This was a gift for my birthday a little in advance for my birthday this year by my brother. He took me on a great 3 day trip. It was really awesome. So thought will make a travelogue out of it, so that it will great to read on later.
We planned to start off at 6.30 on 27th December. It was really tough to convince our parents, to let us go after the 26th Tsunami. They let us go after getting reassured that we will not go anywhere near the beaches. We promised them and then started off a little behind schedule at 7.00 in the morning. Our plan was to go to Wayanad via, Kabini and Coorg and stay at Wayanad. We started off, and drove on Mysore road. We stopped for breakfast at Kamat Lokaruchi. We had great ragi dosas, idli and vada. And started off. After sometime, I, very meekly asked him, whether we could change the plan and go to Ooty and then go to Wayanad. After some speculation he agreed and we saw the map, and decided that we go via Bandipur and Nagarhole to Ooty. We were approaching Mysore, where we saw a deviation via a newly constructed ring road. The road was really nice, so hit on it. It was a small road but really beautiful. We reached Mysore at around 9, and then we left there after seeing Lalith Mahal Palace from outside. It’s truly a magnificent palace.
Then went via Nanjagud, to Bandipur. We stopped at Jungle lodges for a small break. That was truly a nice place to spend a weekend. Then we started off into the forest. When we reached the Bandipur office; we found out that the safari timings were over so we decided to go to Mudhumalai. As we were getting out of the gate, we saw a mother monkey with her kids. My lord, they were truly very cute and adorable. We headed to Mudhumalai which is just 15 kms from Bandipur. The forest silence and the sounds of nature were truly deafening. We reached Mudhumalai to hear the same thing. So we decided to go to Ooty, via the steep road which is just 35 kms when compared to the long route via Gudalur. This road was really steep with 36 hairpin bends. We started off, only to get stuck behind a truck and a car. So we got disgusted and decided to take a road off the main road, which lead us to the foot of the mountain here Ooty lies.
It was truly a magnificent sight to see the sturdy mountain stand so high. There were a lot of resorts on that road. We came back and started our journey to Ooty, along the 36 hairpin bends. It was awesome to see that we were above the clouds. There were cabbage farms all along the way. We entered Ooty, the first thought was, why did we ever come here??? It is full of filth and it is so dirty. Then we didn’t feel like here, so we drove to Coonoor. It was so warm during December. My Bangalore was colder than Ooty. Then we had lunch in Coonoor, and drove down to Ooty. I wanted to buy some home made chocolates, so we bought them, and we started driving down the hill as we didn’t want to miss the safari again in Mudhumalai.
But to our luck, the safari was closed by the time we came down. But that was the time when, Jayalalitha had got the around 35 elephants, from temples all around TamilNadu. So we walked to the camp. On the way, some monkeys came running at my brother, seeing camera in his hand. His frightened face was really a sight to see. He spotted a peacock flying and perching on a branch, which I could not spot at all. There were 35 elephants all waiting to be fed. There were 4 or 5 cubs, which were so playful and cute. One particular cub was playing and irritating his mahout just like how baby will irritate his mother by not eating. Then we came out of the camp after half an hour. The sun was setting and our destination was Wayanand. The journey will continue later.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Friday, January 21, 2005
Great experience
Coming back to India is always a joyous thing for everyone…Its very exciting and usually all of us are anxious to get back as early as possible……
First let me tell you my itenary…I was supposed to take a flight from Philadelphia to New York on a domestic flight at 3.40 pm.…The connecting flight to Frankfurt from New York was at 5:40…I will reach New York at 4.45 had just an hour for my immigration and other rituals and board the flight in peace…I was worried if I could be in time. Then I had a flight change in Frankfurt to Bombay and then to Bangalore. I was all thrilled and excited about coming back home… I started very early fearing traffic and reached airport 4 hours ahead of schedule, I finished checking in and was waiting in Philadelphia for my flight to leave to New York. Here starts the story of should I called it “Comedy of confusion”…The flight was delayed and it started from Philadelphia at 5:40, due to which it was obvious that he had missed his flight to Frankfurt. (I was sitting in the airport for 6 hours)
So I was informed that as I had missed the flight to Frankfurt, I would be traveling in a flight to Paris which was scheduled to leave New York at 7. But my flight landed in New York only at 6:55. So I was really skeptical whether I would again miss this flight to Paris also as its humanely impossible for me to finish all the immigration and checking in formalities. As we landed me along with four more people who had missed that Frankfurt flight, we were taken in bus to the Paris flight. As it was cold outside we were waiting in the bus. The gate was closed and we were supposed to get into flight climbing the ladder. There was a heated argument going on between officials. That was seriously a sight to see. There were some officials standing below the ladder and some on the top of it inside the flight. After some arguments they asked us to come out of the bus. We got our entire luggage and when we climbed the ladder halfway the people inside the flight said that we were not allowed…So we again got back into the flight and the arguments continued….After some time we were allowed to enter into the flight climbing the ladder. The other four people had got their tickets and boarding passes. When I enquired where mine was, the official answered that there was no time and it would fine and people in Paris would take care.
I thought when there is no problem why should I bothered and entered the flight. The air hostess saw the tickets of the other people and directed them to their seats. I asked her where my seat was. She asked for my tickets. Here started my story telling session…I explained the whole thing to her. Then she said “you can Sit in any free seat”. I have had this experience only in city buses and in restaurant. But this was a nice experience. I went asked people who had an empty seat next to them whether any person was expected to come. A couple of them yes I was very disappointed. Then at the corner I spotted a seat and I went and asked the man whether anyone was expected to come. When he said no my joy knew no bounds and I immediately sat down. The look on the man’s face was seriously a sight to see.
The journey to Paris was really good. And I landed in Paris at 9 and my flight to Bombay was at 11. So I went to the collect my ticket and boarding pass to Bombay from the ticket counter. I went and told the lady in the counter the whole story and told that I need my ticket. She said there is absolutely no problem and asked my name. I told my name, she searched and could not find it the list. She tried 7 to8 combinations of my first and last names and she got irritated and asked for my passport….She tried the name in the passport and still she could not find my name. Then asked for my previous ticket and checked that too in vain, then asked for the flight number I came to Paris, she checked the passenger list and said you are not supposed to fly in this flight how did you fly. Then I again had to repeat the same story as there were some 3 more people there. Then said ok fine, go to the airport and tell them what happened and they will give you the ticket. When I told them that I didn’t have a French visa, there were perplexed and had some talks in French. One guy seemed to have come up with a brilliant idea, the others were excited and happy. Then they took a blank ticket and wrote my name on it. I went and boarded the flight, and the flight didn’t depart. I seriously thought that the flight was delayed due to some confusion caused because of me. Then the captain announced that some passenger had safely checked in his passport. So they had to get his passport from the cargo and then the flight departed one hour late.
I at last reached Bombay, and I was waiting for my luggage. And lo behold, I find that my luggage is lost. So I go to the Airways counter, tell them the whole story, and they also check and tell that I am not supposed to be in the flight. Then say the luggage could be anywhere in any of the airports we will try and find it. In due course of all this I missed by 3:00a.m. Flight to Bangalore. I was again sad, but the person said “Don’t worry Sir I will put you in the next flight” I was happy and asked him when is the next flight. I almost fainted when I heard that it was at 6.30 I had to wait in the airport again for 3 hours. This was like raising me and making me sit on the ninth cloud and giving me a push so that I fall down with a huge thud. Then I wait in the Bombay airport for 3 hours and at last I reach Bangalore.Proabbly I will be one of the very few
privileged people who have travelled even in flights "without" a ticket.
This is the experience of my friend, Hari. As requested by him, I have written this in first person. Hope no one has such a hilarious nightmare ever on his way back home!!!
First let me tell you my itenary…I was supposed to take a flight from Philadelphia to New York on a domestic flight at 3.40 pm.…The connecting flight to Frankfurt from New York was at 5:40…I will reach New York at 4.45 had just an hour for my immigration and other rituals and board the flight in peace…I was worried if I could be in time. Then I had a flight change in Frankfurt to Bombay and then to Bangalore. I was all thrilled and excited about coming back home… I started very early fearing traffic and reached airport 4 hours ahead of schedule, I finished checking in and was waiting in Philadelphia for my flight to leave to New York. Here starts the story of should I called it “Comedy of confusion”…The flight was delayed and it started from Philadelphia at 5:40, due to which it was obvious that he had missed his flight to Frankfurt. (I was sitting in the airport for 6 hours)
So I was informed that as I had missed the flight to Frankfurt, I would be traveling in a flight to Paris which was scheduled to leave New York at 7. But my flight landed in New York only at 6:55. So I was really skeptical whether I would again miss this flight to Paris also as its humanely impossible for me to finish all the immigration and checking in formalities. As we landed me along with four more people who had missed that Frankfurt flight, we were taken in bus to the Paris flight. As it was cold outside we were waiting in the bus. The gate was closed and we were supposed to get into flight climbing the ladder. There was a heated argument going on between officials. That was seriously a sight to see. There were some officials standing below the ladder and some on the top of it inside the flight. After some arguments they asked us to come out of the bus. We got our entire luggage and when we climbed the ladder halfway the people inside the flight said that we were not allowed…So we again got back into the flight and the arguments continued….After some time we were allowed to enter into the flight climbing the ladder. The other four people had got their tickets and boarding passes. When I enquired where mine was, the official answered that there was no time and it would fine and people in Paris would take care.
I thought when there is no problem why should I bothered and entered the flight. The air hostess saw the tickets of the other people and directed them to their seats. I asked her where my seat was. She asked for my tickets. Here started my story telling session…I explained the whole thing to her. Then she said “you can Sit in any free seat”. I have had this experience only in city buses and in restaurant. But this was a nice experience. I went asked people who had an empty seat next to them whether any person was expected to come. A couple of them yes I was very disappointed. Then at the corner I spotted a seat and I went and asked the man whether anyone was expected to come. When he said no my joy knew no bounds and I immediately sat down. The look on the man’s face was seriously a sight to see.
The journey to Paris was really good. And I landed in Paris at 9 and my flight to Bombay was at 11. So I went to the collect my ticket and boarding pass to Bombay from the ticket counter. I went and told the lady in the counter the whole story and told that I need my ticket. She said there is absolutely no problem and asked my name. I told my name, she searched and could not find it the list. She tried 7 to8 combinations of my first and last names and she got irritated and asked for my passport….She tried the name in the passport and still she could not find my name. Then asked for my previous ticket and checked that too in vain, then asked for the flight number I came to Paris, she checked the passenger list and said you are not supposed to fly in this flight how did you fly. Then I again had to repeat the same story as there were some 3 more people there. Then said ok fine, go to the airport and tell them what happened and they will give you the ticket. When I told them that I didn’t have a French visa, there were perplexed and had some talks in French. One guy seemed to have come up with a brilliant idea, the others were excited and happy. Then they took a blank ticket and wrote my name on it. I went and boarded the flight, and the flight didn’t depart. I seriously thought that the flight was delayed due to some confusion caused because of me. Then the captain announced that some passenger had safely checked in his passport. So they had to get his passport from the cargo and then the flight departed one hour late.
I at last reached Bombay, and I was waiting for my luggage. And lo behold, I find that my luggage is lost. So I go to the Airways counter, tell them the whole story, and they also check and tell that I am not supposed to be in the flight. Then say the luggage could be anywhere in any of the airports we will try and find it. In due course of all this I missed by 3:00a.m. Flight to Bangalore. I was again sad, but the person said “Don’t worry Sir I will put you in the next flight” I was happy and asked him when is the next flight. I almost fainted when I heard that it was at 6.30 I had to wait in the airport again for 3 hours. This was like raising me and making me sit on the ninth cloud and giving me a push so that I fall down with a huge thud. Then I wait in the Bombay airport for 3 hours and at last I reach Bangalore.Proabbly I will be one of the very few
privileged people who have travelled even in flights "without" a ticket.
This is the experience of my friend, Hari. As requested by him, I have written this in first person. Hope no one has such a hilarious nightmare ever on his way back home!!!
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