Day 4- Baratang, Limestone Cave & Mud Volcano.. and Finally Jarwa's (Journey to Andaman and Nicobar Island's)

We left early morning @ 4 am today, to travek to Baratang Island - crossed a dense mango creek by boat to reach the limestone caves ( amazing wonder of nature- there were massive limestone formations.. some hanging from the roof like chandeliers.. some jutting out from the sides of the caves... others growing from the floor....a sight to watch... Then to the mud volcano before heading back ... We crossed the Jarwa Reserves - ( They are indigenous tribes - the officials informed there are only 190 odd remaining & and have walked these islands for close to few thousand years).... The journey to Baratang itself was enchanting... a boat ride..through the ocean.. tiny islands all over... and massive dense forests.... makes us wonder... what we are missing staying in concrete jungles... 

Day 3 - Jolly Buoy Island - ( Journey to Andaman and Nicobar Island)

Jolly Buoy Islands-had a lovely time here... Snorkeling again . The water was "CLEAN"... blue.. transparent.. Beautiful.. Fantastic.. and all other adjectives I can conjure... The waters are not too deep here, but the current is quite strong..


Finally.. Beach Party and Bonfire .. at the edge of the Bay of Bengal. A perfect end to the evening...

Island Tours...Day 2- And a very early day.. Well atleast by my standards..( Journey to Andaman and Nicobar )

The jarring alarm rang at an god forsaken time... 6 AM... and we were bundled out.. not that we were complaining of the military discipline.. to some fabulous sights.. and basking on the sun kissed beaches


North Bay, Ross Island and Viper Island --- From the most Jolly to the most depressing ... Well actually in that order...or was it vice versa... Well... lets keep guessing...


North Bay. The place is famous for corals.  snorkeling..(first time) - felt the riches our sea's hold here ..It can be seen using two ways, one by snorkeling and other by glass boat.
-Next stop Ross Island


Ruins of Ross Island.Once an exclusive British preserve. The island served as the capital from 1858 till 1941, when it was . Apparently also known as Paris of the East...is now no more than an haunted..Island...But as one native told us .. It was the haunted island which saved the city of Port blair by taking the entire brunt of the Tsunami which struck the shores on 26, December 2004.


Final stop Viper Island... Felt like being in Pirates of the Caribean Movie without Johny Depp!!!!!
Viper Island was the original hell hole... The first prison was built here...The ruins of the gallows is still visble on top of a hillock, was visible to all prisoners on the island, signifying death at Kaala paani.

An hectic first day.Samudrika "Naval Marine Museum".( Journey to Andaman and Nicobar )

After the reality check of our history.. It was time for some reality check of our current times and environment... We headed.. all 15 of us to Samudrika... Samudrika  is run by the Indian Navy ... located at Delanipur in Andaman. This museum is aimed at generating awareness among us "tourists'" about the environment in the ocean and the marine life...Not much to say but this place is a must....considering it told us of the history of Andaman Islands, Geographical information, people of Andaman, Archaeology and finally the Marine life.. which we were dying to see... Well that's something..which we managed to catch a lot of in the last few days... and will be seeing for the next 4 days... Yipee...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An hectic first day.Kaala Paani... Reminiscing our history.( Journey to Andaman and Nicobar )

Touch down... Port Blair... 
And before I know it... being driven to meet the rest of the family who are already visiting the Cellular Jail..(infamously known as Kālā Pānī  ).... .Send shudders down my spine... literally 
      Seeing it.. a reality check... I am in Paradise... But......Reminding me that the beauty and freedom we enjoy ... was won with a lot of pain...and sacrifice... and we better not forget it.... 
    The Cellular Jail is the mighty, invincible prison where countless martyrs of India’s Independence struggle laid down their lives... Once can only wonder how much torture our brave hearts endured so that we can now do some "sight seeing" at this altar of persecution...as someone rightly said one the murkiest chapters of colonial rule in India....
     This menacing structure... called the ‘cellular’ because it is entirely made up of individual cells for the solitary confinement of the prisoners.. a mute witness.. to the tortures our freedom fighters  were meted out at this "psychological nightmare" - hell to say the least... Now I knew why they called it the Kaala Paani...You could feel despair and despondency hanging heavy in the depressing environs of Jail.. Even now...


Was a relief to step out.. But I go away with a true "reality check"......

Well ... Its time I started....( Finally begins with a journey to Andaman and Nicobar)

You could say that I was finally struck by "inspiration" sitting on the shore of the Bay of Bengal...on where else but the breathtakingly beautiful Andaman's   ...It reminded me of Goa ( Always my home away from home) .... People talk of foreign islands....but they forget that we have some beautiful treasures right in our back yard.. Well almost...

I guess my love affair with this land ( or rather island)  started the moment I looked out of the window as we started our final descent.. As far as the eye could see...breathtaking coast lines.. white beaches.. beautiful small and big 'green"islands.. floating on the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal.....