The London Bridge - But is it in London?

It came to me as a surprise that the original London Bridge isn't in London anymore. The original London bridge was sold to Robert McCulloch of McCulloch Oil and he rebuilt it in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. There is a rumor that Robert McCulloch thought he was getting Tower Bridge instead. Not surprisingly there have been several bridges on the London Bridge site and the present one is just under 40 years old.
 

Mussoorie Travel Diary: Jungle Challenges, Maggi & Missed Waterfalls

Mussoorie

Why Mussoorie Was Destined to Happen?

For years, I had missed every office-sponsored off-site like it was my secret talent. Either I was “too busy,” “too sick,” or the universe simply hated my suitcase. But this time, I swore on Maggi noodles that I’d show up. After weeks of meticulous planning, color-coded spreadsheets, and enough Google searches to crash a server, we locked in on Mussoorie – the Queen of Hills, the land of mist, Mall Road, and every North Indian’s Instagram fantasy.

The London Eye

                                

I stepped out of my apartment on my first weekend in the city to explore my surroundings where I will be spending next couple of months. As I walked along the South Bank of the river Thames enjoying the most cherished, British Summers, I reached the most famous landmark of London, The London Eye. This giant Ferris wheel is the center of attraction and there was a huge queue to get on to that. As a matter of fact, it is the most popular paid tourist attraction with 3.5 million tourists annually.

Sometimes, it is all about Macro Photography

Have you ever been in a situation where you are waiting for somebody and have nothing to do? Usually, people fickle through their phones while waiting and some just try their hands on photography, like I did. 

In our busy schedule, we rarely realize how beautiful nature is and how much peaceful it can be to just look at flowers around you, the greenery and the chirping of the birds. Just by observing them, one tends to forget all worries and tensions of life for quite sometime. We are so lost these days in the beauty of materialistic things and we have almost forgotten how beautiful the nature is. 

The flower in the picture caught my eye while I was waiting and it did bring smile on my face. I tried to capture the essence of that moment with the macro photography.

If you like this picture and you love nature, do leave your comment below.

Renuka Lake, Nahan - A Rain-Soaked Road Trip with Kids, Parathas & a Turtle Goodbye

Renuka Ji Lake

Some trips begin with a plan. Ours began with a craving — a craving for a weekend away from Delhi’s honking symphony. One phone call to my friend later, we were set for Renuka Ji Lake in Himachal Pradesh. Google reviews on TripAdvisor were glowing, the pictures looked serene, and the dhaba stops were calling.

Chapter One: The Plan v/s The Reality

The plan: leave at 5 a.m. sharp, beat the traffic, kids happily dozing in the backseat.

Reality: 7 a.m., we’re still stuffing snacks, diaper bags and “just in case” sweaters into the car. My son and my friend’s daughter eyed us adults like “these people can’t get their life together.”

We finally picked up my friend, his wife, and their daughter. After battling school buses, office-goers, and cows claiming their lane space, we touched NH-8 and the car breathed a sigh of relief.

St Paul's Cathedral, London

St Paul Cathedral

On my first day out while exploring London, I came across St Paul's Cathedral, one of the most famous and most recognizable sights of London. St Paul's Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of London and mother church of the Diocese of London.

The present church dating from the late 17th century, was designed in the English Baroque style was part of a major rebuilding programme which took place in the city after the Great Fire of London.

Chandigarh Escape: Our First Family Trip with Baby

I honestly couldn’t remember the last time we took a family vacation. My work calendar was fuller than my fridge, and then came the thought — never too late! This was going to be my eight-month-old son’s first ever trip. The stakes were high. My wife had a million questions — “Will he sleep? Will he scream? Will he allow us to breathe?” Meanwhile, I was confident. He’s the son of a traveler, I thought, adventure must be in his genes. But, like every good husband, I nodded at all her concerns, and we settled on Chandigarh — safe, clean, planned, and with my aunt’s home to provide that much-needed “homely feeling” for the baby.

Since our little explorer feels claustrophobic in cars, we went with India’s most trusted way of traveling — by train.

The British Museum - Where Cleopatra Lies in Peace

The British Museum

It was a dream come true when I finally got the chance to visit one of the most talked about museum in the world, The British Museum. Located in the heart of London, it was just few minutes walk away from my office. Not that I am a fan of museums, but I had heard a lot about it and the main attraction I wanted to see was The Mummy of Cleopatra, the last active pharaoh of Ancient Egypt who  represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian goddess, Isis.

Tate Britain - London

Tate Britain

I have been planning to go to Tate Britain since I visited Tate Modern, but finally I got the chance to be there and witness some of the most talked about paintings and art work in the history of the world. I may not be the correct person to explain about these paintings, but I did try to capture the essence of them. Here I present Tate Britain in pictures through my lens.

Bath, England - The Roman Baths

After our chaotic start to the day, our London road trip continued with a 156-kilometer drive to Bath. The city was established as a spa by the Romans in 60 AD, named Aquae Sulis, or "the waters of Sulis." The pictures in my pamphlet looked incredible, and with a full stomach of sandwiches, I was ready to enjoy the scenic ride.

My friend was driving, and I, in a moment of glorious leisure, chose the backseat. The road was smooth, the sun was out, and before I knew it, I slipped into "napping mode." It’s a talent, really, to be so content you just… power down. I am not proud of it, but my body has a mind of its own.