​
Ten Days, Two Wheels, and new friendships brewing
​​
Valparai
An epic monsoon ride through the scenic Western Ghats of Kerala (High Range). Ten days of riding with new friends — shared laughter, shared stories, and countless memories—stood apart from my usual solo rides. Humming to the tune of Idukki (a song from the movie Maheshinte Prathikaram), gliding through misty curves in the rain—it was a long-held dream finally lived.
A 1,750 km journey through various terrains of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka (predominantly Kerala). From super smooth tarmac to patchy, sometimes potholed forest trails and interior roads, other times narrow, steep ascents and descents—it was an amalgamation of various road conditions.
Sceptical about riding with the group after a few years, I reached Bangalore a day earlier. Taking the Malavalli–Kanakapura route, I reached my friend’s place in less than 2.5 hours. The whole trip turned out to be more fun than I had imagined. Sharing stories, sharing rooms, sharing food—it was a trip where I made new friends. Valparai, forest roads to Athirapally, and the novelty of a roommate—this journey was rich with first-time experiences.
The familiar Rayakottai–Palacode back road now boasts four-lane stretches but retains its charm. Hot, frothy tea from roadside stalls and crispy dosa welcomed us into Tamil Nadu. The stretch after Mettur, where we joined the highway, was frustrating—heavy congestion and endless deviations thanks to road repairs. Post-lunch, we left behind the highway’s congestion and slipped into calmer backroads—patchy at times, yet framed by windmills and wide-open landscapes.
The 500-odd km to Valparai was worth every mile. The heat tested our patience, but everything changed at the forest check post. Smooth roads, perfect curves—and a serendipitous 40 hairpins for my 40th ride. Saturday traffic was heavy, especially bikers returning from day rides around Pollachi.
The bungalow we stayed in the Waterfall Estate was a dream. Clean, spacious, high-ceiling rooms and a swing to soak in the crisp mountain air. Valparai had lingered on my list since 2013, when we’d driven up to the Kerala border. I’d longed to ride through the forest and ghat section to Athirapally. I couldn’t believe I was actually riding to Valparai—until I reached.
The crisp, fresh mountain air, the not-so-fresh tea estate sprinkled with pesticides, the waterfalls in the tea estate—all brought back memories of days living at Upasana, when we used to go for early morning walks around the tea estate. The monsoon season meant tiny waterfalls all along the roadside, making the ride spectacular and spellbinding. The friendly and hospitable caretaker at the bungalow made sure we were well fed and kept warm at night.
A hidden waterfall nearby was a joy to walk to. Only later did we hear tales of wild bears roaming the estate. The caretaker offered to take us to another water spot the next morning—turns out, it was the same waterfall, a natural jacuzzi. After a breakfast of lip-smacking Idli, Dosa, Sambar, and Chutney, we headed to the waterfall. After a refreshing dip, we packed up and set off for our next destination.
