A Photograph: The Conclusion of a Trip

Moments once gone can never be recaptured again, no matter how much we try to. Each moment a unique picture, one which we haven’t seen before, one which we may never see again, each unique, each different, remaining all but a memory that may fade with time, if we don’t try our best to preserve it. And so we hold these memories in a photograph, the memories that we make, where eyes never blinking, hearts never broken, time forever frozen still. We hang it in the halls of our mind, etched forever on its wall.

So was the trip memorable? Well, I would like to think that (to put it as diplomatically as possible) there were moments I would cherish, but then there were moments I wished I didn’t have to go through. There are memories that I’ll have with me, my own photographs to cherish forever, but then there were memories I would rather forget. The highs and lows of life.

What the trip showed me is that I am not quiet the wandering soul that I would have myself to believe, not quite the solo traveller, too dependent on others and circumstances, living in my own shell. And there lay the crux for the moments of low. Was not quite ready to come out of my shell, let my hair down, lighten up and allow myself to have some fun. Not to try to keep to my introverted self (which is strange cause I am normally not that), a loner, all lost and alone, too in myself, in my shell, prim and proper. And that’s also the reasons of clashes of ideals, for the memories. All the makings for a boring company.

So in short I needed to loose myself to find me. To let go and loosen up, to go out there and have an adventure. Probably then there would be more memories to be made. My reasoning for the trip was noble, but the reasoning was not mine in the first place.

Would I return to Dubai? Well that’s a definite yes! But would I move there (as I have been asked a thousand times before and I know I will be asked a thousand times again)? The answer to that still stands at NO! Don’t get me wrong, Dubai is a nice place, clean, orderly, disciplined, but then for an outsider like me it all seems to man made and artificial (just my point of view). Though there are rules which are good, it keeps things and people in order and in check, it’s the unsaid ones that can get a bit scary. Dubai is a nice a place, but Dubai is not a place for me. Mumbai is where the heart is, where my life is, so definitely won’t be looking to move from here anytime soon.

So to conclude, I could definitely say I had a nice trip, if not a great one. I made a lot of wonderful memories, which I will carry with me forever. Seen quite a few places, and there are many more to explore, to see. So yes definitely return to the place but as a tourist. 

In the end, Life is small, and the world is large, and I went out there and made a memory, which I will forever cherish, who I will hold in a photograph, etched forever on the walls of my mind.

Brunch... Lunch... and a Reunion of sorts

Is it still a Brunch if you turn up to the place at a time when you should be having your lunch (and your hungry self has already had a breakfast of eggs)??? Would it be lunch and high tea, LunTea (term coined by me which, from the looks, I am not quite good at)? But then I don’t think they serve tea, I am not sure if they even had Iced Tea (I think I did ask for it), unless it’s the Long Island kind.

To cut a long story short (was I even narrating one, I’ve only just begun), for all practical purposes we were there for a Brunch, so let’s call it what we there for, and that is Brunch. So Brunch it is (yipeeee, I seemed to have overused a single term)!

So the moment you enter, the view leaves you stunned. You practically have the entire Dubai skyline visible in front of your eyes (now how cool can that be). You can see the Burj Khalifa in the distance (is there any place in Dubai where you can’t see the Toothpick, barring my sister’s place, which technically is in Sharjah?). The ambience is to die for. You already picked out tons of spots where you want to click pics of yourself (obviously, always your first choice, me before the rest, talk about being narcissistic), and yes there will be great pics of others. So you go click happy (such a touristy thing to do, which also kinda ensures that people know you’re not a local). Was so happy clicking moments that my cousin tried to strike a deal that for every pic I clicked had to take a sip of the Shangrila (when even a sip of wine goes to your head, things can get quite quiet, its not funny).

Inspite of all the complaining, we all love to pose (oh come on now, you don’t have to be so modest), and so you capture memories with family and friends, leaving no stone unturned, and in this case, no family member unclicked (if that’s even a word). The food leaves you salivating, and you wonder if you just heard a bell ring, somewhere (a sidey attempt at ID humour). The beer is flowing, though it’s cranberry juice for you. 

Just as more people begin to appear (call it IST, or Indian Origin Standard Time, cause an Indian will be Indian no matter what, and where), the phone rings and it’s time for Prince Charming (for a change) to leave the Ball, oops I mean the Brunch (yikes did I just call myself that)!

You quickly say your farewell and quickly hop into a cab (courtesy of my sis) and off to a reunion of sorts you go.

Now the cab driver was quite a friendly driver, or should I say chatty driver, and me being me, was at my chatty self, a change from my loner, low self I was most of the time on the trip. But then you remember about the cautioning you have received, and you try to busy yourself to keep your pie hole shut (looks like I was hungry).

Reaching the destination safely, came the tricky part, finding where exactly your friends were. But thanks to Google Maps and

WhatsApp Live Location (no I am not trying to do a product placement), and a lot of effort to find my bearing (thanks to being directionally challenged) finally managed to find them. What followed was craziness, 20 years in the making, after all we were getting together after 20 years (duh).

So there was 20 years of catching up to do. There was a lot of reminiscing to do, loads of cringe worthy memories to bring up and relive, and bones to be picked, after all a lot of things can happen over a cup of coffee. So we behaved like we were not like the matured adults we thought we were. So there were pics with glares and then without glares, this angle and that angle. And if the pic wasn’t good then had to be taken again (posing for pics can be a pain in the neck).

In between came the discussion of Boyfriend or Husband Material (don’t ask me what they mean, cause I am trying to find that out myself), beside the reunion shifting from beach to beach. I am sure to have the title of most boring material. And yes also did give a salsa lesson (after all you just can’t your dancing feet still). 

It was good to catch with friends after all this while, though we missed all who couldn’t make it cause it’s difficult to get everyone in one place, and this was something quite impromptu (which are the best). Though tired and a bit stressed, after all there was a flight to catch, glad  to have made it, you never know when such a thing would be possible again.

Once again it was time to leave and rejoin the Brunch, which now had shifted to another location. Though you try to remain calm and not be on tenterhooks, you just can’t help yourself, it’s so in built in you. 

In the end had quite the hectic but satisfying last day of my Dubai diaries. Though was drained, but pretty happy, cause in the end you made memories that would last with you forever. More like saving the best for last!

The Shopping Excursion

What trip to Dubai is complete without a shopping excursion? Well you don’t have to answer that, after all it’s a rhetorical question (if I got the correct figure of speech, or am I still figuring the speech).

So as your trip draws to a close (which also means the end of a vacation), it’s time to go on a shopping spree with all the money you have managed to put aside, ok you managed to save because your food and accommodations are taken care by your sibling (advantage of having siblings on foreign shores). 

You make a list of things you need to shop, gifts you need to take with you, after all you can’t go empty-handed and you have friends and relatives who you need to get things for. To make a list, and delete the list. You add and subtract, hoping not to miss out on anything, or anyone. You try figure out what you want to get. 

So you go from shop to shop, trying to figure out what you want to get. Then you you try to figure out if you got the right size, half tempted to call the person for whom you are purchasing it for, asking them for their size. And when you find something good, you do a mental conversion (that coming from a person who is not good with maths, you do the maths), trying to figure out if you are getting a bargain (thank god for sales). In spite of it all, you still want to go to the next shop to see if you are getting something better. And when you find something, you can’t make up your mind if you want to pick that up or pick something else (the story of a confused mind).

So you end up going from store to store, from mall to mall, navigating through the traffic, dozing off in the car (not something new), trying to find the things on your list, things you need to pick up, things you may not need, ticking off item by item, not wanting to miss anything of the list, not wanting to miss anyone of your list. Wanting to get a small piece of Dubai back with you, for the people you care.

So when you finally ticked off all the items off your list, your breathe a sigh of relief.  Somehow you feel elated, you managed to get things off your list and some more. You feel lighter but then your bag feels heavy, but then that’s ok since you are under weight literally and figuratively. Unless you count the holiday weight you put on. Ok when did it change from baggage weight to personal weight. But then you’re happy you managed to shop. 

So there you had it, you did the one thing that all come to Dubai for... shop, shop, shop, till you drop, your very own shopping excursion.

Soaring (Running) like a Kite!!!

What do you do when you find yourself on a running track, with an awesome weather, and see the good looking, fit, active and lean people of the world taking to running, jogging, or just leisurely walking? You run, even though you are wearing nothing remotely close to your running gear, barring your Garmin watch. Though you initially said you wouldn’t, and continue to be click happy, but how can you keep yourself from running when others are doing it. So handing  over my backpack, took off my jacket, starting off my Garmin and NRC (like I always do), and off I went.

At first felt strange and self conscious, running without wearing anything close to running, but thankfully my shoes were conducive to running and I could actually run in them, even though they were meant for walking. Though I initially started slowly, the running keedas (as my buddy Eugene puts it), got the better of me. The weather was nice and cool and breezy, so could up the pace without breaking much of sweat, and surprised myself with the pace I was able to maintain.

So followed the green track, my very own yellow brick road, and went where it lead me, like all good runners do. I ran past people playing volleyball, beach volleyball to be correct (damn their toned, lean physique made me feel like a fat slob), past family strolling, kids gleefully running around, some riding their scooters and tricycle, people out on a stroll, others just enjoying the evening outing, the first day of the new year. I ran past cafes filled with patrons, children on swing bridges and fire foxes, speed boats hooked on their trucks, in short everyone having a good evening.

Of course you had runners out on their run, some serious, focused, with their music and running gear, others joyous, or chatting. Somehow I missed Mumbai and running there, where you can be focused, but you also smile and receive a warm smile in return (or a piercing stare), where you can applaud the efforts of others, and be applauded yourself. The joy of cheering others and pushing them on, I sorely missed it. I missed running with my partners in crime, Dylooo and Pankti, and our silly, nonsensical chatter, our bud bud, or as Dylan put it, all the much much we make. Running in Mumbai is something else. After all, you can take the Boy out of Mumbai, but you can never take Mumbai out of the Boy.

Keeping the Burj Al Arab in my line of sight (damn was it breathtaking in the night , with all the colourful lights, shinning in the night sky), I ran past my family, waving as I passed them, then past my uncle and aunt (who were at the start), clicking some quick pics with the Burj Al Arab in the background, back to the family.

Although the evening was cool, I did a manage to sweat, not too profusely like I usually do, but then this isn’t Mumbai. So quickly removing my tee and putting on my jacket, I once again went from runner to a tourist. I marveled at the fact I was able to squeeze a run, a quick one too, covering over 6 kms in just over 30 minutes. 

Thanks to all the running I managed to work up an appetite, and savour the delicious Arabic meal at Al Fahad, and some good conversation in the company of family. The lows of the previous  night seemed like a distant memory.

Dinner was followed by a drive to the Palm Jumeirah and a visit to the Atlantis, after all no visit to Dubai can be complete without seeing these places . You marvel at the fact that these place are carved from the sea, a fact that also causes you to shudder. You are left astounded by the fact there are parts that you are driving under the sea. And though we may joke about holding your breath, each time we went under, couldn’t help but be mesmerised at what they managed to achieve.

So that’s a wrap for the  first day of the new year. Finally managing to make the most of the short trip. At the same time I’ve realised that I have just a few more days till I am back to good old Mumbai. But till then I am going to try and make the most of my stay here. 

.. She put a Spell on You!!!!

All through the evening she shimmered and shone, like a glittering diamond in the evening sky, commanding your attention, not letting you look anywhere but in her direction. Like a spear piercing the sky, or like a toothpick (as it is known) in the Dubai skyline, she had you at “Hello”!

The more you stared at her, more you couldn’t help but fall in love with her, be seduced by her charms. She had that ability to cast a spell on you. So all through the evening you had eyes just for her. There could be a million of things happening around but you couldn’t take your eyes off her, she commanded your attention, and you couldn’t help but do as she commanded.

So as the clock slowly creeped towards midnight you joined the other of her paramours who gathered to admire her beauty, patiently waiting for her to put on a show. With baited breath you waited for her, and she kept teasing with her shimmer and shine of her laser light show, which although you couldn’t view,  you knew was taking place.

As the clock struck 12 she lit up the sky, putting on a show making the wait worth it, dazzling with beauty, radiant as ever. Lighting up the the 31st night (or was it the 1st morning, which technically would be right). You couldn’t help but be left spellbound, picking up your jaw from the floor from where it lay. Words seem to have deserted you cause you struggle to find the right one to describe what you see, what you are witnessing, her beauty. She leaves your mesmerised and dumbfounded. You try and take it all in, to capture it not just your device, but in your memory that will continue to remain with you long after the moments has gone.

So once the moment is ended you can’t help but join the other paramours, applauding what you have just witnessed, but secretly hoping if it could go on forever. You are spellbound at what you have just seen, you don’t want to leave the place or forget the moment, but you got to go, carry that moment as a memory that will remain with you forever. You may be sad to leave her but then that’s what you have to do. So in the end its another year in the bag, and you leave with a sweet memory of the evening with the Burj Khalifa.

Trotting Globally through the Village

After days of family visits and house parties, it was time to play the tourist once again. So after attending Sunday mass (which actually felt like Monday, cause Sunday is the monday here... damn this is puzzling), which felt like ages since I attended mass on a Sunday, it was off to being a tourist.

The Global Village combines cultures of 90 countries across the world at one place. It claims to be the world's largest tourism, leisure, shopping and entertainment project. It is the region's first cultural, entertainment, family and shopping destination (source Wikipedia). So in short, became a global trotter without even stepping beyond my current position on the globe, oops I mean location.

You were in a melting pot of different cultures in a single location. Seems like most of Dubai is a melting pot. The amount of crowd at the place kind of surprised me, considering it was a Dubai Monday, even though it was a Sunday. I can swear I must have photobombed a thousand of selfies and photos. If you run a facial recognition i think you’ll find me in thousands of pics.

Walking in Global Village is a literal trip around the world. The different sections allocated to each country was fascinating. Walking past shops, or was it stalls, checking out what they had on sale. Each shop/stall more fascinating than the other, more colourful, more fascinating (damn I am using this adjective so often, feels like I am running out of terms or language is deserting me), representing the areas which they belonged to. 

cream.

 There was stall with all these colourful lamps, it was like the Lord said let there be light and man made these beautiful colourful lamps. You had a stall selling figurines, the flamingoes reminded me of my buddy Anubha and her fascination for the birds. Then you had snow globes, which perked my interest, and another where you could make a wax caste of your hand, how awesome would that be. There were many other stores, each more interesting (or equally interesting, to be fare) than the other. The Turkish ice cream sellers were up to their usual tricks, playing around with their patron’s ice

The whole place had this holiday vibe (of course it would, after all it’s the holidays), there was excitement in the air, like an electric current. People from all walks of life, all age gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, nationality, mingling together in a single location. You had families pushing around babies in prams, gaggles of ladies in burqa having a ladies night out. Everywhere you could see people haggling, enquiring, browsing, doing what a socially conscious people would do, pout and click selfies (oh I meant social media conscious ), people running around with huge stuffed dogs (which I too wanted but too chicken to try, and if I got one where would I keep it?) which they must have won in some game.

On the Main Stage you had performances by acts from various cultures across the globe. When we reached it you had a troupe doing the Bhangra which actually got the crowd all riled up and excited. You had people running to the stage to get a glimpse of the dance. They had their phones out, clicking and recording it, quite to the bemusement of someone who found this normal.

And once again there was lights and fountain show but this time to a James Bond theme. You had the fountain, the lights on the water, and you had a bit of fireworks. How I wish those pesky boats were not in the way blocking the view.

So we ended up walking quite a bit, from the parking lot to the entrance and then round the different countries. We could actually say we became globe trotters, trotting around the globe in a single place. We walked more than we had, or at least I can say that, in the past few days. But you know what, I didn’t mind all the walking, in fact welcomed it, or was good to get the blood flowing through the feet, though was concerned about how mumma would take with all the walking. But hey she managed it in Ladakh, so here it was a piece of cake.

In the end, even though the feet may have been complaining from all the walking, but  the head and heart we’re glad to have done that, cause they could do with all the walking. So now I can say that I trotted globally through the village.

The Parking Conundrum

It’s a bane of every four wheel driver. A universal problem that you can never escape. You can go round and round and never find one. And should you find one, as you approach it and it gets taken.

You got to be on time to find a good spot. If you’re late then all the spots are taken, even the not so good ones. And then when you manage to find one, it’s miles away from your destination. Ok, may not be miles but then it’s definitely not quite close to where you want to be. So you need to make it a point that you are on time, or before time  (if that were an option, cause if you can’t be on time, before time is only just a dream). 

At times it feels like a game of musical chairs. You pass a spot, then you have to go all the way around, follow the different lane discipline before getting to the spot. You can’t back peddle to get to the spot, you have to go round and come back to the spot. And then also there is no guarantee that you will get the spot, or if the spot is already taken by the time you get there.

So you can drive for miles and miles searching for one, go round and round and round and still not find one. So in the end you end up spending more than half your time to find a spot. 

Then also you have the problem finding where exactly you parked. And if you are someone with depleting grey matter, or if age is catching up to you, then the very best to you trying to figure out your spot. And again you can spend the same amount of time trying to figure out where you parked as you would trying to find a parking spot.

The four wheelers have it worst than the us two wheeler, or do we both have it bad as each other. But then the four wheelers obviously have it worst, end of discussion. After all you can’t always have a Sheldon’s Spot.

So no matter where you go, you can’t escape the bane of finding a parking space.

A walk in Time... Sightseeing in Dubai

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When  a tourist do what a tourist would do, touristy things. So did the most touristy thing I could do, visit the Dubai Museum. A literal walk in time, to see Dubai from its evolution, it evolving in time, and its quite fascinating journey. 

So you mingled with the tourist out there admiring the displays, seeing how life used to be back then, in the days of yore, in the ciraca of God knows when. Damn I even spotted a Dalda ghee ka dabba and was quite fascinated by the discovery (more than any other discovery in that museum), and later on I would discover packets of Parle G in Lulu (yep that’s the name of a local chain of supermarkets, you could call it their version of Big Bazar and DMart).

Like all other places in Dubai, this was a literal melting pot of people of all ethnicity, people of all cultures, but in it all you could make out us Indian, we have our way of standing out in the crowd, especially a sea of South East Asian people, who can drown out a crowd, giving competition even to the loudest Gujju. And then you had the Marathi Manoos, who you could make out from the pude ya, saral ubhi raha, which in a way so reassuring, hearing something familiar so far way from home.

Later on, walking down the streets and the narrow bylanes  of Al Fahidi, felt like taking a walk back time. It felt like walking down streets that time didn’t touch. The structures and architecture that modernisation hadn’t yet gotten hold of. So you were walking on streets steeped in history. Each turn more fascinating, each structure a story to tell. Ok maybe not quite the story, but they sure were fascinating. 

You had a creek separating the old from the new, a kind of line of control that protected the old from the new, not letting each overlap but letting them coexist in harmony. Fascinating that you have two aspects of time coexisting together. 

So in the end it was a day well spent, a bit of a history lesson, a bit of sightseeing, a time well spent reconnecting with family, a  walk in time.

Lost in the Mall... and other Adventures!!!

Have you been lost before??? I know I have as a kid, gotten lost in the crowds of shoppers at Crawford Market, wandering off when toys got this kiddo’s attention, getting a scolding for wandering off on my own, while this boy was in tears. And I did it again last evening, oops I did it again!!! A 40 year old goes wandering off in the mall, leaving the herd, to get a pic of a crystal Christmas tree, having no means to communicate with his pack, nothing quite has changed, or maybe the age and times may have changed but this boy is always the kiddo. So I can cross that off my list, getting lost in a mall on foreign shores, as if getting lost was something I wanted to do.

The Dubai Mall can be quite the crowded and fascinating place. The window displays all decked up for the holidays, sort of drawing you in. You just can’t help but check it out, be all fascinated, like a kid in a candy store, or maybe it’s just all the sweets that have been hogging (after all this boy needs to put on a bit of some holiday weight, only to get rid off it when he’s back). So you can’t help but admire the window displays and the candies (and there they are again).

And so I finally get to meet the great Burj Khalifa in all its glittering glory. A very touristy thing to do. It commands your attention so much that your eyes are planted on it while the buildings next to it feel pale in front of all the glittering of the Burj, even though they are all lit up.

So we stood there and clicked pics with this tallest structure in the world, (something similar I remembered doing when visiting the Petronas Towers in Malaysia ). waiting for the light and fountain show to begin. Boy was the wait worth it, it’s something that you need to be there to experience it, cause words wouldn’t be able measure up to the experience (or maybe I am being a bit too dramatic for my own taste). Got a bit chocked up, teary eyed and emotional witnessing it, or may be it was just because the show was done to  Lady Gaga’s I could never love again, from A Star is Born. I was not prepared for this!

Wish I could share this moment cause it was beautiful, and song only added to it. I hope I can share it soon. Was so transfixed by the fountains that didn’t much notice the light show on the Burj. At the end it was indeed a very touristy thing to do.

Next was a visit to the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, and an up close encounter with great white with only a glass separating us apart (as if I would want to swim on the other side), staring into its cold glassy eyes. It sure was a sight to see the sting rays go by overhead, like birds soaring in the sky. And then there was one had you transfixed, like you were staring at very strange face. It was as if you were having a staring competition with a it, you just couldn’t take your eyes away, which in a way scared the bejesus in me, like it had cast a spell on me!!! 

I think it had something to do with the glass cause it felt like you were immersed with the fish, you had this feeling like you were swimming with the fishes, though not literally. So rode a glass bottom boat, getting a view of the aquarium from the top, petted a baby shark, seen jelly fish at very stages of their lives (fascinating creatures they are), saw otters, alligators, crocodiles, and various other critters.

Had a late dinner while staring at kids skating in the ice rink below, so wanting to join them, though not sure I could skate like them, or even skate at all. But then my body clock was past 12 IST and not yet accustomed to Dubai time, so was literally dozing off, as if I needed a reason for it.

So in the end had to put this together a day later, though the words for it was coming to my head. But coming home meant crash landing on the couch, though not before checking messages cause you are finally in a wifi zone. 

In the end the trip has been off to a good start. A bit of adventure, and a whole of fascinating things to do and see. Can’t wait to see what else is in store for this boy on this trip. Awaiting the experience and adventure that is in store. So let’s take it one day at a time.

Vacation Diaries - Part VII: Khob Khun Kha (Thank you)

“.. and now the end is near

I’ve travelled each and every highway

But more, much more than this

I did it my way...”

That’s the kind of the feeling that is going through my head as the Thailand experience draws to an end. And so it’s time to leave foreign shores and return home, back to the life that I’ve known, back to the grind.

Adventure I’ve had many, experiences plenty, to hold on to for a lifetime, that I will keep close to my heart and treasure forever. 

Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, thank you for the experience, thank you for the memories. Thank you for the sights and monuments that left us in awe, that we couldn’t stop marvelling at, not to forget the beautiful beaches, the feeling of serenity, the feeling of bliss. Thank you for your hospitality. We came, we saw, we marvelled, we felt, we tasted, we enjoyed. 

And so as we say farewell, there’s this bitter sweet feeling. Sweet cause your returning back to a place you are familiar, you love, you call Home. Bitter cause it’s the end of your vacation and back to the daily grind.

So till then thank you Thailand for the experience. So long, farewell.... Khob Khun Kha.

Vacation Diaries - Part VI: The Tourist

Be a tourist, and that will be the best way you will see the city. Since coming to Thailand I have run on the beach of Patong and the promenade of Jomtein, did snorkelled in the waters of Phi Phi, island hopped, rode tuk-tuks, shopped at Weekend markets, stayed in a Hostel, but never truly became a tourist and seen the sights the city has to offer. 

All that changed on the last day at Bangkok. Though I still managed to get in a run (actually done one run in each of the cities which we stayed), and on a whim joined my friend in taking in the sights of the city. And to think of it, I am glad I decided to that, cause what we saw took out breath away, left us awed and made use marvel.

We visited the Wat Arun temple, or the Temple of Dawn, rode the ferry on the Chao Phraya river, visited the Grand Palace, saw the sleeping Buddha at Wat Pho, again took a ferry all the way to Asiatique (thanks to the suggestion of my Parag and Ajit), had pizza and beer (my first in almost a decade), and rode the Ferris wheel.

Each location, each place, each sight, was so beautiful that words wouldn’t do justice to what the eyes saw. The architectures, the colours, the paintings, the statues, the sights, were so beautiful, so gorgeous, left you marvelling at the details that went into making them, putting it together, left you wondering how was this possible. Also full credit goes to the people who maintain it, the golds, the reds, the greens, the marble, shone radiantly even after all these years in the sun. Inspite of all this you have the feeling of peace especially in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, at the Grand Palace, it was so beautiful and serene, surrounded by walls and ceilings of paintings. We even got blessed at Wat Pho from a monk who clearing enjoying blessing people with a wet broom, as much as the people who were getting blessed.

On a fun part, although I wore acceptable jeans, for the heck of it picked up, what I call harem pants, and changed in public and wore it. So although it clashed with my shirt, it was awesome and airy.

Riding the river was an experience in itself.  Seeing the other boats speed by and the architecture on either banks of the river, and then getting to see the beautiful setting sun, was something I am going to take with me for the rest of my life.

They say you come to Bangkok to party, to get laid, but then these are things you can do in Mumbai itself (although I admit that I am not comfortable and never like parties), but taking the sights and experiences that the city has to offer is different thing altogether.

So as I wind up my Thailand trip, and return to my mundane life, I will take with me an experience that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Vacation Diaries - Part V: The Hostel Experience and Chatuchak Market

Being a Boarder Boy, the word ‘Hostel’ always related to me to my boarding school. Later during my college days I had a couple of friends, from different cities, who stayed in a hostel. And then through friends and the movie Queen learned about the concept of Hostels in countries which you can use for budgeted travels.

A last minute change in plans lead us to search for places in Bangkok where we could find a place to keep our bags, and if required, sleep for the night. So keeping in mind that most of us were on a tight budget, we booked ourselves into an hostel.

The Hostel Experience way exceeded our expectations. In many way it is way better than living in a hotel room. You can cook your own food and you get an unlimited supply of tea and coffee (yipeee). It was neat, clean and really friendly and warm. And did I mentioned we had bunk beds? I always wanted to sleep in bunk beds as a child, so this was my big chance to fulfil that experience. 

The hostel is a melting pot of people of various nationalities and genders and ages and preferences. You felt one with each either. The ambience in fact matched this theme (and provided us with so many photo-ops, which we just couldn’t resist). I can say, hands down that these few moments I spent in the Hostel have been the best part of the Thailand trip. Though it was also a bit bitter sweet (that’s a different story altogether).

And then you have Chatuchak Weekend Market, a Market that’s only open on the weekend, a Market that’s sells everything beside electronics (or didn’t see any). You name it and the place had it, clothes, accessories, shoes, tops, dresses, souvenirs, food. But the biggest thing that this place had was crowd. You were part of a melting pot of people who were bargaining and haggling (like we Indians love to do) and selling and buying and just taking in the market.

Having to buy things for friends and family, actually got separated from my group. Initially was a bit nervous about being alone, took a deep breath and commanded myself to be bold and go out there and experience the market and buy what I had to.

The market in many ways felt so much like home, like some of the markets that I have been to in India, more specifically in Mumbai. Or maybe it was all the Indian people that you run into. But yes if you want to buy things at reasonable prices and have the time and the patient to shop and haggle all day then this is the place for you and if you are in Bangkok over the weekend.

In the end also had my first experience of riding the underground metro on the way back to the hostel. So all in all this just added to the entire vacation experience.

Vacation Diaries - Part IV: An Adventure waiting to happen

The best way to have an adventure is to go out and have an adventure and not just wait to have an adventure. Go out there and explore, explore what the city has to offer, what the city has in store for you, cause there’s so much to see and discover, if you are only willing to open yourself to new things and let the city take you on a journey.

Pattaya, at first sight, may seem unassuming and quite, or maybe it was just because we arrived here at night and shops and streets bore quite a deserted look. But all this change the next morning.

After squeezing a run, or finally managing to drag my lazy butt from my comfy bed. It was pleasant surprise to see quite a bit of runners out, wearing various running tees from different events. Running on Jomtien Beach promenade made you feel one with the Road and the deep blue sea, which beautifully had different shades of blues and greens, right from the horizon to the shore. Seeing Runners yet running after 8, in the sun left me in awe, wondering how he he’ll were they managing to run in the sun. Walking bare feet in the clear sea water was an awesome feeling.

After lunch, me and my roomy, decided to go to the floating market, to break away from the group and do some touristy stuff, and in the bargain got an adventure of a lifetime.

Getting tuk-tuks, changing tuk-tuks, riding one, is an experience that one needs to have. Hanging from it reminded me of riding the Mumbai locals (which I swear I have missed in these pass couple of days). But yes you are one with your fellow travellers. It all enhanced the Thailand experience.

So just using public transportation and Google Maps we covered Pattaya Floating Market, some night street market, Outlet Mall (where I very much was temped to pick up running gear) and Pattaya Walking Street. Each had their own charm, their own crowd and smell and senses. From the clothes, the food, ambience, frying fishes and pineapple juices (and other juices), the water and the boats (of the floating market) everything gave you a unique experience. You were one with the crowd and the city, at times too in your face. 

A special mention to this awesome halal place were we took all are meals for the day (don’t really know the name), breakfast-lunch-dinner. The food was amazing (though I bit into quite a few chillies and had to eat ice chips and ice creams) and the services homely. Do go ahead and try it.

So in the end Pattaya gave us memories to last a lifetime that will remain with remain with us long after leave the Thailand. 

Vacation Diaries - Part III: A Bouncy Boat Ride And Swimming with the Fishes

“I’m moving, I’m coming, 

can you hear what I hear, 

it’s calling to you my dear, 

out of reach, take me to your beach

I can hear it calling out to you

I am coming, not drowning

swimming closer to you”

Somehow had this All Saints song on repeat in my head ever since the plan to vacation in Thailand was hatched. Like a ear worm, the song lodged itself firmly in my head and couldn’t get it out off my head, even if I wanted to (not that I wanted to).

And to get here you had take a very bouncy speedboat ride across the emerald sea. The boat bounced so much, as it sped across the sea that if a woman was pregnant, she would delivered her baby there itself (as put by our awesome guide Annisia). So bouncing we went trough the sea, with the wind in our face and the sun beating down on us, with the occasional spray of sea water.

The islands were beautiful and crowded. Everywhere you could see people of various nationalities and races and gender, as much as you could see water (ok I am a bit over exaggerating here). That said the view was something to marvel at (yes and the bikini clad ladies and men’s with washboard abs, even the Indian women couldn’t resist and don some beach attire).

The Flora and fauna of the island was remarkable, as was the the crystal clear sea. But at the same time you could also see sign of the preparedness after the country felt the wrath of the tsunami thirteen years ago.

Then you had the fishes, the corals and the sharks, not the great white ones, not that I wanted to see one. Snorkling in the sea can be rather disorienting at first, but once you get used to it can be real beautiful experience. Actually panicked when I first saw the depth that I was in (assumed we would be swimming in shallow water) after all I am distress swimmer (as my buddy Viv puts it), neither a crocodile or a chicken swimmer, as Annisia tried to describe it to us. Life under the sea is truly beautiful, as Sebastian the crab put it, the school of fishes, the corrals, the bloody legs of people you kept bumping into. Even tried to touch a fishy but it swam away fro me and I was too afraid to swim after it, even though I had my life vest on. 

So once you get used to breathing with the snorkelling gear everything is just a piece of cake (which unfortunately seemed to take me ages). Seeing the fishes and the legs of people is an experience (not that I wanted to see the legs of people).

So in the end phi phi island was one beautiful destination. A tad bit overcrowded, (who littered the place, but not as much as we Indians do). But on a whole an experience of breathtaking beauty. 

A short note, you got go with our guide Annisia and Unseen Andaman Island tour, she was the major reason those bumpy, bouncy and long boat rides weren’t so boring  and in fact was so hilarious.

Vacation Diaries: Part - II (cont.) The Temple Run

There are certain places you can’t describe in words, cause words won’t do any justice to what your eyes see. The beauty of the red and gold against the sea of blue skies needs to seen to actually fathom the beauty of the sight and architecture. The serenity and peace that your feel when you behold the sight of the Wat Chalong temples is something else.

Then you have the Big Buddha, a huge statue (please don’t ask me how big), overlooking the entire Phuket, is simply breathtaking. Walking up the stairs to the stupa, makes you feel as if the the statue of Buddha is looking at you and welcoming your with a gentle smile. It doesn’t matter who you are, what’s your race, gender or nationality, Buddha is welcoming you with a Peaceful smile, calling you to him to find peace.

The view from this place is simply breathtakingly beautiful. The endless blue skies and the emerald green sea, the number of boats speeding through or just rowing away, and the islands. And when the sun goes down it makes you feel the whole sky has been lit up in the orange glow of the setting sun, as if it has been set on fire. 

All this makes you feel truly blessed to feel alive, to have an opportunity to see these places and take in these sights, to truly enjoy what Phuket has to offer you.