Honeymoon@Andamans

download2live · 3rd July 2010, 09:42

Guys ever since I got my car I have been planning to do a long trip but something or the other keeps coming up(side effects of marriage) and trips of respectable durations have yet to happen. So I will dig into past and post one here.
I got married in Nov 2009 and this trip happened in same month.
Being a software engineer I was neither rich nor poor. And honeymoon is something which women take very seriously. I think they start planning about it as soon as they can do maths (which means that some of them are not planning about it now also. OK flame me). So here I was. With the song "Yeh jo thode se hai paise, Kharch karoo tum pe kaise". Then came my friend to rescue. He also had gone to Andamans for Honeymoon an said that it will be under 30K. Well I decided not to look any further. My budget was 35K and it cost us around 40K. I am happy about it.

You can take flights to Andamans from Chennai or Kolkata. We took off from Kolkata. And plan was to take return flight to Chennai.

We landed in Kolkata 5 in morning.
Be safe and take prepaid taxi from the station.
Pics of the old city waking up.

Good Old Amby. First thing to strike you when you reach this city.

Thats Howrah Bridge. Wife saw it for first time in life.

This is all could manage from moving taxi.

Misty

From rear seat.

Random shots

Green and fresh.

MX6 · 3rd July 2010, 10:34

That's a budget honeymoon. Andaman has some amazing vistas for a honeymoon, if one doesn't fall in the trap of the highlighted segments (like the jail for instance).
I took my wife on a honeymoon to Manali in 2004. Spent 84K in 5 days. Once in a lifetime offering means one doesn't look at the purse is what I thought. Still I keep wondering what did I spend on 84K in 2004 (it was a big amount those days).

Sheel · 3rd July 2010, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by download2live

I think they start planning about it as soon as they can do maths (which means that some of them are not planning about it now also.

You made my day,

waiting for rest of the log and photos.

@MX6-- 84K is a big amount to spend on Honeymoon in India even today.

download2live · 3rd July 2010, 11:30

Will post the travelogue fast. Too fast. Thank Colors Channel for it. The TV set now has been hijacked for watching Chak Dhoom Dhoom (with bunch of nobody's playing God and kids and parents worshiping them) . And here I am in front of my laptop.

OT: Guys when you get married among other things be sure to ask if she like to watch Saas bahu serials. Believe me. Its important. Somehow I have managed to limit her to watching Balika Vadhu and Utran. Its sheer pain to sit there while having dinner and watching them bursting into tears every now and then. And you can't even take food to other room and have it watching something else. Thats even bigger crime.
Die colors Die.

Anyways back to travelogue.
Off we go.
The main cost will be air travel. It was 20K to and fro included. Stay at Andamans is cheap.

Take off.

Mandatory Cloud shot.

The first glimpse. Wife starts giggling and boy is she excited!!!!

All my doubts whether this will be worth it or not melt away. Yes the trip is on. Those white streaks are waves crashing on to the shore. We were actually able to see them moving and crashing and disappearing.

More random shots

One more.

Click image for larger version

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download2live · 3rd July 2010, 12:11

Many people do this mistake of spending too much time in Port Blair. It is really like any other Indian city. My friend advised me not to spend too much time there and instead go straight to Havelock Island. Talk about gaining from other people experience. Thanks Aivin and Rekha for your valuable suggestions.

You have to take a ferry from Port Blair to Havelock Island. Its around 50 odd kms if I am not wrong. There are government ferris(and they are good with AC sitting cabins) and one fancy pvt ferry. Govt ferry cost was around very less, I do not remember the cost. But private one had tickets going for Rs 700.

We landed I think at around 10 in morning there. I had already booked rooms in Wild Orchid resort in Havelock Island. There was supposed to be a guy from their side ready with ferry tickets, waiting for us at airport. Since the ferry was at 2 in afternoon he agreed to show us around (of course for some extra money, I think 200). So we went to cellular jail. I wont speak much on how I felt there. Just suffice to say that I was sad to see what people went through to get independence and what are we doing now with our country. My silence is my protest.

Scale model of cellular jail.

Some commemorative Coins and Stamps.

Scale models of what inmates were made to do in Jail.

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That is punishment dress which when worn led to severe itching.

Cellular Jail.

Thats how thick the walls are. Note that you can't see anything outside or communicate visually with others. That was the main motif behind making walls that thick and placing the windows at that location.

Married life.

Long corridors.

In memory of sacrifices people made.

MX6 · 3rd July 2010, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by download2live

OT: Guys when you get married among other things be sure to ask if she like to watch Saas bahu serials. Believe me. Its important. Somehow I have managed to limit her to watching Balika Vadhu and Utran. Its sheer pain to sit there while having dinner and watching them bursting into tears every now and then. And you can't even take food to other room and have it watching something else. Thats even bigger crime.
Die colors Die.

My wife doesn't watch TV. If I put any movie on my dvd player, she'll go to sleep promptly in 20 mins. TV is the best sleep inducer in her. She hates serials.
We don't have cable/ tatasky/ any other thing which relays these programmes in our house!
And no point in blaming women alone in this. I brought a relative to stay at my place for a few days. He was asking whether you get serials in tv at my place! HE wanted to watch saas bahu serials!
he couldn't understand why I have an LCD tv with a hometheater system and not have connection to the great 100+ channels that show serials!
I join hands with you in praying Die colors Die. I wish Die tv programmes Die except for a select few like Nat Geo, Discovery, Animal Planet, some movies etc. Wish we go back to good old days of Doordarshan!
Sorry for the OT. But then this is the time you try to wean her off this practice. Else, very soon, we will lose you to the serials as well!

By the way, is there a ship now still between Kolkata and Andaman? There used to be one ages back.

And you have symbolically started your married life in cellular jail and also portrayed the same through a photo. The current weapon of incarceration as you pointed very well know is the idiot box

LongDrive lover · 3rd July 2010, 12:29

download2live. Excellent start, you are mixing it up with good info, hilarious style with gud pics. Andmans is on our list too. It'll be helpful to read your log.

download2live · 3rd July 2010, 14:07

Ok. Now we are off to Havelock within 5 hours of landing at Port Blair.
There is one Andhra Mess(veg) in Port Blair.

Can you believe it?
Food is good and more importantly it has AC!!! Its really very hot there in Andamans. Go in summers at your own risk.
Carrying sunscreen lotion really does not help much in Andamans. Sunscreen or no Sunscreen. You will be baked to rich dark chocolate color.
First thing people will say once you are back is "Hey you went dark!!"

In Port Blar I saw the familiar crowd of regular Indian traveler. Making list to see most of the places in least amount of time. No fun. No relaxation. Just statistics and maximum bang for money. It was kind of sad to see them loaded into Jeeps and dashing off here and there. I purposely made sure that I won't be rushing. I have not visited all of Andamans. It was more of relaxation trip. And I am glad that it was like that.

When I was thinking of ferries I was thinking in terms of Ferries which ply on Hoogly river. I did not have this picture in my mind. These are like ships to me!!!

Off we go Havelock

Things to come

The ship goes through this gap to reach Havelock.

The ferries(ship?) returning from Havelock Islands.

Reached Havelock. No not in morning. Was playing with camera exposure setting. Its evening around 5 if I remember correctly.

unoczar · 3rd July 2010, 14:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by download2live

Die colors Die.

LOL, i almost fell out of my chair laughing.

I wish i could destroy all these TV channels who show mindless stuff which in turn just poison most of the viewer's minds. I have just thrown the TV out of my room. But, it painfully keeps running in my mom's room, though.

download2live · 3rd July 2010, 14:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by MX6

But then this is the time you try to wean her off this practice. Else, very soon, we will lose you to the serials as well!

By the way, is there a ship now still between Kolkata and Andaman? There used to be one ages back.

Two words: Not Possible.
I can't make her stop watching that crap. I have tried every trick in book.

The ships are still plying between Andamans and Kolkata. For that matter I think between Chennai and Andamans too. And damn cheap. But it takes time. If you got time and are not prone to sea sickness then that option is a good one too. But do ask for suggestions on forums like indiamike.

MX6 · 3rd July 2010, 14:53

Thanks for the info. I love the sea. Surprisingly my wife didn't get any sea sickness till now. Though she throws up the moment you enter ghat sections!
I want to find a way to take my car to Port Blair and drive around. So will have to check whether the ships allow.
Sad to hear those two words. My mom used to watch those programmes. But now that she's with me and I don't have the programmes, and I substitute with high quality music and vintage comedy dvds, she has forgotten her prime channel called Sun TV. Initial days there used to be a lot of tension where my mother used to threaten that she'll walk out of the house if I don't get the cable in! Now she's slowly realising that there are better things in the world than rubbish telly stuff. All they need is company and entertainment!

LongDrive lover · 3rd July 2010, 14:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by unoczar

LOL, i almost fell out of my chair laughing.

I wish i could destroy all these TV channels who show mindless stuff which in turn just poison most of the viewer's minds. I have just thrown the TV out of my room. But, it painfully keeps running in my mom's room, though.

And your style of expressing makes others almost all the times felling out of chair laughing!! God's gift of saying it in hilarious andaaz that you are gifted with.

BTW: Very soothing snaps of sea download2live. Last snap with sun is mindblowing!

download2live · 3rd July 2010, 14:56

Before I start of with pictures few words on accommodation on Havelock Island. If its special occasion then you cannot go wrong with Wild Orchid. Its a good place to stay. And food is very good. But costs are on the higher side. If its just a normal visit then I will suggest that you try out other resorts also. The most expensive one is I think barefoot resort. It has a very good location. Radhanagar beach. I think thats the only resort there. But one which you should defiantly check out is govt owned resort. Dolphin Resort. It was just next to our resorts and it cottages where, you won't believe it: Sea facing. And price wise I am sure it would have been less. Is it clean? Dunno. But sea facing. Wow. No matter where you stay, you can always come to Wild Orchid for food. Its good. Really good. Specially the Grilled Red Snapper.

OT: There were way too many cats on Havelock island. Don't know why.

Welcome Lights

Restaurant

Menu

One more pic

View in day. Sorry about clipped highlights. Forgot to change camera settings.

One more view.

Shame that I did not take many snaps of the resort.

download2live · 3rd July 2010, 15:23

Answer: Nothing. Just wander around aimlessly. Thats the best way. The resorts will arrange bikes for rent at princely sum of 250 a day. If you approach individually it will be even less. Funny thing is that people do not bother to lock bikes. There is only one way out of Havelock. That is Havelock Port. So no worries of theft.

There is a beach just behind the resort. Boss walking down to beach.

Beach is clean. Sands are white. Waters are cool. And not crowded. In background some foreigners. They sure know how to enjoy. Pity I don't know swimming. These guys took a inflatable rubber mattress kind of thing. Swam all the way till almost middle of ocean. And then lied on that floating bed thingy and relaxed.

I was having fun. I was enjoying it even more than my wife.

Mandatory Hermit crab shot. They look cute but can take a tiny bite out of your skin.

These are the stairs from the Dolphin resort descending down to beach.
Can you spot the dog?

View from Dolphin resort.

Way back to the resort. Bike is waiting for us.

ampere · 3rd July 2010, 16:06

Water is real fresh, inviting and so blue! Nice snaps.

3rd July 2010, 09:42	#1
download2live Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: - Posts: 1,147 Thanked: 1,144 Times	Honeymoon@Andamans Guys ever since I got my car I have been planning to do a long trip but something or the other keeps coming up(side effects of marriage) and trips of respectable durations have yet to happen. So I will dig into past and post one here. I got married in Nov 2009 and this trip happened in same month. Being a software engineer I was neither rich nor poor. And honeymoon is something which women take very seriously. I think they start planning about it as soon as they can do maths (which means that some of them are not planning about it now also. OK flame me). So here I was. With the song "Yeh jo thode se hai paise, Kharch karoo tum pe kaise". Then came my friend to rescue. He also had gone to Andamans for Honeymoon an said that it will be under 30K. Well I decided not to look any further. My budget was 35K and it cost us around 40K. I am happy about it. You can take flights to Andamans from Chennai or Kolkata. We took off from Kolkata. And plan was to take return flight to Chennai. We landed in Kolkata 5 in morning. Be safe and take prepaid taxi from the station. Pics of the old city waking up. Good Old Amby. First thing to strike you when you reach this city. Thats Howrah Bridge. Wife saw it for first time in life. This is all could manage from moving taxi. Misty From rear seat. Random shots Green and fresh. Last edited by download2live : 3rd July 2010 at 09:44. Reason: added more info
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 10:34	#2
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,877 Thanked: 231 Times	That's a budget honeymoon. Andaman has some amazing vistas for a honeymoon, if one doesn't fall in the trap of the highlighted segments (like the jail for instance). I took my wife on a honeymoon to Manali in 2004. Spent 84K in 5 days. Once in a lifetime offering means one doesn't look at the purse is what I thought. Still I keep wondering what did I spend on 84K in 2004 (it was a big amount those days).
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 11:30	#4
download2live Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: - Posts: 1,147 Thanked: 1,144 Times	Lets go to Andamans Will post the travelogue fast. Too fast. Thank Colors Channel for it. The TV set now has been hijacked for watching Chak Dhoom Dhoom (with bunch of nobody's playing God and kids and parents worshiping them) . And here I am in front of my laptop. OT: Guys when you get married among other things be sure to ask if she like to watch Saas bahu serials. Believe me. Its important. Somehow I have managed to limit her to watching Balika Vadhu and Utran. Its sheer pain to sit there while having dinner and watching them bursting into tears every now and then. And you can't even take food to other room and have it watching something else. Thats even bigger crime. Die colors Die. Anyways back to travelogue. Off we go. The main cost will be air travel. It was 20K to and fro included. Stay at Andamans is cheap. Take off. Mandatory Cloud shot. The first glimpse. Wife starts giggling and boy is she excited!!!! All my doubts whether this will be worth it or not melt away. Yes the trip is on. Those white streaks are waves crashing on to the shore. We were actually able to see them moving and crashing and disappearing. More random shots One more.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 12:11	#5
download2live Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: - Posts: 1,147 Thanked: 1,144 Times	Landed at Port Blair Many people do this mistake of spending too much time in Port Blair. It is really like any other Indian city. My friend advised me not to spend too much time there and instead go straight to Havelock Island. Talk about gaining from other people experience. Thanks Aivin and Rekha for your valuable suggestions. You have to take a ferry from Port Blair to Havelock Island. Its around 50 odd kms if I am not wrong. There are government ferris(and they are good with AC sitting cabins) and one fancy pvt ferry. Govt ferry cost was around very less, I do not remember the cost. But private one had tickets going for Rs 700. We landed I think at around 10 in morning there. I had already booked rooms in Wild Orchid resort in Havelock Island. There was supposed to be a guy from their side ready with ferry tickets, waiting for us at airport. Since the ferry was at 2 in afternoon he agreed to show us around (of course for some extra money, I think 200). So we went to cellular jail. I wont speak much on how I felt there. Just suffice to say that I was sad to see what people went through to get independence and what are we doing now with our country. My silence is my protest. Scale model of cellular jail. Some commemorative Coins and Stamps. Scale models of what inmates were made to do in Jail. That is punishment dress which when worn led to severe itching. Cellular Jail. Thats how thick the walls are. Note that you can't see anything outside or communicate visually with others. That was the main motif behind making walls that thick and placing the windows at that location. Married life. Long corridors. In memory of sacrifices people made.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 12:29	#7
LongDrive lover BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Lucknow Posts: 782 Thanked: 114 Times	download2live. Excellent start, you are mixing it up with good info, hilarious style with gud pics. Andmans is on our list too. It'll be helpful to read your log.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 14:07	#8
download2live Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: - Posts: 1,147 Thanked: 1,144 Times	Off the Havelock Island Ok. Now we are off to Havelock within 5 hours of landing at Port Blair. There is one Andhra Mess(veg) in Port Blair. Can you believe it? Food is good and more importantly it has AC!!! Its really very hot there in Andamans. Go in summers at your own risk. Carrying sunscreen lotion really does not help much in Andamans. Sunscreen or no Sunscreen. You will be baked to rich dark chocolate color. First thing people will say once you are back is "Hey you went dark!!" In Port Blar I saw the familiar crowd of regular Indian traveler. Making list to see most of the places in least amount of time. No fun. No relaxation. Just statistics and maximum bang for money. It was kind of sad to see them loaded into Jeeps and dashing off here and there. I purposely made sure that I won't be rushing. I have not visited all of Andamans. It was more of relaxation trip. And I am glad that it was like that. When I was thinking of ferries I was thinking in terms of Ferries which ply on Hoogly river. I did not have this picture in my mind. These are like ships to me!!! Off we go Havelock Things to come The ship goes through this gap to reach Havelock. The ferries(ship?) returning from Havelock Islands. Reached Havelock. No not in morning. Was playing with camera exposure setting. Its evening around 5 if I remember correctly.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 14:53	#11
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,877 Thanked: 231 Times	Thanks for the info. I love the sea. Surprisingly my wife didn't get any sea sickness till now. Though she throws up the moment you enter ghat sections! I want to find a way to take my car to Port Blair and drive around. So will have to check whether the ships allow. Sad to hear those two words. My mom used to watch those programmes. But now that she's with me and I don't have the programmes, and I substitute with high quality music and vintage comedy dvds, she has forgotten her prime channel called Sun TV. Initial days there used to be a lot of tension where my mother used to threaten that she'll walk out of the house if I don't get the cable in! Now she's slowly realising that there are better things in the world than rubbish telly stuff. All they need is company and entertainment!
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 14:56	#13
download2live Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: - Posts: 1,147 Thanked: 1,144 Times	Welcome to Paradise Before I start of with pictures few words on accommodation on Havelock Island. If its special occasion then you cannot go wrong with Wild Orchid. Its a good place to stay. And food is very good. But costs are on the higher side. If its just a normal visit then I will suggest that you try out other resorts also. The most expensive one is I think barefoot resort. It has a very good location. Radhanagar beach. I think thats the only resort there. But one which you should defiantly check out is govt owned resort. Dolphin Resort. It was just next to our resorts and it cottages where, you won't believe it: Sea facing. And price wise I am sure it would have been less. Is it clean? Dunno. But sea facing. Wow. No matter where you stay, you can always come to Wild Orchid for food. Its good. Really good. Specially the Grilled Red Snapper. OT: There were way too many cats on Havelock island. Don't know why. Welcome Lights Restaurant Menu One more pic View in day. Sorry about clipped highlights. Forgot to change camera settings. One more view. Shame that I did not take many snaps of the resort.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 15:23	#14
download2live Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: - Posts: 1,147 Thanked: 1,144 Times	What to do in Havelock? Answer: Nothing. Just wander around aimlessly. Thats the best way. The resorts will arrange bikes for rent at princely sum of 250 a day. If you approach individually it will be even less. Funny thing is that people do not bother to lock bikes. There is only one way out of Havelock. That is Havelock Port. So no worries of theft. There is a beach just behind the resort. Boss walking down to beach. Beach is clean. Sands are white. Waters are cool. And not crowded. In background some foreigners. They sure know how to enjoy. Pity I don't know swimming. These guys took a inflatable rubber mattress kind of thing. Swam all the way till almost middle of ocean. And then lied on that floating bed thingy and relaxed. I was having fun. I was enjoying it even more than my wife. Mandatory Hermit crab shot. They look cute but can take a tiny bite out of your skin. These are the stairs from the Dolphin resort descending down to beach. Can you spot the dog? View from Dolphin resort. Way back to the resort. Bike is waiting for us. Last edited by GTO : 7th July 2010 at 09:07. Reason: Please read our rules. STRICTLY no mention of ALCOHOL on this forum.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2010, 16:06	#15
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,952 Thanked: 12,941 Times View My Garage	Water is real fresh, inviting and so blue! Nice snaps.
	() Thanks