high speed ferry milwaukee Tirupathi is the service town at the bottom of the hill, with hotels, restaurants, and transport; a

Boats depart every month-ish for Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. Bookings for the 56hour journey (from 1960) can be made at the Shipping Office (%2565597, 9866073407; Av Bhanoji Row; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat) in the port complex. Bring your passport.

Puttaparthi is most easily reached from Bengaluru, 160km south; nine KSRTC buses (express/ high speed ferry milwaukee Volvo 110/220, four hours) high speed ferry milwaukee and eight trains (sleeper/3AC/2AC 133/323/420, three hours) head here daily. The KSRTC offi ce (%288938) is next to the bus station.

Tirupathi is the service town at the bottom of the hill, with hotels, restaurants, and transport; a fleet of buses constantly high speed ferry milwaukee ferries pilgrims the 18km up and down. You ll find most of your worldly needs around the Tirupathi bus station (TP Area) and, about 500m away, the train station.

Hotel Harsha HOTEL $$ (Map p898; %23201188; www.hotelharsha.net; Public Gardens Rd; s/d incl breakfast from 1600/1800; aW) Rooms don t have tonnes of character, and can be noisy (ask for a rear facing room) but they re bright, have fridges, the furniture is in good taste and the art is a step up from the usual schlock. The overall effect is polished high speed ferry milwaukee but comfy. The lobby smells like success, with lots of glass and marble. One of the city s best deals.