Archive | Longer Breaks RSS feed for this section

Comprehensive guide to plan your Holiday to Vienna – Prague – Budapest – Amsterdam

29 May

Planning an international holiday across multiple non-English speaking countries is always a challenge. The tradeoff is between Experience, Cost and Flexibility. This was the first challenge I faced while planning a European Holiday to Vienna – Prague – Budapest – Amsterdam.

Do we stick to group tours or do we plan it on our own?

Initially I was not confident if I could do it on my own and explored the standard packages from SOTC, Make My trip, Cox & King and other established players. None of them worked out. They were rushed 7 – 8 days trips with no flexibility, most departures were Ex Mumbai / Delhi, the cheapest flights at unearthly hours and a lot of travel by Bus at night. A holiday with a bus full of noisy Indians and Indian food was not something to look forward to. Add to this it was not working out to be cheap. A 7 Night package costs ~ 1.5 Lacs/ person with the above limitations.

We worked out a Via media solution. We took the help of Marwell Travels for booking Tickets and Visa Documentation/Appointment but the rest of the stuff we did by ourselves and it worked out pretty well. We covered 4 Countries, 4 Cities in a 12-night 13-day Trip for almost the same cost as what the large Travel companies were charging for a 7-day trip. We covered all the important sights and more, had the flexibility of spending more time at places we liked, enjoyed local cuisine, and had a great holiday.

As I went about the exercise I could not find a lot of information and this Blog should help you plan your trip if you decide to visit these Countries.

What is a good time to Travel to these countries?

Winter in these countries lasts till March/ April and is harsh with subzero temperature. Summer starts from June. So, the best time to travel is from June – August. We visited between May 15th and 28th. It was cold by Indian standards 10 – 15 Degrees and were lucky to get sunny clear days almost all thru the trip. Since schools in Bangalore tend to open by early June this is the best window you can get. You don’t need thermals but do arm yourselves with pullovers, sweaters, jackets and warm caps. No shorts & half sleeves.

How easy is to get a Schengen Visa?

There is paperwork involved. But if you follow the instructions it’s easy to get an appointment and Visa. Remember you need to apply to the country which is your first point of entry. For E.g. we did Vienna – Prague – Budapest – Amsterdam, so we applied for an Austrian Visa as Vienna was the first point of entry. The cost of a Schengen Visa is 60 Euros or ~ Rs 5000/-. While applying for a Visa in addition to Bank Statements and Tax papers you also need tickets, Hotel confirmations and Itinerary – It helps to have a Travel Agency aid you with these. Marwell Travels helped us with ( +91 9810078093, +91 11 24619259).

What is the best route plan to cover these countries?

Budapest is at the Southernmost tip and Amsterdam is at the Northern end. Since Train Travel is the most efficient way between these cities you must start your trip from Amsterdam or Budapest.

If you start your trip with Amsterdam you may just be able to catch the last few days of the Tulip season which normally lasts thru April – Mid May. Our route was Vienna – Prague – Budapest – Amsterdam. This was not ideal because Vienna is located between Prague & Budapest and the train time is ~ 3 Hrs from Vienna to both these places. Our Vienna – Prague train journey was 3 hrs. but the Prague – Budapest journey was nearly 6 hrs. And Budapest to Amsterdam was a flight. This is a learning so please optimize your travel.

Prague – Vienna – Budapest forms a nice East Europe Trip; do we really need to include Amsterdam in this itinerary?

Amsterdam is closer to London & Paris and is part of the W Europe tour. Most Indians start their Europe Holidays with London / Paris / Switzerland / Italy / Amsterdam……. So why did we include Amsterdam? I was fascinated by the city when I visited a few years back and wanted the family to see it. Also, at the time of booking in Jan 2019, Jet Airways had a direct Bangalore – Amsterdam flight and that was a big plus since all other flights was with a stopover in Dubai. If you want to stick to an E Europe itinerary I would suggest you skip Amsterdam and add Krakow or Bratislava to your plan. Both these are accessible over a short train ride from Prague.

How much time should we spend in each of these places?

The place with the most to see is Vienna. Budget a minimum of 4 full days here. You need 2 full days for Vienna and there are a few day trips to Salzburg, Hallstat and Obertraun that you could cover from here. We had 4 nights at Vienna but since we landed at 9 PM and left for Prague by the 9 AM train we effectively had only 3 full days. On hindsight we should have had a day more. Prague you can cover comfortably in 2 ½ days and Budapest in 2 days. So, budget 3 nights in each place. Amsterdam budget a minimum of 3 nights and if you do Krakow instead of Amsterdam you need 2 nights.

How to choose the right Hotels, expensive are hotels in these cities? Where did we stay.

Stay in a Hotel that is centrally located. You need clean rooms, breakfast and Wi-Fi. A centrally located Hotel or B&B is the best option. Most expensive to Least would be Amsterdam – Vienna – Prague – Budapest. Cost in Budapest is comparable to India. For a family of 4 booking two hotel rooms can be expensive. We did all our reservations from Booking.com – we booked family rooms that could comfortably accommodate 4 in the heart of the city. These were clean, efficient B&B – don’t expect room service and porters to carry your luggage. Almost all days we left in the morning at 8 AM after breakfast and were back at 9 PM after dinner. When you reserve thru booking.com you don’t need to pay, you pay at the hotel and can cancel till 1 week before with no liability.

Vienna – Pension Blackman. Small family owned property with 15 – 20 rooms in a Central locality of Vienna. It’s a 20 min drive from the airport. And a 25 min walk to the Opera House – Central point of Vienna. The Railway station is a few kilometers away. The tram station a few minutes away. The room and bathroom were small but well designed with just about enough space for 4 (1 Double, 2 Single) and lots of storage space for suitcases and closets. Room cost was 11K/ Night. Added advantage – Tulsi a lovely Indian restaurant is a 10 min walk and Angelo an authentic Italian restaurant is right across. The front office is open till 9 PM so if you are reaching after 9 PM send them a mail and they will tell you how to collect the keys from a password protected Lockbox and access the room. We reached at 10.30 PM and were a little worried – but it worked beautifully. (http://www.hotelbleckmann.at/en/)

Prague – AXA Hotel. An excellent hotel located in the heart of Prague. We had a suite with two rooms – very spacious rooms and bathroom. Breakfast was a lavish spread. A few kilometers from the main station. Rooms were economical – 357 Euros for 3 nights or ~ 9K INR / Night. (http://www.axa-hotel.cz/en/)

Budapest Bed & Breakfast – This was an apartment with 3 rooms in a heritage building in PEST near the University. Very close to the National Museum and Jewish Synagogue and 100 meters from the arterial road. It’s a 5 min drive from the Nyugati Station. Again, a great location. We had a large room for 4. Newly renovated, facilities. Budapest Bed & Breakfast is run by 2 friends and between them they operate two facilities with a total of 8 rooms. Cost / night was 8 K.

Amsterdam – Prins Hendrik. This hotel is on a 450-year-old heritage property right opposite Amsterdam central. Dam Square is a 5 min walk. You can’t find a more central place than this in Amsterdam. Our room was very spacious and accommodated 4 very comdortably. The view from the room is excellent overlooking the river and Central station. Cost was 22 K / Night. (http://prins-hendrik.hoteleamsterdam.net/en/)

All the hotel rates included Continental Breakfast. Nothing is hot cooked – so you can get boiled eggs but no omlettes. Vegetarians can manage easily with Cereal, Bread, Bakery Products, Fruits, Juices, Milk etc. (If your kids need Boost carry a pack with you). Rates also include free unlimited multiple access to Wi Fi. Internet speeds are fast here.

Although not planned all the 4 hotels ended up being close to Indian restaurants which was a bonus. At Vienna we had Tulsi – a 10 min walk from our hotel. At Prague we were surprised to find Beas Dhaba a Sattvik Veg Buffet run by localities 2 min walk from the AXA Hotel. And at Budapest Curry House was our neighbor. Their sister property Rajkot Place located 15 min walk from our accommodation was an outstanding place. And at Amsterdam, Gandhi was 200 m from our accommodation.

How far were these properties from the Station / Airport?

We took a cab at all locations. With a lot of Luggage and being new to a city we did not want to experiment with local transport. At Vienna the cab from the airport cost us 25 Euros and a drop to the Station was 12 Euro. At Prague & Budapest it was about 10 Euros from the station to the hotel. Cabs are available in plenty at Vienna and can be booked with Uber. Schiphol at Amsterdam is 25 Km from the city and the Cab fare here is 50 – 60 Euros

Is the currency Euro everywhere?

In Amsterdam & Vienna it is Euro but in Prague & Budapest it is different. Florint in Hungary and Koruna in Czech Republic. 1 USD = 293 Florint and 1 USD = 23.2 Czech Koruna.

How about food – can Vegetarians manage?

We are vegetarians and managed very easily. Almost every second restaurant is Italian serving Pizza & Pasta. A meal for 4 in an Italian restaurant will cost you about 30 Euros. There is no dearth of Indians Restaurants – takes more time and is more expensive – a meal for 4 can be Euro 60. (Both rates without drinks). We had decided to minimise eating in Indian restaurants and ended up visiting only once in 2 days. Here is a link to the best Indian restaurants in Budapest – https://expat-press.com/indian-restaurant-guide-budapest/

High-speed data SIM is a must have

These are DIY Countries. You need to hunt out everything on your own. Locals are indifferent and not very helpful. Ensure that you have a good data Plan on your phone. You get High Speed Wi Fi everywhere – Hotel, station, airport , restaurants, bus, train, museums…. The only place where Wi Fi is missing is on the road. To use Google Maps, Uber and hunt for places while on the road you need a good data Plan.

How do you go about sight-seeing in these cities?

The best way is to buy a Pass. All the cities have Travel passes with different benefits. These provide you free access to almost all the attractions. They also include free access to the Hop On – Hop Off bus / Boat. Some passes include access to the Local Transport. While others also include day trips to surrounding areas.

The Vienna Pass is the best of the lot. It gives you free access to almost all the attractions and access to the Hop on – Hop Off Bus. Day Trips to Salzburg and other nearby locations booked thru the same company entitles you to a discount. You can book this online and collect the pass from their office near Opera House (It’s in the subway opposite to the Opera House) We got a 2-day Vienna Pass and also booked the Salzburg trip through them. (2-day Pass Cost for Adults – 95 Euros, Children – 47.5 Euro. If you book online in advance you get a 10% discount). https://www.viennapass.com

I suggest that you don’t buy the Prague & Budapest pass. You can cover Prague on foot easily. Walk past the heritage Old Town and cross the Charles Bridge to the Castle on the other side. There is no need for Hop on Hop off bus at Prague. You can book your outstation trip from the hotel. We did a day trip to UNESCO Heritage Town of Kutna Hora.

At Budapest just book the Hop on Hop off Bus for 2 days. You can do that after landing at Budapest. You will find signages all over the place. Even the Hop on – Hop Off Bus has two companies; City sightseeing seems to be the the more popular one and operates in multiple countries. (Please note that in Vienna & Amsterdam the day pass will include the Hop on Hop Off Bus)

At Amsterdam you must book the day pass. Like Vienna it’s an excellent pass that gives you access to all the major sights and also includes the Hop on Hop off bus and Boat.

While the Vienna pass has no competition at Amsterdam you can choose between Amsterdam Pass or the I Amsterdam City Card. Check out the pros and cons of both. (https://freetoursbyfoot.com/amsterdam-city-passes/).

We had Amsterdam Pass – it’s a relatively new company and the frequency of the bus was less compared to the other company.

Important – Even with a day pass you need to get physical tickets for the attractions, but in most places, there is a VIP Q for pass holders. They scan the pass and issue tickets – no cost is charged.

Be prepared to walk 10 – 15 Km / day. So, get good walking shoes and with so much walking small kids may slow you down, so it’s best to plan this Holiday when your children are 10 +

Using Trams/ Cycles/ Scooters etc 

There is no dearth of local transport options. All these 4 cities had Tram Lines, Buses, Metros, Cycles, Scooters and many more options to move around the city. We saw them everywhere.  All of them are App based. If you are spending a longer time you must explore these options to travel around the city. It can minimise your walking.

What are the main sites in these cities

Vienna is all about Palaces, Museums & Churches. Don’t miss a live Opera show at the Hofburg Palace or the Opera house. Tickets at 45 – 50 Euro / person are expensive – but it’s worth the experience. Do a day trip to Salzburg its 7 AM – 8 PM. It’s a beautiful town where the movie Sound of Music was shot. Hallstat and Obertraun are other beautiful locations for day trips.

There are two Palaces – the Schonbrunn palace and the Hofburn palace complexes. Both are massive. Vienna also has the world’s oldest Zoo – very well maintained. The Heritage Tram ride will give a nice overview of the city in 30 Minutes. All of these are covered by the Vienna Pass. Hero Square is a nice central square in the middle of the summer palace complex.

Prague old town is a beautiful place dotted with ancient churches and quaint stores. Prague is famous for Crystals and Garnet. You cross the historic Charles Bridge to reach the Prague Castle. One of the largest castle complexes in Europe. The Jewish Town is also a nice area to walk by. All of this can be comfortably covered in 1 ½ days leaving you with a day for an out-station trip. We went to the UNESCO heritage town of Kutna Hora. Also taste the unique dish at Prague called Trdelnik – Its like a barrel shaped sweet donut with chocolate coating inside.

Budapest is two cities – Buda & Pest. Most of the places to see are in PEST. Buda is across the river and houses the castle. Buda is green and less commercial but has almost no veg restaurants. The Museum, Jewish Synagogue (The largest in Europe), the Giant Wheel, Michelangelo Museum, a beautiful basilica are other places to visit. Budapest also has a Hero Square right next to the Michelangelo museum. And do spend a few hours at the Thermal Baths – Budapest is famous for them. By the time you reach Budapest there would be some fatigue of seeing too many castles and churches.

And Finally, Amsterdam. The pass which includes the Hop on Hop Off is the best way to explore the city. It includes the Bus and Boat and covers all the attractions. The RIKS Museum and Van Gogh Museum are world famous and a must visit. But in the same locality is another new museum called the Moco Museum – do visit this also. The Maritime Museum is outstanding – so budget a few hrs for this. Close to this is the Dapper street market and a Science Museum for Children. Take the free ferry from behind the station and visit “I am Holland” and Adam Towers. The 45 Min “I am Holland” show is a 5D show that gives you a nice coverage on the history and sights of Netherlands. Outstation Tour Buses also start from here. We took a ½ day Trip (9 AM – 2.30) to Volendam & Zanse Schans. The tour takes you to the beautiful countryside and some rustic idyllic villages.

We visited the Windmills, A cheese Factory, and some rustic Fishing Villages. Normally priced at 60 Euros this was part of the 2-day pass. (But you need to go online book the tour a day in advance). Do visit Rembrandt’s house and right next to it is Gassan Diamonds. Close to the central station is the area called DAM which is the largest central square of Amsterdam. The place is full of shops and the bye lanes sell Marijuana Cakes – the smell is all over the area and can give you a headache. Amsterdam’s famous Red-light area is also a short walk from here.

Budapest & Amsterdam also have large Zoo’s but if you have seen one in Vienna then you can skip these.

Card Vs Currency

Credit cards are widely accepted in Vienna and Amsterdam. Most places in Budapest & Prague prefer Cash in local currency. If you are withdrawing cash from your debit card lookout for Bank ATM’s

How to Book Train Tickets and how expensive are they?

Trains are efficient and fast in Europe. They travel at 125 km / hr and the 350 Km distance from Vienna to Prague can be covered in 3 – 3 ½ hrs. The cost for Vienna Prague Ticket was 30 Euros on a Private train called Rail Jet. Our Prague – Budapest Train journey which was almost 6 Hrs also cost us 30 Euros. This was operated by the Czech Railways. Booking tickets in advance helps get great deals. We booked 4 months in advance.

You may be confused with many options when you try booking tickets. Remember you don’t need Euro Rail. All the Trains that connect cities in different countries in Europe come under the umbrella of Euro city Trains. They include both private and Govt Trains.

And once you enter the 1st Port after showing your Visa you can travel thru the entire Schengen region like domestic travel, there is no immigration or Passport / Visa checks when you travel by Train or Flight from one city to another.

Children fares are half, students also get discounted rates. Take a printout of your tickets as the Ticket Checkers scan them onboard.

We booked our Vienna – Prague Tickets from a Portal called tickets.oebb.at. And the Prague to Budapest Tickets from https://czech-transport.com/.

Trains come to the platform 10 – 15 Min before departure time and even the platform number is indicated only 30 minutes before boarding. Some trains are free seating. You can carry your big suitcases on train comfortably.

The main station at Vienna is Wien HBF and at Prague it is Prague HLN. The Budapest main terminal for outstation trains is Nyugati. If you take a train to Amsterdam its Amsterdam central.

We did not take night trains as hotel check in time is after 12 noon so reaching at 6 AM in the morning would have been futile. We were also not sure if it was safe to take a night train.

How reliable are Cabs

The cabs at Vienna were very reliable and accepted credit cards. Uber also works in Vienna. But at Prague and Budapest the cab drivers at the station tried to con us by charging double the rates. At Budapest our Hotel was 2 km from the station and the cabbie wanted 30 Euros. We had to call the hotel and the kind owner booked a taxi which dropped us at the hotel for 7 Euro’s. Even at Amsterdam the driver took us for a ride. He charged us 75 Euros for a 20 Km ride to the city – which we later found should not have been more than 50 Euro’s. (In Amsterdam – if you stay at the hotel we stayed take the Train to Amsterdam central). Cars are big and the boot can comfortably accommodate 3 large suitcases and 1 strolley. This is cool since the London cabs can’t accommodate so many luggage. You will be driven around in Merc’s and BMW’s. At Amsterdam we had a brand-new Tesla pick us up.

Tipping

Tipping is expected even if the service is bad. At places in Vienna and Prague where the food and service was not great the waiter insisted on Tip’s – 10% is the norm

Few more useful points

  • Carry your folding umbrellas as it may start raining suddenly. Light drizzle like in London.
  • Carry water bottles – tap water is safe. At the restaurant water bottles are more expensive than Beer and most restaurants don’t serve tap water – so it helps if you carry your own water
  • Carry salty snacks – most food you get here is sweet
  • Keep coins – most restrooms and lockers are coin operated

Europe was devastated during the second world war. Its wonderful to see how they have rebuilt their cities back in the last 70 years. Life here is organised and simple and appears stress free at least for the tourist. These are safe places and you can drink tap water. The air is fresh and there is no pollution. There is so much to see, lot of history and culture and you could easily spend a week in Vienna and still not cover all the sights. East Europe is affordable and if planned well in advance you can have a great holiday at a reasonable budget. (We made most of our bookings in Jan for a trip in May)

We just completed our trip today (May 29th – 2019) so the information is fresh in my mind. If you need any additional information please feel free to drop me a mail at vak_1969@yahoo.com.

 

Tags: , , ,

Kailash Mansarovar Travel Tips

15 Aug

I feel energised visiting ancient Shiva temples. Having visited the Pancha Bhootha Temples and most of the Jyotirlingas I have had a deep desire to visit Kailash Mansarovar. This materialised between July 30th & Aug 14th in 2018 – a great advance 50th Birthday treat for me. A long and challenging trip that was executed to perfection by the Isha Sacred Walks team.

There is something mystical about Kailash that has drawn pilgrims for thousands of years. Many keep coming again and again. I would say this is how a temple should be – spread over 1000’s of km’s across pristine nature, no rituals, no flowers, no aartis, no poojari – just you and the Lord in direct contact. Kailash Mansarovar,

By the Grace of God and the blessings of the Masters the trip worked out magically. Here is a  summary before I delve into the details

  • We travelled via Lhasa (Bangalore – Kathmandu – Lhasa by flight) and then 1500 km bus drive @ 500 km / day from Lhasa to Mansarovar.
  • Lhasa is at 12,500 feet and Mansarovar – Kailash at 16500/17000 feet. For a perspective Simla is 7000 feet and Leh/Ladakah is 12,000 feet.
  • Our journey was across a fortnight spanning 14 different hotel rooms. Wake up at 5 AM, Pack your bags by 5.30 AM, Guru Pooja and Kriya till 7 AM, Breakfast then start the journey at 8.30 AM driving almost 10 hrs every day. Reach the hotel by 7.30 PM – Dinner – Bath – Sleep. It was a blur as the 14 days whizzed by.
  • Temperatures  ranged from – 5 to 10 degrees, cold and wet, and at times the high altitude sun searing down on you. The challenge of altitude sickness, lack of appetite, tiredness – all of this overcome with one singleminded purpose – the goal to visit and experience  Kailash Mansarovar.

map

The journey in Phases 

Phase – 1 : Planning 

I made my bookings in Dec 2017. I had been hunting for a good reliable agency and finally decided that Isha Sacred walks was the best. They have been at this for years and do a professional job with the highest regard for safety and convenience. This year Isha is conducting passage for 21 groups with ~ 70 people in each group. Thats a total of ~ 1500 Yatris which contributes to almost 15% of all who will visit Kailash Mansarovar. The pre travel communications for packing / medicines / fitness were crisp and efficient.

Phase – 2 : Arrival at Kathmandu  (Day – 1) 

Our assembly point was at Kathmandu. I reached a day early to visit the city and the famous Pashiupathinath Temple (The package covers this on the return leg). Kathmandu looks like a bombed city – dusty, potholed roads, congested, chaotic. We stayed at The Yak & Yeti in central Kathmandu a nice 5 star property. We completed our debrief, tied the Abhaysutra’s, collected our kits (Isha gives you a Duffel bag, back pack, sling bag and a Down jacket on returnable basis), converted currency to Yuan. We were strictly informed to remove all books / T Shirts that had any connotation of “Free Tibet” and travel as Yatris and not activists. One wrong message can put the whole group in jeopardy. Next morning we started with Guru Puja and Kriyas (Something we did every day) and then headed to the airport for the flight to Lhasa with our coordinators.

Phase – 3 : Acclimatisation at Lhasa (Day – 2/3)

The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa is less than 90 minutes. Clearing immigration was a hassle – the Chinese are not very friendly and it took us over an hour to complete the process. Lhasa at 12500 feet is a modern city, well maintained with the hallmark Chinese infrastructure of broad roads and nice footpaths. We stayed at the Lhasa Mansarovar hotel – a nice spacious property with good facilities. Breakfast was the regular hotel buffet but lunch and dinner were Indian meals cooked specially for us. That was one of the highlights of the trip – we had fresh piping hot Indian food all through the trip.  Mansarovar hotel

The weather in Lhasa was bright and sunny and we had time to visit the ancient Jokhan Temple, The Potala Palace and The Summer Palace. Tibetans are happy friendly people, and they always oblige to take photos. But they seem to be a minority amidst the Chinese population.

The city was disciplined, organised and clean. We spent more time at Lhasa on our return leg and had dinner at a beautiful place, so more about it then.

 

Phase – 4 : Bus Trip from Lhasa to Mansarovar (Day – 4/5/6)

From Lhasa our journey shifted to buses for the next 9 days. Lhasa to Mansarovar is almost 1500 Km and we covered ~ 500 Km / day. Our first stop was at Shigatse, the 2nd largest town of Tibet at 12,500 feet. And this was the shortest drive of the trip for 6 hrs. From Shigatse we drove to Saga and reached a altitude of over 16,000 feet. This was a long day with over 10 hrs of driving. And then from Saga to Mansarovar.

Family trip

As we travelled from Lhasa the quality of the hotels started deteriorating. However, till Saga we had rooms with hot water and bathrooms.

We were lucky to get Indian food all through. Even lunch was packed. Breakfast was Khichdi, Upma, Cereal, Fruits, Milk, Tea, Coffee and lunch was Rice, Dal, Sabji, Rajma, Canned Sweets, Bhujia, Apple etc.

The landscape changes after Lhasa. Tibet is the worlds highest plateau. It’s a cold desert. All you see is undulating plains of grasslands with Yaks and Sheep and hardy nomads. There are no trees.

After reaching Shigaste (12500 feet), I fell sick. A combination of AMS and GERD hit me. I lost my appetite and felt feverish and weak. I rarely fall sick and was a little underprepared with my medicine kit. The YAK Butter, Milk Powder and Puri with Rajma for lunch must have caused the problem in this high altitude zone. Luckily we had doctors travelling with us in the bus and stationed at the hotels. They were checking everyone twice a day and thanks to their support I recovered in a few days.

(Doc in Green T Shirt was a fellow Yatri who was doing Gods own service by treating and helping us. I owe it to him for getting back in shape)Kailash Mansarovar,

On this trip it is best to avoid greasy food. I had carried a lot of “Groundnut Chikki” which I gave away. Figs, dates, biscuits, ginger balls, chocolates , energy bars etc are good to have. The family of Yatris helped me out with medicines and useful supplies all through. It’s amazing how people who you have never never met before come together as a family to help you in your time of need.

If you suffer from GERD or acidity, stick to a light diet. We got bananas and apples every day – so you can stock up on that. Falling sick has nothing to do with age. Our group of 75 had people from 26 – 66 and many of the people in their mid 50’s were the fittest of the lot.

Kathmandu

Diamox to prevent altitude sickness is a must have twice a day. It is recommended to start it 5 days before you leave for Kathmandu. With Diamox you drink a lot of water so that means frequent restroom breaks. Which is a challenge. There are no decent loos on the highway so your breaks are always in the open.  Diamox kept me waking up every hr at night all through the trip adding to the tiredness. At these altitudes its difficult to get a restful 5 hr sleep at night. And I am a super sensitive light sleeper.

Phase – 5 : We reach Mansarovar on Day 6

After 3 days of long drives we finally reached Mansarovar. We stayed at a camp right across the lake. Our camp was a Pucca brick structure room with no attached bath. For the next 4 days we would have to manage with no bathrooms, which was a challenge. The toilets were sink pits inside small tents and with no air circulation, it can be smelly. You have the option of using open air starry sky toilets also – which was a better option. At 4 AM, pitch dark, no power, armed with a torch on your head like a coal miner, wet wipes, toilet paper roll, a rain coat, layers of warm clothing you hunt for a nice starry corner. (Suggestion if you are using the tent loos carry some Camphor with you – the smell of Camphor minimises the stink)

Mansarovar lake

Mansarovar is a large lake. It is mystical and has a close linkage with Kailash. We could see the South Face of Kailash from our camp. Many have seen lights and divine bodies taking a dip at the lake during the Brahma Muhurtam  – we also woke up at 2.30 AM and spent some time but were not lucky to witness any celestial beings.

The next morning we did our meditation and prayers by the lake. It is a serene experience and as you sit quietly you can’t but help choke and feel the tears running down your eyes.travel tipsMany brave souls took a bath in the chill cold water. The authorities don’t allow you to take a dip – so the sherpas get water in drums. Recovering from fever, I splashed water all over my body and it was very refreshing.

Phase – 6 : The final Trek to Kailash – day 7 /8

After breakfast we had a short 1 hr ride to Yam Dwar and started our trek. Many people do the full 72 Km Parikrama that takes 3 days. We did a total of 32 Km (16 Km up and down). Starting from Yam Dwar and walking along the Western face till we reached the Northern face of Kailas where we camped for 2 nights.  We had views of the Southern Face, Western Face and the Northern face.

travel tips

You have an option of taking a pony. Most people walk. Its a easy trek. Broad path, scenic views, fresh air. You can do it comfortably in 4 – 6 hrs.  Good to have a porter as at this altitude even a few 100 grams can tire you out. The porters cost 850 Yuan for the round trip and the Pony costs 2200 Yuan. There are a few stopover points for tea and snacks to catch you breath and warm your hands.

travel tips

I was all set to walk but after 3 days of fever the doctor insisted I take a pony. Isha paid for the pony – which was a wonderful gesture, 2200 Yuan is almost Rs 24,000. The horses are young, wild and very sensitive. We were in a group of 4 horses and the Yatri on the 1st horse opened his umbrella, which got his horse troubled. In the neighing and confusion, my pony suddenly started running and knocked me down. For a few minutes I was in a state of shock, wondering if I had broken bones. Fortunately by the grace of God all was well, the thick jacket had saved me and all I had was a few bruises. In this panick moment I saw the horse man remove my RADO watch – but was in no state to stop him. With little oxygen, your memory loss is high and I forgot the incident. After the fall, I refused to sit on the pony and trekked the remaining way to Kailash and back. It was only late in the evening after I reached Kailash that I realised that my watch was missing. By sheer luck the organisers managed to get it back. Miracles do happen in Kailash.

Kailash Mansarovar,

Kailash is the source of enormous energy. The mountain looks different from others in its vicinity. Its majestic and towering. It draws sadhaks from across religions – Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Tibetans. Many come and spend years drawing energy and knowledge. The 1st Jain Tirthankara Rishaba spent over 7 years, Milarepa the buddhist monk spent many years. Sages, wise men, monks, students are all drawn to the power of Kailash. Some say it was made by extra terrestrials, others say it is the centre of the universe, and the global HQ of energy and power which the puny human mind cannot comprehend. Many holy rivers originate from here. You go to Kailash to dissolve. Not to ask, but to merge and take back a spark of that energy with you. You are lucky if you can connect and get that spark embedded in you.

After you reach Kailash you sit quietly trying to absorb this infinite power. You thank the Gods and the divine masters for a safe journey. And you can sense a catharsis within you as the tears swell up and flow silently. We spent 2 nights at Kailash – I wish we could have spent more. I did get a view of the full mountain, but it was cloudy most of the time. We did not have blue skies and at night could not see the stars. Old timers say that later part of Aug the weather gets clearer.

Our stay at Kailash was also in pucca camps similar to Mansarovar. The toilets were better as they were not tents. they were better designed with open roofs. It snowed at night making it very cold. The rooms were comfortable and the piping hot food was a treat. People started reaching Kailash by 4.30 PM and the last set by 7.30 PM. The sun sets only by 9 PM. Tibet is set to Beijing time so its 2 hrs 30 min ahead of India.

Next morning after breakfast we did our group meditation in front of Kailash and visited the Milarepa Monastery close by. The brave Sherpas went close to the mountain glaciers and collected “Kailash Teertha” for us. Fresh with minerals and the energy of Lord Shiva – one drop is all you need to energise yourself.

Kailash Mansarovar,

Phase – 7 : The Trek Back – Day 9

You dont feel like coming back from Kailash but after 2 nights we had to head back. The return walk is easier. This section is not steep and we touched a max of 17,000 feet. There are however parts of the 72 km Parikrama that are steep and a tough trek with altitude touching 18,000 feet. Many buddhist devotees do the entire Parikrama by prostrating. That takes nearly 45 days to complete. Yak land

Our luggage came by Yak’s. This is Yak land – they are strong wild beasts and the local population survives on everything YAK. From Meat, Wool, Milk, Leather – life in Tibet is tough and would not be possible without the Yaks.

Tibetans are tough people and with all the challenges they are a smiling lot. They may be Buddhists but their religion is steeped in tradition and rites and has a lot of Tantric aspects of Hinduism. They say that when the invaders came the Tantric knowledge of Hinduism was smuggled to Kashmir, Tibet, Nepal & Assam as it was safest here in the remote Himalayas. Somehow from here it managed to find its way to Kerala also.

Kailash Mansarovar,

After 4 days of no bath we finally reached Darchen – to a nice hotel with a bathroom and hot water. What luxuries. A nice warm bath, lovely hot food, contentment, a sense of accomplishment and happiness gave way to a relaxed nights sleep.

Phase – 8 : Back to Lhasa

Over the next 3 days we drove back the long 1500 Km back to Lhasa Via Saga & Shigatse. Most of the drive was along the Brahmaputra that was in spate and we had a few long stop overs were the bridges were broken or landslides had blocked the roads. Small incidents nothing serious. We were lucky.

After reaching Lhasa we  ventured out for dinner to a lovely places called The Tibetan Family Kitchen. Nobody knows a word of english in Lhasa – locating the place was a challenge. After a few misses I was lucky to find a young English speaking couple who escorted me to the restaurant. There are good helpful people everywhere.

Tibetan

The service and food at the restaurant was outstanding. We ordered almost every veg dish (Their speciality was Yak Meat) and enjoyed the meal. The group of 75 was split across 4 buses – we were in Bus 4 and over the last 12 days had built a good camaraderie with the group. Far far away in Lhasa, it was fun dining with a few good people.  The lady who runs the restaurant was the perfect host. She booked us cabs and got us back safely to our hotel. Kailash Mansarovar,

Phase – 9 : Back to Kathmandu

On the 13th of Aug we headed back to Kathmandu. And the jinx of 13th played up for a bit. Our flight almost landed at Kathmandu and then had to turn back to Lhasa as the weather was bad. A short stopover for refuelling and we were headed back to Kathmandu reaching in time for a late lunch at 2.30. the 2 1/2 hr time lag was a blessing.

That evening we had a Satsang with Sadhguru at the Gokarna hotel. Its rare to meet Sadhguru in a small group of 150 people. We were lucky. We were the 1st batch, A1, and there was a batch heading to Kailash the next day. The Satsang was for both groups. Sadhguru was in full flow and enthralled us for almost 2 hrs in an interactive session.

Phase – 9 : Back to Bangalore

Aug 14th we headed back to Bangalore. We had left on July 30th. It was day 16. We had covered a lot and had accumulated memories for a lifetime. We had survived on an adrenalin rush till now and as I sunk into the  Jet Airways seats, I was overcome by exhaustion. It’s going to take a few days to recover. Something tells me that this is not the last trip – I will head back again to Kailash again in the near future. And as I sign off a special thanks to our team lead from Isha, the young Pooja from the ashram, who did a stellar job with her band of volunteers in managing and coordinating this trip so well. A big thanks to the volunteers, sherpas, cooks, all the support staff who make this trip possible and the friendly helpful fellow yatris who were like family forging new bonds.

Kailash Mansarovar,

Other Tips 

  • Travel light. Dont pack too many woollens, reuse. Ensure 3 sets of Thermals, Undergarments change every day, Socks for every 2 days. Dress in layers.
  • Carry healthy food – Dates/Figs/Biscuits/Chocolates/Energy Bars/Gur/ Something salty – helps to munch something in the long bus rides.
  • Carry 2 – 3 pairs of Gloves, Caps, Mufflers – they tend to get misplaced. A good raincoat is a must. Wear ziplocks over your your socks so that they dont get wet as you trek.
  • Pack all your clothes in Ziplocks / Plastic covers. Use number locks for duffel bags.
  • Carry a flask for hot water and a regular water bottle.
  • A head torch can be very useful
  • Medicines I ended up having – Dymox, Domistal, Omniprosol, Allegra, Azithrol, Dexam, B Complex. (Carry the list that Isha subscribe – http://www.sacredwalks.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/First-Aid-Kit.pdf
  • Packing suggestions : http://www.sacredwalks.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/E-Brochures/Kailash-Packing-Suggestions.pdf
  • There is network connectivity available in almost all the places including Kailash & Mansarovar. Battery pack is needed only at Kailash & Mansarovar.
  • Hotels in China have Wi Fi – but FB/ WhatsApp / Google are banned – activate Airtel Roaming pack before you travel.
  • How much does this cost? Ex Kathmandu 2.85 Lacs. Flight to Kathmandu, 1 extra night stay, Porter, Misc etc add 30 K – so thats a total of 3.15 Lacs for the trip/person.

A few more Views from the trip

 Mythily with the bus drivers friend 
Kailash Mansarovar,

A Tibetian lady selling flowers at the Jokhan temple Kailash Mansarovar,

Meghna & Vikramjit Travel tips

Playing TT at the park at Shigatse Playing TT at the park at Shigatse

Afternoon view of KailashKailash Mansarovar

A performer / model near the Potala Palace Kailash Mansarovar

Community dance at Park at ShigatseCommunity dance at Park at Shigatse

Locals we met Enroute
Kailash Mansarovar

Mustard fields on the road to Saga Kailash Mansarovar

Room at Lhasa

Tags: , , , , , , ,

A week in fascinating Jordan

25 May

How is Jordan different from other countries in the Middle East ?

  • It has no OIL
  • A liberal modern country with no dress regulations. That is credit to the royal family.
  • Diverse landscape – from the depths of the Dead Sea to the highlands of Petra & Amman where it snows in winter. The country is blessed with lovely mediterranenan climate

We had a perfect one week holiday. My first experience with a travel company Byond Travel – and they scored 10/10. Jordan has lots to see. We covered 1500 Kms in 6 days with 4 hops across the Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum & the capital Amman. A small group of 9, a dedicated bus to us and a wonderful guide all added up to make this a memorable trip. Jordan is waiting to be explored – we had nice weather (In May) , almost no Q’s (thanks to Ramadan) – and we covered a lot – thanks to the wonderful planning of Byond Travel. When you travel with a good agency it takes a lot of your head – my earlier self planned family holidays were a project , this one was relaxed. I just followed the guide. Since all payments were made in advance we hardly had any expenses right thru the week – barring our lunch bills and  stuff we bought to carry back home.

travel company byond travel

Detailed Notes 

Day – 1 

There are no direct flights to Jordan from India and we took Etihad from Bangalore to Amman Via Abu Dhabi. An early morning flight on Sat at 4.30 AM from Bangalore got us to Amman by 12 noon with a 3 hr stop over at Abu Dhabi. Etihad is good – better than Emirates and you get Jet Airways miles. Leg space is comfortable, food is decent. At Amman we were received at the gate and whisked past immigration (Jordan has Visa on arrival) and in less than 30 minutes after landing we were in the bus with our luggage headed to the Dead Sea – Holiday Inn Resort. A nice property located on the Dead Sea. A 1 hr drive – past barren land and olive trees ( Jordan is full of olive trees) we reached the lowest elevation on earth – 1400 feet blow MSL . It was warm but bearable. The Dead Sea is shrinking and the locals say it may not last beyond 2050. The salinity of water is almost 10X that of the normal sea so you float. And there is no life on the Dead Sea.

dead sea

The Holiday Inn resort is one of the many resorts on the Dead Sea – and many come here for the curative power of the water and the Dead Sea salts. After a few hrs at the beach we had a lovely dinner and hit the bed. A long day that started at 2 AM on Sat morning finally ending. Note that Jordan has a 2 1/2 hr lag with India – so when we slept at 9 PM it was 11.30 PM India time.

Day – 2

A 1 night stop at Dead Sea the next day morning we headed out to Petra and on the way stopped by a few interesting sights

Close to the resort was the Bethany church where Jesus was baptised by John the baptist. Thats a famous biblical location and borders Israel. All thru the tour we were almost touching the Israel border and at the Bethany church we could see Israel across the Jordan river a few feet away.

petra

From Bethany we visited Mount Nebo – a famous place from where Moses is said to have pointed towards the promised land before he passed away. We travelled Via Madaba visiting one more church famous for its mosaic paintings and reached the historic city of Petra by 4 PM.

Petra is an iconic city almost 2000 years old – its a city of sandstone mountains. We stayed at a lovely property The Old Village Resort at Wadi Musa for 2 nights. Nice rooms , good food. old village resort petra

Day – 3

After a sumptuous breakfast we left at 8 AM to Petra. The visitors centre was a few km from our property and we started the trek thru the maze of mountains by 8.30 AM. There is a lot of walking. 2 Km to the Khazana , 2 Km to the base point of the Monastery and then a trek of over 1000 steps to the top of the Monastery – all in all about 6 Km each way. It was hot – but the history and the stories of the Nabateans the rulers of Petra kept us motivated.

maze of mountains

We were back in the hotel by 3 PM and most of the team went back at 8 PM to see candle lit Petra by night. To my consolation they came back and said that I did not miss anything great.

A lot of walking had tired us out – and the next day was relaxed

Day – 4

We woke late, had a relaxed breakfast and left by 12 noon to Wadi Rum. A 800 sq km desert with craggy sandstone mountains – the landscape is martian and this is where many of the movies Lawrence of Arabia , Transformer , Martian etc were shot. Its barren sand dune desert and houses about 30 camps.

wadi rum

We stayed in one such camp in tents for a night. Its hot during the day but gets cold at night. Tents are basic – we had a family tent with 3 beds and an attached modern bathroom – no fans. Electricity and Wi Fi from 4 PM onwards.

tents for night

The set up and kitchen here is like that of a North Indian Dhaba- I did venture to the kitchen to make some potato curry and dal – as by now we were tired of Pita Bread, Hummus and Olives. The evening would have been alive in a starlit sky with belly dancing – but being the month of Ramadan we had to entertain ourselves with the dance of one of our colleagues. – who did an outstanding job.

Day – 5 

We departed Wadi Rum at 8 AM and after a 4 hr drive reached Wadi Mujib. This is a 2 km river trek. Its not open all the time as the water currents can get risky. We were lucky that it opened a week after being shut. But the water levels were high. This is fun but risky. You are neck deep in water at many places and the current is strong. The river bed is full of poky rocks and even with aqua shoes it can hurt. But this was the high point of the trip and we thoroughly enjoyed it. (Note only Children above 17 are allowed) – the trek took us about 3 hrs and we were back in the bus at 3.30 PM.

wadi mujib

The drive from Wadi Mujib to Amman was less than 2 hrs and we drove by the Dead Sea crossing the Holiday Inn resort where we had stayed the 1st night. So we had almost done a round trip of Jordan.

We stayed in central Amman at the Millennium Hotel a nice property. Amman is a modern city with an active night life – but again the Ramadan period limited activities. Our guide took us for dinner to a beautiful local restaurant – buzzing with people.

millenium hotel

Day – 6 

On our last day at Amman we covered the Citadel – an ancient Roman site and the Roman Theatre – sights we covered between 8 AM and 11 AM . Amman has a history that dates back to 6500 BC – Greeks, Romans, Persians, Egyptians – all this culture blends into this ancient arabic city which is now ruled by the Hashemite dynasty – direct descendants of the prophet.

We shopped for dates, baklava, olive oil in Downtown and were back in our hotel for lunch.

amman

We had an early dinner at our guide Salah’s house – and his wife had cooked us a delicious spread. It was a wonderful gesture on his part to invite us home. early dinner

Post dinner we walked around downtown and were back in our rooms by 9 PM. Again being Ramadan the streets were deserted and most shops closed.

Day – 7

The last day of the trip – we were free. Being a Fri and the Independence Day of Jordan – all the malls , parks etc were closed in the morning. We walked around Paris square and saw the famous Rumi restaurant before heading back to hotel to depart at 12.30 for our flight.

A week flew by and we enjoyed every minute of it. A big thanks to Byond Travel for planning and executing the trip to perfection. They are a good company – a little pricey but you get excellent service. When on a holiday you want the best. I don’t think we would have seen Jordan so well in 1 week on our own. So thank you Byond for a great trip – and looking forward to more. And a big thanks to the team of co travellers – thanks guys you were great travel mates.

Useful Tips

  • Jordan has pleasant weather all thru the year – winters are cold
  • 1 JD ( Jordan Dinar ) = 95 Rs
  • Veg food is available all thru the trip – though the focus is on Non Veg.
  • Free Wifi is everywhere including in our bus.

Some more Views

enjoying the nature

jordan fort

family holidays

enjoying jordan

enjoying waterfalls

shot by iphone6

________________________

Please follow my Facebook page for regular updates on A Few Good Things 

https://facebook.com/afewgoodthingsvak1969/

 

 

Tags: , , , ,

Kolkata Shining – Well Done Didi

15 Jan

I recollect that some years back Kolkata came to the news for all the wrong reasons – it was christened the “Dying City”. This after many many years under the administration of Jyoti Basu. From 1977 he held the CM post for 23 years without a break – a tough record to beat. But Bengal and Kolkata saw no progress.

I remember my trips to Kolkata – from the mid 70’s and till 2005 almost nothing changed. Traffic jams , pavements choked with hawkers, load shedding, appalling poverty , filth – it was a mess. Mother Teresa and Dominiqe Lapierre did not help by positioning Calcutta as a city in deep despair. I remember in a quiz competition in school we were asked to name the dirtiest city in the world and the choice was between Karachi , Dhaka and Kolkatta. Karachi narrowly beat Kolkatta to claim the distinction.

Things slowly changed and in the last 7 years Mamta Banerjee and the TMC have done a phenomenal job in transforming Kolkatta. I visited the city after many years in the last week of 2017 and was pleasantly surprised to see a city that I could barely recognise. The transformation is to a scale that you cannot comprehend. Broad Roads , cars zipping at 50 Km/hr ( restraining themselves as thats the speed limit), clean footpaths and pavements, well lit roads with plants, a maze of flyovers , clean billboards and shop fronts, efficient traffic police, the water bodies or “Pukurs” that dot the city are sparkling clean. In the 3 days I was there I did not see a single pothole or a dug up road or footpath – I could go on and on.

 

I would rate Kolkata as the Indian city with one of the best urban infrastructures in the country today comparable with Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and of course New Delhi. Coming from Bangalore ( Koramangla in specific) where traffic crawls at less than 10 km /hr and it can take you 30 min to cross the Sony Junction Kolkatta felt like a foreign city. Add to this Kolkatta has no power cuts and thanks to the mighty Ganges you will never see water tankers queuing up in front of apartment complexes.

We visited the Dhakuria lake complex – again a very well maintained park with excellent walkways spotlessly clean.

All this is indeed creditable work. Its not easy to change a dying city that has been languishing for decades. Yes good work was started by the former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and if the Nano plant at Singur had happened the industrial pace at W Bengal may have matched that of Gujarat. But full credit to Mamata Di for picking up speed and achieving the impossible. Well Done Didi.

The Indian Press is miserly – all I have heard about Kolkata sitting in Bangalore is Didi’s anger against Modi and the Muslim appeasement – not a word has been reported on how a dying city has been transformed in such a short period of time. You need to give credit where it is due and this change from a. dying city to a sparkling city should have been cover page article and news.

Its not just the infrastructure but also the cleanliness. People have started taking pride in their city – the Bengalis have always been proud of their legacy and now they have earned their bragging rights. I am sure this saga of development will continue. Its a very affordable city and the cost of living would probably be less than half that of Bangalore or Mumbai. A city with history , legacy , sights – a city waiting to be marketed. With all this going for Kolkatta its a matter of time before the builders, brands , malls , companies , jobs flood into Kolkata. And all the  NRI babus who always wanted to be in Kolkata and enjoy their adda will come back. A city on an ascending curve is unstoppable and as the momentum picks up the growth will accelerate.

The trip was also special as I caught up with my college mates from REC Surat and met them after 25 years. We were knocking at 50 but as we met after so many years we felt like 18 year olds. Thanks Manik , Somen and Tutli for taking time to come over.

It was also nice to meet up the folks from ABL township – the colony where I grew up after 30 long years. the hot didis and aunties had aged gracefully. Thank you Ishani and Deepa Di for making this happen. Bengali is a very sweet language and Bengali women are amongst the prettiest you can meet but behind that pretty face and charming smile is a dominating woman – this after all is the land of Ma Durga & Kali.

A trip to Kolkata is never complete without visiting Dakshineshwar & Belur Math. We left our hotel at 5.30 AM and reached Dakhsineswhar by 6.15 AM – spotlessly clean with hardly any crowd we had a blessed Darshan of Ma Kali in all her divine glory. The Ganges was sparkling clean and majestically flowing with Belur Math on the other bank. We could feel the vibrations of the great Sage Ramkrishna in his small room at the temple complex. We didi visit Belur Math also and the Bhog we had was special, don’t miss it – piping hot Khichdi , delicious curry, and Kheer so tasty all served with so much love and affection. Whether its Golden Temple or Puri Jagannath or Dakshineswar there is something special about the Prasad they serve in these divine places.

This is also the city of food – from street food to fancy restaurants all at very affordable prices. We relished the Jhal Modi at the Maidan as we waited for a ride on the iconic tram and enjoyed sweets galore all through the trip. There is no comparison to Kolkata sweets. My fatty liver restricted me from being very adventurous but we did through justice to the amazing food of this great city. The only disappointment was our lunch at Tero Parbon at Hindustan Park where the service was disastrous.

Central Kolkata was buzzing with energy – the stretch from Victoria Memorial , Park Street , Chowringee , the National Museum – is mesmerising and brings back fond memories of childhood when we used to visit Kolkatta from Durgapur. The yellow Ambassador taxis are fast making way to the Uber’s and Ola but I pray that continue for some more time. Kolkata without the yellow taxi and its blaring horns would never be the same again.

Its a paradise for shopping – again great stuff at affordable prices. This was the time of the year when there were melas all around the city. Khadi , Handicraft and a wide variety of clothes and artwork at prices which you cannot believe. From sarees to pyjamas and kurtas, shoes, leather goods you can shop all day long in this city.

Kolkata has so much to offer – it was only on the last day that I came to know of a Jyotir Linga at Baidyanath Temple – a 1 hr drive from Kolkata. I missed it but will come back for sure to visit. There are 12 Jyotir Lingas in the country and most states market them very effectively. These are divine sites blessed with the energy of Lord Shiva – Kolkata needs to market itself better.

I have 3 suggestions to make to help the city sparkle more and attract investments. 

Kolkatta and Chennai produce nearly 50% of the CA’s of the country – Kolkatta with its low cost base can easily position itself as a back office finance hub for the country. The intelligence of the Bengali and the low cost of the city will make this a very compelling proposition.

A lot of day trips can be organised to market the city better. A 7.30 to 6.30 PM trip that includes breakfast and lunch – its easy to identify 10 – 15 such packages and have buses travel on a daily basis to these locations.

Launch a company that can help cities like Bangalore – specially BBMP spruce up the city. You now seem to have the expertise to provide consultancy and execute projects that can bring cities like Bangalore to shape.

And last but not the least Kolkata needs more Gym’s. Given the rich oily diet, lethargic lifestyle, late dinner habits and probably the highest % of smokers in the country   – my friends in Kolkata need to exercise vigorously. But I hardly saw any gyms.  Here is an opportunity for Mukesh Bansal to open many Gyms across Kolkata – so Mukesh please don’t open any more Cult Zones in Bangalore – head to Kolkatta. If Mamta has succeeded in a cleaner Kolkata I am sure she can make it a fitter Kolkata too.

Hospitality is in Bengali blood – my friend and his family took such good care of us we felt we were with family. Thanks Subhashish and Ruma for going out of the way to make us comfortable. I am looking forward to my next trip soon.

 

________________________

Please follow my Facebook page for regular updates on A Few Good Things 

https://facebook.com/afewgoodthingsvak1969/

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: , ,

Journey to the Valley of Flowers

14 Aug

Nature rewards you after hard work. Getting to the Valley of Flowers in the middle Himalayas is a very long journey – almost 3 days from Bangalore. Its a trip that requires planning and getting in shape – but eventually the reward is worth the effort. For anyone wanting to make a trip to Valley of Flowers and Hemkunt Saheb this Blog will provide all the details.

A quick Summary of the trip

  • The journey : Bangalore – Delhi – Dehradun – Haridwar – Joshimath (6050 feet) – Gobind Ghat – Pulana – Ghangria ( ~ 9500 feet) – Valley of Flowers ( 9500 – 12000 feet) – Hemkunt Saheb (14500 feet)
  • Almost 50 kms of trekking ( I did 35 by trek and 15 by Mule) which treats you to Fresh air & Divine views
  • 25 hrs of driving in the rugged Himalayan landscape – we travelled in the monsoon and witnessed at least 25 landslides – by divine grace we were not impacted by rain or landslides and sailed thru smoothly.

You can do this trip in 8 days but I decided to spend a few days at Gurgaon to meet friends and visit the Akshardham temple – A masterpiece where you can easily spend 4 – 5 hrs. Having travelled to Delhi so many times in the past 15 years this was one landmark that I had not visited. The story of the young sage Swami Narayan is fascinating and has close similarities to that of Shanakrachary. We missed the fountain and the light show in the evening – but I am sure I will come back to this well maintained energised place.

Swaminarayan Akshardham, New Delhi

Day 0 : Bangalore – Delhi – Haridwar 

My friends house at Gurgaon is also a temple – so much of peaceful energy, and it was a great start to an exciting 8 days ahead. He was kind enough to drop me at Platform 16 Ajmera Gate, Delhi Dehradun Shatabadi. This is the last platform – so if you get dropped on the other side of the station its a very long walk . I reached Haridwar at 11.45 and was in my Hotel by 12.45 ( Regenta Hotel – Royal Orchid on the Haridwar Rishikesh Road). My friends from Bangalore had taken the morning flight and they also reached the hotel by 3 PM. That evening we stopped by the Sapta Rishi Ashram and the Adhbut Mandir on the way to Har Ki Pauri to view the Ganga Arti. Aug is not busy season, because of monsoon and the “kavad” season is over  – the Ganga was in spate, frothy and muddy. Haridwar is a chaotic place and the Ganga Arti at the Har Ki Pauri  was a shade compared to what I had seen in Varanasi or even Rishikesh. (Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are believed to have visited the Brahmakund in Har Ki Pauri in the Vedic times). For all the noise we make on Hindutva it would be good if Indian temples and places like Haridwar , Rishikesh and Varanasi are kept as clean as the Vatican or the Golden Temple. On our way back we had a tasty dinner and had an early sleep (Given the long travel ahead I made it a point to eat light and avoid gravy / spicy food all long )

Day – 1 : Haridwar – Joshimath (278 Km – 12 hrs drive) 

We left our hotel at 6 AM and reached Joshimath at 5.30 PM. The journey was pleasant – our 14 seater Tempo Traveller had only 9 – so there was enough space to stretch your legs. Enroute we crossed Rishikesh – Dev Prayag ( Bhageerathi & Alaknanda confluence) – Srinagar – Rudraprayag ( Alaknanda – Mandakini Confluence) – and finally Joshimath and checked into Auli – D. A decent hotel with basic functionality – neat rooms , geyser, decent food. The weather was hot and humid all through and only near Joshimath did we start feeling pleasant. The road is good – you ascend from the plains to 6050 feet over 278 km so the ascent is smooth – no sharp U bends. We stopped for breakfast and lunch (No branded restaurants on the way – food is decent but the ambience and cleanliness of the dhabas is sad, toilets are disappointing, big challenge for women travellers who comprise almost 50% of the Trekkers to the Valley of flowers)

Day – 2 : Joshimath – Gobind Ghat – Pulana – Ghangria 

After a breakfast of Aloo Paratha, Poha and Chai we left at 7 AM by the Tempo Traveller. Our next stop was Govind Ghat – 20 Km ( 45 min). On the way we stopped to admire the Vishnu Prayag – the confluence of Bhuyandar & Alaknanda – a place where sage Narada is supposed to have meditated.

We reached Govind Ghat by 8.30 AM and had to stand in a Q to complete the registration process. We unloaded our luggage and took a Jeep to Pulana – 4 km away. From Gobind Ghat you will lose Mobile Connectivity – all you will have is very sporadic BSNL land line connection at Ghangria. The trek to Ghangria starts from Pulana – its a 11 Km trek , not very steep. If you walk at a relaxed pace it will take you about 4 – 5 hrs. We started at 9.30 and reached our room at Ghangria by 2 in the afternoon. You also have an option of riding a mule for Rs 850/- or be carried in a basket by a Nepali Sherpa or to take a chopper from Govind Ghat ( 5 Min – Rs 3500, Operates only if weather is good) . Most people walk – the guide had loaded our luggage on mules so that was easy. This is the first trek – energy levels are high – and I strongly advocate that you walk this stretch. There are nice views of forests , waterfalls , gushing springs. the pathway is cobbled – lots of shops on the way to stop for lemon juice or food or snacks. Keep your rain cover handy in your small backpack – the weather is very unpredictable. It did rain after almost 3 hrs of trek and the rain did slow me down.

Ghangria is the base camp for both the Valley of Flowers and Hemkunt Saheb. Located at 9050 feet its a small hamlet that operates only for 4 months from June to Sep.

You have an option of staying in a small basic functionality hotel or in tents. The Tents may have better views but not electricity and running water. Blue Poppy the company that had planned our trip had booked us at a small inn called Krishna Place – its the type of room I may not have stayed even when I was in college. Small , Cramped, Basic , the quilts and bedsheets were dirty, the limited staff were stinking  – two of us stayed in a room designed for 3 – we used a bed for keeping our bags , there was no place in the ground to keep any bags.

The good things – You have electricity and running water and Hot Water was provided by Bahadur ( 1 bucket / day is free – extra is Rs 50/bucket) – the hotel provided Tea , Bottled water , Pakodas , Maggi etc and also a Foot Massager – who charged 200 Rs for a 10 min massage. That was a luxury for the first few days – before we realised that his rate was higher than that in a high end spa at Bangalore. The guy also washed and ironed clothes – we were in for a shock when he told us after washing that he charged Rs 150/- per piece. But thats the premium you pay at 9500 feet.  There are a few dhabas nearby that serve good food – all our meals were at Gangotri – from piping hot Upma at 6 AM to Rajma, Chole, Noodles and even Dosa – we had no challenges with good hot food all thru the trip. I stuck to Khichdi most of the days. Tea Coffee is served using Milk Powder – you do get curd , but I think even that is made from milk powder. Price for food is reasonable.

Day – 3 : Ghangria – Valley of Flowers – Ghangria

I had been praying for months for a safe trip with good weather and it was a joy to see clear sky at 5 AM. After a warm bath and breakfast we started our trek at 6.30. A short distance later you complete the registration formalities.(Our guide had taken all the details and entry fees earlier and done the needful so we had no waiting period). Entry pass is Rs 150 valid for 3 days The busiest day at the Valley of Flowers has seen 500 visitors , in July – August the average crowd is about 200 / day. the best part of this trek is that no ponies are allowed – you walk or you are carried by a Sherpa.

Climbing has always been easy for me – it coming down thats a challenge on my knees. Sunny skies and the excitement of the final destination nearby energises you and I covered the 4 km to the entrance of the valley of the flowers in 2 1 /2 hrs . Its a beautiful scenic trek thru forests and gushing springs. The weather is pleasant and perfect for trekking. the views are amazing.

If you re tired and thirsty drink some water  from the spring – its energising and refreshes you, full of minerals. This is how life was as God made it and we messed it up. Every 30 minutes I stopped for doing a few Pranayams and deep breathing – this really helps in ensuring that the oxygen content in your blood is high. All along your trek you are walking along the Pushpavati river.

The climb was easy and at 9.15 I was in the Valley of Flowers. This UNESCO world heritage site is spread over 30 square kilometres. the end point is the Tipra Glacier ( 14,500 feet) – from the entry of the Valley of Flowers to the Tipra Glacier is a 10 Km Trek ( 6 Hrs) and you can pitch a tent there for the night.

We walked 3 kms inside the valley – it was mystical , foggy , surrounded by mountains, brooks and waterfalls all around you – and flowers in a multitude of colours and shapes. Just you and nature. Its nice – but if you have expectations of meadows of flowers as far as the eye can see then you may be a tad disappointed. Which I was – the Valley of Flowers met expectations – did not exceed. It was very nice but it was not jaw dropping spectacular

 

 

 

 

 

We had packed lunch – there are no shops on this route , and after lunch we started the trek back to Ghangria by 12 noon. Going back is always tougher – and to add to the challenge of climbing down it started drizzling. The pathways here are not cemented – its just rocks of different shapes that are on a path – its wobbly and pokey – and on an incline it can be risky. I struggled and moved step by step , inch by inch and finally made it back to the room dead tired by 4 PM , almost 4 hrs. (Most people do not venture 3 Kms deep into the Valley)

A Foot massage followed by a nice warm bath , and a nourishing dinner and I slept like a log at 9 PM (My friends ensured that they were warmed up by a Patiala Peg – there is no liquor available at Ghangria , so ensure that you get it with you or buy it at Joshimath , the stores at Joshimath close by 6 PM – so chances are that by the time you reach its closed)

Day – 4 : Recovery Day 

Last 2 days I had trekked 25 Kms and I was tired. The Tour Company had smartly planned 2 days for the Valley of Flowers – in case of heavy rains there was a backup day. Fortunately for us this backup day was the rest day. The last 4 – 5 days I had been getting up at 4.30 , and was tiring – I needed rest. Guess what – this was the only day in our travel that it was raining heavily. My colleagues decided to walk around and visit a waterfall close by and see the tents. I stayed back in the room to catch up on my strength.

Day – 5 : Hemkunt Sahib 

Located at 14,500 feet – the trek from Ghangria to Hemkunt ( Also spelled as Hemkund ) is steep. You scale 5500 feet in less than 6 kms. The pathway is in better shape than the Valley of Flowers – but most of the route is not as scenic as the Valley of Flowers. Climbing becomes difficult because of the steep altitude and lower oxygen. You have an option of taking a Mule ride – which I did. We left sharp at 6.30 and reached Hemkund at 8.30 – there are many shops on the way on this route. It was a bright and sunny day with Blue Skies. Good to reach early as it gets very foggy after 11 AM .

In his previous birth Guru Nanak is said to have meditated at this spot. Its a beautiful serene place with a glacial lake surrounded by 7 peaks. The mist plays peek a boo with the lake and the whole experience is magical. Right behind the Gurudwara is a place where Lakshman is said to have meditated – and there is a temple in memory of him. Hem Kund as the name suggests is a Snow Lake – and the Gurudwara is open only from June to Sep, rest of the year it is not accessible because of heavy snow. Best period to travel is September.

The water in the lake is freezing , but the strong sardars brave the cold and take dips bare bodied. After a walk around the lake I went and sat inside the Gurudwara from 9.15 to 10 AM. The “Ardas”  is at 10 AM  and at 12 AM ,  we attended the 10 AM “Ardas” after which very tasty Halwa was served as Prasad. Stepping out we had piping hot Khichdi and Tea. Our friends who started the trek at 5.40 AM made it by 9 AM (Which was great – most people take 5 – 6 hrs to climb up)

The rare Brahma Kamal flower blooms in plenty in and around the Hemkunt Saheb – we could see them as we started our trek back. We climbed a small hill – with no path just to get closer to these rare and beautiful flowers. There was a sense of accomplishment and peace as I sat next to the flowers.

I started the trek back with gusto but after an hr my feet started hurting. The steep incline puts pressure on your toes and I was mentally holding back running down – allowing gravity to help me in the way back. I ploughed along for 5 kms and finally the last 1 km I had to take a pony ride. the master trekkers in our team went down almost sprinting in less than 2 hrs.

Day – 6 : We head back to Joshimath 

After breakfast at 6 we started our journey back to Gobind Ghat – the plan was to reach by 9 and then head to Badrinath and Mana on the way to Joshimath. By now my feet were tired and I took the Mule back. We were at Gobind Ghat by 9 – collected the Prasad from the Gurudwara and headed towards Badrinath.

Its a 2 hr drive and the road has many tricky spots where landslides happen frequently. We had been informed that the road was closed for the last 2 days. Fortunately when we reached the roads were open. But there was the risk of landslide in a 100 metre stretch.

Having come so far I wanted to go but the fear of the majority over ruled the faith of a few. We travelled ~ 600 kms in the fragile Himalayan landscape safely and I was sure that we would have passed this 100 m stretch also – God had opened the path to us after 2 days – Badrinath was empty and we would have had great Darshan – but it was not to be. In 2010 I was at the gates of Badrinath but it was very crowded and the Q time was 3 hrs – and we were not able to get a Darshan – I am sure I will get lucky the 3rd time.

On the way back we stopped by at Jyotir Mutt – one of the 4 mutts established by Shankaracharya, he spent almost 14 years here. We were blessed to spend time in front of the Akhand Jyoti that he had lit almost 2500 years back, and pray in front of the “Swayambu” Shiv Linga below the 2500 year old Kalpa Vriksha. This place is brimming with energy and positive vibrations.

Blue Poppy the tour operator delighted us by putting us up at Auli for the night instead of Joshimath. Auli is a hill station at 9500 feet located 15 km from Joshimath.  I had visited Auli a few years back. Its a world famous Ski Town and the ITBP Skiing School is located here. Others in the group took the Cable Car from Joshimath to Auli while I went by the Tempo Traveller with the luggage and on the way stopped by an Apple Orchard. Its a rare joy to pluck an Apple from a tree and bite into it – with the juice flowing down your mouth.

Blue Poppy has very nice Log Cottages at Auli with excellent view of the Nandi Devi. Its mostly cloudy but at 520 AM in the morning I got a good view of the peak. We rested , ate well and were ready to leave the next day.

Day – 7 : We head back to Rishikesh

Breakfast at 6.30 and we started our journey back at 7 AM – we saw multiple landslides that had been cleared and barring a 30 min stop we had a smooth drive all the way to Rishikesh. On the way we did a brief stop at the Dhari Devi temple – one of the 108 Shakti Peeths and highly revered in Garhwal. This is a Kali temple located between Rudraprayag and Srinagar. The temple has the upper part of the Goddess and the bottom part is in another temple called Kalimath in Agasyamuni ( near Uttar Kashi)

 

We reached Rishikesh by 5.30 PM. On the way we passed Vashisht Guha – I love this place and have visited it twice, but it looked like rain was round the corner and we had to abort our plans. At Rishikesh we stayed at the Vasundhara Palace – an excellent property in Muni Ki Reti, 2 min walks from the Ganga. Our friends braved the rain to walk and see the sights of Rishikesh but I preferred staying in the room.

Day – 8 : We head back to Bangalore 

Dehradun airport is closer to Rishikesh – on a Sunday it was a 30 min drive. My flight was at 12.40 and Indigo was nice enough to pre pone my connection at Delhi from 5 PM to 2.40 PM – being the long weekend Bangalore traffic was a breeze and after a comfortable flight I was back home at 6.45 PM

Coincidence – the couple sitting next to me in the flight were also coming back from the Valley of flower trek. They had gone thru a company called India Hikes.

We had gone thru Blue Poppy – a company run by a lovely couple. I was very happy with their arrangement and response. Always ready to customise and help it was a pleasure working with Seema and Devkant Sagwan. Blue Poppy does only Valley of Flowers Trek – they don’t cut corners and try to provide the best. The guide they had provided was excellent.

Other Useful Points ( The company you go with will provide a exhaustive list – this is just a reaffirmation of some important points) 

Valley of Flowers is open from June to Sep , June the valley is covered in snow , July / August is the best time to visit , by Sep the flowers start drying up .

  • 5 Years back 70% of the travellers were foreigners but now Indians have taken over and almost 80% of the travellers are Indians – and they come in all shapes and sizes from 16 year old to 75 + . Gujaratis, Bengalis form the largest groups , while a significant number travel from Bangalore. Its great to see Indians moving from just    ” Seeing Holidays” to ” Doing Holidays”
  • Invest in good gear – a Good trekking show with ankle support is a must
  • Get knee support – coming downhill that will be a big help
  • Ensure to use Sun Screen – we pray for sunny days but at this altitude the sun can be harsh and you will get sun burnt. So even if it is cloudy and rainy as you start remember to use the sunscreen
  • Stay Fit and put in some effort few months before you travel to be in shape. Some people are genetically fit to trek others like me have to pit in some effort.
  • Carry medicines but you don’t need them – on the 1st day night at Ghangria I felt my heart was thumping very fast – but I was able to meditate and bring it down. Don’t panic and take medicines proactively – they are not needed. A strong mind and a fit body is all you need.
  • Eat light – and avoid oily greasy food as you travel
  • This is cash only economy so carry 10 – 15 K with you in currency
  • Can you travel on your own ? Yes some people do but I feel its best to go with an agency that can provide professional guidance and help. An emergency situation is a step away in these regions and thats when you need the help of an agency.
  • Pray and have faith in the almighty – respect the mountains , don’t dirty it
  • Last but not the least – talk to someone who did the trek as you plan and pack , my wife’s guidance and support was invaluable ( she did this trip last year)

 

Tags: , , , ,

Journey to the Valley of Flowers

14 Aug

Nature rewards you after hard work. Getting to the Valley of Flowers in the middle Himalayas is a long and tedious journey – almost 3 days from Bangalore. Its a trip that requires planning and getting in shape – but eventually the reward is worth the effort. For anyone wanting to make a trip to Valley of Flowers and Hemkunt Saheb this Blog will provide all the details.

A quick Summary of the trip

  • The journey : Bangalore – Delhi – Dehradun – Haridwar – Joshimath (6050 feet) – Gobind Ghat – Pulana – Ghangria ( ~ 9500 feet) – Valley of Flowers ( 9500 – 12000 feet) – Hemkunt Saheb (14500 feet)
  • Almost 50 kms of trekking ( I did 35 by trek and 15 by Mule) which treats you to Fresh air & Divine views
  • 25 hrs of driving in the rugged Himalayan landscape – we travelled in the monsoon and witnessed at least 25 landslides – by divine grace we were not impacted by rain or landslides and sailed thru smoothly.

You can do this trip in 8 days but I decided to spend a few days at Gurgaon to meet friends and visit the Akshardham temple – A masterpiece where you can easily spend 4 – 5 hrs. Having travelled to Delhi so many times in the past 15 years this was one landmark that I had not visited. The story of the young sage Swami Narayan is fascinating and has close similarities to that of Shanakrachary. We missed the fountain and the light show in the evening – but I am sure I will come back to this well maintained energised place.

Swaminarayan Akshardham, New Delhi

Day 0 : Bangalore – Delhi – Haridwar 

My friends house at Gurgaon is also a temple – so much of peaceful energy, and it was a great start to an exciting 8 days ahead. He was kind enough to drop me at Platform 16 Ajmera Gate, Delhi Dehradun Shatabadi. This is the last platform – so if you get dropped on the other side of the station its a very long walk . I reached Haridwar at 11.45 and was in my Hotel by 12.45 ( Regenta Hotel – Royal Orchid on the Haridwar Rishikesh Road). My friends from Bangalore had taken the morning flight and they also reached the hotel by 3 PM. That evening we stopped by the Sapta Rishi Ashram and the Adhbut Mandir on the way to Har Ki Pauri to view the Ganga Arti. Aug is not busy season, because of monsoon and the “kavad” season is over  – the Ganga was in spate, frothy and muddy. Haridwar is a chaotic place and the Ganga Arti at the Har Ki Pauri  was a shade compared to what I had seen in Varanasi or even Rishikesh. (Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are believed to have visited the Brahmakund in Har Ki Pauri in the Vedic times). For all the noise we make on Hindutva it would be good if Indian temples and places like Haridwar , Rishikesh and Varanasi are kept as clean as the Vatican or the Golden Temple. On our way back we had a tasty dinner and had an early sleep (Given the long travel ahead I made it a point to eat light and avoid gravy / spicy food all long )

Day – 1 : Haridwar – Joshimath (278 Km – 12 hrs drive) 

We left our hotel at 6 AM and reached Joshimath at 5.30 PM. The journey was pleasant – our 14 seater Tempo Traveller had only 9 – so there was enough space to stretch your legs. Enroute we crossed Rishikesh – Dev Prayag (Bhageerathi & Alaknanda confluence) – Srinagar – Rudraprayag (Alaknanda – Mandakini Confluence) – and finally Joshimath and checked into Auli – D. A decent hotel with basic functionality – neat rooms, geyser, decent food. The weather was hot and humid all through and only near Joshimath did we start feeling pleasant. The road is good – you ascend from the plains to 6050 feet over 278 km so the ascent is smooth – no sharp U bends. We stopped for breakfast and lunch (No branded restaurants on the way – food is decent but the ambience and cleanliness of the dhabas is sad, toilets are disappointing, big challenge for women travellers who comprise almost 50% of the Trekkers to the Valley of flowers)

Day – 2 : Joshimath – Gobind Ghat – Pulana – Ghangria 

After a breakfast of Aloo Paratha, Poha and Chai we left at 7 AM by the Tempo Traveller. Our next stop was Govind Ghat – 20 Km (45 min). On the way we stopped to admire the Vishnu Prayag – the confluence of Bhuyandar & Alaknanda – a place where sage Narada is supposed to have meditated.

We reached Govind Ghat by 8.30 AM and had to stand in a Q to complete the registration process. We unloaded our luggage and took a Jeep to Pulana – 4 km away. From Gobind Ghat you will lose Mobile Connectivity – all you will have is very sporadic BSNL land line connection at Ghangria. The trek to Ghangria starts from Pulana – its a 11 Km trek , not very steep. If you walk at a relaxed pace it will take you about 4 – 5 hrs. We started at 9.30 and reached our room at Ghangria by 2 in the afternoon. You also have an option of riding a mule for Rs 850/- or be carried in a basket by a Nepali Sherpa or to take a chopper from Govind Ghat (5 Min – Rs 3500, Operates only if weather is good) . Most people walk – the guide had loaded our luggage on mules so that was easy. This is the first trek – energy levels are high – and I strongly advocate that you walk this stretch. There are nice views of forests, waterfalls, gushing springs. the pathway is cobbled – lots of shops on the way to stop for lemon juice or food or snacks. Keep your rain cover handy in your small backpack – the weather is very unpredictable. It did rain after almost 3 hrs of trek and the rain did slow me down.

Ghangria is the base camp for both the Valley of Flowers and Hemkunt Saheb. Located at 9050 feet its a small hamlet that operates only for 4 months from June to Sep.

You have an option of staying in a small basic functionality hotel or in tents. The Tents may have better views but no electricity and running water. Blue Poppy the company that had planned our trip had booked us at a small inn called Krishna Place – its the type of room I may not have stayed even when I was in college. Small, Cramped, the quilts and bedsheets were dirty, the limited staff were stinking  – two of us stayed in a room designed for 3 – we used a bed for keeping our bags, there was no place in the ground to keep any bags.

The good things – You have electricity and running water and Hot Water was provided by Bahadur ( 1 bucket / day is free – extra is Rs 50/bucket) – the hotel provided Tea, Bottled water, Pakodas, Maggi etc and also a Foot Massager – who charged 200 Rs for a 10 min massage. That was a luxury for the first few days – before we realised that his rate was higher than that in a high end spa at Bangalore. The guy also washed and ironed clothes – we were in for a shock when he told us after washing that he charged Rs 150/- per piece. But thats the premium you pay at 9500 feet.  There are a few dhabas nearby that serve good food – all our meals were at Gangotri – from piping hot Upma at 6 AM to Rajma, Chole, Noodles and even Dosa – we had no challenges with good hot food all thru the trip. I stuck to Khichdi most of the days. Tea Coffee is served using Milk Powder – you do get curd , but I think even that is made from milk powder. Price for food is reasonable.

Day – 3 : Ghangria – Valley of Flowers – Ghangria

I had been praying for months for a safe trip with good weather and it was a joy to see clear sky at 5 AM. After a warm bath and breakfast we started our trek at 6.30. A short distance later you complete the registration formalities.(Our guide had taken all the details and entry fees earlier and done the needful so we had no waiting period). Entry pass is Rs 150 valid for 3 days The busiest day at the Valley of Flowers has seen 500 visitors , in July – August the average crowd is about 200 / day. the best part of this trek is that no ponies are allowed – you walk or you are carried by a Sherpa.

Climbing has always been easy for me – coming down thats a challenge on my knees. Sunny skies and the excitement of the final destination nearby energises you and I covered the 4 km to the entrance of the valley of the flowers in 2 1 /2 hrs . Its a beautiful scenic trek thru forests and gushing springs. The weather is pleasant and perfect for trekking. the views are amazing.

If you get tired and thirsty drink some water from the spring – its energising and refreshes you, full of minerals. This is how life was as God made it and we messed it up. Every 30 minutes I stopped for doing a few Pranayams and deep breathing – this really helps in ensuring that the oxygen content in your blood is high. All along your trek you are walking along the Pushpavati river.

The climb was easy and at 9.15 I was in the Valley of Flowers. This UNESCO world heritage site is spread over 30 square kilometres. the end point is the Tipra Glacier (14,500 feet) – from the entry of the Valley of Flowers to the Tipra Glacier is a 10 Km Trek (6 Hrs) and you can pitch a tent there for the night.

We walked 3 kms inside the valley – it was mystical , foggy, surrounded by mountains, brooks and waterfalls all around you – and flowers in a multitude of colours and shapes. Just you and nature. Its nice – but if you have expectations of meadows of flowers as far as the eye can see then you may be a tad disappointed. Which I was – the Valley of Flowers met expectations – did not exceed. It was very nice but it was not jaw dropping spectacular

We had packed lunch – there are no shops on this route , and after lunch we started the trek back to Ghangria by 12 noon. Going back is always tougher – add to the challenge of climbing down it started drizzling. The pathways here are not cemented – its just rocks of different shapes that are on a path – its wobbly and pokey – and on an incline it can be risky. I struggled and moved step by step, inch by inch and finally made it back to the room dead tired by 4 PM, almost 4 hrs. (Most people do not venture 3 Kms deep into the Valley)

A Foot massage followed by a nice warm bath, and a nourishing dinner and I slept like a log at 9 PM (My friends ensured that they were warmed up by a Patiala Peg – there is no liquor available at Ghangria, so ensure that you get it with you or buy it at Joshimath, the stores at Joshimath close by 6 PM – so chances are that by the time you reach its closed)

Day – 4 : Recovery Day 

Last 2 days I had trekked 25 Kms and I was tired. The Tour Company had smartly planned 2 days for the Valley of Flowers – in case of heavy rains there was a backup day. Fortunately for us this backup day was the rest day. The last 4 – 5 days I had been getting up at 4.30 , and was tiring – I needed rest. Guess what – this was the only day in our travel that it was raining heavily. My colleagues decided to walk around and visit a waterfall close by and see the tents. I stayed back in the room to catch up on my strength.

Day – 5 : Hemkunt Sahib 

Located at 14,500 feet – the trek from Ghangria to Hemkunt ( Also spelled as Hemkund ) is steep. You scale 5500 feet in less than 6 kms. The pathway is in better shape than the Valley of Flowers – but most of the route is not as scenic as the Valley of Flowers. Climbing becomes difficult because of the steep altitude and lower oxygen. You have an option of taking a Mule ride – which I did. We left sharp at 6.30 and reached Hemkund at 8.30 – there are many shops on the way on this route. It was a bright and sunny day with Blue Skies. Good to reach early as it gets very foggy after 11 AM .

In his previous birth Guru Nanak is said to have meditated at this spot. Its a beautiful serene place with a glacial lake surrounded by 7 peaks. The mist plays peek a boo with the lake and the whole experience is magical. Right behind the Gurudwara is a place where Lakshman is said to have meditated – and there is a temple in memory of him. Hem Kund as the name suggests is a Snow Lake – and the Gurudwara is open only from June to Sep, rest of the year it is not accessible because of heavy snow. Best period to travel is September.

The water in the lake is freezing , but the strong sardars brave the cold and take dips bare bodied. After a walk around the lake I went and sat inside the Gurudwara from 9.15 to 10 AM. The “Ardas”  is at 10 AM  and at 12 AM ,  we attended the 10 AM “Ardas” after which very tasty Halwa was served as Prasad. Stepping out we had piping hot Khichdi and Tea. Our friends who started the trek at 5.40 AM made it by 9 AM (Which was great – most people take 5 – 6 hrs to climb up)

The rare Brahma Kamal flower blooms in plenty in and around the Hemkunt Saheb – we could see them as we started our trek back. We climbed a small hill – with no path just to get closer to these rare and beautiful flowers. There was a sense of accomplishment and peace as I sat next to the flowers.

I started the trek back with gusto but after an hr my feet started hurting. The steep incline puts pressure on your toes and I was mentally holding back running down – allowing gravity to help me in the way back. I ploughed along for 5 kms and finally the last 1 km I had to take a pony ride. the master trekkers in our team went down almost sprinting in less than 2 hrs.

Day – 6 : We head back to Joshimath 

After breakfast at 6 we started our journey back to Gobind Ghat – the plan was to reach by 9 and then head to Badrinath and Mana on the way to Joshimath. By now my feet were tired and I took the Mule back. We were at Gobind Ghat by 9 – collected the Prasad from the Gurudwara and headed towards Badrinath.

Its a 2 hr drive and the road has many tricky spots where landslides happen frequently. We had been informed that the road was closed for the last 2 days. Fortunately when we reached the roads were open. But there was the risk of landslide in a 100 metre stretch.

Having come so far I wanted to go but the fear of the majority over ruled the faith of a few. We travelled ~ 600 kms in the fragile Himalayan landscape safely and I was sure that we would have passed this 100 m stretch also – God had opened the path to us after 2 days – Badrinath was empty and we would have had great Darshan – but it was not to be. In 2010 I was at the gates of Badrinath but it was very crowded and the Q time was 3 hrs – and we were not able to get a Darshan – I am sure I will get lucky the 3rd time.

On the way back we stopped by at Jyotir Mutt – one of the 4 mutts established by Shankaracharya, he spent almost 14 years here. We were blessed to spend time in front of the Akhand Jyoti that he had lit almost 2500 years back, and pray in front of the “Swayambu” Shiv Linga below the 2500 year old Kalpa Vriksha. This place is brimming with energy and positive vibrations.

Blue Poppy the tour operator delighted us by putting us up at Auli for the night instead of Joshimath. Auli is a hill station at 9500 feet located 15 km from Joshimath.  I had visited Auli a few years back. Its a world famous Ski Town and the ITBP Skiing School is located here. Others in the group took the Cable Car from Joshimath to Auli while I went by the Tempo Traveller with the luggage and on the way stopped by an Apple Orchard. Its a rare joy to pluck an Apple from a tree and bite into it – with the juice flowing down your mouth.

Blue Poppy has very nice Log Cottages at Auli with excellent view of the Nandi Devi. Its mostly cloudy but at 520 AM in the morning I got a good view of the peak. We rested , ate well and were ready to leave the next day.

Day – 7 : We head back to Rishikesh

Breakfast at 6.30 and we started our journey back at 7 AM – we saw multiple landslides that had been cleared and barring a 30 min stop we had a smooth drive all the way to Rishikesh. On the way we did a brief stop at the Dhari Devi temple – one of the 108 Shakti Peeths and highly revered in Garhwal. This is a Kali temple located between Rudraprayag and Srinagar. The temple has the upper part of the Goddess and the bottom part is in another temple called Kalimath in Agasyamuni ( near Uttar Kashi)

 

We reached Rishikesh by 5.30 PM. On the way we passed Vashisht Guha – I love this place and have visited it twice, but it looked like rain was round the corner and we had to abort our plans. At Rishikesh we stayed at the Vasundhara Palace – an excellent property in Muni Ki Reti, 2 min walks from the Ganga. Our friends braved the rain to walk and see the sights of Rishikesh but I preferred staying in the room.

Day – 8 : We head back to Bangalore 

Dehradun airport is closer to Rishikesh – on a Sunday it was a 30 min drive. My flight was at 12.40 and Indigo was nice enough to pre pone my connection at Delhi from 5 PM to 2.40 PM – being the long weekend Bangalore traffic was a breeze and after a comfortable flight I was back home at 6.45 PM

Coincidence – the couple sitting next to me in the flight were also coming back from the Valley of flower trek. They had gone thru a company called India Hikes.

We had gone thru Blue Poppy – a company run by a lovely couple. I was very happy with their arrangement and response. Always ready to customise and help it was a pleasure working with Seema and Devkant Sagwan. Blue Poppy does only Valley of Flowers Trek – they don’t cut corners and try to provide the best. The guide they had provided was excellent.

Other Useful Points ( The company you go with will provide a exhaustive list – this is just a reaffirmation of some important points) 

Valley of Flowers is open from June to Sep , June the valley is covered in snow , July / August is the best time to visit , by Sep the flowers start drying up .

  • 5 Years back 70% of the travellers were foreigners but now Indians have taken over and almost 80% of the travellers are Indians – and they come in all shapes and sizes from 16 year old to 75 + . Gujaratis, Bengalis form the largest groups , while a significant number travel from Bangalore. Its great to see Indians moving from just    ” Seeing Holidays” to ” Doing Holidays”
  • Invest in good gear – a Good trekking show with ankle support is a must
  • Get knee support – coming downhill that will be a big help
  • Ensure to use Sun Screen – we pray for sunny days but at this altitude the sun can be harsh and you will get sun burnt. So even if it is cloudy and rainy as you start remember to use the sunscreen
  • Stay Fit and put in some effort few months before you travel to be in shape. Some people are genetically fit to trek others like me have to pit in some effort.
  • Carry medicines but you don’t need them – on the 1st day night at Ghangria I felt my heart was thumping very fast – but I was able to meditate and bring it down. Don’t panic and take medicines proactively – they are not needed. A strong mind and a fit body is all you need.
  • Eat light – and avoid oily greasy food as you travel
  • This is cash only economy so carry 10 – 15 K with you in currency
  • Can you travel on your own ? Yes some people do but I feel its best to go with an agency that can provide professional guidance and help. An emergency situation is a step away in these regions and thats when you need the help of an agency.
  • Pray and have faith in the almighty – respect the mountains , don’t dirty it
  • Last but not the least – talk to someone who did the trek as you plan and pack , my wife’s guidance and support was invaluable ( she did this trip last year)

________________________

Please follow my Facebook page for regular updates on A Few Good Things 

https://facebook.com/afewgoodthingsvak1969/

Tags: , , , ,

Diving in Havelock – Andaman Holidays

3 May

April is our holiday season. Over the years we have had wonderful holidays across Bali, Krabi, Cambodia, Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and many more exotic locations. Each one has been memorable and we felt like staying on and on ….. However, this year was different.

Driven by my daughter’s desire to go Scuba diving we decided on the Andaman’s. Scuba Diving seems to be the latest passion of teenagers and it’s an expensive hobby – the problem is it’s difficult to find a good safe agency and a clean sea with a lot of divining spots. After weeks of searching we finally zoomed in on Barefoot Holidays and Havelock.

barefoot holidays

Why Havelock? It’s the best place for diving in India – Pristine clean waters, over 2 dozen diving spots in close proximity, a wealth of reef and oceanic life.  You can dive for almost 10 months a year though the best season is from Feb to April when sea conditions are best.  I was also driven by Modis push for nationalism and felt it best to promote the Indian economy with my tourism $$.

Why Barefoot? Of all the Scuba agencies I called in Bangalore they responded the best. I had good references on people who had used them. It’s for the Pro’s – so if you are on a discover Scuba mission you have enough options – but my daughter wanted her PADI certification so we decided to go with the best. Barefoot Scuba divers are passionate and well trained – almost all are Dive Masters with 500 – 5000 dives under their belt. Their infrastructure, safety records are the best. They have good equipment, reliable boats and the Barefoot Scuba resort is bang on beach no 3 with sea facing rooms. Yes, they are expensive – and a 4 day Open water PADI Certification course will cost you 24,000 + Stay / Food ….. (Cheaper options are Dive India & Bubbles). Add to this they also have a transit service apartment in Andaman called ” the Nest” and take care of all your travel in the Andaman’s (Pick up , Ferry etc)

padi certification course

So why am I not very thrilled? The Andaman’s are difficult to get to (Bangalore – Chennai – Port Blair by Flight and then a Ferry to Havelock) – there is no Wi Fi in most hotels / restaurants in Havelock and the network connection is very very poor – there is not much to see – hardly any entertainment – and its expensive – the service is functional and basic, hotels in Havelock have no TV or newspapers – natural beauty is OK nothing spectacular – Check out is at 7 AM – the hotels are decent but not WOW. Add to this the energy of the place is a bit dull and listless – there is some sadness in this place – the minute you land at the airport you can sense that something is missing and that feeling carried thru the trip.

Maybe this is because of the history. This is where the British incarcerated our political prisoners. Torture and treatment meted out to them is comparable to what the Jews suffered in the Nazi camps. Thousands were hanged. Things got worse during the brief occupancy by the Japanese during World War 2. Havelock was not inhabited till the early 50’s and the Indian Govt made this the home for shiploads of refugees from Burma and Bangladesh.

jails

The population in Port Blair is 30% Bengalis and 30% Tamil with the rest from Andhra, Jharkand, Bihar, Panjab etc. Havelock is almost all Bengalis. The whole population in Havelock is now catering to Tourists – agriculture has come to an end and surprisingly we did not see any cows, goats, birds – just a lot of cats. I wonder what that signifies? Yogi Adityanath would have surely said – with no cows there is no positive vibration in Havelock. The Bengalis who are everywhere are good people – but they seem to be engrossed in deep sorrow. Speed, efficiency and a courteous smile is not their natural trait

Day – 1

We landed at Port Blair in the afternoon at 2. Barefoot has a service apartment with 4 rooms “The Nest” that is 5 minutes from the airport. Its decent and homely and was perfect for our transit stop.

In the evening we visited the Cellular Jail – a very well maintained piece of history where you learn that there is a lot more to India’s freedom struggle beyond Gandhi & Nehru. This is where Veer Savarkar and countless others bore the brunt of British cruelty. The light & Sound show at the Cellular jail is good – the story of the Cellular Jail is narrated by an old tree that has seen it all over the years. This is a must visit for every patriotic Indian. However, my friend recommended the Light & Sound show at Ross Island – which is a ferry ride away – that is supposedly even better.

cellular jail

We ended the day with a wonderful dinner at a beautiful roof top restaurant “SeaShells” with a school buddy I am meeting after 29 years. As we were discussing history and Andaman’s with the children we all agreed that the history that is represented in our school books is very different from what actually happened. Whether it is the contribution of the Cholas or the thousands of freedom fighters and their struggle in places like “ Kala Pani” – our school history does not do justice to what really happened.

pic with childrens

Day – 2

We visit the Chatham Saw Mill and a Govt Aquarium (Budget less than 30 min for each) and were back at The Nest for lunch before departing by a private Ferry to Havelock. The private Ferry Service “Makruzz”  costs Rs 1000/- one way – while the Govt ferry is Rs 435). The ferry takes about 2 hrs – they serve snacks on board (Got to pay for it – Sandwiches / Tea / Brownies etc). The service is good.

At Havelock the Barefoot guys were there to receive us. The service from Barefoot was exceptional. It’s part of the Café Coffe Day group and Netaji the manager at Port Blair who was coordinating for us did an outstanding job.

Barefoot has two properties at Havelock – the main property called Barefoot Havelock is an Eco Retreat on the world famous Radha Nagar beach tucked inside a woody rainforest. They have 31 elegantly designed thatch huts, cottages & villas. The other property where we were headed is called Barefoot Scuba – this is the place for Scuba Diving. It’s on Village no 3 near the Jetty and the main market. A few cottages and the rest are shacks. Great food and good service. This is where the hard core divers stay for weeks and months.  The rooms are a stones throw away from the beach. This beach has azure blue water and sand as fine as powder – but the beach is narrow and not a shade to the one at Radha Nagar.

Day 3 to Day 6

My daughter was busy with her PADI certification. Day – 1 was theory and passing an exam, Day – 2 was confined water divining and Day 3 & 4 were the deep sea diving. She enjoyed it and says that the experience was unique. This was her 16th birthday gift and I am hoping she will carry memories of this all her life.

barefoot scuba

My little one and me had a tough time spending our days. Other than Scuba Diving and Sea Food there is not much to do at Havelock. The Radha Nagar beach is awesome and we went there almost every day.

radha nagar beach

 

A second beach called Kala Pathar is OK. The place for touristy activity is Elephant Beach – a 30 min ferry or a 1.5 km trek. We took the Trek that was more adventurous, thru thick forests and some wading thru knee deep water (The Crocs and Anacondas were having an off day)

kala pathar

The ferry costs 700 Rs round trip while the Trek guide charges you Rs 400). You can do Snorkelling , Banana Boat and Sea Walking here. If you have been to S East Asia and Phi Phi island you will be disappointed – there is hardly anything to see in the waters here. Rides are expensive (Rs 500 each for a 5 min ride and the sea walk is a whopping Rs 3500 / person, It’s better to do you jet Skiing at Port Blair)

banana boat

Kayaking, sailing etc seem to be options on paper but we were told that Sailing has been closed down. Clearly this is one island which has a lot of potential but the authorities don’t want it to get more commercial. The recent liquor ban and a threat to ban diving from May 1st was surprising. A Taj property is opening soon and that may drive some high end tourists.

We tried a bunch of restaurants – all of them stone’s throw from our resort. “Anju Coco” was great – awesome food and service. We wanted to visit “Something Different” – but a last minute panic of a strike in Havelock against a possible diving ban from may 1st made us prepone our return and we missed going here.

Autos & cars n Havelock and Port Blair go point to point – so a short 30 min to and fro ride from our resort to Radha Nagar Beach costs Rs 800/-. Most Tourists are couples and backpackers and they rent two wheelers for Rs 400 / day. Liquor is banned in Havelock (The main Barefoot property has a bar – but most other places the bar is closed). No entertainment in the evening – so you are very much done by 830 PM and go to sleep by 9. Carry books, board games – things to keep you occupied if you are travelling with Kids.

The sun rises early – we are on IST but almost halfway to Thailand. So by 5.30 AM it feels like 8 AM in Bangalore. It’s a cash economy – so ensure that you carry lots of cash. There are two ATM’s in Havelock near the jetty. The small Village market has all that you need including a stationery and pharma store.

After 4 days of completing her certification successfully we headed back to Port Blair. The capital is a busy town and a lots of tourists use this as their hub to visit the islands nearby. Barren islands the only active volcano of India is in the Andaman’s and can be visited on a day trip. Lots of options for diving, water sports exist in and around Andaman’s – but we did not explore.

On the way back we had 24 hrs at Port Blair – again staying at The Nest. We managed to visit the Anthropology Museum, the Science Museum, The Naval Museum and a few art stores (Lots of lovely shells to buy at affordable prices). We stopped by at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram which is located right next to the sea.

ramkrishna mission

We discovered Annapurna – Pure Veg South Indian restaurant and after 5 days gorged on Idlis, Dosas and Sambar (Sadly no curd rice was available). The ITC Fortune hotel is close by to “The Nest” and we had lunch there – nice place with an excellent sea view. Other good hotels in Port Blair are Peerless Inn & Sinclair’s.

By the time it was time to leave we had started liking the place. It’s different – don’t expect Goa here. The place has its own rhythm and it takes a few days to get acclimatised. Weather in April end was warm but manageable – best time to travel is Jan – Feb (Nov – Dec the North East Monsoon may cause disruptions)

I may not come back here again– but there are 3 Things that make it worth a visit

  • Diving in Pristine Waters
  • Cellular Jail
  • And some beautiful beaches with soft white sand and azure blue waters….

So go for it!

________________________

Please follow my Facebook page for regular updates on A Few Good Things 

https://facebook.com/afewgoodthingsvak1969/

 

 

Tags: , , ,

Singapore & Bali in 8 days

26 Apr

SE Asia is a travellers paradise – nature has showered its goodness on the region, its reasonably economical and everything works with clockwork precision.

Singapore is normally the 1st international destination for most Indians. Then they graduate to Bangkok, KL, Phuket, Krabi, Langkawi, …… we did all of this and it was now time for Glorious Bali.

Unfortunately there is no direct flight from Bangalore to Bali, so we planned a trip Via Singapore (3 nights at Singapore & 5 nights at Bali). We have been to Singapore many times – but the city always beckons – Singapore can  be described in a few words – small, efficient , safe & a perfect place for a family holiday.

You can spend a relaxed week at Singapore that includes a few days at Sentosa –  in the 3 days that we had we wanted to focus on the the new attractions – sights we had not been to before – Universal studio, Gardens by the Bay & the fascinating Art & Science museum – and with children a trip to the Singapore Zoo & Jurong Bird Park is a must. (Other attractions include Night Safari, Duck Boat, Little India & Chinatown, The Science Centre, The Red Dot Museum, A walk by the marina bay and the Merlon & the underwater park in Sentosa are worth a visit.

Gardens by the bay was the highlight of the visit – two giant air conditioned  indoor canopies that house a world of greenery. We were lucky to see the Tulips in full bloom and it was a riot of colours.

Gardens by the bay

The recently opened Arts & Science museum is also fascinating –  a 1500-square-metre digital universe, where 15 spectacular art installations are brought to life and evolve in real-time through visitor presence and participation.

arts and science museum

Universal Stuido is a key attraction for the kids – it has the following 7 theme parks – New York, Sci – Fi City, Ancient Egypt, Madagascar, Far Far Away, Water World and the Lost World.

I felt that the clock had not moved since 1999 when I first visited at LA. Its the same set of rides and shows – hardly any evolution. You can spend a day if you want to visit every ride – but we were there by 930 and left by 3. (The fast track tickets helped us beat the Q). The scariest ride here is the Battlestar Galactica – it can really shake you up

universal studio

We also managed to walk down Clark Quay and have dinner with some friends – the Quay is the party zone area – we left by 10 PM but this is where you can party till early morning

clark quay

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt at Scotts Road / Orchard intersection – very centrally located. Distances in Singapore are 10 – 15 min by car to almost all attractions – the Bird park is located farthest ( 30 min drive) – but is soon expected to move next to the Zoo

Other Basis Information 

  • Silk Air has a convenient morn 950 AM flight from Bangalore that lands Singapore at 430 PM
  • 1 Sing $ ~ INR 50
  • Cab Fares vary from $ 10 – $20 ( Airport to Hotel ~ $20)
  • Indian Food – not a problem – head to Little India
  • Tickets for the attractions cost from $25 – $50 / person , book online in advance you save money and avoid the Q

2nd Leg of our  tour : Enchanting Bali

On day 3 we took the 630 PM evening flight from Singapore to Bali – its a 2 hrs 30 min flight , and landed at 9.50 PM. You don’t need Visa at Bali and your passport is your entry – you can zip past immigration in 10 min and reach your hotel in 25 – 30 min. The airport is at Denpasar, located in the south of the island.

Bali is Not a City . Its a province of Indonesia which is located between the islands of Java and Lombok island, Bali island is also commonly referred to as The Island Of Thousands Temples, The Island of Gods, and Bali Dwipa, Bali also has several small islands including the island of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan Island, Nusa Ceningan island, Serangan Island and Menjangan Island. Its a bit like Goa and distances between tourist attractions can be as far as 2 – 3 hrs.

bali-cities-map

Background on Bali & Indonesia

Indonesia is an Archipelago with over 2000 islands of which less than 50 are populated. It was a Hindu & Buddhist country in the 600 – 1200 period before the conversion to a Muslim state started happening. It was colonised by the Dutch for ~ 250 years and was under Japanese control for a few years during the 2nd world war. Indonesia is the worlds largest Muslim country. They share the same language and script with the Malaysians.

Bali has strong Hindu roots – Mythology says that the great Sage Agastya is supposed to have travelled to Bali & Java to spread Hinduism 10 – 15,000 years back. 90% of Bali is still Hindu and the area is dotted with thousands of temples. Shiva , Vishnu & Uma are the main deities – and  a lot of what they do is linked to the Ramayana and Mahabharata, but the festivals they celebrate are different from those in India. Would be wonderful to do a research on how Hinduism spread & flourished in  Cambodia , Vietnam , & Malaysia thousands of years back.

(More info on bali here : http://www.baliglory.com/2012/10/bali-history-about-island-god.html)

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Resorts at Nusa Dua which is at the Southern part of Bali. Within Nusa Dua there is a gated enclave designed like a park that houses most of the large resorts – Westin , Hilton , Hyatt etc.

The Grand Hyatt is a sprawling 650 room beach front property with rooms and villas. It is an oasis of peace and tranquility. Quality of rooms and service was excellent. Rates are comparable to the 5 Star rates in India.

Bali has a sense of energy balance – the place is blessed , you can feel the vibes. The people are calm and relaxed (not restless like in India) , soft spoken and seem to be at peace with themselves. there is a sense of contentment and joy and it was wonderful to soak in this environment for 5 nights.

grand hyatt resorts

Tourists come to Bali and spend weeks and months – but if you have 4 days here is a itinerary to follow

Day – 1 : City Tour  9 AM to 6 PM

  • The Goa Gajah or the elephant cave
  • Artisans Village
  • Plantation walk
  • A Visit to a Mount Agung – A live Volcano that last erupted in 1996 (View it from a  Distance – Trek takes 1/2 a day)
  • Shopping at Ubud (Lunch at an Indian Restaurant – Queens)
  • Monkey Forest

A temple supposedly built by sage Agastya – it was excavated recently. 

temple in bali

Mount Agung – one of the active volcanoes in Malaysia

mount agung

An organic farm that grows Cocoa, Coffee , Spices – they served us a tray of over 5 different types of coffee .

organic farm

Day – 2 : City Tour 9 AM to 7 PM

  • Butterfly park
  • Jatiluwih Rice Terraces (UNESCO World Heritage site) *
  • Hot Spring
  • Floating temple (Pura Ulun Danu Bratan)
  • Tanah Lot – Sunset
  • The other 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Bali are the Pakerisan Valley & the Taman Ayun temple ( We did not have the time to visit these beautiful places)

A 2 hr drive from Nusa Dua our first stop on day 2 was a small but pretty butterfly park.

nusa dua

The Jatiluwih rice terraces are located in a hilly part of Bali – the weather is cool and pleasant and it feels like a hill station. The undulating greenery is soothing to the eyes. Spend some time here and take a relaxed walk by the rice fields and be with nature – its calming & serene. Not very crowded as getting here takes almost 3 hrs.

jatiluwih rice terraces

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, or Pura Bratan, is a major Shivaite and water temple  The temple complex is located on the shores of Lake Bratan in the mountains near Bedugul.

Built in 1663, this temple is used for offerings ceremony to the Balinese water, lake and river goddess Dewi Danu, due to the importance of Lake Bratan as a main source of irrigation in central Bali. The 11 stories of pelinggih meru dedicated for Shiva and his consort Parvathi. Buddha statue is also present inside this temple.

Lake Bratan is known as the Lake of Holy Mountain due to the fertility of this area. Located 1200 m above sea level, it has a cold tropical climate.

Its a beautiful temple with landscaped gardens and a large lake – we reached here in the evening around 4 PM and it was a wonderful sight.

pura ulun danu bratan

The Tanah Lot temple is best visited at sunset or sunrise. It was built and has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. Each of the sea temples was established within eyesight of the next to form a chain along the south-western coast. This temple reminded me of the Shore temple at Mahabalipuram and the fact that maybe the Pallavas or their descendants had some influence in the design and construction of these temples at Bali.

In addition to Balinese mythology, the temple was significantly influenced by Hinduism. At the base of the rocky island, venomous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. The temple is purportedly protected by a giant snake, the temple complex has a snake park.

tanah lot temple

The Bali temples are well marketed but are no comparison in size, stature and design to what we see in S India.

Day 2 was a long trip and we were back only by 730 PM

Day – 3 : At the Resort , Shopping and the Devdan Show

With 5 pools, 5 restaurant , amazing green landscape and a great beach we had to spend one day at the Grand Hyatt Resort and most of day 3 was spent there.

resort swimming pool

Right next to the Resort is a beautiful mall called the Bali Place where we stopped by for some shopping and late lunch and in the evening visited the spectacular Devdan show.

This is a live 2 hr show ( like a Las vegas show) with light & sound effects that presents the different art and cultural treasures of the Indonesia archipelago. A well choreographed program it was indeed a sight to watch. ( Tickets are expensive ~ 80$ / person)

bali place mall

We ended the day with dinner at an Indian restaurant and felt like a millionaire as the bill was 1 M Indonesian Rupiah. ( that is about $ 70 or Rs 5000)

Day – 4 : Cruise to Lembogan island and water sports 

The last day was a cruise to the Lembogan Island – this is about 1 hr from the Nusa Dua harbour. You spend the day here – its a picnic, you leave the resort at 7.45 AM and are back by 5 PM  . Activities include snorkelling, diving, Aquanauts, kayaking & banana boat. The package includes vegetarian lunch (and we were pleasantly surprised to get good vegetarian food)

The girls were brave enough to go diving while we experimented with Aquanauts. This is the easy way to go to the seabed (10 metres) as you get down with oxygen masks to see the flare and fauna below. Kids above 9 are allowed.

aquanauts bali hai

That brought us to our last supper and the chef was kind enough to prepare a meal of paratha , dal and curry for us ( Food at Bali & the Hyatt is a bit challenging for vegetarians and the Balinese dishes are not as nice as the Thai ones – during the trip we were mainly on Pasta / Pizza )

family dinner

That brought us to the end of a lovely 8 day trip. I am thankful to the weather gods and all the people who helped in making the trip successful – the travel agents in India , the tour operators in Bali (Bali Hai Cruises who managed all the bookings for us msuwitra@yahoo.com), my brother who helped us in Singapore , the friendly tourist guide Karma in Bali, the staff at The Grand Hyatt at Singapore & Bali , the kids who were wonderful all thru the trip, for SQ that took off and landed on time , to the immigration officials where the lines were zipping and our friends from Mantri – it really helps to go on a holiday as two families – its a lot more fun.

A big Thank You to all for a memorable trip.

memorable trip

PS : Additional contact for car booking – we did not use this since we were a group of 8 and had booked a van – but was strongly recommended by our friends for a family of 4 : Driver Name Abbe +62 878 60570999

 

Tags: , ,

A Few Good Places ….Over 100 amazing Resorts & Homestay across India

24 Jan

This is a rare list of the most unique offbeat resorts, villas and home-stays across India. I have travelled to many of them over the years. The common link to all these is Exotic, Nature and Serenity. So make the most of the long weekends in 2021 and plan your holidays now. Finding a good property is the first big step towards a great holiday.

The Blog Lists

  • A Review of all the places I have visited in the last 10 years
  • A list of amazing properties that are in my list to visit, segregated by regions – South, North, East & West

A woman wades in the pool of the Ganga Pool Villa at Ananda in the Himalayas, The Palace Estate, Narendra Nagar, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India. The Ganga Pool Villa is a one-bedroom private villa with its own infinity pool.

A Few Good Places we have visited in the last few years

 

And the places I want to visit … 

South

  • Rivemist Resorts, about 70 Km from Chickmagalur near Hornadu is a rare treat in the lush green of W Ghats ~ 4950 feet above MSL. The greatest + of this wonderful nature retreat is the waterfall and the Netravati river that flows through the resort ground – https://rivermistresorts.com
  • On the banks of the Kabini, a small boutique resort to experience the beauty of the jungles in African styled tented accommodation, The Bison Resort – https://thebisonresort.com
  • The Evolve group is a class beyond compare for luxury & service, Evolve (Orange County) – Kabini
  • Among this amalgamation of waterways and forests lies Red Earth Kabini. An unpretentious resort located on the backwaters of the Kabini Dam, Red Earth http://www.redearthkabini.in
  • Villa Urvinkhan is a unique concept of creating a luxury resort with the warmth of a home, Chickamagalur –  http://www.villaurvinkhan.com
  • A warm and comfortable home stay located in the foothills of Mullayangiri with Fertile stretch of iron enriched soil ideal for coffee cultivation. This house is located in the middle of lush green coffee plantation, Hence the name Thotadhahalli means estate village in kannada.- http://www.thotadahalli.com
  • Budget Friendly homestay on the banks of the Bhadra river, Shanti Kunj  – https://shanthikunnj.com
  • A Newly opened resort at Chickamagalur, Java Rain resorts http://www.javarainresorts.com
  • A scenic beauty by the river, Meriyanda Nature Lodge Coorg – http://www.meriyanda.com
  • An authentic Coorg Homestay ,  Gowri Nivas (Luxury Homestay), http://www.gowrinivas.com
  • Coorg Wilderness Resort – At Coorg Wilderness Resort we bring you to the very doorstep of nature, offering a rare opportunity to be part of the wild, yet with every possible comfort and luxury. https://www.coorgwildernessresort.in
  • Nestled in a lush and thriving coffee plantation, Old Kent Estates takes one back to the period of the British Raj.  and is surrounded by a large English garden and acres of plantation and woodlands – Coorg, www.oldkentestate.com
  • On the Vembanad lake, a 2 hr drive from Ernakulam, Kumarakom lake resort – http://www.kumarakomlakeresort.in
  • Experience harmony with nature at the Spice Tree Resorts – Munnar http://spicetreemunnar.com
  • Tranquil is run with the efficiency of a resort but with the personalized touch of your hosts – Tranquil Waynad (Luxury Homestay), https://www.tranquilresort.com
  • Milton Abbott Estate is a quintessential late-19th century British colonial estate bungalow with an old world charm perfect for a laidback holiday – Ooty, https://www.saffronstays.com/view/milton-abbot-estate-a-private-1865-vintage-heritage-bungalow-estate-by-the-ooty-golf-course-TI7tLWKUqiCdam6m
  • Tamara Kodai – Set high in the hills of Kodaikanal, The Tamara Kodai provides a luxury, heritage experience unlike any other. This picturesque hotel dates back to the 1840s. The building itself was originally called Baynes Bungalow owned by British District Judge, Mr. Baynes. https://www.thetamara.com/kodaikanal-resort/
  • Chidambaram Vilas – Recreates an authentic experience of the luxurious Chettinad lifestyles of the last century, through a heritage Chettiar palace that preserves 108 years of history http://www.chidambaravilas.com
  • The Bangla – A heritage hotel in the heart of Chettinad. http://www.thebangala.com
  • Saratha Vilas, built by a wealthy Tamil merchant in the early 1900s, is a prime example of the luxurious mansions unique to the heritage of the Chettinad region. The 34500 sq. ft. property, including buildings, courtyards and gardens, has been painstakingly restored, and converted into a ten-bedroom boutique hotel by two French architects passionate about the preservation of Chettinad and its history, https://sarathavilas.com
  • Palai De Mahe – An address in the French Quarter with a distinct colonial stamp.Palais de Mahe lies close to the sea side promenade, barely 50 metres from the cool breezes and gentle rumblings of the Bay of Bengal.
    This signature hotel – with its majestic courtyard, deep verandahs, attractive pillars and period furniture – combines south Indian fire and flavor with French intensity and fervor to bring you an experience that is in every way unforgettable.An address in the French Quarter with a distinct colonial stamp. Palais de Mahe lies close to the sea side promenade, barely 50 metres from the cool breezes and gentle rumblings of the Bay of Bengal. This signature hotel – with its majestic courtyard, deep verandahs, attractive pillars and period furniture – combines south Indian fire and flavor with French intensity and fervor to bring you an experience that is in every way unforgettable.https://www.cghearth.com/palais-de-mahe
  • Maison Perumal – A Franco-Tamil heritage in Pondicherry. Maison Perumal is a period bungalow that we had the privilege to turn into a distinguished boutique hotel. Located in the Tamil quarter of Pondicherry, this 18th-century house exudes a legacy that reflects the French colonial aura of this small seaside town. https://www.cghearth.com/maison-perumal
  • CGH Earth Properties – has amazing properties across South India in multiple cities, mostly in Kerala https://www.cghearth.com

North 

  • A beautiful mountain getaway by the river – Keiths Cottage is a rare find which I am keen to visit soon. Keith’s has been build around the simplicity of nature and the joys of our childhood. The freshness of air, the run by the brook, the chirping of birds, the fruits & vegetables that grew in the backyard, the songs that stole our heart or just watching the wide sky with an empty mind. Not to forget the sumptuous organic home cooked food. Life was always meant to be simple and we hope to bring back some of those memories to everyone who visit us.https://keithscottages.com.
  • 8,825 feet above sea level in the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas, stands a world-class resort that captures the beauty of its pristine setting. With majestic views of the Affarwat Peaks, The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa is spread over 7 acres of a sylvan coniferous forest https://www.khyberhotels.com
  • Itmenaan Estate is a fairytale getaway in a peaceful rural setting in the Kumaon Himalayas. http://www.itmenaanlodges.com 
  • Vana almost seems a contradiction – a forest touching it on one side, and nestled between the city of Dehradun and the hill station of Mussoorie. Vana Retreat – Adults only (Vana Retreats | Wellness | Wellbeing), https://vana.co.in
  • Located on the fringes of protected Sal forests West of Dehradun, nestled in 23 acres, in quiet environs with nothing but Nature as company is Vishranti, A Doon Valley Resort & Spa.
    Vishranti Resorts (Vishranti Resorts and Spa in Dehradun | Luxury Farm Stay) – https://vishrantiresorts.com/en/
  • Sophisticated luxury and simplicity far far away in a remote Kumaon Village – Leti 360, https://www.shaktihimalaya.com/kumaon.php
  • Samode Safari Lodge, Bandhavgarh National Park, one of the best places to spot a Tiger, https://www.samode.com/safarilodge/
  • An oasis of tranquility in the desert, The Serai, Near Jaisalmer, One of the 12 Luxury Relais & Chateaux properties in India, https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/india/serai-rajasthan-jaisalmer
  • Tree of Life resort & spa – Jaipur, https://www.treeofliferesorts.com/jaipur/

East 

  • Rajbari Bawali – Explore the charm of a royal Zamindar household in Kolkata, https://www.therajbari.com
  • Sikkim Village Walks, Shakti Himalaya, a property that also owns Shakti Himalayas Leti 360 in Kumaon – https://www.shaktihimalaya.com/sikkim.php
  • Glenburn is a heavenly little plantation retreat that lies on a hillock above the banks of the River Rungeet, high in the Himalayas, overlooked by the mighty Kanchenjunga mountain range. Its a 100 year old property. Glenburn Tea Estate Darjeeling – http://www.glenburnteaestate.com
  • Mayfair Palm Beach, The best place to stay and explore Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Konark. https://www.mayfairhotels.com/mayfair-gopalpur/
  • Balakhana – Stay in a stately early 19th century French villa. The architectural heirloom of a distinguished Bengali Zamindari family, who still live there on a 16 acre estate. https://www.balakhana.com
  • Itachuna Rajbari, A taste of Royalty. http://www.itachunarajbari.com
  • Jhargram Palace – the current residence of the Malla Dev Royal family. It is a structure combining the Italian and Islamic architecture model. About 10 rooms on the ground floor have been converted into a Heritage Hotel run by the family. Set in carefully laid lawns and gardens which was built in 1922 CE. http://www.jhargrampalace.com

West & Central 

  • Luxury Forest Resorts. Pugdundee Safaris is recognized as one of India’s leading responsible safari companies. With six intimate jungle lodges in Central India and many bespoke wilderness experiences it presents the very best of the Indian subcontinent wildlife & hospitality. https://www.pugdundeesafaris.com
  • Tree House resort near Lonawala , Machan – https://www.themachan.com
  • Ahilya Fort Hotel – MP, In the year 2000, Prince Richard Holkar, thedescendant and son of the last Maharaja of Indore, converted his home in Ahilya Wada into a guest residence, today known around the world as the Ahilya Fort Hotel. https://ahilyafort.com
  • Ayurveda and Yoga on the beach. SwaSwara means your inner voice and true to its name, this is a place of natural harmony to release, refocus and recalibrate the self. Swaswara Gokarna. https://www.cghearth.com/swaswara
  • https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj-safaris/ – Wild Life safari , Luxury
  • Atmantan – Luxury health and wellness resort at Mulshi , near Lonawala – https://www.atmantan.com

 

A Few Good websites 

Tags: , , , ,

Picture Perfect Krakow – In 36 Hrs

12 Jul

When most Indians thinks of Europe for travel  – they  think of London, Paris, Rome – Italy , Switzerland and maybe Amsterdam. All these are great cities and I have loved visiting them but Krakow, Prague and Budapest have been on my to do visit list for long – and finally I managed a weekend trip to Krakow.

A little bit about Krakow & Poland 

  • The history of Poland results from the migrations of Slavs who established permanent settlements on the Polish lands during the Early Middle Ages – around 966 AD. The country adopted Catholic Christianity.
  • Around 1795 after a series of invasions and partitions of Polish territory carried out by the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy Poland ceased to exist as a country till 1918.  After 21 years in 1939 Russia and Nazi Germany invaded Poland and demolished the country  during WW 2.
  • Till 1990 Poland was part of the East Bloc – a communist country – the country has flourished since 1990 under a open market – thanks to their hard work ethics.
  • Krakow is the 2nd largest city in Poland after Warsaw – its history goes back to 966 AD and over the last 1100 years it has miraculously avoided and destruction – though it was the Capital of Poland for more than 700 years. Poland today has a population of 38 M – and Krakow a population of less than 1M
  • The Polish language – with close similarity to Russian was developed around 1600 – Poland has many neighbours – Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Czechoslovakia, Belarus, Slovakia and Germany
  • Krakow can get seriously cold in winter ( – 20 Degrees) July to Oct is the best time visit – days are long from 5 AM to 10 PM and the weather is a pleasant 25 Degrees
  • 1 Polish Zloty ~ 17 INR , the city is very affordable. Salaries are still low and the average salary is $ 600 / month for a school teacher , bank / hotel front office staff.

Why did I want to visit Krakow 

For some strange reason I have been wanting to visit the Nazi concentration camp at Aushwitz. WW 2 fascinates me and having read a lot about Aushwitz – its been on my must visit last for the last 5 years. But lucky me Aushwitz was interesting – but Old City Krakow and its charming localities were  more fascinating.

Getting to Krakow 

Its a 2 hr flight from London – Ryan Air and Easy Jet have many daily flights from Stanstead airport (The cab fare to Stanstead from Central London can be more expensive than the air fare) – there is a 1 hr time lag – so my 8.50AM flight reached Krakow at 12 Noon – and I was in the Sheraton by 1.15 afternoon. Krakow airport is small – Schengen Visa – and the distance from the airport to the city centre is 15 – 20 min. The Sheraton is a lovely affordable property in the centre of old town – facing the river front – 100 m away from the Castle. ( Sheraton Krakow rooms were ~ $90/night)

What are the main things to do in Krakow 

I would say 3 must do activities – of which the 1st and the 3rd are UNESCO world heritage cites.

  1. Old Town tour
  2. A visit to Aushwitz and Birkenau
  3. A Visit to the Wieliczska Salt Mine

1. The Old Town tour will take 3 – 4 hrs and most of it can be covered by walk. Important areas to visit include the main market square, St Mary’s Basilica, The University (where Copernicus studied)  and Wavel Castle. You must also visit the Schindler Museum, Old Jewish Town (And here is where you have an Indian restaurant)  and the Ghetto area.

The town is charming – cobbled streets, nice shops, lively crowd – the evening the shops and pubs are brimming with energy – there is live music in the square. I took a guide – because language is a problem and I wanted to make the most of the limited time I had. Some snaps of this picture perfect Old Town. The Town Square is large – imagine the vision to design something liked this a 1000 years back.

I started at 2 and was done by 6 – a Bit rushed at the Schindler museum where I could have spent more time – but we covered everything – 80 % by walk and a few short rides by Cab. After some rest – I was back at the Market square at 7.30 for  nice dinner with live music and back in my room by 9.30 at the lovely Sheraton that is located centrally opposite to the Castle

The Castle 

krakow castle

Main Market Square and Basilica 

main market square

Lots of fun stuff happening in the streets 

krakow streets

Old Jewish town at Szeroka 

old jewish town

2. Aushwitz & Birkenau

Day – 2 was very busy. I started with a early morning walk by the river and reached a beautiful park that surrounds the old town. It was fresh and green and quiet – all to myself at 5.30 AM. A sumptuous breakfast and we ready for a group tour to Aushwitz. Its a 1 hr drive from Krakow.

Although called Aushwitz – there were two Camps Aushwitz and Birkenau. They were the largest Nazi concentration & death camp where about 1.1 Mn – mainly Jews died. Aushwitz was smaller – 6 hectares and Birkanau was 25 times larger. But Aushwitz had a higher density.

auschwitz

People to these camps came from Poland (Political Prisoners) , Russian Prisoners of War , Jews from Poland, Hungary , Austria , Germany and Gypsies from Hungary and Romania.  Many came from Hungary packed into Trains – 80 to 100 in a wagon – long journeys of 2 – 3 days. The journey was a torture and many died in transit. They were lucky.

wagon

On reaching Birkenau they were sorted – the old, weak, pregnant, small kids – who could not work where sent directly to the gas chambers and the others to the concentration camps. Work was gruelling – 11 hrs , and food was hardly any – 2 cups of coffee in the morning , a bowl of soup for lunch and few slices of bread and a small piece of meat for dinner – all put together less than 1000 calories. Bitter cold of Poland, poor sanitation and back breaking work – hardly anyone survived for more than 6 months. The message was work hard – “work will set you free”

birkenau

At Aushwitz there were 700 – 1200 people in each building , each bunker was shared by 2 people, and there were 20 toilets and 1 washroom to be shared in a building. Punishment for the smallest of crimes was cruel and people were banished to suffocation rooms, starvations cells and many were shot or hanged at the slightest provocation. Inspite of this some survived when the red army came in 1945 – and of them 300 survivors came to Birkenau last year to celebrate the 70th anniversary of freedom.

aushwitz building

Over 1500 people were terminated in the Gas chambers in one shot – took 20 minutes for the deadly gas to take effect – post that their bodies were picked dry, hair was used for making mats, gold teeth were extracted, and the cremated ash was used as fertilisers.

IMG_5862

The scale of death and pain is unimaginable and it was done with German precision – extermination of Jews with 6 Sigma precision.

We reached Aushwitz at 9.30 and after the tour of both the places was back in the hotel by 3 PM – just in time to grab a quick lunch and then rush on a private tour to the world famous salt mines. The hotel had arranged a brand new Merc and the driver entertained me with nuggets of Poland and local history on the 20 min drive.

3. The Wieliczska salt mines are almost 500 years old. At one time they provided  30% of the country’s revenues. Salt was as expensive as gold in 1600 – 1700. A tonne of salt could buy a village with 200 people. Salt was important to preserve meat and food. Right from the Roman times a cup of salt was a form of currency – and the word Salary owes its origin to the humble cup of Salt.

wieliczska salt mines

The mines are deep – almost 1000 feet deep – but the guided tour takes us down to about 400 feet. You walk down and come up a lift – a lot of walking in the 3 hrs you spend at the mines – almost 3 – 4 kms. It is tiring – but you are welcome to lick the salt on the walls anytime to regain some energy – or take a deep breath in the pools of crystal clean green water saturated with rich rock salt. Excavation results in the mine becoming unstable – hence each cavern after excavation is propped up by logs – in all 1 M cubic foot of wood has been used to prop up the mine.

deep mines

The creative part – lots of amazing sculptures are visible – any famous visitor and those from biblical times are prominently exhibited in the caverns , chapels and alleys. There are about 300 kms of tunnels – a labyrinth of pathways deep down – in the 3 km we walked we probably did not cover even 1 %. But that itself was fascinating and tiring. The entire route is very well maintained, well lit and worthy of a UNESCO heritage site.

amazing sculptures

I finished the mine trip by 7 PM and headed back to town – a lovely dinner at the Indian restaurant ( I was famished with so much of walking) and back in the room at 9 PM – it as a long day but I wanted to get done with the blog as my memory was fresh.

One last thing – the people of Krakow are soft spoken  very professional and helpful – when they start talking in Polish they accelerate and run like a train at 100 mph  – and Monika at the concierge was the perfect example of a local citizen. I was in touch her a few days back trying to get my bookings done for the tours etc – she was super responsive and very articulate on email and when I met her I could see energy and professionalism gushing all over – and she has been at the same job for 10 years – hats off – wish more Indians could have her work ethics. Thank you Monika – you and the Sheraton were the perfect hosts for these 36 hrs – and thank you for making this a memorable trip

people of krakow

Tags: , , ,

← Older Entries