Naglapuram Combo - Eastern Entry with CTC Sept 24-25th

Hello Friends,
Here is Map trail of this trek.



Here is the brief Break up of the timings we reached at some points

Nagala combo Break up
=======================

Day 1
======
Koyembedu assembly - 3:30 am
started at 4:20 am
Tea break at uthukottai - 5:45 am
Base camp (car parking ) - 7:30 am
Started walking towards the dam - 7:40 am
crossed the dam and entry in the forest - 8:15 am
Reached the first stream (Break fast time) - 8:45 am
Reached 400m Peak 1 - 10:05 am
Climb down and joined the main stream - 1 pm
(which will lead to deadend pool)

Reached the deadend pool - 1:35 pm
Crossed the deadend pool - 2:15 pm
(Lunch Time)

Followed the upstream and reached the Gorge (Peak 3) - 4:20 pm
Reached Picnic pool at - 6:15 pm
Prepare Noodles and had dinner - 7:45 pm
Camped near the picnic pool - 8:30 pm


It was all set for a 2 day trek to the ctc's motherland Nagalapuram (Nagala Combo), on Sept 24th and 25th. This was my first ever 2 day trek.
It was organised by none other than Peter Van Geit. The instructions said that "All the first time trekkers will be exicited, but do have a nice sleep." And it happened to me.. i was totally excited the previous night, checking if all the things were packed perfectly, i had bought a new pair of shoes (normal canvas at a cost of Rs 300 ). I new that it won't last for more than one trek, but still happy for the new pair shoes.

Since i had opted to travel with my car, i had to filled the tank and checked the car tyres were also in right condition. It was around 1 am on 24th sept, was excited and sleep didn't come my way, set the alarm clock to 2:40 am, and somehow managed to sleep. When i woke up and checked, why the alarm clock has not struck.. it was only 2:35 am. That's it, i woke up and made my ready and reached our pickup point at 3:30 am. i could see other CTC's member's arriving one by one and the co-ordinator (siva kumar ) has also busy in collecting the money and getting the disclaimer form signed by other members.



Now Peter's vechile had arrived, it was almost 4 am, the camera crew from Makkal TV had started their camera.. were interviewing the purpose of our assembly at Koyembedu. We all started at 4:20 am, we had 7 cars, as Siva Kumar was familiar with the route, our car took the responsibility of Sweeping.

Peter's vechile was leading and made sure that, all the other cars were following without missing the diversions.


Then we all stopped at uthukottai for a Tea Break at 5:45 am, checked all the members arrived and started. We reaced the base camp at 7:30 am, where we all parked our cars and the food packets,fruits,glucose packets were distributed to everyone and other common items like pots,tents,maggi,soup,milkpowder,tea packets were shared among the members. Now we all were set and started moving from the base camp 7:40 am.















We crossed the dam and Entered into the Nagala hills at 8:15 am. After a walk of 30 mins we reached the first stream, We all had instruction to have our breakfast at this place (one cream bun ) and filled our bottles with the stream water.















From here the group split into two, group1 was to reach the Welcome pool and group2 would climb the 400m Peak along with peter.I opted to go with the group2, as it was instructed by Peter that fill you bottles because it will be almost a 70 degree steep climb and for the next one and half hour you will not find water. Finally we reached the 400 m peak at 10:05 am, we had a regrouping at the top, took some photos and made sure that all the members in our group reached. (two of them went back to join the group1 after a climb of 10 mins )
































After reaching the peak we had our plan to meet the other group at the welcome pool, to meet the other group we had to walk a certain distance on the plain trough and then climb down on the same side of the mountain. But we ended up in a cliff where ever we tried to climb down, so it was quite difficult and we have change in the plan. Luckily peter was able to find a trail decending the mountain.
































From there now we checked up the map, and now we have to decend down the peak from the other side to reach the main stream, from there take a right and follow the up stream to reach the dead end pool, this was the instruction given to us by peter, as he had to leave ahead of us to find the group1 and planned a regrouping at the deadend pool. Almost all our bottles were empty, feeling thirsty and each and every drop of water counted for us.Then we decided to have some glucose and orange. We all took rest for a while and started following the trail .
















We reached the main stream at 1 pm, all were in joy finding the water, quenced our thirst and started following the upstream to meet the group1 at the dead end pool. By the time we reached the dead end pool it was almost 1:35 pm, Peter and other members were all ready in helping the non-swimmers and the luguage to carry to the other end of the end dead pool. This dead end pool is almost in between the gorge, and was very deep. it took almost 1 hr to make sure that everybody and their luguages were transported carefully to the other side. Seeing the site, the camera person took some coverage.



































Here we had our lunch (3 poli each ) and took rest for a while. Now the worst part was the shoes getting wet, some of them were to be very careful not to make their shoes wet, because once the shoes get drenched, you are sure to slip on the rocks. But sill i had no other option, i kept my both the hands free and managed to balance with my hands when ever i slipped. We started moving from the Deadend pool by 2:15 pm towards the Picnic pool where our campsite was planned. As we started moving there was gorge (80 meter high ) which had climb in order to avoid swimming the stream below.

Meanwhile one of our member got her sprain in her ankle, since we were the sweepers we had to provide our helping hand. Finally we reached the gorge (Peak 3) at 4:20 pm. All of them were ahead of us we (ajay,shiva,uma and the camera persons ) were only left behind, we have to walk our the boulders all along the stream. After an hour walk we had climb a steep again at an angle of 70 degree. Since it was getting dark, Peter came back to know our status and told us to some how reach the steep climb before it gets dark , made sure that we all had torch with us. He also told us that he would be placing an umberlla as indication where we have to climb. He then left ahead to the picnic pool to make the arrangement for cooking noodles.

By the time we reached the umberlla point, it was almost dark and we had switch on our torch light, meanwhile ajay had got wounded with a rock while crossing a deep water stream. He was bleeding none of us had first aid. Now the media persons were also tired (deva was carring the camera was almost 8 kg, other person was carrying the battery and other equipment in his back it was more heavier than this ,along with them was the camera man and anchor -sundar carrying all other luguages. ) Since it was dark we made use the Flash light from the camera . Finally we reached the Picnic pool it was almost dark , we could see some fire..and the sound of the falls near campsite was awesome. it was now 6:15 pm .















We all were in wet clothes,so quickly got into the dry clothes which we had with us. Now the only thing we all could feel was the hungry stomach pinching us. The yummy noodles were ready by 7:45 pm, we all had the noodles and slept by 8:30 pm under the open sky..watching the stars and listening to the sound to the stream flowing besides us.


we put our sleeping matt laid it on the rock and had a nice sleep. At around 1 am we (i and siva shared the sleeping matt) felt the cold, so i took out the blanket and shared
That comes to the End of DAY 1


=======================================================================================


Day 2
======

Woke up - 6 am
Creating Fire - 6:30 am
Lemon Tea - 6:45 am
had a bath in the pool (Picnic Pool) - 7:45 am
Started to climb over the pool to reach the 600m peak (Peak 2)- 8:15 am
Reached the origin of the Picnic pool Stream (Thin Falls)- 9:10 am
Reached the 600m peak(peak2) - 10:20 am
Back to picnic pool - 11:45 pm



Since we reached the campsite in the dark we couldn't have the view of the site in the day light. Woke up around 6 am in the morning, and it was really a awesome location to realise that it was really a "Picnic Pool". Peter started the fire, Selva took the responsibility of making the tea,and all others were involved in collecting logs for the fire. within a span of 15 mins the tea was ready, some of them preferred Lemon Tea, some of them Black tea without sugar, some of them had normal tea (with milk power).






























After that we had some fun in the pool and were ready to for the next mission by 8 pm.To climb the 600 m peak. We had asked peter in the morning how are we going to go.(in which direction ) . He told that we will be climbing over the falls and following the up stream and along the way we need to swim across small pools, it will be nearly 1 hr along the stream and then we will be reachng the gorge, that will be our last point to fill our bottles.




































People who were ready to take up the mission followed peter and rest of them stayed in the picnic pool. When the group returns from the 600 m peak, all will start our return journey.

As per the plan a group of 10 members went out for reaching the 600 m peak, after walking along up stream for an hour we reached almost starting point of the stream (Thin Falls of more 50 m high) at 9:10 am. There we had a regrouping and mader sure that we all have filled our bottles,and started to climb the uphill at angle of 75 degree, after climbing for another 1 and half hour we reached the 600 m peak, but we were again split into two groups, one group were ahead of us, and we had often trace out the direction they were moving..by shouting like.. trazan...(oh...oh.....o..o...) and wait for there reponse to move ahead. As we reached the peak it was almost 10:20 am.

From there we had to climb down to reach the main stream and then follow the upstream which will lead us back to the picnic pool. We had to climb down almost 80 degree at some point and reached the picnic pool by 11:45 am.

Return Journey starts
======================
Started from picnic pool - 12 pm
Reached the Gorge (Peak3) - 1 pm
Reached the deadend pool - 2:30 pm
Started from the dead end pool - 4:30 pm
Reached the welcome pool - at 5:30 pm
Came out the hills - 6:15 pm
Reached Dam - 6:30 pm
Reached base camp - 7 :15 pm
Started from Base camp - 7:30 pm
Dinner at Dabba (nagala ) - 8:30 pm
Reached Chennai at - 11 pm

Photos
=======


Day1 Photos https://picasaweb.google.com/107644824690501360338/NagalaComboDay1

Days Photos https://picasaweb.google.com/107644824690501360338/NagalaComboDay2




Day1 Videos
===========
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjR_1tsBEqs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnqGHRg2xuk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4x9oQvwYV4

Day2 Videos
===========
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ3djDPy_R4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN6_dhXfl0g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkJldF5OMrU

Nagalapuram Social Trek with CTC

Hello Friends,
It was on 28th August 2011, we had a wonderful day with the 26 kids of Vallalar Gurukulam, which is located at Medavakam. We had taken them to a one day trip to Nagalapuram.




After a gap of 3 years i was able to join the trek with CTC (Chennai Trekking Club). This time it was a Social Trek (This was our Social Trek 33 ).

We had different pick up points for the trek, and my meeting point was at Koyembedu, I reached the spot at 5:30 am, along with my car. I could see already few people waiting over there (omi,karthik,sathish,david). then around 5:40 am i had called up the co-ordinator of that point, kutty krishnan, he told that he will be reaching the spot in few minutes. By the time other members also arrived (sivakumar,koushik,saravanan,thilak,Rakesh,sasirekha,shruthi,rohit). Now we all were ready and as per our plan our route was defined as

Koyambedu -> Bangalore Highway -> Thirumazhisai (Take left 1km after the panimalar college) -> Thiruvallore -> Utthukotai - > Nagalapuram it's around 80 kms.

In between we had the plan to meet the other group at Panimalar Engineering college on NH 4.




















Since there was a delay in the other group, we had some photo and snacks session.
The other group arrived at around 7:35, we just had a word with the co-ordinator of the the group and proceeded further.




At around 9 am we reached Poondi Dam. we divided into 5 groups and all the kids were also shared by the these 5 teams, so the it would be easier to handle them, once this was done, we decided to have our breakfast, (bread n Jam, vadai.etc)


We spent some time there and left the place by 9:40 and proceed further to Nagalapuram. As we entered the Nagalapuram village and were about reach the base camp, we had the village panchayat members collecting the parking fees about Rs 50 for each vehicle. After little bit of argument with them we reached the base camp by 11 O'clock.




After reaching the basecamp, we all given the instruction's on how to move with group and collected the lunch pack's swimming tubes for the respective teams,and started moving ahead by 11:30 am. We reached the first pool by 12:25 pm It was just stream of water. There we had spent some time, by splashing water on all others, literally drenching them.





Here is the time break up

koyembedu - 5:30 am
Panimalar college - 6 :40 am 7:40 am
Poondi Dam - 9 am - 9 40 am
Base camp - 11:30 am
First Stream - 12:25 pm
2nd Pool - 1:40 Pm

Lunch (Noodles) - 2:15 pm
2nd pool exit : 3:45 to 4 PM
returned to first stream 4:45 pm
Dam at 6 pm
Reached base camp 6 15 pm
Dinner at uthukottai : 8 pm
Reached chennai : 11 pm

Vats Makkal at Chennai International Half Marathon

Hi makkale,

It was on 27th September, i and psycho participated in Chennai Internation Half Marathon. This is the first kind event i am participating
It happened like.. the previous day.. namba psycho called around 7 pm at asked me "are you coming for a Marathon Race starting at war memorial ,chennai, its about 7000 meters. I was happy to join him, so i called up my home said that..i am joining psycho for the marathon race tomorrow(sunday 27th sept) at 7:30 am, that was how the program was fixed. So next day it was psycho who woke me at morning 5:10 am, and i left home by 6:20 am , i reached the island ground at 6:45 am and was surprised to see the crowd.

It felt like people had come there for an exihibition, it was about to rain.. till psycho didn't turn up,i called him, he told that he was in saidapet, and stop near a shop due to rain.

So i went and registered my self by getting a BIB No (9092965754) after paying Rs 30.
i had brought the camera along me but it was raining,don't know where to keep the camera, so i kept in my bike under the seat and went to check out what was happening at the starting point.
it was now 7:00 am, still namba psycho had not turned up.. 10 minutes late he called me up and said that "machi just entered the parking area.." ok i told him to park the bike somewhere near the gate itself and to reach the starting point..so we finally met each other at 7:20 am, then we went to the starting point, by now it was raining.. we had no option, so the race started and we also joined the public in the rain.. we both were moving together... but people comming behind us started running fast pushing us.. so we had to manage somehow. After running 1 km pyscho slowed down.. so i had to move ahead leaving him.. and plannned to meet at the finishing
point, the road was fully wet..with waters running around... then it stopped drizzling after a while by the time i think i had covered nearly 3 kms.. i also need a break now... but i somehow managed 100o more meters .. and then took a break, 3000 meters more to go.. i covered rest by takings more breaks in between and

reached the finishing point at 8 am. then i received a call from psycho at 8:15 am ,saying that " machi i am inside the island ground ...where are you..?" then we both met.. had some breakfast, and enquired about the registration information.., there psycho also got his BIB No and we were asked to collect our paticipation certificate on october 17 at Tamil Mayiyam, Luz Church Road.

after a while.. i had pain in my legs.. but later i could not feel it.. ,its for sure that.. for the next two days.. it will be hard time in climb the staircase...

Then when we returned to the parking area... and took around half-an-hour to find psycho's bike.

More Photos....Click here for more photos

Entering into parent's world

Hello friends,

It was on 1st July that we (myself & my wife) became proud parents of our cute little girl baby. Here i would like to share my experience with you all.

It was on 30 June around 3 pm, i admitted menaka to the hospital for delivery (though her EOD was on 17th July), she delivered at 1 am on July 1st. It was a normal delivery, but i was just standing outside the emergency ward from the minute she went into the room until i heard the sound of my baby at 1: 15 am.

Some of things which i would like to share for the other young couples,awaiting their parenthood.

1. Choose a good hospital for check up ,which has the most no of reputations for normal delivery.
from my side i would recomend - Vijaya Hospital, Vadapalani, Chennai
2. After your wife has delivered, be ready with a glass of milk, usually this what the docotor's suggest, so if its going to be midnight or early morning, make sure that you had already bought it and kept in the flask.

3. Have a pair of feeding nighties ready (i mean, the nighty which has the option to feed the baby)

4. Once the mother and the baby are shifted from the labour room,you will have nice time watching the baby all time. Keep along with you one person who knows how to hold/carry/handle the new born baby.

Its is only in this initial phase where one becomes happy when the baby starts to urinate and passes motion. I don't know about others but i myself felt it.

5.Prepare triangular shaped soft cloths to tie around baby's waist, around 20-30 (particularly the old cotton sarees used by your mom )

Nagalapuram Trek

hello friends,
I had recently been to a One Day Trek in andhrapradesh (3 hrs from chennai ) around 250 kms, this was my frist trek with the CTC (Chennai Trekkers Club). There were 37 members for this trek, it was really a excellent weekend for me. The members were from different places from chennai and to make it in a organized manner the pickup points were decided with timings (Tidel Park, Taramani, OMR road ,Madya Kailash,Guindy circle,Koyambedu and NH5 ).So finally we left koyambedu, with all the 37 members packed in 7 cars.
Unfortunately when we were on the NH5 one of our car got punchered, this was the first experience for the guy who was driving the car,with the help of the other members we replaced the stepni and moved ahead. On the way near uthokottai we had our breakfast (8 am) and packed our lunch and a few amount of 1 liter bottles and dumped it in the veichles and started moving. We reached the car parking (acutally you will not find a single person there ) at 9:30 am,

and then things(lunch , gulcose packets,snacks,water bottles ) were distributed to all the members. So the trek started ,after walking about a 30 mins you will be able to find the water body where you can taste the pure water. Again after moving ahead for another 30 mins (10 :30)you will be able to find a beautiful view of the mountains and ofcourse the stream comes along with you.
At 11' o clock we reached a the first pool where enjoy ourselves for an hour , both swimmers and non swimmers can enjoy, there is also a small falls there to reach that you need to swim across. Unfortunately one of our member had a sprain in his leg, so we had leave him at his place itself and to acompany him one more member had to sacrifice his trek. So as we continued our trek we had to cross the stream many a times and climb steep mountains and slipery rocks with all our CTC'ians helping out each other. Our next resting point was at 200 mts, a cave where usually put up their base camp when the come for a two day trek, finally we were at this spot at 12:30 p m

Then as you move on further for another half an hour at around 1 pm you will be to find a another stream line falls where in you can re-fill your water bottles ,we started

refilling our empty bottles and moved ahead. From here we headed for steepy climb into the deep forest where you could hardly see the sunlight,and we came across a beehive also, and one our member was victim for it. As we continued to trek for another 1 hr , we finally reached the 300m falls at 2 pm (but the water flow was very thin..) and we had our lunch there .

We spent around 1 hr there and started moving back by 3 pm and we reached our first pool, where we left our member with the anchle sprain at 5 pm and again we drenched our selves in the pool for another half-an-hour to become fresh.

Then we had to carry our friend from the this Pool to the car parking , this job was spendidly done by 3 of our CTC'ians (bhagat ,Raguveer and Vetri) .we reached the car parking by 7:30 pm and headed back to chennai (reached koyambedu at 10 pm)
For more photos you can check
Photos by me
Photos by Other Members
Things to Take Care:
1. Have a grep bandage with you.
2.One set of clothes after you get drenched.
3.Antiseptic oinment & cotton.
4.Two bottles of one liter bottle & glucose(if you are the one who get exausted very soon)
5. Rope 20 ft (to help non-swimmers to cross the path)
6. A led Torch

Tada Falls

hello friends..
i would like to update you all with this memorable trek which we(my friends) went on 17th August.
Tada Falls or vardhapalyam falls - its around 55 kms from the chennai (this applies once you join the NH-5 ) ,actullay from Anna Nager,chennai - 40 it is 90 kms, we planned to go by bike,(3 bikes)
i started of at 7:30 am in the morning...from my residence , the weather was pleasant with no sign of sun.
since we all were split up..we planned to meet at the junction of redhills road connecting NH-5 around 8:45 am, from there we had our mini breakfast at 9 am and started our journey (it was 50 more kms to TADA).

Directions : Just keep going along the NH-5 towards Nellore at your full speed, just 2 kms before TADA, you need to lake the service road ,(don't get over the flyover) its the way to the small village called Vardhapalyam,this is the place where you should end up all your shopping, because beyond this you won't find any big shops, so backup your lunch package, water

bottles,(at least you need 2 liters of watercan per person) or else be prepared to drink the stream water..thats really good and tasty don't care what others comment about the stream water.

we reached vardapalyam by 10:30, after crossing the village just ask the locals for the way to vardhaplayam falls , they would guide you saying that you have to take a left , and go ahead further, once you take left, after moving a km ahead you will find a sign board which directs you to take a

right turn indicating 14 kms ahead, so after travelling

some 7-8 kms the road gets more tough, if you are in bike, 10 kms is the speed advisable, exactly after 9 km you find the check post (we reached here at 11' clock)where you have pay Rs 50 for




the camera, Rs 20 for bike,ahead 1km you will find the road at its worst condiontion which leads you to the parking area,(we reached at 11:30) so now you have 4km ahead very challenging ups and downs,better get into your canvas which has good grip, we left the parking area at 11:30















after walking ahead for 10 mins you shall find the first view of the stream, and
another 20 mins you will be again crossing the stream, and next half an hour you will be able to reach the Siva Temple (we reached here at 12:30)


so from here onwards you have to start trekking between the rocks, there wouldn't be any defined

path just follow the stream to find the falls.. yes for the fast climbers its just 30 mins left to reach the falls

but don't expect a huge falls dropping from a height of 10 feet or 15feet, instead it would a smalls falls which drops from 2 to 3 ft,





and you hardly find space to stand under it.we all reached at 1:30,
but i and my cousin reached by 1'clock.

we almost climbed to the point where the stream starts, beyond it there was no way to climb. this point was really amazing, where you would find deep(20 ft) water bluish-green in color , which is in between the huge narrowing rocks besides. The depth of the water gradually increases, if you know swimming you can really enjoy a lot.


While returning from the falls (we started from that point at 3:30 pm) , i am sure that you will be exausted and feel more thirsty..than when you were going eagerly for the enjoying the falls.

we reached back to the parking area by 5 pm, then while returning..we halted at the vardhapalayam and had some drinks,and then started our journey again at around 6 pm. I reached home by 7:45 pm


Regarding lunch, you won't find anything except the chicken briyani, in the local shops,(it would cost you 30 Rs - just half plate) but we had our home made lunch packed (each of them can bring 2 pack of lemon rice or tamarind rice - that's the best thing ), have the lunch after you have enjoyed the falls , we had our lunch around 3:30 pm, in the midst our ancestors surrounded,eagerly waiting to grab things from us.

Some Tips: shoulder bags,Polythene bags to pack up wet cloths, shorts, canvas shoes with good grip and 20 ft rope to enjoy you trek and to help the non swimmers to reach the falls

for more photos check http://picasaweb.google.co.in/suresh1876/TadaFalls

Map :