Reason to Smile :)

Reason to Smile: Navratri is a festival full of colours and dance. Specifically known for Gujaratis to cherish this season, these 9 days are their religion to enjoy every evening dancing their feet out ! ;) Decked up in the colours that several websites deliver for each day, we Gujjus cannot forget to hog on to special delicacies prepared for Navratris. Not to forget, there are people who fast, some who remain barefoot for all 9 days, some who survive only on fruits or milk and then there are some who eat their guts out too !! :D Every night the colours each fabric glamours and the energy each person shows under their skin is a treat to watch especially at Gujarat and Maharastra. I have not been an exception to the dance part of it :P My all time true friends - Niraj and Snehal never forget to remind me - this is 'my time' for them to enjoy with me :P Needless to mention, they are very good dancers too ;) I have not been able to yet reach a stage where I haven't enjo...

Reason to Smile: Life isn't meant to be thought of. Its meant to be lived :) One more fun filled weekend at my favorite destination gets planned and I have packed my bags to grab it. This year its the second time I got a chance to visit the most scenic place in Maharashtra. Konkan it is again ! :) Saturday morning - a generally lazy day becomes up and running to hit the highways towards Konkan. We decide to cover Dapoli. That is - Suvarnadurg, Kanakdurg, Goa Fort, Fattegad and probably some hot water springs and caves nearby. So with this plan on the mind, the wheels hit the roads early morning and start towards NH 17. Looks like a 4 to 5 hrs drive. On the curves and the bends of the roads post crossing the highways, inside the villages are boards that guide us on the directions to reach the final destination - Harne Beach, Ratnagiri. So all the way through driving, we reach a Tri-juncture where the board reads - Harne left; Mandangad straight and Shriwardhan right. The car ...

Reason to Smile: Life is all about journeys from the time I realized that I don't want people to control my life. I took one step and decided that I shall stop giving people the power to control my life. This was a couple of years back. Now, things have only become better and wiser. I have only grown and grown for good - more so personally. They say that some unfortunate incidents in your life ideally should only make you better not bitter. I surely saw this and felt this deep down within me when I was informed that my friends 'all' have backed out on the plan (that we long decided) to go to Ladakh ! Nothing moved me. Even when this news broke at the nth hour of my journey to begin. My beginnings dint change. Whether 8 feet or two, I was very adamant or rather determined to attend to my calling - my super favorite destination - Ladakh !:) This was my second visit but my first ever solo trip to Ladakh ! An exotic location that it is Ladakh will never stop to amaze peop...

Reason to Smile: From Karjat to Khopoli, the entire Sahyadris is booming with lush green scenic beauty and not to forget the infamous waterfalls everywhere ! The monsoons have arrived when you actually visit these places. I wanted to enjoy the waterfalls on one such weekend. And what better day than the one that celebrates Friendship Day ! So, Merwyn, Urvashi and Manohar just hopped into a car, picked  me up from my place and we decided to drive down to the best possible waterfalls around - Vangani, Bhivpuri, Palasdari, Kalote and Zenith Waterfalls. Vangani, Bhivpuri, Kalote are the ones very close to Karjat; Palasdari is just after that and Zenith is at Khopoli. As usual they say when the virtual world or the so called technology doesn't help we finally take help of the localites to find the way out. Gone are those days when it used to be the other way round :P Yes, we kept circling around the Kalyan toll naka towards Kasara, obviously the wron...

Reason to Smile: They say whatever happens, happens for the best :) After a grand birthday celebration for my mother, it was time I thought I should move out for the rest of the weekend :P My mother ofcourse did not mind as long as we gave her as much attention as she needed for her birthday :P  So we celebrated with her favourite Chinese meal at Trident, Bandra. Luckily, the hotel's coffee shop had a chinese festival theme going on. So indeed the celebrations had an icing on the cake for her. She enjoyed to the fullest. She was no looking no less than a princess too :P Nevertheless, End moment plans either cancel or make it the best. In my case it was both :P I was about to join some friends to cover some waterfalls in the Karjat region. Somehow that got cancelled and joined Ankita and group for a new trek. Ganpati Gadad. We all reached Kalyan on time and began the wait for the lead who was to take us there. So, we kept waiting, we waited a little more. And after the long wa...

Reason to Smile: They say that our 'firsts' in life are always very special. Just as our first day at school / college, our first pay check, our first crush, first love, first kiss, etc. This weekend was a celebration of one such idea. An idea, two enthusiasts (Jaal and Sai) had thought of, a year back. They started Tattva Adventures - an idea that can bring and spread smiles :) A group that focuses on fun, knowledge, encourages talent, more than willing to accept suggestions and welcomes them with open arms. Happy Birthday Tattva Adventures ! :) An overnight bus ride to Samrad village with unlimited games like Dumsherads, Antakshari, Mash-up, Wishes, got us so charged up that today I have literally lost my voice ;) :P Towards the morning we lost one route towards the base village (due to immense fog) and had to take a halt. One step outside, and it is so chilling that you cant do without our windcheaters :P And to top it all, we are in for a surprise with a huge speake...

Reason to Smile: A totally unplanned trek that not only rejuvenates your body but your soul too :) I came to know some of my friends were going to One Tree Hill Trek at Matheran. As usual, with the totally unfit physical condition I am in right now, I was completely unsure.. Till Mahen bhai gave me that spirit of joining and that it wont be difficult at all; the trek is pretty easy; it isn't long n all that stuff. I was skeptical, he made me sure. And guess what ! He didn't turn up for the trek ! He motivates me and he is invisible ! LOL :D Nevertheless with all the open skepticism I join the trek. Some hike up and I am too tired to even feel energetic enough to a further climb. I realized I have become very unfit. Needless to mention, I was the last one behind in the chain so much so that even the back lead was half a km ahead of me :P It was only when I started feeling guilty that the others would get late because of me, that Thomas, Mahendra and Raj continuously encoura...