waterfalls, Lakes, Dams & what not….
We never knew that such a small part of India can have so much to offer. This trail or region is ideal for making roadtrips across months as one can find one or the other thing at every 150-200 kms. We believe we had the most of this region but still as a traveler if you feel you have some better recommendations & suggestions from you past experiences, do enlighten us!!!!
Feel free to make suggestions, recommendations & give feedback in the comment box to make our travel experiences better.