Sometimes Planning a Vacation Feels Like Work!

The Devil Lies in the Details?

Here is a news article from Times of India about Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited's (TCGL) initiative of training people as guides. Only they forgot to coordinate it with Center and now the trained guides are not allowed to enter the monuments managed by Acrheological Survey of India (ASI)!

"We thought the course would help us gain employment as local guides and improve our living standards but we have been let down. Around 1,500 to 2,000 domestic and foreign tourists visit the Sun Temple at Modhera daily, but we are not allowed inside as it is an ASI-protected monument.”

Taj Mahal- Another View

Taj Mahal: As Seen from Agra Fort

Update: You can imagine the quality of posts Anil writes when this is just a comment on this post:

If I got it correct, then I wonder what must those last days have been like . . . to be able to look, and not be able to 'touch' - to wither away remembering.

In the end as grandeur flowers, it can only bury the creator once it falls.

A Trip to Lahaul and Spiti is on Cards

We are planning to trek and spend a few days in the Lahaul and Spiti region in Himachal Pradesh sometime in June. Plans are slowly taking shape. Any tips that you feel like sharing are most welcome. My starting point has been this post at Indiamike. Look at the pictures there! I can hardly wait.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Entrance to the Taj Mahal

India Travel Blogs and Travel Blogs by Indians

I know there are many India Travel Blogs. I thought I will try and collect as many links as I can at one place. This will be an ongoing work as I know I have missed out on many. If you feel like pass me the links that I have missed.

A Long Way Ahead Apu

As I See It... Ms. N

A Travel Blog of an Indian Backpacker From a Backpacker's Lens Backpakker

Climber & Explorer Anil

Feel nothing experience everything Sandeep

Feringhee: The Indian Diaries Sirensongs

Fugue- Celine JS

Greece-Europe-Blogger: Travel Tales from India - Edit Post "India Travel Blogs and Travel Blogs by Indians"
Travel and Photo Blog Pijush

Impressions Akira

India Travel Blog Arun

India Travel Diary Rups

India Vacations Rajeev

Itchy Feet Charu

Kalyan Verma Blog Kalyan

Kousik ans Sumana's Travel Ventures Kousik and Sumana

Le Monde Cuckoo

myHimachal myHimachal Group/Avnish

Notes from the Road Sumit

Payaniga Prashanth

Progammer- Outsource Thyself James W

Soumya- Soumya.Org

Travel Memoirs Pooja

Travel Memoirs Sigma

Trivial Matters Akshay

Travel Stories- A Log of My Journeys Priyank

Vagrant Jottings Aroha

VJ's Travelogues VJ

Wanderer Karnail

Wandering Souls Group Blog

Where is Deepak? Must be Traveling! Deepak

Windy Skies Anil

Last Updated- 16/07/2008

How do You Avoid Sunburn and Naughty Nephews?

They Grow Up So Fast!

Now you must be wondering what is the relationship between nephews and sunburn. But hear me out and you will know. Every trip in which we trek, I get sunburned and this one to Prashar Lake was no exception. I really got a burned face and it takes at least a week to get back to my original self. And all around people ask with various degrees of horror, "Ye kya hua?" (What happened).

But this time around my younger nephew took an altogether new line. Actually, when he was just a few years old and I would come home from hostel during vacation, he used to roam around with all kind of stuff sticking to his face, playing all day around. I would say, "Ye kya kalikh laga rakhe hai chehre mein? Thoda saabun dihkao isko." (Why are you roaming about with soot all over your face. Show it some soap).

Now you can guess what happened this time? The kid is 6 foot 2 inches now. He casually asked me, "Bua ye chehre ko kya hua hai?" (Aunt, what has happened to your face)? First time, unsuspecting I said, "Sunburn." He immediately told me, "No Sunburn. Ye chehre per kalikh kyon laga rakhe hai, ise saabun dikhao!"

I can't count how many times he said this to me in the past week. How fast these kids grow up!

Remember the 1000 Rupees Challenge?

Remember that Sathish and his team is hosting the bigrace challenge where you have to travel a lot on 1000 rupees?

Also do you remember Oktatabyebye.com? Well, they are also getting active again. I met Partha in the past semester and he was full of fun sounding ideas.

So, when Sathish asked if I could suggest some sponsors I could only think of Partha.

And now Sathish tells me this-

"Thanks for the contact, oktatabyebye.com is sponsoring ... It would be gr8 if you could make a mention of this sponsorship in your blog. Thanks to you."

Seems like good news all around! Now I only wish this contest was happening near home.

My Prashar Lake Article at Gonomad

My Prashar Lake article is up at Gonomad now. There were two surprises for us on this trek. One, the four and a half hour trek was quite steep and I did it with some stretch. This had never happened before.

Two, the caretaker of the guest house was reluctant to give us a room as I do not 'look' married.
That too has never happened before!

So, what do you think of the article?

World Heritage Sites

I was looking at the World Heritage Sites list at the UNESCO site. I was curious to see how many India has, how many I have seen, etc.

Well, here is the India list (reproduced from UNESCO site, I have only changed the bullet points to bullet numbers)

1. Agra Fort (1983)
2. Ajanta Caves (1983)
3. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
4. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
5. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)
6. Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
7. Elephanta Caves (1987)
8. Ellora Caves (1983)
9. Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
10. Great Living Chola Temples (1987)
11. Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
12. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
13. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)
14. Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (1993)
15. Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
16. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
17. Mountain Railways of India (1999)
18. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)
19. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
20. Sun Temple, Konârak (1984)
21. Taj Mahal (1983)
22. Kaziranga National Park (1985)
23. Keoladeo National Park (1985)
24. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
25. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988)
26. Sundarbans National Park (1987)
    

I have seen seven of these sites (nos 1, 5, 9, 14, 18, 21, 23) but the way we maintain some of the monuments on the list!

Graffiti at the Taj Mahal

I am amazed at the kind of Graffiti I have seen at Agra Fort! In small amounts you can even find it at the Taj Mahal. But at Agra Fort it is unbelievable.

Graffiti at the Agra Fort and it is a World Heritage Site too!

Finally, here is the file from where I calculated that we are at number seven (jointly with Mexico) in terms of the number of the World Heritage Monuments in the world. According to my calculation this is the standing-

1. Italy 41
2. Spain 39
3. China 33
4. Germany 32
5. France 30
6. UK 27
7. India 26, Mexico 26

I can never ever see all the heritage sites around the world but I can surely try to see all in India. I wonder if some tour operator will offer a grand tour of all the sites in India some day (or are they already offering it?) but then I am going to see all of these on my own.

World%20Heritage%20blog.doc

PS. I hope I am not violating any copyrights by playing around with the UNESCO documents.

Food at Prashar Lake

When we reached the forest guesthouse at the Prashar Lake after climbing for 4.5 hours (it took me 4.5 hours, you may take more or less) from Bagi (the starting point of the trek) food was the dominant thought. The trek route and the jeep route are different. At Bagi there are a few Dhabas but there is nothing on the way. So, if you like to munch in between 4.5 hours of climbing up and up and up, one has to carry stuff from below. The Dhaba gives good bun -omelette but little else. We carried chocolates and stuff from Mandi.

Once we reached the guesthouse and finally given a room food was the next logical question. The Chowkidaji (caretaker) who cooks the food does so on wood and buys ration only when someone is there, so nothing was immediately available.

Prashar Lake Near Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, India

The lake that is 1.5 (approx) kilometres away from the guesthouse and has two canteens or so we were told. We headed there next for a late lunch. One canteen is near the entrance and other close to the temple. At the canteen near the gate the only food available was Dal (curry) and rice with no vegetables or anything. But we were so hungry that the food tasted like one the best meals we ever had. The dinner was promised at the guesthouse and as cooking on wood is difficult again you get either Dal and rice or Chapatti and vegetables.

We got Maggi Finally

We asked for Maggi (noodles) at the canteen the next day and they were not available. It was a little disappointing. For us eating Maggi after a trek is almost a ritual. However, the day after there were mules and jeeps as the canteen near the gate was replenishing stocks and we finally got Maggi! Both the canteens make equally good tea but the one near the gate has the location advantage. We did not feel like walking down (and later climbing up) to the canteen behind the temple.

The Kitchen Where We Took Our Meals

We took all the major meals at the guesthouse. There was no breakfast available at the guesthouse on any of the days. The guesthouse room rent charges this season were Rupees 200 per day.

When we were finally settling our account on the last day, our room rent was Rs. 400 and when we were asked about the food charges to the gentleman who cooked food for us, his reply just stunned me. He said, (in Hindi and I am translating loosely) “Room rent is the government charge but give us whatever you wish for food, we are not going to quote any price!” Both my husband and I were floored by this completely unexpected reply. We gave what we thought was fair money and he seemed to be happy for it. But I mean in this day and age who says stuff like the above anymore?

PS. Now also cross posted at myHimachal, from where I saw the first picture of this place.

Lazy Sunday- Photo from Kedarkanta Peak

A temple on the top of Kedarkanta Peak on the Har-Ki-Doon Trek.

The Steep Climb

The Forest Guesthouse at Prashar Lake

You know what? We started from Mandi that is at an altitude of 780 meters, came by bus to Bagi (don't know the altitude but the nearest town Kataula is at 1380 meters) and from there we trekked up to the lake at a height of 2730 meters. No doubt I am still tired and catching a cold.

A Small Video from Prashar Lake

Well, the video is very grainy but you have to hear the sound. Sesha and I were on the opposite hill when the music started. And by the time I was any closer it had stopped. People from the nearby village had come with their deity to the Prashar Temple. All very beautiful till now, but they have this ritual of sacrificing a goat to the Gods. I didn't see it or I am sure I would take ill but they were chopping meat the next day on a stone and we changed our direction.

Anyway, the music sounded quaint in those surroundings.

Some Pictures from Prashar Lake and Mandi

The Temple at the Prashar Lake, Himanchal Pradesh

I have now uploaded some of the pictures from the trip to Prashar Lake. And this time I did not leave my cell phone behind. Though I wish I had! The small hitch was that unlike Shringi Vatika, the cell used to work here at many points and twice people borrowed it to make phone calls. I am planning to pitch this story to Gonomad first, so bear with me.

PS. Saw a picture of the Lake in winter and I thought I wanted to go to Diu this December! I should remember that I hate walking on snow and I slip and slip and slip ....

I am Back from Prashar Lake

Prashar Lake, Himanchal Pradesh

I am back after spending a few days at Prashar Lake. Looking at the picture above can you blame me if I talk only about this visit for the next few days on this blog?

1000 Rupees Only!

Make Your Trip folks (I don't know the entire team but I know Sathish) have an idea:

The Plan

• Each team consists of two members
• Each person is allowed Rs. 1000 and a back pack. (Hrish - is this enough money? I'm not sure!)
• Participants are allowed to carry extra money, but are not encouraged to use it unless they are in some deep trouble.
• Remotest village in a state is a must visit.
• Farther the distance of travel from starting point more the fun.

Game for it? Find out more from their site.

Off Topic- IIPM Ads Being probed by MRTPC

Remember IIPM?

Well MRTPC is probabing IIPM's ad claims according to the Business Standard. Good to see this happening.

Seeking to give relief to lakhs of aspiring business managers, the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) has initiated a probe into enticing claims made by Arindam Chaudhuri-controlled Indian Institute of Planning and Management ((IIPM).

Taking suo-moto cognisance of IIPM ad campaigns that promise free laptops and tours abroad for its students, MRTPC last week directed its investigative arm DGIR to look into the promises made by the institute.

I am Back!

Sunset at Rumbak, Ladakh (2005)

However, not with a travel pst. But now that I have time (see Emma's post on this one) to let my mind wander, they will follow. Though, I can always share a travel photograph. Talking about photographs, that stupid SLR is still in repair. They have to order a part from Singapore (and obviously charge me heaven and earth) I oly hope I will get it before I head to Himanchal Pradesh for a short break soon.

Meanwhile, I am spending the weekend at my sister's place. My sister and I have this old habit of feasting at midnight on Maggie. Yesterday we had a new addition to the party, Vasu (my nearly two year old niece). She had her stuff without spice in a small plate. But then she knew it was not authentic. She had to try the grown up stuff. After taking a small quanity and finding it too much she put out her tongue to be patted my sister and only then she took some water!

And about our old song routine, now when I ask her Ho naa, she shouts 'Maasi' (aunt) instead of Hun Tou. And she still keeps the US hours. We played till 5 in the morning!