Going around the Cape

So just in case you thought that one blog with photos is all you are going to get from my SA visit-let me assure you my attempt at getting back to writing involves detailed travelogues. I have figured that one of the most pleasurable things in life for me is planning a trip and then being  completely obsessed that we stick to the itinerary I made (which involves visiting each and every damn place there is to see in that area). Not for me a luxury or leisure trip- my trips are all exhausting to say the least!

And as for spouting it all online,God knows there is a requirement for more Indian travelogues out there. I mean Indian travelling to non Indian places.

So continuing with my Cape Town sojourn. Next day morning we made our second attempt at table mountains and yes we reached there to find a snaking queue (took us around an hour to clear it) because it was one of those occasions when the cable cars where working.

A lot of foreigners of course trek to the top and there is a nature reserve as well. However the rotating 360 view cable cars is also quite good. While you are admiring the Lions head and the Bay the view would change and the Table Mountains would loom up suddenly. Your breath really does get taken away for that one moment. The view from the top stretches across the city. Definitely worth the effort. There is a café/shop at the top as well. Only drawback-its quite crowded at the top

 

Table mountain dominates CT landscape.

The rest of the day was spent in going around the Cape. Hemmed in by the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, the Cape Peninsula Loop is one of the most stunning drives in the world. This area boasts magnificent scenery of mountains giving way to the oceans, quaint fishing villages and beautiful beaches.

As you keep driving the scenery becomes exceedingly dramatic and picture postcardisque. The beauty of each bay is rivaled by the next . We did 3 comparatively large pit stops-Hout Bay, Cape of Good Hope and Boulders beach.

Overcrowded much?

Hout bay is a fishing town just south of Cape Town. The main street in Hout Bay is full of interesting shops  and there is an excellent craft market. There are also daily charters from Hout Bay Harbour to Duiker Seal Island beneath the well known Sentinel Mountain where you can view thousands of Cape Fur Seals .

Next we headed along the spectacular Chapman’s Peak Drive .

Picture Postcard from Chapman's peak drive

Winding our way South to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve we visited the Cape of Good Hope. Here the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean and a rocky peninsula jets out into water stretching as far as they eye can see. The whole scenary is ethereal.

As we returned to Cape Town we moved along the False Bay Coast to visit Boulders Beach African Penguin Colony.

Little out of place to see something which inhabits the Pole near the Equator!

We rushed past Simons Town and  Muizenberg to head back to Cape Town before night fall. I really wish we had spent some time at these places.

If I were to dispense advice based on experience would say spend a day for Cape of Good Hope exploration alone.

Our Cape Town sojourn was done. It truly is home to a stunning setting of mountain meeting the sea and lucky are those who wake up to such beauty everyday.

But we were not done yet.

We were headed to the Garden Route next! And we even managed to find a travel guide-cum-driver for a reasonable price. This was turning into a dream vacay!

 

 

Ticking off the bucket list

So after the wedding was done and dusted I couldn’t wait to get that suitcase packed and run off.I had made it amply clear my honeymoon was going to be in one of THE FIVE places I wanted to see. Cape Town was at the top.Except apparently not enough Indians think South Africa to be a very likely honeymoon destination or destination of any kind. Every packaged trip cost a bomb and whenever I told someone our choice of destination the usual reaction would be

1.”ooh..is it safe?”

2. “Waha to bas kaale log hain na?” (not making this up trust me)

So in a burst of frustration both me and AB stayed up with our laptops one night and booked the entire trip ourselves including the flights, hotels and applying for visa.It cost us a bomb. But it was going to be a trip we wanted with places we wanted to see and at our pace than being bundled around in a van with 10 other tourists and going to an amusement park or overpriced game drive.

To be honest, I was scared with the countless warnings we got-doubting my (please note singular not plural) choice of destination. Will we find a guide? Is planning-on-the-go gonna run us to the ground? Will I get mugged/killed the moment I step of that plane.

So after quick stopover at Dubai I was sitting/sleeping my way on the longest flight I had ever taken to Cape Town-South Africa’s mother city clutching my excel itinerary to heart.

Well the Gods they were smiling I guess. Because from the moment I stepped off that plane I knew this was going to be the memorable trip I had always wanted.

Our Hotel was right next to the V&A waterfront. It reminded me a bit of Clark Quay but a lot prettier.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is the centre of CT tourist's social life

There were pubs music shops restaurants by docks as sailboats splashed on the docks inviting tourists like us for a sunset cruise. Of course we had to have experienced every tourist trap there is.

Sunset Cruise on the Atlantic

The champaigne, the sunset, the beauty was all very heady and finally the husband agreed that maybe maybe that hole in the pocket was worth it!

Spell binding view of city

The next day we left early to visit Cape Town’s main attraction the Table Mountain. The flat-topped Table Mountain dominates the City skyline and is now one of the world’s seven natural wonders.But when we got there we realized it was quite possible that we maybe leaving this continent without seeing the top if it. Gale winds are common at the top of the mountain and authorities dont take any chances with the cable car.

With our spirits a little lower than before we set off for Robbins Island tour.  When we were talking to couple of agents from India one of them happened to mention how quickly this tour sells out. So we had tried to book tickets online the day before we left for RSA. And luckily found what might have been the only 2 tickets left for the entire week.

Robbins island was the place where South Africa kept its political prisoners during apartheid. And we must have been the only honeymooning couple checking out Nelson Mandela ‘s cell. An ex-prisoner takes this tour and it seemed rather punishing to me that someone would want to revisit a place they were imprisoned for decades daily and take a tour of the same.A must visit for history buffs it left us feeling rather glum.

An evening in the buzzing V&A waterfront cheered us up as we stuffed our face with Italian food.

The last day in Cape Town was drawing close and there was a lot to see! (This trip wasnt planned with relaxing or taking it slow in mind!)

 

The Domestic Ungoddess

It has been so long since I have updated this blog that even the spam comments have stopped ,not to mention the wordpress dashboard has undergone a complete overhaul.

Ohh well.

I got married.

Yup-someone agreed to marry me. What can I say-miracles do happen.

Of course he is the-most-amazing-man-walk-on-earth and maybe now I can also post awww inspiring posts. But let me just make it clear-today is not that day.

Today is the day I tell you about the things they don’t teach you at Harvard.

1) If the wedding card says “Arrival of baraat: 8PM”, You should leave for bridal makeup at 7.30, so that you are back by 10 by which time the baraat would actually arrive. Do NOT get ready by 6PM taking into consideration Delhi’s traffic or any other factors like you are a South Indian and ignorant that North India works on a different time zone.

2) 20 sleepless, 7kg lehenga lugging hours later still smile for every single photo and REMEMBER YOUR BEST PHOTO ANGLE. You will get over the lack of sleep but ugly marriage pics live forever.

3) Prepare for that moment when after the 20 sleepless hours, and after unclipping the 200 pins on your hair bun you take a bath and come out to the room to see a saree kept ready for you to wear. There are 20 relatives waiting to judge you outside. Spending you life searching for that perfect Levis isn’t going to help you then but prodigious memory of the 2 times you did wear saree would.And yes suddenly that petticoat will seem longer than needed and peep out from the bottom.

4) Getting up at 10AM the next day and heading straight for breakfast may not reflect too well on your upbringing but will kill whatever little expectations are there out of you.

5) When it comes to cooking be honest- Maggi is your signature dish.

6) While filling forms hold back the habit and tick on married and Mrs.

7) Expect shoes, used towels, clothes anywhere and everywhere. Attitude that let it lie there till he learns to pick up after himself will not help because if you have sudden house guests you cant explain away those towels

8) Your new best friend is you maid/cook. Do half the work yourself to ease the burden on her. Offer free spa service once a month. DO WHATEVER NEEDED to retain her.

9) Yes hard day at work. Sympathies, however the tea will not make itself.

10) Personal time? Huh?

I know for someone who loathes domestic work and would rather roll in filth than move a finger I am shocked at my own transformation into I cant sleep because I know there is curry stain on my table. But then they say marriage is full of surprises-don’t they?

PS: that’s my photo, so thieving publications you better not steal it!

 

Dont you wish you were here on a Monday morning

Like I was?

Yeah thats a nice shade of green you have going on there

 

Being a feminist and the right to being stupid

So you might have read about the Slut Walk by now.Its basically women raising their voice against the percieved notion of victims of sexual assault asking for it.In a society as patriarchial as ours “it is always the girls fault” and victim shaming and blaming are real issues. So how are we-the self proclaimed feminists going to address this.

Why, by dressing ourselves up in our skimpiest outfit and marching around holding placards.

Stupidity-much?

I try not to judge women because everyone has their own yardstick of sticking-by-my-sisters and what comprises women’s lib. But some of these “symbolic” protests just rally against any ounce of sense and makes me question their purpose.

What will this achieve? Will the women in the Capital suddenly be free of all the butt pinching lecherous guys because of this. Having spent my young adult life there I KNOW the average bloke on the DTC bus will only enjoy the sight of parading naked ladies and rub his crotch harder against one of them the next time she gets on the damn bus. Subtle message, cultural impact-you wish!

My disdain for these shock value campaigns ended with the Pink Chaddi campaign. It achieved nothing apart from giving Pramod Muthalik-the antigonist state level notoriety. Or the put-up-your-bra-color to raise breast cancer awareness. Yes, because when all 342 of my friends read “blue” or “au-naturel” on my status message-it automatically triggers a visit to the nearest specialist or a donation to any of the breast cancer awareness charity.

Women, who are we fooling?I have always felt there is only one answer to a culture where falling in love is a sin and being aggresive or forward undesirable traits-education and being independent.

Not being undressed literally.

As someone said on my Twitter TL “Hope #Slutwalk achieves what basic education, life imprisonment or the possibility of getting lynched hasn’t taught the libidous Indian male.”

Amen to that.

 

Apple Fan Girl-Post 1

Ohh it wasnt easy. I resisted for 4 YEARS-you can get an engineering degree in that you know.

And well I am in Lurve. Its everything and more.

As they say if you dont have an iPhone,well you do still have a healthy bank balance.

PS: Want to relive the glorious days of 3310, here you go.

 

 

Its been a long time visiting

When WordPress has changed its dashboard and has new stuff you have no clue how to use.

What does “Request Feedback” do? We will find out in 3..2..1

 

 

 

Semi-Final Mohali tickets-buy or not?

Either Indo-Pak pataka match
or
10K down the drain.
Have end of day tomm to decide.
Life.Sigh.Choices.

 

Emergency at 14000 ft

Can I just say I am a bona fide travel addict. I just need to travel every 3-4 months and start getting withdrawal symptoms resulting in crappy behavior if I dont.

So how could I pass an opportunity to visit Nathula pass? Nathula connects India to China controlled Tibet and was a part of the ancient Silk Route. Our Journey started in Gangtok after waking upto view Kanchendzonga at 5 AM. And was it cc.ccc..ccoolddd..brrr..

roadsign

We started of for Nathula at around eight-ish, our permits safely tucked in. Stopped on the way to stock up on wollens-gloves, caps etc when we saw the first snow.

It was the first time I had seen snow in my life. Need.to.control.self.from.rolling.and.eating.snow.

Snow..snow..SNOW!!!

Our guide had to pry us from the snow and after multiple assurances there was more snow ahead and that the Pass will close at 11 did we continue ahead.The climb to Nathula is steep and the one vehicle road almost disappears in many places. Our progress was super slow.As you move to higher altitudes, the lakes you encounter are frozen, the sub tropical vegetation you encountered in Gangtok is replaced by Tundra type shrubs, and the only living beings you encounter are yaks and army jawans.

A semi-frozen lake on the way-the views on the journey are breathtaking

At around 11 we reached the Indo-Chinese border pass. We were at Nathula-14140 ft above sea level. Our faces were frozen, hands numb, gasping for oxygen and in my case fighting a bursting bladder.

Tell them our story..

My friends were busy clicking, chatting up the jawans and generally being super excited.

I on the other hand was trying to hold it in. All the loos at Nathula were snowed in and shut. People may have frozen to death at 14000 ft, may have fallen to death, may have fought to death, maybe have even died of oxygen deprivation. But I was sure I was going to create a record.

I was going to die at 14000 ft due to a burst bladder.

Till a jawan came to rescue and showed me an improvised loo-3 corrugated tin sheets to protect modesty and 2 concrete slabs to perch your feet. So my dear blog readers I was forced to show my bum to natural elements and use an open toilet at 14000 ft. Me with my OCD of loos. If thats not an emergency I dont know what is.

sau main se nabbe baiman fir bhi mera bharat mahaan

Now relieved literally and figuratively I could appreciate the views much much more.

Like our national flag against the blue sky.

tiranga

Or that Chinese border was a barbed wire away and that we could literally rub noses with Chinese soldiers.(Not that they would see any point in rubbing noses with freezing, loud Indian tourists)

"mujhse dosti karoge?"No, will not force you to watch the movie-pls put the gun away

Soon it was time to pump some hot coffee off the stove into our mouths and descend. The descent was scary  with such low visibility that we were not being able to see our hands if held before our face. On this hilly curving road it was entirely possible to simply drive off the road and be discovered as frozen mummies when winter thawed.

Needless to say heart was in mouth all the time.

Cant see my nose,forget the road

We stopped for a while for the mist to clear (using that opportunity to snow fight and generally roll in snow and behave like complete idiots)but the weather worsened-it began snowing and cold wind bit our faces.We were forced to continue. We did make it back. Did see Tsogmo or Changu lake and Baba Harbhajan’s temple. Did stuff ourselves with momos and WaiWai till we could puke.

Tsogmo Lake which freezes completely in winter

We were totally drained by this but did cajole ourselves to a walk in the super cute MG Marg in Gangtok. Devoid of vehicles and with cobbled streets this was a relaxing warm break. We couldnt find the 100 year old Glenarys Cafe so settled for Bakers Cafe and the calorie bombs there.

Waist-whats that?

Our first day In Sikkim was over and Yumthang Valley and Gurudogmar awaited us. Or so we thought-till we met our travel agent.

More of that for the next time-till then hold on to the thought that the Cafe had teddy bear shaped cup cakes. Whatay no?

 

 

 

 

 

An ode to parental strength

So on my recent trip I picked up “Room” by Emma Donoghue and read the whole thing in one sitting. Its the story of five year old boy Jack who lives with his ‘Ma’ in the ‘Room’ – a 11 by 11 shed with skylight and locked door. He has friends like Dora-the explorer on TV and the Rug, the Bed, the Meltedy Spoon and believes the two people in the Room are the only real people till one day his Ma tells him there is a world outside.

Inspired by the likes of Fritzel case, Room is unlike any other novel. Written in the voice of Jack its not in the same vein as say “The curious incident of the dog in the night time”, Jack’s voice is more adultish and yet endearingly child like.

The first half takes place entirely within the 12-foot-square room in which a young woman has spent her last seven years since being abducted aged 19. Raped repeatedly she now has a 5 year old child. “Ma” has spent every scrap of mental energy in teaching, nurturing and entertaining her boy, preserving her own sanity in the process. Its voyeuristic-watching the mother son relationship-its heart warming and yet the terror is never far away. Thankfully the author doesnt go into descriptive details of abuse. Most of the back story in the novel is filled through adult conversations Jack overhears or through watered down stories his Ma tells him.The second half is about their re-integration into society and perhaps is the more painful part. Especially the heartbreaking interview and its after math.

Room although touches a very dark topic isnt a dark book-if anything its an ode to human hope, courage and a saga of parental strength which is affecting and uplifting. Deserves to be shortlisted for ManBooker 2010.