The Cauvery Collision

"You want to go to Kenya, Africa on a vacation? WHY???" Right from start, the six of us had to face a lot of these questions on our choice of travel. To some it just didn't make sense, others were worried while a few applauded our unique choice. Time and again we had to verify, justify & clarify to our families, friends, cousins, colleagues & whomever concerned on why we chose Kenya over all other amazing locations we could have visited. Today, I'll give you " 13 Reasons Why ". And maybe a couple more. The spectacular six in one frame 1. " The story of ' Once upon a time' begins here" There has never been a doubt that Africa is THE starting point. It is the place that marks the beginning of the most remarkable journey called life. It hides the mysteries of our origin. One way or another, every living thing on this planet has a connection to this place, whether we accept it or not. Breaking Dawn - Amboseli...

The Rendezvous: first impressions The first thing that strikes when you look out of the flight's window on the way to Siem Reap, is the lush green land cut across by meandering rivers like huge anacondas. Cambodia's richness surprised us from the start. And they say it's a poor country! The Cambodian Theme : As green as it gets. June being the off-season for tourists, roads were crowd free. The weather was a typical tropical one, hot and humid. Occasional downpour offered some temporary respite from the scorching heat. First glimpse of the city, totally traffic free roads The City  Bikes and tuktuks are the lifelines of the city. Transport was readily available and USD was accepted everywhere. Most cab & tuktuk drivers speak decent English. The country is visitor friendly and encourages tourism. Our Royal Ride - Mr Chea's Tuktuk

There is always something extra special about an unplanned trip. For those of us trapped in the corporate quicksand, it has a calming effect to make the unbearable week feel lighter for no reason. On one such morose Monday evening in Bangalore, 4 friends (2 couples also) planned for a road trip to Madikeri, Coorg. We zeroed in on a pleasant little home stay - Chingaara.  Atop a mountain and well hidden in the woods was this cozy place, that appealed to us at once. We did an advance booking for the weekend. We started at 5 pm from Bangalore on a Friday evening. We took packed dinner and snacks so that we don't have to halt more than we need to. It took us nearly 3 hours & loads of patience to escape from the traffic clutches of mighty Bangalore. And then,  like a whiff of fresh air - came the broad & empty Mangalore highway. Our red dragon was both fast and furious (yet safe) on the freeway - full marks to our ...