Today is the last day of the trip. I had to drive around 600 kilometers, back to Bangalore from my hometown after a couple of days break. I have driven this route multiple times. After the initial two kilometers of drive from my hometown, it is 4 lanes from there to Bangalore except for the last one kilometer to the apartment I call home in Bangalore.

The drive went mostly uneventful. I started from my home after breakfast and my first stop was at JegaJothi Sweets in Kovilpatti. Generally when I come in this route in my car, I do stop here for a cup of tea made with palm jaggery and for buying peanut candy for friends in Bangalore. I generally end up eating these candies before giving it away to friends. Friends are just an excuse for me to buy more candies.

Peanut candies are a speciality of Kovilpatti, like the Halwa of Tirunelveli, Biryani of Dindigul and the Mangoes of Salem. Mangoes are seasonal and halwa is available only in the evening. So missing that I did have all the other things in the route.

Next stop was at Ponram restaurant in Dindigul. Mutton biryani and mutton kola urundai here are a must try if you are coming in this route. Just opposite to the Ponram restaurant is the Dindigul Thalappakatti Biryani which is also famous for the Mutton Biryani. Branches of Dindigul Thalappakatti are available in Bangalore and Chennai. I split my time between these restaurants each time I cross this route. Both the restaurants are close to the highway.

When I reached the car coming out of the restaurant after about an hour, I noticed water inside the car in the backseat foot area. I was not sure what to do. I tasted and smelled the liquid to make sure it was water and not diesel or oil. So I continued with my travels after clearing the water. A quick google search showed it as a problem with AC. That is something I will have to check my car when I am back in Bangalore.

My next stop was for tea break in Adyar Ananda Bhavan, Thopur. I generally like to stop here for the clean restrooms and for the play area for the kid. This was my last stop for the day.

I reached home just before the clock struck 12. Actually I had entered Bangalore a long time back and was stuck in traffic for around an hour before I was able to reach home. I did have the doubt that I might be stuck inside the car when the new year is born. But luckily I was able to reach home, just 10 minutes before the clock hit 12.

I am ending the trip with a lot of things I have done for the first time. I am ending this trip with a better understanding of the Kerala culture, new books added to my to read list, and new movies added to the list along with new places to explore.

I still have a lot to do in Kerala and will be visiting again. Life for sometime is again amidst this traffic and late night office work and corporate politics until the next trip. Till then it’s time to plan for the next road trip and be happy about it.

This post is part of a series of posts. Do check the whole series here.