[princezahed]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Well written travelogue. Can you please share more details on the road, time taken, distance etc? Also did you stay in ARRS? Is this option availabe to all

ARRs is not a tourist guest house. Its a research station .You could ask for kasturi akka's house if you want to stay in agumbe.

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

traveled close to 3000 Kms over all, It was a very spontaneous plan hence the time taken will not be of much help, Yes we stayed for a night at ARRS, they just have only one cottage so you might have to book in advance i saw couple of other places in and around which offer home stays, don’t have their contact numbers though. They have a lot of bunk beds and the cost is INR 450/head/day (even for the cottage), all inclusive. if you go as a volunteer the cost comes down. If you stay there for 2-3 months they might pay you as well. They generally do not appreciate tourists as it’s a research station.

The reason you got to stay there is because Jeni was wit you and she came from the Friends of snakes society. Its not a tourist home. The cottage you stayed at is actually that used by researchers. If you go as a volunteer for some time they pay you and also provide stay and free food.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by princezahed

The reason you got to stay there is because Jeni was wit you and she came from the Friends of snakes society. Its not a tourist home. The cottage you stayed at is actually that used by researchers. If you go as a volunteer for some time they pay you and also provide stay and free food.

You are right, its not a tourist home (i am infected with this foot in mouth disease ). My Bad if i made it sound like that. Jeni's influence not only got us into ARRS but also helped me meet Shyam.

[gadadhar]

Thanks for the information. I very well knew it is a research station, but got an impression from the writeup that they have stay over facility for visitors. It will help if some one can share details on home stay options suitable for a family with 6 year old son.

[pramodkumar]

Yes they have a facility for visitors (but requires a lot of contacts), thats why there is a 450 RS charge/Head/Day. They have 2 cottages one is permanantly booked for Rom, and the other one is let out. They do not like a lot of visitors but they do have an option. The reserchers mostly stay in the dorms hence no/little charge. as prince had mentioned the famous malgudi days house is also there in the vicinity and they let out the top floors, you can definitely try there.

[addyhemmige]

When I visited ARRS in Jan, they had told me that visitors are allowed, but they will be charged 1000 Rs (or was it more-I don't remember exactly) per night per head including all food and activities.

But yes, preference is given to volunteers and people with interest in the cause. If anybody thinks they can have a wild party in the middle of the forest, they will be kicked out. Even if visitors are here, they are encouraged to join in the activities of the research station including fieldwork etc

[sushrutha]

Offtopic,
There's an interesting topic about ARRS in Today's Deccan Herald new paper(supplement pages).

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

You are right, its not a tourist home (i am infected with this foot in mouth disease ). My Bad if i made it sound like that. Jeni's influence not only got us into ARRS but also helped me meet Shyam.

Hope you dint feel bad about the tone of the message. It was'nt meant to sound so bad.

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

When I visited ARRS in Jan, they had told me that visitors are allowed, but they will be charged 1000 Rs (or was it more-I don't remember exactly) per night per head including all food and activities.

But yes, preference is given to volunteers and people with interest in the cause. If anybody thinks they can have a wild party in the middle of the forest, they will be kicked out. Even if visitors are here, they are encouraged to join in the activities of the research station including fieldwork etc

Well maybe they have started allowing tourists now but for sure no party animals allowed. And as you mentioned, they would surely encourage visitors to be a part of the research.

[MuraliR]

pramod - did you actually get to see the King?

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by MuraliR

pramod - did you actually get to see the King?

No we maintained safe distance, This is not any ordinary snake, a normal spectacle cobra will coil and will strike at distance of 2-3 feet max, and a quick jump backwards will prevent a bite. This one can hood up, at a height of 4 feet and will charge at you, so the only option you have is turn back and run (just being little dramatic again :-)), Gautam was handling not one but two highly excited kids, Jeni was like…I can’t believe it Janu, I am in king cobra territory, I was like Yeah! (Looking looking around with fear), Gautam told us that the king is so well camouflaged that we will not spot him at a feet’s distance. Not to mention other highly venomous snakes like the Malabar Pit Viper, this is so well camouflaged that you won’t spot it even after it strikes.



Gautam acted like a highly responsible parent and was watching us all the time. the moment the beeps started getting louder, he used to say "stay here", it was fun. Both of us have seen kings in captivity, let me post some pics of a highly camera friendly king in captivity.

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

No we maintained safe distance, This is not any ordinary snake, a normal spectacle cobra will coil and will strike at distance of 2-3 feet max, and a quick jump backwards will prevent a bite. This one can hood up, at a height of 4 feet and will charge at you, so the only option you have is turn back and run (just being little dramatic again :-)), Gautam was handling not one but two highly excited kids, Jeni was like…I can’t believe it Janu, I am in king cobra territory, I was like Yeah! (Looking looking around with fear), Gautam told us that the king is so well camouflaged that we will not spot him at a feet’s distance. Not to mention other highly venomous snakes like the Malabar Pit Viper, this is so well camouflaged that you won’t spot it even after it strikes.

Kings can raise 1/3rd their body length and almost stare you in the eye. However, they are very shy reptiles and bites are very rare. India has had just about 4 King Cobra related deaths in the last 40years.

Even I had spotted a Malabar Pit Viper which was so well camouflaged that Prashanth had to point it to me before I could see it.

Pramod is your volunteer trip to ARRS fixed?

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by princezahed

Pramod is your volunteer trip to ARRS fixed?

No yet boss, heart wants to do it ASAP, buy sometimes have to listen to the mind as well, I and Jeni have decided to raise some fund for this so that we can do it atleast by early next year. BTW Jeni wanted to know if you can contact your friend and find out the education options in US, She is extreamly interested.

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

No yet boss, heart wants to do it ASAP, buy sometimes have to listen to the mind as well, I and Jeni have decided to raise some fund for this so that we can do it atleast by early next year. BTW Jeni wanted to know if you can contact your friend and find out the education options in US, She is extreamly interested.

She is back in her hometown in AP on maternity leave. I dont have her Hometown number.Will try and find out.

[pjay_in]

Eeek! I am not a big fan of snakes and as a general rule would prefer not to spot them out in the open. But I too have experienced the occasional thrill of watching an elegant rat snake slithering by among the thickets or by the roadside.

Haven't seen many poisonous snakes in the natural setting (I remember seeing a cobra though). Pretty hair-raising creatures, arent they.

[princezahed]

Originally Posted by pjay_in

Eeek! I am not a big fan of snakes and as a general rule would prefer not to spot them out in the open. But I too have experienced the occasional thrill of watching an elegant rat snake slithering by among the thickets or by the roadside.

Haven't seen many poisonous snakes in the natural setting (I remember seeing a cobra though). Pretty hair-raising creatures, arent they.

OT: I keep seeing snakes almost everyday. And now that the monsoons have started they will become even more common. Just saw 2 snakes today. Really beautiful specimens.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by princezahed

OT: I keep seeing snakes almost everyday. And now that the monsoons have started they will become even more common. Just saw 2 snakes today. Really beautiful specimens.

Hey what kind of snakes do you have arround? Me and Jeni are thinking of another voccation next month, we might drop in on the way if its fine with you . BTW i just spoke to Snake Shyam yesterday (he still remembers me). His DVD is about to come out next month so might just dropin there as well.