Greed

When I close my eyes, the memory of my last flight / train journey should be as fresh and vivid as it was yesterday. Thats how much I would like to and try to travel. 

This year I will...

In 2011, I decided it was time to see more, do more, travel more. Time to work around things that kept me from traveling otherwise and so came about the resolution, #atripamonthin2011. It wasn't so tough to stick to it actually. I guess, it never is if you are working towards something you are obsessive about and enjoy. So, the successful completion of it made almost everyone who knew about it ask me what the 2012 travel resolution was. To be honest, I hadn't even thought about it and probably wasn't going to keep one this year. But the constant questions from family and friends made me want to. So a big thank you to everyone who kept asking me. :) It's now been decided.

#astateamonthin2012 is the travel resolution for 2012. Yes, it's Bhaarat darshan time. :) Am very excited about it and already jotting down places I want to visit. As always, the greed to see everything has made the list rather long *grin* but reality will shorten it I am sure. There was already a weekend trip planned to Pune end of this month so that makes the first State - Maharashtra. I know, I know, I live in Maharashtra so technically it may not count but considering I decided on this resolution just today, and it's almost the end of the month, I can take that much liberty. Yes? Yes. Thank you.

Will update you guys on the first six months, in six months. :) Till then, as I always say, happy tripping all!

Never Say Never

I am a travel addict. No matter how much I travel or explore, my greed to experience and see more always keeps me on my toes. And while I do manage to travel a decent amount (a lot as per others), these constantly itchy feet made me think and eventually set a resolution for myself on 27^th December, 2010 – #atripamonthin2011. I am not much of a resolution maker or keeper mind you. Never have been. But I thought, maybe, just maybe, if I set one regarding something I was obsessively passionate about, I’d make an extra effort to stick to it. And I did.

So, the plan was such - starting 1st January 2011, I decided that every month of the year I will go some place. It could be with friends, with my husband, with family, my dog, or even alone, but every month I will go somewhere. A trip / vacation, unlike what most people think, doesn't necessarily have to be to some fancy sounding destination. It could be a weekend getaway, visiting a place you have already been to, a short domestic holiday or a bigger International one. A trip is a trip. So, based on the month, the event / situation and the amount of money I / we were comfortable spending in that month on the trip, a place was decided upon. And guess what *drumroll* I stuck to the #atripamonthin2011 resolution. I traveled in every single month of 2011.

Jan: Bangalore.

Feb: Pune.

March: Alibagh.

April: Delhi.

May: Thailand.

June: Germany.   

July: Germany.

August: Valley of Flowers, Uttaranchal.

September: Alibagh.

October: Australia.

November: Nowhere. I knew Dec would more than make up for it. :)

December: Delhi, Pune & Gujarat.

I got and still get various reactions from people; from the minute I announced my resolution. The only difference is what began with a shocked expression and a ‘yeah right you’ll do it eye roll’ has now turned into a pleasantly surprised or a sort of envious ‘you really did it every month eh!’ It feels good. Not because others are envious, but because I stuck to doing something that excites me so much. Some of my closest friends, family and fellow travel enthusiasts now believe me when I say that it’s not tough to take a couple of short (or long) trips in a year. As the year progressed, and I managed to go for a trip every month, they, and I realized that it’s not such an unachievable goal after all.If you plan right and work things around it and of course, save sensibly, it’s quite doable.

It’s a new year, and while I haven’t set a resolution for this one, the enthusiasm is high and the desire to explore new places and revisit older ones is even stronger. I will travel more. I will explore more. I will learn more. And yes, I promise to write more too. Mean while, all you wander-lusting people out there, don't procrastinate or be envious of the next person who is planning a vacation or is happily uploading their recent holiday pictures. Don’t brush aside the thought of going somewhere or wait for when you have the time and money because you will never have enough time or money. Never. 

Make time, save the money and tick off places one by one on that long overdue travel bucket list. And don’t let others ever tell you that you can’t do something or that it’s an impossible thought. I am telling you otherwise. It's all possible so never say never.

Have a trippy 2012 all!

A secret revealed on The India Tube

Weekend trips around Mumbai meant Lonavala-Khandala, Matheran or Karjat, but ten years ago. Today, there are a whole lot of places around screaming to be discovered. Quaint little, off-beat places. Places with character. Places that teach you something. Places where you can unwind. And one such hidden wonder, by location and by name, is Hideout. I am glad I visited it and gladder still to be able to share the experience with you.

The article was very recently published on The India Tube website. 

Click here to read it: A secret worth sharing

One with nature

What makes for a great vacation spot? Relaxation, peace of mind, fun, adventure and novelty are just some of the things people look for. Whatever be the choice, before any vacation, there comes research. Places are ‘googled’, phone calls made, friends consulted and before you know it, you’re heading either to a beach, the mountains, a forest or just another city. But what if you discovered a place that has all of it. A place high in the mountains, bang in the middle of a forest and yet, not too far from a beach.
 
Sounds unreal?
Welcome to Wildernest Resort. 

Agra = The Taj Mahal

Right? 

Well, not entirely true. Agra is a whole lot more than just the Taj Mahal. Don’t get me wrong. The Taj and everything from its history to its architecture is exquisite. But that shouldn’t be the only reason for you to visit Agra. There’s so much more to the city (unlike what most people think). Agree, the rest of the things seem rather insignificant in comparison but it’s in these small things one finds immense joy.  Am going to jot down a couple of interesting tit-bits, do’s and don’ts, things and places to see…basically our experiences when we visited Agra and Fatehpur two weeks ago.  In the hope that when you visit next, you’ll do more than just visiting the Taj Mahal. And enjoy it.

Why not Wai?

To read this travelogue on the Club Mahindra blog site, click here: CLAY

 

For some unexplainable reason, when it comes to weekend getaways, we generally go for places that are spoken of most often, visited by people you know or splashed across websites. It's easier that way. But more often than not, we choose these because we really aren’t aware of the unsung wonders around us. How about exploring for a change? You’ll be amazed at what lies around you. One such unexplored jewel of Maharashtra is Wai, located at the foothills of the Sahayadri range and on the banks of the River Krishna. A perfect weekend getaway from Mumbai or Nashik, this historical hidden paradise is nestled in Satara and blessed with the famous seven ghats, namely, Gangapuri, Madhi Aali, Ganpati Aali, Dharmapuri, Brahmanshahi, Ramdoh and Bhimkund.