Travelouge - Hyderabad to nagarjunasagar




Left the Catchment Area & Right the Dam Gates in the background

Nagarjunasagar:
  Wow, one of those spots that under promises but over delivers. I went there more as a checkbox thing. Honestly wasn't expecting much, but I WAS SURPRISED. It's worth a visit the view is majestic to say the least.  Even when it has nothing, you will be in awe of the sheer enormity of the same. They have a 45 minute Ferry ride to an island that boasts of Buddhist relics and I must say it did not dis appointed.
The only remorse was I could not see the "Majestic Site" with Gates opened.

Travel from Hyderabad:

• App. 185 Kms , 220 if you include Ferry launch pad and Ettipotala waterfall
• Head directly on the ORR, travel app 65 Km ( From Gachibowli). Follow signage.
• Last 120 Kms are 2 lane, No divider but decent road.
• Traffic average mainly trucks.

Pros:

• World's biggest masonry dam and it wont diss-appoint.
• You can cover everything in one day. ( I left Hyd @ 6 AM and was back by 7 PM)
• The catchment area is huge, amazingly huge
• They have a 45 minute (One way) ferry ride to an island which is pretty scenic
• None of the entry tickets are costly.
• If the gates are opened, you will be awe stuck for sure
• Its a 590 ft deep catchment area
• You will not be stuck for lack of directions. There is just one main road.

Cons:

• The Ettipotala waterfall is a big dis-appointment. The recently created signage's talks of a Crocodile sanctuary which had seen crocodile last in 1993
• You cant go down and have a closer look at the waterfall
• The Ferries are not well maintained, it becomes too slippery there
• Don't expect too many food outlets, Adventure sports or Shopping malls.
• The Gates are opened for may be a month or two in the whole year.
• If you plan to do a night halt, there is actually nothing worth the additional stay

The cocktail of Honesty, Corruption, Media & Politics

Wow one Suspension catches the Fancy of Entire Country. God I am impressed but confused. What's so unique about this.

• Honesty getting punished is not a new thing
• SP leaders speaking a language of " Who cares" is not new
• An officer getting suspended is not new.
• Sand Mafia is almost as old as The Noida real estate boom.

Then what ??
 Long ago I learned that It's not the 100th blow that makes a boxer fell, but the 99 blows that went before that. I had a feeling that Durga became the rallying point for the IAS officers who were somehow feeling too constrained in the current UP regime. She is too young an officer to be corrupted, her childlike innocence and honesty made her the rallying point

Interesting part:

1. I am surprised at the low Political acumen of SP Guys. They allowed it to go out of hands just because they kept on speaking a language of someone intoxicated by Power. They spoke venom when it was sure to backfire.
2. Durga played cool and watched it all happening from a distance. She allowed a very fair and unbiased play.
3. Akhilesh as always turned out to be a good guy caught in wrong party.
4. Media played an amazingly proactive role, finding al skeletons
5. SC said "Brave Girl" but refused to interfere.
6. A suspension became a bargaining chip for Food security bill.

Well UP has a strange Irony, You don't get hung or coalition govts there, you get absolute majority but the end result is anarchy.

But I am sure UP govt. will learn a lesson in the repercussions of punishing Honesty. Way to Go Durga.


 

Hyderabad to SuryaLanka Trip

Recently drove down to SuryaLanka beach with couple of friends. Although it was a miscalculated journey where right from the travel time to "what's there" was incorrectly assumed/judged by me, but on the whole it was worth it. The calm beach, scenic road, negligible traffic, great company covered up for all the miscalculations.

About Suryalanka:

• A remote beach in a remote location ,which even google maps will show remotely
• One of those rare beaches of AP where the govt has stake in it. ( They own the only resort available)
• Around 425 Kms from Hyderabad. ( Hyd - Vijaywada - Guntur - Bapatla - Suryalanka)
• It's more of a Romantic destination and less of an Adventure destination. ( Although it doesn't score highly in either case)

What's Exciting:

• The resort of APTDC is pretty scenic. ( Haritha Resort)
• You practically wake up to the sounds of Sea waves crashing
• Given the monopoly , APTDC could had made this worst and got away with it , but they exceeded expectations.
• If you are travelling from Hyderabad , app 80% of road is 4/6 lane
• Defining the Bay of Bengal Logic , the beach slope isn't steep,
• Almost the whole journey is scenic and you don't feel anything urban
• Although more from a formality perspective, but water sports are there.
• The Sunrise is "Not To Miss" , given the BoB location constraints , sunset isn't at all photogenic
• In spite of my "Apprehensions" , it's safe , pretty safe.
• The speed of your travel majorly will be governed by your car and risk appetite and not by traffic. 

What's Killing:

• Just two hours there and you are like , "Oh Shit That;s All"
• Your Mobile will work, so you aren't away from work :-(. 
• Crabs, Crabs, Crabs, Mother crab, Father Crab, Baby Crab. All sizes and nationalities will greet you.
• 7:00 clock and it's all closed , back to rooms.
• Don't have that romantic notion of walking in a private beach in the moonlight. It's not happening.
• Language barrier, if you don't understand the language then both waiter and sign boards are from Mars for you.

Some Do's and Dont's

• If you do not get the Haritha Beach resort booked , DO NOT GO.
• Take Hyd - Vijaywada highway only.
• It's the company that will matter and not the beach. It's Ok at best.
• Carry your own GPS equipment , dont rely on signboards.

Pics by Rahul Sinha.

Trip to Mrigavani National Park

Mrigavani :

Was looking for a nearby wild life destination in Hyderabad. Came across Mrigavani , the park seems pretty exciting on paper. So thought of giving it a visit. However looks like wildlife guys messed up a bit in terms of keeping something pure by keeping it away from human civilization and at the same time Shouting "Look I am here".  So you end up going there with Great Expectations and come back looking for a next Venue.

•  It’s a 900 Acres National park , opened in 1988 near Hyderabad
• App < 25 kms from here , pretty good approach road. ( Near chilkur Balaji)
•  It is a restricted area so you actually feel like  being in a Jungle.

Pros:

•  Flora:  Pretty Impressive.
•  Pretty cheap. ( Safari 50/- rs only)
•  A decent safari ride. ( bus)
•  Lush green.
•  Limited crowd.
• It is one of the “to visit places” near Hyderabad ( courtesy APTDC)

Cons:

• Fauna: Deers , Hare , Woodpeckers , Pea cock . Pea Hens ,Butterflies. ( The one I saw)
•  One hour inside and you are like , anything left L
•  Majority of the part is restricted and you cant go inside.
•   Just one food shop that too bare min.
•  They have guest house but it can’t be booked on the spot.
•   They claim to have snake shows , Educational tours , Jungle walks , But nobody knew how to get     . them done. Even APTDC guys were not sure about them.

In short much ado about nothing.