Journeys to remember

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Kalasa to Goa

I am finally updating my blog with all my travels & happy moments. This trip got me my first realization that work will go on..but the precious moments we spend with family may not be always available.

December Christmas vacation for kids is usually spent at Mangalore. Perfect weather to be in Mangalore at this time of the year. December 2018 turned out to be the most hectic & stressed out December for me with work at its peak. Although I had my leaves planned well in advance & work from home approval taken, the work pressure was too much this time. So as to not disappoint my family I had to agree for a road trip to Kalasa. Two days of work from home was a whole lot of work & back to back calls. The trip was to begin from Mangalore and all the bookings were done by my cousin in Mangalore. 18 of us in total driving down in Cabs. My granny aged 90 & my pregnant Sis-in-law were also to travel with us for this trip. Care was taken to make sure that they had a comfortable ride on the bumpy roads that we would have to go through.

December 24, 2018
We had an early breakfast and started off in our respective cabs to Kalasa. First stop was on the outskirts of Mangalore to have a cup of coffee/ tea and we got treated with biscuit roti. That was one of the most delicious Biscuit roti I have had till date. Next stop was at near Kalasa Temple. Since we were anyway passing through, we decided to visit Kalaseshwara temple at Kalasa. Office work for me continued :(

In the cab

Reaching Kalasa

enroute

Family

Outside the temple

At the entrance

Mummy & Amma

After the temple passing through the forests & farm lands we were routed by Homestay folks to reach Kaadukallu homestay. A very quiet and clean homestay. After freshening up everyone was supposed to go on a jeep ride to a viewpoint to watch the sunset. I had to give it a miss because of my work :(( Well, in midst of my calls, I didn't even realize that all of them had left. I spent the waiting time with my grandma.

Jeep ride

Dotty enjoying the view

@ the Viewpoint

Parents to be

Newly married honeymooners

Sisters

Kiddos of the group

Appa, Chikkappa & VJ

I was done with my work by the time the gang returned. Next was bonfire & pakoda time. Music was from our mobile as their music system had trouble connecting. The singers and dancers in the group entertained us for an hour or so and then hot dinner got served at the dining area. Since it was peak season, we were given just 3 rooms and lots of mattresses. Since it was just for 1 night, no one fussed.

Bonfire keeping us warm

Elders enjoying the music

Chikkappa singing

December 25, 2018

Next morning some of us were up around the time of sunrise to enjoy the beautiful weather.

Wait for the coffee

Morning conversations

Om found a new buddy

Vroooom

Sisters

Ah the coffee with amma by my side

After Coffee we were taken for a short trek. Mummy, granny & mommy to be decided to stay back as we were told that its not an easy one. The trek was down the hill to a waterfall. All had a great time playing and sitting by the water. The helper from the homestay guided us till the waterfall and vanished. Return to the homestay was on our own. I wondered how amma & aunts trekked through with their regular chappals!!

Start of the trek

Estates on either side

Relaxed walk

Coffee seeds

Reached our destination

Had to get a solo pic

Baby dear enjoying

Amma dearest enjoying

Watching us from the top

Enjoying the water

Finally ended up in water after heavy opposition

Meanwhile granma chose the book as her company

With the helper

Down the hill

getting to waterfall

further down

Posing for the pic

Returning back

Wonder what they were discussing

Him & I

The youngest in the group was my son 10yr old and the oldest my aunt 72yr old. All managed to get back without a fall or injury. Once back, we were served Lemon juice and breakfast. Some bit of relaxation, lunch and we left from there to return back to Mangalore.

@KaaduKallu Homestay

This homestay has been maintained clean, good home cooked food & affordable. Has large open space and the host is very accommodating. Can easily spend 2 days in the quietness. Give this homestay a buzz when you are in Kalasa. Google maps is not accurate and will take you on a spin.

December 27, 2018

Mr.VJ had some plans in mind by the time we were back to Mangalore. A days break and he wanted us to drive down to Goa- just the two of us. This time it was South Goa. He chose South Goa as it is less commercial and rushed up. While I was still taking time to unwind from my office work, I gave a go ahead for this plan. With leaves applied it was a welcome breather. We drove via Karwar. The roads were amazing, I also got to enjoy driving while were close to reaching Goa. Booking for stay happened while we were on our way to Goa :D thats how unplanned this was.

Sunset

@Karwar

Karwar

@Karwar again

While we were reaching Goa VJ disclosed that 2 other friends would also be joining us in Goa. They were booked in another hotel. We got ours through OYO- Srujan Hotels 22 Suites. We reached just in time for lunch..thankfully last order on lunch was still being taken at the hotel. As hungry as we were, we ordered for special meal and it was delicious. The room was excellent. After a long nap we freshened up to meet R&V who had driven all the way from Bangalore via Hampi and reached Goa on their bikes. Dinner was at Anri's Palace Beach, Betalbatim, Sunset Beach.

Our special meal @ The Tamarind

Meeting R&V

December 28, 2018

Evening was fun. We drove down to Baga Beach, North Goa & rested ourselves in Zanzibar Beach shack. To our surprise the shack we were in was visited by Mr. Gautam Singhania & his team. Good music & dance is what followed for about an hour. We were treated with shots on the house by Mr. Singhania. No pics were allowed, hence you wont find any here, we were lucky to have been allowed to sit through while a whole bunch of people were being asked to leave. For dinner we drove back to South Goa to a restaurant recommended by V.

At the beach

Shacks view from the beach

Sunset by the shacks

Beach view from the shacks

December 29, 2018

Next morning it was just us, as R&V were riding back to Bangalore. We drove down to a quiet beach in south Goa for breakfast..well all day was in this part of the town in different beaches to enjoy quiet time, good food & good music. Dinner at Boomerang Bar & Restaurant, Colva

yoohoo

Candle light dinner

Food for thought

My time to unwind

South Goa shack

View from the shack

Calmness

December 30, 2018

Started back to Mangalore during the day and reached home by evening, just in time to leave for a wedding reception. Dinner was at the reception get together.

December 31, 2018

Pappas Birthday celebration at doddammas house. Pabbas treat:) which is a must when we visit Mangalore. This time it was Icrecream pizza which we got pappa to cut. Yumm...its a must try at Pabbas, gives competition to Death by Chocolate from Corner House Bangalore.

What looked hectic in the beginning of the holiday ended out as a relaxed happy holiday..thanx to VJ.

Special Birthday wishes

Icecream Pizza getting cut

Brthday card from the kids- joint effort from appaji & Ahana

Front of the card

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Chalo Dilli

While this trip was in September 2017, I have decided to photo blog it after almost a year. This year began with quite a bit of bad news for us-- why so-- We called up Raj, our driver in Delhi to wish him new year and his wife informed us of his sudden demise during Diwali :(( A gentle & kind soul who was working hard for his 2 sons- elder one being an amputee. Now this is the reason I decided to come back to my blog and finish up this blog with whatever I could remember from this Delhi trip. While I would have loved to put down everything I experienced, seems like my memory is already fading away :( I so wanted to record every place we ate, enjoyed the food...places that Raj our cab driver introduced us to. While I started blogging about this trip, I did not find the time to complete this coz of some developments at my workplace.

9 days-- 8 places
Nainital>> Haridwar>> Rishikesh>> Dehradun>> Mussoorie>> Agra>> Mathura>> Delhi

Delhi discussions began the moment I saw Om showing interest in seeing Delhi. We finalized that Dasara vacation would be the best time to go, neither too hot, nor too cold.

Seeing places, eating, shopping and meeting friends got into our agenda.

Spicejet Flight tickets for 5...a week before our travel dates..cost us 65k- to and fro.

Bangalore- Delhi- September 23 noon

Innova & Raj waiting to take us to Nainital. Lunch at Haldirams-- yummy chana batura, dahi aloo tikki & butter milk. Nainital is all about lakes. "Tal" refers to Lake. Horrible Saturday traffic in Delhi delayed our schedule by more than 3hrs and we ended up reaching our destination- Hotel Palace Belvedere around midnight. Thanks to google maps we were able to take the shortest possible route. Comfortable and quiet hotel...probably quiet because this was off-season. Large rooms with seats by the window giving you a view of the naini lake.

Shiv Ling

Sept 24th @ 9am we walked down to Naini devi temple. This Devi temple has a huge Hanuman welcoming you inside. Large open space right next to the Naini lake. Adding some pics in for you to get a good view of how beautiful, clean & calm this place is. The moment you step outside the temple, its bang opposite of what you experience inside-- with all the hustle bustle of market, vendors, hotels! Post the 'darshan' at temple we went into one of the hotels just outside the temple. Got some hot tasty parathas to eat.

Enjoying our morning tea

That day we toured around Nainital, enjoying the greenery, the landscapes & all the tal's- Bhimtal, Sattal, Saritatal.

From Nainital, next day- Sept 25th we headed to Haridwar & Rishikesh. It had rained when we reached Haridwar, hence the whole place was wet & with muck. Experienced Har ki pauri..ended up paying 2.5k. What should you be aware of-- there was well dressed & well spoken brokers who will approach you for doing Ganga arti. Don't fall for it. They cash in on your emotions and help you lighten up your wallets. Just sit on the

View of kids @ school playground

banks- stair case and enjoy the arti that takes place...its a divine feeling if you don't feel cheated :) . Post this visit we headed to Rishikesh, but by the time we reached there it was already dark (hence no pic). Chilling breeze on laxman jhoola is what we experienced. Dinner at a hotel next to jhoola and then we headed to Dehradun.

Sahastradhara

Sept 26th- Morning was visiting all the places in Dehradun & Mussoorie. Tapkeshwar temple, Sahastradhara, Kempty falls. All of them had rivers flowing near them or through them...clean & cold water. And then the view points & mall road.

Akshardham Temple

Next day Sept 27th- morning drove back towards Delhi and saw Akshardham temple in the evening. It was good that we covered Akshardham this day coz our next 2 days were so jam packed that we wouldn't have got a chance to see it. No camera/ bag allowed here, so I have no pics to show you. Expect to feel lost when you go there..the place is HUGE!

No intro required- Taj Mahal

Sept 28th- Agra & Mathura covered & back to Delhi. This trip even the kids were excited to see, but unfortunately both the kids ended up with an upset stomach but braved it through walking in hot sun and making it to Taj mahal. From Taj mahal we headed to Mathura. Note: Do not give money to the beggars, never know where its going. While we were buying some Mathura peda there was this girl- 10ish standing outside and begging for money-- she kept asking people for money to buy 'atta'. Since we were buying sweets, I picked 1 large gulab jamun for her and went over to give it. She refused to take that and asked for money. When I refused to give money, she arrogantly threw the gulab jamun to a cow which was nearby. That's the last time I have given anything to a beggar.
Thankfully, by the time we were returning from Mathura kids had recovered(post medication & ORS).

Most awaited moment

Sept 29th- Change of driver..bad experience with this new driver..missed Raj terribly. Friends visit- OPS uncle & his family welcomed us with Big smile & a warm hug. Didi specially made us all feel so special. This was my first meeting with them and for my husband & mil meeting after 35 odd years. All old memories to talk through the day. Evening was Bangla sahib gurudwara, Jama Masjid & Lal qila. Night he & I did a quick visit towards Palika bazaar & Cannaught place. Fancy shopping, bling, pub, lots of walking & a chuski paan. Back to hotel room in a cab.

National Museum

Sept 30th- Delhi touring with some yummy food- India Gate, Agrasen ki baoli, Lal qila, Qutub minar, National Museum, Railway museum, Rashtrapati bhavan. Raj ghat unfortunately was closed because of Gandhi jayanti next day.

Oct 1st- Shopping & eating at Karol Bagh & more shopping at Sarojini market. And rushed towards airport for our flight back to Bangalore.

What we really wanted to do during this one week trip was to make sure we visit all the well known important places/ monuments in and around Delhi and visit close friends.

As for Raj- A genuinely nice man who got close to in just 3-4 days time. Mr. Agra (body building) in 1996 or so. May his kind soul rest in peace and may God help & give the strength to his family for the loss they've been through.