Travels and thoughts

It has been a year since our move to India. With Arvind’s workplace in Delhi and our beautiful house in Bangalore, we struggled to strike a balance. The pleasures of living in one’s own house versus the joy of a new place and the constant trips to and fro were taking a toll on finances, health, and outlook! We were managing by leasing cars for a year. Having spent a year in India and rationally reconciling and considering the cost-benefit factor, we decided to purchase a vehicle. We had set ourselves 24 hours to decide on the car. It was the Skoda salesman who clinched the deal for us. The independence one gets when one has a car, especially in Bangalore, is incredible. To break-in the car, we planned a long drive. Bangalore offers many options within a drive distance of 100 km. The first spot that came to my mind was the Shivsamudram Falls.  The Shivasamudram falls near Bangalore are a visual delight post-monsoon. The river water dropping off tall rock cliffs, with lush green fore...

 We returned from a lovely holiday at Coorg a few days ago. Sanchitram (my son) had made plans to go on another trek with BMC (Bangalore Mountaineering Club). While making the booking, he inquiringly looked at Arvind and me, and instinctively, I said yes to the trek that was less than 10 days apart. That day, I had half a mind to slide out of the program. But before I knew we were on the road driving to Uttari Betta. Uttari Betta, also known as Hutridurga, is a popular trekking spot about 80 km away from the hustle and bustle of Bangalore city. The total trek distance is 5 km leading you to the top of a hill with spectacular views of surrounding villages and lakes. Arvind never misses the opportunity to let us know that Bangalore was once like this during the 70s, and we fervently wish that development/progress does not come to these parts.  a landscape dotted with boulders The unique feature of this trek is that you walk through 7 stone walls/ archways that lead you to the su...

A walk in nature walks the soul back home. I love this quote because I relate to this both literally and philosophically. The past few months have been tough to climb. We moved from Dubai to India. I had lived a more significant part of my life in Dubai, where comfort and convenience were easy. To me, it is one of the best-planned cities in the world, extremely friendly to the ex-pat community. Living in the city of Bangalore has its challenges. Time stands still in Blore, and one has to literally shake for things to happen. My son traveled from the USA to help us with the relocation. He noticed my dull state of mind and suggested a trip to Coorg to escape shifting challenges. Lush green paddy fields with coffee plantations.   Hiking is more about family bonding and appreciating nature for us. It is the time when all of us are completely absorbed with nature, constantly encouraging each other to get through the next step. The shared moments are priceless.  Ready and eager...