Monday 24 March 2014

Dear Malaysia, its About Time We Met

I’ve always been a city kid. I find the flux of cultures and people is a heady flavour in city-scapes like no place else.  But ever so often, there is a calling to the wilderness, to the ever green jungles and magical misty mountains. How about a land with a heady mix of both; ah Malaysia, it’s about time we met.
I want to play every bit of the tourist here. Get a fine tan at the beaches of Borneo, have a scandalising fish head meal at street joints in Kuala Lumpur and shop till I drop in its many malls. I want to be the intrepid traveller too and summit the elusive Mt. Kinabalu. I watched The Sensei recently, a film about bouldering, a form of rock climbing in Mt. Kinabalu as part of the Banff Mountain film festival screened by The Himalayan Club in Bombay. Being an adventure enthusiast myself, the granite rock formations and avenue of options available there just blew me away, forever wanting to Walk the Torq.   

Explore the rain forests of Sarawak I will and free dive in Sipadan’s turquoise waters and marvel at the magic under play.

But what also excites me about Malaysia is beyond its geo-tropically gorgeous landscapes. I like to believe that I go beyond the images that pass us by on my travels and focus on the little things that meet my eye. Like sounds of the Arzan in the early hours of dawn or that elusive solo piece of a street musician; to record these sounds, paint their rhythms is something I cherish; and it all stems from the people of the land I travel to. I am drawn to the people of the land and Malaysia has a fine blend of Indian, Malay and Chinese showcased elegantly on Humans of Malaysia  in which I see candid moments of her people in an amalgamation of stories just waiting to be told. I would like to experience this heart-split-in-two country through their voice, witness their emotions towards one of Asia's economically sound states and sample what is easily one of the world's most drool worthy cuisine - Malay food.   

Food - now that’s a vital point. I was brought up to be a vegetarian. I followed it up by reason and logic and continued to be so as a young adult. But over my ten years of travel I witnessed cuisine in its most local flavour; in the fresh catch of the day at sea in Maldives or flavoured meats and chorizo at a farmers market in Vienna. The passion with which they cook their food so fine, like it has a direct connect with the Divine! I was smitten then as I am now by cuisines to every nation I travel; for is the experience of travel ever complete without sampling its cuisine, making your taste buds romance with its fragrant culture? I think not. Thus somewhere down the road, the traveller in me took precedence and since then I have relished the baklavas in Turkey, Kababs in the UAE, the Schnizel in Germany and now hope to make a few makan kaki while sampling paripap and tong sui in Malaysia.  

I want to witness this medley of lush jungles and city-scapes all encompassed into the heart of one culture curry that is Malaysia. And then when the city calls her girl back home, she will leave with a bag full of stories to share with the world about this microcosm - Malaysia.  

I am participating in the MalaysiaJao Blogathon Contest in association with BlogAdda.com.

Thursday 20 March 2014

Going the Home Stay Way

I wanted a respite from the plastic confines of a hotel, was not much in the mood for room service and took a fancy to befriend locals. So I chose to do just that on my next trip – I went the home stay way and what an experience it was.
What is it about home stays? I mean why would you leave your home to travel across the globe and live in a stranger’s home? The bed, the pillows even the bathroom arrangements are not going to be like that at yours; then why this sudden fixation with home stays when you can just as well choose to stay at a luxury hotel or resort?
Aha, I think it is part of the dynamic nature of travel; it’s like adding a dimension to your regular travel experience by befriending the unknown.   
A friend suggested I try Airbnb, a platform where you can rent a room or a flat at a local resident’s home and stay with locals. Now that’s what I was looking for. So I decided to give it a go.
After a couple of brief and friendly online interactions with the hosts I zeroed in on Stephie and Stephan’s home, there was something so inviting and endearing about the interaction with them. Stephie shared her excitement of hosting us as she had just got back from a trip exploring India and was eager to share her memories.
So even before we arrived at their place, there was a sense of familiarity which eased any doubt of staying at a strangers place.
Serendipity. One of my favourite words in the English dictionary, I like to call it happenstance too. Here's why. We were late to collect the key to their home and were almost resigned to the fact that we might be homeless for the first couple of hours in Munich and there we saw our host Stephan waiting for us at the station with the key. Us having taken the wrong train, losing the way to reach a couple of stations too far, then riding back on, getting off at the far left side of the platform just where he stood, all summed up to a pure moment of happenstance, a couple of compartments here and there or a couple of minutes arriving too early or two late and we would have missed each other.
I have shared my experience of the day we arrived in the story about The Key.
With the key now safe and secure we headed towards the apartment in the direction Stephan had pointed out, a couple of blocks away. The local residential homes gave me a contemporary vibe with wide open glass windows and well light spaces. An early morning photo shoot was in process as we walked up the set of stair overlooking the studio towards our home for the next few days in Munich.

Even though it was a rented space that slight hesitance stalled me at the entrance as it made me aware of entering a stranger’s home.  They were both off to work so we knew we had the home to ourselves for a while this gave us time to settle in.Neatly placed shoes to one corner at the entrance, a jacket rack and an old polished wooden trunk greeted me. With the soft patter of wooden flooring we entered their home. The colours – with small motifs hanging around the corridors leading to a magazine collage like colourful kitchen.

Chocolate nuggets placed at the center of an old wood table surrounded by a divan covered in the most eclectic of hues; their furniture made for a cute and quaint arrangement.  
A kettle of freshly brewed tea awaited us as we entered the kitchen and whilst I helped myself to a cuppa, the handmade bulletin board adorning the wall across marked with their memories; photographs of friends, cards from family and messages from previous guests gave us a glimpse into their lives and even before we met them, I already liked them.

Our designated room was beyond the kitchen and what do we see just as we enter our room? A gorgeously colourful room yes, but there on the bed kept snug atop each pillow – a little welcome gift a Bavarian chocolate!
Talk about combining the candid comforts of home with the luxuries of a hotel!

We enjoyed conversations with Stephie about India and she shared anecdotes with us about her experience with the sweetest people while she travelled through Rajasthan. She opened up her loot of spices and the Indian cuisine recipes she had brought along with her to Germany and one of the days we almost set about attempting to cook a batch of Aloo Gobi(A dish with potatoes and cauliflowers infused with Indian spices and masala) but were stalled by a late night at the local bar instead.

One morning when my sister and fellow traveller Yuktie took ill with a cold and cough, Stephan volunteered to make her a home brew concoction from his collection of greens and herbs. I think she was half cured just by that adorable act kindness! “How are you feeling now,” he asked when he got back home that evening. “Oh much better thanks to your herbal drink,” she gushed. “I think it’s more of a placebo effect!” he said. Aha!      
Make sure to mark your flag on this uber cool scratch map when you visit Stephie and Stephan's home 
I would love to tell you more of the little things that touched my heart while staying with Stephie and Stephan but I’d rather you discover them yourself the next time you visit Munich. 

Tips while choosing to stay at a home stay:
-          For a worthwhile home stay experience look up local residents that offer to share a room from the homes they actually live in. This brings in a local flavour to your experience, with their suggestions on things to do and explore without hampering your privacy and independence.
-          A lot of home-stays I noticed on rental sites are fully furnished apartments that hosts rent out for the duration of your stay. That’s not so much a home stay as just an apartment on rent.
-     Opt for home-stays a couple of stops away from the city centre. I often find ones located in and around the city centre are noisy and overwhelming and I prefer coming back to a quiet home after a long day of exploring. 
-      Always ask your host about things they would recommend to do, may be step out with them for a drink and exchange travel stories; you don't have to follow everything they recommend, its just good to get a local perspective.Don’t hesitate to share your travel stories with them, you will be surprised how keen they are to meet new people and know about new cultures.  
Listed below are a few amongst the many digital platforms that showcase shared accommodation spaces for travellers
-          Airbnb.com
-          Flipkey.com
-          Couchsurfer.com
-          Housetrip.com
-     Wimdu.com 

Saturday 15 March 2014

Summer's Adventures Through Europe

Meet Summer Bercenas, a traveller to seven states, seventeen countries, and three continents in the past two years.  In 2012 she started her blog www.summersadventures.com and writes about travel experiences, tips and tricks for different places around the world. Read on about her adventures through Europe.

Travelling is amazing. Travelling for two years is incredible! When you travel so often, it's incredible the small things you start to learn about each culture.  I love learning about different ways of life, history, and fun facts about every place I visit.  I have spent the most time in Spain, France, and Croatia throughout my European travels so far.  So I'm going to tell you some of the things that I have learned from each of these three very different countries.

Sugar Cube Villages in Spain
Spain:
I have spent over six months on and off living in Spain.  Needless to say it is one of my favourite cultures and there are several reasons why. Andalucia is known for its small sugar cube villages (all white villages, usually with red roofs.)  I love these small beauties, I have been fortunate to have lived in one for a short time and adored it.  With orange lined cobblestone streets, perched on a hill, overlooking the Mediterranean, and with so much charm.  There is no way someone could not appreciate these small sugar cube villages. Tapas is a small dish of food that typically goes with drinks.  
Iznajar, Andalucia
It could be amazing with Spanish olives, quail eggs over roasted potatoes and vegetables, or even goat cheese and walnuts in a honey sauce.  Trying tapas is a great way to get a taste of Spain. If you come to Spain in the afternoon, depending on what part of Spain you are in you will find most shops closed for 'siesta'.  Siesta is when most families close their shops and go home for a big meal and some family time.  It's amazing how family oriented Spain is, it's something you can really appreciate.

Anncey, France
France:
France is one of those places that most people want to see.  However, France is very touristy.  I like to find the places that are a little less known, not overrun by tourists.  That way you can see the actual town and not just gift shops and tourist places. Visiting the less known places like Annecy or Tourrettes-sur-Loup is amazing.  The places where you can see small flower shops, medieval maze like villages, places you can visit with the locals and hear how much they love their town.  Places like that are the polar opposite of tourist cities with hustle and bustle, glitz and glam, and no time to stop and smell the roses.
France is a foodies dream land with so much freshly baked bread, pastries that will make your mouth water, and cheeses from Camembert to Roquefort.  There's something about going to a boulangerie to buy your fresh baguettes for the day that makes you so happy!  Stopping by a boulangerie, patisserie, and fromagerie is a must in France. Most of Europe is great about transportation.  With trains, subways, buses, and cabs who needs a car?  While travelling through France, most of the time my family of four took the public transportation to get into the cities.  Each time we were impressed by how good it was.  Fun fact, there are actually cheeses that are banned from being allowed on subways because of how much they stink!

Plitvice, Croatia
Croatia:
Spending the summer in Croatia was one of the best things I ever did.  With the crystal clear Adriatic Sea so close and so much history there is no way you couldn't love it! One of the first things I noticed about Croatia was how much incredible history there was.  The things you learn about each place is fascinating!  Visiting Diocletean's palace and learning about the history between the Romans and Christians, was very interesting. Croatia has an Italian influence. Restaurants will serve creamy pasta, pizza, and gnocchi most with the options of truffles.  No wonder the Istrian cuisine is so delicious!
You will find in Europe that many people speak several languages.  This was very much the case in Croatia.  There is Italian, German, French, English, Dutch, and more!  Even more incredible is that you will find many people speak each language I listed!  It's nice that when you need information, there are many people that speak your language.
I have learned so much about different cultures throughout my travels.  Travel is amazing, the memories you make will last a lifetime.  I have loved travelling and connecting with other travel bloggers along the way. 
I am currently working on a book series about my travels.  My first book, Learning to Fly, will be available soon.  In my books I talk about challenges and funny stories that happen while travelling around the world.  The time our camper broke down in Switzerland, how we learned not to bring stinky cheese onto the subway, and cliff jumping into the Adriatic Sea.

Blog: www.summersadventures.com
Twitter @SummerBarcenas
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/waikiwi/followers
Amazon: www.amazon.com/A-Dog-Holidays-Summer-Barcenas-ebook/dp/B00HE1BJNK

Author Blog: www.summerbarcenas.com

Press Story: Travel Trends in 2014

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Busting Travel Myths in Vienna

Winters in Europe can be gorgeous and romantic, with a view of elegant white slopes peppered with conifers as you sip your hot chocolate with a dash of liquor in hand sitting by a crackling old bonfire in a cosy wooden cottage. Classic picture that is of a winter in Europe.

Na, that was just my imagination taking me on a trip again; I dint experience any of that.

Instead I arrived to a gloomy Vienna, with sleet covered roads and sodden bare trees. For a few moments my heart sank and thought – may be all the guide books were right, maybe it was not a good idea to visit Vienna in January.

“We could have gone to any part of Europe, we have five days on our hands. No planning, no research... I don't like to travel this way,” says Yuktie, my sister and co-traveller. That's exactly the myth I wanted to test.

Tell me, has the weather at a destination ever stopped you from exploring? Say you want to travel to Australia and have vacations in January (for the uninitiated, it is the peak of summer in Australia in the month of January with temperatures going as high as 42°C) What would you do? Just cancel plans due to inconvenient weather? No you wont!

For me the pleasure is in exploring a city, a destination in every season, not just the best and maybe come up with fresh, new experiences. So after depositing my bags at my homestay, in a chilly -3°C I set out to explore the city, little did I know what awaited me on the other side. For want of boredom, Yuktie followed along.  
“We are in Vienna in January, I know its not the best season to visit, but what do you recommend we do?” I hear my sister ask a co-passenger in the tram as we headed to the central station.  He laughs and says there’s nothing much to do, but maybe you can go to the tourist office and see where that takes you from there.  
Sometimes I wonder why locals underestimate the magic of their home country, city. They have lived there all their life and cease to see magic in the mundane; but its different for a new set of eyes exploring a destination for the very first time. A good reason not to take a local’s suggestions too seriously.

On our way to the city centre Karlplatz, we walk toward the exit of the station and my feet take me a Starbucks cafe near the exit. "Where can I get a city map?" I ask at the counter. The barista is not of much help but a lady overhearing us invits us for a cuppa and we get chatting. Meet Kamini, the lady solely responsible for the fondest moments of serendipity I have experienced on my travels. An Indian by birth, Kamini has spent the past 20 years of her life in Vienna and was enjoying her evening post work cuppa with a friend when we her way. Half way through our heart-to-heart she says, “Come I’ll give you a quick orientation to the city." Could we have asked for a better welcome?


So even though the weather continued to be chilly and the wind chill made it even more so, the warmth from this new found friendship and the now uplifted spirits made it quite a bright and happy scene.

Vienna's Winter Wonders:

Rathaus (City Hall) ice skating rink: An absolute must, it will bring out the child in anyone.


Naschmarkt over the Wien river: An eclectic mix of flowers, spices, textiles and more from across the globe.   
Ballet at Vox Opera: When in Vienna, take a piece of its musical soul back with you.




UN Head Quarters: Take the train across the city over the Denube for a tour around the head quarters, just being there and absorbing in all the work they do is overwhelming.


St Stephens Cathedral: The soulful music from the church quire at the Sunday mass will stay with me forever.

Shopping at Karlsplatz city centre: For trinkets, chocolates, liquor and souvenirs and gawking at the magical show windows.

Sample a slice of Sacher-Torte at Hotel Sacher Cafe: Well you are in Europe, let the desert debauchery continue.

Mozarthaus: Let history tell you this great maestro's story, let his music and his tragedy enthrall your senses.

Go see Gustavv Klimt's painting The Kiss, I was mesmerised.

And if that was not enough Kamini's friend introduced us to Lalit Tikku, the owner of Kohinoor, an Indian restaurant, who we hit of off quit well with. When we dropped in at his restaurant the next day (I have yet to taste food as delicious in India as at his restaurant) he offered to drive us all the way to see Kharlenberg, which is Vienna's mountain top affluent paradise. Over a cup of Viennese coffee we enjoyed the view of Vienna city from a mountain top cafe. I never cease to be amazed by the happenstance of such moments and the quality of conversations that follow thereafter.

Kahlenberg panaroma terrace http://www.wien.info/en/sightseeing/green-vienna/Kahlenberg

Tips:
- Tram no 1 takes you around the city, you need not hop on to a tourist bus if you don't like to be chaperoned around.
- Vox Theatre and Vox Opera are two different places. We made the mistake of going to the former when we had tickets booked for a ballet at the latter. Also if possible don’t buy opera tickets from the tourist centre, they charge double the actual price  
- If on a quick day or two trip to Vienna you can leave your bags at the Westbahnhof station lockers, they are a boon for travellers. 
- Open Wifi in public spaces: Rathhause, Nash Market, Hardrock Cafe, among others

One of my last interactions with a local in Vienna was on the train ride to the UN centre. its amazing how two people can understand eachover sometimes even without speaking the same language. While seeking directions to the UN, a lady showed us the right route and the right stop. We exchanged notes about our countries and just before we left to get off, in a way to bid us good bye she said, "Ram Ram!" Isn't that something!
I put my hands together in a traditional Indian pose and bid her goodbye with a Namaste.
Isn't this what gorgeous travel memories are made of?   

Monday 3 March 2014

A Montage of Words


The past couple of weeks have been all about reading, writing and research; with worlds seeming to have enveloped me in a cocoon. As I stepped out for my morning run this Sunday morning too I was shown visually intriguing montages of our daily, seemingly mundane lives transforming themselves into candid frames for my study and observation. So after the end of the run, a collective of words seemed to have strung themselves in a memory game, as I progressed with each kilometer finding itself intertwined with the previous, compelling me to memorise the sequence for a complete string of 10.    
I read somewhere that focusing on a mantra helps dispel distractions while you focus on your run. It’s all nice to say but seldom easy to have a one point focus on a thought for all the while throughout your run. This is a string of scenes I came across during my Sunday run; one world sprung to mind for each one with seemed to have synced itself with every kilometer I covered. 
  1. Breakfast. What’s a rickshaw to you today? A mode of transport, bringing to mind a foul interaction with the dozen or so drivers who refuse to take you to your destination each day? No none of that, thank you. Jogging along the Bandstand promenade, my eyes fell on a scene of cupcakes, bread and chai adorning the back seat of a rickshaw. It was a simple breakfast laid out neatly for two, the driver soulfully sipping his morning cuppa and a friend partaking in the sweetmeats. Both commuter and driver sipping a bite and pleasurably watching the morning surfs chime in. Doubt the most expensive bungalows on that route could experience this luxury.  It’s the kind of image that gives Bombay a happy candid allure as opposed to this rushed manic Mumbai we are a part of each day.
  2. Play. Come let’s play I could almost hear him saying. A bunch of stray dogs loitering around a path in my run, one of them having found an interesting piece of scrap long enough for two of the dogs to wrestle with. So he playfully prances to his friend on the extreme right and nudges him with his muzzle, come let’s play! A noticeable change in their stride I saw, a graceful hybrid between a hop and a gallop. It just made me so happy. Later on my run tracking app Endomodo I noticed that particular km was my fastest, wonder whether that those few minutes their enthusiasm mingled with mine. 
Breakfast. Play. Each thought compiled into a single composite word, nice I think..
  1. Night out. A threesome step out of a vehicle, their Saturday night out bling still on, perhaps just about done with their all night revelries, the girls holding their stilettos in hand and the guy groggily leading them to a coffee shop. I am not much of a party animal, yet a minuscule pang of jealousy sprouts, hmm. Moving on. 
Breakfast. Play. Night out. Each kilometer personifying into a character of its own..
  1. Food. A taxi driver almost done with his routine of washing up and sprucing up his wagon for the day, steps on to the side walk opens up a bag and spreads a bundle full of dry rice grains on to the floor. The light pit pat of the grains meeting the floor and the soft flutter of sparrows flying in for that generous meal, aha! It’s a mundane act, so full of compassion that its magic is so fleeting; it made me smile and thank the goodness in us all for making me a witness to it.    
Breakfast. Play. Night out. Food. Over and over I kept repeating the words, by now it was clear they demanded retention, assuring me of a well strung set..
  1. Love. A lady stands with two dogs on leash, both standing in sync tall and proud of their doting human parent. No she was not cuddling and caressing either of them but a fellow third dog, albeit a stray one but a distant cousin or friend from another life. The joy with with he responded to her touch and the indulgent affection she showered on him even while her two own stood by..
This was getting tough for me, what with the short term memory retention issues I face.. yet I persisted - Breakfast. Play. Night out. Food. Love.
  1. Privilege.  A black SUV, with very dark tinted glasses, and a big Maharashtra govt number plate is parked on the side of the road. A girl sits in, clearly waiting for her partner to come back. As I cross the car I see a group of young men sharing chai and smokes and whiling away an early morning in general, on my return from the same route I see one of those boys but his smoke and head back to the car. Citizens of the country are made to strip off the tinted shields from their cars after a case of molestation with a fine to all those who disobey. Yet this young chap, clearly a son of one of the great leaders of our country drives a vehicle with dark tinted glasses. As he turns on the ignition I think, what’s the point of privilege if its almost always exploited.
The rhythm set, my limbs flowing in sync with each other, not a move out of place, albeit slow but maintaining the rhythm. This mantra seemed to be helping. Breakfast. Play. Night out. Food. Love. Privilege.  
  1. Solitary. It was like someone cut-pasted her out of a countryside scene into this urban landscape. There she was, this frail, old lady with a stack of firewood cradled with one arim on her head and a bundle of her belongings held protectively in the other. She walked barefoot on this narrow cobbled road as I jogged by and it almost felt like I was an out of place coloured blotch in this classic candid black and white photograph/ I almost saw her in black and white.
Now it was getting tough, both the run and the retention. ‘I am not playing this stupid game anymore,’ the mind says. Hmm. Breakfast. Play. Night out. Food. Love. Privilege. Solitary.      
  1. Muscle moving on from that almost skeletal frame I see this mammoth creature, weighed down by his bulk. Rippling muscles from every sinewy his body, this man walks on in that classic body builder gait. We seemed to exchange a look that said, “Ah we all do what we think we want, sometimes not doing what we really need.”
‘Ok, now that’s it, you don’t think this is silly this Breakfast, Play, Night out, Food, Love, Privilege, Solitary, Muscle! They don’t even mean anything. How about we slow down and enjoy this gorgeous breeze’
Aha, nice, the mind was actually retaining it, so I said, ‘No, just a couple more, don’t disturb me now.’    
  1. Study. I have completed a circuit around Bandra’s promenades by now and head towards Joggers park; just as I enter I see a boy slip but catch himself just before he tripped, another scene for my mind to get curious about.  The boy bends down to pick up a packet of biscuits that fell to the muddy track. As he bends picking up his snack for the day, my eyes trail to his left hand holding the bible of most last minute studying students - the Navneet Digest. I smile as I remember all those years ago, those last minute attempts to remember one line answers. I wonder though, how he planned to study in the midst of the many distractions in the park, but then I think who am I to judge.
I am not moving another step, I hear my mind say just as an alarm of my limbs slowing down strikes. Err no you don’t! Panic! What was it? Privilege? Something to do with dogs? What was it! I can’t remember!
BREATHE. Calm Down.
Ahh, something to do with an important part of the day? Ah yes! Breakfast.
Breakfast. Play. Night out. Food. Love. Privilege. Solitary. Muscle. Study.      
  1. Celebration. The street is a buzz with the inaugural ceremony of an edifice made in honour of Sachin Tendulkar, on an otherwise quiet Sunday. Honestly I’d rather they have invested all that money in cleaning up the beach beyond the promenade. Rather I see it all neatly covered so as not to mar the celebrations of the day, a token to our favourite son of Bandra they say!
A new scene, I am glad the mind found something intriguing enough to overlook the apparent exhaustion during this last kilometer. Let’s check again what was it..
Breakfast. Play. Night Out. Food. Love. Privilege. Solitary. Muscle. Celebration      

What’s happened amazed me as every scene I came across triggered a thought. Each one of them could have lead to a barrage of thoughts and pretty much foiled my 10 km run plan. But the thoughts seemed to work in unison, they singled out a world representing each of them making it a string of montages and memories. What is a mantra but a set of world designed to help you maintain a single minded focus, this was it. The mantra that formed itself during the course of my run and made me repeat it till the end. It was a sum total of all my thoughts during the run and at the same time a focused rendition of one entirety with each thought somehow in sync with the next.    

Why have I shared this post on a travel blog you ask? because my mind travels even when I run. 

The Key

‘Germans are a cold, uninvolved people’ so I was told before my travels to the country.
Do you agree? When you travel to a destination, is your interactions with the locals of relevance? It’s a deal clincher for me - interactions with people I meet each time I travel, they are the ones that transform an experience into a memory and to think I was on my way to meet cold, uninvolved people; hmm, I was about to test that.

It was our first morning in the city of Munich. We landed at 5.45 am and were to reach our home-stay by 7.45 am. Stephie and Stephan, the young couple we were staying with left for work early in the morning which meant we had to collect the key by 7.45 am. Reaching later meant hanging around with our bags for the rest of the day waiting for them to return back home.

As per earlier correspondences with them during bookings, we were also to give them a heads up from the airport once we land, that would give a fair idea about our time of arrival at their home. As it turned out, all stores were shut at the airport and our plan of buying a local sim card to get in touch with our hosts went kaput. So there was no way we could communicate with them about our whereabouts on the move should we reach late.

Logic – an evasive yet essential quality a traveller must possess. Though it is quite lost without the esoteric qualities of hope and impulse I assure you. But for this case let’s consider logic; which clearly said we were not going to reach in time even though we were in Germany, where things work; and that too at the speed of light. Expecting our hosts to wait back until we reached would have been a little too much. So the natural state of mind that early morning was not a groggy one but an alert and charged one at that.

As we headed out from the airport to catch the S8, the train line connecting us from Munich international airport to Hauptbahnhof, the city centre which is approximately an hour away; we met Noam, a musician from Isreal studying at the university. He noticed how wired we were and got chatting. My travel companion and sister Yuktie batted her eyelids and got right to it.

‘What, not you? You are the shy one?’ You might ask? Ah yes, contrary to what appears, this well travelled, globe-trotting girl is a shy thing. But ever so often when the moment feels like it she shares a part of her soul with a fellow traveller, but then it is just that. Not so much as a chat, a banter, connecting over Facebook after, no, none of that. Sharing a few thoughts with a perfect stranger and in turn being given a share of their experience, that’s half the simple pleasure I get from travelling. And then who knows, I might just meet them on another trip, in another part of the globe, and that would make for such a gorgeous story, yes!        

There I go again, aha, coming back to this story, where was I? Yes, on the S8 onward to the city centre, seeing my sister happily flirt away with Noam the musician I look out the tinted shield of the tube flying us through the landscapes of Munich, ever aware of that ticking clock, getting ever so close to 8’o’clock.  

It was 7.45 by the time we reached Hauptbahnhof from where we had to look for the connecting train to Schwanthalerhöhe, the station closest to the home-stay.

Did I tell you I failed a navigation exercise at a mountaineering course I did years ago? Getting lost is another forte it seems, and this is one of those moments I did it with flourish! Even though there were detailed maps all around us, Stephie had shared detailed directions too but in that web of trains and routes I was lost. How? You ask. Here’s a comparative example - if you are from Bombay. Imagine you’ve reached Dadar (central station) and need to head to Bandra. You find the right platform and happily wait for the train to arrive. But just after you’ve entered the train and look triumphantly at the map, you realise you have taken the train in the opposite direction towards Chembur! That’s what happened, by which time we had crossed a couple of stations. So with a backpack and trolley bag in hand we routed back to the central station and were finally directed to the correct platform, this time in the correct direction.

10 minutes to 8 o’clock and I was like a ticking time bomb. All those moments during college rushed back to my memory when friends called me a ticking time bomb, and I thought how right they were! Missing the first few minutes of a new film or being late for that musical was unthinkable and should you be with me for those minutes before an almost late arrival, let’s just say you would be best pals with the minutes and seconds handles on my watch.

Stephie and Stephan had shared with us elaborate directions of how to reach their home in the form of illustrated maps and coloured arrow marks; which I found extremely detailed and sweet coming from the reputation their country folk had. I swiped them out just seconds before the train halted at the station. Quickly stepping out of the train with all those bags in hand, high on adrenalin, swiping out my smart phone to check the next left or right. Yuktie reaches out to the person nearest as we head out for directions and before she could so much as say ‘Hi’ this tall, blue eyed man calls out, Hi, are you Diipti? I zone out of my state of panic and register this stranger with a bright smile; thinking ah I can’t be that famous already! He introduces himself  “Hi I am Stephan! I was heading for work and thought maybe I’ll find you at the station.”

He had been waiting for us at the station with the key to his home for ten minutes before heading for work that morning.

What were the odds of this happenstance? Trains and platforms as in all parts of the world are long and crowded. Yuktie and I were on the left-most compartment of the train. We could have gotten off and walked in the opposite direction. Stephan could have been standing at the other end of the station. But what were the odds of us arriving within a few minutes of him waiting for us there with the key, there - just at the spot where we got off! What were the odds.

Cold, uninvolved – not in the least! I can’t imagine a more involved, concerned gesture from a perfect stranger. Stephan not only was waiting at the station to give us a key to his home but also escorted us out in the right direction from the station almost heading back home with us. 

That right there is the best example of busting clichés and stereotypes about people when we travel.

The next time you visit Munich and are looking for a place to stay, I recommend Stephie and Stephan's home, they really make you feel like its your home.

(Note: This was a self sponsored trip, the hosts where adorable enough to spend time with us chatting about Stephie's recent visit to India and our mutual wanderlust.)