We decided to take the Fiesta since I was not ready to take the wheel of a car as large and powerful as the Skoda Superb just yet.
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Prologue:
It was December 2024 and my month-long winter break from college had started. Having escaped the suffocating air of NCR and arrived back home, it was decided that hitting the road was called for.
A significant influence on our choice of car was the fact that I turned 18 a couple of months prior to this trip, and would also be driving in addition to my parents. Hence, we decided to take the Fiesta on this one, since I was not ready to take the wheel of a car as large and powerful as the Superb just yet. The Fiesta’s service was conveniently due a couple of weeks before leaving, and it was given our trusted independent garage’s full approval for the trip. Given its smaller size, the Fiesta also gave us the flexibility to not have to worry as much about approach roads to our accommodation and the like.
The prospect of a long trip in this car after such a long time definitely added to the excitement!
This time, we genuinely had no concrete plan except “reach Bangalore, spend some time there and then head to someplace new.” So, the way it all materialised in the end was Bangalore, two nights at Chikmagalur, a day trip to the Payana Car Museum from Bangalore, an extremely last-minute plan to drive to Munnar, followed by a visit to Kochi and kayaking in the beautiful backwaters of Alleppey. This oddball collection of destinations ended up being one of the most fun trips yet, made even better by the fact that I could finally experience it all from behind the wheel! Additionally, I have now driven in every south Indian state thanks to this.
- Total distance covered: 3617.4 kilometres.
- The car: At 2006 Ford Fiesta 1.6 Sxi.
- Photography equipment: My Redmi 9 Prime (and on occasion, a Nothing Phone 2A).
Route:
To Bangalore:
The Fiesta’s 430-litre boot swallowed our luggage quite easily after placing things a little strategically, and after stocking the front passenger-side door pocket full of CDs, we set off for Bangalore. Since our last major road trip in the Fiesta was back in 2021, it took a short while to get reacquainted with the engine’s power delivery out on the open road and the fact that it is a manual without cruise control. However, since this car has been in our garage since 2006, muscle memory soon kicked in.
It was my first time driving the Fiesta with a full load; before I took the wheel, my parents informed me of how steering inputs would require more effort and warned me about the increased momentum the car would carry. Thanks to this guidance, I had a great time cruising on the open road once I got comfortable. The suspension strikes a beautiful balance between high-speed stability and comfort, the engine’s torque and the gearing make mincemeat out of overtakes and steep gradients, and the steering is wonderfully precise and weighty at speed. This is a brief summary of how I felt driving the car that brought me home from the hospital for the first time.
Barring some horrendous traffic after exiting Hyderabad, we made rapid progress and were in Bangalore for dinner despite our late morning start.
Chikmagalur:
We took the Bangalore-Shivamogga road which took us via Hassan. Up until Hassan, the roads are simply fantastic, open 4-lane dual-carriageway with a great line of sight and sparse traffic. It was a very pleasurable drive while letting the Fiesta stretch its legs. After Hassan, however, one needs to be mindful of occasional deep potholes and bad patchwork. I drove the entirety of the remaining distance to Chikmagalur, and it can definitely take you by surprise at times. You have to remain vigilant.
The view of the coffee estates. You can literally smell coffee in the air!
The next morning, we made an early start for Mullayanagiri Peak, the highest in the region. One has to climb a ton of steps to get to the top, but it is absolutely worth it, since you are quite literally in the clouds! Stairway to heaven anyone?
The view is wonderful regardless of the weather.
There is a cave system at the peak that you can check out if you’re interested. Do obey the barriers set in place though, since the space quickly becomes tight and poorly ventilated.
Here’s the Fiesta chilling while we went for a hike.
What a drop!
We then visited Jhari Falls. You need to take a Jeep to get there and then hike a little, since the path is full of slush, rocks and ditches. This was some of the most hardcore off-roading I’ve seen anyone ever do, and the 50+ year old Jeep took the beating effortlessly!
The flow wasn’t the strongest given the season, but it was a nice place to spend some time in the middle of a dense forest.
A look at the lush greenery around.
Next up was the Z-point near Baba Budangiri peak. A fabulous tabletop stretching as far as the eye could see. You may perhaps be overcome with a strong urge to simply begin running down the path up top.
We then decided to catch the sunset at Hirekolale Lake to end this little exploration of Chikmagalur. The pictures below, taken in chronological order, show how beautiful the sky progressively became. This was a pleasure to witness in the cool December evening breeze.
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