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Ladakh - Planning The Trip

Over 2000 Km by road, in around 10 days. Stunning landscapes, wonderful people. That sums up our Ladakh trip. But how did it actually work? How did we make it happen? Read on to find out!  Leh, the capital of Ladakh , is accessible by air and road. Flying into Leh is the easiest, and time-saving option, while the road is the time consuming one, but with the added advantage of driving past some of the most beautiful landscapes in our country. Each option has much to recommend it, and we chose the road for just one reason – altitude sickness. Altitude sickness was one of my biggest concerns, since I suffer from motion-sickness. Yes, I do travel a lot, but that is despite my condition, and, over the years, have learnt how to handle it. I struggled with it when we visited Nathu-La in Sikkim, and wondered if I would be able to manage a week at the even higher altitudes that we would encounter in Ladakh. This was the reason we stuck to a basic plan, of only 9 days in Ladakh, thoug...

Collecting Memories at Tathagata Farm, Darjeeling

It was in early 2013 that I first heard of Tathagata Farm , near Darjeeling. They invited me to visit their farm stay, but I had no plans then, of travelling east. It was an open offer, they assured me, and I could stay with them whenever I did make the trip. Time passed, and I received a lot more such invites. Some worked, others didn't, many didn't even bother to reply. When I planned my Kolkata and Sikkim trip in December 2014, I remembered them, and wrote, wondering if they would even remember me, or their offer. Plus, I was going with Samhith and Shankar, so, I offered to pay for them, and also for an extra day. Imagine my surprise therefore, when they replied at once, graciously inviting us for two days, asking me only to pay for our transport!  It’s not often that we see such hospitality, and I already looked forward to our stay there!

Journeying into the wild at Jaldapara

It was Sankara , who put the idea of visiting Jaldapara into my head. I was in the process of planning my December trip to Kolkata, Darjeeling and Gangtok, and, happening to meet him, asked his advice. “Why do you want to go to Darjeeling?” He asked. It is so crowded. Why don’t you try Jaldapara instead? You will like the jungle experience. Besides, you just might see some Rhinos!” That word clenched it. I altered my plans, and made time for Jaldapara.

Indian Museum, Kolkata

When I first announced my intention of going to Kolkata, Sudha said, “ Whatever you do, don’t miss the Indian Museum! ”  I must confess that, till then, I hadn’t heard of the Indian Museum. I knew there were many museums in Kolkata, and I had every intention of seeing as many as I could, but why specifically the Indian Museum? “ Because it was the first museum in India ” she replied, “ and this is the museum where all discoveries from various excavations were first brought, and later on, given to other museums. ” That settled it. I didn’t need any more reasons to be convinced. 

40 Hours in Kolkata

This was a trip I had long looked forward to – my first visit to the eastern parts of India, beginning with Kolkata! It was also one of the most difficult of trips to plan – there was so much I wanted to see, and yet, I had so little time to pack it all in… oh, and yes, I wanted it to be a relaxed trip, not one where I ran from one place to another. Eventually, I spent just 2 days in the city, arriving early in the morning, and leaving the next evening. How much could I pack into the two paltry days? Quite a bit, apparently. So, here then, are my experiences, in the city of joy!

Beginning the New Year with a smile...

10 days into the new year, 2015 promises to be just as hectic as the last one. 2014 was a mixed bag, taking us on a roller coaster ride of emotions.I hope 2015 brings us all a lot more peace in our lives, and gives us more reasons to smile. Sharing with you all a pic clicked from my recent trip to Kolkata... This is the head of a Bodhisattva , 2nd century C.E, from Sankisa in UP, now at the Indian Museum, Kolkata. The sculptor has so beautifully captured the inner peace and contentment behind that serene smile. May we all be blessed with the same peace and contentment this year....

Merry Christmas!

Wish you all a very merry Christmas, with this glimpse of Christmas decorations in kolkata! I am traveling through Christmas and New Year, so to keep up with my updates, follow me on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .