Pune Trip - Mulshi & Bhushi Dams - August 2012

It is meaningless planning vacation trips / holiday tours when you are 40+, so I have decided to Visit Pune (to meet my sis-in-law and co-bro) just in a weeks time! Thank God, we have got train tickets reserved. While onward journey was through Konark Express 3A, return tickets are of Chair Car (Shatabdi Express) it was a nice and different experience (will share that later in this post). That way we boarded into the Konark Express on Friday Morning and reached Pune by 12:15 AM on Saturday.

After taking rest for few hours (7+), we have started touring Pune (local places) on Saturday morning and then suddenly decided to drive towards Mulshi Dam (Water Falls) by bikes after sighting both Famous Ganesh Temple and Shaniwar Wada (Fort) followed by delicious Lunch @ Hotel Athidya! 

Mulshi Dam is about 50 Kms from the city and we drove to that place by two bikes and reached comfortably in about an hour and a half. That was a wonderful drive I ever had (though I had been to Srisailam and Araku many times, the climate and scenic beauties were incomparable), we managed to drive even in the rain by stopping at a few places with umbrellas safeguarding us.  Below is the Google Route Map from Pune to the waterfall that we have traveled! 

Long and Memorable Weekend at Araku - Visakhapatnam

After our Tirumala, Tirupathi Trip in July 2011 (for my nephew's birth hair ceremony) - again last weekend, we had a four (4) day pleasant and memorable trip, to Visakhaptnam and Araku. 

Thanks to Thanksgiving day, this time it was celebrated on Thursday, the 24th November 2011. So with just a single leave (on Friday, 25th), I have got a chance to enjoy a 4 day (24th to 27th) long-weekend vacation with family. As planned earlier, we took Jet Airways Flight on Thursday Morning at 7AM IST at Shamshabad International Airport, Hyderabad and reached Vizag by 8:30AM IST (believe me it has saved a lot of my time, as I could not take evening/night train before day, due to my office timings). Occupancy in the flight was just 50%, so it was a real fun - changing seats as per our wish (all of us got window seats) and enjoyed watching ocean and ships in it, from an aerial view. Reached my in-laws place by 9AM and here starts my program, immediately after having my lunch - we visited nearby places including RK Beach and a nearby Temple.

Back from Dwaraka Tirumala - Eluru - West Godavari

We are back from Dwaraka Tirumala - Eluru - West Godavari today (7th June 2010), after attending Sairam's Marraige on Sunday, 6th June 2010. It was toooo hot there, still we managed to visit 2 other temples (Maddi Anjaneya Swami Temple and a famous Ramalayam) apart from our Dwaraka Tirumala - Venkateshwara Swami Temple Darshanam. It was a short trip but definitely enjoyed! Bus journey from Anjaneya Swami temple to Eluru Railway station was highlight. It was a 2 hrs journey - 50 Kms (approx) then again Special Train was late by 30 Mins and was horrible, the moment we get into the train. There were some 250 odd ppl in S10 itself, anyhowz TC was very strict and made all the ppl who dont have Reserved Tickets leave the train. Even Mohite had to leave the train and Come by Bus from Vijayawada to Hyderabad.

I will shortly post the link for Pictures - during this trip.

Back from Vinukonda (Anjaneyaswami Temple)

I felt like spending more there...(coz i was there for only 15 hours), Vinukonda always heard this name from my parents at last I visited this place (Temple) its really good, I had a good time there. Chaitanya's (my cousin) Upanayanam was a good occasion that helped me in visiting this place.

Journey Started like this:
I came to office at 1:30 PM on 1st June and left early at around 8 PM (have to catch the bus at BN Reddy Nagar @ 10.30 PM , after having dinner at home. Also need to finish some work). It was an horrible experience that day, I saw nearly 50,000 (approximately) vehicles while return to home from office - "Not to leave home anytime between 6PM and 9PM - that is hell (From HITEC City to LB Nagar)".

Finally I managed to reach home b4 9PM, finshed all other things and took bus @ 11 PM (it was 15 mins late) - Chandu & Ragi already started @ 9.30 PM from MGBS and crossed us at BN Reddy Nagar @ 10.15 PM. (Dad, Mom, Abbuchi, Kranthi & Myself) Team1, (Chandu-Ragi) Team2 and (Krishna Uncles's Family) Team3(all of us 10 ppl)met at Vinukonda @ around 5 AM on 2nd June and started to Temple by an Auto (its nearly 5 KMS from Bus Stop). Ha its was a wonderful experience, early morning - village atmosphere - fresh air - standing journey on Auto.

Reached Temple at around 6 AM, settled there had bath in a popular stream. Chaitu's Upanayanam Program was done by 2 PM. Had late Lunch (covered breakfast at around 10 AM).

4 PM onwards we (only kids, uh uh - we too) came out to the city/town (Vinukonda) had a nice time there - actually we want to have some cool stuff, (as we didn't get cool water @ Temple - it was a remote location). We spent more than an hour and returned back to the place, had bath once again and have to pack our clothes - Chandu, Ragi & Myself, we dont have reservation (actually we tried for the same while our short trip to town in the evening) but need to start the same night. Krisha uncle's family and Murthy uncle they have reservation. All of us started by an auto from Temple @ around 8 PM.

Vinukonda Bus Stop - spent more than 2.30 hrs there, finally took an express bus (we 3 without reservation) started at 11 PM and reached home at around 5 AM on 3rd June.

Now have to take some rest and again need to go to office with Body Pains. That was the short trip but a good one.