My Most Favourite Traveling Memories
Traveling is a very refreshing hobby to have. We can have some great habits like journaling, reading books, punctuality, etc. But, traveling is a hobby which gives us fresh perceptive by introducing us to new people and new cultures. Only traveling can provide us the first-hand experience. I like to travel, especially with my parents, and it just brings back a nostalgic feeling and revives all my memories of childhood trips. In this blog, I'll share my most favorite traveling memories.
1. Srinagar Trip:- Srinagar is a place full of beautiful landscapes and incredibly welcoming people. Contrary to what we hear in the media, Kashmir is one of the best places to visit. The Kashmiri people are very hospitable and welcoming. Delhi to Srinagar fight was the first flight I ever boarded. That itself made the experience wonderful. Gazing at the sky all the time from the window, I kept my mouth open in awe, looking at clouds so closely. When the flight landed in Srinagar, we had our lunch after finishing all the formalities and checking into the room, In a vegetarian restaurant which has been our go-to restaurant for the next five days of our stay. There are many places which we covered in Kashmir, but the most memorable among those are
• Boat ride in Dal Lake:- A small bot ride in Dal lake was such a memorable experience that I would fail to describe it precisely in words. The ride shows us the city's beauties, and the ride on the water with our loved ones feels surreal and incredibly peaceful.
• Mughal Garden:- Again, Mughal garden is one among many gardens in Srinagar, but the Mughal garden is the most memorable one for me, which has some beautiful flowers and aesthetically placed waterfalls. The water in the garden is sweet and tastes good; people say that this water was supplied as drinking water to the late Mughal Rulers of India.
• Pahalgam:- Another memorable experience, Pahalgam, also called mini Switzerland locally, here we have to get on a horse to reach the top of the mountain. The area has not become memorable because of the place's scenic beauty, which is a feast for our eyes anyways. It is a special place because of my horse. The horse I got to board is the star of the show. I will never forget that cutie. He was a wild horse and a very young one, but still, he was so precise with the route that he took me to the top by taking different shortcuts and taking me away from the crowd sometimes. Throughout the journey, he was in the lead and utterly independent no one to watch out for and give any directions. That probably was the best horse ride in my life till now.
2. Rohtang Pass(Manali):- I have always been fascinated with the idea of snow and going to snow mountains is something I was excited about. Rohtang pass was the first snow mountain I ever visited, and the excitement was at another level. I was probably around ten at that time and was so excited to get into snow finally. I was making snowballs and throwing them on my mom and dad, clicking photographs of the snow hills, and trying to capture the beauty of the place. Constant efforts to build something from the snow and requesting my father if we could stay in that place for more time has been my routine for the brief period we have been there.
3. Tirupathi to Tirumala (45mins drive):- Tirumala abode to the wealthiest god on the planet. Coming from a traditional South Indian family. Tirumala holds extraordinary importance in our household. Tirumala is one of the temples we try to go to whenever any special event happens, such as clearing the exam, my father getting a promotion or a salary hike, etc. Likewise, we started to Tirupathi from Hyderabad via train. Finally, when we reached Tirupathi, we had to book a taxi to take us to the Hill(Tirumala), where the lord stays. I have never realized until that day that drive to Tirumala is one the best we can have. Elegant Road led us to the top, cutting through a dense forest on both sides. The whole place is spiritually enriched by the presence of the lord and devotees. There will also be a stop where you could feed deers of the forest, which are being protected by the temple authorities.
By D.S.S.R.Anirudh
(Do check out my Podcast episode on traveling, where I spoke about my favourite tourist places at length.)