Happy New Year !!

Spent last week of 2009 and first week of 2010 traveling to Munnar, Alleppy, Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry etc. Spent a lot of time introspecting and resolving my priorities. And it helped.

Sharing a few pics and some information that you may like to note.

Munnar

• Stay in good resorts only. There are lots of good-for-nothing hotels with catchy websites.
• Tea Gardens are best. Wake up early, walk in tea gardens and do not touch plants.
• Beef is cooked in most of the hotels. Avoid/ be careful, if you are not too fond of beef.
• Don’t try buying a ton of tea. It is not too different from what we get in our cities.

Alleppy

• Water is dirty and deep. Be very careful if you are coming with a kid.
• Boats start around 12 Noon and stop moving by 5.30 PM. After 5.30 PM, you will stay in same boat till next morning. After another hour moving on boat in the morning, you’ll have to check out.
• There is not much price difference between AC and Non-AC boat. And AC works on batteries and is started only at night.
• Bring your Music/ Movie CDs and DVDs. Don’t drink too much. Wake up early and have a tea/ coffee on the deck.

Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry

• Have written already. Pondicherry is good for a weekend, not more. Try getting Park Guest House, Arvindo Ashram on Beach Road. (Tariff is Rs 600/-).
• Visit Auroville near Pondicherry. It’s really good.
• Mahabalipuram is good for 1 day. Come back to Chennai or Pondicherry in the night.
• Avoid night driving in East Coast Road (ECR). It is good during the day but difficult at night because of no road dividers; and people normally drive too fast.

And I close this post with the point I have decided to follow here on:

"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you should determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."

Happy New Year !!