Story so far...

I've tried to list down all the places i've lived
in/been to/gone on treks to...from as far back as my
memory could take me...

Places i've lived in:
--------------------------

1. Trichy
South TN, India
17 yrs, 1978-1995

2. Pondichery
Pondicherry[Pondicherry engg college, to be
precise], India.
4 yrs, 1995-1999

3. Hyderabad
Andhra, India
1 yr, 1999-2000

4. Chennai
TN, India
6 yrs*, 2000 till date.

Treks:
----------

- Beaskund trek, Himalayas
9 days' trek starting from Solangnala, Manali,
Himachal,
2003.

- Perambikulam trek, Western ghats
4 days' trek in a proper forest, Kerala,
2003.

- Swami malai trek, Yelagiri
1 day trek, minor one, TN,
2003.

- Patalsu peak trek, Himalayas
9 days' trek starting from Solangnala, Manali,
Himachal,
2004.

- Mt.Tamalpaes, California
a random half day trek on this mountain
overlooking pacific, minor one,
2004.

- Thaekkady, Western ghats,
Night trek in the forest with a gun-man et al(more
of buildup, less of actual events!), Kerala,
2005.

- Thada,
2 days' Camping tip, trekked upto Blue lagoon and
back, Andhra
2005

- Nishanibetta, Western ghats,
Half day, not so difficult trek, Coorg, Karnataka,
2005.

- Muliyangiri, Western ghats,
Dint do the actual trail, took a short way upto
the peak, Chikmagalur, Karnataka,
2005.

- Thada
2 days' camping trip, trek in search of the source
of the waterfall, got lost..
2005

- Amirthi Forest, TN
A lazy walk on a shallow river to nowhere, was
different..
2005

- Kumaraparvatha, Western ghats,
2 days' trek, tough one, Karnataka,
2005.

- Thada
2 days' camping trip, trek to the farthest
trekkable point if u follow the waterfall up..
2006.

Places i've been to:
------------------------

India:
-----------

- Puliyanjolai, TN, Foothills of Kollimalai
'n' visits, <1992

- Ooty, TN, Western Ghats
4 visits, '91,'95,'04(twice)

- Kuttralam, TN, Waterfall
1 visit, <1990).

- Rameshwaram, TN, East coast
1 visit, '93

- Kodaikanal, TN, Western Ghats
3 visits, <'92,'96,'02

- Thirumurthy , TN, Waterfall
1 visit, '94

- Aaliyar, TN, Dam
1 visit, '94

- Pichavaram, TN, Mangrove forest
2 visits, '95,'05

- Manipal, Karnataka,
1 visit, '96

- Mahabalipuram, TN, East coast
'n' visits

- Golconda, Andhra, Fort
1 visit, 2000

- Pune , Maharashtra
1 visit, 2000

- Mumbai , Maharashtra
1 visit, 2000

- Mysore , Karnataka
2 visits, '01,'05

- Munnar, Kerala, Western ghats
2 visits, '01,'02

- Nandi hills, Karnataka
1 visit, '02

- Manali, Himachal, Himalayas
2 visits, '03,'04'

- Perambikulam, Kerala, Western ghats
1 visit, '03

- Yelagiri , TN
1 visit, '03

- Athirapally, Kerala, Waterfall
1 visit, '04

- Goa, West coast
1 visit, '04

- Thaekkady, Kerala, Wildlife
1 visit, '05

- Coorg, Karnataka, Western ghats
1 visit, '05'

- Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Western ghats
1 visit, '05

- Belur, Karnataka, Hoysala temple
1 visit, '05

- Amirthi forest, TN
1 visit, '05

- Chandragiri, Andhra, Fort
1 visit, '05

- Thalakona, Andhra, Waterfall
1 visit, '05

- Thada, Andhra, Waterfall
3 visits, '05(twice), '06

- Kumaraparvatha, Karnataka, Western ghats,
1 visit, '05

Others:
-----------

- Germantown, Maryland, US.
'01

- Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
'02,03 [stayed here]

- Hatchumangu shrine, Japan, Budhist temple,
3 visits, '02(twice),'03

- Daibutsu, Japan, Budhist temple,
3 visits, '02(twice),'03

- Asakusa, Japan, Budhist temple,
1 visit, '02

- Enoshima, Japan, Island famous for beautiful
sunsets,
2 visits, '02,'03

- Akihabara, Japan, Electronic capital of jp,
'n' visits, '02,'03

- Yokohoma, Japan, Ocean life/theme park,
1 visit, '03

- Hakkone, Japan, Volcanic mountain,
1 visit, '03

- Gothemba, Japan, Wildlife sactuary near Mt.Fuji,
1 visit, '03

- Ochanimizu, Japan,
2 visits, '03

- Calabasas, California, US,
'04

- Malibu beach, California, US, Pacific coast,
2 visits, '04

- Santa Monica beach, California, US, Pacific coast,
3 visits, '04 fas

- Venice beach, California, US, Pacific coast,
1 visit, '04

- San Francisco,California, US,
'04

- Mt.Tamalpaes, California, US, Hill overlooking the
pacific coast
'04

- Mt.Shastha/Whiskeytown, California, US, Campsite by
whiskeytown lake with Mt.Shastha in view..
'04

- Mossbrae falls, California, US, Waterfall,
'04

- Grand Thai palace, Bangkok, Thailand,
'04

- River Chaidha, Bangkok, Thailand,
'04

Bad beginnings

My first attempt at any kindof travel for travel's sake was in 6th grade. It was a school trip
to Vaigai dam and Kumbakkarai falls (near Madurai).

I grew up in Trichy, and in our family, we did not have this fundaa of taking vacations and doing touristy things. Most of our travel as a family would be to some temples in Kumbakonam/Chidambaram/Thiruvaiyaru etc. I used to enjoy these trips simply because they mostly meant a dip in the River-Cauvery (yes, Cauvery almost always had water back then).

In that context, i was looking forward to this school excursion like an excited kid (well, i was an excited kid, in reality, back then!!). I was supposed to be at a specific bus-stop at 6 am on a Saturday. It was Navraathri('Dasahara') time, and the previous night we were visiting families that had invited us for 'Golu'. When i got up the next day, it was around 6:30, and i saw mom, dad and sis still sleeping. I created a ruckus, everyone got up, I dressed up hurriedly, and dad took me to the bus-stop and someone said a school-bus had just passed. I was disappointed beyond words can tell. (i vividly remember the sequence of events and way i felt...i even remember what i was wearing...a marron and black shirt...and this was in 1988)...I ended up playing football in the school grounds that whole day...