My Lahauli friends chide me for being too upbeat about trekking to Zanskar, all by myself. ‘Even we locals don’t go alone’, they say. The trek path begins from Darcha on the Manali-Leh route, just an hour’s drive away from the district headquarters of Keylong. Cloudy weather has caused the atm machine to not work for […]
Doing the unthinkable – Solo Trekking to Zanskar Read More »
While coming back from Malana, I was given a small preview when I hitched a ride to Kasol. Curiously I asked him if he kept any charas with him? And out came a black soap, I was stunned. Read : Winds of Change in Malana This was the land of Bob Marley and free love, I had
Tranquility in the hippie land of Kasol Read More »
Much ado has been made about having a ‘bucket list.’ The moment you tell someone about a lovely experience you had on your unplanned holiday, it goes straight into their bucket list. Let me tell you very frankly, as human beings our greatest memories are not of places, but rather of the time we had, the happiness
Reminiscences from a two day snowfall in Manali Read More »
I had read passing references about the Brokpa community, most of them were rumours of German women coming in search of pure Aryan men. The people living in ‘four Aryan villages’ had remained culturally secluded and were different from the rest of the Ladakhis. Huff Post interviewed me about this, here. Read : Into Unknown Ladakh I
Walking into the past along the frozen Indus in Ladakh Read More »
Yurutse: A ‘one home’ Ladakhi village in Markha Valley A local has been kind enough to walk with me to Rumbak, I have been warned against venturing out alone. It is January cold and a woman has recently been mauled by dogs on the same trail. The cloudy skies give way and it is snowing
Musings from the one home village of Yurutse at 4200m Read More »
‘You will die in the cold’, say my friends. With temperatures falling to -40 degrees celsius, winter travel to Spiti is unheard of! There are no flights and hence no escape route, in case something goes wrong. It is hard enough in the summers; I know after my various long sojourns to this ‘middle land.’
A glimpse of Spiti in winter Read More »
Goa was the first destination that made me realise my penchant for slow travel. On my second trip, I was privy to the dying hippie culture in 2002. We had stealthily found out the whereabouts of a rave party and were in for a culture shock for days to come. It was as Bob Marley said
Goa in the monsoons – Top 5 experiences Read More »
I stroll aimlessly on the deserted mall road in Manali on a chilly November morning. My mind is wandering far away, not knowing where to go next. The days have passed in a daze, coming back from a random trip to Parvati Valley. Read : Finding the offbeat in Manali Read : Winds of change in Malana
Unexpected Delight at Prashar Lake Read More »
So, you think about travel all the time. Nothing seems so exciting as the lure of the road. The feeling of being free among unknown lands. Dreaming about travel destinations and how it would be in person. You have googled innumerable destinations and have a bucket list that runs into pages. You are the one
Top solo travel tips Read More »
I felt better doing yoga & hiking around Rishikesh, recuperating from asthma in the last week of January, 2014. The backpackers at the ashram were gung-ho about their exploration of India, soaking in the spirituality in low season. They were travellers who had been around the world and spoke about ‘India being the country that
7 Days in Little Tibet – McLeodganj Read More »
