Mumbai – Peace March

Captains Log; Star Date 03122008

Mumbaikars gathered at the Gateway to pay homage to those felled by terrorists a week back.

The atmosphere was charged. There were people from all walks of life. Lots of sloganeering – “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and a call for our politicians to wake-up.

The Pakistan bashing was inevitable. But I think, Pakistan will keep doing what it wants to do, our focus should really be to put in place systems to secure our own interests.

Some pictures of the electric atmosphere:

Uran – a quick getaway

Captains Log; Star Date 24112008
Uran, about 30 km from Navi Mumbai, is easy to reach via the Belapur – JNPT toll road.

You would have to keep asking locals for directions to Hotel Uran Plaza once you reach Uran. The last 500 meters is a narrow tree covered gravel track. As you park near the Beer Garden, you can hear the sea hit the beach pretty vigorously.

Hotel Uran Plaza, spread over about 20-25 acres of land, is located right on the beach. It has A/C and Non A/C rooms, open air sitting area, hammocks and a tennis court in the midst of a coconut grove. The food was pretty decent.

Several bird species can be seen here - Pintail, Hoopoe, Kingfisher, Egrets, Indian Bee-eater, etc.

The property is owned by a retired Vice Admiral. Reservations can be done on phone numbers – 022 - 2722 2318.

Strawberry Country – Mahabaleshwar

Captains Log; Star Date 09102008

After a long journey through the night via Pune, Wai and Panchgani, the Neeta Volvo rolls into Mahabaleshwar at about 700 hrs. As the morning chill hits us, we hope that our rooms at the MTDC Resort are well equipped with blankets.

Get a cab to drop us off at the MTDC Resort, which is about 2 Km. from the Mahabaleshwar bus stand. The Resort is spread over a large area, about 40 acres and is surrounded by thick green cover. The room, at the resort, is scrubby but equipped with necessities like a clean bed, blankets and a geyser.

The restaurant at the resort is good only if you order basic stuff like idlie’s, dosa, chai, bread-omelet, chicken tikka, dal and rotti.

But what really sets the resort apart from any other is it’s location. Being 2 km from the city, it’s quiet, and is surrounded by a thick tree cover. You actually have monkeys jump down from trees onto the tin roof foraging for food in the morning and lazing and grooming in the afternoon.

The view from the garden a little beyond the cottages is superb. You have a green carpet laid out in front of you, clouds floating in the valley far below, and the sun chipping in with all its magnificence when it rises and sets.

After breakfast we head to town, ignore all the taxi guys on the way, browse through some curio stores and settle down at Imperial Stores for a Strawberry Shake.

We decide to head to the Mapro Garden about 15 Km. away on the Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani Road. Ignore the taxi guys again and take a state transport bus from the bus stand.

More than any thing else I am delighted to see all the flowers in full bloom in the garden.



Elephant Head, as seen from the Mapro Garden.


By the time we finish our sandwiches and coffee it starts to pour really hard.



The rain eases up a bit by the time we’re through with the luscious strawberry cream. Quickly pick up some strawberry crush and chews from the sales counter and head back to the resort.

Captains Log; Star Date 10102008

After breakfast we head to Pratapgad Fort which is about 20 Km from Mahabaleshwar on the Mahabaleshwar-Poladpur state highway.


Pay our respects at the Bhavani Temple and head to the Shivaji statue on top.
The view from atop the fort is superb.

Evening, I am waiting at the MTDC garden. Waiting for the sun to come out from behind the clouds so that I can catch the sunset in all its monsoon glory.

Captains Log; Star Date 11102008

Load up and walk up to the Bus-stand to catch the morning Volvo back home.

Catch three para gliders floating atop the Panchgani table top.
The Volvo glides down the state highway.

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Preparation

After deliberating over various locations we zero down on the Andaman’s as our getaway destination.

Research on the net is followed by calls to people in Port Blair to check things on ground. The Water Sports Complex continues to be out of operation after the tsunami. We find the staff and the travel desk at Hotel Megapode Nest, a three star, govt. run set up, pretty helpful and book a bay facing deluxe room.

Research throws up the following locations that are worth a visit – Ross Island (former British HQ), Viper Island, Red Skin/Jolly Buoy Island, Samudrika (Naval Museum), Fisheries Museum, Corbyn’s Cove, Cellular Jail, Chatham Saw Mill, Mount Harriet, Chidiyatapu, and Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island.

We manage to get only a brief map of Port Blair from the net. eMty’s efforts to find a more detailed map and guides at various book stores are fruitless.

Since I am an avid swimmer I am pretty keen on snorkeling and so go buy my own equipment – a mask, snorkel and flippers – all from Speedo. I try it out at the pool and realize that I get pretty unnerved when water starts seeping in through the mask. And that makes me wonder about how I’d handle a swim in the sea?

Captains Log; Star Date 27112007

We are at the Chennai airport at 530 hrs for the 720 Simplyfly Deccan flight to Port Blair, which is on the east coast of the South Andaman Island. Take off on time. The two hour flight is uneventful. We have to hover over the Andaman’s for about half an hour as Port Blair can handle only two aircrafts at a time. That lets us get a decent glimpse of the islands below through the clouds. All of the islands have a thick green cover.

As we get down onto the tarmac at 1130 hrs., the 27 degree temperature, a moderate breeze and sunshine create a pleasant feeling.

As we move from the hotel reception to our room we get our first glimpse of the bay. We are so exited that we want to just stop and gaze out into the expanse of the sea. The view from our room’s porch is nothing short of mesmerizing. Towards the right is the Phoenix Bay Jetty and towards the left is the follow through for the Haddoo Jetty and in front – the bay, expanding into the sea.

1630 hrs we decide to walk down to the Naval Museum – Samudrika. The Museum has sections on corals, shells and fishes, the history of the Andaman’s and a large skeleton of a blue whale.




After a Prawn Masala dinner, it's time to settle down.

Captains Log; Star Date 28112007

After a South Indian breakfast we leave for the Aberdeen Jetty to take a ferry to North Bay. At the Jetty it’s windy but the sun feels warm we can’t help but stare into the deep green waters in front of us.

The ferry (Mt. Indira Gandhi) chugs away from the jetty with its load of tourists headed to North Bay. Ross Island (erstwhile British HQ) passes by on the right.

North Bay presents a postcard like sight with calm green waters, a small coral beach disappearing into a forest of coconut trees and a light house on a hilltop. The ferry stops some 100 meters off the coral beach. Another set of smaller boats ferry us to the beach. These boats have a glass bottom that allows a view of the marine life below. For people who are hydrophobic that’s about as close as they can get to the world below. I intend getting closer.

As I get into the waters with my snorkel gear the first thing that hits me is the salty water that leaves a slight burning feeling in the nostrils and the waves tend to pull me away from the beach. In time though, I start enjoying the swim. Marine life is a good 20-25 meters away from the beach. Today I am not too comfy swimming that far into the sea.

While climbing up to the North Bay light house, Iam wondering why the rucksack feels heavy. While I’ve been swimming eMTy’s been gingerly collecting coral and stuffing ‘em into the rucksack!!

Specifications on the foot of the light house say that the light house is powerful enough to be seen from 12.5 nautical miles. The view from atop the light house is fascinating.


Captains Log; Star Date 29112007

We have a passenger vessel to catch forHavelock Island. The island is a good 2(1/2) hour run from Port Blair. The intra-island vessels are run by the Shipping Corporation of India and tickets are better booked in advance. While a ticket costs me Rs. 150 each way an islander pays only Rs. 18.

We’re up early – 400 hrs. Dawn starts to break at 530 hrs. After three loud toots, the vessel (MV Jolly Buoy) leaves the Phoenix Bay Jetty at 615 hours. As soon as the vessel leaves port, I am restless to get out on the open upper deck.

With the two 662 kw engines turning at 12.5 knots the vessel literally thunders its way through the waters. We go past the North Bay lighthouse in a north-easterly direction. I find me a place on the wings and enjoy the wind in my face, the surf being kicked up by the vessel and the expanse of the sea beyond.

The flight of flying fish off the vessels bow almost has me fooled into believing them to be a bird. They ‘fly’ a good 10-15 meters before diving back into the dark green water.

At the island we make our way to the Dolphin Resort – a 10 minute drive from the Havelock Jetty.

The Resort is a dream – bang on Vijay Nagar Beach or Beach No. 5. With its white sands and pristine green waters, it makes for a mesmerizing sight.

Again our room faces the waters, with the beach barely 10 meters from the porch. After a quick breakfast, I am out on the beach with my S3.

After lunch we leave for Radhanagar Beach - Beach No. 7. We drive for about half an hour on a lonely narrow road lined with rice fields and then forests, with beetle nut and coconut trees growing wild on the fringes, as we get closer to the beach.

The beach is un-mistakably the best I’ve ever seen with its white grainy sands, thick vegetation just off the beach, hermit crabs with their armoured tank track like trails on the sand and green shallow waters. When I get into the water, I realize the beach is flat, may be for another 100 odd meters. That gives me all the courage to swim the length of the beach. The waves bob me lightly, up and down. I swim.



By the time I am out of breath, the sun’s starting to set. Set my S3 on the tripod and shoot.

1630 hours the sun’s down. 1700 hours its getting dark but we stop for some coconut water and malai. We make our way back to the resort on the lonely narrow road. 1730 hours its pitch dark.

Back at the resort its prawn fry for dinner.

Captains Log; Star Date 30112007

I am up early, on the beach at 500 hrs with my S3, ready to capture whatever hues the rising sun throws up.

After a bread-omelet breakfast we’re ready for Elephant Beach. This beach is the best location for snorkeling.

The beach is a 25 minute boat ride from the Havelock Jetty. Two young boys – Sameer and Lokesh gun the boat along the Havelock coast.


Elephant Beach is a small strip of fine white sand that emerges from the waters and disappears into a thick forest. In fact about 80% of the Havelock island is reserved forest.


After a walk on the beach, its time to get down to do what we’re here for – snorkeling.

I slip on my gear and a float across my waist (that gives me all the confidence I need to swim into the sea). Sameer tugs me into the waters. I can clearly see the surface below me change from sand to rocks to corals! A myriad of fish – red, black, yellow - go about their lives, least bothered about me splashing about on the surface and peering at them through the glass mask. I mistake some carbon colored stuff to be a piece of cloth until I see more and see some open and close!

Back at the beach I take a breather and assimilate the experience that I’ve just had.

At Havelock we have about two hours before our vessel “MV Hut Bay” leaves for Port Blair. We settle down at Nala’s Kingdom and strike a conversation with the proprietor Mr. Malik Arjun and learn a little more about the Island. The President of India has planned a visit to the Island later in the month and that explains the day-and-night repair work on the lonely narrow road to Radhanagar Beach! During December-January there are at least 1000 foreigners on the island!


We are served hot piping dal, vegetable, rasam and a local fish – cokari. The food is par-excellence. We leave the restaurant floored by Mr. Malik Arjun’s hospitality.

The sea is a little rough today. It even makes a huge passenger vessel like the Hut Bay roll. But that doesn’t stop her from powering ahead at 12.5 knots! The power being thrust out by the two 662 w engines makes the whole vessel shiver.



The North Bay light house looms up and we turn into the Phoenix Bay Jetty a while later at about 1530 hrs.

Captains Log; Star Date 01122007

The day starts with a long walk to the Chatham Saw mill and the Hadoo Jetty.






After a Allo-Puri breakfast we’re out shopping at Sagarika – a government emporium in Middle Point. We pick up a lamp shade made of shells, assorted shells, a shunk (after blowing into many) and a scorpion shell. We also grab a booklet on Andaman’s that has a pretty detailed map and a brief on its history.

Volcano Prawns and Deviled Fish for lunch at the Light House Residency, past Junglighat at the outskirts of the Aberdeen Bazaar.

One thing great about auto-rickshaw’s in Port Blair is any destination is 20 bucks away. Stop an auto guy and he’ll invariably blurt out 20 bucks. Anything more, you can safely wait for another auto. After dark, which is as early as 1730 hours, though its 30 bucks.

In the evening we make our way to the Cellular Jail (KalaPani) for the Sound and Light Show. We’re awed by the Prison Compound and my first reaction is “where’s the screen?” We love the way the show is conducted and are pretty educated about the history of the island. On the way out as we pass by the Banyan Tree that stood witness to all the happenings in the prison compound, something makes eMty pick up a leaf and tuck it into the rucksack.

After some night shots of the jail we walk down to the open air New Light House Restaurant near the Fisheries Museum. We are greeted by a young chef behind a tandoor and an assortment of local fish, squid, live crabs and lobsters on display. He suggests we try the Barracuda, bar-be-qued, continental style.



While our Barracuda is being bar-be-qued, I am wondering about the irony of the restaurants location – “see ‘em in the Fisheries Museum in the morning and come and taste ‘em right next door in the evening!”


We relish the Barracuda, thank the chef and head back to the hotel.

Captains Log; Star Date 02122007

Early morning we’re busy packing all the shells and corals we’ve collected. The memories though are happily tucked in our heads.

As we near the airport, the name hits me “Veer Sarvarkar Airport” as I recollect the significance and history behind the name from last nights sound and light show at the Cellular Jail.

The Simplifly Deccan flight leaves on time.