Due to the popular demand and requests, I decided to write a short note about my trip 2 Andaman Nicobar Islands. If any1 has any queries after that ...feel free 2 ask ! Here goes...
Well this trip started on the 29th of Dec 2008. My bro and me left for the Andamans at 4 in the morning.( Mom and Dad had already left on the 27th). We had to catch a flight 2 Chennai ( there is no direct flight to Port Blair...Its via Chennai or Calcutta ) and then after abt 2 hrs in Chennai , next flight to Port Blair. We reached Port blair around 12 30 pm on 29th.
29th Dec - Rested and then in the evenin went to the Museum and a local beach in Port Blair. Was hardly a beach and the Museum not really upto the level and the types u c in the cities. Bit informative but not well maintained.
30th Dec - Early mornin ..got up at 5 and caught the ship to Havelock Islands at 6 am. Havelock is one of the famous Islands there. It has 2 Beaches ..Radha Nagar Beach and The Elephant beach. The ship took abt 5 hrs to reach us to our destination. We were stayin at Dolphin Resort. Very nice place..adjacent to a beach and has nice huts type of rooms 2 stay in...The resort is good but the rooms and service not really good. That evening we went 2 Radha Nagar Beach. Enjoyed the sea...Saw the sunset around 5 30 pm....It was Beautifull !! Returned to our resort after tea at a stall near the beach ....planned for the next day, had dinner and crashed early !
31st Dec - Again an early start...All excited as we were going Scuba Diving !! :D There are as of yet only 4 Scuba Diving institutes der, of which 1 is not well equipped. We were lucky 2 get 2 do it as everything was booked ! So we went PADI institute, International Institue....Very nice and well maintained. Very Professional ! Mom, Bro and Me went for Scuba Diving and Dad and Uncle went for Glass bottom boat ride. At first they showed us a Video with all instructions and introduction 2 Scuba...then we were introduced 2 our instructors...each one has a personal instructor...There was an Italian couple and a US young Guy...All 3 were really sweet, helpfull and very good at wat they did !
1st they helped us select our gears, equipments etc. They gave instructions and taught us how 2 chose the perfect gears and other technicalities.
Next we were taken to the Elephant beach shore and there was training for abt 2 hrs there. It involves how to breathe from the equipments, how to wear ur gears, how to help and save wen ur partner needs it, how to swim with the gear etc etc...(Its not very easy)
After the training we were taken to the depths...The real experience !
It was simply Amazing !! One of the most beautifull scenes !!...I saw Angel fish, Clown Fish (Nemo) and many many more types of fishes ... Corals of various colours ...It was an exhilirating experience ! Must Do !
After this we came back ...changed...had lunch and left by the 4 pm Speed boat back to Port Blair.
New Yr's Eve ..i knw...but we were too tired and we crashed ! (Sorry ppl for not pickin up ur calls !! ..Now u knw why! )
1st Jan 09 - Relaxed not very early start ...This time 2 another Island...Ross Island...Had to again take a boat...takes abt 20 mins to reach. This Island is more like an open museum...It tells the story of the Prisoners and the Britishers who treated them like slaves. All the monuments which are now in Ruins were built by the Indian slaves. The Britishers used them build their houses, offices, playing courts etc. A very nice Island ! Must see ! Its a uge Island...U need a lot of time 2 c it...Came back in the afternoon had lunch and then we went 2 c the Aqaurium...which was hardly anything and then we saw the Kaala Paani Jail. There was Light and Sou show at the Jail after that....Worth watching once...Quite nice ! After that we went 2 some local souvenir and pearl shops ( u knw moms !! ) ....( This is where and when I bought all ur gifts my dear friends !! :P ) Headed back home , had Dinner and off to sleep !
2nd Jan - A very early start, left by 4 am to go 2 Baratang Islands...its a 2 hrs Drive to a Forest. This Forest has the Adivasis calld Jarawas still staying there So to maitain and protect them, they allow carrs to go only in a Convoy ie aroun 30 jeeps at a time with a speed limit of 40 at a police jeep at the front and end of the Convoy. Its goes every Alternate hour. We saw a few Jarawas...they luk like Africans...So this convoy ride is abt 1 1/2 hr. It takes u 2 a ferry where the ship takes u 2 Baratang Island. On the arrival 2 Baratng, we tuk a privat speed boat to the Limestone caves. That was really nice !! Then we came back to Baratang and went and saw the Mud volcano...which was nuting gr8...i found it rather stupid ! After resting for a while near the ferry ...We were on our way back 2 Port blair (the same 4-5 hrs journey ).
3rd Jan - A relaxed start and today the last day of our tour....we went 2 a serene beach called Wandoor ! Abt and hrs Drive. U reach a small beach in Portblair Island and thena boat takes u 2 an off beach abt 15 mins away...Its a Small Island ....away from the crowd and typical beaches ...A nice private place . We relaxed on the beach, went fr a glass bottom boat ride , saw many coral reefs (many of the coral reefs had been damaged due to the Tsunami)...Had lunch and took a long walk on the Island, took many pics some stupid some really good ones, collected Oh so many shells and juss had a gr8 time enjoying the almost untouched Island. Came back 2 the Main beach, saw the sunset and returned home. Packed our bags, Had dinner and slept for again an early start back to Mum !
4th Jan - Got up early, yet again ! Left for Port Blair Airport, tuk our flight 2 Chennai. The trip does not end here !! ...We had abt 4 hrs waiting in Chennai ...which became 8 hrs waiting bcoz our flight go cancelled ( Sum1 knws wat im talkin abt...and U owe me !! )...We had a flight straight in d eve aat 5:45. So we were stuck in Chennai. So there we met one of my Moms very old friend. So i saw a bit of Chennai too !! (hehe)...Did u knw u have 2 Buy drinking water there ?! ( Crazy !! )..And the roads and the bridges and the flyovers !! OMG !! Well so we relaxed there , had lunch, and came back 2 the Aiport and reached Mum by 8 !!...
Costs - Around 20,000 per person only for the flight tickets.
Scuba Diving - 4,500 per person could come down to 3000 or less in off season.
Staying - We were stayin at my Uncles place who is in the Airforce, but in Port Blair u can find decent places for 600 per nite. The Dolphin resort was 1500 per nite per room, One room can occupy around 3-4.Over all expendture w/o flight tickets for 4 of us - 30,000
Well thats it ...!! This was the end of 2008 and Beginning of 2009 for me !
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