Category: Uncategorized

Huddled inside a lavvu, a Sami tent, around a blazing pinewood fire, we binged on coffee and “almost homemade cake”—almostbecause Knut, our guide for the night, bought the chocolate cake with coconut and sugar dusted on top from a store and sliced it in the kitchen at his home! We learnt from him about the Sami. Historically known as Laps or Laplanders, they are the natives inhabiting, primarily, the countries of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. They gained recognition as indigenous people in Norway following the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (ILO convention 169), and are thereby entitled special rights and protection. They herd reindeer for a living and are the only people to legally own the animal.

Sharing laughter and stories, and more cake, we awaited the appearance of Aurora on a bitterly cold January night in Kvaløya (commonly, Whale Island), an island some 30 kilometres away from Tromsø. The hands on the clock marched on. Seven to eight, nine, and then ten, still no show except a faint glimmer of hope, like a wispy cloud. Soon clouds started to drift on the vast canvas overhead. The moon peered through the cloud-blanket to greet us, a silent nod, before disappearing. The wind grew stronger, colder. As a legend goes, whistling or singing teases the Lights into appearing. Someone hummed I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good, good night; the rest of us chimed in. Would the Elusive Aurora pay us a visit tonight?

Aurora, or polar lights, is a natural display of light near the northern and southern magnetic poles, caused when charged particles from the sun come in contact with atoms in the upper reaches of the Earth’s atmosphere. While it is known as Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) over the Arctic, it is called Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) over the Antarctic. Up until a century ago very little was known about what caused this natural phenomenon. Ancient Chinese legends held the Lights to be a battle between gods and fire-breathing dragons. The Cree of North America considered them to be the spirits of the departed souls trying to communicate with those they left behind. In Greenland they were thought to be the souls of stillborn babies. The French considered them to be bad omen, bringing along plague, war, death, when they saw the sky turning red weeks before the French Revolution. The Estonians believed them to be horse-drawn carriages carrying heavenly guests to a celestial wedding. A myth in Finland notes how an Arctic fire fox ran so swift across the sky that its bushy tail brushed against the mountains and caused sparks that lit up the night sky (the Finnish word for the Northern Lights is revontulet, or fire fox). In Sweden, the Lights were seen as a portent of good news.

The Sami thought them to be an ill omen and that they will come down and slice your head off, while Norse mythology held that Aurora was the glowing arch which led the fallen warriors to the final resting place in Valhalla. In modern times, author Molly Larkin has remarked: “When I look at the northern lights … I see our ancestors dancing around a sacred fire, lighting the way for us when it’s time for us to cross over from this physical world and join them.”

The Lights are stunningly beautiful but also extremely temperamental. Dependent on clear, dark skies, viewing them also rests on luck. There are various sites and apps that inform you when and where to view the Lights—norway-lights.com being one such source—but never consider them a guarantee. It is after all a natural phenomenon. In north Europe, the Scandinavian countries are the best bet: Reykjavík and Kirkjufell mountain in Iceland; Tromsø, Lofoten Islands, Nordkapp, Kirkenes, and deep in the Norwegian Sea in Norway; Kiruna and Abisko in Sweden; Rovaniemi in Finland; as also north Greenland, Alaska, Canada. People from all over the world flock to these destinations for a glimpse of the magical skies.

A Northern Lights tour is one of the most sought-after trips on bucket lists in recent decades: many travel companies offer group as well as customised tours deep in the European winter; the best time to view the Lights. Toasting marshmallows in the fire, I heard someone recount that while on a mission to buy essentials for this adventure to Norway, a store in Chennai (a city that has never seen snow nor experienced cold nights) ran out of winter wear because a group of ninety-odd people were headed to Iceland!

A little after ten, I dragged myself out to gaze up at the sky only to find myself rushing back to the lavvu to thaw my frozen self. Even when suitably armoured with about five layers of fleece and thermals, the cold found its way in somehow. Minus twenty-seven was no joke! I was in the “middle of snow-where”—away from the city lights and “Chasing the Lights”, as the flyer read. But in reality we chase clear, dark skies—Knut corrected us while passing yet more cake to the bunch. Correct, but “chasing the lights” sounds more dreamy, wouldn’t you agree?

Eleven, the clock announced. The clouds decided to stay. We did too, unlike another group on a similar mission that proceeded towards the Finnish border. Eleven-twenty-five. Did the clouds decide to part? No. The wait seemed never-ending. Once again I found my way back around the fire, disappointed. I prepared myself for a no-show; there were three more nights yet for the chase. Deciding to call it a night, we began to pack up, retract the tripods, and pile on layers to brave the cold till we reached the bus.

Eleven-forty. “One last try,” Knut said. He checked the KP index and silently stepped out. Seconds later he screamed, “Guys, come out and see!”

What was that?

The moon had bidden farewell and it was dark all around. The stars glimmered in the ink-black sky. Only once before have I seen such a clear, dark sky studded with so many stars—on a camping trip to Mukteshwar, situated high in the Kumaon Hills of north India. The KP index showed a 4. Good enough chance? Suddenly the sky lit up a pale green and we could see each other and around clearly. The Lights! Aurora Borealis! The snow shone, the sky danced. One long streak flashed from right to left. Another intersected it at a forty-degree angle. A sea horse galloped behind us, a reindeer’s head flashed before us, a chariot drove at a distance. Among this, a shooting star shot through a green-and-purple performance.

I squealed, I gasped. I screamed with joy, I exclaimed with awe. The others echoed the same enthusiasm. Knut photographed us, with wonder and excitement in our eyes. Jaymes Young’s song played in my head: I wanna touch the northern lights/ We could leave the world behind. I jumped but fell into the snow. Sometimes faint, sometimes stark, the imaginary formations swirled and shimmied across the sky, a symphony of colours. Then they faded away. But within minutes they picked up because I was still waiting with bated breath. I could not help but smile, brushing aside the tears of joy with the back of my chilled glove. Around twelve-thirty, we began to pack up. The Aurora danced across the sky, with her skirt in shades of green and purple sweeping across the vast expanse. Impossible to capture on film unless you are armed with a manual camera with the correct settings; nevertheless I was here to experience it.

The Lights were there to stay the night. I froze, but did not mind. I danced under the dancing Arctic sky. January 24, 2018. A date well marked in my journal. For, I will remember this as the day when the skies unfolded. As I inched towards fulfilling my long-cherished dream, the sky turned green with envy. I went with my gut and it did turn out to be one of the most memorable travel experiences.

Aurora Borealis. The Northern Lights. # 1 on my bucket list even before I had a bucket list. CHECK

Mingalaba! Hello and Welcome to Myanmar-Our local guide greeted us when we landed at the airport.at Mandalay on November 24, 2017.  We were a group of 12 women travelling with WeGoBond, led by Shibani Vig, looking forward to a week-long trip to this off beat, not so touristy destination.  As we drove to our hotel, we got a good glimpse into the last capital of Burmese royalty, which is now the second largest city in the country. As if to give us a sneak preview of what the trip had in store for us, we were taken to the top of Mandalay Hill, to the Su Taung Pyi (wish granting) Pagoda for a panoramic view of the city and the Irrawaddy river, against the setting sun.

The next day was a visit to Sagaing, an important centre for Buddhist meditation, known for a number of monasteries.  It was a unique experience at Myat Setkyar monastery, to watch the hundreds of monks in their maroon robes, silently line up as a daily ritual for their last meal of the day at 10:30 am. We imagined how it would be for young boys to learn about ascetic life as novice monks. We got to chat with a monk who had come from Arunachal Pradesh to learn more about Theravada Buddhism. After that it was a visual treat to reach the U Min Thone Sae Pagoda, where we saw 45 Buddha statues through 30 caves (doorways), all carved out of hill rock, a great place to take photographs in the niches! Other important religious places we visited were the Shwenandaw Monastery with intricate wood carving on Teak, the Kuthodaw Pagoda which is like the largest book in the world consisting of 729 shrines with stone tablets engraved with Buddhist scriptures, and the Mahamuni Buddha statue, which according to the legend was made by the Buddha himself when he was alive.  The gilded pagodas were glittering in the sunlight and we really appreciated the word Shwe in Burmese, meaning Gold.  The use of Gold leaf on the Buddha statues in the various Pagodas, and as an offering by devotees seems an important part of the Burmese religious tradition, so our planned visit to the Gold leaf workshop proved to be very useful and informative.

From Mandalay we moved on to Bagan- what a landscape.  We climbed up the narrow winding stairway at the Shwe Gu Dyi temple, built on an elevated brick structure, and we arrived at the terrace to a breath taking view of the Bagan plains- green trees and vegetation interspersed with thousands of brown religious monuments dating back to the 11^th-13^th century, against a blue sky, made a perfect picture. Old Bagan especially where we were staying, near the Tharabar gate, was the right place to be and just walk around on one’s own discovering old monuments at every corner.  It felt lucky to be bang in the middle of an archaeological site!  Our itinerary also included visits to other temples such as the Ananda Phaya, built with some Indian architectural influence by 8 monks who came from the Nandamula cave in India.  The unique feature of this temple was the huge Buddha statue that appears to be smiling when viewed from a distance, but appears serious up close. That was amazing. Our shopping later at the local market in Bagan was largely to buy the popular lacquerware handicrafts- the selection was very tempting.

Our next stop was at Inle Lake in the Shan state- the mountain region of Myanmar.  As we entered the Inle Lake Biosphere in our canoe styled motor boats, the expanse of the clear blue water, the azure sky, and the green mountains seemed to move along with us. The flock of sea gulls flying low, diving in and out, appeared to be teasing us to play with them- I just didn’t want the ride to end!  It was interesting to see the Intha fishermen and their unique style of paddling with one leg around one oar.  We also got a chance to visit different villages around the lake and see the cottage industries there- from lotus fibre and silk weaving, to a silversmith village and then a cheroot (cigar) making workshop.  We met the Kayan ethnic group (Padaung tribe), where the women wear bronze rings around their necks to make them slender and more beautiful.  The more the rings you wear the more prosperous you are. We also tried to imagine farming for the lake inhabitants- we saw floating farms  that were about 10 metre long and 1 meter wide, anchored by long bamboo sticks, growing cucumbers, tomatoes and green beans- all climbing plants with small roots.  The village Inn Dein was a great experience, walking through the Stupa ruins and passing by a variety of shops/stalls along the way selling souvenirs, handicrafts and art (paintings) straight from the artists!

We experienced Burmese hospitality, and cuisine- sumptuous salads like the Tea Leaf Salad, meat and vegetable dishes beyond the familiar Khao Suey.  Our hotels were extremely well located, so carefully selected. Our guides were helpful and knowledgeable. Our group was fun with an interesting mix of fitness enthusiasts, travel and history buffs, nature lovers and art connoisseurs. There was much chatting, sharing, dancing, laughing, eating and partying!

We got to see nature in its glory- the myriad of colours at sunset from a variety of locations- from the top of Mandalay hill, from the old teak U Bein bridge at Amarapura, and from our hotel at the serene Inle Lake.  And the much talked about sunrise from the elevated Shwe Gu Dyi temple, against the plains of Bagan, watching the hot air balloons as dots disappearing into the sky.

Our trip ended at Yangon- the largest city in Myanmar, but no longer the capital, where we were reminded of Delhi or Mumbai with its British style colonial buildings. We spent a nice evening at the iconic Strand Hotel. Amidst the chanting of monks, we got to see the jewel of Yangon- the Shwedagon Pagoda- considered the most sacred as it has genuine relics of Buddha.  The locals visit the “birthday corners” at the Pagoda for naming their children, based on astrology and the Burmese Zodiac signs. For example, the Tuesday corner is represented by the Lion and is influenced by the planet Mars. The Pagoda also has a Bodhi tree transplanted from India in 1926, so is special for us! A quick visit to the tomb of the Last Mughal- Bahadur Shah Zafar- reminded us of the linkages between the history of India and Burma. As I learnt more about the country opening up over the last 7 years, with over a hundred embassies now in Myanmar, I couldn’t help think that this country is a must visit!

As each of us settles back in our daily routine back home, our thoughts sometimes wander to those trip moments, getting us to scroll through the collection of photographs shared so promptly across our whatsapp group.  And definitely results in a sigh and a smile…memories to be cherished for a long time!

Jayzuba!  Thank you Shibani and WeGoBond, for such a memorable holiday in Myanmar, with such a cohesive fun group, and a well curated itinerary.  Signing off till the next trip!

Dozens of bouquet-wielding families intact with grandparents, kids, uncles, aunts, and cousins line up the narrow exit with warmth and good tidings at the Tehran Imam Khomeini international Airport. Seeing our group leader – a spirited tomboyish sturdy woman – is a welcome relief, given all the caution meted out to us – as a woman’s group travelling in Iran. An hour-long ride in balmy weather takes us into the city which is quiet early in the evening but for wide boulevards, wild roses leaping out from nowhere, and strings of festive flags along flat, yellowish chalk-coloured buildings.

As night falls, the city lights come on cheerfully and young people come out on to the streets to enjoy a meal out or just catch up. It’s a wee bit chilly, and we haven’t realised that at the foot of the Alborz mountains, the city scales up from 3000ft all the way to 8,000 feet…much higher than Mussourie, Shimla, or Nainital, familiar and popular “hill stations” back in India.

The metro station we board from the city centre is a whole different world – ceilings that are miles high, clearly demarcated coloured floor markers to board and alight. The platform is teeming with chattering masses, dutifully making their way to the first two and last two railcars if they are women, else collecting in the middle. Hustled by an endless array of salesmen and women (the lucky blokes travel through the women’s carriages) who stay just long enough to give their spiel for one station and sell everything from hairclips and underwear to tablecloths and kitchenware, it is an amusing sight. At 11,000 rials for a return ride (less than 30 cents or about INR20 – all of which we crack code on, a couple of days into the trip), the metro present across cities was safe, reassuring and very aesthetically designed, and friendlier than my maiden trips in New York or Paris even.

The next 9 days proved to be delightful…Iran is a well-kept secret never to be told or it might lose its charm. A kaleidoscope that teases the senses – of beautiful women, colourful sweet and sour food, gleaming cityscapes and town squares, gardens littered with flowers, imposing yet minutely multicoloured tiled mosques, and rivers and mountains so casually dotting the landscape. In sharp contrast were the staid very flat sand papered looking buildings – government, public and residential, as well as roads lined with boxy cars straight out of the 70s- Peugeots, Nissans and Renaults – all flat, no curves, exaggerated bonnets and trunks.

Words like “cultured” “tehzeeb”” jannat” came to mind ever so often each day as we encountered locals – cabbies, school girls, old ladies, shop keepers – no one crossed us without yelling “Hindoostan???” and when we nodded, they either broke into a jig or Bollywood song, or giggled, or practised their halting English with us, complimented us for being “women on our own trip’’ or called us beautiful, stopping for photographs and asking us to visit their homes for tea. Without doubt, Iranians have got to be the friendliest people in the world.

There was something very warm hospitable and kind in the air it seemed. The very daunting prospect of travelling with 10 unknown ladies over 10 days in completely unfamiliar terrain and what was touted as a conservative restrictive cultural environment, was laughable. And I now happily recommend the same as an experience to cherish. Of course, many factors played out to make it so. Shibani, our group leader’s careful recce of the country’s destinations and hotels and exhaustive list of cafes and travel tips and flexibility with maximising the itinerary for all of us. Mandana Nooran, our delishly beautiful and guide whose animated stories and information nuggets and shopping tips kept us enthralled through long bus rides and on hot afternoons when our legs were giving way. Her impeccable translation of Persian poetry and verse and flawless English descriptions made us all feel at ease in a mostly unfamiliar lingual territory. Ibrahim, our old-soul shy van driver, who chivalrously chaperoned us through day and night drives stopping only to pay tolls or refill our hot water for endless cups of black tea on our drives.

From Tehran to Isfahan and onto Shiraz, and finally Yazd, we covered over a 1000 miles, with pit stops at Kashan and Persepolis. The motley group of 10 professional women each bringing her own fare to the table literally as well, held us all so tightly that despite the flexibility of free evenings in our itinerary, we stuck as a group each night finding gourmet gems across the cities we visited, including a toned down pyjama party with our heads finally uncovered in a hotel room tucking into local Iranian dishes.

Food has got to be one of the highlights of our Iran trip, not so much for versatility across the regions as much as for its soulfulness and the elaborateness of each meal be it at a tiny roadside café or a fancy hotel. And we ladies graced each meal with the zeal of mountaineers and wrestlers, our headscarves providing all the cover we needed to get over any shyness. After 2-3 days of over-ordering to satiate our desire to try every olive marinade and yogurt flavour besides every meat we could discover under the pile of buttered rice, we slipped into such orchestrated communion. The kababs, fish and vegetables cooked in delightful rich spices and fruit pastes resulted in sweet and sour symphonies with occasional chillies to perk up the notes. Plate after plate of fesenjan (pomegranate walnut stew), bademjan ( eggplant and tomato stew), saffron buttered rice ( cooked as chelo or polo- with vegetables) and tahdig which is essentially lip smacking burnt rice, made for healthy wholesome eating on high carpeted platforms where we sat cross legged for many an hour sharing food and banter, resting our tired and happy selves.

The spectacular Khaju bridge notwithstanding, travelling to Iran is like time-travel into “the bridge across forever” to see “naqsh-e-jahan” or half the world. Make your way!

Traveling to Bhutan, considered the Last Shangri La, had always been a dream for me and it was finally coming true. I had seen an announcement for the June Bhutan trip of WeGoBondon Facebook. The itinerary looked very interesting and I signed up with a friend.

We flew from Delhi to Paro and thanks to the tip by Shibani Vig sat on the left side of the plane by the window and got stunning views of the Himalayan range including Mt. Everest and Kanchenjunga. My trip had begun on a positive note. We landed at Paro airport, a quaint airport with traditional Bhutanese architecture set in a valley with a photo of the 5^th king and his wife smiling down on us, welcoming us. The drive to Thimpu took one hour amidst valleys and beautiful landscapes. The seat of government, Thimpu is the largest city in Bhutan and has the historic Dzong (fort), new Buddha Point, temples, clock tower, painting school, and the bustling Farmers market. The organic Bhutanese local produce – fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals are sold from different parts of Bhutan.

Our six-day trip took us to beautiful locations which gave us a good sense of western and central Bhutan. The land of Gross National Happiness is maintaining its environment and aims to keep 70% under forest cover, preserving its cultural heritage, and keeping the tourism controlled. We had a packed schedule but the lovely weather and comfortable SUVs didn’t allow us to feel tired. We traveled to Thimpu, Gangtey, Punakha, and Paro. The highlights of the trip were a hike in Gangtey, a beautiful quaint valley with stunning views; a hike to the Fertility temple in Punakha through paddy fields and a village and finally the steep hike on the last day to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro.

The drive to Gangtey took us through the Dochula Pass with 108 stupas and prayer flags. The beautiful Gangtey valley, the land of the Black neck Cranes, gave us a good feel of rural Bhutan. With its farmlands, community forests, rolling green meadows and meandering yaks. The Gangtey hike from the monastery on top of a hill through a beautiful meadow, village, pine forest, and streams was soul-enhancing. Chorten (Stupas) dotted the landscape with prayer flags fluttering in the breeze.

In Punakha, we went on a hike to the Fertility temple (Chimi Lakhang), through the Fertility valley, with houses painted with the phallus symbol, a sign of fertility and protection. The Punakha Dzong was fascinating, with its architecture, history, the place where the 5^th King’s wedding had been held. Built at the confluence of the MoChhu (female river) and PhoChhu (male river), it is the most spectacular Dzong in the kingdom. One sees monks in their red-colored robes and women and men in their Kira’s and Gho’s, traditional dress. Bhutan is one of the few countries where the traditional dress is worn proudly and daily by its inhabitants. The hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery was exceptional. A steep climb, sheer determination and collective encouragement helped take us to the Monastery, perched on the edge of a cliff at the height of 10,000 ft. At the end of the climb, looking down at the valley and feeling the positive energy and peace at the Monastery, the effort seemed well worth it.

Bhutanese food was a mix of red rice, Buckwheat pancakes, Datshi (with local cheese) in different forms – green chili, asparagus, mushroom and different dishes of chicken and meats.

Other fun things that we did were getting our own personalized postage stamp made in Thimpu at the local post office with a Bhutan backdrop and posted our postcards to faraway lands. Another was walking on a long suspension bridge built over the river in Punakha, feeling suspended in time.

WeGoBondspecializes in keeping its groups small. We were 14 women of different ages and occupations with a Tour lead, and the itinerary allowed for flexibility and own space if you didn’t want to be in a crowd. It also helped make new friends, bonding over long road trips and evening chai reveling in the beauty of the Himalayan kingdom.

Don’t miss traveling to Bhutan. It’s a country worth visiting…..

It all started in May last year when Shibani posted a sneak preview of WeGoBond’s inaugural trip to Jordan, online. The trip planned for November 2016 sounded different so we enthusiastically signed up for it. And we weren’t disappointed! Our Jordan holiday turned out to be a memorable Middle Eastern sojourn that packed in everything from city sightseeing to walking in the desert, from climbing steep rock-cut steps to swimming in the sea. As the WeGoBonditinerary claimed, within two hours we were able to travel by road in Jordan from a mountainous region to the expansive desert, and finally to the lowest point on the Earth’s surface—the Dead Sea. The highlight of our Jordan holiday of course, was our visit to the stunning ancient city of Petra, a world heritage site and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

We landed at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman on a Saturday afternoon after a 10-hour flight from Delhi, which included a short stopover in Abu Dhabi. Despite our early morning start in Delhi, we were rearing to explore Amman, a relaxed city atop a hill surrounded by the desert and the Jordan valley. In the evening, we embarked on a walk to the souk in the city centre with our 12-member group. That strenuous but enjoyable walk, during which we had to climb hundreds of steep steps cut in the rock face, set the tone for the rest of our holiday. The route we took was a shortcut to the souk and proved to be very challenging indeed. But the sense of achievement and fulfillment we felt at the end of it was worth every bit of extra effort we put in.

Our first taste of local food was the delicious falafel wrap we had from Al Quds, a small stall that apparently has been serving its popular falafel and shawarma wraps since 1966. For dinner that day, we visited one of the many quaint restaurants on Rainbow Street, the charming location of our hotel, and enjoyed shish taouk, mansaf, kunafe, and other local dishes. We washed our food down with Arabic tea which became a must-have during the trip.

Mansaf, known as the national dish of Jordan, is a flavourful concoction of rice, lamb and rehydrated yogurt which has its roots in the culture of the nomadic Bedouin tribe. Cooked with a blend of spices called ‘baharat’, it is eaten at weddings, religious festivals and other special occasions. Kunafe is a popular Jordanian sweet that consists of soft cheese with a crumbly orange semolina crust that is soaked in sugar syrup. Both mansaf and kunafe are definitely worth a taste despite their high fat content!

The next day we visited the Roman city of Jerash and walked through its colonnaded streets and public plazas, imagining what life must have been like for its inhabitants in ancient times. Jerash reminded us of the Colosseum in Rome. Afterwards, we had lunch with a very hospitable Jordanian family, and were served a sumptuous meal that included a local delicacy called ‘magluba’ which we learnt is an upside-down chicken or vegetable pulao!

The following day found us in Madaba, called the ‘City of Mosaics’ for its remarkable Byzantine mosaics well preserved in its numerous churches and museums. The Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Madaba houses a rare 6th century mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites.
From Madaba, we drove up winding hill roads to the revered site of Mount Nebo, where Moses is believed to be buried. For this reason the site is of historical importance to Christians. The first church at Mount Nebo was built in the late 4th century to mark the place of Moses’ death. At Mount Nebo, we saw for ourselves the breathtaking view of the Holy Land encompassing the Jordan valley, Dead Sea, Jericho and Jerusalem. Both the strong chilly winds and the magnificent views at Mount Nebo nearly swept us off our feet!

Our next stop was Karak castle, a sprawling stone structure with a dry moat, caves, halls and passageways. We ended the day with an overnight stay at the Feynan Eco Lodge in the Dana Biosphere. At this electricity-free lodge, we ate by candlelight and lay down on mattresses on the terrace to gaze at the stars twinkling magically in the night sky!

And then we spent two memorable days in Petra, a city which was carved into the rock face by the Nabatean civilization about 2,000 years ago, and was an important site on trade routes. With its well-developed water channels and impressive rock carvings, this ‘lost city’ was rediscovered in 1812 by a Swiss traveller. We explored all there was to see in Petra, from the Treasury to the 1st century Monastery. We had to climb 900 steps cut in the rose-coloured rock to reach the Monastery, certainly an experience to remember! We even experienced Petra by night, walking along a path through the Siq that was lit by 1,800 candles. The winding path culminated at the Treasury where we sat down on mats laid out on the ground to listen to Bedouin music. It was a cold and chilly but mystical night for all of us!

In terms of gastronomical delights, we had great fun at Petra Kitchen, where we cooked dinner with the locals and then enjoyed the meal together. It felt like being on the TV show Masterchef! From chopping ingredients to mashing vegetables, we did it all, and we left with a wad of interesting recipes inspiring us to introduce Jordanian cuisine in our homes.

Our holiday ended with a one night stay at the Dead Sea where all of us excitedly posed for photographs, especially the stereotypical one of lying down in the water and reading a book! We also made sure we applied the famous Dead Sea mud on our faces, arms and legs. We really felt refreshed and rejuvenated afterwards!

A special word of commendation for WeGoBond—the hotels were well located, the ubiquitous guides named Mohammed made the sites we visited come alive, the logistics and transport arrangements were smooth and safe; the group was fun. From cave bars to restaurants to hiking, we did it all under the considerate guidance of Shibani and her team!

We really enjoyed this trip with WeGoBond and look forward to travelling with them again and again!

Ever since I had spent 6 months in Manila on work, I had been fascinated by South East Asia. The food, the flavors, the people and the stunning diversity in landscapes had always entranced me. It is my dream to backpack through the Golden Triangle (a mountainous opium-producing route running through Laos, Myanmar and Thailand), but more on that later !

I love travelling with WeGoBondvia their thoughtfully curated itineraries so when Cambodia and Vietnam came up as a two-in-one tour – I jumped at it. Work deadlines be damned, no corporate honcho was going to stand between me and the Angkor Vat.

All flights to Siem Reap from major Indian cities are via Bangkok. After a weekend stay in Bangkok exploring the delights of the ChatukChak Weekend market and the ancient city of Ayutthaya, I hopped on a bus full of tourists that would cross borders and deposit me at Siem Reap after an 8 hour journey.

Siem Reap is the Gateway to Angkor Vat, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. It is the largest religious monument in the world and a UNESCO Heritage Site to boot, originally constructed as a Hindu temple and gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple (Historically there has been a fascinating trend of converting the religions of monuments as well, instead of just people. I observed this in Istanbul at the Haga Sophia also – which was originally a church and gradually became a mosque)

My first evening in Siem Reap was spent exploring pub street – a smorgasbord of loud, cheerful restaurants and shops full of tourists all looking to have a good time. Great food, cheap drinks and wonderful music that included dancing on the street makes pub street the ONLY place to be in the evenings, after long hard days of temple hopping. I fell into bed after a few rounds of the wonderfully delicate Rose Petal infused margaritas.

We woke up nice and early the next day (4 am !) for the most important event of the trip – catching the sun rise over the Angkor Vat temple. A short tuktuk ride away and a quick stop to buy a 3 day pass to the temples got us our first glimpse of the imposing structure. Despite the early morning, tourists thronged the temple for an experience of a lifetime. As the sun slowly rose over the massive structure, its reflection showing up in the large pond inside the temple complex, we gasped in awe and photographers clicked away – hoping for that perfect shot ! As our guide took us through the main sections of the temple, the apsara carvings and naga structures at every door and gate seemed familiar for those of us who have grown up on Hindu Mythology. The temple complex itself is massive, needing at least 2 days to view it completely.

We went back to the hotel for lunch and a quick nap and stepped out once again for more temple hopping.

Let me pause here and share a secret with you. As I was making the booking for this trip – for one short second I had stopped, thinking if all that temple-hopping would really be worth it. I mean how many temples can you ooh-and-aah over ? How fascinating can the same construction style be ? How much could I really walk around and enjoy the different Apsara styles in the sweltering heat. Many of these temples were rumored to be in ruins, did I really want to spend an entire holiday simply wandering around ruins ?

My six days in Siem Reap put to rest all these doubts. Every temple is different and unique. Be it the eye-popping Bayon which has eerily smiling human heads looking at you from all directions, or the sandstone-red Bantey Srei with intricate carvings, or Ta Phrom which is held together only by massive tree roots that snake across the entire temple complex and formed the backdrop of the Angelina Jolie-starring Lara Croft movie, each temple is unique, fascinating and will hold your attention for hours at end.

Some are near the town of Siem Reap and can be accessed via tuktuks or cycles. A cycle tour we took on one of the days was wonderfully breezy – and despite the heat – I really enjoyed myself and bought myself an extra-large drink in the evening to toast the 25 kms I had spent pedaling around. Some are farther away and will need a car or bus to reach. All are equally gorgeous and attention-grabbing though.

The next few days followed a familiar pattern. Wake up, enjoy a hearty breakfast – step out to see the temples. Stop for lunch at the many restaurants dotting the city – try a restaurant that serves Khmer Cuisine, you wont regret it – restaurants at Siem Reap will serve you all kinds of meat, from alligator to red ants and everything in between- so if you’re the adventurous type, let loose ! Afternoons were spent either napping, getting a much deserved massage or wandering around town shopping for soft cotton shirts, souvenirs and silk. The glorious evenings were when we were let loose on Pub Street – to perform the most difficult task of the day – deciding where and what to eat !!!

I could go on and on about the zip-lining adventure that took me soaring over the forests and temples of Angkor Vat on the last day, or the various poses I struck at each temple for photo ops, or the little smiling Cambodian children- always cheerful even in the face of adversity, exhorting you to buy souvenirs, all at just “one dallah” (one dollar, the American currency is widely accepted there) or the heady palm wine that we had one day or the food and wonderful conversations at the end of each day that wiped out the tiredness like a clean slate.

But I won’t

I will let you discover your very own piece of Siem Reap and Angkor Vat for yourself. I will ask you to sign up for the next Siem Reap trip by WeGoBond, coming up this November. I will let you thank me in December when you are back from your Cambodian adventure and we can perhaps catch up one evening as we swap stories of Temples and Margaritas – both of which are in plentiful at Siem Reap !

Photographs – Shibani Vig

I travelled to Andretta over the recent long Easter weekend with WeGoBond. I had heard of Andretta before, seen photos of the mountains and admired their pottery at bazaars in Delhi. I always wanted to visit but had never gotten the opportunity. When I saw the announcement of the trip, I immediately signed up.

We started off from Majnu ka Tila in Delhi by overnight bus and arrived early morning in Kangra and then subsequently to the homestay, The Mirage in Andretta. We arrived at the crack of dawn and it was still dark and light slowly dawned. Walking up the narrow path, we could smell jasmine flowers and hear the call of birds. It was a refreshing change from polluted and noisy Delhi.

The next three days were fabulous, spent in the lap of nature. Amidst lush green trees, chirping birds and a view of snow capped Dhauladhar range of mountains, which felt close enough that we could touch it. My days were spent hiking, relaxing, chatting and making new friends, reading, doing pottery and exploring the small village.

The Mirage is a beautiful homestay with heritage buildings built in old style architecture but with modern facilities. The host Dennis is warm and hospitable sharing stories of his time in the village. The food was freshly cooked, with delicious local produce like peanut butter, marmalade, yoghurt and jam.

I went for two sessions of pottery at Andretta pottery and was trained by the young, talented Shubham Sakhyan. He patiently taught us novices how to work the clay and potter’s wheel. It was fun even though hard to work the manual potter’s wheel. I came away making a small bowl, which felt like a major achievement!

The village has the Shobha Singh gallery, Nora Richards’s house and other charming cottages, fields surrounded by mountains. Our two hour hike one morning with Dennis took us through the forest and up and down a hill, exploring forgotten trails with beautiful morning views of the mountains.

Our last day was spent exploring Kangra fort with an audio tour where Roshan Seth’s voice made the fort and its inhabitants from centuries ago come alive.

I came away from the holiday refreshed, recharged and ready to face the real world again. With hopes of coming back to Himachal Pradesh sometime soon.

Hampi – magical ruins amongst boulders

Earlier this month I received an unexpected call. WeGoBondwas having a trip to Hampi and they had a vacant spot. Would I be interested to go?

Well having been in Bangalore for almost 11 years, Hampi was on my bucket list. This was a trip I could not refuse. And I am glad I took it.

As usual WeGoBondtakes women who are on their own trip. So we had an amazing and very diverse group of 12 women, from different parts of India of all shapes, sizes and temperaments! And no one I knew.

Hampi – the site of the imperial city of Vijayanagara is located on the Tungabhadra river in central Karnataka. Vijayanagara’s fame derives from its role as capital of South India’s largest, wealthiest and most powerful kingdom The Vijayanagara Empire : hence it’s name ‘City of Victory’.

Hampi’s remarkable landscape surrounded by miles and miles of giant sized boulders, its religious associations and ongoing archaeological investigations make it a destination of international significance.

The city of Vijayanagara lasted only 229 years between 1336 and 1565 yet it has left an indelible mark in its influence, history, architecture and art to make it one of the most remarkable sites in India.

We made our way thru the dry heat to a tiny village of Anegundi where we stayed at a quaint little resort. The next day began our historical journey.

Hampi is divided mainly into 2 parts ie the Sacred Centre and the Royal Enclosure. Today we visited the Sacred Centre. My first view of the huge stone chariot in the Vitthala Temple was truly overwhelming. This temple is supposed to be the first Vitthala temple which was subsequently moved to Punderpur which is an important temple for Maharastrians.

Our next stop was the Virupaksha temple which has a 50 meter high Gopuram Tower, a coronation mandapa of King Krishnadeva Raya and dedicated shrines of Goddesses Pampa Devi ( from where the name Hampi is derived) and Bhuvaneshwari Devi. This is the only active temple in Hampi.

The other sites we visited were the Hemakuta Hill which houses 2 epic and large Ganesha statues. Sadly these bear the scars of the city’s destruction as large chunks were broken off in the invasion with the Moguls. Then there was the Krishna Temple and the Narasimha statue which stands nearly 7 meters high and is one of the most recognizable landmarks of Hampi. We stopped at a beautiful restaurant called the Mango Tree located in the market place for lunch.

The second day was a surprise in itself. It was a reluctant 4.30 am wake up and we walked thru the darkness with mobile lights and couple of torches towards a waiting Coracle. These are large baskets made from bamboo and are used to ferry people across the Tungabhadra river. Darkness surrounded us and the sound of waking birds and gushing water was an amazing day starter. As light fell on the boulders we reached the other side of the river, from where it was a steep uphill climb on the Matanga hill. It is hard to explain what awaited us. This is something that has to be experienced…… explanation cannot do justice to this. It was the most breathtaking view of Hampi. The silence of dawn was broken by chirping of birds and chants from the distant Virupaksha temple as we climbed about 500 steps meandering our way to the top of the hill. The rays of the morning light on the boulders and the serenity of the environment is something I will carry with me for a long time to come.

That afternoon was reserved for the Royal Enclosure visit.

The first stop was the Mahanavami Dibba – a massive pavilion of 40 square meters which was the viewing area on which the royal family and attendants would gather and watch various religious celebrations like Mahanavami (Navratri) which till date remains an important event for Hampi.

Then there was the stepped tank made of green chlorite with a fine geometric symmetry to it. This site was excavated relatively recently in the 1980’s

We visited the Queen’s bath and the Hazara Rama temple which has 1000 sculptures of Lord Rama from where it derives its name. Another amazing site was the Elephant stables which had 11 large domes.

Our guide Vijay Rao was carrying comic books from Amar Chitra Katha and it was a pleasure to go back in time and actually make funny connections to comics I had read many many moons ago. The last evening culminated in a bonfire and a community jamming session by a local group who were a mix of firangs, locals and hippies! The music from the Didgeridoo created magic in the atmosphere. It was a perfect finale to an eventful break.

The trip has been overwhelming and beautiful. The group was small. The memories are big and the experience mind blowing.

A tick mark on my bucket list ….. indeed!

Photographs – Shibani Vig