Ooty-The Queen of Hills continued

Please read the first part first.

After Lake we visited Botanical Garden (Must See Spot). As we already knew that we have less time and we have to cover a lot of spots. So we all agreed on a timeframe of 1hr. In this hour we had to complete Botanical garden and Lunch. 6 friends first visited Botanical Garden, I was one of them. IMPORTANT point: if you are going ooty, give maximum time to this Garden, it's the best spot in whole Ooty. Whole garden is more that awesome, there are no words to explain the garden. You can find hundreds of plants, flowers there. If you are interested in gardening, you can buy seeds from there. The Garden contains trees from different areas of India as well as the World, Spanish European all kind of flowers. At that time I was thinking that I should have given more time to this Garden rather than Lake and Rose garden (since it was no rose season, we found less roses than that garden could have).

After Botanical Garden, we had our lunch and purchased homemade CHOCOLATES from there. Chocolates are the specialty of Ooty. Then we rushed to cab, other 11 also came at the same time. Few trainees  from those were late, they were the same who came late in each and every spot. But I cannot say a lot to them, as I had to take all of them together.

Then we moved to the highest point in Ooty-Doodabeta. The view from Doodabeta was cool. Its best to visit that spot in the evening, and you will reach there in same time. The clouds, the atmosphere can only be understood if you experience it. It was a photographic spot too, we took pictures of diffrent shapes of clouds, our buddies etc.

Now the last point- The Mettupalayam View, this point is great to see in light as well as in dark. In light it's a scenic view of city while in dark lights made this view great. We took a group picture there, as it was a demand (a good one) of one friend.

After all these spots we finally reached our home. My experience: It is not easy to make so many people agree on a single point. In our trip also I tried same but one person looked angry in the complete trip. If I would have made that person happy, others 16 might have became angry, I think I made the right decision. In my thinking the whole trip was good, I learnt a lot of things in the trip, and have made a few conclusions, first understand the mentality of each and every person going with you and if your thinking matches with them, then only go with them or else make yourself adjustable or well you know this option.

You can always give comments here.       

OOty- The Queen of Hill Stations

Rose Garden

 There are many names of a single place, rather say one of the best in South. I visited Ooty to celebrate Gandhiji's birthday. Actually 17 friends visited there and had an awesome day. The planning was done in an hour only. I came home after having dinner and asked everyone who wants to join the trip. In starting 19 trainees got ready to go and we hired a cab, just after the cab deal was final, 2 trainees quitted. Well I had this in mind that's why I was taking more money from all. Just as our plan was in process, one more group plan was already set. They were taking very less than what I was collecting I justified them by saying that "I am collecting high charges because there are hidden charges in their trip such as entry and parking, I after trip some money is left Ill return you.". They said "OK, but some charge still needs reduction". Finally we all agreed on terms and conditions. I must say it is a bit difficult to make 17 people agree on same conditions because each and everyone have different taste such as some wants to cover as much as spot as he can, while other wants to be back on time, no matter how many spots are covered, while others wants to have girls no matter how much time it take or how less spots are covered. As the planner I had to take decisions which most of the people wants. Although they were hard decisions, but someone has to take the hard path.

At the Lake

We reached Ooty and everyone started making their demands such as one said "Hurry we should cover  as many spots as we can", while another said "Call the other group, just check where are they". I said will hurry and will check that is there any possibility to sych our cabs. But soon, it became clear that, if we are going to synch the cabs following problems will be there: will be late, less no of spots will be covered and some people might become uncomfortable. So we hurried and tried to complete all spots and we succeeded too.

Our first spot was the Rose garden. The name itself says that it was full of different types of Roses. Wherever your eyes can see, only roses were there, it was a marvelous view. After Rose Garden we reached Lake. Lake had the facility of boating, we hired a paddle boat, it was a cool experience, as the boat never go straight, no matter however you keep the lever. It was always going round or left or right, but never straight. I must say it was fun.

well there are three more points left, I'll write about them in the next post.

In Boat with a friend

Isha Yoga Center

Isha Yoga Center is a sacred place situated about 40kms from Gandhipuram (Coimbatore). I got to know about th place from one of our facilitators at the training facility. Last Saturday I visited this Center. I and two of my friends boarded the bus from our training facility to Gandhipuram. Gandhipuram is the main market of Coimbatore, now at Gandhipuram we had no idea of the bus no to be board so as to reach Sirovani Dam, yes dear readers we were actually planning to visit Sirovani Dam.

Shocked!!!

 But as we know that everything is not in our hands; there is one superpower. We all are puppets. He (God) wanted us to visit the Yoga Center; so he diverted us there. Actually the language played the role of God. Can you Imagine How?

 We were unable to get the bus no which would take us from Gandhipuram to Sirovani dam, we already knew that Isha Yoga center is also a good place. Its name was written in English in the display board at the Bus station. So we all thought to visit the Isha Yoga center only.

Bus no 14D travels from Gpuram to Isha, we got the bus. Now some incidents of bus:

I was gathering all the information about Sirovani dam from the conductor; he could not understand a word said by me. A Coimbatore girl was observing all this, she said tell me ill interpret it to conductor. With this instance I just wanted to tell you how good Coimbatore people are.

Now after some time, an adult man boarded the bus. He didn’t have the place to sit; he was standing there for some time. I thought I should give him my seat, but second thought came in my mind which made me practical, I thought my stop is the last one and I have to stand for like half an hour, if I give him my seat. I didn’t have up from my seat. After some time he tried to sit on floor at that time I gave him my seat.

I also took some more help from the same girl to understand more about outing places in Coimbatore. Finally we reached Isha, and saw a video telling about the temple. Shivling and how Sadhu (I forgot the name of the saint). But we were still blank to what to do and where to do. I just got to see a senior girl from my office only. I confirmed the same by asking her the name of training facility. She told us go to snan kund (Sacred Bathing place) and the main temple The Shivling. We went to tickrt counter for bathing, but it happened to be the ladies timing, so we visited the Shivling. We were said to wait outside in pin drop silence outside the main Dome of Shivling, so that people from the inside come out. As soon as they came, we went in. It was really nice feeling inside the dome, in a completely different spiritual environment; you have to feel it to understand it.

On the route to Isha one friend saw some flower farm within a kilometer distance from Isha. We decided to visit there. En route we saw tamarind trees, we plucked some of them. Its always a fun to pluck fruits from trees and eat them (as many might have done in their childhood and if not you have missed a really good activity).

After all this we went to flower farm, but the residents yelled something in tamil, which we took it as get out he he he. In the next farm, we took permission from one of the resident to took some pictures, as we were taking another peson started yelling on us, which we not took it as “get out or Ill Kill you” he he he, so we ran from the farm. These small things are a great fun; they relax us from the daily office routine. In last we board the bus which leads us to Gandhipuram. Overall the trip was Fun. Now I use those tamarind to awake me when feel sleepy at worktime.    

Journey of Life

1^st Week at ILP: General

In the starting phase, everyone has to face some problems, I also had some, but it does not mean that, we should quit. We should try to overcome the problems; I also did the same (at least this time). The problem was not so tough; it was just the tough rules and regulations, Foood, language and last but not the least Locality.

 

First let us talk something about the RULES

1.       No cloth Washing

2.       Newspaper Compulsory

3.       No Iron

4.       Novel Compulsory

5.       Application if go out of city

6.       Sign every time go out of Hostel and many more

Now about food    

1.       Canteen Food is very costly

2.       Canteen food has no taste

3.       We have to travel several kms to find a pure veg restaurant

4.       And in case we find one, it is very costly

Language is not a very big issue.

Lan

Coming to locality, my residence is situated outside the main city, so to reach to anything I have to travel at least 2-3km. thinking positive it is good for health, but it consumes a lot of time yaar.

The best part, I am adapted to all these now (to an extent). I just want to know whats next in the box for me.  

Emergency Exit: The Best Part

I reached Delhi at Anand Vihar Bus station. I went inside the station and enquired about the bus for New Delhi railway station, locals said some bus no (I don’t remember the no.) will take me there. It was 4 30 am in the morning. I was waiting for my bus to come, but it didn’t arrive for 1 and a half hour. Reason: it is said that maximum buses run on the route where metro is not there. Some person told me to go there via metro. It opens at 6am, and it was the time only. A large crowd was waiting outside the gates of metro, and as soon as the gates opened, all people rushed inside. I also went with the flow. I already had gathered the info of fare and route to take from bus station to New Delhi railway station. I waited for my chance to come, purchased a ticket of Rs18 from there. I board the train and changed the station at some mid station; I forgot its name and finally reached New Delhi Metro railway station. Now I had to take the exit from gate no. 3. But God has some other plans for me here too. I accidently took entry rather than exit.

What happened next is the best part of the whole Journey named “TRAVEL ALONE”. If I write that incident, I may attract some trouble for me. So it is better to stop here only.

If you really want to know what happened next in other words the best part of story, just call me.

Few Hints

Ø  Wrong Turn

Ø  Emergency Exit

Ø  Roam here and there nowhere to go

Ø  No food no water, hungry

Ø  Unknown Friend: Big advertisement

Ø  100

Ø  Police

Ø  New Delhi Metro Railway station Chief

Ø  Told my story 3-4 times

Ø  Cried

Ø  Passed out of hell

Mussorie to Delhi

View from Top

As you already know, I was going to Delhi from Mussorie and I got a bus too. But the hit: I had a note of rs500, but in mussorie, no one had khulle rupee, I literally had to visit 10 shops to get khulle rupee. The ticket was 300rs. Finally I got that on 11^th shop. I already had reserved my seat in the bus. Now I was moving from Mussorie to Delhi. Now I would like to share some incidents of the bus. In the bus I found two-3 more friends. One was a person from IAS training facility of Mussorie. He told me how he feel like when he treats collectors. He said “honge collector apne area me hamare saamne to just ek student hai.”

One more friend was a kid. He was cool, since he had to vomit so he changed his seat and moved towards window seat. He offered me toffee too.

Now the third person was from Goa, he was going to join Cruise. He told me the best time to visit Goa is after October.

Well there’s not a lot to write about this trip, as I was sleeping for most of the time.

Coming Home

As in last post we have covered the first part of Mussorie, now it is the time to move on and catch another one. When I descended down from Laal Tibba, I had in mind to go and see Gunhill point as suggested by my new friend from Delhi (I don’t know his name). I reached starting station of Gunhill Point, and saw a queue of people waiting for their turn. I asked people how much time it will take so that my turn comes, they said min 2hrs. It was 6pm that time. I thought if I go to this point, I won’t be able to return Dehradoon today, as the last bus from Mussorie leaves at 8pm. In that case I had to get a room in Mussorie only, and room charges were high. 

There was no meaning in staying there for a single spot. So I cancelled Gunhill Point, ab bhaiya Mussorie tak aaye aur sirf 1 point dekh kar chal de to mazaaa kya aayga. So I grabbed a burger, since it was the only parcel thing available at the nearest shop, and searched a ride which will take me to Company Garden and take me back within 1hr. So that I still have time to catch the bus easily. I found a cycle Rickshaw waala , I told him my situation, he said OK, ill take u back within an hour. The deal was fixed for rs200. I had to spend a big amount because I had to come back immediately. I sat on Rickshaw like a King, put my bag on the backseat, in 1 hand I had Burger, while in other I had Maaza. Ohh man what a feeling it was, riding alone in the mountains of Mussorie. I leaned backwards like we lie on bed with legs downwards and closed my eyes. The cold breeze was touching me, I was feeling too good at that time. Faces of my closed ones flashed in front of me, I just wished that, they could have been here with me. The fun would have increased 10 times.

I reached Company Garden, took ticket of Rs15 and got in. As I got in the Garden, I traversed every part of garden. In real I was actually running in the whole garden, time kaha thaa aaram se ghumne kaa. I must say it was a good garden, in case you like garden, nature, flowers just as me. Large trees, multicolor flowers all were just awesome. You can have a small feel of the place by having a look on the pics. I completed the whole place in 15mins, and I got back to my cycle rickshaw. And I must add jaise raaj shahi andaaz me garden tak gaya thaa vaise hi andaaz me vapas Mussorie tak aaya. Driver dropped me near bus station. I thought to go first to Dehradoon and catch Dehradoon-indore train in morning. But then I have to stay at some place in night, railway station was not a god option as someone told me that Dehradoon railway station gets closed in night. But as I reached bus station, I got to know that there is a bus from Mussorie direct to Delhi. Rest story in next part