"Not all those who wander are lost."
Inspired by the pictures of striking green hills from my friends' trips, I decided to take my brothers to Chikmagalur during the first week of January. Apparently, that wasn't the right time for lush greenery. So all we got was sun-dried grasses and flaring sun, both en-route and on the hills. Nevertheless there were some …
This New Year, party lights, loud music and popping champagne were replaced by star-studded skies, music of gushing waves and a moonlit sea. There couldn't have been a better way to start the year: a small rustic temple-town, beautiful rivers, Arabian sea shores bordered by the rocky hills of Western Ghats, confluence of cultures and …
Beaches, beaches and more beaches. This was on our to do list when we started our weekend trip to Mangalore and Udupi. We were not a teensy bit disappointed by the itinerary in the couple of days we spent there. All these Arabian sea beaches had few things in common: golden( or white) sand, rows of …
Continue reading "Exploring coastal Karnataka: Mangalore and Udupi"
'Wake up, wake up! Look outside.' said Anusha. While my usual reaction would have been to kick her or question her sanity for waking me up so early, this time I was glad she woke me up. Through the creaky window of the TNSTC bus, I saw the beautiful full moon of Christmas day hiding behind the …
Continue reading "A journey through the blue mountains: Ooty and Coonoor"
7:30 P.M, Friday night. We were debating over the numerous one day trips from Bangalore when we finally settled on Shivanasamudra, the fourth largest delta formed by the Kaveri river. Shivanasamudra, literally translating to 'Sea of Shiva', is an island town where the Kaveri river bifurcates to form the Gaganachukki and Bharachukki falls. While the first …
Continue reading "One day trip to Shivanasamudra falls and Talakadu"
Seven of us set out to Dharamshala for a final trip of our college days, the so-called 'psenti trip'. Located in the shadow of the Dhauladhar range, Dharamshala is a visual treat for any traveller. Snow-capped mountains, valleys, deodar and pine trees, monasteries and more. In short, religion, nature, serenity and adventure all packed in …
Continue reading "Intersection of two cultures- Dharamshala and McLeodganj"
Popularly known as 'Lake City', 'City of Lakes' and 'Venice of the East' Udaipur is a famous tourist destination and a shooting location for many Bollywood films. From the stories of Maharana Udai Singh II,it's founder, to the great war stories of Maharana Pratap, it drowns you in it's rich culture and history. Located in …
Continue reading "A two day trip to Udaipur and around- Part 1"
I was at work when I called my dad to inquire about my mom’s health. She had been feeling weak and was suffering from vaginal bleeding, since she had been operated to remove cysts in her uterus a few weeks back. He said he was taking her to Hyderabad for some medical tests. I knew …
Continue reading "When was the last time you told your parents you love them?"
"Climbing is as close as we can come to flying." -- Margaret Young, aviator and alpinist The trek to Channarayana Durga and Devarayana Durga justified every single bit of this quote. As I'm writing this post, my head is filled up with nostalgic memories from the trek: the people, the journey and the brilliance …
Continue reading "Channarayana Durga and Devarayana Durga Trek"
Panda Travelogue 