Saturday, April 20, 2013

Europe Diary - 2013

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A gift…. a reminder of a Dream!



Lets see how to start this…

As I write this piece sitting outside a lovely café in the picturesque historical city of Brussels with cold wind and hot chocolate for company, my mind takes me back to August 2012 when I got a gift from one of the most special people in my life.

A backpack/haversack with a note that said, ‘Life is an adventure…. or nothing at all’.

I knew this was a reminder about a dream I always had…. a dream to see the world… a dream to experience the beauty of the creator. …. a dream to go beyond the  familiar terrain, learn about new ways of living, thinking, unlearn a lot of conventional  theories of living life and finally, a dream to get lost in an unknown world…to find myself.

My almost month long solo backpack trip to Europe was a last minute decision to say the least. What do you say for a guy who gets his Schengen Visa an evening prior to the morning he has to leave for an almost month long trip across Central Europe with only three things for company… his backpack, limited budget and limitless excitement. I remember the lady Visa officer at the France Embassy giving me a double stare when I replied that I would be staying in Hostels and with unknown families on their living room couches during the trip. Well she did admonish me lightly for applying for the Visa two days prior to departure when the going processing time was 15days from the date of application! The kind lady did, at the end of the three-minute interview, make a filmy statement; “Collect your passport with the Visa tomorrow”! I liked her. I thanked her. My entire trip would have been in jeopardy had she stuck to the rulebook.


Flashback:

Jug  Jug Jiyo Google!

No, seriously… we are blessed to be living in times where, thanks to the internet, the world is literally at our fingertips. Of course, the flip side is that there is so much written about places by so many people and so many conflicting views by different people based on their own personal and cultural preferences about food, places and stuff like that. Unless you use your own discretion, common sense and a fair bit of intuition, it is difficult to really use the power of the web to make travel decisions.

What I did was put up a map of Europe on my dart board, blindfolded myself and threw 7-10 darts at the board! Where they landed, were the countries for my trip!
………………… Okay, that was a joke…. What I did do finally was not really too different. Now, am a simple guy with middle class upbringing. Going to the US or Europe and seeing those countries is always high on our wish list. What I did was ‘THINK ‘…. about the places, cities, journeys I have always been enamored by and planned the trip according to those whims of mine. So lets see, seeing London was a must do boss because London is finally THE hottest city in the world and ‘angrezon’ ka asli shehar hai! Shouldn’t we check out what is it about those guys that they managed to rule over us for almost 200 years! Plus have heard so much about the London weather and the beautiful places London has on offer. Must be something about the city that many Indian ‘raees’ including Shahrukh Khan call it their second home! So, London it was! And of course, how could I forget, the Heathrow Airport yaar! I mean one of the busiest airports of the world, I HAD to land at the Heathrow Boss!

Okay I had also heard a lot about the superfast Eurostar train that runs THROUGH the English Channel, between London and Ille/ Brussels/ Paris at speeds of about 250Km/Hr! Imagine the fantasy levels of a guy who has lived all his life in a city where driving at 40Km/Hr during peak times is a luxury!! So yeh bhi experience toh karna hi tha! Now, have heard a lot about the er, ‘colourful’ city of Amsterdam and have always had an ‘innocent’ craving for seeing the ‘colors’ of the city and what it has to offer to young and ‘innocent’ men like me! So Amsterdam is on too eh ;)
Okay, growing up we read a lot about Hitler and Germany is always looked upon in awe by us Indians because of its discipline, its cars and the general sense of efficiency of German people! Plus bachpan se Hitler Hitler itna padhaa hai so I thought yaar Germany bhi jaana chaahiye, lets see yeh log kaunsi chakki ka aata khaate hain! In the recent years, have heard a lot about Czechoslovakia (Okay I took help of spell check to get the name right!)….. (But then, who doesn’t! )  Have heard that it is one of the most picturesque places in Europe and a sheer delight!  Brussels, where I am right now unfortunately wouldn’t have found a place in the itinerary had it not been for the London – Brussels Eurostar I HAD to take! Now, I wanted to END the trip with Paris so taking the Eurostar to Paris at the beginning of the trip was out and so here came the mind bogglingly historic town of Brussels! Anyways, moving on…… Bhai am a Yash Chopra movies fan and have grown up watching Amitabh Bachchan to Sridevi to Shahrukh Khan to Ranbir Kapoor cavorting around the scenic snow capped mountains of Switzerland!! So Switzerland toh banta hai. Another city have always been in awe of is Paris. No..not because of the usual things they say about Paris that Paris is the city of Love, the city of Style etc.. Many summers back I watched a movie, ‘French Kiss’, starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Line. Am an absolute fan of the movie and tab se have told myself ki life mein ek baar France jaana hai boss! You never know there might be a Meg Ryan waiting to bump into me!           (The younger one not the current avatar!)

So this is where it all began then. A few days of frantic googling about countries, travel forums on trip advisor, reviews and what not! But finally, it was a call that only one person had to take…myself!  The fact that is that I did not take any help or guidance from any friend or acquaintance knowing that so many of them are regulars to Europe and this was intentional. Advice on where to go, what to do, what to see is found aplenty in families. We often forget that the real essence of travelling is in discovering new destinations and making your own stories and having your own experiences.  I am a traveller at heart and not a tourist and believe that it’s a beautiful world out there and the innate and basic goodness in people cuts across barriers of border, language and culture.

The final trip round up looks like this;

Mumbai – Cairo – London



London



Brussels



Amsterdam



Berlin



Prague



Zurich



Paris



Paris – Cairo – Mumbai


Anyways people, this is the backstory of my first trip to Europe with the following highlights

  • Shoestring budget (Otherwise who flies Egypt Air!)
  • Staying in 4/8 bed dormitories in Hostels and in living room couches of unknown families
  • Zero knowledge of any of the foreign languages of these countries in Europe where language changes with every country
  • Shoestring budget
  • Am a Vegetarian… get the drift…A vegetarian on an unaided trip to Europe and staying in Hostels… Big challenge
  • No local contact or any prior itinerary about what to do where in each country. Totally relying on ‘plan as you move about’
  • Travelling between countries by trains.
  • Shoestring budget



This is not going to be a SIGHTSEEING TRAVELOGUE of things to do and see. Google and travel websites will tell you all you want to know about places. This is a personal and individual account of my trip where I have tried to share my experiences.


Stay with me to live my adventures and experiences during this trip;


About how some decisions turned out to be beautiful and some taught me a lesson.

Why I regretted flying Egypt Air and why I was glad I chose first class for my train trip from London to Europe!

About getting robbed in London on the second day of my trip but still continuing with the same spirit and belief in the concept of communal Hostels and honesty of people at large.

About the witty Thames river tour guide who collects tips from people to pay for his ‘research’ trips to the pubs in London!

About throwing away almost half the stuff from my haversack in the trash cans on a platform in Brussels almost during the initial part of my trip!

About the time I almost got locked in a superfast TGV train about to move away at full speed with me in it and my luggage on the platform!

About getting lost in the middle of the night in Brussels.

About meeting people from over 15 countries in Hostels through my trip including a very cool guy from US who works to earn money to travel and has seen half the world already!

About the unknown facts of the famous red light district of Amsterdam including the age of the oldest sex worker in the city!

About which was Hitler’s favourite city and how that saved it from destruction!

About almost missing my train from Berlin to Prague!

About the swanky private sleeper cabin in the Euro night train which had a concealed washbasin area, a swanky shower room, alarm for every birth and lots more and felt better than flying first class!

About how a 90-year-old house and Heritage structure in Brussels is also the most popular budget Hostel in Europe.

About the fact that there are more Bicycles than people in Amsterdam!

About a unique Hostel in Amsterdam that was till 10 years back a popular BROTHEL of the city!

About a cat in Amsterdam that has been put on a diet because the cat is overweight by 2kg!

How the Berlin HB train station can put an international airport to shame!

About how this chirpy Tour Guide earns a very neat packet in spite of running a FREE walking tour of the city of Amsterdam!

About recording voice overs for clients back home from every city I visited in Europe! Especially how I managed to record in Hostels and multi bed dormitories!

About the HONESTY BAR concept in a Hostel in Amsterdam where there is only one person monitoring your payments to the bar for drinks… your conscience!

About this young and hot group of girls who run this amazing Hostel in Amsterdam which is also one of the best in the world!

About the amazing experience of watching a West end Musical in London and how it puts the best Indian productions to shame!

About the one thing that turns normal friendly Dutch people into ‘psychopaths’!!

About having lost my mobile phone in Paris...and how I got it back!!

About almost losing my Passport and Laptop!!!!
 

The list goes on… stay with me, as I get lost…. in a bid to find myself.


Last but not the least, this trip could not have been possible without the love, support and encouragement of the three anchors of my life…Janvi, Kiran and Pats.
I love you from the bottom of my heart.



Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hello God!


"Jaidev Jaidev Jai Mangal moorti....................................."

How many of us know the Ganpati prayer by heart...?

How many of those who know it by heart,know what the words mean?

We know the answers so lets not embarass ourselves by putting it down on this post.

There is indeed a point behind this seemingly innocuous question.

I am trying to figure out if we really do understand the mechanics of this business of being a devotee of God and of really understanding God in the true essence..

Come to think of it, many of us blindly follow 'rituals', blindly sing prayers, blindly follow customs...all in the name of that every elusive GOD!

With my above mentioned views, it may sound strange and ironical that this year, we did, for the first time, welcome 'GOD GANESH JI" into our homes during the Ganesh Festival! Yes we did have GOD as a guest at home for a few days...but on one condition....that the ocassion would not be a 'ritual' but a 'festival'! A festival to rejeuvenate our connect with GOD, to remind us about the importance of God in our lives...to understand GOD....

GOD...for me...is our Darrpan (do not pardon the pun ;))

God is really not the clay/ Metal/ Wooden/ Gold/ Silver/ POP Idol that we bow our heads to.....God is the faith of a supreme being above us that we bow to..God is our own subconscious that keeps our actions and Karma in check..God is us....

If you say you believe in GOD, it should ideally mean that you believe that there is a system/ consciousness/ conscience that guides you to good karma....

God is nothing but our own pratibimb ( reflection).


Say Hello to yourself...say Hello God!


Monday, November 23, 2009

The Gods of South India

On a recent work trip to Chennai that spilled into a leisure backpack trip to Mamalapuram and Puducherry, I had my eureka moment (have it almost once everyday...er..i meant the eureka moment naughty minds!).


I realised why south indians are so devout and why south india has so many temples and religious places of worship!!

Well, if any of you have been blessed with an opportunity of travelling by the Tamil Nadu State Transport buses on the Chennai - Puducherry route, you'd know that the way the drivers of the state buses drive their buses..you better be on really good terms with the guys up there to reach your destination alive! Got the connection..?...anyways ..Hee


P.S: Er..Did I mention that the East Coast Road (ECR) that runs between Chennai and Puducherry is so breathtaking, it's reason enough to visit Puducherry once!






Friday, September 25, 2009


God hates Left Handers..

..Seems funny but its not just the middle ages when left handers had to go through the abomination of, well, being left handers...Okay, first things first, I am a left hander, a born, pure left hander who was never forced to become a right hander by his folks, whose left hand was never tied up to force the right one to start working, whose left had fingers were never dipped in mirchi to avoid him using them to er, have food ;)

Some weeks back, an incident took me back to the middle ages! It was a sultry sunday and a series of work related events led me to find myself seated in a huge bright, airy and very clean hall called Vrindavan, full of about 200 people, all seated cross legged having sumptuous albeit holy prasadam at the Iskcon temple in Mumbai. Nothing unusual about this. Every sunday the revered place of devotion attracts thousands of people from all over for a Darshan followed by 'prasadam', just that, as I was enjoying my oil dripping puri with delicious aloo chole ki subzi, suddenly a voice jolted me out of my happy oblivion.
" Is something wrong with your right hand?" asked the voice in monotone.
I looked around to find a human being of the male gender sitting next to me, one hand holding the banana leaf the other hand still trying to make a pile of rice and aloo cholay to gobble up as his next morsel!
Now, being in the divine and holy campus of a temple, my mind, irritated at being spoken to in the middle of me enjoying my food, reacted internally that he might be some 'gifted' man with divine qualities of being able to see the future and maybe he felt that my right hand is going to be 'not fine' in the near future, hence was trying to warn me of some probable accident that might happen in my life rendering my right hand useless!! As my mind raced through a plethora of likely accidents that might happen to me, I replied to him calmly, but with a certain trepidation,
"Er, no it's fine ( as yet) !"
"Then why are you using your LEFT hand?"
Silence
"Coz I have always used my left hand!!"
"Shay! Stop using your left hand from this moment! Dont you know it is the evil who use their left hand and the scriptures have also mentioned this, the left hand should be used only for cleaning up 'you know what' after the morning 'you know what' routine!
Silence
I muttered, " My left hand has served me dutifully all my life, I see no reason why god should hate me for using it, now if you dont mind, may I continue eating...with my left hand'!
The man had a disgusted look on his face, not that i cared to notice. He continued gobbling prasadam with his 'right hand'.

“The right half of the brain controls the left half of the body. This means that only left handed people are in their right mind.”Anonymous








Sunday, July 26, 2009

Monsoon Bike Trip






















I take off...on a trip, wherever the wind takes me..
The real biker never measures distances...he rides for the sheer pleasure of feeling the wind beneath his wings...
I had no idea where I was taking my Bullet..or was it the other way round...have spent a lot of time with the skies around lonavla, Khandala, Karjat, Neral etc...this time we thought of seeing a new sky...so off we rode into the beautiful and magically scenic skies towards Wada, Manor and then to Vikramgadh on the Mumbai Ahmedabad route.




The ride was beautiful and aimless like a true impromptu bike ride should be...just me and her and the long wet road for company. Riding is personal and uninhibited. You can stop and stare when you want, where you want. Things you can't or don't really do in a car.
I must say it wasn't the best time or way to go on a rough solo bike trip. The rains were hard, the route was dense, neither did I have a tool kit nor had a got my bike serviced. Must say, this isn't the best way to go for a bike trip!

Anyways, here are some snaps of the beautful time I had with the bike ..and nature.
Like I always say, when on the bike...the journey is the desination. Till next time.













































































































































Friday, October 3, 2008


Finally got initiated into a long time dormant passion...photography...

Was gifted a high end Nikon D 60 SLR on my birthday..

...got myself enrolled into a weekend Landscape Photography workshop at mahabaleshwar!!

The shot alongside is one of my first few EDUCATED attempts at Photography!

Wonderful one liner of my Photography guru, Mr. Vinay Palekar..

" Photography is about makin great images....about training the eye to see beyond the obvious"....I buy the thought.