It all started when our first wedding anniversary was approaching that is 4th Feb. We had planned to visit Lakshdweep during first week of Feb, 2014. But then the difficulties to visit Lakshdweep came accross. It requires permit to visit Lakshdweep and that too you can not take on your own (as far as I experienced). You hve to take package (available online) and only the package providers can take permit for you. So after few efforts of taking permit on our own we dropped idea to visit Lakshdweep.
So at last moment, during end of Jan, we thought of shifting our plan to Andman. After a quick research on web, I became sure that this could be the perfect alternate of Lakshdweep. After quick search about packages offered by different travel planner, I decided to go on my own as I found those packages overpriced and not worth the money. So we booked to/fro flight (Air India) from Chennai to Port Blair (only airport in Andman). Flight timings were 5 am in morning. We then booked to/fro Volvo ticket b/w Bangalore and Chennai.
So the day came. 1st Feb, 2014. We (me and my wife) reached shanthinagar bus stand around 5 pm. Suddenly I got a call from KSRTC volvo that I have bus at 5:05 PM. I told the operator that I am at bus stand and will board in a while. But I was really impressed by KSRTC service. Our bus started on time and we were comfortable on our seat. We were talking that we would reach Chennai at 12 am and then we have to wait for 5 hours as our flight was at 5 am. Suddenly my wife got an SMS that our flight has been delayed by 45 mins, i.e. it would take-off at 5:45 am from Chennai. We looked at each other and burst to laughter.
Anyway, bus condition was very good. It was Airavat (one kind of Volvo bus run by KSRTC). There was proper leg space and support to keep your legs straight in comfortable position. There was screen in front of every seat (like we experience in flights) and earphones were provided. There was tatasky (DTH provider in India) for every screen and remote was attached. I browsed through some news channel and then stopped at channel playing old bollywood songs.
Around 7:30 PM, we had delicious Gobhi Paratha (Thanks to Kishan Bhaiya, our cook) with Mango pickle (Mom's speciality). After few minutes around 8 PM, bus stopped at ??? hotel for refreshment. From the language written on hotel board, we could make out we are in Tamilnadu. Now here I noticed one thing. Bus conductor asked everyone to get down and locked the bus, to make sure everyone's belongings are intact. Very impressive. Hungry people rushed to restaurant to order food to full their belly. As we were already full, we ordered two cups of tea. After tea, we clicked few snaps and then started roaming around. Cold breeze with the sight of speeding vehicles on highway was very nice. Now with the honk of bus driver we went back inside the bus and thoght of taking a nap. My wife, very comfortably, used my shoulder as cushion and slept peacefully. So did I.
Then bus slowed down and people started talking and getting ready to get down. I realized we are in chennai. Bus entered in KMBD bus stand and we got down. There were lots of taxi/auto-rikshaw wala, who tried to convince us to hire them. But in an unknown city, as suggested, we thought of taking Govt. Bus to the airport. after few enquires on bus stand, we reach to the right platform and boarded to correct bus (M-17C). Weather at night was unexpectedly pleasant. It took around 30-45 mins to reach Chennai Airport. During the bus journey many posters/hoardings of Tamilandu's prominent leaders could be seen. We smiled thinking about different poses they gave for posters.
Bus dropped us just outside of the Airport. We crossed the road and entered inside the airport. Once we reached at departure terminal, It was crowded place. We thought how could there be so many people inside terminal. Then we saw a system which we never saw anywhere in India. At Chennai Airport, they gives tickets to people to enter inside, who came to see-off their relative. Something like the platform tickets in Indian railway. After appriciating the system we asked about the terminal D from where our AirIndia flight was supposed to take off. Then a Police officer toild us that this is Internation Terminal and by pointing to right he asked us to go to the extreme end. There is the Domestic terminal. Kamaraj Domestic terminal. as we had enough time to spend we took a leisure walk to Domestic terminal.
Now this terminal was very quiet. We could hardly see any passanger/tourist there. At entrance, one security person asked us to display Id cards and took our iteranirary printout and took us inside. There he checked in system and made an entry. Then he did the security check of our bag to make sure no illegal things are hidden inside. :)
Now we were at Domestic terminal. Lights were dim at airport and very few ppl could be seen. Mostly workers at airport and workers of different Air lines roaming around. We could see few travellers/tourists sitting and yawning at chairs. We thought of walking and taking a good look at terminal. We went from one end to another watching different shops (which were closed) and other sleeping travellers on chairs.
One very strange thing we saw on the terminal. The standing Vent of Air Conditioner. They were making a humming sound which I think could be heard only at night when there is no noise around.
I was looking for a CCD shop to have a hot cappuccino but didn't find it. Then we found a ??? and I thought of taking a hot cup of coffee. It was priced 70 Rs but tasted good. After having coffee we found empty chairs and settled down. It was around 2:30 am. I took a luggage trawlly and put our bag on it and put my legs on it and tried to take a nap. My wife also took another nap.
After sometime around 4 am, we saw some movements and lights of terminal were switched on. More travellers were coming to terminals and airline counters were being set-up to provide boarding passes.
We reached to Air India counter and took our boarding passes and checked-in our bag. Then after security check (which made me put off my shoes, not sure why. May be because they were big woodland shoes), we entered to waiting area. After few clicks of cameras, we started waiting for our boarding announcement. At around 5 am, it was announced. We boarded our flight and got comfortable on our seat. My wife, as expected, took the windows seat as she wanted to have the top view of Andman Islands. Till now I was getting hit by urge of a power nap. In few moments after take off, I slept. Then got up when breakfast was served. I had breakfast and then looked outside of Window. It was awesome view of early sunrise. I appreciated it for few mins, wife clicked few photos. And again I was asleep. In around 2 hrs, we were about to land at port blair. I got up when I heard the announcement. Wife was still enjoying the view from window. And then, we landed to "Veer Savarkar Airport" at Andman Island. :)
So at last moment, during end of Jan, we thought of shifting our plan to Andman. After a quick research on web, I became sure that this could be the perfect alternate of Lakshdweep. After quick search about packages offered by different travel planner, I decided to go on my own as I found those packages overpriced and not worth the money. So we booked to/fro flight (Air India) from Chennai to Port Blair (only airport in Andman). Flight timings were 5 am in morning. We then booked to/fro Volvo ticket b/w Bangalore and Chennai.
So the day came. 1st Feb, 2014. We (me and my wife) reached shanthinagar bus stand around 5 pm. Suddenly I got a call from KSRTC volvo that I have bus at 5:05 PM. I told the operator that I am at bus stand and will board in a while. But I was really impressed by KSRTC service. Our bus started on time and we were comfortable on our seat. We were talking that we would reach Chennai at 12 am and then we have to wait for 5 hours as our flight was at 5 am. Suddenly my wife got an SMS that our flight has been delayed by 45 mins, i.e. it would take-off at 5:45 am from Chennai. We looked at each other and burst to laughter.
Anyway, bus condition was very good. It was Airavat (one kind of Volvo bus run by KSRTC). There was proper leg space and support to keep your legs straight in comfortable position. There was screen in front of every seat (like we experience in flights) and earphones were provided. There was tatasky (DTH provider in India) for every screen and remote was attached. I browsed through some news channel and then stopped at channel playing old bollywood songs.
Around 7:30 PM, we had delicious Gobhi Paratha (Thanks to Kishan Bhaiya, our cook) with Mango pickle (Mom's speciality). After few minutes around 8 PM, bus stopped at ??? hotel for refreshment. From the language written on hotel board, we could make out we are in Tamilnadu. Now here I noticed one thing. Bus conductor asked everyone to get down and locked the bus, to make sure everyone's belongings are intact. Very impressive. Hungry people rushed to restaurant to order food to full their belly. As we were already full, we ordered two cups of tea. After tea, we clicked few snaps and then started roaming around. Cold breeze with the sight of speeding vehicles on highway was very nice. Now with the honk of bus driver we went back inside the bus and thoght of taking a nap. My wife, very comfortably, used my shoulder as cushion and slept peacefully. So did I.
Then bus slowed down and people started talking and getting ready to get down. I realized we are in chennai. Bus entered in KMBD bus stand and we got down. There were lots of taxi/auto-rikshaw wala, who tried to convince us to hire them. But in an unknown city, as suggested, we thought of taking Govt. Bus to the airport. after few enquires on bus stand, we reach to the right platform and boarded to correct bus (M-17C). Weather at night was unexpectedly pleasant. It took around 30-45 mins to reach Chennai Airport. During the bus journey many posters/hoardings of Tamilandu's prominent leaders could be seen. We smiled thinking about different poses they gave for posters.
Bus dropped us just outside of the Airport. We crossed the road and entered inside the airport. Once we reached at departure terminal, It was crowded place. We thought how could there be so many people inside terminal. Then we saw a system which we never saw anywhere in India. At Chennai Airport, they gives tickets to people to enter inside, who came to see-off their relative. Something like the platform tickets in Indian railway. After appriciating the system we asked about the terminal D from where our AirIndia flight was supposed to take off. Then a Police officer toild us that this is Internation Terminal and by pointing to right he asked us to go to the extreme end. There is the Domestic terminal. Kamaraj Domestic terminal. as we had enough time to spend we took a leisure walk to Domestic terminal.
Now this terminal was very quiet. We could hardly see any passanger/tourist there. At entrance, one security person asked us to display Id cards and took our iteranirary printout and took us inside. There he checked in system and made an entry. Then he did the security check of our bag to make sure no illegal things are hidden inside. :)
Now we were at Domestic terminal. Lights were dim at airport and very few ppl could be seen. Mostly workers at airport and workers of different Air lines roaming around. We could see few travellers/tourists sitting and yawning at chairs. We thought of walking and taking a good look at terminal. We went from one end to another watching different shops (which were closed) and other sleeping travellers on chairs.
One very strange thing we saw on the terminal. The standing Vent of Air Conditioner. They were making a humming sound which I think could be heard only at night when there is no noise around.
I was looking for a CCD shop to have a hot cappuccino but didn't find it. Then we found a ??? and I thought of taking a hot cup of coffee. It was priced 70 Rs but tasted good. After having coffee we found empty chairs and settled down. It was around 2:30 am. I took a luggage trawlly and put our bag on it and put my legs on it and tried to take a nap. My wife also took another nap.
After sometime around 4 am, we saw some movements and lights of terminal were switched on. More travellers were coming to terminals and airline counters were being set-up to provide boarding passes.
We reached to Air India counter and took our boarding passes and checked-in our bag. Then after security check (which made me put off my shoes, not sure why. May be because they were big woodland shoes), we entered to waiting area. After few clicks of cameras, we started waiting for our boarding announcement. At around 5 am, it was announced. We boarded our flight and got comfortable on our seat. My wife, as expected, took the windows seat as she wanted to have the top view of Andman Islands. Till now I was getting hit by urge of a power nap. In few moments after take off, I slept. Then got up when breakfast was served. I had breakfast and then looked outside of Window. It was awesome view of early sunrise. I appreciated it for few mins, wife clicked few photos. And again I was asleep. In around 2 hrs, we were about to land at port blair. I got up when I heard the announcement. Wife was still enjoying the view from window. And then, we landed to "Veer Savarkar Airport" at Andman Island. :)
