Part 1 | Tiger Nest Monastery Trekking | Paro Taktsang | Bhutan | Time-lapse Video

Date of Trek: 16th August 2018

Paro Takstang also popularly known as Tigers Nest is located near upper Paro Valley in Bhutan.

Started the journey at around 9.00 am in the morning. The sky was looking good with cloud's playing hide and seek with the sun; chillness in the air and overall weather was conducive for the trek.

The starting of the trek is from Ramthankha after driving 10-12 kms from Paro town.

At the starting of the trek there is horse station where one can hire a horse and complete 2/3rd part of the trek since the last part has stairs to decent and the climb up to reach the Taktsang temple.

Initially there is a mud stone track for about 200 meters and I entered the forest area with dense group of Conifers trees.

The cool shaded with gentle slope uphill is ideal for trekking.

I took my first rest for few minutes at the small shrines where one can hear sound of water and the bells which is due to the water flowing.

By the end of the video after some easy gradient so far, I brace up for some steep slopes.

Part V | Time-lapse Video | Drive | Phuntsholing to Paro | Bhutan

This is the ‘Last’ of 'Five' series Time-lapse video of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing, Bhutan

Start of Time-lapse: Paro Town, Paro Gewog, Paro - Thimpu Highway

End of Time-lapse: View Point Lodge, Taktsang, Paro Gewog

Date of Journey - 15.August.2018

Duration of video - 00:45

We start for our final touch down to the final destination which was the View Point Lodge located opposite to the Taktsang Resort on the road Taktsang road.

The sun was shining down into its twilight as the time was around 4:00 - 4.15 pm as we start leaving the Paro township and drove through the outskirts of Paro town.

In our 8 kms trip we stopped twice in-between to take running school kids who wanted the lift to the next village. Both groups were school going students returning back home after eventful day at school as per the quick chats we had in the short trip.

Finally reached the View Point Lodge booked via Airbnb however the room allotted '304' had no view at all. Though the room and the furniture provided wasn’t bad but this room didn’t do at all the justice to the name of the homestay; it had a small parking space view.

After a discussion with owner of the property and on request he spoke to his family and friends. He finally fixed me up at a decent hotel in the middle of the Paro city, Hotel Phunsum with a fantastic view of the Paro valley.

While getting dropped to that particular hotel; I saw a sublime ‘Rainbow’ which I actually was telling to myself last day or that day morning before entering Bhutan that it’s been quite sometime I saw a ‘Rainbow’. And finally I did!!

(This video doesn’t have the Rainbow view)

Background Score Credits: Lonesome avenue - the 126ers

Part I | Time-lapse Video | Drive | Phuntsholing to Paro | Bhutan

This is a 'First' of 'Five' series Time-lapse video of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing, Bhutan

Start of Time-lapse: Just after crossing the check-post at the outskirts of Phuntsholing town on Phuntsholing - Thimpu Highway End of Time-lapse: Doejung Paksam Hotel, Gedu, Chukha District (In thumbnail) Date of Journey - 15.August.2018 Duration of video - 03:56 Phuntsholing is the border town in southern Bhutan of Chukha district sharing the border of India with Jaigaon, Alipurduar district. The drive to Gedu town which also falls under Chukha district is around 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes depending the road conditions. Timelapsed the drive after crossing the check-post of Phuntsholing (where immigration papers are checked) till Doejung Paksam Hotel, Gedu; in just less than 4 minutes. Gedu's economy is growing very quickly largely due to the to the Tala Hydroelectric Project Authority (THPA) program which started in 1998 and which has drawn substantial migration to Gedu, with thousands of workers looking for jobs. Also it is the location of one of the college of the Royal University of Bhutan i.e., Gaedu College of Business Studies (which will be visible in the next part of the video). Background Score Credits: Marrionette - Letter Box

Six things to do at Anjanisain in Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand

Anjanisain is a small village tucked away in the Tehri Garwal hills of Uttarkhand. It is around 350 kms from Delhi and can be reached by via New Tehri or Devprayag. It the perfect place for retreat or soul searching.
Six things to do have been listed while one can do while at Anjanisain:

1. Visit Devprayag 2. Stay at SBM Ashram
3. Trekking from Ashram to Chandrabadani Temple 4. Visits to adjacent villages 5. Enjoy the scenic views from Ashram 6. Indulge with the beauty of Tehri Dam

Rendezvous at Khanna Village in Mori, Uttarkashi

Khanna is a small village of total 40-50 Households in Mori block of Uttarkashi district with around 30 families living at present. This village is tucked away in north west part of Govind Pashu VIhar National Park and Sanctuary. To reach to this destination, its takes 2-3 hours drive to reach from Mori. The village in on the Daula - Jakha road and people have to get down at Doni to reach to this village. From Doni its another 1 hour walking where one has to cross a river and then start a uphill climb for 30-40 minutes to reach to this village.

Village of Khanna has total 30 - 40 households

As you reach the village you one can have the first glimpses of the village temple and a tremendous view of the Rupin River flowing below followed by it which will certainly freshen you up and the tiredness of climbing up will go away.

 

Village Temple will greet you at the entrance of village

View of River Rupin flowing

The village has no electricity and people are using solar powered setups for their electricity needs. This village was effected during the 2013 Uttarkashi Disaster with landslides coming from top of the mountains destroyed their semi-pacca houses. As informed by Sarpanch of the village Smt. Gyan Mala Devi, many families of the village has received the compensation under the Uttrakhand Disaster Recovery Project. There is only one school near Khanna where all the children go for studies. PS Khanna school located in Doni was established in 1989 however till now this school has classes till 5th Standard only. Most of the locals living here depend on local vegetation including fruits and vegetables. All the families have their farms on top of the cliff which is another 2 hours walking from the village. We rather choose not to go ahead and stop at the village itself.

Sunil Singh is student of PS Khanna School

The temperature through the year is pleasant with winters a bit chilly and occasional snowfall in the months of December-January are common. As the evening was setting in the chillness in the air could be felt. The Sarpanch of the village and her family were a little bit concerned that we would be returning the same day to Mori as the sun was already started going down.

So without much of delay we started our dissent which is much easier than climbing up. We could reach to our vehicle parked at Doni by 6.00 pm and were back to Mori by 9.00 pm.

Sinhagad Fort in Pictures

This weekend was probably a different one for me; a long awaited reunion with my family here in Pune.

My father is visiting Maharashtra for the third time during his lifetime and he is still active like a youngster to explore serene places. I realized that, after he went ahead leaving all of us behind during the small trek up to Sinhagad fort.

This was my second visit to this beautiful spot which is around 30 kms from Pune. My first visit to Singhad fort- which stands perched on a isolated hill of the Bhuleswar range of the Sahyadri Mountains is penned down as 'Travel with Time' which was during September 2012.

Thought not the best time to visit the fort, however the company along and the lip-smacking dishes like Pithle-Bhakari, Kanda Bhaji and Sweet curd in earthen pots made the trip worthwhile.

Below is visual treat of Sinhagad Fort :

(1)

Pune city on the horizon

(2)

Sahyadri hills - lush greenery missing

(3)

My Niece with huts in the backdrop providing lip-smacking food

(4)

Inside the serene Sinhagad Fort

(5)

Beautiful Khadakwasla Lake in the backdrop

(6)

The route for trekking

(7)

Thank you for the visit to Sinhagad Fort - Do visit once

Ever heard about the David Scott Trail in Meghalaya??

Out from the archives, the pictures from David Scott Trail in Meghalaya visited in September 2009; almost 11 years back.

The starting point of the trek near Mawphlang village

This 16km trek is part of the horse cart trail which was built to connect Assam and Bangladesh during the nineteenth century.

The highest point of the Trek

The trail is named after David Scott who operated around Khasi hills for almost 30 years and he was the first British administrator to be sent to North East India during the British Raj.

The hanging bridge over Umiam River to cross over from one hill to another

Another view of the hanging bridge

This is one of the oldest trekking routes in Meghalaya starting from Mawphlang (nearer to Shillong) ending at Ladmawphlang (near to Cherrapunji). We were accompanied by two Khasi localities who took us to the highest points of the trail, returned back since we didn't have time to complete the 16km trek till Ladmawphlang, and had to return back to Shillong before the evening.

We continued our descent towards Mawphlang

Every bend threw up something new. Rolling hills with every kind of green shade; the deep valley; the red and white flowers peeping out through the greens; the crystal clear waters in the natural pools; the sparkling river appearing and disappearing.

Enjoying the panoramic view of the Khasi Hills

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