My Weekend Trip to Mysore (From Bangalore)

sudheer poppa

Though I could have replied to the Shatabdi thread, I shall open a thread as I would like cover the entire trip data as well as Mysore information.

The adventure at Bangalore station was not very bad. First me and my daugther went to the normal counter from where I was told that I can pick up tickets at the TTE office in 6th Platform. I arrived early with about 40 mins to spare and hence, leasurly walk to 6th platform, and went into each of the railway offices. After getting in and out of a few rooms, then we were routed to the ticket counter in the other side of the station (near 6th platform) and we picked up the ticket. (for the records they dont accept credit cards.) Standing in the queue was a part of train experience, I did not want her to miss, but the added attraction was being misdirected to the place to get the ticket!

She enjoyed the experience in the train, made freinds with a gentleman sitting nearby, enjoyed the food in shatabdi, made lot of noise, checked out the loo at the first class .

50 rupees from the train station in auto took us to the GRS Fantasy park. The water rides are quite upto the international standard. Was not too happy with the quality of water though (say compared to Sentosa in Singapore ). The splash train was interesting, but quite WET! The wave generator was good place to relax and play as well. The red indian water falls was well made. After spending a wee bit of time in various water rides, we changed over and hit the dry rides. Trampoline was a nice experience! Other usual rides like the giant wheel, bumping cars, fast merry go rounds (i dont know the official name ), and other rides. The dragon's den was a drag, but the dragon was quite impressive

Mr Beach, picked us up from the fantasy park. Being the sweet host that he is, took us home where we dumbed out bag (my daughter was very much at home and snapped an apple) and headed for the famous chamundi hills. The well lit mysore town looked beautiful from the top. We walked through the outside of the temple on top and went down to see the Nandi statue.

On Beach's recommendation we headed to "Olive garden" restaurant near Planet X for dinner. The lil one enjoyed custard caramel and french fries. The big kids went for fish n fingers, sheek kebab and rice with malabar fish curry. The fish dishes were quite good and we enjoyed the dinner. (yeah can call it a IM Meetup too ) I would second beach's recommendation for this place for its ambience, quality and value for money. A billion times better than the junkyard called Koshy's in Bangalore

Night was at beach's abode (Vinay he thinks his place is a mess, dont tell him how bad my place is ) and it was tired -log like sleep. So in the morning we had a long chat about, IM, travel, photography, and many other topics, which I shall leave to beach to reveal. My-sore belly was giving me frequent attacks but we decided to head to Mysore palace by 9am. My daughter picked up yet another apple, me a dash of eno and all of us had one each of the Rs 200 a kilo grapes

We first went for a camel ride (which was not a bit easy on my bum!) in front of the palace. Enjoyed the ride quite well. The palace was quite impressive but since the last palace I visited was the forbidden city, I was in a comparitive note. Beach was visiting for the 100th time (or something like that) but still dicovering more. The durbar hall, the main hall, and big front balcony, and the paintings were very impressive. The residential one was a bit of a dampner.

We headed to the rail museum. Quite an old wordly kind of a museum with its own charm. There were an impressive array of the old monsters and their story (narrated in first person!!!). We disected most of it, climbing into the engines and even moving all the levers. Tried some cowboy movie stunts and was more like children with new toy trains . After having a whale of a time, we decided to head back to station and pick up the ticket back to Bangalore (worried about the weekend rush).

Got the ticket quickly and went for a mysore styled dosa. Maybe the first hotel in India which said they dont have tea OR coffee. Then we headed back to the coach bidding adieu to our friendly host and freind.

A boring journey back to Bangalore, and realised that the prepaid counter is a farce. The drivers were asking for 10/20 bucks over the prepaid fare of Rs100. I walked out of the station and stopped a moving auto, which came in meter to my home for a plain Rs 70. So avoid the prepaid bull unless you are reaching town late in the night.

A big thanks to beach for the wonderful hospitality and taking us to places. My daughter had a great time exploring places and so did I not just with places, but with beach's company

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Bigzero

nice post sudheer! and Beach, high time you organized a mysore meetup...

I have zipped thro mysore at least 6 times in the last 2 months, but never broke the journey there.... well, next time...

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lonelyaztec

nice account Sudheer.

I have not been to this water park...will go there.

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Aztec

My photoblog

SHIMLA

What was the ticket like - a card ticket or something line an airline ticket with the details handwritten ? If it was the latter and you have preserved it, will you please post its photograph here ?

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sudheer poppa

Nay it was the very old styled 1.25inch X 2.25inch yellow cardboard piece. It is written as Shatabdi vertically but otherwise to and from stations and price of the ticket.

SHIMLA

Oh! That's disappointing! What's with the IR ? Can they not provide those airline-line tickets for a prestigeous train like the Shatabdi for current ticket buyers?

Wait a minute; Lalooji's the Railway Minister, isn't he? Well ,that explains it!

sudheer poppa

Altoghether I need to say that the experience was quite down to earth. The train was going quite slow, and the only reason for it reaching in 2 hours instead of 3 hour as in other trains is that there were no stops on the way.

Seats were quite crammed, dont rememeber if the size is same as the second a/c chair cars. I felt the food was quite good, service ok, cannot stand in the doors, jaded windows with lot of dew in between glasses hence could not see anything outside, altoghether, I would say only the first class a/c is reflective of the pomp of shatabdi (remeber this train was sitting only not sure if there are sleeper shatabdi's too)

ddevadatta

Sudheer thanks for the fine post of what was a wonderful trip. Yes plan a Mysore IM meet up and u need a suggestion for a fabalous get away for that let me know. Again great post!

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etin

I enjoyed reading your post. Thanks a lot.

skell

Great post! It took me right back to my visit last December. The Palace was so gorgeous and the gardens were amazing. As we were there on a Sunday, we went back in the evening for the "lighting" ceremony. It had the atmosphere of a festival and everyone was oohing and ahhing when the lights came on and the band started playing!

The next day, while we were admiring the Nandi Bull, a monkey in a tree above us started to pee on us. As we were scattering in all directions, I swear he was laughing at us!

rangss

I thought Koshy's is a nice little place for dinner (AC and non AC)!

mmmmm I cannot forget their two specialities:
Korean Fish
Fish Biriyani

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...and I took the road less travelled.

beach

skell,
hope that last part is not a complement for me

skell

Well, the monkey seemed quite aware of what he was doing. I would have to say he was enlightened!

Nick-H

Sounds like a really nice trip with good company, good food and good fun, except I don't think I'd go near a camel if my stomach was playing up let alone a fairground ride!

What I want to know is, did the prepaid bulls have those little bells on their horns, in which case I'd have gladly paid the extra to the driver . (I think you slipped in another great IM Typo there! ). Hey, I wonder if I'll ever get to travel by bullock cart: I've just decided I want to!

SHIMLA

Yes, the size of seats in AC Chair Car in Shatabdis is the same as those in other trains in the same class. All Shatabdis being day journey trains, there is no AC Sleeper. The AC First Class is called the Executive Class and the arrangement is 2 x 2. Here the seats are broader and more comfortable.

It seems the coach you were travelling in was was badly maintained. Unfortunately, with Lalooji at the helm, a Shatabdi must be equivalent to a passenger train!