Mother, Traveller, Photographer, and Storyteller!

Mother, Traveller, Photographer, and Storyteller! Yes, after I got the hang of the first, the second became easy and third & fourth followed suit in a natural progression.

It had been a while since my last travel! After a holiday binge, way back in early 2017, things had been a bit quiet with all that moving and shifting back to India and then my second pregnancy.

And then I had my opportunity in the form of my younger Brother’s marriage and I decided to make it all the more memorable by topping the marriage festivities in Delhi with a trip to the Indian Alps – the land of pristine greens and snow whites – Uttarakhand!

After the fun, food, and festivities of the traditional Maithil marriage in Faridabad, I couldn’t resist the temptation of soaking in a bit of Delhi hubbub and found the perfect spot in the form of The Park CP. Wonderful hotel, at perhaps the best location in Delhi. Had the beautiful view of the famed Jantar-Mantar from my suit and Connaught Place, Palika Bazar, and Janpath all at a short walkable distance. The hotel has cozy rooms and a well-decorated interior, the staff all so warm, courteous, and welcoming, and the food as amazing as it gets there in Delhi.

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The next day we headed for Dehradun. My three-year-old was simply unstoppable, it was his first train ride, at least the first one that he is old enough to remember. Dehradun Shatabdi snakes through the urban jungles of boroughs of Delhi and Meerut in the first half of journey and then through the beautiful terrain of lush green forest and here and there a glimpse of the numerous hillocks and tall mountains, not so far on the horizon. It was no lesser a picturesque experience than riding the steam-train in the Austrian mountainside of Tyrol.

Dehradun, contrary to the general notion of the plain folks, was hot and humid with a bubbly energy in that din and commotion of a new state capital. Speaking to local folks, learned that half a decade ago people had only heard of air conditioners and it snowed at times even as late as in March. The rapid urbanization and surge in a number of migrants seeking opportunities in the budding capital have taken a toll on this once quiet sleepy town.

There we stayed at dear friend’s home in Dehradun, and enjoyed their warm hospitality in that beautiful cozy place, with a huge backyard full of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, and it all surrounded by unbroken Sal forest.

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The next day we headed up the mountains to Mussoorie, towards the best and the last leg of our vacation, to our resort- Amber Vermont Estate on Hathi Paon Road. This place is a pure gem of an architecture, a slice of the glorious past preserved ever so meticulously through a century. The view around is mesmerizing, with clouds all around and any direction one looked, there were lush Pine and Sal forests overlooking a valley full of unbroken green carpet.

Living in the paradise for generations has rubbed off an angelic demeanor onto the local population. We didn’t meet a single soul who wasn’t brimming with affection, warmth, and hospitality. Not many places in this world, you walk into a tiny utility store for a pack of noodles and some diapers and find yourself invited to the shopkeepers’ dinner table. Was such a humbling experience to find so much love from total strangers and their unequal generosity – that scant lifestyle had something plentiful about it!

Our morning started with the chirping of birds, thousands of them, getting out of slumber and shaking off the early morning cold with their symphonies. Then came the lavish breakfast buffet, rolled out in their restaurant, which was right at the edge of the slope almost hanging into the valley, where wave after wave of clouds floated in and out of balcony while you sipped on your tea. Throughout our stay, everyday explored a new area of the resort and spend hours soaking in all that sunshine, breathing in that crisp mountain air, looking at those endless seas of green and listening to that heavenly chirping of birds!

By the time it was the hour for heading back to Bangalore, there was something deep within which had imbibed a part of this heaven on earth and all that I could think of was – “see you, when I see you. Again!”