Anand Nataraj

Posts Tagged ‘Travel’

Last week went for a days outing with my friend who wanted to introduce me to his Friend who wanted to invest in some Software Company. Since that person was in Theni we thought having a meeting in some adjoining hill station would be a nice spot and we freezed on Meega (Cloud) Malai (Mountain).

We started from Madurai by around 5 PM on thursday and we reached Theni by 6.45 PM. There we picked the investor friend and brought all snacks, food and spirits from Theni. En route to Madurai was a highly scenic with Lust Green Fields, Mountains, Lake and in-between small towns where in you can get all local stuff. I came across this Karupatti Mittai (Chocolate) which is hand made and famous in this District. Then there was this temple where every vehicle which passes by stops and offers prayers and donation.

By the time it was 8 o clock in Theni and we proceeded to MeegaMalai which was some 4 KM from there. On the plains of the Hill there was a Check post set by forest department and we were told entry is closed after 6 PM onards. Since one of my friend is an Advocate we were let in because Advocates in Tamil Nadu enjoy unrealistic benefits. We were told road to the hill was bad but after driving a certain distance we found that there was litrally no road at all. Then we were caught on another place where there is a Panchayat check post where in they collected Rs.50/- for entry. Still i cant figure why we paid that money as we found there was nothing done by Panchayat.

Then we reached the hill top by 10 o clock and we had to wake up a Hotel Owner whom we were asked to contact to get a room. Then he took us to a Panchayat Guest House and we were told that was the best guest house in the place. We paid Rs.500/- for a day and the room was mediocre. That day we slept after having Dinner.

Next day we went to Pechiammal Hotel and had our Breakfast. Then we went to a Dam and from there we went to a Tea factory. This factory and the entire hill was leased by Brooke Bond and subsequently it was sold to some Indian company. There are nearly 5000 people working in this factory and they were given facilities like houses, schools, medical aid, subsidized food etc. This entire hill belongs to the company until 2046 when the lease expires. We were told roads and facilities were of high standards when it was under the control of Brooke Bond. Today there are litrally no roads.

Also the company is not interested in developing infrastructure which will lead too much inflow of tourist. So, until this company is there this Hill will always be isolated. But in general we were happy as we were given access to explore the factory run through plantations and then we also had business discussion and there was noting for me to complain about.

The very evening we reached Madurai and it was business at night as usual.

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We are approaching the end of 2009 and this last day i want to recollect all the resolutions i had for 2009 and how successful am i in full filling those resolutions. Let me list the resolutions;

Resolution 1: Lead a simple life.

As per this resolution i wanted to lead a simple life where in i didn’t to board Auto-rickshaws, Flights, Taxi’s. So i travel through cheapest traveling option. To my satisfaction I can say I full filled this resolution as an individual. I think my CFO Mr.Bala Murugan is the best person to endorse this .

Then not to purchase Gadgets, expensive dresses etc. Again you can endorse my success in this by seeing my Mobile phone which i was forced to buy because my old one was dead. Yes i got a mobile for Rs.1800/- only.

Resolution 2: To Blog Regularly.

Again you readers can endorse me by seeing my Blog Logs. I’m happy to full fill this resolution too.

Resolution 3: To have more Vagabond trips.

Starting this year i had lot of Vagabond trips to places like KanniyaKumaru, Munnar, Coimbatore, Kodaikanal, Thirunelveli & Theni. Then after May i wanted to take a break for 3 months because of summer. Sadly this year it was a long summer as heat waves lasted till October. So i can say i was 50% successful in full filling this resolution too.

Resolution 4: Workout and have a good physique.

Let me confess i failed miserably in this . I worked out promptly till May then after that i went back to dogs.

Resolution 5: Build my Networks.

• With the help of Mr.Bala Murugan i got hold of lots of friends & acquaintance in business.
• I went to Madurai without any friends and today i can say i’ve atleast 100+ friends at madurai and thanks to Sathish & Maverick Fitness Center.
• Then with the help of my friend Roshan & Inshape Fitness Studio i got linked with lots of Celebrities.
• Lots of friends through Twitter, Linkedin, Peerpower & Facebook.

So i can give a pass mark for this resolution too.

Resolution 6: To get a groove into CCS as it is a new zone for me.

• After bootstrapping in a shared office, we have moved in to our own office.
• With clients in all the services (other than franchise) we offer.
• Breaking-even for last 3 months.
• Increasing the team count for CCS.

I must say I’m happy with this resolution too.

To conclude this is the first year where in i’ve a pass mark to my resolutions and also this is the first year where in i’ve a list of resolutions too. Now it is time to sit and rework on another set of resolutions and wish i blog the experience of coming years resolution same day same time.

Until then wish to be successful in accommpolishing next year resolutions too.

Wish you all a happy 2010.

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Last week we had been to Kodaikanal for a day’s trip… Thanks to Major Karthik, Bala Subramaniyam, Boopathi & Sathick for sponsoring the trip… Ok itz wrong to tell it as sponsor as it is their Birthday treat… Since their birthdays fell within a month they thought they can join hands and give a memorable treat… Then boopathi took over and really rocked with his Admistration skills and finished the trip with less than 30% of the projected expense…

Asusual it got delayed because of me… I got up late and it took time to get ready, we were beyond schedule by 30 min… So all folks assembled in my house and this is the team excluding Senthil who joined us from Vadipatti…

Left to Right: Bala Subramaniyam, Major Karthik, Yours Truly, Boopathi, Sathick

Then we picked up Senthil from Vadipatti and then we stopped at Vathalagundu to have our breakfast…

Folks got down near the hotel, Hotel’s Entrance & Folks fighting… I just dank a cup of milk as I know eating too much will result in vomiting… But Sathick freaked with Vada, Dosa, Idly & Coffee and as expected he started vomiting… I was surprised to know that this was sathick’s first trip to a hill station…

Then we straight away went for site seeing… First was pine forest

We at carrot & Ice-Cream here…

Then we went to Guna caves, suicide points and many other places enroute before returning for lunch to Hotel Hilltop… I over ate here and had a nice nap… We cancelled our plan to goto Liril falls and Dolphin nose because there was not much water in the falls…

These are some of the snaps we took on that day…

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Blogging about my Munnar trip is a long pending task… It all started with a call from Vijay Krishna asking me to join them for a trip to Punnagai Mannan falls (falls was named after Kamal Hasan’s movie Punnagai Mannan) near Coimbatore… I told them that I can join them only on Sunday as Saturday is a working day for me… Then I started my ay is office as usual and I got a call from Vijay telling plans got changed to Munnar… I was little upset because I was not mentally prepared for some other place and I was eager to visit a place which I just watched in a movie…

I packed my bags to Munnar by 3:30 PM and went to Bus Stand to board Munnar Bus… On reaching the bus terminus I was told direct bus to Munnar is scheduled only in the mornings and I was asked to goto Theni and then catch a bus to Munnar from there… Then I boarded a bus to theni & within 30 min drive from Madurai tyre got burst… Bus was jam packed and many people started boarding other buses… But I stayed in the bus and thought I can see what happens… Then suddenly driver said there is a spare tyre(stepney) and he changed the type and dropped in Theni within 2 hours… I reached Theni around 8 o clock and I was told next bus to Munnar is at 10 o clock…

I though I can have my dinner in a local hotel to get a feel of the place and in the hotel I engaged a conversation with two boys who were sharing my table… They became good friends and till now we keep calling each other … They told me about unexplored places in Theni and about local culture, they were very curious to know if I know any tamil actors and their houses… For them Chennai looks like heaven and it seems they have never been there… I’m really excited by the way they helped me…

Then I boarded the Munnar bus and I asked the conductor about journey time to munnar… People found from my lingo that I’m from Chennai… One particular gentleman started telling names of each and every place enroute to Munnar… I’ve never had such a journey; it was a great experience…

 I was told there will be lot of elephant crossing in the nights and if any elephant sleeps/stands in the road vehicles has to shut the head light n engine and wait till the animal moves… Unfortunately that didn’t happen in our journey and I missed that experience… But on the way we saw an elephant and it roared, but I didn’t have time to pick my camera and take a snap…

Then I slept for sometime and all of a sudden bus stopped because of traffic jam…I went out for a leak and assumed traffic jam was because of elephants crossing… Then I walked further to see if there is any elephant…

One enquiring the status from a cab driver I came to know traffic jam was because of some quarrel between a tourist van and a truck driver… It took 30 min for the quarrel to get over and for traffic to get cleared… Then atlast I reached munnar by 2 o clock in the morning… It was shivering cold in the night…
Straight away went to the hotel and the doors were locked… I was preying for folks to pick the call… They didn’t pick my call making me scared and for a moment I thought I must sleep in the streets shivering the whole night… Then got a call from Vasanth and he opened the doors… Vasanth, Vijay & Sathish came from Coimbatore… All of us were tired because of the travel and we all crashed to immediately….

Then next day we all started for site seeing by 8.30 in the morning…

To be continued………
Part 2 coming soon……

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