Coorg Trip

We started driving to coorg in the afternoon.was quite sunny..took a few stops…..by the time it was 5 or 6 in the evening…it had turned cloudy and inexplicably beautiful……..followed by showers….Reached coorg in the night………picked some food and booze and shambhuJDrove to this village…..couldnt find the hut as it was pitch dark………torches helped…..The sky was all lit with zillion stars and the breeze was awesome…we lit a campfire and cooked some chicken skewed in a jack handle…We played some music in the car..sat by the fire and ate and talked ..i didn’t do much of talking………I had friends talking about dimensions of thought..(wouuuu!!!…I know…that was my reaction exactly…) Once the music died off….all we could hear was the buzz of the mosquitoes and bugs and the breeze rustling through the leaves…I was lying with my back on the ground..and gazing at the sky….the moment was enough to get me and keep me high; ofcourse it's another matter that other sources of 'High' were welcome and were available in plenty.Its something so indescribable ,about the 'Nature' experience. - it was a sight to remember and sounds that my eardrums will quite never forgive me for. You just get that picture plastered onto your retina and the essence of that moment rings in your sinews and doesn't leave you for a few days. But I must mention that the music we had that evening was awesome and must thank “the president“for that extremely good music..though I hadn’t heard most of it…it was perfect.the place..the mood….and the music…cannot describe what I ( or anyone there , for that matter) felt like when our presidanto played dream theatre and jim morrison !! The evening started elegantly, and blew us away into unknown oblivion!! We all slept in the open, under the sky- oh!! perfecto!! Didn’t do much on the next day……..i woke up early..took a few pics..which you can check out at…Coorg folder at http://photos.yahoo.com/onlyiampreetiTook a shower..must mention about the shower place…there is no room…its just a patch in the green with jute bags and plastic sheets forming a tent kinda thing ..but the sunlight streams in and ur feet is on soft wet mud and cold water falling over u……..quite an experience……All day long just lounged around ….i tried my hand at sawing wood J and was quite good at it………presidanto was trying to meditate all day long with constant snoring……K lo and me were belting besan ladoos and chikkis..for that matter anything edible.A Lo was totally peaced out.Read some calvin&hobbes and laughed our hearts out………climbed the tree(well! It was quite a feat for me.)………had a campfire and slept early…The drive back was quite exciting with a flat tyre,nail biting(or should I say nail-cutting )experiences J

Jaunt Down Kerela and Pondy




So,my latest venture was Waynad,Kerela and Pondicherry.Had been planning for quite some time to head out and the work was killing.So I checked up with my friend about a place in Waynad and took off.Had never been to Kerela and the expectations were high.This was the first time I was travelling alone in India so the jitters were also high.Anyways,took a bus to Tellacherry from Majestic at 9 in the night.The driver must ve been in a huge rush or must have been drunk,in all probability the latter.Coz,the bus just sped like crazy all night long.I couldn’t sleep coz the roads were bad and our man didn’t bother about it much with his foot on the accelerator.Reached Tellacherry at about 6 in the morning.It was all planned,all sorted out.Bus to Tellacheery.Then Tellacherry to Mananthwadi and get down at Periya on the way.But then,my first trip alone,topped with jitters,topped with Malayalam illa,Kannada illa and no freakin’ south Indian language on my tongue.I had the most pleasant surprises of all…..Bus strike madam.Lovely!There was one bus going somewhere and I just hopped in it.It was supposedly going to my destination but with a different route.I slept and woke up after 2.5hrs at some vague bus stop.No buses again so sat in a jeep.Looked quite comfortable.4 people at the back and me and driver in the front.We headed out of the bus stop but stopped at a million places within a stretch of 10 meters.By the end of it ,we had 7 people at the back and 5 in the front.Driver,old guy,another guy and another one.Well,if you are looking for me,I was somewhere sandwiched between the driver and oldie.Now,THAT is something you shouldnt ask me about.Thankfully,Periya was not too far and I got down.
It was raining and smart Preeti took out her umbrella.(I had bought an umbrella specifically for the trip…impressed ,aren’t u?) I had to go to Gurukula Botanical Sanctury and the 3 kilometer walk till there was an amazing rush. I just knew it was going to be one of those walks I would never forget. With all the people,buses,roads left behind…Just walking along the lush green mountains,smelling the freah air in the drizzle was inexplicable.Walked along the mountains,then walked up the mountains,then walked along the tea garden,walked in the slush,walked in the leeches.Finally reached the place.Gurukula is a huge botanical sanctuary where a family and a few friends live.Amazing place and amazing dogs!Was greeted by 6 HUGE dogs charging at me.I’m sure my screams could ve been heard till the road,down the hill.Met the family.Had some food and slept in a small wodden cabin.Woke up to the pitter patter of the rain.Went out,had some food again.Checked out all the species of plants and ferns preserved there.Couldnt go deeper in the forest due to the rains and the leeches.The highly affectionate leeches were sticking to the wound on my toe and it wasn’t the most pleasant of sights to write about.Well,brave me,ignored the leeches and went down to the paddy fields.It was good fun,getting into the knee deep slush,barefoot and digging the earth.All I got was mud in my hands,face and everywhere possible.I splashed some mud by mistake on the farmer next to me but he was sweet enough to smile back.After the paddy session,we headed back to the rooms and I had a grueling undergo with the leeches all over me.After I was rid of em ,I took my time reading a book and having some tea.Helped in cooking the dinner and hogged like a pig.There is no electricity there so we had torches to go to the loos which are quite a distance from the rooms.As if I wasn’t freaked out enough about the leeches,dogs,loo too far that when I enter my room,I am greeted by a lovely HUGE BLACK spider sitting right in the middle of the room.I crept to my bed and kept an eye on the spider for hours;didn’t want it climbing over my bed.Donno when I dozed off.Was woken up in the morning as I had to catch the bus back to Bangalore.Had some lovely coin parathas and curry for breakfast.Got into a ready-to-fall-apart bus and swayed my way till mysore.Got into a much more comfortable bus at mysore and headed to Bangalore.Reached Bangalore at 5 or so.Called up all my friends asking if they would want to join in for my pondy trip.Got tickets for pondy and the same evening I was in a bus to Pondy,all excited about seeing the ashram and the beach at last.Reached pondy the next morning.Went to the ashram area and looked for a place to stay.It was quite difficult as everything was booked due to the long weekend.Got a room,crashed for a while,got fresh and headed out to ashram.Walked around the ashram area,checked out some books,walked around the beach and was quite hungry and tanned.The place was burning.It was almost 35degrees.Anyways,had a nice long lunch and crashed out after that till late evening.Woke up and went again for a walk looking for a place to have good dinner.But then again,all the places were quite full.We had almost lost hopes when one sweet old watchman told us of a new eatery.we headed there and had a huge dinner.Next day we checked out in the morning itself,and went to a chettinad place for lunch.wasnt too impressive.Bought some candles and incense from the ashram store and then headed to a so called boathouse.It was a horrible place and the sun was killing ,so headed back and sat at a restaurant till it was time for our bus.Got into a comfy bus and were in Bangalore by next morning.Nothing much to say about the Pondy city but the ashram area with all the white colonial houses and beautiful roads is quite pretty.Also,I must mention the numerous antique furniture outlets there.Quite interesting.I took an instant liking for a Grandpa's clock and it wasnt too expensive either but then...didnt buy it.Maybe Next time.Was quite a trip.Next destination – Goa (Yipeeeeee!! Tatoosss. Here I come..)

Goa...Goan...Gone

Why would anyone want to visit Goa, the ultimate beach destination in India, during the middle of the monsoons? I'm sure a lot of people will be asking that when I tell them that Shizuka and I visited there 2 weeks back. But, around these parts, going to Goa at this time of year is one the best kept secrets. There are a number of air and hotel packages, the tourists are gone, and the rains revive the foliage to a lush green.
Last weekend was our first time to Goa. The small state, which lies at the tip of Maharashtra and borders Karnataka, is approximately one hour by plane from Bangalore. So, I took a train from Bangalore as I hadn’t traveled in a train in about 8 years or so.The inexperience evidenced with me not even knowing if my ticket says boarding Chennai or boarding Bangalore.Anyways with a lot of confusion,calls to the agent ,speaking to the TT ,I finally got my berth.Slept through the night and sat by the door all day from 6 in the morning till 4.The train was as usual 3 hours late and my friend had already reached Goa. She had reached at 7 in the morning and I had at least a zillion calls from her. Although this was her 4th time traveling in India,this was the first time she was traveling alone.
I reached the station and quickly took a taxi and reached the hotel at Baga.It was unbelievably rainy in Bangalore, so I was a bit worried that it might be pouring in Goa too. But I arrived in an overcast, but surprisingly bright Goa. It may have been monsoon time, but it already felt like a beach vacation.With minimal knowledge of English,I was quite amazed at the hotel she has found for us.It was an amazing bargain.We had a decent room and the food was also quite nice.

The seas are quite turbulent during the rainy season, nevertheless we had opted to stay at a guesthouse about five minutes from the Baga beach. Our inn abutted the Goan beach, which provided the needed tranquil backdrop. The rains were absolutely beautiful, as long as I didn't have to get caught under them. It rained twice while we were there. Once late at night which was perfect as we were sipping on sake in the balcony and our perch was also perfect for watching the rains, which would start up without warning - like garden sprinklers on a timer - last for 30 seconds to five minutes, then stop. Another time it rained like crazy while we were at the beach. It was awesome with the sun setting, slight drizzle, we took cover in a shack and had some hot and nice masala chai.
Our first evening in Goa was devoted to food and spirits. Went to the beach and then went to calangute for some huge platters of seafood and made the most of the bounty of the sea, with shrimp, lobster, and freshwater fish figuring prominently in our meal. When in Goa, Shizuka and I were determined to check out the local food in its natural setting. However, the monsoons were going to make it a little difficult for us. First of all, many restaurants and beach-side food shacks close during the rainy season. Secondly, the threat of heavy rains discourages fisherman from venturing out to sea, thus leading to pricier fish and more seafood caught in shallow, murkier waters. So, we would have to be resourceful yet choosy. After living in India , one learns to be flexible.

Sunday’s itinerary included going to the beach. We went there right at 9 or so and were there till late evening. Went around a markets for a while and went to titos for dinner and dancing. Came back and crashed.
Monday, we decided to go to Anjuna beach. We took a taxi till there and we were ecstatic when we reached coz there was not a single soul there. We lazed around till late afternoon until our skin started throwing up some danger sirens and we realized we were both badly sunburnt.Took a taxi back to the hotel and hogged on goan fish curry and pork vindaloo’s at the hotel. Evening was walking around the markets again.Didnt shop much. Dinner was beautiful at a shack right at the beach.Gorged on the local lobster,king prawns and typical Goan delicacies like chicken rechado ,xacuti or pork vindaloo and sorpotel.And be warned if you decide to sample teh local brew of cashew @Feni@-its strong aroma and taste is definitely not for the faint of heart(including me). Of course, there are plenty of good excuses to go back, not the least of which is the incredible Goan food.
Our last mission, before we flew out of Goa on Tuesday afternoon, was to return to Calangute market to purchase some Goan Fenny,port wine and bebinca.
Goan food left definite memories on my tastebuds, so I hope I can get back there soon to try out all the other local fare that I might have missed.
Viva Goa!
http://photos.yahoo.com/onlyiampreeti