Trekker's Psychology

at 7/07/2009 05:34:00 AM 0 comments

Well, This post isn't a travelogue really. But I am surely picking up some instances from treks in past few months or rather all the treks I have done so far. I had always loved traveling, but somehow, Regular traveling was never materialized, one reason off course being company or not having a like minded group, (everyone is busy, take it) first time trekked to Coorg, I was skeptical, if at all fulfilling my quest of travel and seeing place this idea was good enough. But Yes! One trip out, and I knew I 'd a regular soon.

Trekking isn't traveling but one kind, and that adventure. since i am trying to focus it on the trekkers' specifically, I'll sideline the other sort of holidays be it family, or just remote, and change of air n water. This I take as one group of young hearts who, with their backpacks on, set together for an adventure trip to wild, hoping for having a one-o-one with the nature.

So is it only the travel, which attracts the trekker? or is it adventure? or its something more? well, whatever it is which is attractive, but mostly its one trip back only when it starts working, and leading you to conquer to the next ones. you start mingling with strangers. tents and sleeping bags and open sky turns attractive, including the regular bonfire, Antaakshari, Dumb Charades, and PJ sessions. you no longer look forward for the luxury, but the closeness to nature. 25 km steep walks in Sparkeling sun tire you no more, and the addictionscales so high, that few weeks in town, after a trip, and you stop no further. but how it starts got some psychology behind it.

Well, As I mentioned in one of my post, I was a late starter. but i always loved traveling and of all kinds. So as soon as I got the right trip planned. I set off. Now Most of the people I talk to on daily basis, are the folks I made friends in these trekking trips, and yes we end of talking about our old trips, planning of our next trips together, chatting o n our off-trek lives and what makes us go so crazy about these weekend trips. while few of us have got out sole love for traveling and adventure, and that turn out as kick starter. the other few are those who get stressed out at work, and want a quick calm sleep in mother natures' lap and get back to work fresh on monday, and so that push them to their first trek trip. some hate gym and cardio, and think of it as a best work out along with fun, there are some desperate to forget the bad things and break-ups and all. Yup, surprisingly this percentage is quite a bit. you have fresh and old memories, you cant get over those, start trekking, go to mountain, when your back, you' wont remember anything. You used to have perfect weekend plans. Now there is nothing, Plan a trip to waterfall, get a good dip and all other plans get washed out. one of my friend mentions, I find it the best way to get over few things you cant otherwise. You have a crush on someone, you meet him/her almost everyday, You 'aint able to avoid that person, you need a change of mind. alright, trekking is the most solution. forget going to a psychiatrist coming out of depresssion, arrange your back-pack, and switch your GPS on and you wont need a clinical treatment ever. trekking in a true sense, would be natural healing process for your body, mind and soul.

Lets talk on the contrary side of it. You're alone so your trekking makes sense. but if your two or more (I mean family and kids) its quite evidently difficult to leave kids and spouse at home and trek. doesnt make any sense for some. I came across this amusing discussion which exactly hits the root of this issue. we can give multiple reasons we want to go for adventure. but if someone stopping you, those reasons merely work. well, there are couples who enjoy trekking together, but if your' ain that lucky you might look out for ways to either convince your partner for either coming along with you and or letting you go. ( try the first one first ;)) though I suggest coming to the later one directly might put you in to trouble.

Eitherways, No matter how you started your first, and How your keeping on to it, regular trekking is something fruitful and with almost nill cons. anything but a driving factor could take you to meet you and your surrounding in their most original form. be you a lover of solitude, or like bonding with people, be you an outrider, or some one the slowest. be you a lover of nature, or just like to get out of the concrete jungle to some discrete place, here is one for all, Trek On.

YHAI 2009

at 7/01/2009 01:47:00 AM 0 comments

map courtesy: goaholidayhomes.com
click to zoom

May this year when I finally made a 3 some days trip to India's world famous Goa, except having enjoyed the Goan Beach atmosphere, What I was in a look out for more, was the remote goa, the culture and the tradition. which I couldnt', having spent one day on grand island and two nights at Baga..(all the time I had in this trip), but which I thoroughly enjoyed and offcourse Palolem is worth mentioning as well, and came back with the thirst of going again and this time promising myself to get a good deep inside view of Goan people and Life. and well, Lucky enough, I got a trip plan exactly what I was waiting for.

YHAI, The Youth Hostel Association of India, as a subset of a youth moment started in Germany almost a century back, has really emerged as a ground for connecting people. YHAI along with Hosteling International, not only provides low cost accommodations at various part of India and the world, but promotes Travel, Adventure in all part of the country, and is certainly something not to be missed out by an avid traveler.

Being from NCR (National Capital Region), I had been around Chanakyapuri area a few times, but always thought of activities part of Delhi University programmes and have mostly ignored, till I came back to India last year, and started traveling in Karnataka and exploring adventure opportunities in india. The volume of available places and options, to my surprise are not only enormous, I figured, the awareness about these places is equally low, even In this era of internet and Globalism, and having thought of it, and with my love for travel and photography and writing, I decided I should probably try and put these exotic places up on the world up more prominently. hence the regular travelogues and plans and below are the few from YHAI.

The Biking Expedition in Goa in December 2009, has come as perfect opportunity for me to explore Goa, and spend some time, with my mates at this exotic place in west India. The Trip plan looks like a dream come true, and with the Shut-down at the work place at the same time, the whole thing set out as nothing but the right programme at the right time. The other two programmes, the trekking, and sailing expeditions, too provide a great chance, to enjoy the thrill of western ghats, water falls, and Sarine beaches of Goa and a real taste of adventure. [ details here ]

Apart from Goa Expeditions, Below are the other three events in YHAI plate, I am interested in, and excited about, and well hoping to make it to atleast one of 'em in my Q1 holidays.

1- Trek in Jabalpur Khajuraho Chitrakoot 2009 (20th Oct - 26th Oct, 2009)

2- Nature & Eco study tour to Andaman Islands

3- National Horse trekking expedition (Mount Abu, Rajasthan)

My Goan Fenny

at 6/30/2009 12:37:00 AM 0 comments

First Time I crossed the border and entered in Goa, I was thrilled, excited, imagining a not so widened road with palm trees on both sides, and a roaring blue water body, as close as i get down the vehicle, and touch it. mercury which was giving no signs of going low, would suddenly loose her monkey face, and melt somewhere down in that cool wind blowing from the west. but what was it? till now I had seen nothing like it.

This was the last of the first half years' long weekends, and having wasted the 2 out of the 3 long weekends in Bangalore, doing almost nothing, May 1-3 long weekend outing was nothing less than a calling on Gods. I swore to myself I got to go somewhere with pretty much no idea of where. Hampi was one place in mind, and so was my almost then impossible Lakshyadweep, But Goa won hands down. Yeah, the only 3 days outing available which I could make then, without much struggle and I was all set to go.

It was a Scuba trip from BMC, and for me having no swimming skills, it was pretty much a day wasted on the boat, if at all I could snorkel and save it. but who cares, I haven't had seen Goa before, may be a try on diving, if not then snorkelling, and then there is this place to explore anyways, with all these thought in mind, It was hardly a no, against all odd I faced till I boarded a 12 seater Mini Bus with few familiar faces, and fun folded and crunched, as we living beings fixed n moved and travelled in that tiny little match box called 12 Seat - Tempo traveller.

The Sikh Dhaba on NH-4 near Nelamangala was never this great. we had stopped here, in our previous trip to Chikmagalur, but we never had the full fledge food with the mango chatani, and the kheer. the taste pretty much took me to the past, and I was counting days, months n years, since when I dint have that sour taste of raw mangoes. and If at all I had been missing it.


travelling in a small group and in a TT, the best or the only advantage is that people can mingle with each other better than a 35/25 seater coach where, where dont feel like turning your head and look back. Visibilities/hearing gets better, and so games get better. anyways, with few adequate stops in Jog falls, (no better this time, but good enough time we spent, and had a good breakfast n morning session as well) and kumta, for fuelling, by the time we reached Goa border, it was pretty much 12 in the afternoon. The first sight of the sea, in Karwar, was as exotic and magical as it could be, but entering in to Goa border the sea/mountains were all gone, and all around was this dry semi-forest, and no so blue-white sky, totally a contrast to my imaginary Goa, people cant stop praising still.

"Hum Bane Tum Bane Ek Duje Ke Liye"
Someone please give me the count, how many times we heard this song on the trip? fifty? hundred? or few hundreds? The two so over played CDs would have almost killed as if we weren't a sport of travel and music, few complained, few hated, but those were on, determind to evolve some stories out the trip, either way, some music is better than nothing is my philosophy, so did I complain? Nope.

The No Sea and High Mercury could have been forgiven with another 100 Km gone by with the Konkan rail reminding us of of the train song in movie "Aradhana" But the fly-overs and Big Buildings standing tall like any other metro , totally took out the Goa I had in my heart, Is this Goa, I thought upsettingly. A quick stop at panaji Bus stand, we filled our belly a bit with junk foods of our likings, while waiting for Ajey, the Scuba Instructor from Goa, and till we reached the resort for the training, it was almost 3 in the afternoon, A close to 20 hours journey from Bangalore.I was the only non-swimmer in the dozen and I was still trying hard to get on to Scuba, If at all I could. Paroma and Ravish were for snorkeling so they played spectators , lazying around and most of the folks completed their training successfully and left, while others chilling in water, and Well, I standing last observing my chance of life in the first ever trial in the history, in water. I gave a try, holding the mask in mouth, I almost felt puking, A little I managed then, But was not able to put the mask back on while under water. few minutes, and I gave up the idea. Ajey moved on with Harsha, and I did some rounds in n out, two sides of the pool till they were done with the training. a Quick remark from ajey, that I was able to swim, was a moral booster in itself for my future expeditions and ambitions to conquer water n marine life. all good till now.

Its been 2 months, so I have kind of forgotten, the Lodge name, we booked in the same Lane as of Titos' The famous pub in Goa. But well, what was unforgettable was Baga, The beach, with its own life, and The Captains Cabin. While other people just dispersed in pubs and disc around, we three, Imran, harsha, and Me were at Captain's having may be the longest dinner of our life. The most memorable of our trip I think. There came the slow mystical music from Behind, there came the waves from the front, leaving us awstruck in the middle of times. and Then there was this fenny, The only thing I could find in my pre-trip multiple google searches, prominent of all, The Places to visit, the things to do, and The time to go. it was more or less like those polio drops for me, as I sipped my glass of sprite with some 10-20ml of fenny in it and finished it in record 3 hours. way to go, wasnt' it? I thought.

My trip to Grand Island could have been bit better with a normal life jacket on, and If could snorkel. I collected 3 Life jackets and snorkeling gears and put 'em on the boat. but I wonder who took my gears anandita or anand, I went into water, with the scuba jacket and the rest of the story was horrible (lesson learnt folks - scuba jacket positions you upside down) anyways, while folks enjoyed their snorkeling and scuba diving in Goan Sea, I sat in the boat, closing my eyes and hoping the time to get over soon. with all the strength i did try once while the life jacket was free, but literally vomited while trying the snorkeling mask, and declared it was time to go.

Back at baga, I was relatively happy. We jet skiied, We parasailed in night, we got good dip in water, we clicked pics. three of us, Sachin, Imran and me, walked across the beach To calungate beach, and discovered in the way, about this restuarent called Suza Lobo. roamed around with the token number 44, in the beach market, with some lassi in the empty belly and a hunt for hats and t-shirts, atleast something to get form goa. well, I got the hat, Imran coulnt. later Joined in our wait for food with harsha, We had another mighty dinner experience in a Goan beach at Suza lobo to remember. The walk back to Baga was full of sad songs and endless laughter. not so soon, but another one of kind night was over, and it was time to head back to bangalore, in the morning.

Few of us, Anandita, Prakash, Jayati, and Chidanand, stayed back to explore, while we started our journey back around 7, since Imran had to leave for chennai around 11/11:45 on Sunday night. He had a mind change or it was our convincing power, we added few more hours in our place, stopped at Palolem Beach and it was another experience of a life time. No hurry to go, roaming around the plate, some jumped in green-blue crystal clear water, some ate to th extent of their stomach can expand, some iced their eyes, with all the foreign bikini beauties, the beach experience turn out to one of the best of all times. Heading back, we stopped at every single notch and corner, for tea, for snacks, for dinner, or just like that, only to reach bangalore, 6 in the morning.

the trip is long over. But those three and half days are locked somewhere in the memory, few remembering their scuba stints, few the para sailing, the other few, the majestic beach nights of Goa, All but ready to make another trip to that corner of fun.

For me, It was some experience, a bit unexpected, a little bizzare too, but fun. One thing I couldnt' do in this trip was to roam around in Goa, and explore the culture and people which I like to do the best, the next trip inline I hope would be doing just that. ( YHAI biking expedition in Goa - pretrip post coming soon, for pictures, click the cam on the right.)

Why Swimming?

at 6/24/2009 09:40:00 AM 0 comments

For fitness,
For not letting anyone drown me in falls like Meenmutty,
For My love of water, and well this is why I am learning swimming, the exotic marine life, can't wait to explore...

Photo by Ajey divegoa@gmail.com

camp happening soon as i learn to float...I'd start to blog it..:-)

Passé récent

at 6/22/2009 03:14:00 AM 0 comments

Oh! So Its been almost a month, since I scribbled a word on this page of mine... well, not that I was in the bliss of ignorance, have been jotting down a list of post to be written... from Goa trip to another few travelogues, plus the weekend horse riding and weekdays swimming camps, and offcourse the photography thing. evident enough, I aint got no time these days..to many things going on in parallel.. n .and all I am possibly doing from this perspective is to process and upload pictures from almost regular weekend shoots, mostly of horse-riding, travel to some mountain peaks and off course sunfeast marathon which I sort of attended.

Eventually feeling like blogging again... good had been the rest, hopefully some post soon.. till then enjoy the pictures on flickr..

All sets
Kudremukh
Horse-riding
Sunfeast World 10k marathon 2009

Foodcast

at 5/30/2009 03:42:00 AM 0 comments

I don't know if this can be cast a perfect combination, but this sure is perfect season, to enjoy juicy-tasty mangoes. and well, who says you cant eat eggs in summer? dint see the latest ad from our very own adorable hanuman, Shri Dara Singh? ;)

So what possible lunch I could opt for after some horrible stuffed parathas and less -channa and more-masala curry, than the omlette, chapati, mangoes and ending it all with my patented ginger tea, Perfect for a lazy saturday afternoon.

Price Tag

at 5/24/2009 09:32:00 AM 2 comments

May 9th, 2009

In need of a yoyo and a water proof small backpack, for quick trips, officially called trekking, I land up in landmark this evening. yoyo easy to find, tough to figure out since all are almost similar with no attraction whatsover, I pick up a black one and move towards the bags section.


not able to find anything per my requirement i move to the lunch bag section just checking out some for not those so times I carry my lunch to work, I find this small bag kinda something I was looking for, hidden behind a mountain of colorful lunch bags as huge as a man's tummy size could be ;)

I pick it up, check if its looking cool, no price tag and I go back to the laptop bag section, check with the guy if he gots another similar piece and if at all its new and whats the price. he takes the bag, eats my 10 minutes and get back with a white tag inside the front zipped pocket : ST-53170 495/-

I ask him...
You sure you aint got any other piece? this looks new but I would want to check some more.
No Madam, this is the only one.
Oh Okay, so any discount on this ?
No Madam, this is the price.
Oh you just added this tag, yeah! Alright, thanks, I'll take it.

I go around, check few more stuff, and play around with the price tag, sticking in on my palm, rolling it down under its sticky side, yes I just removed it, and I am wondering if this is the correct price, reach the counter and since I already destroyed this little piece of paper, I just throw it off and give both the bag and yoyo for the billing.

While My counter guy is busy finding the price tag I am wondering if the bag is being taken to the same fellow who pasted the tag, what would he think I did with the tag, but I doubt, so it takes time and the bag is back with a new tag, yellow this time: ST-53170 450/- and well, as I pay the bill, I wonder, If I saved 45 bucks out of my curiosity? or its just tag by chance?

sometime, playing out with the tags works.