Drive To Mornington,Arthurs Seat and Fort Nepean - Australia - PART 1

Melbourne - MorningTon - Dromana - Arthurs Seat - Sorrento - Fort Nepean - Melbourne

The other night got a call from the Ex-Roomate Joseph for catching up on a short drive to Mornington Peninsula.He has already booked the Ford - XR6 Falcon for 60 AUD per day + 30 AUD for GPS and some 30 AUD for Insurance.Next morning 04 of us (Joseph,His wife,Me and Nitesh(Room-mate)) started from Melbourne CBD.

I have been asked to set up the GPS for Mornington Peninsula such that it should show the highway's/roads which does not have toll charges.Well,I holded the GPS first time and i was not able to find the ON switch  :P
Handed over to roomie to set things up and the language which was set up in the GPS was Chinese.After much efforts we succeeded in changing the language to English.Finally the Drive started.Joseph was driving the car,as he was the only one who knew how to drive. :P

We took the State Route 3 and Nepean Highway to reach Mornington.It took around 2 hours to cover approx 60 Kms.We took the internal state highways instead of the freeways which are bit slower because of too many traffic signals and sub urban population .But since we had plenty of time,we preferred to save some Dollars by following the toll free state highways.

After reaching at Mornington we headed towards the Schnapper Point Drive.Place looked like an old harbor converted into a weekend fishing spot.Few steps of walk to the shore and a nearby spot and we were back in car.



Spot this huge beauty parked on the corner 

Melbourne Diaries - Werribee Open Range Park

This trip happened in the last weekend of July with fellow office colleagues.I seriously admit that i have become quite lame these days,after moving to Melbourne.I have started visiting Zoo's and Open range park.But that is a different experience all together.Lets call it as a break 

Fellow Colleagues,Waiting for the bus to Werribie Zoo 



Werribee Open Range park is half an hour journey from the trains if you board it from Melbourne City area.We boarded on the train from Flinders station. 

Werribee Open Range park is an African themed zoo.The entry fees for an Adult is 26 AUD.Fair enough, as it includes the safari ticket cost as well.

So the entire park is accessible by foot and there is a Bus Safari which take 40-50 odd people in one GO !!

On our way to board Bus Safari

Arunachal and Meghalaya - 14 Days - A Solo Motorcycle Adventure

14 Days of Solo adventure in Arunachal and Meghalaya


Day 1 - Nagaon - Bhalukpong - Bomdila - Senga

Day 2 - Senga - Sela - Jang - Tawang - Sela - Senga:PART1

Day 2 - Senga - Sela - Jang - Tawang - Sela - Senga:PART 2

Day 2 - Senga - Sela - Jang - Tawang - Sela - Senga:PART 3

Day 3 - Senga - Bomdila - Dirang - Bhalukpong - Gohpur

Day 4 - Gohpur - Ziro - Daporijo

Day 5 - Daporijo - Bogebeel - Dibrugarh

Day 6 - Dibrugarh - Miao - Namdapha - Jairampur

Day 7 - Jairampur - Burma Border - Makum - Rupai - Dholaghat

Day 8 - Dholaghat - Roing - Etaun

Day 9 - Etaun - Annini - Roing

Day 10 - Roing - Tezu - Namsai - Tinsukia

Day 11 - Tinsukia -Dibrugarh - Sivasagar

Day 12 - Sivasagar - Nimatighat - Shillong

Day 13 - Shillong - Sohra(Cherrapunji)

Day 14 - Sohra - Trek to Double Decker bridge - Guwahati


Cheers
Biru

Day 6 - Dibrugarh - Miao - Namdapha - Jairampur

It was the day when I was running away from the rains.Have soaked enough of rain water from last couple of days.And start of this run wasn't much good.As when I was about to start in the morning,It rained quite heavily and delayed the start of the day.
Got to start my ride by 09 AM,with a clear sky.

The tea gardens around the NH37,continues to distract me with their beauty.I stopped at a spot where few of the labours were plucking the Tea leaves, 
to get a good shot i stopped for a while.And yeah I succeded in getting One 

Day 5 - Daporijo - Bogebeel - Dibrugarh

The accommodation i got in the hotel,was quite smelly and shitty according to the price i paid for one night(400 INR).This is something you have to adjust and live with when you are on a journey,alone...on your own.A early start is what i needed,I moved ahead towards Along which is the gateway to Menchuka.Arunachal people also term it as the next Switzerland in the world.I was very much exited to see it and experience it.Alas !!,rain was continuing to spoil the fun and hopes.The rain continued with fog and clouds and i had no option,but to ride ahead..completely drenched.

Day 4 - Gohpur - Ziro - Daporijo

I proceeded towards Itangar/N Lakhimpur in the morning to make make my way towards Ziro.As per my preaprations and google map the turn to Ziro was few kms before N Lakhimpur.


Upon covering few kms i bumped into a confusing diversion.The road turning to the left goes to Itanagar in 29 Kms and the road which goes straight takes 77 Kms to reach Itanagar.Condition wise both the roads looked same.Any person with average intelligence would have taken the short cut,So did I 

Day 14 - Sohra - Trek to Double Decker bridge - Guwahati

This was last day of my travel,as tomorrow afternoon i was flying back to Mumbai.Thought of getting back to the daily/boring life was creeping me out.

On the way to the starting point of the trek,The bridge is somewhere down there in the thick/green forest.


Today was going to be a very long and tiring day as i was about to do a Solo trek of 03 kms to the double decker root bridge.Not much of a trekker,mostly a lazy person.I was into something which was not my cup of tea.I reached the point from where the trek starts,parked my bike and started climbing down.

There were cemented stairs all the way till the Root bridge,few hanging bridges to cross the rivers.After a trek of 40-50 mins i reached a small village,I couldn't spot anyone around.As i needed the directions for going to the Root bridge.

This site was scary,how will i climb back all these stairs 

Melbourne Diaries - Melbourne Zoo - July 2012

Yesterday was well spent on exploring the places like St Kilda,Docklands and places around Southgate..which are situated along the Yarra river.Today i had decided to go and have a look and feel of the Zoo's in Australia.I took a 55 number tram from William Streets.Good thing about the Trams running in Melbourne is..they only charge 3.5 dollars for one day in weekends.With the 3.5 dollar you can travel entire day,ofcourse there are some clauses..that you should not go beyond certain lines and all,else additional charge will be there.

Melbourne Zoo is a proper Tram stop,so you don't need to worry..where you have to get down.Around 7-8 stops and i was there at the stop.That was a lonely place and there i was with bunch of other tourists.I made my way till entrance,entry charges for Adult was 26 dollar.Damn !..does anything come here under a dollar 

I purchased the ticket and started my sojourn to explore Melbourne Zoo.Here is the photo log.

Started with the small cat - Snow Leopard

Melbourne Diaries - In and Around Melbourne - July 2012

Its been two weeks i moved to Melbourne,finally got settled with colleagues and i have all spare time to explore the city and then may be the country.But for now,I am exploring the places In and around Melbourne on foot,tram,buses and by the usual means of Public transportation.

St Kilda - St Kilda is one of the finest and cleanest beach i have ever seen.Didn't noticed the usual activities(nude ladies soaking sun,hot ladies taking bath etc  ) around the beach line,but yeah..might be the 6 degree temperature which is keeping them away.

Took a tram from Melbourne CBD to St Kilda,which costs 3.5 $ for entire day.As in you can travel N number of places on these trams for 3.5 $ a day,only on weekends 

A small pond along the way



St Kilda 

Day 13 - Shillong - Sohra(Cherrapunji)

Next destination was Cherrapunji which was just 55 Kms from where i was in Shillong.I was expecting Cherrapunji to be a city/town,but it is a region under which there are many small towns/Villages.The main town around which the rest of the region plies is Sohra.After visiting Cherrapuni,I was planning to visit Dawki..which is the India - Bangladesh border.But it all depended on how thing goes at Cherrapunji,as i wanted to do the trek to Double decker root bridge.

I followed NH40 towards Dawki for around 20-22 Kms and diverted towards Sohra at a Y junction.The road condition was not bad and i was completely enjoying the weather.


In a matter of few minutes i reached the Duwan sing syiem bridge and view point.View was tremendous having greenery stretched all around the V shaped valley.