tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384536132024-03-05T08:08:40.136-08:00hoppingspacesDeepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-78467115125940824722008-12-28T21:50:00.000-08:002008-12-29T02:22:49.092-08:00Hari Hareshwar - (9/10) Beaches Mountains and much moreTrip Details in Brief -<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Itinerary :</span> Mumbai (Kurla) -> Mangaon -> Sri-Vardhan Bay(Night stay)-> HariHareshwar (temple and beach stint) ->Divaghar ->Mangaon ->Kurla (back home)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Duration of the Trip :</span> 1.5 days (ideal plan for 2 days)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trip cost :</span> INR 1,000-1,500/- (including travel, stay and food)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ideal Time : </span>All over the year (except during rainy season)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Do Not miss :</span><br />1) Ride across Tum-Tums (Share Autos)<br />2) Hill-Locked shallow beaches (We ran along 1 km into the hip-deep sea)<br />3) Night binge upon the beach (under a single Street lamp)<br />4) Kurla-Mangaon Train Journey (prepared to be jostled)<br />5) Non-Veg coastal food (*Inputs from my non-veggie frnds)<br />6) Long walks across the village & the serene beaches.<br />7) The most beautiful naturally carved Mountain edge (see it to believe)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Things you can miss:</span><br />1) Harrowing State-Bus journeys (you would be treated worse than cattle)<br />2) Night Travel via Train back to Kurla.<br />3) Trip to DivaGhar (the temple is hardly a reason for the travel)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Additional Links </span>:<br /><a href="http://eksperiences.blogspot.com/2008/12/into-hinterland.html">Detailed travelogue by friends</a><br /><a href="http://www.oktatabyebye.com/destination-features/128-harihareshwar-travel-guide-maharashtra.html">Web Site</a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Trip :<br /></span>We all began the trip around 2 PM from the Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Terminus via the un-reserved compartments enroute the scenic Konkan railroute for an approx 4 hours.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ot4tHZH14Tu1sdC1RMIn4yIfbudpRFGMYXNfw96W7fhnnpExyyPIBYJH_ppWfqlvjri3IPYJ49NGC-H1jbj3in5nbFcCFEc9L7eISPTCc9kNksOcXs8izCtkwyjOr_7fgjTu/s1600-h/DSC00507.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 127px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ot4tHZH14Tu1sdC1RMIn4yIfbudpRFGMYXNfw96W7fhnnpExyyPIBYJH_ppWfqlvjri3IPYJ49NGC-H1jbj3in5nbFcCFEc9L7eISPTCc9kNksOcXs8izCtkwyjOr_7fgjTu/s320/DSC00507.JPG" alt="First Stop Mangaon" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285094766215673794" border="0" /></a>one of the few great legends about any train journey as continued with the konkan route is the assortment of eateries you can load yourself with including chiku fruits, chats and ek cup chai.<br />From Mangaon we took a Cab (better than the bus journey) all the way to srivardhan for a pleasant 2 hour trip landing in our beach resort (There are also lot of MTDC resorts you can book before beginning your trip)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/SViTa3GY-pI/AAAAAAAACV0/wILfAswWmTI/s1600-h/DSC00567.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 152px; height: 119px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/SViTa3GY-pI/AAAAAAAACV0/wILfAswWmTI/s320/DSC00567.JPG" alt="The Hang-out at Srivardhan beach resort" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285136252395911826" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKDZt-l5w4Id4pfNHZNPR4E07oJVEbJYLpHrnyKskHVrZuHilmn-1MCEc50kyh1YzzoyW99zuafhxAcrXT-oExEgtDwZK7c3_oB1yWY988rF60ohTsQfQ-ZexQIsSUI3Gu7kl/s1600-h/DSC00522.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 172px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKDZt-l5w4Id4pfNHZNPR4E07oJVEbJYLpHrnyKskHVrZuHilmn-1MCEc50kyh1YzzoyW99zuafhxAcrXT-oExEgtDwZK7c3_oB1yWY988rF60ohTsQfQ-ZexQIsSUI3Gu7kl/s320/DSC00522.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285141385159337010" border="0" /></a>After a quick wash all of us were off to our first street-lamp lit dinner at the beach (luckily we didn't get caught by the police ;) )<br />The next morning a few sober of us went on to enjoy the sea-side pleasures<br /><br /><br /><br />Around 11 Am we all left for the next leg of the journey all the way to Hari Hareshwar via the splendid journey across the mountain terrains upon a Tum-Tum(share auto).<br /><br />After a brief darshan of <a href="http://www.mustseeindia.com/Harihareshwar-Kalbhairav-Temple-Shiva-Temple-/attraction/12319">Lord Kalbhairav</a> we were off upon the mountains which house the temple and then completing an entire loop across the base of the twin mountains.<br />The artistry across the mountain-base which has been formed due to constant bombardment of the sea is truly breath-taking and of course I am going to let the pictures themselves speak all the words.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/SVic_h3W9sI/AAAAAAAACWE/UV0bZwU2TDA/s1600-h/DSC00591.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/SVic_h3W9sI/AAAAAAAACWE/UV0bZwU2TDA/s320/DSC00591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285146777955530434" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/SVihvBeXcrI/AAAAAAAACWk/zDuHvIF4-rg/s1600-h/DSC00623.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 119px; height: 159px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/SVihvBeXcrI/AAAAAAAACWk/zDuHvIF4-rg/s320/DSC00623.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285151991941001906" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSnLHYEQx-1NXn78aDBNQFIDlRB3Z5WXkCa-pK6xQBMgUeehnNssFs7eDmQvywD6nO4AzEQ_BoJa-lVrb7Y2lZuBC2QpDLlAvMZ2I-BDpgpHx0_UWvBH4bGmC1XbVqWLuVBu8/s1600-h/DSC00597.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSnLHYEQx-1NXn78aDBNQFIDlRB3Z5WXkCa-pK6xQBMgUeehnNssFs7eDmQvywD6nO4AzEQ_BoJa-lVrb7Y2lZuBC2QpDLlAvMZ2I-BDpgpHx0_UWvBH4bGmC1XbVqWLuVBu8/s320/DSC00597.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285148119194922722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqB_paecI1yBV8fL4oAOj32n_15cMA9es0i6nwufeazqtZxbZVwl8kSZEZm-IgpbKmCXcEl3CyUa1BJa_JQOCqk8RRoTDyp60TgFCu18aoeNL6jhaHYaPBEietucEvDOAeXn5/s1600-h/DSC00624.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqB_paecI1yBV8fL4oAOj32n_15cMA9es0i6nwufeazqtZxbZVwl8kSZEZm-IgpbKmCXcEl3CyUa1BJa_JQOCqk8RRoTDyp60TgFCu18aoeNL6jhaHYaPBEietucEvDOAeXn5/s320/DSC00624.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285148982335056962" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/SVie_iGI_XI/AAAAAAAACWU/eYiE6hiDicM/s1600-h/DSC00612.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/SVie_iGI_XI/AAAAAAAACWU/eYiE6hiDicM/s320/DSC00612.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285148977040784754" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYn-dGmbRaCX68f4Kq4zTOnDjZ3w50q-1mmdcMpLScMdg4mwJKx7o7rBkDCI812KlAvl_68EedtIPWEY-Yny1GigXImZKE-wIx4lJH6GNkrWGde2YihABseHq3WiQlUHE6ttA/s1600-h/DSC00629.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYn-dGmbRaCX68f4Kq4zTOnDjZ3w50q-1mmdcMpLScMdg4mwJKx7o7rBkDCI812KlAvl_68EedtIPWEY-Yny1GigXImZKE-wIx4lJH6GNkrWGde2YihABseHq3WiQlUHE6ttA/s320/DSC00629.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285152003278930594" border="0" /></a><br />Our final part of the trip was something which we could have avoided but as with the enthusiasm of any proverbial traveller we set pace to divaghar to check out the Swarna-ganapathi (Golden-Elephant) temple. Due to this, not only did we end up spending quite some time travelling in a total rickety state-bus but also ended up spending up till mid-night 1 AM stranded on a desolate station platform.<br /><br />Ending the post with a couple more pics of the natural stone-worksmanship (click on them for a bigger<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmKOEweWBo_hxGYQnCFbSzBy9WERidyRKyvCZcykBnx3yCcMt-zgejoFX5uYeKr4liH0aVyoFL35LlhfYay7GcIGKBLouqnUcnIw7q0YckIhfHYXyfHx3AUQSn7m0_ZEqU_Tp/s1600-h/IMG_1571.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmKOEweWBo_hxGYQnCFbSzBy9WERidyRKyvCZcykBnx3yCcMt-zgejoFX5uYeKr4liH0aVyoFL35LlhfYay7GcIGKBLouqnUcnIw7q0YckIhfHYXyfHx3AUQSn7m0_ZEqU_Tp/s320/IMG_1571.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285154731439475298" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfrCwjShij7AjVXSI5C5r98H5R_o7Qh9M4DnV64tYIjnZEv2O_Gg7qOqQscdimxJ28Z23s4viyP-0GXTSbDYcF0og9Pbwb08GYpF77-9I6gatOyPS_nTqqVq8nYWvne3kx8v7/s1600-h/IMG_1560.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfrCwjShij7AjVXSI5C5r98H5R_o7Qh9M4DnV64tYIjnZEv2O_Gg7qOqQscdimxJ28Z23s4viyP-0GXTSbDYcF0og9Pbwb08GYpF77-9I6gatOyPS_nTqqVq8nYWvne3kx8v7/s320/IMG_1560.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285153427207333090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji57hhu1spwu7qpmun0bNquBDCHcjPollMVqzkWbtkenYECFRRmcdpqfEItcjj8VE6Sk52wZzUU11St3bDKSj3yBL5rccoz2OvXczVk2pgiCP10sZAnAJPDhj4_iniuf8XWsBr/s1600-h/IMG_1569.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji57hhu1spwu7qpmun0bNquBDCHcjPollMVqzkWbtkenYECFRRmcdpqfEItcjj8VE6Sk52wZzUU11St3bDKSj3yBL5rccoz2OvXczVk2pgiCP10sZAnAJPDhj4_iniuf8XWsBr/s320/IMG_1569.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285154728546262914" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoS73JXUyxPP-ddVvv0jZAEgA8tZN6FkGpbsyFetIiazAAO0gthVtTwzjUndW4pzoAkDzKBxZuHd7ZvjdV9SxpbIcUppwuIydU0KFLIy6ruAqfluze-kGPnDdU3vP7nWl_qon9/s1600-h/IMG_1594.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoS73JXUyxPP-ddVvv0jZAEgA8tZN6FkGpbsyFetIiazAAO0gthVtTwzjUndW4pzoAkDzKBxZuHd7ZvjdV9SxpbIcUppwuIydU0KFLIy6ruAqfluze-kGPnDdU3vP7nWl_qon9/s320/IMG_1594.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285153421184590754" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9J_FcFHoQymYAmW0kek4dYXfLwNQg2KNrrPBSQutw4YnxwwveK3iqpa7_Eo20Ttivechc_xLIt5cr1OZknnUyld-T_Nkkh0QtUvvKuSLlJD8xgBH27B9RzxYgRUPeMG5VjA9/s1600-h/IMG_1612.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 119px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9J_FcFHoQymYAmW0kek4dYXfLwNQg2KNrrPBSQutw4YnxwwveK3iqpa7_Eo20Ttivechc_xLIt5cr1OZknnUyld-T_Nkkh0QtUvvKuSLlJD8xgBH27B9RzxYgRUPeMG5VjA9/s320/IMG_1612.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285153425920057586" border="0" /></a>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-55781958283190555162007-11-22T05:44:00.000-08:002007-11-22T05:51:08.351-08:00Trip to Never Never Land....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrlm7nrWDA3VpGuulUMEydn0TdgmR2yszhthnRcMRd2o8TqbCd-eaKD3i8xG50khIMS09JiLSyN61JJHC0MEqRltmVsu6LkjZBcx-T8DztMecg67WCYLG2UJ1E20BMyAxkuLq/s1600-h/nz_intro.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrlm7nrWDA3VpGuulUMEydn0TdgmR2yszhthnRcMRd2o8TqbCd-eaKD3i8xG50khIMS09JiLSyN61JJHC0MEqRltmVsu6LkjZBcx-T8DztMecg67WCYLG2UJ1E20BMyAxkuLq/s320/nz_intro.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135628565099682802" border="0" /></a>Rugged mountains, dramatic coastline and lush forests where the spirit of adventure beckons; since the day that the polynesian explorers (Maoris) settled here were explored by Kupe(the great explorer) who first sighted New Zealand from afar, wreathed in cloud and named it Aotearoa-The land of the Long White Cloud.<br /><br />The first moments that my eyes opened amidst the clouds shimmering white, i really felt as if i were in heaven; atop the aircraft as i saw it glide through clouds layer after layer almost land into the sea only to find a tiny trail of runway amidst the lengthy trail of beaches.... welcome to Xanadu; paradise upon earth - New Zealand.<br /><br />As i pursued the travel guide; i was literally lost as to decide upon a decent itenary that would involve the scenic beaches, forlorn forests, delicate dolphins, cavernous glow-worms, dormant volcanoes, ice-capped mountains, lush wineries, heart-pumping adventure (bungy, kayak, sky-diving) and maybe also indulge across the flavor-rich Maori Culture.<br /><br />Even now after the entire adventure has finished i am reeling under those golden-days as they say, once u get to new-zealand you shall take home memories or superb hospitality, virgin nature, a smorgasbord of outdoor activities as mild or as mad but just as you wished it to be.<br /><br />Before i end up writing another book of adjectives upon this country, i must first complete the post with my itenary of 14 days across only North Island (the cheaper cousin of the south-island)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UPfhvsRuUTeI7Qg_tLwpZCZex0pj1pYTQ3i3TdJSkutxC2zXJHTIS4eCgl3-06IlhhJnxbWSddRu6t3TBYRThFpEiNrH0mDRV057ZtdnPqbApGDw3KE7jgI_33sdaYP8oslk/s1600-h/new_zealand.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UPfhvsRuUTeI7Qg_tLwpZCZex0pj1pYTQ3i3TdJSkutxC2zXJHTIS4eCgl3-06IlhhJnxbWSddRu6t3TBYRThFpEiNrH0mDRV057ZtdnPqbApGDw3KE7jgI_33sdaYP8oslk/s320/new_zealand.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135628749783276546" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 1 -</span> Transit Trip in Singapore ( 1 entire day of traveling the city of tourism<span style="font-weight: bold;">)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 2 - </span>Landed in NZ, went across to <a href="http://www.magicbus.co.nz/">Magic Travels</a> (cheapest and the best ever- Trust me on this one) to book my travel itenary for bay-of-island tour and checked Auckland city the rest of the day. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Day 3 -</span>Isite (Sky Towers in Auckland) , Kelly Tarton(Underwater world and penguins) <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Day 4 -</span> Waiheke Islands (Scenic Beaches and Awesome wineries with free wine)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bay of Islands tour ( 4 days and 3 nights)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 5 - </span>Hole in the Rock (Pahia ) & Dolphin Cruise<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 6 - </span>Cape Reigna, 90 Mile Beach tour & Sand Surfing<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 7 -</span> Russel (Biking), Waitangi Treaty Grounds<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 8 - </span>Hoitangi Passing, Kauri Trees and Tane Mahuta (The god of living - Maori)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Back to Auckland<br />Day 9 -</span> Mt Eden, Nightlife @ Auckcity<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Waitomo, Roturo & Taupo Exploration - Northland Exposure Tour ( 3 days - 2 nights)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 10 -</span> Waitomo Glow-worm caves, Maori Tamki Village experience (Taupo)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 11 - </span>Jet Skiiing (Huka Falls) , Rotorua Thermal reserves, Lady Knocks Geyser<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 12 - </span>Taupo Bungy, Exploring the city<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Back to Auckland</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 13 - </span>Onahu Bay, Kayaking, Sky Tower, Sky City Casino<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 14 -</span> Teary-eyed departure back to India<br /><br />The entire trip costs me around 80,000 INR/- (including the flight tickets); compared to 2-3 Lakhs offer of the cheapest guided tour operators from INDIA; which i must add would still be worth the experience.<br /><br />So without much further ado, i must say for the next globe-trotter who chances upon this site; be sure that u have at a Tick in the southern-hemisphere all across NZ in this life or the next :)<br /><br />Be sure to check out my detailed exploration across each and every day in NZ and also a few additional <a href="http://hoppingspaces.blogspot.com/2007/11/top-10-things-you-needhave-to-know-for.html">Tips and Tricks</a> up my sleeve.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-74540116872516204892007-11-22T05:41:00.001-08:002007-11-22T05:41:57.496-08:00Travel Secret : Enjoy Singapore without spending a DIME<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_OmGKT-psP34ZNAnD7PohRfIxEkeQlN8_xcJNytDiYEk-tQioVOrtFZi7kppDgD5vTgZ_jVMCV2VnOSQ-hUthRMCzjpSmSGrvmahhnCG7cuow1Yedblu4xTsznyfxzvHhRVI/s1600-h/Spore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135281785145236450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_OmGKT-psP34ZNAnD7PohRfIxEkeQlN8_xcJNytDiYEk-tQioVOrtFZi7kppDgD5vTgZ_jVMCV2VnOSQ-hUthRMCzjpSmSGrvmahhnCG7cuow1Yedblu4xTsznyfxzvHhRVI/s320/Spore.jpg" border="0" /></a>Singapore has always been on the global spot-light for transit options; not withstanding the fact that Singapore Airlines(their major one) does not exactly offer basement bargains ??!!<br />In order to explore this anamoly DD (that's Detective Deepak) put across his pointed hat and his Dad's credit card to zoom away on a trip to New-Zealand and a single day transit at Singapore.<br />To his surprise he discovered, that transit options simply expand his horizons as far as travel benefits he was entitled to.. which includes not having to wait for a VISA stamping, or paying for it either, and experiences he would surely experience on his stay.<br />Armed with a Detailed Map and his piped curiosity he set around to <a href="http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/index.html">discover Singapore</a> without spending a DIME.<br />(Note Timings and $ are all Singapore unless specifically mentioned)<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">9.00 AM -</span> Flight arrives into the land of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Kuan_Yew">Lee Kuan Yew</a>, this ensures that DD gets his breakfast on schedule. Everything going as per schedule<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">.</span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">9.30 AM - </span>Rushes across to the end of Terminal 2 (Landmark : the forest settings) where you shall find two counters; one of them for the Free Singapore Tour and the other for the free Transit across to Singapore.<br />Upon closer inquiry with the beautiful lady behind the counter DD realizes that his options boil down to either the "Colonial Tour"(All major land-marks of the city and the Bum-boat ride (no pun intended)) or the "Culture Tour"(tour around lil india, china, japan, et all).<br />After all for DD juggling options are much like catching speeding bullets, and within a blink of the eye (not cause of the girl behind the counter) he decides to book for the 11-1 PM Colonial Tour.<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">11 Am - 1 PM - </span>Accompanied with a tour guide whose only other side job was to tickle us with his PJs and arm us with the rich history of Singapore we set ahead to explore the major land-marks of Singapore including the Mythical Merlion, the opera house (or the building that looked strikingly similar to Sydney's opera house), strolling across victorian type houses and mordern goliaths of steel and concrete and last but not the least the awesome bum-boat ride.<br />With the help of the guide he also marked up all the places in the MAP (in case he needed to come back later)<br /><strong>1 PM -</strong> Rushed back into the visitor center after they scrutinized my well forged passport (jus kidding), and minutest later hopped on to the 1'0 clock Free Shuttle which goes into the city. Good for him, he also got a free Lunch coupon which he did readily consume(not the coupon of course) upon the course of his arrival at Bugis Street.<br />Just as his stepped down upon the streets there appeared a momentous task of finding directions throughout the labrynth of Bugis Street and Lil India(which is around 15 min walk from the drop-point). Unfortunate for him though, he did not have bread-crums and hence could not do a 'la hansel and grethel to mark his directions from the contact point till his shopping spree but thanks to the mordern day GPS system he could swing back and forth across the places upon foot.<br />Here he was DD dandily swaying across the streets of singapore and then suddenly a mental sms arrived to remind him of his assignment-part2 : <em>To find the cheapest electronic store in Singapore</em>; quick as a photon surfs upon the cosmic wave he took to his task and unearthing another untill now not-known fact beside a tiny not yet discovered Electronic shop called Naranjan Electronics (Location : Close to Mustafa's Mart - THe shopping mecca of Singapore, behind the Mosque) .<br />Here is a sample survey which is presented to redeem himself<br /> Case in Study : Samsung 7.2 DigiCam (with ASR, 4x , et all)<br /> Indian - Costs around 15,000 INR/-<br /> Singapore Shops - 430 S$ = 12,900 INR /-<br /> Mustafa - 330 S$ = 9,900 INR /-<br /> Naranjan Electronics - 270 S$ = 7,100 INR /- (including a 2 GB card)<br /><strong>7.00 PM -</strong>After indulging himself in a shop-till-you-drop scenario he arrived back to the pick-up center to avail his free shuttle back to the airport around 7 PM .Note: You only need around 1 hour before your flight departure to check into Chiang airport (which by far is the fastest i have seen or heard about)<br /><br /><strong>10.00 PM -</strong> Sipping his much needed Orange juice he relaxes with the in-flight dinner. Job Well Done<br /><br />I sure hope that DD has now given you a good enough reason to explore the option of Singapore as a Transit option and also to explore the entire singapore with only a __________ in your purse.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-75761268781471048372007-11-22T05:39:00.000-08:002007-11-22T05:40:00.891-08:00Nov 5th :Northland Exposure - Bay of Islands (Day 1)Started off on a slightly rainy day(weather forecast had been mildly warm) and i almost missed my early shuttle Magic Bus (The tour operator) by 5 minutes only then realizing the stark difference between India and NZ, here even Buses operate by the minute; luckily the staff was very helpful and they directed me to the nearby pick-up point.<br />Itenary of the day -<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7.15 Am - </span>Start the tour with our knowledgeble bus driver, who doubled up as the guide offering us immense knowledge about the places, local customs and also having intermittent quizzes (lest we sleep off ignoring the beatitude of the countryside). We crossed the Auckland Harbor bridge for a early morning break @ Sheep-world<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">9.45 AM -</span> SHEEPWORLD, Decent break-fast (veg roll or sandwich) and coffee ($3.5) being my savior. It has a nearby shop which sells any wool related items and displays and also a park ($10) which can be ignored.<br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfILUfOon3wbo1u_80RXu7QEWv58xP-cP8yYYMYxK-UlHp27-cphKxse_R6UtIHoE711e5maiEatGoawx3ctQgUTslNnUokFNocW-AZlqKbiRUQxLIxTooa-QUZgPX1WgY_goV/s1600-h/SL370218.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133741781671582466" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 193px; height: 134px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfILUfOon3wbo1u_80RXu7QEWv58xP-cP8yYYMYxK-UlHp27-cphKxse_R6UtIHoE711e5maiEatGoawx3ctQgUTslNnUokFNocW-AZlqKbiRUQxLIxTooa-QUZgPX1WgY_goV/s320/SL370218.JPG" border="0" height="125" width="151" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz63S2EdmxI/AAAAAAAAAjU/0IvA05KF3Mg/s1600-h/SL370219.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133742159628704530" style="" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz63S2EdmxI/AAAAAAAAAjU/0IvA05KF3Mg/s320/SL370219.JPG" border="0" height="133" width="190" /></a><br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">12.45 -</span> Reach @ Pahia Harbour<br />The first thing that strikes you is the quaint sea-side village (much akin to the gauls). In fact Pahia is the first center of European Settlement in NZ (shall be talking later about another island called RUSSEL) and is known as the "Jewel of the Bay of islands". Refer to the ISite prominent in the harbour for details regarding Dolphin Cruise, Hole in the Rock, Swimming, Kayaking, et all.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8UlWEdmyI/AAAAAAAAAjc/TuDM-3LMb5I/s1600-h/SL370250.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133844732037667618" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 170px; height: 141px;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8UlWEdmyI/AAAAAAAAAjc/TuDM-3LMb5I/s320/SL370250.JPG" border="0" height="141" width="179" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8Vf2EdmzI/AAAAAAAAAjk/cWb61_Y-nq8/s1600-h/SL370237.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133845737060014898" style="width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8Vf2EdmzI/AAAAAAAAAjk/cWb61_Y-nq8/s320/SL370237.JPG" border="0" height="153" width="176" /></a> </p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.45 -Hole in the ROCK</span><br />Around this time we started off in KINGS ferry (bookings and ferries are right beside the iSite) for a 2 hour journey @ Jet nautical speed (caution : Lighter the breakfast the better) across the sea for one of the most magnificient scenes of Nature, such as the Robinson's island.<br />We also had Dolphin sighting and had a chance to see them showing off their skills up close and personal for almost half hour mid-way.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8WX2Edm0I/AAAAAAAAAjs/i6suSedHrRM/s1600-h/SL370251.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133846699132689218" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8WX2Edm0I/AAAAAAAAAjs/i6suSedHrRM/s320/SL370251.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3SBLqmgXM1RBi1osRtZhUps70w011H-fEe8Yu7lXL_toQZ6KZ3uGwq4MU0k5KmvPsk_1nPFk2sWSp1JqEAbR18zYpqBQg7Csf5ZB1-EVwnb-eTToZIi_vdAob1FYVSDRyNOT/s1600-h/SL370278.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133847579600984978" style="width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3SBLqmgXM1RBi1osRtZhUps70w011H-fEe8Yu7lXL_toQZ6KZ3uGwq4MU0k5KmvPsk_1nPFk2sWSp1JqEAbR18zYpqBQg7Csf5ZB1-EVwnb-eTToZIi_vdAob1FYVSDRyNOT/s320/SL370278.JPG" border="0" width="198" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8XAGEdm4I/AAAAAAAAAkM/AceKOFantUc/s1600-h/SL370276.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133847390622423938" style="width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8XAGEdm4I/AAAAAAAAAkM/AceKOFantUc/s320/SL370276.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8WjGEdm1I/AAAAAAAAAj0/0yZcmJl1ZtE/s1600-h/SL370258.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133846892406217554" style="float: left; width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8WjGEdm1I/AAAAAAAAAj0/0yZcmJl1ZtE/s320/SL370258.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8WsmEdm2I/AAAAAAAAAj8/YjcPy8qU53U/s1600-h/SL370266.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133847055614974818" style="width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8WsmEdm2I/AAAAAAAAAj8/YjcPy8qU53U/s320/SL370266.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBfosjalcOGAnq8g0DlqdtohO5W3sih7jC_FBmyadf9CDHtf0r2gfLaNErB-aN7IRmdrye46bFKlMKG4H5h8wPDSWUoq_3btdgO-rMifeWYc3iHwYlwpbb06DEzuHGHQSI8bV/s1600-h/SL370267.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133847210233797490" style="width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBfosjalcOGAnq8g0DlqdtohO5W3sih7jC_FBmyadf9CDHtf0r2gfLaNErB-aN7IRmdrye46bFKlMKG4H5h8wPDSWUoq_3btdgO-rMifeWYc3iHwYlwpbb06DEzuHGHQSI8bV/s320/SL370267.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />And then we were all delighted as kindergarden kids when the final cynosure of all eyes, the "HOLE in the ROCK" arrived in the mid-sea; it is basically an volcanic or seismic jutting which has a huge hole right in it's center caused (argubly so) by the waves. But believe me, once u set your eyes upon this sculpture of Nature you would rather be awed by the spectacle rather than analyze the creation of it .<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINegHKHGkYI33aG2NS9UAOs1f1HyId24Xtg-Lp9KJa1AUTEDCUCNsnSnJxESBboMdTQgiEhkNIXE6VrZtCinkwVHK1ycbeBKnXDC5E_lk19MGpzpuawF_Q4r2Sgs3-F3MbFpO/s1600-h/SL370303.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133852600417754066" style="float: left; width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINegHKHGkYI33aG2NS9UAOs1f1HyId24Xtg-Lp9KJa1AUTEDCUCNsnSnJxESBboMdTQgiEhkNIXE6VrZtCinkwVHK1ycbeBKnXDC5E_lk19MGpzpuawF_Q4r2Sgs3-F3MbFpO/s320/SL370303.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsEmajUD5R9RpbOPNvprRTZNpTQSAPOwfCzl_w_UFSdtfMy6dAVWs7Q4X7Nr5cUASjW1zD15FmRAX3e0rFBR093-_gvhUHJAKGnwlhZvRaVGQykNiTMznALNtECwK-tEa9pNd/s1600-h/SL370291.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133852145151220674" style="width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsEmajUD5R9RpbOPNvprRTZNpTQSAPOwfCzl_w_UFSdtfMy6dAVWs7Q4X7Nr5cUASjW1zD15FmRAX3e0rFBR093-_gvhUHJAKGnwlhZvRaVGQykNiTMznALNtECwK-tEa9pNd/s320/SL370291.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8bJGEdm7I/AAAAAAAAAkk/JcZ0hS3PCLU/s1600-h/SL370290.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133851943287757746" style="float: left; width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8bJGEdm7I/AAAAAAAAAkk/JcZ0hS3PCLU/s320/SL370290.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8a8GEdm6I/AAAAAAAAAkc/1E-TKeX7luM/s1600-h/SL370280.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133851719949458338" style="width: 176px; height: 140px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz8a8GEdm6I/AAAAAAAAAkc/1E-TKeX7luM/s320/SL370280.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As i would say, the pictures here do not / cannot capture the serene nature of the HOLE in the ROCK which is encapslated when u see it all alone right in the tempest of the sea, unbridled and unaffected. And the best part is that it was one of the marvellous sights of Pahia.. just can't wait for the rest.<br />(Tip: if you travel via FULLERs then there is a possibility that your trip to RUSSEL would be complementary)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5.30 PM -</span> Return to YHA (Bay adventurers)<br /> One of the most essential elements for any back-packers are the youth-hostels which are in plenty in NZ, with prices ranging from 25 $ for a Dorm bed till $50 for a room these are the essential meeting grounds for travellers all around the world. The facilities for this amount includes access to Kitchen(fully furnished with micro-wave), video & Book library, free Bicycles & Kayaks and friendly people who help you plan out your activities Free of cost. Added to these, these rooms are spick and span and the beds are really a royal treatment.<br /> After the once-in-a-lifetime view of Hole in the Rock, you just can't help it getting back to the dorm and sleeping off in glory, especially when rains affect your bike ride to Oaha Trails<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7.00 PM -</span> prepare Dinner for self in the kitchen, watch a movie or two and then check out the streets of Pahia.</p>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-87069619215987079692007-11-22T04:08:00.000-08:002007-11-22T05:34:07.746-08:00Nov 6th - Northern Exposure - Cape ReingaI had a 6 hour driveway till the northern-most point of NZ - Cape Reinga, reached this pinnacle of beauty with an over-whelming view of where the tasman sea intercepts with the Pacific ocean all of this sitting atop a cosy lil light-house; witnessed the majestic waves intercepted by the fast roller-blades of our bus across the "90-Mile Beach Road", marvelled at the Maori Architecture and a pleasant walkway across the ancient Kauri Trees but still my mind keeps beating "SAND -SURFING"<br /><br />Itenary for the day :-<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7 AM -</span> First stop-over @ Whaoganroa bay for some good old breakfast and packing your lunch (highly recommended)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11 AM -</span> Reached the Ancient Kauri Kingdom and walked the path that was laid out for The British Queen (Sans the red carpet i.e) and just got lost amidst the gigantic trees.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_99yle0FIDkEPV320r-u-uKsbbwx8WQGdXF8R34_CYwYaGYV_EcjB741aPgjbudBVqqTNjO2SLV0M-R0lIELWJCrK9p1LewvlqXxhQP-na4Hu0xm7Z0UOgs_1dc_5AumLllDS/s1600-h/SL370316.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 176px; height: 140px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_99yle0FIDkEPV320r-u-uKsbbwx8WQGdXF8R34_CYwYaGYV_EcjB741aPgjbudBVqqTNjO2SLV0M-R0lIELWJCrK9p1LewvlqXxhQP-na4Hu0xm7Z0UOgs_1dc_5AumLllDS/s320/SL370316.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135645826573245474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V7N2EdnDI/AAAAAAAAAnI/L5d1CSf9PN0/s1600-h/SL370319.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 176px; height: 140px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V7N2EdnDI/AAAAAAAAAnI/L5d1CSf9PN0/s320/SL370319.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135646427868666930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUktI3fq5e7nMWzc0rg6B_MNfUdKyY34eW06L8dxOootDiVkhwWX8h8tObtG7Bru4b8WvIxsptMk1RlTzhjR3cLLAFC_IsrL8HBvRLUvfI-CMxuLSAK20s6sToG2oHGCKg6m0/s1600-h/SL370330.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer; float: left;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUktI3fq5e7nMWzc0rg6B_MNfUdKyY34eW06L8dxOootDiVkhwWX8h8tObtG7Bru4b8WvIxsptMk1RlTzhjR3cLLAFC_IsrL8HBvRLUvfI-CMxuLSAK20s6sToG2oHGCKg6m0/s320/SL370330.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135646453638470722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V7v2EdnFI/AAAAAAAAAnY/6sDJX5Nuo8w/s1600-h/SL370321.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V7v2EdnFI/AAAAAAAAAnY/6sDJX5Nuo8w/s320/SL370321.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135647011984219218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12 AM -</span> Reached Cape Reinga, completely bedazzled by the light-house soaring about where the waves across both the directions clash indicating the point where the Tasman sea and the Pacific ocean meet<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V8HGEdnGI/AAAAAAAAAng/hWKVEl-5_AY/s1600-h/SL370349.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; float: left; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V8HGEdnGI/AAAAAAAAAng/hWKVEl-5_AY/s320/SL370349.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135647411416177762" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPy1NUsxF_-zFeowEZLDWhBoTf5o2lQ6G9ZfL5gIqUdl67GcKWv3BFcmLvlLtRRSH1nQ4Be2i7M1VxyFKXZ8uO4HAMVRE5Ipj3W8StKtSQOgLku6npJAr453JjfIRJOlyLscRj/s1600-h/SL370382.JPG"><img style="width: 155px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPy1NUsxF_-zFeowEZLDWhBoTf5o2lQ6G9ZfL5gIqUdl67GcKWv3BFcmLvlLtRRSH1nQ4Be2i7M1VxyFKXZ8uO4HAMVRE5Ipj3W8StKtSQOgLku6npJAr453JjfIRJOlyLscRj/s320/SL370382.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135648343424081058" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1iyJENyBHi3FevKqXOdYd_TXFHwsdGS5WNXPzgDF8I_UwuBvG-Heao_ZPkkOn6afOBi1-nNsw75ZVJP9c0s-SeUo3INl2BG7TOMiEW1iFj8d-SIDBgCHWEI2IIlaakg1oLBd/s1600-h/SL370383.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1iyJENyBHi3FevKqXOdYd_TXFHwsdGS5WNXPzgDF8I_UwuBvG-Heao_ZPkkOn6afOBi1-nNsw75ZVJP9c0s-SeUo3INl2BG7TOMiEW1iFj8d-SIDBgCHWEI2IIlaakg1oLBd/s320/SL370383.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135648382078786738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V8pGEdnII/AAAAAAAAAnw/V3otCMvdzV0/s1600-h/SL370365.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V8pGEdnII/AAAAAAAAAnw/V3otCMvdzV0/s320/SL370365.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135647995531730050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7opW1mB4ziF2tWRbZ02y_w08HCeHLAUlsnS2Tt2s7bF1n_jsK2qd1PSx67tAsBz7NeeUzS3NEmt-_7Lq_OW4md2ifLgU-084wI1iPyOUmu_8kwBsU9EY7kxaPtE4pK32C1HB/s1600-h/SL370372.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7opW1mB4ziF2tWRbZ02y_w08HCeHLAUlsnS2Tt2s7bF1n_jsK2qd1PSx67tAsBz7NeeUzS3NEmt-_7Lq_OW4md2ifLgU-084wI1iPyOUmu_8kwBsU9EY7kxaPtE4pK32C1HB/s320/SL370372.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135648017006566546" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V8H2EdnHI/AAAAAAAAAno/2wpBXXulP5w/s1600-h/SL370378.JPG"><img style="width: 120px; height: 183px; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V8H2EdnHI/AAAAAAAAAno/2wpBXXulP5w/s320/SL370378.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135647424301079666" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.15 PM -</span> Te Paki QuickSand Stream (Named by Samuel yeats, Te Paki means pleasant weather), where we stopped amidst gigantic sand-dunes to just slip down them with a surf-board. It was pure adventure for us to climb for more than 10 mins and scream down the same within a matter of seconds.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhOtrhsYLz8AaumYmTrAVgYDD8Ii94Cmrw_NZ5Dr-_LZI_OEdUtwP3_g3jqoxUgYei7tB-VHN_YLPFT2iQ1-ufZd9dpn_NdKWazNA6aXkp7f9W1E7XPIcoUukzJnjX1w9CmOe/s1600-h/SL370395.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhOtrhsYLz8AaumYmTrAVgYDD8Ii94Cmrw_NZ5Dr-_LZI_OEdUtwP3_g3jqoxUgYei7tB-VHN_YLPFT2iQ1-ufZd9dpn_NdKWazNA6aXkp7f9W1E7XPIcoUukzJnjX1w9CmOe/s320/SL370395.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135649060683619522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V9pWEdnNI/AAAAAAAAAoY/oWBSY5KjnlU/s1600-h/SL370397.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V9pWEdnNI/AAAAAAAAAoY/oWBSY5KjnlU/s320/SL370397.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135649099338325202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V9q2EdnOI/AAAAAAAAAog/gP1zsetf0H8/s1600-h/SL370407.JPG"><img style="width: 125px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0V9q2EdnOI/AAAAAAAAAog/gP1zsetf0H8/s320/SL370407.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135649125108128994" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3ATtiA3DtI5JuCjTC6dPwGocppgNQpfFeYAlmKXlqJsgYl45niHWauOHMhPk8uYH1yzHKaqP52vfVuL7B8U440yg4y_5RaAG9e-Zbm0n3zRQl4I8qaJ0RLkokMIj3k7QEuh9/s1600-h/SL370403.JPG"><img style="width: 183px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3ATtiA3DtI5JuCjTC6dPwGocppgNQpfFeYAlmKXlqJsgYl45niHWauOHMhPk8uYH1yzHKaqP52vfVuL7B8U440yg4y_5RaAG9e-Zbm0n3zRQl4I8qaJ0RLkokMIj3k7QEuh9/s320/SL370403.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135654502407183602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2 PM -</span> All of us went directly into the sea (Literally speaking) across the 90 mile beach road... aesthetically it was the most divine experience as you watch enraptured the roll-out of beach waves hitting your bus and just the entire sea thundering beneath the bus wheels.<br />Incidentally according to Maori Myth; all of the souls come across to Cape Reinga and perch atop a Tree (which is visible just below the Light-house) and then fall down. If they have been living according to morals, then their spirit sprouts silver wings and fly to heaven else, you just fall into the ocean to be devoured by the mighty sea-creatures.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0WCkGEdnQI/AAAAAAAAAow/6BzdbpzFOL8/s1600-h/SL370417.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/R0WCkGEdnQI/AAAAAAAAAow/6BzdbpzFOL8/s320/SL370417.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135654506702150914" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9tWC_ICFMYNN0zdhCop4SBPhEFzV_lBUW0pQVUsXo4rfjMcf0szzkNRR6sSYYYkTYuCItP6A9cEhsvB1Dl_FWkvp8PxKhgVj18qSt2S1leaPnmLUgD9bT20gq5OS0NRxEcca/s1600-h/SL370440.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9tWC_ICFMYNN0zdhCop4SBPhEFzV_lBUW0pQVUsXo4rfjMcf0szzkNRR6sSYYYkTYuCItP6A9cEhsvB1Dl_FWkvp8PxKhgVj18qSt2S1leaPnmLUgD9bT20gq5OS0NRxEcca/s320/SL370440.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135656748675079474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZMS6CMBEHlXX7LehvymGOLMFOb-kLiq5GjnDFhIKkeYqgEGzDxZr_yPe188vMdl8tze1fhlPHKvAqJF6Kh1d9smbfn9Wyftpx4UjS__F-UHNS1ptD666Jqvydb0LfvdIVgFq/s1600-h/SL370427.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZMS6CMBEHlXX7LehvymGOLMFOb-kLiq5GjnDFhIKkeYqgEGzDxZr_yPe188vMdl8tze1fhlPHKvAqJF6Kh1d9smbfn9Wyftpx4UjS__F-UHNS1ptD666Jqvydb0LfvdIVgFq/s320/SL370427.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135656546811616530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqoCUy6GlYgtn_PPzpVcy3HYwx8hGiU23aHuXAShX92jrpdfAfuizPkLlwCYON6c-rCdVG-RjjbMGPrUyen-nD1axHq1as4X31CmVd6YtJ8JjN8lV4mlsT-WDAFYyrk6gVM8t/s1600-h/SL370439.JPG"><img style="width: 176px; height: 140px; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqoCUy6GlYgtn_PPzpVcy3HYwx8hGiU23aHuXAShX92jrpdfAfuizPkLlwCYON6c-rCdVG-RjjbMGPrUyen-nD1axHq1as4X31CmVd6YtJ8JjN8lV4mlsT-WDAFYyrk6gVM8t/s320/SL370439.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135656551106583842" border="0" /></a>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-87469120574116423512007-11-16T14:43:00.000-08:002007-11-16T16:28:11.088-08:0013th Nov : Kayak @ Okahu Bay, SKY Tower & Gambling DenSo, what else can be as adventurous to offer after a day of tumulous Bungy Jumping ? was the first thought that flashed across my mind as i awoke.... and just off the record, i must say today i was also completely satiated.<br /><br />Today was a true example of how things happen on-the-fly, my first option was to indulge in the <a href="http://community.iexplore.com/planning/journalEntryActivity.asp?JournalID=3161&EntryID=5248&n=Kiwi+Experience">FREE Auckland Tour </a>(kiwiXperience), which was squashed as they didn't have any free seats available (Guess, there must have been other equally enamoured tourists with the word "FREE") unfortunately my thrifty Indian god-fathers would have been mighty pissed off for this inadverdant miss.<br /><br />Then i went across to the iSite in Auckland (which is in the Transit base for Sky Tower building), and labored long between two really enticing options :-<br /><u>Option A)</u> "Coast to Coast Walkway" : You get detailed brochures and Maps about this 4 Hr north-south walk within Auckland City from the Viaduct Harbor till Onehunga Bay cruising across Albert Park, Auck University, Mt. Eden and couple of other sights most of which i had seen earlier.<br /><u>Option B)</u> "Waitakere Ranges" : 1 Hr Travel from Britomart, it is home to an amazing beach, couple of last-remaining Kauri Trees, Regional Park, Minature Trams which criss-cross Glow-worm Caves.<br /><br />Unfortunate for my quirky Adventure Antennae overtook my senses and i hopped onto Okahu Bay (D13 Bus Stop) to <a href="http://www.fergskayaks.co.nz/">Ferg's Kayaks </a>for a one hour journey across the windy beach surf on my Kayak.<br /><br />A few points to note, if you are an amateur in Kayaking :-<br />1) Get your shorts (else u might have to rent a pair for 5 $)<br />2) Open Kayaks are easier to operate for the beach ends, while Closed ones are a must for longer journeys.<br />3) Ask for a round of guidance, which they would readily offer to you in loads.<br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGBN2p_zKQZZYbm4FC0d38__4S6TDD2E-w7hJ0hp44bmapL2XpMEhHakNb4I-rZ8c-F0ki9t_fgnFq9FAWSoLezwba20YALGY5DvVzToJHV-Doj90BEqYcJDnV76ebFhOtMDw/s1600-h/SL371148.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133576318056503810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="161" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGBN2p_zKQZZYbm4FC0d38__4S6TDD2E-w7hJ0hp44bmapL2XpMEhHakNb4I-rZ8c-F0ki9t_fgnFq9FAWSoLezwba20YALGY5DvVzToJHV-Doj90BEqYcJDnV76ebFhOtMDw/s320/SL371148.JPG" width="198" border="0" /></a> So for $25 myself and my mate had a wallop of fun rollicked by the beach waves (which unfortunate for us was a bit too windy that day). Pity we could not take a video.<br />Couple of more pics of the beautiful shore (remember to get down at Okahu rather than mission bay in the bus)<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4hvWEdmhI/AAAAAAAAAgg/7K8iAi0eDxA/s1600-h/SL371114.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133577722510809618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4hvWEdmhI/AAAAAAAAAgg/7K8iAi0eDxA/s320/SL371114.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZbqVKgk8Euj8rpFQ9Lj-zfrBlveUVx2LeAZwdQeST3EGU_6Mr2DvBfkEO-JAnQmi9PfDrexWgjf12sak6ISO4ghBcuLrW-KfJkvWw3yzkbSbLfCLHrWLy95xH36y2n_8xfBX/s1600-h/SL370179.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133589602390350530" style="WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZbqVKgk8Euj8rpFQ9Lj-zfrBlveUVx2LeAZwdQeST3EGU_6Mr2DvBfkEO-JAnQmi9PfDrexWgjf12sak6ISO4ghBcuLrW-KfJkvWw3yzkbSbLfCLHrWLy95xH36y2n_8xfBX/s320/SL370179.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4sWmEdmrI/AAAAAAAAAiM/ssjDUIJWHBA/s1600-h/SL370163.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133589391936953010" style="WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4sWmEdmrI/AAAAAAAAAiM/ssjDUIJWHBA/s320/SL370163.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4r1mEdmqI/AAAAAAAAAiE/fFm-YlzizE8/s1600-h/SL370201.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133588825001269922" style="WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4r1mEdmqI/AAAAAAAAAiE/fFm-YlzizE8/s320/SL370201.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mSlLsp5eL1hyVAXulvKgX881UmYBaAp_TZAN1ImJLeKCjlxYjE1DCCPG_w0PkjJ9Qo_hb5GocNhBgZ2SODHnscNM_Mb52mK2nW4F7N9FO79MpUz72Crs_3V8McXbHzLFuKwU/s1600-h/SL371112.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133579470562499154" style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mSlLsp5eL1hyVAXulvKgX881UmYBaAp_TZAN1ImJLeKCjlxYjE1DCCPG_w0PkjJ9Qo_hb5GocNhBgZ2SODHnscNM_Mb52mK2nW4F7N9FO79MpUz72Crs_3V8McXbHzLFuKwU/s320/SL371112.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgici7wgrGRbxXhq0_Wmf6UaaH8asIs0xW9KW-qDY8p6zUwuMmAXb0PcjIJXIXxO5aJDjadpGjwSGa1UG6QSJP10SF-8TMqDgaIwjNlyvx9_rNyHRpRyroEC5diUeyugvCaQE0v/s1600-h/SL371129.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133578779072764466" style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="113" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgici7wgrGRbxXhq0_Wmf6UaaH8asIs0xW9KW-qDY8p6zUwuMmAXb0PcjIJXIXxO5aJDjadpGjwSGa1UG6QSJP10SF-8TMqDgaIwjNlyvx9_rNyHRpRyroEC5diUeyugvCaQE0v/s320/SL371129.JPG" width="103" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4h9GEdmiI/AAAAAAAAAhE/uRgOos6JLZ4/s1600-h/SL371128.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133577958734010914" style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4h9GEdmiI/AAAAAAAAAhE/uRgOos6JLZ4/s320/SL371128.JPG" width="178" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScrrqvFUwCK7CuoicZm1tHtavaWpjvcPoqMfsci_PRPvIncuQTy0MTuyHm1xKZ57KsvRIzOgkiSQWREMv6Jh78YqMuSlnP7JAx8yoEN1Pw28WtwlzAsqiptzl5h2zXNIbANP0/s1600-h/SL371132.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133579079720475202" style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScrrqvFUwCK7CuoicZm1tHtavaWpjvcPoqMfsci_PRPvIncuQTy0MTuyHm1xKZ57KsvRIzOgkiSQWREMv6Jh78YqMuSlnP7JAx8yoEN1Pw28WtwlzAsqiptzl5h2zXNIbANP0/s320/SL371132.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4nKGEdmnI/AAAAAAAAAhs/I1EB-I-jWk8/s1600-h/SL371121.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133583679630449266" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4nKGEdmnI/AAAAAAAAAhs/I1EB-I-jWk8/s320/SL371121.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4rmGEdmpI/AAAAAAAAAh8/E9qTJIptSeI/s1600-h/SL370045.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133588558713297554" style="WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4rmGEdmpI/AAAAAAAAAh8/E9qTJIptSeI/s320/SL370045.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />After being washed across the shores almost twice, we finally relented and returned back to the shores. Just when you reach back, and see the entire beach along with the ferries, and Auckland City view... it is simply mind-blowing.<br /><br />Later on, we returned back to the city and had a brief shower and sleep scooted across the the ICONIC monument in Auck city - <a href="http://www.skycityauckland.co.nz/skycity/index.cfm?5FB84201-50BA-1DC3-6503-2FD86214423F">SKY Tower</a>, lingering a mamooth 328 mt (Twice the lenght of my Bungy jump), this place really gave me the jitters (esp after seeing the how-it-was-all-made video), you really cannot imagine how they have constructed this lean tower to become the tallest Building in the southern Hemispher. The view from the Sky tower is simply fabulous, you can see around 80 Kms all around you along with a view of nearby islands (Rangitoto, Waihike) and also glare down to find the floor made of GLASS (talk about vertigo). Also don't miss out the "eye of the sky-tower" camera which gives you a zoom in view (much akin to Google-earth)<br /><br />For the Adventure-relic check out the sky-dive (which is a mere fall down -not bungy) from the top tower, at least try to get to the observation desk.. as this is one sight you might not want to miss :)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewMa-QLSLvqqPJD_HCeUdZuOuwi3OjPNVcjRPfQtBdLpLAv5O9rjmsKClmN5BRpiQO5L61g1jZzBOyOIYGvdptcEqILu1LGT09_ZxEKlcgZieBQRw32rL-os_mzPUT0BU-grm/s1600-h/SL370035.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133592626047326930" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 292px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewMa-QLSLvqqPJD_HCeUdZuOuwi3OjPNVcjRPfQtBdLpLAv5O9rjmsKClmN5BRpiQO5L61g1jZzBOyOIYGvdptcEqILu1LGT09_ZxEKlcgZieBQRw32rL-os_mzPUT0BU-grm/s320/SL370035.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4q-2EdmoI/AAAAAAAAAh0/Y2Rtq2VBHCE/s1600-h/SL371106.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133587884403432066" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 292px" height="312" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4q-2EdmoI/AAAAAAAAAh0/Y2Rtq2VBHCE/s320/SL371106.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4wBGEdmuI/AAAAAAAAAik/UfQkHnra5oM/s1600-h/DSC00765.JPG"><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133593420616276706" style="FLOAT: left; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4wBGEdmuI/AAAAAAAAAik/UfQkHnra5oM/s320/DSC00765.JPG" width="170" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4x2mEdmvI/AAAAAAAAAis/YHRVp73ZRhc/s1600-h/SL371193.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133595439250905842" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 123px" height="152" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4x2mEdmvI/AAAAAAAAAis/YHRVp73ZRhc/s320/SL371193.JPG" width="239" border="0" /></a><br /></p><br />Later on, i went across to the most populated area in the entire New-Zealand... yes, you guessed it right; the Gambling den in Auckland (which is also in the First floor of the Sky Towers; it was almost the size of a Baseball ground littered with coin-eating machines and rows and rows of Black-jack and roulette machines. And as i was warned earlier, almost 90% of the gamblers were chinese with squinted eyes, they were simply rolling off their money as if it were mere water (According to stats the gambling industry is the most highest revenue earner for NZ tourism) and given the size of that place i am sure it must be too.<br /><br />Around 6 pm as the sky filled with dark skies, we basked under the silver lantern of the SKY-tower(the entire tower glows in different colors mostly purple or silver).<br />Another wonderful day has passed by in this ever-wonderous place...Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-44461436921017897202007-11-16T13:31:00.000-08:002007-11-16T14:07:30.459-08:00Nov 14 : Dept from NZ to India via SporeThe last day as it dawns, i could only laze in my cushy bed wanting for more.... Had spent the previous night going through my pics, videos and experiences and simply wishing that i had more of the 2 Ms - Money and Minutes.<br /><br />8.30 AM : Lumbered around Queen Street, with a stop-over at Mrs.Higgins cookies (dainty lil shop opposite the Auckland BaseX) out-of-the-world oven fresh cookies.<br /><br />9.00 AM : Boarded the AirBus (near The Civic in Queen St - Bus Stop Q4) - These are blue color buses which have frequent shuttles between the airport and the city, apart from the seats being comfortable as your sofa, they also have extensive space in the front to keep ur luggage, so that u don't lug them around (DAMN their ingenuity) - Fare 20 $<br /><br />10.00 AM : arrived at the and immediately finished all the check-in formalities, had another 2 hours to kill<br /><br />Trivia : Name the aviator after whom the NZ's International Airport Terminal is so named ?<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4PnWEdmeI/AAAAAAAAAgI/LnDc8VIXBug/s1600-h/SL371232.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133557793862556130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 339px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 223px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="240" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rz4PnWEdmeI/AAAAAAAAAgI/LnDc8VIXBug/s320/SL371232.JPG" width="464" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_NtIvXjGppMmuoxEetPMTgSwoNDxEs6OT6Ce_tvUkIuh5RCK5M7RA75bJdyb2R91KvVN6LeqU_iisG2GNFwb_BTPvh6S-HrEfApMuwKO-vARyyUVzty-MMwUFo1y-NYNoqgL/s1600-h/SL371236.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133559228381633010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="125" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_NtIvXjGppMmuoxEetPMTgSwoNDxEs6OT6Ce_tvUkIuh5RCK5M7RA75bJdyb2R91KvVN6LeqU_iisG2GNFwb_BTPvh6S-HrEfApMuwKO-vARyyUVzty-MMwUFo1y-NYNoqgL/s320/SL371236.JPG" width="149" border="0" /></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Batten">Jean Batten</a> and you can find various of her memorabilia including her Percival Gull (shown in the above pic)<br />Relaxed in the Airport view area and their upper deck, sipped across latte (would be the last time i would pay $3.50 = 90 INR for a cup of coffee) and just chilled out.<br /><br />IMP NOTE: there is a departure fee of NZ 25$ which has to be payed at the nearby telex counter in the airport. This is Mandatory, so make sure you carry some extra cash with you.<br />I would also suggest going through the security brochure and disclose all aerosols, perfumes you carry, they provide a sealable ZIP-lock which can be used to carry them, else you loose it during the security check.<br /><br />The rest of my iternary wounded up as follows :-<br />14th Nov 13.45 - Departure from NZ<br />14th Nov 18.30 - Arrival at Spore<br />14th Nov 20.20 - Dept from Spore<br />14th Nov 23.30 - Arrival at Mumbai, India<br /><br />So in essense i have travelled a duration for 24 hours within a span of 10 hours; and gained back the day i had lost during my entry trip ... LOL<br /><br />Back to Monotony... Back to the concrete beehive ... Back to life :(Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-25641838422921149272007-11-16T12:46:00.000-08:002007-11-21T04:56:54.507-08:00Top 11 things you need/have to know for that elusive NZ trip<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" ><br />Continuing in the list of quirky blogs about travel, i just had to write about the top few things which you must adhere in case you want to make ur travel across NZ peaceful, or rather as i might say rocking ;)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1) Lonely Planet : </span>Given the fact that you would be literally bombarded with detailed brochures and Maps of every inch and corner of NZ across any <a href="http://www.newzealand.com/travel/i-sites/i-sites_home.cfm">iSite</a> you visit; LP would be an essential guide to what i must refer as "Reducing Trash". Ever since i discovered in my egypt trip that you could as well travel without food but definitely not without LP; so let the "only" book in your knapsack be it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2) Sunscreen Lotion :</span> Nz for the meteriologically-challenged, has a pretty low ozone layer as a direct result of which you get tanned within just 5 mins of exposure, and with a higher visibility obtain the only predominant disease in NZ "Cancer" .... Contact ur nearest dermitologist, or right after u land in NZ and get whipped with lotion (did that sound kinky ??)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3) Goggles :</span> Not because they make u look cooler in your already awesome NZ pics, but they would present the most utilarian addition to your ward-robe when you are travelling at around 150 km/hr in a jet ski and not able to open your eyes. Just to add, get those polaroid ones and make sure that they fit tight.<br /><br />4) An ability to get excited with just the word "RUGBY" or "ALL BLACKS" or simply "BLACKS"; or "NETBALL" for gals.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5) The official Aussie Joke Book :</span> Every body loves a good laugh in NZ, esp when it is about Aussies, a Sample one "I support two teams ... one is New Zealand and the other is any team playing the aussies"<br /><br />6) A couple of Maori words, like "<span style="font-weight: bold;">KIA-ORA</span>" ( a pleasant Maori greeting) just in case u are just next to some mammoth goliaths (a.k.a the local folk) in the pub, who happens to be the typical Heavily tatooted (Face, muscles, et all), steel-cold eyes... Just to break the ice<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7) International Credit Card :</span> This is universally accepted across all small shops till the K-marts, except for you guessed it right "Indian and Chinese Stores"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8) Camera & MP3 :</span> Tip you don't need those expensive multi-shot multi-lens cameras to enhance the beauty of this place.... it is heaven, and even a mobile camera can make your pic look out-of-the-world. Or as i did get a Hi-Fi digicamera for dirt-cheap prices during your transit in Singapore ( I brought a 7.2 M 4x Zoom ASR for 236 S$ almost 7K with 2GB card bundled)<br /><br />9) Loads of smiles and Thank yous : The locals here are the most cheerful and hearty people and as the say, "There might be beautiful landscapes that cannot be seen in any other part of the world, but apart from that you would remember our hospitality too when u leave NZ"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10) Adrelin-rush and clothes to change :</span> NZ is the place for adventure; within the last 13 days i have completed almost the list of my top 100 including Bungy Jumping(154 ft), Jet skiing, Kayaking, sand-surfing (just to name the few) . Depending on your budget and timing i would say revolve your entire trip in NZ around these testotrome-boosters<br /><br />11) Read the above 10 and Kowa-bunga (Classic TMNT style)<br /><br /><br />p.s: Of course, always keep an eye open for discounts across those bundles of free brochures u would switch out from the iSite (i saved lot of money cause of it)<br /></span>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-56031266666166597902007-05-30T05:12:00.000-07:002007-05-30T06:38:08.416-07:00The Curse of the talakkad<div align="left"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><b>Where is it</b> <b>:</b><b><span style="color:black;"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;">Talakkad (Talakad/ Talakadu/ Talakkadu) is in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Mysore</st1:city></st1:place> district. To reach there, take the NH209 (Kanakapura road) past Malavalli. Soon after Malavalli, there is a T junction, with road on the right going towards Mandya/Mysore. Take the left and continue in NH209, towards Kollegal. About some 5kms before the detour for Sivanasamudram, there are sign boards indicating Talakkad, 22 kms to the right. </span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><b><span style="color:black;"><br />Things to check out : </span></b></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;">River Cauvery(ideal for taking baths), Sand-dunes which has buried <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Temples</st1:place></st1:city>(30+) and palaces under it’s might, Intricate architecture of the shiva temple( Panchalingas and the main temple) </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><b><span style="color:black;">Things to watch out for : </span></b></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;">Rustic roads(be sure to have a vehicle with good suspension) for miles around and food (Amazing picnic spot to pack <b>your own </b>food with you)</span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><b><span style="color:black;"><br />History :</span></b></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.indiantemples.com/Karnataka/talakkad.html">Temple</a></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"> ; </span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.archaeologychannel.org/content/video/Talakad.html">Curse</a></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;"><b><br />Pics :</b> <a href="http://www.freebird.in/wp/?p=74">Temple Pics</a></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rl1r4c_xdNI/AAAAAAAAAOA/orsyN8MxMO4/s1600-h/talakad-mysore.jpg"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070327373089567954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rl1r4c_xdNI/AAAAAAAAAOA/orsyN8MxMO4/s320/talakad-mysore.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><?xml:namespace prefix = v /><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"><v:path connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"><v:imagedata title="talakad-mysore" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\bhaskard\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.jpg">“<i>Let Talakkad become sand<br />Let Malingi become a whirlpool<br />Let the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Mysore</st1:place></st1:city> Kings fail to beget sons”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;">This is the Curse of Talakad, which according to our guide (local guy) was uttered by AlameluAmma, when the Wodeyars(<st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Mysore</st1:place></st1:city> kings) offered to take her under their protection after her Husband(king of talakkad) died of a un-healing wound (cancer).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Somehow, this folk lore has found truth in the sandy dunes of Talakkad, which covered a once lushy palace. But of course, there have also been scientific explanations which document how the Cauvery river flowing nearby, could have brought across this huge deluge of sand (a mini-tsunami) or an earth-quake to bury the entire town underneath.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rl1sls_xdOI/AAAAAAAAAOI/nM9Cag45vLg/s1600-h/temple_under_sand.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070328150478648546" style="MARGIN: 0pt 0px 0px 0pt; WIDTH: 219px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 179px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_E7MCnkWi98A/Rl1sls_xdOI/AAAAAAAAAOI/nM9Cag45vLg/s320/temple_under_sand.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4qAi1pnKYrg1M3WFCrbuCWgapdZbJPKw7ddHEDIJlR4VNiE5akT666aU7TkJDCB9pPBahCF-OQel30drIS4_loO-7WWF4oYu9Q2iycwP0V4yFcGe-bfrNbttTmuN6LLTsZ_eu/s1600-h/mar07_talakkad+035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070328537025705202" style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0px 0px; WIDTH: 219px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 179px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4qAi1pnKYrg1M3WFCrbuCWgapdZbJPKw7ddHEDIJlR4VNiE5akT666aU7TkJDCB9pPBahCF-OQel30drIS4_loO-7WWF4oYu9Q2iycwP0V4yFcGe-bfrNbttTmuN6LLTsZ_eu/s320/mar07_talakkad+035.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><v:imagedata title="temple_under_sand" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\bhaskard\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image002.jpg"><v:imagedata title="mar07_talakkad 035" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\bhaskard\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image004.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;">Originally planned to visit <a href="http://www.kaladarshana.com/sites/somnathpura/index.html">Somnathpura</a>, we had to choose to stick on with Talakkad due to the length and rigor of the journey. The journey to talakkad can be written about, but the experience cannot be described… for in simple truth, it was a mind-boggling stretch of 1 Kms … puzzled !!! so were we, as every village simpleton we asked along the road from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bangalore</st1:place></st1:city>, simply retorted… “Just 1 Km sir” for the almost 40 Km stretch !!!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Once you reach the cursed land, you suddenly realize the sudden shift in the scenary which changes from a lush village terrain to a sandy-desert kinda oasis, and maybe for that one second start to believe in the story.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">You find almost an entire palace being unearthed from underneath these sandy-coffins, and because of the fine-grain nature of the sand.. you can sometimes also kick the upper-most ends of a mighty fort-wall. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The pathways are quite tricky, and it makes sense to hire a local guide (some come as cheap as 30 Rs), while the standard guide would charge you nothing less than 150/-. First he takes you across to the Panch-lingas(5 lingas) supposedly branched off from the Main linga (Shiva’s idol). You might mistake that these temples were built under-ground, but the truth is that what was once a high-rised temple, is totally encompassed with Sand. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The actual beauty to the sight is the half-excavated palace(the entrance to a palace rather), which was laid thread-bare on the ground(horizontally than vertically) and just near it, you find a Shiva temple (1001 lingas within) buried with only the top layer riddled with lingas visible. Of course, the main temple for Vaideshwara(Lord Shiva) itself is a beauty with intricate designs, and a Snake stone made of a single stone. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="FONT-FAMILY: georgia" align="center"><table class="MsoTableGrid" style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 332.95pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="444" border="1"><tbody><tr style="HEIGHT: 73pt"><td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; WIDTH: 183pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in; HEIGHT: 73pt" valign="top" width="244" rowspan="2"><p class="MsoNormal"><v:imagedata title="Stone Rings" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\bhaskard\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image006.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTu1w0ocsLyf_gta5wGknBkqj-afCs-wmmn_I1pPev44dk7tvkV20JfYFqlqTi0XuWmpo3ws7mnapoJzIJ4C4oF6O2DAT-jSzMZyCpKDuu38_mkA3GX-47ljnfdIVTdy2XWTf/s1600-h/Stone+Rings.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070328987997271298" style="WIDTH: 233px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 317px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTu1w0ocsLyf_gta5wGknBkqj-afCs-wmmn_I1pPev44dk7tvkV20JfYFqlqTi0XuWmpo3ws7mnapoJzIJ4C4oF6O2DAT-jSzMZyCpKDuu38_mkA3GX-47ljnfdIVTdy2XWTf/s320/Stone+Rings.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></p></td><td style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 149.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; HEIGHT: 73pt" valign="top" width="200"><p class="MsoNormal"><v:imagedata title="nandi" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\bhaskard\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image008.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrmwlybCFICivYdRlhi7stSKI7gnxydk9RnZTJOT5v8Ra5H8PNILoYRLWUXBuLtCsVZpipRLcczo-iYnwl7oHhUFQR6914_lRHSmrXTI7uS90_iV0_qiM5KSZr8ciZKBtlNyj/s1600-h/nandi.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070329254285243666" style="WIDTH: 209px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 139px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrmwlybCFICivYdRlhi7stSKI7gnxydk9RnZTJOT5v8Ra5H8PNILoYRLWUXBuLtCsVZpipRLcczo-iYnwl7oHhUFQR6914_lRHSmrXTI7uS90_iV0_qiM5KSZr8ciZKBtlNyj/s320/nandi.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></p></td></tr><tr style="HEIGHT: 3.3pt"><td style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1pt solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 149.95pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1pt solid; HEIGHT: 3.3pt" valign="top" width="200"><p class="MsoNormal"><v:imagedata title="temple_architecture" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\bhaskard\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image010.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIrsGCQAwU5RhMHNrg7Fuupp2pL3p8-ptxg6waRGuOTp9FaQgpdK7xfqHH7qDAtHvv9XbbG3UI30cMk6TaCReuFyfATQSdbVegSoQLD1C0k8MgxeGUpSuLsd1hsVJ_JZwgRnS/s1600-h/temple_architecture.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070329589292692770" style="WIDTH: 208px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 171px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIrsGCQAwU5RhMHNrg7Fuupp2pL3p8-ptxg6waRGuOTp9FaQgpdK7xfqHH7qDAtHvv9XbbG3UI30cMk6TaCReuFyfATQSdbVegSoQLD1C0k8MgxeGUpSuLsd1hsVJ_JZwgRnS/s320/temple_architecture.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-FAMILY: georgia"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-FAMILY: georgia"><span style="font-size:100%;">By the time, we reached back to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bangalore</st1:place></st1:city> it was 11 PM, and I missed the showing of “300” the movie… and curse came to a full-end.</span><span style="font-size:100%;color:black;"><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Additional info :</span> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Panchalinga darshana is a rare pilgrimage that is celebrated every few years. The Vaidyeshwara temple, Arkeshwara temple, Vasukishwara or Pataleshwara temple Saikateshwara or Maraleshwara temple and Mallikarjuna temple constitute the Panchalingam. The Pataleshwara Shivalinga is said to change colors according to the time of the day-red in the morning, black in afternoon and white in the evening.<br /><br /><b>Witty Excerpt:</b> Incidentally, I was traveling with a HP colleague and her adorable daughters, who were then hell-bent on adopting a puppy… practical mommy responded that if they were “IMPECCABLY well-behaved” then they could get a puppy…<br />“Of course mom, you know we do not peck anyone”<br />Further later during the discussion, they were more so trying to reach to a compromise… “maybe, there was a chance that you could get a puppy”, the exasperated mom responded….<br />with the correct opportune moment to use the newly learned word, the younger one retorted.<br />“No mommy, you have to IMPECCABLY get us the puppy”</span></p></v:imagedata></v:imagedata></v:imagedata></v:imagedata></v:imagedata></v:imagedata></o:lock></v:path></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:stroke>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-47619040263344946492007-05-29T03:47:00.000-07:002007-05-30T06:34:06.307-07:00Mukurthi National Park – tough ride to cherish for a life-time<span style="font-size:100%;"></span><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img height="151" src="http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/2940/peaksd0.png" width="200" border="0" /><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Fact</b> : 27 km from Ooty and easily accessible, Mukurthi peak is certainly the most notable height of the Nilgiris. It stands 8380 feet above the sea and commands one of the most magnificent views to be seen in India. It is noticeable owing to its curious shape which is that of an acute angled triangle with one side almost vertical. The view from this peak is one of finest in South India. The Mukurthi dam has been built at the foot of this hill under Pykara hydro electricity scheme. The dam is situated at a distance of 32 km from Ooty and the peak is reached by walk for a distance of 9 km from there.<br /><b>Wiki </b>:<a style="COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukurthi_National_Park">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukurthi_National_Park</a><b><br />How-to-reach</b> : Chennai – Coimbatore (train) – Took a Tempo(15 of us) till the Mukurthi Park<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Pics </b>:<a style="COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline" href="http://photos.yahoo.com/deepak1283">http://photos.yahoo.com/deepak1283</a> (Check for folder “Mukurthi”)</span><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">This trek was my first initiation into the world of exploring places by foot… and seriously, if it were any weak-hearted I am sure that they would have been scared shit-loads after the experience.. after all, 2 days of perambulation over muddy terrain squiggling through narrow (almost non-existent) paths strewn with thorns (thank god for the jerkins) and with the rain gods incessantly pissing us off with a mighty bladder definitely would have had a scar-making experience…<br />Fortunate for me, I was with an amazing bunc</span><span style="font-size:100%;">h of trekkers, and together not only could we laugh over our misfortunes but at the same time scale across all the barriers and venture into the wo</span><span style="font-size:100%;">rld of adventure. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img height="150" src="http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/1184/image001zb1.jpg" width="180" border="0" /> <img height="150" src="http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4651/skinshowcq0.jpg" width="180" border="0" /><br />Things started going astray the moment we landed outside the national park (of course, being a national park you have to have necessary permissions.. which our guide Fredrick arranged for) .. our tempo could not navigate across the rainy terrain(we almo</span><span style="font-size:100%;">st pulled it after it got struck) … so it was us back to basics… carrying our luggage(unfortunate for all us newbies, we were instructed to carry almost everything u need, food, torches and stuff) across thorny and narrow terrains, hardly managing to crawl across our backs for almost 2 Hours. Suddenly without any remorse rain started… and till the end of the journey it never ended….. more bad news of course.Resigning to fate, as we trodded along… we only had to wait for the cabin (to stuff our backs and immediately start upon another trek) … this was the turning point.. the <b>Cabin</b>, tiny and picturesque..with the stormy lake across its front-yard and the</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> mountain peaks jutting behind it.. we were enthralled.. for the first time of the journey everyone stopped on their tracks just to view the sight. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="WIDTH: 176px; HEIGHT: 164px" height="151" src="http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2338/p1010101yn8.jpg" width="200" border="0" /><img style="WIDTH: 199px; HEIGHT: 165px" height="150" src="http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/7005/image002jz1.jpg" width="199" border="0" /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Bags dumped, we realized that it was wiser to stay in (cause of the incessant rains) and then started an amazing story telling, rough bantering, journey with all of us joining in.<br />Next day morning, we woke early… only to find that the intensity of the rains had not lessened a bit… our morals were lifted up by the hot rice-curries.. and immediately we set upon, wearing 2 sets of coverings… the view of the Dam was yet another eye-opener (recommend that you<br />make this a point of visit at least in the beginning of the journey itself) ..but being</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> a restricted sight, we could not take the pics (also, none of our cameras were capable of surviving the out-lash of the rains.</span><?xml:namespace prefix = v /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" preferrelative="t" spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/1306/nottitanicbutdilchahtahsx5.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/1306/nottitanicbutdilchahtahsx5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"><v:path connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f"><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></v:shapetype><v:imagedata title="path" src=""><v:imagedata title="lake" src=""><v:shape id="_x0000_s1042" type="#_x0000_t75"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1655/image003mp8.png%20"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0px 0px; WIDTH: 255px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 129px" alt="" src="http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1655/image003mp8.png" border="0" /></a><br /><v:imagedata title="Not-Titanic--but-Dil-Chahta-hai" src=""><br /></p></v:shape></v:imagedata></v:imagedata></v:imagedata></o:lock></v:path></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:stroke><span style="font-size:100%;">We made our journey across the clouds,traveling to the mountain peaks (the shortest one), each armed with sticks for support we somehow managed to crawl across slippery tracks and tumbling junta </span><span style="font-size:100%;">from above ;) .</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><br /><p><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;"></p></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">The Beauty of doing a rain trek across mukurthi was that, we never needed a single bottle of water.. cause all we had was water from atop and across abundant fast-moving streams. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Mukurthi is famous for it's abundant flora & fauna, and we were under constant fear of coming across any tusker family re-unions… of course, we did come across a few snakey encounters… but<br />apart from that, the maximum we got to see of a elephant was fresh green dumpings.<br />Overall, it was a trek worth remembering, and keeping as if it were a trophy among your best journeys.</span> </span>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38453613.post-23475651760048600932007-05-28T07:45:00.000-07:002007-05-30T06:36:03.566-07:00Tadiandamol : A walk among the clouds into Pristine Paradise<span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Fact</span></b> : "Highest Point" as called in Kodava language, the highest peak in COORG district(Karnataka, India), Tadiandamol(TM) stands apart at 1750 m above sea-level; and maybe a few feet below Xanadu( Paradise).<br /><br /></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Best time</span></b> : Summer (between April till July end); mainly as you can avoid the leeches and also since there is no better way to avoid the tropical heat, unless you soak in the picturesque atmosphere and chilly weather, and of course with the freedom of spending your entire day soaked up in the river with an option of canoeing and water-fall rappelling strewn as candies to a 5 yr-old.<br /><br /></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Trek Details</span></b> : Around 6 kms from Base takes 4 Hrs up and 3 and half Hrs down… of course, if you do not include those hour or two where you would have been lapped up in the sheer beauty enveloping you ;). “Moderate climb”, we of course did a night trek(with only torch-lights) .. and 100% recommend the same to everyone … more details below.</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><o:p><br /><br /></o:p></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Essentials </span></b>: Loads of Water and a pinch of salt (the only solution to the fevicol bond of the leeches), Torches & Tent(defn. for night trek), Sunscreen, DSLR camera(none else can capture the sight)</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><o:p><br /><br /></o:p></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Getting there</span></b> : our brief route was Bangalore – Mysore--Hunsur(take the by-pass via Ranganthittu onto State Highway 88) --gonikopal -- virajpet --Kakkabe(Kakh-Bay) take the first left tar road from there.<br />There are also options of taking BUS(KSRTC) till Virajpet and then use some local transport(hardly 20 Kms)</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><o:p><br /><br /></o:p></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" >Sages, Rishis and Munis it is said have sat in meditation for atleast hundreds of years just to experience the taste of paradise… unfortunate for them; we found a short-cut… A trip to Tadiandamol !!!<br /></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" >So here were we, the 9 of us armed and ready, with a minute detour to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Mysore</st1:city></st1:place> to pack up our tents; we reached the JUNGLEMOUNT basecamp exactly 2 PM on Saturday, hungry both for physical appeasement and also craving for adventure. Just as we finished ravaging upon the simplistic Rice curry, we were tempted by the river flowing nearby… and splash we went (rather a much bigger splash for Ranga and Prakash)… It was finally around 7 pm we got out like hippopotamus, and quickly brushed up the intricacies to put up a Tent, and then we were off </span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><br />8 pm… it was pitch dark, with only light illuminated from our torches and the clear sky above(the crescent shaped moon had little to offer) we started our journey across the stairway to heaven. One great thing about night treks is that you never feel exhausted and the misty clouds surrounding you makes you feel divine indeed. Reached a flat spot around 10 pm and then we camped… well, if you could call it a camp ;) <o:p></o:p></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><br />Bonfires were replaced with Candle sticks, and by the time we set up a single tent we were exhausted and found that we lacked pins for the other two tents…. Set-up our mobile music device, and off we danced and laughed with gentle bantering, almost like elves rejoicing the Christmas night.</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:georgia;" ><br />Then came sleep time, myself, Murali and Vijay decided to roll-over a giant rock, by spreading the tent material over it and covering ourselves with the wind-sheeter; it there were words to describe the beauty of the sky… there would have been poets of everyone of us. <o:p></o:p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" face="georgia"><o:p></o:p><em>Stars instead of being simple dots, were shining beacons;<br />Clouds instead of covering us like a blanket were cushioning us from below;<br />Shooting stars in abundance, counted ten within my fingers;<br />Nascent and pure the air that flowed, iridescent radium within our body glowed;<br />Mightier than the clouds, with the sun beneath our feet;<br />Nothing else but the sky awaiting us, awaiting our touch, awaiting our tete-a-tete.<o:p></o:p></em></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: georgia">At around 4 Am we started again on our trail; and reached our final destination by 5 Am, to find the sun rising below us beneath the clouds to fill the space of darkness with pellets of golden rays, slowly as we observed awe-struck … maybe this was how Buddha would have himself attained realization. Almost forgetting to take pictures, we were sitting with everything below us; and we posing like might gods.<br />Then we started back, around 8 pm; this was a calculated effort since we knew that the sun would start beating back upon us around noon and we were quite hungry because of the effort.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: georgia"><b><span style="font-size:100%;">1 Guava and a couple of Jamuns</span></b> :<br />On the way down, we were accosted by huge trees bearing <a title="blocked::http://www.freeplays.org/scripts/MonkeyAndCrocodile.000008.01.en.html" href="http://www.freeplays.org/scripts/MonkeyAndCrocodile.000008.01.en.html">naga pazham</a> (Jamun fruits) and immediately the monkeys in us spread out our jackets on the grounds and we started pounding stones upon those goliath branches… sweet was the reward, and sweeter were those sweets. Of course, myself and murali also chanced upon a guava fruit which we devoured rather slyly… ;)<br />Reaching the base camp, we soaked up in the river canoeing and plucking Raw mangoes (acidic sour) from low-lying branches.. and then we got ready for WATERFALL RAPPELLING, a cool 200 ft steep recline with the waterfall accosting us merely reduced to a drizzle… the experience was pleasant but not exactly what we expected.<br />All set we started back to our monotonic software engineering lifestyles at around 4 PM… everyone dreading the next day at work!!! Of course, karthik was officially acknowledged the MOKKAI-PATHI (Poor Joker). A few of his lingering insights :-<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in" face="georgia">1) Right when we were asking for directions, every villagers retorted “3 kms” … suddenly Karthi came up with his brain-storm… he said… maybe “3 km was the town name” … pretty cool huh … “take right and 3 Km” … “ “Just a couple more and then 3 Kms” … damn you can never tell the difference.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in" face="georgia">2) As we were recollecting our previous adventures, Yelagiri came up as being quite a short tour… and then the wise-crap summoned up… “yeah dude, even I was wearing shorts for that journey”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" face="georgia"><o:p></o:p>Enough said and done… this was a journey you would never forget… but make sure that you make this travel to Tadiandamol only during summer , cause this is what happens during a rainy season <a title="blocked::http://blizzardzblogs.blogspot.com/2006/06/trek-to-tadiandamol.html" href="http://blizzardzblogs.blogspot.com/2006/06/trek-to-tadiandamol.html">trek</a>…. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" face="georgia">Contact details for JUNGLE <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">Mount</st1:placetype></st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Adventure</st1:placename></st1:placename></st1:place> club: sagar (08272238341/9845831675)<br />Total Expenses : 1500 (including 700 for the club and the remaining for food and Vehicle expenses, for 2 days)<br />Additional Blogs : <a href="http://www.geocities.com/prashanth_k_blr/travelogues/Tadiandamol.html">Prashanth</a> , <a href="http://www.dreamroutes.org/dreams/vasu_tm.html">Dream routes </a><br /></p>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687478836757897212noreply@blogger.com0