Kanyakumari

..... Continued from previous post and Previous to Previous Post



Our journey continoued. We checked out early in the morning on 11th Feb 07, Sunday. This time to reach Kanyakumari had understood that train is the best mode of transport. We found from resort folks that there was a train from Varkala to Kanyakumari at around 7:30 AM. We called for an Auto and reached Varkala from Resort, which is around 4KM. This time he took Rs. 40, which was ok, unlike Rs. 100 while coming to Edava. :0



As we did not have for breakfast, I bought some juice, biscuits and other eatables from Train Station itself and took an unreserved ticket which I remember to be Rs. 40 per head. Train got delayed for 30 min. At around 8 AM we got in and reached Kanyakumari at around 12 noon.


Took an auto to a Hotel very near to beach and temple. Had lunch at Sharavana Veg, which was pretty good. Hotel was pretty decent and got it for Rs. 800/- per night. We had lot of time. So planned to finish places inside Kanyakumari and wanted to reserve Monday for around it.


We started to Vivekananda Rock and Tiruvalluvar statue through ferry. This is the snap from our room. We could see Statue and Viv. rock from our room.















Vivekanand rock is one of most beautiful man made structure and very clean and systematic. Thress oceans meet there with roaring sound and flashing waves. Very nice place to visit. Ferry will take you to the Tiruvalluvar statue. Its very big, to reach statue's feet itself, we need to climb 4-5 stories.

































Evening, we visited temple and went to the beach for watching the sunset. We felt very bad, as it was too cloudy and could not watch the sunset.











Next day morning Sunrise was one of the beautiful scene I had ever seen

To be continued ...

Kadaltheeram Beach Resort

-- Continued from Previous Post

We reached Kadaltheeram Resort at around 4PM on Friday, 09 Feb 07. We were dead tired of taking 2 different buses from Trivandrum. We ordered food for lunch and found the room for rest. By first look, the resort is amazingly beautiful and roaring waves of Arabian sea was audible to the room. Its 100 mts from room to the beach, never had seen such a beautiful place in my life.

All our tiredness was gone in few minutes and finishing our lunch we started enjoying the sunset like never before. Beach of Edava was a kind of private beach and other than we two I could npt see any one else.

Sky was very clear and we enjoyed Sunset. we played a lot with the beach sand and it was very very romantic.

The restaurant was good and most of the workers were from Mysore and we found them very friendly, we could converse with them in Kannada.

We were very happy to hear kannada even after going so long and remote. Food was also very nice. After the beach play, we came back to restaurant to have some resfreshment, we also got the signal to call our homes.

It was really REMOTE. Real cut from busy life. Wah! superb.

To be continued --

Trip to Trivandrum Kadalateeram Kanyakumari

I had taken Artha Health option's travel tickets last year, which gives you two holiday stay free. You have to choose one among the destinations they are having. Timmi and I decided to goto Kadalteeram beach resort which is near Trivandrum. Idea was to make an extended to holiday and visit Trivandrum and Kanyakumari as well. Plan was made sometime in Jan 07 and booked with Artha also. One of my ex-colleague, Madhavi stays in Trivandrum.. She helped me in planning my trip. Thanks to her.

Plan was:

1. Reach Trivandrum, visiti Padmanabha Swami temple, Ravi Varma Art galley and some more places inside the city and head to Kadaltheeram beach resort by evening which is around 70 KM north from Trivandrum, rest for the day

2. Next day Saturday enjoy the resort, beach

3. Check out early on Sunday and head towards Kanyakumari which is around 70 KMs south from Trivandrum, and visit some of the places on the way like: Padmanabha puram palace, Sucheendram etc reach Kanyakumaru by afternoon, have lunch, visit temple in the evening, sunset, rest for the day

4. Next day get up visit more places: Thirparappu Water falls and head towards Nagercoil to catch bus back to Bangalore at night.

It went almost as it was as planned.. Feb 9th, Friday early morning 6:30, we had the fligh to Trivandrum. Deccan Airlines, it started and reached as planned. We reached there by 8:30AM. temple. Madhavi had told best way of commutance within city is by Auto, but we need to negotiate as they do not use meters unlike Bangalore. He initially asked Rs. 80 to Padmanabha Swami Temple which was not even 4 KM from Airport. As per strict instructions by Madhavi we negotiated for Rs. 40. Peculiar thing about this temple is, everyone has to wear Dhotis or Sarees. Even some women wore dhotis :-). This temple is vert huge and we spent around an hour there and looked for a restaurant for breakfast. Had some dosa and watery coffee we started towards another Devi temple called Attukal Devi temple which was not too far from there. Again commuted by Auto for Rs. 20. Being Friday, it was very crowded there.

From there we headed towards Zoo. We did not know Zoo and Ravi Verma Art gallery (Actual Name is Sri Chitra Art Gallery) are in the same compound. We reached Zoo at around 11 AM and found a place to keep our luggage. Then we went to Art gallery. By looking at Amazing paintings of Raja Ravi Verma, we felt as if we visited some other world. Finishing Art gallery, we went to Zoo. Zoo is not that great compared to our Mysore Zoo. Crocodile were really attractive. But there was an explicit reptile park which was an attraction. Just beside Zoo complex, a Palace was there. We visited that too. It was around 12:30. Had some refreshments and started towards Verkala.

We never knew reaching verkala was so tough. The final destination was Kadaltheeram resort in Edava. Edava is a small Village in Verkala. In the bus station we understood that, direct bus to Verkala is not available from Trivandrum. We should reach a place called Attingal and from there we need to catch another bus to Verkala. Oh my God, we had already tired. We took a bus to Attingal but could not get a seat. After say 30 min we got seats. Reached Attingal and boarded another bus to Verkala and from there reached Edava and our final destination. From Verkala bus station to Resort its not more than 4 KM, but he took Rs. 100. Uff.. we were so tired and it was already 4 PM. Once we reached resort, we got know the best way to rech Verkala is through Train. Anyway it was too lare :)

--- To be Continued

IBM vs Systech

Hi all,

After a long stay in IBM for five and a half years, I finally decided to quit and join a smaller organization. IBM was my first company. It made me a professional from student. I learnt lot of things from IBM. It was very difficult for me to take a decision, as IBM was stable, no risk, my work was good and it was flexible. But thinking "Comfirm Zone" and my career options I ahd to make my mind and I did. I put my papers around first week of April and stayed in IBM till 10th May. Joined ACS-Systech Integrators from 14th May.

Systech is a very small, young, dynamic, energetic and aggresive company. It has around 200 employees in India. It would be very challenging for me to take up oppertunities here and meet the expectations. You believe it or not, Paper work was over in 3-4 Hrs and we were introduced VP and other managers. I was given a seat and a laptop on Day 1. In IBM it would have taken at least 15 days ! I was given my project on Day 2 and was asked to start work on some presentation next week. Oh my God never seen thigns happening so fast before. People are filled with "Josh" here. Sometimes it scares me. But I need to take up the fact and go forward.

Post more about it later.

PS: I need to post my Trips to Trivandrum - Kadalateeram and Kemmannugundi

Catch you soon.. Hope to continue blogging more frequently