My Lahauli friends chide me for being too upbeat about trekking to Zanskar, all by myself. ‘Even we locals don’t go alone’, they say. The trek path begins from Darcha on the Manali-Leh route, just an hour’s drive away from the district headquarters of Keylong. Cloudy weather has caused the atm machine to not work for […]
Doing the unthinkable – Solo Trekking to Zanskar Read More »
It felt like a wild goose chase; the bus to Dehradun was supposed to leave at 9 pm and I was unable to reach on time. Sometimes Indian Standard Time is a good thing, you realise when the bus driver is courteous enough to wait for you till 930 because you have pre-booked the ticket. We
Do yourself a favour! Go to Landour Read More »
While coming back from Malana, I was given a small preview when I hitched a ride to Kasol. Curiously I asked him if he kept any charas with him? And out came a black soap, I was stunned. Read : Winds of Change in Malana This was the land of Bob Marley and free love, I had
Tranquility in the hippie land of Kasol Read More »
Much ado has been made about having a ‘bucket list.’ The moment you tell someone about a lovely experience you had on your unplanned holiday, it goes straight into their bucket list. Let me tell you very frankly, as human beings our greatest memories are not of places, but rather of the time we had, the happiness
Reminiscences from a two day snowfall in Manali Read More »
My sister had been dreaming of going on a ‘Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani’ kind of trek ever since the movie came out. I tried pepping her up for a solo trip to anywhere and gave her the usual tips for solo travel in India. In between someone who came home had this epic statement to make
Why Triund could be the perfect first Himalayan trek? Read More »
Global warming and climate change have ensured hotter summers year after year. Come April and we see people cursing their lives because of the unbearable heat. The popular hill stations of the Himalayas are ever crowded and make long term stays an unaffordable proposition. Read : Do yourself a favour! Go to Landour This is also
5 offbeat places to spend the entire summer in the hills Read More »
I had read passing references about the Brokpa community, most of them were rumours of German women coming in search of pure Aryan men. The people living in ‘four Aryan villages’ had remained culturally secluded and were different from the rest of the Ladakhis. Huff Post interviewed me about this, here. Read : Into Unknown Ladakh I
Walking into the past along the frozen Indus in Ladakh Read More »
Since the passes leading to Ladakh are closed in the winter, the only way to reach is by air over the lofty Himalayas. The surest way to spoil your epic adventure before it even starts is to be unprepared before reaching Leh. I spent considerable time in Ladakh in January this year and realised that
Practical tips for winter travel in Ladakh Read More »
My original version of the story which was published in HT Brunch Magazine. Tell me which one’s better? Turtuk had been planted in my mind on a random conversation at the Spituk Gustor (Annual Masked dance). I toyed with the idea while on a stroll coupled with icy winter winds blowing in the markets of
Into Unknown Ladakh – Turtuk Read More »
I felt better doing yoga & hiking around Rishikesh, recuperating from asthma in the last week of January, 2014. The backpackers at the ashram were gung-ho about their exploration of India, soaking in the spirituality in low season. They were travellers who had been around the world and spoke about ‘India being the country that
7 Days in Little Tibet – McLeodganj Read More »
