A two-week road trip above 15000 ft (Delhi to Lahaul - Himachal Leh Border): July 2025. Part 1- Emboldened by her successful drive to Binsar last year, Shweta drove us to Lahaul this time. We crossed the border of Himachal Pradesh to enter Leh and came back. Most of the time we were above 10000 ft with a substantial time above 15000 ft. While challenging, the drive was fabulous, the sceneries beyond imagination and chance encounters with local wildlife. This was our first drive to the mountains after Sid having obtained his driving license. So Shweta also took on the responsibility of teaching him how to drive in challenging terrains in small installments. Our first stop was the Roots Cafe, Bandrol (just after crossing Kullu). Excellent hospitality and food, beautiful location, very professional and friendly staff led by the property manager Rajiv Ji. We stayed for a couple of nights taking full advantage of the guidance from Rajiv Ji. The property itself is quite unique in location and set-up with wonderful views of the Beas. Visits to the Vaishno Devi Temple in Bandrol (Mata Vaishno Maha Devi Tirth Temple) and Bijli Mahadev (a 3-5 Km hike through forests and meadows) were truly rewarding. Special thanks to Srini (Banjara Camps) for organizing this wonderful stay. After staying here, we drove via the Khardung La pass (appx. 18000 ft) and stopped for the customary Maggi!

A two-week road trip above 15000 ft (Delhi to Lahaul - Himachal Leh Border): July 2025. Part 2- Our next stop was Gemoor Khar Banjara, the manor house of the erstwhile Wazirs (now the Thakurs) of Lahaul. Once again, excellent hospitality, beautiful location, very professional and friendly staff led by the property manager Mr. Mohan. Shweta drove to the place via Rohtang pass and we stayed for almost a week taking full advantage of the guidance from our hosts. The property itself is quite unique in location and set-up. Visits to Gonbo Rangjon, Deepak Lake, Shinku La, Baralacha La were mesmerizing along with a very peaceful visit to Shashur Gompa. Mohan ji provided the final icing on the cake by taking us to the banks of river Bhaga for a whole evening.

A two-week road trip above 15000 ft (Delhi to Lahaul - Himachal Leh Border): July 2025. Part 3- Our final stop was the Sonaugi Homestead. "Whimsical" and "Enchanting" are two words that came to mind for every moment we spent in this place during our almost-a-week stay. The place is right out of stories of Panchatantra and reminds of the visuals attributed to western stories such as Alice in Wonderland, Snow White etc. All kinds of (little) birds having different colors and sounds in their natural majesty, plenty of fruits on trees/vines (apples, plums, apricots, berries etc.) that one can simply pluck and eat, zillion number and variety of flowers, butterflies..... It is difficult to get back into the real world after experiencing this bliss. Top it up with ultra-professional care taken by Mr. Naresh (the property manager) and his team (including three super-friendly canines!) - our stay was very comfortable and relaxing, especially with several walks in the woods. A fortunate coincidence for us was the lovely presence of the 88-year-old Retd. Capt. KD Sharma (KD Sir/Uncle), father of one of the co-owners, at the premises. His stories, experiences etc. were only exceeded by his unmatched energy. Our return back to Delhi was also fun, with a brief stop at Manali. Shweta handed over driving duties to Sid after reaching the plains. Needless to say, the whole trip (Parts 1-3 above) was fabulous and adventurous.

Luxury staycation in Coorg (Madikeri, Karnataka): June 2024. After another travel hiatus of a couple of years due to (a) my 24x7 responsibilities as Dean Student Affairs, and (b) Sid's high school calendar (classes XI and XII), we decided to spoil ourselves with an ultra-luxurious staycation at the Coorg Marriott Resort & Spa. While Coorg (a hill station in Karnataka) itself is a beautiful place, the resort was extraordinary. Nestled inside forests, and surrounded by coffee plantations, we really spoiled ourselves vacationing in a fantastic suite. We had our first collective spa experience with "Swedish" massages. Whether it was the swimming pool, or playing pool in their well-maintained indoor sports facilities, or simply walking through extremely well-manicured surroundings, the whole stay was a memorable one. Our longer-than-average week-long stay also allowed us to enjoy extra-hospitality of the staff - as an example, we were served customized mocktails during our dinners in special animal-shaped glasses. I was also able to revive and share my table tennis playing skills with Sid - he needs to improve to catch up with his old man!   

Road trip to Binsar (~8000 feet, Uttarakhand): June 2022 - Binsar Forest Retreat. From Tanhau, Shweta drove us to Binsar for a lovely luxurious stay in the lap of nature. Maintained by Preetam and Pallavi, a lovely couple, the Binsar Forest Retreat is almost an off-the-grid property. The three of us were fondly referred to as "the family" by staff since we stayed for eight days (instead of the 'normal' 2-4 days). Sid had a great time with P-P's daughter Aahna and her cousin - they formed quite a gang. Waking up in a cottage on the edge of a forest valley facing the Himalayan peaks everyday was blissful. The days were spent hiking/walking in forests discovering the flora and fauna. The evenings were spent with indoor games + conversations with Preetam and Pallavi. It was fun to realize that both Preetam and me were contemporaries in our educational journeys (he graduated from IIT Madras in 1996; I graduated from HBTI Kanpur in the same year). While the hosts are cordial with all their guests, the instant bonds developed between us will ensure that we can pick-up from exactly where we left-off anytime we meet in future. Our two+ week road trip was a great success, especially as Shweta's first long drive in mountainous terrain.

Road trip to Tanhau (Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand): June 2022. For our first outing after a couple of years spent indoors due to the pandemic, Shweta drove us to Tanhau for a few days stay in a hunting lodge. Walks in the pristine jungles, discovering the relics of the Jim Corbett era (including his "machaan"), watching a majestic leopard walk in the wilderness from a distance (unfortunately didn't get time to capture in camera), staying cut-off from the noise of civilization in well maintained premises that were surrounded by pitch-black at night and only the sounds of nature was captivating! The all grown-up Sid (he turned sweet-16 a couple of months later) had a good time specially after successfully clearing his Class X board examinations.

The Calanques of Marseille (France): September 2019. Visiting Marseille for the 23rd Evolutionary Biology Meeting (EBM) organized by Pierre Pontarotti was an absolute joy w.r.t. the science discussed during the gathering. One of the highlights of the meeting was informal discussions, beyond the conference venue, while hiking in the Calanques of Marseille and walking around the historical city of Marseille. A few additional personal perks for me were (a) a few hours halt at Paris to meet up with my friend Laurent Coque, after ~20 years, and walk the streets of Paris with him, and (b) sharing wonderful time with my friend Helene Delanoe-Ayari (also after ~20 years) along with her family (husband Anthony and their three kids) who came over to Marseille in order to meet up with me. Truly "The Golden Rendezvous'" (with due credit to Alistair MacLean).  

Kashmir (Ladakh - India, Indo-Pakistan border to Indo-China border): June 2016 - Second time above 15000 ft. for us and 9.7 years old Sid by terrestrial route. An out-of-the-world experience for us. From violent Himalayan waters, to melting glaciers, to extra-terrestrial appearing landscapes, this was a journey that will haunt us (in a good way) for our lifetime. We were above 12000 ft. most of the time. The air was dry, the land was arid and colors of rocks forming mesmerizing + awe-inspiring mountains were simply indescribable. It was difficult to capture the experiences in camera - our own eyes were continuously amazed by the wonders of nature. Below are some pictures of Uleytokpo on the banks of the mighty Indus. From here, we hiked 15 km (return) to Rizong monastery, accompanied by Chandra Prakash (fondly called CP) who forged a nice bond with us, especially Sid. Complete silence and a few monks, surrounded by the vastness of nature - this is not a place frequented by visitors. In complete silence was the love from monks who opened the doors of every corner of the monastery for us to just marvel at the temples of faith and human endurance in such environs.

Kashmir (Ladakh - India, Indo-Pakistan border): June 2016 - Turtuk. We stayed in the last village, called Turtuk, on the Indo-Pakistan border that was acquired by India in the 1971 war. The region is called Baltistan. Here we enjoyed our toughest hike so far. In spite of the warnings of the locals who were convinced that we would not be able to complete the hike, the three of us (with the help of Rigzin and Rahmatullah) managed to reach a waterfall nestled in the middle of mountains with not a single soul in sight. While the distance was only ~6 km, the challenges faced were remarkable. There were no hiking trails and the landscape was such that even one small slip would result in eternal discarding of the physiological form. The adrenaline rush from the hike was unparalleled and sitting at the bottom of this waterfall was an out-of-body experience. We also managed to see K2, also called Mt. Godwin-Austen and Chhogori, the second highest peak in the world (after Mt. Everest).  

Kashmir (Ladakh - India, Indo-China border): June 2016 - Pangong lake. From the Indo-Pakistan border, we traveled to the Indo-China border for another out-of-body experience. Staying on the shores of the Pangong lake was an ethereal experience. Changing colors of the sky, water and mountains were a feast for the senses.  

Kashmir (Ladakh - India, Indo-Pakistan border to Indo-China border): June 2016 - The journeys we took during this trip showed some amazing marvels of nature to us. In the same day, at one point we were playing with big icicles made from melting glaciers and at another point we were on sand dunes surrounded by mountains.

Kashmir (Srinagar, Gulmarg - India): June 2016 - We also enjoyed staying in the inhabited parts of Kashmir during the trip. Our super-luxurious stay, including several hours spent in star-gazing and enjoying in our Jacuzzi, in a very beautiful houseboat on the Nigeen lake in Srinagar was matched by the unparalleled beauty of the meadows of Sonamarg. Sid also enjoyed Asia's highest (and longest) gondola ride in Gulmarg. 

Kashmir (Sringar, Gulmarg, Ladakh - India, Indo-Pakistan border to Indo-China border): June 2016 - Over two weeks of indulgence in sensory luxuries was also accompanied by sightings of (sometimes very rare) wildlife. As remarkable as the landscapes around us, we saw life being more beautiful and resilient in the most challenging conditions - of course, the lack of human interference allowed the living systems (including us) to just "be" in their full glory.

Bumla Pass (Arunachal Pradesh, India, Indo-China border): May 2014 - First time above 15000 ft. for us and 7.7 years old Sid by terrestrial route. The most challenging journey undertaken by Sid and us so far. After obtaining special permits from the Indian army, we had an extremely adventurous journey (combination of very tough driving and tougher hiking) to Bumla Pass (Indo-China border) at an altitude of ~ 16500 ft. Picture in the center (below) is ~100 feet beyond the Indian border (courtesy Indian Army - Jai Hind!). Might of the Himalayas with melting snow in the peak summer resulting in very fast flowing rapids everywhere, including our hiking paths, was awe-inspiring. Sid suffered from some altitude sickness, but after some rest, was up and excited to play with icy-snow for the first time. He kept a daily account of his trip too!

Tawang, Dirang, Bomdila (Arunachal Pradesh, India): May/June 2014 - Sid explored the pristine beauty of the Himalayas in full glory. From exploring natural lakes above 10000 ft. with amazing views and even more amazing flora, to staying in wooden cabins, Sid and us had almost fantasy like experiences. Feeling the Bernoulli's effects of standing close to violently magnificent waterfalls, standing close to rivers flowing with dizzying super-fast white waters, Sid enjoyed skipping stones in numerous natural water bodies. Coupled with this natural exploration were a few emotional visits to war memorials with preserved bunkers from the 1962 Indo-China war. Visits to Buddhist monasteries had a very calming effect (we stayed in a monastery guest house for a couple of days). 

Shillong, Cherrapunjee (Meghalaya, India): May 2014 - Sid's first stay in an "off-the-grid" farm. Meghalaya is almost a whimsical fantasy land. Brooks, streams, monoliths, dense forests, living root bridges, green valleys, challenging dark caves, huge (almost scary) canyons, waterfalls - Meghalaya's beauty was unparalleled.

Darjeeling (West Bengal, North-east India, Nepal border): May/June 2012 - 5.7 years old Sid's first 24 hr train journey. Sid hiked 8-12 Km nearly every day for 10 days and also had a very adventurous trip (including short treks) to Sandakphu at an altitude of ~12000 ft. He kept a daily account of his trip too!

May/June 2012 - My favorite part of the trip to Darjeeling was the combination of hiking and trekking to Sandakphu through the Singalila National Park on the West Bengal-Sikkim border, while going in-and-out of Nepal. The surroundings reminded me of the forests of Fangorn (Lord of the Rings). Eventually reaching the top was simply amazing! It was very misty/cloudy and with sounds of only wind and birds around us, the experience as magical.

May/June 2012 - Sid learnt quite a bit about the vegetation. He now knows which wild berries are safe to eat, how to pick them carefully, and, which plants to avoid (he is an expert in identifying poison ivy).

Naukuchiatal, Mukteshwar (Uttarakhand, North India): June 2011 - 4.8 years old Sid's second hike on his own ~ 11 Km (6.875 miles). He also caught a fish on his first attempt at fishing (it was the first attempt for all of us!!)

Dalhousie (Himachal Pradesh, North India): June 2007 - 10 month old Sid's first hike of ~15 Kms (9.375 miles) as my back-pack