The court of arms: my design that I created at the V&A Museum, London

Holly a singer, song-writer known for her big hit “Breathe” (she co-wrote the song) in 1999, won numerous honors and debuted as a solo artist in 2002 with “Unkissed”. She continued to write for others, contributing “These Are the Days” and the hit “That’s the Way” to Jo Dee Messina‘s 2000 LP Burn. Not just a fabulous singer, Holly is a very friendly and warm host, not to forget her adorable, lovable pooches – Charlie (a boxer) and Daffodil (a terrier). It undoubtedly felt like a home away from home.

Portabello road market in the Notting Hill district was an interesting stretch to walk. Next on the agenda was Nelson’s column at Trafalgar square! The National Gallery and the 2012 official Olympic clock are also located right here at Trafalgar Square.

The remaining touristy spots were knocked out the following day: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminister Abbey (from the outside), the house of parliament (beautiful gothic architecture). A long walk around Piccadilly circus before heading home to call it a day!

We set out from Bangalore on a 7 hour drive, breaks included to Chikmagalur losing our way thanks to the misleading Google map. NH4 and NH206 it was all the way. Oh and was my friend happy with my car’s performance . 17kms/ltr is what she gave (her first long drive).

The River Tern property situated amidst the Babudangiri hill range at Lakkavalli in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka owned and run by Jungle Lodges and Resorts is a perfect getaway for nature lovers. The lodge is named after the River Tern bird, that congregate  to breed on a nearby island. Each loghut, cottage oversees the Bhadra river. The view of the backwaters is breathtaking and mesmerizing.

The safari at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctury was as disappointing as most other safari’s in the Western Ghats are, while the boat ride to the River Tern island was beautiful. If you are a water animal, you sure are going to love Kayaking and the Water Trampoline. I’ve been wanting to Kayak for a while now but for strange reasons never managed to (I only did learn to row a boat at Lake George, Upstate New York).  I had no clue that Kayaking is child’s play and the water trampoline was more fun than one could ask.

The interior of the room is done tastefully (at least no gaudy sheets and curtains), the wash room relatively big in size and clean (ignore the few ants) and the air conditioner so helped for the humid weather and hot summers that are already here. I was dreading having forgotten to carry a mosquito repellent but to my pleasant surprise, it had no use. The three meals were decent though not brilliant.

What more, my friend fixed me a mojito the evening we arrived and on our drive back to Bangalore it was coconut water and bacardi! Concur is what my friend and I do on the happiness, fun and relaxation quotient this trip provided.

To explore more of Karnataka I set off  to Mangalore with colleagues for a team member’s wedding on the evening of the 25th of January, 2011. We took a sleeper bus (from Bangalore) that was so not what was portrayed on the website but was just about decent. After a long night’s bus ride in the cold with no bed sheet (I had forgotten to carry one)  and bad roads after Hassan we reached Mangalore at 7a.m on the next morning (republic day). Our colleague, the groom received us at the bus stop and took us home. His family was rather warm and welcoming – very simple yet sweet people.

The place where we stayed was calm, serene, quaint and beautiful. After a shower we explored the city as suggested by our hosts. We visited the store Parampara, that sold local handicraft articles, followed by the Phalguni Cashew Centre where we all picked up cashews of different kinds (cheese coated, honey sweet, pepper roasted) and then headed to the ‘Ideal Place‘ – the best ice cream parlor at Mangalore where we dug in on flavors like – Gudbud, Falooda, etc (weren’t  as enticing as expected). Our next stop was the St.Aloysius Chapel built in 1884 and is an architectural marvel. All the walls and ceiling are painted in two techniques:  Fresco (fresh lime walls are painted and the colors get embedded into the wall itself) and Oil based. Artist Anthony Moscheni from Italy takes credit for this marvelous creation.  The central row of paintings on the ceiling depicts the life of Aloysius Gonzaga to whom the College and Chapel are dedicated. The floor is made up of brick that gives a 3-dimensional effect.

Next on the agenda was the Gokarnatha temple built in 1912 for the Billava community, who were not permitted to enter  other temples. The area is dotted with temples of Shiva.

It was a hot and sultry afternoon and by 2p.m we were hungry and so decided to try Mangalorean food (vegetarian) at a restaurant by name Ocean Pearl.  After trying the Neer Dosa, we went back to relax for a bit before leaving for the wedding at the church followed by the reception. Cake and wine in hand, all those present at the venue raised a toast to the newly wed and set off to fill their stomachs again. There was a separate counter for us vegetarians set up by Mangala caterers, fortunately.

We hit the sack by midnight and set out the next morning to St.Mary’s Islands, Malpe at Udupi in a hired SUV. En route we stopped to pack lunch at Diana (a local restaurant) and after a comfortable drive for about two hours we reached the Malpe beach and took the ferry (half an hour) to the island. Nature at it’s best once again, we had a fun time jumping the rocks (while I slipped, fell and bruised my back), playing in the water, collecting shells and screeching at the site of an approaching crab, not to forget clicking away at each other. How we all wished we had carried a  change of clothes!

On our way back we stopped to visit the Krishnamata temple (the idol is dressed in diamonds from head to toe and can be viewed only through a window) at Udupi and the surrounding temples. Rafting and Canoeing had to be dropped due to time constraint. A quick adieu to the groom’s family before an even quicker bite of chaat at a local stall, just to make it in time (thanks to Allen the groom’s younger brother) for our bus back to Bangalore.

I had always wanted to go on an all-women trip with my best buddies. Though that is yet to happen, this trip with my women-colleagues was indeed pleasant and fun!

Come December and I headed to Srirangapatna and Mysore with my aunt. A hot day packed with too much to see wasn’t one of the nicest of travel experiences during the peak holiday season. Nevertheless, an experience in itself!  A few pictures from this visit:

Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple, Srirangapatna

The Water Gate, Srirangapatna

Tipu Sultan's body was found here, Srirangapatna

Colonel Bailey's Dungeon, Srirangapatna

Mysore Palace

Nandi, Mysore

Chamundeshwari temple, Mysore

St.Philomena's Church, Mysore

Brindavan Gardens, Mysore

A quarter has gone by and I haven’t been able to add any new blog posts. Time that I traveled, eh? Absolutely, I so needed to get off and so I did. Three of us(two friends and I) headed to Masinagudi, located in the land where I hail from – Tamil Nadu.  Situated at the foothills of the Nigliris,  on the edge of the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Masinagudi is truly nature’s paradise.

We hired a cab and set out at 7.30a.m on a Saturday morning, stopped for breakfast at Hotel Kamath and covered a distance of 250 kilometers before reaching the Bear Mountain Jungle Resort, at Masinagudi.  As informed by Mr.David Philip (Owner/Manager) over the telephone the previous evening, lunch was ready and so were we, all set to hog.  I must admit and share that all the three meals at Bear Mountain had variety, taste, quality and were sumptuous.  After a tiring journey in the heat and a heavy lunch, we relaxed in our cottage(a room with an attached bath that was big, clean with all the taps, shower and tub that were functional and a sit out with a few chairs and a hammock to laze). As the sun went down and after tea, it was time for a jeep safari, which turned out to be futile, as expected. We managed to spot only a few deers, elephants and monkeys.  Around 8pm, there were a bunch of people at the bonfire but we chose to sit by the log hut instead and enjoyed the Latino music – Fresh Lime Soda/Beer combination. Dinner followed and later in the evening we sat close to a trench listening to the sounds of the jungle, breathing fresh, uncontaminated air, feeling nature and its cool breeze that naturally paved the path to a state of  ’thoughtless awareness’ (meditation). ‘Bliss’ – the only word to explain this moment!

We finally hit the sack that Saturday night after a relaxing shower and the next morning set out on a trail around the resort and to bird watch in the jungle. After spending close to two hours crossing streams, checking out birds like: the Red Horn Bulbul, Myna,  Woodpecker, Large Jungle Mouse,  Warbler, Jungle Babbler, Parakeets and many more it was time to head back to Bangalore.

Payment done and pleasantries exchanged with the helpful and friendly staff at the resort for their warm hospitality, the plan was to stop en route, at Bandipur for the Jungle Safari (hoping luck would stand by us), but in vain.  Lemurs, Peacocks and Sambar deers were the only addition to the earlier list of animals that we got to spot.

As we approached Bangalore the smoke, soot, rising levels of pollution that cause eye irritation were more than apparent, not to forget the chaotic and suffocating traffic. Masinagudi, makes me want to keep coming back given that nature can’t get better and the value for money at this resort.

Nothing better than Robert Frost‘s poem to help describe how I feel, at this moment:

It was a different experience given that friends accompanied me and we met new people since it was an organized trip. Our stay at the Yellow Bells home stay, Kalpetta, was yet again just about satisfactory(I preferred the view from the Bamboo Hut at Ente Veedu amidst a plantation). I fail to understand how the authorities/committee for home stays approve places when all is not provided(no towels, soap, or even a bucket until asked for. They apparently forgot). However, given that it was God’s Own Country and since the people are known to be hygiene conscious, the stay was clean(give it to them for that) and yes there were no mosquitoes, thankfully.

Exotic Expeditions - will I go with them again? Definitely not! The organizer Santhosh did not stick to the agenda and his time management was rather sad. Too many stops en route Bangalore to Wayanad and we were not intimated at any point as and when there was a change in plan with regard to time and place of Dinner, Visits, etc. On asking why this was the case, Santhosh was rather arrogant, like it was a free trip he was providing us. Right from the start we all seemed to be jinxed, nothing went as per plan(the long wait at the RTO and a bribe for the yellow board vehicle, one of the other SUV’s axle gave way, etc), despite that the drive through Bandipur was totally worth it. I can do it time and again, the drive back was faster and more fun but for the traffic jam given that everyone was returning to Bangalore after the Christmas weekend.

We did the Soochipara waterfalls(my second visit and hence I decided not to walk down. Was a tiring road trip), Sunrise Valley(a panoramic view of the valley beneath with the river Chaliyar meandering gracefully), Meenmutty waterfalls (a trek through some inhospitable terrain, but the end result was worth it. One has to trek inside the jungle for approx 4kms to get a view of the waterfall. It passes through coffee and tea plantations. Did I just manage to survive the trek, given that I am so not made for trekking?!) and the Kuruva Islands(950 acres of ever green forest on the tributaries of the east flowing river Kabini, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Felt so different from the other islands I had visited in the recent past – Thimble Islands in the United States). That was it, we did not manage to make it on time to the Eddakal Caves.

The drive back was fun, playing cards, munching knick knacks, and the greenery all through, especially the breath taking view of the Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary.

I booked a ticket on the Goindigo website from Bangalore to Hyderabad and back. I was unable to travel as I fell sick and hence called the GoIndigo Contact Center on the morning of my travel to check with them on their terms and conditions and refund policy if any, despite having glanced through the same on their official website while booking my tickets.

I accepted and understood that I obviosuly would not receive a pie for the flight that was scheduled to depart Bangalore for Hyderbad in an hour’s time from the time I had called the contact center(fair enough). Then started the trauma. What was in store – hidden conditions and policies. I called the customer care not once but four times and learnt of a new condition each time from four different customer care executives(CCE) as mentioned below:

- I was told by one CCE that the return ticket from Hyderbad to Bangalore the same evening can be cancelled two hours prior to departure and then followed the hidden policy called: “CREDIT SHELL”(which I found no where on the website. Did I miss it?). As per the policy Rs.750/- is taken towards cancellation charges and the remaining amount is not refunded but goes in to the CREDIT SHELL against the specific Reference/PNR number which can be used at a later date.

- The second time I called to ask “if the passenger name and credit card used to book the ticket in the future has to be the same and how long this CREDIT SHELL will be valid for?’ I was told that either the same passenger or someone else can travel and the booking can be made with a different credit card. If a fresh booking is made with a different credit card, both the credit cards or photocopies used for the two transactions must be produced at the time of travel. None of these terms were spelt out until I kept asking.

- The third customer executive says: it is not possible to make use of the CREDIT SHELL while making a purchase online and the same has to be done only by calling the Contact Center or at the GoIndigo counter at the airport. I then request for my return ticket from Hyderabad to Bangalore to be cancelled and am told that I will receive an acknowledgement via email. I request the customer care executive to hold the call until I receive the cancellation confirmation in my inbox and he threatens to wait only two minutes. I explain that I cannot call again and repeat the same story to another of his colleague. He then asks: “Don’t you trust me?” I said: “It is not about trust, it’s about a system and professionalism.” He probably will leave the organization tomorrow and I need WRITTEN PROOF AT ANY COST(Btw does email serve as WRITTEN PROOF?). What if the cancellation does not take effect thanks to a technical snag and there goes my money – boom!

I also asked as to why I don’t see any of this on the ticket or website and I am told that it is very much mentioned. I read out the terms and conditions listed on the ticket(that does not state the cancellation amount) and that neither does the ‘FAQ’ section nor the ‘Terms & Conditions’ section have any such information about cancellation policies. The CCE then says everything can’t be listed on the website.

Convincing arguement, ain’t it?

- Phew, I wait for the acknowledgement and what do I recieve in place of a cancellation confirmation along with my credit shell details – only my onward itenarary of my ticket from Bangalore to Hyderabad that I did not board. Not a word about my return ticket(Hyderabad to Bangalore), credit shell, cancellation charges, etc. I call again and this time, the 4th CCE says: “Don’t you understand Indigo is a non-refundable airline?”. I then told him that it is he and Indigo who needs to learn English and understand the meaning of the word “non-refundable”. How does the CREDIT SHELL make sense if they are a non-refundable airline? It obvisouly is a refund in KIND and NOT in CASH.

The executive then says he will put me on to his supervisor, puts me on hold for ever and then comes back after a good ten minutes saying his supervisor is not available and that I will receive a cancellation confirmation along with credit shell and other details in 24hours. Back to square one, aren’t we? What is the point of receiving a cancelation reciept after the flight has departed and reached it’s destination? What if I don’t recieve the said email? What proof do I have and why on earth do I have tp put up with all of this? After all I am a customer and I deserve better treatment, I paid for the ticket and did not ask for it for free!

Systematic that I am for whatever it is worth I drafted a detailed email(I am known as the email queen amongst my ex-collegues. Finally came of some use) and sent it to the Indigo Customer Care. Not to forget these executives are rather impolite making statements like: “I don’t care a damn if you have to complain”. When I say “YOU” why don’t they(CCEs) understand that it is the organisation that I am refering to and NOT A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL and unfortunately they are a part of that entity. I don’t know you after all and what personal enimity would I have with you? As a customer I will demand and fight for my rights. I understand that these executives have limited power, have to deal with umpteen customers a day and repeat the same point like a parrot but sadly that is their job(I respect that) and there is little I can do about it.

I remember reading a similar incident that Kiruba faced: The Clear Trip Episode: My Experience

Am I hassled or is that an understatement? ‘A Harrowing Experience’ is probably an apt phrase. For the life of me neither can I understand the HR world nor the way Customer Service functions in my part of the universe.

After researching the internet, enquiring with friends, colleagues and peers we zeroed in on a home stay: Ente Veedu. The homestay was just about decent unlike the presentation on their website. For more information on this particular home stay, read my review: Experience at Ente Veedu

The pepper and rubber plantations across the home stay were a sight to view and visit. We picked up a few spices like Pepper and herbs that turn water Pink. We did not do much of the siteseeing tour except a waterfall or so. It was a realxed long weekend in the green paradise, that helped ease out the stress built due to long work hours.

Suggested route:
Bangalore -> Bidadi -> Ramanagaram -> Channapatna -> Maddur -> Mandya -> Srirangapatna -> Mysore -> Nanjangud -> Gundlupet -> Sultan Battery -> Kalpetta

Hope to go back to Wayanad, someday!