Yelagiri Travelogue - A Weekend Trip from Chennai

We traveled to Yelagiri from Chennai during one of the weekends in July. During my research about the places to visit in Yelagiri and things to do, I came to the conclusion that there is not much to do in Yelagiri. So, as many colleagues suggested we first booked a good resort to stay and decided to have quality family time.

The trip started early Saturday morning around 5.30. The distance from Chennai to Yelagiri is about 230kms and it took us nearly 5 hours to reach Yelagiri. The first thing we did was to check-in to our resort and rest a bit. The one thing we learned when traveling with kids is NOT to rush and to take things slowly (else you will lose more time handling the situation and keeping your sanity in check).

We stayed in Treebo Trend Laa Gardenia Resort and were surprised to find that it was actually a two-bedroom villa. The main thing for booking the resort was to have access to the swimming pool. So after taking a break, we hit the swimming pool. Since the other guests were yet to arrive we had the pool all to ourselves.

After the swim with growling tummies, we went exploring for food options in Yelagiri. Our resort didn't have an in - house restaurant and we had to inform them beforehand if we wanted food. Now getting good food in Yelagiri is a task in itself. We had lunch in Peter's Park - not very great but just fine.

Fundera Bird Park, Yelagiri

After lunch, we headed straight to Fundera Bird Park. Now a little about the park - It is one of the main attractions in Yelagiri. They offer you two packages - the first package includes Petting, Aviary, and 7D for Rs. 250/ person and the second package includes Petting, Aviary, 7D, Fish Spa, Mini Golf and a Pony ride for Rs. 450/ person.

We took the first package and went inside. Now if your kids are used to farm and farm animals, then it might not be very exciting to them. But still, you get to see different varieties of cocks, birds, guinea pigs, colorful chicks, goats, rabbits, cows, etc. They also allow you to put them under their watchful eyes. And yes they had donkeys also (This was the first time my kids saw donkeys).

Next is the Aviary - the most exciting part of the park. We were allowed inside a bird enclosure where the birds fly freely. You have a lot of exotic varieties of Macaws, parrots, etc. They will give you seeds and the birds come near you to eat the seeds. Now a word of caution here, if you are going with kids, it would be better if they don't open their palms and feed the Macaws. Those birds are huge and heavy and their claws can injure your kids. As you go through the Aviary you do find small varieties of birds which the kids can feed. This Aviary experience was the best we had and was completely new to us.

After this, we went to the 7D show. We were the only four people there for the show and to add some drama, we shouted and screamed during the show. Not a great one but kind of ok.

From Fundera Bird park we headed to our next stop - Punganoor Lake Park


Punganoor Lake Park

This lake cum park is another popular attraction of Yelagiri. It is an artificial lake that offers boating facilities. So after playing in the park (which was not in very good shape), we went for boating as a most tourist coming to Yelagiri do. There are rowboats which they will row for us or we can choose the pedal boats. We took the pedal boat and thankfully the weather was good, so could enjoy the beautiful Yelagiri lake. Once out of the boat, the kids again went to the park for another round of play.

From the park, we headed straight to our resort. On the way was Murugan Temple, but we skipped it. (If you plan to visit the temple, you can easily squeeze it in your itinerary, the view from the top is very beautiful it seems). Once back at the resort, it was again swimming (my kids know how to make the most out of the resort). After a round of football, it was dinner time (our resort arranged the dinner as we had informed them earlier). The night in Yelagiri was a little cooler when compared to the sizzling Chennai, so we took a small stroll and then called it a day.

Day 2

Even though Yelagiri is considered to be a hill station, it's not very cold. So the first thing my kids did was to hit the pool AGAIN. So after the last swimming session, we had our breakfast ( breakfast was on the house and was a typical South Indian breakfast- absolutely delicious) and packed our bags. After checking out, we went to one last place, an adventure park (Yelagiri is filled with adventure parks and you can't miss it). When we enquired about the adventure park, the resort manager suggested Thrill Valley.


Thrill Valley

Now this Thrill Valley adventure park is a bit far from the Yelagiri town. Also, the last stretch of the road is in a bad condition and is an adventure of its own. The highlight of this park is that it has a parallel zip - line activity and also the zip- line is very long and high. In my understanding, most of the adventure parks offer the same activities for more or less the same price. We took the package that included the Zipline, Obstacle course, Zorbing, Kids ATV, Trampoline and some free games(most of the free games were completely useless so that is why it is called Free). This package was for Rs 500, but you can mix and match, add or subtract activities to it.

This took up more than 2 hours to finish and we wanted to start our return journey as soon as possible. So after a quick lunch, we were on our way back home ( since the kids had school the next day we didn't want to get late).

All in all a great weekend and another place ticked off from our bucket list.

Few things to note if you are planning to go to Yeagiri.
Do not go with very high expectation. It's not great as Ooty or Kodaikanal but a peaceful place to spend a weekend. There are not many places to see in Yelagri, so I would suggest you take a good resort to stay in. Most of the resorts in Yelagiri has a pool and facilities for outdoor activities. Yelagiri also is filled with Adventure parks, so you can surely try that. We did miss Trekking to Swami Malai Hills as we were not very sure if our kids could do up and down the hills(also they prefer water to mountains). You can also plan a trip to Jalagampari waterfalls, but do enquire if there is water or else it will be a complete waste.

So here is a list of places that you could consider visiting if you plan to go to Yelagiri:

1. Punganoor Lake
2. Nature Park
3. Fundera Bird Park
4. Adventure Park (plenty to choose from)
5. Murugan Temple
6. Swamimalai Hills (for trekking enthusiasts)
7. Jalagamparai Waterfalls (do enquire about the water situation before going)
8.Telescope Observatory (we totally missed this place)

How to get things done by the kids

"My baby... How was your day at school today dear?  What did you do in school? Did you finish your tiffin? Oh wonderful...Hmm why don't you remove the shoes. Good. Now please change your dress. Wash your hands PLEASE and your face. Go to the toilet... You can do that later. Please wear the dress . PLEASE...PLEASE ."

Can you relate to this. Well this the usual scenario in my house when my elder son comes back from his school ,I mean playgroup. And the above statements ranges from the sweetest decibel level to the highest one with different modulations and frequencies depending on the day. They lasts from say from 5min(the luckiest day...which happens very rarely) to more than half an hour.

I don't like to start disciplining my child the moment he comes home from school. Mummy had missed him. But I can't turn a blind eye also. This whole process of changing, cleaning, dressing in the most subtle manner never used to happen. I kind of struggled a lot to make this as smooth as possible. After about a year I have got the hang of it. Well I found the magic words to make things happen. So no more drama, no more tears and no more fights.

The magic words are " Come let us play in water". Yes as simple as that. Kids simply love playing in water. So why not get things done in their way. The moment I say the magical words, the shoes get removed, the clothes are changed (Amma please help ), the hands , the legs, well the entire body is cleaned (well bathed actually) and when play is over, a fresh pair of clothes are worn. Phew...what a relief.

Those who have small kids know how difficult it is to get things done by the kids in the most pleasing manner. Each day my children are teaching me how to handle them better. Motherhood is all about learning. With these few simple words I have learned the power of words.

For the past three months I am using this quite frequently and I am happy ,so are my kids (my youngest one makes it a point to join his Big brother). You do get fresh nice smelling kids after 10 minutes without too much of a struggle.

I feed them and brace myself up for the long day ahead. O sleep, forget it. Its another struggle. More on that some other day. And as my friend said : you will ask your toddlers to get some sleep and when they are teenagers you  yourself will ask them to stop sleeping and study. Really what an irony.

Tips when letting  kids play in water

• Decide how long you want to let them play and state that clearly and stick to it. Kids never want to come out of the water so you better decide for them
• Ask the kids not to pour water on their head , they might fall sick.
• Give them some things to play like containers of different size, funnel, cups, spoons, spray or may be a beach set.
• If kids start fighting, stop their play immediately. Do this every time and they will be better off while playing in water because of the consequences.
• Do not let kids play in water if they have a tendency to catch cold or fall sick easily.

Have a nice time....

P.S.
You never know when an Archimedes is born and cry out Eureka.

Vandalur Zoo visit with the kids

A trip to the zoo is inevitable if you have kids around. We were planning a zoo trip ever since we shifted to Chennai. Finally the week after Pongal we managed to go. We had earlier thought of going during Pongal but thankfully we cancelled at the last moment. As it turned out more than 1.5 lakh visitors had come during the Pongal time.

Arignar Anna Zoological Park or the Vandalur Zoo, is credited to being the first public zoo in India. It is also one of the largest zoo in South Asia which houses close to 1500 wild species, including endangered ones. Arignar Anna Zoological Park is located in Vandalur about 32kms from Chennai city centre. It is well connected by both rail and road.

We started from home around 9am by car taking the NH45. It took us almost an hour to reach there. There is ample space for parking so no issues on that account .Having done that we headed straight to the ticket counter and as luck would have it there was no queue(well we managed to start early with the KIDS for once).

The zoo does not allow outside food but water can be taken in. Since I had two small kids they allowed the food that I had bought along with me (one of the perks travelling with kids which I take advantage of where ever possible). The zoo does not permit plastic bags also so avoid that. Once in we went for the lion safari. Thankfully there also was no queue though we had to wait for 10 min for our safari to start. The safari is indeed a must watch and you SURELY will see atleast one lion. We saw one lion and two lionesses. My elder one was thrilled but younger one just could not figure out why all the people around him were making such a fuss. He was infact barking at the lion thinking it to be a big puppy. This safari gave us a great opportunity to see lions very close and it was worth the money and the time.

 

 

Once the safari was over we took the zoo  round vehicle which took us around the zoo. They give you some 1 to 2 minutes to see the animals in each of their enclosures. We could see deers, bear, leopard, bisons, elephants, giraffes, hippopotamus, zebra, crocodiles, snakes of all kinds(there is a small snake park) Bengal tiger and even white tiger. We saw two tigers fighting with each other but had to rush back due to the constant horn of our waiting vehicle. If ever we go back again we will definitely take their battery operated golf cart style vehicle. From my experience children can better appreciate the animals when they move about and which they may not do in your allotted 2 minutes. We actually walked back to giraffe and zebra enclosures to have a better look. Though it was a struggle to keep the kids waiting but the giraffes finally decided to move and have some leaves from the tree. Indeed a beautiful sight. Well no luck with zebra though. Anyway I was happy as we could show the children the animals that we generally just see in pictures.

 

 

 

 

The zoo vehicle gives you the option of taking you back at the starting point or getting down near the aquarium from where you could walk back. So we got down  and walked back to see the animals which we wanted to see at leisure. We took a break to refuel the kids before proceeding further. Our next stop was at the shark model aquarium. No you will not see a shark but lots of coloured fishes. My youngest son was very happy to see the fishes in so many colours. Though the aquarium is small it is enough to entertain the kids. Fishes in different shapes and sizes, turtles swimming up and down well that's enough to  amuse any kid. Infact the shark model aquarium is itself made on top of a big pool with fishes swimming inside.

 

 

 

Just opposite to the aquarium is the nocturnal animal enclosure. They have managed to make a dark night environment so that the animals stay active and alert during day time. Here we saw owls, porcupine and  different kinds of cat species. But if you cannot stand strong smell better stay away. It kind of stinks very badly.

 

Up next was butterfly house and  the bird section but missed it completely because the kids wanted to play in the park in the hot sun. They do have a fairly good play area. So after about 15 min of play we wound up our zoo trip as crankiness , tiredness and hunger had slowly started creeping in. It is always better to end a trip on happy note than on a tearful and stressful one. So without further delay we headed out visiting enroute the forest museum which exhibits stuffed butterflies, different kinds of leaves, soil, rocks, fossils etc.

 

 

We could finish the trip by 1.30pm, a good 3.5 hours spent I should add. On the way I fed the kids and made them sleep and and  the best part is that they slept till 6pm(a record for my kids...they are poor sleepers).Ask any mother how peaceful it is to see the kids sleep and how peaceful the house will be. Ahh!!

Looking back I seriously wished we could squeeze in time to see the birds and butterfly. But never mind there is always a second time.



Some information about the zoo:

Zoo Timing : 9am to 5pm (Tuesday Holiday)

Entrance Fee
Adults (above 10 years) - Rs. 30/ -
Children (2 to 10 years) - Rs. 10/-
Below 2 years - Entry Free
Camera / Camera mobile / i-pad / tab - Rs. 25/-
Handy Cam - Rs. 150/-

Zoo Rounds Vehicle
Adults(above 10 years) - Rs. 30/-
Children (2 to 10 years) - Rs. 10/-

Lion Safari Vehicle
Adults(above 10 years) - Rs. 30/-
Children (2 to 10 years) - Rs. 10/-

Deer Safari Vehicle
Adults(above 10 years) - Rs. 30/-
Children (2 to 10 years) - Rs. 10/-

Battery operated vehicle
Per hour - Rs. 330/-

Parking Charges
Two Wheeler - Rs. 10/-
Four Wheeler - Rs. 20/-


Food and Snacks
Outside food is not permitted in the zoo. There is a Hotel Tamilnadu at the entrance of the zoo but by the reviews that I read it is bit on the unhygienic side. I am not sure on that as I did not go there. There are snack parlours from where you can buy packed food items.


Tips when travelling with Kids

• Start early .The sooner the better or else you will have queues everywhere and kids (also adults) hate waiting.
• If safari is included then start with that, followed by zoo rounds preferably in vehicle(it is almost sure the kids will not be able to cover the entire stretch walking) then aquarium, bird visit ,butterfly house and then the play area. Do not start with the play area otherwise the children will neither have the energy or the patience to see they what they really came for.
• Carry enough water and some fruits or snacks( outside food is not allowed but they might excuse just for the kids. But do not feed food to the animals, it is punishable)
• Caps will be very handy for both kids and adults
• I found that carrying a shoulder bag is much more convenient than handbags as both your hands will be free and you can be on the run.
• Try to wrap the zoo visit within 4 hours if you are travelling with small kids .

If in Chennai ,a must visit place especially with the kids.


 

My Little Paper Plane

This is my first post and I wanted it to be simple and special. It is special because my kids are teaching me the very basic lesson that you can find joy in the simplest of the simplest things...and today that simple thing is a paper plane.

The same thing that You in your childhood have made numerous times. To fly, to let others fly, to compete (yeah!! remember saying whose plane goes the fastest ,the longest..) and yes of course in college when you wanted to have some fun at the expense of the lecturer (I do remember where one of my lecturer took offense and the case reached the highest office....What a damage a simple paper plane can do ).

So when my boys (3.5yrs and 1.5yrs - my hands are absolutely full) wanted me to make them one ,I realized I had forgotten to make those cuties. It took me some time before I could make them again. When it was done another problem - I had only made one and I had two outstretched arm saying...me, me, me. Well no big deal I know it now.

So there all done. Time to go flying.

It brought back so many sweet memories.

Here is how to make one simple plane. All You need is a rectangular piece of paper.

First fold the paper in half lengthwise, and then unfold.

 

 

                         

 

 

Next fold the top two corners down so they meet the center crease that was just made.

 

 

                         

 

 

Now fold the corners in again to the center crease.

 

 

                         

 

 

Fold the entire plane in half over the crease itself.

 

 

                        

 

 

Fold the wings down so that you’re making a straight line.

 

 

                        

 

 

Repeat on the other side.

 

 

                         

 

 

 

That's it your plane is ready.

 

 

                               

What are you waiting for, go flying.

Tips

Take these planes and your kids to big open space (terrace or ground or beach) and have a great time flying.