Biking in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka – A land like no other.

After hectic research on places to visit for a 10-day vacation – we finally decided to visit Sri Lanka. The big fight we had was on Spain, USA or Bhutan. As I had already visited Spain, i was not keen to travel once again. USA was ruled out for the big hassle of the Visa formalities and Bhutan was very close to Patna – which can be done any time of the year.

Ready to go

We had booked our flights earlier to Sri Lanka and done preparations well in advance.

Reached Bangalore earlier so that we could have all our preparations done with last minute shopping, documents and ticket arrangements.

Day 1 – 27^th Aug, 2011

Chennai>Colombo>Negombo (35 Kms)

Thanks to Ranveer (Chennai), we spent a night at his house for an early morning flight. We left early so that we could avoid the early morning traffic to Chennai Airport. And yes, we did not want to take any chances. As the Chennai Airport was under renovation – making it big rather, we had problems getting into the airport. We checked in soon and stood in the queue, gosh – you have to see the queue at the airport. There was a long queue at the immigration counter – looked like a railway station. After standing for about 1.30 hrs., we finally got immigration clearance headed for departure. The Spice Jet flight to Colombo was just 1 hour 15mnts flight. Soma was thrilled and she could not believe – her 1^st over sees travel.

We reached Colombo on time by 1 PM. We could sense the happiness on the arrival. Our first over sees travel – Videsh Yatra. Our guide from Sha-Lanka tours was waiting for us. We soon hopped on to his – Toyota Hillux pickup truck for Negombo. Negombo is 21 kms for the international airport. Most of the travelers use this place either to start or end their journey in Sri Lanka. Negombo is a small quiet harbor next to Colombo.

The Sha-Lanka guest house in Negombo was very good. Neat accommodation. As it was mid-day – it was pretty hot and humid.

We then decided to take a half day tour of Negombo. Took a TukTuk – the Indian Bajaj Auto – to the city. Got all our money exchanged to Sri Lanka Rupee and headed back to our guest house. It costed us Rs.400 for the entire trip – pretty expensive to India standards – but as it was our 1^st day – we did not have much idea on this.

I had an appointment with Suranga – the owner of Sha Lanka tours – where I rented the bike. With all the paperwork done and bike formalities – we finally got our bike – the Honda Baja 250 cc.

All excited now for our bike trip to Lanka. As we had to leave early dinner at the Serendib restaurant -Beer, beer, beer with sea food. Negombo at night is beautiful – the town rocks at night. With lots of pubs, eating joints and hotels – it is a pleasant place to be in the evening.

Day 2 - 27^th Aug, 2011

Negombo>Kurunegala>Dambulla (152 kms)

 We started early morning as we wanted to avoid the city traffic and reach Dambulla. As this was our 1^st day - packing our bags to the bike was a daunting task. It reminds me of the Cramster saddle bags – so convenient to put on bikes – but as this was a mountain bike with less space to put for luggage – bungee cords were the only solution.

We soon set off at 10am so start our Bike adventure in Sri Lanka. Suranga had given directions to reach to Kurunegala and further to the highway. Soma was wee bit uncomfortable sitting for a while, so we stopped in between. As she got more space now, had to rearrange the bag packs – we were soon on the highway. One of the mechanics was riding with us to Kurunegala. Someone’s bike broke down at Kurunegala,, so he accompanied us to the city. As this was my 1^st day – I was more cautious to check on the incoming traffic. Once we touched the highway, I was belting the highway. I was tailing the mech. and doing good speed. The countryside is very beautiful – lush green landscape.

Departure from Negombo

We bid farewell to the mechanic at Kurunegala and headed further for Dambulla. As I was wearing my Cramster touring jacket, I could feel the sweat inside. The temperatures during the day are pretty humid – 30 c. But if you do not stop while riding – you can get the fresh air.

By 1ish – we stopped for a good halt at Galewala. A small town – had some fresh drinks & bakery based snacks. We did not want to have lunch – rather much lazy after that. Milo – Vanilla milk drink – one of my favorites drink during the tour.

We reached Dambulla town by 2pm and checked for Hotels. Just next to the Golden Temple – there were a dozen of Hotels and Restaurants, we checked in further down the road for a neat accommodation. Cost SLR 1500.00 for a night. Unpacked soon, and headed once again for the city tour. Sigriya is 21 kms from Dambulla. We had a quick lunch in the city and headed for Sigriya.

The 21 km ride from Dambulla to Sigriya was really great – less traffic and superb roads. It was quite a wee bit of an ascent to the hills and the Honda did a fabulous job on the ghats.

The Sigriya Statue – the Buddhist statue was pretty tall. Once we were in the monastery – it seemed we were in Buddha city. I wanted to rush to see the Sigriya Fort as I read a lot about this. It took us 2 kms to walk at the entrance of Sigirya Fort. Bad luck, it was 5pm and we did not get entry.

Headed back to Dambulla, we will come the next day. As we had time in the evening, visited the Dambulla Golden Temple. A big golden Buddha statue – it is a sacred place for Buddhists. There is a  BodhiTree – which had been brought from Bodh Gaya. A few photos and headed back to the hotel.

Dinner was not that great – we had at a local restaurant cum Dhaba.

Day 3 - 28^th Aug, 2011

Dambulla > Sigriya > Dambulla> Matale> Kandy (110 Kms)

The night was awful sleeping at the guest house – was accompanied by a dozen of mosquitoes – guess did not use the mosquito net at night.

Kandy

We left for Sigriya by 7am for tour to Sigriya Fort. The ride once again was beautiful early in the morning. As we sped up to reach early, I could feel the chilly winds hitting my face. The roads were pretty empty and I did not stop even a bit on cruising at a high speed. Let me remind you – the speedometer was not functional – so I do not know what speed I was at – may be a 100.

We were the early birds to reach Sigirya Fort. Parked and headed for the Fort Tour. The ticket cost was more than our 1day stay at Dambulla.

Kandy

As the entire tour was for 2 hours – it was worth to take a guide. Our guide was helpful to explain all the details – the Lions Foot, Frescoes, Durbar Hall, Swimming Pool & bathing area. Don’t miss Sigriya Fort if you are in Sri Lanka – one of the most spectacular forts in the world. I just cannot explain how we felt once we reached the top – after an arduous trek of 1 hour – 1200 steps to climb. The entire landscape was lush green. It was a magnificent 360 view from Sigriya. Far off – we could the cities – Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Anuradhapura & Kandy. Infact, we could spot the Dambulla Golden Temple. A quick descent to the base, hopped on once again and headed for Dambulla.

Pinnewala Elephant Orphange-Kegalla

We checked in early and left for Kandy. Once again – the roads were superb and good for riding. Dambulla to Kandy was an easy ride – breathtaking view and had a good experience on the ghats. As we got close to Kandy – the traffic got bigger.

We had to take help of the local cops – to get in to Kandy town. Asked a few Autowala’s – and checked in at – Hotel Amara near the Indian Embassy. Wow – Hotel Amara was at a hilltop and gave a good view of Kandy town. Kandy town looked amazing – it looked like a fairy tale town – lush green, clean, quiet and in between – a big lake.

Gregory Lake - Nuwara Eliya

Soma gave a good idea to leave the bike and did a city tour on a tuk tuk. We visited the Buddha Monastery – the view from the top was worth a visit. Later in the evening – we visited the Kandy Cultural Show – acrobats, various cultural dances etc. Our tuk tuk wala took us to a hotel for dinner – dinner was cold here. Once we finished dinner – we got to know – there was KFC round the corner,,,,shit – what a miss.

Day 4 - 28^th Aug, 2011

Kandy > Pinnewala Elephant Camp > Gampola > Ramboda > Nuwara Eliya (145 Kms)

A long day ahead – visiting the Elephant Orphanage – ride back and head for the hills to Nuwara Eliya.

We left Kandy at 8:30am for Kegalla – the Elephant Orphanage. The traffic was crazy in the morning as it was a weekend and we were using the main road of the Kandy Colombo highway. There wasn’t a better road than this on the entire route we had done. Sexy roads and as neat as ever, superb climate – nothing better could I ask for in Lanka. We drove to Kegalla for 65 kms to get to the Elephant orphanage.

Pinnewala Elephant orphanage is just below the ghats of Kandy. A perfect place for the mighty monster to sit relax, have a dip in the water and binge. The camp was worth the detour we had taken as we were all excited to visit this place. I don’t have a count of how many Elephants were there, we saw Elephants of ages – 1-4 months to the biggest – 67 years. By joe – he was huge – and getting near him – called for trouble. Many visitors preferred to watch to small one’s – and could feed a bottle of milk. As we had to leave for the hills – we left the camp soon and once again hit the highway.

Sipping Ceylon Tea - Pedro Estate-Nuwara Eliya

The Cops caught us

I was speeding and jumped a zebra crossing – cops were just waiting for me. This happened after we left the Kegalla town. Don’t know what was the fine – but I communicated as if I did not know English – Hindi, 1^st time travel to Lanka, honeymoon couple. I guess – not speaking in English did work- as there was a communication problem with the cops. They checked my driver’s license from India and Passports – we were lucky, and the cops left us. Later, I came to know – you cannot overtake on a zebra crossing.

We were supposed to take a detour from Peradeniya to Gampola but we missed it. So, we had to go all the way back to Kandy – take the road for Gampola and then head further to Nuwara Eliya.

Getting ready for the rain ride - to Nuwara Eliya

As we headed towards the hills – the rains played a spoil sport. The afternoon showers – we had to stop for ¾ times en route to Nuwara Eliya. The showers were so severe – that you had to stop in between to take shelter or else – you could get wet. I was very slow here on the ghats while riding. It was slippery here. Once we reached Ramboda – we got clear skies. Far off in the distance –we got a glimpse of Ramboda Falls. A few pictures and soon left for Nuwara Eliya. Ramboda to Nuwara Eliya was a beautiful ride – ghats were good to ride with lovely tea gardens en route. I was doing a slow ride here as I could not get my eyes of the tea estates. As we got closer to Nuwara Eliya town – it was getting cold and misty. Visibility was very poor. Soon, found loads of shops at the top. I knew – we were getting close to the town. As we made a descent – clearing the mist – got our 1^st view of Nuwara Eliya town. Exactly as mentioned in the books – it was a “Little England”. We saw a huge ground where we spotted a few horses, some cricketers and a huge lake. Once were in town – we got information for hotels and checked in at a decent hotel on the avenue road. The rooms were small here but cozy. We had a quick lunch in the city and rode near the lake. We spend our evening in a quiet place near the lake – as it was gorgeous. One of the places to be in Lanka was in Nuwara Eliya. Cargills food store is the biggest mall in Nuwara Eliya. It didn’t look like a mall to me at all – thought was a historical place. As the sun set – we left from the main bazaar to the hotel – and bought some Arrack – desi liquor.  We had Sri Lankan dinner at the hotel – yummy food.

Day 5 - 29^th Aug, 2011

Nuwara Eliya > Bandarewala > Ella   (75 kms)

We did not have time to visit the Horton’s plan, Baker’s field as we wanted to see the Tea factory – Pedro Estate. The Pedro Estate was beautiful to visit. Got to taste yellow tea.

We bid farewell to Nuwara Eliya and road to Ella. At the descent – the roads were not good – so we took an easy ride. Had breakfast by 10 at a local village. From Badulla – we had to take a deviation to Ella. As we reached Badulla, we were near the plains and could get rid of our winter gear. Nuwara Eliya was very very cold. It was a good decision that we did not stay for 2 days. Reached Bandarewala by 12:30 and then to Ella. The route from Bandarewala to Ella is beautiful.

Ella is a small quiet town – many foreigners visit this place as it is close to Nuwara Eliya and bit warm. For others – it is a very important pilgrimage.

a detour in Ella - trying to test the Honda Baja

Ravana kept Sita captive here in the Ravana caves.

We found a very good guest house – Forest Paradise.

Their visiting card says – best place to love, rest and pray – really true.

Had a heavy Italian lunch and left for the Ravana caves. Visited the Raven temple and Ravana falls. I was more interested to see the caves where Sita was captive. Local fellas told – you had to trek for 40 mnts. to reach the caves. Well, we gave it a try as we did not find any visitors to this place – a bit spooky. We finally reached sweating n all dirty – fell a few places and Soma was really scared. Once we were in the caves – pretty scary. Not even a single soul to be found. We were top of a mountain – but the cave was very deep – could not get to see the outside view or landscape. Guess – Ravana was smart to keep here. We soon left this place – an unbelievable moment.

We also visited the local railway station – small but sweet. There were only 2 train departures in a day from here. We informed Nelly – the owner at Forest Paradise for Sri Lankan dinner.

Our Sri Lanka dinner was excellent. This time veg – as we were sick eating sea-food. We had steamed rice, curry n vegetables. Awesome food.

At Forest Paradise - Ella

Bike Trip over

We had hired the bike only for 5 days – as we wanted to cover mainly the historical places and the hills. From Ella – we decided to hire a cab and make it a more relaxed trip further down to the beaches. As the distances were short – it was easy for us to take buses or auto rickshaws.

Well, what I really wanted – was to ride in Sri Lanka. And I did a recent ride for 520 kms.

It may not be much if you are reading this – but in Sri Lanka – it is a lot.

The distance from cities is very small. 

For Bikers

If you really want to ride - Sri Lanka is the place to be. 

A small country where riding is safe and the destinations are not all far. For an Indian - getting accustomed to driving in Lanka is as driving in any city in India. 

As a hard core - Bullet Wala - the Honda Baja 250cc rocks. The Japanese bike is superb at its performance and gives good mileage. The discs and maneuverings of the bike is perfect. Sri Lanka does not permit any higher than the 250 cc's- unless you are really crazy to take your own bike. It will be good if you hire bikes at Negombo and pay them in advance. I have mentioned all the details i could for travelers and bikers with other details. 

Other important Details.

For Flights - http://www.spicejet.com

Booking Bikes - suranga007@yahoo.com, 0094 777 488746

http://www.sharesidence.com

Money exchange : Mayurie Jewelry

240 Main Street, Negombo, Sri Lanka

031 2226555

Forest Paradise Guest House

http://www.forestparadiseella.com

Telephone : 0094 572 228797

forestparadise@hotmail.com

Chennai Swimathon 2017

The initiative was by Chennai Trekking Club and this was the 1st ever Swimathon that took place on  Ottiambakkam Lake on 04 March 2017.
Swimmers had come from all parts of India mainly - 20 states. Majority from Chennai and Bengaluru.

Ottiambakam Lake
It is actually a quarry located near Sholinganallur / Medavakkam area in Chennai. It is a hidden jewel and a place to visit for nature lovers. The depth is approx 150 ft deep and length 300 meters. Can be easily accessible by road.

Ottiabakam lake - view from Top

Ottiabakam Lake

Preparations 
Since i had registered for the 5k, i had to do a good amount of practice to stay fit and cover the distance within the stipulated time of 3 hours. Thanks to Rahul for his help as i was able to use the Club Swimming Pool in Begur area - SNN Raj Serenity. My training was from Monday to Friday during the office hours early morning to avoid crowd. I was the lucky one only to be in the pool and could practice for long hours. Practice sessions would vary from a 1km to 2kms swim. February month - i increased my distance to a 2km swim everyday within a time frame of 1:15 minutes.

The Final Day
Drove to Chennai, met a couple of friends in Jain Abhishek in East Tambaram area. Slept early to avoid any exhaustion on the final day. Woke at 3:45 am, got ready and drove to the venue. The event was to start at 6 am so had to stick to the time. We were using torches to fill out the risk form as it was still dark. Got the Bib Nos:603 on my left shoulder. A quick briefing was done by the volunteers for the 5k, 10k and 15k Swimmers. A quick thank you session followed by a warm up exercise.

The 5km calculation 
In order to complete the 5km swim, i had to do 16 loops. One side - length was 150 meters, so to complete a loop - it was 300 mtrs. and last lap was of 200 mtrs to the finish line. The 5km swim had to be completed in a 3 hours slot in order to get the Finisher medal and T Shirt.


The 1st 8 loop (distance 2.4 kms)
3 batches had already left for the Swim - comprised of the 10 and 15k categories. It was finally the 5km batch to start of - off i was in the lake for the grand finale. Gosh - it was cold in the wee hours,,
a few pushes to the start and was off to the other end of the lake. By the time i finished the 1st loop - it looked a herculean task to complete 16 loops. I planned to finish the 8 loops with a mininal break and less consumption of any type of fluids. Freestyle with more support from back kicks and arms movement to glide through the water. At the 3rd loop - i was more comfortable as there were less swimmers to bump into and was very calm and patient with my freestyle movement. I wanted to finish the 8 loops with a short span of time before the Sun was out. Took a break at 5th and 7th loop for bananas, chocolate and cup of water. I did panic in between as my left foot started to ache with cramps - i stopped my movement to avoid any further cramps and put more effort to the right foot. By the time i finished my 8 loops - i was confident to finish the 5km with the stipulated time of 3 hours.

9 to 16th Loop (distance 2.4kms) 
The time taken to cover the loops now were more longer with breaks in between. I switched over to breaststroke for 2 loops to relax my leg movement. I had to peep out quite often to correct my course of direction. Improved on my breathing technique. The last 4 loops looked a distance to cover - exhausted and wanted to finish the race in a sprint. But i had to be calm as i had the biggest fear of getting cramps in my legs. I cooled down breaks, couple of chats with Ashish Tiwari- my old buddy from Flex who was a volunteer at the event. I was now close to finish the 16th loop, my timings were good and i knew had enough time to spare.

The last loop (distance 200 meters)
When i took the final turn to complete the 200 meters - it was sheer excitement and exhilaration that i had never imagined - it was a moment of achievement and all the hard work put for past 2 months.
Thankfully - my lungs , legs and arms supported all the way to the finish line. I finally called my Bib Nos. 603 to the volunteers just to confirm that i had finished all the 16.5 loops. -and i did.

Timings
Start :    6:15 AM
Finish :  8:43 AM
Rank : 10th
Total Swimmers in 5k category : 99

Finisher - 5km

with Peter (CTC)

moment to joy

Big Thanks
 A big thanks to all Volunteers of CTC and sponsors. CTC has always been inspirational for the variety of events. Chennai - an amazing city and my family- 2 beautiful ladies - Soma and Siya who are always there to support for all the crazy stuff i keep doing ,,,,

"The Miracle isn't that i finished, it's that i had the courage to start." - John Bingham

Thonnur Swimathon 2016

How did the idea of Thonnur Swimathon come to my mind

I got the 1st feeling of the an ideal Triathlon when i participated in the Olympic category for a Triathlon in Chennai hosted by Chennai Trekkers Club in Year 2015. After completing the event, i had more confidence in participating in a Triathlon and could even think for more. One of the runners introduced me to Thonnur Triathlon. Once i shifted to Bangalore, i was always on the lookout for the registrations to Thonnur Tri. 

Thonnur Swimathon 2016

Preparations

This was the 1st time ever - Enduro sports had organized a Swimathon prior to the main core Tri Thonnur. I began my Swimming preparations a month ago. Thanks to Rahul - who helped me on the preparations. With the access to a 30m Meter pool - it was a daunting task even to complete a kilometer in the pool. If i had to cover 2.5 kms in the pool, i would have to swim more than 2 hours and do more than 30 laps per session. I initially started swimming for 1 hour and increased my pace. Before the event, i gave 2 trials for a full 2 hour session. Weather was a hindrance almost every day - gloomy, dull and with the onset of monsoons. I did miss a few days on the practice but tried to keep up the pace and momentum. 

2.5 km route

I drove to Mysore a day in advance to avoid any chaos and confusion on the Karnataka bandh. The team had organized a stay at Hotel Siddharth, Mysore (25% discount) for Swimmers. I had the whole day in Mysore but couldn't do anything due to the bandh. The Hotel is famous for the "Filter Coffee" so i sat for a couple sessions. Had dinner early so that i could get good rest for the next days challenge. I guess i could not - the anxiety for the swim and not to miss the bus for the venue.

Thonnur Swimathon (July 31st, 2016) 

Woke up at 3 am and got ready, the transport was arranged for all participants to go to the venue. Thonnur Lake is approx. 38 kms from Mysore - a 1 hour drive. I did not want to take the risk driving alone assuming i would get lost mid way. Most of the participants were sleeping while i was awake awaiting the destination. After a small climb, i could sense we were here. Yes, it was early morning and Lake Thonnur looked beautiful. It had a beautiful landscape. A cloudy and windy. Enduro Team was busy getting all the arrangements done, the buoys were in place etc. Announcement was done soon for Swimmers to get ready and briefing to be done. 

It was the 5k swimmers who take the charge followed by 2.5 k swimmers and 1k. There were nine buoys marked with flags - so for me to do the 2.5kms - i had to do 2 loops followed by a small loop of 500metres. There were colored flags at every buoy so that swimmers do not get lost or confused. At every loop - the Swimmer had to call out for their bib for their completion of the loop. The organizers had done a fantastic job on this - well planned. 

Once the signal was given for the 5k swimmers, i could sense my heartbeat - pounding like never before. Now, it was our turn to jump into the water. I wanted to start late as there were quite a few who wanted to rush / compete the race. My focus was to complete the 2.5km in a good time and get the experience of an open water swim. 

1st loop swim - After the signal, i jumped into the water, there i was all alone testing my endurance, speed, agility, focus and destination. My 1st 200 meters was a clueless swim - drank a lot of water, fear of getting drowned, fear of getting cramps in my left leg, water penetrating in my Speedo goggles. I took hold at one of the buoys - relaxed for a while and tried to focus. I was all alone to decide whether to call for help of swim further. At a far distance - i could see the green flag - long way to go. I was in the water again in Freestyle mode to swim further. I was better this time as i gained momentum and covered a few meters. Once my head was up to see if i am in the right direction - i came to know that i had swam away from rest of the pack. I had to swim back again next to the buoys - i realized that for every 3/4 strokes - i had to look up and see if i am in the right direction. Once reaching the green flag - i had covered 300mts of swim and had to hit back to the bay for 1 loop completion. I was on a easy mode swimming back - more confident with a variation of Freestyle and breaststroke. On completing of the 1st loop - I did bump into a few swimmers and got a solid kick on my face - making my goggles lopsided. Waited for a while, put my goggles on and off i was on to complete my 1st loop. Called out for my bib number and decided to take a small break. i saw a few 1st timers do the same. Chatted for a while and was back again in the lake. 

2nd loop swim - The 2nd loop swim was a difficult one. Since the Sun was out in the morning, it was warmer and a bit windy. Every stroke seemed difficult - waves had gathered and the momentum was very slow. It was a herculean task now to swim. I changed my focus on breaststroke to go on with an easy pace and to avoid loss of energy. I had various thoughts in my mind but i was focused to complete the 2nd loop in a easy pace. Timing was not an issue and i knew once completing the 2nd loop, the balance 500 meters will be a smooth swim. I guess i took a longer swim this time as i was exhausted. Once reaching the bay, i took a small break , drank water and off again for the last lap.
3rd loop swim - this was the last loop and i knew i was close to my destination. Now, i only had to cover half the swim of 500metres. I began at an easy pace and was very happy that i was towards completing my finish line. As i reached my destination towards the bay, i felt happy of all the hard work i had done. This was a moment to cherish.

At the finish line. 2.5 kms in 1:22 mnts.

Timings - When i got the Split timings a day later, i could not believe for a moment. I swam better than my regular practice sessions. During my practice in a 30m meter pool in SNN Raj Serenity, in a 1 hour slot - i used to cover 900 mts. Before the Swim, i gave a try to complete a 2km mark just to check on my timings - i covered the 2km mark in 2 hours. As per the timings - i swam the 2km in 1hr 4mnts. - huge difference with an open swim. Overall - i swam the 2.5kms in 1:22:02 seconds.

Thanks - Special thanks to Enduro team who made the event a grand success and memorable. Without your support Ajit Thandur, Prajwal Prasad and Abhilash - the Swimathon would not have been possible. Excellent support on the Buoys, registration, timings, transport and logistics. Hats off....Special thanks to Rahul for helping me during practice sessions in SNNR Raj Serenity. And lastly, Soma and Siya who i always look up for my adventures.

More Pics : https://goo.gl/photos/zND6qfW7AoF6NjeHA
For more information : http://www.enduro.co.in/
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Amazing Thailand

As it was our Daughter’s 1^st birthday, we wanted to make it special and memorable. Being living in South India past 13 years, we wanted to explore the neighboring countries – being closer and affordable to travel. As we had traveled as a couple to various places like US and bike trip to Sri Lanka for 2 weeks on a shoestring budget, the travel to Thailand had to be planned. Thailand summers are similar to Coastal India with a high humidity level – April to May. But traveling during Summers is the best time – a clear view of Blue waters and a perfect time for Scuba diving. It is also affordable - food and accommodation is very good. Buying a flight ticket from Bangalore to Bangkok or Bangalore to Delhi will be almost same. So if you plan a trip to North India ex: Delhi – the traveling time to Delhi or Bangkok is the same. Getting Visa is very easy as Thailand is a Mecca for tourists or you can get Visa on arrival.

Planning

We chose our travel during summer, got the Visa’s, cash, hotel bookings etc. For my little daughter Siya, it was 1 week of stock Nan Pro and Cerelac. We were off from Chennai to Bangkok on an early morning Air Asia Flight. We had planned to cover Bangkok , Krabi and Koh Phi Phi islands.

Bangkok- Checked in at St James Hotel, Sukhumvit. I had one of my school friends living in Bangkok for many years – kudos to him to arrange a 1 day full trip to Bangkok. We visited the Central World Shopping Mall,  Asiatique Night Market, SIAM Square, and did the River cruise. If one really loves shopping – Bangkok is the best place (new designs at affordable price). There are a lot of flee markets in Bangkok. Grabbing a meal for the day is never a problem – restaurants and eating joints are at every corner street. My little daughter was in a bit shock seeing new faces and new city – totally perplexed what was going on, but later she got used to the travel. One of the most common mode of transport is the Skytrain (BTS) , Auto Rickshaw (TukTuk), Subway, Express boat and Bike Taxis – so getting around was never a problem. The river cruise is worth a visit – a must to see.

Bangkok -Ao Nang –Krabi 
We took a early morning flight from Bangkok to Krabi – a short 1 hour flight. The Krabi Airport looked fantastic – lush greenery with hundreds of Palm trees around. Now, we were happy as we left the Concrete Jungle amidst nature. We bargained for a taxi and headed straight for the Hotel in Ao Nang. It was hot and humid, we had carried a few bottles with us to prevent from De-hydration. 
 Ao-Nang is small town in Krabi Province. Ao-Nang is a base town from where you can head towards Koh Phi Phi island and to Phuket. There are many small Islands around and you can take a ferry or hire small boats.

Our Hotel Haleeva Sunshine is on the main road and not far from the beach. We took a short nap as the day was hot. In the evening, we ventured out for local sigh seeing and enquiries for the next day’s venture. The local food is worth to taste.

The next day, we did a 1 day trip to all the Main Islands around Ao Nang. We hired a small boat to take us around the main islands. As we left Ao – Nang beach – the water was getting clear with a touch of blue color. I really can’t express how beautiful the color of the water was – aquamarine blue. I wouldn’t have imagined in my life to see beautiful water than this. The West Railey beach look splendid – a perfect getaway. We also visited Chicken and Poda Island. I ventured out with Snorkeling here – jumping in the ocean was a big fear, but once you take the plunge – it’s an experience of a lifetime.  I spent a couple of hours snorkeling as the experience was exhilarating. Even Siya was anxious to jump into the water, I guess by now – she realized, we were on a holiday trip. It was time to head back to Ao-Nang as it was mid-day and getting hotter. It was a 2 hour boat ride to the Ao nang Beach. In the evening, we hired a Scooty to see the night life in Ao Nang. It is easy to hire a scooter – cheap and affordable. In the evening, the streets are full with local food and sweets.

Ao Nang beach - Rajiv & Siya

Ao-Nang – Ko Phi Phi Islands

Early morning, we took a ferry from Ao Nang beach to Ko Phi Phi Islands. It is a big boat which can ferry 200 passengers and carries goods and food packets to the main Islands. The ride was more than 3 hours but one take the advantage of seeing all the islands we cross by. The water is absolutely fantastic – clear as never seen before.

We reached the Tonsai Bay – one of the main islands of Koh Phi Phi. As we reached Ko Phi Phi Don –the vibe changed completely. At the edge of the dock, we could see line of touts extending their package tours of the islands. And we had hundreds of tourists flocking the islands. Most of the people were in party mood. Most of the people were in shorts, flip flops, hat and goggles. The hotel staff accompanied us to the Hotel – Phi Phi Andaman Legacy Resort. It’s a 20 minute walk from the Deck to the hotel. What I really liked was – no motor vehicles allowed on the main island. En- route to the hotel – you will find loads of shops, travel agencies and Scuba diving centers.

 

Snorkelling

The resort was beautiful as it was close to the beach. The facilities were the best one could have and value for money. In the evening – we took a stroll of the islands. It’s a Mecca for tourists – restaurants, bars, tattoo studios, Arts and Crafts etc. The beach looked spectacular in the evening. Soma loved the Sea-food buffet we had in the evening. 

I had booked a Refresher Program with the Padi Certified Scuba center – The Adventure Club. The package included 2 dives with Full diving equipment with maximum of 60 minutes per dive. It includes Lunch, Photographs taken during Diving etc

Scuba Diving – Phi Phi Islands

We assembled early morning at the center for a quick learning session before heading towards the boat. Equipments & Gear, food were quickly transported to the boat so that we could start early. We had a video presentation on board with the Safety features & use of the sign language. It took us a while to understand all this,, the excite started building and soon we had to wear the gear.

Now, since I have been Biking all my life – wearing a gear for a motorcycle ride would take 15 minutes, but getting on to a swimsuit , face mask, oxygen cylinders etc, min, 25 minutes – by the time we were full geared – it looked like a gear of 100 kgs..

1st Dive

I was lucky to have a Venezuelan scuba diver (the Spanish connection) really worked well. My 1^st jump was a big splash but once I was in the deep ocean – it was calm and silent as never before. I soon looked back for my instructor – using the sign language – we were now in Deep in the Ocean. With a variety of Sea Fishes and Corals – it was a moment to cherish. It is out of the world experience. I was comfortable at the moment and was heading to more depth. I could feel the pressure in my hears and more silence. The Corals were like magic with hundreds of shapes and sizes. It is said that – Koh Phi Phi has one of the best diving places in the world – I truly believed it now. My instructor wanted to get the best benefit today – as it was a clear day, we soon swam further where there were more rocks. Wanted to see shoals of fish, sharks and tortoise. Marta soon spotted a baby shark near a Coral, I just simply looked at it. We tried spotting a Tortoise but failed to so. I was tired and gave a signal to Marta (instructor) to head upwards to the boat. We were soon out of the deep blue Ocean. Off was my mask and with exhilaration I said – Wow, this is absolutely fantastic. 

 

Deep Blue Ocean

We were 8 divers and had to wait for everybody to come out. Our boat was very nearby and we soon left for the next destination. We had lunch and relaxed a bit. Our 2^nd dive was deeper touching to 50 meters and a new location. 

The new location was very close to Maya Bay. Maya Bay is a very famous beach and came to popularity during the shooting of the film "The Beach" starring now Oscar Award winner Leonardo Di Caprio. The movie describes the location and it's white sandy beaches. While i stood standing at Maya Bay, Nature was it its best. One could not have described anything better than this. We soon headed for the diving location .  It was Turquoise water with a different variety of fishes. I spotted the famous "Nemo" fish and had an experience of Big Tortoise swimming besides me. One of friends spotted a Shark but the time we reached, it swam away. 

Soma and Siya had a wonderful day at the resort swimming by the Pool side. 

Next day, we took a ferry back to Ao Nang and then to Bangkok.

While we looked at our pictures smiling over the experiences we had, these are memories unforgettable. Now, we can say - Siya has the wee bit on adventure just like Mom and Dad.

This was truly a well laid back adventure trip. Now, i have one of the activities - Scuba Diving off my Bucket list. I still look at cheap fares on Air Asia so that i can my next trip.

Soma, Siya & Rajiv - Ko Phi Phi Don beach

Longtail boats - Ko Phi Phi beach

For more Pics :
https://picasaweb.google.com/103682859579406222674/AmazingThailand?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Bharath Marathon - Run for a Healthy Nation

We were here

About Bharath Marathon
Country's one of the biggest Traditional and Professional MARATHON took place in Chennai, first time in india the professional marathon added a cause of creating "TOBACCO FREE INDIA", associated with Tamil Nadu marathon association and supported by Dept of Public Health (Dept of Health & Family Welfare).RUN TO QUIT TOBACCO!"RUN FOR A HEALTHY NATION"

Our New City - Chennai
I would have never thought in my life to relocate to Chennai. But wherever your work is - you gotta get use to the life. 
After a hibernation of 9 months until Siya was born , we thought to venture out something new in Chennai. 
Came through this site on Marathon - registered and started training. 
I had done a few runs in Bangalore - the Midnight Marathon, Sunfeast 10k etc - this was a similar run but in Summers. The Summers here is a experience of a life time. We thought of giving it a try. Running on the famous route near the Marina Beach is breathtaking.

Practice Session
While Soma practiced a few runs in the apartment Gym, i was full on regular at the Fastrack Gym in Selaiyur. My Coach - Prem - fitness freak and a cyclist was hell on to train me for the big day. I thought a couple of times to run in the evenings on the weekend - but the heat was so strong that it was unbearable. 
As this was a moderate 5km run - running on the treadmill was much easier. 5km on a normal track would be 6 to 7.5 kms on the treadmill. I had kept a target to finish my training in 10 days and slowly increase the pace, was of high fatty foods. 

At the venue

Marathon Day. (08th June,2014 - Labour Statue, Marina Beach - Chennai)
We started from home at around 3am to reach early for the Marathon. 
This was the 1st time we had ever seen Chennai early morning. The Marina Beach was a fantastic venue. 
I was amazed to see the enthusiasm shared be fella folks,,,


Banners were well put, Security in place, Drones, cameras, water bottles - very well organized. 
Chennai Police had superb security arrangements. The entire running area diverted - even public buses. 
The Half Marathon of 21 kms and Mini Marathon left early at 5am. The Corporate Challenge ( 5km) was most of the people had registered. We had small kids from various schools nearby Chennai who had come for the run. Lots of youngsters and Chennai locals for the run,,,


We started sharp at 6 am, as i was increasing pace, i had to catch up with the timing and wanted to finish early. Soma was running pretty good, ever after maternity- her pace was really impressive. I had planned earlier not to stop until 4 kms - take only 2 breaks for water and the 5th km - at max speed. 
It was a moment to enjoy - fresh sea breeze, clean n tidy roads, runners in yellow T-shirt. Early morning citizens had come for a good cause to cheer the athletes,,

After a turn - we had to head back to the Labour Statue - now, i could see signboards for 2 kms - more relieved as i had finished a good distance. As the destination was a bit close - i increased my pace to get the best timings. Soma was running good. As i reached the finish line - got a sigh of relief. Acknowledge myself for a good finish - the total distance covered was 5 kms in 33 minutes - WOW - that's an achievement.
Soma finished the 5km at 50 mnts.

The marathon soon concluded followed by closing ceremony. Had a heavy breakfast and collected the certificates. Superb Sunday and moments to Cherish.

Bharath Marathon
https://www.facebook.com/bharathmarathon

Special 26

 

 

Hindi Movie - Special 26

Impressed one-and-all with his gripping direction and storytelling. 

That film worked because of many reasons – a tight gripping screenplay, an impeccable script, flawless performances, crisp editing (100 minutes).

Based on true incidents, Akshay kumar, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpayee have done a terrific role.

 

Special 26 – Short Plot

Its about a gang of four 'fake' CBI officers – led by Ajay (Akshay Kumar) and P.K Sharma (Anupam Kher). They conduct raids at the houses of corrupt politicians and businessmen and keep all the supposedly 'seized' money and jewellery for themselves. There is no particular reason why they do this.Their acts do end up looking like public service, considering that the so-called thieves are getting into trouble. Yet, it is fun to watch these fake officers do their thing and even more fun is to witness the reactions of those who are being raided.

 

Special 26 – Technical

The scenes have been brilliantly written –memorable moments include the raids conducted in Delhi and Kolkata, the banter between Anupam Kher and Akshay Kumar, Akshay's penultimate scene with Manoj Bajpayee, Jimmy Sheirgill and Divya Dutta's chemistry among many more.

 

I watched "Special 26" on a working Wednesday Morning - 10 AM Show,,,as the Cinepolis Bangalaore Morning Wednesday show is cheaper - i was overwhelmed to see a jam packed house. 

A movie not to be missed.