Love is Everything

Pic from Shikara

Alappuzha – still more romantically known as Alleppey – is the hub of Kerala's backwaters, home to a vast network of waterways and more than 1000 houseboats. Wandering around the small but chaotic city centre, with its modest grid of canals, you'd be hard-pressed to agree with the 'Venice of the East' tag.

We started the day trying to find the best houseboat or a Shikara. Let me tell you the difference between them, if you really want to enjoy the cool breeze, water and everything that the natural backwaters has to offer, you should go for a Shikara. Its an open boat. In case you want to enjoy the romantic time with your pair, you know what I mean, go for a houseboat. 

Over 100kms of Tree Plantation in Kerala

You can rent a houseboat for a day or for day and night as well, depending on the time you like to spend. As we didn’t had much time and our plan was to enjoy nature, we booked a Shikara for 2 hour journey. He took us inside the backwaters, at one point of time, it looks like its an ocean, but its not. There were Lotus plants all over the water without any flowers as it was not a flowery time. I remember that we too had Lotus plants at our place, but they never gave any flowers, God knows why. I thought of taking some seeds with me, but the seed would have died when parents will reach home.

House Boat

It was a nice boatride, one of the best or we can say only event in Allepey. The ride consists of peace, just don’t think anything, sit light, relax and enjoy the nature. They even have beds inside the boats, if you want to take a nice nap and music systems in case you wanna dance.

As per my thinking, you have not done anything in Kerala, if you have not drink Coconut water. So we stopped our boat for a drink, it was really cool. They may cut coconut right in front of you from trees and give a fresh one to you. In this small Kerala trip, all I ever think is about Love. Keralas a lovely place where people generally go for a honeymoon or with friends. But I was there with my folks, it was my love for them that made us to visit Gods Own Country. In the end, whats matter is Love and Love is everything.

Next we headed for lunch where we had the special red colored medicinal water of Kerala and then finally came back to Chennai.

Chennai to China

If you are following me, you will know that I am working in India-Chennai in an MNC and right now I am writing about my trip to Nepal for an International GERA Conference. It was already completed in my last post and in this post I am gonna describe the journey from Nepal to China Border. We didn’t had all the time in the world to roam complete Nepal but whatever time was left with us, we planned to utilize it to the fullest. We heard that the route to China border is like Laddakh, so we hired a car and started our journey; for me it was like a journey from Chennai to China. I must say this was the awesomest part of our Nepal trip.

Waterfalls on our way

Thinking about the trip, images of Himalayan Mountains, simple people, exotic locales come to mind. Trip was all this and more. Words can’t do justice to the beauty of the land and you have to hike through its hills and valleys to witness its beauty and the majesty of its people especially girls. It was a beauty beyond description barren Rocky Mountains had an exquisite beauty of their own the shattered looking landscapes splashed with small but brilliant patches of green and black. Pahadi stepped out and collected some black rocks for research.

There were quite a number of water-falls on this Road. They seem like falling from the heaven. It’s a place where the road plays hide & seek all along. You have to be careful while driving in these roads. There was a time when I thought that this is it, we can’t go further from here, our car was stuck and driver was working hard to get it through, even then I was cherishing the moment thinking that we have made so far and whatever we have covered was none less than than an achievement. What can I say the journey was important not the destination. There was music flowing in our ship all the time courtesy: Pahadi. We also observed a trend as we were moving towards China in people’s physique.

Our car stuck on road

Finally we reached Nepal:China border, it is actually a bridge known as friendship bridge between the 2 countries. It was a cool border if you can think in a different way. There were more than 4 border policeman posted from the China’s side and only one from Nepali that too was having fun with us and talking all the time. There were 2 guards at Chinese side who were standing straight in attention position for more than 15 minutes so I asked Nepali guard, why he is in the same condition, he informed me that they have a duty of 2 hours, they will be standing like this way not even blinking eyes, this is called as discipline.

Friendship Bridge between Nepal and China

We could not take the pictures of the main entrance of China-border as the Chinese police posted there, prevented us from doing so. Hence for you, I have googled and found some old pics of the bridge for you. We were standing right at the red line: the border line between the 2, so we were in both countries at the same time that was a moment. Then we had some Chinese dishes in a restaurant nearby and headed for a hot spring: Tatopani, which is a major tourist attraction. People come here from far & wide to take a bath to cure their skin ailments, etc. After all this fun we reached Kathmandu, had dinner and stayed in a hotel near Pashupatinath Mandir.

Overall, it was a good experience for us. Only if we had the same facility as Nepalis enjoy (one day free permit to visit the bordering Chinese town) but for us Indians, Visa is a must. So we returned, overwhelmed with the nature's beauty.

Link for Friendship Bridge-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Nepal_Friendship_Bridge

From Chennai to Nepal

INDIA-NEPAL Border

Really we have to call it “The Journey”. Journey for all of us was different; one had to join us just after Rajasthan trip, one had to come from Pune, another from Indore and I from Chennai. Let us talk about my trip, aaaa leave the actual trip, because if I tell you the actual one, you will get confused or mad on me. What I can tell you is I started my journey from Chennai after completing my night shift. I pre-poned my shift from 10-7 to 7-4 so that I can catch the only train (Rajdhani) that starts from Chennai at 6 am. Let me tell you some facts about my train, it connect major cities of India to Rajdhani (Delhi). It is a superfast train having few halts between origin and destination. Obviously it is a costly train having minimum coach as 3^rd ac, best thing about it is it provides you enough food that you don’t have to bother about taking any food items with you, train staff provides some food stuff once in every two hours and even you can request for additional things like salad, if you wish. So don’t carry even a single food item, but eat well in Rajdhani. My ticket was in waiting list a day before, although waiting no. was 2 which had a high probability of getting clear, still I didn’t wanted to take any chances and booked a Tatkal ticket. Therefore I started from Chennai via Rajdhaani –one of the best trains of India, changed my train to meet the rest of the crew. Anna already came to Bhopal station a day before; we had to board the Kushinagar Express. Maag and Pahadi started the same morning from Indore. As soon as I board the train to Gorakhpur, Pahadi shouted Kuntalllll, she seemed to be very happy after founding me. I was also glad to join them. The moment, we joined became awesome, amazing, actually beyond words.  

Route Plan

Now let me introduce you to Kushinagar Express as well, it is a typical train of eastern India, in which sleeper is similar to general and 3^rd ac can be compared with sleeper. I am not criticizing the train, or the crowd, just a suggestion for travelers that they should book at least 3^rd ac ticket if they are thinking to travel in those side trains, especially when you don’t have habit of travelling in such trains. This train led us to Gorakhpur-a major station on the eastern side of India. Major because this is the last station on this side, up to which train is available, after this you have to board a bus or hire a shared cab to reach Indian border last village sanauli. From Sanauli you can either have a cycle rickshaw or walk for 5 minutes to cross the Zero Land- an area between two borders, also known as no man’s land. I advise walking provided you can carry your luggage for about a km. Here Indian border ends and Nepal starts. Tune in to next blog for Nepal, remember Journey is not complete yet.    

In Indore

Vuowww, this time Indore’s trip was surprising. I was planning to visit Indore at the end of March, but my TL didn’t agree on that, so I thought it’s better to go in Feb itself. I was not sure that I will be able to get tickets or not in Tatkaal. I sat in office on Thursday and tried for it, but got error because of irctc policies, that from an IP only two tickets are allowed in those two hours and our whole office had a single IP. Then I tried from my mobile and got success, but I thought let’s give a surprise this time. I didn’t tell anyone about my plan of coming Indore. I and my cousin share same irctc account, so he got an email about my tickets and he verified that I was coming Indore, so he and cousin sis knew about the plan and they also informed this to ma sis in Pune.

When I boarded train on Friday, I called my both houses in Indore, just to make sure that they will not call me when train is running or else they will ask me and I have to tell the truth. I reached Bhopal at 8 30 and boarded a private bus to Indore. NOTE: these private buses are very bad from Bpl to Indb and vice versa. The last govt bus to Indb starts at 8 30 from Bpl, there was no way I can catch the bus. That’s the reason I took private bus and reached Indb after 5hr 30mins. It was 3 am, my bro was already there to receive me at the station. Finally I reached his home and had dinner. They were clever, as they knew that I won’t eat anything in train, so they kept dinner and juice for me…sweet.

Morning I woke up early and touched feet of my Badepapa and he was shocked plus happy as much as he can be. After breakfast, my cousin dropped me home; my mom dad had the same look, surprised and happy. Both of them said, it’s good that I came, they were all missing me.

Generally, I was avoiding calls, because I wanted to give surprise to all the relatives and friends by directly visiting them, but I had to take one call as dad was having lunch, so I picked up and my fopag knew that I was In indore. I told him not to tell Bhuag about this. He just told her that a surprise is coming and next she said “Kuntal aa gaya kyaa?”. How did she know that I was coming? God Knows. I think this is what we call as connections.

This way many relatives knew that I was In Indore. But my Masi didn’t, I gave her surprise too. I visited her house and she was also surprised to see me. After a day or two, I called one of my friend, when she picked call, she just said “tu indore kab aaya”. No hi, hello, just “nalayak tu indore kab aaya”. I was rolling on floor laughing. After few minutes, I gained my breath and told her whole situation. She was yelling at me “I was asking from last 1 week, when are you coming? Even on Thursday, when your tickets were booked? You didn’t tell me.” This is what I call as friendship, she was happy that I was in Indore, but she was scolding at me like anything. Then she told me that her mom had an accident just a day before, so I told her, that there’s no need to come, will meet some other time. But to my surprise, she said, “I just came home after visiting my mom, shes fine now; I am coming but only for 5mins, so that at least we can meet.” I said Ok, she came and told me whole story, I also told her mine. We departed in half hour, although our talks were not complete and they will never be.

Next two days I spent with one more friend, whenever I visit Indore it’s fixed that, at least one day, we spend together and both of us enjoys each other’s company. One day we watched a movie and other day we visited Khajrana and a cousin’s home. Next day was a big day in her life because she got her pg degree. Actually it may be because, we just came from Khajrana and God is always taking our care from background.

I had already made a call to one of my cousin in Ujjain; he also came to meet me and stayed with me for rest of the day. That’s what I call as relationship. Whenever I visit Indore, he just drops all of his work, even his exams and come to see me.

I gave a visit to one of my mentor; she was also happy and surprised to see me. She told me that “Its good to see you and this surprise is really awesome”. We had a chat for some time and discussed about my life in Chennai and upcoming conference in Nepal. After some time, we visited a cultural show in auditorium.

How can I forget my friend cum sis, I visited her after re planning many times. I was checking FB and read her status "In Indore" and in next second, called her to decide date/time to meet. But we had to re schedule many times before we finally met...hi hi hi both busy personalities. When we met, our chat was going on and on ...and on. But I had to rush for dinner and she was tired, so we stopped in some time.

I visited one of my college mates also, he was also surprised to receive me, he is amongst few who knows my actual situation in Chennai, “How I feel here, How I am treated”. He know nearly everything about me. That’s the reason, he always suggests me new opportunities, I can try. He only helped me to realize that I am a very good leader and has capability to manage people.

There is one more friend, with whom I go for lunch/dinner, because her life is just like that, she has time only for dinner or lunch. So this time, we had lunch but as my stomach was bad, I just had a pie.

This was all about my surprising trip to Indore. I was happy, my parents, relatives, friends all happy. That is what we call as All well, that ends well.

Saturday, I boarded train from indb, reached Chennai in Monday morning and working from the same time like anything. Again back to Corporate Life, The IT culture.  

I must say, I miss Indore...