Riding towards Kodaikanal town and I'm shook. Much of the forest is now ashes. Forest guards are finally here with fire management teams, only took two weeks of raging fires to get their attention?
Sigh.
What's remaining is very much at risk until monsoons put an end to this rampage.
It was just as hot as yesterday until about 2 pm, and same as yesterday the forest has turned the air conditioning on with the low clouds.
A few more days/weeks and those clouds will be bringing in mist and the hill across the valley in previous photo will not be seen for days while monsoon quenches the landscape.
Temperature is 30°C indoors in an airy room today. All animals (including me) are feeling sluggish and just want to lie down. I'm ensuring everyone has cool water to drink nearby.
This is not normal in the hills, 26°C is about as hot as it used to get only a few years ago.
I shudder when I recall being passed out in a pool of sweat whole day when temps in plains rose to 45+°C in summer. It is getting worse there.
Rode through smoldering aftermath of a forest fire. It was fine till late evening yesterday when I rode past this same stretch. This summer has been very dry, I hope it rains soon!
Photobombed by kids who seemed excited to be done with school for the day. I have wondered why those "School Ahead" signboards always show kids running in this exact pose, I guess I know now 😬
I'll take this frame over the one devoid of people I had in mind before.
Saw an Indian Gaur on the way from town today, excuse the potato quality photo, was taken with phone and cropped heavily.
It's rare to see them in the day, this one was a lone male happily grazing away. A family in car stopped nearby and I called them over to have a look, the gaur noticed us talking, gave this nice pose looking at us, then quietly vanished behind trees.
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It's dark outside, my airy makeshift office is at 14°C. Still at the "having wake-up coffee to make some decent coffee" stage. Thinking of the nice roadside chai I had yesterday, standing in warm sun.
Today or this week does not bode well for a motorcycle ride to town, but have groceries to fetch and car won't start today (looks like rats got some wires) 🤷♂️
It's in-your-face cloudy since morning. Another low pressure area in the ocean? Okay
Went to explore nearby roads and villages with @suryaceg yesterday, was mostly misty so no sweeping landscape photos. Just caught glimpses of the land along the way.
Today I discovered one road not yet marked on any maps. It's fun and challenging to ride. Narrow enough that a car and a bike can't share it, plenty of blind turns and bushes growing over the road from side. And has sustained damage from heavy rains.
Found a little sunshine to warm my bones, a bike ride on gravel road to rattle them and then some off-road potholes to settle them back in their places 😆
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Looking for the budget car rental, call taxi and cab services in Kodaikanal. We also offer comfortable rooms, cottages, homestays, and delicious homemade foods.