The Himalayan Club Brings Banff Film Festival to Mumbai

Earlier this year The Himalayan Club, Mumbai screened a series of short films selected at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. I have been attending this festival each year and am amazed by the things people do for the sheer pleasure of adventure. Heading out in to the unknown, with their basic amenities and pots and pans, just watching their lives through the screen  - the spirit of adventure is contagious. Here are some of the short films that were screened this year.  

Down the Line

 The only way through some of the world's most magical canyons and waterfalls is - down. A warning for all water babies, this can get addictive.

Into The Mind, Sherpa Cinemas

This winter sport of skiing showcased in what is one of its most breathtaking, graceful forms. The cinematography makes it seem so easy, so fluid, like a dance. Inspiring, I'd take it up in a jiffy.

North of the Sun

 Two Norwegians, their surfboards, an arctic island and a dream. The element of adventure while watching this film jumps out of the screen and seeps right through you. And if that was not enough, the two youngsters clean up tons of plastic and debris while surfing through this crazy winter adventure. I sure was hooked.

Poor Man's Heli

With a dream to explore the Belledonne Mountains, a man gets his friends and takes off on a paragliding adventure. 

The Questions We Ask

Bruce Kirkby, Canadian adventurer questions the true meaning of adventure while on an inflatable sand up paddle board. Quite impressive that is, considering i'd contemplate mainly on managing to stay on that board and not fall off!  

The Himalayan Club conducts regular talks by prominent international mountaineers and adventure enthusiasts apart from this yearly film screening. You can head to The Himalayan Club Facebook Group to be kept in the loop of upcoming events.    

(All photos courtesy Banff Films and The Himalayan Mountaineering Club.)

Druk Path Trek Bhutan

 Beyond its toy-like cities of Thimphu and Paro, beyond the touristy calling of Tiger Nest; I had a yearning to traverse through Bhutan. Through the interiors of the land, through its paths covered with fresh blossoms; this is an account of a trek of my dreams – The Druk Path Trek.

Flashback

A height of 13,000 feet, a 10kg backpack, an up-hill 28 day climb; I trudged along a path as part of a group of amateur mountaineers in the Himalayas. This goes back to 2006 during a course at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. 

Somewhere along the path we met a lone Rhododendron tree. It was plump with fresh blossoms heavier still with the morning dew. Its flowers a dreamy shade of lilac and with the mist all around us, not to mention our travel weary minds, it seemed more like a vision than reality. 

What transpired beyond that trek is for another story but the vision of that lone tree is what was the inspiration to this trek.  

A calling to Bhutan has been strong for a while and when I heard of forests and gardens ripe with rhododendrons enroute a trek, it triggered memories of that Rhododendron tree. I thought this would be the perfect introduction to the countryside, giving me a window into Bhutan’s untouched locales which not many reach out to beyond the allure of Tiger Nest Monastery and the uber progressive capital Thimphu city. Moreover I was sold with the thought that I would have forests, gardens and pathways full of those blossoms for company on each day of the trek.  

The Route

The Druk Path trek is a 60 kms route winding through mountains between Bhutan’s largest cities Paro and Thimphu.

Just before beginning the trek, my guide Lal points to a tiny black speck in the middle of dense conifers that seem eons away and says, “You see that black spot there, it is a fort 10 kms from where we are now, that is where we will camp this evening.” Even though I have been on a fare share of treks yet anxiety strikes! The thought of the distance, the steep ascent overwhelms me and I try to take my mind off this. 

The mountains have a way of intimidating you in the beginning, making things seem tougher than they actually are and then saying, “Ah I was just kidding.” 

It took us five days to traverse through the trek route that begins from the National Museum in Paro. Beginning with an intense uphill climb we set up camp on day one in an open pasture near an old fort called Jili Dzong, perched on top of the hill and surrounded by tall prayer flags on poles all around us. Thick stone walls white washed with deep red and gold accents and trimmings. With the fragrance of incense thick in the air and monks in deep red robes going about their daily rituals we entered the Dzong to be greeted by statues of Buddha’s past, present and future.

  

Day 2 3770 m to Tsokam the path disappears into a forest. Here is where the Rhododendron trail truly begins. Pleasure red mud like a Persian rug, dominated by rhododendrons of deep red to pure while. Mostly thick forest, was wearing tinted glasses made the colours seem richer like walking through a HD/ 3D movie; only this was for real. Leisure walk, trek through forests, meadows and open pastures

Day 3 4235 m pass called Lavana Day 4 Change in landscape yet again. Trees changed to shrubs as we climbed higher and reached a height of 4000 meters.

The gorgeous scenery, clean air egged me on and after a while my mind calmed down and we set a rhythm in my stride. After trekking for 5 hours and traversing across a couple of mountains we reached the fort Jili Dzong perched on top of the hill and surrounded by tall prayer flags on poles all around the we saw monks. The smell of incense reaches you even before you enter the tall white washed stone structure with trimmings of deep red and gold. We payed our respect to the trinity of towering Buddha’s stationed in the temple inside the fort - representing the past, present and future. 

We moved on from here to Tsokam at which point the open meadows disappear into dense forests heavy with the fragrance of moisture and fresh flowers. From this moment on I was lucky to witness Rhododendrons in every hue and colour beginning from a bright pink, turning deep red, shades of vermilion, yellow onward to my favourite misty lilac and pure white, in all I was told there were at least 54 varieties of Rhododendrons. Landscapes changed from dense forests to open meadows but the trail of Rhododendrons, even at the highest point on the trek at 4235 meters at  the Lavana pass followed us until the last day of the trek. 

Highlights

Being the only trekkers on the route it felt like we were the sole being on the planet for those 5 days, it was calming in a way, away from all the clutter. It was the ideal time to visit as day time temperatures were calm and nights were just a little chilly as opposed to doing the trek in later months of September, October when temperatures can dip below -10 degrees. But the highlights of the trek were the trail of Rhododendrons, I was lucky to visit in the right months (April-May) and setting up camp and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee by a lake. 

Hits and misses

None really. Only they have a lot of chilly and cheese in their food, so if you cant take the heat or are lactose intolerant then mention the same before the trek. With clear views of the snow capped eastern Himalayas, a trail of Rhododendrons, a leisurely pace and amazing food (fresh fern, asparagus, krowbik sabzi) and great stories by our guide Lal for company; I was in heaven.

Tips

- A cushion helps. 

- Carry long socks, don't make the mistake of taking ankle length ones. 

- Head lamp/ torch Good day pack – for water, snacks, specks, cap, windcheater/ light weight wind breaker, windproof, quick dry pants 

- Carrying slippers or light weight sandals are a good idea to slip into after each day's trek

- garbage bags as backpack liners, zip lock bags 

- White tape and cloth bandages to wrap toes in to avoid blisters 

- Carry fruits on trek,instead of chips and biscuits (no garbage) good idea. 

Would I do it again?

Yes maybe in Winter, but then I am tempted to ditch it for other winter treks in Bhutan – to Jhomulhari’s base camp or better yet the Snowman’s trek – the toughest trek in the world. When ever Bhutan calls me back next, I will be only too willing.

Notes: 

My guide told me that I was the first Indian on a trek with him in Bhutan and on finding out further I was told that Indian travellers don't opt for trekking here. During the R&D phase for this trip I spoke with 13 people ( 3 agents in India and 10 people who have visited Bhutan over the years) the agents went on their first trip this year to test the turf for treks for next year. Ten tourists did not know about trekking options available in Bhutan. So I am guessing most Indians will opt for treks in Bhutan next year.

Random Musings During the Trek:

A good way to gauge distance: When you can see forests of conifers in front of you you clearly have a lot to cover. When trunks of the same conifers star you in the face, you know you are nearer now.

(This was an independent trip. Bhutan tourism was kind enough to connect me with a few travel agents who helped in booking the appropriate flight connections and other logistics. I have shared coordinates for the same below)

1) Bhutan Yarden Tours & Treks

Mr. Karma Wangdi

Managing Director

Tel: 00975 (0) 2 334818

Mob: 00975 17604549

Email: yardentours@gmail.com / karma@bhutanyarden.com

2) Bhutan Dhenzang Travel

Mr. Karma Letho

Managing Director

Tel: 00975 2 340100

Mob: 00975 17118668

Email: dhenzangtravel@hotmail.com / dhenzang@trekbhutantour.com

3) Excursion To Himalayas - Bhutan Travel

Mr. Mindu Dorji

CEO/Founder

Tel: 00975 2 331423

Mob: 00975 17140505

Email: excursiontohimalayas@gmail.com

Website: www.traveltobhutan.com.bt 

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

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.)

Crossing Pagla Nala, Pangong Tso Lake

This was the time of tiny cell phones and my fascination for video travel documentaries. What I though would be few simple shots of the river turned out to be a two day adventure.

We started off from Leh city to travel to Pangong Tso Lake, situated at a height of approximately 14000 feet, stretching from Ladakh in the northern most part of India all the way up to Tibet. Though roads leading from the city to the lake are well made, en-route you have to cross a temperamental rivulet called Pagla Nala which is a quite tricky one, what with rubble, ever changing paths and the volume of water descending from melting glaciers further north.

I dint know it then, but this has become one of my most memorable, unexpected, free spirited Ladakh memories. No luxury hotel can give me the view, the magic, the aw I felt and experienced the night we stayed over just inches away from the lake, with a gorgeous starry sky as my companion.

You just have to experience it to believe it.

That's the fun of travel really, when you see the video you'll notice that what was just a fun family video turned out to be a wondrous catalog of an adventure. I hope you experience the magic.  

Chadar in the Press

For the entire story: Click Here
For an audio recording of this story: Click Here 

Across a Frozen River

 "How about walking across frozen rivers, exploring the Zanskar valley?" I thought one morning; the idea taking off from a yearning to see Ladakh in winters, with white carpets of snow draping its scapes. The green terraced fields, colourful prayer flags and cheerful lamas take me to Leh often enough, yet the thought of being there in winters meant a whole new thrill. 

Browsing through old mountain memories brought alive a sense of adventure, backed by a need to escape from manic work, a Nat Geo photo cover of Leh, a knowing look from my sister - that's all we needed. There’s not much to do in Leh city during winters as most of the passes are shut due to heavy snow fall. However the wilderness of the Zanskar valley is wide open during this time, something you cannot explore on foot in summers. What better way than to explore this magical kingdom than to walk across its frozen rivers! That’s when we zeroed in on the Chadar trek.

Chadar is the term used for the layer(s) of ice that forms over rivers in winters. While the river flows and temperatures begin to drop, the edges of the river begin freezing, slowly gaining ground and ultimately covering the complete river with sheets of plexiglass like layers of ice. Unlike a glacier, the river does not freeze into a solid mass as water continues to flow under this Chadar. That’s what makes walking this trek a crazy, thrilling adventure!

Fact File:
Route: Drive from Leh – begin trek from Chilling – Tilat – Dib Yogma – Nyeraks. Leave the Chadar for a detour proceeding to a heaven like village called  Lingshed. Head back –Nyeraks – Dib Yogma – Tilat – Chilling

Region: Zanskar, ladakh

Altitude: 3850Mtrs/ 12,632Ft

Temperature Range: Day temperatures can be as low as - 10°C and night can reach -26°C

Dates: 27^th January – 7^th February

Rivers Traversed: Zanskar, Indus and their tributaries

We were to begin our trek from Chilling i.e a point where the road ends. Getting on to the river from this point means descending a good 10-20 meters to the level of the frozen river. Chilling was literally chilling to the bone, you just have to keep moving, the only way to keep you warm no matter how many layers you wear!

Imagine a ice rink with a gymnast gracefully gliding from one end to the other.

That’s exactly what this was not!

My first step on that uneven rock solid surface in gum boots, a pair of shoes that I was wearing after playschool; I was anything but graceful! Step2, and Step 3 – CRASH!

Crashes I had and many, you can’t keep a count! But gradually as I understood the undulations of the frozen water, places where to step and those to avoid become a little easier to recognise if not entirely. Overall you pass through water in various forms of snow, trudge through cool blue slush, stomp through beds of brittle ice, glide over surfaces as smooth as polished marble, feather walk over sheets as think as wafers; you can see vivid bubbles of water through it!  Oh, did I mention parts where you crevasse cross over the ice with a wild river flowing below!    

Enroute, we met a German gent, who claimed to have walked across the Chadar 20 times over the past 12 years! A simple man, with no guide, he lived in caves along the path. “You are never safe on the Chadar until you finally reach your home-stay back in Leh city,” he said when asked about the mysterious nature of this journey.

Overwhelming feeling as I took my last few steps on the Chadar, this mad thing to do, for no purpose, just the thrill of adventure! For the Zanskaris it is a way of life, a life line connecting Leh to their homes up in the mountains, but for me it was a sense of putting myself in a unfamiliar environmental,

We pass through narrow gorges overwhelmed by the thought of the raging river below, valleys, hot water springs, floating ice formations across a seemingly calm river, some magnificent frozen waterfalls, and unchartered river banks with magical mint blue waters!

Pancakes on a trek like this! Can you believe it! We had the yummiest food ever on this trek a sure shot mood lifter after getting all black and blue from each fall!  

I cannot begin to cover the sights and sounds, the magical experiences, the million stars, the vivid blues, sheer happiness of the locals just to meet new people! This is one among many journeys that must be experienced to be believed; a rare trek indeed!

This trek would not have been possible without Angchuk and Jigmit, our fellow travellers and guides on this beautiful journey
You can Hear my story at http://f.cl.ly/items/0c273b240Z0t390j2P0z/DiiptiFinal.mp3
See Here (youtube): My experiences during this trek @Bar Camp, VJTI 

(Technical information courtesy Jayesh Morvankar from www.odati.com, picture courtesy Yuktie Jhangiani)

Scuba diving in the Maldives

My article in the DNA newspaper  

For the complete story see my journey from learning the basics of scuba diving in Mumbai to becoming a certified Open Water Diver in Maldives. 

Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers

At 10,500 feet, I bring to you glimpses of the elusive Valley of Flowers. A solid reason I have to use the term elusive. You'll see why.

Trudging through tough terrain for 6 hours on a 14km hike from Govind Ghat, our motley group reaches the destination, Gangaria. Gangaria is the base camp for hikes to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund.

like the tips of icebergs

All we could see was something like the tips of icebergs. This was the rock face surrounding the valley. With fog and rain playing relays of hide and seek, we were mere onlookers to the magic unfolding.

On the other hand, it felt as if a series of mesmerising episodes has been shot, cropped and loaded on to wide hd screens for us. Trudging past the oh so high rock face with an uncanny resemblance to the movie Avatar where in the main leads swoop over magical lands with their flying steeds. Fighting for our attention was a glimpse of this lush valley; not to forget the shy smiles of tiny flowers along our path.

paths through flora

They say the valley changes colours every few weeks i.e various species of flowers have their unique phases to bloom and therefore if you so happen to visit in June, you will see the pinks and reds of precious rhododendrons. A visit in July as yours truly did, a greeting with blues and purples with take your breath away, you will truly ‘forget me(them) not.’

The Valley of Flowers trek is an easy to medium grade one from our base camp Gangaria.  Within the first 800 meters you will reach the official entrance to the valley. Mountaineers will tell you about the valley's association with the Nanda Devi Reserve ecosystem, botanists will rave about the uniqueness of a multitude of flowering species in one spot, but for a city dweller, what I am engrossed in is the stillness. The silence.

My group members will tell you, "oh, Dii found the first rock she could fit on and dozed off to sleep!" but I tell you this, even dozing off to sleep in such a place is something!

Of course I was kicked in the behind by my sister to explore..and of course do justice to the heavy bit of imaging equipment (read hi-tech digital SLR) the results of which are here for you to see.

 'forget me not', indeed

I don't want to describe the trek up to the valley simply because its one of those magical places were you make up your own memories and moments. Mine is of lying on my rock and looking out to the best view in the world: to my right a sparkling silver freefalling waterfall, to my left imaginary Avatars weaving through the mist and in front of me framed with snow capped mountains lies a carpet of purple flowers, of every hue and shade, as far as my eyes can see.

Cobra Lily

Himalayan Bell flower

Wild Purple Orchids

Go ahead, bring home your memories.

101 Reasons to Travel

1. Travel to explore

2. Travel to change

3. Travel to experience

4. Travel to let go

5. Travel to get lost

6. Travel to be found 

7. Travel to find

8. Travel to step out of your comfort zone

9. Travel for perspective 

10.Travel for conversations

11. Travel for photographs

12. Travel to complete

13. Travel to compete

14. Travel to the past

15. Travel for the future

16. Travel in the present

17. Travel for romance

18. Travel to dare

19. Travel to lend a helping hand

20. Travel to teach

21. Travel to learn

22. Travel to dream

23. Travel to achieve

24. Travel to express

25. Travel to conserve

26. Travel to share

27. Travel to discover

28. Travel for friends

29. Travel for reasons

30. Travel for seasons

31. Travel to witness

32. Travel to laugh

33. Travel to cry

34. Travel to shock

35. Travel to surprise

36. Travel to the unknown

37. Travel to invent

38. Travel for music

39. Travel for festivals

40. Travel to drive

41. Travel for that heady feeling

42. Travel to help

43. Travel to guide

44. Travel to meet

45. Travel to leave

46. Travel to reach out

47. Travel to reach within

48. Travel to write

49. Travel to work

50. Travel for adventure

51. Travel to play

52. Travel to pray

53. Travel for the memories

54. Travel for the stories

55. Travel to confuse

56. Travel to amuse

57. Travel to lose

58. Travel to loose

59. Travel to hear

60. Travel to see

61. Travel to touch

62. Travel to feel

63. Travel to taste

64. Travel to smell

65. Travel to spend

66. Travel for time

67. Travel in time

68. Travel before it gets too late

69. Travel to gift

70. Travel to give

71. Travel to receive

72. Travel to believe

73. Travel to hope

74. Travel to sleep

75. Travel to awaken

76. Travel to introspect

77. Travel to respect

78. Travel for the mountains

79. Travel for the sea

80. Travel for the colours

81. Travel for the rain

82. Travel for harvest

83. Travel for spring

84. Travel for winter

85. Travel for summer

86. Travel to hide

87. Travel to simply be

88. Travel to imagine

89. Travel to wish

90. Travel to create

91. Travel to picture

92. Travel to paint

93. Travel to speak

94. Travel to listen

95. Travel to observe

96. Travel to seek

97. Travel to understand

98. Travel for your kids

99. Travel for patience

   100. Travel for wisdom

   101. Travel for the Love of Travel.

Scuba Part 2:Maldives

They say Diving in the Maldives is one of the best dive experiences. Since this was my first dive, registering that fact took a long while!

It didn't hit me till I saw the tiny islands from my airplane window.

The water! Oh so brilliant blue! Indigo and Blue, Indigo and Blue! Less than a kilometer away that too!

Yes, I had browsed websites about it, yes I checked it out on youtube, but no, I couldn't believe the blue!

I had never set foot on a boat before, let alone an island. Fun trips in Goa and rafting on multiple occasions are a different thing altogether..What am I talking! Here I was on what is probably the world's most beautiful string of islands! I was in the Maldives!

Among the bunch of islands collectively called Maldives, my dive center at the Embudu Village was located a hop, skip and jump from the Taj Exotica Resort Island.

While waterborne, Motion sickness is a grinch. They say its all in the mind really, but after a meal, when the boat you're traveling in impersonates a pendulum, the mind has no say. However, the 45 minute boat trip from the airport to our island was tackled with, without any mind/body revolts; they didn't get the time to react, too struck by the beauty of the blue.

We were to dive the following day as there is always a twelve hour gap between your flight and the dive, so everyone jumped in with their snorkel and mask. It was two at noon, the sun was at its zenith and I was too overwhelmed with the scene. It almost felt like a soap bubble, broken if touched! However, Anees and my dive buddy Remu pushed me and then I finally jumped in.



Potent salt water! In my nose, mouth and eyes! It didn't help that I was an average swimmer and the fins I was wearing suddenly seemed to pull me down! Panic! It took me a while after that to adjust breathing with the snorkel and keep afloat while moving the fins. But as I gradually calmed down and opened my eyes, the scene I witnessed blew me away!



A huge shoal of Groupers inches away from my nose, a Parrot fish or two staring me in the face, a bored baby Shark with the look, 'there comes another sloppy human,' changing course, a Sword fish quickly darting by, a fleeting glimpse of a Sting Ray! A whole new World! But the corals; pink and lilac, they were the icing on the cake.

I was aware that over the next five days, we were to repeat the same tasks like in the pool back home, the thought of being in open waters made me very nervous though.But I need not have worried to begin with, everything was planned and organised so beautifully and each time we reached between 15-18 feet depth, you had just no space for worries. The extent of fascination was hypnotic!



Over the span of five days we saw a variety of stunning fish including Clown fish(of Finding Nemo fame), turtles, huge manta rays and a small but mesmerising ship wreck!



I panicked to begin with, was hesitant on the first dive, attempted to shriek underwater with glee while playing hide and seek with a clown fish, was reprimanded for chasing a turtle and finally was christened as a Diver while wearing a mask and snorkel with bear poured down through it!

Yay! Am officially a diver!


Post Maldives, I tried the dive center in Fathiye, Turkey; but the experience wasn't as exciting as Maldives mainly because of the lack of corals and very few fish. But there's lots more to see out there, many dive destinations like Egypt, Mauritius, The Bahamas and Thailand to name a few. But the first time I opened my eyes underwater and saw at least a hundred fish staring at me.. that sight, I shall never forget!

I started off with the best, looking forward to a lot more!

(Photo curtosy Anees Adenwala and Aniruddh Kasliwal)