Kia Ora & Welcome to Aotearoa- North Island

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” 

― Marcel Proust

This quote answers the question- Why travel to New Zealand when there such are beautiful unexplored places in India too? 

Yd and I asked ourselves this question too while we were planning our second international travel. We have spent more than a year in just thinking about an overseas trip but hadn't taken time to plan it seriously until one day we realized that it is high time . There was a major last minute change in plan regarding our travel destination.That's when the whole idea of travelling to New Zealand came up, exactly how this island nation rose from the Pacific Ocean years ago. 

This trip wouldn't have been possible without Pick Your Trail. I liked the whole idea of someone helping us to curate a personalized travel plan which could suit every traveller's taste. They made our travel plan happen with a very short notice and made a skeleton framework of our trip itinerary which could fit in our budget and also the few days we could give for a holiday. 

'Kia Ora' , which means be well/healthy in Maori language. That is how a Kiwi will greet you. The Maoris are the early Polynesian settlers of New Zealand who are responsible for the development of the unique culture and language in New Zealand. It is the initial Maori settlers who led to the discovery of a lot of scenic spots and places in the country. They started naming every place simultaneously as and when they discovered; which is why we have such sweet sounding Maori names of places in New Zealand despite the European influence.

Aotearoa( The Maori name for New Zealand) - A small beautiful country in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean which is divided into North Island( Te Ika-a-Māui)and South Island (Te Waipounamu) by the Cook Strait. This is a land of volcanoes, glaciers, numerous clean lakes, mountain ranges, thick lush- green national parks, beautiful long stretch of scenic routes through the countryside, fresh air, sparse population and of course the lovely Kiwis. 100%Pure New Zealand gives all the details that travellers would like to know. 

For a change, we decided to ditch the traditional research  that we carry out about the place and just went ahead with the basic plan we were provided with by PYT. It was a travel plan with minimal expectations which helped us a lot. Although we had kept in mind the cities we were going to stay in and had our accommodation sorted out , we did not get into the finer details about the places to visit there. We could have done a little more research if only we had so much time in hand before planning this trip.

The 15 hour long journey from Bangalore to Auckland and back ate into the travel hours we had for our New Zealand trip. It was a nostalgic feeling to see the board saying -Selmat Datang, at the Kuala Lumpur Airport, Malaysia. 

     

So, we spent a nice time clicking cheesy airport selfies and I was posing with a cute teddy. How I wish I could have carried it back with me to India! We were welcomed at the Auckland airport by this huge statue which can give one a feel of being in the 'Home of Middle‑earth'.

We landed at the Auckland Airport, got our local sim cards, topped them with internet connection, picked up the travel guide pamphlets and went to Budget travels for renting our pre-booked car to travel in the North Island. If one has a valid Indian driving license and one can drive well, then New Zealand is the place to enjoy the driving experience. At least, I felt that way. Never had I fathomed when I had been to a driving school that I would get a chance to drive along such scenic routes. The experience was surreal.  We had asked for a manual driven car but ended up getting an automatic car. Just a simple lesson given by a Morgan Freeman look-alike man from Budget rentals helped us in getting over the fear of driving an automatic car. I enjoyed driving it a lot, although I felt I had better control over the vehicle while driving in the South Island where we had rented out a manual car. You can see me posing with the beautiful Toyota Yaris. I so loved the feel of the bright blue car against the colourful scenic surroundings of the North Island. 

Wish I could drive with such ease in Namma Bengaluru :-(

The route we took to go around place in the North Island

                 Auckland- Hahei-Coromandel- Thames- Cambridge-Waitomo-Rotorua

We covered this route in 4 days which obviously could never do justice to the place around but we had to make the best of what we had at hand. We were like backpackers, moving everyday in our car from one place to the other. The maximum time that we spent was in the car driving and taking a quick pit-stop to visit locations of interest on the way. 

Our first stop was in Auckland for half a day, just enough to relax and get over the jet lag. We stayed at an architecturally beautiful and very homely Airbnb stay 'FANTAIL ROOM - MILFORD MANOR' in Shakespeare Road, Auckland.  The place was around an hour drive from Auckland airport but with google maps in hand we did not have any problem in locating the place.  It was the best welcome one could expect in a new country. 

That evening of Day 1 we spent by walking down the streets and lanes appreciating the calmness around and also wondering as to why all the restaurants were closed when it was just 7:00 PM and the streets were deserted even though when there was ample light in the sky. Thankfully, a Kashmiri restaurant was open where we could get a  warm and delicious meal. To be able to find an Indian restaurant which served vegetarian meal was a very promising start to our trip. We walked around a bit exploring lanes and by-lanes appreciating the exquisite architecture of the houses around. When it was finally dark at around 10:00 PM we decided to head back and have a comfortable sleep. 

Milford Manor- In conversation with our host Heather

So we mastered the art of taking good selfies after this trip

Heather- Our wonderful host

                                                 
Heather's house was just perfect for us to get over our tiredness and be ready for the next day's long drive. I loved the way she called ' Archaana'. It was so sweet, in fact everyone in NZ called me that way, so much that I started introducing myself that way to the others.

Day 2 - The bright sun was up sooner than we had expected. Waking up to the beautiful view from the garden and sitting by the window enjoying the mirth and the calmness in a beautiful New Zealand morning was something that I miss even now. After having a quick vegetarian breakfast( Uhhh... such a relief to find vegetarian food everywhere without much difficulty) and interacting with our host Heather, we headed to Lake Pupuke, which is a heart shaped fresh water lake that occupies a volcanic crater and  provides  drinking water for the residents there. 

Breakfast served to us was just the way it was told. Museli, fresh lime juice made from the huge lemons we picked from the garden, milk, multi-grain toasted bread, lots of fresh fruits like kiwi, huge succulent grapes, fresh oranges, and strawberry and of course coffee. It was nice to prepare breakfast although it killed a bit of our time. But I feel that only because of getting the freedom to prepare breakfast with our mini kitchen ware and the ingredients provided, we felt at home. 

Takapuna Beach  was clean, beautiful so serene in that bright morning. We could get a beautiful view of the volcanic island, Rangitoto from here.  If we had an extra day to spend in Auckland we would have surely made a visit to Rangitoto Island and also another day trip to Waiheke Island, mainly known for its beautiful beaches and the vineyards.  There are timed  ferry tours which take travellers to these places from Devonport. In order to take a quick look of the city we took a short ferry ride from Devonport.  To explore the city one needs time as there are many things to do in Auckland. One could go to the Art Gallery, attend the Maori cultural performance at the Auckland War Memorial, Sky Jump and Sky walk from the SkyTower etc... There wasn't anything we could do being in the city for just half an hour, so we decided to head back, pack our bags and leave for Hahei, Coromandel. Our next Airbnb stay was waiting for us. 

Takapuna Beach, Auckland

Lake Pupuke,Takapuna, Auckland

Yd- pointing at the Rangitoto Island as seen from Takapuna Beach

View from the ferry

This is how the roads were all along to Hahei. 

Absolutely flawless roads, clear road signs, hardly anyone seen breaking traffic rules even on highways, rarely get to hear the constant honking which is seen in India and if you are slow everyone behind waits for you to give way at the slow bay area. There are designated places with roads signs that inform travellers about scenic locations of interest that they should look out for. All cars go speeding and only reduce speed when the sign boards tells them to do so. We were in awe of the roads and the scanty population that helped the government in implementing such fine work and road rules. Every traveller is handed over the ' Driving in NZ' rule book when they approach the car rentals. In NZ they also follow left side driving on the road we did not face much problem in adhering to simple rules and believing that the others would also follow suit. Apparently, everyone does follow road traffic rules here while driving no matter how empty a road might be. 

There were huge pine trees for a pretty long stretch during our journey. Travelling to the Coromandel route is a must do activity during NZ winters. 

Spotted while we were approaching closer to Hahei

The Alderman Islands seen behind

Clicked while beginning our walk towards Cathedral Cove

Since the route was so beautiful we stopped whenever and wherever possible to click pictures and relish our moments. We started in the morning and reached only late afternoon.  We stayed at the Hahei Gateway 2, where  our host Adair and Rick were quite accommodating when we informed them about our delay. In fact, the moment we reached the home stay in Hahei, Adair was kind enough to fix a Hahei beach explorer activity and also suggested us to head out for a short walk to the Cathedral Cove before it got too late. They suggested us a specific time at night when there would be low tide so that we could visit the hot water beach. There were too many things to do and we had very less time. We were also starving because the breakfast and the mid-way snacks which we had was not enough to subside our hunger pangs much. Since everyone closes down early here in the evening, our plan was to complete dinner by 6:00 PM. We had timed our plans for the next few hours. Hahei, had already begun to surprise us. Our hosts were one of the most chilled out Kiwis from Hahei. It was amazing to be able to get such hosts who could make our one day holiday extremely worthwhile. The typical accent in which they spoke brought out the mirth from within. This was the only home-stay among the ones we had selected, had pets in their property. I was initially skeptical about choosing this place considering that I am not comfortable with pets around. Thankfully nothing of this bothered us during the stay. The location of this Airbnb was perfect. We could take a short drive to the parking lot to start the Cathedral Cove walk and Hahei explorer and also the way to the Hot water beach at night. It was neatly kept and perfectly placed for us. Google map again brought us to exact address without any problem. Their house had a huge camper van parked which made it evident that they were the cool travellers. We liked the concept of hiring camper vans and going around to places. We saw many using camper vans and parking them at designated places which were meant only for camper van parking. These parking areas had bio-toilets around which made the process of camping more clean. The strict laws which they had a great hand in maintaining the cleanliness around. Apparently it was the Green Party which had a great hand in bringing in such awareness and forming strict rules.

Their house felt warm and welcoming because of the open and simple architecture. It was simple yet beautiful. The doors were made of transparent glass everywhere. I can describe this as a very beach like stay with sophistication. The room was small but adequate and well equipped. They did not provide breakfast but we could cook something using the microwave. Their pet dog Bao was cute compared to the other huge ferocious one. I was relieved because none of these pets bothered me. I remember this dialogue of Adair when she saw me freaking out at the sight of two dogs running towards me and ready to smell and lick me. She said in her very typical accent,' He won't hurt a fly......' 

This was from in front of our room- The common sit out

Our cute room

Our car parked

Our room was the one of the left

That's Yd who couldn't get enough of this place even after half an hour

This is the camper van parked outside their house

We parked our vehicle and headed over to the Cathedral Cove walking track. It took us around 1 hour thirty minutes to reach the Cathedral Cove which was the last stop on this route. There were multiple bays which we one could visit while walking to the main cove. The view was scenic and the walk was perfect with  bright shining sun clear sky and breathtaking views. The walk to the Cathedral Cove took almost an hour or two. To reach the Cathedral Cove we had to cross  Gemstone Bay, Stingray Bay, Champagne bay and the Mares Leg Cove. The Gemstone bay has a Snorkel trail which attracts a lot of marine adventure enthusiast. The Maori name for Cathedral Cove is Motauhi which means "a place to debate in". Above the Cathedral Archway was once a Pa site which is where local Maori gathered to discuss matters of Te Whanganui-a-Hei (the great bay of Hei). Cathedral Cove is also called as Te Whanganui-A-Hei. The marine reserve was started in 1992 where there are rich and varied habitats within its boundaries and the reserve is helping to restore, increase and maintain the diversity in this marine environment. The entire area is maintained by the Department of Conservation. 

The first view as we came to the Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove

The evening view in Cathedral Cove

The best part of the day was yet to unfold. We went to the Pour House for dinner which was at around 6:30 PM and we were few of the last customers in the restaurant. The evening breeze had a slight chill which was perfect to enjoy a warm meal after a tiring day. We walked back to our room, got ready and drove to Hot water beach Hahei at around 9:00 PM carrying the spade which Rick had given us. It was a funny situation for us ; we had worn shorts with slippers, had a thick rain-jacket on,  warm skull caps and we were walking to a beach at 9:00 PM in pitch darkness with a spade in hand to enjoy in a hot water beach. We used our mobile lights to spot the location where all we could see was people in small groups huddled together in one place lazing around, lying down and enjoying the hot water springs. We were a little sad thinking that we had missed that crucial time of the low tide. But little did we know that the magic of that night was yet to unfold. We found a place for us where we made a huge moist sand mound and sat on it barefoot dipping our feet in a pit  full of cold sea water. We dug a bit with the spade when warm water started coming in slowly. In few minutes the temperature of the water increased and our legs were dipped in adequately warm water. Then the sea water suddenly started retreating and hot water started replacing it. Our feet were soaked in warm mud and suddenly hot water seeped in. It was so hot that we were doing a hop-skip and jump unable to stand there even more that a second. Finally, we found the perfect spot to sit at around 10:30 PM  where the hot water and the sea water started mixing. The temperature was just perfect and the place was perfect for us to sit in the open wearing raincoat and cap because the breeze was too cold to bear. It was a natural pedicure with warm sand around and water just enough to soak our feet till the ankle. Yd had set his tripod and camera by then and was getting his timed shots searching for something that could make his day worthwhile. Slowly, people started moving away and we were on our own. The sky had cleared up and it was pitch dark with a million stars scattered around. Nothing could beat the 360 degree view that we were getting. I had never seen so many stars in the sky. The last time I saw many stars in the sky was only in Kakkabe, Coorg. This was seeming just out of the world. 

It was that breezy and chilly night as I sat on a mound of mud with Yd holding his camera bag and gear under the starry sky enjoying the natural pedicure sitting in the hot water beach when Yd noticed a bright light where the stars seemed more concentrated and the light seemed bright at only one place. He felt that it could be the milky way which was ready to pop up any time. We waited and waited for almost an hour and more, downloaded the App for finding out about the position of the stars and constellations sitting there, tried finding out the apt spot and it was then that Yd noticed the milky way which was radiating its aura but was stuck to the horizon and had decided not to show its face to the thirsty eyes of the camera and the anxious photographer. This picture was one among those 50 odd pictures that Yd clicked in his attempt to capture the milky way. 

That moment was magical. It was just us, the stars and the lone tree. 

Day3 - The decision to walk to the Cathedral Cove the previous day and take the Hahei Explorer boat tour  the next day morning was a good one we had taken. The walk to Cathedral Cove is a must where we get to spend more time in the cove and also get an experience of the scenic route.  It certainly is a photographer's dream. Hahei Explorer is a timed 1 hour speed boat ride which takes us in the Pacific ocean which travels along 14km and is made of magnificent coastlines. It is a perfect place for Scuba, Snorkeling , fishing( specific to only one small area with prior permit), swimming, exploring the various stalactite and stalagmite formations. People go here for bird watching, enjoying a swim in the ocean, talking a walk along and also for spotting the Orca whales which are a very rare sight. 

This is the mighty Wai Ora Ana blowhole where one can feel the power of  Papatuanuku Mother Earth, Tane God of the forest, and Ranginui Sky Father. 

The Maoris believed that if they came to this place and absorbed the rays of the sun and spent time here it had a healing power in itself. One can feel the power of Papatuanuku Mother Earth, Tane God of the forest, and Ranginui Sky Father in the mighty Wai Ora Ana blowhole. It is a truly magical place. This sea cave is under a gigantic rock cylinder which is 80ft high.

Hahei Explorer boat tour

While we stopped on the way from Hahei to Coromandel 

We spent a couple of hours enjoying in the freezing cold Pacific Ocean after the Hahei explore tour. Adair and Rick were so cool about us walking into our rooms with sand all over. In fact, they suggested that we shouldn't go without having a swim in the Pacific ocean.  The experience was just out of the world, with no one to bother us and no valuables to take care off. We were so relaxed in the beach that we did not want to leave Hahei soon. 

I was enjoying driving this blue beauty

The route all along the Coromandel was so scenic that I was too excited to drive. Yd and I were competing for the steering wheel, just to get the feel of driving on one of the most picturesque routes all along our trip. We were romancing our company, the bright sunny sky with strong chilling breeze and stopping by wherever we wanted. There were hardly people around, which is what made us even more excited. It was a respite to our eyes and our soul to find places with very less people around. Yd picked up some beautiful shells from here, one of them being the Paua shell, which was available for more than 20 NZ dollars. I was lucky to have got a gift from nature directly.  We stopped by at places like these, to have our meal for the day, which was bread slices with cheese and chips. Simple and filling meal with water and fresh fruits. We had to cover a long distance  so we tried hurrying up by around 2:00 PM. We had to reach Cambridge , where our next Airbnb stay was booked.

The beautiful place from where Yd picked up many shells

We had our Waitomo Glowworm cave expedition booked by PYT beforehand. The advantage of staying in Cambridge was that , it was very near to Waitomo and Rotorua, which was our next destination. It was a quaint little town. After fuelling up our tank we reached our home stay. The Coromandel - Thames route was so captivating that we were delayed by almost 4-5 hours. We reached only by 7:00 PM when all restaurants and shops start closing down in NZ. Our hosts( Will and Narelle) were kind enough to give us the access to the room, despite us getting late. We stayed in their small sleep-out cottage which was cosy and comfortable, just perfect for an overnight stay. Only one Indian restaurant was open at 10:00 PM, NZ timing, Cardamom restaurant which turned out to be a desi restaurant with desi staff . We quickly packed rice, dal and chapatis which were smelling delicious even as they were being packed. The quantity was enough for dinner and the next day's mid-day meal. 

Day 4 - We were quick to get ready in the morning and have nice breakfast cooked and served with love by our host. 

Our beautiful home stay in Cambridge

We enjoyed playing with their son Kepler, did a quick baby shoot and left for Waitomo, which was a forty minutes ride from there. The ride was smooth and since we reached on time, we had enough parking space. The Glowworm Cave experience started and lasted for an hour. What we saw was nothing less that getting into the world of the movie' Avatar'. The experience was phenomenal, with a lady guiding us initially through the age old caves from where the water entered. The name Waitomo, means water Entering A hole in the ground.' It is home to an awesome underground world that has captivated millions of visitors for more than a century. The ancient labyrinth is made of limestone caves and formations. A silent boat tour takes us along the dark caves only to unfold this magic. 

             

So, how does this whole phenomena work?

Arachnocampa Luminosa ( spider-like, light -producing larva) or the Glowworm species, which is unique to New Zealand. It is the larval stage of the two winged insect which gives off the light to attract food in the form of other flying insects. To survive, the glowworm needs a special habitat like humidity- to prevent it from drying out, a sheltered surface to hang from and suspend its sticky, spider-like feeding lines, a calm atmosphere to prevent the lines from tangling, darkness to allow its light to attract food and a plentiful supply of insects to eat. The Waitomo Glowworm caves provides an excellent environment with an abundance of  insects brought inside the cave by the river. These caves have been formed over the last 24 million years , where the landscapes have been formed due to faulting, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Again, this place was discovered by the ancient Maori who was persuaded to explore it once again by an English surveyor, after which slowly it was known to all. 

There is also an Aranui Cave just around this cave, which is also open for exploration. 

                                                

Our tour operator just after the Glowworm cave experience

                          

After having a light snack at the Waitomo cave canteen and picking up our Glowworm cave souvenirs, we kept looking for more options to go around as we had a lot of time in hand. Cambridge was just an hour away and Hobbiton , being so close was not one of those mandates in our travel itinerary. We went to  the Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park, which was one of the better things to do.  After taking a power nap in the car we left for this place, which was just a short drive from the Glowworm cave. The main reason that we came here was to have a closer look at the Kiwi, which is the National bird as well as the most endangered species there. Their population has been depleting so much because of the trouble-making possum's.  The best part of the experience was that I could hold the Kakariki or the parakeet on my palm and allow it to have its feed. One delicate and beautiful experience it was for the day!!! The money we paid was only to watch the Kiwi in its artificially created nocturnal environment and also having the parakeet close to me.  

Once, we were back from Cambridge, we left for Rotorua, which was just an hour and half drive from Cambridge town, Waikato. We wanted to reach there before afternoon so that we go spend time in exploring the place there.  Our accommodation was booked at the Bella Vista Motel, Rotorua ( By PYT), which was really comfortable and good for staying, make light snack like bread-butter- toast, coffee/milk. The room was well equipped with a mini-fridge, a toaster and all the cutlery that we needed. Because of our booking done at the hotel, we also got a 50% discount to visit Wai -O -Tapu, The Thermal Wonderland in Rotorua. It is a part of a scenic reserve administered by the Department of Conservation and has the largest area of surface thermal activity of any hydrothermal system, in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. 

The zone is located right on the edge of the largest volcanic caldera( depression) within the active Taupo volcanic Zone , covering around 18 sq.km. The volcanic activity dates back about 160,000 years. The Wai-O - Tapu stream forms an integral part of the drainage system which later flows into the Waikato river and to the Tasman Sea. Boiling springs and volcanic gases introduce numerous minerals into the water which account for no fish life in the stream. The water is boiling at around 300 degree Celsius. It seemed like a large scale Chemistry Lab with the pungent odour, rotten egg smell of hyrdogen sulfide and a wide range of colours from orange, yellow, green, purple, red-brown to black.

It took us 2-3 hours to go around 25 spots in this place. We were in the last slot for the day, as they close by 6:00 PM in the evening. After rushing through the entire place, we felt satisfied that we were able to cover this place in Rotorua. A must see place to make your five senses come alive :-) 

Before heading back to our hotel, we spent time exploring the Geothermal boiling mud pools of Wai-O-Tapu. With the extremely high thermal activity underneath the liquefied mud was bursting out in spurts, rising and falling in patterns only to amaze the eyes of the spectators. This mud is used as face-pack and had high cosmetic value; t is sold as the Rotorua mud. 

Te-Puia is also a must visit for its hot geysers, but we did not have enough time to go there. Overall, Rotorua was a very interesting place to visit.

Iron oxide deposits on the barks

Artist's palette

                      

Boiling mud pools

                         

Once , we were done with our visit to Wai-O Tapu, we came back to our hotel, relaxed a bit and went out in search for dinner. The hotel staff had left by 7:00 PM and we were finding it difficult to get something good to eat. We had returned our rental car back to the Budget help desk at the Rotorua airport so we walked around a bit. There was a petrol bunk  with a super market, again run by Indians, which was open 24/7. It was a relief to be able to get coffee, cup cakes, bread, jam and spreads at any time during the night. We found a contact for an Indian restaurant from them and ordered food to our hotel room. The Maharaja Take Away hotel served Indian food in the perfect way. The dal, rice, roti and sabzi provided were delicious enough to satisfy our desi taste buds. 

While we were walking back to our hotel, we suddenly noticed thick smoke outside many of the houses. The smoke was escaping from the drains which were just outside their houses. Initially , we thought it was some insect repellent but when we went close and realized how the odour was , we found that it was nothing but a thermal hot water pool in everyone's house. Many of them had used it to make a natural hot-water pool around and were enjoying the warmth in the cold weather. When in Rotorua, the Polynesian Spa is a must where we can enjoy a relaxed bath in the hot water mineral bath and spa therapy. We were so exhausted by the walk in Wai-O-Tapu, that all we wanted to do was to eat and sleep.We had to take the early morning flight to Christchurch the next day. Air New Zealand's small flight was ready for us the next day to take us to the beautiful South Island of NZ.

Kids are back with Colgate “Magical Space Adventure”

When Blogadda  and Colgate India announced the #ColgateMagicalStories“Magical Space Adventure” contest, Jagadeesh and Veeresh were super excited. This time they did not even wait for my instructions. After having created ' A king's palace' in the previous Colgate magical story contest, they were extremely excited to create their space -adventure story. My courier from Blogadda was grabbed by them and the contents were spilled out for unleashing their creativity. 

These are the packs that I got

A cute personalized message card for me

They created a small plot around these characters and cut outs from the space adventure packs. They arranged a small card board box on which they wanted to create their space adventure story. Jagadeesh named this as 'The Alien Planet'. The packs had different images which these kids cut out after reading each and every description given below them. The activity was quite engaging as it also improved their knowledge about the various terminologies related to space and also gave them some new concept to learn about. 

They got involved in this project immediately and refused to budge until the story was complete. I did not disturb them until everything was complete. I told that I would like to listen to their story once they are done with this. 

The boys busy at work

Jagadeesh pondering what to do next

Veeresh is still cutting out from the  packs

The characters have started having their own space on the story board

Jagadeesh starts writing short notes about his story

Some creativity out there

They cut out all the pieces neatly and arranged them with their stand. Once all the pieces were ready they started building a concept around the story. If I were of their age probably I wouldn't have put an effort to create something on a cardboard, I would only play with them but they arranged everything like a story. Here goes the story: 

According to Jagadeesh, this was an ' Alien Planet' where the  astronaut has gone on a spaceship which flaunts our Indian flag. They are two of them, the female astronaut is also accompanying him. They both have their own space stations there. There are two space stations where the Indian astronauts are staying. They have worn their space suits and set out on a space expedition. They move around from one space station to the other in their space bus. They spend time there studying about the space and sending information to the earth. That is when they spot a UFO. At this point Veeresh tries to read and spell the word UFO and tries to understand what it could mean. According to them the aliens are always green or blue in colour. All they can remember is the character ' Jadoo' from the Hrithik Roshan movie. They have made this alien a villain in their story. They told me that it was this alien who does not want the Indian astronauts to have their space stations there. They are trying to destroy the Indian spaceship and in turn want to land on Earth, our planet. The astronauts are troubled by the aliens and are very anxious to take action against them. The astronauts have an encounter with the aliens and finally the aliens are killed. The moral of the story is that the good people win against the bad people. The space mission of the Indian astronauts is successful. Jagadeesh told me that the spaceship has been launched by ISRO. When asked, how they picked up the name' ISRO', they told me that they had picked it up from the recent news about the rockets launched ( satellites launched) by ISRO. They are just 9-10 year old but have a lot of knowledge about everything that is happening around. 

I liked the way they used a cardboard box which had been used for delivering some product from Flipkart. They managed to make best out of waste. Even the descriptions given in the toothpaste boxes were preserved for further reading. 

The UFO, Alien Planet and the boy( astronaut) shooting the alien

The space ship from India which they launched

Look at the grin on their face after completing this activity!

“I’m blogging my #ColgateMagicalstories at BlogAdda in association with Colgate.

Enjoy this video by Colgate and engage your kids in creating their own space adventure.

             

A romantic dinner date by the coastline

The view of the resort

Our  stay and visit to the Vivanta by Taj - Fort Aguada, Goa by far remains one of the most luxurious stays and dining experiences we have had in India. I had only imagined staying at a luxury resort in India and getting a chance to spend romantic moments with my husband, until the chance of staying at the Viavnta by Taj, Fort Aguada got included in the itinerary of our Goa trip. We had 5-6 days at hand when we had planned our Goa trip. We stayed at different places( mainly AirBnB's ) during out stay in Goa. When we were in North Goa and had plans to spend time at the Aguada fort and Sinquerium beach , we felt the best place to stay could be only Vivanta by Taj. It was right around the Fort Aguada which made it even more better for us to stay there. 

View of Fort Aguada from the resort

Since we had made up our mind to stay here, it took us some time to decide on what rooms we would be choosing from a whole array of wonderful luxurious options. We chose Deluxe Delight- Sea View with Sit-Out which suited exactly to our taste. You wake up in the morning to the view of the might blue Arabian Sea, what more could one ask for! The room was extremely well done when it came to the interiors. The decor, the upholsteries and the interiors were were simple yet gave a classy look to the room. The sit out was very comfortable and gave a calm appeal to the room. The staff there were very courteous and everything was taken care of by them. Our stay was well coordinated right from the time we did our booking till we checked out from the hotel. We were welcomed in our room with fresh juice, fruits and light snacks. The room was equipped with all the facilities that any 5-star hotel should have. It took us almost an hour to explore around the entire property as the setting is extremely picturesque. As soon as we enter the main gate a huge pathway welcomed us , followed by ample parking space on the right. 

There are various restaurants within the resort which cater to the needs of different travellers and are specialized in serving multi-cuisine dishes as well different types of meals. Each restaurant has its own specialty. The various options one could choose from are Feast, Latitude,Morisco, Il Camino for the meals and SFX and Martini Bar to chill out with some nice drinks. We chose to enjoy our dinner date for the evening at the Latitude restaurant. We got a place outside which was facing the sea. The evening breeze, candle light on our dinner table, good food, soulful music played by the guitarist for the evening, Goan songs, the gushing sound of the strong waves lashing against the rocks and my partner sitting with me, summed up for an even more memorable experience. The food included a variety of Indian dishes and  desserts to choose from. The seating arrangement was simple and quaint. What I loved the most was the musicians on the guitar playing songs which we wanted to hear. My husband dedicated a song for me which they played immediately. For me, it was a first time experience. 

The lighting inside the resort was also done very artistically with the walls adorned with wonderful paintings and frames. I loved the look this whole place had in the evening. The lighting was even more beautiful then. 

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and taking a post dinner stroll around the resort. The fact that this place is simple yet so majestically luxurious makes it unique. The location also matters a lot. The staff, the facilities and the various restaurants in this resort make it an experience one must try. We had a comfortable sleep and were woken up to the morning view of the sea. After making ourselves a quick cup of coffee in the room and freshening up we checked out from our room and headed to South Goa. 

The view from the restaurant in the evening

The interiors of the hotel

Our fine dining experience

Our room

Picture courtesy : Vivanta by Taj, Fort Aguada website

 

“I am blogging about my luxury stay experience for an activity at BlogAdda in association with MakeMyTrip“

Sinful Bliss

They say that the time period between engagement and marriage is one of the most exciting phases for a bride and groom to be. I wasn’t feeling any different from the day we celebrated our Platinum Day of Love. After being in a long distance relationship with Adi during our courtship period, I felt the urge to meet him and get to know him better before I could feel confident about him. Who would have imagined that a couple who got to know each other through a dating platform like, Aisle ended up getting engaged through a horoscope match also. We both had decided to bury the Aisle secret and go ahead with the regular proceedings as it pleased our parents. Once a relationship clicks, who cares if it Aisle or Bharat Matrimonial. Our relationship was chugging like a steam engine, thanks to those miles that separated us. True love doesn’t get diluted with distance but we were yet to discover it. I tried my luck at job opportunities in Bangalore where he was staying so that I could get to know him more before we were officially engaged. Adi helped me in finding a paying guest accommodation which was close to my work place. I wasn’t happy staying at a place which was far from his house; but he being the more practical one said, ‘Dia, in Bangalore, if you want mental peace, make sure you stay close to your workplace. Do not risk your precious time in these crazy vehicle clogged roads. We can meet on weekends when we can spend quality time together.’

Our story from courtship to being engaged and then getting married was a strange one because our lovable moments always had something to do with food. I used to fear at times thinking it could affect our health but we balanced it well just as we did with our relationship. The first day I set foot in this city, Adi gave me a surprise welcome with a bouquet of twelve roses.

‘These are for those months which we have known each other for,’ he said squeezing my hand. 

It was extremely chivalrous of him to receive me at the railway station at 3:00 AM on a Sunday morning when half the city was sleeping. Probably he was equally excited to meet me. I had put on my worst look that morning. Which girl would meet her date for the first time sleepy eyed and dull? He came close holding the bouquet and we embraced each other for the first time. It wasn’t an awkward feeling at all. It felt as if we had known each other for long. As we sat in the car and picked up our conversation from where we had left on the phone last night, he decided to take me to a coffee shop knowing that I like coffee. I was wondering if there would be any coffee shop open at this wee hour. We were lucky that a Café Coffee Day was open. I had never seen a CCD more beautiful as this; A small garden café. We had to wake up the poor server boy and ask him for piping hot Café Moccha which happened to be our favourite. As we sat in a cosy corner by the table in the garden sipping on our coffee, an aroma of the feeling of first love wafted into our souls.  How could I forget that morning, as we sat with our hands entwined, sipping the nerve soothening coffee at the crack of dawn looking at the crimson sky and enjoying each other’s company! It was certainly a date to remember. Freshly ground coffee beans have a magic in them. The aroma is strong enough to mask any form of fragrance that lingers around. It did wake me up my brain from its slumber only to register the precious moments of my first date with Adi. I finished my coffee quickly and looked at Adi sipping the last bit from his mug.

He caught me staring and asked, ‘Do you want some more?’ Just for the sake of having the last sip from his coffee mug I took it from him and relished it till the last drop. The after effect of it was something which I had never imagined. The next moment, warm lips, smelling of coffee had engulfed mine and before I could open my eyes and realize what had happened. Adi was standing by the car waiting for me to get in. The motto of CCD is true- ‘Anything can happen over coffee.’

I had to spend the rest of the day in tidying my room and setting up things. My first date was a very short one but the feeling that I was going to meet him again in a few days got my hopes a bit high thinking that our relationship was getting a chance to blossom.

My thoughts were all over the place the entire day. I was physically doing the work and arranging my room but my heart was with him. I could still sense his lips on mine and the smell of coffee that hit my nostrils when he came close to me. It was having an intoxicating effect on me and I did not feel normal until the next day when I had to rush for work. Our long distance relationship continued even though we were in the same city. We waited for the weekend so that we could spend more time with each other. It was exciting to plan for the weekend as soon as the week begun. Weekend outings in the city were just a pretext to meet and get to know each other better. We tried to go for movies that interested us, visited book shops where we could read or discuss about our favourite books over a cup of coffee or tea.

We were the so called foodies. That was the first among the many other common likings that we had. Although, the cuisines that either one of us liked were not completely the same but in a way we were able to discover our love through food. Initially, we spoke only about our favourite dishes, likes and dislikes but when we were together it was exciting to try out something new. It is said that food has an impact on the brain directly. The gastronomic delight one gets after having their favourite dish is equivalent to feeling loved by someone.

At times we took more time to decide as to where and what we should eat than discuss about each other. One evening he took me to an Italian restaurant that served the best vegetarian menu in Italian cuisine. Each date was memorable and had its’ own charm in our lives. Our pleasant as well as bitter-sweet memories were linked with food as it formed a vital part of our relationship.

While dining at the quaint and beautiful restaurant Adi asked, ‘Dia, do you like cooking?’

I have heard that men want to know if their would be partner knew how to cook but I had never heard such a question. It made me feel that this man had a liberal mind set. I smiled at him and instead of replying I asked him, ‘What about you?’

‘I love to eat and serve with love,’ he said with a sheepish grin.

‘Wow… I guess I have one more reason to love you. When do I get a taste of your culinary skills?’ I asked giving him a gentle nudge.

He gripped my hand and held them inside his strong, warm fist. ‘You are invited home anytime my lady.’

Our conversation about meal plans vanished into thin air when the food arrived at our table. A glass of Sangria, cheesy creamy pasta and jazz music in the background with Adi in front of me made me feel that I had conquered the world. The combination of wine and pasta was enough to sooth our palate. As I took small sips of my wine and took few spoons of the creamy pasta, I felt different. The combination of vodka, cheesy cream sauce and wine hit my palette and I felt my head was heavy. I could hear what Adi was speaking and was also replying to him but there was a sort of vaccum created because of which only his words seemed to echo in my ears. I was talking to him but not in the way my normal self would do. I think I was high on alcohol and cheese. How could one get high after having pasta and wine? Later, when I read the menu in detail I realized that this pasta sauce had generous amount of vodka and when combined with cheese and wine it makes it stronger in flavour and its action on our system also is enhanced.

 ‘I can feel my head reeling Dia,’ Adi said putting his arms around my shoulder firmly. He needed me and I needed him for support. We had to take a cab and reach home as Adi was not feeling comfortable to drive. I could only remember the pasta and the wine when I recalled about that evening. We got tipsy together for the first time. There were many such firsts in our lives. But again the same feeling of parting and waiting for another week made the experience painful. It gave us melancholy but at the same time we had a hope to meet each other the next week.

The weekend after that was New Year's Eve. Adi had invited me home to join him and his friends in the celebration. I had never attended a New Year celebration party till date. It had always been spent with friends or family either watching the New Year celebration programmes on television or cutting a New Year cake. I was a little hesitant in going to his place and being with his friends but because his friends were also bringing their respective girl friends’ along, I felt a little confident about the whole idea of a New Year’s celebration. The apartment where he was staying with his friends was a beautiful one. It was the first time I was entering a house where only men stayed and I was feeling awkward even thinking about it. As expected, the house turned out to unusually neat and tidy. It was mainly to welcome the girls I assumed. Once the other girls also started joining us I was able to be my usual self. Apart from Adi and the other friends, there was music, good food and creative homemade cocktails made by one of Adi’s friends. I spent more time in observing Adi around with friends than talking to anyone much. In fact, his friends were too excited to know about our relationship. That’s how our conversation continued. I felt a little relieved seeing that Adi was his normal self when it came to being with me and his friends. It was one of those concerns I had which had instilled some doubts in me and made me feel a little hesitant about our relationship. Not that I had an option to step back. . It was only one additional reason to feel happy about the person with whom I was slowly falling in love with.There was no dual personality that he adorned at least in front of his close ones.

We waited for the clock to strike 12 and welcomed the New Year wishing each other good luck and happiness. Adi’s friend threw a challenge at us saying that as we all start our countdown to welcome the New Year; with each count we should have one shot of Tequila. Since there were 10 seconds left, we were all forced to have 10 shots continuously. I think, that was enough for us to not be our normal self for that night. Adi still seemed a little sane but, I wasn’t. I became extremely quiet and I went with the flow not knowing how to react. I was never used to having alcohol and 10 shots were not something which my body could take. Thankfully nothing happened to my health but I swore that day that never in my life would I have so much alcohol. I have never been so quiet but it made me calm down so much that it was difficult even for Adi to accept me that way. The celebrations were almost about to end as none of us could stay awake because of the overdose of alcohol. Amidst the confused discussion that was happening whether the girls should go to another apartment and stay over for the night, Adi took his chance and stole me from the group.

The next moment I was with Adi in the terrace. The dark sky was illuminated with brilliant colours of the firecrackers. The chaos caused by the crackers was loud enough get people out of their beds and celebrate the New Year. But, for some reason I was at peace at that moment in the terrace as I stood close to Adi admiring the lit up sky. Adi pulled me close and gave me a tight hug. He cupped my chin with his hands and lifted my head up so that his lips could meet mine. Our lips smeared with salt left over after the tequila shots engulfed each others. The strong smell of alcohol and the taste of salt against our moist lips made my stomach churn with desire. That day was one of those very firsts when I saw the most romantic side of Adi. The most passionate kiss to begin with and the firecrackers in the sky made me feel like life were a fairytale.  I had to push him away just to breathe and absorb myself into that moment. We did not speak but our eyes gleamed reflecting the bright colours of the sky.

Realizing that it was quite some time that we had spent in the terrace, we both rushed downstairs just to make sure the others did not realize our absence from the scene. I had to go with the other girls to their apartment to stay over for the night. I had no heart to leave Adi and go but I had to. He had left a desire burning inside me and I needed to wait till the next day in order to extinguish the fire.

I wanted to text him and describe to him about my feelings but did not have words to do justice. My head was reeling with passion and my palate was burning because of the strong shots of Tequila. It took liters of water to flush out the intoxicating effect of the alcohol from my system. But how was I supposed to stay normal after what Adi had done to me? All I could remember about the previous night was the strong salty kiss which lingered in my senses throughout.

Every time I met him I felt a strong sense of attraction towards him. I was slowly able to gain confidence in him and felt that getting engaged to him was not a bad choice at all. The long distance courtship had taught us trust more than love. Love, was something we were discovering throughout.

The next morning I did not wake up with a headache but instead wasn’t able to talk. My throat had a severe congestion and my voice had become hoarse. I texted Adi about my condition and he reached immediately to take me to the doctor. The doctor advised me complete voice rest for three days.

‘How am I supposed to select our marriage ring this way?’ I wrote on a chit and showed it to Adi.

‘Don’t worry, I can do the talking. You write to me in a piece of paper as you did now,’ he said handing over a small note pad to me.

Immediately after consulting the doctor we went hunting for appropriate rings. Since, we were travelling together from the same destination Adi took me on his bike. It was one of my firsts again. The evening breeze was just perfect to go on a bike ride. I sat as a pillion holding him tight and all those romantic songs kept playing in my mind. I couldn’t speak, so every time he wanted to know if I was doing well he would look at the rear view mirror and ask, ‘Are you feeling alright?’

‘I would tilt my head to the side so that half of my face could be seen in the mirror and give him a smile with thumbs up.’

The weather in Bangalore was supposed to be equally unpredictable, just as the traffic on the roads. We were about to reach the jewellery shop when out of nowhere dark cloud hovered above us and the weather was indicating towards a thundershower. To make matters worse, we were stuck in a traffic jam which could easily take about twenty minutes to clear. As expected, within minutes is started drizzling and by the time we crossed the signal it was a heavy downpour. We were completely drenched. Not knowing what to do I slid even closer to Adi and held him tight. I also felt slight shivers in my body.

‘Dia I am going to park the bike here. We can wait there till it stops raining,’ Adi said pointing at a petty tea shop where there was enough space for the two of us to stand. I was in desperate need of something warm and a hot ginger tea that we had in that shop was all it took to open up my senses and give my throat some warmth and relief. The combination of heavy rain and ginger tea has always worked wondered to sooth the throat. I couldn’t talk but that day I learnt the art of communicating with Adi through my eyes. Probably he understood how much I admired him for the care and concern that he was showing for me. Ginger works perfectly in soothing a troubled throat. Despite all the throat pain and the doctor’s advice not to talk, I took the courage to whisper in Adi’s ears, ‘I love you.’  Before he could scold me for talking I sealed the irritation with a peck on his cheek.

We couldn’t get our rings that day but because we were drenched completely and I was more prone to fall sick because of the existing infection, Adi took me shopping and also promised to take me to his house in the evening. ‘I hope you are feeling better after the tea,’ he asked rubbing my forehead and caressing my wet hair. After asking me to rest for a while he vanished into the kitchen. His friends had gone out for a movie so I felt even more comfortable in lying on the sofa and slipping into a short nap. I was woken up by Adi with a bowl of Pongal and chutney.

‘You made this?’ I exclaimed in my hoarse voice forgetting that I wasn’t supposed to talk. I saw a hint of anger on his face but it faded soon seeing me happy. I was having the home made pongal after almost months and I wonder how Adi knew exactly about that. The softness of the rice and dal with a hint of pepper and a dollop of ghee on top made me feel even better. My nose was watering, my throat was burning from inside because of the ginger and pepper in it but it had served the purpose. I was slowly being relieved of my throat pain. My eyes almost welled with tears as I was finishing the pongal. I had not only found a future partner in Adi but I had also found my parents in him.

********

The trail of thoughts that were going through my mind were disturbed suddenly.  You want some more of this? Adi asked feeding me and our little one in the making a spoon of chocolate brownie with ice cream. We were at the same CCD at 1:00 AM, where we had met first. But this time we were sharing a sizzling brownie with ice cream, thanks to the midnight cravings. A spoonful of hot chocolate over soft and warm brownies with vanilla ice-cream was enough to make me fall in love with Adi all over again. 

Of Love, Luck and Lucky Ali

This is blog post, rather a letter which was left incomplete 8-9 months back. It was initiated when I was back from a Lucky Ali concert in Bangalore. The trail of thoughts started and it was in my draft ever since. I am dedicating this as a WOW prompt  under “A Story Yet Unwritten”. Thanks BlogAdda for bringing this out. 

An open letter to Lucky Ali from a devoted Lucky Ali fan's wife. 

After having attended three of your live concerts and having closely observed your devotion and love for music, I am compelled to write this to you. This can be considered as a heartfelt message. Moral of the story is that, I can't thank you enough for everything that your music and style has given me through my husband. My husband is a die hard fan of your music and he does not miss an opportunity to attend your concerts or to listen to any of your songs that are released. To an extent, his love for your songs and style makes me believe that my husband just cannot like anything artificial. Your songs have influenced his childhood and teenage and continue to do so. Your style has mesmerised him. More so, the kind of soulful music which you compose and deliver has made him extremely devoted to music. We would have seen couples during our teenage dedicate songs to each other with some of your most loved romantic numbers like - Gori teri aankhein and O Sanam....... 
I faced a similar situation in my romantic relationship with my husband too. The first Hindi song he dedicated to me was " Tu Kaun hai......" which of course I had never heard of until then. The song did not have any romantic touch to it but he still kept asking me often during the dating phase of our relationship- ' Tu kaun hai??'

Slowly, I discovered his love for music and fell in love more with his voice. Every time I spoke to him, I requested him to sing a song for me. I was happy then thinking that at least he had the thought of dedicating a song for me. He still has your music albums cassettes, CD's intact. There are days when he keeps listening to your songs throughout in a continuous loop.  He knows every song and every lyrics by heart which is extremely contrary to the fact that he doesn't remember trivial details like dates and events that happen in day to day life. This habit of listening to the same song the entire day to an extent that you wake up humming that song the next day morning, seemed strange to me initially but I have become equally crazy like him now. I like listening to those songs again and again.

My first concert date with my husband was also one of your concerts at the HRC, Bangalore. It was a beautiful and an unforgettable evening that will be etched in my memories forever. We both stood hand in hand, waving at times, singing along with you. Somehow, your songs have brought us closer at each step of our relationship. I see a child like excitement in him when he listens to any of your songs. His free spirited nature, carefree attitude towards life as he sings your songs makes me go back to the 90's. We had received the CD's of your album Xsuie and Raasta Man as a gift for attending the concert. My husband took me for 2-3 hours of long ride in the city at midnight  just to listen to these albums as the car was the only place with a CD player.

While I looked through his old teenage photos I could understand that his dressing style also resembled a couple of yours as it appeared in the album's song videos. Probably, I discovered him better when I looked at all the video songs. I hadn't watched many of them until he told me about them.

It was one night before Valentine's Day, when he was attending your concert. I was not in the city that time. Since it was our first Valentines Day celebration, he wanted to surprise me at midnight with a special message. He attended your concert, kind of left early from there towards the fag end and surprised me by writing a 10 page love letter. Again, it was one of his firsts and mine too. The happiness in his soul was evident as he wrote about the concert and later described about his feelings for me. I still treasure that love letter which brought us few steps closer to each other. The happy and energetic vibe was evident. Thanks to your wonderful songs and of course the concert.

His adventurous thoughts, the satisfaction he has gained by riding an Enfield, his description about travelling solo to random destinations in Ladakh, happily humming your song has made me visualize the ' Kitni Haseen Zindagi.......' song often. Whenever we go on long drives, either on a bike or a car we make it a point to sing this song or ' Hairat hai.... Hairat hai......' and our journey gets even better.

A recent incident which makes me laugh even as a I type this out. We had been to the theater to watch the movie 'Tamasha' because I insisted that we should watch it. My husband did not like the movie and was ready to leave the theater even before the movie was about to end. The only reason that held him back till the fag end was to visualize and listen to the song ' Safarnama...'. 

Such funny instances keep happening and I believe that the influence your songs have on him are unique. The interesting fact is that they have given an extra dimension to our relationship.

Signing off....

Picture Courtesy : Clicked by my dear hubby @Ydntnphotography.


‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’