Explore - Andaman Island - Part 2

This is the 2nd part of my review on Andaman islands.
Day 2 (Contd): Once we reached Havelock island, we had a pre-determined schedule to reach Radhanagar beach, which is supposed to be one of the scenic beach. One can take a bus from the Jetty or Auto / Taxi. It’s about 10 kms from the Jetty and most of the place on the route is surrounded by greenery.

When we reached the beach, weather was very pleasant with slight drizzle and not much crowded. The shore was mesmerizingly serene and beautiful and sent our time gazing the shore line and the vast ocean in the front.

One can easily send 2 or 3 hours here. The only drawback is that you may not find a neat restaurant nearby and all were road side eateries.

After sending few hours, we returned to the jetty around 2:30 PM for our return journey to Port Blair. We found the sea rough is the afternoon and the jerk in the ship was much more than the morning. The cruise reached Port Blair around 6:00 PM in the evening. It was a quite tiring day and did not get out of our Room once we reached the hotel.

If you wish to experience travel by Ship, then would suggest taking up this travel, preferably ‘Green Ocean’ as you can move around in the open in the ship deck. Since it’s a short trip of about 2 hours, you might relish the travel by ship. It's stated the other cruise is made of more of fibre glass, while 'Green ocean' is more of ship like construct and hence more rugged for rough seas

Day 3: We had booked a cab to Wandoor beach. This is about 30 KM from Port Blair city, once we crossed 15 km, the roads were narrow, deserted with greenery all around. The cab driver spotted few pounds and indicated they were created during Tsunami in 2004 and we reached Wandoor beach in about an hour’s time. Though the shore line was small, we could see the beauty after nature in front of us. The beach was quite clean and to our mesmerizing eyes, we were able to spot 12~15 inhabited islands which further enhanced the beauty.

The weather was also pleasant and hence was able to spend close to 2 hours. Started our return journey to Port Blair by afternoon. Weather was nice and cool and once we retired to room after our lunch, it was difficult to get out from the bed.

I had to push my family and based on review we decide to go to Samudrika Museum. This is maintained by Navy and though it was not huge, it worth the visit. One would come to know the history of Andaman, the people particularly the tribal people in Andaman & the flora and fauna particularly the sea life. It has good collection of amazing fish varieties, shell collections and sea weeds.

One can spend about an hour and later took an auto to Aberdeen jetty. As it was low tide time, we could spot star fish, army of unique fish varieties, sea weeds on the artificial lake formation due low tide.

Day 4: As we had flight scheduled by 3:00 PM, we planned to go to Cellular jail in the morning. This place is quite near to Sun Sea resort and hence took an auto. It’s worth a visit to know about Indian freedom fighter and early days of Andaman.

Post lunch left to Airport for our travel back to Chennai.

One point is that, one can customize his trip accordingly one choice based on the number of days one can spend at Port Blair and their interest.

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Explore - Andaman Islands - Part 1

Explore Andaman.... I am saying this for the reason, that there are 500+ island but only about 30 + of them have been inhabited. There are many island and places which are still in its pristine form with not much commercialization. This time for a short vacation had a opportunity to visit this place.

How to get there: Andaman is part of India, however it quite far from mainland. The best way to reach this place is through flight. There are daily flight from Chennai and Kolkata and take about 2 hours to reach Port Blair, which is the Capital of Andaman. In early 1900, this place had prison to crush the freedom movement.

Interestingly, flight charges varies depending on the day and date one chooses. I chose a Sunday to travel to Port Blair and return on Wednesday and was able to get a good deal, though I booked flight just 3 or 4 days in advance.

Depending upon the number of days and interest one can plan their trip. Many choose package tours including accommodation. However, choose to be on my own in deciding which places to visit including the hotels. After quite an analysis in internet choose Sun Sea Resort, Port Blair and quite happy that I made the right choice considering the location, budget  and the restaurant facility at this hotel.

Day 1: Took morning Jet airways flight from Chennai to Andaman. It takes about 2 hours from Chennai to Andaman 

Weather being nice it was smooth journey and was quite scenic to spot small island with clear water during flight descend at near Port Blair.

The airport at Port Blair is quite small and we reached hotel around 4:00 PM. For the next day, we planned to take a cruise to Havelock island. Havelock island is 20 KM from Port Blair and to reach Port Blair there are 4 option. Take a government ferry or private ferry, we decided on private ferry. Earlier while planning the trip found there are 3 private cruise namely Makruuz, Coastal Cruise and Green Ocean. Since July was an offseason Makruuz and Coastal Cruise had stopped operation. The only option was Green Ocean. Hotel reception made booking in Green Ocean for next day journey to Havelock Island.

Since we had some time to kill in the evening, took an auto to Abeerdeen Jetty. If one is interested in water sport then one go to Rajeev Gandhi water sport complex. Nearby, you will also find a Anna Purna - A South Indian Restaurant, which I felt quite good.

Day 2: Cruise to Havelock starts early at 6:45 AM and you need to board the ship 30 minutes in advance and hence woke up early and went to Pheonix Jetty.

Our journey to Havelock island started on time, the weather was quite nice when we started and ocean of smooth. If you are travelling by Green Ocean, make sure you get at least Luxury class ticket, luxury class are located above sea level and provides ocean view through the side glass pane.

As the cruise moved on was able to talk to some of the seamen at the cruise. They indicated that Green ocean is similar to Ship construct (more heavier) and while the other cruise are made of fiber glass when hence prone to more jerks in rough sea. As this cruise ship is heavier you can move around freely in the open desk on the top floor of this ship. As the journey progressed there was slight drizzle, but nevertheless the ocean was not rough.

In above two hours time reached Havelock island.

(To be continued).

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Ramayana - The Game of Life by Shubha Vilas

It has always been my wish to read the greatest ancient epic history, particularly Ramyana and Bhagawat Gita. Ramayana which is said to have happened in Tretha yuga about million years ago and Bhagawat gita in Dwapara Yuga about 5000 years ago. I believe reading them completely requires patience, dedication and a passion. In this Kaliyuga, we are driven and pulled across by so many forces towards survival of fittest and more particularly to satisfy materialistic needs. This being the case, one may find it difficult to read and accept this epic facts and happenings.

By chance, I had a opportunity to read a part of Ramayana written by Shubha Vilas called “The Game of Life”. This book covers just a small portion of Ramayana, the author’s narration and particularly notes at the bottom of each page make reading interesting. Even though this part 2 book covers a portion of Ramayana, I understood some of the interesting facts behind Ramayana. Like, ancestor of Ravana, relationship between Ravana and Kubera and the ease with which Rama is able to handle the happening around him.

These writing teaches us to be humble and content, but then modern day happening are very different, with so many attraction and distractions, one can get easily lost in pursuit of acquiring material comfort.

Sometimes, there can be questions that these are stories and has it really happened? That too million of years ago. I believe, this is where internet places a crucial role, not just one evidence, if one does a research in internet they are sure to get evidences of Ramayana at multiple location not just in India, but even out-side India.

In Electronics, there is a moore’s law which states the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles every two years, I feel we can extend the concept to our modern day living. The number of appliances or gadgets in modern day house hold needs triples every decade. For example, about a decade back owning house, car, mobile phone, laptop, Washing machine, micro oven, TVs etc was an ultra luxury for people in age group of 20s or 30s. Not any more, all these appliances has become a need now and interestingly, as many of them has a shorter shelf life, new sophisticated model keep coming year after year and so is the pursuit to acquire more keeps growing. So naturally, when materialistic needs grow year by year without saying humility and being content could decrease.

Kaykeyi mind was corrupted by Manthara and she takes it granted about the expectation of Bharata. Unfortunately Bharatha expectation was different and as matter of fact, Kaykeyi lost so much due to this greed. One may have a goal or aim in life, that doesn’t mean if one achieves the goal it will always lead to success & happiness. Life is all about how one perceives the world is going to be, but the reality can be different.

Finally, even thought this book covers only a small part of Ramayana, the depth of coverage, the presentation and philosophical narration at the bottom makes the reading interesting. In all, a very good book to read and look forward for the author’s next release.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

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LPG - Subsidy direct transfer.

If you have LPG connection from BP, IOC or HP then you are supposed to have Aadhaar and Bank account linked to your LPG connection to get difference in subsidy amount. It looks simple isn't it.

Once this scheme or process was announced few months back, my wife was after me to get this done. Due to lazyness and more importantly, the complexity in execution involved (well it's my thought), I kept postponing it thinking it could this scheme might be postponed.

It is said in Chennai alone there are about 60 lakhs customers who are suppose to receive subsidy money transferred to their bank account. This requires mammoth effort to have the data entered in the appropriate systems at multiple ends. At-least 4 or 5 parameters are critical: the gas agency with city, Aadhaar number, Gas number, Bank and Account Number. Hence, naturally any data entry error can pose a higher challenges or even wrong pay out to account. Further there are going to multiple human touch point or different agency, can create confusion, particularly if pay out does not happen to one's account it could just be difficult to find out as what went wrong. 

On top of this being a continuous execution, would require high costing resources to be in place to function without a hitch. Hence, to me, the combined cost of having this new system, including subsidy pay out might turn out higher then the current system. Though the intention of the government is good that subsidy needs to reach directly its citizen, but sheer volume and different systems in place might cause a nightmare in its implementation 

Now, did I register?.

Yes, first registered my Adhaar card with the online bank site and then linked my Aadhaar through https://rasf.uidai.gov.in/seeding/User/ResidentSplash.aspx. Though had registered about few weeks before but still awaiting confirmation.

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Happy New Year - 2015

Wishing you all a very happy & prosperous.

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