When I was 11 months old, my parents took me on a road trip from Bangalore to Delhi. A lot of people would consider that crazy -2 kids over such a long distance and that too back in the 80’s when there was little or no technology. I asked my Mom how she managed; she(…)
Offbeat thrilling destinations
Five Weird Festivals You Must Attend Once in Your Lifetime
What’s your favourite part of a festival? The sweets? The gifts? The lights? What else? Where’s the crazy fun part? Like when you fill balloons with coloured water and throw it at random people on Holi. Or dress up as Catwoman on Halloween? Here are some other wild and wacky festivals around the globe that(…)
Weirdest Places to Get Married
The terms of marriage are changing, and so are the venues. An ordinary temple, church, or banquet hall wedding is so passé. Your parents, their parents and their parents did the same. Will you be that boring? Hell, if you are allowing yourself to choose a life partner, you should definitely choose your own wedding(…)
The Romance of Travel – How to Travel without Gadgets
You are used to checking your phone every 5 minutes? You can’t live without scrolling the home page of your Facebook page ten times a day. And even when you travel, you steal in moments to check every social networking site you are on. Make an online check-in to let your friends know you are(…)
One of the Last Unknows: Bridging the (Darien) Gap
Who doesn’t want to make money by writing about their (sometimes even sponsored) travels around the world right? The advent of travel blogging has proved it possible. The more unconventional, the better; offbeat is the new ‘black’. Whether it’s dinners out, day trips or travel plans, there are the places you love and then, there(…)
The Last Leg - Malana in Smoke Rings
There are some journeys we undertake for fun, some are an escape, and some happen because we have to. Then there are those journeys that cannot be helped. There are some strange truths about this world of ours that need to be encountered in flesh and blood. Malana was one such journey. We were curious(…)
Malana Diaries – Chapter 2 - Foreigners ka Show???
Our story began in the first chapter of Malana diaries with a shady innkeeper. You would recall we had stealthily slipped away from Local Hero’s lodge after catching him in his underpants. After that we trekked for an hour. Running. Looking back to see for pursuing SUVs. Nibbling on oranges. Fishing for sunscreen in bags.Trying(…)
Malana Diaries – The First Adventure
“Trekking girl or party girl?” asked the 30-something firang from behind his shades, with a suggestive twitch of the mouth. Leaning back in his chair at the open café in Kasol, he waited for an answer. Taken completely unawares, I looked at him trying to conceal my surprise at his directness. “Trekking girl.” I replied(…)
The African Diaries – What not to do in Tanzania
When you announce that you’re off on vacation to Africa, for reasons unfathomable, it is most commonly assumed that you’re heading to either South Africa or Kenya. There happen to be 58 countries (recognized by the United Nations) on the dark continent; I’m sure you’ve heard of Djibouti and Burkina Faso, no?! The one that(…)
Climbing an active volcano – My rendezvous with Mount Batur
I’ve never been one of those athletic or physically very fit types. In fact, I’m as unfit as they come. So even the idea for a five-kilometer baby-trek along neatly paved paths at a very reasonable incline, coming from me would surprise the wits out of anyone who knows me. Let alone, a two-hour trek(…)
The Rise of the Surfing Swami(s) : Surf Culture on the Subcontinent
He’s in his sixties, you’d never guess the way he rides those massive 6-footers with such ease, he’s beenat it for atleast 50 years, he’s American and he’s called Swami Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha. Ok, so his real name is Jack Hebner (for some reason reminds you of Hugh Hefner, but no, that’s not who I’m(…)
The Pros and Cons of Marrying a Masai Warrior
This post is inspired from a visit to a masai village in the Serengeti. It is just plain mind boggling to see the way of life there. Masai society exists its own era oblivious to everything beyond their endless plains. It’s a whole other world out there. There doesn’t seem to be a single point(…)
Into Thin Air
Disclaimer: First book review, and no intentions to stick to a conventional format. - The first time I heard of Into Thin Air was when Reader’s Digest India put an extract of the same in its ‘Book Section’. That was over ten years ago, and though I never tried to search for the book, it never(…)
The Forgotten Minaret
The sound of galloping horses still haunt the gorges that once stood proudly on the banks of the still Hari Rud river. What was once upon a time regarded as the greatest city of the middle ages, The City of the Turqoise Mountain - Firuzkuh (Western Afghanistan), became lost to history in the year of(…)
Top 5 Most Unusual Places in India
1) Touch-me-not: Malana, Himachal Pradesh Once upon a time there was a Greek chappie called Alexander and since no one played cricket in his country, he was bored and decided to conquer the world. So in 334 BC, he launched an attack on Asia Minor and eight years later, seeking to reach the end(…)
Of Bengal, porpoises and boat cruises on the Ganges!
Leaving behind the quaint and gully strewn island town of Navadwip, I stepped onto the massive Teak wood boat that swayed lazily over the forceful Ganges currents. I could spot my fuzzy destination far across the river, its plane banks camouflaged within tall coconut palms, and wild green shrubbery. A tug of rope here,(…)
Signposts say it all in Ladakh!
As any road traveler in India will tell you, the country is full of signs on the roads, in shops, restaurants and hotels that are funny. And as it goes for all things funny, some of them are intentionally so while others are just comedies of errors. For instance I, during all of my travels(…)
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