Some interesting, funny and worth reading, experiences of travelers
An Encounter With a Yogi
Often people ask about Hinduism and the many gods, supreme gods we worship. Sometime it is hard to explain but if there is a question ther emeust bean an answer. So I am putting it the way I was told by a sadhu (hermit/sage), I met in Gaumukh. He said belief is the core of Hinduism, rest are the ways to reach the core.
There are different sects in Hinduism such as Vaishnavism , Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism, each considering their gods as the supreme of all and creator of everyone else. However every sect guides you to the similar path called as moksha. Next what he told me was more interesting. According to him this is Kalyug (age of vice) and mere by taking a dip in Ganges is not enough to attain moksha. It's something which you need to earn and that can be earned only by concurring your five major weaknesses of the human personality kaam (lust), krodh (rage), lobh (greed), moh (attachment) and ahankar (conceit).
I asked him weather he is managed to concur anything yet...he smiled and said "Time" ...I am still wondering what he meant by that.
By Pawan Singh Choudhary
Nature's Mood Swings
There is nothing more unpredictable than nature and at higher altitudes it becomes a matter of life or death in seconds. On one of our mountain climbing trips (in Manali) we faced such wrath of the nature. We heard about this peak which is said to have an height of 5000 plus meters and its takes a full day for the summit.
It was a perfect morning with clear sky and even there was no forecast of rain. We started our journey crossed a deodar forest, a small stream, then some beautiful meadows and then some rough terrain. Everything was going fine till we reach the starting snowline. We didn’t have much of the snow related accessories except shoes as we are told it was not required. Till that time also the weather was not showing any signs of irritation. It took us 8 hours to reach on the top of the mountain. We were celebrating and clicking photographs and were discussing about staying there for sometime to nejoy the views..
It was then, when one of us saw a patch of grey clouds hovering towards us and I realised one thing that day that- when you are relaxing mode your mind also slows down. Because of that were not able to understand the problem we were getting into. And within five minutes that patch of grey cloud engulfed the whole sunlight and it almost looked like evening, in the afternoon. And within the no time we found ourselves amidst a thunder storm. We have seen some of the finest views of Manali and I still cherish those, but this was something, I like to forget. We quickly started our descent, but the storm and snowfall made it difficult. However, the actual threat was the lightning bolts. As it intensified, we decided to slide down instead of walking down, in the snow. To slowdown the speed when required, we used our bare hands and feet as brakes. Well, it helped and within 15 minutes we were in the meadows area and there we found a hut of a shepherd and we stayed there till things got normal.
How crazy the idea was, we realised it later on when the villagers told us that, we could have fell of the cliff or we could have had Gangrene in our hands. But I think we did what is required to survive, off course with our luck, courage and some divine help. And I don’t take any pride in as I know Nature is always a stronger force and we have to respect it.
By Sagar Heerani
Aiyo.... Not OYO
Exactly the same reaction I had, once I saw the OYO Hotel, I have booked near the Guwahati airport. Oyo Limewood was the name and its around 2 kms from the Guwahati Airport. I was arriving late in the evening and hence thought that better to stay near the airport as I I have to leave Shillong, next day. Honestly, I never had any expectations form the OYO. I just needed a clean bed to sleep and Oyo was not able to provide that even. But it gave me lesson and lot of courage to stick to your point.
So, I arrived Guwahati airport at 9PM and then and for the first 30 minutes I kept looking for this property but no results. Even my dropped me at some local tea stall and left me for this hotel hunt alone. It was almost 930 and pitch dark and rained a couple of hrs ago. I took my bag and with the help of google maps, started towards the location. But even google couldn’t rescue me. I Kept on moving in the dark and found a tea vendor who was about to close his stall. I checked with him and he didn’t knew the hotel name but said “aage ek hai, Jahan log sota hai”(there is place ahead where people go to sleep). I got some hope and started running towards this place. I reached there and found an under-construction building. I was disappointed not by the fact that it was my hotel, but because I thought that reached at the wrong place, again. Dejected, I checked with the person standing at the gate ”Bhaiya limewood hotel kahan hai?” (Where is this limewood hotel?) and to my horror he said” yahi hai” (this is it). And my AIYO moment arrived. I passed multiple times in front of that place.
He asked me to go the second floor, where the hotel is but to reach there, you have to go through, waste concrete mixture, water logging, debris and what not. Even the stairs had water dripping all over. Somehow, I managed to reach the reception and the faced the classic OYO Issue.
Pay Extra…..had read it many times on travel forum/sites and reviews
The reception boy asked me to pay extra for the room and here I lost my cool. I kept my bag aside called up the OYO customer care and like always they asked me to raise a complain on a given number and not to pay anything. But that reception boy didn’t buzz and sked me to check somewhere else. Then I finally decided to call up the police and the moment I started dialling the number, the reception people said OK and gave me a room. And you can understand how the room would have been in an under-construction building.
Hadn't slept, but felt happy that I fought for something and managed to get it
By Siddharth Patwal
Hostels..not my Cup of Tea
Traveling alone is always a fun activity for me. I like meeting other travelers , talking and sharing experience, and above all traveling as per my own choice comfort. Though I completely agree, hostels are nice way to save on your budget and meeting other solo travelers but my recent experiences has left, "not wanting" more of it. And its not related to the safety issue and neither I am against hostels.
It's just that I have enough of it and think that a private room in budget homestay makes more sense. Again, for me only, I don't want you to agree with me.
So my issue is the, not every traveler comes with general sense of hygiene and patience. At one occasion, I was in the wash room and and there was this guy, kept knocking on the door. I opened the door and the answer I got "sorry bro".
Another time, I was making my bed and was going for sleep and suddenly the guy on the opposite bunk bed, farted so loudly, he himself woke up from his sleep. Snoring issues are quite common which is quite disturbing and irritating at the same time. And the biggest issue that you can't complain about it.
So I decided to part my ways from hostel life.
By Alfred Web