North Conway, NH in White Mountain Region to Welcome 2012!

Time: Dec 30, 2011 to Jan 1, 2012

Place: North Conway, NH, USA

Company: Wife and Daughter

Highlights:

Day 1: Initially had planned to take the hour-long 1330 hrs scenic train to Conway but just as I pulled into the parking lot of the station, the engine puffed away. Traffic at North Conway is much to blame but apart from that, it is a very beautiful town set in the midst of the White Mountain Region of New Hampshire state. Multiple things to do in and around this town, much like Gatlinburg of Smoky Mountain region. Having missed the train, had lunch at Shalimar of India and checked in at our resort - Eastern Slope Inn. Nice resort, set right in the middle of the town. Catchy thing about the resort is that it has a heated Jacuzzi in the open air. So when we checked in, it was snowing and there were people in swim trunks dipping into the steamy open-air Jacuzzi! A sight to see!

Day 2: Took the 2-hr 1130 hrs train to Bartlett. Quite over-priced but fun. Lunch at a Thai restaurant. Siesta! Rushed to Mount Cranmore which is just about a mile away to see the Fireworks as part of New Year's Eve celebrations. It was a treat! Headed back to the Inn to enjoy a game of table tennis and then roamed around the streets and tiny shops of North Conway. Then again there was Fireworks at North Conway itself which was slow but enchanting. Watched New Year's Ball drop at New York on TV and said Good Bye to 2011!

Day 3: A nice warm day. Went to Mt Cranmore again to enjoy the white snow more. Daughter had much fun walking and walking in the granular snow. Went on a coaster ride too. Had lunch and headed back home.

Overall: For the first time, went on a vacation in US (for 2 nights and 3 days) without seeing any other Indian tourist! 241 miles driven in total. Very refreshing holiday, after a 8 month hiatus! Paavani's first vacation in US.

Nashua, NH, USA

Time: Oct 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012
Place: Nashua, NH, USA
Company: Wife and daughter
Highlights: First time doing an internal relocation within US. Much to hope for (lesser commute to office), much to repent (missing Boston).

Boston, USA

Time: Apr 29, 2011 to Oct 31, 2011
Place: Boston, USA

Company: Wife and daughter

Highlights: Qatar airways for the first time. Blr - Doha (4 hrs+1 hr transit) - Washington (14 hrs + 4 hrs transit) - Boston (1.5 hrs). Paavani was good for most part except for a few occasions where she wailed a lot. With 5 suitcases of 23 kgs each and 2 cabin baggages of 8 kgs each and 1 laptop, I felt like a boulder over my shoulders. Feels good to be back in Boston after 1.5 yrs.

Dubai

Time: Apr 16-24 2011
Place: UAE - Sharjah, Dubai, Al-Ain
Company: Family
Highlights:

Day 1: 16^th: Took the Airarabia flight at 0430 hrs to Sharjah. First international flight for my daughter Paavani and first flight for my mother in law. Reached Sharjah at 0630 hrs local time but due to immigration formalities which took almost 1.5 hrs, could get out of the airport only at 0830 hrs. Brother in law picked us up from the airport and took us to his house in Sharjah.

Relaxed entire day but in the evening, went to Ajman Beach near Sharjah. UAE is comprised of states which they call as Emirates. Sharjah, Ajman, Dubai, Al-Ain (?), Abu Dhabi, etc are Emirates. Ajman beach is a nice hang out for kids especially as it has some play arena.

Reached home and celebrated me and my wife’s first birthday with our daughter.

Day 2: 17^th: Left home at 10 am to go to Dubai which is just an hour away. First stop was on Jumeira Beach. This beach was filled with Europeans. Beautiful beach, nice waves, bluish green color of the sea. Beach is adjoined with a nice park to relax and have snacks. Wonderful atmosphere.

Next stop was Wild Wadi park but only to take snaps in front of Burj Al Arab since even an entry into Burj Al Arab is very expensive. Then went to Atlantis – the 7 star hotel that’s built recently in Dubai. Picturesque architecture standing like a gate to Dubai from the ocean. Atlantis also acts as the head of the palm tree that’s constructed on the sea. Best part is there is a monorail that goes through the stem of the constructed tree and one can see the branches branching out of the stem with each branch containing villas with private beaches which only the filthy rich can own.

Next stop was for lunch at one of the innumerous indian restaurants. Then at 4 pm went to Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building. It is about 250 odd floors but visitor access is only till half the number of floors (127?). Amazing view all around. Then got down to the Dubai mall and also saw the musical fountain. Finally headed back home.

Day 3: 18^th: Did nothing in the morning but went to Desert safari in the evening at 4 pm. Never expected it to be like a theme ride! These SUVs have raw power to rip through the desert sand dunes like anything and drivers tend to go over them like a ride. One will be tossed here and there during the ride. Fun for the first few minutes but gets boring after some time. Finally went to a camp-like setting under the open sky – with all the seating arrangement pointing towards the center stage which was later occupied by the belly dancer and other traditional Dubai dancers. Camel ride, motor bike ride, costume, henna, etc too were present. After a nice dinner, headed back.

Days 4, 5, 6 : 19th – 21^st: Relaxed. Went to a nearby park and played shuttle after a long time. There are lots of parks in Sharjah and nice places to relax and spend time. Place called Cornish was in within walking distance. A nice setting to spend with family amidst the back water.

Day 7: 22^nd: Went to Al-Ain wildlife park. This place has animals & birds from all parts of the country. It is extremely vast and needs almost 5-6 hrs to completely see this park. Once done, we went to Jebel Hafeet mountain. Wonderful drive up the mountain with steep ascent but beautiful road. Once atop, one can see the desert in its pristine glory. Very nice climate. Localites performing dance all around. Apparently, it goes up till midnight plus some motorcycle stunts. But we headed back after sunset to avoid the traffic. Another huge park right below the mountain. Finally reached home at 9.30 pm.

Day 8: Time to go back. Stayed home. Took the Airarabia 1030 pm flight back to Bangalore.

Overall: UAE is a wonderful country which accommodates for the well being of a family. Lots of Indians, Pakistanis, Afghanistanis, etc living in a country that is made beautiful by the Government. Just shows that if India, Pakistan, Afghanistan is made beautiful, then the citizenry can indeed keep it beautiful. Enjoyed the trip thoroughly.

Kushtagi

Time: Mar 4-6 2011 

Place: Kustagi 

Company: Maternal Uncle 

Highlights: 

 Day 0: Left in 2215 hrs Rajahamsa bus to Muddebihal. 

 Day 1: Reached Kushtagi at 0800 hrs. Walked to Adavi Temple where the Saptaaha celebrations for 2011 had just started. Very much country life. No air or noise pollution. Freshness of life all around. Had bath in a pond after a long time. Attended a series of Pravachans (religious discourses) which were very well presented in flawless Kannada. It is a pleasure to see the knowledge one has on the story and the control in narration given in in-depth Kannada. Had lunch, siesta and saw the opening ceremony in the evening and left to Bangalore at 8 pm. Took the bus to Hospet and the Airavath to Bangalore. 

 Day 2: Reached Bangalore at 5.30 am and home at 6.15 am. Nice lazy Sunday thereafter. 

Summary: Saptaaha is a 7 day celebration to Sri Raghavendra Swamy that is conducted in the Feb-Mar period in various parts of the country every year. The 1st day denotes the the day Venkatanaatha assumed pontiff role and became Raghavendra Swamy and the 7th day denotes his birthday. I wanted to visit at least one day of a Saptaaha celebration since a long time and finally the wish got fulfilled on March 5th 2011 in Kushtagi.

Paaparapatti

Time: Feb 20, 2011 Place: Paaparapatti Company: Wife, Daughter, Parents, Mom-in-law Highlights: A much needed long-drive! 108 kms one way on a beautiful stretch of road amidst country side. Paavani's first long-drive in a car. Thanked Guru Raghavendra Swamy for a smooth labour and delivery. It was here that the priest had blessed us for "Santhaana Prapthhirasthu" when we had visited in Jan 2010.

Mantralayam

Time: Feb 3-6 2011
Place: Mantralayam
Company: Parents, Wife, Daughter
Highlights:

Day 0: Nanded Express train 3 AC at 2300 hrs. Too high AC. Apparently some passengers complained AC to be low and hence for us it became unbearable. But clean and neat. Thankfully Paavani didn’t make much fuss.

Day 1: Reached MALM station at 7.30 am and city at 8 am. Booked nice room at Pannaga International. Went for Tungabhadra river bath. Been long time since I had river bath. It’s a feel-good factor. Had darshan and food. Siesta. Visited relative’s house + darshan in the evening. Retired for the night.

Day 2: Panchamruta Abhisheka Seva to Raghavendra Swamy Brindavan was the only highlight of the day. Had thought about this seva to facilitate a smooth pregnancy and delivery for my wife and since it was smooth, here I was!

Returned back in same train. Boarded at 2000 hrs. Couldn’t get AC. So hahd to manage in 2nd class sleeper. It was one of the worst bogeys I have ever been. Lights not turning off. Fans not turning on. Windows not present. Peeled plyboards. No lights in lavatories. Cockroaches and mosquitoes. It was a shock!

Day 3: Reached on time at 6 am. Sad to see multiple mosquito bites on Paavani’s face :-(

Highlights:
1. Paavani’s third out station trip in as many months! Wonder where she will be off to in her fourth month!
2. After seeing Guru Raghavendra Vaibhava in Suvarna Channel, one can relate more to the Brindavan in Mantralayam.

Chennai for the 3rd time in 2010!

Time: Dec 26-27 2010
Place: Chennai
Company: Wife and daughter
Highlights: 3rd time in Chennai in 2010! And all pertaining to US Consulate. Chennai weather in winter was comparable to Bangalore weather. This time took the aerial route. 40 mins actual travel time but couple of hours for the paraphernalia! Paavani wailed during take-off but thankfully slept within 5 minutes.

But she cried and fussed a lot all through the Chennai stay (made us sleep only 3 hrs) making the trip slightly chaotic. However, she slept like an angel for the crucial period of 4 hours - 2 of which were spent inside the consulate. I had to wait outside while Gouri tried to manage the show inside - carrying the important documents and the baby! Needless to say, it was tough on her. Added to the woes was my mistake in not sending all docs with her and also her counter number never came due to a technical glitch during shift change and she had a hard time convincing folks.

For the first time, I stood outside the consulate waiting for 2 hrs. There was a time when I felt I was putting my wife and daughter to too much trouble because of me and my job requirement. I even felt that I should have said no. Finally she came out successful, tired but victorious!

We got back to the saidapet guest house, had lunch, took slight rest and headed back to the airport. Paavani's wails had reduced but was always lying in the undercurrent. The journey to Bangalore was uneventful but the journey from BIAL to home was terrible. Traffic and Paavani's uneasiness had reached its peak and we wished fervently to reach as fast as possible.

Thankfully, all's well that ends well. First time in airplane for Paavani! Within 3 months, she has now traveled in 2 AC train and flown in airplane twice! She has even visited 2 Indian Metro cities! Boy, what a start! :-)

Marriage in Mumbai

Time: Dec 10 2010 - Dec 13 2010
Place: Mumbai
Company: Traveled with parents, wife and daughter. Met all spouse's relations in Mumbai
Highlights:

Day 1:
Chalukya Express from YPR at 0630 hrs to Kalyan 2AC Train. Left Jayanagar at 0400 hrs, picked up wife and daughter from Jalahalli, went to YPR station and parked the car there. The train was very comfortable. Realized that I liked 2AC as much as I like the Sleeper! Very luxurious - what with curtains and bedspreads and pillows. Sometimes stifling with no fresh air unlike the Sleeper (esp because of the good weather outside) but overall very spacious - a much needed factor for a two-month old baby.

Day 2:
Reached Kalyan exactly on time at 0455 hrs. Took an auto to Dombivli. Refreshed and rested at bride's neighbour's place. Off to choultry at 1000 hrs and there we stayed till it was time to head back to Bangalore! General time spend with all spouse relatives - everyone excited to hold Paavani and play with her. Festivities, Feast, Pooja, etc went on as per schedule and tradition. Had a bit of fun at night with some competitions between bride and groom, some singing sessions, some games, etc.

Day 3:
The Wedding day of my brother-in-law. Due to late night sleep the previous day, was feeling drowsy and slept most of the morning along with Paavani! The main ceremony being done, it was now just a matter of time. Sure enough, it was 2100 hrs and we were on our way back to Kalyan station to catch the same train (Chalukya Express) back to Bangalore. It arrived half hour late. Snuggled cosily into our own cabin. 2 AC once more.

Day 4:
Entire day in train. Bit of an experience at Birur. Since train was about 2 hrs late, the service for snacks and coffee/tea had kind of dried out. So at Birur, got down to get 2 cups of coffee. While I took the coffee, the train started moving. I paid cash, got the 2 cups in my hand and saw that the train had gained momentum. Fearing that I will not be able to get on the train with the cups of coffee, I kept the 2 cups on the platform and ran to the speeding train and got on 3 bogeys behind my 2 AC coach and made my way back sombrely through the vestibules. It was my first such failure! To make up for it, I got down in Arsikere way before the train had stopped and got 5 plates of idly, ran back to get the change and was safe in the train even before it started. Finally reached Bangalore about an hour late at 2300 hrs. Dropped wife and Paavani at wife's place and drove back home.

On the whole, it was a nice family gathering. Little bit hectic because of the 2 month old daughter but to be fair, Paavani was most accommodating. She didn't fuss about much. Just grateful that it went well and it was over and done with! The first time on a travel with my daughter Paavani - and the first travel for Paavani herself!

630

Time: Dec 2nd-4th 2010
Place: Srikalahasthi, Tiruchanoor and Tirumala
Company: Parents and Maternal Uncle
Highlights:
Day 1: Left Bangalore at 1215 hrs in Alto. Reached Srikalahasthi at 1915 hrs. Nice and easy drive. Halted in pilgrims' guest house.
Day 2: Pooja at Srikalahasthi temple. Since we were early, it got done early. Else we had to face the brunt of the queue. Tiruchanoor at 1315 hrs. Quick darshan. Then, headed to Tirumala. Upon reaching Tirumala, went for Rs 300 darshan and was back in 2 hrs. Dinner and rest.
Day 3: Bath at Swami Pushkarni at chilly 0630 hrs. Rs 50 darshan at 0830 hrs. After satisfactory darshan, was back by 1100 hrs. Left for Bangalore after checking out by 1145 hrs. Pretty quick drive. Lunch at Giri's near Chittoor outskirts. Nice. Also stopped at Mulbagal Sripadaraja Swamy Mutt. Home by 1915 hrs. 630 kms of drive.

TulasiMata

Time: July 25th 2010
Place: TulasiMata
Company: Relatives
Album: Click here
Highlights: Situated just half an hour from Bangalore South, this is a nice Raghavendra Swamy Mutt set amidst lush greenery and scenic road. Specialty is it is filled all around with Tulasi plant. It is spacious and airy. A Sunday well spent!

Chikmagalur

Time: July 9th – 11th 2010
Place: Chikmagalur, Belur, Halebid, Shravanabelagola
Company: Wife
Album: Click here
Highlights:

Day 1: Even at 10 am, had not decided where to spend the 2nd wedding anniversary! Finally did some googling and decided on Chikmagalur. Called up Naturecraft Homestay resort and made booking and left Bangalore at about 12 noon. Road is very good all the way to Chikmagalur and hence made good time. Reached Chikmagalur at 6 pm and the last stretch to resort was real dark and scary especially because there was no cell signal. The homestay was good. Had dinner, watched a movie on the laptop and retired at 1 am.

Day 2: Checked out of the resort after breakfast although had plans of staying till morrow. First scenic spot was Sitalayyanagiri. Seemed a simple ride till then. But the next 2 kms was a horror stretch. Road is nice but it is very steep and absolutely dangerous if there is an oncoming vehicle (which cannot be seen until the last minute because of the bends in the hill). Have not driven on such roads much and it was a nice scary experience*. Just when we thought we had reached the top of Mullayanagiri, we found ourselves in the parking lot! There was a hill to climb too! Climbed the hill too and enjoyed the exhilarating feeling*!

Then, climbed down the hill and climbed another hill – Bababudangiri. This was not as scary as the last but road was horrible. It was a mist filled drive as if we were on an airplane. But here too had to climb up and down a few steps* to view the Manikyadhaara Falls. Nothing great about it though.

Ditched plans of going to Kemmangundi, Kalhatti falls and instead headed back to Chikmagalur. Had lunch, then drove to Belur. After a quick visit, went to Halebid. Although I had been here, didn’t remember much. Seemed similar to Aihole. Reasonable road. Finally halted at Hassan at Suvarna Regency.

Day 3: Our second year wedding anniversary. Left at 9 to Shravanabelagola. Forgot last when I had visited so was shocked to see a hill and so many steps!! Still went ahead and started climbing* despite fellow pilgrims warning us not to. It was not that difficult though. Anyways, after paying respects, headed back to Bangalore. Was informed of the road via Magadi, and yes, its very good and skips most of Bangalore North.

All in all, it was nice trip. With a 5 month old pregnant wife, it didn’t seem worth the risk, but thankfully, it went well. Hence posting after birth!

*Definitely, hardly a thing to do with wife being 5 month pregnant!!

Mumbai

Time: July 3rd - 7th 2010
Place: Mumbai
Company: Relatives
Highlights:

Day 0: Udyan express at 8 pm. Last time I went in this train from Bangalore to Mumbai (then Bombay) was 20 years ago!

Day 1: Had a wonderful day long train journey. Not too hot a day nor rainy. Perfect weather conditions for a non AC coach, which is what both my wife and I prefer. Nothing like the whiff of fresh air while you gaze across the sweeping greenery of the country side! Also got to see the beautiful scenery after Lonavala station while the train swept through the mountains that make up Khandala such a sought-after place. What with the rain bearing clouds hovering over the mountain tops and the just-concluded rainfall adding gusto to the waterfalls, it was a sight to be never missed!

I have noticed that Udyan express never reaches late and so was the case this time too. It reached on time at 8 pm. Got off at Kalyan Junction. Immediately outside was the aftermath of a rain in Mumbai. Soggy roads, innumerous flies, bustling people. For once, I was afraid of H1N1. The autowallahs were not ready to come to Ambarnath. I was surprised that auto drivers recommended Govt. mode of commute (local train) when we told the destination. This showed how well connected Mumbai was, but at the same time how dependent one has become on one mode of transport.

Reached Navare Nagar in Ambarnath by about 8.45 pm. Had dinner and slept at wife's relative's place (on the 3rd floor!).

Day 2: Bharath Bundh. But wife's brother's engagement day too! About 21 relatives arrived at Ambarnath station with no auto or bus to get them to Navare Nagar. One auto guy conceded thankfully and made multiple trips to get all relatives home safely.

Prepared for the engagement formalities all day. Bustling house. Voice and noise everywhere! I took a walk around Navare Nagar. Noticed that apts in Mumbai tend to wither away very soon because of lack of maintenance. The swimming pool and jogging track were in tatters. All apts were similar in shape - 3 sided, like the sides of a square with the missing side acting as the gateway. Also understood why higher you go in an apt, it is cheaper in Mumbai whereas higher you go in an apt in Bangalore, it is costlier. In Mumbai, there is no elevator/life if building has 4 floors and most buildings are not more than 4 floors! My! These people would be extremely healthy, what with walking up and down 4 floors every day multiple times!

Had fixed one private cab for shifting people from house to engagement hall (2nd floor) in Dombivili and he screwed up big time. So there was some tense minutes while the clock ticked. Finally, could make it to the engagement hall later than expected. No major issues but noticed how bad Mumbai roads were. Did not feel it last time I was here, roaming around Mumbai's great places but this time around, went in by-lanes and rode amidst middle class society and noticed that the Municipality and Corporator were not as good as their Bangalore Counterparts.

Engagement formalities ensued and went off well. Dinner. A visit to the would-be bride's house. Another 4-storey climb up and climb down!

Day 3: A relaxed day. Rained all day. Noticed how one sweats even if it rains. If it rains in Bangalore, the whole place becomes cooler! Watched some local soaps (due to family) and watched a movie. Some small function at the end and finally, it was time to leave.

Went in Mumbai local train for first time in life. From Ambarnath to Kalyan. Got the Coimbatore Express at 11.30 pm.

Day 4: One more good-weather-day-for-non-ac-coach! Very pleasant, not too sunny nor rainy. Enjoyed the journey all through. Caught up on listening to a huge list of songs after a very long time, munched some junk yummy food on the train, read few chapters of a novel and had a nice time talking with mom and wife. Reached Bangalore on time and home at 10.30 pm.

All in all, had a good time off from hectic work. Noticed Mumbai in a very different light. Made some close connections with wife's relations. And had a good time!

Kalhalli

Time: Jun 13, 2010

Place: Kalhalli

Company: Wife, parents, grandparents

Highlights: Me and wife went on Scooty Streak (100 kms to and fro, for the first time drove on 2-wheeler so far!) while the others came in car. Was just in time before (lord Venkateshwara) temple closed for lunch. A nice weekend drive and getaway, esp because of nice cloudy weather.

Sonda

Time: May 8-9 2010

Place: Sonda

Company: Wife, Parents, Wife's mother

Highlights:

Day 1: 6 am Janshatabdi train to Hubli. Got down at Haveri. Lunch. 2.45 pm bus (wait of 30 mins) to Sirsi. Auto to Sonda. Reached by 7 pm. Just in time for last minute Pooja and dinner.

Day 2: Bath in the sacred pond. Pooja. Slight breakfast in a small hotel outside (very rude host). Private Omni to Sirsi at 9.30. Bus to Haveri at 11.15 (wait for 60 mins). Lunch. 3.30 pm Janshatabdi train back to Bangalore.

Pointers:

1. First time kept car overnight in railway station.

2. Truly enjoy the Janshatabdi train for some reason. Maybe because of the early morning timing. Maybe because of speed. Or perhaps its because of the wide variety of snacks :-)

3. Realised its easier to take Bangalore-Sonda-Bangalore bus than this 3-leg tour. Only issue is the bad road and the night (sleepless) journey. Cost-wise this route is better.

4. Spent more time in traveling than at Sonda. Hence kinda not very satisfied.

Chennai in Summer

Time: April 21 2010

Place: Chennai

Company: Wife

Highlights: Had been to US Consulate for spouse passport notary for US tax returns. Sweltering heat.

Adiga's marriage

Time: Feb 6-7 2010

Place: Kundapur, Basrur, Koteshwar, Udupi

Company: Guru (pal) and Gouri (wife)

Highlights:

Day 0: Left at 7 pm on 6th in KSRTC Bhatkal Rajahamsa bus via Kundapur. Extremely slow driving.

Day 1: Reached K at 8.30 am. Adiga's (friend) driver picked us up at bus stand and took us to Basrur (Adiga's ancestral home). Freshened up and then went to Marriage hall at Koteshwara. Breakfast, ceremony and lunch at the wedding hall.
Then went to Udupi at 4 pm - 1 hr bus journey. Visited Lord Krishna temple. Took rest for some time. Then went to Malpe beach. Saw sunset there. Returned and had dinner. Took the 8.20 pm Rajahamsa bus back to Bangalore.

Day 2: As usual, horrible road. Thankfully, bus dropped us off at Jayanagar 4th block.

555

Time: Jan 30-31 2010
Place: Tirumala
Company: Wife and parents
Highlights:

Prelude: Wife and self had booked darshan tickets for Rs 50 on 31st at 11 am. Parents had original plans of going to Mumbai on 31st to visit visiting bro! But Bro got busy, so parents' trip to mumbai got cancelled. So, tried getting darshan tickets at 11 am on 31st. But didnt. Instead got it at 4 pm for 30th which we shouldnt have taken for a host of reasons but we did.

Day 1: Due to unavoidable reasons, left home at 11.30 am. First 90 kms in 3 hrs thanks to Bangalore traffic and lunch stop at Woody's in Kolar. Road construction all the way. Made 160 in the next 3 hrs. Reached Tirumala at 6.30 pm. Didnt put on the CD even once. Spoke all along! Then, in Tirumala, wife and self went to Varaha temple, Raghavendra Mutt, Mahadwaram (where we saw AP CM) etc while parents went to queue. But alas, Rs 50 queue was closed till 9 pm. So they forfeited the 30th 4 pm tickets and took Rs 300 tickets. They came back at 10 after we finished dinner at Uttaradi Mutt.

Day 2: 7 am bath at Pushkarni. Wife and I entered Rs 50 queue whereas parents entered Rs 300 ticket queue (again) at 8.30 am. We were out at 10 am but they were out at 11 am. Packed up stuff. Lunch at UM at 12. Left at 12.30. Got a flat tyre at 3.30 pm. Delayed by 1 hr. It was a 'bad day at office' for driving. Made some wrong calls and had few close calls. Felt frustrated with my driving and wanted to reach home at the earliest. Got home at 8.30 pm.

2010 Annual Tirumala trip completed. Due to time constraints, could not go to any nearby place. Not even Tirupathi. 555 kms overall driven in 2 days. Reached a top speed of 115 km/hr. First time ever such high speed in India.

Chennai

Time: Jan 26-27 2010
Place: Chennai
Company: Wife
Highlights: Went in Volvo and back in Shatabdi. Bladder control for 4 hrs on the Volvo! [Really long time since I last went in KSRTC bus - more than 1.25 yrs] Going in local Chennai bus from Bus stand to Saidapet guest house was an adventure. Ended up getting down 2 stops before and hence ended up walking the distance! Stayed at the company guest house. Deja vu. This time, did not go to the beach as there was a threat of rain.

Mantralayam

Time: 22-24 Jan 2010
Place: Mantralayam
Company: Wife and parents
Highlights:

Day 0: Hampi link express at 10.30 pm. Was a long time (almost an year) since I went in an Indian train!

Day 1: Saw the flood ravaged city. Its almost back to normal but one can still see the debris and the level which the water had reached. The Mutt is back in business. Did hejje namaskar for the first time! Went to our relatives house. Saw videos of the massacre which the floods had caused in and around the city. Also heard about the sorrow tales. Could not go to Bichchale because of the washed out and unrepaired bridge. Took the Udyan back to Bangalore at 10.30 pm.

Day 2: Reached Bangalore at 9 am. For some strange reason, train started going backwards to Cantonment for about 5 mins when it was just few meters away from the Central station!

Paaparapatti

Time: Jan 3rd 2010
Place: Paaparapatti
Company: Wife and parents
Highlights: Raghavendra Swamy Mutt. Beautiful early morning drive on NH7 and SH17(?) Early darshan, enjoyed the calm atmosphere amidst a rural setting. Lunch at 9 am. Headed back home after lunch.

667

Time: Dec 23rd to 25th 2009

Place: Thiruvannamalai, Tirukoilur, Yercaud

Company: Wife and parents

Album: Click here

Highlights:

Day 1:

After thinking and rethinking, finally decided on the above mentioned places for the long weekend. Left at 9 am in Alto towards Thiruvannamalai. NH7 till Krishnagiri is good but after that, road was not all that good. Reached T at about 3 pm. Visited the massive temple of Arunachaleshwar after lunch at a local restaurant. There is Arunachaleshwar hill right in front of the temple which is somewhat very soothing and supposed to be one of healing too. Devotees are known to walk around the hill (14 kms) as Pradakshina.

Then headed towards Tirukoilur - beautiful road. It was just about an hour's drive - or less. Since there was no accomodation that day (painting in the rooms) in the Raghothama Swamy Mutt premises, had to go to town for lodging. [Had stayed in the Mutt room last time when I had come here with parents]. Found a decent lodge right in front of the Tirukoilur Trivikrama temple. Visited the Trivikrama temple, and then went for dinner.

Day 2:

Got up by 3.30 am to again visit the Trivikrama temple as we were told that the Lord Trivikrama will be dressed in 'Vishwaroopa' custom at about 5 am. But when we went to the temple at 5 am, the idol seemed to be in the same attire as the previous night! Speaking of the idol, this is a special idol with one leg raised, as if to conquer the Sky - as per the story of Vamana.

Then, at about 6, went to RS Mutt. It is the only Mutt with no shade. This Swamy specially asked for such a place. If and when the branch of a tree grows and tries to give shade, it will automatically wither away. It is beautifully located just beside a river, however there was hardly any water flow when we went. Atmosphere is very calming and soothing.

Had to forego lunch because of our further plans. So, left at about 8, had breakfast, checked out of the lodge and headed towards Salem and thence onto Yercaud. It was about 3-4 hours bumpy journey. Road is being widened and hence it is sloppy. Upon reaching Salem, directly headed to Yercaud, which is about 30-45 mins from Salem with high elevation gain and 20 hair pin bends.

Reached Yercaud and searched around for a lodge. Found Classic Cottage for a reasonable amount and checked in. Had lunch at Hotel Tamil Nadu and then went to Pagoda Point. It was all covered with mist and fog but yet pristine. Then went to Lady's Seat. A different view point and also beautiful. Remembered being here with Pavan, Preetham and Ashwin. Then sat around the lake for evening snacks. Retired.

Day 3:

Whole Yercaud was amidst clouds! We were walking, driving, breathing clouds! Kiliyur falls paraking lot was next destination but did not venture to the falls as it was too steep a trail. Took some snaps and then headed downhill to Salem and thence onto Bangalore. Reached Bangalore at about 4 pm. Beautiful road all the way.

Overall, had driven 667 kms and all inclusive expense came to Rs 5000 for all 4 of us. Mileage in Alto was about 20ish. Realized that this trip too was a religious+hill station trip like Rameshwar-Kodaikanal and Dwarka-Khandala. It was a nice outing and nice drive, although Thiruvannamalai was the only thing I had not seen before.

Bangalore, suddenly

Time: Dec 15th 2009
Place: Bangalore
Company: Wife
Highlights: On 12/14 I was told to leave immediately as the assignment was not extended. Got tickets for 12/15 from BOS to NYC to Dubai and Bangalore. Hurriedly packed the things, shipped the car to bro and gave a surprise visit to all folks in Bangalore!

Raleigh, Smoky Mountain, Lookout Mountain

Time: Nov 22nd 2009 – Dec 1st 2009

Places: Durham/Raleigh/Cary, Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg, Chattanooga

Company: Wife

Album: Click here

Highlights:

Day 1: Left Marlborough at 5 am. It so happened that we were shifting our house too and we had to clean out the house at 5 in the morning! We were to move into a new house once we came back from Raleigh. So, packed the car with the final few items in the house and left to Malden, where we were to park our car. Yasser was kind enough to give us a parking space in his apt. Reached Malden at 6 and took the T to Airport at 6.30. Reached airport at 7 and boarded the 8.30 am flight to Atlanta.

After 1 hr lay over in Atlanta, finally reached Raleigh airport at 2 pm. Abhishek and Archana had come to airport to pick up. We stayed with them as long as we stayed in Raleigh. It was a short commute to their home but then everything is a short commute in Raleigh. Raleigh, Durham and Cary are all nearby cities. Went to an Indo-Chinese restaurant for lunch. Headed back home, settled and then saw –with beer! - 12 angry men movie and Bhoothayyana Maga Aayu.Nice movies. Retired.

Day 2: Went to office in Raleigh. Had a strange experience sitting in a cubicle [I don’t have a cubicle of my own in Marlborough] and being able to hear a dozen other people in cubicles in and around me. Got settled in the new office with a laptop of my own. Thankfully, less work. Lunch with Abhi, Archana, Mithun and Swati. From today on, till 30th.

In the evening, Mithun and Swati came to Abhi’s house and we all saw Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma and had laughs. Retired.

Day 3: Office during day time. Usual. In the evening, Swati invited us for dinner. Had a nice time chit-chatting at Mithun’s house with Mojito.

Day 4: Office during day time. Usual. In the evening, we all went to Starbucks for one more round of chit-chat. Then went to an Indian restaurant – Kadhai. Ambience and food was average. Took the booked rental car from Raleigh airport for the tomorrow trip.

Day 5: Me and Gouri left at 9 am to the Great Smoky Mountains from Raleigh in the rented car. The atmosphere was covered with fog everywhere. It was as if we were in Heaven! The newly bought GPS informed me that the destination will be reached at 3 pm. I pressed on the gas pedal to get it as much lower as possible. We drove for 4 hrs straight and then, upon seeing messages that the I-40 was closed due to a rock slide, we stopped at a fuel station to plan ahead. GPS was now showing destination ETA as 2.25 pm. By chance, it so happened that the keys remained in the car and the car got locked and we both were outside!

With help from the fuel station attendant, we called up a number of police stations, officers, sheriff’s house, etc with no luck. A locksmith would have charged us dearly considering that today was thanksgiving holiday. Finally, called Budget Car Rental and they said they would send someone to unlock the car. It took 2 hrs of wait in the cold for help to come! Finally we were back on our way. GPS now showed destination ETA as 5 pm but then this was through the rock-slid road. So, we followed the flashing messages and took the detour. It was a 50 mile long detour.

Half way through the detour, we felt hungry and stopped at a subway. Lunch inspired us to think that we had GPS which we can use to find alternative road that is nearby to our destination. Upon using this, it gave the direction back on the rock-slid road but we didn’t realize till we reached it! But we did one more “find alternative” and this one gave the route via the same fuel station where we had got stuck. By the time we passed this fuel station, it was 6 pm. So, from 1 to 6, we were either waiting or roaming around the same place! It was frustrating! We should have done the alternative search once the car door opened in the fuel station at 3.30 pm!

Rest of the journey was uneventful. Except that it was a wooded, winding road called ‘Scenic Highway’ and it was snowing lightly. Little did I know that because of this snow, the 7 mile road to Clingman’s Dome will be closed tomorrow. CD is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains. Reached Gatlinburg at 7.30 pm and we were exhausted. Had a glimpse of the bubbling Gatlinburg. A beautiful quaint little town, very much the same as how it was when I had visited in 2006.

Day 6: Trekked 1.4 miles to Grotto Falls amidst thick forest. It’s a nice little falls where you can stand behind the falls and hear the roar of the water falling in front. Also, the road to this falls is very nice. Its called Roaring Fork Road and it is amidst thick foliage and it’s a one-way road at very high altitude. A very nice experience. On this road, I used to drive in just shifting the gears – D, D2 and D3, without really pressing on the accelerator.

Via Gatlinburg, we then went to Clingman’s Dome but saw that the road was closed. Yet, we walked a little distance on the fallen snow-turned ice. Last thing we saw in GSM was Cades Cove – a 4-, 8- and 12 mile loop road. We took the 8 mile loop road as traffic was slow and were done with GSM by 5 pm. The same road I had cycled with Murali, Deb and Soumik in March 2006. Memories.

Drove on then to Chattanooga. It was 2.5 straight road on I-75. Sometimes I was driving on just cruise control, accelerating and decelerating the car with just the left thumb! Road was good too with runway like reflectors in the night and it was an enjoyable drive. Stayed at Chattanooga. Dinner after much search ended in Waffle House.

Day 7: 3 Main Attractions at Chattanooga: Ruby Falls, Rock City and Incline Railway.

Our first visit was to Ruby Falls. Ruby Falls is a falls within caves. It truly is a natural wonder. It is something out of a fairy tale. I have read novel s of Enid Blyton where such falls as these have been described where the water comes from an unknown source, falls within a cave, travels underneath the earth, through more caves and finally merges onto the main river. And this is exactly what it is!

Leo Lambert dug through the Lookout Mountain in 1928, removed the debris in bucketfuls, worked 60 feet down from the top of the mountain towards the ground almost single handedly and discovered this cave. Once he discovered the cave, which was about just 2 feet tall, he crawled inside and was gone for 17 straight hours! He discovered the falls within, which he named after his wife Ruby, who also crawled in later! This cave has been later renovated and made comfortable for visitors.

Our next visit was Rock City. This is more of a rock garden – garden amidst huge rocks. It has a number of trails and visitor can choose appropriate to health. The trail goes through a number of scenic spots, including the place from where we can see 7 states and the look-out over Chattanooga and Tennessee River. It also goes twice between 2 HUGE boulders and you will have to walk sideways. So it helps if you are lean! Also, there are some puppets kept in the form of fairy tales like snow white and 7 dwarfs, Cinderella, etc.

Our next visit was to the Incline Railway. It takes about 30-40 minutes to go from top to bottom and back to top or vice versa. It is just one coach that has a steep incline, much like a theme park ride except that it is much slow. The coach itself has steps so you can imagine the steepness. If you are going from top to bottom, the starting platform itself is inclined and you just go down. If you are going from bottom to top, the starting platform is not so inclined but it gets steeper and steeper and so its kind of exciting. The cog rail in the Mount Washington is much exciting in many ways as compared to this.

We then headed back to Raleigh but had booked a hotel at Knoxville for the night halt. Reached the hotel at about 6.30, had dinner at the Taste of Thai. Retired.

Day 8: Just drove back to Raleigh. 6 hours of drive. Took I-81 and I-77 to by-pass I-40. Reached home, after the rental car return. Then, with Abhi and Archana, we went to Venkateshwara temple in Cary. A very nice temple especially because of the chanting sloka in the back ground. Retired.

Day 9: Office during day time. Usual. In the evening, Swati and Mithun came to Abhi’s house. Wine! Saw American football of Patriots Vs Saints. Unfortunately, Patriots lost. Had nice dinner. Retired.

Day 10: Office during day time. Went lunch with some office client folks like Satya, Arun and Prabhu to a South Indian restaurant called Towers. Very tasty lunch. After long time, had idli, dosa, vada, kesari bhath, chutney, sambar, etc!

Alas, all good times have to come to an end. Left office at 3.30 pm with Mithun. Picked up Gouri from Abhi’s house and headed to the RDU airport. Way too early, considering how fast we reached because of the proximity! An uneventful flight back to Boston, except that it was a very small airplane. So the noise of the wings bore through us all through the 2 hrs journey. The smaller planes do not go to high altitudes, so when we went over New York, it was a spectacular scene. Could easily make out the Manhattan and the 4 other Boroughs, the location of WTC, Empire State, Central Park and Statue of Liberty. NY looks so beautiful from up top in night.

Reached on time at 8.15 pm, Malden at 9.30 pm, took the car from Yasser and finally reached Marlborough at 10.45 pm. Got into our new home at 11 pm! All in all, a very nice time spent with best of friends, and a nice experience of home away from home. Also experienced another office in US! Added to it was the bonus trip: Smoky Mountains and Chattanooga trip!

PS: I also realized the 3 ways of driving a car – with cruise control using thumbs only, with gears only and then the normal way of using the accelerator and the brake! :-)

Atlantic City

Time: Oct 24th-25th 2009

Places: Atlantic City, Central Park New York

Company: Family

Album: Click here

Video: Colors at Taj

Detroit and Chicago

Time: Oct 16th-19th 2009

Places: Detroit (brother's house), Chicago

Company: Wife (but went to Chicago with family)

Album: Click here

Highlights:

Day 0: Left Marlborough at 1 pm for 4.30 pm flight from Boston to Detroit via Philadelphia. Reached Detroit at 10.30 pm. Family get-together at brother's house [Dad, mom, bro, sis in law, wife and me]

Day 1: Deepavali. Pooja and feast. Suddenly, decided to go to Chicago! So rented a car, planned the itinerary, booked the hotel and left the house at 1 pm. Went to Detroit downtown to see GM building and other neighbouring buildings via train. Saw Canada side too!

Left to Chicago at 3 pm. Reached Navy Pier at about 7 pm. Roamed around till 8 and then went to Signature Lounge at John Hancock tower. Waited in the queue for about 30 mins and then got a table with a wonderful view! This is better than Sears tower because entry is free and if you pay, you get to drink with view!

Retired for the night at Aurora.

Day 2: Sri Venkateshwara Temple at Aurora. Very nice. Definitely worth a visit. Beautiful idol. Much better and bigger than the one in Pittsburgh.

Then headed to Bahai temple in Wilmette. Beautiful architecture. Reminiscences of Lotus Temple in Delhi but latter is much better and huge compared to this.

On our back to Detroit, went via Divan Street to see local Indian shops and ads and restaurants.

Reached Detroit at 9 pm. Dinner and retired.

Day 3: By mistake, had switched off the 4 am alarm and woke up at 4.45 am. Flight was at 6 am!! Bro sped through in the morning at almost 90 mph to reach airport at 5.20 am. Finished security and ran like crazy to the gate. We were the last few to board the flight to Boston via Washington DC.

Reached home at 11.30 am and back to office by 1.

Synopsis:

Boston to Philadelphia to Detroit on Friday;

Detroit to Chicago on Saturday;

Chicago to Detroit on Sunday;

Detroit to Washington to Boston on Monday!!

Mt Cannon

Time: Oct 10th 2009

Places visited: Cannon Mountain, Flume Gorge, Kancamagus Highway

Company: Wife, Niraj, Kedar (but met colleagues during the day at intervals)

Album: Click here

Videos: Trek in Flume Gorge, Mt Cannon Summit and Fall colors at parking lot

Washington DC

Time: October 3rd - 5th 2009

Place: Washington DC, Luray Caverns

Company: Wife

Album: Click here

Video: Luray Caverns

Highlights:

Day 1:

Left Marlboro at 2.30 am. Reached Preflight parking at 3.30 am. Airport at 4 am. Boarding gate 1 hour before time! Slept till boarding. Jetblue flight to Baltimore. Landed at 8 am. First time in this airport. Took shuttle to Amtrak. Not so cold here as compared to Boston.

First time in Amtrak. Took 8.45 am train to Union Station, Washington DC. Had yummy breakfast of scrambled eggs at Sbarro in Union Station, which actually has a huge variety of cuisines. Walked over to Capitol Hill. Took snaps all the way. Then walked to Washington Monument. More snaps. Stopped over at National Gallery of Art to take pics of unique art sculptures.

Then took Metro [orange line] to Vienna. First time in Washington Metro, although 3rd time in Washington. Had a different experience. Learnt that one pass card per passenger unlike Boston and New York. Cushion seats! Lighting at the door when train door opens. And all underground metro stations are built very similar to one another, like a huge round-shaped tunnel. Looks very nice and neat.

Reached Vienna at 2 pm. Brother's brother-in-law had come to pick us up. Had yummy lunch of Pulav at their house. Took their car then to Luray Caverns which was about 1.5 hrs away. Luray caverns is a massive cave with variety of cave structures and cave shapes. Also, the pathway is very nice as it wounds itself down to 160 feet where weddings take place amidst huge stalactites that look like bridal veil and waterfalls. There are also "fried eggs" kind of shapes and wishing well and Pluto's Chasm and reflecting pools which is a wonder to see. Its totally worth it to see this Caverns although it does not take more than an hour to see in entirety. Returned back to the house at 8.30 pm. Had a nice time with the family and their kids. Yummy Paani Puris for dinner!

Day 2:

Got up at 9 after a fitful sleep and went out for breakfast at 11 to IHOP but it was packed and hence went to Panera. Left the family then and took metro to go to Farruget-West where met Abhi and Mithun who had come down from Raleigh along with their wives Archana and Swati, just to meet me and Gouri. Went with them in their car to Heritage India restaurant and met A and S who were waiting for us. Had a nice time talking but not so nice service/food. Then we split - me and Gouri headed to White House and world war 2 memorial. After more snaps, we walked to Lincoln Memorial where the rest 4 were waiting for us.

More yapping, more snaps, more coffee, more ice cream, more chat, more jokes, more discussions later, finally bid adieu to the Raliegh folks and headed back in Metro to Vienna station. Instead of calling the folks up again to pick us up, we thought we might as well walk the distance thinking we knew where to go. After about 20 minutes, we realised we didnt know where to go, our sense of direction having failed us. Funny part was, we didnt even know the apt name nor the street address where we had to go, so we didnt stop a taxi. But at the same time, we didnt want to call the folks to pick us up.

Finally after 30 minutes or so of walking in an unknown land at 9 pm on a chilly night, we recognised one of the roads and made our way to the house. 10 more mins and we were home! Got an applause for having reached the house from the station just on our own without knowing the apt name and the address nor even having a map! It was really adventurous and exciting.

Sadly, kids had to sleep and we couldnt spend much time with them. Yummy Masala Dosas for dinner!

Day 3:

Got up at 4.30. Reached IAD airport at 6. Jetblue. Landed Boston at 8.30. Office and back to the grind by 10.

A great trip in many ways. Thanks to Swati for initiating the trip thought amongst Mithun, Abhi and Archie to meet us two all the way from Raleigh. Felt nice and honored to have pals coming down a great distance just to meet and spend time. It was nice traveling in Metro within DC. Always have felt that to really feel the city, one has to travel in the local public transportation system of the city. Walking on our own in an unknown place in the chill night without knowing the address where we had to go was a great adventure! Lastly, kids at the house where we stayed really made this stay so much wonderful and cherishable - playing with them, having fun, running around, teaching them, them teaching us - boy! it was so nice. Missing them a lot!

New York

Time: September 18th - 20th 2009

Place: New York

Company: Wife

Album: Click here

Highlights:

Day 0:

After a long delay, finally made it to New York for the 1st time with wife and 6th time overall! Started Marlborough at 7 pm on Friday in car and took just one pit stop. Had a nice hearty conversation with wife and before I knew it, I was in Brooklyn, at my cousin’s place. Strangely, did not miss the route even once. I was known to miss the roads in NY during my last car-trips to NY. This part of Brooklyn is known for its mugging and is really a very hostile area to stay or move around. Chatted with cousin and her hubby till 1 am and finally slept.

Day 1:

Left at 9ish and visited Statue of Liberty first from Battery park. Temp was coldish although sunny. Spent considerable amount of time in SoL and then walked through the world financial district of New York. Took snaps with the Bull, the Wall Street and at the World Trade Center. Then, took Path to 34th street, where we went into Macy’s, one of the biggest Macy’s store ever, covering one whole block. Shopped for about 1-2 hours and had lunch at Burger King.

Then, went to Empire State Building. Had a longish queue, and by the time, we went to the 86th floor, it was the perfect time: the sun was setting, which meant we had the view with Sun and had the view of Manhattan in lights. Took a goodish number of snaps and also saw the sun set.

Then walked to Times Square, sat amidst the ever-present crowd, then walked to Rockefeller Center, had dinner at a bakery and finally took the subway back to Brooklyn. Spent some nerve-racking minutes waiting for the taxi at 11 pm amidst a scary looking population and finally reached safely. Came to know from cousin later that subway after 9 pm is not at all advised at her part of NY!

Day 2:

Had a long chat with cousin and her hubby and saw their snaps. They had been to LV, Hawaii, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Kenya and snaps were amazing. And I thought, I traveled a lot!

Had lunch and left their place at about 2 pm. Since it was unplanned and we hadn’t taken mapquest directions nor did we have GPS, we took the help of AAA map to chart out a route to Flushing where I had heard was Sri Raghavendraswamy Mutt. We made it in less than 20 minutes without missing a road. The Mutt was very calm and peaceful, very much like Bahai temples. Also, the Ganesha temple in front was very nice and extremely grand. The cafeteria in the basement catered to many of Indian delicacies!

Wanted to go to Central Park next and hence, once more charted out a route from Bowne St, Flushing to Central Park, Manhattan using AAA map. We made it, once again in less than 30 minutes without missing a road nor getting a honk via Queensboro bridge! Searched but couldn’t find a parking space near Central Park and hence, just went around the park and made our way to I-95 and thence onto Marlborough.

We were back in home by 10 pm after a delicious Pizza at Lake William’s. It was the first time I was driving in Manhattan without a mapquest direction. In fact, it was the first time we were driving with AAA map! This trip was our first trip with our new digital camera Samsung SL420, and boy, is it a nice camera!

Cliff Walk

Time: September 13th 2009

Place: Cliff Walk, Newport Beach, Rhode Island

Company: Wife

Album: Click here

Videos: 1, 2, 3

Highlights: Cliff walk is a nice walk along the cliff beside the Atlantic Ocean. Its not really cliff in the true sense because sometimes there are nice mansions too bordering the cliff. There is a separate entry/entrance fee to view the mansions but cliff walk itself is free. The path is well paved for most of the length but at times, one has to walk on the rocks. Its about 3.5 to 4 miles from one end to the other, but we walked only about 2 miles [Till almost The Studio]. The beach at the very beginning on Memorial Blvd also is very nice, with nice waves.

Las Vegas

Time: September 4th - 9th 2009

Place: Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Los Angeles

Company: Wife

Album: Click here

Videos (chosen amongst many!): Panaromic view of GC, The chill at GC, Freemont Experience and Juggling show at Circus Circus

Highlights:

Day 0:

Left Marlborough at 5 pm in car and went to Alewife where I parked my car. Took subway train to airport through red line and silver line and just made to boarding! Flight left at 8 pm EST and reached Las Vegas at 11 pm PST. Took rental car (Kia Spectra) and went to our room at Airport Inn, thinking it will be near to airport as well as to the Strip. I better not write about the room. Retired for the night.

Day 1:

Initial plan was to go to Death Valley and return same day and go to Grand Canyon the next day and return. But saw on the net that temperature was over 110 but nearing 100 the next day in Death Valley and hence plan changed to go to Grand Canyon same day and return. Left at about 8. Had breakfast in McD in front of Riviera, where we picked up Niraj and Kedar, who had come to LV before us the previous night from Boston. Reached Hoover Dam at about 10. Walked along the dam and took some snaps. Temperature was nearing 100s.

Had couple of pit stops. One of them was crazy. Saw a fuel stop on the other side of the road and since no one was present, crossed the median, crossed the oncoming traffic of the expressway and went into the fuel stop. Inside we saw a cop shopping! If he had just come out of the shop, I would have got a ticket!

Went to a restaurant (near GC) at about 2. Had lunch. It started raining and temp dipped very much. So much so that, if earlier we were heading to the car for AC, now we were heading for the car for the heater! Just as we left 40E and took 64N, we saw the board of 40W to Los Angeles [400 odd miles] and started thinking that perhaps its better if we head to LA instead of Death Valley the next day. LA, LV and GC are like a triangle and hence it makes sense to head to LA directly from GC instead of going to LV and then going to LA. So, decided to make this exciting road trip, thanks to Niraj and Kedar’s GPS, without which this was not possible. The idea was to go as near to LA as possible tonight and halt and then head to LA early tomorrow, see places and finally go back to LV.

Reached GC finally at 4 pm. The South Rim contains main view points. But we just went to Mather Point and Yavapai Point. Both has excellent views and sheer drops into the canyon which makes it all the more exciting. Also, it was damn cold because of the rain in the neighborhood. Took lots of pics and videos.

Left GC at 5 pm on our marathon journey to LV which was about 400 odd miles. On our way, we got to see beautiful sunset. Made one pit stop at about 7.30 pm for fuel and light dinner, for our Pizza lunch was real heavy.

I drove on and on and on as much as I could. It was the first time in my life I had driven over 650 miles on a single day. Since sunset happened at about 6, most of this journey was in the dark and driving in the dark kinda droops the eyelids because of the darkness everywhere around. Also, from about 8.30 pm onwards, the other 3 in the car had practically dozed off because of the monotony of the drive and the exhaustion of the day. Also, I-40 drive from GC to LA is on one of the most desolate areas of the country with nothing around for miles and miles together. I started getting tired at about 9.30 pm and started searching for a hotel or motel on I-40 and couldn’t find one for 100s of miles together. Nor were there any gas stations. One could almost see nothingness everywhere around. It was like driving in a desert. Thanks to the GPS, I was awake. I was making little games to be constantly awake, like matching the speed limit + 10, to ensure the destination arrival time never exceeded beyond 3 am (which it was currently showing), to play with other car drivers, truck drivers, etc.

Finally found a motel at 11 pm but it was full. Thought of sleeping over at a rest area. Instead washed my face and continued to Barstow where there were a number of hotels. The first one was full but the second one was not. Best Western! Finally, at 12 midnight, after 7 hours of drive!

Got a nice room! The room-keeper had made nice Ganeshas out of towels. About 5-6 Ganeshas in all. Slept like a log.

Day 2: Breakfast at the hotel. Called up Mithun to get a list of places to see in LA. Left at about 9. Reached LA at about 11ish. Went to Mulholland Drive and took snaps with “Hollywood” sign on the hill. Then drove on Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills and finally took a cut to reach the Pacific Drive. Went to the beach and spent some time there. On the way to Hollywood Blvd, found an Indian restaurant and had nice food. Hollywood Blvd is the most happening place in LA, esp in front of Kodak Theatre where Oscar Ceremony takes place. It has pavements full of stars who made it big in Hollywood, literally. Spent about an hour.

Left LA at 4. Reached LV at 8. Went to LV downtown – Freemont Experience where there was a show going on with light show on the roof. It was pretty dazzling. Then, finally dropped Niraj and Kedar off at Riviera and returned the rental car. Forgot to take a pouch from the car and we lost it when lost and found did not return back our calls.

Day 3: Started with visiting casinos on the LV Strip. Unfortunately our camera stopped working in the very beginning. But we saw MGM Grand Lion show, Paris Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood, Casino Royale, Harrah’s, Bally’s, Palazzo. Went on the gondola ride in the Venetian, had lunch at Wynn in front of the waterfalls. Saw the Siren – Pirates show at Treasure Island at 6 pm, then saw Volcano show at Mirage at 7 pm and then fountain show at Bellagio at 8 pm.

Then went to New York-New York, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay and Luxor and finally retired to our room at midnight.

Day 4: Took a cab to Riviera where we borrowed camera from Kedar who was leaving back to Boston. Then walked to Circus-Circus where we saw 3 shows and played a lot of games. My Cleopatra won a doll! Then walked to Sahara, took snap in front of Stratosphere, walked back to Riviera, went to Encore – boy, Encore is grand! Then had mango ice cream in Wynn, and back to Venetian to take snaps. Then went to Caesar’s Mall and Caesar’s casino. Caesar’s is Huge! It takes about 2-3 hours to see the mall and the casino. Saw couple of shows in the mall and took snaps of all the immense structures esp Troy horse. Also saw Brahma idol in Caesar’s!
After that, ran to Miracle Mile fountain show and then to Eiffel Tower in Paris-Las Vegas. This was the last attraction which we saw. Then to Monte Carlo which was the last casino for us to see on the Strip and then headed back to the airport. Caught the flight at 10.30 pm back to Boston

Day 5: Reached Boston at 7 am and reached Marlborough at 10.30 am. Took a nap before heading to office!

Epilogue: Spent a little more than $600 per head. Learnt one thing: "Penny wise, pound foolish". Had an amazing time all 4 days. Without that small handy book which provided the show timings, this trip could not have been what it ended up being! Gratitude to the lady in the airport visitor center who gave us this Bible!

Orlando

Time: July 24th - 27th 2009
Place: Orlando, Florida
Company: Wife, parents, brother
Album: Click here
Highlights:

Day 0: Left Marlborough at 5 pm. Reached Airport at 6.30 pm. Jetblue from Boston to Orlando at 8 pm. Although I have been to Orlando twice, never been to airport! Bro came there to pick us up. Went to Imperial Swan and Suites resort. Pretty reasonable and nice hotel. Slept.

Day 1: Shuttle to Universal Studios. My second time. Its pretty much the same shows and rides and same the jokes! Went to Shrek (fun), Twister (boring), Return of the Mummy (real long queue), Terminator (not at all good), Fear Factor Live (interesting, respite from walking!), Jaws (one more long queue), Horror make up show(very good) etc. Gouri went to MIB and Simpson's ride too.

Returned back in the shuttle to the hotel. Went in car to the outlet mall on international drive. Then went the other way to see Slingshot up close. Had dinner at one of the many indian restaurants.

Day 2: Went with bro at airport to bid adieu. Took taxi from there to seaworld. Saw a number aquatic animals at Seaworld like dolphins, mannatee, sharks, etc. Each had underwater viewing as well. There was also a bit of rain that stopped us from moving about. Me and Gouri did a bollywood running-in-the-rain-towards-one-another for the fun of it! Then went to number of shows like Blue Horizons (too good), Sea Lion and otter show (good), Alure, the call of the ocean (too good), etc. Some of the shows and rides were closed due to inclement weather but went to Wild Arctic Ride (helicopter simulation). Long wait for the shuttle back to the hotel amidst rain. Went to indian restaurant right in front of our hotel.

Day 3: Seaworld again. Directly went to Believe show (Shamu Dolphin). After Blue Horizons, this seemed nothing. Felt rather it was hyped. Then went to a number of kid's games like carousels, small rides, boat rides, etc. Went to Pet show too, which was amazing, with a number of pets doing things on their own with no manual intervention. So the whole show was full of pets doing things! Left at 3 pm to airport. Took jetblue at 5 and reached home at 10 pm.

Wanted to go to Kennedy space center on Day 3 but rental car proved to be too expensive and so had to ditch the plan. Overall, a memorable trip.

Cape Cod

Time: July 18 2009
Place: Cape Cod
Company: Wife and parents
Album: Click here
Highlights: Left to Cape Cod at 9 am in car from Marlborough and was back by 4 pm. Went on a cruise from Hyannis. Lost my way thanks to Mapquest! (I am still surviving without GPS!) This was my second trip to Cape Cod and it was almost the same itinerary last time too, with the same cruise and same comments during the cruise. Also went to Korean war memorial and the beach behind. Pleasant place. The Bourne bridge is awesome. Esp in the morning, it felt like going into clouds and heaven as it was covered in mist.

Mt Greylock and Lake George

Time: July 12 2009
Place: Mt Greylock and Lake George
Company: Wife and parents
Album: Click here
Highlights: Went to Mt Greylock - highest peak in MA, USA. My first visit was through trek and this was my first visit in car! Nice drive from Marlborough. Then went to Lake George in NY state through smaller shorter roads. Had lunch at McDs. Lake George too was my second visit. Didnt have time for cruise. But went to Mt Prospect for a view of Lake George. Returned back late night. About 7-8 hrs of drive.

Canada

Time: July 3rd – 6th 2009
Place: Montreal, Ottawa, 1000 Islands, Toronto, Niagara Falls
Company: Wife
Occasion: First Wedding Anniversary!

Highlights:

Day 1:

Finally, after much deliberation and struggle and indecisions and discussions, this trip became a possibility. With US Visa extension around the corner, was not sure if I should plan this trip or not. Stop over in Europe which I had planned on my way to US was ditched considering making this trip a possibility. Obtaining the visa was a big thing after delaying for so long and the last minute rush, esp the photo specs. But this trip was still significant as it marked our first year anniversary.

Booked the sunshine travels from Boston to Canada 4 day package tour. Arrived just in time at 7 am at Chinatown. Was expecting a bus but instead it was a mini van of 1+14. We had 2 seats for ourselves and it was very comfortable.

Breakfasted at Burger King. Lunch at McDonalds. Heavy clouds. Entered Canada. Immigration questions were not difficult. Heavy rains. Reached Montreal. Went to Olympic tower, Biodome, Andre’s Church, International Jazz festival, etc. Could not go to old Montreal waterfront as it was raining. Had dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Slept at Governor or something like that.

Nice European touch to the city. Lots of French speaking people. Canada has both English and French as its national languages. Its European, so we see Kms instead of miles.

Day 2:

Left Montreal to Ottawa. Spent some time at Ottawa City Hall. Saw the guards resembling those in Buckingham palace. Had French fries for lunch. Next destination was thousand islands. It was my second time here. It comprises a number of small islands numbering about 1800 and each owned by private millionaires. Electricity is connected through underwater. It also has the shortest international bridge (between Canada and US).

Reached Toronto at about 6 pm. Spent about an hour and half at Pacific mall where a number of Chinese and other Asian people have shops. Stayed at Novotel hotel in Toronto. Enjoyed a nice time at swimming pool. Had a nice Indian dinner near the hotel at a place called Bombay Bhel. Yes, nice chaat!

Day 3:

Toronto day tour. Started our day with visit to CN (Canada National) tower. This tower was originally built for antenna and navigation but engineers made it into a tourist spot too. One of the floors is full of glass and hence bottom of building can be seen from that floor. However because it was too scary, they had to cover up some of the glass sections. Apart from that, it has a nice view of Toronto and Lake Ontario.

Later, we went on an hour’s cruise on Lake Ontario. Cruise just goes past the Toronto airport runway and also through historic spots. After cruise, went to Eaton center mall and had lunch. Spent some time near Toronto Eye (2 buildings in the shape of an eye) and then went to Casaloma Castle – a castle built in the medieval style. Gouri had a nice time dancing with folks there! After that, went to Chinatown where we shopped for about 2 hours. Spent a nice time watching Toronto view as dusk fell from our hotel room.

Day 4:

Skylon tower at Niagara was the first stop. It’s a tower built on similar lines as CN Tower but more so to provide a view of the Niagara Falls. Then we went to IMAX which showed the history of Niagara Falls and the grand story of Lelawala which is now famously called Maid of the Mist. It also shows the miraculous escape of a young kid who fell over the falls when the boat in which he was traveling stopped working. IMAX also shows how people challenged Niagara and won.

Crossed the border to US and went in Maid of the Mist. Also went near the American falls climbing all those steps to get splashed big time! Also wanted to show Cave of the Winds to Gouri but couldn’t although we ran all the way. Still, saw Niagara falls view from American side.

Left Niagara at 1 pm and reached Boston at 9 pm and home at 11 pm.

Per head overall cost was about $500. A very special trip to mark our first wedding anniversary. This was my third country visited in as many years excluding US and India (2007 Singapore; 2008 Mauritius; 2009 Canada)!

Boston Again

Time: Jun 21 2009
Place: Boston - Freedom trail, MIT
Company: Wife
Album: Click here
Highlights:
Went on Boston Freedom Trail. Its a 2.5 mile walk in Boston downtown amidst history. Very enchanting places. It gives the essence of Boston, and feels like being actors in Before Sunrise. Saw nice street plays in Quincy market. Check them out here and here. Had lunch at Quincy Market. It hosts a number of fast food cuisines. Only sore point was that by the time we reached Bunker Hill Monument, it was closed (it closes at 4.30 pm) and we couldnt go atop. (We finally did climb all the way up on July 19th 2009 when we visited again with parents). It was one memorable walk!

Also, went to MIT campus and walked along the Charles River. (this was a week ago)

Boston

Time: May 30 2009

Place: Boston

Company: Wife

Album: Click here

Highlights: Had plans to see as much of Boston as possible. But we could see only Prudential Center and Duck Tour. Duck tour was my first time too and its very interesting and lot of facts about Boston that I was not even aware of. The city kinda grows on you as you hear the history and one starts to like it. So many great personalities lived here and worked here. The first word processor was built here. The longest steel rope bridge in US is here. The duck tour itself where the road vehicle becomes river boat! Then there was this building on (side and) top of another building with the two buildings not touching one another. The crossword inventor was cremated here. Not to mention Harvard and MIT and histories behind it. There were so many facts about Boston that the duck tour personnel was rambling that I lost the count and forgot too! Its a real nice place and it was nice to re-like it!

Went to the Prudential tower - 50th floor. Also idled away at the base of the building as well as beside it where there are nice parks and fountains. I rather wished to have lived in Boston for some time rather than Marlborough again...anyways.

Delaware Water Gap

Time: May 23-25 2009

Place: Delaware Water Gap

Company: Wife

Album: Click here

Highlights:

Day 1: Left Marlborough in own Honda Civic at 7.30 am. First break at 10.30 am as we entered NY state on I-84W. Weather was overcast and gloomy but nice drive. Entered PA at about noon time and went to visitor center. Got the local maps and decided on all the places to see and when.

Decided on Lake Wallenpaupack as first destination. On the way, saw a big yard sale! Took items necessary for the house! Reached LW at 2 pm. Since it was drizzling, decided against the cruise and instead had lunch and just sat on the bench in front of the massive lake and enjoyed the serenity. The rain and the chill added everything but gloominess!

Then drove towards the Delaware water gap national recreation area. First visit was towards Raymondskill Falls. It is an amazing falls with two views: one from the top and one from the bottom. Nice wooden steps for easy accessibility.

Then drove towards Dingman’s Falls. This is even better. The Falls cascades from a huge height and here too we have two view points: one from the top and one at the bottom. Again, nice wooden steps for easy accessibility. For this, we also had to walk in the woods for about 10 mins.

Then headed towards Knights Inn at Bartonsville which was about 10 miles away from DWGNRA. Was exhausted after all the adventure. Had dinner at MacDonalds and retired.

Day 2: Woke up at 8 and took Rt 611 which winds through the Delaware Water Gap. It is a scenic road with multiple view points such as Resort View Point, Island view Point and Water Gap view point. At the end of this road, we also have a pedestrian bridge which spans across the Delaware river and one side of the bridge is Pennsylvania and the other side is New Jersey.

After that we went up Mt Tammany by trails. It is about half an hour’s hike up the hills and thick woods but it is worth the effort. The view at the top is breath taking. It gives the entire view of the Delaware Water Gap.

Then we went to Kittatinny Visitor Center. The river is touchable from here and we spent a nice time idling and having snacks. Nice pleasant picnic spot.

At 1, headed towards Bushkill Falls. Due to heavy traffic jam at Marshall’s Creek, we reached Bushkill Falls by 2.30 pm and entered the trail at 3 pm. Bushkill Falls has 4 trails. 1 is easiest. 2 is so-so. 3rd is long and 4th is longest. We customized it to our needs and took the one between 3rd and 4th. It was raining heavily but we enjoyed as we had umbrella. There were almost 5 falls within this nature spot and all falls are retained as-is. All around the falls are wooden bridges and steps to enable customers for scintillating views of the falls from each angle. It is rightly called the Niagara of Pennsylvania. Lots and lots of Indians in Bushkill Falls. I guess the word ‘Niagara’ kind of attracts lot of Indians!!

We hiked for about 1.5 hrs within the BF region and saw almost all falls. We had something to munch and then headed back to the hotel. Had supper at Dunkins and retired.

Day 3: Got up late. Had breakfast at 10. Left Bartonsville at 10.30. Lost the way slightly. Our first stop was at 1.30 when we entered Connecticut. Took half an hour’s lunch break at the rest area. Reached Marlborough at 5 pm.

Pittsburgh

Time: May 9 2009
Place: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Company: Wife
Highlights:
Left office on Friday at 5 pm with friend. Picked up wife from home and went to Southborough station. At 6 pm, caught the commuter rail to Boston. Had supper at Boston South Station. Took Lucky Star bus to New York at 9 pm. Reached New York by 1 am. Took subway to Times Square. Spent some time at Times Square. My wife could be the only lady in the world who was in Times Square on a midnight in a saree!!

Spent 1 hour waiting for the bus to Pittsburgh at Port Authority. Caught the Greyhound bus to Pittsburgh at 3.15 am. Had the last two seats. Bus went via Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. Reached destination at 1 pm. Met brother at the destination at same time. Went to SV Temple. Lost route twice. Lost almost two hours. Went in every possible tunnel in Pittsburgh twice! Finally reached the temple. Grabbed a quick bite at the Udipi restaurant. Bid adieu to bro, took his car and started driving back. Drove for about 4 hrs till I couldnt stand it any more. Lodged in at comfort inn. Next day had continental breakfast, and drove from 9 am to 7 pm to reach Marlborough. Lost routes again twice! Had also a flat tyre on the freeway 40 miles prior to destination. Waited for AAA to fix it and also got myself a brand new tyre at the nearest exit. Pretty nice drive and not at all exhausting!

USA

Time: May 1 2009
Place: Marlborough, MA, USA
Company: Wife
Highlights: BA118 from Bangalore to London, 4 hrs transit in London (Terminal 5 is huge!) and BA215 to Boston. Feels good to have known this place. Made my way around easily. Havent forgotten much in 2.5 years...

Chennai

Time: Mar 22-23 2009

Place: Chennai

Company: Wife

Highlights: For the first time in life, went in AC chair-car. For the first time in life, traveled in Shatabdi. Service is good but oh-its-so-cold! Rather preferred the natural gushing air compared to the a/c.

An all-expenses-paid (by the company) (except food) trip with wife to Chennai. Cab from house to railway station, train to Chennai, cab from station to guest house, night halt at guest house, cab from guest house to office, auto from office to guest house, cab from guest house to station, train back to Bangalore and cab from railway station to house. Not a word had to be spoken. Everything was taken care of in the most professional manner!

Went to Besant Nagar beach which was near to our guest house. I remembered having come to this beach way back in 2003 when my batch mates were staying in Adyar. Boy, did we have a gala time then! So much has happened since then.

UBL again

Time: Apr 18 2009
Place: Hubli
Company: Wife
Highlights: Wife's cousin's wedding. Rani Chennamme booked 20 days ago remained in Wait list and hence had to book onward journey in bus. Returned in UBL-Chennai train.

Ooty

Time: Apr 3-5 2009

Place: Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta, Ooty (aka Udagamandalam aka Ootacamund) via Bandipur and Mudumalai forest, Coonoor, Srirangapatna

Company: Parents and wife

Album: Click here

Highlights:

Day 0:

Left on Apr 2nd at 6 pm to Mysore in car. After a brief stopover at Mandya, reached Mysore at 9 pm. Maintained a steady 80-100 kmph on the beautiful Bangalore-Mysore road. Driving on this road at night is like playing a night car race video game! Stayed overnight at my aunt’s place in Vijayanagar area. Awesome house and total tranquility – Mysore at its very best!

Day 1:

Left Mysore after breakfast at 8:30 am. Reached Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta at about 11 am via Nanjangud and Gundlupet. Road is not so good for a short duration but otherwise motorable. Ascent is quite steep to the top of the hill. There is a huge legend behind this temple but the gist of it is that, there is always mist (hima in Kannada) on the idol, which is sprayed over the devotees. During winter, there is mist and water droplets on the roofs of the temple and even on trees. During summer, it is extremely windy and has an amazing view all sides of the temple. It is a trekker’s paradise as there are trek paths leading from the temple to many peaks nearby.

After Gopalaswamy Betta, we were back on our way to Ooty. Road goes through Bandipur forest area for quite a while where we are not supposed to stop or honk and maintain a low speed as animals are bound to be in and around the road. Deer, monkey, elephant, etc are common sights on this road.

After Bandipur, we enter Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai forest area. This area is a tiger reserve area but we were able to sight a herd of elephants. After a while, road forks into two. Road to the right goes to Ooty via Gudalur and road to left goes to Ooty via Masinagudi. Former takes 30 kms extra and is a gradual ascent and has Pykara falls on the way. Latter is 30 kms shorter but is extremely steep ascent and only skilled drivers should use this route to either climb or descend. But both roads are in excellent condition and are a joy to drive especially because they have so much scenic beauty.

Had lunch at Gudalur – Theppakkadu area in a wonderful restaurant and proceeded towards Ooty. Reached Pyakara Falls 25 kms before Ooty. It is a beautiful place with wonderful flowing water. One can classify it as Level 3 Rapids. Have to walk about half a kilometer from the road though.

Just a few kms later on road, we reached another view point. It was unnamed though. We had to climb a small hillock to enjoy one of the most magnificent views ever. It seemed just like the Swiss Alps except of course the snow!

There are more and more view points such as Glenmorgan, Needle-rock, etc which are all equally beautiful. Finally, reached Ooty at 4.30 pm. Had reserved online on makemytrip.com a room at Orchid inn on the Ooty-Coonor road. Unfortunately, the hotel was undergoing renovation and was filled with paint smell. Also the service of the hotel staff was not so much talk about and it is not a hotel to be recommended.

At 5 pm, we went to the Boat House and went boating. It takes about 25 mins on the cool Ooty Lake and it was splendid. Boat House is also a park and has some rides for the kids. Spent some time relaxing at the park and had some snacks. The Ooty cold began at 7 pm, and boy, was it chilly! A great respite from the Bangalore summer!

Had dinner at Saravanaas and it was bad! Slept at 10 pm.

Day 2:

At 8:30 am we were at the Railway station to catch the train to Coonoor. Train stretch from Metupalyam to Coonoor is supposed to be the best scenic railway line which is handled by a steam locomotive. However, we took the diesel locomotive’s Ooty-Coonoor stretch which is about 1 hour. This route too is scenic and the train itself is enjoyable with small coaches and a very different experience. If an unreserved coach is taken, this route costs only Rs 3!

Reached Coonoor after Lovedale, Aravankadu, Ketti, Wellington stations. Each station is more than a century old! At Coonoor, we didn’t think much about taking a package tour and just had Sim’s park in our plan. So took an auto to Sim’s park. It is a nice park with terraces and each terrace being a storey higher than the next. At the end, we have a small lake with boating facility and childern’s park.

Then, took an auto with a package of Dolphin’s Nose view point, Pregnant Lady Sleeping view point and Lamb’s rock view point. Dolphin’s Nose is the farthest point and is at about 13 kms from Coonoor. Again, the road is scenic and winding and very narrow. Several times, there were traffic problems as two oncoming vehicles cannot pass on the same stretch and one or the other has to reverse back until such a point where two vehicles can pass.

Each of the scenic view point is good. Because of the clear sky, we could see Metupalyam (which is the base of the Nilgiri mountain range on which we were) and further up was Coimbatore. Lots and lots of tea estates. Took snaps amidst the tea estates.

At the Dolphin’s Nose view point, there is also a view of a waterfalls. Tiny but still see-able. Apparently, from the waterfalls, place where we were standing looks like a Dolphins Nose and hence the name. Lamb’s rock is a view point from a small hillock which can be reached only after a half hour’s trek and hence we couldn’t go on it. Pregnant Lady Sleeping is the name given to a range of hills which looks as if a pregnant lady is sleeping. Reached back the railway station on time at 1:30 pm to catch the same train back to Ooty.

After lunch at Ooty – we started having our breakfast and lunch and dinner at Hotel Paradise which is on the Ooty-Coonoor Road which is pretty decent, after the bad experience at Saravanaas – we then headed towards Dodda Betta which is about 12 kms from Ooty. More winding roads and steepness but manageable. Dodda Betta is the peak amidst the Nilgiris range of hills. Panaromic view of the entire Nilgiris Hills range.

On our way back, we went to tea factory and tea museum. Nothing great about it but it was a nice visit. Then, we headed to Botanical garden. It is a beautiful garden and very wide. Nice place to just relax and walk and spend time amidst lush greenery.

Day 3:

Got up late as nothing was planned for the day. After breakfast, headed on road to Lovedale as it contained Lawrence school where my aunt had studied. But security guard was very strict and did not allow us in nor allowed us to take any photographs. It looked massive and absolutely fortified!

Checked out at 10:45 and headed back towards Bangalore. But this time we took the Masinagudi road which was 30 kms less and is very winding and steep. There is an arguable point of view that climbing up on this road is better than descending as the brake pads get heated up. But the argument against is that on the way up, lots of coolant is exhausted and is an absolute stress testing on the vehicle.

Afterwards, we join the Mudumalai – Bandipur road once again. Had lunch at Gundlupet in a nondescript hotel. Next stop was at Srirangapatna river bathing ghat. Had a wonderful time at the river with the cool breeze and a nice relaxing time after almost 5 hours of journey. Then visited Srirangapatna temple. After that, headed directly back to home. Reached home at 7 pm.

Overall, had driven about 660 kms. Alto gave about 18-20 kms mileage. Initially had planned on going in bus but the drive was the best part in this trip because the road is scenic all the way. In and around mysore, it is filled with lush greenery because of the river Cauvery river basin and then the Nilgiris Hill ranges start. Road is also very good all the way except for a stretch about 6 kms. Ooty was a long sought after trip that finally materialized this Ramanavami long weekend! A very memorable trip indeed!

Abboor

Time: March 28 2009
Place: Abboor, Kanva reservoir
Company: Relatives
Highlights: A family function at one of the most strictest Mutts! Abboor is located about 70 kms from Bangalore. Deviation has to be taken at Chennapatna on the road which goes between 2 playground fields; Right turn if you are heading from Bangalore on the Bangalore-Mysore road.

The Mutt hosts Brahmanya Theertha Swamiji's Brindavan. Brahmanya Theertha Seer is the guru of Vysaraja Swami. The Mutt is extremely orthodox. Allowed inside only if men wear dhoti and if women wear saree. Even girl childs are asked to wear bangles and bindi in the true Indian style. The Mutt also is in a dilapidated condition and as can be expected, there is no lavatory facilities although food is well prepared and is very tasty.

One of my cousin had hosted a surprise 60th year celebration of her mother and it was a family get together. There is a also a cave nearby (4-5 kms of walk) with a great view but we couldnt go as the road was dug at many places and it seemed risky to drive the car on it and it was too hot to walk/climb. I have only heard about it but havent had the chance to see it myself.

From there, we went to Kengel Hanumantha Temple which is on the way back to Bangalore on Mysore-Bangalore road . Beside this temple, is the 8-km horrible road to Kanva reservoir. The reservoir is beautiful, with a panaromic view of the water and a cool zephyr. A construction is going on at Kanva reservoir which is why this route had to be taken. Else, there is a separate road to Kanva from Abboor. Spent some nice time there and headed back home.

My second time at Abboor and Kanva. Last time I had been there was almost 20 years ago.

Pancharathna

Time: January 2007
Place: Thiruvarur (aka Thiruvayyaru), Thanjavur
Company: Parents
Highlights:

Had planned the trip so as to be at Thiruvayyaru on Saint Thyagaraja's Memorial Day (which usually comes in January). On this day, his popular Pancharathna Kritis will be mass-sung by renowned Carnatic professionals. Wanted to be here since a very long time and at last, dream was fulfilled!

Came from Bangalore in the overnight train to Thanjavur. Refreshed at a hotel, and took a bus to Thiruvarur. Thence, had to walk quite some distance to arrive at the place where the actual singing happens. It was jam-packed by 9 am, and considering that there is no accomodation at Thiruvarur, almost everyone had come from Thanjavur.

Once the Pancharathna Kritis were sung, there was a sudden rush towards the Thyagaraja Temple. Visited the temple and the house in which the great musician had stayed.

Returned back to Thanjavur and visited the massive Brihadeeshwara temple. It is a superb temple with beautiful carvings and huge structures all around. Recently saw a documentary on Nat Geo which informed how Rajaraja constructed this beautiful temple without any modern technology. It was mind blowing.

Then went to a small hamlet where Saint Sri Raghavendra Swamy of Manthralayam had gained the Sainthood by his Guru. It is a beautiful Mutt in the middle of lush greenery, and a very sacred place.

I returned back to Bangalore whereas parents continued on to Kumbakonam.