Travel responsibly: Save the world, one trip at a time

Recent environmental pollution statistics announced by the WHO reveal that the world is fast becoming an inhabitable place. The more popular a place becomes, whether for settling, working, or travelling to, the more it gets polluted in the long run. This got me thinking on how we, as travellers, can save the world from degenerating beyond redemption.

Delhi, the most polluted city in the world? 

Young ragpickers at a severely polluted garbage dump site in New Delhi (Source)

It was a highly unpleasant, if not entirely unexpected, surprise to see my city Delhi on top of the list of the world's most polluted cities. Everywhere I go, monument, garden or market, there are signs of extensive littering. The problem of pollution and waste disposal is deep-rooted; metropolitan cities like Delhi are just more visible manifestations. While local populations and municipalities are responsible for keeping their cities clean and green, the duty is equally of the tourists and visitors who often pollute tourist destinations and move on to other places without claiming ownership for their acts. Being a traveller, I am intensely conscious of travelling responsibly. Here's why you should too.

The environmental cost of travel

Pollution is yellowing the Taj Mahal in Agra (Source)

Tourist destinations are polluted in a number of different ways, some of which the tourists can control, and some, not so much. Leaving behind plastic bags, waste bottles and cans, food and drink, paper and other garbage is the most common reason for pollution of tourist places. Excessive reliance on taxis and other private transport to get around is another, albeit less known, source of environmental pollution. Accumulation of garbage in water bodies and natural ecosystems impacts animals' living conditions, often leading to mass deaths and extinction of species due to habitat destruction. Littering in public places also acts as an eyesore, putting off both residents and visitors. In this age of the Internet, this seriously tarnishes the image of the place, reducing tourist traffic and thus harming the local economy. A classic example of the effect of pollution on national heritage in India is the rapid degradation of the Taj Mahal in Agra due to severe vehicular pollution. The recent flash floods in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, were also partly attributed to relentless pollution and development in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. Apart from these well-known incidences, countless water bodies around the country (and world) are shrinking, important ecosystems are being destroyed, tourist cities are becoming dumpsters, and precious little is being done to abate this gargantuan disaster.

A boy walks on a polluted beach in Tamil Nadu (Source)

In what ways can travellers contribute?

Eco-tourism is the need of this century. While some tourist attractions in India (such as the Andaman and Nicobar islands) have put in place strict restrictions on tourism, many parts of the country still depend on tourism to support their local economies. In such a situation, the moral responsibility of maintaining the sanctity and cleanliness of a place rests on the travellers. Littering, leaving behind garbage at tourist attractions and other such denigrating habits must strictly be avoided. As much as possible, tourists should rely on public transport or rickshaws to travel within a city. The more the number of vehicles employed in tourists' service, the more the emissions will rise. And since these rules and guiding principles are not written down in a binding document anywhere, self-regulation is the key. Moreover, the developmental activities being undertaken to attract and facilitate tourist crowds cannot be halted due to the ever-rising economic concerns of a developing country like India. But it is high time we, the travellers, became pro-active and mindful of our massive footprint on the planet. Let the impact you leave behind on this world be positive; something worth remembering you fondly for.

The global community of travellers can do a lot to save the world from pollution and degradation. Indeed, we owe it to the planet to preserve its beauty for many generations of residents and travellers to come.

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This article was originally published on my Askme on travel blog, here.

Fun with family on a winter vacation in Goa

(A version of this travelogue was originally published by me on Askme on travel. Replicating here for my blog readers.)

Come winter, and the whole of North India heads southwards to get some much-needed sun. It was on such a cold January day in 2014 that my parents also decided to take us south of the Tropic of Cancer. And what place could be better than Goa to escape from the frigid Delhi winter?

On the first day of our vacation, we set out for North Goa, the first stop being Fort Aguada. It is most famous today as the fort where scenes from the movie Dil Chahta Hai were shot. The fort is expansive; the upper fort has beautiful bastions and a giant white lighthouse in one corner. The lower fort, visible from the Arabian Sea, was used to anchor Portuguese ships in the 17th century, but now serves as the Goan jail.

Looks familiar? Yeah! This is that single spot in the entire fort where young tourists take the most number of pictures.

The upper fort area, complete with the whitewashed Portuguese lighthouse in the corner.

Just below the fort, we went for an hour-long 'Dolphin Safari' on the river Mandovi. In the first 45 minutes of the tour, we didn’t spot a single creature. Disappointed, we turned and were just heading back when someone shouted, "Dolphin!" We all turned in his direction and discovered a school of dolphins swimming along the left side of our boat. They were utterly glossy and looked really excited! We thereafter had plenty of visits from these friendly freshwater creatures over the next few minutes of our tour. The day ended with us relaxing on Anjuna beach and going on an evening safari filled with cultural performances and beautiful views of the sunset over river Zuari.

The mandatory 'write your name in the sand' picture. How could I not take one?

The isolated and peaceful Baina Beach in Vasco da Gama city. Remember the movie Josh? I always adored the Goan-slang-speaking, muscle-flexing Shahrukh Khan and the lovelorn Chandra Chur Singh.

The next morning, we visited the relatively isolated Baina beach. Another short drive away is the Abyss Marine Aquarium in Verna. The sheer variety of marine life on display in the various glass aquariums there was mind-boggling; I especially loved the turtles. It was still only afternoon, so we headed out to Old Goa, a city within the North Goa district, to get a dose of Portuguese heritage. We visited the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO world heritage site, and also the resting place of the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. Being an art student now, I can fully appreciate the dramatic 16th-century baroque architecture exemplified by the basilica. Across the road stands the contrastingly white Church of St. Francis of Assisi, another 17th-century Portuguese church. We also shopped for souvenirs at the bazaar in front of the church before calling it a day.

The world-famous Goan brew, Fenny (Feni) as well as locally-brewed Port Wine. We got back loads of these. Some are still lying unopened.

Walking through the spice farms at Curti, Ponda, with a group of tourists from the world over.

A lip-smacking, delicious organic meal was served to us at the Sahakari Spice Farm, along with shots of red-coloured fenny.

The next day, we drove out of the city for over an hour to reach Curti in Ponda, the most important industrial centre of Goa. The famous Sahakari Spice Farm located here offers tourists a glimpse into the practices of organic plantations. The farm staff invited us in a traditional way and gave us a guided tour of the farm and the various spices that grow there, along with their medicinal properties and uses. Later, we were served a sumptuous meal made with completely organic produce; and it was truly lip-smacking! On our way back from Ponda, we stopped at a small temple to pay our respects; this area houses a majority of the Hindu temples in Goa. We also stopped at a beach to go skinny-dipping at sunset and also shop for little somethings like fridge magnets, jewellery, and keyrings. Another thing we didn't give a miss was the world-famous Goan Feni (or Fenny), and we made it a point to bring back some as well.

* * *

While returning to Delhi, I couldn't help but think of the great time I had in Goa. We did not just do the clichéd 'beach thing', but had a variety of other experiences, ranging from the touristy - like Fort Aguada, Old Goa and the boat cruises, to the offbeat - like the aquarium and spice farm visits. And I enjoyed it all with my family, which I hope is enough to dispel the myth that Goa is only worth being visited with friends. It is in fact the perfect destination for a winter vacation with family too!

...and that's how I learned to party.

My journey thus far with the Young India Fellowship has been life-altering in so many ways. It has revolutionised the manner in which I think, broadened the boundaries within which I've historically kept myself confined, and introduced me to deeper, more beautiful aspects of the world and its people. I cannot be grateful enough for the profound impact YIF has had on my academic and professional inclinations, but I'll reserve writing about that for another time. Tonight I'd rather write about another great change this place is constantly bringing about in my life - my social life, to be precise. 

I have learned to enjoy the company of people.

Until three months ago, I had been to less parties than I could count on the fingers of one hand. Whether it was for a lack of opportunity, or the absence of a consistent friend circle, or simply my own anti-social temperament, I cannot say for sure. Perhaps it was due to a combination of all these that I never partied much. I have always preferred to hang out with one, maybe two, people at a time. Not to forget, I have seldom had more than a couple of close friends at any given point of time in my 20-odd years as a social being. I haven't gone out clubbing with a bunch of friends, I haven't given birthday treats to big groups of people. I have even gone so far as to run in the opposite direction on spotting a known face in a crowded metro. I am perfectly at ease sitting in the corner of a huge hall, observing and generally being self-absorbed for hours on end, without ever feeling the need to talk to more than two or three people. I may be anti-social or introverted; I really don't know how to distinguish between them. My life's journey has always been characterised as a little caravan trudging along by itself.

But in the last three months, all of that has changed. I have received more hugs than I ever received in all of my 24 years put together. I have said countless 'Good Mornings' and 'Good Nights', said hello to more people in a day than I would earlier manage to greet in a month, and attended more birthday parties than I've had of my own. All in the span of three months, no more. I had never thought I would be a part of such an organic, ever-growing, ever-changing community of people who are as different from each other as could be. We are bound together by a common address but almost nothing else. (Okay, maybe also the tag of being 'the brightest minds of the country'. But that's just how we like to see ourselves. You don't have to agree.)

Midnight birthday parties have taken on a new significance. Making someone feel special doesn't just come as part of a relationship or a 'best friendship' anymore. For some it is the prospect of a get-together that brings them to such parties, for others the chance to dance and make merry, and for still others, free cake and booze. But birthday parties are great events at the YIF. Everybody puts in a lot of effort to decorate the birthday girl's room (I'm talking here only about women's residence parties, because those are the ones I go to), to write beautiful and fun messages for her, and sometimes come up with gifts as well. People come and go, but the party goes on until the wee hours of the morning. And the next day the birthday girl mostly goes off to Delhi with another set of friends to celebrate her birthday. But the tradition repeats itself with the very next birthday. I, admittedly, was never a person for parties, but I am coming to enjoy this routine. It's a great way of de-stressing after a day of classes and work, and also of getting together with those fellows whom I otherwise don't hang out with on a day to day basis.

...and that's how, at the Young India Fellowship, I learned to party. I'm not anti-social anymore. Is that sort of a personal achievement? I'd like to think so.

Festivals have also taken on a whole new meaning since I came here. At home we are used to celebrating only select festivals every year - Diwali, Rakshabandhan, Bhai Dooj, and sometimes Holi. But at the Fellowship, as it turns out, we celebrate everything. I have been a part of two cultural festivals here that I had never celebrated before: Onam and Navratri Dandiya Raas, the latter having concluded only last week. It was great fun dressing up for the dandiya night, especially since I had nothing to wear for the occasion. I borrowed stuff from here and there and put together a decent ensemble that made me look almost-Gujarati. I learned some Garba and Dandiya steps, too, and danced till my feet refused to obey my command. On a more serious note, one of the fellows broke her nose while playing dandiya. Another friend had to leave the fellowship soon after, and that night saw my last conversation with her. I think it was a memorable night for everyone.

This post might sound reductive in its chronicling of the life of a Young India Fellow. But really, partying isn't what we actually do. If I were to begin describing a typical day at the Fellowship, it would take many a reader's breath away with its sheer variety and hectic nature.

On second thought, though, I think that's exactly what my next post will be about. A typical day at the YIF. The real stuff. Good stuff.

But for now, I'll sign off with an ending note: Applications to the Young India Fellowship are open! So if you'd like to see your life change too, do not hesitate. Go to the website and fill in the online application form. It is an opportunity that presents itself only once in everybody's lifetime. Do not miss it. If you are passionate, energetic, and wish to make a difference in some way, the YIF is for you, and you are for the YIF. Carpe diem!

Of roller coaster rides and more at the Young India Fellowship.

Yesterday I wrote the first examination of my very first term at the Young India Fellowship. I'm here for a one-year PG diploma in liberal studies and leadership. We had three courses this term, but only one exam. Wondering how, and for heavens sake, why? Well, of course, because we're awesome! The first of the courses was the Foundations of Leadership, taken by legendary Dr. Dwight Jaggard, a renowned professor from the University of Pennsylvania. Our final assessment for the course was carried out by means of a Group Discussion. No exam policy, FTW! The second course was on Statistics and its application in the modern world, taken by another UPenn stalwart, Prof. Santosh Venkatesh. But what is a mathematical class doing on the curriculum of a liberal arts course, right? That's what we were wondering too before the course began. But over the course of the class it dawned upon us how important basic statistical understanding is to make sense of common phenomena around us, right from Pizza Hut's 30-minute-or-free guarantee to general elections and exit polls. We were graded on the basis of a number of group case studies, ending with a final report that reflected our individual understanding of the course. It may have been a rather difficult course to cope with, given the insane amounts of coursework, the American model of teaching which Indian students are not accustomed to, and the short duration of the course (3 weeks!) But it was an intense learning experience, something I'm sure most, if not all, fellows from my batch will cherish.

The third course may as well have been the highlight of the entire term. The mention of a History class for most students conjures up a mental picture of big yawns and long siestas in the lecture theater. But when it is taught by one of the decorated historians of our country, Prof. Rudrangshu Mukherjee, a history course instantly translates into an enlightening journey that you begin to miss the very moment it ends. And that's what is happening today, as the first term of YIF is coming to an end and I'm reflecting on my time here over the past five weeks.

It has been a roller coaster ride, yes. There were butterflies in the stomach, there were exciting thrills, and then there were moments when you thought you were going to fall off the edge and die. But you held on for dear life, enjoying the ride, maybe secretly waiting for it to end, and in your heart chanting all-iz-well-all-iz-well-all-iz-well. And now that it has ended, you are walking out the other end, marvelling at your show of courage and taking a short break before getting in line again, for another ride of the roller coaster, of course!

Sometimes I have out-of-body experiences. It's like I am in the moment, but not really inside me. I'm standing in a corner and watching a conversation or an episode unfold. It makes me look at things objectively. I had such an experience yesterday in the cafeteria. The exam had just ended, officially ending with it our first term, and spirits were high. Everyone had only two subjects on their lips - the exam and their plans for the weekend. Our next term begins on the 31st, so there are a good 4-5 days for which we can choose to sit back and relax a little. For about an hour I was sitting in the middle of the cafeteria and listening to snippets of different conversations. Some were planning to go to the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand, some to Kasol or Shimla, and still others to Amritsar. Some were going home for Rakshabandhan and the holidays. For those who plan to stay on campus, movie nights and drinking trips were being planned. I was sitting right there, as blank as a television screen that's been dead for days, and I knew not what to do with myself now that the term had indeed come to a close. I had had loads of ideas and plans until the day of the exam. Yet, this morning I was at a loss.

And that's when I had an epiphany.

Every day for the last five weeks, I have had things constantly going on in the back of my head. The usual - what kind of career I'd like to have after the YIF, what I'd like to achieve while I'm here, what all I'd like to do in my spare time in this one year, and so on. I brought with me here a set of 10 great books that I had collected over the last couple of years but never had the chance to read. I hoped I'd be able to read them all this year. I also wish to resume writing stories. I wish to improve my essay writing skills (which are little more than rudimentary at best) and perhaps try to write for journals and newspapers. I wish to be careful about what I eat, and to get fit and healthy in this one year. I wish to learn a new dance form and take up singing all over again. There are just so many things I wish to do here, and yet, I have always found little or no time at hand to do most of these. Classes, assignments, socialising, freelance work, recuperating from illness - I've been swallowed up whole by the YIF ever since I stepped on campus on the 15th of July. I always tell myself, "Let me just get free from xyz, then I shall sit down and read at leisure" or "Let this particular task be done with, then I'll work on abc". I don't even have to say anything. You know it never works out that way.

But what now? I suddenly have 4 free days at hand, and I am not hounded by any classes or assignments during this time. Come to think of it, if I divide my freelance writing assignments over these 4 days, I do have some time on my hands to do the things I want to. Does that happen often? No. Do I realise the significance of it? I didn't, until yesterday morning. Before my Eureka moment, that is. I was in a happy bubble, excited that the term was over, looking forward to chilling with friends for a day, then probably travelling to someplace, and then heading home for 2-3 days. Holidays mean relaxation and no work, right? RIGHT?

Wrong. They don't have to mean the same for everyone. You don't necessarily have to 'chill' and to go out and party as soon as you get some time off of a hectic work schedule. You must take some time to peace out. But mental rejuvenation does not have to mean socialising or partying at all. You could in fact pull out your list of things-to-do, pick up one or two that bring you happiness, and go at it! I know this sounds like something even an 18-year-old would know. There may seem nothing monumental in what I'm blabbering on and on about. But how often do we actually do this for real? I know most people, including I, don't. We're so taken in by this cycle of work-party-work-party harder that to take some time off to do things alone and to disappear from the social scene for a while sounds blasphemous and lunatic. We're afraid to go off the radar, to miss out on things, to not be there when something funny happens to someone. We ultimately fall back into the old routine without having taken the little time we'd got free to reflect, rejuvenate, or achieve something more meaningful to us than maddening assignments, ELM pitches and the social calendar.

Sitting in the middle of a crowd of fellows, I suddenly felt overwhelmed by this realisation. I slunk away from the cafeteria and dragged myself all the way to my room. There I lay down to take a nap; I had barely slept the previous night, and my head was spinning. 5 minutes went by, and then 5 more. Sleep eluded me, while thoughts continued to play ping pong between the two parts of my brain. Eventually, having let go of all hopes of falling asleep, I opened my laptop and started typing furiously. That's partly where this blog entry has emerged from. I realised, while counting sheep and trying to fall asleep, that I do not really want to travel this weekend or party or watch movies with friends. Okay, some part of my mind does want all that. But it's inconsequential as compared to what I actually wish to do. I want to put my disarrayed life back in order. I want to finish reading Janice Pariat's Boats on Land. I want to work on an essay for a German competition. I want to finish editing the manuscript I currently have in my hand. I want to go out for a movie and a nice lunch with my family. I want to be away from the fellowship and its overwhelming impact on all spheres of my life right now. I want to join the chords left loose, to meet the people I've left behind, to have some semblance of my old life back, even if for 4 days. If I can do that, I'd consider this vacation more than well spent, and would be more than happy to get back to slogging away at the YIF for another excruciating yet enlightening term.

~

That said, here's leaving you with some pictures from my first term at the YIF. Good times with good people. I couldn't have asked for more from life at this juncture. Every step is a learning experience. Looking forward to many more!

Remember the creep from the railway platform in Jab We Met? Here's him. Immensely talented and equally insightful, Asif Basra, who took our orientation workshop.

The hearty laughs, and the beautiful skies.

The insights, and out-sights. (Thank you, Mitra.)

The Welcome Dinner that had no official 'welcome', and for a lot of mad ones, no dinner either. Just a lot of dancing and revelry with beautiful people.

The Namesake, the IIT Bombay, the Bose, the Gujju, the Kohli, and the one-without-a-surname.

My amazing feedback group for Dwight's Class. The perfect way to embark on a path of self-discovery and improvement is to have wonderful people giving you feedback and encouragement at every step. Thanks, you guys.

"Pramath said let there be Dwight. And Dwight said, let there be white!"

My trippy room. Put on some psychedelic music, switch on these twinklers, and you have yourself the perfect road to another world. Who needs chemical substances?

And that's the 'travel' corner of my room. I plan to fill it up with memories from the best of my travels, both in the past and in future.

I realise I have written on my blog after very long. But sometimes there's more life in and around you than you can possibly put down in words.

To writing, and to living. Cheers!

To diet, or not to diet, that is the question.

Stepping into a new stage of life, meeting hundreds of new people, and making new friends has never been an easy job for me. I am the kind of person who'd stay well within her comfort zone if she only had her way. But thankfully for me, I never have my way, because I'm much more ambitious than that frog at the bottom of the well. And so, in another 4 days I start with my one-year residential Postgraduate diploma in liberal studies. At this point, I probably couldn't have asked for a better thing in my life. But guess the only thing that's been troubling me about this transition? Well...all that weight I've accumulated over the past year or two!

I tried dancing, brisk walking, Yoga, and whatnot really, but every attempt lasted only about a few days at best. After that, I'd just find a new excuse to stay home, sometimes entirely justified, sometimes not quite. And then, 10 days ago, my mom came home in the evening with printouts about a new diet she'd heard a lot about in her office. She was talking about the world famous GM diet, I soon found out. On researching some more I was pretty convinced that this was what I needed to do in order to shed some kilograms and detoxify my body at the same time.

It was essentially a one-week-long diet, where each successive day you are to eat only what is specified in the diet chart. Day 1 was all fruits (except my summer favourites, mango and litchi, of course). Day 2 exclusively vegetables. Day 3, a combination of them both. Day 4, bananas and milk. And so on until the final day. It looked doable, and didn't quite look like a crash diet to me. I was allowed to eat as much as I wanted  as long as I stuck to the list of allowed items for the specific day. And so I went for it from the very next day. I stuck to the prescribed list of items for each day, and I rarely, if ever, stray from it.

But you know what the problem with such a diet is? You cannot for the love of God eat the same thing over and over again, all through the day! I ate cucumbers and tomatoes and salad greens and sauteed broccoli and fruits and cottage cheese and sprouts and everything that was in there. But I could only ever digest a serving or two of each, fussy eater that I am. So I ended up consuming way less calories than a normal person of my age and lifestyle is expected to eat daily to maintain a healthy metabolism. I noticed changes in my weight within the first 2-3 days, which was exhilarating and incentive enough to go on with the diet. But I seldom stepped out of home that week, I slept way too much, and I generally felt weak and oppressed. By the fifth day I was on edge. I wanted it to be over as soon as possible. I'd stopped caring about how much weight I was potentially going to lose or had lost already. I'd read that the diet would make me feel light on my toes by the seventh day, but did it? I don't think so.

It may not have been a crash diet on the face of it, but it did end up being one! And so I knew it wasn't for me after all. Then, two nights ago, I came across this new thing called the Honey Diet. I was hesitant even to read it at first, but it turned out to be pretty interesting. And honestly quite ideal too.

Healthy and balanced diet - check.

Suited to Indian dietary habits - check.

Suited to every person's individual needs - check.

Expert advice and fitness tips - check.

What else do you need, really? Input your measurements on the website, calculate your BMI, enter your lifestyle details, and arrive upon your suggested diet plan. And it's certified healthy, because sugar - one of the biggest underlying causes for most people's health-related woes - is entirely replaced by honey, a sweeter and infinitely healthier alternative.

I think the honey diet is what I'm going to try out next. Let's see how it works for me. I'll keep you posted (or not?)

My Travel Diary: The Best Moments of 2015 - USA!

Continuing from where I left off in the last post:

III) United States (NYC, Connecticut, New Jersey)

This one has been the most grandiose trip of my life so far. Everyone around me was excited, but funnily enough, I didn't feel a thing! I got my passport made, got my 10-year US visa, packed my bags, and even got some of my hard-earned money converted into USD, just so I could at least buy presents for my friends and family with my own money. It's a different kind of feeling, you know, especially when your mom is funding the rest of the trip and your relatives are taking care of your lodging. I haven't written much about my US travels till now, having mainly concentrated on the wedding of my cousin that I attended there. I have a few US posts in mind for the coming days, but for now, here are some of the highlights - the best moments from my US trip.

We were in the states for 13 days, staying at my uncle and aunt's house in Trumbull, Connecticut. They showed us around Trumbull and a few neighbouring towns and also took us to New York thrice. The fourth time, Mom and I took off on our own, taking the inter-state train from Bridgeport to Grand Central Terminal in New York. From there we walked to 51st and Broadway, where we were scheduled to begin our day-long bus tour of NYC for which I had already bought tickets on Groupon. We had no phone reception (international roaming is expensive!) so I looked for wi-fi signals wherever I went. Before I had left Delhi, I was told by many people that "USA has free wi-fi everywhere". But it's funny how I found it at very few places, mostly big departmental stores in Trumbull and Starbucks outlets in NYC. The saying 'no free lunches' seems to have become passe now. Apparently "no free wifi" is the new motto to live by in this world.

On our day-long bus tour of the city, we stopped for a bite and some much-needed rest at Bryant Park. This guy carrying an "Accept Jesus" sign was walking around, grabbing several eyeballs but apparently not many takers. I picked up my camera and was trying to slyly take his picture. I was trying to be discreet but I did want a photo badly. And suddenly, what do you think he decided to do? He stopped right in front of me, hid behind his signboard - understandably for anonymity - and posed for the lens! I took his picture and mouthed a grateful thank you. I don't know why my mother thinks American people are rude and unhelpful; I think they tend to be pretty cool!

Towards the end of an entire day of sightseeing by bus and on foot, we were utterly exhausted and famished. My mom desperately wanted to eat Chinese that day. It was one of those cravings of hers that won't leave until satisfied. Luckily we spotted a Chinese/Thai restaurant across the street from where our bus had left us. We stood outside for a good minute, considering whether to go in or look for better options. We finally decided to eat there, little knowing the surprises that awaited us.

Once inside, it took me only about a minute to realize that the entire staff was Indian. From what I could tell, even a few of the guests occupying the tables were Indian! The music playing in the background was an eclectic mix of Arabic and Mediterranean. We ordered hakka noodles, and guess what? They tasted exactly like that food we call "Chinese" here in India but which is basically our own version of the authentic Chinese cuisine. Absolutely nothing about the place was even remotely Chinese! In many ways, though, I was glad to have come to this restaurant. After a heady day out and about in New York city, a touch of India was all I needed to put a smile on my face. The picture above wasn't taken in one of my finest moments, I admit - it is downright terrible. But the memory of this place and of this moment is good enough to mandate the inclusion of this picture here. Cheers to our Indian Chinese food! What would we do without it? (My sister would literally die a painful death.)

For many people, the Empire State Building is New York City. It is its most charismatic and most enduring symbol indeed. I visited the 86th floor observatory of the building and also crossed paths with it several times. But this remains my personal favourite shot of the tower. Took it on Memorial Day, when the building had been illuminated in the colours of the US flag.

Taken from the top of our tour bus while crossing the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Traffic is so fast and so relentless on the bridge, you aren't even allowed to stop the bus for a moment and click a decent picture. But the view from the bridge? So gorgeous, it would take your breath away.

The view from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. One of my first impressions of New York City. And it was love at first sight!

 

And that, my friends, is the magnificent Grand Central Terminal in its stunning entirety. This station is unbelievably huge and every bit as beautiful as it is described to be. It connects the inter-state trains coming into New York with the subway system within the city. I remember the very first time I read about this place. It was in the "The Third Level", a fantasy fiction story in my class 12th English textbook about a 31-year-old who accidentally discovers a third level at the Grand Central Terminal, while in reality there exist only two. Back then I could never have imagined even in the most far-fetched dreams that I'd one day be standing on one of those very levels inside that very terminal. In that sense, it's often good not to dream too big. Let life surprise you at every turn in the road!

My favourite TV series Gossip Girl is set in NYC. I have probably watched all six seasons at least 4 or 5 times. Roaming around the city, the sights that were completely new to me didn't however feel so unknown. It felt like my favourite show was playing out right in front of my eyes. I was in a state of total bliss! And not just that. So many movies I've watched - from You've Got Mail to Friends with Benefits, all those superhero films and rom-coms, and in fact nearly half of all Hollywood movies ever made - have been shot in and around New York. To say that this trip was in fact a dream (that I never saw, but nevertheless) come true wouldn't be stretching it too far. I'm thankful for this, as I am for all of my other blessings.

BUT! Just as the US trip had to come to a sad if inevitable end, this blog post also has to end if I wish to have any chance at getting some sleep tonight. So here I am, signing off with the promise of writing again super soon. More travelogues in the offing. So stay tuned!

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My Travel Diary: The Best Moments of 2015

This year has been fairly good to me so far. Within the past six months I've been on vacations to four destinations as different from each other as they could possibly be. If Bombay had sands and the sea, Dharamshala had mountains and snow. The United States marked my first step onto a foreign land, while soon after came a road trip to Nainital, the land of lakes and lush greenscapes.

Things have been looking up on the personal front. I've taken a big career leap, putting on hold all dreams of being a civil servant and jumping headlong into a year of liberal arts, writing and finding myself. Confused? Why, yes, I got selected for the Young India Fellowship 2015-2016! That also means I'll be shifting base from Delhi to Sonepat, Haryana (not too far from home - lucky me). The course starts in another 10 days. More on that later (in a blog post soon to follow).

It's a Sunday today. I never write or, for that matter, do anything of any consequence on a Sunday afternoon. I am generally not even awake by 1 p.m. I'm usually found comatose on my bed, striking funny poses and drooling onto the pillow on a Sunday afternoon. But today is different. I woke up at 7 a.m. and have been awake ever since. Read Lolita for a while, then drifted on to reading online articles about solo travellers, and then on to browsing travellers' pictures on Instagram. And that's when the pangs of nostalgia struck. In that single monumental moment I realized - no matter how much you travel, the wanderlust bug will keep biting and pinching you in the derriere as long as you're not travelling. Every time I look at people's travel pictures, I experience this intense, haunting, all-consuming desire to take off with my camera to a far-off destination. It just doesn't go away!

So this afternoon I found myself browsing through pictures from my travels during these past few months, and reminiscing. I instantly knew I had to do a post chronicling some of my lesser known travel stories and moments from this past half-year. So, here goes.

I. January 2015 - Bombay

I kick-started the year with an impromptu trip to Bombay with my mom. My exams had just concluded (in late December) and it had been exactly a year since the first time I visited Bombay. I wished with all my heart to visit again, albeit alone. But that was not to be, because Indian parents and their worries. Mom decided to accompany me. Within the next few days, we booked 2 Rajdhani tickets, packed our bags, made our reservations, and I bought my camera to take along. Our seat wasn't confirmed till the last day because of the holiday rush.

It was raining cats and dogs as we made our way to the railway station on the afternoon of 3rd January. Our seat was still not confirmed, and despite all our attempts to buy/bribe/plead our way into a seat or two, nothing worked. So we spent the dreadfully cold night sprawled out initially near the restrooms of our coach on cardboards/bedding generously provided by the train staff. Then in the middle of the night we managed to score a seat and took turns getting some shuteye. It was a nightmare, yet probably the most hilarious and adventurous journey I've ever been on. Reaching Bombay, we had aches all over our bodies but big grins lighting up our faces.

It ended up being a great trip, full of little joys and surprises. We went to the Elephanta caves by a ferry, hung around Colaba market almost everyday, visited many iconic places, and took a bus ride of the city too. We ate hearty breakfasts at the hotel every morning, and then took off to wherever our collective mood took us that day. It was a really memorable holiday for me. And now for the one picture that embodies the most adventurous rail journey of my life. (Psst...no one has ever seen this picture before. It's been my top secret until now!)

Bad camera selfie of an amused mother-daughter duo who've made the joint between two train coaches their transient living room.

That time I sat in the ferry driver's cabin on our way to Elephanta and listened to him talk about the art of navigating a boat.

II. March 2015 - Dharamshala/McLeodganj/Dalhousie

This one was a family trip of sorts, in that mom and I went ahead, while dad and my sister joined us after 4 days. It was one of our most unforgettable holidays as a family. I've already written about how the weather in Dharamshala was beautiful during that time, and with wild rains lashing down, there were crazy photo ops all around. What I haven't written about is the wonderful time we spent in Mcleodganj, some 10-11 kilometres uphill from Dharamshala city.

Mcleodganj is the residence-in-exile of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. It also houses a number of Buddhist temples and a huge Tibetan population. That's what makes it a one of a kind experience. I was so taken in by the Buddhist vibe of the place (I'm a closet Buddhist, didn't you know?) that I just couldn't bring myself to write about it. Some things are best left unsaid, only to be cherished as an experience. But I did put together a compilation of some of my best pictures depicting Buddhism, and another one of the Mystical Himalayas on Behance. Go, see!!

One of my favourite moments from the trip was in Mcleodganj. Mom and I were strolling around, looking for a place to eat. Finally we settled for a restaurant that had canopied tables on the rooftop with a splendid view of the snow-capped Dhauladhars. At the top of the stairs that lead to the roof, there was the cutest little Lhasa Apso dog, waiting to greet us with an innocent little friendly bark! I fell in love with him. He kept scurrying in and out of the guests' legs throughout the time we ate our meal of mushroom soup and noodles. And needless to mention, my eyes kept following him in all of his canine adventures. While paying the bill downstairs I talked to the young restaurant owners and got to know that the little one was called Tracko. I was so enchanted, I took a vow to revisit that restaurant on my next trip, if only for sweet Tracko.

Look at those cute beady eyes!

Being able to eat with chopsticks, or even knowing how to, is one hell of a feather in your kitty. :D

Another run in I had with the local dogs was in front of the Dalai Lama's residence and temple complex. As I was standing there waiting for my mom, who was busy haggling with a street vendor, I observed a female construction worker sauntering in from my right, closely followed by her little one, who looked naughty from the very outset. On my left I saw a couple of big, shaggy-looking dogs coming down the street. I had a feeling they'd meet in front of me and the child would be terrorised by the dogs. They did meet too. But you couldn't possibly guess what happened next. The dogs suddenly got all playful around the little kid and began nudging and tickling him, while the little child, naughty that he was, giggled and enjoyed pulling the dogs' hair in return. It was such a surprising sight, and simultaneously so endearing!

If I'd had an option, I'd have stayed on in Mcleodganj for a whole fortnight and observed more, and maybe written much more. But I know I'll visit again. All in its due time. :)

Okay, this afternoon seems to have turned into evening without my moving so much as even an inch. I must sign off now (I'm hungry). But I'm not done yet. There are two more vacations I want to tell you plenty of stories from. So don't go anywhere; I'll follow up with the second part very soon. Until then, keep fuelling the wanderlust!

P.S. Find more pictures and stories from my travels on Facebook and Instagram.