After spending three days in McLeod Ganj, we realised, that we’d planned the next leg of the trip to the neighbouring hill town of Dalhousie. It’s a three hour journey between the two mountain towns and involves making a shift between the Kangra District and Chamba District. If you’re brave enough, HPTDC buses might prove to be a budget…
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From an early age, I’ve found the premise of faith to be intriguing. There seemed to be a strong emphasis on believing blindly in a singular ‘force’. One that could control inter-planetary/galactic motion, and in turn – our ephemeral human lives. Questions were allowed – outside the realm – of what was to be believed; never within. In…
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I could feel the weight of worry increasing with each successive bend, each halting climb, along the precarious mountain road en-route Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary. I’d have preferred my feet over the make-believe safety of our hired car. It’s one of the moments, in travel, when you think, “Have we tempted fate? Would today be the end of the…
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We started the day huffing up the steep winding slope. After breakfast, we headed towards Temple Complex. Plastered on the wall opposite, were posters of the Tibetan uprising and the resistance movement. It’s not the best way to start the morning. Disturbing images of tortured or missing Tibetans dominated the posters. Understandably, no effort was spared in hiding the…
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We were born in the plains and have lived there for as long as we can remember. At best, we’d see the waves of the Arabian Sea crashing on stony rocks with rolling hills watching over. Perhaps, that’s why, the mountains have always been a mystery to us. Towering, snowcapped, and eerily silent; they seem…
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Our last day, in Seoul, brought about mixed emotions. There was a tinge of sadness as well as the excitement of meeting friends and family back home. We chose to spend the evening along the Han River. Unlike our previous trip (on the first weekend), there weren’t scores of picnicking families or lovelorn couples. The…
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We had a tough choice to make. What would it be? A hike along Bugaksan or a night at N Seoul Tower (Namsan Park). Factoring time and our sapped energy levels, we chose the latter. Well, there was another reason. We had discovered a direct bus route from Gongdeok (where we stayed) to Myeongdong (popular night…
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It was a cool rainy day and we had spent half of it exploring the winding alleys of Gamcheon. With barely half a day left, we had a tough time deciding what to do next in Busan. We got off at BIFF Square and looked for a place to eat. It was nearing 2 pm and after a quick…
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Everywhere I looked, women seemed to be brave the odds of tripping and challenged gravity on an everyday basis. Their pointed footwear didn’t deter them from hopping up and down escalators or running on Seoul’s intricate subway system. In one of those inexplainable moments, I too had a momentary lapse of reason, and for some strange reason…
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There’s little in common between the east and west. And yet, it’s possible to bridge the gap between the two sides of the globe – through art. Dutch Chinese sculptress, Wu Ching-ju, manages to amalgamate western concepts with ancient Chinese beliefs in her creation, ‘The Fountain of Blessings’, also known as the ‘Fulushou’ figures. According to Taoist beliefs, Fu Star…
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