Monday oranges

hmm... im readin this book ...which is y i took n off yesterday :D...name im not gonna tell right now..too private for now for sum reason...but definitely recommend it after im done..i already recommend it...u know how it feels to stumble upon a book so..'precious'?

So it was almost 6 n i had strained my eyes too much n realized that my house is not well lit...not when i've to read sumthing like this non stop...so i went up to the terrace...and went to the extreme right, adjacent to the college n saw dark orange in whatever space the building allowed me to see...so i chucked the thot and just casually moved to the left corner, looked down for the dogs and i looked right, bent alil ovr the edge and what i c... a big huge, humble, orange round n i could look straight into it :D woh alag baat hai uske baad kafi der tak i only saw black spots :P

tabhi tujhe yaad kia (refer morning disc)..i wanted to send it to u right away...but kon itna login karega n all..n honestly i didn't want to miss the moment :P it doesn't look great here..it was <3 day="" it="" its="" kinds..but="" made="" my="" not="" of="" one="" p="">

This was around 6pm? n then half n hr later...i was about to leave, kuch read vead toh ni kia...hua hi nahi :P n i turn left n see this huge off-white round on top of a dome...i wondered if hadn't drooled over the sun so much n looked left, there's a high possibility that the two mahayodhas were facing each other...lookin their best! Damn! Laddoo mile, aur dono hatho mein..par saath saath mein nahi :P

This i had to capture, so i ran n brot my cam...n by the time i was done n red becuz of the macchars (dimag se bhi) aur pure haath bhi ...i again looked right n i saw two moons! :P :P

i thot i've gone crazy...but it was juz a reflection on two big mirrors of the building under construction... :P

so it was one of the rare mondays well spent :d

Buses dnt wait here. I have to find him, ask arnd maybe. What if he's dead n what if he's nt.

His bag fell, I didn't call. I assumed it was empty. I saw other man noticing it and found solace in knowing that he didn't care either. What it takes to just do things. Doesn't demand much to stand for what gives meaning to life. Spiritually high? Without having the courage to voice your opinion. I dnt think so. It was a gud bday, dnt ruin it. U can't be ashamed of what u r, becus of someone holds you in high regard and you do not feel worthy of it...guess what u r! N you don't need anybody's validation for that. Reality check man.Pls do the things that u got to do. Be in the moment. One step at a time. Doesn't look like a big deal then. Dnt be afraid. U've done it n u can do it.

Hmmm bolt dead. N no crying for me.

 

It still slips out and i don't even attempt to hide .For all i know, i do not care for these emotions. Just emos, no action.

That day :D

Hmm, just stopped by to record this, since its kinda important, not really the date but the act more or less

19th Nov, 2013, for the first time in history, i said sorry to my mom.

I know its not a big deal for others, but it took me alot to do this, 'over expressive' that i m with my folks :P I decided the very next morning i woke up, that yes im gonna apologize, so as soon i came back home, i was looking for opp to say it...but damn, either dad was there or someone in the proximity, i'd just look at her, i dunno what i was tryin to see..temper? her mood? or maybe just in case i dont go vocal about it, i looked at her n said sorry quiet alot of times in my head...at last when it was time for her to shoo me outta the room i grabbed this opp before i cud contemplate further n daddadaa i said it, immediately covering it by warning her not discuss my stuff with my sis :P and she didn't say a word! Maybe becuz she was shocked n i also know that she hung on 'that part', that was meant to be :D

Why: as usual had a big fight over something so stupid, infact after the stupidity was over, she went n complained to my sis, who has ALOT to say about anything n everything. N more often than not, she has to talk gibberish n negative. Chahe woh involved ho na ho, chahe uska isse lena dena na ho chahe she doesn't even care! but she has to comment n not just da da da da da n finish, but has to add so much more to even what mom had to say...i lost it man. But i don't think i was sorry for what followed, i said sorry for banging the door ..i still feel bad, it was pathetic :( sorry :(( sorry sorry sorry...i dunno why do i continue behaving like this, i try to control..n maintain my cool, but u guys r so ...phbt. Im tryin to change, mellow it down, but im sorry for i did..really :(

And thanks to sid, because of him i had the courage to do this, to 'walk the talk'. Thank you, for influencing me in ways you wouldn't know... :)

Could it BE any simpler

its time to reflect on sum of the things that have happened, i've been thinking n on the future.

first of all im very happy to be sitting here, typing stuff, after watching conjuring lolz, im in this pitch dark room with only laptop's light on my face. anyway


i've been back n forth with wierd thoughts...of detaching myself, declaring myself a misfit among all and leaving for good. Maybe a travellers life, nomadic, in disguise or to find myself. Festivals have this effect on me. I'm never normal around that time. Sudden suffocation, tending to other's need to do- Shopping, dressing up, 'celebrating'. i don't tend to any of that jazz, but it just disturbs my peace of mind. Why do i have to reason them my non involvement. Honestly, do you really feel the spirit of these occasions? is it anymore than a excuse to get-together or more often than not, just getting a holiday. Sometimes one doesn't know why do they need one, they're just conditioned that way since childhood (well childhood made sense cuz we went out and played and slept), now we just sleep n there's not much excitement added to these 'holidays' unless u have something planned or simple yet delightful happening. But i realized my discomfort and funnily i didn't understand why do i entertain such behaviour. What is wrong to be normal during festivals. Come to think of it, ppl have grown around me. They don't annoy me as much as they did. They let me be. But there's something binding me. Maybe, just habit.

And, lately i've also noticed that i haven't learnt anything new. Whats new? Nothing. Yes, mentally, spiritually i feel i've grown. But then someone comes in n disrupts it all. Can i keep my calm or do i just show' it. Im trying. But all this wouldn't be a problem if i kept myself busy LEARNING. not wasting my time, because c'mon, everybody i've invested time in, have left (either i chose it so, or they did) I would have loved to accept it as a fact and move on and life would have been easy, but honestly i cannot accept this. I want something stable yaar, jo bhi frnd, bf. Nothing can guarantee it but it shouldn't always end the way it does! Well i don't want it to end in other unpleasant ways either. Phbt. But you know what i mean right?

And then there's so much negativity. Sure im not negative, im confused, but not negative, but why is there so much negativity around me! And if there is how come i don't shoo it away! This is specially surprising that i seriously cannot or don't do (dondo :P) anything about it. Where is my charm God!! Please i just don't want to avoid ngative people, i want them to see things positively so there's no need to avoid. Give me that magic wand please. And what is up with me not standing my ground quite often! I don't even participate in conversations even when i m most welcome, instead i give comments mentally, or sometimes, even  mental comments (lolz) trying to seek approvals! What is up with that!!! :/

Two rats ass to what they think, but do i think anymore?? :P :P I could have been a part of that trek grp, i could be creatively involved, but i lacked the curiosity n zest to start something new, to be a part of it....to do what??? Jhak marne.

I will admit that im doing well, not very well, but well in some areas of my life. but there's something so important missing, or has taken a backseat! My dogs. I cry, i look at pix on fb of dogs n i cry becuz i had that, i don't have it anymore, not literally, but that pure bliss of holding a pup in my hands n feel it reciprocate in the most heart melting ways. the look, their touch, their confidence in me with their love n their lives. This is so strong. How could anything else fill this void. This is the only real happiness i have ever known. I can very well say they're my tsaheylu (Saheli :P) to pure love. I don't know why they chose to turn a blind eye to my longing.

I think its time to refresh. To learn, Add some variety to life... Could it BE any simpler? ? :P Good night babes, good luck n have loads of fun along the nor-way :D

Oooh norway se yaad aya, dslr, photography :D n photoshop :P

It wasn't normal..n it turned out real good

Hi there, not talking to you, but about u...

The other day you emailed me, way before your bday..maybe on 2^nd. I was surprised to see ur email and the first thing i checked lookin at my inbox is the calendar. It wasn’t 12th yet. But you know, other than that, i felt nothing. No happy dance, no jitters. Nothing.

I think its finally taken care of. N you’ve become boring. :P

Now lets talk about my bday. For the first time in history, there was no cake cutting. Not at home, not at office, not even with my friends. My brother sms’d me happy bday and sis didn’t even bother to wish anyway. The above that didn’t happen are just formalities, standard procedures which even when did happen didn’t bring me any particular happiness, with friends its generally followed by dinner where they take the liberty to do one thing that I HATE from the bottom of my heart and eat non veg sitting beside me. Have some shame and for once consider what i like and what i don’t at least on my bday. So dinners have always been suffocating. But i do value wishes, alot of ppl called, sum regular ones didn’t and one wasn’t answered, poor rohit :P..sorry dude :P. Office n home is ok..no complaints as such. So Its 17^th aug today, n i don’t even remember what happend that day except that inspite of all, this bday was the only one i felt at peace. I can very well say it was a good, peaceful bday J

Ooh NOW i remember, it was a good day in office. Suvarna arranged for a beautiful chocolate basket and placed it on my desk with a rose bouquet and schezwan croissant that i sometimes literally crave to eat :D and the whole day at office was light, cheerful. Thumbs up indeed :D

Next day, my thoughtful friend supria, pitying me or what. I don’t think she pitied me cuz she had made plans on my bday which i didn’t commit to so it was postponed to next day. Went with her office friends vinod,rashmi etc etc. Spent good enough time at marine drive: sat and talked casually, took a walk and then dinner at pizza by the bay. Stayed over at mayank’s  and played dumb charades the whole nite till 7 and woke up at 10 and came back home. Good time. J Thanks supriya.

And guess what, surpiya had arranged for a cake for me and since outside food is not allowed in pizza by the bay, they kept it with the manager and forgot to collect. So no cake cutting even on the other day! :P It just wasn’t meant to be *_* And i’ve turned 27

This yr, for the first time i felt good about it, becuz for the first time i felt I've grown...n growing...for good. So it was indeed a special bday.. personally.

And today, on 30th nov, i stumbled upon this :)

"Embrace aging. It’s very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you’d always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It’s growth. It’s more than the negative that you’re going to die, it’s also the positive that you understand you’re going to die, and that you live a better life because of it."

— Mitch Albom (Tuesdays With Morrie)

____________________xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_______xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_______________________

Today again i woke up with an unsettling feeling of how time is running and im not where i’m meant to be. Like i once memorised, the power of my subconscious mind, shows me my true place in life. Its not showing, its just saying This Is Not.

Im just gonna go with the flow, a few things i realised today, u may not find them 'deep' enuf, after u said that i don't find no meaning in whatever i say or even think! can u beat that...yes i feel like its all..juz there! nvm

u didn't mean so much like u do right now or all these days. I still want to talk to you..u know about the serious things in life...about philosophy...or philosophies dominating my life...but ur not there anymore, n im tired of all the drama, drama is causing me to want to talk to u...and ur causing more drama which i can't handle. All this time i just took time to open up to talk serious stuff, so that like last time i don't get punched in the face and feel like n idiot for trusting someone outta my own whims n fancies. But u sure didn't have enuf patience nor did i. Anyway there was this thing i realized which is juz slipping away. Nothing sensible is staying with me. Only petty things r whirling around. Vimal is a good friend, n i know soon enuf we might end up in a sad fight n i will have to move on. so errrrrrr here it is...u werent this important to me, i went there to have fun, im glad i met u n im thankful to u for all ur help and wonderful company, ur a great guy....when i came back n my frnd asked if i met someone special i tuk ur name n confessed i reallllllllllly realllllllllllllly wish i found a guy like u...younger n single...but i honestly had no inappropriate feelings for u. only respect and admiration. I didn't mean to keep in touch either...but we met again, thanks for a wonderful evening. anyway rest i don't need to repeat. All this while i was so cautious to not COOK anything outta it...n make sure u don't either. Juz 2-3 days before u sent that msg on fb, i had drafted a msg REMINDING MYSLF...that be very careful this shudn't go any further...if need be cut it down.

Im still drifting away frm the point cuz i still can't rmmbr it...u r occupying 40% of my headspace right now and its all becuz of the drama that was created...the admiration u showed and then ur sudden aversion. I was the same all the time, u had changing feelings and thoughts. And yet again history repeated itslf....You quit and i had to lose.

Its like u wanted attention and u managed to get urs. It didn't come naturally tho, itna magach mari is cheez k liye...fir chale jana, what do u achieve???...

Leh kar LEH baat

I've been meaning to write since a along time now...n most importantly BECUZ I M A LEH -DAKH RETURN BABY!!!!! :D THATS RIGHT! :D... But guess what, inspite of sucha a legendary trip, i haven't even posted pictures of my trip nor did i mention about it anywhere in my blog!
Juz dunno how to start...n if my words would do justice to the awesomeness of the trip. See im stuck again.
The thing is...once i start writing n replaying all those moments, i'd rather relive them than jot them down, I bet i'd laugh more n type less once i start. I still remember every detail. But its best i don't test my memory any further n do the honors! :D
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. lolz i didn't think about takin this trip as much as im thinkin right now.

06 Oct, 12...11am
[I'm pretty mind fucked right now and instead of rambling about how that bucking fitch has shown her true colors i'd rather write about the good things in life. This will no doubt change my mood. N sorry for using foul words in sucha beautiful post, but she deserves even more!]

I could start by takin only the trip days in context, but there's alot more that needs to  b narrated- how this trip happened. How the whole universe conspired to make this happen! :D

Its been my dream to go to leh, even b4 3 idiots released, just after Manuj came back from his trip n i saw one pic of his with pangong Tso in the background..I WAS BOWLED! Ever since then, i wanted to go there. That has become my only focus in life...only destination...rest all was blurred out like i was wearing blinkers! This was in 2010

Next yr i tried contacting tour groups for the same. I was so excited when Hiral gave me this link of yuvashakti himalayas and saw that they're organising a trip to LEH-DAKH for 15 GODDAMNED DAYS!...I jumped outta joy...n i was suspended in the air when i found out that they had misplaned their trip cuz their trip coincided with Ganesh Chaturthi!...My dreams shattered. I tried searching for other options and i stumbled upon this amazing post of Yatin. http://www.bcmtouring.com/forum/travelogues-north-india-f61/only-place-god-surely-created-ladakh-t18549-7/
His post had detailed description of each day and mind blowing pictures to keep it consistently interesting! Then there was no looking back, i read the post religiously everyday (in installments since i didn't have time to read the whole thing in one shot) and jotted down all the 'places' and route i need to consider in my trip. Now that piece of paper contained a part of my amazing life! I carried it with me everyday for 1.5 yrs! (It didn't solve any purpose, i juz kept it with my cause my house is a 100th level freaking maze! And like public places, once i lose my thing, my family is not responsible for my belonging it seems...ESP. MY BELONGINGS! :|. Hmmm so coming back, I looked forward to next yr. This was 2011

And you know what my revised dream was! To be at the pangong lake...n as the clock strikes midnite on 26th July (my bday), i'd be there, staring into the starry sky, maybe witness alil moonlight dance on the shimmery waters of this blue marvel...thinking of ...

2012 came and as we all know, the world is gonna end this year, atleast i'd luv to believe so. I had to do things that i didn't all this while, I took up a job that i wasnt even confident about BUT my mantra for this year is FUCK FEAR!...i don't care...it can't be worst than dying..n we're anyway goin to die...Toh kar lo jo karna hai jee lo apni zindagi :D But duffer me, when the visiting season was at its peak, i forgot about it. And suddenly when i realized my bday is juz 15 days away, i started hunting for groups again. All were already booked. I tried till the last day of their start date!...by 28th july, i realized all grps r done with their plans, if i want it in september, i will have to get a huge grp of ppl for them to go start organizing a separate trip. YA RIGHT! if i had a grp y the eff wud i come to u!..but i tried...Hiral again to the rescue, suggested that i create n event on fb n invite ppl..that i did. But it was on a VERY short notice. I doubted if anybody would turn up. Fuck actually turning up, only two ppl joined the godamned event! :(( Lolz i hope my prospective employers don't c this... ;))

Damn! My colleague is playing my favourite song..HOSANA...i wonder how come i missed out on this on my trip. This song gives me goosebumps!..everytime! It actually makes me happy, brings a genuine smile on my face!..Its so fresh and so romantic. Perfect for a long drive.

K Back! I was desperate, just the thought of postponing it to next year was very unsettling.  Kuch toh karna hia...told everybody i could. Invited random ppl, except ppl i had asked in the beginning of the yr. 'NO's frm ppl i know was like takin an arrow to the knee. I didn't wanna jinx it with the negative ans. So i was careful about who im asking. Nothing worked. Dejected, i gave up.

And one fine day, i was leaving office, outside oasis, Shauvik Sir outta the blue asks me about my leh trip (rmmbr i told everybody about this!?) and suddenly...I felt soooooo disappointed in myself...for giving up on my dream so easily. Others disappoint me, im ok...but when i do...its the worst feeling ever! :(

N then the almost dead dream was pumped to life. I started my search again. THANK GOD for bringing me to this site : www.devilsonwheels.com. I got every bit of information one needs to go to leh, stay, visit and enjoy! From the routes, to bus/tax services ..their latest rates..discounts!..medication to literally makin customized itinerary as per visitor's (juz any random visitor can ask him for help, n he's there with the same zest for everyone!..cud be more but never less!) His name is Dheeraj Sharma. I was determined to go, so i didn't hesitate to ask him if he knows any groups or if he's going...N he suggested  that i go alone! Its the safest place on the earth with the friendliest ppl u cud ever meet!

The same day, early morning my colleague who's pretty sensible, suggested  go alone. And dheeraj tellin me the same thing the same, i took this as god's omen..n the rest is...His-Story!!! :D

After that the way things have worked for me!- I got a call frm my dad that bro wants us to visit him in delhi...to show us around....That was a perfect excuse to get permission frm my family to go to leh FROM DELHI...sounds less far away:P) my bosses had to go to the STATES for 10 days! Now the catch was, i didn't talk about my trip to my boss cuz i wasn't sure till they had already left. N i was so sure that she's gonna reject my leaves..not just that..but also yell at me for going at sucha short notice (5 days notice for 15 days off!!) But i still sent her n sms n email. N later the hr came to me asking if i had applied for sum leaves...they're approved! My happiness knew no bounds! Just a day before that, i spoke to bhali (sister of bholi) about this trip and how nervous i was about the whole thing. she looked at me n listened..like she's really sensing my desperation. She looked at me with those beautiful crystal brown eyes all the while i was talkin about this venture. And when i was done, i already felt relieved that everything's gonna be alright! It did!...Even after i came back frm the trip n i told her how helpful she's been, she looked all calm n listening. Otherwise she juz wudn't stay at one place! Always leaping on me!

...Leaves approved, All pending work DONE :D :D, informed my dad about it...got his OK too:D :D booked the flight to srinagar frm delhi (asked my bro to do it...which i regret doing :/] cuz i didn't want to waste my precious days in only n only traveling. Honestly even after the first 3, i wasn't absolutely sure until i booked my flight.

So my trip began :D
Day 1-3.
A Day in train to delhi. A bunch of young lads n ladies from SIES college. Reached my bro's home, pretty gud it was...rested the whole day and next day went to red fort with my parents alil bit chappal shopping in chandani chowk and came back home. Next day, out with my bro n parents- saw the lotus temple. Sky was looking amazing. Picture perfect! then went to akshardham :D :D The 2 hrs tour was worth seeing :D N luvd the movie. Then the musical fountain :D. Went to india gate, n like a baby my dad got lost...lolz n then found him...n then my bro tuk a drive around raj bhavan? where all the embassys stay. By the time we reached home, it was 1am. Next day was my flight at 6.25am. I started quickly packing my handbag (rest all was set) n  avoided all my dad's questions regarding my trip ;)

(16th Oct, 1.14pm)
And haha, the most awaited day is here! 9th Sept, 12:
I woke up at 5am. Airport just 10 mins away from my bro's place. Bro has a car. My bags were packed and i don't take time to get ready but as usual my mom/dad were after me with their 'FLIGHT MISS HO JAYEGI KYA KARRI HAI!'. Woke my bro up. Left at 5.20am.

I was pretty cool in a sense i wasn't feeling no intuition what-so-ever!!! Matlab i wanted to know how's it gonna be...good/bad...i juz cudn't anticipate...completely silent my intuition was. Lols that in itself wasn't a gud sign. My bro drived n then realized he's taken the wrong lane. So instead of going to the domestic airport, he went straight ahead i don't rmmbr where! turned around after a long time to again get lost! After 15 mins i began to lose my cool n thought some sermon wud make him take this seriously becuz there's no time for his freaking stupid trail n errors!

I reachd the airport at 5.50am. Ran my way to the check in counter. Showed my eticket, the guy says the flight system is closed ma'am. I ignored that, cuz c'mon i still had 35 mins in hand, n asked him, but i'd still get to board the flight right? With a perplexed look, he asked me to go to the first counter n enquire. I did..."The flight is closed ma'am, you're late, you can't board the flight now." I was like hain??? But the flight won't fly for nother 30 mins! I'm sorry ma'am, u should be here at least 45 mins before...n he said that i missed the flight n very conviniently asked me to buy another ticket. I was still not takin this seriously, i thought he's some linkin road ka seller that i'd bargain with him n convince him to get me a ticket. BTW this was my second flight of my life N VERY FIRST, ALONE.

Around 6.10-15 i sensed the seriousness of this prob, now out of helplessness i pleaded him to get me my boarding ticket. Non stop Calls from my bro, instructing me what to do, then frm my bhabhi who herself is n airhostess...I tried all the tactics, i demanded him to let me speak to the manager but to no avail..i tried to cry but honestly i still wasn't convinced IM GOING TO MISS MY FLIGHT! Slowly and vaguely, the truth sunk in. It was 6.20 already, i gave up and asked him if i can get my money back or any concession on the new ticket. NOPE. Very good.

The guy assisted me to go out, asked me where i live n was surprised when i told him 'Mahipalpur' which is juz 10 mins away n still i was late. He was kinda cute..as in sweet. But i was mad at him for not letting me in, so at the gate when the security asked Kya hua madam, wapus kyu aaye...i said INHONE MERI FLIGHT MISS KARA DI!...He smiled, taking it as a joke, n i didn't smile back and walked away :P :P

I had made up my mind that this is not a good sign, i better not take this trip at all...but hahahahaha My bro was worried dat NEHAL was waiting for me at Srinagar airport~! She'd be  stranded if i didn't go :P Infact, i even thot of taking the same flight next day which wud have never happened outta regret, money n time passed! My bro insisted that i take the next flight and he wouldn't take the money for the first flight (which i had promised to pay him) The next flight costed me 1 thousand more, one day, and extra expenses to stay at Srinagar now (becuz i wudn't get taxi for leh this late). My next flight was at 11.25am, bought the tickets (still crying) and then he took me to some place to eat PARATHAS ?!! n Sweet lime juice to make up??!! Lolz...n then dropped me off at the airport again at 8am.


Did some tp at the airport, made sum calls at srinagar taxi stand. There wasn't much i could do. The first immediate flight after my arrival at gate no. 7 was going to LEH! there were 2 monks sitting there. I was happy to see them. N suddenly it struck me...lolz if i had to buy another ticket y didn't i buy it to leh directly!!! The view of Himalayas from the flight is unforgettable, they say. But nah, i tuk srinagar for a reason, wanted to cover the whole circuit. Then a flight to Bangalore, then a flight to pune, then i don't know and THEN came the auspicious mahurat.

[18th Oct]

Got into the flight, sat beside a guy with long hair (indian) married to a firang...taking care of his cute!!!!! baby...i tried to ignore cuz i didn't knw how to play..clicked sum pix of the clouds...didn't come out gud...tried to sleep in those 1.5 hrs. Atlast landed in srinagar airport...pilot announced the temp is -7 degrees, i was expecting it to be VERY cold...n i step out ...It was raining! I was wearing a sweater for obvious reasons..n that sweater was getting wet at 7 degree celcius...almost ran to collect my bag and since it was takin alotta time, THANKFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thankfully found a stall of houseboats right before the exit!..went there to inquire and a very friendly and helpful jammu uncle helped me choose a stay for me. Started with Rs. 400, u have no idea how much i was relieved lukin at the rates!...he tried selling me expensive ones..but i didn't plan to stay here..i juz needed a roof for a nite..THATS IT! He guided me to take a jk bus to jk tourism taxi stand n then a guy will drop me to my houseboat! :D Waited for almost 2 hrs for the bus to move cuz he didn't get enuf passengers. Meanwhile found 4 frndly ppl (one jammu, one ladakhi lady, an old couple from HP) in the bus. They wer quite impressed that i'm doing this..ahem...jammu guy even said that im like one of those discovery channel hosts who go and venture into unknown territories. Well this was my first time, so unknown it was for me :P :D. I derived alil bit of relief frm his appreciation and we talked n talked till the bus was full. The houseboat guy was waiting for me at the depot and i asked him about the taxis next day, Private is gonna be hell costly 12k-14k, share leave at 6am. And i left for the houseboat. It was DIRTY~ not unclean from inside, but the whole structure and Dal lake looked like some dirty nala of Mumbai. My houseboat was floating on that cooda kachra! I was so disappointed. Thankfully, that guy also had other options n showed me the luxury houseboat..which was really nice :D Location wise better than the last but not that great but HONESTLY WHY DO I CARE..i juz need a gud clean stay. Agreed at Rs. 600 against 1000. Talked to his father (who was the owner and also had a carpet business in mumbai...No wonder the whole houseboat was decorated with beautiful red carpets!..it was clean, bathroom was clean, flush worked very well...blankets wer warm and cozy...the house was so big..perfect for a family...i actually wished i had come with someone i cud share it with) and off i went to sleep.Asked uncle to wake me up for dinner (go out n eat) at 7 not before that, it was already dark then. I was suprised that there was this whole row of dhabas that serve PURE VEG in jammu (maybe becuz of vaishnodevi??) Ate and came back to get lost n fail to locate where exactly my houseboat is! U have no idea how much i panicked but sumhow managed to spot it! :D I realized that uncle is going to stay in the same houseboat..lolz it was weird but he ws gonna sleep in the hall, n i had my own big bedroom. There was this lil helper (aged 12-15) who slept with him. Initially i was alil hesitant, but later seemed harmless and genuine.

10th Oct, 12 (Frm Srinagar to Leh)
Got up next day, tuk a nice hot water bath, and left for the taxi stand. When his son brought me to the houseboat, he tuk a rik n asked me to pay the driver 30. When his father came to leave me (n take his chutta 600 bucks) he made me walk, becuz it was actually 10 mins away! Found out most of the taxis to Leh had already left, the one that was left was perhaps the last one. Luckily it ws a LEH taxi jk10 (Thanks to www.devilsonwheels.com, a traveller shared that leh taxis charge less..srinagar is jk01-02, jk 06 for kargil). Paid 1500 against the usual 1800.
At the taxi stand, i found this guy frm jammu who also wanted to go to leh. His name, i don't rmmbr :( He was alike a PROFESSIONAL GUIDE TO ME! He'd shifted to leh for his BSNL job juz 1-2 yrs ago, n he knew all the stories..every nook and corner of not just leh, the route leading to leh. He told us stories about kargil war, how civilians (including him) also voluntarily participated...how it scared the shit out of them. And the stories of Pathar Saheb n alot more, he basically couldn't keep quiet, wanted to impress the girl from 'Mumbai' who had the guts to come alone :P with all his knowledge. I know, m acting alil too pricey, but that was one of the reasons too, apart frm pouncing on the opportunity to SHARE knowledge. There were other 3 people who later joined us and ended our wait. I conquered the front seat for obvious reasons, and jammu guy & himchal middle aged man (engineer) tuk the window seats of the mid row, there was this young jammu lad (rajput) who sat behind.. thanks to me! He wanted to take the front seat so that he could smoke, but BOSS i came first :P...so he had to take the last row, and there was another guy who got down at kargil, we ddin't even get acquainted. Our final driver who ws taking us to leh was Namgyal. Before him, a driver dropped his trip to leh cuz 1. he cudn't find enuf passengers. 2. the road was bad. 3. It was already 8am! He found us another driver and guaranteed that he will definitely go. Well sorry to disappoint 'YOU' sir, that wasn't the case. Even namgyal had almost opted out when god..MY SWEETHEART :D sent these 3 guys outta nowhere to our rescue. And we FINALLLLLLLY...finally! left :D at 9.15am

Halted for breakfast for alil bit at sonmarg, that place is a beauty. On the way i could see snow clad mountains, in front of me, on the sides, behind! Oh. My. God. Looking at them all my doubts had drowned and i knew THIS is the place to be. I'm at last glad i'm here :D From that moment, till i reached leh, i was genuinely SMILING. You know, that peaceful, contentful smile?!..:)


[22 Oct]
I was eagerly waiting to be at the world's coldest place DRASS, as the milestone announced drass begins, i put my hand outta the window to experience the 'cold'. I looked at my driver n said ' N You call this cold'?? He said..hehe just wait ma'am, keep ur hand that way for nother 5 mins n u'll know. I didn't know but yes it did get colder outside the comfort of our QUALIS. When i asked him to stop by this beautiful pale blue clear river thats been flowing parallel to our road, it did feel the chill....Just being there was heaven, tho i got down to take pix, i really felt no urge to capture the unusually colored mountains in a perfectly light blue clear sky at the backdrop

[31st Oct]
We left for Kargil, had a tough time finding a vegetarian hotel...let along veg food any hotel that would serve food because we reached there past lunch time...n usually they serve yak meat :(. The place stinks with yak meat. If it weren't for its strategic location in the 1999 war, this place would have never made a mark in our minds for an obvious reason- No reason at all. I went to the war memorial, saw the totila hill...huge salute to the soldiers and civilians for their bravery and determination.

[3rd Nov]
It was already 5ish, crossed the beautiful and unusual mountains of NAMKILA. I literally hawed at the beauty of something so barren n brown hills yet so spectacular! I turned back and answered _ji's earlier question: Why are you going to leh?? for seeing just the mountains?!!?...And i said: That's y!
Yes they were all just mountains that you've never seen before! It was dark and we crossed patthar saheb, confluence of nimmu ..some of the reasons y i chose this route! Lolz...i was too overwhelmed with what i saw to brood over what i couldn't. We at last reached the magnetic field, i was so happy that at least this is something i wont' have to miss becuz of dark. But dammit! IT JUZ DIDN'T WORK!...lolz namgyal even reversed to show me the effect, turned the engine off, but it didn't budge. He said the pull was too strong BELOW THE CAR to allow it to move any further. LOLZ one more popat.

Reached leh :D it was 11pm, i hadn't done no advance hotel booking. Namgyal said by this time all the registrations would have closed down. Ji offered to stay at his place (when we stopped to eat dinner) and he even made arrangements for dinner, but lols that HP guy...he's such n idiot, earlier he agreed to stay...for a second even i agreed..which was wayyyyyyyyyy wierd for me...n then when Ji got down n asked us to come..he denied...It was sad..it was rude..Ji seemed disappointed. But HP guy seemed pretty confident that he'll find a stay very easily. So we left him and moved ahead. Then namgyal breaks its to us, who'd been giving us assurance that he'll find something for us, that its pretty difficult to find a stay at this time!! Lols, u dunno our apathy...but then being a ladakhi..he said don't worry, if u find nothing u can stay at my place. At last he took us to Hotel Siachen! After several continuous loud bangs on the door, two short, one fat and other kind of a midget (tho not very short) came out. Namgyal started talkin to them, asking if we can stay. They said they'll take Rs. 500 minimum. HP being a smudge on being a man, stood at the car n i went to bargain.I convinced them that anyway its half a day..n if they dont take us anyway they won't earn anything, so its better he takes 300 and let us in. After alil bit of meek no nos, they let us in!...What a relief :D :D

Next day i woke up at 8 got ready went straight to the owner of the hotel for getting the permits ready though i knew i could do it all by myself but i honestly didn't want to go through alot of hassles so i was ready to pay that extra '100' more! YA thats it :D so total came around 400. He said the permits will be ready by 12 or 1am. PERMITS DONE. Now the most important thing! Look for taxi to nubra valley!!! I asked the local taxi drivers. All said it needs to be done through agency, otherwise iwil have to hire the whole taxi which will cost me not less than 6k OR find a group that is ready to share. I went to the agency. Thankfully a guy helped me find one. Its crazy that i don't rmmbr the name of ppl involved nor the name of the agency. Its been 2 months!..Lolz..anyway so it was adventure something and a sweet short lean ladakhi guy, who was running his own business of travel agency, making shared taxi reservations, organising treks and trips.I think his name was Antok


[26th April, 2013]

It was him and one of his friends (partners) who was actually a student in jammu, but came to leh during season time. Travel agencies r a HIT among the locales there during peak season- great source of easy income. He asked what i do and stuff, i think i lied to him saying that im a student, but then he said he 'also' wanted to be a writer (i was a copywriter then) so i think i may have told him that im a fresher. Maybe. In the meanwhile, a chai wali came along and they ordered a 'namkeen chai' for me but it never came to me (was it something i said angered them?? :P) We talked a lil about places good for acclimatization n seemed quite impressed with my knowledge. He was suggesting i go to pangong becuz he had reservations available for next day, i said nope n explained y. I had to go to nubra first. (tho it was juz a start of  my trip, i knew i will have to suffer if i don't take precautions). He gave me his number and told me he'd let me know if there is someone. Well he did say there is one traveller, but i needed 4 to get my share to 1800 (which dheeraj had rightly updated about the fares)

I also inquired if Antok knew any good cheap safe guest houses and he called his acquaintance and arranged a room for me! I went to see it, it was close to the agency, the surroundings were nice unlyk hotel siachen (well hotel siachen was strategically located at the main gate). There were colorful pretty flowers in the veranda, open spaces, tall trees and one could clearly gaze into the mountains miles away. And guess what! She offered me that house for Rs. 200!! I told her i will have to go back to get my luggage here, will come back in the evening. Inspite of such a wonderful deal, i still went on to find other guest rooms which were listed by dheeraj, i went changspa lane, the asia guesthouse and few more, from there i could see shanti stupa at the moutain top. It was so close, but as i treaded some 100 mtrs further, i was already gasping for air. I drank water, kept the cam in my bag, took small steps, but the effects where showing. I stopped at a restaurant hoping some food will give me some energy. Food wasn't the reason tho. By the time i came back, the food i ordered was cold and i took all my time to eat and ponder over whats next. Fried rice made me feel heavy. I dropped the plan to shanti stupa & off i went to my hotel siachen. But then i saw leh palace on the way :P

Well this i had to see, there were alot of places i thought of covering on my buffer days and the very first day itself i waste in hotel hunting which i didn't even need! Distance wise, leh palace is just 10 mins walk uphill. But a mumbaikar-who's lived at sea-level all her life- now in leh on her first day-wise it took me half hr to climb up! And it wasn't even that great! Yeah, the view from the balcony, i could see the himalayas,  dark blue with frosted tips, and the heavenly walks of clouds passing through them. Offo, i sat there for quite sometime :) And there was one more spectacular thing i saw! It was evening time, so i could literally see the golden light dancing in the gust of wind! I could see layers and curves of sand and light! I still get goosebumps thinking of it.

There was one more place 'Sankar gompa' which could be reached in half hr's time, well that would give u a fair idea how much time I would have taken! So i dropped the plan instantly n used my superzoom to see whats it all about. Smart, aint i?? :P Descend was equally stressful, but i met this cute chap (did i talk about the dogs in leh! THEY'RE HUGGY BEARS) they're huge, with lots of fur! husky-like eyes n really big lices, i'd rather call them makkhio ki rani! On my way back to hotel siachen, i got lost twice, saw a church n mosque but cudnt figure were my hotel is. By the time i reached my hotel, i was exhausted had a terrible head ache, no SCOPE for switching places now! Ordered tea and went to my room & slept with no idea of what i'm going to do tomorrow. Still hadn't received call from antok confirming the trip to nubra. Suddenly i get a thud on my door, it was antok's call on the receptionist mobile. Btw he wasn't a receptionist, a helper maybe. He helped me a great deal for communicating with travel agencies or even my family over the fone. He lent me his fone and didn't even charge me for it! Its sad that i didn't even offer him money...what was i thinking??? Hmmm maybe becuz i asked ppl to call back. Anyway, so antok says there is one guy who's ready to go with me! (r u kidding me, anybody wud be ready to go with me, i need more ppl was the problem!) He told me it wud cost around 3k with two of us. I turned it down in no time. He insisted alot but i didn't budge, 3k was outta question mate! And i told him let me know if u find at least one more person. That would have come around 2200. In the night, he called back to confirm 3 people for nubra trip! HELL YES BABY! I'm going to nubra tomorrow!!! :D :D I slept with a headache, belching the whole night. :P