VIZAG matters - Sohan Hatangadi's Blog

Train Travel – tips on time pass during long train journeys Sohan Hatangadi March 2009 Now with the worldwide economy going poof everyone is cutting down on air travel. More and more folk who could afford to fly, whether on company work or on personal trips, now find that they have to take the good old “chuk chuk gadi”. The best train trips are when you take a night train and are at your destination in the morning. You get a good night’s sleep and you save on hotel stay. But longer trips that involve not only night but also day time travel can become quite a bore. It gets worse when all the passengers sit ignoring each other, talking endlessly on their mobile phones, or staring at a book, or simply sleeping all the time. So what can we do about it? Here are some suggestions to make your travel interesting and a great “time pass”. Making friends Trains are a great place to make friends, especially if you are travelling by day. So as soon as you take your seat or berth put on your friend...

--> "Erra matti dibbalu” Red Sand Dunes, Bhimunipatnam Tourism - at what cost? Sohan Hatangadi Date: March 13, 2009 There have been reports that Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) plans to put up a tourist facilit y at "Erra matti dibbalu" (“Red Sand Hills”) near Bhimunipatnam. The reports have caused concern among certain sections of the public as well as those from the scientific community. This site is the last remaining area having the unique red sand dune formations which are such a rarity. It is felt that establishing a tourism facility there will deeply impact the pristine nature of the area and seal the fate of this fragile ecological wonder. Where are the "Erra matti dibbalu “and what is unique about them? On the Bay of Bengal coast, to the south of the Bhimunipatnam ridge, is an area comprising deeply gullied red sand dunes of around 4 km length and 2 km width. It is bounded by streams “Chittigadda” in...