I had just finished writing my final  MBA semesters in April 2014 and what next, well I was totally juiced up for our very next trip to “The Andamans”! Fortunately, I was already inducted for my first ever job at an MNC but before climbing the career ladder I wanted to just get lost for some while. But my euphoria was breached by an e-mail I received from my workplace asking me to join on the very same day of the trip kick-off. Having said that, I have been extremely ambitious and pragmatic about my choices when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder, therefore, no questions asked I chose Andamans! 😀

So folks, here I am with my first ever travel blog post. This was till date the most memorable trip of my life – The Andamans! This trip was planned in the flaming month of May 2014, although the timing was not perfect but the trip indeed was.

Port Blair

We (my family and I) landed at Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair at about 8:00 am in the morning. Ideally, at this time of the day weather tends to be pleasant, but then I felt few drops of sweat trickling down my face and the very moment I developed harmony with the perspiration as the humidity gave me a tight welcoming hug.

There are plenty of options to stay put in Port Blair, but we were invited by a friend of ours for a stay. Nevertheless, one can even refer to few reliable travel websites like TripAdvisor or trivago which give the best price and authenticated options for accommodations. Moreover ideal duration to hang around in Port Blair should be approximately 2 days as one can cover most of the fascinating sightseeing there.

Ross Island

We started our day with exploring Ross Island which is another beautiful Island near Port Blair. It can be reached in few minutes by taking a ferry ride from Port Blair Marine Park. 

Ross Island played a British headquarter before an earthquake shook this place back in 1941. Although, eventually nature took its toll over the place and now is surrounded by tall banyan trees, but this place manages to take you back in time. It gives a picturesque view from all around, no wonder the British chose this Island as their headquarters.

This little island has its own variety of flora and fauna. We took an open ride within Ross and witnessed ruins of old buildings during British rule like the printing press, secretariat office, the church and the graveyard (ehmm!) which boastfully depicts its perfect archeology.

What added perk to this safari was when we spotted a group of rather friendly deer, peacocks, and ducks. The pride with which they rambled around Ross seemed as if they were those British guys who ruled this island back in 1941 and have reincarnated as deer, peacocks, and ducks to audit it again! 😉 They were very friendly and even agreed upon for a photo shoot! 😀

 

For folks who want to shut their gobs and chill for a while, they can head towards the back side of Ross and sit aimlessly near the seashore and enjoy the clean, pure and addictive sea breeze.

And the ones who are intrigued by Ross Island’s history can watch “Ross Island Memorial” documentary shown inside the bakery (timings 9:30 am to 9:45 am and 11:30 am to 11:45 am).

 

How to reach: Ferry ride takes 10 to 15 mins from Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex Jetty. The ride costs INR 75 per person and entry tickets to Ross Island is INR 20 per person.

Trust me this place sets an example of the most nominal awesomeness!

I will now confine this blog for today, but the journey has just begun. Places like Cellular jail, Havelock Island, Neil Island and fun activities like water sports, scuba diving, snorkeling and much more are yet to be explored and being penned down upon!

Stay tuned…. Andamans Abhi Baki hai mere dost (uhmmm.. SRK style)!