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
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Day 1
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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
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Day 2
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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
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Day1 Photos https://picasaweb.google.com/107644824690501360338/NagalaComboDay1
Days Photos https://picasaweb.google.com/107644824690501360338/NagalaComboDay2
Day1 Videos
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjR_1tsBEqs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnqGHRg2xuk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4x9oQvwYV4
Day2 Videos
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ3djDPy_R4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN6_dhXfl0g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkJldF5OMrU
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