Much like the first date of teenage years, I am excited, hopeful & highly optimistic about the first weekend of this new year since this means vacation. Have you thought of the venue yet? 26th January is a Friday (drum roll) & the non-banking populace of India can spend these three days in style. It’s…
Tag: life on weekends
Bhimtal Diaries: The station near the hills
A chanced picture on my Facebook feed, a familiar name and the appetite for a break took me to Bhimtal last year where I spent three days, off the grid. No Facebook, no WhatsApp, no emails and no phone calls. Don’t believe it? Okay, 3 phone calls every day. Still, don’t believe me? Well, a…
Hungry for travel? Here’s your 2018 bucket list!
2018 is here and with that comes 16 long weekends and at least 20 days of paid leave for us – lesser beings – who have to work (supposedly) 9 am to 6 pm, five days a week to earn a living & thus the means to – travel, travel & travel. No matter how…
Chittaurgarh – the erstwhile capital, the house of legends & the birth place of warriors!
“Rani me Rani Padmini, baaki sab Ghadaiya Gadh me Gadh Chittaurgarh, Baki sab Gadhaiya” said the guide whose generations have lived inside the fort for centuries now. It’s the story of a place where they say, “Blood sells cheaper than water” because they are Mewaris who would battle and declare war but will never bow…
My Sully Moment: Flight no. #i5799
My first instinct was to check online – while I was up in the air – as to how to get out of a plane crash. Two seconds later I realised that Google won’t work so high. I frantically take out the card in the back pocket of every seat & read instructions on how to life jacket myself. I started groping for one under my seat, but couldn’t locate one. I got jolted & almost lost a tooth.
The Golden Temple of God: Harminder Sahib, Amritsar
Swarn Mandir or fondly referred as ‘The Golden Temple’ (‘Sri Harmandir Sahib’) is a pilgrimage site of Sikhism (religion), but is equally revered by Hindus (specially from North India). It’s a gurudwara, a large part of which is made of Gold. And just like Gold, the place is pure and pious. The moment you enter the…
Nosh Farmaiye ki aap Lucknow me Hain!
Nosh Farmaiye ki aap Lucknow me Hain! (meaning – Have a taste for you are in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh). आस्मान की क्या है ताकत जो चुराये लखनऊ| लखनऊ मुज पर फिदा है, मा फिदा-ए-लखनऊ|| Not only for its heritage, culture, legacy and art, Lucknow is also popular for its food. Tunday Kabab,…
2017 so far, travel-wise!
I have been out of action for a few months now. 2017 started with a bang and before I realised, I slipped under a mountain of work. While I found my way out, blogging took a backseat. I was away for some months from my blog, but not from travel. My weekends were mostly spent…
A walk through the bakeries of Pune
I started off as a traveller who would shop a lot before any trip and focus on getting clicked as much as the photographer can whenever I went to any place. 😉 After 15+ states in India, I feel I have matured and like to breathe in the place before infinite selfies and checking off…
Breakfast at The All American Diner, India Habitat Centre
I am always on the lookout for good places to eat and drink tea or coffee. And I found one such place in the All American Diner in India Habitat Centre. The place has got the feel of the diners from the Hollywood movies of 80s with bright red seats and wide tables. The service…
Bhaiya, Eiffel tower chalenge?
English Translation of the post title: Bhaiya, Eiffel Tower Chalenge? (Hey, what will you charge for a ride to Eiffel Tower?) It was a soft evening: of pleasant air, crimson sky and a warm, setting Sun. I was wearing my favorite red colored pants, floral top and a hat. I had my new shades on that…
Temples, Elephants & Rubber Plantation at Thirparappu Waterfalls, Kanyakumari
Have you ever experienced the happiness after finding a crumpled 10 rs. or 100 rs. note in the back pocket of your unused pair of jeans? Or the sense of joy at finding the report card of VI (or VII) standard under the pile of old newspapers stacked away in a corner of your store…
The Taj of Delhi: Humayun’s Tomb
A king fell madly in love with his queen and created magic in marble that attracts crowd from all over the world today. Go back a few years, and you would find the inspiration behind the glorious Taj Mahal, sitting quietly, counting its days, and rejoicing in the popularity of what came after itself. The…
By the river Betwa, I sat down and smiled.
Ours is a beach generation – a shack, a beer and a beach in Goa. That’s all we need to unwind from crazy routines at work. And if that’s not reason enough, how about ‘getting high by the beach’? 😀 I have no such favorites. I can enjoy a scenic beach as much as I…
The queen of hills: Shimla
Pitched roofs of colorful houses, red & ripe apples in big orchards & tall, decorated churches – that’s how I imagined Shimla. It was a Saturday early morning of Summers when we caught a train from New Delhi railway station to Kalka. We were excited about our journey, about sitting in a toy train for…
Palampur: of Bollywood and Dauladhar range
The best stories are always chanced upon: the unknown restaurant that served the yummiest food, the stranger who helped when least expected, catching the train at the last moment, waiting for the delayed flight at the airport & finishing that pending book on Kindle or the road that led to a beautiful place that wasn’t…
Have you found your travel story yet?
“When one door closes, another opens. Or you can open the closed door. That’s how doors work.” – Douglas Adams No Rocket Science! Life isn’t much complicated either. Figure out something that gives you happiness and do more of it. That’s it. Simple! Our generation is quite blessed in those terms. We somehow were born…
The burnt & broken: Shaniwarwada, Pune
Bajirao-Mastani hit the Cinema Halls in 2016 and took us on a visual treat. The movie got me thinking about many things & I resolved to read the translated copy of the famous Marathi novel ‘Rau’ & pay a visit to the much decorated (going by what the movie showed) Shaniwarwada in Pune. I could…
On your plate, from the streets of India!
With many fine dining restaurants & bars mushrooming here and there, burning a hole in the pocket has become easier than ever. These restaurants will ‘Sir and Ma’am’ you, serve exotic-sounding dishes in small bowls and plates (quantity enough for a bite or two) & take away all your money. In fact, the more I…
A little place of books: Waari Book Cafe, Pune
“Reading gives us a place to go when we have to stay where we are.” A book comes with no reservations. You can safekeep a book, begin it at your own pace, go back, flip forward or close it and take a nap. The book doesn’t mind & the book never moves. You will always…
Republic India; Incredible India!
India will celebrate its 68th republic day tomorrow on 26th January, 2017. The pride of the country will be seen in march pasts, rallies and other cultural programs as part of the republic day parade at Rajpath. Many television shows will lose their audience to the live telecast of republic day parades tomorrow because India…
Orchha: the erstwhile capital of Bundelkhand
India is a country of colors. No matter where you go, you are bound to discover a new color – a sketch of the forgotten past with strokes of victories coupled with dabs of eloquent art and architecture. At a distance of 485 kms. from Delhi, between the heroic Jhansi & monumental Khajuraho, lies a…
A walk down the ancient India: Pattadakal
At a mere distance of 22 kms. from the famous Badami caves, exists the rustic village of Pattadakal. Located on the left side of the Malaprabha river, Pattadakal lives graciously, away from the madness of the contemporary world. Evidence suggests that Pattadakal came into being around 6th or 7th century when the Chalukyas decided on…
The pursuit of tea & the road to Munnar!
I am never alone. Because I always have a cup of tea to keep me company. I was 8 when I had my first cup of tea. It was a monsoon evening with a clear but clouded day. I played ‘nine tiles’ that evening. After an hour, I came back home a winner but drenched. …
Leave the worry at home & bask in the glory of Tagore beach, Karwar
I have inquisitive eyes that twinkle at the slightest joy. That’s what people tell me at least. And rightly so; my eyes do a lot of talking. And they specially become chatty when I go on a holiday. While on road, they are mostly anxious about what’s going to happen next and perpetually hop from…
Bow in love to the second highest statue of Lord Shiva at Murudeshwara, Karnataka
Murudeshwara (Lord Shiva), is located in Bhatkal taluk town of Uttar Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, some 165 km from Mangalore. Surrounded by the Arabian sea from three sides, Murudeshwara temple stands tall just next to the beach. The 123 ft. tall statue of Lord Shiva located inside the temple complex is the…
Paradise in South – Kovalam, the beach city of Kerala
Coconut trees, Arabian Sea, Crescent-shaped beach, Lighthouses, Giant waves & sumptuous sea food, Kovalam is the paradise of the South, by all means. You might have seen, bathed in & surfed by a lot of beaches, but this beach will take your breath away. You might have hundred Kilometers of road on you, but this one will…
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