Prologue

Spontaneous trips often turn out to be the most memorable because they don’t allow for overthinking. This was the case with a trip to Ooty in Tamil Nadu during the peak summer of 2024. My work commitments required me to fly down to Bengaluru for a week, coinciding with election dates falling on a Friday. Such an unprecedented coincidence naturally meant making the most out of the long weekend. Hence, our impromptu plan began to take shape, ultimately leading us to settle on a trip to Ooty, driven by the desire to escape the 35-degree heat of Bengaluru. Although time was limited, we were determined to make the most of our getaway.

Journey Onward

We made reservations through Redbus for the MMK A/C bus travels on April 17th, 2024 (Thursday). Each ticket was priced at 1915 INR per person. The scheduled pickup time was 10 PM sharp at Marathahalli Kalamandir. However, we encountered severe traffic on the way and were only able to board the bus at 10:10 PM, facing verbal rebuke from the driver who had been waiting from 9:45 PM. To make matters worse, we discovered that the air conditioning system had malfunctioned, making the unbearable heat even more uncomfortable.

Our relief came when we reached Electronic City, where the bus waited for a good 30 minutes for the mechanic to arrive and fix the cooling system. During the journey, we were provided with a packet of chips, juice, and biscuits as refreshments. As dawn approached, our sleep was disrupted by the sharp turns and sudden jerks as the driver navigated through Coonoor. Finally, at 5:45 AM, we made a stop before entering Coonoor, at the Green Hills Family restaurant, to use the washrooms.

Following a continuation of uncomfortable driving and the onset of motion sickness-induced vertigo, we disembarked from the bus at 7:40 AM at the parking area known as Sarkar Palace.

Carrying our luggage, we debated whether to hail a local taxi to reach the hotel, which was a kilometer uphill. Ooty is known for its large autos that can accommodate four people in the back with ample storage space. Opting for one of these carriages, we paid 120 INR and arrived at the hotel by 8 AM.

We were given a mid-sized room to rest up between 8 AM to 1 PM (check-in time) at the Beverly Villa Ooty. This was an utmost necessity post travel since most Ooty hotels do not allow check-in before mid-day.

The Villa

Beverly Villa offers various tiers of rooms. We negotiated a deal that was more affordable than the online rates and also secured an early check-in option, as detailed below

Room type : Deluxe room on 26th early check in
Family suite 26&27
Tariff Deluxe room =2500
Tariff Family suite =9000
Total tariff = 20500
Check-in: 1:00 pm (Official)
Check-out: 11:00 AM

The villa has a bunch of indoor games like table football, chessboard and carrom littered across the lobby space. We got our family suite early at 11 AM which were two inter-connected rooms with separate toilets and a common kitchen.

The Grass Is Greener

During the interval between switching rooms, we opted to stroll downhill to the botanical garden, located 400 meters away. With the assistance of Google Maps, we navigated the winding roads downwards, passing by the Sacred Heart Cathedral enroute to the Government Botanical Garden.

At 10:15 AM, we each paid an entrance fee of 50 INR to access the garden and wandered around for about an hour. Although the garden was expansive and we only explored a small portion of it, we could tell that it was well-maintained and popular among tourists.

One uphill section, known as the Italian Garden, featured animal-shaped shrubs and hedges. However, the harsh sunlight and lack of shade made the experience less enjoyable.

We spent most of our time taking photos before deciding to leave, as the villa had been contacting us to inform us that our family room was ready.

Upon exiting, we hired an auto (for the same rate of 120 INR) to take us back to a restaurant super close to our hotel.

Renowned for its elaborate breakfast offerings, Le Cafe presents a Spanish Siesta ambiance with its outdoor seating and rustic vibes.

Adjacent to the seating area lies Little Earth, a charming supermarket offering a variety of farm-fresh produce, handcrafted goods, and everyday essentials.

The meal service at Le Cafe, however, proved to be a mixed experience. While some dishes were delightful, others missed the mark. Despite the lengthy wait for food, the overall quality seemed to justify the higher prices, with presentation adding significant value to the dining experience.

Post breakfast on a mid-day, we retired back to our hotel Family Room to catch a much needed freshening up and little shut eye. A heavy breakfast of dim-sums, burgers, garlic bread, ramens and mock-tails will make anyone drowsy in our defense.

Dinosaurs & Desserts

At 2 PM, we gathered into another rickshaw, heading to Angara restaurant to enjoy a North Indian meal amidst a South Indian ambiance. A number of activities were lined up for us to embark on throughout the day.

As you can make out in the above photo, it was unexpected to be greeted by a waiter fluent in Bengali. We chose to satisfy our appetites with Biriyani, Rumali Roti, Ghee Rice and Keema, accompanied by mocktails, in preparation for the daunting experiences that awaited us.

Thunder World, a quaint amusement park tailored for children, was just a short stroll away from Angara. We opted for the second-tier package, granting us access to the central plaza that branched out into various gates, each ushering to different attractions. Our adventure began with a visit to the vintage camera museum section.

The moment of true fright unfolded as we stepped into the dinosaur park. Greeted by a mechanical T-rex head at the entrance, we proceeded through a tunnel adorned with artificial skeletal reconstructions. This path culminated in a spacious area populated with model theropods, several of which were animated to enhance the element of surprise.

Having devoted ample time to appease the child among us, both frightened and fascinated by the creatures, we moved on to explore the haunted house/rainforest. This attraction featured genuine frights and startling surprises that even unnerved some of the grown-ups. One instance involved a figure springing from a coffin, accompanied by bursts of steam and eerie sound effects to heighten the scare.

We made our way to the train station in anticipation of the toy train’s arrival before 4:30 PM. Typically, there are 4 (occasionally 5) diesel-powered toy trains that operate daily between Udagamandalam station in Ooty and Coonoor. Due to their popularity, these trains often sell out quickly, necessitating advance reservations. We had secured our booking a week earlier, with the only time slot available for departure at 4:45 PM and expected arrival by 5:55 PM. The cost for each first-class ticket was 525 INR plus GST.

The train station opened up to the bustling town square, where a fleet of autorickshaws awaited tourists. We negotiated a fare of 150 INR with a driver to take us to Cherry Berry, a renowned supermarket-restaurant-farm in the highlands, celebrated for its delectable desserts.

We arranged for a Savaari car at the cost of 2000 INR for a one-way trip from Cherry Berry to our hotel. Opting for just the essentials, we placed a minimal order for dinner via online delivery services before settling in for the night after a tiring day.

It’s Teatime

We negotiated a full-day sightseeing deal with our hotel for a local taxi. Initially, we intended to stick to the predetermined itinerary provided in the package. Our journey commenced with a trip to the bustling tea and chocolate factory atop the hill at 11 AM. The place was swamped, with a seemingly endless line of cars vying for parking spaces, and yet another queue to navigate the packed factory. An entry fee of 20 INR is levied for factory admission, payable on the spot either in cash or via UPI.

Within the facility, displays detailing the history and methodology of tea production were arranged for visitors’ perusal. Following the educational tea trail, we were guided into the adjacent chocolate-making area, where the confections, a hit among tourists, were being crafted by the workers. The tour concluded with complimentary tea tastings and a shop offering an array of locally produced goods.

Subsequently, our visit led us to the Wax Museum, situated a short distance from the factory. We first made a stop at the government-sanctioned textile shop for a bit of shopping before delving into the enchanting world of the wax museum. The entrance fee was a modest 50 INR per person, and the museum housed several wax statues that were remarkably lifelike, leaving a profound impact on the onlookers. Below are a few notable examples from Kolkata.

Our driver had a specific lunch location in mind to accommodate the subsequent visit to a waterfall. However, we requested a detour to Earl’s Secret cafe. He cautioned us about the time commitment due to its distance and popularity of the place, prompting us to forgo our remaining itinerary in favor of a leisurely lunch at Earl’s. The route took us through ascending, serpentine roads to a quaint English-style cottage. Upon arrival, we realized our miscalculation of the wait time and ended up spending close to an hour taking selfies on the picturesque lawns.

Ultimately, we were seated and decided to indulge in a variety of dishes to conclude our day. The beverages and desserts were delightful; however, the main courses fell short of the establishment’s reputation.

End Of The Road

Nearly everyone we spoke to recommended sampling the chocolates at Moddy’s. However, we were simply too full to entertain the idea of eating more. Therefore, we chose to relax at the hotel by 4 PM and depart at 7 PM to board our return bus. With the bus scheduled to depart at 8 PM, this left us with sufficient time to make a quick purchase from Moddy’s.

The shop was bustling with customers; we selected some baked goods for our dinner and chocolates to enjoy afterwards. The prices were a bit steep, owing to the brand’s prestige, and they offer online delivery as well. To our pleasant surprise, the Streamline bus for our return trip was in far better condition and less crowded. Interestingly, the fare was marginally lower than what we paid for our outbound trip, costing us 1575 INR per person.

I dozed off shortly after we boarded the bus, but I was told that there was a stop around midnight at Saravana Bhavan for a restroom break. Some passengers got into a dispute, yet the bus staff was firm about adhering to the schedule. We arrived back in Bengaluru by 4:30 AM.

Tip Offs

• There is a 30 min stretch through Coonoor where the bus takes super sharp turns around the edge. This can feel nauseating and can very much trigger motion sickness problems.

• Bargain with hotels over phone for a better deal, because there often is one. Same situation with cabs. Autos seem to be running at standard rates.

• Locals seem very fluent with Hindi, which can come off as surprising. But it makes communication easier for people from the Northern side of India.

• Ooty can be very very touristy and crowded, the sun can be harsher due to the elevation in summers. Most spots shut down before 7 PM and food delivery stops by 9.30 PM.

• Tickets to toy trains get sold out weeks in advance. Will highly recommend pre-booking and not taking chances.

• Don’t expect great food, most we tried were strictly average for the price we paid. Instead try to enjoy the beverages, the desserts and the ambiance.

Recommendations

It will go back to the toy train ride between Ooty and Coonor where the famous Dil Se train song by A.R. Rahman was picturized on Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora. Here is a video glimpse of the journey from Instagram handle @dot.pixelaha

Breaking Out,

Sayantan

Prologue

I had obtained passports for my family a few years ago, and after much contemplation, finally decided it was time to put them to use. While initially considering a trip to Singapore, we ultimately opted for the UAE. This decision was influenced by my touchdown to Singapore during solo Indonesia escapade in mid-2023.

The journey began back in April, when I secured reasonably priced flight tickets, sparking excitement among everyone for the upcoming international vacation. The chosen dates coincided with the week of Diwali 2023, offering a welcome break from my work stress and a much-needed opportunity to relax in an otherwise hectic year.

VISA

Made use of Makemytrip’s convenient online visa application process, known for its quick processing time, usually taking less than a week. The application fee for a 30-day single-entry electronic VISA is slightly above 7000 INR. The simplicity of the process stands out, requiring only passport scans and a photograph for submission, making it one of the most user-friendly options for Indian citizens.

Despite the usual prompt processing, our experience involved a significant delay in obtaining two of the four VISAs, apparently attributable to delays on the embassy’s end. As a result, we received all the VISAs after a two-week wait. Resolving the issue required extensive communication, numerous calls and chats with Makemytrip support team. Nevertheless, the relief was palpable when the VISAs were finally in inbox.

Currency

We had taken service of Kolkata office of Forex firm Orient Exchange to convert UAE Dirhams. Our plan was to do majority of transactions using service of Niyo cards instead, known for its instant UPI based top-up facility and low Forex markup.

Dubai airport has 24X7 counter to exchange money, with easy support of Indian National Rupee exchange (albeit at much worse exchange rates).

Hotel

I have a history with booking.com and that kind of repeated itself here. This was a series of reservations, cancellations, and rebooking. This particular tale began in January when I initially planned a trip to the UAE with friends. I had booked a stay at Ibis hotels for a 6-day trip at a cost of 1.15 Lakh INR.

However, fate had other plans, and that trip fell through. In the new plan with my family, I settled on the Golden Tulip Media Hotel. Considering its location, service, and shuttle service, it seemed like a solid choice, totalling around 90k INR for 5 days.

Upon reflecting on my parents’ likely fatigue during the trip, I reconsidered the premium price for the location and stumbled upon the Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Seef. Priced at 75k INR and situated in the Dubai Creek area, it appeared new and promising.

However, a game-changer emerged three months prior when I discovered Resivation Hotel at a remarkably affordable rate of 45k INR total. The hotel, seemingly designed for long-stay office goers, boasted a pan-Asian restaurant and had garnered positive reviews online. Opting for this stay, I reasoned that the savings could be better spent on exploring the city. The added bonus was the hotel’s complimentary shuttle service to the nearest Al Furjan metro on the Red line. This decision turned out to be a smart move, and I couldn’t be happier with my stroke of luck.

Resivation hotel is situated at the outskirts of Dubai with a lot of ongoing construction all around. The shuttle to Al Furjan metro station runs on weekdays from 7 AM to 7 PM, every 30 minutes. On weekends, it goes to Ibn Batuta mall at 2 PM and JBR at 5 PM. There are supermarkets all around the hotel, serving tea for 1 Dirham and snacks at less than 5 Dirhams. The attached authentic Thai Restaurant had breakfast buffet available everyday at 30 Dirhams per head. The lunch and menu were a la carte but had every bit of authentic Thai taste. The hotel has a 24X7 Gym, luggage room, lobby – pretty much all anyone needs. The room cleaning service happens every alternate day.

The hotel do mention non-smoking rooms everywhere, seldom this is followed as our room 109 were reeking of smoke as we stepped in. There is a dedicated open area in balcony on the second floor for smoking, which seems to be not practiced in real life.

Flight

Our onwards flight was on 9 Nov (Thursday)

• Flight Number: EK-571
• Route: From Kolkata to Dubai
• Departure: 8.55 AM (delayed by 30 min)
• Arrival: 12.50 PM
• Duration: 5h 25min

Emirates was everything an international flight experience needs to be. Except the poor screen quality and awful headphones which plus into the seats, everything was perfect. Dubai Arrival experience at T3 was very seamless. We were seated in the economy class of this Boeing 777 aircraft.

The immigration officers checks e-VISA and takes photo before stamping the passport. Dubai allows family members to come to immigration together which took around 20 minutes due to the queue and I saw some of the nicest immigration officers in my experience, who always welcomes you with a smile. They also give each person one SIM card with complementary 1 GB loaded in. We proceeded to be picked up by driver from Dreams Star UAE, who charged us 2930 INR for hotel drop-off.

Our return flight from Dubai was scheduled on 13 Nov (Tue)

• Flight Number: AI-906
• Route: From Dubai to Chennai
• Departure: 23.10 PM
• Arrival: 04.45 AM
• Duration: 4h 05min
  
  Layover for 3h 20min
  
• Flight Number: AI-786
• Route: From Chennai to Kolkata
• Departure: 8.05 AM
• Arrival: 10.40 AM
• Duration: 2h 35min

Air India was well, same as domestic flight, even on the route from Dubai to Chennai. It was a full flight with food/alcohol option. We had to complete our immigration in Chennai and collect our luggage since the route ahead fell in Indian domestic route purview.

Day One : The Arrival and Global Village

We reached Hotel Resivation at 3.30 PM. Our check-in process was prompt as we were assigned rooms 102 (King sized bed) and 109 (Twin bed) on the first floor. After tea and quick shut eye, we left the hotel at 6.40 PM via UberX and reached the Global Village at 7.20 PM. The assigned vehicle was Tesla Model X (incidentally my first ride on a Tesla) and the trip costed us around 2100 INR.

One can easily get Global Village tickets from the counter itself or online. There is no limit to entry it seems, and for senior citizens (age 75 and above), entry is free. Regular tickets are priced at 620 INR per person.

Within the premises, each pavilion is sponsored by a country, offering an endless array of shopping, food, and interactive experiences. Store owners frequently call out to passers-by, and we observed numerous customers engaging in bargaining for better deals. Interestingly, certain countries are represented by an entire continent (South America, Europe, Africa), a placement that felt somewhat generic.

The India Pavilion was notably expansive compared to most others, predominantly showcasing the Red Fort structure. However, the food did not reflect authentic Indian cuisine; it leaned more towards the UAE version of Indian food. Many pavilions exhibited a North Indian influence, with Kashmiri shops being particularly prominent.

The central lake featured a Chinese Dragon theme, creating a captivating atmosphere. Across from it was the main stage, where music performances entertained the crowd, and people relaxed on stairways or fair ground. However, halfway through, we acknowledged our exhaustion and realized we wouldn’t be able to explore even half of these pavilions due to the vast expanse and minor jetlag. On another side, there was an amusement park setup, including Ripley’s Believe It or Not, which unfortunately, we never got the chance to explore.

We left the village through a different gate (which was a mistake in hindsight) and had to walk an exceptional lot to reach the designated Uber pickup spot. As I said before, Global village probably needs couple of days (or more?) to complete, thanks to it’s sheer vastness. We boarded the cab at 9.20 PM and was back in hotel by 9.45 PM due to no traffic. The return trip costed the same as onward.

Day Two: Emirates Tour

I had purchased the Six Emirates full day tour on Viator for 29800 INR. The tour could fit 6 person at maximum and the purchase page mentioned return by 4.30 PM. However in reality, we were back at hotel at 8.30 PM.

At precisely 9:30 AM, Major, a skilled driver and proficient guide, picked us up, and our journey began. He explained that the trip commenced with a guide on Dubai, the first Emirate, followed by a cruise through the others with essential pitstops. It was mentioned that the largest Emirate – Abu Dhabi was excluded from this itinerary, as it deserved a dedicated day.

Having gained valuable insights into the popular areas of Dubai and the significance of each place, our first stop was at second emirate Sharjah. Al Qasba is a canal-side complex featuring charming cafes, boats, shops, and a distant view of the Ferris wheel.

Our next stop was Sharjah Art Museum which was unfortunately closed on Fridays. Hence we proceeded to the Quran roundabout to see the intersection of court, library, mosque and cultural building.

We entered the third emirate Ajman and Major was kind enough to stop us in Fish Market since we wanted to have a look at local lifestyle. There were numerous local fisherman selling fish, crabs and lobsters of all variety possible. We went ahead and had a small stop over at Ajman beach to feel the sand beneath the feet and the cold Indian Ocean water flowing in. I was told that Ajman was popular with folks because Sharjah has a ban on alcohol and we saw many tourists hanging out here hence.

The fourth emirate Umm Al Quwain was the smallest, where we stopped for a quick lunch and Major going for his afternoon prayer. This emirate was the most rustic with no major tourist point and the inner roads were less maintained.

The northern most emirate Ras Al Khaimah was quite a drive away, from Umm Al Quwain. We could see deserts on sides and camels wandering around as we crossed the multi lane highways. The roads still had markings to maintain distance, which was painted on during 2020 era of Covid.

Our stop now was very close to Oman Border, at the highest hilltop fort of UAE called Dhayah Fort. We encountered the lifestyle and houses of Sheikhs as we passed by. The Dhayah fort has over 250 stairs to reach the top and see the city of RAK in panoramic view.

Al Bidya Mosque was located in the final emirate of Fujairah. I was specifically keen on going here since it used to the oldest known mosque in the country, prior to discovery of an even older mosque in Al Ain in 2018. Still in use, it is also known as the Ottoman mosque and has such a simple architecture overlooking the beautiful ocean side of Fujairah. It was constructed using locally available materials, primarily stones of various sizes, and mud bricks coated in whitewashed plaster. The roof features four squat, helical domes supported by a single centrally placed pillar, which also forms the ceiling. The small opening on one wall, known as mihrab, indicates direction of the mecca and angle to pray towards.

We passed by the vintage car museum of Fujairah as night fell. We entered Sharjah again as we drove back and passed by Khorfakkan amphitheatre and adjoining artificially built waterfall.

Our last stop was Fujairah Fort, where I just took a quick photo and we went ahead to go back the long road home.

Day Three: The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa

After having a rather heavy breakfast at the hotel, we set off at 11.16 AM. Our UberX was a Lexus this time (marking my first ride on one) and we reached Downtown Dubai in 30 minutes. At 11.46 AM, we were deboarding at Dubai Mall P4 Parking lot and the trip costed us around 2800 INR.

I had pre-purchased the Klook Pass Dubai online, providing access to three activities at a discounted rate. The process involves unlocking a 30-day validity period to use all, after the first activity is used up. There are various modes available, with mine being the Super Saver Mode, featuring a selection of around 20 activities that can be exchanged for tickets. The pass, which covered four individuals, cost a total of 24,000 INR.

The Dubai mall has the Underwater Zoo at the top floor which extends down to the Dubai aquarium on the ground floor. We were asked to show the QR code to the counter to get physical tickets which was scanned and we started off from the top at the aquarium.

The Zoo featured distinct sections, including a water exhibit with various fish families, a night jungle area showcasing nocturnal beasts, a tropical jungle section where birds flew freely, and a dedicated mating space displaying crocodile with their eggs. Additionally, there was a separate paid enclosure for penguins, which we decided to forgo. After exploring these exhibits, we headed to Nando’s on the Lower Ground floor for lunch, as our next activity was time-bound and conveniently located near the restaurant.

Following a hearty chicken feast, we utilized the Mall app to locate the entrance to Burj Khalifa. Encountering some difficulty due to unclear directions and unhelpful nearby store managers, a couple of locals eventually assisted us in finding the entrance. Burj Khalifa offers two slots – prime and non-prime, with various configurations like Level 124-125, Level 148, and the Sky Lounge. Our goal was to witness the sunset during a prime slot for Level 124-125. While the Klook Pass covered the non-prime slot, I had to separately purchase the prime slot from Klook at a cost of 22,100 INR.

Unexpectedly, the procedure involves queuing, a bag check, and then a phased entry into the elevator leading to the top. The elevator journey is exhilarating, causing one to feel their ears pop, all while lightning animating across the LED panels, indicating the rapid ascent through the floors.

The top floor was quite windy, providing an almost 360-degree view through the toughened glass into Dubai skyline. Towards the exit, there was a shop section selling overpriced merchandise. We waited for 40 minutes to witness the sunset, but at 5:10, the red sun descended like a ball inside overcast clouds. The architecture and the view were majestic, and we decided to descend, aiming to check off our final destination at Dubai Mall.

We did do some shopping and visited some stores in the hours before, which I skipped on mentioning. A callout store is the Apple’s customary green-certified store, situated in an exceptionally prime location within the mall, featuring trees growing inside. What set it apart, however, was the attached viewpoint. Visitors could stroll through the store and relax on the expansive balcony, offering a panoramic view of the mall’s central area. This served as one of the scenic vantage points, providing a fish-eye perspective of the truly immense size of the mall.

Dubai Mall also offers an ice skating rink in the centre foyer. The space seemed to be popular with children as they were guided by instructors on proper technique.

Returning to the aquarium, our tickets were once again punched, leading us through a straightforward subway tunnel within a colossal aquarium teeming with countless fish, along with multiple species of sharks and rays. As you traverse the tunnel, you can marvel at the experience of being a diminutive being surrounded by circling sharks.

We had to first find the P1 parking lot, which was another task unto itself since this mall has six (or maybe more) levels of parking and Uber does not do a great job of mentioning exactly where in that spacious lot, will your ride stop. After some running around, here and there, we managed to leave at 6.10 PM, reaching hotel at 6.50 PM and incurring a bill of 2300 INR.

Day Four: Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina

So I had ordered this earbuds Bose QuiteComfort Ultra the night before, after confirming about warranty being valid in India with the Bose representative at Dubai Mall store. Amazon gave some good discounts along with a priority free shipping, due to which I could grab this at 24000 INR. The fastest delivery option was on 12th Nov which is why we decided to start the day late today, after I receive my Amazon package.

Quick fact about Amazon.ae, they don’t give the delivery person contact to the customer like India one does, and you need to give OTP yourself to receive any high valued package. I lucked out since my delivery guy popped in at 2 PM and our evening plan went uninterrupted.

We got our Uber at 2.35 PM to reach Dubai Marina at 2.57 PM. Marina is incredibly close by and the trip costed us 1000 INR. Marina was all kinds of beautiful, an artificial sea stretch of coffee shops, malls and strolling pathways overlooking the most premium hotels Dubai has to offer.

This marked the second activation of my Dubai Pass for the speedboat sightseeing tour. Opting for the evening slot at 4 PM, our boarding time was scheduled 10 minutes prior. Upon arrival, my parents needed to use the restroom since the speedboat ride, spanning nearly 2 hours into the sea, did not provide toilet facilities. Upon our return, we discovered that the shared boat had reached full capacity. The organizers, Xclusive Yacht Rentals Dubai, advised us to hold off on boarding, assuring us that a second boat would be arranged, effectively transforming it into a private activity. After a brief wait, we set sail at 4:30 PM.

What unfolded next was entirely unexpected, given that the speedboat was slicing through the waves of the open sea at a tumultuous speed. We were bouncing so high in our seats that I grew concerned and requested the person at the steering wheel to ease up to avoid any potential injuries. The boat gradually navigated through the Dubai Marina area, zipped around the circumference of the Palm Atlantis, with a stopover at the Burj Al Arab. We even caught sight of the private islands owned by the reigning monarch and the place Shah Rukh Khan purchased on the Palm. Despite the slightly daring nature of bringing senior folks along, the experience proved to be the highlight of the trip.

We reached the shore at 6 PM and walked a few hundred meters to reach the adjoining metro station DMCC. It costed us 70 INR each to reach Onpassive Metro station via Red line. We did not get any place to sit but the train was not super crowded, mostly filled with passengers returning from their offices.

The largest chain Day to Day Hypermarket is situated right next to the station. We finished all our necessary shopping at bargain rates from here. I booked the usual UberX but was greeted by a 7 seater Toyota Prius instead, which was perfect to stow all the shopping bags we needed to. The trip costed us 1900 INR.

Day Five: Dubai Frame

Finally testing the hotel shuttle out, we got dropped at Al Furjan station within 5 minutes. The person behind the ticket issuing counter prompted us to use the ticket vending machine instead and we got ourselves tickets to ADCB station, which is further geographically than Onpassive. The zone switch was more than one, so we shelled out 120 INR each for tickets. From the station, we got ourselves an Uber again for 500 INR (but one can walk for 20 minutes through the adjoining park if they want to) and entered the Dubai Frame gate at 1.10 PM.

I used my final ticket of the Klook Pass to get in the Dubai Frame. The waiting time to enter the frame exceeded one hour, but the pleasant weather made the long, windy line of tourists more tolerable. Eventually, as we entered, we traversed a section featuring a video showcasing the history of the UAE and the transformation of Dubai from its origin days

The elevator then transported us to the top of the monument, allowing us to stroll through the literal frame’s summit. The glass floor beneath provided a view of Al Zabeel Park below.

The observatory presented Old Dubai with smaller houses on the right and the modern, high-rise version of Dubai on the left, truly embodying its name as a window between the past and the present.

Upon descending, we were welcomed into a 270-degree screen displaying a feature presentation of Dubai’s future. One felt immersed as part of this expansive display, catching a glimpse of what it will be like to live here in the days to come. This presentation encapsulated the true essence of progress during the trip in the most impactful way possible.

Upon exiting the premises at 3.10 PM, we took an Uber again for 2700 INR and reached the hotel at 3.42 PM. We opted for some light lunch at hotel since we had a long flight ahead. Starting off at 4.27 PM, this time in an Uber XL, we reached Terminal 1 at 5.40 PM after beating a real heavy flow of traffic. This was the costliest transit of the trip, where we ended up paying upwards of 5000 INR to reach airport.

After a tumulus departure formality and terrible queueing at airlines counter, we had to get up on the internal transit metro which takes one to the “good” part of the airport. However we were so exhausted by the ordeal then, I took everyone into the lounge straight. The Mahaba lounge accepted our VISA and Diners card, so we had to pay for two guests at 2800 each. The lounge had a relatively high waiting time of 4 hours, amazing food and just the right amount of beverage assortment for dinnertime.

Tip Offs

• Dubai is a comfortably warm place between November to March, carry comfortable clothing. Temperature becomes unbearable hot in the summer with highest recorded temperature at 49 degree Celsius. Hence Air conditioned everything is available everywhere, all year round.
• Most people like to take package tours to go around Dubai but the entire city is so meticulously planned and connected, you will never struggle with cabs, uber/careem, subway or buses if you don’t opt for one like me.
• All large tourist places have an app – Dubai mall, Global village etc. Necessary to navigate things so humongous in size.
• Dubai is cosmopolitan in truest sense possible. people across counties and ethnicities live in harmony like nothing I have ever seen.
• Dubai can be cheap, if you squint enough. A comparison being a good tea in nearby super mart at 1 AED vs the one in restaurant at 20 AED. It has options always to cater to tourists of every intent of expense, you might have to look think like a local.
• Safety, absolutely one of the safest countries on Earth. I felt the same about entire UAE.

Recommendations

Explore the other Emirates. Not enough people explore beyond Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi. But I think some of my core memories from this trip came from from RAK and Fujairah, as they offered something so unique.

Mae Alsalama Al Habibi

Sayantan

Prologue

This is my first entry in the blog around avian focussed tour. I have not felt the need to document one since these trips are typically not solo-able and needs proper guidance. However this was the very first trip where I strongly felt the urge to document. This is primarily because of the sheer difficulty in the terrain and unfamiliarity of most citizens around this part of the country.

This trip was organized by Avian Trips Group, with whom I have been travelling a lot post pandemic. The team was of 4 members, led by the Avian Trip tour leader Dilip. Joining the team was one bird guide Micah and 2 Mahindra Xylo cars with their respective drivers.

Table Of Contents

Day Zero
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
Day Seven
Day Eight
Day Nine
Day Ten

Day 0

I chose to check in a day early on 6th April (Thursday) since my day job is remote and all I need is laptop and internet. So an early morning Air India flight from Kolkata to Guwahati landed me at Guwahati terminal by 7 AM. As I did exit the airport gates, the usual barrage of taxis and rickshaws flocked in. The rate is 100 INR from terminal door and ironically, if one just crosses the airport entrance gate, that price plummets to 30 INR. Guwahati airport serves as the primary checkpoint for all 7 sister states (Dibrugarh being the other major point, also in Assam).

After walking for 600 odd meters through the airport main road, I reached my stay – Hotel Mirana . I had arranged an an early check in option by going up to INR 2500 per room (from the usual INR 1800) over telephonic booking.

The room given on second floor was spacious, comfortable and well maintained. The food menu was tad bit on pricier side, but it had dinner availability via room service till available till 10.30 PM. Food taste was surprisingly nice and they offered a generous number of choices. My biggest issue was the weak WIFI, to the point that the speed was unusable and the connection kept constantly dropping.

Day 1

Our day began at 7.30 AM as we made our way to the great dump yard of Guwahati, in search of the endangered Greater Adjutant bird. This landfill was crushed by huge machines to create compost which was astonishingly stench free, despite the massive area it covered.

After spending couple of hours in the landfill, we set off to our original destination of Arunachal. But first, we stopped for breakfast at a roadside Dhaba called Delight. Hotel Delight was not that delightful with it’s super limited food menu. A quick meal of tea with roti-sabzi helped us continue ahead and brace the 7 hour long drive.

Our vehicles traversed the National Highway route through the centre of Assam, going straight up to Kaziranga National Park. Then we took a sharp left bend and bridged across the Brahmaputra river, which was surprisingly pretty dried up.

We exited Assam through Tezpur as we entered Arunachal finally. The process of entry requires a pre-approved permit at the border, which is heavily guarded my Indian Armed Forces.

As soon as we entered the other side, our drivers decided to stop for lunch, at yet another Dhaba. Marching ahead, they drove non stop to reach the Lama camp, where we retired for the night.

Day 2

Now experiencing the night at Lama camp, was excruciating, to the say the least. The temperature can drop so low here that the cold penetrates the sleeping quilts at night. Our hands went numb thanks to the tap water which feels like molten ice. The cold gives a much needed jolt for the upcoming experience at the land of Arunachal.

But with sunlight, comes the appreciation of the beauty of the place. We were up and ready by 5 AM for our first session and the temperature begins to normalise with the luminosity of pure sunlight pouring in.

The setup at Lama camp is not very well suited for folks of the plain like me, for whom this often proves to be a new way of life. The stairs to the tent were wobbly and uneven. The rooms was completely made of wood with tin roofs that help combat rainfall, with an occasional spider or moth making way through the door crevices.

The camp houses only one singular solar-powered light source, placed in each cabin room as a LED night light. All the charging of phones and camera have to be done in the common dining area. The food being served three times a day here, was extremely tasty and filling.

Our birding involved driving to areas where our guide had reported sighting, and then walking on rocky terrains through lush forests. Wildlife is aplenty here, one of the densest biodiverse areas India has to offer, but spotting can be challenging in such massive trees and undergrowth.

A major target for anyone travelling to Eaglenest is a bird called Bugun Leochicla. Conservative estimates say that less than 250 mature individuals exist in the wild but no more than 14 individuals were confidently tracked in a day.

We even met Ramana Athreya, an eminent birdwatcher and astronomer, who first described the species in 2006. Thus, making it the first discovered new bird species of independent India. The Bugun tribe protects this birding sanctuary, who has also been honoured by naming the species after the native folks and thus in turn, being protector of this critically endangered shy bird.

The main sanctuary terrain is relatively easy to traverse and since Bugun Leochicla flies in mixed flock with other species, bird guides usually track those other birds to spot one. Our guide managed to hear calls far ahead from such a mixed flock, which we could not.

He followed that sound and took us uphill through the dense forest. This activity involved a lot of manoeuvring, poking branches and very unpleasant burns from Indian stinging nettle plants. 

Nearly all of us got stung somewhere in the process, but we were spared from leech onslaught due to no rainfall in the past few days.

Post a rather unsuccessful session, we drove up to reach the Eaglenest pass. This pass is a patch of forest inside shroud of mist, located at 9000+ feet. This is where we descended to find the elusive Temminck’s tragopan.

After patiently positioning ourselves for an hour, darkness kept setting in. With luck against our side, we called it a day and descended ahead to the next camp through some bumpy roads, where we will spend the next couple of days.

Day 3

Our day started around the tents on Bompu camp, which was at much lower elevation than Lama. Despite having similar facilities, the cold is extremely bearable. Just outside the camp trail, we found the elusive Sikkim wedge-billed babbler, a recently rediscovered species which was thought to be extinct few years ago.

Then, we made our way to Kehllong, which was at a much lower elevation. The weather had starting warming up across the flat forest valleys.

The end of Khellong is marked by a very prominent army check post., housing broken beds and empty rooms. Here, travellers can rest and avail basic bathroom facilities.

The trail leads to a Buddhist shrine in the middle of jungle.

Around it, we encountered many trees being uprooted and planks (most likely illegally) were being made out of it, leading to major habitat destruction. One of our highlight encounter was a beautiful Red headed Trogon on this trail.

Day 4

Our next night was spent in Bompu camp, which encompasses a much larger expanse than previous camp. Fundamentally a trail of makeshift tents and common bathrooms, this camp boasts of being eco friendly with minimal impact on habitat loss.

However unlike the previous camp, this place had nearly no internet connectivity and very spotty cellular network. There is a patch in the centre of the camp to host fireplace and arrange picnic for trekkers.

Similar to Lama, the tent facility had solar powered light source and the common wooden house had dining/charging option. However the charging time here is restricted between 7 PM to 10 PM.

The food quality in the camp was as good as Lama. Here also, they pack in the breakfast and lunch for birders, who prefers leaving at break of dawn for their expedition. The menu item ranged between fried rice, egg omelette, puri-bhaji, paneer and different spreads of green veggies.

Day 5

As our time to bid adieu came, we decided to follow the same trail back to Lama to have another shot at the elusive tragopan of Eaglenest pass.

However first, we had to see the Ward’s Trogon family. Our guide took us to a giant valley full of canopies where we had the chance to encounter two males and one female of this vulnerable species.

After an yet another unsuccessful attempt at Tragopan (Blyth’s is found at lower altitude) at Sunderview, we reached back Lama camp by 7 PM. The cold was much more bearable this time around, possibly due to my psychological preparedness or lack of strong wind, which is hard to tell.

However we did give an attempt for Hodgson frogmouth on a night birding session. Despite hearing it’s calls, the bird never came out in the open. We were instead rewarded by a view of dense starry sky, devoid of any light pollution or rain clouds, that is rare to come by.

Day 6

Our next morning started with yet another attempt for Bugun Leochicla in the core sanctuary area. We got greeted by herd of Mithuns, the state animal of Arunachal which belongs to bovine family. We were told that this cattle breed are not reared for milk, but for meat; as a gift from groom’s side to feast upon, in local tribal weddings.

Heartbroken at no sight of target species, we moved to the lowest elevation of Dirang valley. An evening in Dirang, flanked by mountains on all sides, can be a site to behold.

Unlike our previous spots, the valley feels very comfortable with smooth roads, regular homestays and hotels, local markets and food shops. This is why Dirang is coming up as a popular tourist destination of Arunachal.

The river Kameng is wide and flows through the heart of the valley in all it’s white glory.

A regular tourist will find having the option to stay on the river bed a great relaxation opportunity.

However we had to choose more strategic location, which is why we stayed at Mondruk Homestay, up near Dirang market.

Day 7 

Here is what I will call the post-interval point of this trip. The day required us to get up at 2 AM as we made our way to the highest point yet. Sela pass was 14000 feet up in the snowy peaks.

Sela Pass has a massive entrance gateway, since this entire stretch is an army basecamp, a village and a tourist spot, all at the same time.

Our luck shone as we figured that the night before had fresh coat of snowfall. This not only made the visuals more dazzling to look at but also this meant our snowy birds will feel comfortable coming closer to human settlement.

The entire panorama is surrounded by gorgeous snow capped terrains and icy water expanses. Tibetian Buddhism believes there are 101 sacred lakes in and around the pass, making it a site of religious importance.

The road on the pass itself was smooth and wide thanks to the Indian army. In the past the pass had played pivotal role during Sino-Indian war.

The lake was covered almost entirely by a thin sheet of ice. Surprisingly atop the very few sections of water where the ice had melted, common shelducks sprawled which I had previously encountered in the arid terrain of Kutchh.

As we trekked on the mountain slopes, our feet fell into deep into the snow. This was an usual day at Sela since we saw many tourists taking advantage of the same and hurling into impromptu snowball fight.

After having a meal of hot Maggi in the nearby shop, we tried our final luck around the army camp slopes where we saw a flock of gorgeous Snow Partridges and flying Himalayan Monals. We retired back to our hotel at Dirang by 3 PM, after an exhausting day and exciting memories.

Day 8

Mondruk Homestay was unlike our previous camp stays, having solid three storeyed apartment layout and spacious rooms. The owners made home cooked meal on top floor that is served on request.

The bathroom especially had everything one needs, with on demand supply of geyser hot water.

Due to the comfortable temperature of 15 degree here, the occasional power cuts did not bother us. We left the hotel at 5 AM to reach our next stop – Mandala. The central focal point of Mandala is the 108 Stupas with Sanskrit enchantment carved in each.

Crossing Phudung, the route forks as one prominent path leads to Mandala, which is situated at 11000 feet elevation.

Mandala is known for it’s famous birding lodge, overlooking the gorge ahead. However lately, army training camps has spring up around it, leading to stronger noise all around. Village settlement is present all across the slopes.

A typical view of Mandala locals is often of woodcutters wearing traditional garb or running hotels to serve the army and tourists.

Walking down Mandala top, we passed through the nearby villages and experienced the act of farming fresh cabbage in large patches.

We ended our exploration at 4 PM, with our trip finally coming to close as we posed for some final photos and memories.

Day 9

We did one final lap on Eaglenest sanctuary to find Bugun Leochicla with a sharp deadline of 9 AM since some of us had flights to catch from Guwahati. At 9.05 AM, as we were moving back to our vehicle after mistaking some Red Faced Leochiclas for Bugun Leochicla. As we were moving back to the car with disappointment and promise to come back again, we froze on our tracks as another guide and his foreigner client around the entrance point signalled us for silence. He indicated spotting the bird in bush nearby.

In split second, there it was, on top of the branch, sitting like a typical laughingthrush in foliage and shadows.

The joy of finally seeing it made my hand stoic as I could not believe my eyes. That was all the time it gave before diving back into the bush below. And then it dawned on us, there were 2 adults hopping around. Although I got an unusable shot from this attempt, my fellow camera owners aced the shot confirming what we saw, was indeed the elusive bird.

Nonetheless, the trip ended with all smiles and a final checklist of 180+ odd species. In my limited career of birding and checklist, this contributed a large chunk to my personal lifer count.

We drove to Tenga since one of the participants wanted to go ahead to Tawang to meet his family. For rest of us, post a quick breakfast, we drove down the long road down to Guwahati.

This time we did not take the Kaziranga route but instead went through a parallel route, through the state highway of Assam villages. The day was Bihu (celebration towards first harvest) as we saw countless celebrations on the way.

Our quick stop for lunch was Amal Dhaba restaurant, which was one of the poorer food fares in this journey. But unfortunately, with the next town being quite afar, we had to make do with whatever we got.

We finally reached Guwahati airport at 6 PM. As others went for airport, I checked back to Hotel Mirana for rest since my flight was due the next evening.

Day 10

After an amazing sleep, fulfilling dinner and hearty breakfast, I walked back in the 38 degree noon to the airport gate, which is roughly 870m away (as my hotel receptionist precisely told me). Guwahati airport is small but modern with Bihu celebrations happening in and around the premises.

Here I got to know that the Guwahati airport offers helicopter services to Arunachal as well.

The lounge is very small but they had Bihu celebration meal in the menu. The items were very close to a typical Bengali Fish-Chicken-Paneer platter with largely similar taste.

My trip ended with an on-time Air India flight back to Kolkata which landed at 4.30 PM. The week exhausted me by the end as I was greeted with 42 degree Kolkata heat.

Tip Offs

• Carry layers of clothing for different temperature and terrain. A fleece light jacket, a heavy jacket to deal with frozen temperature, rain proof jacket, inner thermals, gloves and good hiking shoes, plenty of socks, ear and head protection, nose protection – everything you can think of is a must. There will be mornings where you will be walking in a t-shirt and there will nights when you have everything layered up.

• Anti leech socks is an essential, especially when it rains. Same goes for medicine as we often had to consume boiled rain water since we were out of packaged water or had been bitten by bugs.

• Get your permits in place since entry into Arunachal needs the same. Make sure your Aadhar is available everywhere.

• Everyone typically speaks Hindi, so language and communication will be least of problems here. People are largely helpful and nice.

• For staying in camps, carry torch everywhere. The waters can be frozen cold to the point everything can feel numb and light source is powered by solar energy in the morning. The common areas used for charging had electricity for limited 3-4 hours every night. Food may not be readily available, but they provide packed good quality food. In certain camps there is common toilet or no facility of tap water, so you may have to ask folks to heat water in bucket and use the same.

• If you are into astro-based observations, the night sky of Arunachal is one of the clearest you can see with little to no pollution.

• You need a certain level of basic fitness to have a smooth run in Arunachal. Conditions can be extreme that needs lot of walking and hiking, so a mental preparation for the same helps.

Recommendations

The true recommendation of Kameng is none other than Bugun Leochicla due to it’s historical, biological and conservational importance. However I will recommend staying in one camp rather to experience the true wilderness. Here is a video of Bompu camp since the cold is the easier to deal with here, compared to Lama. There are more tents here as well.

Freezing out

Sayantan

Prologue

Brought up in West Bengal and never going to Darjeeling brings shame to any Bengali. Well, not really though. Since my first visit was apparently at the ripe age of two. Not having any memory of the same, the choice was to go Darjeeling in early April of 2022, as it offered an unusually long weekend with Ambedkar Jayant Thursday and Good Friday holiday.

Travel

Our train Kanchenjunga Express left Sealdah sharp at 6.35 AM. The 3AC experience was quite smooth overall, except for occasional begging and dirty toilets frequent in Indian Railways. However the situation with food was deplorable. We had pre-booked the breakfast and lunch online, and they bailed on us with no-show. We managed to get 1 delivery out of 4 attempts which was absolute disaster of a service, with fellow passengers having no better experience as well. The train managed to reach NJP well on time though, at 6.10 PM.

Our return steed Teesta Torsa Express was 45 minutes fashionably late, with no signage of where the coaches will be positioned, as we rushed to enter in a frantic frenzy. The train left NJP at 4 PM. Here our 2AC coaches were far superior, proper linens and pillows being provided (with that occasional tea stain). There were train employees at the gates, deterring anyone coming up without a valid ticket and ensured the toilets were mostly clean. Despite being late, we were in Sealdah station by 5.30 AM.

Day Zero

We reached NJP Railway station at 7 P.M. We were immediately greeted by the designated driver assigned by our stay for the night. It took us around 20 minutes to drive through the traffic to reach VIP Hotel Olive Siliguri. The pure vegetarian hotel charged 500 INR for the pickup service.

We were charged 3200 INR for two rooms. We opted for the no-breakfast option. However the same could be added on the spot for 150 INR per person. The hotel did allow external orders from various food delivery apps, despite the warnings on the walls that state otherwise. Rooms were quite clean, the kitchen made tasty food and the hotel enjoyed influx of boarders due to the prime location in the heart of Siliguri.

The only complaint we had about the rooms was the extremely slippery bathroom floor, which clearly did not use anti skid tiles. Checkout time of hotel was 11 AM.

Day One

Our driver and guide for the tour was Edward Chetri who has previously guided my cousin on a tour. We had struck a deal of 3500 INR per day, which includes daily sightseeing and transport. He promptly arrived at 10.30 AM for pickup and we reached our destination by 2 PM. We took one stop for Darjeeling tea, flying high on NH 110.

Before check-in, we took a quick stop at Ghum monastery. To enter, one has to hop over the railway track and climb down to the premises. Apart from the monastery, it has small gift shop and cafe. It started to drizzle without warning, as it often happens on the hills, and we moved onwards from here.

We crossed Mall Road and as we reached Bhanu Bhawan, we took the sharp motor-able road down to reach Hotel Himalayan Retreat. The checkin process was extremely smooth and the welcome was hospitable.

We were assigned rooms on second floor, that were extremely spacious and had all the expected amenities. Apart from the cloudy weather, the hotel’s positioning and angle gave no view of mountains. They had room service which can be tad slow. However one could walk down to the restaurant area in the basement, where the cook made excellent delicacies for us.

After a filling lunch and well deserved nap, we walked up to the mall complex at 7 PM. The path is short, around 10 min away but the crowd thickened as we approached Glenearys. Looking at the massive crowd ahead, we had tea on the shop bang opposite. We proceeded to do some thrift shopping of first copy garments, inside the Mahakali market, on the left side of Mall Road.

We chose to go for dinner at the hotel where the standout dish was the home made curd. Retiring for that day, we slept early for a 3 AM wakeup call, for an exciting day ahead.

Day Two

We left by 3.45 AM, just to be greeted by a sea of hundred cars ahead. As we got down inside the Senchal Forest Reserve, a bone chilling gust hit our face. This place is crowded with local women with flashlight who are selling hot coffee for 25 INR. We reached the summit by 4.30 AM to get a perfect viewpoint, overlooking all directions.

We could see the North Star and the gibbous moon shining brightly. As the blue hour set in, sun rays kept creeping up the east front.

As the sky changed to golden hour on the east, the sun suddenly popped up in all it’s red ball of glory.

On the north face, the light reflected on Kanchenjunga peak. The locals informed us that this was the best visibility we had in a long time, so lady luck was on our side.

The viewpoint had an arena situation built as well which allowed people to sit and enjoy the view. The locals had telescope installed on the premises as well, which one can pay to see the peak magnified.

We left the point to drive down and had a small tea break by 8 AM before retiring to the hotel. Freshening up, we packed our bags to checkout by 11 AM. All our luggage were dumped at the back of the car.

Our next stop was the popular Darjeeling zoo which charges a nominal entry fee of 50 INR. One needs to go through the zoo to access the mountaineering institute that followed.

The path inside was steep, especially being difficult to people of old age. The zoo houses quite a few of mountain goat subfamilies, snow leopard, black leopard, pheasants, macaws, bengal tiger and black bear. The elusive red panda continues to be the highlight of this zoo.

We chose to give mountaineering institute a miss and exited down the slope, where our car came to pick us up for the next stop. We passed the popular ropeway and rock climbing stoppages and moved to Happy Valley Tea Estate. Unfortunately there was a labour strike going on demanding minimum wage hike, but one could still walk amongst the tea plantation.

Our driver took us to Tibetan refugee camp and museum next. The place had numerous photos depicting their turbulent history. Carpets were being sewn on spot in the camp which were being sold by the locals.

The final destinations for the day were the combined arena of Japanese Monastery and Peace Pagoda.

Our next stay in the Hermitage Resort had an entry time at 2 PM. We checked in through an elaborate verification process.

Day Three

All rooms have mountain view as the construction follows floors, down a slope instead of building up like a traditional hotel. We had opted for the cheapest Daisy room, which is at the very bottom, three floors down. The room pricing are given below.

We had booked tickets for the ever popular Toy Train Diesel joyride (1000 INR each for roundtrip) departing Darjeeling station at 9.45 AM through IRCTC system. Most of the seats were available, even a day before. However all seats were booked by the time we boarded.

The other option available is the Steam Ride which runs on coal, how the toy train was originally built with no regards to the environment (1500 INR for each roundtrip)

From the Darjeeling station, one can see the Hindu Dhirdham Temple easily, accessible through a small winding path going downwards.

The Toy Train travels through city and stops after 35 minutes to Batsia Loop Centre where many choose to board down. The train halts for 10 minutes there before restarting.

The trail ends at Ghum Station after an overall runtime of 25 minutes.

One can choose to explore the Ghum Train Museum here, go onwards or take the ride back. Needless to say we chose the third option.

Post return, Edward picked us up for heading to rock garden. The path to the garden is ill maintained, with signs of caved in roads strewn across which has not been fixed for months. The rock garden is pretty much a pile of rocks that flank a small waterfall, with stairways built in to climb through.

We chose to go further down to Gangamaya park (920 INR entry fee) that is a large flat area of multiple flowering trees, cherry blossom blooms and a lake to boat on.

Post return, we had lunch at the ever famous Glenarys. An average per head cost rounded up to 400 INR (without alcohol). There is bakery downstairs, a pub in the basement and the dinner area on top floor. The dining area also has an open air seating arrangement that allows smoking.

A bit of local shopping is always welcome. Hence getting high quality Darjeeling tea from the OG Nathmull’s Tea room was an undeniable activity, located right at the entrance of Mahakali market in Mall Road.

Day Four

This time we attempted accessing a different path towards Mall, walking through New Mahakali market which is on right side. This path is longer but much less steep. We tried having breakfast at Keventers by 8.15 AM (it opens at 8 AM) and was greeted with a queue of fifty foodies. Ditching the place, we got our breakfast packed from a different place instead and left by 9 AM.

Our drive towards Takdah had a quick stop at Rangli Rangot, a view point where wild strawberries grow aplenty.

Takdah Orchid centre (20 INR entry fee) has a basic washroom, as it is maintained by the forest division. One can purchase low maintenance plants like cacti and succulents at the gate, for as low as 50 INR.

We drove onwards to the tea garden at Tinchuley, which provides a panoramic view of Teesta and Kalimpong simulatenously. Unfortunately, rain clouds were closing in, leading to an overcast fog by mid day with tons of haze.

Our next pit stop was at Lamahatta eco park (20 INR entry fee per person), a garden enclosed by massive pine forest. There is a wooden elevation built here as well for a birds eye view of entire locale.

For the adventurous ones, there is a choice to walk through the dark forest. The path is a 750 meter uphill towards the sacred lake. A map for the same is available on the flip-side of the entry ticket.

We finished our day by gorging at Glenearies again. We also picked up cakes and more from the bakery, for the train journey back home.

Tip Offs

• Call the hotels up before booking online. They often offer a better deal if you do not go through an aggregator. We lucked out in this respect, the hotel at Siliguri communicated to us promptly on whatsapp about the same, allowing us to lock a better deal by paying a nominal advance.

• Toy Trains are usually available to book till one day prior, if your journey date is on a weekday. On a weekend or a national holiday, it is advisable to book well in advance.

• Darjeeling Mail, arguably the best train available, gets sold out months in advance. So opt early if you are travelling on a holiday period.

• It is advisable to look at weather prediction reports before booking since visibility in hills can be challenging as mountain climate can work against your favour. It is important to note that there is snow in winter as well.

• Darjeeling Tea and any food at Glenary’s deserve the hype. Do not miss either.

• Try the horse ride on Mall Road morning, especially if you are travelling with kids.

• There is a limit to cars that are allowed on Tiger hill everyday and the path is one way. Leave as early as possible, both from the hotel and down the view point, to get unblocked from the traffic and for the most optimum view. The ones who come late are usually not taken till the very top and are offered a much inferior view instead.

Recommendations

Peaking at Kanchenjunga sunrise on a clear sky reflecting the transition of colour spectrum. It is truly magical and worth the effort.

Queening out

Sayantan

Onward

On Maha Ashtami (13 Oct) night, left home at 4 AM in the morning, anticipating traffic woes due to a certain Burj Khalifa replica on the way. Haggling through slow traffic, reaching airport took couple of hours. Finally I could catch my flight for Nagpur. A take-off at 9 AM, with an interim terminal switch at Delhi from T2 to T3, I was standing at Nagpur airport exit, getting my vaccine double dosage verified at around 4 PM.

Checked into Hotel Urban Hermitage which was 5 minutes drive from the airport (they provide free pickup/drop-off), situated at the very end of the airport road. The metro station connecting airport runs in between, a reminiscence of Mumbai metro style.

The hotel was designed for corporate stay, with rooms priced in mid-2000 INR mark. Famed to have a rooftop dining area, this five floor structure did have a buffet system on ground floor as well. Food price was exorbitant high across the board, including that offered in room service.

Every food on the menu tasted awful. The Paneer Jhalfrezi and Special Chicken Angara was truckload of spices with no discernible taste. Even the breakfast order of poached eggs with steamed veggies was too poorly done for a commanded price of 170 INR.

The bedsheets were dirty (will not go into graphic detail) and the room service was tad bit unprofessional. On the plus side, the rooms were spacious, dedicated work space and large tiled bathrooms. The massive window, overlooking the metro overpass, gave a great glimpse into Nagpur traffic behind the folded curtain.

Table of Contents

• Preparation
• Safari 1
• Safari 2
• Safari 3
• Safari 4
• Safari 5
• Safari 6
• Hotel/Food
• Return

Preparation

This idea of going on tiger safari started a year back in Spiti, when my co-traveller Chetan, introduced me to the idea of professional wildlife photography. After spending the last one year learning about birds, I decided to splurge on Sigma 100-400 lens for my Sony setup to also attempt at capturing mammal shots. Chetan helped me contact the agency ShareYourSafari, known for quality and budget group tours to tiger reserves.

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I contacted the company owner Harshal Malvankar in the month of March 2021. However had to drop the plan eventually because of rising cases leading to subsequent phase 2 of lockdown in Nagpur. Instead, I opted for 14-17 October Season opener plan which included the Dusshera holiday. The distribution was of 6 safaris, split into 3 cores and 3 buffer experiences.

The plan was Nagpur pickup by 9 AM on 14th October 2021, drop to Kolara Gate by Innova and stay in resort like Taaru Vann or similar. First day included lunch on arrival followed by afternoon safari. The next 2 days of 15th and 16th October had safari twice a day, one in morning and one in evening. On 17th October, post morning safari, drop to Nagpur by 3 PM for respective airport/train station. This warranted 50% online payment of 21000 INR online and the remaining to be paid on spot.

Safari One : Navegaon Core

Mr. Yogesh picked me and four candidates up in his 8 seater Innova and we were on our way by 10 AM. The rest of the team were coming in on the same day and their flights were all scheduled to land by 11 AM, different vehicles were awaiting to pick them up. This group has 16 participants planned in order, as communicated in whatsapp group chat, divided into batches of 4.

My roommate and the first person in car was Mr. Altaf. A trained harper and with far more experience with carnivores, he had visited Tadoba before with the same group and pretty much everything down central India since his job requires him to work out of Bangalore. A Nagpur resident, he came to pick me up knowing my breakfast was sorted for in the hotel. He also took me to a quick detour in what used to be former birding land in Nagpur, where we saw peafowl.

We picked up our fellow passengers, who are senior birders from Pune, Mr. Rajiv and Mrs. Lalita from the latter’s bungalow from Nagpur. Both having travelled extensively across the world and with experience of around 4 former trips to Tadoba, they were very knowledgable about most of the forests in India. While the couple was assigned stay in Taaru Vann, stone’s throw away from Kolara gate, most of the group including me had received stay in Sylvan Wood resort.

Upon reaching Sylvan after a drive of 2.5 hours, the car took the couple ahead to Taaru Vann which was 20 minutes away. Sylvan welcomed us with a refreshing drink and we dived into for a quick game of pool. One can know the sighting status of the day on the entry board placed at resort gate. The highlight for the previous day was sighting of Tigress Rani. Everyone else was coming in late, so we were somewhat lucky to not miss our buffer lunch before embarking on the safari for the day.

Each group had been assigned different zones to expand maximum possible chance of sighting. My roommate Altaf got switched with Mrs. Nina for the safari tours. Mrs. Nina was the daughter and wife of army veterans of Bangladesh libration war. Hailing from Noida, she came in to experience safari on the insistence of her daughters.

The first learning on the geography front was that Navegaon and Kolara gates lead to the same zone. The evening safari lasts between 2.30 to 6.30 PM. Effectively every person gets three hours of showtime, because one has to cross through buffer area, where humans and wild beasts co-exist.

There was a limit to the number of jeeps allowed per gate, with total accounting to sixty jeeps running across in entire Tadoba. Nobody was allowed to litter or get down from the jeep. Mobile calls were not allowed, cellphones were to be kept in locked steel hatchets inside the jeep. The monetary rate of jeep increases if one opts for quartret jeep configuration (which most does for better visibility) instead of usual 6. The cheaper alternative was the small bus and the costliest option was to book the entire jeep to yourself.

Our encounters for the day were mongoose, spotted deer, sambar deer, pond heron, lesser cormorant and gray hornbill. Chancing upon a rumour of the tigress called Sharmili roaming around with her cubs, we kept pacing in and out an area. Suddenly in front of our jeep, it’s partner male tiger Bajrangi (T-45) crossed our path in all it’s glory. The feline giant was nearly ten feet in length, took a stop for a split second to observe us and marched ahead to the pond on other side. I was too much in awe that my reflexes activated late, barely managing a clean shot of the side profile of the tiger.

We were so ecstatic that we gave a handsome tip of 100 INR to the driver and the guide each. Every other group were saddened by their no show state and quite evidently envious of beginner’s luck. The day ended with bonding over shared paan-flavoured hookah under the starry sky.

Safari Two : Kolara Buffer

We left early morning at 4 AM replacing our scheduled Navegaon Core due to a goof up from organiser’s end. This did cost us our chance for the day eventually. We zoomed early to the spot through Kolara gate, this time in the buffer zone, where Sharmili and her cubs had made a deer kill 3 days ago. The dead carcass was visible in a distance but without any sight of tiger. A male redstart kept its perch in front of the water hole, eventually escaping into the dense jungle from being bothered by constant vehicle flow.

A drive to another waterhole with trailing hope showed us fresh pug marks on the bank. This lake was the hotspot for the birds of the buffer. A basking cormorant could be spotted, along with green bee eaters and bulbuls.

All the jeeps kept zooming in and out around the waterhole no. 2 with hope. Our retreat happened post breakfast as 9 AM approached, expecting everyone will pretty much have the rotten luck as we did.

How wrong we were! Those who went to core zone spotted the old male T-54 Matkasur, lazing around in the tall grass. They could not move ahead for 2.5 hours straight, as disturbing a sleeping tiger was highly unethical. The sighting lasted throughout until Matkasur woke up, yawned and waddled away.

 

 

 

 

 

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Safari Three : Sirkada Buffer

Sirkada entrance was more than half an hour drive from the Kolara gate, which made the experience that much extra to deal with. This was followed by an exceptional overdose of bumpy roads, fear of the jeep getting stuck in mud amidst forest. The guide reported that there has been no sighting in Sirkada and Alizanja in over a week. As a result, chances of encounter with leopards and sloth bears were considered higher in this area.

Encountered wild boars and waterhen and a whole lot of body pain. With truck load of disappointment, our car slowly crawled to the exit gate. The guide chose to stop near a massive water body as we waited to see the deer family prancing away.

All of a sudden, the deers went on high alert and started generating repeated warning calls. The guides followed the direction they were staring at and predicted that the resident tigress and her cub will sneak out for water. Finally there seemed to be a real chance of catch!

Darkness fell on like a cloak as the calls got louder, everyone had their eyes peeled up front. As other gypsy followed suit, couple of the groups went too enthusiastic and drove too much into the expected path, ignoring our constant signal to go on reverse. However the damage was probably done as the barks came to an abrupt halt, likely the tiger getting spooked and taking a different route as so many humans encroached their path.

To add real salt to our wounds, we came back to the news that the Kolara core group had head on encounter with the coveted tigress Maya and her one surviving male cub. It is presumed that the remaining three cubs from last year are dead now, although their body had not been recovered.

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Safari Four : Kolara Core

We ignored everything and went straight ahead to the spot where Maya was sighted last night. Enroute we suddenly founds the deers being on alert again and this time joined by a mongoose standing up (someone said mongoose sighting is considered lucky, the probability did speak for itself).

As the deers relaxed after a while, our search continued for a while. Tadoba lake shore has a spot for breakfast and proper washroom, where we decided to finish our packed breakfast sent from the hotel. There was a crocodile sunbathing in the lake, being its immovable self, like a floating log.

The breakfast point had parakeets and golden headed orioles flying in and out. This was overall the best food spot among all the zones.

One vehicle saw Maya, rustling in paddy field ahead. Soon all gypsies were gathered in same spot, giving minimal space to the fellow driver and obstructing visibility. The cub was finally visible, far far into the distance, swimming it’s worries away. It was evident we are not getting anything head on today, least of all Maya.

Safari Five : Kolara Buffer

We switched Alizanja for Kolara buffer to test our chances. This is where our luck with the guide let us down. Another group from our bunch managed to stay with Matkasur walking on the road behind them, looking for a tree to urinate on. Other gypsies came in too close in the path and Matkasur left the main road to hide inside.

While this was going on, another rumour restarted that Sharmili has been sighted around. She was finally visible, behind a small stream with her cubs!

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But this is where things got worse. The first car parked in a wet road with cleanest view belonged to our tour organiser. As rain poured in and the unruliness that followed with nearly 20 gypsies cramming inside a 10 feet ditch for a glimpse, Sharmili decided to walk away and her cubs promptly followed the mother.

Safari Six : Kolara Buffer

Final attempt and fifteen minutes in, there was a sloth bear walking in circles behind a thicket. It refused to come out, probably due to anxiety caused by jeep noise. Finally the star, Matkasur was spotted in the open. As the tiger walked in between the narrow single lane within the forest, it had more than ten jeeps following in front and behind. We were around fourth in the back, and could track the bum of the beast for ten good minutes.

Ten minutes until someone came in too close and Matkasur urinated to mark his territory, going laterally inside the jungle. This is where our excitement finally came to conclusion.

Hotel / Food

Sylvan woods resort have massive wooden rooms, large balcony, open and closed shower area with timbered architecture all around.

There is a slightly unclean swimming pool in the centre, lush greenery, a common room which serves as dining area. There is no wifi and mobile internet situation is quite poor.

Foods were served as buffet, which were quite simple along with lunch and dinner. Breakfast were usually packed for the safari. Hookah (500 INR) and drinks could be arranged if needed. The staff are very courteous and helps with anything one may need. Our organiser had a Maharashtrian buffet and gala dinner organised which were far better than their regular menu.

There was a separate paid food menu available in the rooms and the bottled waters were chargable.

Return

Wrapping up at noon post a group photo session, we were on the same Innova driven by the ever reliant Mr. Yogesh. In less than three hours, I was at airport, waiting at the tiny lounge of Nagpur airport. The airport has one small row of counters and the security does not let you in the actual boarding gate until 2 hours of flight.

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I met some of my fellow passengers who were boarding the same flight as me to Maharashtra at 7.30 PM while few were due for Bangalore at 8 PM. The ones going forward to Karnataka needed a mandatory RT PCR report to board and had to pay 850 INR at the airport clinic to get the same done, their reports likely to be received by the time of landing.

Tip Offs

• Do not get down under any circumstances once you cross the gates. Tigers of Tadoba have killed humans before.
• Don’t litter, keep silence, stay ethical. Not following these can lead to heavy fines.
• Keep phone in flight mode during safari, you may be allowed to not keep it in the storage box (unofficially). However ensure you are not bringing your phone out in the open under any circumstances.
• There are separate VIP slots which good organisers can manage, so planning through one helps since booking slots on your own can be a massive task, especially over weekends or public holidays.
• Carry long range camera gear, with padding if you have large lens, as the bumpy roads can be taxing. Being on high alert and ever ready is a skill that comes handy only in such safaris.
• Keep expectations in check and limit it further based on the season. Summers have easy viewing while winters have green backdrop. Luck with zone, guide and climate all plays crucial parts in your chance encounter.

Recommendations

This was my first tiger safari and the experience in itself is everything I can recommend. Will recommend peak season (April-May) for starters though.

We will back here 🙂

Sayantan

Weekend Hop

Took me 2 hours to plan this trip. I was relatively excited about the prospect of going to a relatively offbeat place in post lockdown world.
The drive takes around 4 hours from Mumbai to Daman, with an intersection of Gujarat.

Checklist

– Create a rough itinerary of tourist spots with an estimated distance.
– Book a hotel on 26th Dec (Saturday) on Booking.com (2400 INR)
– Book a cab with driver from Savaari.com (6300 INR)

Hotel Fiasco

We left Kanjurmarg (Mumbai) at 5 PM and drove northwards beyond Thane to Vapi.
The toll charges roughly cost us 600 INR with next day return permit bundled in. Our driver had Fast tag to zoom past the toll nakas with the final 100 INR paid upfront while entering Daman territory.

There are two entrances to Daman, we took the smaller one. There was no entrance permit toll here (although they do verify during exit), so we opted for the larger one.

Our trusty Google Map showed Seashore Rooms in central church complex. We entered the premise with nearly no life in sight at 9 in the night and found ourselves struggling to find the entrance. Calling the hotel, we were rudely informed that rooms are booked out and it was duty of the visitor to pre-check on availability.

Quick Book

Booked for OYO – Capital O 76790 Hotel Grand Heritage on the fly. We were charged 2700 INR for standard Deluxe room with no food included.

However the room service food that we ordered was value for money.

Portuguese Heartland

Next morning we drove back to the church area that we took an U-turn in the night before. The huge complex with 50 foot walls fortitude walls is dotted with multiple churches in inner sanctum along with important government buildings. However our disappointment started with the realisation that most of these churches are closed beyond the mass timings.

As we drove out towards the famous lighthouse, we found the entrance to be blocked as well. Till the year before, folks could access the spiral metal stairway to walk up to the crest and look into the ocean.

Moti Daman beach is bang in front of the lighthouse. A distinct brown sand, few hawkers selling food and budget water rides, this beach is tidy and least touristy among all.

You can find the rate chart of water rides mentioned below.

The chapel of our lady of Rosario is the first church on boundary of the inner walls, which as mentioned, was closed.

Past the Church of Bom Jesus (which was also closed) opposite the central Administration Secreteriat, the left turn took us to a place called The Ruined Church.

The church has a maintained garden on left flank but has no idol left. A plastic figure of Christ adorns the tattered walls

Lake/Garden

Mirasol Lake Garden is a resort with hotel, artificial lake, garden, train, restaurants, amusement park and few more. A place for families with kids with ideal entry fee of 5 INR. The hotel feels like a high end residential society complex with all the bells and whistles of one.

Swans seem to be a theme across with popular boat rides above the sparkly water while the real swans could not care less.

Hopping over the toy train track, the three fold intersection has a small temple, hotel and amusement park.

The water park was closed and being renovated due to lockdown times.

Food, on the inside, was terribly expensive and we decided to give a skip. Just opposite to the main gate, there are small eateries (dhabas) as budget alternatives.

Novelty Construction

Nani Daman is on the opposite of Moti Daman as the lighthouse of the latter is visible from fort of the former.

One can climb up to the top of the St. Jerome fort and experience viewing the sea from a vantage point.

St.Jerome fort has a school and (yet another closed) church in complex.

Nani’s most famous beach Devka was under construction when we landed. The popular spot has best hotels, market and food joints.

This huge construction line has ensured the whole beach stays nearly inaccessible with sharp steep climb down to ocean for those who dare.

Final Beach

To the extreme south is Jampore beach, another large stretch of clean and popular beach that is an extension of Moti Daman beach. This flank has only line of trees and cars. There is no hotel option overlooking the beach and it seemed Devka beach will eventually look like a version of this post renovation phase.

The beach experiences countless horse rides, dirt bikes and beach parasails every 5 minutes.

Tip Offs

• Drink for cheap since this is a Union Territory.
• Daman has good food options with large range of hotel options
• Public transport is rare and having personal vehicle is easier mode of transport
• Expensive premium hotels as well as cheap budget decent ones in Nani Daman area.
• Moti Daman has hotels closer to the ocean and are more suited for family outing.
• If you want to take alcohol out from Daman, you have to cross patrol and via Gujarat (which is dry state). Be sure to have a permit if you do so as cops in plain clothes are present to nab you. They have cameras set up around wine shops to specifically target who is carrying bottle outside and fine them.

Recommendations

I would have recommended the lighthouse as the view would have been interesting. I, have no photo to share of the same. So sharing a photo of the lifeguard stand instead.

Till next real travel,

Sayantan

The Where

Ballavpur wildlife sanctuary spans around 200 hectares with tourist entrance behind Vishwabharati campus (Shantiniketan), West Bengal. There is an open parking space in front.

Throughout the alleys around you will find arrows pointing to a general direction with popular “Deer Park” inscribed across.

The When

The ticket window houses one counter with one cashier issuing the entry tickets. With another woman serving as ticket checker, the security pretty much ends here.

The park is closed to tourists on Wednesdays. The allowed timing ranges between 10 AM to 4 PM with an exorbitant entrance fee of 50 INR.

The Why

Ok really, why did I even come here?
This place is the absolute chunk of disappointment when it comes to nature enthusiasts.
An urban lake with greater human footprint has more biodiversity unfortunately.

You will be greeted with a positive sign of how large the park is and where you can (potentially) visit with no clear callout on the limited accessibility.

This is supplemented by a patch of medicine plant garden and away from with the real entrance. There were also two severely disgruntled employees tending to the same.

To compensate for the mammoth proportion of lacklustre, it displays on the entrance four distinct charts with national flora/fauna of each region of India. Ironically scanning the QR code took me to Wikipedia page of list of national species and not to a government website.

The What

Deer. Aan IUCN classified least concern readily available herbivore called Spotted Deer.

Behind a fence, there is a stable where these deers flock to eat and often move away into the inaccessible part. Typical of animals where they look at you while facing back.

Walking forward, I did encounter the first watch tower. Climbing the thirty odd steps, the only real visibility was an algae covered pond in front with no discernible characteristic.

As the road ahead abruptly shuts off on North, North-West and South-West, I could manage to sneak into the second watch tower through the Northern barbed wires. Away from regular tourists, there is an additional blockage on base of this watch tower, possibly citing the reason that there are large cracks appearing on the top of the tower.

The place is dotted with numerous benches but they were largely empty.

There is a new watchtower being constructed just opposite the deer enclosure, possibly to experience them from a height.

The How

This is a walk of hardly one kilo-meter between the exit which also serves as the entrance.

Tip Offs

• There is a souvenoir shop beside entrance (which was closed)
• There is also one food stall beside that which serves tea and dry food.
• Great place for a brisk walk

Recommendations

Don’t come here.

Even if you have massive amount of time here where there are relatively not much to do (like my situation), you should definitely skip this one.

Nothing to show,

Sayantan

Prologue

Being in December 2019, you wonder why this guy has stopped posting anything related to breakdown of his travel.
Not to throw up excuses but 2019 was an amalgamation of metaphorical waves, with no real highs or lows, no predictable flow or direction.

I am typing this prologue out of Bengaluru airport (which is a first) and this pretty much sums up my year (which ironically involved an awful lot of airports). Further irony is the fact that it all started with my first flight ever to this very airport as my curiosity to explore India kick started, exactly 10 years back in December 2009. So, cheers to a decade that is coming to its Endgame.

2019 also had its share of Goa and Maharashtra tours, which frankly excites me less these days. What I wish to write about are these three unique places that diverged from my usual destinations. If I had to find a common link between these three drastically different locations, it is the element of Earth. Hold on, I will explain. Let’s jump right into it.

Prologue – v1.1

This was supposed to be posted literally a year ago and I regret everything said above. Little did I know all travel this year I will be doing will be confined to the four walls of my 1BHK.

Photography Focus

Spiti has been on my mind from ages. To be precise, we were initially supposed to include Spiti in our last visit to Himachal. Thanks to Instagram, I was pretty much chasing milky way on my photographic journey. Here is a refresher of the last attempt.

Himalayan highlands are neither an easy nor a budget trip for starters. One needs a certain passion to be ready to encounter the extreme. The last truly meet-strangers-and-travel situation for me was Noida in 2010. Surprisingly never did I re-attempt this format again until now.

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Thanks to Sony India, I hopped on the Alpha community program scheduled for August 2019. Here, you get massive discount on trips and you have the privilege to try out the best Sony gears for free. Thanks to the able mentorship of Mr Dheeraj Paul and his team’s (Indian Photography Tours) impeccable management, this journey was creatively everything I could hope for.

Ascent

Took a Mumbai – Chandigarh flight and crashed the night in an OYO 9822 Hotel Seven in Sector 7C, the hub of restaurants and bars. Being first time visitor in the city, what really startled me was the cleanliness and emptiness of the city, quiet a contrast with some of other Indian cities in the same league. Sneaked into a fancy restaurant to have dumpling platter for the night and took a quick trip to the famous Elante Mall as this was my first rodeo in Chandigarh.

Next morning, went to meet the rest of the group who were staying in the stunning Hotel Park Plaza, Zirakpur. A fleet of four Innovas then set out for Narkhanda, an unusually small place beyond Shimla town through lush green hills and waterfalls as mountain sheep looked on.

We stayed at Tethys resort, a massive wooden castle-ish building. Here we got our first rundown on expectations on terrains and techniques for our gears. After a round of group acquaintance, we were given our double occupancy partners. Paired with Chetan, who was an avid wildlife photographer and fellow Mumbai-kar, we realized soon after that we are the youngest members on this journey.

The food on ground floor of Tethys was Indian buffet and the wooden rooms were super comfortable. Cellular network starts struggling from this point onwards with little to no chance of internet. The random downpour of the mountains was already making its presence felt.

Nature Strike

Massive flood had broken out in Himachal. News reached us that a significant portion of the way ahead has suddenly gone off limit as Manali continues to be worst affected region in Himachal. Being at a distance of few days to Spiti, we were pretty much testing our luck at this point. We continued on our route to reach the amazing valley of Kinnaur nonetheless.

Crossing one of the riskiest terrains of Kinnaur was just the beginning of adventure. Roads carved out of granite slabs had water seeping through, throwing warning of how any boulder might just collapse in.

We were often interrupted by small pebbles falling down, which signals how large boulders will follow next as its base keeps chipping away. This was often followed by people having their windscreen dented by rocks. We even encountered the sight of massive landslides over a peak afar.

Kinnaur camps amidst Deodar forest of Sangla Valley was a heaven in its own right. We slept in tents which exist for six snowless months. With variety of food options, camping beside Baspa river and an array of flowers, the stay was a beautiful experience.

At sharp 10 in the night, was my first encounter with the a faint sign of a crystal-clear galaxy. Putting out my tripod, the sense of cold fades away when the milky way aligns with snowy peaks in this picture perfect setting.

China Border

Crossing the muddy road ride to Chitkul village, we embarked upon the last village in Indo-China border. Chitkul is a relatively common spot for photographers to flock in, where villagers are weary of finding themselves on social media pages.

The rains intensified and the temperature dropped sharply. The villagers who had acclimatised with the extreme weather, brought us our simple lunch for the day.

We visited another smaller village Rakcham on the way back. The intense upstream river was complemented by peaceful meadows of alternate purples and greens fafra.

Rural Monsoon

New day, new beginning. We left Kinaaur for an easy drive to Grand Shambala hotel of Kalpa. Marijuana cultivation on roadside was a common sight. Post lunch, we dropped in the remote Kalpa village where we stayed on till sunset.

This was when I witnessed my first look at a twin rainbows. The end of the village housed a temple and a school, overlooking a steep cliff. On both the edges of the sky, we had two separate rainbows forming independently.

Apple farms are aplenty in Kalpa, they serve as the main livelihood of the locals. We had our first (and only) photo review session at this stay before we retired for the day.

Detours

We started early to reach Nako village by noon. the quick stop allowed us to capture the famous lake, which is a steep climb down on the fringes.

By the time we reached a tiny Chacha Chachi dhaba at Batal for lunch, greenery had become scarce. This is the point of transition to the rocky desert landscape of Spiti.

A quick bypass road to Giu allowed us to see the first monastery on this road trip. It houses a naturally preserved 500 year ancient mummy of a famous Buddhist lama. The body is preserved in a sitting posture, encased in a tiny glass chamber.

The long drive of the day culminated in Tabo village as we checked into Hotel Maitreya Regency. Here we got our next update on the massive flood and subsequent destruction. Fleets of cars atop Spiti were stuck at Kaza.

The drivers were contemplating if we should do a touchdown to Spiti and turn back. Thanks to Sanjeev, who was negotiating with the car company, we decided to move ahead. The expectation was our path might clear by the time we descend from Spiti to Manali.

Monastery

Tabo monastery was right next to our hotel. Photography was allowed in the premises but not inside the monk quarters. As one moves towards the back of the temple, the old structure of original rock temple becomes evident. We left for our next destination post breakfast in Pin valley.

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Dhankar is a near 1,000 year old symbol of Vajrayana Buddhist architecture and is one of the 100 most endangered monuments in the world. It is constructed on a 300 metre high ledge in a rocky mountain near the confluence of Pin and Spiti rivers. Dhankar literally means – fort on a cliff!

We proceeded to reach to Dhankar monastery. Inside the monastery, women and children are provided with food everyday by the monks who run the place. Tourists need to pay a minimal amount if you climb to the top in name of monastery maintenance.

There is a school nearby where children are taught in the art of monk hood. But what caught my eyes are these pillars of limestone, mysteriously popping up across the eroded landscape.

We chose not to enter Key monastery, thanks to our strict schedule. On reaching the village below, one can see Key monastery at a distance. Waiting till the sunset gave us glimpse of cattle returning as local children played around them.

Hotel Deyzor is at a prime location at Kaza, the last major town at Spiti. Deyzor has amazing British cottage vibes, an even more kickass restaurant and a bunch of dogs. Expect periodic load shedding in the morning. We used to heat up water whenever electricity returned because it takes minutes for the water to revert to its shivery form.

Final Summit

As we crossed the extraordinary Khibber Chicham Bridge, the first village was an uphill climb to farmlands. As we moved across the regularly used helipad, we found the adults were busy in cultivating sweet peas.

Our next stop was the Hikkim village, famed for the second highest post office in the world. People often end up sending post cards to themselves from here to receive it back home once they go back.

We made a quick stop at Komic village before deciding to descend. It has the highest homestay in the world as a welcome board.

Our driver took a detour to give us a quick encounter with the endangered Himalayn Ibex grazing at short distance. He also told us how Spiti winter trip is more rewarding for a wildlife enthusiast, with easy to spot carnivores like Red Fox and elusive Snow Leopards.

These wild goats end up climbing up swiftly at first sign of danger. Our final endpoint was the enormous Buddha statue of the Fossil village, standing at 14500 feet before we chose to retire for the day.

Descent

We started our return journey (technically ahead) in the early dawn of 4AM. Sitting in front seat, you have to be very careful not to doze off and keep an eye on your driver. The steep trench descent is free fall to death against the barren meteoric structures.

This is the point where our driver told us Akshay Kumar was staying at Kaza and shooting for Kesari (2019) movie in this very spot.

As everything turned into fierce no-man dead zone, everything became increasingly beautiful. We made our first quick stop at Kunzum Devi temple, the snowy gateway to Spiti if you are coming from Manali. The fog ahead made visibility near impossible, although I did spot few wild mountain horses at a distance.

From this point onward in Kunzum pass, expect a steep spiral drop, cutting through rocks and stones. Two members in our group started puking out as altitude sickness hit them like a hammer. We had medicine in hand which probably served as a placebo since the medicine is to be typically taken a day before. However stopping was not a choice since limited vehicles were being allowed everyday to pass through.

15 Kilometers away from Kunzum Pass is Chandrataal lake, which unfortunately was not in our itinerary. We took the other way out and stopped at the first micro village flocked by rare mountain birds, for a quick breakfast and bathroom break.

As we pushed on, we chanced upon a mountain foothill which had double rainbow created at a bare 30 feet distance. As we entered the breathtakingly insane Rohtang Pass, the roads went treacherous. There were eagles and vultures flying around and not anything in miles in sight.

Cars break down here easily, causing traffic to be stuck from hours to days. There were three distinct points where we had to get off our verhicle and walk over a literal waterfall so that the car tires do not get stuck in the flowing water. The reduction of weight helps the cars to combat a potential situation where the car’s tires gets stuck in between those wet rocks.

The Rohtang pass needs to be crossed as early as possible since the snow accumulated over the night melts and makes the path even harder to traverse through. We could see lumps of glacier snow and the upcoming tunnel being built that will connect Manali to Spiti making this process a breeze at some point in future, causing an influx of tourists. At last, we entered the zone where army is deployed and stopped for lunch soon after.

As we descended to Manali, we got stuck for a good couple of hours as a truck ahead punctured its tyre, resulting in a serious traffic chain. As we survived through that minor hiccup, we were suddenly greeted by lush greenery and pine cones, signaling start of a beautiful Manali evening. Away from centre, we stopped at Hotel Serenity. The exhaustion was too real.

Urban Touch

We paid our driver some extra money to take us back to Delhi. The fear was around the aftermath of devastating flood from a week back and those major roadblocks. We took a different path but to our luck, did not encounter any significant delays. Tensions were rising due to respective flights and trains everyone had to catch from Chandigarh, but we managed to reach just in the nick of time.

I ended up crashing the night in an OYO 7372 platinum Inn, which I had booked during that horrible traffic jam caused by a puncture. It was towards northern corner of Chandigarh and run by slightly shady young dudes. From what I gathered, people had booked rooms due to some exam and they were not opening the place for regular guest. The sheets and the toilets were unclean, it was subpar to say the least. Booked an Uber at 4 AM and took off for Delhi Airport.

Tip Offs

• Enter through Shimla and exit through Manali to avoid mountain sickness. Take Diamox 1-2 days beforehand nonetheless.
• Keep an eye out for the landslides which is common between Kinnaur till Kaza.
• Choose a safe travel option if you are with an old person or child, get hold of a good tour operator. Safety is the highest priority.
• We had four expert drivers as part of our fleet. My car had Neeraj – 9817800054, 9736400054 a driver of my age and quite a pro.
• Be aware of the sharp temperature drops and random rainfall. Carry enough protective gears to avoid common cold and fever.
• A good hiking shoe can do wonders.
• Buffer days if you are planning yourself as nobody can predict the weather. You never know what part of your plan might just get ruined.
• There are specific days when TNT is used to explode boulders for road construction, be well aware of them and the explosion timings before hand.
• Jio connection has nearly reached Kaza, hence SIM cards recommended are Jio and BSNL. The latter is a must.
• Interact with the locals and understand the culture, usually they are extremely helpful.

My Recommendation

Spiti is so much and then, another round of so much more. Recommendation is genuinely an impossible task. But the idea is to cherry pick that one thing that defines the trip.

For me, the massive Buddha statue of Langza gave that panoramic view of what Spiti was all about, a civilisation in the land of resilience. But what was even more extreme was the chilling wind that blows in your face as you stand beside the statue.

It was worth the struggle.

No travel due to Covid 🙁

Sayantan

Prologue

Being in December 2019, you wonder why this guy has stopped posting anything related to breakdown of his travel.
Not to throw up excuses but 2019 was an amalgamation of metaphorical waves, with no real highs or lows, no predictable flow or direction.

I am typing this prologue out of Bengaluru airport (which is a first) and this pretty much sums up my year (which ironically involved an awful lot of airports). Further irony is the fact that it all started with my first flight ever to this very airport as my curiosity to explore India kick started, exactly 10 years back in December 2009. So, cheers to a decade that is coming to its Endgame.

2019 also had its share of Goa and Maharashtra tours, which frankly excites me less these days. What I wish to write about are these three unique places that diverged from my usual destinations. If I had to find a common link between these three drastically different locations, it is the element of Earth. Hold on, I will explain. Let’s jump right into it.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Lodging
• Restaurant
• Travel
• Site-seeing

Where are we going?

An UNESCO world heritage site located in North Karnataka. This time we are going to see the capital of Vijaynagara empire which was destroyed and ruined in 1565. Hampi is an overnight bus trip of 7 hours from Bengaluru. Remember that connection to Earth in the prologue. So this entire extinct civilization was based off granite rocks carved to create society.

Where did we stay?

Rocky’s guest house. Quite popular with basic rooms in a prime location, the folks running the guest house are very helpful and you will find a large number of foreigner tourists staying here. Their service and food options are top notch, having rooms available at booking.com with per day rate of 3800 INR.

It is possible to get rooms cheaper on spot depending on availability at 2500 INR and go even bare thread basic at hippie island huts at 500 INR per day.

Where did we eat?

Mango Tree

Large space with great vibes, amazing location, great food.

Gopi Guesthouse and Roof

Small rooftop space, amazing location, food is strictly ok.

Top Secret

Medium rooftop space, great vibes, top secret location literally, great food.

Laughing Buddha (Hippie island)

The best place to chill as you see temple area on other side, music at night, braver food options.

How did we commute?

Due to our limited time and budget, we covered the east and south side of Hampi on foot. Tiring but possible if you are fast enough.

To reach hippie island, we took an auto service to take us to all the major points (1200 INR) and give coracle ride on Sanapur lake (800 INR).

The auto takes a route 20 kilometer away to cross from one end to another.

What did we witness?

Let’s explore the four facets of this famous place.

Hampi is mostly popular historically for its temple side to south of Tungabhadra, which has majority of the 1600 Monuments of prominent Dravidian architecture style. There are few Jain monuments and even fewer Muslim monuments.

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SACRED CENTRE

Virupaksha temple

The small shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva were expanded
in the late Chalukya and Hoysala periods. The current mammoth structure was attained during Vijayanagar period under emperor Deva Raya II.

Hampi township was destroyed by Islamic invaders in 1565, Virupaksha temple had structures destroyed.. Till today, the temple sustained test of time being a religious focal point of Hinduism followers.

The ruler Krishnadevaraya was biggest patron of this temple. The temple elephant Lakshmi is taken through this back route for bath every morning.

Have a look at how crazy it gets everyday when the elephant gets to his bath. The golden time is between 7.30 AM to 8.00 AM.

Kadalekalu Ganesha

The statue of Kadalekalu Ganesha is 5 feet tall and chiseled out of a single boulder. The belly of Ganesha has been carved to resembles a Bengal gram (Kadalekalu in Kannadiga).

Hemakuta monuments

Jain temples dedicated to Lord Shiva with pyramid shaped roofs.

Krishna Temple and Complex

King Krishnadevaraya built the Krishna temple in 1513 A.D. to celebrate conquest of Udayagiri (in present Odisha).

The central room houses infant Krishna. Krishna Complex in front of the temple used to be a prime site for market in the ancient times.

Narasimha Idol

The avatar of Vishnu was built in 1528 A.D. The original Lakshmi statue accompanying Narasimha no longer exists.

Hampi Bazaar

Virupaksha bazaar ruins stretch for one kilometer in front of temple.

ROYAL CENTRE

Queen’s palace

Zenena enclosure was private enclosure of 46 x 29 meters dimensions which used to be private place for royal women, whose basement survives.

Lotus Mahal

The Lotus Mahal as the central attraction was used as a council room for the chief commanders.

Ranga Temple is situated on the east side of Lotus mahal and is primarily inaccessible to public due to ongoing renovation work.

Elephant stable

The 11 chambers for elephant stable is a mammoth granite beauty. Metal hooks (to tie the elephants) is visible inside. The small orifices in rear was used by the mahouts to enter the compartments.

Underground Shiva temple

Dedicated to Prasanna Virupaksha, an avatar of Lord Shiva, the temple was unearthed in 1980’s. Nobody really knows why this was built in such a fashion.

Nobleman’s quarters

The foundation of the complex where aristocrats resided. Evidences of water channels and golden jewellery have added to historical reinforcement of the fact.

Muhammadan watch tower

Believed to be built by Ahmad Khan, military officer under King Devaraya II in 1439, the watch tower is rare Islamic prayer hotspot in Hampi.

Hazara Rama temple

King Devaraya I erected this temple with three distinct sections in 1446 A.D., dedicating to the ideal governance of Lord Rama. The open pillar section is mahamandapa, the middle ardhamandapa, the rear gribhgriha are three sections of this temple enclosed by 24 feet wall.

Goddess Pampa was considered as consort of Lord Shiva, who had blessed Devaray I to build this temple and the story of the same is inscribed across the temple. The carvings depict story of Ramayana in hunderd and eight panels and ends in Lava-Kusha episodes.

Queen’s bath

1.8 meter deep trenches surrounding Queen’s bath was built by Achyutaraya and believed to the centre of water sports.

Few other structures in this zone which we could not cover due to shortage of time. Absolutely drop by them for the love of exploration-

• Tenali Rama Pavillion
• Archeological gallery
• Octagonal bath
• Bhima’s Gate

Malyavanta Raghunatha Temple

Lord Rama, his brother Lord Lakshmana and Hanuman army were said to take shelter here during monsoon before embarking on journey to Lanka.

The climb through the temple takes to Shiva Cave temple atop large boulder and providing amazing scenic view.

GANDHAMADAN HILLS

Vijaya Vittala temple

Rani Chinnadevi and Rani Tirumaladevi constructed the temple in 1513 A.D. Both were wives of King Krishnadevaraya, who was described as following by Dominigo Paes, a Portuguese traveller-

Krishandevaraya is of medium height, and of fair complexion. He has a good figure, though rather fat than thin. On his face he has signs of small-pox. He is most feared and a perfect king. He honors foreigners and receives them kindly, asking about all their affairs, whatever their condition might be. He is a great ruler and a man of much justice, but subject to sudden fits of rages.

https://madrascourier.com/insight/a-portuguese-account-of-krishnadevaraya-his-kingdom/

Traders and merchants of times past used to be regulars at the Vittala temple bazaar that stretches over one kilometer.

Shree Varaha swami Temple

Varaha, the mythical boar, was the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The walls have images and bas-relics of boars sculpted into them.

Sugreeva’s caves are near the Varaha temple where village animals graze.

Sacred banyan tree

Vat Vriksha has good charms tied to the branches for pilgrims passing by.

Ranganatha temple

The temple structure is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Closing in this section with me jumping across stairs of Narasimha temple.

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ANEGONDI VILLAGE

Anegundi (or Anegondi), previously called Kishkindha, is a village older than Hampi and situated on the northern bank of Tungabhadra River

Shri Ranganatha Swami temple

Pampa Sarovar

Pampa Sarovar is religiously important because Pampa, an incarnation of Shiva’s consort Parvati, performed penance to show her Shaivik devotion.

Bhagavata Purana mentions five sacred lakes – Mansarovar, Bindu Sarovar, Narayan Sarovar, Pampa Sarovar and Pushkar Sarovar. The Pampa Sarovar is a sight to behold!

Sanapur lake

The irrigation reservoir dam is popular with tourists for coracle rides and calming waters.

Have a look at the video below how chill the vibes are.

Anjanadri Hill

The birthplace of Lord Hanuman, the site is considered over 3000 million years old and is one of the oldest plateaus on the planet. We chose not to hit the 600+ stairs to the peak and save losing on those calories.

Hippie Island

A Goa-esque spot, coracle ride away from temple complex, hippie island screams peace and tranquility.

Tip Offs

• Be prepared for heat. We went in December and the sun was harsh.
• If you wish to visit during monsoon, then know that the rains fill up Tungabhadra river high enough to damage structures and bridges.
• Haggle a lot. Tourism is the major income source of resident locals. Be aware that every auto/stores/hotels are looking at extracting money for you.
• Take more time to imbibe the place if you are history buff or are generally inclined to ancient Indian art.

My Recommendation

Don’t miss the elephant bath. This is as up-close-personal as you can get with the happiest Indian elephant on the planet.

Rocking it,

Sayantan