A lonely beach in Phuket

 

This is Freedom Beach in Phuket, Thailand. It is just south of Patong Beach and can be reached by boat or walking. It is absolutely lovely and was completely deserted on the day I visited, except for two lone fishermen on the rocks at the end of the beach.

It was Songkran, the Thai new year and everyone (tourists and locals alike, but mostly tourists), was busy dousing people on the streets with water guns. It was impossible to walk  a few metres without getting sprayed! Mostly to escape an oncoming horde, I went to Patong Beach and hired a long tail boat to take me here. There were 6-7 people, but they left after a while and I had the whole beach to myself.

White sands, green waters and fierce waves of Freedom Beach!

Inset within a bay and surrounded by rocks and trees on three sides

It is a wonderful feeling to be alone on a secluded and deserted beach! You can do whatever you want; walk in the water, sit and take in the serenity and beauty of the place, lie down in the sand, paint mermaids. The sands and the water looked so pure and untouched. The sounds of the forest were behind and the waves crashing down in front. There was a touch of peace, warmth, beauty and stillness, like a world away from this one. And it felt just like paradise.

Pristine white sands and a small shack further in (closed because of Songkran)

Lots of empty deck chairs for the taking!

Pampering myself at Hua Hin

I just spent a weekend pampering myself at Hua Hin beach, a 3 hour drive from Bangkok. It's a chilled out, cosy little town, with a nice beach, warm drowsy weather and lots of good seafood. I stayed at Karoon Guesthouse, a place with an awesome, not too crowded restaurant and built on stilts in the sand. During low tide, there is a beautiful view of the white sand beach and the calm blue waters. During high tide, the water comes right below the structure, giving you the feeling that the restaurant is situated in the middle of the sea!

The restaurant at Karoon Guesthouse

The place seemed a favourite getaway for older Western couples and tourists. The locals are friendly and true to Thai hospitality, full of smiles! The town has such a relaxed, lazy feel to it! Reminds me of a story someone told me about Greek people - they are so relaxed that once they sit down, they can sit for hours, and would not move at all. Wow! That sounds like the perfect place to live in!

The main beach

Restaurants on stilts are quite common!

Hua Hin has the best massage parlours I have come across so far in Thailand. I had such a wonderful time on my first day that I changed my plan to go to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park the next day and stayed back in Hua Hin just to laze on the beach and get more massages done. The hot stone and body massages were absolutely fantastic!

Thai style!

The best afternoons in Singapore

Singapore is mostly a futuristic city, with lots of skyscrapers, beautiful roads and people ignoring everyone and going about their own business. At times, the lack of emotion and detachment you face from the locals can scare you! Especially after seeing smiling faces all over the rest of Asia!

Helix Bridge

View from Marina Bay

Marina Skypark

Nevertheless, two wonderful afternoons will always stay in my memory!

Arab Street

What a beautiful place! The palm trees, cafe-lined streets and shops selling rugs, jewelry, hookah, skirts, scarves, and what not. I had some great-tasting Turkish coffee at a cafe - the different varieties of Muslim cuisines were just mouth-watering! There were shops selling Arabic perfumes (of the strong varieties), Egyptian perfume glass bottles and belly dance scarves. Behind Arab Street were Muscat Street and Bushrah Street, just as pleasant and relaxing. It was a stark contrast to the rest of the city. The place gave off an aura of culture, colour and flirtatious friendliness!

The start of Arab Street

Muscat Street

Bushrah Street

Cafes in the inner lanes

Cafes and shops on Arab Street

Arab Street

Botanic Gardens

You can spend an entire day, walking or relaxing in the quiet parts of the gardens. It is definitely not among the top attractions, but a good place to go to if you have a week or more in Singapore. I visited them on a hot, sunny day and after a few hours of walking and lunch at 'Casa Verde', I was dead tired. So I lay down in the first place I saw (I think it was called Upper Palm Valley). The heat was making me drowsy. Closeby, two musicians were playing Spanish songs on their guitars, I recognised Bamboleo. When I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine that i was in Spain! It was one of the most relaxing siestas I have ever taken!

Lower Palm Road

Palm Valley

Ginger Garden

Swan Lake

Going solo

Kanchanaburi is about 2-3 hours away from Bangkok. It's a nice place, with the famous bridge over the River Kwai, Death railway and the very-tropical, very-magical Erawan waterfalls. Levels 5, 6 and 7 do not have many tourists and are the best place to sit and relax, and perhaps get a free fish spa!

I booked a room at Sam's River Raft House, which has basic floating rooms available at cheap rates. The nightlife is good and seems lively, with a lot of pubs and  bars. Being in Thailand, the entire 2-day trip cost me about 50$.

View from the bridge over the River Kwai

Vampoo Viaduct

War Cemetery

The people in Kanchanaburi are friendly and helpful beyond imagination. I was doing the trip cheap and tried to take trains and buses all the time. At one point, I could not locate the bus stop to go to Erawan Waterfalls, so I approached the 7/11 behind and asked the girls at the counter where the bus stop was. They told me there was no stop there. At this point,one of the girls left her counter, walked to her scooter, motioned to me to sit behind her and then drove me all the way to the bus terminus. She dropped me near a bus, repeating "Erawan" a few times and with many smiles.

Erawan Waterfalls

The way back from Erawan was half an adventure. The public bus was filled with tourists and the only free space I could find was the stairs near the back door. So I took it. All throughout the journey, I had to hold on to the door and stop myself from falling asleep to avoid falling out of the bus.

Travelling solo, I had complete freedom to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted! There is so much time to observe and take in your surroundings, and think about the experience! I met other tourists (a Russian, a Japanese) and locals (3 Thai kids who guided me to the railway station because they thought I was lost, smiling shyly all the way). I found out that people are more likely to approach you when you are alone, than when you are in a group.

Almost heaven! Ladakh

They say there is a place in this world where everyone finds a heaven. For me, that was Ladakh. Its desolate beauty mesmerizes me, made as if by God's own hands, and leaves me with a strange longing . The pilot was flying low, to give us our first glimpse of the snow and the mountains. I was left breathless, and even that would be a mild way to put it. For in my wildest dreams I could not have conjured up such an unusual sight. I saw the mountains, laid out before us like dunes of ice in a sandless desert.

The air feels cool and strange like being in an other world, a fairy world, vast and delicate. I walked into it and came upon a stunning landscape, like a painting, with tall pines, barren lands, cosy houses, streams, and mountains far off.

And I drive along quiet roads alongside mountain ponies. The River Indus flows past, still sedate, not yet the raging force of the monsoons. The waters captivate me, their sapphire, indigo and violet. Stones strewn along the riverbanks and mountainsides have never known so many colors. It looks like the perfect place to be in.

The streets are empty, the tourist season has not begun. The snows are beginning to melt and the air is thin, making visibility much easier. Everywhere I go, I see simple houses and simple lives, a harsh weather and an infertile land borne with endearing smiles.

The clouds are so close to me, I feel like I could touch them with my fingers. They throw their shadows on the hills, like shapeshifters come to life. It is cold, the wind feels chilled, the trees wave their arms in the breeze as I watch the farmers work with a bullock plough.

It is said that the Buddhists built their monasteries in isolation from the centre of life, to stay safe from warring invaders and to help them in meditation. The way up to Thiksay Monastery is an arduous climb, and I think of how tough every part of life is in that stark land. Like the place will have its dues from you for all the beauty it offers in return. The monastery is beautifully decorated, a place to pray and to live in, a place to spend hours in peace and reflection. The monks, like the people, welcome you with a bow and a blessing.

The mountains such as stand sentinel. The stones and snow jealously guard that beauty, pristine and preserved. They strike at me with fear and inspiration. And I know that we cannot be allowed to live amongst them.

We drove to Chang La Pass, where there is an army outpost. I wonder how they manage to live in the harsh cold, but then I wonder if they are among the chosen fortunate. We were greeted by hot tea and a chance at having a snow fight.

If there could be a time when your heart fails to beat, then this is it. This is just it. The sky was a midnight blue, a roof of the world not so far from reach. The folds of the mountains were majestic and powerful, nestling rocks and brided by snow. If there were a moment you felt you never before knew beauty, then this was it.

What colour could you ever make, when nature has everything in her. A river dried by months of winter and waiting for the first drops of rainfall. Stones and ground lie exposed on her bed. The first grass of the warmer months spring up and a herd of pashmina goats come to eat. The shepherd sits dreaming, alone on the mountainside. And how I envy him.

The famous lake. So pristine, clear and calm; its surface like glass, the birds flying over it unruffled and unconcerned. A place for contemplation or just sitting and doing nothing at all. (despite the indisciplined hordes wanting to take "romantic photographs" of Titanic poses, well it was kind of amusing)

The place you dreamed of being in, while watching Lord of the Rings

Snow fall. And escaping from a terrible mountain storm.

Coming down to Leh city and her monasteries

A place so quiet, you could experience what the sound of silence is like.. Leh Shanti Stupa

The confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers lies not far from Leh. In May, the snows that feed the Indus have not melted yet, while Zanskar is a raging force of water. The calm blue river meets the ferocious grey one, its territory is encroached upon. The swirling foam at their confluence is a thrill to look upon. The wind is fierce here, almost pushing you off the ground. The cold numbs you. Another place you feel helpless and awestruck by nature, like if she decided to take you with her, you would have no defense at all.