Tirupathi Travel Tips

22 Jun

Please note : Change is part of the process at Tirupathi – so information shared here may change. Will try and keep updated as frequently as I can – This information updated post my Visit on July 26th , 2015.

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I have been fortunate to visit Tirupathi multiple times. There is something with Lord Balaji that draws you to the temple again & again. In the absence of a good website, information for first time travellers is limited and sketchy. I hope this Blog can help such people.

balaji god

How to get booking for Tirupathi Darshan ? 

If you don’t have a VIP Connection there are 3 ways to get a Darshan

1. Buy a ticket for a confirmed slot or Seva from the TTDC Centres – prices vary depending on the Seva ( In Bangalore you can get this from Vyalikaval TTD Centre, Next to Chowdiah Memorial, or from the Jayanagar Centre – Open on all days barring Tue) – at the counter your photo is taken and you are given a ticket for a certain time slot – thats the time when you can enter the line. For details on Darshan Timing / rates / what it includes check out http://www.tirumala.org/Advancebooking.aspx.

2. You Can also book a Ticket Online and upload a Scanned Photo – the website is slow and this may not be working all the time.

3. Walk up the steps (There are two Routes – 1 Hr Walk and a 3 – 4 hr walk)  and they give you a ticket on the way up

Time Taken to Reach Tirupathi from Bangalore ? 

The roads are great – it takes about 4 1/2 Hrs. I normally leave at 4PM and reach by 830PM – with a 30 Min tea break stop. The first 120 Kms are Double Track Toll Road – post that its single Track. Near Chittoor after about 2 hrs of drive look out for a Bypass.

Restaurants En Route

Nothing great. There is a Cafe Coffee Day after Kolar – only place with a clean bathroom. All other places are very ordinary with poorly maintained bathrooms.

kumbakonam degree coffee

Where to stay in Tirupathi?  

No dearth of hotels but trusted proven ones are Bhimas & Fortune Kences (ITC). There are numerous Bhima’s so be careful while booking – some are good and some are not so good. (Avoid Bhima Deluxe near the Railway Station) The recommended one is Bhima Residency (Near Railway Over Bridge, Renigunta Road – 0877 – 6455371, 6455372) – Centrally located , easy to locate, good food. Rooms are about 2K / night. The Fortune Kences is located 200 m ahead – but rates can vary from 2500 –  3500/ night. Point to Note is that Bhima Residency does not come up on Makemytrip search – the Other Bhima’s do. However food at Bhima is the best – the Bhima Residency is a 5 min walk from Fortune Kences and we went there for all our meals.

dinner time

How much Time does it take to reach the Temple from the hotel? 

The temple is in Tirumala – thats on top of a hill about 1000 feet. It takes about 10 min to  travel to Alipiri – the main gate to the hill, get security cheque done (Budget 30 Min+)  and then another 20 – 25 min to reach the hill top – Tirumala. The road up the hill is broad & safe and one way – cars coming down are on another track. It however has many U Pin bends (Over 20) . Regular buses also ply to the temple top – the bus stand is located opp to Fortune Kences.

Keep the receipt given to you when you enter Alipiri – this will be asked many times. When driving don’t speed – they track the time taken by you to reach – and if you go well within that you may be fined.

How do you walk up the Hill ? How much time does it take ? 

There are 2 routes – the 1st set of steps start from near Alipiri ( the place where the cars drive up) – this is a long walk 3 – 4 hrs  and covers 7 hills – hill 1 is the steepest and so is hill 7  , the rest are an easy walk. All along the walk are shops selling water & snacks. This route has a total of 4000 steps.

The second route was opened a few years back (Srivari Mettu) this is on the backside of the hill. Its a 20 Km drive from Alipiri to reach this place. The climb is shorter 60 – 70 Min at a brisk pace and is not difficult. Has about 2400 steps. Clean track – no shops , not crowded.

Both the walking route at the halfway mark there is a ticket counter – where they take your photo and give you a Ticket.  You can climb with your shoes and carry your cell phone – carry some biscuits , dry fruits , juice…. in your backpack.

24000 steps

Can I manage to get a ticket / VIP Darshan / Special Q by paying money on the spot? 

Fortunately no – there is no black-marketing and money can’t buy you a ticket. There are no touts – no jugad in the last minute. Every ticket has you photo (earlier fingerprint) so you can’t beat the system – there are 3 levels of check. So if you have not planned – the only option is the free darshan Q.

Whats the Waiting Time and which are the best days to travel? 

Tirupathi is never empty – its crowded or very crowded. ( Low Crowd is 50K / day – peak Crowd is 5 Lacs / day) Basis multiple options I have finally discovered that the best day to travel is Thu. Choose non peak season – Clearly avoid Vaikunt Ekadasi, Navratri. Good time to travel is  immediately after school holidays, after a grand function etc. If you can travel on Diwali the crowd is light. Wait time depends on how blessed you are and can take anywhere from 60 minutes to 10 hrs. ( I have been lucky – in my 30+ trips mostly on Thu mornings the wait time has been 60 – 120 Minutes)

Are there special Q’s for the Old and Babies ?

Yes there is a time slot reserved for the Old , Disabled and for parents with new born babies – This is in the afternoon – check the TTD website for details.

Whats the central point in the Hill Top? 

There are multiple Q’s and almost all the entry points are around a place called Vaikuntam ( Old Vijaya Bank)

What is not allowed inside the temple? 

Cell Phones, Cameras, Belts not allowed. Good to leave in car. If you are carrying Cash – carry it in a cloth bag. The temple has lockers but avoidable.

How bad is the Q? 

The Q’s are chock a block – there are multiple Q’s and they all merge near the main temple. 6 – 9AM in the morning is the time for VIP Darshan , Special Tickets etc hence most Q’s operate only after 9 AM. Crowd is mainly rural.

Pointers in Q when you are pushed ? 

Be careful of the floor – steps suddenly come , there are some places where there is water leaking , be alert so that you don’t fall or twist your leg. Once you enter its almost impossible to get out of the Q as its barricaded.

How much Darshan Time do you get? 

The last leg of the Q in front of Balaji is about 25 M long. You can start seeing Balaji the minute you take this left turn. Try and stick to the right side of the Q to get a few precious seconds more of Darshan. In all you can get a darshan for a max of 1 Min – before you are pushed out. There will be ushers inside shouting “Jaracandi Jaracandi” which in telugu means move – some even push you out forcefully. After you come out you visit the Hundi – and then on the way out collect the prasad and come out.

Where do you get the famous Laddu’s? 

Normal tickets are entitled to 2 Laddu’s each. Most days you don’t get extra laddus. On some days when the crowd is less you can pay and get extra laddus by paying Extra. The laddu counter is in a separate building. During summer as you walk in the temple complex towards the Laddu Centre and Back – the ground can be scalding hot, keep a pair of socks to protect your feet.

Is the Place Clean ? 

Tirumala is very well maintained –  there are dustbins all over , the gardens are well landscaped. Given the crowd I would give them a 10/10 on cleanliness.

Any other interesting things in Tirupathi to note ? 

  • Most Special darshan tickets like Vasantutsav/ Kalyanutsav etc where you enter from the Vaikuntam entrance mandate that you wear Dhoti / Saree / Kurta . Pls check the back side of your ticket
  • There is accommodation on the Hill Top – most of these are very ordinary, however some business houses have set up 5 star guest houses. You need contacts to be able to use these.
  • Food on top is OK. Mayuri was a good choice many years back – now the quality is poor , best bet for fine dining now is Saarangi – this is a 5 min drive from the Vaikuntam entrance.

IMG_5964

  • Two other temples to visit – Padmavathy (Consort of Balaji) and the Shiva (Rahu Ketu) Temple at SriKalahasti. Former is in Tirupathi Town and the latter is a 45 min  drive. SriKalahasti is one of the 5  Pancha Bhoota Temples dedicated to Vayu – its an ancient Shiva temple and has a lot of mythology associated with it – the story of  Kannappa Nayanar and how he gouged his eyes out to stop the bleeding of the Shiva Linga is also associated with this temple.

tirupathi temple

  • There is a unique natural stone arch called Silathoranam – this is located very close to the main temple – 10 min drive – the arch is 1500 million years old and is one of 3 in the world. Its located in a well maintained garden

Silathoranam

 

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20 Years of Corporate Life

20 Jun

This month I complete 20 years of Corporate Life.

I started working in 1992. That was the year Narsimha Rao rolled out the reforms in India ( I specify Narasimha Rao –  he was the man who did the job with Manmohan & Chidambaram – but all credit today for India’s reforms goes only to Manmohan Singh). People who have worked since 1992 belong to the lucky generation – we were the luckiest since we did not miss even a year.

We spend l7 years in school ( If I include the 1 year in Nursery) and I have already spent 20 years working –  but it feels like it all started yesterday. As I look at my First Pay slip dated June 1992 – nostalgia creeps in. Here are a 7  things that have changed drastically in the last 20 years – as I look back on how it was in the early days of my career.

1. Salaries 

As an engineering Grad from REC, I started my first job at a salary of Rs 3,200/Month. (At HCL Ahmedabad). We used to line up in front of Bank of India to withdraw Rs 2000 on the salary day. No Debit / Credit Cards . Annual increments were 8 – 10% and those with CTC of > 1 Lac / Annum belonged to Sr Management ( They could afford to own a Maruti 800).

A few years later I remember a colleague with 6 yrs. of work ex ( IIT – IIM) who was working as a Product manager at Wipro – he decided to join Compaq for a 6 Lac Package – 3 reasons for leaving 1. He could now buy a car  2. The company was giving him a landline 3. His PF Savings at Compaq would be 5K / Month.

Circa 2012 – A fresh Grad from REC ( NIT Now) earns upwards of 8 Lac’s / Annum. An IIT IIM Grad with 6 + Years of Experience would be grossing upwards of 25 Lacs. And Sr Execs with 20+ Years of Exp earn in excess of 1 Cr . So our Generation and the current generation should look back and be happy because even with a 9% + Inflation our salaries have grown faster.

2. Communication 

Telex was the most common  mode of communication. IOM (Inter Off Memo) – folloed by Fax. Paper courier was a prevalent mode of communication. Most offices had just 1 PC AT with Mail connection ,  no Mouse , B&W Monitors, 1.2MB FDD , Epson DMP Printers.  The STD Phone with the Manager was locked. STD Rates were exorbitant – and all long distance calls had to be made after 6 PM or even better 9 PM

In 1998 when I got a JTM Cell Phone at Bangalore – it cost 16 Rs / Min . I had to get it because we had no land line at home ( 10 + Years of wait) – and companies did not allow you to reimburse your cell phone expenses.

3. Travel 

Air Travel was exceptional – Train & Bus were the most common modes of transport. Even if the journey was Baroda – Bangalore , you travelled by train from Baroda – Bombay – Bangalore. No problem if it took 3 days to travel back and forth.  Indian Airlines was the  market leader Damania & East West were just making a beginning . With a splash as they had announced free beer inflight – and they had set high standards with their Air Hostesses. ( Jet , KF , Spicejet , Indigo – did not exist). BLR – BBY 1 way fare was just above Rs 1000/- .

In City travel was always by Auto – a Taxi travel required special approval. Hotel rooms were affordable Rama Hotel and Nahar Heritage at Bangalore were Rs 450/ night. Luxury 5 Star Hotels were 3K / Night. Food allowance was Rs 50 / Meal – which was great since a Thali was Rs 12/- .

4. Leading  IT Companies & Technology 

Wipro & HCL were the dominant IT Players . Hardware dominated – software exports were less than 10% of total revenues. ( They seem to be the only survivors from that era with TCS ).  ICIM , ORG , Shiva , PCL …. the other key players have all vanished. IBM , HP, Digital dominated the Servers and Compaq, DELL , Gateway , dominated the PC. Apple was  almost vanishing from the industry. What does Nokia make was a quiz question.

People used to demand premium on PC’s  based on features like Single Motherboard , ZIF Socket and the fact that company A had lesser Chipsets on the MB and hence was more reliable. 80% of the market was dominated by Gray / Unorganized sector. Customs duty was upwards of 50%. The cost of  an entry level PC AT 1MB / 40MB with B&W Monitor   was 40 K ( That price is now 25K).  I remember a program that Wipro launched in 1994 called perfect 10 – to sell 10K PC’s a quarter and achieve 10% MS – they scraped thru on the last day ( Total PC Sales / year in country was less than 500Ku – Thats 12M + in 2012)

The war for servers was between CISC & RISC. Common Operating systems were Novell & Unixware. Bids were won on the value proposition of Arcnet Vs Ethernet networks. Most servers operated with VT 100 Dumb terminals connected on RS 232 cables. Every company had a spur hero sales man in a city / region – who was the scorer for all large deals ( Large deals were a few Cr). Wipro & HCL were like India Pakistan – rarely would there be transfer of people between the companies – the culture was so different ( After 20 years HCL Has become less aggressive and Wipro has lost its old charisma – not much of a difference between the two today)

5. Work Culture 

Work was demanding. Commitment & passion was high. Sense of loyalty to an organization was very high. Resignations were rare. HR was functional – people were taken care of. Finance was still bossy – but not a “Controller” running your business Discipline & rules were firm. Exceptions were rare rather than the norm. If off started at 9 AM – everyone was there before 9AM. Work hrs were long . Sat was 1/2 day working – but people worked till 4PM. Managers were trusted and respected – they in turn added tremendous value to their team and helped craft their early careers. There was a strong sense of team bonding. Induction trainings were long programs stretching to a month. …. I could go on and on, its rare to find these in the best of organizations today.

6. Travel Abroad 

This was a rare perk. Reserved for the HQ people. It was the talk of the town if someone travelled abroad. Credit Cards did not exist – so companies gave you Forex Currency as advance. (1USD = Rs 30). In a foreign city you always used public transport and hunted for the highest exchange rate. Before traveling the Travel Department used to give you tips on where to exchange your currency. Most people took their first flight after a few years at work.

Getting a US Visa was a nightmare – long waits extending 12 – 18 hrs in the US Consulate at Chennai – standing in a Q in sun & rain. Thankfully that has changed

7.Brands 

There was a lot of pride in creating Brands. Ad agencies had great people – every company had a large Marketing Team. There was pride in trading punches – being smart & witty When TISL launched in India – they ran a campaign ” Think TISL Think IBM” – next day Wipro came back with a rejoinder ” Don’t Think – Act , Buy a Wipro PC Now”

I could write a book on how life has changed – but what hits you is the speed at which things have changed in two decades and how adaptable and flexible individuals and companies need to be to survive. Those who could not adopt change have sadly perished.

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Palace on Wheels – Great way to see Rajasthan

16 Apr

Palace on Wheels is a luxury train  operated by Indian Railways and Rajasthan Tourism. Its been around for 30 years. The trip is organized with precision and every activity happens punctually on the dot. We took a trip on this fabulous train between April 4 & April 12, 2012. Information here will be of help to future tourists.

What is the duration of the trip ? 

The journey starts on Wed evening at 4.30 PM and finishes the next Wed morning at 7.30 AM. Its a 7 night journey. And the itinerary consists of Jaipur – Ranthambore – Chiitorgarh , Udaipur, Jaisalmer , Jodhpur , Bharatpur & Agra.

Where do you spend the night ? 

Nights are spent on the Train. The days are used for sightseeing. On certain days we cover 2 cities – Ranathambore & Chittorgarh was covered in 1 day and so was Bharatpur & Agra.

What are the facilities in the Train ?

The Train is designed like a hotel. Each coach consists of 4 cabins – each cabin has two single beds ( few cabins also have a additional berth) – and an attached bath with western style toilet, shower , wash basin. There is limited storage space in the cabin (one small cupboard). The Coach also has a common lounge area. It has wall to wall carpets including the vestibule areas. Cabins have channel music.

Each Coach has two attendants – who are available 24 by 7. They keep the place spotlessly clean , change linen , serve you snacks , tea coffee and breakfast in the morning. They also collect laundry twice a week and return it within 24 hrs. These guys always have a smile on their face and their service is truly exceptional.

What are the other facilities on the train ? 

They have two dining rooms ( where they serve a 5 course elaborate meal) , a Bar ,  and even a Spa. The quality of food and service is exceptional. The bar is a little pricey ( One drink can cost Rs 750) – so is the Spa (A foot massage can put you back by Rs 2500)


Is there TV in the Train ? 

Yes – in the Bar. Not in every coach. During the journey you don’t miss the TV – and you realize that its good family bonding not to have a TV

How many people on each Train – and how many Indians ? 

Our Train had 108 people – only 12 Indians ( We were only the Indian Citizens). Most people are elderly 50 +  as this is mainly a visit attractions tour – not an action holiday.

How did they organize the day tours ? 

At each station they had organized excellent AC buses. In total 4 buses. The 108 people were split into 4 groups. Bus rides were short – no longer than 20 – 25 minutes.

 The coaches are excellent and provide unlimited water bottles from coolers. The buses are safe and you can leave your bags and misc items inside without worry. Ditto with the coach – there is no need to lock anything , you can be rest assured of safety.

Even on a sunny day ( we visited in the 1st week of April and temperatures in Jaisalmer were over 40 Degrees Centigrade) the tour guides plan the travel in a manner that you don’t spend more than 10 minutes in the heat. Rest of the time is within the forts , palaces , museums – or by the side of cool lakes & gardens.

Are the tours rushed and is there a deadline on time ? 

No they are not – there is enough time to see all the places at leisure. The organizers take care of getting access thru special entrances , all the tickets are purchased before hand – so no Q’s.

Where is lunch provided ? 

Most days lunch is in some fort , palace or a luxury 5 star hotel. You can relax for nearly 90 mins over a peaceful lunch with a fabulous spread.

All meals have a good mix of Continental and Indian dishes ( N Indian – don’t expect Sambar, Rasam & Curd Rice on this trip)

What is served for breakfast ? 

Breakfast is served in the coach – Lounge area by the attendants. Mainly Toast , Omlette , Bhurji,  Cereal , Masala tea , Coffee , Fruits – however on two days they serve Parathas & Idli.

What are the sights covered ? Which are the most impressive ones? 

They cover all the major sights. Mainly palaces , Forts , Museums , Gardens. In terms of activity there is a Elephant ride in Amber Fort at Jaipur, Camel Rides in Jaisalmer , Van / Rickshaw rides in Ranathambore & Bharatpur, boat rides at Udaipur. They cover all the important and not so important sites.

 

At Chittorgarh you can see the light & sound show and at Jaisalmer they organize a cultural evening with dance and live programs and dinner in a 5 star hotel.

Do you get to see Tigers at Ranathambore – what time do the tours normally start in the morning ?  

We were not lucky – as usual all we saw were deers , birds , an Alligator. You can see over 50 species of birds at Bharatpur. The tour in Bharatpur is on a rickshaw – and the driver is your guide.  The jungle trips start at 6.15 AM – most other days the trips start by 8.30 – 9 AM. So you need to be up by 6 finish breakfast – bath ….. – since most tourists were foreigners this worked fine , and we being early risers this suited us well. On Most days you are back in the train by 6.30 PM. ( Jaisalmer you are back by 1030 PM)

 Do you get any time off for shopping ? 

Nope – they do take you to govt. approved pricey stores that sell carpets , bedsheets, handicraft etc – but no street bazars ( there is a security risk with so many foreigners, even the platforms where the train is parked is blocked with security and sniffer dogs)

Other points that may be of help ? 

The bathrooms come with towels , toiletries , Geyser etc. (No health faucet only toilet paper). Train hardly has any kids – there were the 4 kids from our two families and one more 10 year old – good to go as a group of two families – that way you can have an entire coach to yourself for one week.

The Train does not have Wi Fi – but the 3G connection is good all throughout ( better than Bangalore – even in remote Jaisalmer)

The stations in Rajasthan are neat and spotlessly clean (Bharatpur & Agra were dirty, crowded and infested with flies)

Whats the cost of the Trip ? 

Its priced in USD – but you can pay in INR. Price depends on time of booking. We paid 3.2 Lacs for 2 adults and 2 kids ( 3 tickets since kids below 12 are 50%) – this was 6 months in advance – however our friends who booked a few months in advance paid 4 Lacs for the same no of tickets.  This was off season rates ( rates drop from April 1st – peak season is Sep to March, train does not operate in May , June , July)

There is no way you can cover 3000 KM across 7 locations in 1 week – think of the hassle of changing hotels every night and traveling by an Innova or Tempo Traveller over long distances – to cover the same by road would take 12 days at least and would be a lot more strenous. ( yes you may save on cost). There are no hidden costs – you can do the whole trip without spending an extra rupee ( except the Tips at the end of the trip, and some shopping)

If you compare the cost with a 1 week holiday in HK / Macau or Singapore – its not way off. Its unique , you get pampered and treated like royalty – and its an holiday you remember for life. We strongly recommend it.

 Is this the only train – or are there others like this ? 

There are quite a few Luxury Trains in India – the Rajasthan Royal is a newer train that runs a similar circuit – but does Khajuraho & Varanasi ( they exclude Jaisalmer) – then there is one that starts from Bangalore and the Deccan Odyssey.

Palace on Wheels is a 30 year old Train ( been renovated twice) – while the others are relatively new .

Any negatives ? 

At times you can get a little claustrophobic – the cabins and alleys are small – so a big 6 footer may at times yearn for some fresh air. There is no Gym in the train – with so much of food across breakfast , lunch & dinner you tend to feel heavy. You do walk in the day – but not much. WE did manage to get some walk along the Train platforms at night ( The platforms are blocked with security & sniffer dogs – and the Train is nearly 1 Km long)

 For any further information drop me a mail at vak_1969@yahoo.com

We booked our journey thru Heritage India Journeys – Abhay Kumar  (abhaykumar@heritageindiajourneys.com)

The contact at Rajasthan Toursim – Pallavi Sharma ( pallavi.sharma@tlt-tours.com)

www.theluxurytrains.com 

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Neeleshwar – A great place to unwind

27 Feb

The closest beaches from Bangalore are Chennai or Goa. Both are great beaches but very commercialized. Based on a friends recommendation we tried Neeleshwar – and it was a Wow !

Neeleshwar is a long drive from Bangalore ( 8 Hrs). Its 230 Kms from Mysore ( Mysore – Coorg – Cross the W Ghats and then Reach the Kerala Coast at Kasargod). We left in the evening – took a break at Mysore for the night and started in the morning. The 230 Km from Mysore to Neeleshwar takes about 5 Hrs.

MYSORE – > (50km) HUNSORE – > (15KM) PERIYAPATTANAM – > (22KM) – > KUSHALNAGAR – > (31KM) MADIKKERI – > (36km) BAGAMANDALA – > (31km) PANATHUR – > (40km) MAVUANGAL – > (5KM) NEELESHWAR

Neeleshwar Hermitage

Neeleshwar Hermitage is a wonderful homely resort that is located on the beach. The rooms are lovely, service is great and the food authentic Kerala Cuisine.  Its serene , quiet and peaceful and the perfect getaway for relaxation.

The rooms are well designed and have a view of the Ocean , The swimming pool is fabulous and it feels like its cascading into the ocean. The sand is soft & clean. Though the rooms have no TV’s coconut plantationyou don’t miss it at all.

Few Imp Tips

1. There is a train from Bangalore – 16517 Kannur Express that leaves Yeshwantpur Jn at 20.35 and reaches Kanhangad at 10.19 the next day. The return train is called Yeshwantpur Express 16518 – leaves Kanhangad at 17.40 and reaches Bangalore at 07.05 .

2. Room rates are about 10 K / Night – Food is expensive – no restaurants close by – a room for 3 nights with family can cost you 50 K ( $ 1000) – and thats in off peak season

inside view of resort

3. Limited activities around – there is a wonderful fort close by and you can take a House Boat ride for a few hrs, also some villages where you can see Jackfruits, Coconuts , Mangoes … and even pluck them

4. The Resort does organize evening cultural activities in peak season when the resort is full

5. Kids tend to get bored after 2 days – so a 3 night 4 day package may be a tide too long ( But with a 8 hr drive you don’t want a 2 day holiday !!)

pic shot in boat housedaughter
making sand house

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Aside

Family Trip to HK – Macau

17 Feb
You can plan a good 1 week trip to HK Macau. Its a great family vacation destination.  The biggest advantages are
1. Direct Flights 2 . No Visa 3. Lots of activities for kids to be Busy.
Day – 0 : The dragon Air flight from Bangalore leaves at 2.40 AM  and reaches at 11 AM – Bad Timing , cramped seats – but you have no other option from
Bangalore.
Day – 1 : Straight to the Disneyland Hotel from the Airport. Its in Lantau island – a 20 min drive by car. We reached by 12.30. There are 2 hotels inside Disneyland – The Disney Hotel & the Hollywood Hotel. Disney Hotel is a little more expensive because you have all disney Characters joining you at Breakfast for photo Ops. Hotel is great – rooms are large & spacious and can accommodate 2 adults & 2 kids. After check in & lunch ( you have Indian food but its sad) we were ready to leave to Disneyland by 2.30.
Disneyland HK is small & Compact. There is a bus service from the hotel that  drops you – 10 min drive. The whole of Disneyland can be seen in 1 1/2 days – compare this to the ones in Florida & Los Angeles where you need 3 – 4 days and still cant complete everything. Queues here are reasonable  10 – 15 min wait. There are 4 sections each of which will take about 2 – 3 hours to complete. Its modeled exactly like the Disneyworld at LA with Main Street , Trains , Castle , Parades etc. Its open from 10 AM to 8 PM – and ends with a brilliant firework display at 8 PM.
Day – 2 : Breakfast was a fabulous spread ( over 100 items to choose from) and we had great photo ops with all the disney characters. Kids love it – my 4 year old thought that al these characters actually lived in the hotel and had come down for breakfast. After breakfast we sett off for Disneyland and spent the entire day there.

Time flies at Disneyland – and before you realize its 4.30 and the parade starts followed by the Fireworks display. Lost of restaurants inside Disneyland and food is not is a problem.  This may be smaller than the Disneyworld we had been to at LA many years back – but we were very contented that we covered everything and still had energy to walk. Lines were small. ( The biggest challenge in US is the huge Q’s and the size of the park is so large that even after 2 full days you would not have seen half the entertainments). We were back in the room by 8.30 PM.
Day – 3 After a lavish breakfast we headed for HK.  Stayed at a hotel in HK. Not much to see expect for the Peak  & they Malls. Shopping is prohibitively expensive.  By now we were tired of Pasta and hunted desperately for Curd Rice …., not a problem as there are many indian Restaurants in HK.
Day – 4  We head to Sea World  – its a cab drive away ( Metro is great – but we  did not try it) – this is a lovely amusement park where you can spend a day – Baloon rides, Zoo , Dolphins , Scary rides and many more things to do.
 Its easy to spend a full day at Sea-world – and you can cover almost all the activities there. Kids love it – so don’t miss this. Tickets are not very cheap.
Day – 5 : We head to Macau by Ferry.  You go thru immigration check  while boarding the Ferry. Its a 1 hr ride on high seas. Macau like Goa was a Portuguese colony till recently. Its now the Las Vegas of Asia.
We stayed at the Venetian – lovely suites and there is enough at the venetian to keep you busy for a day. The food court has multiple options of Indian Cuisine. We found more Indians than Chinese at Macau. At night we attended the Cirq De Soleil – Circus show – its out of the world and a must see ( Shows keep changing every 3 months)
.
  Day 6 : In the morning we go for a City visit , and are back in the hotel by 2. We leave at 3 for the ferry that leaves at 4. The ferry takes you straight to HK Airport – from where you can board your flight to Bangalore back.
A Trip to HK – Macau  can put you back by 3.5 – 4 Lac’s ( with limited shopping) – This is when you stay at good hotels and don’t cut corners on transportation / food etc. ( there are packages that offer deals .. not sure how good they are).
If you have kids in the age group of 6 – 12 , this is a great holiday from India.

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Kumbakonam,Tanjore – 3 Day Trip

17 Feb

Kumbakonam & Tanjore is a good 3 night , 4 day holiday from Bangalore. There is so much of History & Culture tucked away here – probably the only place where you will see 1000 year old temples in every second street – empty , serene & peaceful.

A quick summary of “Whats the place famous for”

1. Temples, temples & more temples   2. Chola Bronzes & Rock Sculpture (Most temple figurines are crafted at Kumbakonam & Swamimalai and shipped from here worldwide )  3. Tanjore Paintings  4.  Silk Sarees  5. Good Food

This was the Capita of the Chola dynasty and one can but imagine the glory of the old times. Sadly things are in bad shaw now.

Getting There : 

Train from Bangalore –  The Mysore Mayiladuturai Express ( 16232) leaves Bangalore around 8 PM and reaches Kumbakonam at 7 AM in the morning. The train gets booked fast – so plan your tickets 90 days in advance. ( The return train Leaves Kumbakonam at 6 PM and reaches Bangalore at 5.30 AM)

We stayed at a Resort in Swamimalai – Indecco (Formerly called Sterling Swamimalai – http://www.indecohotels.com/swamimalai.html)rustic place – That has been renovated. The  Resort has all modern amenities and a pure Veg Restaurant. Includes room service / TV / Hot Water ….Priced around Rs 7000 / Night. ( they have a tie up with Club Mahindra) Swamimalai is a 20 Min drive from Kumbakonam station. 

Rustic Relaxing Resort

Things to Do 

Most temples are closed in the afternoon. You can  start at 9 come back by 1.30 , post a siesta again leave by 4.30 and return by 7.30. Resort normally has some cultural program in the evening

1. World famous Brihadeswara temple at Tanjore is a must visit. its a half day trip. Tanjore is about 40 Km from Swamimalai  and takes 90 Min to reach. You can spend a few hrs at the temple.

2. The 9 Navagraha Temples – located in different parts , all can be covered in 1 – 1/2 days.

3. The Uppaliappan Temple – In Kumbakonam ( Brother of Lord Tirupathi)

4. The Airatheshwaram  Chola Temple at Darasuram

5. Temple of the sacred rivers in Kumbakonam

6. Sarabeshwaran Temple

7. Vedanarayana Perumal Temple

8. The Murugan Temple at Swamimalai

and many many more –  you will see huge temples of Vishnu & Shiva and you can spend a week visiting them . Normally not crowded , and there is no pestering by the priests

8. At Tanjore – visits some galleries selling Tanjore paintings ( they are 30 – 40 % cheaper than those in Bangalore / Madras). There is a palace and museum of the Marathas ( They ruled before the British) –  not very impressive. You can also buy Tanjore Silk Sarees. Handmade

9. If you have time you can include a trip to Tiruchi which is a 2 – 3 hrs drive or Chidambaram , which is also a a few hrs drive. We kept these for another trip

Travel is easy , You need a good driver who knows the place , Strongly recommend our driver Bhaskar ( 9943664449) who made a big difference.  He was arranged from the Resort. Cars for the full day will cost you about Rs 2500/-. A full trip inclusive of 4 nights (You need to book the room for the day you arrive at 7 AM) will cost you about 50 K INR.

Best time to travel – Nov to  Jan. Summers can be very hot 40 Degree +. Winters are warm – no woolen clothing needed.

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Galibore Fishing Camp

6 Mar

Day trip to Galibore fishing CampBangalore has numerous weekend getaways. The Galibore fishing Camp run by Jungle Lodges (http://www.junglelodges.com/) is definitely one of the better options.

Its located at a distance of about 100 Km from Bangalore off the Kanakpura Road. 70 Kms on the Kanapaura Highway and then about 30 Kms thru villages. Roads are good – the last 10 miles are mud tracks. You can find the place easily. Budget about 2 Hr + to reach the place.

Day Trip

We left on a Sat morning at around 8.30 and reached by 11. Its a good place for a one night stay. Rooms are tents and are spartan. The food is decent and the service is very friendly. The place has about 15 tents – each with two beds. They can add an extra mattress if required. The place has no electricity. There is a fan that runs on solar and in the night they get you Kerosene lamps. Bathrooms are western and functional. No Hot water , No Phone or TV and Mobiles dont work.

bank of the CauveryThe camp is located on the bank of the Cauvery and is fertile with Fishes. In less than Hr our team caught about 6 fishes and most team members were below the age of 10. (These are protected species – so you need to release all the fish you catch !)

Day Trip Activities

Activity is limited to fishing , coracle rides , a tough trek up a hill close by ( 90 Mins up & down) and nature walks. During the rainy season when the river is full – they also have whitewater rafting.There are hammocks all over the place where you can laze around. The camp provides breakfast , lunch , tea and dinner. In the evenings they set up a campfire with platters. No music is allowed. Veg /Non Veg food is served.

Day trip

They have a fridge so Beer and Ice is available – rest of the liquor you need to get on your own.

Rates  – they charge 2.5K / adult above 12 and 1.5 K / child above 5. Rates are inclusive of food, coracle rides , treks , walks and fishing and you can book online.

Weekend Trips

Overall a great place for a one night stay – Kids can have fun if you go in a group of 3 – 4 families.

So here is one more place to add to your list of weekend getaways

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Enjoy an iMac for an additional Rs 11 / day

30 Aug

I divorced my PC and got an iMac

My first experience with a PC was in 1989 during my 2nd year at engineering when we were working on Fortran Programming on an AT 286 system (1 MB Ram / 40 MB HDD). I started my career selling PC’s at Wipro and over the last 21 years have seen the evolution and growth of PC’s & laptops closely.

Over the last few months I have been observing a silent proliferation of Apple products – whether its the ubiquitous iPod or the iPhone a lot of people I know seem to be flaunting Apple products.

This week when we went for lunch at Khansama ( UB City) we walked into the Apple Store and immediately fell in love with the iMac (All of us including my 3 year old were enchanted) – there were no Ads , No offers , No tele callers coaxing us to buy – but the allure of the iMac was so enticing that it was almost irresestible.

The sales guy did a great job of demonstrating the product and clarifying all our “compatability” issues and within minutes we had paid 83 K ( that hurt… but see below how I justified to myself) for an iMac ( 21.5 ” Monitor , Intel Core 3.2 Ghz, 4 MB Cache , 4 GB memory , 500 GB HDD, 3 Years of Support). I always thought Apple used to run on Power PC – didint know that they had changed to Intel.

Back home it took me 30 minutes to dismantle all the wires of my HP Desktop and less than 5 minutes to install the iMac. The 1st use is WOW. Its so easy. No drivers to install , No software to be loaded , no configurations to be done ( it autosenses your broadband once you plug in the RJ 45 ) – this was TRULY plug & play.

The best part of the iMac is it has only ONE wire. Everything else is integrated – wireless mouse , wireless keboard , inbuilt speaker , inbuilt camera…. . (They could have kept the power on button and some USB ports infront instead of all of them being the rear) http://www.apple.com/in/imac/specs.html

The Kids wanted to watch ” Waka Waka ” on the screen from You Tube – and the quality of image / sound is superb. I was also told that the OS is so robust that you do not need any Anti Virus protection

iMac

We still need to figure out how we can use all the great features and utilities of the iMac – I have told my daughter that she needs to do a lot more than just browse the net.

Change normally hurts – but this change looks cool.  I am sure a lot of families will now look at the iMac – its indeed the ultimate upgrade to the Home PC.

Few Points

1. Migration of data is not a problem – Apple sends an engineer home to help if required

2. You really cannot an iMac on price with a HP / Dell – its not an “apple to apple” comparision.

3. Justifying the cost of an iMac

  • Costs Rs 20,000 more than a PC
  • Has a life span of 5 years  ( 1825 days)
  •  Incremental cost / day for using an Apple – 11 Rs ( 20,000 / 1825)

So for an addition Rs 11 / day enjoy working with an iMac.

Hampi in 3 Days

24 Aug

When you think  of Hampi the first thing that came to mind is Krishnadeva Raya & Tenali Raman. Only after visiting Hampi did I realise that there is a lot more to Hampi.

Two things about Hampi that most people dont know

  • This place finds mention in the Ramayana – this was called Kishkindha and was the abode of Lord Hanuman and the monkey brigade. You can actually visit Anjana Parvat and walk to the temple where Hanuman was born. Close by is also Sugrivas cave. You can also see the hamlet where Shabari gave juicy jamuns to lord Rama.
  • Secondly the Vijaynagar Empire which reached its all time glory under Krishnadeva Raya acted as a buffer state protecting the south for over 300 years from muslim invaders like Quatab Ud Din Aibak and  Alauddin Khilji. The area is surrounded by hills and forms a nice protection for the enclave.

Thanks to Unesco , Hampi is well preserved although its so close to Bellary and the Reddy brothers. The landscape is both fertile (The beautiful Tungabhadra river flows thru Hampi – and you can see the water Red in color , I guess because of the high iron ore content in the soil) ) and is dotted with mountains with massive boulders – the effect of some volanic eruption that happened a long time back.

All it takes is 2 nights and 3 days to cover Hampi. We took the night train from Bangalore that departs at 10 PM and reached Hospet at 7 AM. We stayed at the Vijayshree Resort & Heritage village ( www.vijayshreeresort.com) – which is located between Hospet & Hampi ( a 10 min drive from the station)

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The hotel is beautiful – has lovely villas and havelis set in a large open landscape. Beautiful gardens. The ambience is relaxed and soothing. The theme of the hotel is Rajasthani and in the evening they have live shows and activities ( like in Choki Dani Jaipur – but its a lot better and its all FREE). Food is decent.(Only Veg – No Liquor).

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After breakfast on day 1 we set off for the Vitthala Temple that is located at one end of Hampi ( All the ruins are spread across 20 sq kms and you can be transported pretty close to all the sites – not too much of walking required. There are over 2000 temples – but 4 to 5 are worthy of visiting) Post Krishnadeva Raya the muslim invaders finally came and plundered the city. the temple ie beautiful but in ruins.

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Memorable here is a Konark type chariot that was built by K Raya after his conquest of Orissa. This chariot is drawn by elephants. It also has pillars that echo with the sound of Sa Re Ga Ma …. The place is serene and quiet and you can easily spend a few hours looking around the ruins.   The architecture of the temples are S Indian – but not as intricate in design as what you see in Belur , Halebid, Madurai  or Thanjavur. The guide also informed us that on payment the area could be rented for events and special lighting could be arranged.

We then headed for lunch at the Mango Tree. This is a lovely restaurant ( Veg) that is located along the river – serves good food in a clean environment. You have a choice from Thali –  Pasta – Humus. You need to sit on the floor and eat. This is the only decent place to eat in Hampi and every tourist lands up here. Rates are very decent – our group of 8 adults and 7 kids ate to hearts content and the bill was only Rs 2000/-. We wrapped up day 1 looking at a few other places like the queens bath , some more temples , stables etc and were back at the hotel by 5PM. We spent the evening in the Rajasthani village – kids went camel, bullock cart  & horse riding and witnesses wonderful shows. We ended the day with a sumptuous 23 item Rajasthani meal.

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Day – 2 we started at the Ganesha temple which is an entrance to the famous Virupaksha teample (This a functional temple) and walked along the rocky ledges to the temple. The main deity here is Lord Shiva.

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From the temple we walked along the Bazars ( which in olden times were supposedly laden with gold , rubies & jewels) and went on for a walk along the river. Since the river was in spate we dared not do the Coracle ride and went on to see Sugriva’s cave – a good 30 min walk in the hot sun. On the way back we saw a statue of Narsimha and a huge Shiv Lingam immersed in water.   We ended up walking a lot – I guess for about 2 hrs. We were back in time for the kids to make a dash to the beautiful pool in the resort.

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Day – 3 we headed to Anugundi – to Anjana Parvat the place where Hanuman was born. This about 40 Km from Hampi and took us nearly 2 hrs to reach. On the way we saw the bautiful Tungabhadra Dam – because of heavy rains all the gates were open and water was in full flow. The climb up is tedious ( about 750 steps, and we had to carry our 3 yr old ..) and can take you 30 – 45 minutes. The temple at top is small – however the view is heavenly. This is located on the other side of Hampi seperated by the river – so you get a great view of the ruins from here.

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Tired and hungry we headed back to the Mango tree ( again..) for lunch and reached our hotel by 3.30 PM.

After tea  and some rest  we were ready to head to the station for the 8.20 PM train that reaches Bangalore at 6.30 AM.

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Quick Facts

  1. Holiday to Hampi is not expensive  – a family of 4 can do this holiday in 20 – 25 K
  2. Public transport is a problem – you need to rent a car / bus – a mini bus cost us about 3000 / day. Indica costs you 1400 / day
  3. Food is value for money  – even at Vijayshree the dinner was about Rs 3000 for 15 of us ( 8 adults , 7 Kids)
  4. Weather is hot & humid  at Hampi – best time to visit is during monsoon (Doesnt rain much) or winter. Summers can be 45 Degrees. The coolest days in winter & monsoon the temp is 28 – 30 Degrees.
  5. There are few good hotels – we loved the Vijayshree. But I beleive there is another one called the Boulders that is even more fancy. Krishna Palace is a 3rd option – its a proper building hotel at Hospet town.
  6.  Good to go as a group – kids tend to get bored in the ruins
  7. We missed the museum – but people say its good
  8. If you have a few more days at hand you can take a shot at visiting Aihole & Pattadakal which is another 150 – 200 Kms from Hampi.
  9. Cell phones work at Hampi

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Family Fun – Destiny Farms – Outskirts of Ooty

7 Jun

We had not visited Ooty for nearly a decade and decided to make a trip this May. We were clear that we did not want to stay in Ooty. The beautiful hill station has unfortunately fallen prey to commercialization and become crowded. We heard about Destiny Farms from a friend and when we did a quick search on the web – we liked what we saw.

Destiny Farms is like a piece of paradise on earth. It’s about 26 Kms from Ooty ( 1 Hr drive) located at Avalanche and is set in the midst of breathtakingly beautiful lakes and hills.  If you are driving from Coimbatore it’s a 4 Hr drive ( 98 + 26 Kms) and if you are driving from Mysore its again a 4 Hr Drive ( 155 + 26 Kms). The Coimbatore Ooty hill road is a jammed up road.

It’s not easy to locate the place and the last few miles you do not see any shops / people to ask for directions. We fortunately took the hotels pick up service from CBE Station ( they charge Rs 4500 for an AC Innova)

You park your car and the last 2 Kms you travel in the Hotels 4 wheel truck that takes you through the jungle. The drive is rattling even with the truck travelling at less than 10 Km/ hr. But its fun – kids love it.

The first sight of Destiny Farms is a wow. It’s on a hillside that faces a crystal clear lake. An old mansion has been converted into a hotel. And they have strawberry , cabbage plantations, potatoes and herbs garden along the hillside. The whole place is peaceful , serene and beautiful.

The rooms are very nice ( No TV / No Fan / No Heater)  – they have proper W Style bathrooms. And you get hot water in the morning and evenings. They have two type of rooms – we stayed in the larger one that has a fireplace. ( Totaly about 20 rooms) And the view from the balcony is beautiful. The restaurant is excellent – serves great food –  kids were happy to find Pasta. ( Surprisingly no S Indian Food)

As we went about to explore the place we found a stable of horses. Big guys from Jaisalmer – you need a ladder to get on top of them. The stable was neat and the horses very well-maintained. They do complimentary rides in the evenings – in the afternoon you  can take the horses for a jog on your own around the farm  –  very nominal cost.  They also have some Sheep ( looks like its imported from N Zealand) , and Rabbits. Further down there is a pond where you can fish for Carp. The farm has over 50 cows and kids can see them being milked in the morning & evening  (automated) – the milk is so sweet ( thanks to the fresh grass that the cows eat) that you don’t need to add sugar to your tea.

In terms of activities – its a great place to relax and unwind. Good to come as a group so that the Kids can have fun. The hotel organises treks and can even set you up in a tent near the lake with barbecue & snacks. They also have  an open jeep ride that takes you the nearby hills / tea gardens etc. ( every time you go out – you have to use the Army truck thru the 2 Km wobbly drive). They also arrange for Rock Climbing and Valley Crossing.  Kids can watch cartoons in the TV room and play indoor games like TT , carom etc. The reception has a cute library with novels & comics.  You can play football or cricket at the ground near the horse stable. many of the staff are from Nepal  – and their football standard is very good

The place attracts a lot of families from Bangalore and we were surprised to see 4 families who had kids from NPS. Nights are wonderful – you can see thousands of stars sparkling in the sky. It’s so relaxing to lie down in the benches and just stare at the sky. Air is fresh & pure and you can talk softly and be heard 100 m down the hill. Every evening the hotel sets up a bonfire with music and serves veg and non veg starters. ( No Liquor)

Ooty is close by and you can pack in  a days trip to Ooty. The botanical garden is great – but all other places are crowded. The lake stinks and the boat ride was no fun. Clearly Ooty is a place avoided during the peak season.

Destiny Farms is a great place for a 2 Night – 3 day trip. Rates are reasonable – rooms are priced at Rs 4500 / night ( large ones – peak season) and include breakfast. ( Compare this with the 9 K that the Taj charges at Conoor – that includes all meals)

It’s amazing to see the passion with which the owner ( a young lawyer in his early 30’s) has built this place. He also owns a few more properties. Has an eye for perfection – and service is excellent. It’s not easy to run a place deep in the mountains in the heart of a jungle.

Kids loved the place and we didn’t feel like leaving Destiny farms. They are clear that they want to come back here every holiday.

Few Tips

1. The place accepts credit Cards

2. BSNL connection works – Airtel connection requires a walk towards the main gate

3. The farm is located in the middle of forest land – you are not allowed to venture out of the fenced area on your own

4. Days are pleasant and nights are cold. In summer nights were 5 – 6 Degrees. In Winter they would be Zero. The place is higher than Ooty – and is surrounded by forests & lakes – that’s what makes it cooler. ( Did you know that Ooty at over 2200 M is the highest hill station in the world that has no snow!)

7. No restaurants or shops close by – but the restaurant at Destiny Farms is good – lots of variety and reasonably priced

5. Contact details for Destiny Farms

Email holiday@littlearth.in , T. +91-423-2224545   F. +91-423-2444697   M. +91-9487000111/9487000222, www.littleearth.in

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