Less than 24 hours to go…

I start on a 22-day road trip with my family to Kashmir and Ladakh. And I want all of you to be a part of this journey.

Will you come with me?

I cannot promise to update this every single day. Because some places I will have no Internet access. But I will share whenever I can.

One day to go…Yo…

I had planned to start this blog with five days to go, but when I logged in, or rather tried to log in, I realised that my website had been cleaned off the server!!

The next 24 hours I worked like crazy.

Because I couldn’t miss the opportunity to write about this trip live. I had already tried to blog about the 15-day road trip cum family visits in November but failed. And I didn’t want to miss again.

So here I am, all set to start tomorrow morning. Our luggage is in place, waiting to be loaded and we all are raring to go. Kids can’t wait for the night to come. Because when they go to bed and wake up the next morning, it will be the start of the journey.

And why just kids, my husband and I are excited as hell. Hubby is an insomniac, but his insomnia is at its extreme for the past 4-5 days!! I hope only out of excitement, not stress.

Because planning for such a journey takes effort, and then the execution takes so much of patience. Just to give you an idea, some items we are carrying with us include:

  • Car puncture kit
  • Oxygen cans
  • Tyre inflator (I tried, it was so much fun!!)
  • Torch (who uses them these days)
  • Dash cam
  • Heavy duty socks and jackets (temperature at Pangong lake is expected to reach near 0 degrees)
  • Medicines for altitude sickness
  • 10 steel water bottles (will tell you why later 😉)
  • First-aid kit
  • Medicine supplies for a month

And so much more.

Day 1 (08.05.2022)

Bokaro – Topchanchi – Barhi – Gaya – Aurangabad – Sasaram – Mohaniya – Gazipur – Purvanchal Expressway – Lucknow

751 kilometers covered in one day. We broke our own previous record of 723 kilometers.

As I neared Lucknow, our destination, our destination for day 1, I wondered what I would write in the blog. Because the day had not presented something very interesting or exciting till then. We of course had our share of irresponsible driving (from others!), wrong turn off the highway, the eternal quest for samosa taking longer than expected and all good eateries appearing on the other side of the road. 

But that’s routine for seasoned trippers like us🤪

However, we had all the spice we wanted during the dinner, and that too much before it actually arrived!

One thing you must know beforehand  is that I am a vegetarian and my hubby and kids are “pure” non-vegetarians.

To continue, we checked into the room, which was good – very much what we had expected – by 9:15. To save on time, we decided to order dinner from room and then go to the restaurant after freshening up.

But it seemed that there was some confusion about the availability of non-veg food in the kitchen. Since the communication was not very clear, a veg tandoori platter was ordered and it was decided that we all go down quickly and order the rest of the food.

It turned out non-veg was unavailable and as you must be aware, eating veg when you are in Lucknow is blasphemy for non-vegetarians. 

But we didn’t want to cancel the veg item ordered. Out of sheer courtesy.

We decided to wait for it and go on a kebab quest after that.

When the veg platter arrived, we all attacked it with vigour. Before pics of the appetizingly laid platter could be clicked!

We realized we hadn’t had much to eat since breakfast.

The food was so yum, my husband proposed it would be better to have veg food there itself as it was already 10:30 and most restaurants closed by 11. We had checked Swiggy!

I was stumped. He proposing to have veg food was so pragmatic and practical that it hurt. 

But then, it was practical considering we were all dead tired after a 15-hour long drive.

Finally my husband called for an order and it turned out a new guy had appeared on scene to take the order. After seeing our long drawn faces he said haltingly that he could get us chicken curry but nothing else.

वो कहते हैं ना, मरता क्या नहीं करता। 

So chicken curry it was.

And when it arrived, the three of them literally pounced upon it, so famished they were. 

We realised we had had just two samosas each during the day after a 9 o’clock breakfast.

But as they say, all’s well that ends well. Finally we had delicious food that satiated our tummy and taste buds both.

We are planning to shift to a better located hotel tomorrow. Let’s see.

Day 2 (09.05.2022)

Sightseeing at Lucknow

There was just one highlight of the day. That we finally visited the famed Tunday Kababi.

To be honest, I was not as enthusiastic because I didn’t expect to eat anything there as I am a vegetarian.

But I was delighted to see a Veg Kabab on menu. We of course ordered it, and it was amazing. Just melted in the mouth, no need to chew! And my daughter’s said it was as good on flavours as the mutton galouti kabab!

I must say that Lucknow has given me the confidence that I shouldn’t feel like a second rate citizen in company of non-vegetarians.

Here I find there is a veg equivalent of every delicacy, which is not always the case. I have stayed at resorts where I had to ask for a variation in paneer ki subzi because the same item was on menu for 3-4 straight meals 😂

And yes, we did change hotel today. To Cygnett Park, which is located on the main road of Lucknow – Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Marg.

The best thing about the hotel is that the metro station is right beside it. Our ride back from Hazratganj took us just 30 minutes. And that too in a cool and calm environment. That was a major attraction for the kids!

Tomorrow we are here for half a day and then move on towards Murthal. How much we actually cover depends on when we start.

You might be wondering why we don’t start in the morning. Well, more on that tomorrow.

Day 3 (10.05.2022)

Another day spent at Lucknow

There are some things that you prepare for your whole life, just so you are not caught unprepared. Because you don’t even know when it will happen.

So what do you do when this dream threatens to interfere with something that is equally important?

This is what happened to my husband just two weeks before our trip was due to start. He found out that the time to fulfil that one dream had come. But, it was to happen during the trip we had planned so meticulously.

However, luck seems to have actually favoured him this time because the meeting he was expected to be in was scheduled for 10th May at Lucknow, a place we were to start from on Day 2 of our trip.

To be honest, we were dumbstruck at this sheer coincidence and decided that it was fate’s way of telling us that we should not skip it.

So today my husband went for the meeting and the three of us decided to explore what we could not yesterday.

Our exploration took us to the Royal Cafe in Hazratganj (a short metro ride away, as I told you yesterday) to have its Basket Chat. It was highly recommended by my sister-in-law and we decided to give it a try. We ordered it with Fruit Punch and neither of them disappointed us.

Each bite of Basket Chat was a burst of taste and texture. And the sweet sour curd that accompanied it added extra tangibles required. We used it liberally.

The aaloo tikki in the basket reminded me of Delhi University days. 

And the fruit punch stumped me completely. A fruit punch as I knew till then should be a mixture of fruit juices with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. However this one had cubes of fruits whipped together in a glass full of vanilla ice cream.

The combination of the two – hot & cold, sweet & sour, mild & spicy –  was tasty, delightful and nourishment for the soul.

After some selfies and photographs we boarded the Metro and went to Wadhwa Cake shop. One of the porters in Cygnett hotel had recommended it. We decided to get some pastries and savouries packed for lunch on the move. 

You see, we planned to start whenever my husband‘s meeting got over. We expected it to finish by 2 or 3 and we could reach Agra if not Sonipat, as planned originally.

Since the hotel‘s checkout time was 12 noon, I checked us out, left the luggage in our car in their basement and went to the Phoenix mall to wait.

And what a wait it turned out to be, because there was no news from my husband till 8 o’clock. At that late hour we couldn’t really start travelling so we decided to check back in.

I went back to Cygnett hotel and tried to check us in, in the same family suite we had stayed in. 

Let me assure you it was super embarrassing but I managed. My daughter keenly observed how I handled the situation; she told me later. She is getting lots of first hand life lessons since we started planning this trip.

Coming back to Day 3, the family suite had already been taken and they had no other rooms available. 

But I knew what to do next because that’s what I had been going over in my mind during the ride back from Phoenix Mall.

Lemon Tree hotel was located just a couple of metres away on the same road and hence went there to enquire. Keeping both my fingers crossed and praying to God.

You see, at that late hour I didn’t really want to go hotel hunting, with two tired and frustrated kids in tow. I was confident about Lemon Tree because we had researched it while looking for hotels in Lucknow.

Thankfully, a room was available, which we could take.

Thus we spent our third night in Lucknow at a third hotel!!

Day 4 (11.05.2022)

Lucknow – Agra – Mathura – Greater Noida – Sonipat – Kurukshetra – Ambala Cantt – Amritsar

1000+ kilometres in a day – a record broken within three days!

Not much to share here as we were continuously on road. Here are the highlights:

  • We loved moving from one highway to another – Lucknow Agra expressway to Agra expressway to Eastern Link highway.
  • We marvelled at the enterprising nature of Punjabis.
  • Kids were amazed by the brightly lit shops, restaurants, food chains and dhabas lining the route

Day 5 (12.05.2022)

@Amritsar

This was a day of highs – from religious and spiritual to patriotic.

We started the day lazily to offset the effects of the 1000-kilometre long drive the day before. We are just into the first week of our trip and we need to conserve our energies.

Over an elaborate breakfast we decided to start with Golden Temple. So in the dry scorching heat of northern plains we set out for Sri Harmandir Sahib. Temperature was 42 degrees at 11 in the morning.

It was my first time and even after seeing the image hundreds of times, the first look of the golden gumbad sitting serenely in the middle of the lake was mesmerising. Despite the heat there were hundreds of people standing in queues for darshan in the inner sanctum sanctorum. 

We decided a Parikrama would do for us this time.

Because every inch within the premises is considered as holy as the sanctum sanctorum. We observed scores of people praying for h health and happiness of their family and loved ones.

We bought prasad and also visited the Sikh Museum within the premises. There was so much to read, see and learn. And let the kids learn too. But time was running out. We had to visit the Attari border too, and its time was fixed.

We quickly scanned the other rooms and went to the Jallianwala Bagh memorial. 

A light and sound show was to be held there in the evening and we decided to go for it. But since we were already there, we couldn’t leave without paying our respects to the martyrs. 

We visited the museum and the main memorial, telling each other that we will have leisure time when we come in the evening.

But that was not to be.

By the time we returned after the beating retreat, we were in a different frame of mind altogether.

But I will say one thing for it – every Indian must witness the beating retreat at Attari-Wagah border at least once in their lifetime.

What you feel once there, watching the people cry themselves hoarse shouting patriotic slogans and dancing to popular patriotic dance numbers, cannot really be described in words. 

The pride for the country and the gratitude for those who protect its borders without caring for their lives makes a heady mixture.

And then the anchor – oh yes, it’s a fully orchestrated show with a compère leading it. And mind you, the compère is a member of the Border Security Force (BSF), not some fancy schmancy person doing it as a job. 

I couldn’t help but record his introductory narration on BSF. Once I decide how to share with you all, I will do so.

And as I said earlier, while returning we decided to skip the light and sound show at Jallianwala Bagh.

We were in an euphoric mood. We didn’t want to mar it by talking about one of the saddest moments of Indian history. 

Some of you might argue that I chose to forget the past over the present. That I preferred to be happy in the present by glossing over the past. 

That I showed disrespect to the martyrs and their martyrdom, probably paving way for others to forget them.

Well, you have a right to your opinion and I respect it but I feel everything has a place for itself. You should never mix two diametrically opposite emotions together. 

That too one from the past and one from the present. 

They cannot simply be compared.

As it is, the name Attari itself had evoked so many gory and violent images in my mind that I was already in a pensive and reflective mood. I didn’t wish to exacerbate it further.

Day 6 (13.05.2022)

Amritsar – Pathankot – Jammu – Udhampur – Ramban – Banihal – Srinagar

This was a frustrating and tiring day as a road traveller. We covered a distance of 45 km from Ramban to Banihal in five hours. What was hilarious was that it was due to cattle situation. Well, that is the term we have coined for it. Hundreds of sheep and goats were travelling with the shepherds on the same roads as ass and of course no one told them about speed or road rules. The rest, you can guess. But yes, despite the slow moving traffic we had a gala time laughing at it.

We also saw massive construction going on in the mountains. Agreed that it would improve connectivity all season connectivity with Srinagar but I am not very sure of the ecological impact of the construction.

Once we reached Banihal, it was beautiful despite the late hours and we reached the houseboat eventually, thanks to Google.

I say eventually because the last 1.5 km took us through narrow bylanes of Srinagar, which was scary and spooky at night.

We couldn’t see much from the balcony at night. Let us see what it offers in the morning. Because we are in Heaven on Earth. 

Day 7 (14.05.2022)

@Srinagar

It was awesome…I don’t have words for it. The vast expanse of the Nigeen Lake, tall green pines lining the bank dotted by houseboats, snow clad mountains in the background, sun peeking from the horizon and water shimmering from the sun rays falling over it.

Surreal….that’s the only words.

You can meditate over it.

I could have spent hours just staring out over the view, but life has a way of butting in. And today it was in the form of vendors selling shawls, bags, flower seeds and mementos on shikaras. 

I am not going to bore you with the details of the places we visited because the top 10 places to visit in Srinagar is a well publicised thing!

But do know one thing about us. We are not the typical tourists who love ticking items off those top 10 places wherever we visit. Instead, we prefer to spend some time at these places.

And it was very hot – yes, in Srinagar – so we visited just the Shalimar and Nishat Gardens during the day. 

At night, we took a round of the lighted Dal Lake with multicoloured fountains, in our car and I must tell you it was fun. On stretches where traffic was sparse, we stopped just to sit or have some roadside delicacies.

And one thing suddenly struck me.

Imagine going round the Dal Lake in the mornings or evenings for a walk as part of your exercise regimen. You wouldn’t want to miss it for anything!

There is something else I noticed about the local people there. They love being out and picnicking. And you would hardly find anyone “on mobile“ except when they have to talk.

It feels like the city and its people are trapped in the 90s. But I am not complaining. I find the songs played on the FM channels, the warmth exuded by the people and the slow pace of life very refreshing.

But then, may be I am getting old and developing a fondness for things gone by 😀

I cannot finish today’s account without touching upon the topic of food.

In all the videos that we had watched, it felt like there weren’t much vegetarian options here. With my father-in-law and me both being vegetarians, it was a topic of concern. However, we were surprised to see the Dal lake lined with pure veg restaurants. We even found a Nathu’s outlet!

Maybe the YouTubers need to update their videos about food options in Srinagar.

Day 8 (15.05.2022)

@Gulmarg

People said that Gulmarg was to be visited during winters when it was covered with snow, and they are right. But still we were not disappointed. 

In fact, we had a nice quiet time there amidst nature.

I don’t have words to describe the beauty but I will give it a try.

Imagine a vast lush green meadow covered with hillocks, trees, grazing animals, small streams with miniature bridges over them and people like small figurines.

And yes, yellow, white, purple, red and pink wild flowers covering the meadows too. No wonder Gulmarg is called a valley of flowers.

It was more like my daughter’s picture book than anything real.

I can very well imagine how mesmerizing it would look in winters with a layer of white snow on it.

There was one thing we missed in Gulmarg – Gondola ride which takes you to higher altitudes where the landscape is covered with snow. 

You have to book the ride online 2-3 days in advance. I would suggest to start a week in advance; don’t repeat the mistake we made 🙂

And yes, today I started appreciating the awesome work being done by BRO (Border Roads Organisation). The roads were so smooth and we’ll maintained even at that height. With all the road markings in place and some interesting quotations on the sides.

Tomorrow it’s Pahalgam but I am not feeling up to it. Travel fatigue catching up I believe.

Day 9 (16.05.2022)

@Pahalgam

I can’t believe last night I was considering skipping Pahalgam!!

It’s been one of the most picturesque journeys till now.

The clean winding roads alongside the Lidder river, tall pine trees, sheep and goats grazing on the mountains, deep ravines visible in a flash on a turn, small wooden houses with sloping roofs, women washing in the streams, kids playing and fighting under trees, and the FM playing 90s romantic numbers. Yes, it was heaven.

But I must add that we could enjoy it all because of the excellent condition of the roads. My appreciation for BRO has grown into love. 

The roads have not been built but crafted, to enhance the beauty of its surroundings.

Day 10 (17.05.2022)

Srinagar – Sonmarg – Zozila Pass – Drass – Kargil

We crossed the mighty Zozila and got a taste of what being the navigator actually means. 

I will say one thing – drive on this stretch of road only if you love adventure!!

We also had the first taste of snow and snowfall today. 

We all enjoyed snowbiking at Zero Point – the border of Srinagar and Kargil districts. While kids were having maggi, it started snowing. 

I don’t know who was happier – kids at experiencing their first snowfall or my husband at the prospect of driving in snowfall for the first time 😀

As we moved to higher altitudes it started getting colder, which peaked at Drass – the world’s second coldest inhabited place. It was 1-2 degrees when we visited the Kargil war memorial. The visit deserves an article on its own, which I will write once I return back.

For now I will say one thing – it’s a must visit for all Indians.

Day 11 (18.05.2022)

Kargil – Leh

This day was only about driving in high altitudes on wide awesome roads. 

Gratitude and respect for BRO 🙏🙏🙏

The thing is, we are so used to potholed and ill-maintained roads on the plains, it’s difficult to imagine building such beauties on these heights.

I had never thought I would fall in love with dry mountains devoid of any vegetation.

But those pink, purple, green, olive, brown and gray dry mountains made me promise to visit them again.

It was late evening by the time we reached Leh and lack of oxygen was getting to us. The hotel was a bit disappointing, but still we have decided to stay in and explore the city tomorrow.

Day 12 (19.05.2022)

@Leh

Finally we made the journey from Johar to Julley. Johar is the greeting of Jharkhand and Julley of Ladakh.

And I have also started appreciating why the pace of life in the hills is slower. The lack of oxygen is very real.

Since morning we have been feeling breathless every 5 minutes because we are walking, talking and doing other activities at our usual pace, which requires more oxygen. We are forced to do everything more slowly and feel life flowing within us.

I don’t think I have spent any other day so aware of my own existence.

The day and evening was spent leisurely in the Leh Main Market, where no vehicles are allowed. You can walk the wide cobblestone street, sit on the benches, spend time in cafes or shop in the hundreds of big and small outlets. Take your pick. 

We did a bit of everything, promising ourselves to return someday, when we want to spend a couple of days with ourselves, aware of everything within and without.

Day 13 (20.05.2022)

Leh – Kharung La – Diskit – Nubra Valley 

Snowfall to Snowstorm is how our day was today.

Snowfall at Khardung La (La is Pass in Ladakhi) was body numbing at subzero temperatures but still we braved the snowfall and wind to take pics at world’s second highest motorable pass (17,582 feet).

You yourself can judge how high we went when I tell you we saw a helicopter flying next to us and then below us while ascending the peak!

Our next stop was Diskit monastery, which is home to the tallest sitting Buddha at 160 feet. The statue is also called Maitri Buddha because its hands are folded in friendship.

And finally we reached the Nubra Valley at Hunder, India’s only cold desert, as far as my research shows.

We played in the sand and rode the double-humped camel. The cry of the baby camels was what entertained everyone the most.

My account of the day will be incomplete without mentioning the Olgok Guest House where we stayed. The view from the garden was good, the food simple and tasty, service very fast and people warm and friendly.

This was also the day when I stopped clicking pictures from my smartphone. Because its camera could not capture the beauty of the mountains and the mesmerising effect it was having on us.

Day 14 (21.05.2022)

Nubra Valley – Pangong Tso

It was cold and windy when we reached Pangong around 6pm and continued getting colder as the evening progressed. Everyone advised us not to go to the lake in the evening as it was very cold. We just drove to it and sat looking at its varied hues for some time. 

We will go there properly tomorrow morning.

It will be lights out at 10:30 so we have to take our dinner by that time and settle in.

Pangong has no electricity and is completely solar powered. The batteries are charged during the day, which are enough to light up 4 to 5 hours in the evening.

We have all put on all the woollens that we had brought because at night the temperature is expected to dip below zero.

Day 15 (22.05.2022)

Pangong Tso – Leh

Nothing new to share here. The same old mesmerising beauty of Ladakh’s dry galactic mountains, which we have started to accept as real. We no longer exclaim, but are still stunned by what nature has created here.

Wish it was more accessible, but then I guess the pristine beauty has been preserved because human interference has been minimal.

The evening was again spent leisurely at the Main Market, shopping and eating and clicking pictures to create everlasting memories.

Day 16 (23.05.2022)

Leh – Gata Loops – Sarchu – Baralach La – Jispa

Are you wondering what Gata Loops are? Because I wondered when I saw the sign on Leh-Manali highway. And the moment I reached our hotel at Jispa, I Googled.

Gata Loops is a series of 21 hairpin bends spread across 10.3 km of road on Leh-Manli highway at 17000 feet. The bends looked awesome from the top but negotiating them took so much skill!

We were surprised by seeing lots of water and cold drink bottles littered at one of the bends. Surprised because Ladakh is a no plastic zone and people adhere to it. Plus, the rest of the road was very clean. Well, I found out just now that it was a ghost temple. Read all about the ghost temple here if you want.

By now I have got used to all the cold passes we cross during our trip. I call it La La Land. Just to remind you, La is Pass in Ladakhi language. In fact, Ladakh derives its name from it – La + Dakh (many)).

But Baralach La at just 15,912 feet, proved to be a different beast altogether because we crossed it during a blizzard. At least that’s what it felt like. Temperature was -4 and there was heavy snowfall at high speed. 

The Sun had set, some stretches of the road were under construction, there was water from melted snow flowing on some parts and some parts had not yet been repaired after the winters.

We crossed it safely, had some really mesmerising views of snow, frozen lakes and interplay of sun and snow, but it was very scary. Especially becau for a moment it felt so irresponsible to make our kids experience this. My daughter gave a sigh of relief when she saw lights on entering Jispa town. And I was continuously chanting Hanuman Chalisa till we reached the foot of those hills.

As I write this, we are safely ensconced in a hotel room with a comforting bed, warm blankets and running hot water, just 91 kms away from Manali.

Tomorrow should be an easy journey.

Day 17 (24.05.2022)

Jispa – Manali
It rained incessantly last night, and snowed in the higher altitude.

We had to cover just 91 kms, it was again a leisurely morning.

But when we started it was still raining and so it was a leisurely drive too. We cruised along the curves, drinking in the scenic beauty on offer. Because last night’s snow from trees, rooftops and car windshield had not yet melted.

My elder daughter dubbed it a white summer day and aptly so. We had never expected to see snow in Manali in the month of May. And why just me? Everywhere we saw people stopping on roadside and clicking away pictures madly. Santa had literally come earlier for them. A roadside bhuttawala said he had been staying in Manali for the last 10 years but never seen it snow so much at this time of the year.

It was sheer bliss. Wish I could post some pics here, but the post is already getting so long. I don’t want to make it bulky to load too.

This is my second visit to Manali. Hubby and I came for our honeymoon in 2005. And in these 17 years, only the names have remained same. Everything is more crowded and commercialised.

When we went to the Mall Road in the evening I felt I had not seen so many people in the whole of Manali last time. But then tourism has exploded for Indians of all social status and regions. Earlier you would mostly find people from Bengal and Gujarat travelling as tourists (I am not counting religious tourism here, because that was always big in India). But now it’s a riot of languages.

And it was amusing to see people scrambling to buy woollens because they were not prepared to face snowfall. For us it’s the other way round. All the woollens we had planned to pack on reaching Manali are still out!

Day 18 (25.05.2022)

We had planned Manali as our chillax destination, where there would be no hurry to visit this place or that. Just relax, beat the fatigue and recoup our strength. And that’s how it worked out today.

A lazy morning, an elaborate breakfast and lots of gupshup. It was finally noon when we decided to go to Solang Valley so kids could have some fun. They had a gala time ziplining, zorbing, bungee jumping, paragliding and shouting themselves hoarse on the giant swing. I didn’t have the heart to even watch the younger one on the giant swing but they were exhilarated after it all.

Hubby and I felt that the same place was Kothi the last time we visited. Covered in thick snow where we had lots of snow sports and snow fighting.

Need to confirm this via Google after I get back.

We spent the evening at Mall Road and finished the day by dining at Cafe 1986 with live band playing. It was a novel experience for the kids and we all enjoyed.

We are enjoying the trip but now fatigue is creeping in and we want to head back home. Though our check out date was open ended when we made the bookings, we plan to start the return journey tomorrow. That would also take three days.

Day 19 (26.05.2022)

Manali – Mandi – Bilasnagar – Chandigarh/ Mohali

The roads between Manali and Mandi were awful. Tunnel construction projects were going on and the condition was pathetic. The off-roading without any reason should be totally unacceptable in modern India. The BRO at least had “Sorry for the inconvenience” boards put up where the roads had been washed away by snow or construction was going on.

Here we were expected to just accept the way the roads were, and get on.

We are putting up at Mohali because that’s on the highway. The hotel – Lord’s Inn – is an absolute find. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for classy yet comfortable accommodation without the impersonal feel of a 5-star hotel.

Tomorrow it’s on to Lucknow.

Day 20 (27.05.2022)

Mohali – Delhi – Agra – Lucknow

We all are getting tired now.

May be it’s because we are heading back home. I am sure, if we were reaching new destinations every night or two, our spirits would have been high.

But now kids are talking about the holiday homework they have to finish in two weeks instead of six. Hubby’s office people are getting restless about his long absence. And even I am trying to remember what all projects I was working on before this trip!

Normal life beckons.

In our original schedule, we were to spend just one night here, but it’s the fourth night tonight. No surprises today. Check in to Lemon Hotel, rest, have breakfast and continue the journey. That’s the plan.

Day 21 (28.05.2022)

Reached home sweet home. A day earlier than our original plan. So 21-day journey comes to an end.

Even if it is 2 at night, I want to type these lines and let the feeling sink in that the trip has finally come to an end.

Though, discussions around it are just beginning and it will take a new life of its own now.

Thank you all for coming on this journey with me. If you ever plan a long trip and feel I could help you in some way, don’t hesitate to reach out. Via comments, social media channels or good ol’ email.