[Funda]

It was new year and I had to go somewhere. I cannot celebrate a new year, without a drive. In the recent years I have had few trips around the cities I lived.My friend was visiting me from Hyderabad. After some discussions with my friend we decided to drive down to pondicherry. but then just pondicherry?? thats too less for me...need something more. I have been hearing about the mangroe forests called pichavaram for a long time from my collegues at office so I decided to combine both the places.

It was on 31st morning when my friend and his wife arrive. As usual when friends meet after a gap, they do all the talking and so did we. Bhabhi was bored but she is used to us talking. Well to be honest I do the taliking and my friend does the listening. finally we had a late lunch at the Dhaba Express Nunganbakham and then picked my wife from office and set for the trip. The wether was excellent and the upbeat mood complimented it. We reached Pondy by 8 PM, it took me almost 3.5 hrs to reach there, the only reason is I am never in a hurry when I drive.

After reaching there we some how managed to find the place where we were supposed to stay. No one was in a mood to walk, so we drove to the nearby restaurant, prices were exhorbitant and not much of options available. We had to have something to satisfy the hunger. After dinner we rushed back to the rooms wished each other for new year, made a few phone calls before crash landing on the bed.

Next the day morning we started out for the beach. although no one was in a mood to walk, I kind of forced folks to walk. Sorry guys, I may sound mean. But if you are on a trip and do the same things u do in the city, what's the point? Moreover I honestly feel...walking is the best way to go around a place. You make take a cycle at best. As we walked to the beach we were amazed by the long que of people waiting for a darshan at the temple. Never mind we headed to the beach making our way through the french quarters and bunglows.

I took some pictures we spent some peacuful time at the beach. I always loved the sea and the beach. Thats something I have ever been away from except for my four year stint at hyderabad. After spending a couple of hours we returned to the rooms. On the way we had some awesome breakfast at Adyar Anand Bhawan (A2B and it is called). I just love south india for the simple breakfast that you get. Everything was going at a pace that could match pondicherry or puducherry, whatever you call it, but somewhere in the back of our minds we had pichavaram calling.

At around 11 AM we started for pichavaram. After driving for a while, we came across a protesting group who had blocked the highway. There was a fortuner just ahead of me. The fortuner took a U turn and went into the lane. I am always an instinctive driver. Something told me I should follow the fortuner, and I did that. after going for around 500 mts, I told my self - I would't regret if I did not get a way out. It was very scenic. " Sorry I could not take pictures here - I was driving and the roads were really narrow" We went thru dense vegetation, paddy fields lakes and villages and finally hit the highway again.

We reached Pichavaram, parked my waggy and took the required permits and tickets and set out for the sail. We had an irritating row man, who kept bugging us for some more money, to show some really narrow places in the mangrove forests, where the movies were shot. He took shortcuts and did not follow all the routes like other boats. What he intended was we might tip him to show the other places. But we were happy that no one was around. It was so peaceful there. Finally after around 1.5 hrs of boating we reached the beach. we spent sometime before returning. I guess I should let the pictures do the talking, enough of me.

[Ride_4_Fortune]

Wonderful pictures Funda, particularly the third one !

I had been to Pondicherry few years ago and stayed at a hotel just opposite to the beach. Really wonderful scenic sunrise.

Waiting for more pictures !

[Funda]

Guys I have some more pics to Share but unfortunately many of them are above the size limit...How do you generally crop the images...Any suggestions for decreasing the file Size?

[esteem_lover]

Funda, where are the pichavaram pichers ?

[Funda]

I have a few more pics but am crippled by file size...am trying to figure out a way to decrease file size..till then here are some

[Funda]

Here you go...some more pics from the trip...I found a way to compress images and here I am flooding you with Images. Some of the images might appear very repetitive, but did not want to miss out on what I captured...more images in the next post. I need to find out how to put the images inline so that I can add captions. Senior BHPians please help.

[Funda]

Here I come with the last set of pictures of the new year trip.

The Pichavaram Beach


Some Random Insects, I guess. Whatever they were they surely caught my attention.


A Fallen Coconut tree, which appeared to me like a character from the puppet show. The roots being the head.


The Deserted beach


Sand and Surf



Ladies collecting sea shells



Dancing Shadows and a plate of Biryani


Yours Truly,trying to push the boat struck in mud


The narrow mangrove lanes of pichavaram



Traffic even in an isolated place like pichavaram


More of the mangroves while we return


Shimmering shining water.


And the Sun Set