Nagpur Diaries

 

Hey!!!

 Starting to write after too long a time.  What to do, life keeps throwing me so many surprises, both good and unpleasant ones so could not focus on any thing else.

 Well!!! one of the recent surprises was, we moving to the centre of India, Nagpur.  That day, went into the theatre to watch my fav movies, but came out sad hearing this news.  Any kind of change is difficult, and if it has to be about leaving your home, friends and a comfortable life, its even more difficult to accept the change.   I had to pack and leave everything behind in 2 months.  Did it and here I am in Nagpur.

A quiet place unlike any other famous cities in India, with less population and even lesser traffic, which I love the most about this city.  Luckily, got a residence at a beautiful comfortable society and so got adjusted in about 5 months😂.

Veg food is amazing though I miss Hyderabad biriyani and shawarma😢

Many nice places to visit in and near Nagpur.  Exploring every weeekend.  As I said before no crowd anywhere and thats just awesome.

Coorg Diaries

COORG

Its like Ruskin Bond's book of Missouri.  Coorg is a beatiful place filled with green hills, fresh water falls and streams and old slant roof houses covered with mossy green plants and algae because it rains a lot.

My first impression of coorg was that its just like any other hill station.  But no, its way beyong that.  Its more dense with trees and plants, simple people and very close to nature.

We reached Coorg by 7PM, but it was as if it was midnight.  The streets were deserted and it was very dark. The place was ready and waiting for the rain.  

We had booked a bed and breakfast accomodation.  It was a huge bunglow and the place was neat, cozy and warm.  

Our friends brought us dinner, and how can I not mention the varieties, for they were Coorg specialities.

kadambattu....steamed rice balls

akki roti ....rice roti

koli curry.....chicken gravy

Addicted to travelling, food and fun

How else can I put this other than the word ADDICTION!!!😈

It started late for me but just has taken up everything else in my life.  

Everyday I think of some place to travel to or what cuisine to try or what 

The first time I travelled, it was serendipity, both fearful and awed.

I was brought up as any other tamilian girl of 1980's in Chennai.  Finish graduation get married, have children and live happily.

I definitely did it and I did enjoy it too. But ultimately the inner you wakes up and urges you to fill the gaps.

I found all the cracks and started filling it.  It was travelling and food.

As I travelled more I understood that every place on earth is a place where one feels at home.

 I proved to myself that I do travel alone or do what I want.   The freedom of being alone and having the ability to do what you want is awesome.

So all the ladies out there in their 40's or 50's dont wait for the right time.  Just start right away.

My life, My signature

10 days road trip by car - Hyderabad - Bangalore - Mysore - Coorg - Ooty - Coimbatore - Salem - Hyderabad

So do you think the title sounds insanely long or difficult?

Absolutely not!!!  A well planned trip works perfectly great.🚗😃

It was the best road trip ever, given the scenic beauty that we drove through, the different climates that we saw and felt, the uniqueness of the geographical formations, the food drinks...JUST AMAZING.

Before you start:

1.  One needs to understand the terrain and climate that you are gonna see and feel.  Based on that you can do the packing.  But in general travel light.  Take multiple tshirts and tops but just 2 or 3 pairs of jeans.  Helps a lot.

2.  Do a little research on the places that can be visited on the way to our destination.  I have added what ever I could but there are more places and options.

3.  Load your trunk with water cans, dry snacks,  a kg of newspaper, carry bags, paper plates and paper cups.

4.  Take all types of basic medicines from first aid kit to tablets for all ailments and even volini spray or any balms that you prefer for muscle pain.(My trips usually has a lot of walking and trekking involved and hence need these).

5.  Your travel kit should consist of accessories for both cold and warm climates. Adequate shampoos, soaps, perfumes etc. 

6.  Invest on a good equipments if you are a techy traveller or if you love photography.  I generally carry a good power bank for my mobile and an extra battery for my camera.  Believe me you will not find what you want during such road trips.

As the title says, 10 days road trip by car - Hyderabad - Bangalore - Mysore - Coorg - Ooty - Coimbatore - Salem - Hyderabad.  

Hyderabad To Bangalore - 569 KMS

We usually start for our road trips by 4 AM or 5AM after a good nights sleep.  This keeps the day time traffic behind us and that is a big relief. You can also capture some colourful and mystic pictures of nature.  You will understand that these are lovely things found by chance.

                                           

We started from Hyderabad to Bangalore at 5AM.  By 8AM we reached Food Pyramid, a neat and busy place, good for breakfast and lunch too. Before this place came up, we used to just stop at small food joints(neat ones) and have hot dosas or idlies and tea.  We four have been travelling since long and much before all these sophisticated food joints had come.  We can manage our travel with just anything.

My kids are usually BUSY...sleeping or eating snacks or even beating each other.  We just raise the volume of our player and enjoy the view and drive.  My kids enjoy it more when I drive, as I play all english and hindi albums and my husband prefers old Illayaraja songs.

You can reach Bangalore by 1PM if you do not take much breaks.  Remember to look out for this special fruit, GRAPE FRUIT or we call it bamblimas.  It is a citrus fruit and is a nutrient dense fruit but little bitter in taste.  Watch out for cheaters as the vendors try to sell the unripe fruit which we cannot eat all.  Buy the ones which will have pink pulp and not white.

Once you are in Bangalore, you can just have lunch in any of the restaurants.  Each and every food joints   in Bangalore are tidy and offer affordable tasty food of many varieties.  

If this is your first time in Bangalore take a few days to go around.  I will be writing in detail about my trip to Bangalore soon and you can refer to that too.  

We stayed overnight at Bangalore.  Had my fav BUCKET BIRIYANI at Kammanahalli for dinner and sponge cake from local bakery for snacks. Don't miss these mouth watering delights.  People say eat light while travelling.....OH COME ON!! Being a die hard fan of Anthony Bourdain, I can't suppress my love for food or my humongous hunger pangs😆

Bangalore to Mysore - 144KMS

Mysore is a small city, with strong history and beautiful architecture.  I have been visiting Mysore since my childhood and yet the city has never stopped to amaze me.  As a child I remember the sandal wood fragrance floating all over the market place and the beautiful huge Mysore Maharaja Palace.  Have wondered how it would feel to be the Maharaja.  As I  grew I understood, IT WAS NOT EASY AT ALL FOR HIM.  Thats life!!😇

The entire day till about 3PM was used to check out the palace, Chamundeshwari temple and  Nandi hills.  The Indian gooseberry served in the traditional way with the combination of Chillipowder and salt is my respite for the sunny day and also brings back nostalgic memories of my childhood.

Please don't judge me, because lunch was again biriyani.  Hanumanth biriyani house is a tiny place but you need to wait in line to get a table.  I was not very happy about the cleanliness of the place but the food was very tasty and this biriyani tasted very different from all the biriyani's I have had.

Mysore to Coorg - 119KMS

By 3AM, we met our family friend who joined us to Coorg.  His wife belonged to Coorg and so for obvious reasons other than hanging out, he became our guide too.  On the way to Coorg we took a break for tea.  Me and my kids had cold coffee at Cafe Coffee Day while the men went to the local chai wala.  

We reached the top by around 6PM and it was already late.  The last part of travel was trecherous as there was not light.  It starts to become dark by 5PM.  But our friend knew the place and roads so well, we did'nt find it much difficult rather adventurous.🚵🚗.  

Stay at Coorg is very easy and comfortable.  Almost every other local houses offer bed and breakfast.  We booked an entire house for ourselves as we were joined by my friends family too.  My lovely friend met us with a traditional home cooked dinner, steamed rice balls with chicken stew.  What else can I ask for.

The night was filled with laughter, food and drinks of all varieties of Coorg cuisine, courtesy our friends.  We talked for hours about their college days, other friends and sweet memories of our past travels.  

Coorg Diaries.....coming up in my next blog.  Keep reading for me to keep blogging.😊

Tour guide in Bali, my sons blog and my youtube channel

OLA!!!!

Yeah😆 I just type what ever greetings words that comes to my mind.....

Just wanted to make this blog for some suggestions.

Our guide was Ketut Karmadi, a very helpful person who also provides vehicles and books places and tickets. 

+62 852 37880677 is his number and he is also available in facebook. 

The reason I have given this info again is that the present situation has made life difficult for people like ketut who depend on tourism.  So when ever you want to take a trip call him.  This is my way of helping him.

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The link below is my sons blog.  He is my inspiration to blog and all the reason I enjoy my life.  

Do se what he has in his mind.

https://aboyschimera.blogspot.com/

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And here is the link to my youtube channel, which is totally different from this blog.  Its the other side of me, the subtle and earthly avatar of mine and not the crazy devilish ones.

Do watch and subscribe 

https://youtu.be/D2f0AjlXvYY

Bali trip at INR 23000 / $500 for 5 days

HIIIIII there!!!!

The 6 of us were chatty and determined to get full fun out of this trip.  So we did some crazy stuff too.

When we reached the surfers beach- pantai sulban, we were so excited for many reasons, and one was to see the handsome surfers walking on the shore with the heavy surfing boats.  We spoke to few of them and  with the other hunks whom we felt were too hot to speak to, we tried to take selfies with them while they were just walking back after their surf. Crazy right!!!!

We did make a lot of noise and we did get a lot of attention from the surfers.  Both the surfers and we ladies enjoyed the attention🙈

Six young enthusiastic and fun loving women are always liked by people.  We left no stones unturned in proving our friendship.

TRIP DETAILS

Buy tickets to Bali atleast 3 months earlier.  Mine was 23k including food, seats & luggage.  We booked our hotel through online website and it was Bali gardenview cottages, ubud.

  Awesome homely place for around 3600₹ 4 days including breakfast.  If you book early you can get it even more cheaper.  

 

The reason we chose this is that it was in the center of Ubud and Ubud is in the center of Bali.  The entire street is filled with beautiful restaurants & spas.  Every night we had dinner in different places for about 500₹(main course n drink)

 

We used to be back after the day trips at about 8 or 9PM and then after an hour of rest and changing, we used to head out for dinner.  Every place has unique Balanese cuisaines to offer.  I had MANGO BEER!! 

                

Heard of it? This motherly lady runs this retaurant and this beer is a speciality here.

 

 Slowly we used to check the menu of each and every restaurant and then decide and eat.  It was usually by midnight that we would walk back and still we could find the locals playing beautiful songs in guitar and singing.  BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WITH BEAUTIFUL HEARTS. Our slow walks and smiles and laughs were always welcome there and it was bliss. 

  

This is the sequential list of our visit.  You can save time by following this.  Leaving by 8.30am is recommended.  We had enjoyed every breakfast served.  Don't miss the rice pudding...its just AMAZING.  

Places to visit: 

Batuan temple, straight from airport. Its a huge temple with the same concept of any Hindu temples....Gopuras or domes inside a compound with many Gods.  The only thing different in Bali temples are that they dont have an idol for worship.  SURPRISING!!

I found this concept interesting and practical.  Every gopura/dome will have and Simhasana/throne and it would be empty.  They decorate with with loose flowers.  The idea is that, you pray to the God with the name mentioned there but you imagine him or her in your own way.....how easy it is to connect while you pray!!

Tibumana waterfalls, 

a very beatiful place for lovers I feel and goof photography.  The waterfalls is quite dense and fierce so we didnt go into the water.  But all the way from parking you will find small cozy water places and streams surrounded by typical bali achitechture and to make it interesting for tourists they have pepped up the places with placards and boards with intersting words.

Goa gajah temple, an very old temple dedicated to lord Ganesha.  Here you will find few idols and they are worsipped too.  The only place I found the usual Hindu method of Worhip.  All over the place you will find hundreds of Shiv lings arranged, all made out of the local stones of Bali.  Take a walk around the temple and you can find many fascinating things like an very old tree, another small temple up on the hill, thick forest and birds all around.

lotus temple, a very cute hidden temple among the streets of Ubud market.  As you can see in the pictures below, the temple gets its name due to abundance of lotus ponds in and around.   

Tannah lot, Saraswati temple to go before 4pm as you have to walk through the beach water.  It was an adventurous and spiritual visit.  The temple stands about half a kilometer from the shore in the waters.  

We went a little and hence the tide was high.  But we were determined and with the help of locals, held hands together and went to the rock temple.

The spiritual aspect is that, in the middle of the salt water, we tasted sweet water that comes from somewhere inside the rock.  We touched the idol and drank the water(just a few drops to quench our curiosity) sprinkled it on our heads, the person who performs the rituals put the rice bindi on all our foreheads and gave the flower.  

Luwak coffee plantation & tasting.

Very near to the temple is this cute little place with Luwaks.  Luwaks are monkey like animals who eat the best of the coffee beans from the trees.  The seeds that come out of their poop.....YOU HEARD ME RIGHT...POOP....are the.  So these animals are grown here in the farm and they make the coffee powder out of these beans.  They also give around 20 varieties of coffee to taste and we can buy if we want.   

Nusa dua bali collection

Next day morning we reached this place with refreshed energy.  Eat, relax & buy sovereigns.  We got soaps & fragrance oils from 100₹, a perfect gift to all my friends and relatives back at home.

Uluwatu temple on top of a hill....walk n view.  An amazing place for photography.  Watch out for families of mokeys.  The fire n dance drama just takes you to an entirely different world.  

Surfers beach- pantai sulban We have to walk down hundreds of stairs.  Then you will reach PARADISE.  Scenic beach with rocks and caves.  A very small place but once you move into the water and out of the cave with a surf board, its a surfers paradise.  We explored the slippery caves.  Tides are pretty strong here.

 ubud art n craft market, a place to explore the local produce and art.  There are many things made of coconut wood.  Buy a few to help the locals and bring back memories.  

DURIAN

 SALAK, SNAKE SKIN FRUIT

Try the CHARCOAL ICECREAM.  Out of the world texture and taste.

The Bali-style babi guling (roast pig) served at Warung Ibu Oka is most famous for the late Anthony Bourdain's loving coverage and I did it.  Went to the place where my fav Anthony Bourdain sat and ate.

 lunch at mount batur  Its a valconic mountain,  Bouffet lunch is available with a view of the mountain and lakes.  There are many restaurants to choose from.  This was a mind blowing experience to sit at the top on an extended balcony and have a delicious luch looking at the beautiful sleeping beauty Mount Batur.

mt. Batur trekking,  book ahead & start at 2 am to trek up n see d sunrise.  It will transform your life.   

YEAHHHH!!!! ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS MARLYN MONDRO POSE😂

thir temple fresh water with valconic springs.  You can take a dip at the small fountain water pool.  Supposedly clears your bad karma.   

valconic water

rice terrace, You look at it and just fall in love with the green and lush beauty, cut out so perfectly. 

Balanese massage, You cannot leave Bali without a massage.  Book a massage and just forget the world.  They pamper you withrose water dips, cocktails or moacktails and sweet pastries with hot tea by the end.  

If you have time go to kuta- denpasar(last day) and try the bakery food.  Get a manicure&  pedicure done and then head back to the airport.  

Here are few more pics of Bali, showing their culture and the serene beauty of the place.

  OUR GUIDE KETUT

 ROAD SIDES

  

Will be back with more.....FOR THE LOVE OF TRAVELLING AND FOOD