30

Apr

Visiting Berlin

Posted on April 30th, 2009 by Harsh

My trip to Berlin started on a very anxious note, which quite embarrassingly I cannot disclose here (my friends know what I am talking about). Anyhow, things went smoother once I boarded my Air France (Warning: avoid flying Air France) flight to the German Capital via Paris (where I missed my connecting flight and waited for another two hours for the next flight to Berlin).

As soon as you come out of the Tegel Airport in Berlin, you know it is a land of cars. I hired a Merc cab to my hotel, which is not a bright idea in Europe because it costs you a bomb. It is more wise to locate a Bahn (as the Metro is called in Germany) which will not cost you more than 2 Euros compared to anything between 30 to 100 Euros that you will end up paying to your cab driver.

Like most European cities, Berlin was clean as a whistle with trams running along the roads, and contemporary architecture on both sides of the road. I was putting up in Comfort Hotel in East Berlin which I discovered later was the most boring part of the city and about 1 hour from my client’s office. But the excellent public transportation made up for the long distances that I had to cover. When in Berlin, you can use a mix of bus, Bahns (both underground and aboveground) and trams to reach anywhere. However, you may have to walk quite much to reach the interiors (which I had to when I went to meet my client) otherwise the downtown is well-connected. The most amazing and surprising aspect of the public transport in Berlin was that you can actually travel without actually buying a ticket. How? There is no one to check it neither any machine thru which you have to put it. Once you enter a tram/bus/bahn you just need to validate it by inserting it in a yellow-colored box.

Coming to sightseeing, there is not much in the city located on the River Spree. Downtown area called Alexanderplatz is the most happening place with gigantic malls, Galleria kaufhof being the most popular one, which I came to know thru a friend is present in other German cities as well. Kaufhof is a shopper’s delight with huge range of almost everything including alcohol. The alcohol section had almost 15 feet high shelves with a wide array of wines, whiskey and vodka. Kaufhof also gives you choices when it comes to buying cosmetics of perfumes, but save some money for duty free, which is always a better place to shop! If you get down at Alexanderplatz Metro station, you can enjoy a nice stroll till Branderburg Gate, which is about 5 kms from there. The walk is full of contemporary buildings, and you get to see the famous and tall TV tower on your left as soon as you begin the walk. Further down the road is the beautiful Berlin Museum which takes you thru the early years of formation of Germany to the modern times. You need to at least three hours to carefully study the history of museum. There are guides also available and they would make sense if you are history buff. The downside with the museum was that most of the notes were in German or French, and very less was in English.

Moving further down the road, you have all the big showrooms such as Ferrari and Bentley alongside the road, accompanied by plenty of restaurants and cafes. The road ends with Starbucks on your right and from there you get a fantastic view of Branderburg Gate, the most famous landmark in Germany. Beyond Branderburg Gate is Reichstag, the parliament which in itself is a stunning architectural wonder.

There are also other ways of discovering Berlin, like going for a cruise on the River Spree, but I am clearly one of those who love being on foot with a city map in hand. No planning, no guide, all by yourself! And yes, you get lots of beer in Berlin, no matter which part of the city you are in.

From what I could gather, Frankfurt and Munich have more to offer to a tourist than Berlin. A day in Berlin is enough to have a good view of the city.

1113 days ago Short URL 8 Comments

Travel/World

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07

Mar

Neemrana Fort and Palace – A Trip to the Bygone Era

Posted on March 7th, 2009 by Harsh

Going for office offsite trips is always a memorable experience, especially when you have young and enthusiastic people with you. After weeks of contemplation and cancellations, we eventually decided to make a visit to Neemrana Hotels and Forts, which is a two and a half hour drive from Delhi on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway. The roads are good on the NH8 and it was a pleasure driving all the way to Neemrana. We left at around 10 in the morning so we did not encounter heavy traffic. When you are moving on Delhi-Jaipur highway, you see the Neemrana Forts on your right hand side, and the signboards clearly guide you till the Forts entrance. The approach reminds me that of Amber Fort in Jaipur, as you have to go thru the narrow lanes with houses on both the sides. I had a friend from Norway with me and he was surprised to see the kind of kuchcha roads that took us all the way to a luxury property.

Neemrana Fort is built on the sprawling Aravali Hills which are spread throughout the state of Rajasthan. You enter the fort thru a gigantic door that reminds you of the royal Rajasthan. On the entrance was an old-looking cart which I guess must have been purposely kept there to attract tourist attention (there was also an antique Opel parked outside). It worked because we were quite excited to see an antique piece the moment we entered. As women usually do, they got overexcited and got some pics clicked sitting on the cart. The path to the reception is very steep and the oldies may catch their breath (I didn’t, FYI).

However, before you take the road to the reception area, you cannot miss the panoramic view of the Aravalis from the balcony. Saying that it is breathtaking would be an understatement. The well-manicured lawns are just perfect for lazy evenings. Inside the fort palace is an Indian restaurant called Jal Giri where we had our lunch. Close to the swimming cool, Jal Giri is a spacious restaurant with tastefully done interiors and attractive chandeliers. We had booked lunch buffet for all of us. The buffet menu, like my recent experiences, was an amalgamation of continental and Indian food. The tomato soup was average (surprisingly, they did not have chicken soup). Coming to the food, what I found the best was Mushroom Salt and Pepper. Veg Lasagna was excellent too. I did not bother to try Loki Masala. The chicken and mutton were average at best.

Along with the food, we ordered quite a few drinks. The beverage menu was not elaborate by any standards, considering the hotel attracts a slew of international tourists (Kate Winslet, Vikram Seth and Salman Rushdie have stayed here earlier). The service was okay too, as they took ages to serve drinks! What was unbelievable was that we had to ask for ice along with the drinks. The coke was served in glass bottles (I have seen low-end restaurants serving drinks in a better manner). The cutlery was not impressive either. I am tearing the restaurant to shreds, but it was not all that bad. We loved the experience. The drinks were reasonably priced considering it was a luxury property.

The USP of Neemrana Forts is its royal ambience. The quintessential royalty drips thru every pore of the wall, and the property owners have done an excellent job to maintain the old world charm and amalgamating it with modern-day luxuries. Right from the washroom (one was named Loo Mahal) to the rooms, the Fort Palace smells of bygone luxurious living of the maharajas, like many forts and palaces of Rajasthan.

A must one-time visit for everyone!

1167 days ago Short URL 2 Comments

History/India/Places to Stay/Travel

31

Dec

Corbett Calling

Posted on December 31st, 2008 by Harsh

Corbett can be one of the most exciting weekend getaways for you if you are a Delhiite. With woods around you, chilly breeze, sprawling forests, luxury resorts, and vacation-like atmosphere, Corbett qualifies to be a perfect haven for travelers and non-travelers alike. I made my first trip to Corbett last weekend, after being sick and tired of making umpteen trips to Jaipur for short vacations. I ruled out going northwards because of the chill in the hills. That’s left for the summers!

As I discovered, the best way to reach Corbett from Delhi is to drive down, if you are comfortable doing intercity driving. The roads are not in the best condition, and traffic jams are normal unless you leave early in the morning, ie around 4. Leaving early morning in the winters is not a good idea as there are chances of having dense fog. I left for Corbett at around 8 from Delhi with friends, and we encountered fog for about 60-odd kms after crossing Hapur. The drive was fun once the fog cleared, and as the day progressed it got warmer also.

If you are going in the peak season, it is wise get your bookings done. We stayed in Woodcastle Resort & Spa which is a pretty good resort with excellent architecture, swimming pool, and located on the riverside. The only downside was the food, which we found very spicy and oily at most times, except the breakfast. Apart from the food, everything was just perfect, including the service and accommodation. Woodcastle comes across as more of a resort tailormade for families, and we were the only all-male group there, but did not feel alienated. Woodcastle is located amongst a horde of resort that queue in Garjia (some 10 kms from Rampur and 8 kms short of Corbett Museum).

Woodcastle Resort

Two days are enough to visit and enjoy Corbett. We left at 8 Sat morning and reached there by 3:30. It took us an hour extra because of bad traffic and fog. Reaching Corbett, we went for a small nature walk and enjoyed our evening at the resort with live music and drinks in a well-manicured and vast lawn. With mercury dipping and bonfire beside us, and drinks and snacks handy, it was a good evening. The live music was good but the singer chose to sing all the melancholic songs from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. The songs were well-sung but it was an overdose of sentiments!

The best part of the trip always is when you have one full day to spend at the place. Our day to do the same was Sunday. With a jungle safari lined up for the afternoon, we spent the first half of the day visiting the Corbett Museum, which can be given a miss unless you are a history/wildlife freak. Then we went fishing at Infinity Resorts. Anybody who loves to fish or would like to must visit Infinity and I am sure you will end up catching a fish. We did after more than an hour of ordeal. It cost us Rs 600/-. It was a patient exercise to catch a fish because the fish would more often than not end up eating the bait and not get hooked. Finally, my friends did manage to get hold of a fish, whilst I dozed off on a bench on the riverside.

With the bust of Late Mr Corbett

Coming to the safari, it was fun in a way that we sat in an open Maruti Gypsy that went thru the jungles. We were told by the driver that there exist some 135 tigers and 35,000 deer in the forest, but we could only manage to spot three spotted deer, and missed tiger by 10 minutes. Otherwise, there was nothing very special about the safari than the fact that you got panoramic view of the hills and forests, and the sun going down in the evening. If you are doing safari in an open jeep in the winters, don’t forget to carry an extra pullover and a cap as the chilly breeze numbs your ears if they remain unprotected. Also, do not go to the forests with a lot of hope because you may return disappointed. You’d be exceptionally lucky if you get to view a tiger.

We rounded the trip off with another musical night at the resort, and another round of tear-jerking songs that would make the most newly married cry in the memory of their ex-flames! As it happens with friends, most sad songs only turned out be a source of humor for all of us!

On our way to the Forest…

All in all, Jim Corbett is a place worth visiting once. For people like me, it acts an unwinding activity away from the noise of city, and also educates a bit on wildlife even if it is nowhere to be seen!

1233 days ago Short URL Comments

Experiences/History/India/Travel

29

May

Bombay Diary – A city Replete with Potholes & Promise

Posted on May 29th, 2008 by Harsh

Mumbai is a place Delhiites generally don’t like to travel. Heavy traffic logs, un-warmly behavior of people, and dearth of good-looking girls often are the major grievances of those who have been bred in Delhi or North India (disclaimer: I don’t want to instigate the North India-West India divide issue here). On my second trip to Mumbai, I expected all of this, and got none of it (apart from the last J). I was scheduled to attend three meetings in a day in Thane, Bandra and Andheri, and most thought it would consume one entire day. To ensure that I could return the same day, I booked a 5 AM flight, which surprisingly departed on time and arrived on time. I would recommend all fliers to just avoid boarding Go-Air; they are pathetic right from the welcome counter to the aircraft (there were mosquitoes in there) to service.

On my arrival at the Mumbai Airport, I took a cab for the whole day and took off for Thane, which is in the Mumbai suburbs. I reached my destination in 45 minutes, instead of 2 hours what many had said! Mumbai is really very different from Delhi, and both are metros! I am proud to say that Saddi Dilli has a far better infrastructure than Mumbai. The Metro, many flyovers, and wider roads are really a blessing for one and all. The most interesting part was the conversation with my cab driver the whole day. A 50-odd-year-old man from UP who was driving in Mumbai since 1979, he had many tales to tell, and he was blessed with a patient listener. I can’t ever publicly publish everything he said, but he converted some notions into confirmations during the conversation (or should I say soliloquy). He had earlier been driver to quite a few Bollywood personalities like KC Bokadia, Ram Gopal Verma, Manoj Kumar, amongst others. He had special words to say about Ramu and his muses, and confirmed all those things that we think (salacious, I mean!).

Well, well, well, the driver had more gyan to disburse about the thriving flesh trade in Mumbai and how the categorization is done, and who all are involved. I listened to all this with great patience and interest. For a traveler, cab drivers are like guides and give an insight into the city, both the good and the bad. He knew of all the agents and places and techniques. I am not too sure if he was trying to sell his services to me, but I think he could make out that I was only interested in listening, and my contrived objective was to listen to him and put it all on this blog.

Apart from that, the driver had some real mean words for the Govt of Mumbai. Like anywhere else in India, they are corrupt and are indirectly run by the big-wigs such as Ambanis who donate millions of dollars to fund their election campaigns, etc. Mumbai is a city which is run by the powerful and the common man just plays his day-to-day role to keep the city buzzing. On my way back, I was reading Mumbai Mirror which reported that Mukesh Ambani was seeking permission to make a private airport on the suburbs, because there is no place at Mumbai Airport to park his fleet of aircrafts.

I was also surprised to see the narrowness of the road near the airport. On my way to Thane I also crossed a toll junction, and unlike Delhi, where you expect state of the art infrastructure after or before any toll gate, there was nothing really remarkable in Mumbai. I was clueless what were they charging toll for and that too Rs. 25, whereas you have to pay Rs. 17 at Gurgaon Toll. Well, strange are the ways of the world if you come down to comparison. As a matter of fact, Mumbai is more expensive in Delhi in a few ways. In Delhi, parking fee in most places is Rs. 10 (except the money-driven malls), whereas in Mumbai, it is Rs. 50 in quite a few places.

All in all, Mumbai is an exciting and happening place and Mumbaiites just love it. You have many options when it comes to eating out, most amazing hotels, and a culture and air that is just unique to Mumbai. Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan!

1449 days ago Short URL 4 Comments

Blog/Travel

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19

May

River Rafting At Rishikesh

Posted on May 19th, 2008 by Harsh

Rishikesh is exactly what you expect it to be: disorganized, replete with firangs, overpriced on the weekends, and full of excitement and natural beauty. My decision to go river rafting in the Ganges this weekend was a hasty one, but one that I absolutely enjoyed. I had earlier done rafting at the River Beas at Kulu, and that was around four years back. The river rafting experience at that time was excellent, and that fueled me to say an instinctive “yes” when my friends asked me to travel to Rishikesh last weekend.

River rafting at Rishikesh offers a lot of options. You can raft for 36 kms, 26 kms or just 12 kms. The 36-km stretch starts from the top and is only for those who are experts. The 26-km stretch is the one I suggest to everyone. It has around 5 high rapid currents and lasts for two hours. The12-km stretch is only for the weak-hearted or those who don’t have much time on hand.

If you are planning a trip to Rishikesh, you must go for a comprehensive camping package. Reach a day before you have to raft, in the evening. There are many agents and companies who offer camping options and bonfire. Take your own hard drinks as Rishikesh is a dry area. All the camps are on the shore of the Ganges and you can booze while sitting there. The toilets are not too great but the camping experience is just too good to miss. You have absolutely fresh and unpolluted air, sound of water flowing in the Ganges and good food. Usually, it costs INR 1800 / person for one night at the camp, three meals and water rafting of 26 kms.

Our rafting started from Marine Drive at 9 in the morning. The start is slow and the guide takes good fifteen minutes to instruct you. You must listen to all the instructions carefully and I will later tell you why. The guide makes you jump in the river with life jacket and helmet on. The best thing is that even for non-swimmers there is hardly any risk, unless you fall in a high rapid stretch, which can be dangerous.

The stretch from Marine Drive towards Shivpuri begins with still water and then you experience Grade 1 and Grade 2 rapids which are exciting but by no means challenging. Then come the Grade 3 and Grade 4 rapids where you run the risk of upturning the raft. In the raft in which I was present, we were 4 of us with two guides at the back who keep giving commands. I took the left front seat, which is the most dangerous as there is no place to grip your foot. Since I am a swimmer, I automatically qualified for the special seat. The danger is that when the boat tilts a bit in high rapids, you have a very good chance to fall down. There is a rope tied around the raft which is called the lifeline and if you fall down you need to hold that. Thereafter, your team members on the raft pull you up. 

However, with me occurred an incidence which I will never forget for some time to come. We were rafting in a Grade 4 + rapid, and I was on the left front seat. These were the same rapids where the ad of Mountain Dew has been shot. It is the most ferocious on the whole stretch. When our raft entered the rapid it was tough for the ones at the front to hold on, leave apart pulling the water back with boat guns (which we call chapu). After a bit of struggle, the raft suddenly tilted on the left and I fell down from the raft. I managed to hold on to the lifeline, or rope, but the strong rapid came rushing on me and I could not hold on. The rapid was so strong that it took the raft away from me. The Ganges there is 80 feet deep and the rapids come so strongly on you that you can hardly see anything. I floated along the strong rapid currents and the raft just went away from me with the rapids. I could see them trying to come towards me but it was just not happening. During this while I was just flowing with the fast rapids downstream. When I realized that my team members would not be able save me, I thought of holding on the one of the rocks on the left. But it is just as hard to do as easy it is to think. The rapids easily overpower you and you can just hope that you don’t hit the rock and someone comes and saves you. The bad part was that my sight was blinded by the high tides falling on me. I hit a few rocks on the way but nothing was realty challenging. I quietly decided that the rapids would get over soon and I’d be floating in still water.

However, soon I saw another raft coming towards me, and they had six strong rowers trying hard to rescue. I almost got hold of their raft on one occasion, but my right foot hit the rock, and I the raft went further away. The rock did hit hard but I realized I was near the raft so I pushed myself towards the raft and tried to swim as hard as possible. Fortunately, the guide on the raft was quite an expert and he maneuvered the raft well towards me. Finally, I was on the raft with a swollen feet, bruised shin, and sense of relief.

I may look back at the experience with a smile now, albeit wry, but that was an experience I would not forget for some time to come. I must admit that I was scared for a moment when in the high rapids, but I was confident that I would survive. My friends though were shit scared when they saw me fall, as they admitted later. My message for everyone: don’t get overambitious on the raft, or learn to swim!

1459 days ago Short URL 9 Comments

India/Travel