I confess, its embarrassing to rant about a vacation I took 2.5 yrs back ! Ok, the experiences were enough to last me a lifetime.. but, c'mon its good to add to experiences, not be stuck with it.
So, I started my quest to travel again.. now plain traveling truly sucks. So, I started last year planning for..err.. simbly Goa, aborted for reasons known to most common man! Quest turned North East of India - to Nagaland, wanted to do home stays there, get a taste of local culture & food.. alas! I figured I need a pass 2 travel from the army & a localite advised that I better not be seen with the army( I was planning to tap a contact there).. and so, I saved my life by deciding against it.
Next city on agenda was MP(actually this has been one since last 18 odd years), save some official tours, I haven't done the jabalpur marble rocks, kanhas or of the khajuraos of world, no matter the degree of my lust for the place, I was almost adamant about having a romantic getaway here.. well, romance has eluded me so far.. but hope still soars high, hence, ahem.. I will one day make it for sure!!
I turned my attention to a lazy week in Paris, mostly out of convenience since I've a close pal staying there who has knowingly agreed to invite trouble.. and thats when I realized my passport has expired (another post will follow on the tyranny involved!)..
In the same breath, I did think about Morocco - well I want to go there to sample food & buy some cooking utensils - Okay, that seriously doesn't warrant a loud thump like that.. people want to buy utensils - I wanna buy authentic ones!.. this time, not just an expired passport, but an expired romantic life proved to be detrimental. I need a man to travel with me to Morocco. Reasons known to all.
I didn't give up, I turned my attention to Malaysia (for the reefs), got reminded of my passport & depleting bank balance & quickly thought of getting similar experience from India's southern most island: the Andamans - and then I heard of a possible tsunami warning at Chennai & saved my life again.
Meanwhile, I did a day's trip to kolkata, had awesome phuchka, ugly chinese & slurrpy delicious conti food at Bengal club... Can't call this vacation you know!!
Am still contemplating.. have identified 2 spots, with or without romance, without passport but definitely.. local food, culture & home stay is on my agenda!!
