I am currently soaking in the last bits of peace by Punganoor Lake, trying to ignore the fact that my weekend escape to the hills is coming to an end. Yelagiri has been a breath of fresh air—literally—but the thought of navigating the 14 hairpin bends back down to the plains is already giving me a bit of a headache. I’ve been checking the yelagiri to chennai distance on various maps to see if there is a "scenic" route that avoids the heaviest Sunday evening traffic, but let’s be honest: the main highway is always a gamble. After spending the morning hiking near Jalagamparai Falls, the idea of wrestling with my oversized luggage in a cramped local bus or an unconditioned cab is the last thing I want.

To keep my "vacation glow" intact, I’ve already arranged a private ride through a service like GetTransfer for the trip back. In my experience, especially in the heat of Tamil Nadu, having a spacious SUV with a professional driver waiting at your hotel door is a total life-saver. It’s much better to have a fixed price and a guaranteed spot for all those bags of mountain honey and spices I bought than to haggle with drivers at a stand. If you’re planning a trip to the Eastern Ghats, I’d highly recommend looking into these pre-booked options—it turns a long, tiring drive into a chance to just nap or enjoy the views of the valley. Does anyone know if that famous spice market on the way back is open on Sunday evenings?