Mulbekh- Where Buddha and Lord Shiva Blend In.

The entire stretch of Kargil- Leh highway is any riders dream with spotless blacktop. While most of the highway provides massive views of brown mountains, Mulbekh Village on the highway surely was appeasing to our eyes. Some 45 km from Kargil, we were particularly blown away by the beautiful greenery surrounding Mulbekh Village. Their farmlands, friendly villagers and the famous Gompa right on the highway made us halt in Mulbekh for a night.

The Gompa also called as Chamba Gompa is famous for it's Chamba statue. This structure is carved out of a single rock face and the striking feature of this sculpture is it's sheer gigantic size and absolute picture perfect carving. Towering 9 meters or 30 feet, the carving is believed to be of Maitreya Buddha. However, many scholars believe that it bears strong resemblance to Lord Shiva. This structure is believed to be carved in 1st century however, documented proof dates it back to 8th century. It is also home to ancient relics and inscriptions.

We took a leisure walk around the gompa in the evening and it was magical with the gompa embraced by sunflowers. The evening winds were pretty cold and we saw a farmer take a break in his farmland, light a cigarette to keep himself warm after a long and tiring day's hard work.

We checked into a home stay, "Paradise Guest House and Restaurant," right opposite the gompa. Our room opened up to amazing views of the Maitreya's sculpture. It was so soothing to hear the brass bell ring every time the prayer wheel completed a round. The amazing perks of slow travel - we get to spend extensive time at the destinations we want. The food served here was simply lip smacking. There was lot of flavor, good taste and value for money. Among many things, the egg kathi roll and mathri are a must try here. The family running the home stay were very kind and rendered great service.

The next day we continued our ride on this brilliant highway and headed to another amazing monastery- Lamayuru Monastery crossing the two awesome passes on the way- Namika La and Fotu La. The highest point on the Srinagar-Leh highway is Fotu la pass and the most challenging one being Zojila Pass while Namika La offers grander views of the surrounding valley.

Experiencing The Beauty Of North East India

Loktak Lake

Our very first slow backpacking trip was to one of the least explored territories of India, North East India- the land of festivals. North East India has always been a fascination for us as she is so inviting and beautiful. Mother Nature has been very kind to this part of India blessing her with pristine lakes, magical streams, gorgeous rivers, breathtaking waterfalls, blue mountains, deep caves, rich flora and fauna. Of course, it is not just the natural beauty but also the kindhearted people residing there that make North East India an amazing destination to explore.

Willong Khullen

We backpacked across Nagaland, Manipur & Meghalaya cherishing each of the 53 days stay here. North East India gave us quite a few unforgettable experiences of a life time. Doyang, a tiny village in Nagaland, home to migratory birds- Amur Falcon, gave us a chance to drift into deep wilderness and we saw the great migration of millions of Amur Falcons. With the orange sun setting behind the hills we saw these amazing birds take over the entire sky.

Millions Of Amur Falcons 

Another memorable experience from the trip was heading to Longwa village in search of  Konyak tribesmen who were headhunters and are famous for their tattooed faces. Over bonfire we heard gripping tales from the last remaining headhunters while they smoked up opium.

Konyak Tribesmen

In Manipur, we went canoeing in  Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in North East which is known for the phumdis. Loktak is also home to the only floating National Park in the World, 'Keibul Lamjo' where we went in quest of the shy and rare dancing deer 'Sangai.' Another hidden treasure of Manipur is our very own 'Stonehenge' - Willong Khullen.

Only Floating National Park In The World

The tiny town of Dawki at India Bangla border opened up absolutely crystal clear blue waters and from the boat we could see the 'Unmagot' river bed and marine life. Mawlynnong village in Meghalaya is where we spent days strolling around and belting traditional Khasi food. This village was awarded the title "The cleanest village of Asia" by the travel magazine Discover India in 2003.

Magical Dawki

Cleanest Village In Asia

Cherrapunjee, one of the wettest place on the planet, gave us amazing views of some incredible waterfalls and an insight into hundreds of monoliths in 'Nartiang.'

Nohkalikai Waterfalls

We trekked an entire day to see the bio-engineering wonder of the world- "The Double Decker Living Root Bridge." The trek of over 3000 steps for over 4 hours to reach this wonder was a mind boggling experience and we were also very fortunate to experience the rare phenomena of how locals grow these living root bridges.

The Double Decker Living Root Bridge

A little further from the Double Decker Bridge and we reached stunning natural swimming pools of "Nongriat" Village that will forever be edged in our memories. The crystal clear turquoise blue water was so clean and clear that fishermen find it difficult to catch fish. These magical isolated places made us realize that Nature has so many hidden treasures to offer mankind if only we have the eye to observe.

North East being termed the Land Of Festivals is no mere understatement. During our stay, we attended three elaborate festivals that ran for days showcasing their indigenous games, culture, art, music, warfare, legacy, traditions and history. The festivals were a one stop shop for us to experience the culture of several tribes that have been living in this region since time immemorial.

War Scenes From Hornbill Festival

We experienced great hospitality from the locals, soaked ourselves in tribal traditions, were part of their festivals and celebrated it like ours. Many a homes generously opened their doors and hearts for us. In true village style, we traversed the country roads with friendly villagers, sharing seats with livestock and baskets of vegetables and fruits while gunny bags and bamboo cushioned our feet.

Traveling With Locals, Like A Local

We got a chance to experience local flavors and try authentic tribal food accompanied with homemade alcoholic beverages that kept us warm and tipsy. Almost every house had a garden and they grow their own fruits and vegetables even breeding their own livestock, living a very organic and healthy lifestyle. They love having nursery outside their homes and have a thing for decoration. The houses painted with vibrant colors were a treat for our eyes. Our stay in thatched huts and homes built with bamboo were one of the best travel experiences.

Authentic Manipuri Thali

Reaching remote parts of North East could be pretty difficult due to terrible road conditions or the roads could be good but with no public transport and even locals would have to accommodate themselves in a single jeep that plies on a daily basis to the nearest city. The challenge in accessing these places could be considered a blessing in disguise as even after several years the beauty still remains intact.

Their obsession with Sports is very promising. Their love for Football is evident by the sheer number of football fields that you can spot even in remote villages and these grounds just don't seem to exist, they are pretty much in use and you can see them play a game daily. And if you thought it is only Football that have them occupied, you are wrong, It were the people of North East who introduced to the world the game of Polo and now proudly host annual international tournaments.

Capt Kenguruse Memorial Tournament 

International Annual Polo Tournament, Manipur

People here are very warm, friendly and interested in having lengthy conversations despite language barrier and genuinely want to know our likes, dislikes, lifestyle choices et al. The life here in North East India is very relaxed and chilled out. Though people seem to have less they are a very happy lot. They are extremely proud of their tribes culture and wear it on their sleeves. The sheer number of folks both young and old who to-date adorn their traditional attire on a day to day basis is a startling testimony to the fact that they are so proud of their lineage.

Lotha Tribesman

Religion plays an integral part in their lives and you can see them dressed in their best on Sundays all set to go to church. Though Christianity has taken over, the age old traditions and festivals are kept very much alive. The artifacts from ancient times take centre stage in all the households that we stepped into. They are fashion conscious as well, setting new trends and love shopping. Women seem to enjoy a lot of freedom. They are working for their community and willing to bring about a change. Not just waiting for the government to do things or complain but actually working on improving things on their own.

The people are not just friendly but very welcoming too. Among the very few tourists to attend Tokhu Emong Festival in Wokha district, we were welcomed with open arms and were invited to their community celebration and were treated with royalty. Our visit to Doyang was made possible all thanks to these kind and wonderful friends we made in Wokha.

One night we lost way to our hotel in Kohima, a kind family not only offered to drop us but also treated us to one elaborate dinner at their home the next day. During our stay in Mawlynnong, where one of us suffered from a sore throat, the old and kind couple running the homestay nursed us and took care of us like their own kids. All these instances moved us beyond words and we were filled with immense respect and gratitude for having the opportunity to meet these people.

Eco Friendly Huts

Northeasterners are well read and show a keen interest in what is happening in other states. Be it politics or some natural disaster, their concern is genuine and it is such a shame that most of us
cannot even locate where a place from North East is on the map.

It is disheartening that many of our Countrymen call them names and are racially profiled. A geographical area that is very much a part of India is neglected. We Indians are the biggest racists and hypocrites who disrespect people from other parts of our country but when the same treatment is meted out outside India we cry wolf.

Amidst all this calm and beauty there is a bit of chaos and unrest. We were shocked and overwhelmed to see multiple massive Army carcade comprising of many jeeps mounted with automated weapons manned by bunch of smart, fit and able men and women of the Indian Army. They were completely covered from head to toe, we couldn't even see their eyes. We understood how lethal and professional our Army could be, tirelessly working to keep our Nation's interests and borders safe from internal and external threats. However, unfortunately events like Malom massacre have also happened under the Army's watch.

Memorial At Malom Bus Stop

Whatever demands or needs both sides have, it would be best to drop weapons and find solutions to all problems through constructive dialogues and lay foundation for real development that would benefit the future generations of our Country.

This trip taught us to quit the habit of surrendering ourselves to commercialization and make memories and experiences rather than collect materialistic things. It also taught us to introspect on how we have done some irreparable damage to Nature and have been living surrounded by toxic environment, processed and contaminated food and plastic people. We really need to get back to our roots, start respecting Nature, consume healthy and chemical free food, breathe fresh air without the help of filtering masks. We have to be very thankful and content with what we have.

"You Only Live Once But If You Do It Right, Once Is Enough."

6 Years Of Living A Nomadic Life After Quitting Google

A sailor is truly content only when s/he ventures out in the ocean. Standing on the shore with the ocean beckoning he craves to be where he truly belongs. The fear of storms, currents, getting lost all seem to be there but the urge to be in ocean overpowers these fears and a possibility of  never returning to land also does not deter him. He is safe when he's on shore but that defeats the whole point of being a sailor.

We dreamt of living a nomadic life i.e. be armed with a map, hit the open road, explore new destinations with no fixed schedule and no return ticket. We were fortunate to have been living this dream life for the last 4 years. But has our life been a bed of roses? No, definitely not! It has its own share of thorns and like Everyone else we have our Ups and Downs but that is what Life is all about. The burning question is are we happy doing what we are doing despite all hardships and challenges. Hell yes, and if we had a chance to go back in time, we would've taken the same decision in fact to be honest, maybe a bit earlier than we actually did.

Introspecting if our lives have changed for better or worse, we sure had one hell of a ride. Over these four years we had experiences that were extremely good and not so good. We have spent nights like royals in a palace, kayaked late in the night and watched the bio luminous phenomenon, snorkeled in the ocean, fell in love with architecture and ruins of our country, hiked up mountains while it poured like cats and dogs, witnessed one of its kind traditional boat race, managed to spot a one horned rhino while on a jungle trek, hiked up 3000 steps to visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridge, witnessed crystal clear natural swimming pools, hiked up the Tiger Nest Monastery, travelled to one of the highest lakes in the world, were audience to the great migration of millions of Amur falcons, lived with locals and dined with the headhunters. We had the luxury to travel for months on multiple road-trips covering a total distance of 33615 km, stop where ever we wanted and change our plans frequently. We were able to pretty much see every place to our heart's content.

On the other hand, there were times when we had to walk kilometers in search of food only to find a place in the middle of nowhere that served just tea and boiled eggs and at times biscuits were substituted for meals. On multiple occasions with no signal or maps to bail us out we were lost on the road. We have also been conned and ended up paying lot more that we should have. At times, we were not sure if we would get a place to sleep and other times we slept in the dingiest of rooms with rats and insects keeping us company. We have worn the same set of clothes for several weeks and have literally lived out of our rucksacks. We have got locked in forts and lived in places when there were riots and unrest, even witnessed a cylinder blast. We have been away from home for several festivals, there were days when we had fallen ill and missed the comforts of our cozy home but not once have we regretted our decision to embark on a nomadic life.

Travelling taught us a lot about life. Patience, things do not go per plan, adjusting to situations, living out of our comfort zone, not worrying too much, not judging people, being sensitive to others feelings, agreeing to disagree, becoming more mature and budgeting. For months we have been on the road, we backpacked travelling like locals taking the train, bus, ferry and sometimes even hitchhiking to reach our destination. We were overjoyed to ride and drive on roads that were brilliant and gave us a chance to wander into so many hidden trails that would have otherwise not been possible. We have learnt so much about many local cuisines and found the best of food at our homestays and many a local small eat outs. Met some extraordinary  people, made some amazing friends and learnt how to live life each day rather than worry about where we stand 5 or 10 years down the line.

We learnt how to live out of a 65 liter rucksack and not once regretted that we are carrying so little. This helped us detach ourselves from materialism and made us realize how little we needed to be genuinely happy and contended. Since the time we stopped receiving our hefty paychecks we have always managed to live happily on a very small budget. Well planned advertisements and mega sales by online giants have never managed to lure us into buying things that we do not need. One of us has been using a mobile with a cracked screen for the last one year. 

A couple of experiences made us realize how bad it is to judge people and not to stereotype them. People who we may never meet again in our life have become our best buddies and few of those whom we considered to be close friends turned out to be complete strangers. Though we spent festivals away from our families, we were welcomed by locals who celebrated their festivals and had such big hearts to invite us and join them in their celebrations. Most importantly we as a couple have matured and the bonding that we share has definitely increased.

Language has never been a hindrance or a barrier, we have learnt how to communicate in sign language and through expressions. We have come so far out of our comfort zone and understood the importance of appreciating varied cultures, traditions, faith and views. Things that were a taboo for us turned out to be someone else's way of living and we learnt to respect that. There are several unforgettable memories that we have had in the last four years which we would cherish until we hit our graves. All these journeys taught us invaluable lessons that no university could teach.

This post in no way suggests that everyone should quit their jobs and travel. When every person is not alike, how can their paths be. And who are we to say what one should or should not do. We have taken the road less travelled and want to share that it made us happy following our passion as opposed to our office desks. Off late we have seen quite a few articles where people following their passion especially travel are being ridiculed and mocked. Everyone has their own passion and interests that they would want to pursue. For us it was travel, for others it could be art or stand-up comedy or acting etc. Just because some people do not follow the society prescribed lifestyle it does not mean that they are an outcast or plain stupid. Our request to people who echo such thoughts is 'if you cant motivate at least do not discourage.'

Choosing this style of living was not an emotional decision that we took at the spur of a moment. We always wanted to do this but the calling came a little earlier than expected. We thought this through had a faint idea of the challenges that we would face and took a leap of faith. Our motto in life is 'Never borrow money to buy anything.' If you cant afford it forget it or save till you can afford it.

Money is always a concern, it is for us too. We try and see how we can make ends meet. Just FYI, we are not loaded, we still have to pay our rent, take care of our living expenses but note that 'changes' and not 'sacrifices' in our lifestyle have helped us realize this dream. Life has ups and downs but in the end if you are happy doing what you are doing that is what counts. 

People are skeptical to take up their passion as profession fearing lack of opportunities and remuneration. In our case, in a span of four months, we were approached by online magazines and travel portals to contribute our travel write-ups. One of us even got an opportunity to be briefly trained as a 'Naturalist' by Taj safaris. 

The question raised by Alan Watts- “How would you live your life if money was no object ?” - pretty much sums up our lives post quitting, happy and content, following our passion- to travel.

Bhutan Entry Procedure For Travelers

The Highway connecting Bhutan with India is scintillating, making it one of the best memorable rides that we have had in the entire trip. Our eyes never got tired of seeing lush green tea estates for miles and miles.

We entered Bhutan via Jaigaon/Phuentsholing. The mere thought of riding your own bike in another country was thrilling and a country as beautiful as Bhutan was the icing on the cake. Indians do not need a visa to travel to Bhutan. In fact one can cross over to Pheuntsholing shop around from 9 am-10 pm and get back to Jaigaon by 10 pm. However, if you plan to extend your trip beyond Pheuntsholing, you would require a travel permit and a vehicle permit if you plan to use your own vehicle.

TRAVEL PERMIT

The Entry Procedure is pretty straightforward and simple. One has to go to the Immigration office at the border, the first building on your right and fill out the entry permit form. All you need is your passport and a couple of passport size photos. After taking pictures of you on their webcam, the Immigration office at the Pheuntsholing issues entry permit. The permit is issued for a maximum of 7 days and entry is restricted to Paro, Thimpu and Pheuntsholing. To visit any other destination within the Kingdom and extend visit beyond 7 days you have to extend your travel permit at Thimphu.

VEHICLE PERMIT

Getting a permit for your vehicle is again a simple procedure. Vehicle permits are issued by the "Roads And Safety Authority Of Bhutan." This office is barely a kilometer away from the Immigration office at the border. You have to provide a copy of RC book, Insurance, Driving License along with a copy of Entry Permit. You are required to write a letter seeking permit for your vehicle from the Road and Safety Authority. Bikes are charged Rupee 10 per day. Vehicle permits are issued with the same conditions as entry permit.

Any extension requests should be done at "Roads And Safety Authority" office at Thimphu. If you wish to enter the Kingdom on a Sunday, keep in mind that the Road and Safety Authority office functions only from 11 am to 1 pm. Once you have all the permits, keep the permit papers handy and safe as you are required to show these documents at various check posts en-route. From Pheuntsholing to Thimphu, there are two Immigration check-posts and it is mandatory to get your travel permits stamped here during entry and exit.

FOREIGN NATIONALS

For Foreign Nationals planning to visit Bhutan, it is mandatory to book their trip through a Bhutanese tour operator. The tour operator will take care of their visa, stay, tours and the likes.

STAY

We would recommend staying over at Pheuentsholing instead of Jaigaon as it is more organized, calm and peaceful. Pheuntsholing is a brilliant place to break your journey as it offers wonderful hotels and restaurants catering to all budgets.nd also has a bustling and busy market making it the perfect place to pick up goodies for friends and family.

Petrol pumps are fewer in Bhutan. Leaving the pumps at the border town there are only two more fuel pumps en-route. One at Geddu and the other at Tsimasham. It would be wise to tank up before entering Bhutan.

Rajgir - The Crown of Magadha Kingdom

Rajgir, the first capital of Magadha Kindom that later on became the Mauryan Empire, has a lot of tales to tell every inquisitive visitor with a keen interest in history. This city is not just mentioned in the epic "Mahabharata" but also finds a place in Jainism and Buddhism scriptures and has a cluster of attractions spread across 3 lanes- defining Incredible India. This tiny town in the remote part of India has more than enough to give treasure hunters sleepless nights.

Sone bhandar Caves is the ultimate mysterious challenge and more like an Indiana Jones moment in Rajgir. This simple looking cave could very well be your elite luxurious retirement bonanza. If only you could decipher the inscription on the caves. Legend has it that incredible amount of gold and precious stones are hidden here and cracking this code would be the key to this treasure. When Britishers failed the intelligence test of our forefathers they resorted to brute force by firing canon balls in the hope of getting their hands on the booty. Needless to say their choice was not a smart one.

En-route to sone bhandar is Maniyar Matt dedicated to serpent Goddess. This structure resembles a well and has some interesting images such as Ganesh with snakes wrapped around, a six armed dancing Shiva and a four armed Vishnu. Sadly though most of these images have been ruined.

Bimbisar Jail or barely the remains of it today. If not for the board by Bihar Tourism, this place left us perplexed as to what should we see. It just looks like any other barren land. However, we were told that there was an underground prison where King Bimbisar was imprisoned by his son Ajatashatru. The site for the prison was chosen by the King himself, over looking the Griddhakuta hill. This hill is believed to have been used by Buddha to preach and the King being a disciple of Buddha wanted this privilege.

Another striking and almost unbelievable yet a pretty convincing place that makes you question your own reasoning ability is Lord Krishna's Chariot marks left on a very hard rocky surface. There are two tracks that run parallel to each other for several meters. It is very firmly believed that these are the wheel tracks of Krishna's Chariot. We believe Hindu Mythology is completely factual or one hell of a grand illusion.

Head to Brahma Kund to experience one of the many hot water springs in India. This is one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites. People strongly believe that the water here has great healing powers. The many temples around the hot water spring offer a very charming and serene ambience. We sat there immersed in thoughts losing track of time. The only downside to this place appears to be self declared pseudo priests and guides who offer unwanted advice and charge a fee. You will find many of them who may ruin your time there. It would be a better idea to stay away and not encourage such people as you never know how much they might end up charging you.

Vishwa Shanti Stupa is a breathtaking beautiful pagoda built on top of a hill and can be accessed via rope way or a tedious trek. The stupa is home to 4 statues of Buddha made of gold depicting birth, enlightenment, teaching and passing away of Lord Buddha. There is also a monastery and the views of the valley from here are amazing.The tickets for the rope way are issued from 8 am to 4.30 pm and keep in mind there is a one hour lunch break.  A round trip ticket for the rope way is priced at Rs 60.

On the way to Shanti Stupa stand the ruins of  Jeevak Aamravan, a residence cum hospital that was run by Jeevak Kaumarbhritya. Jeevak was a renowned physician in the royal court of  Bimbisar and Ajatashatru. He even treated Lord Buddha and there are accounts of his medical practice mentioned in literatures in Pali language.

There are beautiful tongas in Rajgir that slowly ferry people around. These colorful tongas were our best friends. They offer a package deal for most of the tourist attractions at a government set price of Rs 450 per tonga. However, if you want to visit attractions that are not mentioned in the package you will have to shell out a little more.

Rajgir is a very tiny town so most people prefer a day trip and hence this place offers very few basic stay options. Most of them are very old homes converted to hotels. Rajgir offers 3 very good stay options- Hotel Nalanda Regency near bus stand, Siddharta Hotel near Brahma Kund and Gargee Gautam Vihar Resort on the same road as Nalanda Regency. There is not a single 5 star property in Nalanda. Annapurna Restaurant in Nalanda Regency is the best deal to dine in the whole of Nalanda and Rajgir. They have a wide range of cuisines to choose from and serve awesome food. They offer excellent service and have a reasonably priced menu.

We stayed at Hotel Ratnagiri near bus stand, this budgeted place is one of the best stay options in Rajgir. This relatively new building which quite honestly is a rare sight in Rajgir offers compact rooms with clean sheets and soft pillows. Do keep in mind that there are frequent power cuts in Rajgir, this property has 24 hour power backup. Another plus is that it is walking distance from the railway station and tongas are readily available.

Another thing to keep in mind while travelling is though Indian Railways is a boon to a traveler, at the same time it can ruin your travel plans all together. Our train from Patna to Rajgir was late by over two hours, so do set aside buffer time to accommodate any such delays.