Being Traveler

He was seven when his dad gifted him a camera and a roll
He didn't know what to do with it until he was told

‘It takes you places past, when memory doesn't last’, his dad said
‘Really?’ he asked with a doubt in his head

He never really used it back then
Until the day they moved to a new den

That’s when memories came knocking in his head
About all the days that he spent

Of the late nights in the courtyard
And of the days running around the fields and the fence

He took out the camera from the pouch
And gave it a nice rub like Aladdin did to his lamp

And took pictures of places and spaces
Of every little thing that he saw in hazes

With every picture that he took
His love for traveling grew like a brook

He thanked his dad for that beautiful gift
That let him be million places in a swift

He treasured that gift which he got at seven
And it was since that day in the distant past

That Being Traveler came to pass!

This is a guest post  written by Jincy "Speaking my mind". I personally love her poems and this has been written on a special request. Thanks Jincy for this lovely poem.

Neemrana Fort, Rajasthan

                        

What could be more perfect than to celebrate your birthday at your favorite place? I had always loved forts and this time, I decided to go to Neemrana with my wife to celebrate my birthday. 

Neemrana, Rajasthan is located at approx 120 kms from New Delhi on Delhi - Jaipur highway (NH8). I left at 8am from home with my two beauties, my wife and my car.

It was Sunday and road was quite empty until we crossed Gurgaon, Haryana. As soon as we reached Manesar, we were welcomed by road full of trucks. Car started to crawl and we started to yawn. To bring the excitement back, my wife asked me to cut the cake while we waited for the jam to clear. Cake was finished and I thanked my wife for the gifts she gave. After spending good 2 hours, we were still stuck in the jam. At one point we almost gave up and decided to return, but then sun smiled and God showed grace and we started to gain some speed and jam disappeared. I drove pretty fast to cover up the time we lost. At around 12pm, we reached Neemrana. 

A Traveler's Wife

She supports, cribs, helps, argues and takes care. She does it all to make a perfect planned vacation, a memorable one. She ensures to make every moment cheerful and creates a comfort zone no matter where we are. She leaves no stone un-turned to make me feel like home anywhere.

She cribs whenever approached to go to a new travel venture, but with few efforts, she becomes more than excited about the trip. She plans ahead and ensures every need is fulfilled during travel.

Are You a Traveler or a Tourist?

                       

Few of us may not know the difference between a traveler and a tourist, but there is a fine line which differentiates a traveler from a tourist. Even I didn't know the difference between the two sometime ago, until I experienced it.

I was traveling to a city and stopped outside a popular destination which looked quite average from it's first look. As I stepped into the building, a man in his late 30’s was stepping out of the building and was conversing with his group in loud voice. His words as I remember correctly were "We wasted our time getting to this place. This place is nothing special, it is waste of time and money". With these words, he rushed outside the building angrily. He was so loud that some of the other visitors who were about to enter the building got influenced by his words. Obviously, the rude man visited this place to see some beauty so that he can click some beautiful pictures to show to his family and friends back home. What he overlooked was the history of the place and the glory that was associated with this place. He overlooked the culture of the place and stories attached with it.

Udaipur - The City of Lakes



Udaipur 

After six months without a proper vacation, my wife and I decided it was high time to escape the chaos of Delhi and soak in some royalty—figuratively and literally—in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Known as the “City of Lakes”, Udaipur is famous for its shimmering waters, grand palaces, historic temples, and the kind of architecture that makes you question every building in your own city.

Located about 650 km from New Delhi, Udaipur is accessible via train, flight, or road. Since my wife loves trains and I had survived my last one eight years ago, we opted for an overnight train journey—because nothing says adventure like 12 hours of questionable sleeping positions and mysterious shaking, right?

Thailand - The Land of Tigers

First International Vacation: Excitement in the Air

Thailand was my first trip outside India, and I couldn’t wait to explore its beaches, markets, and culture. After months of planning, my wife and I were ready for an unforgettable anniversary getaway. Early morning flights from Delhi to Bangkok had us buzzing with excitement (and a little chaos thanks to a spilled breakfast container at the airport!).