Indian Excursionist: featured

Showing posts with label featured. Show all posts

Heaven is not a place, but an experience of happiness, peace and joy. So is the hottest travel destination of India in the month of May-September , Ladakh. Although the term hottest travel destination sometimes for some people means amazing night life, pubs, bars, beaches etc. But for the one who wants to travel in the true sense, to attain peace and happiness from the day to day rough life, Road trip to Ladakh is the hottest Travel Experience.

With its serene natural virgin beauty, peaceful atmosphere, one can feel like they are in heaven. It is also a paradise to photographers because of its ultimate picturesque terrain in India and perhaps in the World. Highest motorable road in the world will surely give you an adrenaline rush.Sitting in the monastery, in the serenity of the monks will give you inner peace and a motivation to search for the true meaning of our life.

We decided to take a break from our hectic routine life and take a leap of faith, so we planned for Leh-Ladakh. We took the all time favorite route of Delhi- Chandigarh- Manali- Rohtang La - Jispa - Sarchu - Tanglang La - Upshi- Leh and after that visited Pangong Tso - Chang La and back via the same route to Delhi. I'm chronicling my road trip adventure for CEAT Tyres in association with BlogAdda.

Now everyone knows these routes and every village which comes in between due to so much publicity by travelers. This route is a test for the tyres with silky smooth road of Delhi- Chandigarh - Manali to almost no road of Rohtang La - Keylong - Jispa - Sarchu - Baralachala. Along with the Tyre it is also a test of one's grit and patience. With atmosphere varying to extremities and pressure going down with every next step taken towards the destination.

Tip: One must carry spare tyres,tubes and other motor bike accessory that will fail in such extreme conditions. CEAT Tyres are well suited for such terrains. Also carry spark plugs, clutch plate, clutch wires, bike oil etc. which may break down. In these wilderness it is hard to find the exact accessory and a mechanic to solve the issues. One must know troubleshooting tips of bike so that in case of a break down one can at least reach a populated area.

Delhi-Chandigarh-Manali

The road from Delhi to Chandigarh is a 6 lane highway which is a smooth ride. You can have a feel of Yash Chopra's movies with mustard (Sarso ke khet) farms, sugar-cane farms, road side lassi counters and especially the vaishnao dhabas which serve finger licking good punjabi food which is hard to find anywhere else. Keep yourself hydrated at all times during this route. This route can be covered in a day with no break down ideally.

Manali - Rohtang La - Baralachala - Sarchu

This route can be covered in a day but one must not try hard to complete in one day. During our first trip to Ladakh we tried to cover this in one day and we did reach Sarchu at night around 9 pm, which is worst time in these areas with no light source except the moon light and chilling below zero temperature, it is a risk which is not advisable.

Apart from that, this route is the main attraction for Leh -Ladakh road trip lovers. It will give you all sorts of fun, from handsome mountains to beautiful valleys and small rivers which are created due to melting of snow. This route has road from Manali to Rohtang after that from Rohtang to Keylong the ride is not so smooth. From Keylong to Jispa, you can again relax your clutch and brakes. But now the worst roads starts from Jispa to Sarchu. There is no road literally, moreover the melting of snow creates waterfalls which are hard to cross over. The temperature of these water can create frost bite if proper precaution is not taken. After these nalas you will enter the Baralachala zone where you will see nothing but white snow spread across the whole range. The road conditions are okay but the snow shredding can cause breathing problem. You can rest in the tents in Sarchu for the night in the lap of the highest mountain ranges. Sarchu is the border town of Himachal Pradesh - Jammu & kashmir

Sarchu - Naki La - Pang - Tanglang La - Karu - Leh

This route will reveal to you the naked beauty of mountains, The azure sky, brown mountains and the roads of More Plains (if there is any). This route is a paradise for photographers. There are sculptures made on the mountains by nature. The only sound you can hear is of the cold wind gushing by. This trip cannot be described in words. The pictures below will surely explain.

The journey ends here in Leh for now. The journey from Delhi-Leh completed safely without any major breakdown. In my next post I will reveal the journey back which has the real adventures, truck ride from Pangong to Leh and Sarchu to Manali. with the motor bike becoming an obstruction to the journey but in the end a memorable trip.

A couple of months back, I headed to Hua Hin for my first ever taste of Thailand for attending a wedding and for some serious exploration. Given my packed schedule and rather ambiguous sightseeing plans, I found my abode at Sheraton Hua Hin (also the wedding destination). The picturesque resort and spa in the lovely Hua Hin district truly delivered Comfort in Style.

It really is a unique destination where memories are made for every moment of your stay.

As we arrived at the resort from a 3 hours comfy bus ride from Suvarnabhumi Airport, we were given a traditional Thai welcome with a background score by Indian drummers. The welcome was followed by a chilled glass of sweet coconut water. It tasted so sweet and fresh as it was served right from the tree.

The fantastic beach side location is the USP of this resort. The magnificent winding lagoon style pool meanders through the resort, connecting every suite and rooms on the ground floor and ending at the sea. The construction of this beautiful property is done so well that if any resident wanders there, will feel like having a stroll on the river bank with water gushing by side.

When I entered the room, my eyes were bloated, experiencing the comforts as well as beautifully designed room for the residents to rest properly. The bed had proper cushioning for perfect relaxation for the spine. The bathroom was quite luxurious and clean. The big circular bath tub was decorated with freshly plucked orchid flower which were replaced every day. Couple of house keeping guys came to carry my luggage and escorted me to my suite. One thing that I experienced in Thailand was that Thai people are usually smiling, helpful and honest [except for the shop owners at markets)]. The rooms were cosy and clean with a sweet fragrance of orchid.

The staff at the resort was no different than other 5 star properties. Right from the receptionist to the security, housekeeping, waiters, etc. everyone was supportive and never delayed with their service. Again they were all having happy faces with genuine smiles all around. They were all polite, attentive and so incredibly friendly. Almost 70 % of the staff was Thai, their English was not so perfect, but they will always grasp your needs, so if you encounter any such person who just nods to everything you say without any reaction, do not panic as you will get what you want. The cute musical accent the Thai have is really candy floss to the ears.

Finally, to the most important part of life ; food, which, at the Sheraton , was an generous affair combining Thai and European delicacies to suit all tastes. I loved trying the different fresh tropical fruits which are easily available in Thailand, but not until I’d fueled up with a huge helping of crunchy bread and various types of cheese, of course. The restaurant was pool side and also at beach side so it was again a soothing experience to eat experiencing, the pure winds of Hua Hin. The decor was certainly very different and really creative, while the service was all class and the food was really tasty.

When you visit Thailand you should never miss the opportunity to enjoy the taste of Thai culture. There is something for every plate even if you are vegetarian, vegan or non-vegetarian. I am a vegetarian so I was bit nervous about what I would eat, as I heard a lot of rumors about not getting vegetarian food at all. But I was relaxed after I had my first breakfast after arriving. Thailand is blessed with an abundance of high quality tropical fruit, and you will find fruit throughout the country. So you could find a lot of fruit dishes even in lunch menus. Although I am not much of a foodie myself but I try new dishes whenever I am allured to do so. Food service at the "Infinity Pool" includes à la carte snacks, salads, sandwiches, and ice cream as well as cocktails and soft drinks. All you have to do is relax and enjoy.

Relaxing was easy in the incredible setting of the Sheraton. The views, the fantastic service, the beautiful atmosphere and – of course the food, all made for a truly wonderful experience and in spite of my jam-packed schedule over the two days I was able to completely unwind whenever I came back to the hotel room. Given the perfect location, this was the ideal place to base myself for two days of intensive exploring, the wedding and the little touches of luxury really made the trip perfect. It was a wonderful experience and one I hope to retreat soon – I miss that wonderful view!