Serendipitous Siliguri!

The moment I landed in Bagdogra, the first thought that crossed my mind was

"Someday, I'll come here for my trek"

Siliguri for work was never on my mind to begin with!

Gosh, so much I love new places.. I find myself smiling every time I travel, most of the time, throughout, without any reason and it comes naturally! 

And I try to control it every time I find a curve on my lips, crazy happy kid! :)

My journey began with very weird incidences an evening before my travel, long long story which I would not like to discuss. :P

I landed in Siliguri on Thursday afternoon, in a super hot weather, coming from Delhi, I was wearing a sweater and a jacket and since, a friend told me it's cold in Siliguri, I was carrying a leather jacket too. 

Definition of cold for someone living in Delhi and in love with snow is a bit different. I landed here and was all in sweat instantly, like I was in Chennai.. Ah, my Chennai Love! :P

Soon after check-in, I left for work, my work here was to be a part of an event organized by my company, and just to tell you it was a 'food festival' and people in East are crazy about food. And I was traveling alone from our North office.

This place felt so much like Calcutta but without yellow taxis and Rosogullas, the day ends here by 5pm, you can see dark night sky and bright moon by 5pm.

It was a feeling like what  you feel between Delhi and Chandigarh, Chandigarh is organized though. :P

I met people from my Calcutta team here, luckily, the guy I met on day 1 was a half Delhiite, he lived in Gurgaon for almost 12 years, so we had quite a lot to talk about. From Rice Liquor in Gurgaon to Korean Coffee to the most happening places and the life, THE LIFE IN GURGAON! Crazy! 

Of course, who knows about life in Gurgaon better than me. :P

On day 1, I tried the famous Singada which is known as Samosa, and Puchka, our very own Golgappa in Delhi.

On coming back to our hotel, we tried local food for dinner, another different thing here was, everything you eat is made of refined flour, no wheat flour.. forget instant breads, even rotis, parathas, pooris were made of refined flour. Not trying to act pricey, ate whatever I got quietly. In Delhi, I avoid brown breads too, here I was eating white chapatis! And was loving it, thoroughly! :P

Next day, more people joined us from Calcutta and the group was now a big one. Too many people, too much to listen to.

One more thing I have noticed in Calcutta people is, they are too possessive about their city.

I was having breakfast with someone from the city, must be in his 50s, during a general discussion, I was telling him how similar I find Siliguri and Calcutta, on which he argued as if I said something very disrespectful. I mean, It's my experience and observation, indeed no two cities are same but they tend to resemble. He defended Calcutta by saying there is no other place like Calcutta in India. Ah! Right!  

I like Calcutta, It's slow, calm and relaxed like no other metropolitan. Best of both worlds, life in metro with a peace of small town, absolutely chilled out!

But then I love Bombay, so amazingly fast and happening and safe and what not! 

It was writing about Siliguri and I am roaming in India. :P

I seriously feel my Siliguri trip was Serendipity, I never expected it, nor looking for it but I am really happy it happened. :-) :-)

I enjoyed every bit of it with work, though, it was very hectic but I really cherished it all this while.

December is here and my history of Decembers is crazy, already started with a super exciting and mad one. :P

By the way, I finished few more books and already halfway through my next one, which makes it 8 in November and since my December is here let's see how many more I'll be able to finish! :P

For me December is Devil's month, all my demons are highly active, creating mess in my head and life.  

Dear God, I love you. Please take care of my people and please please help me sailing through December! :* :*

P.S.- Belated Happy Birthday Pearl :)

Crazy Goa Story!

Before starting the post I would like to tell you something, I would never recommend solo travel to anyone, for it spoils you to the core and gives you such a Godly feeling you'll crave for it every now and then. And it's highly addictive.

It's not that I don't want to travel with people, I am selective and I have always met some amazing people during my journeys. I have my specific people I would love to travel with. 

Goa was always beautiful just that I felt it for the first time. Love at first sight is for real but Goa was my love at third sight.

It all began a few days back, I was craving to travel and was unable to find any good trek. So, instead of compromising with any trek, I decided to pick Goa. 

I booked my hotel and flights online and was all set to leave. I booked a decent property with a private beach and other good amenities, so, I didn't bother much to go into the details of location, for I thought its Goa how remote it can be.

Day 1- Fisherman's Wharf!

The day came, I landed in Goa in evening and checked the location of my hotel. First surprise was Ola or Uber doesn't operate in Goa and second was my hotel, which was 2 hours away from the airport :P 

I was all excited, super fun it was going to be. All thanks to my Goan friend, I managed to reach my hotel at 11.30pm and on his recommendation, we tried a brilliant place for dinner on the way, a place called Fisherman's Wharf, which was absolutely amazing. :)

I don't know from where to begin, from the food to the dessert everything was mind-blowing and a special mention for the music. It was my favorite English classics playing live. Songs that literally gave me goosebumps and I was back in time. The one I can recall was 'I just called to say I love you' by Stevie Wonder. Crazily amazing. My evening couldn't have been any better. :D

After check-in at 11.30pm it was a very long walk till my big mansion like room which was quite scary and too big for a li'l girl like me :P 

I was scared to switch off the lights, but I gathered my courage and slept with an idea on my mind.

Day 2- Goan Bus Journey!

Got up late, skipped my sunrise. Roamed around for 30 minutes looking for my breakfast buffet. On the way I saw Golf course and a way to beach, it was 10am already and my breakfast was till 10.30am but I couldn't resist the temptation of checking out the beach. I ran towards it. Went near the water, sat there for 5 mins then rushed for breakfast. Quickly ate everything I could, followed by yummy desserts and rushed with my coffee to the beach. :P

Aah, I loved my first coffee at the beach! :)

The day had just began. I walked till the shoreline on the beach, sat there for quite sometime. It was a beautiful empty beach. Suddenly, I recalled I am on a marooned beach, 2 hours away from the main city and decided to do something about it.

I called up my online travel portal asking for booking cancellation for next few days for which they told me talk to the hotel reservations and all, finally, I successfully cancelled it and paid almost 70% of booking amount for just 1 day. Anyway, I was free now but the challenge was to move out of that place. 

I got ready, and at the reception I asked reception people how I can commute from there for which they told me I can hire a taxi paying exorbitant amount of money. Pheww!

Luckily, there was one guy at reception counter from Delhi, he asked me to sit for 2 mins, he helped me on how I can move from there easily without spending so much. We talked for some time and I gathered some info about Goa. From his hometown to Delhi to his hotel management to his Goan job and life at this isolated hotel to his conservative family and his happening Goa life, he had a good story to share.  

I finally, left the hotel and reached Goa in a local bus. The drive was beautifully amazing. On the way, I booked another hotel in North Goa. 

On the way to my next hotel I tried local Goan street food and visited Dona Paula which is a famous tourist spot there. In evening, I had my dinner at a famous shack named as Bottle bay at Baga beach. Quite a day it was and I absolutely loved every bit of it! :)

Day 3- Casino Day!

So, this was a day in my new hotel, I got up late and ate my lavish breakfast in huge crowded buffet at 10am. I believe people wait for 10-10.30 when it's about to get over. Anyhow, I managed to eat my food well. 

Post that I came to my room and decided to go out and explore the city, but I realised I have already explored this area last year. So, my mind convinced my heart and they both decided to sleep and chill. In evening around 4 I decided to go out and visit Sinquerim beach and post that I visited casino.

I visited casino with a friend of mine who is settled in Goa, so things were easier for me. I had someone who explained all the games to me and we even won most of the times. We recovered everything we spent for entry and earned some more. Yayy! It was a happy evening.

I loved the feel of it overall.

Day 4- The Art of Chilling!

I got up at 8am and slept at 12 midnight. Rest, I can't recall much. Time truly flies. :P

Day 5- Home Sweet Home!

My last day, I was as usual feeling Goa with more intensity as I was leaving. And by 5.30pm I was back home.

Well, along with a brilliant experience this trip was about certain realizations. I have realized that I am a mountain-person. It's not that I enjoyed beaches less. I loved it too and was super happy all this while but, I belong to the mountains.

Rupin spoilt every atom of my being and after coming back from beaches I am craving for mountains with much higher intensity. Its an unbearable longing.

Right now I am terribly missing these 5 things-

·         Night sky full of stars

·         Silence of mountains

·         Dead cold

·         Softness and purity of snow

·         A feeling of being home!

Aah! I am crazy. I was always a beach person but this change happened unknowingly without any realization and I am craving for mountains now more than ever!

Dear God, I love you. And, I know you'll handle things well in my life. Please give me patience and take care of my people. Muuaah :*

My Goa clicks (camera- Moto X play)-