It all began in the November of 2016- my very first trip abroad. For me it was a dream come true as well as an eye-opener. A colleague and I were accompanying a group of our students to France for an exchange program, so it was a work trip not a touristy one. But for … Continue reading How I became a tourist in my own country (and city!)
“Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all - (verses from a poem by Emily Dickinson) My recently concluded trip with friends began on a note of hope and eager anticipation which then turned into a … Continue reading Hope v/s Disappointment
Much as I was looking forward to my trip along the Karnataka coast, I was eagerly anticipating the return journey as well. That's because for the first time I would be travelling via the Konkan Railway. The Konkan coast is well-known for its scenic beauty- as it is sandwiched between the Western Ghats on one … Continue reading From a (Konkan)Railway Carriage…
Us city dwellers have a complicated relationship with the rain. We long for rain because it ensures our regular water supply and brings some sorely needed touch of green to our concrete jungle. Not to mention giving us a welcome respite from the scorching heat and dust of the summer months. But the rain also … Continue reading One Rainy Evening…
Ya-na in Marathi means 'Please come' so for us to go to the Yana caves from Go-karna made a lot of sense. It's quite a drive from Gokarna and it was raining heavily along the route which was pretty much deserted. Barring a couple of villages and fields, all we saw were thickly wooded hills … Continue reading From GO-karna to YA-na.
Mangaloreans clearly love ice-cream. And not just any ice-cream, they love their own indigenous, home-grown brands of ice-cream. During our recent visit to this city we saw several ice -cream parlours, each serving their own flavours and varieties. To sample them all would have taken more than the couple of days we spent there, but … Continue reading From ‘gadibidi’ to ‘gadbad’
"Take only memories" they say, "Leave only footprints" they say. Being the obedient and responsible tourist that I am, I willingly follow both instructions. I take loads of photographs as memories and leave behind nothing except a prayer of gratitude for the opportunity to see the place. And sometimes a hope that I may revisit. … Continue reading Of Pine Cones and Chinars
Let's start at the very beginning- where exactly is the Pir Panjal mountain range located? To make the location a bit more specific, here's another: Right. So much for geography and maps. Although I find maps very interesting, here's a better view of the Pir Panjal mountain range, as seen from the window of the … Continue reading The beauty of Pir Panjal
Awadh! That region in Northern India (now a part of Uttar Pradesh) which was carved out of the Mughal Empire and governed by a long line of Nawabs. The region of Awadh-in Uttar Pradash Awadh! The region known for it's unique blend of Indian and Persian influences- a cultural richness that encompassed art, music, poetry, … Continue reading Jisko Na De Maula….Usko De Asaf-ud-Daula
Ahhh...Goa...! The land of Good Times! Of sunny beaches, seaside shacks serving yummy seafood and quantities of beer or pheni, of leisurely drives along picturesque landscapes adorned with gently swaying coconut trees...Ok, let me stop you right there. We were on a tour called 'Secrets of Goa' and the objective was to introduce us to … Continue reading The Danda March
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