Driftwood Hotel Port Blair

... the shuttle provided by ship into town and then after shopping we would take a Tut-Tut to the Cellular Jail. This was a short port stop and we had only about four hours to tour the town and area around the port. That would prove to be sufficient. We were dressed appropriate as I was wearing loose fitting shorts and untugged shirt. Harriet was wearing a loose fitting pants outfit that had a long over shirt not to dissimilar to some of the Indian Pants Outfits. We were ready for ...

... of white sandy beaches, bewitching waterfalls, boating through the creeks, exciting elephant safari, elephant lumbering, elephant calves training, surfing etc. All the places of tourist interest are approachable by the road, leading northwards from the Hut Bay by jetty. BEACHES Butler Bay (14 kms from the Hut Bay jetty). A beautiful beach suitable for sun basking, coral viewing ...

... on any of the sights. Back at the hotel, John and Saleem drop in and we thank them profusely for their hospitality. Despite the last minute changes that we had proposed, they had woven in all our requests into the overall fabric of the tour and we are more than satisfied with the end product. Now all that remains is to pack up, dine and retire early. We have a 7.30 morning flight and the cab will pick us up at six. Packed and ready, and a shower ...

... deadpan faces even as we gingerly follow each other, struggling to stay out of reach of oversized logs being sliced by razor sharp, motor-driven blades. Some of the equipment, it appears, has been in use for decades. It is heartening to note that the focus on environment conservation and the indiscriminate felling of trees has reduced the output of the mill, with only enough work being done to keep the staff from being laid off. It is now past 10 and we ...

... in that we have missed out on breakfast at the resort's restaurant. Havelock, given its remoteness, is heavily dependent on Port Blair for its supplies. That means there is no real abundance of provisions and other items of daily use. What there is - and in excess - is great views, stretches of beautiful, sandy beaches on end, and dollops of peace and quiet. For the city-bred, who has an overdose of the FMCG kind and a famine of the Havelock possessions ...

... giving free information to those milling in. The caves themselves, we look up to see, are quite a sight. Not only do they look ancient, but as we walk in, we are spellbound by the myriad sizes and shapes the stalactites and stalagmites took on. A guide endeavoures to point out how one of the formation resembled a lotus, and another a bird, and so on. In the utter darkness, we see a sliver of sunlight flash down from between cracks. But, mostly, it is ...

... the office of the Naval authorities and a couple of large ships that are anchored at Haddo Wharf. Soon, we can see the crescent shaped outline of Viper Island gaining clarity. Once a full-fledged prison harbouring local and mainland prisoners, its importance waned at the commissioning of the Cellular Jail. Still, the fact that this is where some of the bravest of India's freedom fighters were imprisoned and hanged continues to attract ferry-loads of tourists ...

... past countless ski slopes that just made you want to buckle up. during the days there, I made good friends with Danial, a young mexican who was also part of the group, here to see if he can not join the school on a scholarship. talking to him and confirming some of the seemingly unbelievable stories, made me decide to take up the offer of flying to the emirates to check things out and see if i might be interested in the job. So after a ...

... looking around town (getting lost as usual). Port Blair is larger than we had expected, and spreads in all directions from a valley leading down to the port. This is definitely a place where mass tourism is expected soon, so fancy restaurants and hotels are starting to appear but still very much out ...

... Andamans in their naming of each place. Port Blair, Havelock Island, English Island, Rutland Island and Jolly Buoy Island are some of the names left behind.<br><br>I went diving off Rutland Island one day with an Indian dive operator (whom I shall refer to as Atilla) and his South African assistant. I had high hopes for this outing, the Andamans being supposedly one of the best dive spots in the world, and was willing to shell out seventy dollars for the experience. My ...