About the actual darshanam, there were (as usual) a LOT of people. We managed to finish ours in about 3 hours because there was a separate route (a decently fast one) for people who walked up the hill. The amount of time you get to look at the idol of Lord Venkateswara is only about 15 secs. after all the pains people take. You can't help thinking about how royal the temple feels.
Tirumala is a nice place. It is essentially a town thats governed by the TTD. They raise their own money and spend it as they wish. The govt. of AP has very little say. Most things are free for pilgrims. Free transportation in TTD run buses. Free food. Free accommodation. Lots of "May I help you" booths.
Was a fun trip overall.
