STOWE GARDEN,BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

by Rejith

Woke up hesitantly early in the morning lacking any particular path of thoughts about what to do on last lazy Saturday. Weather too bad to go outside-too overcast and nearly zero degree outside.Anyway after having the morning routine,I did just went through National Trust directory to find out a place to visit not far from my home.Flipped though a few pages and spotted Stowe garden which is only about 25 miles from here. Started my car at 9.30 and driving though a mixture of A and B type roads reached Stowe at 10.30.Showed my NT card and entered the garden.At the gate the volunteer greeted and helped me with route map,but declined as I am already familiar. Stowe garden was created by , Lord Cobham, who set the gardens out to reveal his beliefs about the politics and morality of the day. Which path will you choose - Vice, Virtue or Liberty? Surely it is a heaven on earth.

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The trip to Ghanteshwari.

by Sourav Chakraborty

It was on a chilly winter morning in the month of December 2014, when I along with my batch mates were on our way for picnic to one of the most alluring tourist spots of western Odisha. The name of that place was Ghanteshwari. It falls under Sambalpur district of Odisha. The place was very much famed for the trees where bells were tied, and those bells did the job of a navigation unit by alerting nearby seafarers. Along the way to the temple of the main deity, you'll find a small collection of shops selling antique items. The items are world famous for their design. We were quite fortunate that on the very date of our journey it rained heavily. Some people might have said it spoiled our trip but we were the ones who always wanted something unexpected from everything and that was what exactly we were getting. The heavy rain made the beguiling place even more enthralling. The rain gave new energy to the already lively green lands which made us feel closer to Mother Nature. We had some fine food served there by the local hotels. The population out there is quite friendly who'll always refer to you as "BHAI” meaning “BROTHER”. The USP of the place is its location itself. I had a great time with my batch mates and I can assure a memorable trip to all those who plan a planned or unplanned trip to Ghanteshwari.

Odisha is filled with beautiful beaches, fascinating waterfalls, lovely lakes and even has hot water springs that are reputed for their healing abilities along with the famous temples. Share your trip experience by creating your own travel blog on eChutti and generate a travelogue to share your trip memories with friends and family. Find a travel buddy to travel together and make your journey memorable.

Life Beyond The Sail

by Sreeraj

I never knew the call of open waves can be so enchanting, until I was offered a chance to get out on the water yesterday. An experience that we had never anticipated to happen, came towards us in a sail boat made by Mr. Joe Nejedly, the president of Sailing Club of Cochin and the former World Championship sailor who can be called the godfather of Sailing sport in Kerala. A jovial person with an immense passion for sailing and the love to share his sailing experiences.

It was during one of such loose talks that he asked us whether we would like to go on a sail. He might have read the answers from our faces because he called out to Mr. Joseph who was going out for a sail, to take us for a short voyage. The white double-hulled boats with multi-coloured sail, was designed by Mr. Joe himself, to ensure that it gives the secure feeling that you wouldn't fall off the vessel that easily. This boat called GO-Cat (named after his grandsons) provides adequate safety to beginners learning the basics of sailing.

Wearing the life jacket, thrilled about the experience we stepped on the sail boat escaping the familiar feeling of solid ground beneath our feet. We sat at the back leaning on the square platform that connects the two hulls, so that the main sail can be maneuvered easily according to the direction of the wind without injuring our head.

“There’s something romantic of being in command of your own boat with the vast water body stretched out in front of you, and that’s where these experiences come in” Mr. Joseph started sharing his experiences in sailing and explaining the maneuvering process as the wind steered us away from the shore.

An ex-software engineer, Mr. Joseph had been sailing here for three years. And the experience he had was evident in the ease with which he managed to steer the sail to catch up with the unpredictable wind.

The feeling of being able to harness the power of the wind, something that is bestowed to us by nature, to sail, was indeed a great feeling. Mr. Joe encourages people to leave their mobile phones behind. So that there is no interference of hustle and bustle of city life while floating with the swaying backwaters. I felt as if I was becoming part of the serene backwaters, experiencing her moods and allowing her to influence me with her divine charm.

As we went deeper the waters were offering a breath-taking view. Joel preferred to get hands on the sail, while I just sat back and relaxed as the experienced skipper along with his new trainee took care of it all. We spent almost 45 minutes floating in the swaying waters, along with the tips and stories of sailing from Mr. Joseph. “We may not be able to control the wind, but we can always direct the sail. Remember that young sailors” said Mr. Joseph merrily as we were pulling the boat to the shore. But it was only after we left the place that I realized the depth of his words, the advice about life he had to give, simple yet profound "We can’t control the wind, but we can direct the sail!

There are some memories in life while travelling that you can't forget. Share those memories with other travellers on eChutti travel blog page and help them to plan a trip to make such memories.

by Ishan Hendre

Location- Avalabetta, near Bangalore, Karnataka.

Date taken- 4/10/15

After a disappointing experience upon reaching Skandagiri, where we weren’t allowed to go ahead with our trek by officials, we decided to go to drive up to Avalabetta. (A hilltop 90km from Bangalore) This was a beautiful midnight drive with friends, which is otherwise a lovely early morning drive as enjoyed by most people. The dark night, thunderstorm, overgrown foliage and the narrow road coiling to the top gave the drive an uncanny tinge. We reached the top at around 3 am, and began our return at 7 after sunrise. The darkness on our way up didn’t allow us a single glimpse of the landscape, amen also to the dreamy early morning fog that enveloped us. So we had no clue about what surrounded us, our return held the mesmerizing revelation of the landscape.

Share your most amazing travel experience or a photo on travel blog with other members. Join Bangalore Travel Club to know more such amazing places aroun bangalore to explore.

Mera Mumbai Meri Jaan

by Akshay

My travel resolution of 2016 is to live & explore the place where I born!

YEH MUMBAI MERI JAAN AOUR JAHAN!

Mumbai is like a NewYork of Our india, it’s the city of Dreams & the city which never sleeps. It depicts the place that is always up and about, a city with a spirit of gold and a determination to never say die, even in the wake of terrorist attacks and natural calamities. Mumbai boasts of a population of about 100 million. There is an extensive network of flights from Mumbai’s Sahar (International) and Santa Cruz (Domestic) airports. International and domestic flights connect it to almost all major cities. Trains are available from all major stations of India. The Intra city trains are the fastest and the best way of commuting through the city. Bus services both inter and intra city are equally efficient.

We Mumbaikars represent the true spirit of India as this city is a crucible of people from different religions, caste and communities. Representative of the “never say die” spirit, these people are full of life and vigour Food is the highlight of this city. Chaupati beach offers one a wide variety of street food ranging from bhelpuri (puffed rice mixed with onions, chillies and sauces), panipuri (puffed puris filled with sprouts and potatoes), vada pav (a deep fried cutlet made of potatoes in a round shaped bread) and paw bhaji (vegetables eaten with round shaped bread). Desserts of this place include chikki, srikhand, puran poli and shira.

The home of the Indian Film Industry, one has to visit the Gateway Of India, the central attraction of the city, important because this is where the British left Independent India As per my observations if you’re living in India then there things which would be mutual among every indian that is FOOD,BOLLYWOOD & CRICKET. so in case if anyone doesn’t like Bollywood then he must be in love with food or cricket. Mumbai is famous in these three things food which kind of variety we don’t have it in our Mumbai ,main thing you must be having enough money to taste every variety.

Directly or indirectly money matters, your life will ditch if you are not rich! That’s the main reason why Mumbai doesn’t sleep people now to earn & they know how much money should be used where and for what. I had visited 27 historical places in Mumbai still few are remaining. There are many cities in India which are developing up few of them like surat & bangalore etc but still Mumbai is like a king of cities in India.

Love your hometown and never explored it more as you want. Share your thoughts about your hometown on travel blogs. Want to know about New York of India — MUMBAI? JOin Mumbai travel club and get to know more about the city from travellers.

TRAVEL WITH BEAR GRYLLS IN A LONE ISLAND

by ABHISHEK

MY TRAVELLING RESOLUTION-

TRAVEL WITH BEAR GRYLLS IN A LONE ISLAND Bear Grylls, apparently the host of Man vs. Wild TV show on Discovery Channel, is an ex US army person, trained thoroughly to compete against any challenging conditions offered by the mother earth. Seeing him take on any situation in any life threatening circumstances is really mind blowing. I have been a benevolent and crazy fan of him since my childhood. From the age of 15 till now, around 6 years, I have been watching this daredevil and he is till date unmatched and at the top.

One of the extraordinary things about him I love is his daring and never giving up attitude. I remember him falling from a helicopter and breaking his back into 3 pieces, my heart got sunk that time. But after a mere 1 year my hero was back into action. Bear Grylls can survive in any tough situation be it the hot Sahara Desert or the freezing Alaska. He has survived even in the dense forests of Africa and has also encountered the Avalanche. His tactics can seem very weird and insane sometimes. He eats animals without even cooking them and sometimes he even drinks his own urine to keep up the hydration levels. He jumps from high mountains into the river and how fascinating it is that he never fails in any of his attempts.

I want to have an experience of traveling with Bear Grylls, enough of watching him on television. I wish to see him perform live. I wish to work with him, and survive difficult situations. Commemorating his thoughts and mind set would be so great.

My travel resolution for 2016 is to learn surviving alone in a lone island with Bear Grylls. I have seen him do that many a times on television, but it’s time now I get some hands on experience. I would learn how to defend, evolve and grow myself in challenging situations. I would also talk to him about his life and journey he has had till now. It would very fascinating to hear him live.

Being in the island alone with Bear Grylls, I get goosebumps imaging the whole scenario. He would teach me how to catch fishes and climb trees to get food. He would tell me about the kinds of animals to be aware of and how to tackle any worse case scenario. I would also learn how to make small houses from wood and ignite fire to keep myself warm.

Learning to keep myself hydrated as well as cook something eatable would also be something I would learn. Finally I would acquire complete knowledge of how to built a raft and escape from the lone island. I have seen the recent episodes, in which Bear Grylls is taking along some new people in his journey for survival. I really hope to get a chance to travel with him.

You too have a such a dream to travel with the one you adore and respect? Share your travel resolutions in echutti travel blogs.

The City of stories

by Neha Prasad

Not that i have never enjoyed Goa earlier but it has so much to serve for the travelers at their every visit. It's like a piece of dessert,a giant one, which can be of your favourite appetites. Not even a year has passed now and my craving to visit this ancient town has popped-up all over again. This time it would be more precise because all that i have got missed, i shall explore it without any failure. Resolutions to discover the undiscovered should be the goal. One picturesque destination with every possible requirements you would perhaps need, is Goa. What you think you would miss? The very first step of yours till you go off-board, will leave an imprint over your memory which you will definitely cherish till the last breathe. Talk about the seamless Goan roads which will lead you to beautiful boundless beaches or talk about the crazy crowd you would encounter at every food junctions you stop. Stretched from "Mapusa to Panjim", everything you experience, would be one of it's kind. Those memories are so sharp that this year my visit would definitely be for minimum ten days in which i can at least enjoy few of the ancient serenity i missed on my last trip. I visited few beautiful churches, antiquated in their form, but what i missed is the Portugal story behind every painting carved there. With all pride, standing on the list of one of the ancient cities, Goa offers us so much to know about it's roots and the cultures we can never feel amidst our social city lives. Not only to the old symbolic churches and towers Goa is confined to, but it brings you so many other attractions, one of the top most being the mouthwatering food. Sea-food typically cooked in Goan style would leave you speechless and this time again my day-break would be at some shacks with some soul-tempting deliciously cooked lobsters. All those wrecked walls along the roadside, made out of ancient red bricks would particularly remind you of the former Portugal existence. Apart from all those historical dramas, yearly Goa-Carnival brings festivity all around the city. Four days of celebrations in Christian style which concludes with one huge colorful parade is one of my most awaited events this 2016. Best time after December is February when enthusiasm is at its peak to celebrate the happiness and togetherness, i am all set to fulfill my cravings. Goa is a city of endless stories and hidden realities, some are mind soothing and some are spine-chilling but whatever it gives, will be indelible.

There no places than Goa to enjoy you summer. Explore Goa's beautiful beaches and historical monuments by joining a travel club to know more information about planning your trip.

Darjeeling- The Queen of The Himalayas

by DEBDORSHI MALAKAR

On 26th December, 2016, I was supposed to fly to Bangalore to meet my sister. However, things changed quickly, and I somehow ended up in Darjeeling along with my entire family. We took the train on 25th night. Darjeeling is just an overnight journey from my home town, Kolkata. We reached there around 11 AM and checked in to Hotel Belleveu, which is right at the centre of the famous Mall Road. After having lunch, we headed to Lebong Tea Estate, which was a 1 hour drive from our hotel. The Manager who is a friend of my father, greeted us and showed us the entire production process of tea. After that we returned back to Darjeeling and had snacks at the famous restaurant " Keventers". Darjeeling is mainly famous for two restaurants-' Keventers' for its sausages and 'Glenarys' for its pastries and desserts. We obviously didn't miss out on either of them. 

The next day we departed from our hotel at 4AM for ' Tiger Hill', also known as ' Sunset Point'. Although we were shivering, but it totally worth it when we were able to see the peak of ' Kanchenjungha'. We returned back and then visited the ' Kali Temple'. It was a steep climb to the top of the temple, but it offers a spectacular view of the entire region. The rest of the day was spent in shopping and trying out the local delicacies like momos and the famous ' Darjeeling Tea'. 

Finally, it was time to back to to our daily lives. It was difficult to bid goodbye to the mountains and return to the crowded streets of Kolkata. But then life goes on.....

Have you been to darjeeling? Share your travelk thoughts on eChutti travel blogs and if not yet visited Darjeeling plan a trip soon and enjoy serenic beauty of it. 

THAT ADRENALINE RUSH

by Surbhi Arvind

Do you ever just wake up and realise that your soul needs a vacation, just a few days out of your monotonous routine and the unwanted honking and shrieking that your city has to offer? Well, that happens with me pretty much all the time. But little can we always put our wishful plans into action. But sometimes, when God and just about everything around you conspires to put your thoughts into action, that is when you realise how thankful and lucky you are and how unimaginably exciting the next few days are going to be. 

On one such day in April last year, my dad realised that our not so happening daily routines are taking a toll on us, and that is when he decided to take us on a road trip to Rishikesh for the ever so famous white water rafting. The land of the mighty Ganga, not so far away from Delhi, but far enough to let the soul breathe some fresh air. so we packed our bags and were soon on our way, in the car, singing crazy songs at the top of our voice and clicking pictures, obviously. Road trips with family are always exciting. Halfway through our journey to Rishikesh, we took a stop at Cheetal Grand Resort to gorge on some scrumptious sandwiches, parathas, french fries and an all time favourite cold coffee. 

It took us about two more hours to reach Rishikesh, and throughout our way, we saw a lot of billboards displaying the Flying Fox Adventure Sports advertisements. The very attention seeking adventure sports prompted us to give it a try and we soon reached their office. In no time, we were thrilled for what was going to be our very first bungee jumping experience. EVER. a little more wait post the form filling formalities, and there I was, at the bungee bridge constructed 85 meters, right above the beautifully curving river Ganga. Looking at all those people going before me sure sent chills down my spine, seeing their scared faces and hesitation to fall free, but everything inside me boosted me up with excitement and courage that I never knew I had. That is when I knew this was going to be the best experience of my life so far, something that was going to do me proud of myself.

Standing at that high bridge, with the winds resonating their best wishes in my ears, I chose to go, before my siblings. That is how accelerated I was. Taking in that beautiful view of the river, waiting for me down there, the hills talking to me in a language that only I could decipher at that time, it was my "DO OR DIE" moment. And I obviously don't plan to die so soon. Standing there at the edge, I knew I had to let go of everything that has ever held me back and just LET GO. It was in that moment I realised how liberating this feeling of just letting it all go is. 

My whole world changed with that one jump. every atom of me was proud of me. I never knew I had it in me to do something so thrilling, that gives you all the rush and chills at the same time, making it hard for you to believe that you just did something like that. That inexplicable feeling only seemed to grow with every passing moment. I may not have done something so big to achieve a gallantry award, just an "I'VE GOT GUTS" certificate from Flying Fox, but this sure was a proud moment for me. That experience, combined with so much more, taught me that travel is the best teacher one needs, to pass this journey of life with flying colours.  Everything that I ever need to learn about life is there, in the beautiful views, the natural tints of pinks and greens, the less travelled paths, in facing the unknown. 

I feel, to TRAVEL is the most enlivening thing one could bless their soul with. people always talk about how they would narrate their love stories to their kids. But I would rather tell tales of my travels, of just how beautiful our planet is, that our mothers might be the best cooks for us in the whole world,  but there are so many hands out there that can add a magical taste to a simple pre-flavoured bowl of Maggi noodles, which are best enjoyed at chilly hill stations. 

A zeal to discover, a boundless mind, a heart capable of giving and receiving equally, a pair of legs to map the most mesmerising yet untrodden paths. all this, and we will have a fortune full of memories, a proof that we are actually "living" life and not just barely "existing". It's the breathtaking views, that can always take away our blues. And that is why I want to travel the world, till kingdom comes. 

Have you ever done bungee jumping?? If so share your experiences on eChutti travel blogs and traveller club.  

Internship In Ahmedabad At IIM

by Sai Sunder Naidu Varudu

“Winter School 3.0” sounds boring, right??

What if I tell you Winter School 3.0 at one the best management institute in India,

IIM-Ahmedabad?

Well it doesn’t end here!! Learning new things on education and policies from the best professors of India, who are the official policy makers for the government of India. Am I grabbing your attention, “Very Well” There is lot more to this experience than only learning new things on policies. I got selected for Winter School 3.0 along with three other lovely people from my university. I was always involved into social welfare and wanted to bring out a change in the way people think, which would act as an impetus in the development of education system in India. I took an evening flight from Madurai. I had a changeover of flight in Chennai. Alas!! My flight got delayed by 2hrs. I reached Ahmedabad Airport at 10:30 pm and waited for two other participants at the airport, with whom I had to go to the IIM hostel. After one hour of conversations with them, I realized I had made friends who were like me and will certainly be there for lifetime. Excitement was at its peak when we were nearing IIM-A in Uber Cab and “there it comes”, yelled Yashwant, an IT student from IIIT, Hyderabad. A huge IIM Gate opened and we entered into a hub of professionals who had a different and an innovative thinking for everything. The way they interacted, the way they handled themselves in different situations certainly spoke and verified the fact that IIM-A certainly produces one of the best professionals in the industry. I was allotted a room in advance and the best part was, all three of us were roommates. We couldn’t be allotted IIM Hostels as they were under renovation. We were therefore, sent to the empty faculty houses. After reaching there, we found that we had 6 other roommates. We stood transfixed at the entrance wondering how will we manage to stay in a small flat along with 7 others. It was just two hours after which we were there, taking a forward stride together as we set off on IIM-A sightseeing journey at 2 am. It was indeed challenge walking in IIM campus where every time pigeon shit falls just like raindrops. We had the best tea of IIM from Ramesh Da, who happens to be the famous chai waala of IIM-A. As the sun rose and birds started to chirp, our red eyes forced us to sleep for one hour, well that was the time we had before our event began. It was the most difficult effort for all of us to wake up that day. Our event began sharp at 9 am. Initially we had thought that it is going to be nothing short of the bombardment of lectures but indeed it was a blessing. The professors who came to talk to us were so experienced and the way they interacted with us was so motivational that we didn’t even move an inch as we sat there, learning about the changes with need to be brought up in social policies which would benefit the poor and improve the literacy rate. Classes continued to 7 in the evening with different professors giving us an insight on the social changes and Education system of India. These classes along with many activities were conducted during this event for the next 5 days. After classes, each day, we used to go on the city exploring mission. This was certainly one of the best experience for me. There was a lot more to learn, other than the social arena. There were participants from different parts of India. Participants happened to be students, teachers, NGO heads with age group ranging from 20 to 60. Imagine the diversity in thinking! There were interactive sessions happening, where we clearly saw the innovative thoughts and ideas flowing by. I made many friends over there and learn many things about their cultures and professions. We were told to do a slum survey one day where we had to go to a slum where there were people, who were forcefully shifted from the river front 15 years ago, where their primary way of earning money was fishing. After being shifted they were also forced to work in a waste management industry where waste was burnt. This industry happened to be at a walking distance from the slum. The foul smell, adding to the fact that the water which was being supplied to the household was of terrible quality and also the sanitation system was poor, we were the only ones complaining about all these things. It seemed as if the voices had given up. After having a conversation with them, I realized that all they wanted was the support of the people and nothing else. They did not except monetary support or anything of its kind. They wanted us to support them and speak on their behalf for their lost rights. I met a 100-year-old lady, who danced with joy when I started to click her photo. I imagined, we, modern generation, expect more out of everything and there lies an old lady, who stays alone, being happy and contented with what she has. I literally froze when one lady, despite knowing that I had come for slum survey and couldn’t do much for them, came and told me, “Beta, tum ache se padai karna. Mera beta ko mein pada nhi pai. Padai aaj kal sabse jaada mehetvapurna he aur aap humare bete jaise ho aur mera aashirwad humesha aapke saath rahega”. The lady meant that she couldn’t teach her son due to financial and personal reasons but education is the most important thing and I am like her son and her blessing are always with me. That whole day, after returning from the slum, the lady’s words reverberated in my ears as I stood there helpless despite knowing their sufferings.

“BE HAPPY AND CONTENTED WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AND ALWAYS WISH GOOD FOR OTHERS” is what I learnt from a lady who knew much more than me and became my motivator. From making friends, to the wonderful lectures by the IIM Professors and a wonderful organizing committee consisting of IIM Students, From Travelling Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar to having street food at Manek Chowk and the best delicacies at the mess of this eye-catching institute, From learning more about education systems and policies to get the basic life lessons from individuals , Every minute thing I did in IIM-A can be elaborated as I can proudly say I got an opportunity which was totally worth it and was the best experience I ever had where I learnt to become a responsible individual before anything else.Share such stories on eChutti travel blogs. 

Connect with tourists travelling to the same destination on eChutti. Make friends with travel buddies in your city. Share your trip experience by creating your own travel blog on eChutti and generate a travelogue to share your trip memories with friends and family

Exploring at Antargange

by Kavya

After a busy week wanted to have a break from routine. I started searching on Bangalore Mountaineering club website for the list of treks they were planning for the weekend. Trekking, cave exploration, rock climbing at Antargange attracted my eyes. None of my friends were interested in it; finally I decided to go solo. I quickly booked and started packing my bag. Next day had woke up at 4:00 am after getting ready, quickly ran down the street to catch an auto, it was a lazy Sunday morning (cold too) , finally could get one. After a reaching the pickup point, lot of questions came to my mind — would it be interesting, would it be boring, will I be able to make friends. I was in a state dilemma — both excited and nervous. Pick up arrived, (7:00 am) got into the bus I found a seat and sat down. Soon I could make lot of friends most of them were also solo travellers. Then we stopped for breakfast to my surprise every one of us choose idly vada (Nothing could be so light and strengthy for a trek). We reached the base camp- Antargange Kolar Karnataka at 10:00 am. After a quick introduction and warm up we started trekking. Location was beautiful with lush green trees. We had lot steps to climb and we reached a temple, took a break. Place was filled be naughty monkeys. (11:00 am)Now started the real trek. We had to climb lot of rocks, it took us around 1 hour to reach the caves we were tired as it was hot and sunny now. Took a break and started cave exploration, it was interesting and had lot of twists and turns. The coordinators were highly trained, knowledgeable, skilled, friendly, patient which made it easy for us to explore caves. I fell down lot of time since it was dark inside. But the team was amazing, they helped me and encouraged me.We need to be fit and flexible to get into and get out of caves.(12:00 pm) Finally reached the peak had some chit chatting and enjoyed the spectacular view from the peak. Later we started climbing down it took us around one hour. After an hour we stopped for lunch at around 2:30 pm. All of us were hungry. Most of us ordered North Indian talli. After a fulfilling lunch we started back to Bangalore. It was difficult to say bye the others. With a promise to be in touch we left to our respective homes. I did learn a lot from this trek. It was a great experience.

Plan a trip or join trekking planned by other tour organisers in trekking clubs of your city. You can find your travel partner from your city to travel with you.

Venturesome Solace in Palampur

by Toshita

Being a person who has been brought up in the plains, mountains have always amazed me putting forth their beauty in a strange and bewitching way. So, when we planned a trip to Palampur, my instant reply was ‘YES’, after all, it was a hill station and the best part, it was decided that we’d travel by bus (there is something amazingly different about road trips).

A little introduction before we enter the trip:

‘We’ stands for 16 people from an office in Noida who planned a trip to get away from work for 3 days. 

The trip was planned for 29th of Jan 2016. We left Noida at 11 pm with all the enthusiasm we could’ve collected. Everyone was a rockstar and songs motivated us even more, you know, Punjabi songs have vivacity at their core. Anyway, so we started our journey and our first stop was 'Murthal Dhaba' in Haryana. We were really too lethargic to go inside the dhaba, so we got food packed and started our journey again (Yummy paratha and other add-ons like butter even further added to our Punjabi mood). It was almost 2 am when we had our dinner and within an hour everyone (of course, we had a few night owls with us so everyone is not an apt word but almost everyone) was asleep. It was around 6 when we woke up, it was drizzling and it was marvelous, we were surrounded by trees, nature and a wonderful breeze. Time flew by, it was around 10 am when we stopped at a small tea stall to stretch our legs and have our 1st tea. After the tea break, we resumed our journey. It was around 1 pm when we reached Palampur situated in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. A person from the hotel came to receive us and our bus began to follow his car. After a while, we were amid the mountains wondering why the bus has stopped !!

Well, we were told that we had to walk further to reach the hotel. We sadly came down and after looking at the view, we were all delighted. It was really amazing as if it had everything that one can possibly dream of about peace, beauty and nature. River, mountains, valley, trees… just fabulous. We had to walk 1 km (or so) to reach the resort and the path was just beautiful. But the resort was even more beautiful.

Tired we ran to choose our rooms and the room that I stayed in had this enchanting view from the window. It really felt that I was witnessing a beautiful creation of mother nature. Mesmerised, we had our lunch and then went to the Beas river flowing nearby. Although we were mesmerised enough, but the cold water compelled us to sit on the rocks and just dip our legs in the water.

We had to go for trekking so we returned to the hotel and got ready to leave. It was already 4 pm. We went to a temple which is known for being “Kuldevi’s temple”, and then took a road (a narrow path in fact) nearby for trekking (or just walking into the mountains without any motive). It was getting dark hence, we decided to stop walking and come back. It was around 8 pm when we reached the hotel, it was dark enough to use flashlights of our phones while walking back and it was cold enough to arrange a campfire and so we got a campfire. Antakshari, dance, talks and stories made the time fly and even the staff there enjoyed with us and told us several horror story (it really felt as if we were part of a horror movie).

Well, the best thing about the night was the clear sky with millions of stars and the beautiful moon. The dark sky filled with stars has its own attraction. Something that we miss in the metropolitan cities. It was around 2 that everyone went to sleep. We had to wake up at 8 am next day for going to Bir for paragliding. You know what is the best thing about paragliding ?? The time when a vehicle (a van, in our case) takes you to a height (literally height) that you never imagined being at and you see people jumping from that height, you shiver inside but can’t tell anyone as the people around you are your friends who’ll certainly make fun of you (although they’ll make fun afterwards as even they’ll be feeling same at that point in time). But the most beautiful thing about paragliding is the feeling of being stable amid cold breeze with nothing but a few wires holding you. It’s just amazing when you look down and everything looks so small, so worthless and so different.

After paragliding, we had lunch and went to a monastery. The monastery was quiet as they are usually and the peace that was being planted inside us can’t be compared with anything else. The seats for people to pray, the incense stick with this captivating fragrance and the solitude, everything was just perfect to make you feel closer to nature.

It was around 4.30 pm so we didn’t have much time to roam around. We also stopped by a tea garden (Only for having some clicks, after all, even that is important ߘ ) We came back at the same time i.e. 8 pm and had campfire again with a few more stories, songs, dances and dinner. We left Palampur at 10 am the next day, but we really wanted to be there a few more days, even discussed shifting our office amidst mountain and valley. Well, we reached Noida around 11 pm but the beauty that place had still remained within us and we still want to go there whenever time and circumstances permit.

Palampur Hill Station is one of the most visited Hill Stations in Himachal Pradesh. Explore various travel related information about Palampur in travel club or travel forum. 

A visual treat on the way to Darjeeling

by Srabani Haldar

As we whisked past the crowd in Sealdah Station, Kolkata, towards the platform, our heads were abuzz with the excitement of the upcoming road trip. We were making an overnight train journey to New Jalpaiguri that night. It was the last week of December. When we reached the destination station the next morning, our faces were flushed with both fatigue and exhilaration. Having bought some snacks for the journey from the station shops, we booked a Travera on share with a group of college friends. Finally, my family (including my parents, elder sister and her 2-year old toddler) and I, along with the other group, set off for Darjeeling.

At the onset of the journey, the car moved through the urban town of New Jalpaiguri. We had been told that the total distance was approximately around 70 Km. It had taken us close to 4 hours to reach our destination. We headed west, towards the Tinbatti More, keeping onto the Burdwan Road. After a while, as we watched through the window, the roadside houses and shops quickly transitioned into a lush, dense greenery and green-grey hills in the distance. Soon, we all were gazing at the dark green trees and shrubs on both sides of the winding road we travelled along. It was not chilly, but there was a nip in the air. It was an amazing feeling when the breeze gently brushed against my face as I looked out of the window.

Not before long, the car was moving amidst something that looked like a forest. The road was not too wide in that part. While we munched on the biscuits and chips we had bought from the station, the driver told us that it was the 'Shukna' forest. The trees loomed over the moving car, tall with thick leaves. Absorbed in small talk, we did not pay heed to how long it was before the forest had passed.

The next notable place, I recollect, was Pankhabari. The road at this juncture was extremely narrow, steep and meandering. Some of us were uncomfortable because of the hairpin curves and sharp bends in the road. I must mention that we all were in awe of the expertise and ease with which the driver propelled the car through the critical twists and turns. The ethereal scenic beauty of the place, on the other hand, was captivating. This road overlooked the famous 'Makaibari tea estate'. Some dwelling places could be seen at a distance, which we assumed to be the Pankhabari village. As the car moved ahead, we felt as though the clouds were floating beneath us.

A mellow music played on and we were enchanted by the sheer beauty of nature. We had stopped at a small roadside shop here to have lunch and buy drinks. Next noteworthy place on the way was Kurseong, a more residential town than the places we had left behind. Though the weather was very pleasant, we began to feel a bit cold. Kurseong evidently looked like a major tourist attraction, as many plush-looking hotels came into view for the first time along the journey. We also caught a glimpse of the toy-train-track at this place. Some of the streets here were a little populated and seemed to have multipurpose shops. From here, it is mainly the Hill Cart Road (also known as the Tenzing Norway Road or the NH-55), which goes all the way up to Darjeeling.

Further in the journey, the fascinating mountains and valleys, wrapped in smokes of cloud, kept us enchanted and spellbound. I felt as though there existed only the road that we were traversing, in the midst of a huge void. Finally, I remember the driver mentioning the Ghoom area, the highest point on our route. There was a thick mantle of fog and cloud surrounding us and the scenery did not change much from here onwards. The final stretch between Ghoom and Darjeeling was around 8 Km. The driver told us that there were different roads leading to Kalimpong, Gangtok and the picturesque Mirik, diverging out from Ghoom. At last, we began our descent towards the town of Darjeeling and it took us about half an hour from Ghoom to enter our final destination. On a liitle extra payment, the Travera had dropped us near our hotel at the Mall Road, thereby putting an end to our delightful road trip.

Darjeeling conjures visions of snow peaks, serenity of vibrant green hills steeped in splendour, a land of breathtaking beauty. Been to Darjeeling? Share your trip experience by creating your travel blog.

DISCOVERING SINHGADH

by Nidhi Panchal

Travelling is undoubtedly one of the best mediums to get through stress. People by far opt in for this option midst their leisure time. We were frolickingly passing a bit of our time in Pune at my aunts’. So then, we decided to hop on to a jaunt where Sinhgadh was our cream of the crop. The very next day we hopped in the car at forenoon along with our prerequisites. The road map and the residents kept us going. The fellowship of the near and dear ones made the journey a white-knuckle ride. En route we saw beaucoup Maharashtrian hamlets. Sinhgadh measured a distance of 32 kilometres at an approximate figure from Pune. Après some hours we pulled up in front of the entrance gate. Sinhgadh, also called as Lion’s Fort is nestled along the Sahyadri Mountain ranges and perched 700 metres above the sea level. It was quite gruelling for the driver to get us there as the route to the top was spiral. The view of the scenery kept on minimising as we were reaching the top. Everything from above looked very picturesque. Sinhgadh, a strong fort was well constructed in the turn of the century by the Marathwadas for attacking the foes from above. It also includes the burial of the great Tanaji Malusare that beguiles visitors from all over the country. The plateau region of the Ghats also consisted of a placid lake known as Khadakwasla. It was pretty serene!

The tourist guide aided us well and subsequently we were able to trace a good place where we could sit and eat some food. We chattered for some time and then geared up for some more sight-seeing. There were several tall and thick green trees and shrubs on the plateau region which made the place much comely. Sinhgadh is a place of great historic heritage that also serves tranquillity. Therefore, it is a perfect coalesce for excursion and chronicle knowledge. Being the advent of June, the weather was hot and dry above from the scratch but during the eventide we faced a drastic change in it. From the extreme point of the region we could see the clouds turning grey very closely. It turned dark and started to pelt very soon. People then started breaking away. Fierce thunderstorms and chill bumps were experienced. For a few minutes we snuggled in one of the tea booths which also served pleasant-tasting hot pakoras.

It was raining cats and dogs so we had to quickly move to the parking area. We were all drenched in rain. The place had become lush green and was perfumed with the aesthetic petrichor. It was one of the best adventurous trips that I had ever experienced and the best way to rejuvenate before school. The trip made us very contented. It is still cherished when we all bunch up together!

Find a Travel partner and travel buddy to travel together and make your journey memorable using eChutti. Share your trip experience by creating your own travel blog and generate a travelogue to share your trip memories with friends and family. Get travel tips form the members on travel forum.

Agra-the valentine trip..

by anonya biswas

4:30 am,Sriparna! Did u call the cab? Its late yaa..we need to reach the Hazrat Nizamuddin Station by 6:30 AM. This is how six of us began our day and finally executed the long time plan to visit Agra. It has been one and a half year in Delhi..we hardly visited any nearby place.Actually the date for the trip was really interesting. 14th Feb, we see couples all over,after all its "their day" to celebrate. We single ladies decided to celebrate the day visiting the place which stands as a symbol of eternal love. A great start to the day,managing all by ourselves. From cab to the station in the early hours of the morning..a time of the day which hardly any of us bother to experience. The beauty of the dawn..the chilling wind..the silent roads..all opposite to the actual scenario of the busy city. We boarded the train around 7 in the morning. The train was on time we started our indefinite journey,as we were uncertain about our return. But none of us seemed tensed or worried we went with the flow. Everything was moving smooth,everything seemed soothing..the train journey felt refreshing,we felt quiet an individual among ourselves. Anyways..time to board down its Agra Cantt. All of us with absolute negative idea of the place stepped out of the station,hired an auto..adjusted ourselves and left for our ultimate destination..The Taj Mahal. Its an eternal beauty indeed.The preciousness of the place cannot be placed into words.One has to experience the beauty..the beauty of the monument can be felt..,can be related to. One would feel the value of LOVE. How priceless the feeling of Love is ..is very well defined by The Taj Mahal. One can fall in love all over again retaining within the peacefulness of the place..thus it is..

THE TAJ !! Spending hours at the Taj Mahal , discussing all optimist opinions about how successful the plan has been as yet,we finally thought over our return. On our way back..all of us kept pondering over the beauty we experienced. May be i was one of them who thought to experience LOVE..

Plan a trip & connect with tourists traveling to the same destination on eChutti. Make friends with travel buddy in your city. Find a travel buddy, travel together and make your journey memorable. Also share your trip experience by creating your own travel blog.

Around the tellus in Khajjiar

by ABHA RIBIAWALA

I was very close to the signature page of my diary and since it was the last week of October I was anticipating I would not have to run for stationary before the new year eve.With calculated amount of coffee in my drawer I lay still surfing YouTube when my mood is disrupted by a not so frequent call.I received a warm call from home and no sooner had I learnt the recent chalking of our Himachal trip being scheduled than I had pulled out the coffee jar into the dustbin.Well,cozy family time was and will always be preferred over solitary comfort confined to the corners of my single bed and laptop .So without further adieu ,bags were packed and enthusiasm was geared for the trip that promised loads to us and a bucketful to me in particular.

I would particularly like to throw light on a part of my Himachal excursion which attracted me the most. After a journey of about 8 hours from Manali ,in the 12 seater bus that we had taken along for our trip, we happened to reach Dalhousie at 8:30 pm. It did not take much long to find a decent hotel to spend a couple of days. Yes, that is what local tour guides in Dalhousie say: A stay of 2 days is sufficient to explore this place to the fullest. Two main spots to visit here are Kalatop & Kalatop forest and Khajjiar. This mesmerizing scenic beauty became a favourite shooting spot of Bollywood. Many Hindi films, including 1942: A Love Story, Vinashak, Gadar, 2013: Lootera(at Kalatop), were filmed here. Having taken refuge at Hotel The Spring, we started feeling the pang of hunger. The freshly cooked delicious hot meal served at this hour of night could not be a better alleviation for our tired bodies. The pleasure in traveling consists of the obstacles, the fatigue. What charm can anyone find in an excursion where he finds all the ease and comfort he can enjoy in his own home. Amidst the jam-packed bus, we were all set to head-start our day and long lost stories from past that were being served with spice and gossip. A short drive of 45 minutes had put us in the considerable heartbeat of Himachal which locally goes by the name of Khajjiar. Guarded with an endless stretch of cliffs and mountains,aesthetically essenced with screeping conifers,with a soil that blessed almost every plantation and a sky who would call for Shakespeare to vividify what it conveyed,Khajjiar did an absolute justice to being the Switzerland for India.

My surroundings had engulfed my attention to an extent that google had to be my guide .It mesmerised me to be in a circular 5 km region that concentrated into itself the entire vitality of the area.Like other aesthetic wonders of Himachal that accounted to 9.75% of tourism GDP, Khajjiar had it’s own drop-beat to discover .Willy blazer,vice chancellor and head of chancery for Switzerland had rightly labelled Khajjiar as one of its minions like the rest 160 places in the world likely.But unlike the previous places loaded with traditions and mouthwatering cuisines,this tiny saucer shaped plateau within the lush meadows had not much to offer .The high altitude and scarce transportation benefits offered us less on flavour cravings.Nevertheless,negating economic drawbacks,the adventurous quotient of Khajjiar was breathtaking.

I have been a witness to jaw-dropping ventures of soaring on a sky-scraping ride that could nauseate even the healthiest for a moment.Looked and felt dangerously magical to move up and down a tower with a crazy velocity and unprecedented pattern.The next moment of recovery has so much in store beyond imagination.That was my n numbered attempt to ride a horse. Yes, I cant remember the count because for a traveller like me,riding on a horse’s back is not a prodigious activity. Yet, walking just sucked away my adrenaline and enthusiasm, so with a strong resolution and a promise from a trainer to keep me from death,I ranged at a relatively higher speed ,across the borders of the greenery through the forest and the pillar like trees.I admit hurting my bones and pelvis seamlessly the next morning but I presume for a college student benched for 6 hrs in a row,this was an out-of-the-box attempt which I proudly confirm to encounter voluntarily again. The horses had galloped ,and with it taken away my every remaining ounce of energy when i noticed rabbits on my mother’s head.It was seated like a crown prince in front of the camera,synchronised with the beaming smile of my mother.I made sure I was the next in this joint family venture where everyone posed as an ardent rodent lover.

Though it seems stupid and inarticulate to mature audience but being the age that the place and company demand has been my asset.I love to try the smallest of details,however insignificant just to fill in the pages of exciting life I have .The rabbits followed flower baskets and shimmery pahari costumes and that brings me to the best part of trips and making memories; “photographs”.They relate and convey.They bridge almost every gap over the years and between the clans irrespective of how weird and untidy it seemed when it got clicked.Crooked faces,jocular actions everything summed up in a 5X7 span of paper that portrays almost the whole of who we were and now relatively.Well ,literally,gathering dozens of those personified sketches is worth the wait and the pain. Just when the sun reached it’s pinnacle before it could set for the day and settle all the hustle,making the calm as quite and peaceful as William Wordsworth describes it to be,it was time for me to reflect upon what not was yet done enough to make myself a better appreciator of the great.Evidently,we had concluded to the aura of the most beautiful set of lives and hives explored. Khajjiar had taken just a plan and gifted a lifetime.places big or small,hunky dory or downtrodden,never fail to surprise because they are not divided by mentalities but just some invisible borders that travellers like us are oblivious to. Indeed, Mountains are the beginning and the end of all the natural scenery.

Plan a trip to grassy meadow Khajjiar called “Mini Switzerland of India” ad enjoy the grassy medows and dense forests. Don’t forget to share your travel experience in travel blogs.