Beyond Belief

Just when you think it can’t get any better, someone comes along with an unthinkable idea to push the envelope. One such moment came while reading about the sweeping London to Sydney overland journey. Such is the scale and sweep of destinations, cultures, terrains it covers, that one could’ve been forgiven to think: ‘This can’t be bettered’. I lived with journey in my mind for a couple of years, discussing it with fellow enthusiasts. Dreaming of undertaking the journey some day.

But as they say the good just got better! London to New York overland. Incomprehensible – what do you do with the Atlantic? Second thought – go down to Africa via Gibraltar. Drive right till South Africa. Then you come unstuck. South Africa to Argentina is long a flight to fit into a journey as OVERLAND. A short boat ride or flight doesn’t upset the adventure bit innate to the idea too much. But a long flight…a complete no no. Therefore when one saw the route, and some of the purest wildness areas that it was touching, it was simply breathtaking.

Starting from London the bus crosses over to Calias in France. Driving through Belgium, it halts at Amsterdam first up. Cutting through the heart of Netherlands and Germany the bus rolls into Berlin. Many would say the real journey of discovery begins from here. Getting into the erstwhile Soviet block, Warsaw is the point where I begin to get excited. From here on till the bus enters Washington state, USA, it seems a journey of discovery. The bus trudges into parts that have been closed to the world, until very recent history. From Poland the bus journeys towards Belarus – a little visited country. And then into that formidable country, Russia. A country so diverse it crosses 11 time zones from Europe to the Bering Straits, next to North America. The first stop here is Smolensk, a city destroyed by both Napoleon and Hitler’s armies, and is one of Russia’s oldest towns.

Crossing the high ranges of Ural mountains, the bus rolls into Kazakhstan. Another little known country, probably the least visited country on this route. This landlocked country must be an attractive stop purely for it status as the ‘road less travelled.’ From here moving into China, the route here meets the world’s first truly global overland travel route, the legendary ‘Silk Route’. Past the border town of Yining, the border town heads into Urumqi. A teeming city otherwise known as the furthest city in the world from an ocean (2250km). Islam is still the main religion amongst local Uighur tribesman, who often practised in underground mosques away from prying Chinese eyes!

Driving across north China, the bus once again enters Russia. This time on its eastern fringe bordering the continent of North America. A short flight (in the context of this journey) from Petropavlovsk to Anchorage, crossing the Bering Sea, marks beginning of the final leg of the journey through the pristine wilderness of Alaska and British Columbia. Sweeping landscapes welcome visitor in these arctic areas. Washington state marks the beginning of the home stretch that runs through the Rockies, cowboy territory and the great lakes on the US-Canada border. The bus finally rolls into NY
some 5 months later.

Bus ride of a lifetime

A friend once stated ‘there’s only that much that you can do with travel content. Just about everything there’s to know about destinations, routes and related matter is already known.’ Travel magazines and websites would be out of business had that been true. Travel as a subject isn’t quite as static as some believe it to be. A city or route you might have done 20 years back would in all probability lead to an all new experience, next time round. Many might argue you don’t need to wait that long.

But truth be told every once in a while you wonder. How else can we showcase Delhi nightlife? What more can one write about Delhi-Leh highway et al. The thought does cross your mind.

However, just when you begin to feel there’s aren’t too many ideas left to be explored, someone comes along and pushes the envelope. For me one such moment came while reading an article on Oz Bus. The thought of travelling from London to Sydney via Eastern Europe, Turkey, Iran, India, Indonesia among other nations simply set the heart beat racing. Many might feel that’s an absurd idea, but that’s what differentiates a traveller from a tourist.

Tony and Maureen Wheeler of Lonely Planet were the originals. They did the UK to Australia route over land way back in the 70s. That was wanderlust and enterprise at its best. For people who share their passion but without their organisations skills, there’s hope!

A couple of years back Oz Bus came up with this concept of London to Sydney by bus over 13 weeks. Kicking off in London and heading eastwards, France and Belgium are the first countries en route. The first night stop is in Bruges. Over the following days the route covers 20 countries and every type of landscape imaginable. From deserted beaches to rainforests, waterfalls to deserts, and medieval villages to futuristic cities. Tropical, sub tropical, temperate and arctic, as a traveller, one gets a feel of them all. Starting from London, the bus hurtles along through places such as -

Bruges
Prague
Vienna
Budapest
Transylvania
Gallipoli
Istanbul
Cappadocia
Esfahan
Bam
Lahore
Taj Mahal
Corbett Tiger Reserve Varanasi
Kathmandu
Mount Everest
Bangkok
Ko Samui
Penang
Sumatra
Bali
East Timor
Kakadu National park
Ayers Rock (Uluru)

- before entering vibrant Sydney.

That said, one ought be ready for some unpredictability – political and environmental en route. In such cases route can be subject to change. But that is  part of the fun!

How often does it happen that while you are salivating over a mouthwatering prospect, you come across another that is an even better prospect.

As if London to Sydney wasn’t epic enough, Oz Bus has introduced London to New York. And no one is complaining. This’ll take some imagination to fathom the route though. It tested mine. Two mega cities separated by the Atlantic. Munch on it till I get back.

Skiing in Solang

Skiing is an attractive sport. Sliding down alpine slopes in brightly coloured attire sure is a picture postcard sight. The sport though is still to catch the Indian imagination. Luger Shiva Keshavan, India’s sole representative at the winter Olympics, is beginning to have some impact. However small, it is a beginning. The irony of the whole thing is that we have some of the world’s best mountains.

The opportunity to try my hand at skiing presented itself some 3 years back. Like most sports, it doesn’t look too difficult from a distance. Given that I could barely stand up on roller skates as a youngster, my expectations were modest. Even so I hadn’t a clue of what I was in for. I’d not crashed landed on terra firma on as many occasions in my entire life, as I must’ve in those couple of hours. I’d barely stand, and whooooop. Needless to say my first attempt at skiing was a non starter. Sliding down the ever so gentle slopes marked out for beginners at Solang seemed a distant dream. But for those fleeting moments that one did manage, it felt like an outer body experience. Bruised elbows and hips notwithstanding! Hence, I approached my second attempt at skiing with an equal measure of thrill and trepidation.

The idea of going for a skiing holiday was met with unanimous approval. Four adults and three kids set out for Solang near Manali from Delhi. Driving through the day after a night halt at Chandigarh, we reached Manali well past sun down. “Look out of your room window tomorrow morning.” For a first timer from the hot Indian plains, visiting Manali and arriving after sunset can set one up for a very pleasant surprise.  Next morning the snow covered alpine slopes had everyone in a thrall.

Solang this time (Jan 09) hasn’t had the expected level of snow (global warming staring at our face!!!). But we found a good place to test our skills. Second time around, I was marginally better off. I came close to falling on a couple of occasions but miraculously held on. The challenge however was to stop or turn direction when another fledgling skier crossed my path. I rammed into a few.

But this experience has raised realistic hopes that I might, after all, manage skiing in the near future. Auli and Gulmarg are next on the radar.

Travel & Living

Over many a beer session across pubs in Delhi, Manoj and I often discussed watching a marquee contest at a beautiful venue. Watching a Federer-Nadal match at Wimbledon & India-England at Lords was high on our dream list. In India, watching an India-Australia Test Match at Mohali, near the Le Corbusier deigned Chandigarh, far and away the most picturesque Test venue in India, was what we were looking forward to. Our moment came last weekend. Never mind that we had to drive 300 km, even though the two teams were to square up 30 km away from home in Delhi’s Feroze Shah Kotla 10 days later!

Like two seasoned openers, our response was instinctive. Off we were at 4.45 am to catch Sachin, Ishant, Dhoni, Lee, Ponting and their ilk. Test cricket in one of those sports that lends itself perfectly to be enjoyed in beautiful settings, much like golf. Played at a languid pace, it is all about subtle nuances. Add a picturesque ground and lovely weather to the frame, what more can one ask for? Mohali’s cricket stadium is pretty by Indian standards. Small stands ringed by trees, clear blue skies, green grass, mellow sun, a gentle breeze and a few friends…it was lovely! The cricket was gripping. It was a purist’s delight to watch Ishant and Lee run in hard against the backdrop of green and blue hues of the turf and sky.

Manoj at Mohali

Another one in the Indian pantheon of Gods – Sachin Tendulkar

Brits enjoying beer

Cloudy day at Dharamsala

Cricket amidst the snowline

The stadium had a motley bunch of touring Aussies. Most of them had a blast with locals in the stand. What better way to connect with people from different cultures than in a light hearted sporting arena. Although Australia lost, the consensus was ‘we had a great trip to the Punjab’. The visitors now move to Delhi with the team. Acknowledging the importance of their support Shane Watson raised his bat, first to them, on reaching his 50 (cricketing milestone for the uninitiated). We caught up with a bunch of Brits at an ahata (a makeshift liquor den) just outside the ground. These were travelers with a keen eye for India and cricket. Needless to say, they predicted an Indian win.

Soccer fans in Europe are known to travel extensively in groups. Seeing a game in each of the Major League (base) ballparks is a lifetime goal for many in US. Travel companies buy up seats and hotel rooms months in advance, or establish exclusive relationships with teams and tournaments. Such is the burning desire travel and watch sport. I’m now waiting for Test cricket to take place in Dharamsala! Has anyone come across a more scenic setting?

Backpacking Vs Luxury Travel

The verdict it pretty much out on the two most desired ways of travelling. Not surprisingly it straddles either extreme of the travel spectrum — backpacking & luxury. The carefree abandon of traveling on a shoestring budget with a flexible itinerary has a counterpoint in travelling club class and 5 star living. The natural progression for travelers would be to start as backpackers during student life and early part of ones career. And as the bank balance looks a little healthier, the transition generally begins. But you have diehards in both camps.

 

I got into the backpacking mode pretty early in life. As a teenager representing both my college and university in table tennis, I’d often be thrown into situations where we’d travel without reservations. On one such occasion, I led 4 guys in their late teens, for a tournament, to Kochi during Onam festival. All the trains leading to state were running full. For the better part of our journey we traveled without reservation – either standing or sitting on our bags. We chatted army jawans returning home from the front to be with their young families, govt. servants on their annual leave…Malayalees from all over the country seemed to be getting back home. We saw Kerala in the flush of festivity. We were put up in dormitories. The lush countryside, neatly decorated homes, freshly scrubbed faces…one felt the heartbeat Kerala up-close on the roads, in the trains, at stations, in buses, in tiny eating joints, in the bazaars. We fell in love with the state. The romance of that autumn journey is two decades old, and still going strong.

 

Close to a decade and half latter since that trip, another trip to Kerala beckoned. This time I was accompanied by a 70 year old renowned photographer, S. Paul, for a travel writing assignment. The local tourism board was our host. Through our road journey from north to south Kerala we stayed in some of the most celebrated hotels and resorts. From the comfort of my room on a small bound I experienced the backwaters of river Chaliyar, at Calicut. A resort beautifully built in Kerala’s traditional architectural style with all mod cons thrown in. Our stop at Kochi was a property by the bay. Ocean liners making their way, small ferries transporting people, wares and small vehicles, and observing life gently go by in Fort Kochi had a surreal tinge. At Chowara, in the southern tip of the state, we were booked into a hotel overlooking the sea from a hill. Surrounded by coconut groves, all one could see were the greens of the foliage and the blues of the sea and sky. We were in the lap lux.

 

One day, a week into our journey, I decided to step out. After spending the day at Kovalam and Trivandrum, I boarded a local bus back to my hotel in Chowara. A young man helped me out with the destination names written in Malayalam. We traveled together for a few kilometers. He worked as a waiter in one of the hotels dotting the touristy haven – Kovalam. After a hard day’s work how do you unwind? I asked.  ‘I’ll go to the seaside and catch up with my friends.’ Having grown up in a in a small coastal village, none of modern means of entertainment TV, films, internet et al. held any sway. The sea remained his greatest source of recreation.

 

Travel for me has been about understanding people, their way of life, their aspirations, and their culture. Budget travel throws open immense possibilities. Its innate serendipitous quality is a big draw. Luxury travel on the other hand, is ideal to simply unwind. Put your feet up, chill, read a book…      

 

Going through the Egypt travel guide, as part of my preparation for a future trip, I hear a voice say BACKPACK. With a moderate bank balance, the choice is pretty simple.

US travelers to India overtake UK

The UK traditionally has sent the maximum number of travelers to India. A shared history, nostalgia and Indophiles amongst the Brits have made sure the fascination for India hasn’t waned.  But these are changing times. Old alliances are giving way to new. Keen interest in contemporary India among American clearly goes beyond the much discussed nuclear deal. According to recent stats released by India’s department of tourism, Americans have emerged as India’s number one inbound group. The number of visitors from the US touched 7.99 lakh, out of the total 50.81 lakh foreigners who came to India last year. The UK came out second best by a wafer thin margin, for once, sending 7.96 lakh visitors in 2007.

 

Indiais now nearly as popular a destination for Americans as Spain, according to reports emanating from the US. One can partially put this down to the still strong Dollar against the Rupee, as opposed the Dollar’s declining fortune vis-à-vis the Euro. Travel to India from the United States increased 10% between 2006 and 2007, on the back of an 8% rise the year before. More Americans visited India last year than traditionally popular destinations such as Ireland and Thailand.

 

And even the profile of the travelers has changed a fair bit. It is no longer just the backpacker who took to India on the heels of the Beatles trip to Rishikesh. Indian mysticism remains a strong draw, but it is the new variety of tourist who is feeding the boom. This variety includes business travelers, professionals of Indian origins and wealthy American who travel club class. Hope into swish spas and heritage properties!

 A bullish economy, improved infrastructure, emergence of low cost carriers, an aggressive marketing campaign by the Indian Tourism Ministry and emergence of internet have fueled this surge. The improved penetration of internet has meant hotels in India have paid due attention to creating websites with quality photography, thus reaching out to a global audience. Top spas and heritage properties such as ‘Ananda In the Himalayas’ & ‘Devigarh Fort Palace’ have only enhanced India’s image. Open any reputed travel site and you are likely to read favorable hotel reviews of Indian hotels.

Oriental Travel Accounts

Travel writing is popularly perceived to be a Western monopoly. National Geographic Travelers’ list of top 80 travel books has just three authors of Asian origin – Amitav Ghosh, Michael Ondaatje and Pico Iyer.

 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/extras/travellibrary/library12.html

 

Asked to name legendary travelers of yore – most of us would rattle off names like Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama and the like. For popular history has mostly celebrated Western travelers and their accounts. It was this anomaly that poet Tabish Khair, an associate professor of English at the University of Aarhus (Denmark), set out to correct. ‘Other Routes – 1500 Years of Africa and Asian Travel Writings’ was the outcome. Put together with 3 other editors, this alternative to Western travel writing draws on writing from 5^th century to the 19^th. The editors have included spiritual journeys written in poetry format as travel writing. This anthology corrects the skewed view that only Europeans traveled.

Hiuen Tsiang was one of the very visitors to Indiato who wrote about the Kumbha Mela in his diary. He came here looking for Buddhist learning. Likewise Fa-Hein, a few centuries earlier, had Buddha on his mind when he came visiting India. He has been credited with providing precise details on when and how Buddhism was introduced in China.

 

Another great traveler of was Adi Shankaracharya who criss-crossed Indian foot. He did not write too much but his teachings were instrumental in the revival of Hinduism Advaita philosophy.

 

My favourite travelers though has to Zheng He. A famous naval chief, his fleet sailed the high seas from eastern China to the Africa coast of Kenya and Ethiopia. Many of his sailors’ married locals and creating a community of Chinese-Africans! Zheng He and his troops paid respects to local deities and customs wherever they traveled. In Sri Lanka they erected a monument honouring Buddha, Allah and Vishnu, according to one account.

 

According to another account, it is said that the combined fleets of Columbus and Vasco da Gama wouldn’t have stood a chance against a single file of vessels that used to set sail under Zheng He. Such was the scale of his naval might.  

 

The famous Chinese net of Kochi can also traced back to this legendary traveler.

 

Notes from Kerala II

Driving down NH 17 from Kozhikode towards Kochi, Kerala unfurled all its natural hues. The flaming gulmohars in bloom seemed just that shade brighter, coconut trees and paddy fields again a wee bit greener…this is a landscape awash with colors of nature. So driving into the lime washed white walls and sloping tile roof of Brunton Boatyard (BB)

was like entering a monochromatic world. It is well-nigh impossible to believe that BB is a new building. Its resemblance to the old colonial buildings of Fort Kochi is so close that only an ace architect or conservationist can pick it out. A giant tree in the courtyard rounds off the old world aura. The mysterious charm of this hotel forced me to dig a little deeper. This was originally a boatyard run by a European. And you can see why. Located on the water front, it is today a busy water way stretch between the port and the sea. There wasn’t much by way of a structure back then (over a century I presume). It was more of a shed workshop with tropical trees all around. The present structure was commissioned in 1999. But such is the meticulous job done by the Indo-German architect duo that you simply marvel and take in the haunting quality of the spaces. All the rooms overlook the bay. Watching freight ships and passenger boat ferrying people across the many islands of Kochi gives travelers an idea why this was such a coveted port down the centuries!

Kerala Notes – I

The fact that Kerala has revolutionized the way tourism in India should be run is no secret. There are many reasons for National Geographic featuring the state as one of the 50 ‘must experience’ in one’s lifetime. Culture is one of its USPs. Its rich history with European, Arab, Jew, South East Asian and Chinese influences is a give draw. As is the Kerala’s singularly unique lifestyle and state’s scenic terrain that has a seductive coastline, virgin rain forests, misty mountains, not to mention its Backwaters.

Having visited the state a few times over the last couple of decades, the thing that stood out on my last trip was the quality of hotels that have come up across state. Hoteliers and architects have taken care to weave local architectural styles in their buildings. A leaf that their counterparts in other states will do well to emulate! This has resulted in a number of resorts that give visitors a real taste of Kerala experience with a strong flavour of local architecture. In north Kerala, in Kadavu Resort in Kozhikode (Calicut) stands out.

Harnessing the terrain, architect Tony Joseph has extensively used local woods in the interiors and tiles for ceiling. The lobby area with huge openings on all four sides was windswept. Even in peak summers one did not feel the need for air conditioning. Its architecture dexterously weaves Kerala’s building traditions with modcons in the rooms. If you are looking to explore north Kerala with all its Arab trading and Vasco de Gama links, Kadavu could well be the ideal place to stay. This is the heart of Kerala’s Islamic landscape. And the region around Kozhikode is littered with old mosques built in the Kerala style school of architect. It was a strange, albeit sight, to see mosques without domes.

While on the road

• The only source of knowledge is experience. (Einstein)

India can be at once daunting, overwhelming and heady to a visitor, especially a first time, female traveler from the western world. Recently a question by a lady on raahi.com’s Q & A section set me thinking. India is so varied and vast that even for a south Delhi/ Mumbai traveler exploring Bastar/Haridwar or vice versa can can call for major adjustments. Over my two decades of travel following are some my learnings on the road.

 

1. Respect local culture, rather than approaching a destination with a superiority or inferiority complex. As a teenager, growing up in India’s armed forces cantonment I had a chip on my shoulders. I visited my home state with a superiority complex. Until I realized my stupidity. Since then I have a developed a degree of insider perspective. I have come to terms with my roots. I employ the same mind set whenever I visit a new place now whether in India or abroad.
2. Try and blend in to the extent possible. Be it in dressing or mannerisms. When traveling by ordinary trains or interstate bus services, I eschew flamboyance. My Nikes & other eye catching apparels are left behind. I pick on neutral shades. It helps me observe people while being in the background.
3. Do your homework about the region you plan to visit. Read up its history; get a handle on the culture, contemporary lifestyle, modes of transport etc. While doing a series of articles on Coorg, my initial research helped me gain the respect of locals who were more than happy to show me around and uncover hidden nuggets of their culture.
4. Be alert and prepared rather than naïve.
5. Avoid getting too adventurous too soon. Work your understanding and then take calculated risks.
6. Always inform someone (parents, friends, hotel authorities etc) about your rendezvous thru a call or email. In case of an eventuality it’ll be that easier to track you down

 

Please fill me in with points you feel can add to this list.