Food Trail in Spain

A Traveler's Bill of Rights!

As a "traveler", through all my voyages there are somethings I have noticed that are common in rules and regulations among countries. And one thing I learnt is that no matter how well you plan your holiday, there will always be moments that will sour your trip. It could be the hidden service tax or the long route the taxi driver takes to get you to your hotel. Travelers who rob their own bank account of valuable money to enjoy a wonderful holiday, should be spared these mood killers. So while I was thinking of ways to avoid these holiday killjoys, I had an epiphany. Presenting to you - 'The Travelers Bill of Rights' - The Rights Of the Traveler, By a Traveler and most importantly For the Traveler!

Right no 1: Ease on obtaining a tourist visa - Why is it so difficult to allow someone to enter a country so that they can spend money in your currency on hotel stays, food / drinks, shopping and other money involving activities (strip club hopping included). Isn't it only going to benefit any countries economy?? (also assuming we are all "safe" tourists and not remotely related to terrorism). I LOVE countries that give visa-on-arrival. Feels like they trust you more than countries who require endless documents and photographs that need 80% of your face showing. Where would the likes of Batman and Spiderman go for a holiday?

Right no 2: No differential rate on commodities for tourists against rates for locals - This is a common norm in all countries. As a tourist, you will be quoted a higher price than the local price. Unless you are an experienced traveler who is aware of this scam or have honed your bargaining skills, this one can really rob you of your last dollar. It can be really frustrating when you realize the difference in the amount quoted. As travelers, we are already increasing the economy of the visiting country by shopping there,so least we demand is a fair trade rate.

Right no 3: No different entry price for tourists - This is a HUGE bummer. When you have to pay 5 euros more than the French to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower its surely sucks. If anything, I think it should be the other way round. I mean I paid a lot of money already by flying to France as compared to the local. Why rob me further?

Right no 4: Two free bottled water in hotel rooms - This needs to be mandatory. Most European countries do not serve bottled water in rooms, the logic - tap water is drinking water. But excuse me, can you not provide me atleast a bottle of water on arrival in my room. I hate heading straight to the sink to quench my thirst after a long journey. 

Right no 5: No currency rate difference from country to country - This one is the worst nightmare of a traveler. The constant fluctuation of currency rates can be oh-so-painful. Why should I pay different rate of exchange for the same currency in two countries? If a Thai Baht is equivalent to Rs 2 in India, it should be the same in Thailand too. Why-oh-Why does rupee depreciate in the four hours that I am flying? Economists...don't bother explaining!

Right no 6: No charge at public toilets - Does your economy really have to thrive by charging people who need to go for a leak?? Its funny how a fully developed and rich country/state like Monaco in France  too charges people for using public toilets. You are aware that people can do the job in the bushes too right? Please think of more innovative ways to boost your economy. 

Right no 7: Free Wi-Fi in rooms - Do I really need to specify why here...its the least 3 star and above hotels can do. Hostels, you can be spared of this. 

Right no 8: Early check-ins and late check-outs - Check-in and out time in most countries are wrongly timed. I propose a universal time of 11am for check-ins and 1pm for check-outs. The late check-out gives a tourist enough time to wake up late, pack, shower and have a lazy brunch.The check-out time of 10am followed in most countries makes you race against time and you do not want the last day of your leisure holiday to end that way. 

Right no 9: Free drink/meal - Ok, this maybe asking for too much. But why not serve the jet-lagged tourists a free drink at the bar or a free meal. Ideal, wouldn't it be?

Right no 10: Free sleep lounges at airports - Sleep lounges for even economy class ticket holders at airports would be so zzzzzzzzzzzz..

If only these rights could be ratified....One day....sigh!
Till then, Happy Tripping.

My contributions to Condé Nast Traveller

On my mountain biking experience in Tuscany, Italy - http://www.cntraveller.in/content/mountain-biking-tuscany

Vietnam's must visit beaches - http://www.cntraveller.in/content/top-5-beaches-vietnam

On the vibrant city of Venice, Italy - http://www.cntraveller.in/content/less-gondola-more-venice

Touring Vienna, Austria on a Segway - http://www.cntraveller.in/content/vienna-segway

Weekend getaway in Hanoi, Vietnam - http://www.cntraveller.in/content/weekend-hanoi

Dos and Don'ts in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - http://www.cntraveller.in/content/dos-and-don%E2%80%99ts-ho-chi-minh-city

Cambodia Calling?...Just take the Call..

When a friend and I decided to travel to the country of Angkor Wat temple, the only thing I knew about the country was....well, Angkor Wat temple! And of course I had read about Angelina Jolie bringing the country some fame by famously adopting a child from the region. But this limited knowledge proved to be a boon for me. Free from any sort of prejudices or expectations, I landed into the ‘not so famous’ yet as I discovered a very charming country called 'Cambodia'.

Angkor Wat Temple

We started our journey into the 'land of the unknown' via Bangkok. It took us 6 hours by a bus to reach the Thai-Cambodia border, one hour at land border visa office trying to get the visa stamped and another 3 hours bus journey from the Cambodian border to get to the city Siem Reap. So after almost 10 hours of lugging our suitcases from one mode of transport to another, we finally set foot on Angkor land.  

My 1st reaction to Cambodia was, "WOW, Its Cheap!" and here's why. When we tried to exchange a mere $100, we were given an astonishing figure of 2,12,000 Cambodian Riels!!! Yes, that's right...I got Two Lakh and Twelve Thousand Riels. But the negative bit about this really huge exchange rate difference is that when in Cambodia you ask for a bottle of water, you are asked to shell out around Forty Thousand Riels. At first you will be shocked, but after you do the math, you realize you are shelling out less than $1. So if you are not an American like me, you will go nuts trying to constantly convert 3 currencies in your mind - Cambodian to American, American to Indian. Best thing to do is pay up in Dollars as Cambodia accepts US Dollars.

Another plus point about this country was that unlike the European countries, there is very little language barrier that you face. Most locals (even the kids) speak and understand basic English. So  don't take print outs of Khymer language and save the money as you can get away with English in most parts of the Cambodia.

Sky

First agenda in Siem Reap was to visit the Angkor temple ruins. So we were up at 4.30 in the morning and ready to catch the sunrise from the temple. Most tourists do this, so don't be surprised when you see thousands of people at 5 in the morning heading to the temple. I have to mention Richard, who was our tuk tuk driver for the day, taking us through various temple ruins and also partly playing the role of our guide. He was a very sweet man with an innocent smile stuck on his face, helpful and even providing us with his umbrella on a 45 degree hot Cambodian afternoon. Its people like him that makes Cambodia such a warm (pun unintended) place to visit. I also need to mention Sky, who is a boy of 6-7 yrs of age who I met while having breakfast near the temples. He was an incredibly sharp and smart kid and I was very impressed with his sales skill. After initial objection, I finally gave in to his coaxing power and brought some Cambodian postcards for $1 from him (and NO, I did not bargain with him!). We also tried the famous and fun 'fish massage' in Siem Reap and I must confess that this was the tickliest one hour of my life! These fishes are hungry and they will go bonkers nibbling on you toes. All you can do is drink your wine (it is complimentary), put your feet down and let the fishes eat their dinner!

The rest of the days in Siem Reap were spent exploring the famous ‘Pub Street’ (famous becoz Angelina Jolie filmed parts of her movie ‘Lara Croft’ here) and as the name suggests, has many pubs on the street. Next, we visited the floating village in Tonle Sap lake and spent time in the floating school of the village. A floating school is nothing but a school on a boat. This school was filled with Vietnamese immigrant kids. It was a memorable trip, as watching those happy faces of the kids while they played hopscotch is something that will be etched in my mind forever. Not only were they blissfully content in their world, but blissfully unaware of so many other problems around them. They don't stress about not having an IPod or a mobile phone, but worried about stuff like high tides as that would mean the school has to sail away to a new location. That marked the end of our wonderful stay in Siem Reap.

Next stop in Cambodia was Phnom Penh - the capital of the country. We met my friend’s cousin there who played the role of an unofficial guide to us and took us around the city for a few days. He took us to a lot of fun places in Phnom Penh including a rifle shooting range. I never thought I would be as petrified about gun shooting in a controlled environment. Maybe it's becoz I have never really shot from a real gun before (I dont recall the name of the gun) or heard the massive sound that comes when a bullet is fired so close to my ears. Whatever it was, it did take a lot out of me to shoot the bullets (good news as it means I am not a born criminal!). We also went  go-karting and I had a silly driving accident there that left the other drivers and myself a bit injured. But of course also added to a lot of 'Lol' moments. We avoided the genocide places in Phnom Penh coz I didn’t want to see the horrible, brutal and violent history of a country that I was now beginning to fall in love with.

A trip to Cambodia is a must, may not be a life altering trip, but it will definitely be a soul searching trip.

Things to know about Cambodia:

1. Everything is really cheap!! Cambodia can be called the ‘Under 10$ Country’ as most stuff including food can be brought for under 10$.
2. A line you will hear often while travelling in Cambodia is ‘Hello Lady’ (if you are a lady that is!). This is a standard welcome line that every Khymer person who wants to sell something to you will say. And if you bargain too hard, you will hear a response like ‘Me no make profit, give me better price lady’ and then they will go on to compliment you about anything from you hair to earrings.
3. The food is really yummy. The sort of cuisine that I had never tasted before, although it does have major influence of Thai food. For $1.5, you can have rice, a chicken dish and lemonade.
4. When in Cambodia, do pick up beautiful Buddha paintings, silk shawls and crocodile wallets (all original).
5. Though a conservative country, Cambodia does not stop tourists from wearing revealing clothes. However, when in temples, do respect the culture and cover up.
6. The Apsara dance is really famous in Cambodia. Do catch one performance as the costumes and style of the dancers is worth seeing.

Not an original, but I LOVE the whole thing.

Take Chances. Tell the Truth. Date someone totally Wrong for you. Say No. Spend all your Cash. Get to know someone Random. Be Random. Say I Love You. Sing out Loud. Laugh at stupid jokes. Cry. Apologize. Tell someone how much they mean to you. Tell a Jerk what you think. Laugh till your stomach Hurts.

Live Life. Regret Nothing.

It's a "Xavier's" thing!

• As I was reading a blog post by a Xavierite about "you know you are a xavierite"...I cudnt agree yet disagree more on some of the points. Being 'In' xavier's is one thing, but 'Being' a xavierite is another thing. So here is my list on things that make Xaviers what it is and the things that spice up the life of a Xavierite.



• A true xavierite hangs out more in the Xerox shop opposite Furtados than in the college library before or during exams.
• Forget the Muchhad paanwala...outside Xavier's we have the muchhad sandwich wala who makes mouthwatering sandwiches...and if you know him well, he will throw in an extra sukka sandwich too.
• Fr Terry's office is a place to go for all heartbreaks, family problems and career councelling for girls. For boy's, its the place to check out ALL hot girls in the college!
• At some point, EVERY Xavierite has cursed Cama - the railway concession lady!
• 15th August means Malhar, not Independence Day.
• Sunlight is the place to be post sunset.
• Getting lost in the huge campus of Xavier's is a matter of pride!
• Joe.D is the most hated principal in Xavier's history as he banned all the good stuff - sleeveless, shorts, prom nites, malhar socials...
• Breakfast on wednesdays are reserved in the mess to eat crispy medu vada.
• In one year, an average Xavierite spends more time in the foyer than in the classrooms.
• We invent new college fashion and the rest copy us. Period.
• No matter which batch you pass out of, we all have atleast one Xavierite batchmate who is a famous celebrity.
• We give frogs names too and Puddles is his name.
• If its Malhar, it HAS to be Security, Assistance and Texx (in that order). The rest of the departments are for the "uncool and hardworking" crowd.
• The terrace classroom lectures are always scheduled after the break and they end up being the lectures most bunked.
• Sneaking out of the classroom during Prof Sam's lecture is next to impossible, though he is blind!
• The Hall is a place visited ONLY during the admission process or during blood drives.

As someone rightly said: Xavier's is not just a college, but a way of life. And if you haven't studied in Xavier's, you haven't studied in college at all!!

Confessions of an Obsessive Compulsive Traveller (OCT)

When boredom and monotony sets in, I set my eyes on the lonely planet website and 'eeny meeny miny moe' myself to a new destination to travel and explore. And I prefer to be an independent traveller rather than be a part of a herd called "tour travellers".

If like me, you too want to be an independent traveller and want to go on a budget holiday, all you need to do is be smart with all your travel expenses. So if you follow the 10 commandments given below, you are sure to have a memorable holiday without making your bank account look like it was hit by a tsunami.

1st Commandment - First thing to do is prepare an itinerary. This is the most crucial and important document to prepare. Research well on the destinations of your interest like places to see, must do things, places to avoid, weather etc. There may be many cities or countries that interest you, but be wise and don't get overexcited and select too many places to visit. The task of carrying your own luggage from one destination to another can be quite tiring and lead to fatigue by the end of the trip. If you want to do country hopping, then try to travel to countries that are geographically close to each other.

2nd Commandment - The next most important thing to do is book your air tickets. Pick dates when the airfare is the cheapest. As independent travellers, this is an advantage you have to utilize to the maximum as you can be flexible with your dates. If you're travelling to more than one country or multiple cities in the same country, then fly in and out from different destinations. Make sure to prepare your itinerary based on your entry and exit destinations.

3rd Commandment - The next most expensive expenditure is the stay. If you are someone like me who prefers spending most of the day outside the hotel room, then websites like hostelsworld.com or budgetplaces.com or expedia.com could be your bible for searching cheapest options to stay. You can book online and choose from a wide range of expensive to cheap places to stay. Try choosing a hotel or hostel which is closer to the city centre or places of sightseeing. This way you will save travel time and money for transportation.

4th Commandment - Costs for travelling to sightseeing places can be minimized by using public transport. Most countries have good and safe modes of public transport. Metros are very useful and cheap if you want to visit several places in a city. Also, they are less time consuming. But if you have time on your hands and want to see more of the city while travelling, then local buses are the way to go. They are cheaper than metros and you will get to see lot more of the local life than just a black tunnel. At most times avoid hiring taxis as they are very expensive or use them only if you have heavy suitcases or for airport transfers. In case of airport transfers too, avoid hiring a taxi from the hotel. The other cheap and best way to avoid transport costs and enjoy the city is walking and exploring.

5th Commandment - For all food lovers, this is a vital part of any travel expense. The key to saving money on this expense yet enjoying the local food is to decide in advance which meal you want to be extravagant with. For each day, pick either the lunch or dinner that you want to spend more money on and accordingly relish on some tasty local food. Also, try to select a hotel of stay that provides complimentary breakfast so that you can eat a kings breakfast. A great way to avoid the midday snack expense is by sneaking some apples or oranges into your bag that are given to you for free during breakfast. Do this and your craving for eating at 4 pm is ticked off. Also you don't need to go on a guilt trip of stealing fruits, as that cost is included in your stay.

6th Commandment - If on a holiday your favorite word that begins with S is Shopping, then make sure you improve your bargaining skills before you venture out to clean the market. Make peace with the fact that no matter which country you go, as a tourist you will be quoted a high price. The only way to avoid overpaying is by bargaining hard, whether at a flee market or shop. Begin bargaining at half the price being quoted. Eventually, you may have to higher your stakes, but at least you will be paying the original price of the product and not overpaying.

7th Commandment - Always make space in your budget for entry charges at sightseeing places. This is something you can't do much about except pay the bill! Many museums have a day in the week when the entry is free or half priced. Plan a visit to the museums according to these days.

8th Commandment - Always, Always, Always carry extra cash. If you don't end up spending it, great! But avoid being in a situation where you've run out of cash and still have days left on your holiday. The way to keep tab of your money is by carrying an expense book. Try to remember your daily expense and write them down in the book. This will give you a reality check of the money you have spent and money you still have to buy that beautiful bag/shoe/gadget.

9th Commandment - For money exchange, try to convert as much money as you require for the whole trip at one go from a bank rather than at the airport. There will be a higher rate of exchange at the airport and the service tax/charge will also be higher. If you need to exchange money while on your holiday in one of the countries, try to befriend someone from your nationality and exchange with him your local currency for the currency of the country. They will give you good deals and you won't have to pay any service charge/tax.

10th Commandment - While all the above rules are crucial for a successful low budget holiday, the most important rule to remember is to have Fun while holidaying. Let the planning be part of the "fun stress" and not ruin the mood of the holiday. And its OK to go off the schedule and indulge once in a while ;)

Always remember, every rupee saved on a holiday...can be added to the budget of a new holiday :)

La Dolce Vita

The Godfather, Gondola and Gelato - The land that gave birth to all 'G'reat things: Italy.
Or
Pizza, Pasta or Pope - To experience all things in its 'P'ure form, head to Italy.

No matter how I would like to promote the country, truth is I knew I loved Italy before I stepped on her soil. Just 10 days before I left for Italy, I had finished reading the book Eat, Pray, Love. I was already learning the language and all I needed to do now was 'attraversiamo' (cross over) to Italy. I had fantasized more about Italy than any other country. As a kid I was a complete FRIENDS sitcom addict and in one episode I had seen the Colosseum and ever since I wanted to see this magnificent monument in front of my eyes one day.

Burano

So we first arrived in the ultimate picturesque city of Venice in Italy. Beautiful is an understated adjective one can use to describe this city. It's gorgeousness personified. A city that breathes on water is my kind of city. Every nook and corner of this place was worth a thousand clicks. The colourful houses and cobbled lanes, Venice is like a puzzle on water and the challenge is to not visit the same spot more the twice. We also did a small detour in Venice and visited the islands Burano, Torcello and Murano. Murano is famous for its glass factory and Burano is a quaint, colourful village which i nicknamed 'rainbow village'. The houses in the village are very colourful and it also hosts the famous lace factory.

From Venice to Florence was a good change. Florence has a very old world charm to it and has pretty lanes. But the best and the most adventurous part of our stay in this city was the mountain biking that I did through the Tuscan countryside. It was one of the most rewarding yet painful experience in my life. Cycles with gears attached was a challenge in itself, but the uphills din't make the task easier. Each uphill felt like getting injected on 10 different parts of my body at the same time!!! Eventually, the downhills felt like being anesthetized. Overall, the ride was memorable, as riding through the wonderful vineyards was worth all the uphills. And here's a good tip - strawberry gelato acts as a good energy booster after lots of uphills..:) Also, a quick visit was reserved for the Leaning Tower of Pisa. And it REALLY is leaning!!!

Outside the Colosseum

Rome was the last stop of my european extravaganza. And it was the best place to call it quits! An air of laziness prevails in this old, mystical city were a laid back life is encouraged. Finally, I did set my eyes on the Colosseum and even went inside it and after that, I was a satisfied traveller. But the icing on the cake was when I saw the Pope in front of my eyes passing on his pope mobile in the holy Vatican City. Tears could not be held back as I was overwhelmed by the experience. Nothing beats seeing the Pope in the holy land. And this probably was the biggest religious encounter in my life. From all the Pastas and Pizzas I ate to the navigating horrors in the floating city of Venice, Italy was a splendid experience.

Overall, I think I can label our 22 days in Europe as an "European Experiment" as everything I did on this trip was new and sort of an experiment. Travelling without mobile phones was a great break in itself but we really had a super smooth vacation. When we decided to go on this trip, my checklist read: Sloth, Greed, and Gluttony. And when the trip was over, I think I achieved all of it and more! For 1st timers in Europe, I think my partner and I did a swell job of travelling on our own and experiencing the local life. And it will definitely be a trip to be cherished all my life!!

A few things learned from this trip:

- It is possible to learn 3 languages in a month...the only problem is, you will confuse yourself and use the wrong language in the wrong country. I was inventing new words like Sola - a mix of sorry and hola (hello in spanish)

- Spanish people are the most romantic, PDA lovers in the world!

- The metros of Paris seriously need an upgrade. (Atleast build some lifts!!)

- There is no service tax issued on 2 people if you eat in Italy...if anyone argues otherwise...you know which finger to use.

- Avoid mango gelato in Italy...since Italy doesn't grow mangoes...its an artificial flavour that doesn't taste good.

- When at Trevi fountain, throw the coin using your right hand. I'll need to make one more trip to Trevi to rectify my mistake!

- The Vatican Museum is HUGE...set aside atleast 5 hours to see the complete museum.

- When in a beach city, DO carry your swimsuit. Or else get used to the stares!!

- Many europeans can't talk beyond basic English. But MOST europeans can't talk in English at all!!

Ciao...

French Connection

Remember the slam books we used to fill in school where we used to fill up stupid sections like favourite boy band, colour, food etc. One of the columns usually was dream destination. And I always filled Paris in that space. Under the influence of movies and hearsay, I thought this is a magical and romantic city. I needed to cut this off my really long bucket list so I knew I had to make a trip to this beautiful city. The only French word I could pronounce properly was Louis Vuitton. And with this basic knowledge of French, I reached Paris - the heart of France.

On the Seine River Cruise

When I stepped out of my overnight train from Barcelona to Paris (awesome train btw), I immediately liked the city. The air that greeted me in Paris was cold (literally) yet sophisticated. We checked into our modest hotel room and were excited to venture out again for our cruise on the famous River Seine. Truth be told, I was dying to see the Eiffel Tower. And boy when I saw it was I WOWED!!! It was such a tall imposing structure. Like a small kid I wanted to touch the structure but as soon I went close to it I was put off by the dusty iron bars. That's it - that's what the Eiffel Tower is all about, nothing but some iron bars painted in brown colour. I also went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and the sight from there was mind blasting. Its one thing that you can see entire Paris atop the tower, but its another feeling to be standing out there at a height of over 950 feet - the tallest I ever felt in my life!

In front of the Eiffel Tower

The next 2 days in Paris was dedicated at playing typical tourists and visiting all the must see places in the city. The city glows in the night (literally), making it look like it wears a yellow blanket over it by night. It is a good blend of old world charm architecture along with modern and fashionable locals. The sights and ambience of the city is truly romantic. Yet I must confess, I hardly saw any lovers in the most romantic city in the world!! (me thinks they all shifted base to Spain to avoid tourists like me and to understand this statement better - read my blog on Spain). Also, I was expecting a really snooty, racist and arrogant bunch of French people. But I was amazed to meet many helpful locals who assisted us with our heavy bags and directions to our destinations. But I did get shooed away by an old grumpy french man in a flea market coz I was bargaining too much (the mumbaikar in me had to come out).

We had another French destination to visit before we headed to the land of gondolas, pastas and pizzas (read: Italy) and that was Nice (pronouced: Niece). A very calm, clean and quiet destination, Nice is a charming beachy city. The first day itself we were tempted to hit the beach which was at a walking distance from our hotel. The Indian in me forced me to choose shorts and t-shirt to the beach instead of a swimsuit. Never before had I felt so overdressed in my life coz even in my shortest shorts and skimpiest top, I felt like I was wearing a burqa!! The sight I saw on the beach was of women clad in ONLY bikinis or were topless. Not that this was a jaw dropping sight (we have our Goa remember), but I felt highly embarrassed for covering too much skin. Nonetheless, it dint stop me from entering the crystal blue sea. We also travelled to Cannes (highly overrated), Monaco, Monte Carlo and St Paul Vence (gorgeous quaint town).

Things I learned/realized while touring in France:

- When pronouncing a french word, a lot of English alphabets are silent. eg - Temple is pronounced Tomp in French. So the correct way to pronounce any French word is to ignore atleast 2-3 alphabets in it, mostly the last 2 alphabets. And if you don't know French, don't even attempt to pronounce their words. My attempt was met with a lot of rude stares, occasional rolling of the eyes and my partner abandoning me out of embarrassment.

- The Paris metro trains need serious upgrading. The metro trains in Madrid and Barcelona were far more sophisticated. And they definitely need escalators or/and lifts in their stations.

- There is no such thing as pure French food (not even french fries, they originated in Belgium). Its a mix of a lot of cuisines.

- There is a dirty, poverty stricken side to even Paris. We visited it and it felt like dharavi (though minus the slums). Very different and downmarket compared to the classy and upmarket Champs Elysees (pronounced 'shanz ay-lee-zay' btw)

- 80% of the people who live in the French Riviera are above 50 years of age and the rest 20% are tourists. Places like Nice, Cannes, Monaco are like retirement cities for old and really rich people.

- The French like to sleep early!

Viva Espana!

The year 2010 had arrived and with it the number 25 was added as new age! It was high time I thought I travelled to a little destination called 'Europe'. Hence, having brainwashed a colleague of mine to be my travel partner on this completely self planned trip, I set out to cross the first big hurdle in front of me - the Budget. After detailed research and several painful looks at my bank statements, we set out a budget for a 22 days trip across 3 of the most popular countries for tourism in the world - Spain, France and Italy. Lonely planet being my bible for the next few weeks and hostelworld.com my homepage, we had finally fixed an itinerary and were all set to fly.

Madrid

We couldn't have chosen a more appropriate day to fly - 9/11. And our trip cudn't have begun on a more adventurous note. Our Turkish airlines flight with a stopover at Istanbul before it lands in Madrid was delayed by 4 hours. Which meant we missed our connecting flight, which also meant we dint reach Madrid at 3.45 in the afternoon like our original plan but instead at 11.55 in the nite! Of course this was not acceptable to us and being 2 young girls (i still like to think of 25 as being young) with no knowledge of Spanish and no proper directions to our hotel, landing in Madrid at midnite, didn't quite sound like the adventure we had hoped for in this trip. Having pity on us and our plight, Turkish guys got us tickets in Qatar airways. So now we were all set to fly Mumbai - Doha - Madrid. We reached Madrid after a long and sleepy 15 hours flight and after lots of wrong turns and language barriers, we finally found our hotel. I must admit that a few hours into our hotel room and I was feeling depressed. That’s because Madrid was nothing like I had expected it to be. We were greeted by empty streets, silence of a thousand souls, sunny weather, MAJOR communication barrier, people with no information or direction sense and more. But once I was out for dinner, I never for one moment after that ever felt depressed on the trip. Our dinner was as adventurous. We went into this quaint streetside café and again faced the now famous "communication gap". Not understanding what was written on the menu card we asked the waiter in whatever Spanish we had learned for this trip and ordered food. And he from whatever he understood of our mixture of Spanish and English brought us 2 glasses of white wine and a plate of tapas which constituted of 4 toasted bread slices with tomato toppings. Tapas is basically a starter in Spain served mostly with drinks. This “lavish” (sense the sarcasm) dinner was costing us 25 euros. We were exhausted and hungry, so we eat like two pigs not having fed for a week and finished off the last piece of food on that plate. A while later, the waiter (he was cute btw!) came with a huge plate of beef steak. In all our communication error (or not), we had managed to tell him that we were really hungry and that we wanted the best meat dish in the house. And the 25 euro dish also consisted of the beef steak. Unfortunately we wasted some bit of the steak (too full on the tapas), but it still was the BEST BEEF STEAK I have ever eaten!

Madrid

3 days in Madrid and i think i finally found the city that my soul, body and mind needs to be in...the city where i should have really been born - Madrid. The restaurants in the city are always packed especially in the evenings (I don't think they cook in Spain post lunch!), but they all serve lipsmacking food. I would say Spain is a treat for any foodie. I was however scandalized by the amount of PDA shown by the couples in Madrid (no wonder the spanish football captain kissed his gf on national TV after they won the world cup, Spaniards love PDA!). It took me a day to get used to watching couples go down each others throat in front of a church (wat are the odds of seeing such a sight in India!). But after sometime of being constantly exposed to such sights, i found it all very charming. You could feel (and in this case see) the love in the city. No one cared a damn of who you are, where your from, what you're wearing. Everyone was all about having fun. Lunch and dinner by roadside cafés, salsa in the park, puppet show on the streets for kids, overcrowded yet colourful flea market El Rastro, museums of art and history, bustling street of Gran Via, attending a Spanish mass in a gorgeous monastery, colourful graffiti on the walls...Madrid in a postcard for me.

Montserrat, Barcelona

Next stop - Barcelona Baby! One of the reasons for my excitement about going to the next destination was travelling in Euro Rail. It is definitely one of the underrated highlights of my Europe trip. The trains were of course highly sophisticated and we were travelling first class, so the experience was even more posh and special. I could feel my DDLJ moments on each of the Euro Rail journeys. If Madrid is the Delhi of Spain, then Barcelona is the Mumbai of Spain. The sophistication, class, designer wardrobe, shoes and bags were all missing in Barcelona. This city spelled simplicity yet very rich in liveliness. We stayed in one of the friendliest and colourful hostels in Barcelona called Buba House and had a very helpful guide in the form of Marcos our hostel keeper. We made some friends there who were not natives but living in the hostel and were travellers like us. We made a small detour from Barcelona to Montserrat one day and it was one of the most gratifying trips of my life. We had to travel in a cable car over a mountain above 4000 feet to reach a monastery which is famous for its Black Mother Mary. That night we traveled what felt like the length and breadth of Barcelona for good catalan food. If I had to compare this city to something, it would be to a young teenager who has fallen in love for the 1st time - happy, excited and oblivious to the surroundings. We even watched a Mexican dance being performed on the streets of Barcelona and the locals were all out in hundreds, cheering and enjoying themselves. It's also rather alarming to see the number of Bangladeshis residing in the city who are basically hawkers selling chinese products (China doesnt spare Europe also). Gaudi's unbelievable parks, La Sagrada Familia Church (though i thought this monument is highly overrated), Barceloneta beach, overcrowded and happening La Ramblas street, the famous local food - Paella and a lot more complete my travelogue for Barcelona.

Park Retiro, Madrid

The language barrier notwithstanding, I LOVED SPAIN! Of all the 3 languages I tried to learn in a few weeks before i ventured on this magnum opus trip, Spanish was the language I loved listening and learning. The people though not very friendly, be warned - the people mind their own business a little too much and may not entertain you. We walked around Madrid and Barcelona and found the cities unpretentious and a visual delight. The vibe of the cities were electrifying and youthful. The food - great, sights - classic, language -lovely! Definitely a country I would want to live in or atleast visit again - Viva Espana!

My BFF's

Here is a list of my BFF's....not that i was asked for one...but i thought if something happens to me tomorrow (knock knock)...my (close) friends should atleast know their value in my life...and no this is not some PR activity...some of you may find it surprising to find your name here...thats coz i never really let you know how important you are to me...but each one of you is special to me...and i can proudly say that i dont have "A" best friend...i have all of you..:)

List is in no specific order and just like me is...Random

Aarti - Also known as my mirror image (we are two peas in a pod)...First met her during my interview for admission in XIC...instantly i dont know why but i dint like her...i guess becoz she was too happy and talking tooo much (a trait i now love)...but she is the kinda person who grows on you...a few months into college and we bonded...Delhi brought us closer and our LOVE for shopping got us even more closer...


Abhishek - Our pair is like Priety Zinta and Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a couple (yikes)...He is as slow and profound as the politican and i am as bubbly as her...We share what is popularly know as the 'love hate' relationship...there are times(and many of them actually) where i LOVE to hate him...if there ever was a need for the title character of the series LOST i wud recommend him to act the character (he doesnt need to act though, he is born with that trait)...I hate to admit but i am fond of him...anymore on him and he will think i love him...next...

Anu - Easily my Oldest friend...our friendship has lasted 3 decades...but if u ask her she will tell you that the ride has not been as smooth as riding a Merc S class on the bandra worli sealink...we are 25 yr ol's but we still fight over silly stuff...but we both know we'll make up before the next 24 hours...we are like soul sisters...there cannot be 2 people more alike yet different...from having my 1st stayover in her house at the age of 6 to being the bridesmaid at her wedding...we literally have grown up together.

Menaka - My school cum college friend....we have seen our share of whirlwind romances and from disaster double dates to talking on the phone for a good 3-4 hours at 2 in the morning...we have been there, done that! We are very unlike each other, and i think that is the USP of our friendship. One of my happiest day will be to see you walk down the aisle with cassy...and the day i will see that i know i will be a very happy cupid!

Lydia - She is my Bible...literally...i LOVE her for her spirituality and words of wisdom....wenever i am low I go to her to find some inspirational quotes...so many stories of joy and pain between us....we are each others 'comfort friend'...she is what they say truly beautiful from inside out.

Mrinalika - My sister from another mister...we are as cool as the Audi A6...we bonded at our workplace and if there is anythin i thank TIMES NOW for it is for Mina...when the going gets tough, Mina and I get going...to a new place, eatery, movie watever....when we get together we not only paint the town red but purple, pink, green, blue, orange, magenta.....!
Sonika - Definitely a contender for my bridesmaid position...we arent exactly chaddi buddies but i think more than that...my 'agony aunt' as i love to call her....we share this great understanding of some of the complex issues in life (read Men)...and then some other issues (like her not able to gain weight and me lose it)...basically we talk nonsense and nonstop all day long like Sidhu and we bond like KJo and SRK (except we are not gay!)


Noel - My 'Bunker' friend...thats coz we used to bunk mass together and go sit under some tree and talk or roam around and be back in time for communion..;)...he is younger to me and so i think i bully him a lot....from playing practical jokes on him to lecturing him...we both can tell each other our deepest secrets and be guaranteed than it will be spilled out in less than 6 hours to some third person (actually he is the only one who practices this)...yet we cant help but tell each other everything (ok, most of it!)


Varun - He is my Gossip Girl (pun intended)...love him or hate him...you cant ignore Varun kumari...my Biatch...he loves bitching..and loves being bitched about as well (coz he thinks that makes him popular!)...the anchor of my life (literally, only!)...he is every persons nightmare (dont ask me for reasons, too many)...yet he and I get along like kerosene and fire (no prizes for guessing who the fire is).

Clyde - He is my man-angel. And I am his devil.Whenever I play damsel in distress, he is there for me. I can never thank him enough for being part of my life. Just knowing that he is a part of my life, is gratifying and calming. And he will always be.


Sanyogita - The sweet, smiley and sober friend of mine...she has seen my most animated avatar (when i bit aarti's hand) and my creative side (Bail from the Snail)...Yet she chose to be my friend (i must say you have good taste)...XIC wudnt have been the same without you sanyo - my Drug of Life..;)


If some of you don't feature in this list...its only because you haven't paid me well in cash or kind like the above have....but like RGV, I like sequels too and there may be a BFF part 2 soon...so start being really nice to me...rite now!

For the times they are-a changing!

Year - 2004
I - 'Mom dad, I am 18 years old and I need a mobile phone. Most students in college have one'
Year - 2010
Sis-in-law to niece - 'Happy 1st b'day Tia, here is a mobile phone for you'

Year - 2006
I - Hey Gia, scrap me on Orkut and stay in touch.
Year - 2010
I - Hey Gia, tweet me your updates.

Year - 2000
I - Hey, that's a nice pic of you. You should frame it!
Year - 2010
I - Hey, that's a nice pic of you. You should make it your profile pic!


Year - 2001
KBC, Kahani ghar ghar ki, Kyunki saas bhi..., Friends...
Year - 2009
Balika vadu, Swayamvars, Emotional Attyachar, 30 Rock....

Year - 2006
Himesh Reshammiya is such a bad singer
Year - 2008
Himesh Reshammiya is such a bad singer AND actor!

Year - 1999
A perfect figure is 36-24-36.
Year - 2009
A perfect figure is a size 0!!

Year - 2000
Girl - I think I am in love with you!
Boy - Hmmm...ok, I need more time, space and i don't know about commitment blah blah...
Year - 2010
Girl- I think I am in love with you!
Boy - Hmmm...ok, I need more time, space and i don't know about commitment blah blah...

Ok, so some things don't change EVER!

Paper Heart

Sometimes I just wanna shut that door...that door where you still peep and go.
Don't want to remain in this darkness...just want to be left alone.
I wish to give you things I could give no one else,
But the fear is, will you keep it or take it to sell?
Why is it that I have to see you merge with the sunset?
Why is it that I am just another wave in your ocean?
In your unfeeling, I feel.
I dont want to be your nothingness no more.
A paper heart was torn and burnt,
And all that remains now are the ashes,
Ashes of Us!