A foot hill of Main falls
A Motivation drives - Attending Marriage on priority for Thursday Night - Thursday - the day a call of National 'Bandh' for price hike in petrol, thereby our anticipation with Jaya Lalitha govt. would be in co-operation with national opposition parties could lead to effective Bandh in Chennai, Andhra pradesh could be effective time spend an escape route - with price hiking Govt continue to rule over the Land. (Bandh bought in a day)
Primary motivation has been going with willing friends - a good Go Go !!!
Expectations were kept low as the water levels noticed too low during March first week (solo shiva ratri trip), Visiting a waterfall site all solo is a Trip missing all fun and feel in water. Bothering baggages, support, aid and safety of one another is all comfortable in Group of friends.
Trip began with BackPack ON, late Wednesday in Vodai busstop as the clock squashed 11:00pm, my 20 min of bewildering wait and uncertainity (where would my way to CMBT stall) in Vodaai, whole anxiety melted out as I got an tuk-tuk upto Shollinganallur, a chased catch of bus M 119A in Sholinganallur well placed me in Guindy at Midnight, a mini van plied to CMBT, helped me reach Platform for Tirupathi at 01:00am - aim was to settle in A/C Tirupathi bus scheduled at 1:30am, unavailablity of A/C bus Ended up in Super Luxury of APSRTC promising shorter travel time of 3:30 Hrs. Bus started to roll over it wheels by 1:50am and made its way by 5:10am, I wonder I have problems with APSRTC buses un-comfortable leg space and so uncomfortable sleep.
We a Group of size 3 - finally joined in the huge mansion 'Srivaari Amenities complex', a comfortable fresh up is mandated - we hired an auto to reached a destination unaware of its proximity - The Lodging point, advance booked for marriage guests, Quick fresh up and a nap of 15 min unnerved travel strains. Sky was clouded and comfortable boon during this peak summer of 2012, had a sufficient breakfast on way to replenish our energy buckets, unanimously we opted fruits for our Lunch this trekky day, a survey of fruits at Tirupati busStation optionlessly narrowed down to Bananas, it was 08:45 am now, in no time we boarded a bus heading to Piler for the Halt at Bakrapet - express service charged 21/- per person, about 45-60min journey long, Bakrapet has a great fruit mart - here we appended sapota for incomplete lunch Menu, piling up other essentials like water, drink, enquired for bus to complete the rest of journey and we in no willingness to waste our time in wait, hired a Private tuk-tuk for 170/- a deal was to drop way upto the WATER POOL including entry tickets, about 10-13 km deep in "Sri Venkateswara reserve forest" apart from the village end 'Nervil' located 12-15km from Bakrapet, Suspicion was hunting for it being a week day - density of visitors is critical for our security,.....suspicion meter dwindled down to Nothing, with sighting of many families making their way for cool waters this cruel summer.
Fun is born in the hearts of '3 visitors' with the very sight of reflective waters pools, the changing terrain set-in a climbing spree - be it rocks, be it creepers....all throttled in energy for comfortable challenges, easing ourselves in this nature couch,
mainfalls was high not much water as in winters, yes definetly much more than my anticipation for summer - most waterfalls in India turn dry and lifeless at this point of time, we at foot of main falls and the sight of distributed tributeries flowing and falls, with many visitors at showers and their fun is magnetizing our thoughts of being part of dip, dive, splash, roll,.....! some suggested Uphill falls as far mesmerising than foot hills.
We made uphill at a constant pace, trek on uneven rocks nourished my foot muscles, destined sight was superb - preparation was on to go wet, hand held our shoes, rain guarded our bags, along the fenced guard rope and moved ON...on on on and thud... what a slip over those wet slippery rocks, flat on my back fortunately my bag cushioned with fruits in, Quickly recovered before I go wet with high shower changing its course hither and thither with wind, we made our way to the other side of falls, Packed and chained our laggage,....now we are like a young birds flapping for its maiden flight of freedom,....bee lined our way in high spirit, for heavenly pour of sweet precious liquid of this planet hard hitting our heads, fully soaked and chilling to 15°C shivers all in a span of 10 minutes, we've climbed to the rocky throne of falls seated for another 10 minutes under the graceful shower...to have a natural waterfall's speeding droplets massage.. Our deeply soaked fingers started to register ripples and folds, with unwillingness to depart, we carefully made our way back to baggage point drying ourselves and submerged into photographic session of ideas and creative thinking, now our hunger found no extra time to consume a meal of delicious fruits and snacks, 3:15pm is what it reads now, deligently made our way back across the falls and a steady comfortable walk downhill.
Few Gaint Squirrels were the only sightings of wildlife this Trip (not a deer was noticed)
I dont remember how quickly we made it to pool for swimming, the pool was dried out as one of the swimmers rendered a painful red rash on skin - bite of unidentified creature underwater, Pool swim plans went dry it was 4:00pm now with little hope for Nelakona, explored its way along the guided path, failing light and Highly isolated region forced us to opt for a U turn, walked long way to temple point fortunate enough to board the Only Bus scheduled to depart at 5:00pm to Tirupathi, (Ticket Rs.30/- per person). Reached the Tirupati at 7:10pm - quickly refreshed and made our way for the marriage reception ceremony by 8:00pm.... Special and Traditional Marriage food served for dinner - a kind of it witnessing after a long while in time.
Every waterfall is so special and different, nature creations for Human recreation.
Well worth point to note is Talakona in South India makes a good destination even in peak summer if willing to wet yourself in showers uphills. A dream so realized, on the eve of prospective bandh coupled with Ganapathi's marriage ceremony.
Trip Learnings: Background Lights as circles Shooting, identify the Shutter for proper Background light exposure - i.e. select Tv mode, enable flash to shoot subject in foreground - ensure flash did not over ride shutter speed.
Fun is born in the hearts of '3 visitors' with the very sight of reflective waters pools, the changing terrain set-in a climbing spree - be it rocks, be it creepers....all throttled in energy for comfortable challenges, easing ourselves in this nature couch,
mainfalls was high not much water as in winters, yes definetly much more than my anticipation for summer - most waterfalls in India turn dry and lifeless at this point of time, we at foot of main falls and the sight of distributed tributeries flowing and falls, with many visitors at showers and their fun is magnetizing our thoughts of being part of dip, dive, splash, roll,.....! some suggested Uphill falls as far mesmerising than foot hills.
We made uphill at a constant pace, trek on uneven rocks nourished my foot muscles, destined sight was superb - preparation was on to go wet, hand held our shoes, rain guarded our bags, along the fenced guard rope and moved ON...on on on and thud... what a slip over those wet slippery rocks, flat on my back fortunately my bag cushioned with fruits in, Quickly recovered before I go wet with high shower changing its course hither and thither with wind, we made our way to the other side of falls, Packed and chained our laggage,....now we are like a young birds flapping for its maiden flight of freedom,....bee lined our way in high spirit, for heavenly pour of sweet precious liquid of this planet hard hitting our heads, fully soaked and chilling to 15°C shivers all in a span of 10 minutes, we've climbed to the rocky throne of falls seated for another 10 minutes under the graceful shower...to have a natural waterfall's speeding droplets massage.. Our deeply soaked fingers started to register ripples and folds, with unwillingness to depart, we carefully made our way back to baggage point drying ourselves and submerged into photographic session of ideas and creative thinking, now our hunger found no extra time to consume a meal of delicious fruits and snacks, 3:15pm is what it reads now, deligently made our way back across the falls and a steady comfortable walk downhill.
Few Gaint Squirrels were the only sightings of wildlife this Trip (not a deer was noticed)
I dont remember how quickly we made it to pool for swimming, the pool was dried out as one of the swimmers rendered a painful red rash on skin - bite of unidentified creature underwater, Pool swim plans went dry it was 4:00pm now with little hope for Nelakona, explored its way along the guided path, failing light and Highly isolated region forced us to opt for a U turn, walked long way to temple point fortunate enough to board the Only Bus scheduled to depart at 5:00pm to Tirupathi, (Ticket Rs.30/- per person). Reached the Tirupati at 7:10pm - quickly refreshed and made our way for the marriage reception ceremony by 8:00pm.... Special and Traditional Marriage food served for dinner - a kind of it witnessing after a long while in time.
Every waterfall is so special and different, nature creations for Human recreation.
Well worth point to note is Talakona in South India makes a good destination even in peak summer if willing to wet yourself in showers uphills. A dream so realized, on the eve of prospective bandh coupled with Ganapathi's marriage ceremony.
Trip Learnings: Background Lights as circles Shooting, identify the Shutter for proper Background light exposure - i.e. select Tv mode, enable flash to shoot subject in foreground - ensure flash did not over ride shutter speed.