Vote for Motley Canvas

Hi guys,

This blog has been nominated for the 'Best Travelogue Award'. All you need to do is click on the link below and vote for me (Harsh Bhatia).

PS: There is no login involved; it is a quick process.

Please vote.


Link: Click Here

Pondicherry (1 night, 2 days)

Pondicherry (1 night, 2 days)

(The photographs used are all original)

Where do we get the cheapest alcohol? Yes, right. The answer is Union Territories. Pondicherry not only offers serene beaches but also cheap and varied alcohol. I travelled to Pondicherry during the month of October. We (two of us) booked a night bus (Greenline travels through Redbus- AC Sleeper) and started at 10:00 PM on 29.10.2016 (Saturday). We prefer travelling during the night hours because this not only saves a lot of time but also makes the journey comfortable (less traffic).

Day-1

We reached Pondicherry by 5:30 AM, which was much before than what we had expected. Unlike the hustle bustle in other cities, this city wakes up only by 8. Not having many options, we decided to meander on the streets and stride till Rock Beach. Also, since the check-ins began at 12:00 PM, we had to look out for a petrol pump to use the restroom. But believe it or not, the exploration part was fun. We walked for a few kilometres and finally reached Rock beach.

Rock Beach: The promenade at the rock beach is beautiful yet hyped. Call it luck or mere coincidence; it was crowded even during the early morning hours. Though the morning breeze did the trick, yet the humidity was sufficient to put one in a black mood.

Next, we headed to the White Town (the French Colony). The yellow houses had a fabulous architecture and it did look like something we see in the movies. But somehow, I felt it was overvalued too. There is nothing much to see there; one can just get a few pictures clicked (that too not in front of the houses as the French people obviously don’t like it). The place is perfect for clicking a picture in a black ravishing dress!

Pondicherry is a small place; one can take a two wheeler on rent and finish exploring in a day. We did no different. Since this was our first backpacking trip (literally, we only had two backpacks), we rented Activa and went on Pondi-venture with open arms. We went to few churches like Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges and couldn’t help but admire the mint condition of the place.

 

 

With the ride ready, we could no longer wait to check out the other beach (Serenity beach) which was 14 km from the main city. Driving Activa was pure bliss! Serenity beach was one of the isolated beaches of Pondicherry. There were many boats there, but less number of people. By less I mean two to three men at an Omlette stall. We had our breakfast there (the omelette was horrible). We watched the fishermen, enjoyed the cool waves, saw dolphins (yes, really!) and some French women swimming in bikinis. After spending around one hour at Serenity beach, we headed to The Indian Kaffe Express for lunch, but didn’t like the menu. Surguru Restaurant seemed the only possible option. But the waiting queue and the rude behaviour of the waitor/waitress drove us up the wall. We ate Dosa and had Lassi (both were not up to par).

Following this, we checked into The Green Palace (our hotel for stay which was booked via OYO). Yet again, OYO didn’t fail to impress us. With its exemplary service and superb quality of food, room and staff, OYO did not leave any stone unturned in helping us make our trip comfortable. Post check-in, we decided to rest for some time and by the time we were ready for another stroll, it was evening. We decided to hunt for a good eating joint, for even in the morning, the breakfast and the lunch did not satisfy our hunger. 

The much talked about Café Xtasi was on our list. After having waited in the queue for one hour, we finally got in and ordered chicken Pizza. Probably, the stars were not in favour of our stomachs and the huge pizza turned out to be a total flop- not only in terms of taste but money too. It was then that we realized the worth of 1000 bucks!

Disgruntled with the progress of the day, we went back to Rock beach and covered the whole length on foot. That marked the end of our first day. Tired and sleepy, we reached our hotel by 10:00 PM.

Day -2

Our second day was filled with adventure, for we had decided to go to Paradise beach and Auroville. Our first stop was Auroville. The ride (Activa) was smooth and the experience was good. There is a 1km stretch that connects the Auroville information centre to the main Auroville meditation hall. It is a shady path and can be covered on foot. No vehicles are allowed. There is a gate pass that is issued after the visitors are made to watch a 15 min video (that tells about the origin of Auroville and its history). 

 

The pass is issued free of cost. One cannot enter the main Auroville globe until one has taken prior permission. The visitors are only permitted to walk up to the view point from where they can click pictures and enjoy the scene.

It took us 1 and a half hour to finish exploring Auroville and then we headed to Channumber boat house. This boat house is situated at the banks of the Channumber backwaters and connects to Paradise beach via ferry service. The management is terrible there. We had to wait for 2 hours for our turn to get into the ferry and reach Paradise. The rates are as follows:

Paradise beach: This beach ticked all the right boxes. With clean blue waves crashing on the whitish sand, this beach was the one! We felt a different kind of happiness when we faced the Bay of Bengal. 

It was so inviting. We had to enjoy the waves and we did so. But, the odds were still not in favour of our stomachs and all we could find to eat was Rice and Cauliflower (now, who eats that?). At 5:00 in the evening, we drove back to our hotel (not to forget, we ate chips and other junk on our way back). We rested for a while and then the hunt for a place to eat dinner began again. Not being able to reach to any conclusion, we ended up eating at A2B. The North Indian Thali was something we had been craving for.

It was time to pack our things as our Greenline was scheduled for departure at 10:30 PM. But not even once did we feel that it was a short trip. Pondicherry can be easily covered in two days. But if one wants to enjoy the humid air and the moderate currents of Bay of Bengal, one can always extend the stay.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           I hope this information comes in handy.

One liner for the trip: Pondicherry is not up to scratch; the place to too puffed up!

“Nobody can discover the world for somebody else. Only when we discover it for ourselves does it become common ground and a common bond and we cease to be alone.”

― Wendell Berry, A Place on Earth

Ooty- Coonoor (3 days trip)

(The photographs used are all original)

I travelled to Ooty and Coonoor during the month of August. We (two of us) booked a taxi (Ola Outstation Cab- Etios Liva) and started at 03:00 AM on 12.08.2016 (Friday). We prefer travelling during the night hours because this not only saves a lot of time but also makes the journey comfortable (less traffic). We reached Bandipur by 9:00 AM and enjoyed the eerie silence in the forest. The desire to see a tiger or leopard kept me awake throughout the journey.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve is followed by Madumalai Tiger Reserve. The maintenance is better in latter compared to the former. Also, the number and variety of animals is more in Madumalai. To reach Ooty, there are two routes- one through Bandipur-Madumalai- Gudalur (approximately 77km) and the other through Bandipur- Madumalai- Masinagudi (37km). The latter is through a curvy road on the mountain, with 36 hairpin bends. We took the first route to reach Ooty as several view points are located on that way. To start with, we first stopped at:

A little ahead of Pykara boat house: We stopped for tea a little ahead of the turning that led to Pykara Boat House. But call it luck or no-luck, we met a guide who somehow succeeded in playing with our minds and we agreed to be guided by him. He took us to a forest and showed us these four view points: Shooting place of Raja Hindustani- Poocho zara pooch song, British Lake view, Tea Estates (Glenmorgan) and Pine forests.

No doubt the view points were good, but the guide sounded a little misleading. He asked for 450/- but we bargained and gave him 350/-. The important point to note here is that these people can be spotted on the road looking out for customers. They can be asked to guide but the price is negotiable. 350/- was also too much. But the stars didn’t seem in our favour.

Raja Hindustani View-point: The view point is amazing with fabulous scenic beauty of the grasslands. There is peace and calm and one can sit and relax for a while. The view of the tea plantations is mesmerizing. The Pine forest is not really a forest; you can view vast spread pine trees and cows grazing under them. If the weather is nice, the scene would be amazing.

Glenmorgan Tea Estates: These are the tea plantations owned by

Glenmorgan. It is a nice view, but you cannot stop there for more than 5 minutes and take pictures.

British View Lake: Your eyes are bound to be on stalks after seeing this majestic lake view. It is so quiet and calm and with that cold breeze brushing across your face, you can experience a chill run down your spine.

It took us about one and a half hour to explore these four places but the decision was worth the price. Luckily, we also got a chance to stop by a stall where we ate South Indian pakodas and had yum Tea.

Next, we headed to Pykara Boat House and believe me, the lake will definitely blow your mind off. 

With serene and green surroundings, the green water of the lake is something you wish for. PS: Go for the speed boat and have the experience of the lifetime.

There are three types of boats and the prices (as in August, 2016) are like this.

Heading to Ooty, we stopped at Ninth Mile and probably the photographs will be sufficient to describe how we felt there...

 

We had already booked OYO room and we went directly to our room. Tired but satisfied, we had delicious lunch and then napped for some time. In the evening, we decided to check out the Ooty streets (called the Upper Bazaar) and came back by 10:00 PM with lots of chocolates, fiber lantern and other things that we shopped.

Day-2

The next day we visited Ooty Lake, Botanical Garden and Rose Garden in Ooty.

Ooty Lake: 

Commercialized and crowded are the two words that first come in my mind. Not that the experience was boring, but still this place was crowded. The price was nominal but the additional security was supposed to be refunded only if the customer (s) came back in half an hour.

PS: Just in case you get stuck in the middle of the lake (say if your peddle stops working) use your brain and call the number mentioned on the receipt. The rescue boat will rescue you. (Did I say this happened with us?)

Botanical Garden & Rose Garden: The tickets for both these places cost Rs. 30 per person but the former is not worth a visit. I felt the land used up to make Botanical Garden could have been used in a better way. The rose garden, however, is amazing and widely spread across. Parking is not a problem if you are willing to pay 60-80 bucks for four wheelers.

Day-3 (Coonoor)

We started for Coonoor at 09:30 AM. On our way, we witnessed the scenic beauty of Wellington. Our target was to cover Lamb’s Rock, Dolphin Nose and Sim’s Park.

Sim’s Park: This was our first stop and it was truly spread out. Tiring out our muscles, we were left with little energy. But lo and behold, the clouds covered the vast blue and made our journey even merrier.

Dolphin nose: Traffic was a problem here. With big lorries and Tempo Travellers, the roads were jammed and we wasted four hours getting out of this area. The view was, however, such that it could make you disbelieve your eyes.

Lamb’s Rock: When we reached this rock, it was densely clouded and we could see anything beyond a certain distance. Since the view point has nothing but a dead end and from there you are supposed to look ahead and see another mountain that has a weird cut, we did not find this interesting. Moreover, we had to walk 1 km just for nothing (owing to the fog). 

Only when we came down and stopped to have tea, we realized that the same view could be enjoyed from the tea stall too. Just behind that small shop, one could see Lamb’s Rock. Psst! What a waste of time it was!

PS: Lamb’s Rock is famous for factory outlet of chocolates and different kinds of oils. One can buy these things at cheaper rates from here.

By 12:30 PM we started our journey homewards. We took the Masinagudi route that comprised of zig-zag haip-pin bends; not one or two but 36. But journey was comfortable and quick. Since the gates of Bandipur close by 6:00 PM, we had to cross that region before the deadline. These were the animals we spotted on our way back.

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Some important points to remember:

ü Whenever visiting mountains, carry track pants and umbrella. Carry woollens too.

ü Carry extra clothes because you cannot resist from getting wet in the rain

ü Wear shoes

I hope this information comes in handy.

One liner for the trip: Be footloose and fancy-free, for there is a lot to feast your eyes on!

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert

Gokarna- Murudeshwar- Mangalore (Karnataka)- 4 days Trip

Gokarna- Murudeshwar- Mangalore (4 days trip)

(The photographs used are all original)

I travelled to Gokarna and other listed places during the month of June. We (five of us) booked a taxi (Innova) and started at 12:00 AM on 11.06.2016 (Saturday). We prefer travelling during the night hours because this not only saves a lot of time but also makes the journey comfortable (less traffic). We reached Gokarna by 8:00 AM and stayed in Shivaprasad Hotel, located near the Gokarna beach.

Shivaprasad Hotel: This is a nice lodge/ hotel where accommodation is not only cheap but also comfortable. Since we had gone during the off season, the prices were comparatively lower. The rooms were spacious and bathrooms were clean. The rent was as follows:

Double Bed room: 1200/- per night

Triple Bed room: 1500/- per night

The hotel has a provision of hot water during the early morning hours, after which there is ice cold water throughout the day.

**Food is one of the major problems in Gokarna. There are no hotels or restaurants nearby. Shivaprasad has a food outlet of its own and that serves only Upma, Idli/ Vada and Puri Sagu for breakfast. The food is okay; it can be eaten when nothing else is available.

We started for Om Beach at 11:00 AM and reached there by 11:30 AM. Before that we had breakfast in the food outlet of Shivaprasad.

Om Beach: Since it was raining cats and dogs, no water sports were available. But it was fun strolling on the beach and picking up sea shells. The waves were very strong, and so it was not advisable to go deeper into the sea. The place is very scenic and it offers ample opportunities to get yourself clicked. The much talked about ‘Namaste Café’, offers nice food at affordable rates. There are washrooms, which are clean and hygienic.

We spent around two hours on the beach and then started for Kudle beach.

Kudle beach: With extremely low maintenance, this beach is a

littered place. The beach is beautiful but the garbage spoils the fun. The waves were strong and yet again it was not advisable to go deeper into the sea. Nothing much was there on this beach and we spent time walking along the length, enjoying the view and relaxing our minds.

After Kudle, Paradise beach was next on our list. But, unfortunately, it was closed because of the bad weather. The trekking path was not accessible and the road to that beach was blocked. Probably, this is the cleanest beach in Gokarna. Only if we could see it!

Following this, we headed for Gokarna beach. Only when we went there, we realised that that was the closest beach from ShivaPrasad.

Gokarna Beach: This was one beach where I could see people actually enjoying themselves. We sat on the beach and enjoyed the waves. The only drawback was the availability of a restaurant. The highly talked about ‘Premas’, does not allow people inside if they are in wet clothes. Other than this, there was no other place to eat. Hence, we had to drive back to Shiva Prasad for dinner. We spent the night in Gokarna and started for Murudeshwar, the next morning.

Jog Falls: On the way to Murudeshwar, there is a junction, the left

side of which leads to Jog Falls (61 km from the junction). The road is nice and the traffic is also less. But during the month of June, the water was scarce in the waterfall. The view is superb and this is indeed, the largest waterfall in Karnataka. People are not allowed to go down and get wet. However, a staircase leads to a point which is really close to the foothills of the mountain from where the water is falling. There are enough options for food and water. The entry ticket (parking ticket) costs around 50/- INR.

It took us two and a half hours to finish the tour of Jog Falls and after that we started for Murudeshwar. The road to Murudeshwar is really very nice.

Murudeshwar: We reached Murudeshwar at around 04:30 PM and booked the hotel for staying. We booked Dhenu Atithya. Again, we opted for two rooms- one triple and one double. The prices were cheap and affordable. The best part was that this hotel had a restaurant of its own, which not only served South Indian food but also North Indian food. The rent was as follows:

Double Bed room: 800/- per night

Triple Bed room: 1200/- per night

Murudeshwar is a small city. We relaxed for one hour and then went out to explore the temple and the beach. The temple is a huge one. It took us more than 1.5 hours to explore the entire temple. It is magnificent and you are ought to feel blissful after visiting that temple.

Raj Gopura: This is a tall building at the entrance of the temple. The

entry fee for this building is 10/- INR per person and there is a lift that operates from ground floor to 18^th floor. The floors in between are closed. The whole point of going to the top is to have a look at the city-view and enjoy the Murudeshwar beach. Who would not spend ten rupees for such pleasure?

Murudeshwar market is one such market which has lots to offer. There are changing rooms/ bathrooms, shops selling shells and other things. Several stalls can be found selling coconut water. Due to the monsoon, one side of the beach was closed. We, however, managed to go to the other side. Yes, the waves were really very strong. Water was cleaner compared to the Gokarna beaches. We collected sea shells and played with water for some time. We started for our hotel at about 07:30 PM. As mentioned before, Murudeshwar is a small city and you do not need to travel by any vehicle. All the places- temple, beach and hotel, can be reached by walking.

We had dinner in the restaurant and then rested, for the next day we had to leave for Mangalore.

Maravanthe & Malpe: We started for Mangalore at about 10:00 AM after having the breakfast. Yet again the road (NH17) was fabulous. Road to Mangalore was awesome because there is a stretch of road which is sided by the Arabian Sea and the view is exceptional. 

We stopped at Maravanthe Beach, the beach which had white (rather yellow) sand and so many sea shells. The view was breath taking. Since this beach is by the side of the road, we stopped for half an hour and then resumed our journey. We reached Udupi and headed towards Malpe beach. At this beach, the Ferry ride to St. Mary’s Island is really very famous. But unfortunately, the rides were closed. We looked around the place and satisfied ourselves with the pictures that we clicked. Malpe beach is another beach which has blue water and is cleaner than Gokarna Beaches. There are canopies placed at regular intervals. The waves were strong and thus, we decided to not go into the sea further. After spending an hour or so, we started for Mangalore.

 Mangalore: We reached Mangalore by 2:30 PM. We had booked OYO rooms and our hotel was Rasa Prakash. With nice ambience and wifi facility, the rooms were quite big. Mangalore is a crowded city. Having spent three days in complete bliss, we did not like the climate here. It was hot and humid. However, we started for Panumbar beach. The beach was not that commercialized but

still had facility for food and water. There were horse rides, small rides for kids and provision for paid photography. The waves were strong and so we weren’t allowed to go deeper into the sea. We spent around 1.5 hours at this beach and then started for Tannir Bhavi beach. By the time we reached there, the sun had almost gone down. The beach was isolated as we could hardly spot people there. The view was scary and the sound of the waves made us take a step back. We did not dare to even touch the waves. Clicking some photographs and shouting out names, we decided to head back to our hotel.

Back to Bangalore: Having spent the night in Mangalore, we started at 09:00 AM and went to St. Aloysious Chapel. That was something extraordinary. The campus also had a museum and the fee for the museum was 5/- INR per person. The chapel has been preserved so well. With painting on either side of the walls, the chapel looks beautiful and there is a story hidden in every painting. This was definitely a must-watch place in Mangalore. From here, we left for Bangalore.

Trust me; there were no eating joints on the way. And this had angered the mice in our stomach. Luckily, after two tiring hours, we spotted one restaurant- Surabhi.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Some important points to remember:

ü Whenever visiting a beach, carry shorts. Do not wear thick fabric as it would take a long time to remove the sand. Also, drying clothes would become a big problem.

ü Carry extra clothes because you cannot resist from getting wet in the sea

ü You can carry your cell phones/ camera and keep them safely in a backpack (waterproof). But in case you are planning to indulge in water sports, then ensure that you either leave your valuable items in the car or with someone

ü Wear slippers

ü The thought to playing in sand might sound gross, but enjoy the moment. You will never regret it.

I hope this information comes in handy.

One liner for the trip: Ideal trip to let one’s hair down!

“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton