To constantly strike down work-life balance, avoid boredom, overcome stress and whatever you like to say, we need rejuvenation (Catalyst/ Boost ) too.. Oops a Big Intro for this blog...
This time I have decided to go and mingle with nature along with few office colleagues.. All started after 20th of July. After some brain storming sessions we decided to go to Anshi Nature camp in Dandeli. Except Bangalore whole Uttar Kannada was having heavy rains. 01 Aug 2009 to 05 Aug 2009 are the dates..
Usual stuffs like applying leave, booking reservations in trains, arranging stay etc. happened at lightning fast.
I'm planning to write this blog into two parts. First part: My view, experience, fun at this trip. Second Part : Information is wealth
Introduction about our team:
This time we are group of 5.
- Harish S : Our Captain who will be leading us during this trip. Had very good exp with trekking, navigation, local person etc.
- Ravi : Tallest member of Team
- Mani : Myself.
- Nakul : New persons for the team. Coming from Rajasthan he had a passion to see the deep jungles. Shortest Member of Team.
- Niranjan: New person for the team. One more back up for us who knows Kannada.
Left to Right. Niranjan, Ravi, Nakul, Harish, Mani
Plan :- Start from Bangalore on 1st Aug by Rani Chennamma Express to Londa.
- Get down at Londa on 2nd Aug Morning, Visit Dudhsagar Falls, Collect pass from Dandeli Forest for stay at Anshi Nature camp (NC) and Night stay at Anshi NC.
- Relax Urself at Anshi NC on 3rd and 4th.
- Start to Belgaum on 4th
- See Gokak Falls and board train to Bangalore from Belgaum.
As soon as we planned for the trip we checked the weather report frequently. The scary part was heavy rains should not spoil the trip.
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/19/Anshi.html
First Part : Fun / Adventure / Experience during this trip :
Due to previous exp of our Captain, we bought enough foods / snacks for 2 days atleast. Except our captain everyone was having 2 bags. For the first time our captain reached the station in advance. All set for trip. Rani Chennamma Exp Train was waiting for us at Platform 8. 3 persons in one boggie s9 and 2 other in s6. Nakul to be safer he gave is purse to me (Note this down). I was exchanging messages with my fiancee till midnight. She was little upset since I'm going to some place where mobile is not reachable.
Dudhsagar Falls :
On 2nd Aug morning we woke up by the fresh breeze of the new place. Sun was behind the clouds. Now and then it was drizzling. The entire place was green. That was wonderful sight..
We got down at Londa Jn at 8AM. Luckily there was a train Pune - Ernakulam Poorna Express at 9:10 AM which goes to Dudhsagar falls. Even after 10AM we still feel the sun is raising in the east. So much cloudy and it was drizzling now and then. Train started moving towards western ghats section.
At castle rock station two more engines are added to the train. We then entered the Braganza Ghat section. This sections is full of tunnels. Came to know that to reach Dudhsagar falls we need to cross 10 tunnels and 11 th tunnel by foot. There are nearly 20 tunnels ranging from 50meters to 300 meters. Train was going through the western ghats.. Everywhere it is green. Won't be able to see the surface of the mountain. All covered with thick trees. Very very nice.
Around 12:30 we reached the Dudhsagar falls. Like us many also get down at this station.
Took few snaps and after few 100 meters trek we reached the Dhudhsagar falls. As per the name it was pure white. Better than the Ujala white. The falls sound, the spectacular view of the surrounding mountains makes the place really amazing... Wanted to take bath there but due to the time constraints to reach Dandeli we had our bread / bun for lunch.
We started to trek towards Kulem. It is nearly 12kms from this place. After an hour trek we heard of an approaching train. It was a goods train. There was station exactly 4kms from Dudhsagar falls and 8kms from Kulem station. Nakul who was heading first told that the train has stopped at the station. Rest was following. Captain ordered Nakul to catch the train. Nakul ran ran ran ran and finally catch the train in DDLJ style... Throwing his bag into the train and getting onboard.. Rest of them not able to run because we were on tracks and our foot were little bigger.
Now Nakul and rest of the team got seperated. Nakul gave the purse to me and it was still with me. Mobile is also not working. So only way now is to trek the rest 8kms to reach the kulem and catch Nakul. It took another 2hrs for us to reach the station. We trekked without taking rest. Rains played with us. It was wonderful. Nearing the station we heard a train sound and thats our train to Londa. I ran to buy the tickets and told rest of the gang not to leave this train atleast.. Got the tickets too and we were in search of Nakul and finally found him. We should have spend the whole day till 4 pm at Dudhsagar falls and taken back this train instead we walked down and going back in the same train... Reached back Londa at 7pm. Lesson of the day: Don't be empty handed. Keep some money with you to reach back to the home atleast.
Parallely our captain got permission to collect the pass before 10Pm. Arranged a Trax to Anshi via Dandeli. Some parts of the road it was really bad and Nakul sitting in the back had really a bumpy ride. Reached Dandeli by 9 and collected the passed. Now we want something good food to eat. To avoid wasting of time, we planned for parcel. Finally we reached Anshi Nature camp at midnight. The last 15km the road was really really bad... In the camp everywhere it is dark. No power. Only solar lamps are there. In the room they are also getting discharged. In this light we have to have our dinner. Harish borrowed the torch from the NC warden. Had dinner and finally gave rest to our bodies at night 1:30.
Anshi Nature Camp:
Two days at Anshi was really different. In the whole camp we five were there. People out there suggested not to go for trekking due to heavy leech infestation in the trek route. Safari is also not there due to heavy rain. So we avoided that too. We played cards, enjoyed the nature's music and rain.. Everyone has to speak about a topic.
We were chatting there till night 1 again. Leeches were biggest threats. Ravi was checking now and then to see if there is anything on his leg , shoes etc.. Inside the camp itself we found many snake pits. Also found snake skins. At night everything is dark. You dont know what is there after 3 or 4 feets. If you are alone it will be very very scary. Next day since rain stopped we ventured out to go around. A small river was flowing next to the the camp. Wonderful part is BSNL was reachable but none of our mobiles were having charge. We have to go to 3kms to charge atleast. As per the plan we started back on Aug 4th and headed towards Belgaum. We didn't get direct bus. Anshi - Joida - Dandeli - Ramnagara - Belgaum. This was the route which we took. By end of this stay we found new names for some our team members.. After reaching Belgaum a city, Ravi was with full smile on his face.
Harish S : Leopard or King
Nakul : Emperor
Mani : Prey for Leopard.
Gokak Falls :
Everyone got ready by 11 and we were hungry. Went to Belgaum bus stand had brunch. Our bus to Gokak was at 1PM only. It took almost 2 hrs to reach that place. We made a express visit to Gokak falls and the water flow was minimal.
At 4pm at Gokak we got the bus to Belgaum and exactly reached our Lodge by 6. Our train was at 6:45PM. Whenever we go early the train will arrive late and when we go late it will come early. Since the lodge was nearer to station we purchased some Kundha sweets which is special at Belgaum. Train came to belgaum at 7PM and we headed back to Bangalore with the greenish memories...
Second Part : Information is wealth.
Everyone who are looking to go Dandeli should visit this below sites.
http://www.dandeliwildlife.org/
Trains time table at Londa Junction who are interested to go to Dudhsagar falls.
Total trip costed around 2650Rs per person.
Thanks for reading this blog. If you have any comments kindly add the same.
