Every year we try to go on a big trek, one that takes us far far away and high into the mountains. For us, it's not only a way to exercise our bodies, but to clear and challenge our minds. It’s a way to disconnect from all that is part of our daily life — technology, social media, blogging — and reconnect with nature and ourselves. Last year’s trek of the Markha … [Read more...]
India Travel Articles, Photos and Panoramas
The Joys and Pains of Getting There (Kashmir to Ladakh by Bus)
How a two-day 258 miles bus ride through Kashmir served as my price of entry to Ladakh. … [Read more...]
Ladakh: 9 Memories of Deep Himalayan India
Ladakh: a place we had dreamed about for well over a decade, a visit packed with expectations. What made this place remarkable wasn’t quite what we expected. Imagining Ladakh for all of those years, we focused on the landscape. Sure, Ladakh as a setting for just about anything did not disappoint. The physical beauty was more stunning – and more consistently so -- … [Read more...]
Buddhist Temple at Likir Monastery, Ladakh
While traveling, we often find ourselves focused on the present. This is a good thing. Then, something helps us appreciate the history, the roots of where we happen to be. This too, is useful because it provides perspective. Likir Buddhist Monastery in Ladakh, at almost 1,000 years old, is one of those places. … [Read more...]
Crossing Gongmaru La Pass, Hiking the Markha Valley Trek in Ladakh
Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags greet us as we reach Ladakh's Gongmaru La pass. All the residual fatigue from climbing up to 16,800 feet/5,130 meters seems to evaporate once we've reached this place, our goal. It's been six days in the Markha Valley and we've been up and down -- and up again. We have to remind ourselves not to move around too quickly up here, not to … [Read more...]
Finding the Good Way: How to Meditate While Trekking at 15,000 Feet
This is a story of our re-discovery of a few of life’s truths amidst a seven-day trek in the Himalayas. "One foot in-front-of-the oth-er." … [Read more...]
Flight 447: We Cannot Penetrate This Weather
This is a story about how when you hear penguins at 20,000 feet, there’s a good chance you’re in deep sh*t. “Ladies and gentlemen…the weather situation in Srinagar is very bad…flights are being diverted to Delhi…four flights just before us...we will try and see.” I'd absorbed only fragments of the pilot’s announcement as my head was buried in a book. We’d come … [Read more...]
Dharavi Slum Rooftop: A View of Mumbai’s Skyline
Slum. It’s a loaded word, one that conjures a raft of negative imagery. But there's one characteristic that's not likely to come to mind: industry. That’s where Dharavi, Mumbai’s most populated slum, might surprise you. … [Read more...]
Ladakh: Dumb Luck, Dreams and Visa Kung Fu
This is a story about the mystery of mountains, a San Francisco swami, a stroke of good luck, a dabbawalla and the fine art of resourcefulness. Long, long ago in the late 1990s, I lived in San Francisco. And next door to me lived a man who would one day become a swami. And he told me of a land called Ladakh. But before I get to that, a photo. … [Read more...]
Why Visit Udaipur, India: Highlights from our Visit
When people ask us about places in India to visit that are filled with intensity, color, and culture, but without being too overwhelming or filled with tourist-schlock, Udaipur is one of our top recommendations (Southern India is another). The setting of Udaipur on Lake Pichola is beautiful, and seems to provide a calm presence to the city. So what are some of … [Read more...]