Birthday By The Beach

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things"

-Henry Miller.

The birthday girl wished for a birthday by the beach and I being the travel-granting fairy took matters into my own hands. As I many times say all I need to make things happen is the name of my next destination. I had two beach resorts near Mangalore which were begging to be explored. I honestly can't even remember where I came across the Turtle Beach Bay in Trasi. Much like the infamous Goa trip, our beach trip was almost over before it begun. After celebrating my friend Fatema's birthday at midnight it was almost impossible for our group of five to be up and ready at seven in the morning. I obviously ironed my clothes in the middle of the night and had my beach wardrobe all set but this day was not about me. And so I went back to sleep when no one woke up at seven in the morning thinking of all the chores I could accomplish that Sunday *Inner Monica rejoicing* The heavens had other plans however and who was I to deny them :p Over breakfast at the mess it was decided to go to the beach anyway. Like they say better late than never! We quickly grabbed our bags and begun our journey to the beach.

It took us around one and a half hour to reach the beach resort. We had the beach to ourselves. Yes, that's right! Just the five of us. There were a few guests staying in the rooms at the resort but they did not swim. After admiring the beautiful beach and taking a few photos we changed into our swimsuits and jumped right into the water. It was the perfect temperature at around one in the afternoon. As it was a rather sunny day, we applied generous amounts of sunscreen. After some swimming where we played piggyback water fight we took a break for some well-deserved lunch. The resort has a restaurant with a decent menu.

Post-lunch we went swimming one more time. Turtle Beach also had beach volleyball and other activities. As we were on a tight schedule due to some pending nursing assignments we had to leave before the sunset. But here's the secret scoop only for my readers. The direction of this beach does offer a sunset at the beach! So in case, you plan to follow my lead and go check out this place for yourself you must stay back for sunset and send me those photos!

The beach has showers and changing facilities so one can easily freshen up after swimming. I luckily carried my shampoo and managed to wash my hair saving me from doing it later at night when I would be exhausted.We made our return journey while listening to tunes and chatting away. At one point we even stopped to buy fruits from the bus stop for the week ahead. Before parting ways we enjoyed some hot ginger tea and then said our goodbyes. This trip was over but the memories we had collected were going to last us a lifetime. Also, I am certain that I will be going back to Turtle Bay Beach Resort.

Seeing Is Believing

Travel Vlog: Birthday By The Beach

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Everything You Want To Know About Turtle Bay Beach Resort

How to reach?

Take a bus/train to Kundapur in Karnataka. From Manipal a bus to Udupi and a connecting bus to Kundapur. From Kundapur take a bus to Trasi. If you have a private vehicle you are sorted!

How much cash to carry?
I would say about 1000 rupees.
Food: 200-300
Entrance: 250
Transport to and fro by bus: 150
It's always good to have extra cash in hand. Also in case you want to try out any water sports, you may need extra cash.

How long to stay?A day trip would be recommended. The shower facility is sufficient for all your daytime needs.The rooms available are expensive from a budget travel point of view costing around 2500+ per night.

What to carry?
You can carry your own food if you wish!
1) Sunscreen
2) Towel
3) Sunglasses/Hat
4) Swimwear
5) Extra pair of clothes
6) Cards, beach ball or other games.
7) Sunglasses
8) Music and speakers
9) Shampoo and toiletries.
10) A plastic bag for your wet clothes!

For other Beach Destination ideas you can check my other blog posts:
1. Goa After Graduation

2. St.Mary's Island

3. Beach Therapy: Murudeshwara

4. Gokarna Girls Trip

You can stay up to date with all my travel stories and photos by following me on my very active My Instagram Account
That's all for this blog post. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved experiencing it. But don't stop there go ahead and see it for yourself! Thank you for reading. All comments and feedback is appreciated in the comments section below.

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.

Lost In The Forest With No Network: Exploring Yana Caves

"Travel brings power and love back into your life"     

-Rumi. 

If you are reading this then that means I have obviously survived and found my way back to civilization. The title may sound like an exaggeration but trust me when I say this, it is not. This will go down in history as the day I got lost in the forest and walked 17 kilometers! However to know exactly how I got to this point and how I found my way back I need to start from the beginning. Two years ago, I saw photos which some of my faculty had posted of visiting this place. And of course, since then it was on my bucket list to check it out for myself. The trouble was that it was relatively far and I would need enough time to fully explore it. I also need to learn how to properly drive a car and learn how to ride a scooty. This December, I had all the time in the world as I was clearly not going back to Dar-es-salaam neither was I going to Gujarat or anywhere else.

The trip was initially planned with a bigger group in mind but as all group plans go in the end it was only the two of us. My friend Tridib and I decided to take the trip anyway and so we started at Udupi Railway Station early in the morning waiting for the 7.30 am train to Kumta. Naturally, the train was late. In our case, it was one and half hours later and arrived at 9 am. That was the first set back we faced which would later go on to delay our entire day's plan. We reached Kumta at around noon and from the bus stop took a local bus to Yana Caves. This journey was uphill and passed through mountain roads, very slowly and therefore took us longer than I had anticipated.

Yana caves is not a commercialized tourist spot. You will find very few visitors and no guides whatsoever. I was aware of this before starting the journey but obviously, in no possible future outcomes did I expect myself to end up getting lost because of this. From the place where the bus dropped there was a three-kilometer climb uphill which was okay. We were super excited to see the caves. While making our way up we even came across a bunch of butterfly nests in the forest by a waterfall. It was truly magical to be alive and surrounded by nature away from hustle of the monotonous everyday life. On reaching the caves we were tired and it was about 2.30 pm. We explored the inside of the caves which was alive with bats and other creatures of the dark. 

The trouble began on the return journey. It should have been a simple three kilometer walk downhill to catch the 4 pm bus (there was one every hour, the last one at 5 pm) but the road to exit the caves was different from the entry route and it had no signs or arrows to lead the way to the bus stop. We had even asked a guard for the direction initially and followed what we were told but somehow unfortunately we were in the middle of no where. We did not know what to do. We kept walking around and there was no sign of people around us who we could ask on the way. It was close to 5 pm and it was getting dark. I prayed silently, dehydrated and starving. I had eaten a samosa and tea on the train and my stomach needed food to keep going. Drenched in our own sweat as we walked further on the road to nowhere, we heard some screams and one minute later a bus full of school kids passed on the road. We stopped it and it luckily gave us a ride. Usually buses did not come that way but they were trying to avoid the main road as they did not have proper permission for that bus. God, we were saved.

The bus dropped us off in Gokarna and we headed to Namaste Cafe at Om Beach to grab some dinner. I had some spinach-mushroom lasagna which was quite filling and delicious. I was exhausted but thankful at the same time. I had got my high dose of adrenaline and adventure to last me for quite some time. We had to catch a train back from Kumta to Udupi but it looked like the train was going to get delayed again and so we took a 9 pm bus back and I was back home by 1 am. The next day was another story. I thought my feet would hurt and turn to stone but instead what hurt was my back and shoulders probably due to carrying around my camera for the whole day and the bumpy bus journey where my giraffe-of-a-neck was too long to get any back support from the seats.

All's well that ends well. With that spirit, no matter how bad this year might have been, just like this trip let's remember all the good moments and move forward with an optimistic look for the coming year which may be filled with more adventures!

Five Tips For Planning A Trip To Yana Caves:

1. The mode of transport.
Do not rely on the train-bus combination because you are bound to get late if either of these get delayed. If you must use them try to catch a night train so you find yourself at Kumta by early morning and start your journey to the caves then ensuring you do not have to spend the night in the forest. The best would be to book a car/van/bus or go by bikes or private transport.

2. Go with a big group.
I am all about solo travel but if you are new at exploring or do not know the common language of the area it is best to travel in a group. Not only will you save money as the cost of a lot of items can be split but it will also be fun and more memorable.

3. Take some food with you.
It is wise to carry some food as it is a long journey and you might get hungry on the way. The best is some bananas as it will keep you full and give you the energy you need.

4.Start early in the day.
Try to start your trip as early in the day as possible or if you are doubtful start it the night before or stay over somewhere near Kumta that way you do not have to worry about travelling time being a problem.

5. Explore the surrounding places.
Now if you have found some extra time on your hands you can easily visit Mirjan Fort which is also in Kumta (next blog coming up). On the same train route you also have Gokarna and it's beaches, Murudeshwara temple and the beach next to it and of course Goa. So don't miss out on these!

There you have it. I hope you enjoyed reading the way I enjoyed writing it for all of you. If you have any questions or comments please post them below.  Stay curious and keep exploring! 

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.

The Ultimate Guide To Hampi

"The only thing I own, which are still worth what they have cost me are my travel memories...the mind-pictures of places that I have been hoarding like a happy miser"-Burton Homes.

Two sisters, two days, one trip, memories to last a lifetime that was Hampi for me. I traveled to this beautiful town of old kingdoms, beautiful temples and gigantic ruins in December 2016 with my sister Sonali Khetia. Located alongside the Tungabhadra river, Hampi is a top tourist destination for both Indians and foreigners alike. It is recognized as the group of monuments at Hampi in the UNESCO- world heritage site. Want to know more of my journey and experience then keep on reading:

TEMPLES

Old temples, big and small alike. Hampi is home to a lot of beautiful temples. From the main and the most visited Shiva temple (Virupaksha temple) to the abandoned Krishna temple, the famous Vittala temple complex, and the Jain temples, each of them has its own unique history bound to the famous Vijayanagar Empire. Many of these temples were used for worship back during the time of the Kings but have now been preserved as a monument.

Virupaksha Temple

Temple in Vittala Complex

Krishna Temple

Temple at Hemakuta Hill

FOOD

Hampi is a paradise for food lovers. There are more than a dozen restaurants within the main center offering a variety of cuisines. We picked a different restaurant from each meal so we could enjoy a little bit of everything. The pasta, pizza, fries, falafel, momos were finger-licking delicious. All the restaurants have a cozy vibe, some with rooftop setting while others with a river view.

Breakfast at Moon Light Restaurant.

Falafel <3

River View Restaurant

Moon Light Restaurant

ROYAL MONUMENTS

Hampi was the operation center of the entire Vijayanagar Empire. In order for things to operate smoothly, it was obvious that it had marvelous structures built up to serve the royal family. From water tanks to royal baths, gardens, other monuments of historical importance and some of the military significance like the elephant stables. 

Lotus Temple

Royal Pool

Water Tank At Royal Enclosure

Stone Chariot

HAMPI TRAVEL VLOG

Top Ten Tips For Your Hampi Trip:

1. Accommodation In Hampi: 

Unless you are planning a luxury stay, I would suggest not to spend a lot on your accommodation. We easily got a guest house for 450 Rupees per night! Our trip was two days and one night. We checked out at 10 am in the morning and asked the reception to take care of our luggage as we went exploring on the second day. You can collect it in the evening before catching your bus.

We stayed at the Manju Guest House.

2. How To Reach Hampi:

If you are flying in, the nearest airport is Hubli and then a three-hour taxi would bring you to Hampi or a bus from Bangalore. All of those are bound to leave you tired and you would need some good rest. In that case, you can extend your trip to two or three nights. In my case, I took an overnight bus to Hospet (12 km from Hampi) and then a connecting bus.

3. The Hardest Question: What Should You Eat?

Have a heavy breakfast so you can explore throughout the day without having to a long lunch break which will not only take away time but also make you lazy and sleepy. All restaurants on the main side of Hampi (near the temple) serve only vegetarian food. Yes! So if you want to indulge in non-veg options you can easily cross the river. Hampi also does not serve alcohol to respect the religious views of the area and the people. That is also available on the other side of the river.

-Must Try Restaurants: Moon Light, Mango Tree, Funky Monkey and River View Restaurant.

4. Out And About Hampi.

If you absolutely love exploring then get yourself a bicycle on rent. Map of Hampi is sold at 20 rupees and you can easily find your way about on your own. Every morning at 9 am a government tourist group also leaves from Virupaksha temple on bicycles. A bicycle for the whole day would cost you somewhere between 200-400 rupees. You could also get a guide if you wish. The Royal enclosure and sunset points are far from the center but a lot of places are at walkable distance.

-Must Visit Places: Vittala Complex, Matunga Hill, The Royal Enclosure, Virupaksha Temple.

You can also try a ride across the river in the handmade boats!

Tungabhadra River, Hampi.

5. Network & Communication In Hampi.

Let me assure you, there is none. No phone network. Only Wifi. This was the main reason why all the restaurants and guest houses have their own wifi. It is very hard to get a network on your phone while in Hampi so inform your loved ones prior to your travel so that they do not get worried.

6. What To Wear In Hampi.

As Hampi is a religious town, I would suggest dressing modestly. Go for long cotton skirts or trousers, maxi dresses. For men, long trousers, joggers or pants would be appropriate. Avoid shorts as it would be disrespectful especially in temples. It is always hot in Hampi so be sure to wear comfortable clothing that you can manage for an entire day. Wear walking shoes or comfortable sandals as Hampi is full of big boulders and rocks and there would be a lot of walking.

7. What To Pack For Hampi.

Pack light, if you are backpacking.  

Essentials include: Camera, Water bottle, ID Card, Chargers, Sun Protection (Cream, Sunglasses, Hat). See the video for more inspiration.

8.Shopping In Hampi.

Hampi has a few shops run by tourists and locals alike. They sell the most unique items from handicraft to clothes, shoes, show piece collections, jewelry and more. If it is in your budget do get yourself a souvenir to take back home.

9.The Other Side Of the River.

This is a beautiful place, which I discovered a little late during my trip. Make your way across the river in the ferry boat which will cost around 12 rupees per person. The other side has lush green fields, is much cooler and has a lot of fun places to be explored.

10. Enjoy Yourself!

Have an awesome time. Do not let the heat or the walking drain your down or get to you! Let yourself loose in the ruins, get crazy and have fun! 

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Feel free to leave your comments, questions, and suggestions below. Follow my blog to stay updated on my endeavors and be sure to share it with your friends. Thank you.

Disclaimer: All the photos, reviews, and opinions in this blog post are my own. Do not copy or replicate without permission. 

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.

Genesis : The Story Of My First Trip.

"Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport"

-Unknown.

Everyone has that one awakening moment that shapes their life and the choices they make from there onwards. For me, this happened in the December of 2014. At that time I did not realize that this would be the start of something that I would grow to love. I somehow managed to convince my parents to let me travel to Mysore and Ooty in my college break. The plan was to take a government-run trip that would start at Bangalore. Three days and two nights! I couldn’t be more thrilled. It was the first time I was travelling alone. I would not call it a solo travel because technically speaking I was on a bus with fifty other strangers but yeah, it was going to be one of the most relaxing and memorable journeys. Obviously, no story was complete without some very huge twists and turns but we will come to that later.

The Karnataka government (KSTDC) operates tours and travels from the Badami House in Bangalore. They trip usually start at 6.30 am. While in Bangalore, I was under the instructions to stay with my relatives who lived a good 30 km away from Badami House. I know right! I left before the crack of dawn at 5 am in the local Bangalore bus praying to reach safely to my destination. Soon after I reached the trip began. My seat was next to an old man from Kolkata travelling with his wife and son who was pursuing his Ph.D. in Chemistry (What!?).  The old man was friendly, chatty and one with a lot of wisdom.

The itinerary for the first day included travelling to Mysore from Bangalore which was a 3hour smooth ride.  I had heard about the beautiful gardens and palaces of Mysore. I was a big fan of visiting old Palaces and learning about the history of the kingdoms that once ruled great empires. Our first stop was at the magnificent St. Philomena’s Church. It was built in 1936 in Neo-Gothic architecture inspired by the famous Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The twin spires of the church are 53 m in height and they resemble the spires of the Patrick's Church in New York City.

The main tourist attraction of Mysore, the Mysore Palace was the most beautiful and majestic palace I have ever seen. The Bangalore Palace has the more modern touch to it. The palace in Gujarat is royal as well but this one was a clear winner. It had four grand entrances, the interiors transported me to a historical world altogether.

Mysore also hosts the Tipu Sultan’s empire which is now left in ruins after the invasion. His summer palace still stands in Bangalore. After some much needed South Indian lunch, we dedicated the afternoon to exploring the great Mysore zoo. It was extremely entreating. The zoo is very well maintained and it is a must visit for animal lovers and families with children! It exhibits a variety of animals and birds.

Just before the sunset, we made our way to the beautiful Brindavan Gardens of Mysore. It is ranked in the top ten gardens in India. Our hotel was located in the heart of the Brindavan gardens. Life could not get more perfect than this. I watched the sunset as the beautiful fountain lights were turned on. The hotel served us with dinner and we called it a night as we were extremely exhausted from the bus travel through the day.

Early in the morning after heavy breakfast, we set course for Ooty. It was going to be a long journey up the mountains. We visited the temple in Nanjangunda in the morning. It was a typical vintage South Indian temple. The forest route to Ooty up the Nilgiri Mountains was beautiful. We were in Tamil Nadu territory! We stopped at a roadside tea shop to enjoy some hot tea and pakodas in the chilling December winter of Ooty. The forest route was very pleasant covered with Eucalyptus trees. We spotted elephants and some deer before we finally arrived in Ooty. Our hotel in Ooty was the most adorable place I have ever seen. I am not kidding. The small hotel run by the government was once the quarters for soldiers of the Mysore king for his winter palace in Ooty. After checking in and getting some lunch we went for boating. It was a fun experience. Beautiful landscapes surrounded us as we moved through the cold waters of the hill station.

Our hotel in Ooty was surrounded by hills and valley with beautiful flowers from all over the world. Coonoor is an army base camp just above Ooty which has the Dodabetta peak, the highest mountain peak in the Nilgiri Hills standing tall at 2,600m. The view was breath-taking. All of Ooty could be seen from the viewpoint.

We settled in for the cold night, bundled up in blankets and surviving on hot tea. The next morning we visited Sim’s botanical park in Ooty. It had an amazing variety of fern houses, butterfly house, trees of various species and I was simply delighted with the whole botany exposure. We began our journey back to Bangalore. We faced a four-hour delay on one of the sharp turns on our way down from the mountain roads because a huge truck had stopped in the middle, blocking the path of our travel bus. Obviously, this was the middle of nowhere and there was no mechanic or tools. Finally, we did make it back safe and sound to Bangalore.

Personally, it was a life changing experience. Travelling with total strangers all of who were curious as to why a tall girl was traveling alone. I guess they assumed my story was like that of Kangana from Queen (I could be for all they know!). I managed to interact with them, share stories, explore two beautiful places and collected memories to last me a lifetime. It was after this wonderful experience that I realized how travelling was relaxing, therapeutic and liberating for me. This trip was where it all began.

TOP FOUR TIPS FOR MYSORE-OOTY TRIP:

1. If you are going in December (winter) carry sweaters/jackets, socks, gloves. It was very cold and if it rains the temperature drops are crazy.

2. The road from Ooty to Mysore is uphill and can give you motion sickness so stay prepared with a plastic bag, anti-emetic tablet etc.

3.Both Mysore and Ooty have a lot of travel-friendly shopping. 

VERY IMPORTANT: Only buy items from government store (inside Mysore Palace area). My friend was sold fake sandalwood in-scents, I bought fakeEucalyptuss oil from very genuine looking shops. Ooty chocolates are fine. They are delicious. Be sure to try some!

4.Mysore Palace has a lot of tourists so be careful with your belongings, also remember to plan your day well so you can visit the zoo in the morning, palace after that and reach in time for the gardens as you will not benefit if you reach the gardens after sunset. They are away from the city. Also, the local bus for the garden is very crowded on public holidays. Just get yourself a taxi. I did not have a pleasant experience on my recent trip to Mysore.

CHECK OUT MY MYSORE-OOTY VLOG

So now you know what you have to do! Take that trip you keep dreaming about. Where is it that you want to go? Is it with your friends, your partner or your family? Make that bucket list trip a reality. This brings us to the end of this blog post. I hope you enjoyed reading my experiences. Leave your thoughts and comments below. Do not forget to follow and subscribe. Thank you!

Disclaimer: All the photos and videos, the stories in this blog post are mine. The songs in the video have been credited at the end of the video to respective singers.

Acknowledgments: The main photo of the view of Ooty from inside the hotel is not mine. It was taken by my sister Sonali Khetia. (She did not allow me to use it so I stole it through a screenshot because it is too beautiful to not be put to good use.)

She went on the same trip with two of our mutual friends two years later. Yes, that is me inspiring travelers right there. Hehe. Bye

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.