Month: January 2016

Hitchhiking From Leh To Srinagar

Published by Dev

Hitchhiking has always remained an intriguing travel option to me. This is because of two fair reasons: one, it makes your journeys cheaper; second, it opens the possibilities to meet all the interesting people out there whom you otherwise miss by travelling in a bus, or far worse, in a private car. I’ve hitchhiked almost everywhere I’ve traveled in the world –  from Indian Himalayan roads to Bangkok’s highways. And no, I don’t find it risky. In my belief, the fact that hitchhiking is dangerous has only been overplayed by the fear-mongering society. So let’s not even go there! The idea to hitchhike all the way from Leh to Srinagar – a 420 km long and isolated road with some of the most popular towns in between, including Kargil and Dras (second coldest inhabited place on earth) – initiated when I met David and Marion on a chilly evening in Leh. And we teamed up to see if that’s even possible. Our shabby and hopeless scheme – as it seemed at first – started in Leh, and …

Why Are We Always So Uninterested To See Our Own Country?

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If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with” Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz Their names have escaped me now but I vividly remember that interesting and equally memorable conversation I had with a young Indian couple from the south of India. I was waiting for my appointment with an immigration officer in Thimpu — to extend my tourist permit in Bhutan when all of a sudden this distinguishably affable couple appeared in front of me. It (the conversation) started with one of those moments when you meet another traveller from your home country and you find yourself forced to exchange the usual banalities about how amazing this place is, followed by the ubiquitous gamut of ‘where are you from in India’ and ‘where you’re going next’. As we finished the small talk, I enquired them about their favorite places in south India. I had a long desired to travel south of India. [Update Oct’16: But …

Majuli Island: In Photos

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My first sight of Majuli island (as you can see in the photos below) was on a humid afternoon in June when I arrived on the morning ferry from the city of Jorhat. For about ten minutes, the adjoining land was aswarm with people pouring out of ferries, before they all hop-in to sharing jeeps and buses and made their way into Majuli. Then abruptly all became silent and I found myself left behind, wandering through the empty shores, waiting for another ferry to arrive and share another jeep. This is how my unforgettable journey to this surreal, almost magical place began.  Soon, its pristine beauty left me startled, craving to stay there forever. So let’s walk on a photo tour and know more about Majuli from my eyes. Update: I happened to revisit Majuli Island 2 years after my first trip. And it still remains one of the most interesting and beautiful places I’ve seen in India. Read about my second visit to Majuli island here: Majuli Island Travel Blog! To reach Majuli Island …

What The World’s Second Largest Monastery Taught Me

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Tawang valley in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh is wrapped with a hulking mountain range which always seems to cast special magic on the mind of travelers. The entire valley is a patchwork of stunning mountain ridges and vast fields – so beautiful that every moment you find yourself awestruck. And when you are not being enthralled with its natural beauty, you are captivated with the Buddhist prayer wheels of Monpa pilgrims wearing a traditional black-yak-wool overcoat. Well, there are many reasons to visit Tawang, but the prime reason why it stands above the crowd is that it is home to the world’s second largest monastery – something that makes Tawang exclusive, and culturally rich. Located at 10,000 feet with a commanding view of Tawang River, Tawang monastery is one small city in itself. It is an ideal epitome to some 500 monks, many of whom are small children. Their sole place of refuge in the monastery premises where they learn and follow Buddhism. During my visit to this monastery and a small conversation …

Top Things To See In And Around Shillong

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A hill station with a picturesque setting, and a salubrious climate all year round, Shillong offers a pleasant escape from the sweltering hear of the plains, and a lot more than that! Before I first arrived in Shillong, I expected it to be yet another overrated tourist destination – similar to the likes of Shimla, or Darjeeling. I expected a Mall Road, a few hundred confused tourists and their cheeky kids brutalizing a city in the mountains. No wonder, I’d no plan to stay there even for one night, but because my next destination was Cherapunji, and I missed the last bus that left Shillong, I’d no other option. But it turned out that in only a couple of hours, I fell in love with this young, vibrant city in the northeast part of India. I loved its vibe, the local crowd, and the super cheap food. And because of the fact that there was so much to see and do around Shillong, I ended up staying here for 3 nights, before I finally moved …

Nongriat: From Root Bridges To Its Natural & Cultural History

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Nongriat is a combination of two words “Nong” meaning village and “Riat” meaning cliffs or ridges. So it literally means “A village surrounded by ridges” – and that’s exactly what you are going to find in Nongriat, in addition to its mesmerizing beauty, natural swimming pools and friendly people It is about 64 Kms from Shillong and to reach there, you’d have to take a shared Jeep or hire a cab from Shillong to Cherapunji (otherwise known as Sohra) and then to Mawshmok. From Mawshmok you’d walk towards Tyrna which takes approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, if you want to go a little wild, you can walk all the way from Shillong to Cherapunji which will take around 3 days walking through the plump and comely hills of Meghalaya. From Tyrna you walk on foot to Nongthymmai and then to Nongriat which is around 3500 stairways (and a hell lot of sweat) from Tyrna. Not to forget that they are not really proper stairs, at times they are mere boulders and rocks smeared with moss which makes …

Nongriat, Meghalaya: In Photos

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“This north-east Indian village with root bridges is by far the best place I’ve seen in your country.” I still remember how my friend expressed his excitement, as we clambered over the lofty and vainglorious mountains of Uttarakhand, last year. His voice – a perfect invitation for me to amble – kept reverberating in my head for a long time until when I finally set off to see this place with a few other north-east Indian places that turned out to be no less than a Shangri-la. From being a place where it (almost) rains the most in the world to being a home to one of the amazing tribal community in India – there are many reasons why you should visit Nongriat. But the undisputed highlights are its lush forest, magnificent valleys, countless natural pools, living root bridges and the Bananas with seeds. Here, some unforgettable moments I clicked in and around Nongriat (eastern Khasi Hills): The entire east Khasi Hills in Meghalaya is like a secluded oasis of silence in the vastness of nature. And Nongriat – …

Impermanence And Change Are A Part Of Life

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It has been almost two years since I’ve been travelling (updated October 2016) after quitting my job and having decided to live like a nomad for as long as I wanted and my budget allowed. A great many things have happened to me all this time. From meeting unknown friends to spending nights on slatted benches to hitchhiking on the world’s most dangerous roads – I went through it all. And in the process, I’ve learned many great life lessons. “Travel imparts new vigor to your mind,” said a great Roman philosopher once, and I can’t agree more. It allows you to accept new cultures, new ideas, as you open yourself to world philosophies. Travel has probably been one of the greatest educators in my life. When you travel, you make your own decisions and throw yourself into situations that you otherwise try to avoid. It schools you in more ways you can ever find out, and my experience has been no different. Travelling has taught me much. But the biggest lesson it has taught me is to realize that …

Why I Want To Travel Bhutan Again

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Of all the places I’ve been to, Bhutan remains one of my favorites. Not much is known of this country, and even less is heard about. No wonder, Bhutan is a place to be discovered. Many people find it hard to sample its charms due to the country’s high daily tariff (about $250 per day per person) and complicated visa requirements – which, fortunately enough, don’t apply to Indian tourists. We can cross the border anytime we want and enjoy its warmth, humility, friendliness and spiritual peace, like a backpacker. But why do I care to visit it again? Well, of all the compelling reasons Bhutan’s ‘Restaurants Cum Bars’ – as they are often named – are something I find myself mostly yearning for. They are a basic Bar like facility where you can enjoy ‘Emma Dhatsi’ – an insanely hot delicacy of boiled chilies and local cheese – and all those local beers and whiskeys. For a start remember that they are in no shortage in any sense. If Bhutan has some 100,000 shops in …

In Search Of Happiness

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I found Bhutan a rather charming and fascinating place. No matter how worldly and materialistic your approach towards life is, if you travel Bhutan with an open mind, their philosophical and idealistic culture would force you to contemplate, and contemplate twice, on some of the most confusing questions concerning human existence. During my visit to Bhutan, I happened to spend a chilly evening with a couple of friends I met in the capital city Thimpu. They shared with me some crazy ideas about their culture and a unique Bhutanese philosophy that left me spilling my guts out. These young men had no decent excuse to ponder or even believe in such crazy ideologies – and their firm belief left me startled. “There’s a very simple solution to be happy in your life,” said one of them “Just think about death few times every day.” The entire conversation around such a cheesy topic started when – during our philosophical conversation – they happened to ask me about that one thing I want from my life. “To be …