Last trip of the year 2007

Lets go here, there...how many people are coming, lets make the hotel bookings...lets plan the logistics.. after all confusions, it was just 2, me n Anish who were ready to leave. We decided to go to Kolleru Birds Sanctuary and Godavari Sagara Sangamam, to complete the 2007 with a great note and welcome 2008.

On the cold Saturday, 29th Dec morning, we started towards Vijayawada. The plan is to reach Vijayawada for lunch, stop @ every 50 KM or @ some nice places.

We stopped for breakfast, near a dam kinda place and near a flower garden to take some nice photographs.




With all this we were on track. Reached AP Tourism hotel @ Vijayawada @ 1:30 PM which is located beside the Krishna river. Blessed with heavy hunger and poor service, we finished our lunch took some rest in the garden there for sometime.

And in every stop Anish didnt forget to call Jai n Saga, frustrate them and calling them to come and join.

Finally we left from there @ 4 and decided to stay @ Elluru. Once we reach Elluru, called Pavan and asked him to find out some nice hotels. Anish initially wanted to go to Kolleru only and find out if some hotels are there to stay...but when we reached Elluru, he also was too tired and put up in Vasanta Mahal, recommended by Pavan.

It just took 10 mins for me to have bath, when I came out I was afraid that the nearby room folks could complain about our room, because Anish was in SOUND sleep.

After bath, we both wanted to go around the town, find out the route to Antarvedi(Godavari Sagara Sangamam) and have dinner. We found one hotel, dono how good the food would be, but entered. On seeing no other customer in the hotel, the debate was whether we were early to the hotels or the hotel food is too bad.

But actually the food was amazing, very cheap compared to Hyderabad, tasting good, lasting even after we are full. It seems the food in places other than Hyderabad in AP are cheap and tasty.

The next day, 30th Dec morning 7 AM we started towards Antarvedi, travelled thru the mists.



While crossing a bridge, we found a way to get into Godavari river, didnt wanna miss that.


Then started again, thanks to the mesmerizing express highways that we were just 25KMs away from Rajamundry. Thats when we realized, we are going in the wrong direction, then asked people and came to the diversion that we had to take.

From there we travelled thru the villages and wherever we were going, a stream was also going either on your either sides or on either of the sides. So far I was thinking that the whole AP is a dry area, coz i have not been to any places other than Hyderabad and its surroundings. But now I realize the AP has more water than TN and its green everywhere.

After missing the route for 2 more times, we finally reached the Sangamam, where we saw the huge, beautiful and empty beach.The whole beach is yours, the dead turtles and red crabs will give you a nice company too.

We spent about 2 hours, roaming around, taking photographs, having dip, seeing both Godavari and Bay of Bengal in the same place, having birds eye view from the lighthouse there, Anish checking if his lense cap will be broken or not if he drops it from there. We started from there @ around 5 PM.



While return we again missed the route, asked here and there, we finally reached Elluru @ 9 PM, again had food @ the same place.

The next day, 31st morning, again we started @ 7 to Kolleru birds sanctuary. On the way, we found a bridge crossing the lake, where we could find some birds and Anish had chance to explore the photograhy skills.


But in the actual Kolleru, there were no birds, we just had boating for 1 hour, came to know from the fisherman there that the lake is being destroyed and no birds come these days. Actually we felt that the tourism can be developed there. The lake was so beautiful.


We came back to Elluru @ around 12:30 and we started from there by 1:15 PM, we reached Vijayawada and I badly wanted to have lunch, coz my headache was increasing, but Anish had just Banana milk shakes. We started again.

Till this point everything was fine, not much tiring. But from there it was very tiring. In just 20 mins only, it was paining to sit in the bike. Still managed to ride and some 30 KMs before the city we had a Reliance A1 Dhaba, where the new year party was going on. I had a full fledged dinner there, but Anish again had some salad and sweets only.

Finally I reached home @ 11 PM. It was full of traffic on the roads, music and boozing on the bachelor's homes and girls making 'KOLAM' in front of their homes. But I had some other special activity to do, so I didnt involve in any of those.




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