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Exploring Western Ghats : Part 9 : Kalpetta Wayanad

Exploring Western Ghats : Part 9 : Kalpetta Wayanad

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Kalpetta, Wayanad / May 16 – May 20 After a fun weekend full of some really nice drives and staying closer to nature, it was time to move closer to […]

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  • Last day of our 6 weeks long #bhutanroadtrip🇧🇹 and I am truly overwhelmed. (Tomorrow we will be home 💃) .⠀ .⠀ Feels like I have seen too much. Too much to absorb & understand. ⠀ Drove more than 6000 kms, starting from #hyderabad towards eastern India through states of #maharashtra #madhyapradesh #uttarpradesh #bihar #bengal entering #bhutan and spending 2 remarkable weeks there. Again driving towards back home from Bhutan via #darjeeling #kolkata #puri . . From snow clad mountains to salty beaches⠀ From mightiest peaks to most twisted roads⠀ From Yaks to Dolphins⠀ From wooden Dzongs to stone temples ⠀ From Kachoris to Rosogollas ⠀ and warm butter teas to chilled lime soda😋 . .⠀ Checked out some of the oldest crammed Indian cities and some of the remotest Bhutanese villages.⠀ . . So many religions, cuisines, languages, stories, types of skin and color we have on this piece of land....the Indian Subcontinent! Each of these a milestone in itself in human history. So much has happened on just this one piece of land!⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Also very demanding trip in terms of adjusting to terrains, temperatures, cultures, food and even clothing😬⠀ .⠀ .⠀ And thus you learn to accommodate, understand and respect every single thing that might not be so much like you! . . I have stories to tell, places to describe and some information to share with fellow travelers in upcoming posts. But for now I just want to see my home😇 .⠀ . #roadtrip #roadtripcouple #travelgoals #travelcouple #benaras #paro #thimphu #punakha #phobjikavalley #bumthangvalley #drivinginbhutan #drivinginindia #digitalnomaddiary #digitalnomadsofindia #slowtravellers #longtermtravellers #followmytravels #travelinasia #indiansubcontinent
  • नैनो के घाट ले जा नैनो की नैया पतवार तु है मेरी तु खिवैया जाना है पार तेरे तु ही भंवर है पहुंचेगी पार कैसे नाज़ुक सी नैया -- इरशाद कामिल साहब . . P.s. - गाना याद आ गया तो सुन लो, बढ़िया है. The composition has beautifully captured the entire soul of Benaras. Even the way song has been shot ❤ . . #tumtak #ranjhana #hindi #hindikavita #irshadkaamil #arrahman #javedali #sonamkapoor #dhanush #bollywoodsongs #bollywoodlyrics #beautifulwords #wordsthatkill #poetrylovers #hindipoetry #hindipoetrylove #benaras #varanasi #gangaghat #ghat #lovejihad #boat #boatride #lake #lovepoems #hindipoetrylove #hindisongs
  • EXTENDING VISA & DRIVING PERMIT IN THIMPHU⠀ .⠀ .⠀ The first permit you get, whether from Paro (flying into Bhutan) or from Phuentsholing (driving into Bhutan) is of max 7 days. If you wish to stay more in Bhutan, you need to get it extended in Thimphu. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Now extending the permits in Thimphu is painful & tedious compared to Paro or Phuentsholing (at least it was for us as well as for most of the people around us standing in the queue)⠀ .⠀ .⠀ You need to fill up the form describing your itinerary wherein you also need to mention the name of the districts/places you would like to visit along the route. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Now whether you will be allowed to do so or not in spite of presenting the itinerary, depends completely on the whims & fancies of the govt officials sitting on the other side of the counter irrespective of what the official website of Royal Bhutan Govt says.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Official website says permit can be extended upto 30 days. But our visa was extended only for 6 days instead of 12 days that we requested, in spite of presenting well documented itinerary along with the evidence of hotel booking confirmations etc. That too after visiting the office thrice & much begging wherein we already wasted 2 days just to extend our permits which could have been used to complete our journey. Officer was adamant on 5 days extension but he did agree to 6 days after much persuasion.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Our suggestion is to plan & confirm your itinerary as well as bookings only after you get an extension from Thimphu office. Otherwise, it may cost you a lot in terms of money as well as time. If you want to avoid all this pain, better to visit Bhutan via Tourism Council of Bhutan v/s Manual Immigration like we did. . #bhutanroadtrip🇧🇹 #drivinginbhutan #travelinginbhutan #bhutan #bhutanvisa #thimphu #paro #phuentsholing #traveltips #visatips #bhutantips #travelinfo #roadtripcouple #travelcouple #travelcouplegoals #roadtrippin #roadtripessentials #travelgirlshub #indiantravelgirls #travelootd #dzong #greenjacket #mountains #digitalnomadcouple #workfromanywhere #remoteworklife #hyderabadblogger #travelbloggerlife #girltraveler #girltravelling
  • Last day of 2019 & last day in Bhutan.... . . Yes, we spent our New Year's Eve on India - Bhutan border, after driving for straight 12 hours, starting all the way from Bumthang Valley to Phuentsholing (we were supposed to exit Bhutan on 31st because of the visa permit) . . Last few weeks of 2019, spent in Bhutan, have been one of the most memorable experiences of life. It is a sigh of relief to come across a country that is so nature & happiness oriented in today's fast paced world. Of course I will talk in detail about Bhutan once I reach home (Still 2o days more to go, we have to drive back to Hyderabad from India - Bhutan border now) I just wish the immigration authorities in Thimphu had extended our permit for more number of days. We wanted to drive upto Trashigang . . But anyway we are very grateful for this eventful life wherein we are able to travel, drive & experience different countries for weeks & months. We are blessed to have family, friends & colleagues around us who support as well as allow us to live this kind of lifestyle without affecting our careers & relationships. . . Also we are thankful for all the new year wishes from our insta friends and we wish you all a very Happy New Year. I was not able to respond as we were driving on New Year's Eve but will get back to each of you soon! . . #byebye2019 #newyearseve #happynewyear #2020 #roadtripcouple #roadtrippers #indiantravelcouple #digitalnomadsofindia #bhutanroadtrip🇧🇹 #indiaroadtrip #indiantravelsquad #indiantravellers #drivinginbhutan #indiangirltravels #indiangirltraveller #phuentsholing #paro #haa #thimphu #phobjikavalley #bumthang #punakaha #bhutandiaries #hondacityclub #hyderabadblogger
  • My dream is to fly Over the rainbow 🌈 So high 🤸 #rainbow🌈 #waterfall #bhutanroadtrip🇧🇹 #phobjikavalley #bumthangvalley #trongsa #trongsadzong #bhutandiaries #bhutanroadtrip #indiangirltravels #hyderabadblogger #naturelovers #naturalpools #wintertravels #digitalnomadgirls #digitalnomadsofindia #roadtripcouple #hondacityclub #mytinyatlas #worldtravelpics #roamtheworld #globelletravels #girlwhotravels #girlborntotravel #travelinglady #girlsabroad #shetravels #followmytravel #travelmore #travelista
  • Be it heritage structures, monasteries or the national buildings in Bhutan, you will find that their designs are ornate, complex & intricate yet very humble in their own way. That splash of colors & contrasts they create in their architecture is impressive. In spite of appealing your senses in a certain way they do calm your mind.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ If one thing we can learn from Bhutan & its govt. is that how to not only preserve your heritage but also take pride in it. There is nothing extremist about it. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ In Bhutan, you are expected to be in traditional wear whenever you visit their national buildings like palaces, museums, monasteries or any other heritage structure if you are a Bhutanese National. For other visitors like tourists or immigrants, if not traditional, dress at least sober, meaning your body should not be exposed in any way except your face (basically nothing below your neck or above your knees, so no half pants, skirts, shorts etc)⠀ .⠀ .⠀ For women travellers, I would suggest that you carry a wrap around skirt in your bags which are very light & compact. Of course you can wear your western trousers & tops but respect the traditions of the country you are visiting, if they ask you to. You are not obliging them by visiting. It is all about mutual respect. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ If not anything else, you can always take it as an experience of getting absorbed into a different culture for a while. Experiment with your style by accommodating their elements & flaunt it. Of course, nobody could have stopped me if I was dressed up humbly in a regular Top & Trouser, but anyway I took this as an opportunity to try something new and feel different. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Any one else, who like to try or accommodate the ethnic elements of the countries they are visiting, in their personal style?⠀ .⠀ . #bhutanroadtrip🇧🇹 #bhutan #dressinginbhutan #bhutaneseculture #heritage #traveltips #womentravellers #indiangirls #indiangirltraveller #rinpungdzong #paro #Thimphu #architecture #bhutanesearchitecture #asiangirls #asiancountries #mountains #balconies #windows #wraparoundskirts #travelstyle #girlsabroad #shetravels followmytravel #travelmore #travelista #travelwithme #femmetravel
  • Tigernest Monastery (Paro Taktsang) - One of the most difficult climbing I have ever done. And given the off season as well as the difficulty level of the trek, the foot fall of tourists & pilgrims was amusing. So what is the big deal about it?⠀ .⠀ .⠀ 1. Guru Padmasambhava meditated here back in 8th century in the 13 tiger caves of this mountain. He, in a way, founded Bhutan & also introduced Buddhism here. But before that....⠀ .⠀ .⠀ 2. He was a Buddhist master known for his tantric wisdom, invited by the Tibetan court to destroy demons. To this, he said that you can never destroy demons but only deal with them by redirecting or diverting their energies, which he ultimately did & was given a kingdom. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ 3. In return for this wisdom, Padmasambhava along with Shantariksta (Nalanda Scholar, yes it was a Buddhist Monastery not Hindu) were asked to translate entire Buddhism wisdom into Tibetan. First milestone in spreading of Buddhism to eastern parts of Asia!⠀ But before that....⠀ .⠀ .⠀ 4. Padmasambhava was a prince born to a local king of Odiyyana (present day Orissa, India) who left the kingdom & travelled to northern parts of India to become a follower & scholar of Buddhism. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ That is why Buddhism might have its roots in Indian subcontinent but is a principal religion & followed mostly in South East Asian regions. . . #bhutanroadtrip🇧🇹 #bhutan #buddhism #padmasambhava #tigernestmonastery #tigernesttrek #historybuffs #theacademictraveler #nerds #roadtrippinginbhutan #roadtrippers #roadtripcouple #trekking #travelcouple #indiantravelcouple #indiantravelgirl #digitalnomadsofindia #globelletravels #globetrotters #paro #parotaktsang #indiansubcontinent #travelstories #religion #mythology #writersofig #bibliophiles #hyderabadblogger
  • Perks of driving in Bhutan....waterfalls, rivers, wonderful bridges & scenic panoramic views of mountains all over. .⠀ .⠀ But before that, a few things you need to know if you are driving in Bhutan.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ 1. Phuentsholing is the only city from where you can enter in Bhutan if you are coming via road. You need to get your visa permit from Bhutan Immigration Office that is valid upto Paro & Thimphu. Office opens at 9 am in the morning & should not take more than an hour for formalities to be done. Forms are available at the gate as well as the shops around.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ 2. If you are driving with your own vehicle (not registered in Bhutan like tourist taxis or buses) you need to get an extra permit from RSTA at Phuentsholing Bus Stop by presenting authorized letter of the owner of the vehicle (if you are not the registered owner, original letter from the owner is must!), driving license, PUC & visa permit. Permit is valid till Paro & Thimphu only.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ 3. When you start driving from Phuentaholing towards Paro or Thimphu, you need to present your both visa permits & driving permit at several checkposts. Mind that they won't stop you & it is your responsibility to identify them and get the stamps, because if you don't, you will have to pay fines in Paro or Thimphu which are huge (these small check posts are not difficult to identify as you will find several vehicles pulled over along the side of the road to get done with the formalities, nevertheless do not miss them.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ 4. If you want to drive further from Thimphu, you need to renew both your permits, visa as well as driving. Now here is the catch because most of the tourists & visitors avoid that pain but then that is where the real beauty of Bhutan start.....Eastern Bhutan. If you are fond of driving to & visiting remote places, take the extra pain of renewing your permits. .⠀ .⠀ #roadtripping #roadtripcouple #drivinginbhutan #bhutanroadtrip🇧🇹 #indiangirltravels #indiantraveller #indiantravelblogger #bhutanvisa #digitalnomadgirls #digitalnomadsofindia #waterfall #theacademictraveler #roadtrippinginbhutan #bhutandiaries #paro #Thimphu #indiantravelgirl #globetrotters #bhutan