Sri Lanka: Green Hills, Quiet Temples, and Family Time

On January 16, 2026January 18, 2026 By kumareshkrIn Family, Life, Sri Lanka, TravelLeave a comment

By the end of October, my travel bucket list for 2025 had been whittled down to just one stubborn item: visiting one more new country. I had already spent most of the year travelling with strangers-turned-friends, but this last trip felt like it needed to be different. It was time for a family holiday.

After floating a few ideas, comparing itineraries, and speaking to various tour operators, we eventually zeroed in on Sri Lanka – green, culturally rich, and close to home. Veena World came recommended as the tour operator, and their promise of an “all-inclusive” experience sealed the deal – particularly the assurance that vegetarian lunches would not involve frantic Google searches or existential hunger, especially for my parents.

We locked the plan months in advance. And then, the Ditwah cyclone arrived, leaving behind widespread damage and a fair amount of anxiety. For a while, it looked like this trip might remain just a calendar entry rather than a lived experience. By the 5th of December, however, the worst seemed to have passed, repairs were underway, and our itinerary was back on track.

As the year drew to a close and office calendars began to look suspiciously empty, I packed my bags with the quiet satisfaction of someone who was finally set to enjoy a well-deserved break.

Day 1 – December 24 – A warm welcome after a red-eye flight

As excited as I was for the trip to begin, a 3 AM flight is a hard sell under any circumstances. I reached the airport by midnight, only to be greeted by a luggage check-in queue that tested both patience and optimism. I was starting to get sleepy, but also knew I had to be sufficiently awake to avoid becoming that person who misses the flight by five minutes. I would soon realise the chairs in Terminal 2 are far too uncomfortable for sleeping anyway.

Like most flights over the past week, ours was also delayed, by almost an hour. A couple of hours later, with just enough sleep not to get cranky, I landed in Sri Lanka. At the luggage belt, I met the broader group (around 40 of us in total, largely from Pune, but also from Mumbai and Kolkata). A few, including my parents who had travelled from Chennai, had arrived the previous day. We reunited in the parking lot, still sleep-deprived but eager to begin the trip.

A warm airport welcome that immediately eased the grogginess

We loaded our luggage into the luxury bus, found our seats, and our journey began! After breakfast, we headed to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. En route, our local guide shared anecdotes about Sri Lanka, and we went through a round of introductions. Very quickly, the similarities with Kerala became apparent – lush greenery, coconut trees everywhere, humid air, and narrow roads (but with far more traffic discipline than we’re used to back home).

The orphanage shelters over 70 Asian elephants before they are reintroduced into the wild. We saw elephants of all ages and then watched them bathe in the river – unhurried, unapologetic, and clearly having the best day of anyone there.

Sights at the orphanage, including a relaxing bath in the river

Post lunch, we proceeded towards Kandy, where we checked in to our hotel. The room was the size of my 1 BHK in Mumbai – complete with a double bed, an extra bed, two sofas, a work table, a dining table, and a bathroom. It was the kind of room that makes you briefly question your life choices, then immediately decide not to think too hard about it. We all had a couple of hours to rest and freshen up before a “gala dinner” on Christmas Eve. The hotel sat atop a hill, offering a sweeping view of the city.

Kandy stretched out under overcast skies

I took the free time to explore the city. I walked towards Kandy Lake – a vast artificial lake in the middle of the city, with crystal clear waters (it is also called the “Sea of Milk”) and a calm perimeter trail. I covered the entire stretch, awed by the beauty of the trees and the water, and also explored a nearby marketplace, before returning to the hotel.

Kandy Lake, effortlessly photogenic from every angle

By 8 PM, we convened in the dining area, where the gala dinner was complete with a live band, festive outfits, and a dessert counter that could comfortably sustain a small village. Outside the hotel, however, the festivities and decorations of Christmas were noticeably missing – unsurprising, given the country’s small Christian population.

More desserts that I can ever eat – and this was only half the counter!

Post dinner, we immediately went to bed.

Day 2 – December 25 – Christmas in Kandy

Unlike the Kazakhstan or Georgia tours, where the mornings were more leisurely, here our day started by 630-7 AM with breakfast. Normally in a hotel buffet breakfast, I would have more sweet items on my plate than the regular food, but this week, I decided to cut down on the sugar (I mean, just for breakfast!).

Our first stop was the Royal Botanic Gardens, home to over 4,000 plant species. We had two options: follow the guide or explore independently. I chose solitude and slow walking, preferring to meander and absorb the greenery without commentary. It was the sort of place that makes you breathe a little deeper without realising it.

A few exquisite plants and an abundance of greenery at the botanical garden

We regrouped after 90 minutes and proceeded to a gemstone museum and showroom. A short documentary explained Sri Lanka’s gemstone mining heritage, followed by free time to browse and shop for jewellery and apparel. Post lunch, we visited the Temple of the Tooth Relic, the most sacred Buddhist site in the country, believed to house Buddha’s left canine tooth. Only then did I realise it sat right beside Kandy Lake, something I had completely missed the previous evening.

Inside the temple complex: calm, reverent, and quietly powerful

Later, we headed to a theatre for a folk dance performance. Since we arrived early, I took another detour – this time to Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya, the massive hilltop Buddha statue visible from our hotel, and a nearby South-Indian-style Hindu temple.

The Buddha statue watching over Kandy, with the lake and city unfolding below

The dancers put up quite a show, but the real highlight was the final performance, which took place in the basement of the building – it had several acts involving fire! I have only seen videos of artists rubbing fire on their skin, or “swallowing” fire, but it was quite scary to see it in person (the organiser did warn us – “do not try this at home”).

Post the show, we went back to the hotel for dinner, and retired for the day.

Day 3 – December 26 – Tea trails and temple tales

After breakfast, we checked out and headed towards Nuwara Eliya, nestled in Sri Lanka’s central tea hills. Along the way, signs of cyclone damage were still visible – fallen trees, roads under repair, and half-restored buildings (in fact, we were told that an earlier tourist batch two weeks ago was cancelled because the damages were too extensive).

We stopped at a tea plantation and factory where we got a demo of the process, after which we were given samples of tea for tasting. The default mode of tea consumption there is without milk or sugar, which felt like a deal-breaker, considering that the tea I have in India is loaded with both.

A peek into the tea manufacturing process, and a glimpse of the vast stretches of the tea estates

Our next stop was a Hanuman temple, followed by lunch (a relatively “simple” lunch compared to the lavish buffets we had been having over the past couple of days). The British influence on Nuwara Elia was quite evident, from the names of places to the architecture – it is probably the Mahabaleshwar of Sri Lanka.

The Hanuman temple, surrounded by greenery for miles around

We got a good darshan at the Sita Amman temple, the place where Hanuman was supposed to have met Sita, as per the Ramayana. We had two options for the evening – a walk through a botanical garden, or a boat ride on Gregory Lake. Most of us chose the latter – a relaxing ride around the whole lake, with beautiful views of hills, trees, and a blue sky above. It was one of those rare moments when even a tour group goes pleasantly quiet, but for the sound of the motor.

The Sita Amman temple, with a depiction of the scene where Hanuman meets Sita

I chose to walk back to the hotel and explore the city in the process, while the others took the bus and checked in. The sun set quickly, and the temperatures dropped to low double-digits. With jackets out, my parents and I went for an unhurried stroll to a nearby market area.

Gregory Lake at dusk: still, reflective, and impossibly calm

Dinner featured more Indian food than Kandy, which was both comforting and appreciated.

Day 4 – December 27 – From misty hills to coastal air

We had a rather long drive on day 4, from Nuwara Elia, back to Kandy, and then towards the western coastal city of Bentota (it was a much longer route, but apparently the shorter route was still damaged from the cyclone).

We stopped at a viewpoint of Ramboda Falls, and then proceeded to a Spice Garden near Kandy. Sri Lanka is known for growing a wide variety of herbs for natural cures for various ailments. We had a brief demo session about which remedies could cure which ailments, followed by a short walk around the garden.

The Ramboda Falls in the distance, and a smaller waterfall closer to the road

Three hours post lunch, we reached Bentota and checked in to our hotel, which was right on the seashore. A fence between the hotel and the rocky beach prevented us from entering the water, but just hearing the sounds of the waves was quite relaxing.

The beach and the hotel under the night sky

My parents and I saw some shops on the way and decided to take a look, and felt like we hit a goldmine where we found a souvenir shop with a large collection and very attractive prices. We returned to the hotel with two full shopping bags, and proceeded for dinner. We were entertained by a local music group was singing old Hindi songs.

Day 5 – December 28 – Sun, sand, water, and cinnamon

Day 5 was probably the day I was looking forward to the most. Post a light breakfast, we went to Bentota Ganga, a backwater where there were several water sports. A bunch of us wanted to try out “paramotoring” to get an aerial panorama of the city. After a lot of negotiations (I have to admit, while I had hardly any role in the bargaining process, the tactics really tested my patience), a group of 11 of us went towards the sea. In retrospect, it was worth every rupee paid – the 12-minute aerial ride gave me views of the sea, a couple of islands, the long coast, as well as the green cover over the city. Up there, everything looked calmer, neater, and wildly more poetic than it feels on the ground.

We joined the others to try out a few other rides – the jet ski, the banana boat, etc., specifically asking the driver to make it as bumpy/fast/exciting as possible! Under the scorching sun, we made it a point to get fully wet in the water. After changing into dry clothes, we went to a turtle hatchery, where we saw both young (1-4-day old turtles) and old turtles.

Our last agenda for the day was a river safari on the Madu River. It was an hour-long boat ride across the river, with a stop at “Cinnamon Island”. Of the two varieties of cinnamon, “Alba” cinnamon is grown only in Sri Lanka. We had a short demo of how this cinnamon is extracted, what products are made, and what medicinal purposes they serve.

Drifting through mangroves on the Madu River

We started our long ride back to the hotel, stopping for tender coconut on the way. One of the other participants was a quizzer, and offered to do a short quiz on Bollywood in the lobby before dinner. A few of us attended – it was good mental stimulation after a physically taxing day.

Day 6 – December 29 – A fort, a mine, and a sunset

On day 6, we went further South to the city of Galle (pronounced “Gall-E”, like the movie, “Wall-E”). On the way, we visited a Japanese Peace Pagoda. There was also a small Hanuman temple next to it, as this place was believed to be one of the spots where a piece of the Dronagiri Mountain fell over Lanka.

We then proceeded to Galle Fort, vast enough to be a town in itself. We explored the Fort on foot, including a church and the lighthouse. Galle, also being a Portuguese colony, had a very similar look and feel as Goa and Pondicherry in terms of the architecture, streets, and the slow coastal charm. As we headed back to the bus, I went up to a clock tower near the entrance, from where one can also get a clear view of the Galle Cricket Stadium.

The Galle lighthouse, clock tower, and a view of the stadium (a local match seemed to be ongoing at the time)

We continued our journey back North, stopping at Ambalangoda, a city known for the mining of moonstones, as well as creating traditional masks. We visited an actual mine, and got a walk-through of the cleaning and embellishing processes. The “blue” moonstone is a semi-precious stone native to Sri Lanka. We also visited a mask-making workshop, an industry that still is entirely manual, and highly reliant on transfer of knowledge within families.

A moonstone mine, a collection of semi-precious stones mined from the area, and an exhibit inside the mask museum

Our last stop was Induruwa Beach, a quiet sand beach from where we caught a glimpse of the sunset. Back in the hotel, we packed our bags for the last time on the trip.

Gentle waves and golden light at Induruwa Beach

Day 7 – December 30 – Colombo, a calm goodbye

On the last day, we had a slightly late checkout. A couple of group photos later, we left Bentota and proceeded towards Colombo. We stopped at a temple dedicated to Vibhishan; it was located inside a pagoda complex.

The Vibhishan temple, the pagoda, and the sacred tree inside the complex

As we reached Colombo, we saw a few tourist attractions from the bus with quick photo stops – The Lotus Tower (the tallest building in Sri Lanka and the 19th tallest in the world), the Independence Square, the various 5-star hotels in “Colombo 1”, and finally the Marine Drive, a very scenic road with railway tracks running in parallel, both along the coast.

The majestic Lotus Tower, the magnificent Independence Square, and the Marine Drive (sea to the left, road to the right of the tracks)

Post lunch, we had the afternoon free for shopping. My parents and I had finished our souvenir quota, so we decided to walk to a nearby park instead. It was a quiet and calm setting with canals on either side. An hour later, we walked back to the shopping centre, and started the final leg of the journey towards the airport.

Our final pause: still water and quiet paths

At the restaurant for dinner, my parents and another family bid farewell to the rest of the group, as they were not coming back to Mumbai. By 845 PM, we reached the airport, and at the stroke of midnight, we had boarded our flight. Two and a half hours later, we touched down in Mumbai.

Bidding farewell to 2025…

2025 has been a year of sharp turns and unexpected highs, but from a travel perspective, it has been deeply rewarding. More than ten Indian states, three new countries, and countless moments later, ending the year with a family trip to Sri Lanka felt quietly perfect – grounding, gentle, and full of shared memories.

As 2026 looms with more ambitious travel plans forming in the background, I carry forward new friendships, fresh perspectives, and the reassuring knowledge that every journey will teach me something new in life. Here’s hoping the roads ahead – literal and otherwise – are just as enriching.

From Georgia, with Love

On November 7, 2025January 2, 2026 By kumareshkrIn Georgia, Life, TravelLeave a comment

There are planners and to-do list-makers, and then there’s me – the one who books holidays while others are still deciding if Diwali break is even happening. I like to believe I’m good at planning ahead in general, but when it comes to vacations, I’m often miles (and months) ahead of the curve. Case in point: I’d secured my visa and booked my flights to Georgia a whole three months before take-off. I might’ve even been the first to sign up when Trikon announced the Diwali batch.

When in Bastar, I had seeded the idea of the Georgia trip in the minds of a few of the participants. A couple of folks signed up, a friend from my Kazakhstan trip appeared on the list, and soon our group snowballed from 6+1 to 14+1 – a fine balance of being with familiar people and the opportunity to make new friends.

A week before the trip, I met a friend who’d just returned from Georgia with another group. Between restaurant recommendations and common Georgian phrases, her best advice was gold: to carry vacuum-packed theplas. Given Georgia’s rather meat-heavy menus, this was a strategic move for vegetarians like myself. On the night of October 17, those theplas were the final items to enter my suitcase. I was all set.

Day 1 – October 18 – Welcome to Tbilisi

I was up at 5:15 AM, springing out of bed with the energy of someone who’d played this trip over and over in my head for months. After reaching the airport, I had a hearty breakfast at the lounge (knowing fully well that I would not get any food in the Indigo flight!). At the boarding gate, I spotted a few familiar faces from the group – a few hellos and introductions were exchanged.

Normally, I struggle to sleep on flights, but this time, I was out cold before the flight even took off – only to later learn there was a one-hour delay thanks to a conveyor belt malfunction. The 5-hour direct flight was convenient despite the discomfort, and was largely uneventful. We landed in Tbilisi at 2:30 PM local time.

We were warned immigration might be tedious, but it was surprisingly smooth. That calm didn’t last for everyone, though – at baggage claim, one participant’s suitcase was MIA. (Thanks again, Indigo conveyor belt incident.) But in an unexpected plot twist, she remained calm and collected – even smiling and joking that her shopping would start sooner than planned! Her bag, as fate would have it, returned four days later, on her birthday.

We met our local Georgian guide, clicked a few obligatory group photos, and hopped into our bus. A brief pitstop at Carrefour for coffee and snacks turned into my first international “scandal” — I forgot to collect my bill for some chocolates and was momentarily flagged for shoplifting. CCTV footage proved my innocence, and the chocolates were officially mine.

Dinner was at an Indian restaurant (to my relief), with ice-breaking introductions on the way. Post dinner, we strolled around the neighbourhood, only to encounter a long queue at a famous doughnut shop – which sadly ran out of doughnuts just before our turn.

From graffiti-stained hostels to theatres, a few snaps from the night’s walk

After a tiring day, we returned back to our rooms for the night.

Day 2 – October 19 – Reservoir blues and snowy views

I woke up to a moody sky and a chilly breeze — exactly how all cinematic mountain days should begin. Determined to keep my running streak alive, I laced up and headed out by 7:15 AM, following the banks of the Mtkvari aka Kura River for a scenic, peaceful lap of the city.

At 9:15 AM, we boarded our bus and I opened my laptop — not for work, but for a live crossword contest I’d registered for. I spent two hours silently staring at my screen while everyone else stared at me, possibly wondering why I looked like the intern who was working during a corporate offsite.

Our first stop was the Zhinvali Reservoir, a pristine, almost painterly body of blue framed by jagged peaks. There were enough and more souvenir shops, so I also started my ritualistic shopping routine, adding magnets and trinkets to my future fridge and shelf collections.

Wallpaper-worthy landscapes – the Zhinvali Reservoir and the Ananuri Fortress

We continued towards the Ananuri Fortress and explored the church there. After spending 30 minutes there (including some more shopping!), we continued north, gradually gaining altitude, and stopped for lunch near Stepantsminda (formerly Kazbegi) – a highland town nestled beneath Mount Kazbek, one of the highest peaks in the Caucasus at over 5,000 metres (and also the mountain where Prometheus was chained).

We then switched to 4x4s and drove up to Gergeti Trinity Church, perched at an elevation of 2,170 metres. The view from the top of snow-capped mountains on all sides was stunning, and we all had our share of photos.

The majestic Gergeti Trinity Church, and the surrounding mountains

On our way back, we halted at the Russia–Georgia Friendship Monument, built in 1983. It was a large near-circular structure with a large tile mural that spans the whole circumference, that also offered sweeping vistas of the valley below.

Part of the massive mural at the Friendship Monument, and the snow-capped mountains towards the Russian border

That was the last stop for the day – we spent the next three hours driving back to Tbilisi. It was now we realised how similar Tbilisi traffic was to Mumbai traffic, especially at the Thane entry point from Bhiwandi. We halted at a different Indian restaurant for a scrumptious dinner, and retired for the night in our hotel.

Day 3 – October 20 – A confluence, several cathedrals, and a cake

I was too tired to go for a run on the morning of October 20th, but my desire to explore the new city outweighed my lethargy. I took a shorter lap around the block before breakfast. Our tour guide told us to carry umbrellas given there was a forecast of rain.

Our first stop on Day 3 was again a monastery on top of a hill – Jvari Monastery, a church dating all the way back to the 6th century, and the place where Christianity started in Georgia. Despite the woollen wear we had, the might of the cold winds was too strong. From the top, we also got to see the confluence of two rivers – Kura and Aragavi.

The clay-coloured Kura river (left) merging with the teal-coloured Aragavi river (right)

From Jvari, we went to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the burial site of Christ’s robe that he wore shortly before crucifixion. This church was also quite old, dating back to the 11th century.

Our walk back to the bus involved going through winding, narrow streets with souvenir shops and food stalls taking up every inch of the pavement. I tasted some of their local snacks, including a type of dry-fruit snack bar, and an ice cream with berry flavours.

A portion of the “Chronicles of Georgia”

We headed towards “Chronicles of Georgia”, or what looked like Georgia’s Stonehenge – a monument with several pillars depicting scenes from the Bible and the country’s history. More than the sculptures, what enticed me was a breathtaking sight of the Tbilisi Sea – not a sea, but a large water reservoir with clear blue water.

After lunch, we visited Sameba (Tbilisi Trinity Church) – one of the largest religions monuments in the world, built almost entirely via anonymous donations. With its buttery yellow walls, symmetric structure, and grand dome, it reminded me a little of the Sagrada Família, but minus the construction cranes.

The beautiful Tbilisi Trinity Church, and the view of the dome from the inside

We headed back to the city after an hour or so. Despite the strong winds through the day, the cable car up to Narikala Fortress was thankfully still functional. At the top, we got a lovely spectacle of the entire city – the sun’s rays through the clouds bathed half the city in light while the other half was in the shade. We went up to the statue of “Mother of Georgia”, a woman with a bowl of wine in one hand to welcome friends, and a sword in the other to keep enemies away. I tried a local treat: chimney cake – dough grilled on an open flame, topped with chocolate, fruit, and ice cream. Yes, it was messy, but worth it.

After coming back down, we walked through the city streets for an hour or so. We crossed a glass bridge similar to the Atal bridge across Sabarmati in Ahmedabad, and also saw sulphur bath houses in Abanotubani (literally meaning “bath district”), although none of us wanted to try it.

The Mother of Georgia statue, chimney cake, and the glass bridge

We stopped at a restaurant near the hotel for dinner, which is when it finally started raining. We hurried back to the hotel amidst the drizzle and returned to our rooms.

Some sulphur bath houses, and a small waterfall nearby

Day 4 – October 21 – Towards the hills and healing

Today was the day we would check out of Tbilisi, so I finished packing everything. We had a relatively late departure, so I made the most of the extra time to go for a longer run along the riverbank (I ended up covering almost 8.5 km).

A few more scenes from my morning run – the building on the left is the government administrative building of the city (called the “Public Service Hall”)

After breakfast, we set off for Uplistsikhe, one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia – a 3000-year-old rock-hewn city that dates back to the early Iron Age. Carved from sandstone, the site featured ancient dwellings, ceremonial halls, and secret tunnels. At the summit stood a small church. What really caught my attention was the lovely autumn shades of yellow and green in the trees near the base, along the Kura river.

The church on top, and the trees along the river

After a quick lunch, we proceeded to Gori, the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. We had a short stop at a museum dedicated to Stalin, which also had his personal coach. Continuing our drive, we reached Borjomi by 5 PM. Borjomi is a resort town on the hills of Georgia, known for its medicinal retreats (including its many mineral water springs). The cold air already felt therapeutic.

The Stalin museum, his personal coach, and inside the coach

After freshening up, we went for a stroll around the hotel. The entire road was lined up with shops selling souvenirs as well as locally produced food items, such as jams, honey, and medicinal powders and syrups.

The scenery near the hotel – silent streams and falling leaves

Today’s dinner had a Georgian menu for a change, and it was a massive spread: salads, eggplant and pumpkin starters, pickles, potato wedges, a local pizza-like delicacy (khachapuri), corn bread, and an assortment of fruits. Unfortunately I felt quite dehydrated for some reason, so I could not fully enjoy the lavish meal. The others helped me by providing some ORS and medicines, and I promptly went to sleep as soon as we reached the room.

Day 5 – October 22 – Colourful trees and calm canyons

I felt much better after a good night’s sleep. It was anyway too cold to go for a run, so I took a short walk. Our original plan was to go a nearby park, but it was under renovation. But luckily, one of the participants spotted a city tour service, so we opted for that. We visited a stream, a modest waterfall, and the overgrown remains of an abandoned palace. The entire drive was framed by the warm palette of autumn.

A small stream, and the palace hiding behind the yellow trees

We checked out and drove to the Prometheus Caves, a 70-million-year-old cave system near Kutaisi. Of the 30 km of passageways, just 1.5-2 km are open to tourists (quite well maintained, I must say). Inside, we passed through illuminated chambers full of stalactites and stalagmites, complete with a short light-and-sound show.

Artificial colours amidst natural beauty inside the Prometheus Caves

Following a late lunch, we headed towards Martvili Canyon. Spoiler alert – it is nothing like the Grand Canyon or Gandikota, but the highlight was the boat ride we did in the gorge on the crystal-clear water. The silence of the stream, the stillness of the water, and the view of the canopy on top made this experience one of the highlights of the whole trip.

As the sun set, we continued our long drive towards Batumi, and we were welcomed by the dazzling night skyline of the city by 9 PM. Batumi – Georgia’s second largest city – was a coastal resort town (right next to the Black Sea) even in the past when Georgia was part of USSR, but it is undergoing rapid infra development including hotels, commercial buildings, and plenty of casinos. We had a hearty dinner and checked in to the hotel quite close to the beach. Most of us ended the day with a leisurely stroll on the promenade.

Day 6 – October 23 – Beaches, star-crossed lovers, and a fortune cookie

I woke up to a cloudy morning. I left the room at 8 AM or so but the roads were still quite empty. I went till the sea and enjoyed the serenity of the waters and the calm dance of the waves.

Our first stop today was Makhuntseti waterfall – a small waterfall of 50 metres or so in height. The flow of water was not that heavy, but the cold spray made everyone shiver. On the way back to the city, our local guide introduced to several Georgian folk songs and dances (I already have a few favourites – Gelino, Disko Partizani, and Chito Gvrito).

The waterfall, the Ali and Nino statues, and the Batumi Pier

The rest of the afternoon was a walking tour of the city. We started at the famous “Ali and Nino” statue, Georgia’s Heer-Ranjha equivalent. The two statues are on moving pedestals, which have a 10-minute cycle of starting apart, coming together, and then separating ways again. We then went to Europe Square and Piazza Square, where we saw other statues and monuments (including a tall statue of Medea, from the mythological story of the Argonauts).

Europe Square, a statue of Neptune, and the statue of Medea

We had another cable car ride after that, this time to a (very well-maintained) panoramic viewpoint on top of Anuria Mountain. Several photos later, we came back down. I saw a poster saying I would get a “surprise” at the counter if I gave them a TripAdvisor review, so I did. At the exit, I got a fortune cookie! Or rather, it was a “motivation cookie”, with a strip of paper inside saying “Look how far you’ve come!”

Batumi as seen from the top – trees, the old city, and the rapidly evolving skyline

We had the evening to ourselves – there was no agenda item. Two of us went to shop at a Carrefour. After months and years of ordering groceries by pressing a few buttons on my phone knowing exactly what to buy, wandering without an agenda aisle by aisle in a supermarket had a certain calming effect in itself, be it the joy of discovering a new product, the symmetric arrangements on the shelves…

I got the chocolates (“Barambo” is supposed to be the best Georgian brand) and the tea leaves that I was looking for (including tea from a brand called “Elita” that’s available only in Batumi). We walked past the colourful lights of the city skyline to the promenade and then to the restaurant to join the others for dinner.

Day 7 – October 24 – A green paradise, and a long journey back

My shopping partner from the previous evening and I made a plan to try and catch the sunrise, so we went to the beach at 7 AM or so. We saw the sky change colours from black to blue, but the dense clouds denied us a sunrise view. Still, enjoying the silence was reward enough for waking up early.

I went for a run along the promenade, covering a little over 8 kilometres. We checked out by 11 AM or so and started our long drive back to Tbilisi. Our first stop on the way was the Shekvetili Dendrological Park, a vast establishment with trees from all countries, as well as a few exotic birds and animals.

Inside the Dendrological Park, a living museum of trees…

This was a place that deserved 3-4 hours of its own, perfect for one to just get lost in the greenery, but we did not have the luxury of time. After clicking my share of photos, I soaked in as much of the green sights and pure air as I could, before heading back to the bus. The rest of the day was uneventful – it was a 5-6 hour drive back to Tbilisi with a couple of breaks on the way. We kept ourselves entertained with music, dumb charades, and banter.

After one last shopping pitstop at a Carrefour, we entered Tbilisi city and had dinner. After checking in to the same hotel as before, we gathered in the lobby for a short “farewell” session. It was an interesting recap session of sorts, with people describing some unique traits and quirks of others they had noticed, as well as highlighting the best memories of the past week.

An hour and a half later, we were off to sleep.

Day 8 – October 25 – So long, Georgia!

It is generally a heavy feeling when a vacation ends, but that morning, we were hit with another unusual problem – there was no water in the hotel, or anywhere in that part of the city. We had no visibility on when the supply would resume, so a few of us went for a walk around the city. At 1030 AM, we got the news that the water supply was restored. After a quick bath, we checked out and left for the airport.

At the lounge, I tried a can of Borjomi’s “mineral water”, drawn straight from the town’s famed springs. Let’s just say, my taste buds weren’t prepared for all 60 minerals. It tasted faintly like soda – medicinal, not magical.

At 3 PM local time, the flight took off (on time). Five and a half long hours later, we landed in Mumbai.

A mosaic of memories

Like every other vacation, this one too went by too fast. But in the week gone by, Georgia offered something rare and essential – a genuine pause. In the midst of a rather relentless few months at work, this week away was both escape and a chance to introspect. From cable cars and cathedrals to caves and canyons, it was a journey that blended city bustle with mountain stillness, architectural grandeur with natural wonder.

Georgia gave me sunlight and snow, rain and rivers, blue skies and yellow trees, quiet roads and crowded squares. From laughter, chatter, and walks with the fellow travellers, to quiet moments on the beach and amidst nature, the trip was a reminder that a change in scenery is necessary for us to reset, rethink, and return. A quiet pause in the midst of chaos.

Bastar – Forests, Falls, and Forgotten Stories

On August 22, 2025August 23, 2025 By kumareshkrIn Bastar, Life, TravelLeave a comment

When I first saw the poster for a four-day trip to Bastar, I did a double take – not only was this place supposed to be deep in the heart of Naxalite territory, but from everything I had heard, Chhattisgarh itself was hardly known as a tourist destination. Fuelled by curiosity, I signed up (the fact that the trip coincided with the Independence Day weekend, and that it was organised by Trikon, helped seal the deal).

What drew me even more was the allure of the unknown. This wasn’t your typical bucket-list destination. No glossy brochures, no influencer reels, no glowing Instagram geotags. When you tell people you are going to Bastar, they don’t nod in approval or go “Wow, that’s cool!”; instead, the reaction I got was, “Seriously?!”

I had travelled to new cities and countries, beaches and mountains, valleys and deserts, but this was different. Bastar felt like stepping into a part of India rarely spoken of, a place whispered about in news reports yet barely seen in travel blogs. There was only one way to find out what really existed in the thickly forested territory.

I didn’t disclose any details about the potential dangers of Bastar to my parents (else they would have flown to Mumbai and stood guard at my door to ensure I didn’t go). My colleagues, on the other hand, joked that I should at least send my laptop back in one piece, even if I didn’t return!

With my leave approved and bags packed, I waited for the adventure to begin.

Day 1 – August 13 – Raipur > Tatamari > Jagdalpur

While the rest of the group travelling from Mumbai took the train, I chose the morning flight on the 13th (taking the train would have cost me half a day off on the 12th). I woke at an ungodly 4 AM and reached the airport in pouring rain. The flight landed early, around 8 AM. The train was punctual too, but to simplify logistics, the tour guide asked me to head straight to the breakfast point by cab.

I arrived at the Indian Coffee House outlet within 20 minutes. As I waited, I devoured what was probably the largest masala dosa I’d ever encountered. 15-20 minutes post, the rest of the group walked in. We were thirteen travellers across a wide range of age groups (I was the youngest, and there were people even in their seventies) and professions – psychiatry, journalism, finance, tech, and more.

Post-breakfast, we visited the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum, which displayed historical artefacts, sculptures, art, and striking photographs of temples across the state. Afterwards, we began our journey towards Tatamari, keeping ourselves entertained with Antakshari.

The museum (left); a statue of Rudrashiva (center) and vibrant tribal wall art (right)

Along the way, a local guide joined us – his insights into Bastar’s history and culture would prove invaluable. We snaked through the winding roads of the Keshkal Valley and reached Tatamari (named after the Tatas, who had once surveyed the land here for a steel plant) for lunch. The restaurant’s viewpoints offered a sweeping view of the emerald valley below, with monsoon clouds brooding above.

First glimpse of the wild – the view from Tatamari

The food was delightful – fresh, locally grown vegetables stood out, but what thrilled me most was the sweet at the end, startlingly similar to the South Indian adirasam.

With our stomachs full, we drove on towards Jagdalpur, stopping only for tea beneath an overcast sky. We came to our hotel by 8 PM. After freshening up, we ventured to a nearby restaurant, only to find that by 930 PM, most items were unavailable. It was a stark reminder of the contrast between Mumbai’s night-time frenzy and the quiet wind-down of a Tier-3 city.

Tea stop along the way, with wet roads and grey skies

Still, we managed to feast on parathas, pizzas, rice, and a local drink called thikur sherbat (arrowroot). With our stomachs full, we walked back to the hotel and collapsed into bed.

A group photo at Tatamari. the first of many

Day 2 – August 14 – Jagdalpur > Madarkonta Caves > Tirathgarh Waterfall > Dantewada

Our guide warned us to wear (in his own words) “गंदे कपड़े”, as we would certainly get wet and muddy. The day began with a satisfying breakfast at the hotel, followed by a visit to the nearby Danteshwari temple (a smaller shrine than the main one we’d visit the next day). A brief heritage walk gave us a crash course in Bastar’s backstory – the origin of its name, its royal legacy, and the elaborate rituals of the 75-day Bastar Dusshera. We even stepped briefly into the old palace.

A piece of forgotten history – the palace

Next came a handicrafts shop, where I picked up a terracotta tribal mask and a few magnets. From there, we left the city behind and entered the wilderness. Our first stop was the Madarkonta Caves – among the few major cave systems in Chhattisgarh and the only one open during the monsoons thanks to its elevation. We traversed rice fields and followed a forest trail, and then, equipping ourselves with helmets and torches from two locals, we descended into the caves.

From open fields to shadowy depths – the trail leading to the caves

The first 30 feet were punishing – steep, slippery, and with the lurking fear of a frog or spider springing out at us. Once inside, though, wonder replaced trepidation. We explored two or three chambers, marvelling at stalactites and stalagmites, shimmering mineral deposits, and natural carvings etched into the stone. At one point, the guide asked us to sit in silence with all lights off.

The complete absence of sound and light was eerie yet profound – after a while, I found myself instinctively closing my eyes, because staring into such utter darkness was unbearable. Those 60 seconds were, for me, a surreal experience – a fleeting glimpse of what it means to be utterly cut off from the world.

Nature’s artwork – A few sights from inside the caves

After a couple of hours, we were out of the cave and back in the jungle. It was past 3 PM already, and our next stop was inside the Kanger Valley National Park which would close at 5 PM. We all collectively decided to skip lunch. En route, various participants shared biscuits, namkeen, and whatever snacks they had, which alleviated some of the hunger.

We managed to enter the park just in time. Inside, we descended a flight of stairs to witness an amazing sight – a cascading waterfall called Tiratgarh. Though a crowd had gathered, there was still room for us to soak in the view, take photos, and even wade in the spray. 45 minutes later, with dozens of photos clicked and a hot cup of tea consumed, we returned to the bus.

The majestic Tiratgarh waterfall in its monsoon glory

We pressed on towards Dantewada, stopping at a peaceful village shrine on the way to learn about the area’s religious practices. Dinner was at 8 PM or so, after which we checked into a hotel that instantly reminded us how spoiled city life had made us. With damp walls, ongoing renovations, and the occasional spider or rat, it was a far cry from luxury – though surprisingly, it still had air-conditioners and geysers! Too weary to complain, we simply collapsed into bed.

Day 3 – August 15 – Dantawada > Barsoor > Chitrakote

We set out early, checking out by 730 AM. Our first stop was the revered Danteshwari temple – one of the 52 Shakti Peethas, said to mark where Sati’s tooth fell. It was thankfully not crowded, so we got a peaceful darshan. Right beside the temple was the confluence of two rivers – the mythic Shankini and Dhankini.

The Danteshwari temple and one of the two rivers

After breakfast, we headed to Barsoor, the ancient temple town of Bastar. Our guide’s vivid storytelling painted scenes of long-lost rituals and dynasties as we explored the Battisa Temple (with its twin rotating shivlings), the Twin Ganesha Temple, and the Mama-Bhanja Temple. Oral history filled the gaps that inscriptions had failed to capture.

Time capsules – Battisa temple, Twin Ganesha temple, and Mama-Bhanja temple

As we wandered through the local streets, we stumbled upon a curious fruit, mahua, which resembled shrivelled raisins. Little did we know that this humble fruit was a local hero – we would later see it reappear in all forms: mahua laddoos, mahua tea, mahua cookies, and even as a fermented drink!

We departed around 12:30 PM for a brief halt at Mendri Ghumar, a picturesque waterfall viewpoint, before continuing towards Chitrakote. Lunch was at a roadside eatery, where the adventurous among us sampled a spicy chutney made from crushed red ants!

Then came the jewel of the journey: Chitrakote Falls, often called the Niagara of India. Spanning some 300 metres, with a drop of 30 metres, its muddy torrents throwing up misty sprays was an unforgettable sight. From the viewpoint above, we descended to the banks below, where we spent another half an hour relaxing by the water, soaking in the enormity of the scene.

The showstopper – India’s Niagara / Chitakote Falls

By evening, we arrived at our campsite across the river. It was a simple set-up: waterproof tents pitched on open ground, and a small concrete building for luggage and basic facilities. Adjusting to the wilderness – picking tents, freshening up in the dark – took a while. Afterwards, we gathered on the terrace for what turned into a memorable jam session. Songs, stories, and shared snacks – all under a moonlit sky with the falls roaring gently in the background. Dinner was served at 9 PM, and an hour later, we were zipped into our tents.

Day 4 – August 16 – Chitrakote > Bijakasa waterfall > Raipur

On the last day, we had a choice of waking up at 530 AM to explore a new waterfall, or to sleep in and get ready by 9 AM. Most of us chose adventure over rest. By 6 AM, we were on our way to Ratenga village. A short walk past emerald rice paddies and a glassy stream led us to a viewpoint overlooking the Bijakasa Falls.

On the way to Bijakasa waterfall – clear skies and stunning reflections

We then trekked through a dense forest to reach the base. I found a solitary spot to sit cross-legged in front of the falls, meditating as water thundered down. Others climbed behind the curtain of water. I later lay down in the shallow flow above the waterfall, eyes closed, water gushing around me – it felt like the world had paused for just a few minutes.

Back at the campsite, we packed up and bid farewell to our ever-patient local guide. The long drive to Raipur had only one stop – lunch at a rustic dhaba around 1 PM (on time for once!). We overcompensated for our skipped meals with rotis, rice, thick lassi, and ice cream.

By 5 PM, we reached the airport. Two of us had evening flights and exited. Mine was at 10 PM, so I asked the driver to drop me off at Budha Talab – a serene lake with a statue of Swami Vivekananda on a central island. As the sun dipped below the horizon, golden light scattered across the water’s surface.

Sunset at Raipur (left); the Vivekananda statue (center); the city at night from Marine Drive

Later, suitcase in tow, I explored another lakefront promenade (what was called the “Marine Drive” of Raipur) bustling with food stalls, families, and neon-lit joyrides – reminiscent of Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Lake. By 8 PM, I was back at the airport. I spent the waiting time googling and ChatGPT-ing phrases we had heard on the trip, trying to piece together all we had seen.

At 10 PM, I boarded my flight and soon fell asleep. I landed in Mumbai at midnight.

Back to base… with more than just photos

With this trip, I had completed part of my travel goal for the year – to visit three new Indian states (Madhya Pradesh in April, Andhra Pradesh in July, and now Chhattisgarh). But a sad realisation from this trip is that so many parts of India remain out of reach – whether due to cost, accessibility, or, in Bastar’s case, the lingering perception of danger. I know I’d never have dared visit alone.

Yet these four days offered a journey far richer than the usual indulgent holiday. Bastar gave me its raw wilderness – caves, waterfalls, and forests – but also its living culture, stories, and rituals. Bastar wasn’t just wild in its landscape. It was wild in its silence, its honesty, its refusal to be curated for Instagram.

In Bastar, I found a connection to nature in its wildest form and to history often untold, which reminded me that beauty often lies away from the spotlight. I left Bastar not just with memories, but with the quiet joy of having witnessed a part of India that few ever will.

Kazakhstan: Quietly Beautiful

On July 12, 2025July 16, 2025 By kumareshkrIn Kazakhstan, Life, TravelLeave a comment

I wrapped up 2024 with a vibrant trip to Vietnam, which nudged me to push the boundaries a little further for my travel plans in 2025. As the new year began, I set myself a tall yet exciting goal – to explore three new states in India and three new countries. In April, I did a solo trip to cover my first “new” state, Madhya Pradesh – Ujjain, Indore, and Omkareshwar, along with two sacred Jyotirling temples. For the first “new” country, I picked Kazakhstan, a place that was quietly becoming increasingly popular with Indian tourists (which, I admit, until a few months ago, I’d have struggled to even find on a map).

Like most of my previous trips, I chose a package tour (once again with the travel agency, Trikon) but signed up solo, hoping to meet new friends among the tour group. But just as I began mentally counting down the days from 1st May, geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, leading to a flurry of flight cancellations, among various other uncertainties. For a while, it seemed the trip might fall through. Fortunately, the dust settled in a few days, and our itinerary was back on course.

Day 1 – May 25 – Welcome to Almaty

It was a rainy morning when I booked a cab to go to the airport. Of the 17 people in the group, four had already reached Almaty the previous night. The rest of us convened at the Mumbai airport, with greetings and introductions happening in the check-in line, lounge, and later in the flight. The group consisted of people across ages and professions – a psychologist, a lawyer, a yoga teacher, and many more!

It was quite an eventful ride in Air Astana, with a lot of chatter and dancing, and of course, a beautiful vista of the snow-capped mountains of the Pamir range.

We touched down in Almaty and swiftly sorted out essentials — local SIM cards, currency exchanges, and meeting our local guide. Our base for the next few days was the imposing Hotel Kazakhstan, a landmark that towered over the skyline – apparently the third-tallest building in Almaty – and all of us were awed by the architecture.

After an hour or so of relaxation in the rooms, we went to Arbat Street, a pedestrian-only walkway with plenty of shops on both sides. I didn’t find anything of much interest there, so I wandered away from the main crowd, exploring side streets that offered a more authentic peek into the neighbourhood. We then went to a place called “Little India” for an Indian dinner. After a (formal) round of introductions, we drove back to the hotel to retire for the night.

Day 2 – May 26 – Discovering Almaty

I first woke up at 5 AM or so with the sun glaring on my face through the windows. I would later realise that Almaty had 16 hours of daylight (roughly from 4 AM to 8 PM). I drifted back to sleep and finally got up at 730 AM. There was only a 30-minute time difference with India, so there was no issue adjusting my body clock.

Breakfast was a generous spread of continental and local dishes, including an impressive selection of sweets (which I may have overindulged in). I went for a stroll around the neighbourhood. It was quite chilly, with the grey skies hinting at intermittent rain. The city made a strong first impression – remarkably clean, well laid out, and rich with green spaces. Dedicated pedestrian and cycling lanes stood out, and traffic discipline was clearly the norm.

We left at 10 AM and headed to the First President Park – a beautiful park offering a colourful display of flowers, trees, and mountains in the distance. After that, we had a taste of their local cuisine for lunch, and sadly, there were very limited options for vegetarians. We had a brief photo halt near the Independence Monument – a tall pillar topped by the famed “Golden Man” statue, a powerful emblem of Kazakhstan’s post-Soviet identity (Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991).

Flowers and trees at First President Park (left and middle); the Independence Monument standing tall in the background (right)

The next stop was Ascension Cathedral – nestled within a park, this pastel-hued church was straight out of a fairy tale. The intricate carvings inside were even more beautiful. The park also featured statues and sculptures serving as memorials to World War II activities (our guide also narrated several interesting stories from the time).

After a siesta, we went to Kok Tobe in the evening – a hilltop amusement park visible from our hotel. We all had to wear our jackets to keep ourselves warm against the strong winds there. While the rides were nothing to write home about (I did brave the rollercoaster), the real draw was the sunset view over Almaty, stretching endlessly in every direction.

Sweeping view of Almaty from Kok Tobe. To the right, about a third of the way from the bottom, you can see Hotel Kazakhstan

When returning, we took the cable car. Our day ended with dinner at a different Indian restaurant, after which we turned in for the night.

Day 3 – May 27 – Lakes and Canyons

Day 3 was, without doubt, the most breathtaking part of the trip, both in terms of natural beauty and sheer energy. We departed from the hotel at 6 AM and carried a packed breakfast with us. Our first stop was around 280 kilometres away, Kaindy Lake. En route, we paused briefly at a vantage point overlooking the Black Canyon, and later at a curious roadside attraction – an old soldier’s bunker, relic of a time gone by.

Brief halts en route – a glimpse of the Black Canyon and an old Soviet-era bunker

We reached a village in Kaindy, after which we were taken in what looked like a yellow school bus to the lake – a 40-minute off-roading ride. The ride was bumpy, hilarious, and filled with camaraderie, with each lurch of the vehicle prompting shrieks and laughter. After disembarking, we hiked about a kilometre downhill to reach the lake… and the sight of the lake in the serene surroundings was such a reward to all the senses. Kaindy Lake, with its crystal-clear turquoise water and submerged tree trunks, looked otherworldly. The silence of the valley, the surreal stillness of the water, and the encircling forest made it feel sacred.

Kaindy Lake – the standard poster image for Kazakhstan

Several photos and peaceful moments later, we returned to our vehicle (following the same off-roading path). Next on the list was Kolsay Lake. This time, we didn’t venture down to the water, but even from above, its shimmering clarity and surrounding alpine peaks made the stop worthwhile. We managed “lunch” by sharing the packed snacks that all of us had got en route to the next stop – Charyn Canyon.

We went to the Valley of Castles, the most iconic stretch of the Canyon. Another van took us off-road again, this time towards the Charyn River. Some people posed for photos, while others simply sat quietly by the flowing water. After about 45 minutes of rest and exploration, we started the long drive back to Almaty.

The Valley of Castles and the quiet stretch of the Charyn River

By the time we reached the city, it was past 10, and I was completely exhausted. I barely managed to eat two rotis for dinner, while the others made the most of Bollywood music and an open dance floor in the restaurant we went to.

Despite how draining the day had been, those long, winding rides gave us time to bond. Between the bumpy roads and scenic views, there was a steady soundtrack of chatter, shared snacks, bad jokes, and bursts of laughter (and even a very “controversial” game of Housie!). It was during those hours that the group began to click – a rhythm that carried through the rest of the trip. Whether over drinks in someone’s room, swapping stories at the breakfast table, or waiting in the hotel lobby for the last person to come down, the conversations never really stopped.

Day 4 – May 28 – One more lake, and plenty of shopping

After a good night’s sleep, we had a relatively more relaxed morning on Day 4. We started the day with Issyk Lake, which was around 60 kilometres from the hotel. Though smaller in scale, it carried the same postcard-perfect features as Kaindy — glassy turquoise waters, thick pine forests, and the background of snow-capped mountains.

The tranquil waters of Issyk Lake, framed by snowy ridges

From Issyk Lake, we came back to the city by early evening and headed to Green Bazaar, a bustling indoor market famed for its dry fruits, spices, souvenirs, and local treats. I naturally went a bit overboard — fridge magnets, ceramics, T-shirts, collectables… the works. The rows of colourful stalls and the lively atmosphere made it hard to resist.

A short stroll through Almaty’s Central Park

We went to a nearby “Central Park” for a short stroll, and then headed to the Lotte Rakhat Confectionery Factory. Shelves piled high with chocolates stretched as far as the eye could see. I couldn’t help but joke with my friends back home (who knew of my dessert obsession) that I might just spend the night there!

Day 5 – May 29 – A mountaintop resort, and more local sightseeing

We packed our bags and checked out of the hotel on the morning of the 29th. After leaving our bags at the reception, we headed towards Shymbulak Ski Resort – one of the most renowned alpine resorts in Central Asia. Of course, it’s a ski resort when there is snow, which was not the case then! We ascended in an “open” cable car, with no covering except a metal rod in front of you to prevent you from falling down!

We had about an hour at the top to explore. I tried to trek further up towards the snow-capped peak; the others were trying out some drone shots or were roaming around elsewhere. I decided to trek further towards the snow-covered ridge, determined to get as close to the summit as I could. The wind grew colder, the air thinner, and I eventually stopped when breathing got more difficult.

Back at the base, we headed to Dostyk Plaza, a contemporary shopping mall, for lunch and some downtime. After a light meal, I stepped away from the mall to take a solo walk around the nearby streets. I passed the Central State Museum and a series of stately administrative buildings.

Central State Museum (left) and an administrative building (right)

At 630 PM or so, we had an early dinner at another Indian restaurant. After collecting our luggage from the hotel, we made our way to the airport for a late-night flight to Astana. A delay of nearly two hours meant we only landed around 2 AM, and by the time we reached the hotel, the first hues of dawn were beginning to spill across the horizon.

Day 6 – May 30 – Welcome to Astana

The plan was to leave only at noon today, given how late we all landed last night. While some caught up on sleep, others headed down early to make the most of the hotel’s amenities — from pools and spas to jacuzzis. At noon, we began our exploration of Astana, Kazakhstan’s sleek and modern capital, with Atyrau Bridge, a gently arched walkway over the Ishim River. It reminded me a bit of the Atal Bridge in Ahmedabad — built for both pedestrians and cyclists

From there, we hopped onto a boat for a river cruise. While the idea was to soak in the cityscape, the group had other plans. The boat’s open deck soon turned into a makeshift dance floor, complete with Bollywood tunes and even a few curious tourists joining in. Yes — I danced too (briefly!)

Astana’s skyline and the Ishim River, seen from Atyrau Bridge

Unlike Almaty, vegetarian food was even scarcer. Lunch was improvised again – supermarket snacks and dry food, eaten seated on the steps outside the store. A new kind of picnic. In the afternoon, we visited two of the city’s grandest landmarks: Hazrat Sultan Mosque, with its graceful domes and serene white façade, and the sprawling Grand Mosque, with its sheer scale and intricate interiors.

Hazrat Sultan Mosque (left); inside the Grand Mosque (right)

Our next stop was Baiterek Tower, a soaring monument symbolising the Kazakh folk legend of the golden egg atop the “tree of life.” The tower’s observation deck offered sweeping views of Astana, just in time for sunset. Although more crowded than other sites, the views were worth every minute. Dinner was a quick bite at a nearby mall. My roommate and I then took a short evening stroll, trying to take in just a bit more of the city before our final day.

Views of the sunset against the sunset from Baiterek Tower

Day 7 – May 31 – Farewell walks, museums, and palaces

Determined to squeeze every last drop out of the trip, I ventured out early for one final walk through Astana. I explored another bank of the Ishim River, circled back towards Baiterek Tower, and admired the futuristic architecture that dotted the city, including the Ritz-Carlton, a sculpted concert hall, and even a dramatic-looking police building.

Baiterek Tower (left); The Ritz-Carlton (middle); a police building (right)

By the time I came back to the hotel, my phone’s GPS tracker showed that I had walked around 10 kilometres! While Astana may not boast the dramatic landscapes of Almaty, its urban planning, wide boulevards, and distinctive skyline make it ideal for leisurely, meandering exploration (I guess that’s why many tour operators offer only Almaty as a package and not Astana).

We checked out of the hotel and proceeded to the National Museum, where a knowledgeable guide led us through exhibits tracing Kazakhstan’s journey from prehistoric times to the present day. After the museum, our next stop was the “Palace of Peace and Reconciliation”. Shaped like a glass pyramid, this striking building serves as a cultural and interfaith hub. It was mostly empty, lending it an even more surreal atmosphere. The lift to the top didn’t rise vertically but at an angle, taking us to a serene circular chamber framed by stained glass and geometric light.

The Palace of Peace (left); view of the top from inside (middle); designs on the glass (right)

After another “supermarket” lunch, we took our bags from the hotel and drove to the airport. We boarded the flight to Almaty and had a very late dinner at the airport. Those returning to Mumbai then finished the check-in and immigration processes and waited till we boarded the flight at 4 AM.

After an uneventful flight (given most of us just tried to sleep), we landed in Mumbai at 9 AM on the 1st of June.

Welcome back to India

Days and weeks after returning to India, I found myself replaying moments from those seven days – the stillness of Kaindy Lake, the wild wind atop Shymbulak, the unexpected joy of dancing on a boat, and the quiet symmetry of Astana’s mosques and towers.

Kazakhstan surprised me, not just with its natural beauty or sweeping landscapes, but with how it straddles contrasts so gracefully: old and new, east and west, silence and song. It’s a country that invites curiosity, rewards patience, and quietly changed the way I thought about travel.

For a destination I picked almost on a whim, it gave me far more than I had imagined: moments of awe, stillness, friendship, and joy. Kazakhstan ended up carving out a corner in my memory that I know I’ll return to time and again, maybe not geographically, but certainly in stories.

Why Doing Less Might Actually Be Living More

On April 26, 2025July 6, 2025 By kumareshkrIn Life, Travel, WorkLeave a comment

What is your definition of comfort? Of convenience? Of luxury? If you had asked me this two weeks ago, my answer would have probably been something like “Being able to connect with anyone instantly on WhatsApp – now that’s convenience,” or, “Staying at the Ritz Carlton – that’s luxury.” But then I came across a quote that completely shook my perspective.

And then it all made sense. For the majority of us, convenience and comfort are equated with speed: travelling from Mumbai to Delhi in hours, getting groceries in 10 minutes, sending texts across countries in seconds – while luxury gets defined by possessions: a 4-BHK high-rise on Worli Seaface or a BMW iX with a 1 crore+ price tag.

Every one of us is aspiring to have a “comfortable life” or a “luxurious life” with these definitions. And as a result? Mounting pressure at work (because everyone wants deliverables done “as of yesterday”), a constant urge to be faster and more efficient, and a deliberate disregard for rest and health – all in the name of chasing more.

Thinking clearly

We’ve all heard the now-infamous (and almost cliched) line – that the average human attention span is lower than that of a goldfish. And it is only getting worse. We’ve not only lost the ability to focus for more than a few seconds – we’ve lost the patience to even try.

Many of us live our days on autopilot, especially when we fall into a routine. We do things without asking why we’re doing them or how we could make our day better – for ourselves or for those around us. We are always in an urge to do something to appear busy or to track “visible” progress, that we hardly have time to invest in deep thought. And of course, if we spend so much of our brainpower on switching between things, we rarely pause to think deeply about anything at all. No wonder we’re mentally exhausted even when we haven’t “done” much.

Sleeping deeply

Back in my consulting days – and even during IIT – getting by on minimal sleep was a badge of honour. And I know it still is. Among overworked employees, students, and night owls, sacrificing sleep for productivity, a football match, or a deadline is often seen as “commitment”.

There are numerous articles about how we’ve ruined our sleep cycles, how work schedules should be flexible enough to accommodate everyone’s chronotype, etc., so I will not go into those. But my point is that we’ve lost the ability to sleep and wake up naturally. When we sleep is defined by our schedule and deadlines, and not by when our body needs rest. When we wake up depends on our office hours, meetings, and gym sessions, and not when we feel truly rested.

Sleep was and is a basic necessity, but for most of us, it’s something we do in the “leftover” time of the day once all our other commitments have been catered to.

Moving slowly

In any city, and especially a place like Mumbai, nothing is slow. Even the “slow” local stops for all of 15 seconds at every station. We are always in a rush to finish things – not because everything we do is urgent, but because we are conditioned to think we should always be doing more. More deliverables, more chores, more meetings…

A Goregaon (“GO”) slow train reminding me to take it easy on a Sunday

Even leisure activities are now goal-oriented – more countries to visit, more tourist spots to cover, more books to read, more movies to watch… That quiet pressure, often fuelled by FOMO, creates a kind of invisible disappointment – not because we didn’t enjoy what we did, but because we’re constantly aware of what we could have done instead.

In the pursuit of ticking more things off the (never-ending) to-do lists and bucket lists, we lose out on actually living in the present and enjoying those very experiences.

Living quietly

When was the last time you had a quiet moment to yourself with no noise? And I don’t mean just the honking of horns or the cacophony of construction equipment. I also mean without any notifications incessantly ringing, be it Instagram posts, news, WhatsApp messages, or that one app you’ve been meaning to uninstall but never did. Probably when you sleep? Or perhaps not even then.

It has become a fad to say that someone needs “me time” – but what is that anyway? It could mean having some time to focus on that hobby, or some time to try out a new skill, or perhaps just some time to be with your thoughts. We are bombarded with so much noise today that we have hardly any time to introspect or focus on ourselves – there is always something fighting for your attention (as I write this, my phone is on silent, but there is still that urge to check how many messages I’ve received).

How bad is it, really?

All these are interlinked. You are unable to focus because your phone is constantly buzzing. You lose sleep chasing unreasonable expectations to get that bonus pay cheque. Consequently, your tired mind and body cannot focus during the day, so you gulp two cups of coffee (ordered on Snacc or Bistro) to jolt yourself awake. You don’t want to devote time to “tedious” tasks like grocery shopping so you whip out Zepto. You want to reward yourself with a vacation to relax, but even then, you find yourself preparing a packed itinerary to make the most out of every day. You crave peace but don’t get any, amidst clickbait news articles and cat videos, amidst traffic and construction.

So…what can we do?

Our core way of life, especially in big cities, has been permanently altered – shaped by social media, quick commerce, and now, AI. And I think we simply cannot adjust to a drastically different lifestyle. I’m sure I’m not the only one who, after a particularly difficult day at work or period of stress, dreams of shutting shop tomorrow, packing up all I’ve got, and moving to the mountains. But we are so immersed in the comforts and conveniences of city life that starting a new life away from deadlines, alarms, and hustle sounds idyllic, but it remains a dream and not a plan.

Of course, people find different ways of hitting pause. For some, it is a 10k run every morning. For some, it’s taking a two-week break in Europe. For others, it’s reading a good book before going to bed… or in my case, going on treks to be surrounded by nature. But all these are still “breaks”. As I wrote in my previous blog post, sometimes, these pauses – the trips, the runs, the treks – are best experienced only as breaks. They are resets, not lifestyles.

The kind of trips I consider escapes; but will I enjoy these as lifestyles?

We can’t undo the pace of the world around us – not entirely. But perhaps we can reclaim small pieces of stillness, of slowness, of silence. I’ve been encouraged to try out meditation by several folks, starting with my dad, though it is only in the last few months that I’ve started practising it actively, although I can’t say I am consistent about it. Even in its inconsistency, it is showing early signs of helping. Shutting out the world for a while, even briefly, has made it easier to think clearly, sleep better, and actually appreciate the silence.

Maybe we’ll realise that doing fewer things but doing them patiently, wholeheartedly, and with focus will help us actually achieve more versus just ticking things off a list.

In a world that’s racing ahead, true luxury is simply the courage to slow down.

From Pay Cheques to Passions: Rethinking What Defines Us

On February 2, 2025July 6, 2025 By kumareshkrIn Life, Work2 Comments

What truly defines your identity? Is it your wealth? The respect you command from friends and society? Your ethics and integrity? Or do you predominantly tie it to your profession, believing that the more prestigious your job, the more valuable you are? Chances are, it’s the latter. The common reasoning is that since we spend most of our waking hours working, it’s only natural that “what we do defines who we are.”

Except… I believe many of us overemphasize our self-worth based on our jobs. So, what is a job really – or more specifically, a “day job”? Is it merely a source of income? A reason to get out of bed every morning? Or is it simply that 10-hour block that provides financial stability, allowing people to pursue what they genuinely enjoy in the remaining 14 hours?

Admittedly a very dystopian start to the article, but Fight Club did nail this line

This comic below (that came as a WA forward!) was what really hit me – our language subtly implies that we live to work. Yet, our time and energy are spread across numerous activities, with our day job being just one of them. Think about introductions: “What do you do?” is almost always among the first questions asked. Why is our profession given such weight? Why do we, ourselves, prioritize it so much?

The framework

The consultant in me loves a good 2×2 matrix. So, here’s how I categorize the various activities we engage in. The x-axis measures how much an activity pays: ranging from unpaid endeavours to highly lucrative ones. The y-axis gauges how much you enjoy the activity: from passionate engagement to reluctant obligation.

The coveted top-right quadrant is where passion meets profit – you love your job, and it compensates you handsomely. In this space, the lines between work and personal life blur because your work genuinely excites you and becomes part of who you are. If you are here, chances are you don’t mind working on Sundays, don’t mind taking calls at 11 PM, and understand why a vacation must be sacrificed to cater to work. In this scenario, it’s natural for your identity to intertwine with your profession.

However, I suspect most of us reside in the bottom-right quadrant – well-paid but not particularly passionate about our jobs. Some people hate their job (the extreme bottom); for others, the job is not unbearable, but it’s far from what one would call the “dream job.” People in this quadrant are confused about what career they want to pursue, and where to invest time in. There is a disconnect between what you have to do (your day job where you spend most of your time and energy that also pays your bills) and what you want to do. Your work is what takes up time, but it is not a reflection of who you truly are.

The top-left consists of activities you love but that don’t pay much – or at all. Sound familiar? These are your hobbies, or if you make some money off them, your “side hustles.”

The bottom-left? That’s reserved for tasks that are neither enjoyable nor profitable – the chores of life. Few of us, thankfully, have jobs that fall here.

Now, again, if your job is in the top right, you are in a good place. But…

What if you haven’t found your dream job?

I think we can all agree that the bottom left is where no one wants to be, and I don’t think the readers of this post are likely to have jobs that fall in that quadrant. The interesting quadrants are the bottom right and top left.

So let’s start with the bottom right. From here, how do you ascend to the top-right? I see three pathways:

Cultivate enjoyment in your current role. Over time, familiarity and mastery could foster passion.
Switch to a different high-paying job that aligns with your interests. This is rare and often requires a blend of strategy and luck.
Shift first to the top-left – pursue something you love, even if it doesn’t pay well, and then find a way to monetize it. This path is risky and uncertain but arguably the most fulfilling.

Let’s talk about option (3) – essentially what it means is that you transition from your day job to trying out stuff that you like doing but don’t pay well, and then, find out that one “passion” you can also monetize – evidently not a linear path. I feel this pathway is what drives people to slog in their 20s and 30s, and earn enough, so that they can afford to quit their jobs and go to the top left. With enough savings, one can either comfortably stay in the top left – enjoying life without income stress- or experiment until they reach the top right.

The alluring top left quadrant

There’s something about the top left that makes it undeniably attractive. Imagine just playing football all day, or doing the crossword, or going on treks, or whatever you think are your “hobbies”. And for the sake of argument, let’s say income is not an issue – you have enough for basic sustenance and to live a fairly comfortable life. Is this sustainable? (I remember a typical “HR” question when preparing for my campus interviews – “If you earn ten crores from a lottery today, will you still show up to work tomorrow?” Of course, the only acceptable answer back then was, “Of course, I would show up!“)

I’d argue some people seem to think so – the proponents of the “FIRE” principle (Financial Independence, Retire Early). I’m all for devising investment and budgeting strategies for the “financial independence” part, but what do people intend to do if they retire early? If people really love what they are doing, why should they retire? Early retirement seems to be something you do when you are “tolerating” clocking in the hours and just can’t wait to say “F*** you” to your boss and leave because you know you’ve earned enough cash.

Now the other category of people who transition from the bottom right to the top left have a different reason – they have a fair sense of what they want to do, but they also want a financial cushion to be able to start afresh and experiment. These are the people who have a “passion” and not just “hobbies”. These are the people who have the skills and the motivation and drive to pursue something, but what they lack is money. The below video clip summarises it very well – as Ryan asks, “How much did they pay you to give up on your dreams?”

Want to become an author? Sure, but that’s a career track with a very low success rate and heavily influenced by survivorship bias. Your first novel could be a bestseller or you could write six that go nowhere before deciding to pursue something else. Want to start your own venture to solve a “deep consumer problem”? Okay but what if it fails? Do you have enough reserves to start again after that?

What’s the problem with this approach? It’s that while some people are very clear about what they want to pursue, others want to experiment. And in the process, realise that some activities are best left as hobbies and not full-time jobs. Sure, as someone working in a desk job 60 hours a week, a monsoon trek is a good break from routine and an enabler to connect with nature. But doing that as a full-time job? Is that really enjoyable, or will I miss the corporate salaries and the flights and the perks and the suits?

Now you can argue that the ideal path for anyone is to identify the passion and start doing that straight out of college (or even earlier! Who needs a degree when you are doing what drives you?). But very few of us have that risk appetite. I believe most of us choose the bottom right for a stable income, to seek comfort in a trodden path. The question is: if you are in the bottom right, at what point do you take the plunge and go to the top left? At what point do you “follow your dreams”?

A quote from “Up in the Air” (Source: IMDb)

Thoughts?

This is an evolving framework/thought process in my head. It is something that has been on my mind in bits and pieces for several months now until I took out a pen and paper and drew out the 2X2. There is no right answer as to what the ideal job is, nor is there a universally correct answer to how one’s career path should be, and definitely no right answer for what should define one’s identity. But aren’t people all much more than their jobs?

These are simply my reflections, perhaps a starting point for you to ponder your own journey. As I try to figure out my own journey, I’d love to hear your thoughts, stories, or even challenges to this perspective. Feel free to share your insights; they might help refine this framework or inspire future musings.

From Tunnels to Tranquility – My Journey to Wheeee-etnam!

On January 18, 2025July 12, 2025 By kumareshkrIn Life, Travel, vietnam3 Comments

A long holiday had been on my mind for quite some time. Over the past two years, I’ve made it a point to take a break from work and daily routines to reconnect with nature. In 2022, it was a week-long escape to the pristine landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, and in 2023, I found serenity in the peaceful valleys of Bhutan.

There’s a psychological concept called the peak-end rule, which suggests that when we reflect on past experiences, our memories are most shaped by the moments of peak intensity and how things ended. Looking back, 2024 was filled with countless “peak” moments – both professionally and personally – as I navigated many firsts and embraced new experiences. But I wanted to end the year on a high, crafting a perfect finale to an already eventful twelve months.

Two destinations were on my list, and Vietnam ultimately won out. I signed up for the trip and managed to convince a close friend and a fellow trekker to join me. Soon after, I found out we’d be part of a small group – four other travellers plus our guide from Trikon, the travel agency. After getting the visa, having our briefing call, and packing, the much-anticipated journey finally kicked off on the midnight of December 23rd.

Day 1 – December 23 – Ho Chi Minh

The 5-hour flight from Mumbai was at 1240 AM. My friend and I departed from Mumbai, while the other members of the tour were scheduled to arrive from Bangalore and Pune. The flight took off on time, and I tried my best to catch some sleep despite the very cramped interiors of the A320.

We touched down in Ho Chi Minh City at 7:45 AM local time, about 30 minutes behind schedule. Being the last to arrive, we joined our five companions who had already settled into the hotel. We freshened up quickly and ventured to a nearby café for breakfast. I sampled my first Vietnamese coffee and… let’s just say, I’ll remain loyal to my South Indian filter brew!

Our inaugural destination was the Independence Palace, now a museum that once served as the residence of the President of South Vietnam. While it lacked the opulence of, say, Mysore Palace, it held its own unique charm.

The Independence Palace and some exhibits inside

Next, we visited a fully operational post office, where patrons could pen letters, purchase stamps, and send them worldwide – a nostalgic nod to the pre-digital era. Returning to the hotel, we indulged in a couple of hours of relaxation.

As evening descended, we explored the bustling Ben Thanh Market – a lively hub reminiscent of Mumbai’s Crawford Market or Linking Road. The array of stalls offered everything from delectable street food to souvenirs and apparel. The art of bargaining was in full swing; it’s fascinating how two individuals can purchase identical items at vastly different prices, all depending on their haggling prowess!

I indulged in some shopping, picking up souvenirs like magnets, decorative pieces, and a t-shirt – unaware that I’d soon be yearning for more keepsakes.

Then came the highlight of the day – our guide said that there was an open bus ride through the city that we could choose to do if we were interested. While most of us were already too tired, we decided to try it out anyway. It was a 45-minute ride that took us across the city. We had some amazing sights of the night skyline while enjoying the cool breeze at the same time!

Our day concluded on Bui Vien Street, a vibrant thoroughfare teeming with bars and eateries. Opting for a tranquil Indian restaurant, we dined before retreating to the hotel for the night.

Day 2 – December 24 – Cu Chi Tunnels

It was during breakfast on day 2 that I realized that food was going to be a problem, especially vegetarian food (well, eggetarian technically). A friend told me before the trip that I should ask for “vegan” food because the labels would not specifically mention if something had meat in it. The food in general was so bland, but I didn’t have much of a choice! The irony was that even the non-vegetarians didn’t have it simple – as far as the locals were concerned, there were only two categories of people, vegetarians and “those who eat everything else”! So even those who were selective meat eaters were in for a surprise.

Our second day delved into Vietnam’s wartime history, beginning with the War Remnants Museum. Our guide cautioned us to “try not to get too immersed” in the exhibits – a forewarning I didn’t fully grasp until we entered. The galleries displayed raw, unfiltered photographs and narratives of war-torn Vietnam – harrowing images of torture, deformities, and severed limbs. Though allocated 30 minutes, I found myself overwhelmed after just 10, retreating to the cab while others continued.

We then embarked on a two-hour journey to the Cu Chi Tunnels – a sprawling 250-kilometre network of underground passages constructed by Vietnamese soldiers during the war. These tunnels, now a war remnants museum, were ingeniously designed with living quarters, kitchens, storage, and even hospital beds, allowing Viet Cong fighters to move undetected and launch surprise attacks.

A local guide introduced us to various booby traps employed during the conflict, elucidating the strategic guerrilla warfare tactics. We had the opportunity to navigate a segment of the tunnels – requiring me to practically crawl due to my height!

A standout experience was the shooting range, where we fired live rounds from an AK-47. Despite missing the bullseye each time, the adrenaline rush was undeniable.

A model of the tunnel network (top left); what the tunnels looked like (bottom left); trying out the AK-47 (right)

We sampled tapioca fritters and herbal tea, mirroring the wartime diet of the soldiers, before enjoying a more substantial lunch at a lakeside restaurant. Post-lunch, we returned to Ho Chi Minh City to catch a flight to Da Nang.

The flight was delayed by an hour, allowing us time to redistribute our luggage to comply with weight restrictions (7kg per person for carry-on, plus 40kg of checked baggage we’d purchased). After 45 minutes of strategic packing, we succeeded. We proceeded to the gate, had dinner (given the lack of vegetarian options, my dinner was just a fat donut!), and boarded the flight at 10:45 PM, arriving around 1 AM and reaching our hotel by 2 AM.

Day 3 – December 25 – Da Nang and Hoi An

Our accommodation was a picturesque hotel nestled along the beach. Although we intended to rise at 5:45 AM for the sunrise, the exhaustion from the previous day’s travels led us to sleep in. I eventually awoke around 7:30 AM and took a stroll along the beach, noting that the overcast and rainy conditions likely obscured any sunrise views. Unlike the pleasant climate of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang greeted us with overcast skies and rain!

After breakfast, we departed around 11 AM, with our first stop being Marble Mountain – a limestone and marble cluster featuring caves and tunnels symbolizing hell, earth, and heaven. The “hell” level showcased statues depicting various punishments, while the earth level housed a grand idol accompanied by meditative music. The highlight was a quiet five-minute meditation before the idol. Ascending a flight of steps, we reached the “heaven” level, offering panoramic city vistas.

Following a quick brunch, we journeyed to Hoi An. Our itinerary included a “coconut boat ride” – a tranquil hour-long excursion in circular boats along the river. Subsequently, we explored the main market area, dedicating a couple of hours to shopping. An initial bout of rain subsided after 30 minutes, giving way to clearer skies.

We then embarked on another boat ride, releasing lanterns into the water after making wishes – a serene and reflective experience. After dinner, we meandered through another market before returning to the hotel.

Day 4 – December 26 – Ba Na Hills

On the fourth day, we set out early for Ba Na Hills – a set of hills interconnected by the world’s longest cable car system, stretching nearly 6 kilometers. The initial segment of the ride offered stunning vistas, though dense fog enveloped us in the latter half.

Our first destination was the renowned “Golden Bridge,” a pedestrian bridge held aloft by two colossal stone hands. Contrary to the images populating Instagram which show an empty bridge, we found ourselves amid a throng of tourists. After capturing our share of photos, we explored the hill further, discovering a towering Buddha statue with an intimate pagoda beneath, a rose garden, and a labyrinth.

The “Golden Hand” bridge and other spots

We then boarded another cable car to the second hill, home to an indoor amusement park. Despite initial reservations due to a previous slipped disc, I decided enough time had passed and indulged in several roller coaster rides. Following lunch, we explored the hill’s attractions, including eateries and breweries set within a French village replica, but persistent rain and thick fog limited our exploration.

We took the cable car back to the base by 530 PM or so and then headed back to the city. We had Indian food for dinner and then boarded an overnight bus to Hanoi. The bus was extremely cramped but also fairly comfortable – it was three parallel berths inside with a 1+1 bunker; the seat could be reclined (to sleep) or put up (to sit). Normally I would have found that very uncomfortable (for my height too), but I was probably too tired that I fell asleep fairly quickly.

Day 5 – December 27 – Hanoi

We reached Hanoi at 7 AM, greeted by yet another dramatic shift in weather. The chilly 12-13°C air felt especially cold to me (as a South Indian, anything below 20 degrees is “cold”). The raincoat was tucked away and out came the hoodie.

With no plans for the morning, I toyed with the idea of exploring the neighborhood solo but ended up surrendering to a much-needed two-hour nap. After waking up, I still did find some time to explore the nearby areas. We were in the part of Hanoi which had a lot of government buildings – I walked by the supreme court and the Indian embassy among other places.

By 12:30 PM, we were all recharged and ready to dive into Hanoi’s charm. Our first stop was the bustling “Old Quarter,” a maze of narrow streets brimming with history and character. We satisfied our cravings with some comforting Indian food before spending the rest of the afternoon shopping – souvenirs, clothes, paintings, and some local delicacies found their way into our bags.

Later, we visited a pagoda perched in the middle of a lake. While there wasn’t much to see, I carved out a peaceful ten-minute window to sit quietly and meditate. It felt good to disconnect and reflect in silence amid the trip’s excitement and packed agenda.

The pagoda in the lake and the bridge leading up to it

As night fell, we made our way to Hanoi’s famed “Train Street” – an impossibly narrow alley with active railway tracks flanked by quaint cafes and homes. We narrowly missed the 9:30 PM train, but by 10 PM, we were strategically positioned to capture the perfect photos and videos as the train thundered by. It was surreal watching a full-sized train pass mere inches away from us. experience. With that exciting experience, we went back to the hotel.

Day 6 – December 28 – Ha Long Bay

Day 6 was the crown jewel of the entire trip – a full-day cruise in the ethereal Ha Long Bay! We kicked off the day early, departing the hotel around 7:30 AM to join a group of 20-25 other tourists and our local guide.

We first spent 45 minutes at an oyster farm – where we had a brief explanation of the different types of oysters and how pearls are grown inside oysters. Then we went to our cruise ship – it had a seating area in the ground and first floors and a viewing deck above it. The lunch had only a handful of vegetarian options, but it was filling enough. Then we all went to the upper decks to click pictures.

Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a collection of thousands of towering limestone islands. The name translates to “Descending Dragon Bay,” inspired by a local legend where dragons were sent to protect Vietnam from invaders.

Our first adventure on the bay was a thrilling 20-minute speedboat ride that whisked us through hidden nooks of the bay otherwise unreachable by the larger cruise ship. Next, we hopped onto a bamboo boat – a traditional rowboat navigated by a local guide – that glided under a massive monolithic island.

The cruise continued, eventually docking at our next stop: Surprise Caves (Hang Sửng Sốt). The caves earned their name due to their expansive network of stalactites and stalagmites forming surreal natural sculptures. Although crowds delayed us by an hour just to reach the cave entrance, it was worth every second. Inside, the vast cavernous chambers, illuminated by soft lighting, revealed several interesting rock formations – a natural wonder carved over hundreds or thousands of years.

Back on the boat, we set course for our final stop: Ti Top Island. This island offered two choices – either swim in the bay’s waters or hike up to a panoramic viewpoint. While the original plan was to catch the sunset from the peak, our cave delays meant we admired the sky’s warm hues from the boat instead. Still, some of us scrambled up the steep path to the summit and were rewarded with a stunning view of Ha Long Bay bathed in twilight.

The view from Ti Top island (top left) and the sunset from the cruise

With daylight fading, we carefully made our way down and reboarded the cruise. The two-hour return journey to the mainland was mellow. On the upper deck, our Trikon group gathered, and in an impromptu moment, I sang a song for everyone (Kahin door jan din dhal jaye) – a perfect way to cap off the day.

After another two-hour bus ride back to Hanoi, we indulged in a late-night dinner. We bid farewell to two group members who were leaving early the next day and then called it a night.

Day 7 – December 29 – Hanoi

Our final day in Vietnam had no set agenda, giving us free rein to indulge in some last-minute retail therapy. My friend and I decided to take full advantage of our remaining Vietnamese Dong (VND) – especially since our forex agent back in Mumbai advised us to spend it all!

We returned to the vibrant market areas, hunting for chocolates, souvenirs, and anything else that caught our fancy. Around 1 PM, we hailed a cab to the airport with two fellow travelers. A light lunch at the airport fueled us for the journey ahead. By 4:30 PM, we were airborne, heading back to Mumbai. Five hours later, Vietnam was behind us, but the memories were already etched forever.

The aftermath

It’s truly remarkable to witness Vietnam’s transformation – a country once scarred by wars with China, France, and the United States has now blossomed into a thriving economy and a magnet for travelers from around the world. From seeking refuge in underground tunnels to embracing peace on the land above, the resilience of its people is nothing short of inspiring. What struck me most was the warmth and hospitality of the locals. Despite the language barrier, their kindness and eagerness to help shone through in every interaction. Whether it was serving us food with a smile or running after us to give us stuff we had left behind in restaurants, their genuine efforts to make us feel welcome made the experience all the more special.

This trip to Vietnam was the perfect culmination of what had been a rollercoaster year. I began 2024 struggling to walk after my slipped disc injury, pushing through the initial hurdles of a new job, and navigating family health scares. Yet, as the months unfolded, life slowly aligned. I made wonderful new friends, conquered personal and professional challenges, explored new corners of India, trekked new peaks, and finally, crossed international borders to experience a new culture.

My travel bucket for 2025 is already looking ambitious, and I’m looking forward to new experiences, new interactions, and new memories.

Rest, Recovery, and Realizations: My Slipped Disc Experience (Part 2)

On February 3, 2024February 3, 2024 By kumareshkrIn Family, LifeLeave a comment

In my previous post, I described the journey of how I got to know that I had a slipped disc and how my next three weeks of recovery were.

“So… when will you be completely all right?”

This was the query posed to me so frequently during the post-bedrest phase of my recovery that I’ve lost track of the count. However, along with the “get well soon”s and “take care”s that I received from friends and family, many of whom had also endured a slipped disc, my takeaway was a sombre realisation: you never really get completely all right.

Of course, for practical reasons, I just had to recover enough to resume my daily activities – starting with ascending three flights of stairs to my flat in Mumbai, to more vigorous activities like running and trekking (although my parents have firmly vetoed any weightlifting in the foreseeable future, even asking me to cancel my gym membership!). But having experienced a slipped disc once means that it could recur in the future, especially if I’m careless with my movements or neglect my exercises (“Exercises should be as regular as brushing your teeth”, I was advised).

Dec 30 to Jan 4 – Week 4 of recovery, Chennai

The New Year ushered in a fresh phase of recovery – I was fit enough to resume work (from home), on the condition that I get ample rest and take frequent breaks. So, I commenced week 4 by catching up with what I had missed over the past month, while also trying to figure out a suitable arrangement where I could work.

I set a timer for 15 minutes on my laptop every time I sat down so that when it dinged, I knew it was time to get up and do a quick walk. I also made a makeshift standing desk at home to alternate between sitting down and standing up while working (I could work for slightly extended periods – say 20-25 minutes – before my legs hurt). As I eased into the work routine, I also appointed a physiotherapist (twice a week) to guide me through additional exercises to strengthen the muscles and spine and also build flexibility.

I guess the true Pomodoro fans would not approve of me setting the timer to 15 minutes and not 25

Jan 6 to 19 – Weeks 5 and 6 of recovery, Chennai

By week 5, I had recovered to the extent that I could spend most of the day not lying down, a stark contrast to the first couple of weeks. Nonetheless, I continued to limit myself to 15-minute intervals of sitting, interspersing them with periods of standing and lying down. I bought a lumbosacral belt to support me while sitting and moving.

I had commenced more exercises by then, not just to “activate” the dormant muscles from bed rest, but also to cultivate long-term endurance. Gradually, I began reintegrating other activities like ascending and descending stairs and walking for at least 30 minutes daily. Gaining the ability to climb stairs also meant I could venture to the terrace to soak in some Vitamin D while completing my walking quota. Yet, the cardinal rule remained unchanged – any hint of pain, and I had to revert to lying down.

Still, there was a considerable journey ahead to resume other “normal activities” – it had been five weeks since I last hefted my laptop bag (or anything heavier than the laptop, for that matter). But I was venturing into new territories – one evening in week 6, I stepped outside for the first time since my arrival in Chennai on December 8th to go for a short drive with my parents. Despite driving cautiously and wearing the belt for support, the road conditions triggered some pain again (albeit temporary – bed rest and applying ice post-return provided sufficient relief).

The challenge was to control my eagerness to accelerate my progress, while also yearning to return to Mumbai. I cherished my stay in Chennai, but I sensed that readjusting to the Mumbai routine sooner would aid my recovery, albeit in an environment quite distinct from Chennai. Finally, after getting the go-ahead from my doctor, I booked three tickets to Mumbai for myself and my parents on Jan 25th.

One of the discussions during this period revolved around how humans are inherently not designed to spend most of their time sitting. Ancient humans would typically stand, lie down, or occasionally squat (as a substitute for sitting). When did we start to sit the way we do today? And when did we start sitting for so many hours a day? The hypothesis was that “sitting” in the modern sense probably commenced a few thousand years ago, and likely not for comfort, but as a symbol of status (where perhaps only the King could sit while the courtiers stood?).

Various online sources trace the genesis of the concept of seating to the ancient civilizations of Greece, Egypt, and Rome (a few centuries BC) to the emergence of the modern chair a couple of hundred years prior.

One of the other articles I found on the origin of sitting

Jan 20 to 26 – Week 7 of recovery, Chennai + Mumbai

January 21st marked my first visit to the beach since the slipped disc incident. Despite being a habitual visitor earlier (living a mere 5 minutes away), feeling the sea breeze after such a prolonged stay at home bestowed a whole new sense of elation.

Packing was a little more complicated this time, considering we had to balance what we wanted to take back while being mindful of my limited carrying capacity. We also deliberated whether to purchase some additional accessories in Chennai or Mumbai, such as a coccyx cushion and a hot water bag.

On the morning of the 25th, we made our way to the airport; the desolate roads at 5:30 AM meant a smoother ride for my back. The two hours on the flight passed without incident, and surprisingly, I experienced only some mild pain during the drive from the airport to our home in Mumbai.

Climbing three flights of stairs to my flat was a significant achievement, and I was gratified to find it well-maintained despite being unoccupied for nearly two months. Once again, I had to mentally restrain myself (with considerable difficulty) from wanting to dust the house, vacuum the furniture, and unpack everything straight away so that the house felt “just the way I left it”, and convince myself to be okay with a little chaos for a week or two.

A few things became very clear within the first day. One, the bed, mattress, and bathroom in this house would take some getting used to compared to the setting in Chennai. Two, despite no major pain from the journey so far, commuting on Mumbai roads for two hours to and from the office every day seemed to be… painful, to say the least. Three, walking on actual roads is very very different from walking within the house and on the terrace – the uneven surfaces and the various pebbles and stones caused discomfort in a short time.

The weeks to come…

As the first few days in Mumbai passed, a budding sense of anticipation took root within me. The prospect of settling into this once familiar but now seemingly very different house feels like the beginning of a new chapter, one that holds the promise of a redefined routine. In essence, the anticipation of these experiences is not just about getting back to ‘normal’ but about establishing a new normal, one where I am perhaps not as physically agile, but one where I am definitely a lot stronger in my mind to take on challenges.

Rest, Recovery, and Realisations: My Slipped Disc Experience (Part 1)

On January 7, 2024January 27, 2024 By kumareshkrIn Family, Life5 Comments

Happy New Year to all my readers! Hopefully, this year will be off to a good start for me, for whom the ending of 2023 was… less than ideal.

Imagine if you were to just lie down all day for a few weeks. No work, no pressure to do anything really… just rest, and your parents take care of food and other needs. Sounds fun? But the catch – you only rest; no getting up for a walk, no going out of the house (not even the room), nothing. Oh, and, you are experiencing sudden bouts of pain going down your right leg and lower back. Not so fun anymore?

3 weeks ago

It started as a muscle pull in the hamstring in Bhutan – something that would prove to be a “leave behind” of the trip along with other good memories. But the pain was manageable – I had to do a few stretching exercises in the morning and at night, and the pain was reducing. All was well.

1 week ago

The pain started increasing again in my right leg – in the hamstring again. I dismissed it initially, thinking it was probably soreness from a bad workout. But then Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday went by, and the pain remained stubbornly persistent. I watched colleagues at work subtly wince at my limp, their unspoken concerns pushing me towards seeking medical help.

So to a physio I went. One hour, some exercises, and an ultrasound “massage” later, I felt marginally better.

Dec 8th – Day 0, Mumbai

Something (which I haven’t figured out to date) happened the next morning that made the pain significantly worse than it already had been. I decided to work from home but soon realised that the pain was intense enough to render me unable to even sit in my chair for 15 minutes. I also had pain in my lower back, but given the 14-hour workdays that I had been doing in consulting, this wasn’t new. On top of all this, a numbness crept down to the sole of my foot and some of my toes.

Consulting an orthopaedist, a close friend of my father, led to an MRI and a revelation: a slipped disc. Two hours later – including an incredibly noisy 15 minutes in the MRI machine – his diagnosis proved to be correct. My report said that my L5-S1 disc was “partially desiccated”.

While I had heard the words “slipped disc” a handful of times in the past, the severity of this condition struck me during a conference call with the doctor, my parents, and myself. I would need complete bed rest (“as if both my legs were broken”) for a week or so until the pain completely went to zero. A full recovery would take 6-8 weeks. He said that given that this has happened at a young age, ideally, it should heal on its own with sufficient rest.

A hundred thoughts stormed through my head: How will I manage alone… what do I tell my manager at work… will I need surgery… what’s the worst-case scenario…

The fact that I had started a new job literally a week ago added to my worry and guilt. Thankfully my colleagues at work were understanding enough – they all told me to focus on recovery and not stress about work. After some debate with my parents, we decided that I should take the first flight out tomorrow and go to Chennai.

Dec 9 to 15 – Week 1 of recovery, Chennai – Complete bed rest

The next 16 hours were a blur. I am still not sure how I mustered the (superhuman) strength to manage to sit for two hours in a cab to come home from the imaging centre (thank you WEH traffic!) climb up the stairs to my house the previous evening, pack my laptop and other stuff, haul the luggage to the airport, complete the security check, walk across Terminal 2 in Mumbai, sit in a flight for 2 hours, and then sit in a car for another hour to finally reach home in Chennai. It was probably as painful a duration for my parents as well, who were sick with worry.

The world outside continued its relentless pace, yet here I was, confined to a room, my life seemingly on hold. This juxtaposition brought a newfound awareness of the relentless hustle of everyday life and how often we neglect our health in the pursuit of our goals.

For the next one week, time seemed to blend into a monotonous loop of sleep, medication, and brief, painful attempts at movement. I slept significantly longer than usual – both at night and during the day – except, of course, when searing pain kept me wide awake. But, with rest and medicines, the pain gradually started to reduce in both my back and leg.

While awake, I kept myself busy with my phone and iPad – the former to use WhatsApp, read emails, read news, and listen to music, and the latter to read e-books and watch videos.

I started reading fiction novels after a long time. In parallel, I also started watching Succession. I also became addicted to several songs from the Mughal-e-Azam soundtrack. In the “offline” world, completing the daily sudoku and crossword in the newspaper became a standard morning routine.

Although I have never seen the movie, I was listening to the songs on loop – Zindabad zindabad, Pyar kiya to darna kya, and Mohabbat ki jhooti

Over the one week, as friends and relatives got to know, the unanimous advice I got was “This is a slow process, it will take time” and “There is no other shortcut; it has to heal naturally” – same as what the doctor told me after the MRI. Over the next couple of weeks, lying in bed, I would learn to appreciate the fragility of health and the taken-for-granted freedom of movement, realising how quickly life’s rhythms can be disrupted.

Dec 16 to 22 – Week 2 of recovery, Chennai – Bed rest + limited activity

One week after complete bed rest and after my dosage of medicines was over, the pain in my leg had vanished (or so I thought). I could sit up for a few minutes and walk around somewhat. When we spoke to my doctor again, he said this was “the best it can get” if the pain had gone after just one week. He suggested that I could slowly increase my movement with some restrictions – no bending, no lifting, and no sitting for longer than 15 minutes at a stretch.

My yearning for normalcy made me fast-track the healing, which, in retrospect, was a mistake. One day after I tried moving around, the pain came back (with a vengeance). And because it was “radiating pain” in the leg, it sometimes hurt in the hamstring, and at other times in the shin. So I guess the illusion of the subsided pain was probably the effect of the medication. The doctor’s advice was simple – “Back to bed!”

I think the big learning from week 2 of recovery was that you cannot accelerate the rate of something natural, like healing. I tried it and my body responded by asking me to shut up and take more rest. And that’s another (related) lesson – when your body tells you that it needs rest, give it rest. In today’s fast-paced world that hardly seems to be easy, but now and then you have to pull the brakes. Nothing is worth sacrificing your health.

A reminder to myself that not all things can be fast-tracked

Dec 23 to Dec 29 – Week 3 of recovery, Chennai – Limited activity + basic exercises

On Saturday night there were a couple of instances of sharp pain that woke me up in the middle of the night. But that was the last of it. Finally, it seemed (yet again), that the pain had gone.

My December vacation plans had anyway come crashing down by then. I was originally supposed to come to Chennai on the 22nd and drive to Bangalore with my parents to attend the finals of a Crossword event in Bangalore (which has become a yearly “ritual” of sorts), but this time, I had to pass it up. But, being in Chennai, I was happy that a couple of college friends (people whom I had not seen in person for ages) came home to visit.

After another day of bed rest (just to make sure the pain doesn’t resurface), I started taking some “baby steps” to try walking around the house slowly, trying to sit down, and doing some basic tasks, as well as a few physio exercises to strengthen the spine. In the process, I realised how many of my daily activities required me to bend down and carry some weight that now I couldn’t do. But at the same time, I also realised how much more I could do in week 3 vs week 1. Part of me still wanted to try and push the boundaries and get better faster, but this time I knew better to listen to my body.

As I continue this journey of recovery, I realise that sometimes, life forces us to pause, reevaluate, and appreciate what we already have. I could be bummed at the short-term setbacks – that I missed a crossword event or that I might not be able to travel in the next few months or that I might never have the courage to ever lift weights in the gym. But I’ve learnt some lessons for the long run – to be more patient, and to appreciate life’s simplest motions. Perhaps this experience was a necessary detour, a reminder of what truly matters.

A quote from David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – another reminder to myself to “let go” of what happened already and look forward instead of cursing my supposedly terrible fate

Bhutan – Where Nature meets Happiness

On December 2, 2023July 12, 2025 By kumareshkrIn bhutan, Life, Travel3 Comments

One year ago (November 12, 2022), I had my first trip to North East India (Arunachal Pradesh and Assam), which proved to be one of the best life experiences I’ve had. A few months before that, I started trekking as a new hobby and discovered the beauty of being close to nature.

There are several hobbies that I actively try to pursue (not always successful), and till now I’ve mostly seen them as just things to do when I have “free time.” I’ve only recently begun to appreciate how much they help in disconnecting from work and the super-fast-paced lifestyle that I’m living. If I needed a 15-minute break, I would turn to music; for 30 minutes, maybe a crossword; for an hour or two, perhaps hit the gym. After a bad week at work, a monsoon trek would be the best remedy.

But given the turbulence I’ve had in my life over the past few months, I needed something bigger and stronger: a proper vacation. So while I spent my weekends doing several Sahyadri treks in June, July, and August this year as well, for November, I had booked my tickets for Bhutan.

Day 1 – November 12: Bagdogra Airport > Jaigaon

Diwali day this year started with a bang – not from the firecrackers but from my phone’s alarm at 5 AM. Groggy-eyed and barely awake, I reached the T1 terminal of the Mumbai Airport, ready to begin what would be an unforgettable experience.

While I did not know anyone else from the group before (except for the organisers from the Travel Trikon Group), by the time the flight landed at Bagdogra Airport and we took our bags from the carousel, we had all met one another. Like most other groups I’ve trekked with, there was huge diversity in the group in terms of age, profession, etc., all the way from a high school student to a retired banker!

We started the 4-hour drive from Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal towards Jaigaon, the town that shares the border with Bhutan. We got to know each other a little better after a round of introductions.

A glimpse of the greenery en route to Jaigaon

After a long journey, we reached the brightly lit Jaigaon by around 5 PM and checked into the hotel. Some of us explored the nearby market area, which was teeming with people given the festive atmosphere of Kali Puja, before hitting the hay.

Day 2 – November 13: Jaigaon > Phuentsholing > Thimphu

Post breakfast, we began our walk to cross over to Bhutan on foot (that’s how close the hotel was to the border!). As we finished the immigration process, we could sense the stark differences on both sides of the border: the calm and quiet side of Bhutan was the polar opposite of the noisy and crowded side of India. We adjusted our watches as Bhutan’s local time is 30 minutes ahead of India.

Phuentsholing, on Bhutan’s side of the border

The local guide, Tsheten, and driver, Tashi, joined us on the other side, and we started our drive from Phuentsholing (Bhutan’s border town) towards the capital, Thimphu. We had an interesting discussion along the way; each of us shared what we had heard about Bhutan and what we wanted out of the trip.

Among the interesting facts about Bhutan is that it’s the world’s first “carbon-negative” country i.e., the country has enough trees and green cover to absorb more carbon dioxide than it produces. Bhutan is also the world’s “happiest country”; the government measures progress by focusing on “Gross National Happiness” beyond just GDP. In terms of the country’s revenue, tourism takes second place, with hydropower being the largest income driver.

Unlike most places in India (including Jaigaon), where commercial activities go until 9 or 10 PM, the majority of places in Bhutan shut shop by 5 or 6 PM. That was why, by the time we reached Thimphu by 5 PM, we were just in time to see the flag-down ceremony at the Thimphu dzong.

Before and after the lowering of the flag at Thimphu Dzong

We then went to “Simply Bhutan,” a museum (which was specially kept open for us) that showcased a wide range of Bhutanese practices and artefacts. We tried our hand at archery, tasted the local “butter tea” (as a milk tea addict, I found it surprisingly yummy), and witnessed a traditional dance performance (before switching the music to bhangra and showcasing some of our Indian moves, because why not?).

Day 3 – November 14: Thimphu > Punakha

We would be starting a little late on Day 3, so my roommate and I decided to wake up early and take a walk around the neighbourhood. We walked towards a nearby Dzong (an administrative and monastic office building) on top of a small hillock before four angry-looking dogs chased us away!

We left Thimphu and drove towards Punakha, the earlier capital of Bhutan. On the way, we stopped at the Dochula pass, from where we got a mesmerising view of the eastern ranges of the Himalayas that fall within Bhutan’s borders.

A view of the eastern Himalayas at Dochula pass

On reaching Punakha at around noon, our first activity was river rafting on the Mochu River. Six of us and a rafting guide got into one raft and started our 9-kilometre stretch in mostly calm waters with some rapids. Along the way, we enjoyed the serenity of the river while also spotting several migratory and local birds.

For lunch, we tried out the local cuisine for the first time: red rice, dhal, chilli cheese, and other locally grown greens. Our next stop was Chime Lhakhang, a fertility temple and one of the most sacred institutions in all of Bhutan.

We walked across some fields before heading towards our stay at Punakha, an eco-friendly lodge in the countryside, far from the Punakha main city. We were put up in a very comfortable, albeit no-frills, room, which surprisingly felt quite insulated from the cold outside given the wooden structure. We had more of the local cuisine for dinner, after which we played a few games of “Mafia” (something I learnt only on that day).

Day 4 – November 15: Punakha local exploration (Gangteng Monastery, Phobjikha Valley)

Since we reached the lodge after sundown the previous day, it was only on the morning of the 15th that we got to see the beauty of the surroundings: mountains all around, several cherry blossom trees, and an atmosphere of calmness that no city setting would be able to provide. Some of us went to a nearby monastery before breakfast.

The lodge, a view of the surroundings, and a cherry blossom tree

Our first stop in Punakha was the Gangteng monastery, after which we began a 4-kilometre hike across the Phobjikha valley. We walked through forests and a small village before reaching the vast expanse of the valley. We managed to see some migratory black-necked cranes in the valley too. I was awed by the clear blue sky and interesting cloud formations, as well as the scenic beauty of the valley itself.

Lunch that day was another unique experience since it was not at any restaurant but at a nunnery. We enjoyed the food while sitting outdoors in the sun, overlooking the valley. After lunch, we began a long drive back to the lodge. We lit a bonfire and played a game of charades after dinner.

Day 5 – November 16: Punakha > Thimphu > Paro

Day 5 had a packed agenda, so we had an early breakfast and went to the Punakha dzong. The local guide explained in detail the significance of the different areas of the dzong, and the various idols that we saw (for example, I never knew that there was a concept of a “future Buddha”, different from the Buddha that we know today), as well as several interesting stories of Buddhist history and cultural practices.

From the dzong, we then walked across a long suspension bridge across the Pochu River (the male counterpart of the river where we did the rafting). We got an amazing view of the river beneath us, and the colour of the crystal-clear water was almost too good to believe!

The suspension bridge and the water below

We then bid goodbye to Punakha and drove back to Thimphu, where we visited the Great Buddha Dordenma statue, one of the largest sitting Buddha statues in the world. The panoramic views around the statue made it a delight for the photo enthusiasts in the group.

Continuing our drive towards the west, we reached Paro in the evening. We spent around 30 minutes at a souvenir shop (where I made my standard tourist purchases of fridge magnets and a t-shirt) before checking into the hotel. The rest of the evening was free for us to do more shopping in the market area, so I ended up buying several other souvenirs.

Day 6 – November 17: Paro local exploration (Tiger’s Nest, Hot stone bath)

November 17 was arguably the most interesting day of the entire trip: we were going to Tiger’s Nest, a monastery at a 10,000-foot elevation. The base of the trek was 20 minutes away from the hotel. From there, one could choose to go on horseback (till the halfway point) or on foot.

A view of the Tiger’s Nest monastery from the base (the set of small white buildings in the middle)…

It was a 3.5-hour trek to the top over a mix of trails and stone-cut steps before we finally reached the monastery. The mythological story behind the name “Tiger’s Nest” is that the Saint Guru Rinpoche arrived here on the back of a flying tigress to meditate. While a flying tiger is surely an element of myth, the very monument also seemed to have been built using magic! It is almost impossible to believe or imagine how such a monastery could be constructed right on the vertical face of the cliff!

We visited four of the several temples that were part of Tiger’s Nest before starting our descent. We had lunch on the way and finally reached the base by around 4 PM, 7 hours after we started.

A waterfall near the entrance of Tiger’s Nest

The Group, on our return from Tiger’s Nest

We drove back to the hotel to relax for a short while before heading to the property of an old Bhutanese family for our hot stone bath. Essentially, you sit in a tub with warm water and herbal Artemisia leaves, and stones taken from the riverbed are heated and put in the tub to heat the water. The minerals that are in these stones dissolve in the water as they are heated, which is what gives the bath medicinal properties.

We then visited the farmhouse to get a sense of what a traditional Bhutanese bungalow would look like. After sipping some hot butter tea, we returned to the hotel to have dinner and then sleep.

Day 7 – November 18: Paro > Phuentsholing > Jaigaon

Day 7 would be our last day in Bhutan, which is why we tried to extend our stay as much as possible. That morning, we visited the National Museum of Bhutan, where we were exposed to information on some aspects of the culture and the vast flora and fauna of the country. We then went to a temple built in the 14th century with several richly detailed murals.

We then spent another hour or so shopping for souvenirs (including renting out traditional Bhutanese dresses) and food (red rice, local spices, honey, etc.). After tasting the local cuisine for the past few days, we had our final meal in Bhutan at a continental café (read pizzas and cake) for a change.

After taking a couple of group photos at the river bank of the Pachu River (and after collecting some pebbles as memorabilia), we began our drive back to India. Several hours and songs later, we reached Phuentsholing by 7 PM India time, where we crossed the border again on foot. The loud car honks and crowded shops were signs that we were home.

A scenic view during the drive back to Phuentsholing: sunlight highlighting just a strip of the mountain

As we gathered in the hotel, we had a round of farewell speeches. We each got a sacred scarf from the local guide as well. Some of us did one last round of shopping in the Jaigaon market before calling it a day.

Day 8 – November 19: Jaigaon > Bagdogra Airport

Exactly like last Sunday, my alarm started blaring at 430 AM. It was only a little later that I found out that the phone was still somehow in Bhutan time, and it was actually half an hour behind in India (there went 30 minutes of sleep I’m not getting back).

We loaded our bags in the Tempo Traveller and began our final drive back to the airport. As a reminder of our time in the mountains, we could catch a glimpse of the majestic Kanchenjunga peak (the third highest in the world after Everest and K2) from the highway. While we had budgeted a four-hour journey, we made it to Bagdogra in under 2.5 hours. We stopped at a restaurant for breakfast (poori bhaji and mishti doi!) before bidding our goodbyes at the airport.

Five hours later, we landed in Mumbai.

The aftermath

Monday blues hit you so much harder when you are back to work after a week of vacation, and even more so when you are so immersed in nature in a place like Bhutan. For someone who wanted a vacation to get away from “regular” life, this trip made me realise that most of us are probably too entrenched in our urban lifestyle with our corporate jobs, social circles, and internet addictions (not just social media but also conveniences like Swiggy deliveries and UPI payments).

So much so that a true “detox” vacation is almost impossible to have: you still want to call your family, check the cricket score, share that latest picture on Instagram… and you’re never really disconnected unless you have a Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara moment where someone throws your phone out the window.

But while I am out there exploring other geographies and cultures, the experience of meeting new people, trying out new food, doing new activities, and most importantly, getting new perspectives on life, is what makes the time well spent. And you don’t necessarily have to take up river rafting or skydiving in a new country to make the most of a vacation or to necessarily have a “life-changing” moment; sometimes the satisfaction of sitting by a river in silence and listening to the flowing water or enjoying the breeze while watching a sunset is all you need.