Chicago, IL. One of the premier and full-bodied metropolises of this planet. I have been there thrice. I might go there again. The Windy City never disappoints. Chicago, has something for everyone. From backpacking solo travelers, to romantic honeymooners, to comfortable family travelers to wild a bunch of friends to the culturally and musically oriented […]
Adventures on the Winter Kuari Pass Trek
Getting the logistics out of the way: Getting to Kuari Pass From our adventures in Hawalbagh, we headed towards Joshimath to initiate our Winter Kuari Pass Trek. An early morning bus ride from Kosi to Karanprayag (six hours), then a shared cab to Chamoli (about two hours) and then a cab from Chamoli to Joshimath […]
Hawalbagh, a missing page in a lost book
It was the 25th of December, my dad’s birthday and Christmas. It was also time for another adventure. It was time for our two-week tryst with the Himalayas. Our winding journey would take us through Bangalore > Delhi > Kathgodam > Almora > Hawalbagh > Joshimath > Kuari Pass > Joshimath > Rishikesh > Dehradun […]
Bangalore to Goa Road Trip
Long weekends are city people’s nirvana! Goa! Between Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti, this time we had a four day weekend. What better way to spend the days than a hastily planned road trip to Goa. South Goa to be precise. Far from the maddening crowd of Bangalore (and of the popular North Goa). Our Goa […]
Kumbakonam and Thanjavur: A trip down the Glorious Yesteryears of Indian Temples
Getting there (Kumbakonam and Thanjavur): Bangalore to Kumbakonam: 410 kms 7:30 – 8:30 hrs by road, 10-11 hours by train Kumbakonam to Thanjavur: 40 kms, 1 hr 15 mins by road Visiting our Ancestral home in Kumbakonam Over the years, visits to Kumbakonam have increased in frequency. Kumbakonam is the town where I was born. […]
Weekend Getaway to Chikamagalur
Very few experiences commandeer the human spirit like walking through a forest during rains. Every nook and corner is teaming with life, colors, sounds, fragrance and an intangible verve. It is about four years I have relocated to Bangalore and have never had an opportunity to visit Chikmagalur. An idyllic town at the foothills of […]
Seven Surreal experiences at Isha Yoga Center
For weeks, we have been waiting for this day. Our day trip to Isha Yoga Center (Google Map directions) on foothills of Velliangiri mountains – also known as Kailash of the South. We had signed up for the Ashram visit program organized by Isha volunteers. After a hectic day’s work, both Chanchal and I met […]
Kedarkantha Trek – A Himalayan Adventure (5 of 5)
Last day of our Kedarkantha trek Waking up early amidst the towering Himalayas was a routine we had gotten used to in our Kedarkantha trek– this was a routine we could really get used to. The Hargaon campsite in the morning was idyllic. Tall oaks surging up to the skies, clear blue sky, unending presence […]
Kedarkantha Trek – A Himalayan Adventure (4 of 5)
Kedarkantha summit day! Kedarkantha beckons. Woken up at 2:30 AM by Kuldeep Rana. In the pitch dark, under the grace of our head lamps we got ready. Changed all the layers, got ready for the freezing chill outside. We had super early breakfast of, noodles, pasta, soup and chai at 3:00 a.m. We could only […]
Kedarkantha Trek – A Himalayan Adventure (3 of 5)
The beautiful morning in Sankri, Woke up early at 5:00 a.m. Waiting for the innkeeper to turn on the solar geyser so that we can take bath in warm water before we get going. This is going to be the last bath at least for next five days. We need to get used to […]