Kodaicanal

so the week prior to Good friday we got bonus chuttis.. we had an off on wednesday (tamil new year) and thursday (elections) and yet we didnt plan a trip blame it on laziness or lethargy. not sure...the holidays were sudden and we didnt plan anything... spent time on the beach and thats about it!!

And then came the Godd friday weekend which we didnt want to waste.. So we packed our bags and boarded the bus to madurai.. the bus started from koyembedu and we waited for a long long time when someone called and said we were waiting at the wrong place..then we figured out where we had to go and boarded the bus which played three tamoil movies all night... We reached madurai early morning and boarded a local bus for kodaicanal which was so damn slow..we thought we would never reach but we did.. and we went to our lodge which was a quaint little place but baap re there was so much climbing to do.. our room was part of a family room... we took a bath and then walked upto the lake.. we then ate a wonderful indian lunch and took a round of the lake gorging on gudiya ka baal, chai, home made chocolate nad bhutta..
We were carrying umbrellas because it had been raining.. suddenly i saw a man brush his hand in an attempt to touch neha.. both of us beat him up with an umbrella. Neha even used the F word.. I am sure that man will never touch a woman again..
We then laughed about it.. thank god, we vented it out elser we would have felt very bad. Taking a round around the lake in tha rain was nice.. we ate plums and suddenly there would be mist like raaz and then rain... We even saw kodai international school and sat near its football ground..We went for the famous coakers walk but it became misty so we headed backlater, we went for dinner at the tibetan place and found a bakery of our choice.

Next day, it was a sunny morning we vacated our room, kept our luggage at the bakery and went towards bear shola falls ..it was a promising walk..however, the falls were non existent.. Then we headed to the town and went to a famous bakery where we had some wonderful bread and pastry.. We then decided to walk to pillar rocks which were 6.5 kms away.. We walked in the rain and we walked but i think we had just walked 2.5 kms and then headed back.. it was raining too much.. we had lunch at the pot luck cafe and then went to buy bus tickets after collecting our luggage...
We headed back to madurai, reached at about 8 and then went to CCD to use the washroom and wash our feet.. later we took a round of the meenakshi temple and went to the bus stop.. our bus came at 11.15.. it was the most comfortable bus ride.. we slept till we reached chennai :)

Andaman's

Offsite to Andaman's
Day 1
So, we went to Andaman's for our annual plan meet. Morning about 4, Kunal picked me up from my home and we reached the airport where almost the whole team was waiting..Why? because evelyn wanted everyone to travel together..
So, then we boarded the flight, i had the window seat...tried sleeping but failed..spent time looking outside the window.. We reached Port blair soon..
We had to wait for the bus wwhich would take us to the ferry. The place had a very goa feel to it.. but i hadn't seen anything till now.. soon we reached the port, bought tickets and entered the ferry which was air conditioned.. It was a nice ride.. the water was amazingly clean and we reached Havelock island very soon :)
There, i looked at the water..clear, transparent you could see fishes inside.. It was bliss... then we hired 2 cars and reached our resort called Symphony palm resort.. the forest on one side and sea on the other (agar tsunami aati, toh mar jate)
We dumped our luggage and went to the beach... then we enjoyed the clear water which was very very salty.. there were too many rocks i felt..they kept hurting my feet..
soon we went for lunch and then again on a walk..
It rained and we watched the india-Pak world cup match.. We won :)
Then we went for the team dinner

Day 2
The next day we got up early, went to the beach but water had receded..now i saw what had hurt me the previous day.. there were so many corals, its not funny.. We then had our teeam meeting and then a break for lunch. we hired scooters.. i sat behind rupalee and we went to radhanagar beach.. the water was clear...i was neck deep inside water and by now i thought i had learnt a bit of floating.. and so many times waves would come and i would be inside water.. big waves..bliss..i have started loving water :) so many times i would be under it and then resurface.. the waves were loving.. then completely wet, we clicked very many photos and went back to the resort.. then we went for another team dinner, post which the annual plan meet

Day 3
Morning we had the team meet, where there were some arguments.. I hired a cycle and went to the coral beach after having a banana pie :) my boss came behind me.. we had chai and then i asked him to carry on on his bike while i cycled back.. a dog followed me and stayed with me.. when it came running behind me, i thought "aaj kutta khayega" bit it was loving.. it was bliss cycling on the road with the sea on one side, the forest on another and raindrops on my head.. i found some beautiful corals and trees and then thought it would be wise to head back.. then i slept a bit when everyone returned.. after that we just had dinner and anotheer annual meet.. again there was a fight but it got resolved

Day 4
The last day, we went to elephant bay: pretty as can be... it was the first time i went snorkelling in water and floated and wore life jackets to reach the bay.. the whole experience was awesome :)
we also went on a glass boat.. to observe underwater life is an experience...
i floated and floated and then we had to leave.. we returned to the resort, packed and left for port blair. In the night, we did some shopping and slept because we had an early morning flight. We then left for Chennai in the morning saying goodbye to the beautiful andaman's. i hope i can visit again :)

Amdavad

So once again, the researcher got ready..this time for a survey on livestock insurance. (rem the van gouh problem, where people cut ears of cows as proof that they were dead. So loads of animals with one ear were found..just like his painting where he has cut his own ear...baap re)
anyway, so we went to cattle owners in a district in called mehsana very close to amdavad..
each visit to a village is special..
I sat and discussed similar triangles with a kid who was studying.
I was gifted lemons in one village..
Most households mei i was served tea.. In Gujarat, you have chai in the plate
In one village, they said somethin in gujarati which i didnt understand and i was dismissed as deaf..
so many incidents, so many memories.. each field visit enriches you..makes you realise how small you are coz you are urban. how many times have you shunned a salesman from your house without offering them water?
Atithi devo bhav is best followed in villages..