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Mridula Dwivedi: Travel Blogger Extraordinaire Mridula Dwivedi is known around the world for her blog Travel Tales From India which was named best travel Indiblog at the India Weblog Awards in 2007. Her blog has also been praised by the BBC and the Guardian. She also maintains a photoblog, a blog about her PhD Days and a very interesting miscellaneous blog called Everything Else. In 2007, Mridula joined the ranks of the GoNOMAD bloggers when we began hosting Travel Tales From India on our network. Mirdula, who works as an assistant professor of Human Resource Management at Gurgaon, also writes stories for GoNOMAD. The first was about trekking in Goa: Goa on Foot: A Trek to Remember Goa in December is magnificent. The weather is heavenly and the beaches majestic. But there is a heavy tourist inflow too, which means crowded beaches, premium prices for everything and not a single hotel room vacant. But when we got an opportunity to trek in Goa, through Youth Hostel Association of India (YHAI), we took it. Four of us, my husband and I and my two teenaged nephews, arrived at the base camp in Campall, Goa, at night, tired and dirty. I could not make out much of my surroundings apart from a few tents pitched on flat ground, enclosed by coconut trees. I could also hear some faint music in the distance. But after dinner, I just hit the ground and went to sleep in the ladies' tent. The Blue, Endless Sea
On waking up the next morning, I was greeted by a fabulous view of the blue, endless sea, just hundred meters away from our campsite. That day after breakfast, we went for an acclimatization walk to the Miramar beach. Though it is not the most spectacular beach in Goa, my nephews were really excited about it, as it was their first visit to a beach. They got half soaked within minutes. Later, when we returned to the campsite, I discovered the source of the music I could hear the previous night. There were boats on the sea, with fancy names like ‘Santa Monica’ and ‘Paradise’, blaring loud music and serving food and drinks. I guess this must be the party scene in Goa. I was happy to look at them from a distance. The next day, our entire group boarded a bus to Tambdi Surla Temple. There were 62 people in our group from the age of 13 to 60 years coming from all over India. Our bus took us on narrow, winding roads and finally dropped us at the old and beautiful temple devoted to Lord Shiva.
Hiking India's Kuari Pass "Itne pathron per tou mein jindagi mein kabhi nahin chali hun." (I've never walked on so many stones in my whole life.) When we travel, we never book a hotel in advance or decide on a trekking agency to use. While we were walking to a hotel with huge rucksacks (and shoes tied to them), a young guy asked us if we were here to trek? He pointed out Grand Adventures to us and we were sold on their punch line: 'Where you come from is not nearly as important as where you are going!' We liked their philosophy and decided to give them a try. They gave us good rates and ultimately we trekked with them. Our guide's name was Sohan Singh Bisht (Sonu and I recommend him highly as a guide) and not only is he an excellent guide but an excellent cook too, a much appreciated quality by both of us! He along with our two horsemen (young lads really, of 18-19 years of age) told us many fascinating stories. And by the time we reached Joshimath, the rains had completely disappeared. We really had a sunny trek this time.
The Ropeway To Auli from Joshimath The starting point of our trek was Auli, and one can take a jeep to Auli from Joshimath, but that would have meant Avomine and being zonked again. So, we decided to take the ropeway along with Sonu.
Visiting Sikkim: India's Newest State Our driver Shanker, was careful (another strange thing about Sikkim, 3.5 drivers out of 5, an unusually high number, were not trying to imitate [Formula One racecar driver] Michael Schumaker. 3.5 because one of them did try F1 driving for part of the way) and it took us a little more than three hours to reach Nathu-La. At many places Indian army personnel control the flow of the traffic. On the way is Changu, a high altitude lake with a small market next to it. We stopped there for a short while. I clicked a few pictures with sun high up in the sky. I thought the light might be better when we came back and I would take more pictures then.
From the car park of Nathu-La it took me just a few minutes (though many people struggle and some find the altitude makes them a little dizzy) to reach the border. This exchange of words happens in English. But when I tried to strike a conversation, their faces would go blank, as if they do not understand what I was saying. I am sure it is part of their brief. Looking at the exciting buzz, it is difficult to imagine the amount of tension this border and our relations with China generate... Read More Sikkim Photo Gallery
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