Stories from Kettik

Shifting sands... the Jaisalmer experience

Saravana@kettik.com (Saravana Kumar) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:47 +0000

The Jaisalmer experience started the moment i got on the train in Jodhpur. The insides of the sleeper coach was covered with layers and layers of fine sand, it was as if the train just came through a desert storm, maybe it did i'll never know. Anyway i was looking forward to visiting the desert city. Heard a lot about it from my friends, about its unique architecture, its well preserved 'living' fort city and ofcourse the sand dunes. I had also planned to spend the night at Kuri, a quaint little village some 40km southwest of Jaisalmer, the prospect of spending a quiet evening with a starry sky up above and the desert solitude to keep you company was too inviting to pass by.

Of Angels and Giants : Jodhpur

Saravana@kettik.com (Saravana Kumar) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:36 +0000

If i could do it all over again, i would spend more time in Jodhpur. Two days was just not enough to experience the Blue city, it was definitely the most laid back, immersive, historical Rajasthan experience i had in my whole trip. Read on for more details.

Pushkar : Religion and rituals

Saravana@kettik.com (Saravana Kumar) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:24 +0000

The Pushkar Mela was the reason i decided to go on the Rajasthan trip during my 'extended' Diwali holidays. Once i knew that the camel fair will happen in the first week of November, there was no looking back and i wasn't disappointed. Read on..

the beginning or the end ? - leaving Ladakh

Saravana@kettik.com (Saravana Kumar) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:11 +0000

The early part of my flight back from Leh, was spent staring out of the window, mesmerized by the snow clad mountain peaks and the valleys beneath them. The best part of it all was that i could take in the mountain landscape as a whole, everything.. all at once. As my sight wandered down from the lofty peaks, I could the beginning of a glacier and at its end the birth of a stream gentle at first and then turning into a raging torrent which cut a valley down the mountain slopes, which inturn gave life and space for a whole village. I could see valleys meet and the rivers merge.. mountains giving way to hills (Manali, i think...) and the hills finally meeting the plains where then i could see the birth of the mighty Ganges. The mother of all Indian rivers...

living a dream - the tiger temple experience

Saravana@kettik.com (Saravana Kumar) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Tigers always fascinated me and its been a long dream of mine to see them in the wild. However i never ever dreamed that i could get close to one and touch it. Ever since i saw the documentary on the Tiger temple in the Discovery channel i've wanted to go there. And it should be no surprise that when i decided to go to Thailand the tiger temple was on the top of my list of places to visit.

Tigers, waterfalls and war memorials at Kanchanaburi

Saravana@kettik.com (Saravana Kumar) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:59:50 +0000

Kanchanaburi was to be my first stop on my first trip to Thailand. And there was only one place i had in mind.. to visit the tiger temple at the Wat Pa LungtaHua monastery on the outskirts of the Kanchanaburi town. So eager was i that i did not even plan on staying in Bangkok, just get off the plane (from Beijing) and catch a bus to Kanchanaburi. Read on to find out how my Kanchanaburi trip went..

Railay Retreat

Saravana@kettik.com (Saravana Kumar) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:59:40 +0000

[Krabi Province, Thailand. 4'th - 9'th Mar 2006]

Railay was going to be my first taste of beach life in Thailand. I was never a beach person, guess you can say that i'll feel like a fish out of water on the beaches :). With all its rock climbing options, Railay was an obvious choice for me. I'll go sign up for one of the climbing classes and slowly get acclimatised to the beach. This time, for once, surprisingly everything worked out exactly as i had hoped for.

PhiPhi Traveltales..

Saravana@kettik.com (Saravana Kumar) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:59:24 +0000

[Krabi Province, Thailand. 9'th - 11'th Mar 2006]
After Railay, Ko Phi Phi was next on my island hopping list. Its is also located in the Krabi province and is famous for its coral reefs and limestone cliffs. The Phi Phi archipelago has two rather prominent islands, Ko Phi Phi Don the bigger sibling with the accommodation and other niceties. Ko Phi Phi Leh, the smaller sibling is technically uninhabited and can be done as a day trip from the larger island. If you guys remember the movie "Beach", it was shot at Maya Bay which is located on Ko Phi Phi Leh and is a major tourist attraction.