Self Drive Car Rental from Bangalore

With a camping trip and a long drive in plans ahead, it was time to check out the self-drive options available in Bangalore. Unlike the USA, where renting out a car is a breeze, the market for self-rentals is not mature in India. This is partly due to the wide availability of car rentals with drivers. That comes with compromise to privacy and also feels like adding on a person to your family vacation.

With positive reviews at forums such as TeamBHP, I choose www.drivecarclub.com and www.autoriders.net as my options. The choice of vehicle was either a minivan or a SUV. Both their websites had all the information pertaining to the rental process. On enquiry, Carclub had a prompt response saying that they didn't have vehicles in the requested category but that they would offer a Chevy Optra. Autoriders were prompt in their replies too and they offered a Mahindra Xylo. We confirmed with them and requested that the car be dropped and picked up from our home, for an extra charge. (Rs. 350 each way).
   
On the day of the delivery, we were to give the deposit of Rs.25,000 (it varied vehicle category wise) in cash and also pay for the rental in advance. We had requested the vehicle be delivered at 9 am and the vehicle arrived at 9:45 am. The paperwork didn't consume much time and we were given a copy of all documents pertaining to the car.

Self drive rental cars have a Black License Plate with Yellow letter and thus they stand out. Upon crossing the Karnataka state border to the state of Tamilnadu, we had to halt at the RTO office just before Hosur. Lots of parked trucks parked on the side of the highway is the cue to the RTO office. It look us half an hour to wait and pay the road taxes(Rs.350) to the state of Tamilnadu, which had a validity of one week. At the end of our trip, we paid for the extra charges that we had incurred and our deposit was returned back in cash.

Renting a self-drive car from Autoriders from their Bangalore office was sure a straight forward process and their staff pleasant to deal with. My wish is for self-drive rental car agencies at major train stations..With help from GPS and Google Maps and the patience to brave the chaos of Indian road, trains and self-driven cars would be a wonderful way to see the real India at one's own pace..

Camping in Kodai Hills with 360 Inn

            With a wedding to attend in the ever hot Madurai in the middle of May, we set our thoughts on taking a short break in the cool hills of Kodaikanal. But the thought about the throngs of like-minded people that would end at Kodai town in summer wanted us to seek some other quiet place where we could enjoy nature and also the cooler hills. Some persistent googling lead us to www.360inn.com, which promised to offer customized off beat vacations around Kodaikanal. Couldn't find any reviews from families who had used their services but decided to give it a try. Shyam, who offers the service, was prompt in his e-mail replies answering my queries. We had just one day to spare and decided to camp at Kodai hills with 360 Inn.

            Since the drive from Bangalore was going to take us around 9 hours one-way, we decided to take a break at Dindukal. Stayed at Parson's Court, which was a good find in Dindugal.

            The final drive to the campground is on a steep tarred road where just one car can possibly fit in. Shyam received us and helped us settle in. The campground is on a 3 acre hilly plot, around 5 kilometers from Kodai town, with a bird's eye view of Palani, Perumalmalai, Vilpatty village and a waterfall. One needs to walk, around 300 feet down hill with a considerable slope, to reach the tents. It is better to settle in when there is enough daylight, even though the hills could be completely engulfed in fog anytime. The sight of the tents far away from the nearest road was beautiful to behold.

            For those who wonder that it could be lonely and scary, there is hope. A family of farmers lives in the plot and they provide with all possible assistance that they can. They helped carry some of our bags down and uphill, provided us warm drinking water with the meals, hot teas when it was foggy and raining and also got the fresh food that Shyam arranges down to the campsite.

           

            The campground was equipped with rustic pit toilets and a bath cubicle. It serves its purpose well but isn't for those who are not ready to rough it out. There is no electricity and we were provided with two, three-person Coleman, tents.

           

            After lunch, we took a short walk amidst the nearby orchards and enjoyed plums off the trees. Though we didn't have time to do long hikes during our stay, there are plenty of options. The campfire after dinner was cozy and kept us warm till it was time to get into our sleeping bags. The farmer's two dogs, both named Blacky, were a solace against snakes or bison that I imagined might wander closer. The night was beautiful with clear skies, twinkling stars, and lights from far away villages dotted the mountains around.

            The kids had the most fun and it felt very good to camp again. I wish more camping sites evolve in India…..not the Swiss tent camping stays that offer attached flush toilets but the ones like this one that takes us back to nature.

Refrigerator Buying Guide

Are you in the market to buy a Refrigerator? Have this as a checklist.

1. Brand - Do a brand research considering the reliability and ease of customer service they offers. Each brand has its set of frilly features to grab attention.

2. Size - Fridge size is measured in liters or cubic feet. They vary in sizes from around 200 liters to well above 600 liters.

·         Small - 180 to 300 Liters for a 2 people household

·         Medium - 300 to 450 Liters for a 4 people household

·         Large - 450 + liters for more than a 5 people households. While larger refrigerators can store more food, they typically cost more and use more energy to run. 

Consider the individual sizes of the freezer and the fridge if you plan on buying a 2 or a multi door refrigerator. Two refrigerators of the same size can have varying fridge and freezer. If you don't plan on consuming frozen food, buying a refrigerator with a larger fridge space.  

3. Number of doors - They come from Single door units to units multiple door and drawers. Each refrigerator style has its positives and negatives to consider.
1. Single Door - These are mostly the Small sized refrigerators and have a smaller freezer space.
2. Two Doors –
1. Freezer on Top - This is the most preferred style as it generally the most affordable option. It is also less prone to repairs and most energy efficient of the many door options. But if your diet includes more vegetables, this option leaves you to be bending down to reach frequently to your most used vegetable section.       
2. Freezer at Bottom - Since we tend to use the refrigerator more often, this option saves you from bending down frequently.
3. Side-by-Side - These models come in larger capacities and have the refrigerator on the right and freezer on the left. This style of refrigerator gives easy access to both the freezer and the refrigerator sections but the width of the refrigerator shelves are narrow making it difficult to store wider items. Some models also offer outside the door ice and cold-water dispensers.
3. Multiple Doors - Multi door refrigerator gives you the option of storing different kinds of food in separate sections.
1. French Door - These models have double doors that open out giving you a refrigerator with larger width area. The lesser-used freezer space is a pull out drawer at the bottom.

4. Frost Control – Options for frost control include
1. Manual Defrosting - One has to switch off the refrigerator manually to defrost. Water collected in trays below the freezer section needs to be emptied manually. Most basic single door models have this option.
2. Automatic Defrosting - Defrosting happens on press of a button or on preset times and the water is collected in trays behind the refrigerator. Single Door models mostly have this option.
3. Frost Free - Most of the multi door refrigerators are frost-free. The freezer remains frost free without any intervention.

5. Shelving 
1. Check if it can fit wide, tall items and has no hard-to-reach areas.
2. For maximum interior space, look for wide; clear glass/acrylic shelves rather than wire. Clear shelves give you more surface area, are easier to clean and retain any spillage from leaking all the way to the bottom.
3. Adjustable Shelving provides greater flexibility as your needs change. Some models feature clear shelves that slide out, making it easier to utilize the whole shelf and put food all the way to the back.
4. Spill-proof shelves have a small gutter to capture spills, stopping any leakages from dripping down to other compartments.
5. Look out for Deep door storage to fit larger beverage bottles.
6. Check size of Vegetable Storage bin to see if it can fit your requirements.
7. A Crisper keeps salads and vegetables at optimum temperature and humidity and separate from other foods.

6. Energy
1. Refrigerator drawers tend to be large on price and small on space. Although they cost little to run, refrigerator drawers provide poor energy efficiency.
2. Consider skipping the ice-maker and dispenser    Automatic ice-makers and through-the-door dispensers increase energy use by 14–20%. They are also responsible for 20% of repairs.
3. Models with top-mounted freezers use 10–25% less energy than bottom-mount or side-by-side models
4. Look for the energy star rating and the power consumption.

7. Stabilizer Requirement - Check the voltage range at which the refrigerator can operate and consider the need to have a stabilizer if the range is too small

8. Operation
1. Look for easy-to-reach and operate temperature and humidity controls. Make sure that you don't have to empty a shelf to adjust them.
2. Check Noise levels. Look for insulation to help dampen the sound of the compressor.
3. A Clean back is easy to maintain. Refrigerator with open condensation coils at the back needs regular cleaning to keep the unit running efficiently.

9. Long Term
1. Warranty - Look for at least a one-year, full warranty, which includes parts and labor.
2. Service    - Make sure that the manufacturer has a Service Center in your city.

10. Important Markings - All refrigerators should have some basic information clearly marked, and should come packed in good packaging. Look for following information:
1. Model name
2. Serial No
3. Manufacturer’s name or trademark
4. Storage volume for refrigerator and freezer
5. Voltage range and supply characteristics
6. Rated current consumption
7. Energy Star Ratings

A visit to VSSC Space Museum near Trivandrum, Kerala

The VSSC Space Museum is located inside the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre campus at Thumba, 12 kilometers north of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. It is less than 5 kilometers from

Kochuveli Railway Station where trains to cities such as Bengaluru start.

The pictures of the museum on its website at http://www.isro.org/scripts/spacemuseum-flash.aspx convinced us that it has better things to offer unlike most other museums. So, we decided to give it a try on our visit to Trivandrum. There were no information available online offering details about visiting the museum such as the visiting hours or the entrance fee or the visiting schedule. So, we just drove in and then started the fun.

Since the museum is inside a secure military campus, we were asked to go to a different military campus near the Veli Railway Station to get passes for entry. Our taxi was not allowed inside the campus and one adult from our party was asked to take a special bus that runs inside the campus to go to a particular office. Once there, one had to convince several officers to prove our intentions as family to visit the museum and also prove our Indian Citizenship. Apparently only Indian Citizens are allowed inside the museum. We did not carry our passports and a credit card came in handy. After much convincing, we were able to get passes for our family. The entry to the museum was free.

After getting the passes for the entry, we were told that all the hassles of getting an entry pass could be avoided if a letter (snail mail) were written to the following address requesting permission to visit the museum ahead of time.

Administrative Officer,

Public Relations,

VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 022.

Tel : 0471-2565649, 2564292, 2565666

Fax : 0471-2564060

E-mail : pro@vssc.gov.in

The request should contain information like visitor's name, age, affiliation (unclear as to what) and occupation. It seems then a pass would be ready for the day of the visit. The same procedure is to be used to witness a rocket launch.

We then drove back to the museum campus where we were asked to handover our cameras, cell phone and other mobile devices and alas we were at the beautiful St.Mary Magdalene Church that houses the museum. There were a few outdoor exhibits on the impeccably maintained grounds and the striking one was a life size model of a rocket. It was good enough for the kids to see for themselves how tall a rocket really is.

We were asked to remove our shoes and had to handover our passes to the staff in a nearby building before we went in. The staff was chatting casually and didn't seem to expect any visitors. The insides of the museum were well maintained, clean with good air-conditioning. The exhibits were well described and the models of the various Indian satellites elaborated on their historical evolution. Overall the museum explained well India's standing in the field of Space Technology. There were guides inside the museum who were happy to just be chatting among themselves.

Keep an hour to visit the museum and entry is allowed from 9:30 hours to 15:30 hours on all VSSC working days. 

I wonder why such a beautiful, well-staffed museum has a tedious procedural access. The VSCC Space Museum has the potential to educate and inspire the next generation to contribute to India’s progress in Space Technology.

Sri Lanka, Pearl of the Indian Ocean

The views from the airplane just before we land confirm that Sri Lanka is indeed a pearl in the Indian Ocean. The flight to Sri Lanka took us just an hour from the Chennai airport but life seems much calmer and relaxed as soon as you land and one can really feel the island vibe.

Our first stop was at the resort Amaya Lake in Dambulla. We took a taxi from the Tourist Drivers Association counter in the airport. They quoted LKR 8000 to Dambulla, which we thought was a good deal compared to the LKR 14,000 that the hotel had quoted. Bandaranaike International Airport is in the town of Negombo, to the north of Colombo and the drive from the airport to Dambulla offered views of small villages amidst fields and lush green trees. On arrival at Dambulla, we found that the hotel Amaya Lake was 10 kilometers from Dambulla. We paid LKR 400 more for the extra kilometers that we traveled and after a sumptuous lunch buffet, took a tuk tuk to the Dambulla Cave Temple that is 10 kilometers away in the town of Dambulla.

The steps that walk up to the Dambulla cave temple was steep and slippery but that never stopped the multitude of local devotees from making the climb. The views from the top were good and the five caves under a giant overhanging rock had colorful religious paintings on the ceilings and statues of Buddha. We took a tuk tuk for LKR 100 from the cave temple to the town center of Dambulla and had a local dinner before proceeding to the hotel in a tuk tuk for LKR 500.

The next day, we took a tuk tuk to Sigiriya. The entrance fee is steep at about LKR 2800 for foreigners and about half for people with Indian passports and is just LKR 50 for the locals. You walk through ruins of swimming pavilions and water fountains to the giant rock that rises 1214 feet above sea level. Half way up, climbing a spiral staircase offers views of the few remaining Sigiriya frescoes. Keep your entrance tickets handy as they would be checked again just before the climb on the spiral staircase. After a landing is the final climb through the lion's paws, to the top of the rock where are few remaining ruins. The views from the top of the plains are endless.

We retained our friendly tuk tuk driver and after lunch at local stop, drove to Habenera for an elephant ride. It was LKR 4000 for a 45-minute ride to the nearby lake and back. The ride was good especially when we were wading through the lake filled with vegetation. There was a helper with the mahout who offered to take photographs for us but demanded a big tip in return.

Amaya Lake, though situated nowhere is indeed a beautiful property with access to the Kandalama lake, on whose banks it is situated on. What the hotel lacks in warm hospitality, it provides in a location that could not be more peaceful and serene.

On the third day, we took a taxi to Kandy stopping at a Spice Garden on the way. It was nice to see the trees and shrubs from where the spices come from but please be aware that it is not the place to buy anything. Since, we were roughly aware of the cost of spices and Ayurvedic potions, we were shocked at the prices quoted. When confronted, they offered us products for half the price, saying that the pricing was aimed at European tourists. But even at half the price, it still was a no buy. We asked our taxi driver to take us to lunch at an authentic Kandyan place and were taken to the Peradeniya Resthouse Restaurant opposite the Royal Botanical Gardens. It seemed like a place that taxi drivers take their tourists guests in return for a free meal.

Royal Botanical Garden, Peradeniya is huge and has a good collection of trees and plants and it sure lived up to its reputation of being one of the finest botanical gardens in Asia. We stayed at Amaya Hills in Kandy. Amaya Hills is around 5 kms up on a hill and has magnificent views of the city below and the mountains surrounding it.

The next day, our first stop was the Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This temple is said to have the tooth relic of Buddha. The temple was ornate and it was sad to notice that parts of the temple had been damaged by a bomb blast and was rebuilt. The doors to the chambers that contained the tooth relic was to be open only at 6 pm that day and so visiting the temple was like visited the Louvre and finding the Mono Lisa behind locked doors. Not sure if one can see the tooth fragment even when the chamber doors are open.

We then walked along the Kandy Lake to reach the Kandy Museum, which is behind the temple. The entrance fee to this small museum is LKR 500 for foreigners and LKR 25 for locals. Wonder what sights would be missed by most if the Louvre or the British Museum charges 20 times more for foreigners.

The Kandy Art Association near the museum, hosts an evening of Kandyan dance at 5:30 pm. After buying tickets for LKR 500 each, we spent time idling by the lake. The tourists started settling in their seats by 4:45 pm. The dance routines were interesting to watch and the programme till the national anthem was sung. After the national anthem, even though the programme mentioned two more events, people started moving out from their seats and settling in areas just below the stage. Only later, did we realize that the tour operators had given their clients an heads up about the last two events happening down the stage. We were stuck standing on chairs with very little views of the Fire dance and the no views of the fire walk. It was a chaotic ending to a beautiful evening.

On the fifth day, our taxi driver dropped us at Ging Oya Lodge in Waikkal, our place of stay for the last two days of our trip. We paid LKR 22,000 for the taxi for 3 days and 2 nights of service. Ging Oya Lodge is a B&B run by Belgian host who have lived in Sri Lanka for more than 20 years. Our stay was in an independent bungalow styled room set among coconut trees facing the Ging Oya River. It was almost like a luxurious camping experience. The lodge though away from the city center has local homes as its neighbors. Ging Oya is an eco-friendly lodge and they use water from a local pond and so be prepared for a bath in brackish water and have Deet ready to tackle mosquitoes in common areas.

The local beach is a 20-minute walk from the lodge and we enjoyed it on two afternoons. On both the days, we had none one sharing the waters with us except for very few locals walking across it. The views on the other side of the beach were equally good with lush green trees. Not sure if one can swim in the waters though as it was rough and there are no lifeguards.

On the morning of our last day, we took a tuk tuk to the city center of Negombo and visited St. Marys Church. It was beautiful inside with statues depicting the stages of cross and large mosaics on the ceilings. Our trip back to the airport took us around 45 minutes from Ging Oya Lodge.

It was a trip that offered us a mix of history, varied landscape and a beautiful beach. The other areas that we would consider in a possible next trip to Sri Lanka would be Anuradhapura and Polonuwara for more history, Nuwara Eliya and areas around for more scenic beauty and Gale for more beaches but keeping in mind that Sri Lanka is less authentic and more touristy!!

Getting a Visa for Peru

To get our visa for Peru, we had to be at the Peruvian Consulate in San Francisco in person. We were not able to reach the consulate by phone regarding our queries before our trip to the consulate but this is how the process went on for us.

We made sure that we had all the requested documentation for the tourist visa from the Consulado General del Peru website and made sure that we were there at the consulate around 9 am. The waiting area is small room with around 30 chairs and we were asked to write down our names in a log by the call window. There was a number token system but that was only for Peruvian nationals.

There was a notice board in the consulate waiting room which had a slightly different list of required documentations like 2 copies of the visa form and a letter from the place of work(for H1 visa holders).

After waiting for an hour with no idea of what was to happen, we were called inside the office around 10:15 am. The visa process was long with photos of applicants taken in the premises again. The staff were friendly and accommodating of especially our young children. It was around 11:45 am when our processing was complete and we came out with a visa stamped on our passports.

If you have children, make sure that you carry a snack and think of ways to keep them entertained.

Peru Trip Itinerary

Around a Thanksgiving weekend in November, we set out on a trip to Peru. Peru is South America's third largest country, housing the mighty Andes mountains, the lush green Amazon rainforest and dry desert coast. We did this trip with a 4 year old and a 17 month old in tow. Our four year old especially enjoyed the Amazon jungle part of the trip. This was our Peru Trip Itinerary.

Day 1 - Lima
We started our Lima sightseeing by visiting Saint Cristobal Hill, which offered 360 degree views of Lima. Arriving in Plaza Mayor, we toured the Lima Cathedral and then drove to visit Museo Nacional de Arqueología. The Artisans' Market, also called the Mercado Indio at Miraflores was our last stop for the day .

Day 2 - Travel from Lima to Aguas Calientes
We took a flight from Lima to Cusco and then a taxi from Cusco to Ollantaytambo. Departed Ollantaytambo by Peru Rail to reach the city of Aguas Calientes. A day of travel by three modes of transportation.

Day 3 - Machu Picchu
We visited the ethereal ruins at Machu Picchu.

Day 4 - Pisac
We departed Aguas Calientes by Peru Rail to Ollantaytambo. Took a taxi to drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas with short stops at Urubamba, Yucay, Calca and finally reaching Pisac, to hike the Pisac ruins.

Day 5 - Cusco
We took a taxi from Pisac to Cusco touring the ruins at Sacsayhuaman on the way. In Cusco, we toured the San Blas Cathedral, Cusco Cathedral, Coricancha and Santo Domingo. May be since we stayed at Aguas Calientes and Pisac earlier, we did not get the altitude Sickness, Soroche, in Cusco.

Day 6 - Cusco to Lima
We visited the Plaza de Armes at Cuzco, toured Iglesia de la Compañía and flew back to Lima.

Day 7 - Lima to Amazon
We flew from Lima to Iquitos and took a boat to the Ceiba Tops Luxury Lodge on the River Amazon.

Day 8 - Amazon
From Ceiba Tops Luxury Lodge, we took a two hour nature hike in the morning and went on a boating trip to catch Piranahs in the afternoon .

Day 9 - Amazon
From Ceiba Tops Luxury Lodge, we went on a bird-watching trip early in the morning. Midmorning, we went by a boat to spot Pink River Dolphins and then visited a village of the native river people. In the afternoon, we went to the nearby Monkey Island and in the night, we went for a after-dark walk to see spiders and tarantulas in the jungle.

Day 10 - Amazon to Lima
We reached Iquitos by a 45 minute boat ride from the lodge and then took a flight to Lima.

Day 11 - Lima and around
We took a taxi to visit Pachacamac ruins, which is 30 minutes outside Lima and then drove back to Central Lima to visit Iglesia de San Francisco.

Here is a special mention of the hotels in which we stayed.
In Lima, we stayed at Hotel Boutique Villa Ponciana, leaving a few of our bags during our side trips. Since we travelled with kids, we wanted a place that would feel close to home and it sure was. Mr. Harry was a welcoming host and he enriched our trip with lots of suggestions.

Ceiba Tops Luxury Lodge is the place to be if you want comforts, such as air-conditioning and electricity throughout the day, in the Amazon. Our personal guide was with us throughout out trip, right from meeting us at the Iquitos airport till checking our bags for our trip back and went out of his way to make our Amazon experience wonderful.

Though we did not plan to visit, Puerto Maldonado is supposed to be a gateway to a more intimate experience of the Amazon. It can be reached from a short flight from Cusco.