The Sun, the sea, the hills, the road..

Somehow, I never quite sat down to write about my trip to the red wine capital region of the world – Bordeaux in France. Now, when I wish to compare my experience there with the one with the Indian wine capital, I quite regret my earlier laziness. After all, it is tough to rely on memory from almost one and a half year ago, of a foreign land with so many other distractions.

A week back, some of my friends planned to take a trip to the Nashik vineyards to enjoy the grape-picking and crushing season. For some reason their plan did not materialize, but it got me interested in the idea. I had travelled to Bordeaux during non-season and had got to see nothing of the grapes – except for some random berries adorning a few shrubs.
So this time, I thought I would do some grape picking myself and see people crush grapes with foot by jumping up and down on a pool of grapes (it turned out, of course, to be a very pristine romantic image found only in the movies). I hunted for some famous Indian winehouses on the web, struk up Sula at the first instance (http://www.sulawines.com/) and the imagery immediately caught my imagination. With a tastefully crafted wine bar, overlooking a spread of vineyards, it seemed like the perfect place for a quiet vacation. We immediately made the appointments and were soon ready to go.

We finally set out for Nashik on a hot Saturday afternoon. This was our first journey in our new car, and the driver was awfully proud 🙂
The scorching sun endeavored hard to dampen our spirits, but we strode on (well, the sun glare did manage to etch an ugly frown on my face through most of the journey). The first hour of it was terrible – as we tried to connect to the highway through a typical bombay traffic, trying to decipher directions from a road map. (Now don’t your ever try that in India, it is just not possible to get where you want to!) Soon, we shut the map and relied on the alternate – local oral directions, which are only a step less confusing than the maps.
Nashik lies on the Agra highway – NH3 and if your experience with the highways is limited to the kinds of NH8/NH1 in the north, you will get a rude shock when you hit this one. Discount the lack of a wider road with more than 2-lanes, discount even the lack of fancy mid-ways and eating joints on the road – but you do expect a road which doesn’t jump every once in a while and allows a smooth buzzless drive. It turns out, that is a high expectation.
Well anyways, despite all misgivings, the road does turn very scenic after reaching the ghats (which start around 1 hour’s drive from Mumbai). As you get on the ghats, the road gets surrounded by an arid land of reddish brown hues. The landscape is lined with oddly shaped hills, and is often criss-crossed by a rail track. Without getting into the mesh of words, I will stop at saying – it was beautiful!
As we got close to Nashik, we went through another round of meandering to reach Sula. The directions proved useless again as the darkness obstructed the identification of any landmarks. EVen the glorious lustre of the full moon night didn’t help us through that darkness. At one point, we began to get weary.

But once we reached the vineyards, the sight was enough to take away all weariness. Nashik weather is quite pretty in the evenings, with temperatures close to 15-20 deg and a very pleasant breeze. The vineyards spread over a 40 acre land and were surrounded by other local vineyards – the open land lent further coolness to the air.
A knowledgeable guy gave us a small tour of the establishment – of course it was too late and dark to go through the vineyards themselves. For once, we learned well about the wine making process, the differences between red, white, rouge wines and Champagnes. And learned that not all wine is aged!
The tour ended in an even more enlightening wine tasting session. Not only did the guy tell us the right way to taste wine, he even enabled us to understand the meaning of terms such as dryness of wine, mellowness of wine, etc. We could actually distinguish between the different wines that we were having.
Apart from all the wine, Sula’s wine tasing room was delightful. It has been done in Californian style, and looks over the vineyard. Aside from the bar stools, the seating area is an open balcony. It is hard to describe the heady mixture of a cool breeze, a full moon and a lovely wine. We all ordered a pint each of our favorites from the tasting, and spent a lovely 2 hours on the terrace.

In the morning (if 11 am is still morning!), we got up and set out to the vineyards again, this time to see the shrubs and berries in day light. However, we ended up again at the tasting room, and our eyes saw what we had missed last night – a pretty lake beyond the vineyard, and a hilly terrain lining the view. With another lively session at the terrace, we set back for the return journey – of course with a couple of wine bottles tucked away for future consumption 🙂

It was the perfect Christmas vacation I could hope for- one outlined in all Christmas cards – Snow covered paths and falling snow flakes. What made it even more beautiful was the fact that it was the first time in my life that I was seeing this pretty picture.

We set out on the journey from Delhi. Six intrepid travellers, lot of snacking stuff, backpacks stuffed with woolens, and a suede Innova equipped with an LCD screen. We started at around 1:30 in the night – apt enough considering that most of our parties in campus used to be at their full bloom at this time. However, after some movie watching, the lulling motion put most of us to sleep. (Actually, with the way our driver was going, it was more a jerking roller coaster rather than a lull, but we still managed to get snoring!)

In the morning, one of these jerks brought me out of sleep, at the most perfect moment that you can find in the mountains – the sunrise. A streak of orange appeared from behind the mountains and lined the sky. I rolled down the glass to feel the fresh chilly wind on my face. Nothing beats the mountains. Even after you have seen them and felt them a thousand times.
Suddenly, our driver who was bored of driving, switched on the blaring music and jolted everyone out of their slumber. After that the journey continued with some life, till in a few hours, we reached Naldhera – a very small town (if we can call 10 houses a town) boasting of a nice golf course. We had booked a log hut for our stay and it was a very comfortable hut. After a hearty breakfast, we set out for a small walk along the road. The road, as all roads in the hills, outlined a pretty valley, looking out to another set of hills on the other side.

Later during the day, we went to a hot water spring 30 km from Naldhera – called Tattapani. Though the place was not particularly interesting, the drive to the place was absolutely beautiful. We drove for a long while on thin roads cut through tall mountains, and then drove on a winding road along the Sutlej. Right before we reached Tattapani, there was a bridge which offered a fabulous view of the stark blue river, narrowed with guarding tall brown mountains on either side.

The next day, we set off to Fagu – a small village 4 km away from Kufri. This very quiet and relatively unknown place offers a stark contrast to its neighbour Simla, which has become a bustling town accomodating several truckloads of tourists. The HPTDC guest house (Peach Blossom) where we stayed, was perched right at the edge,providing a beautiful view of the snow capped peaks accross the valley. We were a little disappointed with the lack of fallen snow as the last snowfall had taken place almost 15 days ago, and all the place offered was some random patches of snow scattered around the place. So it seemed that all our snow dreams were shelved for this trip. However, a good hike was enough to draw us out of the disappointment, and as we set out for a climb nearby, the snow patches grew bigger, so much so that we found enough scope for snow ball fights and snow architectures. We began to construct a Calvin house of horrors, and mid way changed design to a snow castle, which soon became a UFO landing ground, and no sooner – a sight for destruction.

In the evening, we decided to celebrate Christmas and so went to Simla for the festive air and some coffee. We headed straight for the Mall road – the sight of Barista in cold hills was welcome and refreshing, though the whole road seemed packed with tourists. We had a nice evening, and then retreated back into the comfort of our resort by 11.

We were quite satisfied with the trip till then and were planning to go to Narkanda for a better view of snow peaks the next day. But Santa decided to give us a Christmas present, albeit a day late and showered Fagu with snow the next morning. Soon after we got up, we began to see small flakes lining up accross the window pane. The flakes were hardly discernible – but soon they became bigger, and as we rushed outside to capture our almost first snowfalls, they began pouring! It was a site I will hardly ever forget. I have dreamed often to see a brown ground smeared and immersed beneath a sheet of snow – and here it was. Happening right in front of me.

We played in the snow, walked in the snow – slid on ice sheets, stared at the chaos of vehicles trying to drive through snow-laden roads. With chattering teeth, we refused to get inside and let any moment of the picture pass us by. It was beautiful. In that small, almost unknown village of Fagu, we experienced heaven.

And then, we came back – to the city of Mumbai. To resume a normal earthly life!

Chila

Matheran

Bhushi Gaon

Lakshadweep

Rishikesh

Kerala

I know exactly how clichéd it sounds to call Kerala God’s own country, and yet after being there, I will have to say I have never seen anything prettier, more serene and peaceful than the calm and rested backwaters of Allepuzha, and since God would need a peaceful place to run his processes from, the place would definitely fit the bill for his abode.

It was an ad hoc plan to hit Kerala. We had wanted to go to Leh/Ladakh after the convo, but the roads didn’t open early enough while I was saddled with an early joining.

So after a bit of a sales pitch from a friend from kerala, and with our intention to take the cruise to Lakshadweep, we ended up going to this place that I have wanted to visit for a long time and haven’t found the time and opportunity to do so.

We took a nice long train from delhi on the 3^rd of April, that would reach Trivendram only 2 days later on 5^th. I can write a whole blog on the 52 hours spent on the train, as it was one experience I was having after a long long time, and one that I don’t intend to have for quite sometime. Though it was not even half as bad as all the dread I had put to it, it did get long and monotonous at times, especially since the landscape across the track was dull. However, after hitting Kerala, the coconut trees and the criss-cross of streams made up a beautiful sight. We spent most of our time reading and chatting, and I finished one and a half book, which was good.

We landed at Trivendrum, went to a friend’s place, enjoyed a warm hospitality from both her and her parents, and set off to Covallum in an hour. Covullum is supposed to be one of the finest beaches of India and is second only to Goa. We reached there only half hour before sunset, and seriously, there is nothing like watching a sunset on the west coast. It was very beautiful. There is serenity in Kerala that extends beyond the backwaters and has even perhaps sobered the seas. Even though the waves rock the sands, the motion seems more gentle than harsh and almost becomes musical. And right there, as you turn your back to the world and stare at the vast ocean gulping the huge sun, there is not one bother than can put a frown on your head.

Next day was the backwaters day. And what better place to go than the famous Alleppy backwaters – the so called Venice of India. In all fairness, I think it should be the other way round, and I admit that I am saying this without seeing Venice for myself. Anyways, on to the train we sat again to Alleppy where another friend had booked us on a houseboat. And was the boat a luxury! Even though it costed us 5000 rs., it was worth much more than the money we paid for it.

To begin with, the backwaters were the real green of emerald. Whether it is the shadow of the green coconut trees lining it or the weeds within the water or both, backwaters are most beautiful in their sprawling greenery. They start off with narrow lanes that meet out to wider lake-like waters. The houseboat is a luxury suite floating on water, with two bedrooms and kitchen and a nice open balcony & seating area. And they treat you nothing short of a five-star, what with frequent meals served hot on the balcony, a dose of the local liquor (which tasted bad to me by the way) and nice coffee. As you cruise through the backwaters, the breeze is soothing and amazing, and you just have to find a corner on the boat and lose yourself in the surroundings.

And the backwaters are not just a relaxing pool for tourists mind you, even though a majority of revenue probably comes to that. It is often a means of transport, a place for fishing and also for rearing ducks. Overall, they are the backbone for many a family’s income, and you can almost feel the reverence that the boatmen and other people feel for them.

From the green waters, we came out back on the roadways and took a bus to Cochin as our cruise was to begin from there the next day. And again, with all its humidity, I would say Cochin is still amongst one of the finest cities of the country to live. It is a mix of opulence and natural beauty. For instance, you see some of the best hotels even as you enter the city. You see a multitude of clubs that will be difficult to find in another town of its size. We had our dinner at one of such clubs -the Yatch club. With a big and very clean & clear swimming pool and a dining area right next to a big lake (in which you can incidentally do boating as well) the evening was rounded off with just the right kerala touch.

The next day we set off to Lakshadweep on our cruise from a place called Wellington Island. Cochin has about 3-4 islands joined to mainland by bridges and all of them are pretty and well-equipped places. On our way back, we stayed in a 320 year old beautiful wooden house in one of these islands and that was a great experience– so was having a cup of Barista coffee followed by a nice long walk on a lakeside.

So that was it – my short and much awaited tryst with God’s own place. I sure plan to follow up with a cozier and longer vacation there, being lulled to sleep in a rocking houseoat on the backwaters, living in a beachhouse in Varkala and trekking over Munnar hills. It will happen soon.

This blog has been long due. Truly, there is nothing more frustrating than being thrown into a busy schedule with no connectivity right after a refreshing and awesome holiday. That is what happened to me after a beautiful 10-day break in Lakshadweep and Kerala, as my joining in the new job followed right after. Can you imagine a stint with quiet deserted waters terminating in the crazy city of Mumbai where the human sea not just engulfs you in its entirety, but also makes the ever-awe-inspiring ocean a non-entity?! Anyway, I have enough and more to say on Bombay, but I suppose its not the right content for a travel blog.

To return to Lakshadweep – the group of small islands still stands largely unexplored as a tourist destination, and is perhaps more so beautiful for the same reason. A government authority called SPORTS is trying to promote tourism in the area with attractive packages.(http://www.lakshadweeptourism.com/). We had taken one of these Sports authority tour packages called Coral reef, which comprised of 5 nights stay on the ship with the days spent on the islands.

We started the ship journey from Cochin aboard the MS Tipu Sultan. If you have seen too many of the Star cruise advertisements, let me tell you upfront that this ship and the journey is far removed from the glossy image imprinted on your mind. The ship is essentially a passanger ship, and you will see more people aboard than you have seen on a train journey to Bihar. Unfortunately, the ship is filled with people way beyond its capacity, and courts an acute danger if any untoward incident happens mid-ocean. Thanks to the same, all our plans to spend the nights on the deck staring at starry skies went astray. We were holed in to our cabins in the night, except for the very few times when we managed to claim a piece of the deck to stand on and enjoy the lovely breeze or wonder at the flight of small fishes.

Our first destination was Minicoy – an island isolated from the main group of islands and lying about 200 kms south of the northern group. To reach the island, we were put into really rickety rocketty boats, which creaked their way to the island in a jiffy. It was so much fun just riding those boats – yet the best treat came when we landed on the island, for coral islands are very different from the normal beaches that I had experienced before this. For one, you can walk far into the sea and still keep standing, and even the waves are held still by the innocuous looking coral to give a sense of absolute calm.

Minicoy has a very nice lighthouse. With Virginia woolf and discovery shows of haunted lighthouses playing as background themes, I have always been fascinated with lighthouses. Though I did see my share of those in France – this was the first tall lighthouse which I climbed, getting a breathtaking view in return. As you look down, you see the sea merging into trees, which merge into lagoons that merge back into the sea; and you have an entire palette before your eyes – with greens, blues, whites and so many hues which you can’t even name. I wish I could capture the view and hold it, but alas, cameras were not allowed atop(May be to permit us time to see the beauty with the naked eye rather than though the lens of the camera). On this sparsely populated island (a qualification that we found to be true for most islands in lakshadweep), we managed to convince a shop girl to lend us her cycle that we rode upon for sometime on the tree-lined roads. I do wish that we could do this longer, only if all of us had managed to convince a native each to lend us their cycles (if you were wondering – thats the main means of commute in the place)

Our second destination was Kavaratti – the capital of the islands. And the highpoint of this place was scuba diving! That was my first stint at scuba, and was it amazing! The world below the water is so much more colorful and richer than the one above – and this I am saying after delving into merely 2.5 meters of it. And surprisingly, it’s not even remotely scary except when they give you about ten thousand instructions before diving in. To reinforce the underwater experience we were taken on a glass bottom boat ride after the scuba – right into the middle of the land of corals. And even at the cost of repeating myself I will say, we merely see the tip of the iceberg every day. Below the water level, there were mountains of corals, going deep inside, nurturing a range of sea flora and fauna that you otherwise see only in acquariums.

The last island was Kalpeni, and it was the prettiest one. The moment we landed at the tourist spot – it was picture perfect. We took a boat to a very small island away from the shore, stayed there all day and did endless amount of snorkeling, kayaking and swimming. In the course of fun, even stepped on a few sea cucumbers and suffered their wrath 🙂

The day ended with a visit to the northern tip of Kalpeni. The spot is surrounded with water from three sides, seperated from it only by a random array of stones, where you could sit and lose yourself – at the threat of not finding yourself ever again. Even the scorching sun begins to fade in the backdrop of the awe-inspiring endlessness.

And that was all. We went back to the ship and sailed back to cochin. Yet the virgin beauty of the islands, hidden away from the sight of rushing tourists returns often as a sigh in the middle of a mad, busy and stressful day.