A trip to Bangkok is not complete without a visit to one of the famous floating markets.

Due to the vast network of canals and waterways, Bangkok and the surrounding area, were formerly known as the Venice of the East. People relied on canals for transportation, and therefore people would tend to sell things directly from their boats, and thus giving rise to many floating boat markets.

These are the perfect places to immerse yourself in a whole new shopping experience, and taste some of the best local cuisines!

Here are the list of floating markets in Bangkok, mentioned in the order of their popularity.

• Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (94 kms)
• Amphawa Floating Market (96 kms)
• Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market (15 kms)
• Taling Chan Floating Market (9 kms)
• Bang Nam Pheung Floating Market (23 kms)
• Tha Kha Floating Market (86 kms)

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Distance from city center - 94 kms
Opening Hours - 7 AM - 11 AM (Morning market)
Highlights:

• Largest and most colorful market of all (making it usually crowded).
• It is a best place for photographers, as the place is exteremely lively.
• You need to leave the hotel early in the morning to see the charm of this place.

Amphawa Floating Market

Distance from city center - 96 kms
Opening Hours - Fri, Sat and Sun from 12:00 PM until 8:00 PM (Afternoon market)
Highlights:

• Wonderful boat tours to hidden temples for just 50 baht per person. The main attraction is Wat Bang Koong temple - which looks as if it has been swallowed by a tree!
• The famous Maeklong Railway Market is at a distance of 17 kms from this place.

Khlong Lat Mayom floating market

Distance from city center - 15 kms
Opening Hours - Sat and Sun from 9 am – 4 pm
Highlights:
Food paradise. It is one of the best places to taste local food. Some of the must try items are:

• Pla pao – Thai salt crusted grilled fish
• Gai galae - Thai grilled chicken
• Khao lam - flauvored rice stuffed into a pole of bamboo.

Khlong Lat Mayom is close to the city and is situated in a lovely green lush area with an abundance of good food to eat. Here there are less of floating boats, but more of solid structures next to the waterway, selling stuffs.
You can take a boat ride and explore the nearby villages in just 50 THB.

Taling Chan Floating Market

Distance from city center - 9 kms
Opening Hours - Sat and Sun from 8 am – 5 pm
Highlights:
Close to city and has good food options
Option for Thai foot massage

Bang Nam Pheung Floating Market / Bang Phli Floating Market

Distance from city center - 23 kms
Opening Hours - 8 am – 5 pm
Highlights:
One of the oldest and traditional floating markets
Perfect place to try thai noodles, fresh fruit, seafood and other local delicacies.

The time on my phone read 4:00 AM and temperature 6 degrees. I knew I had to wake up at 5:00 and make myself ready to leave by 6:00 AM but the antsy and sleep deprived me was just not able to gather courage of getting out of the coziness and warmth of my bed.

Fast forward 7:00 AM. Our vehicle trudges through the serpentine roads and I am mesmerized by the rhododendrons that spread wide across and painted the slopes red. I fill my lungs with fresh mountain air and spare my energy for moving around freely at 15,200 ft. (4,600 m). We hear occasional firings and are informed about the practice sessions of Indian Army. That’s when I spot the board that reads – “Highest artillery firing regiment in the world”. I proudly exclaim inside my head, “Wow! That’s certainly something to be extra proud about your country”.

Most of the paths we cover fall under no- photography zone, however, they are strikingly beautiful. All I do is drink down the beauty of the valley, the numerous lakes and colorful slopes. Our driver points towards the abandoned army bunkers every now and then, which are otherwise difficult to be spotted. The temperature has still not budged beyond 6 degrees and I start wondering what it would be like being at the higher altitude I was heading to.

Our first stopover is at Y- junction army checkpoint for breakfast. I fail to keep a watch on the amount of coffee that I gulp down along with piping hot momos. The road from here seems to be blocked due to heavy traffic ahead. I glance at my watch and it reads 8:00 AM. We start off within few minutes of wait. The actual adventure starts after leaving Y- junction. The road ahead from Y- junction is one of the roughest roads and, at some patches they are totally non- existent. I would have never been able to drive on such roads keeping my sanity intact. As we gain altitude, the greens disappear and the entire landscape turns white, with snow everywhere. Another hour of drive and we reach our destination for the day.

37 km from Tawang, at a height of 15,200ft ASL, is the place that served as the trade route between India and Tibet in older times. This is the route from where 14th Dalai Lama escaped Chinese army and this was the same route through which the People’s Liberation Army of China had invaded India during the 1962 Sino- Indian war, one of the fiercest battle in Indian history that resulted in the death of 4,383 Indian soldiers.

I stand at Bumla Pass, the Indo- China border.

I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face as I stare at the sky. We are greeted with broad smiles and utmost respect by the army officers and are offered tea and snacks. “How can they be so grounded with perfect mannerisms even after living through such extremities?” I wondered and felt like giving them a bear hug. We are escorted to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by Major Santosh and here starts the actual conversation.

We are given accounts of the 1962 Sino- Indian war and how situations changed post-war. I ask about the current situation to which the officer replies in positive. There are 6 Border Personnel Meets (BPM) conducted every year, out of which 4 are organized by India and 2 by the Chinese army. The "Heap of Stones Monument" is the symbolism of the BPM meets as after every meet, one stone is colored and the date or occasion of the meet is written with white paint on the colored stone. The visitors are allowed to place a pebble or stone on the heap as a tribute to the Indian army. Similarly, the "Rock of Peace" also stands strong at the LAC. "How many visitors come to Bumla pass on an average?" I ask. To which the officer replies "150 visitors on an average.  Every day." 

There are 4 BPM points as agreed officially between Indian Army and People's Liberation Army of China for regular consultations and interactions to keep faceoffs at bay. The four BPM points are Chushul in Ladakh, Nathu La in Sikkim, Bum La Pass in Tawang and Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand close to Chang La.

There is a jawan posted at the LAC who keeps a watch on activities on another side of the border. We are informed that the watch is on for 24/7x365 days irrespective of weather conditions. The Chinese watchpoint is 2 km away from LAC and the first Chinese city from this side of the border is Songjung, at a distance of 27 km. We are allowed to prowl on the China land approximately up to 50 meters.

My exhilaration knew no bounds as I step into China without any Visa.

By the time we are done with the briefing, the sun seems to have peeped out a little more. Looking at the sun, the major says, “It is going to snow tonight.” 

As it transpired, his words turned out to be true. It snowed that night. But, I did sleep well, unlike the previous night.

QUICK GUIDE AND HACKS:

Getting Here: Bumla Pass is 37 km away from Tawang town. You will need to hire a local vehicle from Tawang to get here. Cost – INR 4,500 to 5,000 for the entire day. You may also club your visit to Shungetser Lake along with Bumla Pass on the same day. You can also book Tawang in one day sightseeing tour from Navigers.

Permits for Visit: Visit to Bumla pass needs a special permit from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Tawang, with permit stamps from Indian army cantonment of Tawang. It takes one entire day to receive the permit so you may schedule accordingly since, without the army stamp, you will not be allowed through the several checkpoints on the way.

Requisite documents for the permit: Photocopies of your Inner Line Permit, Photocopies of your ID and address proof, duly filled permit form.

The fees for the permit: INR 100 per form (If the applicant isn’t personally present). INR 50 per form (If one of the applicants is present).

Number of applicants that can be named in one permit form: 4

**Note: The entry to Bumla Pass may be restricted under many circumstances like extreme weather conditions or political situations. So do not be disheartened.

~ Dipanwita Chakraborty

@Dipanwiita

Visa requirement for Myanmar

From December 2016, Singapore passport holders can visit Myanmar for 30 days without a visa. This
exemption is not applied for foreigners who live or work in Singapore. The mutual signed by Singapore
and Myanmar government also allows Burmese tourists to visit Singapore without a visa.

A similar agreement amongst Asian countries including Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Philippines, Thailand,
Cambodia and Myanmar indicates that the citizens of these countries can travel to Myanmar for 14 days
for purpose of tourism without a visa.

The restriction of the agreement shows that free visa is only for those who arrive by Yangon, Mandalay
or Naypyidaw international airport.

Accordingly, travellers from America, Europe, Africa and other countries in Asia need to obtain Myanmar
Visa.

From late 2014, Myanmar Government has created a new system which enables travellers to obtain
an electronic visa for Myanmar. This system supports citizens from more than 100 countries to obtain visa
easier for their travel to Myanmar. Please contact us if you want to apply for Myanmar visa

Myanmar e visa can be applied if you are entering from these airports / Ports / Checkpoints

1. Yangoon
2. Mandalay
3. Nay Pyi Taw
4. Tachileik Land Border checkpost
5. Myawaddy Land border chekpost
6. Kawthaung Land border chekpost

Visa Fee

The total Government fee is US $50/ person or application. There is no discount or a cheaper price if you
apply for a group. Navigers processing fee is $25 per visa forex and 5% government tax. Pls fill the visa
form or call us

The visa is single entry and you are not able to travel to Thailand then return without having a second
visa. We strongly advise you to study their website carefully before you apply since the visa fee is
nonrefundable.

Special notices

1. E-Visa is good for both tourist and business Myanmar Visa
2. This visa is not for all border gates or airports, please check the latest update Myanmar Visa News
3. Your passport must be valid for 6 months from the time you enter the country.
4. Tourist visa is valid for 28 days from the date of arrival, business visa is for 70 days
5. Payment should be done by credit, visa card, no cash or banking option.
6. Visa fee is non-refundable
7. Contact the government support team on phone if you need more information
8. You should apply for the visa at least 1 week before arrival and no sooner than 3 months prior to your
travel date.

Requirement

1. Your full name in the passport :
2. Your father`s full name:
3. Your date of birth and place of birth:
4. Passport number, issued date, expired date

5. Your address, telephone and email.
6. Your occupation:
7. Date of arrival and flight number:
8. Date of departure and flight number:
9. Your visiting plan: at least the name of the first hotel
10. Your photo in jpeg, pdf, word extension

E-visa is applicable for 100 countries including

Thailand is one of the favorite holiday destination for tourists from India.

You can avail 2 types of Visas for travelling to Thailand.
(1) Take Visa on Arrival on Thai airports
(2) Apply for Thailand Tourist Visa for stay more than 30 day

The VISA ON ARRIVAL allows passport holders of 19* countries to enter Thailand under this rule provided that they meet these requirements:

(1) The visit is strictly for tourism purposes.
(2) The passport must be genuine and should be valid for at least 30 days.
(3) You must have a valid address in Thailand whether a hotel or apartment that can be verified. (Atleast 1 day of hotel booking is mandatory)
(4) You must have a confirmed return ticket to show that they are flying out of Thailand within 15 days of entry
(5) It will also be necessary to prove that you have funds of at least 10,000 THB (250 USD) per person and 20,000 THB (500 USD) per family during your stay in Thailand.
(6) A fee of 1,000 THB (decreased from 2,000 Baht) is payable upon entry and is subject to change without notice. It must be paid in cash and Thai currency only.
(7) Submit one 4 x 6 cm. headshot photo taken no longer than 6 months.  

Apply For Visa before You Travel
If you’re in Thailand for longer than the 30 days, then you can pre-emptively apply for Visa to the Royal Thai Embassy. The regular tourist Visa can be obtained from the Royal Thai Consulate General present at New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.

It takes 3 to 5 working days for visa processing.

Here is the list of Thailand's international airports were Visa on Arrival service is available:
• Don Muang Airport, Bangkok
• Phuket International Airport
• Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK)
• Samui Airport, Surat Thani
• Chiangmai International Airport
• Hatyai International Airport, Songkla

And here is the list of countries eligible for the Thailand Visa on Arrival (VOA):
• Andorra
• Bulgaria
• Bhutan
• China
• Cyprus
• Ethiopia
• Fiji
• India
• Kazakhstan
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Maldives
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Papua New Guinea
• Romania
• San Marino
• Saudi Arabia
• Taiwan
• Ukraine
• Uzbekistan

I really like the punch line of Navigers - "World is outside home, come travel with us"
This line made me think why should one travel? And what is the reason, that some people (like me), are always eager to pack the bag and set out travelling...

After think alot, I conculded on the these 6 reasons on why one should travel

(1) Traveling helps you learn who you are
When we are at home - at our self built comfort zone. We carry on to live a systamtic life; where we know how to carry on with the daily stuff without much hazzle.
Travel puts you out on a open space, with nothing much to predict. All the challenges and opportunities travel lays at your feet help you discover who you are and what are your true potentials and desires.
Sometimes it’s only far from home that you realize you you’ve got skills you’ve never used.

(2) Life is not all about work and career goals

If you think of working every inch today and hoping to have more time when you retire - think again!!!
Life has never guaranteed us 'old age'.
Experience this gorgeous mighty planet in which you are born. Because traveling open ups to more opportunities - beyond your set goals.

(3) Chance to be a part of a story

There are numerous stories associated with every place - stories that are much more exciting than the breaking news that media covers.
Travelling lets you learn and discover about the history and current affaris of a place and gives to a chance to be part of that story.

(4) Be generous to your taste buds

There is so many types of food in the world. Traveling to different places and tasting the local food prepared by the local chefs opens up a spirit of being part of that region's culuture.
It is much more fun to experience how different people enjoy different food; than eating at a continental restauarant at your city.

(5) Cherish on what really matters

Every airline penalises the extra baggage - and thus traveling forces you to learn on how much to carry, and what is the one that is really needed and what is ‘extra’.
This is a good lesson in life too - to drop the extra baggages of life.

(6) Pamper yourself - Relax and rejuvenate

A restful vacation is just what you need to renew yourself.
You need to pamper yourself more often and take a break from the stressful life - A new place, good weather, and bright colours of mother nature is the best rewarding gift that you can give yourself.

Travel and live the moment. World is generous with wide range of things it can offer. Just put a step forward and explore a new place of this vast universe - Travel pays back :)

On the chilling night of August 2015, I saw the Milky way with my bare naked eyes in the dark sky of Nako. 
Many times I have sighted different constellations and parts of galactic lights. But nothing was a match for what I saw in Nako. After this, I was always wondering on how can I spot this marvellous sighting again.....

Technically we're in the Milky Way galaxy; so its weird to search for Milky way. What we need to look out for is the Milky Way Galactic Center. And the best times to observe the bright galactic center of the Milky Way, from any part of the world, tends to be from about mid-March through mid-October.

One of the most important factors that contributes to the visibility of the Milky Way is the time of observation. It moves across the sky throughout the course of the night and the position of the Milky Way will differ depending on the time of year.

I was lucky that I was rewarded with this beautiful sight after a tough ride through the broken Spiti trail. I was not carrying high end camera to capture the sighting as I believe in experiencing the moment than capturing it...

Here is the list of some of the places where you can catch a glimpse of Milky Way Galactic Center:

(1) NAKO, India
Nako has no light pollution. The population of this place is very less, always resulting to clear skies. So you can usually sight the Milky Way Galactic Center here on any dark day when there is no moon light.

(2) Natural Bridges Monument, Utah
It is the first certified Dark Sky Park of US. 
It’s possible to see up to 15,000 stars throughout the night in this place — in contrast, you can see fewer than 500 in most cities.

(3) Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania
This is rugged 82-acre state park is surrounded by the 262,000-acre Susquehannock State Forest making it a perfect Night Sky Viewing area

(4) Some other places in India
If you strategically plan your your trip by considering the best weather and the the right time of year with no moon light; then you can get a glimpse of Milky Way Galactic Center from the following places that have the less population and less light pollution.
1. Jaisalmer and Bikaner in Rajasthan
2. Sarchu and Nubra in Jammu and Kashmir
3. Kuari Pass in Uttarakhand
4. Hatu Peak in Himachal Pradesh
5. Neil Island in Andaman

1999 and I was in New Delhi watching Tomb Raider. Movie got over somewhere at dusk and I was racing on the street on my KB, I remember I jumped quite a few red lights. I lived that dream of racing my bike in the Cambodian ruins for more than a decade when it finally came true on in March 2016. I was flying to Cambodia for a dirt biking trip.

I flew from Bangalore to Siem Reap via Thailand..

Thailand airport is a kind of mess. No/almost no drinking water facility and toilets were like public toilets and to my utter surprise girls had entered the men’s toilet because water was over in lady’s toilet.

I had already got my visa done from Cambodian government website to save time at the airport and had bought US dollars from a currency broker. I exchanged some of Cambodian Khmer currency also at the currency counter at Siem Reap.

Siem reap airport is small, calm and easy to navigate. I took a pre-paid taxi from airport to hotel, reached somewhere in noon and by the time was could freshen up and eat it was evening. I lived in mad monkey hotel. It is wonderful, comfortable and wow if you want to connect to travelers but the only thing that I didnt like is we have to buy drinking water all the time. I spent that evening walking along the lake side and night at Pub Street. Pub Street; yayyyyayyy music, beer, smoke and a combination of awesome Cambodian street food and a lazy walk.

Tickets can be picked up easily on the first morning of your visit or the night before (the park closes at 6pm but the ticket office may close earlier). There is a separate window each for single, three day and week long passes. Queues move quite quickly – we were in and out in ten minutes. At Angkor Wat entrance tickets are available for single day, three day and week and so on. I suggest people who are not there to research pls take three day ticket or single day if you are unsure for three days.

Dress code: To go inside the actual temples you will need shoulders covered and legs covered to at least your knees. Scarves aren’t permitted

Two to three days are enough to see Siem Reap. Tha Prom, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and the nearby places. Taking a tuk tuk is awesome. So not take an enclosed taxi. You need to sweat, you must feel the heat of Cambodia. Tuk tuk take you around the Angkor complex $15 per day, you can use electric bikes for hire, which cost around $10. I took tuk tuk. I recommend to carry an umbrella along with sun screen if you don’t want to get darken like me.

Cold drinks and lunch – which can be expensive. Expect to pay around $10 per person for lunch.

Next day I was up soon and had to go to Angkor Wat complex. Just know that by 10 a.m. or even 9 a.m., the sun will start to beat down hard. I covered almost all including Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon was amazing in Angkor Thom, and Ta Prom, etc.

Bayon - There are numerous smiling Buddha heads in this temple and this adds to the awe and mysteriousness of the temple. There are stories carved on to the wall which reflect great craftsmanship.

Tha Prom is my favorite in that complex. Being there feels like being in a dream world. Trees have eaten up the temples. Its amazingly astonishing. Ta prom is something that will leave you an awestruck traveller with an enthralled feeling – is it real?

If you cover Angkor Thom (Bayon, etc), Angkor Wat, Ta Prom, and nearby temples, you have almost covered 90% of it. At around 5 p.m., the sun will start to mellow and this would be a great time to head back to town. Phimeanakas temple or roam around the Prasat Suor Prats can be seen in evening.

All the evenings I was at Siem Reap, I did nothing but down at the pub street.

After two days I left for Phnom Penh and hired a bike there – Honda Degree … a monster dirt bike for Cambodian biking. It didn’t ride, it just flew with front wheel pooping up in the air every time I started.

I rode to Kampong Cham 130 km. Road was good, traffic is less and most of them drove sensibly well. In Kampong Cham I was lucky to be a part of Mekong river festival celebration. It was jointly celebrated by Khmers and Thais together, held at Mekong river bank. I drank strawberry juice, it was ummmmm pulpy. (now I feel like drinking one more time). Kampong Cham is the place where you can ride over the bamboo bridge to the Koh Paen island. Each year the bridge is washed away by the rising Mekong river during the monsoon season; and each year they rebuild. And it can be quite a tight fit, so watch out that you don't fall into the river. Sometimes, you don’t only need skills, you also need guts. You have it, you go over it.

I throttled my dirty Degree over the hot tarmac from Kampong Cham to Kampong Thom 140 km. This is the place where partial shooting of Tomb Raider happened along with Ta Prom. If you have courage and a navigation brain, get ready to get lost in the jungles of Cambodia in Sambor Prei Kuk - The ruins, which are several centuries older than Angkor Wat. I rode my bike over the sand, mud, water, over the broken stairs, just everywhere. You need to get inside that jungle to locate those ruins. Be careful with the wild animals. There is a fake ticket counter, they fooled me for $20; don’t take ticket for Sambor Prei Kuk, it’s not required. At Sambo Preykuk, it is the real deal. These temples have been truly lost to the jungle and recovered. Everything about my time in this complex was like living a Tomb Raider film.

When I rode back from Kampong Thom to Phnom Penh, I was a terrific ride. I felt like, I was sitting over a devil and racing at the speed of 140 km/hr and though it was cloudy I could feel the heat on my thighs from the bike radiator.

Phnom Penh offers killing fields, some temples, etc, nothing adventurous but good for tourists for a day or 2. Going to city market especially Russian market was amazing. Don’t forget to buy cigarettes there at the dirt cheap rate and ya they are original but be careful with alcohols. Taking a short trip at Mekong River by a boat or jetty is recommended or if not, take a long never ending walk along the silent river bank.

Camodian food is different. I love their soup. They boil meat (some meat I don’t know), asparagus, lemon leaves, mint, cabbage, basil, Cinnamon, and it taste awesome.

Caution – Always park your vehicle in garage, or consider it unsafe and no charity, it’s all fraud.

Currency – They use USD in almost all cases and also Riel. 1 USD - 4008.70 Cambodian Riel

For Cambodian e Visa –

You can contact Navigers.com for visa services or you can do it through Cambodian government (govt. also charge service fee) https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

help@mfaic.gov.kh and cambodianevisa@mfaic.gov.kh

e-Visa Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affair and International Cooperation  

Telephone: (+855 23) 224 973 and fax: (+855 23) 224 972

If you want any info on Cambodia for your trip/holiday pls contact me

Every girl likes to hang out with their girlfriends and have thier own 'princess time'; be it when they are shopping together or over phone conversations.

Its usually difficult to have a extended time out with your friends due to the busy schedule in a girl's life. So, sometimes you have to escape from your life and live that extended 'princess' time.

Here are some best destinations to hang around with your girl gang

Coorg
Karnataka, India

Coorg has a wide range of options that you can explore with your gal pals. You can choose to stay at homestay and sip coffee/tea all day long and relax or have a fun time while trekking, rafting, camping or sight seeing.

Rann of Kutch
Gujarat, India

Gujarat is famous for its hospitality; so why not try to pamper your senses on the white salty marshlands that stretch for as far as the eye can see. This place in the northern Gujarat is an awe inspiring location, which makes you feel like you’re in a fairy tale. And what else can a group of princess ask for? :)

Alleppey
Alleppey, Kerala

Alleppey offers the best house boat experience for you to sit back and relax and provide a quality time with your friends for gossip and chit chat. You can also treat yourself to a spa session with your gang.

Andaman
Andaman

Pull on your adventure gene and try snorkelling or scuba diving or other water based adventure activitities in Adamans; where you dont have anyone to judge expect your besties.

Shillong
Shillong

Nature, peaks, culture, waterfalls... this north East part of India is a best destination to relax you.

Mother Earth has lot of hidden treasures and have always turned out to be mysterious beautiful. So, if you need some strange reasons to pack your bags and explore this beautiful world; here are some ---

GLOWING WATER
Vaadhoo Island, Maldives
Vaadhoo Island aka as 'Sea of Stars'. It derives its name because of Phytoplankton – the marine microbes species – which create an amazing effect by emanating the blue glow in water; thus creating an romantic natural lighting.

SALT FLAT 
SALAR DE UYUNI, Bolivia
Salar De Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world, stretched over 10,582 sq km. You can choose to stay in hotels built entirely of salt blocks.
It’s the legacy of a prehistoric lake that went dry, leaving behind a desertlike landscape of bright-white salt formations. 

MARBLE CAVES
Carrera Lake, Argentina and Chile.
Beautiful marble caves surrounding the gorgeous freshwater Carrera lake makes it a breathtaking place to visit for all wanderlusts.
General Carrera Lake (Chilean side) or Lake Buenos Aires (Argentine side) is a lake located in Patagonia and shared by Argentina and Chile. Both these names are internationally accepted.

GLOWING CAVE
The Waitomo Glowworm Caves, New Zealand
Waitomo cave in New Zealand is a habitat for glowworms, which make the entire cave glowing and a spectacular sight to see.

DOOR TO HELL
The Darvaza Crater, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
The Darvaza Crater, also known as the “Door to Hell” or the "Crater of Fire", is an underground cavern; which has been burning continuously for over 40 years and has become a surprisingly beautiful tourist attraction.

COLUMNS
The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland  
This is a World Heritage Site, with an estimated 37,000 polygon columns standing in perfect geometry.

NORDIC LIGHTS

What kind of guy starts writing travel blog in almost mid night. Its 2:14 AM.

Dhag Dhag Dhag Dhag…that’s not my heart beats…this was the sound that kept racing in my brain, in my heart, after I finished that deadly Spiti. September 1st 2015. A man with the greatest ingestion on the planet – Wheels, and when two wheels comes together it made a bike.

Day 1 - I Flew from Bangalore to Chandighar and rented a 500 cc Desert Storm (pre booked).

Day 2 – I had to drive approx. 250 km but I started my journey on 2^nd September 2015 somewhere in noon. Drove from Chandighar to Shimla to Rampur - fast. Roads were average and as expected turns kept welcoming. The hotel I took was right at the banks of Sutlej (or Satluj). Drive was relative easy for a regular rider except a little stretch at Narkanda which was congested, narrow and cold. There was not much to do on the banks of river so I spent my dusk at the river bank and slept early.

Day 3 – Started early with breakfast from Rampur to Sangala. I thought the ride would be easier as Rampur to Sangala is just 100 km but than I realized the kind of road or no road or stretch whatever we call was purposely made to test my skills that I had developed in my life. It was almost afternoon to cover 100 km but when I reached Sangala, I realized it was worth it. The valley weas red, not by flowers but by Apples. I had never seen a world painted red. Raise your hand and eat apple. I kept moving around the valley eating apple. Evening as well as Night was cold.

Day 4 – Today I was more educated because of last 100 kms and so I started early at 7:30 to Nako. A place which is famous for wind, stars and galaxy. I had to ride 150 km to reach Nako and as expected there was nothing like road and on one stretch I had a land slide right in front of me. I was excited to click its pic and then I got the shock of my life when I realize what if I was few seconds early, I would have died in land slide. Finally I reached Nako somewhere in afternoon. Took a hotel near sacred Nako lake. Serene. Took couple of rounds of Nako lake and spoke to locals about their life in winter when everything freeze here. Happened to have dinner with a Hungarian couple who were planning to get married in Indonesia in late December. They were very fascinated by the fact I was biking on these stretches. Night was extremely windy and freezing but look up…ya look up..you see the milky way….bright and clear.

Day 5 – I was happy to leave Nako in search of something warmer and started my journey at 7 AM to reach Kaza but in between I had to go to Giyu village. It has a mummy 500 years old. Naturally mummified. When I was riding to Giyu village I remembered hills have eyes movie and I thought hills will eat me up. There was absolutely nobody but finally efforts paid off. I reached one of the most beautiful villages I had ever seen. There were no restaurant, just couple of houses so the only food I had was dates and apple. I washed apple in the mountain stream and had lunch in open and proceeded for Kaza. But in between I went to Dhankar and was so mesmerized by Dhankar monastery that I decided to stay at monastery and postponed my plans to go to Kaza. Dhankar monastery is the most beautiful monasteries I had ever seen. Dhankar – a village with no shop. Dhankar was cold too.

Day 6 – I left Dhankar to Kaza somewhere at 8. I reached Kaza somewhere in evening and took hotel infront of the monastery. Happened to meet Govind Lama who sprayed his spit on me to bless me..ya ya smile. Kaza is conjected compared to any other place I have stayed on this route as this is the biggest town there. Happened to meet Tenzing – A Tibetan who spoke for hours about what happened and what is happening in Tibet.

Day 7 – This was the day that changed me. I learned its not how hard you give, its how hard can you take. This was the day Kaza to Manali via Kunzum La to Gramphu and Chatru and Rohtang La. 183 km and 7 hour and 40 minutes of continuous biking, it did not only test my skills and patience, it test my mental endurance, the calcium in my bones and iron in my blood. This is the route which you can cross and call yourself a hero. Riding over the river, stream, which locals call Nalah, under the waterfalls, 60 derees steep up hills, rocky desert, loneliness, It made me look up at the sky to thank I was fine and finally out somewhere in the evening only to realize that I entered a cloud, cloud so dense that I had to stop and wait for the cloud to pass by. I reached Manali after dusk, tired but euphoric with a life time story.