I’d heard a lot about Kolkata during Durga Puja. People kept telling me the whole city transforms, and that you have to see it at least once. So this year I decided to go and see the festival, and the city, for myself. I asked my friend Anush if he wanted to come, and he tagged along. We gave it six days, from 18th to 23rd October, which covered Saptami through Dashami, the four biggest days of the puja....
In early October there was a long weekend, so a group of friends and I decided to take a short trip to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, formerly known as Aurangabad. It was a two-day trip. This post is what we did, what went wrong, and what I’d do differently. The plan Day Places Day 1 Ellora Caves, Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara Day 2 Ajanta Caves Ajanta got a whole day to itself because it’s the farthest from the city....
Note: I’m writing this almost three months after the trip, with no notes. Everything here is from memory, and the group’s WhatsApp chat. So some parts are thin. :( In June 2026 I rode through Zanskar and Ladakh with a group from my riding club, BBC. Twelve days, starting in Sonamarg and ending in Keylong, on my Honda CB350. This post is the route we took, what it cost me, and what went wrong with my bike (a lot)....
Disclaimer: These are personal observations from someone who grew up in India and was leaving the country for the first time. Take it all with a pinch of salt. Note: I wrote these notes at different times, some during the trip and some almost a year later. So a few parts are fuzzy, especially how I got from one town to the next. Japan was my first international trip. I was there from 13th December 2025 to 7th January 2026....
Disclaimer: These are personal observations from someone who grew up in India and is still figuring out how the world works. Take it all with a pinch of salt. Note: I wrote down my raw thoughts and observations during the trip. This blog was formatted and organized with the help of AI. Spain was my second country. Before this, I’d spent three weeks in Japan. Both trips have done something to me....
Gulmarg, often called the “Heartland of Winter Sports in India,” has always been on my bucket list. This year, I finally took the plunge and joined the Kashmir Ski School (also known as Gulmarg Ski Resort) for their 7-day Basic Ski Course. Founded by Rais Bakshi, this school is a staple for anyone looking to transition from a city dweller to a snow-glider. I went for learning skiing, but they also offer snowboarding courses....