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Taj , the monument of love stands on the banks of river Yamuna , in Agra , as beautiful as ever !
Beauty of Taj has fascinated me and millions of others !
Imagine getting married at the monument of love !
Imagine a full moon night , Taj and your beloved !!!
Imagine renewing your marriage vows at the Taj !
Contact me for any such unforgettable experience !
We can arrange it all !!!
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It was a long unfulfilled wish to ride a bicycle in the mountains.
Mountain bike is different from the regular bikes we ride in the cities. It has 5 gears to help us go up the hill easily. Whenever I am in Manali, my heart craves to drive one.
This time my wish was fulfilled. The plan was made suddenly, while sipping coffee at Raj’s café. He asked me to accompany him and a group of friends to Shanag, on mountain bikes.
Shanag is a quaint village, 5 kms from Manali. The road that leads to Shanag is untouched by the tourist vehicles. It is peaceful with nature’s beauty at its best. The road, on the left bank of Beas River, takes you through apple groves, deodar trees and fresh mountain springs.
We hired bikes from a local adventure tour operator, who charged us Rs 300/- per cycle.
We started from Manali, all geared up in our jackets, sneakers and helmets.
A water bottle is a must carry along.
It took us a while to get used to the mechanism of the bikes. Gears were easy to operate, however we all were panting at the first bend uphill. Unable to keep up the momentum, we got down the bikes and dragged it up some distance.
Soon after crossing the first lap, we took off our jackets, and drank nearly half of our water.
We saved the remaining half water for the journey to Shanag and way back.
Mountain biking has a very peculiar characteristic. While on one hand it requires lot of strength to go up hill, despite of the gears, on the other, it nearly takes your breath away, downhill. While driving down, the bike runs very fast and often gives you a feeling that you have lost all control.
It took us nearly 3 hours to reach Shanag.
After resting for a while, sitting in an apple grove, chatting and plucking apples from the trees, we started back. We kept in mind the time required to travel back.
It was nearly sunset when we reached back. Depositing back the cycles, limping and unable to walk, we went to a nearby café to grab an immediate refresher.
That night my legs hurt like hell, reminding me of my lack of fitness.
As a result I had to get myself an Ayurvedic body message the next day.
For traveling with me to great places like Goa, Manali, Mcleodganj, Ladakh and much more contact:- sachdev.anuradha@gmail.com , anuradha@pegomag.com
A backpack trip can never be complete without some real trekking…
I was excited even at thought of trekking up to Triund…11 kms …one way….from the main market of Mcleodganj….
Everything was in order…I made all the preparations for the trek next morning….I checked my shoes…managing with my regular sport shoes…which I later realized is not a good option while trekking on rough terrains…I kept an umbrella …a torch( a must have ) … pair of binoculars…a bottle of water and some biscuits and chips to munch on…apart from my clothes …I planned to stay up in the tents.
I kept the day before the trek quite light and relaxing… I tried convincing Jack..a friend I met at Carpe Diem…while having dinner one evening..
Jack was adamant …He couldn’t gather guts to accompany me …third time for him…It gave me a hint about the level of difficulty in the trek…
I decided to take the plunge alone….
I left my hotel ,next morning…early as suggested by a few friends….7 am…I was walking on the lonely streets on Mcleodganj…with only one fruit seller arranging his goodies..Preparing for the day….
I bought a mango from him…starting his days’s income…and my breakfast…I ate it while walking…
I started my walk from the main market ….up towards Golu te
Most of the other trekkers,I found later, took a cab till Golu temple… Road from market to the temple is a motor able road…I however preferred to walk…saving Rs 400 /-
The trek uptill Golu temple was pretty easy…a straight walk through the Deodar forests…
The real climb started once I crossed the temple…
It was a tough trek ….a steep climb up… crossing big boulders ….watching my steps…
Trekking route to Triund !
The trek takes you across lush green Rhododendron trees….
My legs started to ache …barely reaching the first quarter of the climb…
Finding a few people resting enroute , I joined them. …After a brief introduction, I found out that they were a middle aged Dutch couple travelling through India…
A long rest wasn’t a very good option…Bidding goodbyes to my new friends…I resumed my upward journey .
There are only a few tea shops on the way to Triund …
The first one is at nearly half way….that is approx 5 kms from the start of the trek…
It was nearly 11 …I stopped there to grab some Maggie(noodles)….a very expensive deal…Rs 70 /- for a bowl….having no other option , I ate it…But I did not regret ….It was the best vegetable Maggie I had ever eaten….cooked on slow fire…
I felt quite heavy and lazy to walk up …But I managed with a few short breaks here and there…
We were walking up along one mountain trail…making it possible to see the entire route from starting till the end….
During one of my breaks I saw the Dutch couple walking back down the hill,far below… I felt proud of myself…having the determination to complete the trek…
I felt my heart pumping …my heart beat went up…but I was determined to reach to the top…
I covered the last stretch soon…only to find myself in the lap of nature…a breathtaking view of the Himalayas…Snow mountains covering almost 180 degrees view….i was standing in green meadows….handful of people around me…
There were only two tea shops …selling tea and a lot of other things…I ate pasta and boiled eggs for lunch….
I hired a tent …available for Rs 500/- one night…. It was a small enclosure …accommodating one person…
My Tent !
Evening was beautiful with sun setting at barely a arm’s distance…I felt blessed..
It soon got dark….I was surprised by the bonfire arrangement by the camp organizers..
I was joined by the other tourists…mostly westerners….
We had a great time…gossiping …sipping beer and singing old country songs…accompanied by a guitar..played by one of my co-camper…
For dinner we had Chicken Noodles …
Morning was very early at Triund…
I climbed up…taking a walk further upwards from my camp….the view of the snow peaks became even better…
This early morning walk was indeed refreshing…
It was time for me to head back to Mcleodganj…
The trek was scheduled for a day…and I never realized that it got over so soon…
The walk back was relatively easy….not ignoring a few jerks to the knees..which I later realized back when back to Delhi…cause of my overspeeding!
The next time I was in Mcleodganj…The traveler in me was again up to its old tricks. …I decided to extend my trip….I have always been greedy when it comes to Manali ! I decided once again to visit that wonderful place !
Manali has been a second home….since childhood…
The best way to travel to Manali from Mcleodganj is by a Tata Winger…It leaves Mcleodganj at 9pm …taking you through a dark road across Palampur and finaly Manali.
I was still half asleep when the Winger halted…I assumed that it was a break on the way…But to my surprise, we had reached Manali ….5 a.m. in the morning….the mall road looked deserted with only 2 egg ‘wallas’ kiosks …..they stand all night…savior for the youth who drink till late hours.….
I managed to get an auto rickshaw for Old Manali Village….A tough negotiation….Rs 40/- was settled.
I froze to death…with the cold air gushing onto my face….I had not expected Manali to be that cold….But it was the effect of the light showers during the night…
After a long and hard banging at the hotel gate …the caretaker finally woke up and escorted me to my room…
I had the Manalsu River flowing right outside my window…It looked divine…
View from my hotel room...Manalsu river...
I took a nap…snuggling inside the blanket…
I left the hotel … Heading straight to my favorite restaurant…River Music.
River Music is a garden restaurant; overlooking the Manalsu River…It also has the best German bakery in town…
I had the food I like the most at River Music…..Pizza Spimala and Hash Brown Potatoes…..Dessert was undoubtedly Apple Crumble …
At River Music Restaurant
Day 1 was spent ….mostly lazing around in River Music Restaurant….In between I went up to Hadimba temple….10 mins walk from Old Manali….The month of early May , gives you luxury of having farm fresh strawberries…sold by local Himachalies ….outside the temple….It was nearly dark when I reached River Music for dinner…It smelled of good food….and some great music….Hotel California…..EAGLES….
Farm fresh Strawberries and Cherries...
Day 2 started with an early morning walk in the Manali Forest…A walk taking you through thick , dark pine trees…
The breakfast was at Dylan’s Café…Owned by a good buddy…RAJ…..Having the Set Continental breakfast and my favorite coffee that Raj makes the best….Mocha Latte…with lots of chocolate …..
With Raj at Dylan's Cafe...
I took a walk from old Manali to Solang Valley…A quite undiscovered winding road…with nearly no traffic…The walk came out to be pretty long…Couldn’t have managed without Hitch-Hiking….
Solang Valley has changed a lot over the years….It has commercialized …with lots of tourists…paragliding…….horse riding…
Solang Valley
I found a quite place on top of the hill….ordered for tea, Maggie and ‘pakoras’….and asked the guy 2 deliver it to me where I was sitting…he was happy 2 do it….he was anyways overcharging….
Solang valley gives you a view of snow laden peaks and horses grazing in lush green valley.
After spending almost 4 hours in the divine valley, I decided to head back to Manali…Decided to take a cab… The driver was a talkative guy….who was obviously very clever and a true businessman…charging Rs 800/- from me…
Evening was spent at Moon dance café….Gorging on Grilled Trout Fish …
Trip to manali can never be complete without visting Naggar…22 kms from Manali…The road is a gradual slope, taking you through apple orchards and step farms….
Situated on the left bank of river Beas, Naggar is an ancient town with extensive valley views.
Naggar is famous for the castle of Raja Sidh Singh of Kullu… Built in 1460 AD, this castle if an excellent example of Himalayan architecture and woodwork…
Castle has an entry ticket….Rs 40 /- per person…
Also…Castle has an open air restaurant overlooking the scenic valley…
The corner most seat is my favorite… Built on the edge of the castle,When you sit there…you get a feeling that you are flying…
Naggar Castle
I had simple Indian food …Dal fry…Zeera Aaloo…and Tandoori Roti….coordinated well with onions and mango pickle..
By late evening I was in Manali…
It was last night in Manali…I was supposed to take the evening bus next day….back to Delhi…
I decided to buy gifts/momentoes for a few friends…
Manali mall road ( New manali) is crowded with tourists …. It also gives variety of options for Mughlai food lovers…
I bought a few things from the Tibetan shops …difficult to bargain…
My last day…..I spent final few hours in Manali…sitting by the River Manalsu…with my feet dipped in the cold water….
After a light lunch….I walked up to the bus stand…where the green colored Himachal Roadways bus was waiting for me…To take me back to Delhi….
Another memorable manlai trip came to an end…..Waiting for the next…soon….
Delhi heat was killing me….I decided to run away…I had 3 nights in hand…Trying to squeeze in a short trip, up in the Himalayas, would surely be a relief from my hectic daily schedule.
I kept looking for places…A friend suggested Mcleodganj.I had heard of it before…I made up my mind on Mcleodganj.
Mcleodganj is the home to His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama.
528 kms from Delhi..It is easy to reach.
I got my tickets booked from Himachal Tourism office at Chandralok Building,Janpath.The ticket costs Rs500/- per person ….one side…a pretty cheap deal…
I packed up my stuff in a ‘not so steady’ back pack.
Packed a few sandwiches…which I later realized was a sensible decision…The bus stopped at 11pm for dinner. The place looked close to a ‘flashy’ mall…A so not on the list while travelling out of the city life…
The food was served as a buffet…Rs200/- per person…No sharing….I felt pity on people who were forced to eat the oily food prior to a hill journey.
I however, was happy with a FANTA …..Eating my leftover sandwiches.
The first 2 hours in the ‘semi deluxe’ non a/c coach were a little torturous. However the weather got better close to crossing the Delhi border…
I soon fell in the rhythm of the bus…was fast asleep. I always have a ‘Stamatil’ and sleep soundly….specially on a hill journey.
Close to 4 am, I woke up to a mosquito buzzing in my ear…I opened my eyes to find the bus stop in the middle of nowhere.
The bus had halted for a tyre fixing….Which took nearly an hour..
Unable to sit, I stepped down. All I could see around was dense jungle. Looking for a loo, I went here and there…The man at the tea shop told me…’it’s out there’…he pointed towards the jungle….
Accompanied by a Dutch lady…who was scared to go alone…I went in the jungle….’Open Toilets’…..a drawback of Indian travel…
The bus reached Mcleodganj at 7am in the morning…The city seemed dead at the moment, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Finding my way out of the huddle of potters…I took my bag pack and walked off in the direction of Jogibara road…As per the instructions of Lonely Planet.
Looking out for Hotel Mount View wasn’t difficult at all…Located just down the Jogibara road, 5 minutes walk from the main market chowk.
After a long negotiation, I decided on a decent room…which costs me Rs300/- per day…The room had big windows on 3 sides…spacious and clean…I could see the snow peaks from my room…
A quick nap was a must…Hot water bath refreshed me from the overnight journey…
I left the hotel…Looking out for a place which served good continental breakfast….
‘CARPE DIEM’….the name caught my attention …..’German Bakery’…..
I enthusiastically climbed up the stairs…The seating was cozy and trendy…floor arrangement with soft cushions and artistic lamps…
I removed my shoes and sat down….I was soon joined by two Australian girls…I ate banana porridge …The best I had ever eaten….Baked Beans on toast was a great combination…
Having paid a scanty bill….as compared to the Delhi prices….I walked towards Bhagsu Nag falls….
It took me nearly 30 minutes to walk up till the religious falls…Only to find a small stream of water flowing from the mountains…It left me a bit disappointed…
Dry Bhagsunag Falls
…The statue of ‘Lord Hanuman’ was standing neglected in a corner…..in orange…
I walked passed various shops on the upper Bhagsu road…shops selling hippies…
I stopped over at Om Café…The ambiance made me over Pizza and Hash Brown Potatoes….than just Tea…..
I was surrounded by all westerners…who lived in Mcleodganj on an average of 2-3 months…
The owners of the café…’Babu’…friendly and famous amoung the customers…helped me familiarize the place further…
Time went by fast…sitting at the Om Café…
At OM Cafe
It was nearly dark when I left…
On my way back….i crossed small tea shops …owned by Tibetan locals…selling tea and the local specialty….Momos….Difficult to resist ,I tried to fit in a few in my full stomach.
It was nearly dinner time when I left the hotel after resting for a while.
My Lonely Planet suggested a good restaurant to dine. Mclleo…at the main chowk.
Climbing up , I asked for a rooftop..Always my favorite …
The rooftop at Mclleo was packed…I found a table in the centre…People buzzing with enthusiasm around me.
The artistic lampshades on each table was quite a fancy…It lit the place in shades of different lights.
Dining at Mclleo
I ordered a beer…Which to my great surprise costs just Rs 100/-….Chilly Chicken dry was a great company to a cold beer.
For dinner I was happy with a ‘Punjabi’ version of American Chopsey.
The streets at Mcleodganj get deserted after 10pm….but surely safer than Delhi…
I woke up next morning to sun rays gushing through my windows.
I ordered tea…which tasted very bad…a so not advised to have in the hotel.
After getting ready…I walked down to the Namgyal Temple….The place where His Holiness stays when in Mcleodganj…10 minutes walk from the main chowk…The road which leads to the temple is decorated with small shops owned by Tibetans locals..Selling export goods…
A Tibetan Shopkeeper
Namgyal Temple, also known as a Monastery…was a peaceful place…I was lucky to witness an annual ceremony, seeing the monks wear colorful headgears.
Annual ceremony at Namgyal Temple
I skipped lunch that day….My stomach growled after over eating the day before…Instead I walked up to Hotel Bhagsu ,an HPTDC hotel…It had huge lawns in the midst of deodar trees…I had milk tea…good enough to match my taste buds..I sat there till the sun went down completely…
Dinner was with my new found friends at CARPE DIEM….having cold beer and chicken steak sizzler.
Day three started with Breakfast at Village Café, an association of Tibetan Children’s Village, a charitable organization….A rooftop overlooking a primary Tibetan school…Apple porridge and Grilled Cheese Tomato sandwiches were a delight to start the day….
I walked up to Dharamkot Village…an half hour walk…crossing thick deodar forest….I was surrounded by thick clouds…when I was only half way through…I was loving it….I took longer than expected to reach the top….A small tea shop waiting for me…I ordered milk tea….Which was served in a big blue mug….It tasted absolutely out of the world…with a strong flavor of cardamom….my favorite…
Dharamkot Village
I spent nearly 3 hours …sipping 3 cups of tea at the small tea shop…
I walked back through the Village, which is famous for cheap guest houses, meditation, ayurvedic massage and tattoo making.
My last dinner was Nike’s Kitchen…best Italian food in town….followed by mouth watering desserts…
I walked back to my hotel….sadly….it was my last night in Mcleodganj.
The next morning was spent packing…and checking out of the hotel…
I however managed to take a quick walk till the St John’s Church in the Wilderness…3 kms from the market…
The walk was great …baring the vehicles buzzing past me…
St John's Church
My bus was scheduled to leave at 5 pm…It started on time…surprisingly.
The journey back was spent sleeping , as it soon became dark.
I woke up close to reaching Delhi…My trip had come to an end…However my spirit of travelling had not…
Taj is a magical monument !!!
Although it is situated in a city that is far from great !
Taj in the twilight….
Taj in the full moon…
Taj from a lover’s eyes…
Taj as an architectural marvel…
Oh Taj !
Many feel Taj Mahal is a symbol of oppressive rulers….making the craftsmen slog….and then their hands are cut…
It might be true !!! And if it is….it is un pardonable !!!
But Taj hypnotises….
….and a great place to see Taj is from across the river….from MEHTAB BAGH…
So….tell us what you felt when you saw Taj….and if you havent till now….Go !!!
Be a traveler….not a tourist !!!
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RIGHT BRAIN HOLIDAYS by PEGOMAG
*Right Brain Holidays (RBH)… is a copyrighted concept with PEGOMAG.COM / PEGO UNIVERSE
*RBH is an idea that would appeal to all those who wish to rediscover the ‘child’ in themselves !
*RBH is ideal for senior/middle executives and professionals …who…sadly..have to ROLE-PLAY 24 x 7…
A unique holiday package full of:
FUN
CREATIVITY
RIGHT BRAIN ACTIVITIES
( Create Poetry,
Make Paintings,
Sing Limericks,
Throw Stones at Lamp Posts,
Do Crazy Crosswords ……
…….and much more! )
Deliverable:
A rejuvenated human…who has forgotten his business cards and blackberries for these Three/Five days…..
…has experienced REAL JOY….
…has re-discovered the CHILD in him/her….
….and now (is expected) to go back to the work place ….
…Recharged with Positive Ego …Life and Enthusiasm!
…And probably as a de-stressed and HUMANE leader.
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