Archive for June 2010
In Pursuit of the South West
Looking west to Agamalai and the Cardamom Hills from the Pillar Rocks viewpoint. Agamalai's grassy peaks (left) are in stark contrast to the heavily wooded (i.e. eucalyptus etc.) of the higher Palani Hills escarpment on the right. The South West monsoon is active in the background over Bodimethu and the Cardamom Hills.
The South West monsoon was welcomed in southern India several weeks ago and things are looking rosy if you read the papers or watch the “monsoon express” on NDTV. Rainfall numbers are higher than last year and there are optimistic predictions that this season might produce a GDP growth rate of 8.5%! I’m on the trail of the monsoon myself, planning to follow parts of it in the southernmost part of the peninsula. It’s a family adventure and my first responsibilities will be to show Amy and Lenny this fascinating part of India. We started off today with a short ride around the 10-Mile round that was once a somewhat monotonous hiking trail during my school years. At Pillar Rocks viewpoint you could see the dramatic cloud buildups over the west on the Kerala border. Watching it from a high vantage point in the rain shadow is one thing. Tomorrow we head south to Kanyakumari to get up close and personal.
