Well, who doesn't know Agra? The home of world famous Taj Mahal, one of the ancient wonders of the world and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was much anticipated trip with a lot of expectations which ended with mixed feelings!
May 31, 2012
May 30, 2012
Cities- Delhi, The Capital
The capital, New Delhi ... This was my fourth visit to Delhi, the earlier three visits were work related. I was hoping my sightseeing trip would be very pleasant and make me forget all the bad experiences I had in earlier visits! Life in Delhi is just like in any other metro city in India. But, every tourist has a story to tell about their (bad) experiences with travel agents, rikshaw drivers and so on ... But, I always try to re-relay one line ... the culture of the place is for the comfort of the people who live there not for the tourists who visit occasionally ...
May 29, 2012
Cities- Jaipur
This is my second visit to Jaipur. I had visited the place earlier with my family. It was perfect family get-away, expensive hotels, elaborate breakfasts and meals, long photo sessions, talk-talk-and-talk, and the some sight seeing :) I had to visit some forts which were far from the city, such as Nahargarh and Amber forts, and the pre-modern city itself as a local, eat roadside and wander on the streets.
May 28, 2012
Natural Wonders- Antelope Canyon
Arizona, a south-western state of United States is home for many natural wonders. The red, barren dessert landscape filled with fields of weird pinnacles, high standing cliffs, deep snaking canyons, and miles and miles of flat barren dessert sand. Occasionally, you might be blessed with the sight of mustangs, so keep an eye open ...
May 27, 2012
Random Thoughts- Why do I travel solo?
I say, Yes
You mean you are all alone, by yourself?
I say, haan haan ...
Is your group hanging out elsewhere?
I say, I am not with a group
Tips- Backpacking India, What I packed?
As I might have mentioned in my earlier posts ... I am a petite female. Really cannot carry a 60-70L backpack. I took 40L Wildcraft instead. WildCraft is okay ,,, but I really missed my REI Flash. I was kind of confused on what to pack! I was going to Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Punjab starting late September (hot an humid wether) and then I was visiting Himachal Pradesh and North Sikkim in mid-October onwards (cold, very cold weather)!
What should I pack?!
Random Thoughts- Backpacking India, The first step!
I had a very well paying job and a position in a software company, Sunnyvale, California. A good place to live and all the freedom to do whatever I wanted. But, there was a void ... I was away from my parents! At night when I rested my head on the soft pillow I thought about them. As aging doesn't stop for anyone ... they were getting older and older day-by-day. I used to hear my colleagues taking the first flight they could when they got a call about their senior folks being ill.
I am a believer in positive thinking and for that I need to have happy things around me, happy moments to remember. I want to remember my parents healthy, smiling, running around, eating well ... and so on ... I want my pictures with them when they sit straight on the couch. Bottom-line I wanted to live with them when they are still young and healthy and treasure those days ... not only when they are in the hospital fighting for life! So, I decided to quit my job at Sunnyvale and move back to Bangalore to be with them. When I spoke to friends about this ... some agreed with me, some were surprised, some disagreed ... but, its my life and its my decision. And I moved back to Bangalore! I didn't have a job, and even after an year I haven't looked for a job!
May 26, 2012
Closed Windows
---
May 25, 2012
Colorful Skies- Sunrise at Pachmarhi
Dhoopgarh the highest point in Satpura National Park, Pachmarhi-Madhya Pradesh, is a place from where tourists watch sunrise. Early morning at 4:00AM going all the way up driving on vomit inducing winding roads was an experience. Once there, in the bone biting cold waited for the Sun to rise and shine, illuminate the whole world. With me were many!!
---