Happy New Year 2006!

Didn't we say the travels were only on a pause! Can you ever tie the gypsies down? Apsara, Jay, Nagesh, and I took a road trip to Los Angeles over a mega rainy New Year's weekend. You'll be proud to know that we didn't waste a single moment on the last day of the year. At 6am prompt we were outside the Disneyland gates right amidst the milling crowds waiting to gain entry into the happiest place on earth. (That was after Jay's family from Australia woke us all up at 4am or something like that... because 2006 had arrived down under).

Our ride-o-mania morning took us buzzing around the mad tea cup party, it's a small world, and our favorite Indiana Jones. That's all before the skies opened up to shower us with torrents of rain. But determined as we were to stay planted in the magic kingdom, not even the endless lines for umbrellas and ponchos could deter us. More than a half hour later, drenched to the bones, we made our way into toon town with bright blue mickey umbrellas. It was only when we overheard one of the staff members pronounce it highly unlikely that the either the parades or fireworks could occur in this weather, that our enthusiasm started to flag.


At the civic center we complained against the skies, got a fresh set of tickets to return to Disneyland at a later time, and set off for the hotel. Because it was time to party! Dressed to the nines we found a party hotspot at Newport Beach, drank, made merry, danced, and rang in the New Year.

New Year's day. We were very focused on lunch. We were very focused on dosas for lunch. Who would be open today? You'll be surprised. We picked from a choice of restaurants in Artesia and treated ourselves to a delicious south Indian spread. Mmm!!! We hope the good food karma carries forward through this year.

The highlight of our drive back home in the storm was the personality analysis. And of course the games and gossip that followed. We love the girls and enjoyed this trip so much more thanks to their antics.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!

And then came the pause...

"How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?"

Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel

Milford Sound, Fiordland, South Island

Ice Ice Baby! Minus 5 Bar, Queenstown

There is good reason why this bar is called "Minus 5". You get your drinks in an ice glass. The furniture, walls, you name it, everything is sculpted out of ice. Thirty minutes in here and you're ready to call it a night.

Queenstown, New Zealand

Birth place of the Bungy, the kawarau Bridge. Dived into the freezing water from over 42 M. Never attempted anything close to this before and loved it. Queenstown is the capital of adventure sports, you name the activity and they have it.

Lake Tekapo and the Southern Alps

Gazing at Mt Cook, Southern Alps

Fush and Chups Anyone?

The Great Barrier Reef: About to Scuba Dive

We're in Koala Country!

Sydney Skyline

The Opera House and Harbour Bridge: Sydney, Australia

Hyderabad, India: Fun Times with the Family

Egypt: Land of the Pyramids and the Nile

The Sphinx at Giza

The Pyramids at Giza

Walk Like an Egyptian

Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel

The Shiekh...

And His Entertainment!

Camel Love

Romancing in the Egyptian desert, here we are at Saqqara in front of the Step Pyramid, precursor to the Pyramids at Giza. For the history buffs, this one was built for Djoser ruler of the 3rd Dynasty in the Old Kingdom.

Christchurch, New Zealand

Day 6: Is it any wonder that Christchurch is known as the garden city of NZ? It's almost as if you're punting down Stratford-upon-Avon in England or something. Our first stop this morning was a craft fair held on the main city square in front of the church. Spring was in the air and the blooming magnolias filled our hearts with joy. The atmosphere is thoroughly relaxing as the Avon river meanders lazily through the town cutting across lush gardens showcasing mature droopy trees. We were a only few weeks shy of the shocking display of tulips that mark the onset of spring. It's lovely walking around this quaint city. Stop by the Arts Center to visit art galleries, craft studios, and eclectic stores. This historic building also hosts concerts and weekend markets. The Canterbury Museum nearby is also a wonderful treasure trove of cultural relics and interesting exhibits.

A lazy afternoon was stretching ahead of us. Nagesh bought a bottle of champagne, rented a gondola, and we set off punting along the Avon. Our gondolier brought bread for us to feed the ducks. Meandering along the river, we soaked in the botanic joys of the city. In the evening, we rented the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy for a movie marathon session in our one bedroom apartment hotel. Take out Indian food completed our celebration!

North Island to South Island, New Zealand

Day 5: We lined up our car at the ferry docks in Wellington on this grey and gusty morning. The three of us and our car were going aboard the ferry to cross the Cook Strait and squeeze through Marlborough Sounds on our 92km journey to Picton in the South Island. We parked the car inside the ferry (a first for us) and made our way up to the luxurious passenger area upstairs. It's a huge and extremely comfortable vessel, complete with a cafe, souvenir shop, and several viewing decks on top. We passed a good part of the journey playing cards. Later, we went to the decks to enjoy the gorgeous vistas.

This is probably a good time to mention that it's better to return your vehicle in Wellington before this journey, and then pick up a new car in Picton. We signed a contract to drop off our car in Queenstown, which was all well and good until we were forced to cough up a pretty amount to ship the silly car across on the ferry. There's plenty of rental options in Picton, so avoid what we did.


It wasn't the prettiest day since the sun was missing in action. But shrouded the atmosphere with an air of mystery. As we drove out of our ferry in Picton, the difference in topography became apparent instantly. South Island is charaterized by wider spaces and fewer people, if that's even possible. On our way to Christchurch, we stopped at a winery for lunch and some native wine.

Wellington, New Zealand: Sauron's Mordor

Day 4: Today we explored the harbor town of Wellington at a very relaxed pace. Foremost on our agenda was the famous Te Papa Museum. What surprised us greatly was that this fantastic museum is free, except for special exhibits. Aside from the fact that this was the first world venue for The Lord of the Rings exhibition, Te Papa offers a stimulating glance into the culture and stories of New Zealand. Add to that its unique architecture and stunning waterfront location, this is a museum you don't want to skip.

If you are a Lord of the Rings movie buff, then you'll be thrilled to know that Wellington was the main filming and production location for movie trilogy during October 1999 to December 2000. Although conservation and legal requirements make sure that no film sets from the movie remain, several tour companies will show you a glimpse of the former Middle Earth. Or if you're like us, try this self-guided tour.


The Cable Car is one of Wellington's oldest and most popular tourist attractions. It journeys up under the motorway, through the three tunnels, past Kelburn Park and Victoria University and on to the top entrance of the city's Botanic Garden where various walks begin. After spending most of the day strolling around the main shopping district and exploring the waterfront museums, we took a tour of the parliament. The most interesting part of which was a demonstration of the earthquake protection base isolators that separate the buildings from their foundation, thus minimizing extensive damage during a quake.

At night we strolled around Cuba street, the hub of bohemian vibe, thriving cafe culture, and offbeat punk stores. While here, check out Matterhorn, the local institution that was often booked out by the Lord of the Rings cast.

Rotorua and Wellington, New Zealand

Day 3: Rotorua's main attractions, apart from the Maori cultural activity, are the thermal geysers that dot the city. That along with the strong sulphuric smell that permanently hangs in the air. Our primary destination this morning was the Whakarewarewa thermal village set amidst a landscape of erupting geothermal activity, hot springs, and bubbling mud pools. A short walk through the village leads you to the two famous geysers: the smaller Prince of Wales Feather and bigger Pohutu. Unpredictably but often enough the geysers shoot scalding waters up to 30 meters in the air. It's quite a sight. The rocks on the surrounding terrace are warm enough for people to sit on and receive a free hot stone treatment.

The village complex itself features several small hikes to appreciate the surrounding views, an arts and crafts demonstration area where you can watch artisans carving intricate Maori patterns into wood, and a traditional Maori cultural show. The show starts with the tribal chief and the "chief" of tourists rubbing noses in friendly greeting. After this elaborate ceremony, we're ushered into a traditional Maori hut for a cultural entertainment show featuring songs, dances, and beautiful native costumes.

It was time for us to leave Rotorua, but if you have more time, there's plenty to do around here. The Rotorua Museum of Art and History is situated in the historic Bath House building. You can enjoy al fresco dining at the museum cafe that overlooks the Government Gardens and soak in the unique ambiance of the building. More than a 160 years ago, visitors came here to bathe in the natural therapeutic waters of the city. The remnants of those treatments can be seen today at the museum. Several spas and wellness centers in the city provide massages, body treatments, and therapeutic baths to rejuvenate the body and soul. If you're looking to pump up your adrenaline, try Zorbing! A very popular sport that originated in NZ, it involves rolling down a steep hillside in a large airfilled rubber ball.

We were on our way to Wellington now via Lake Taupo, a six hour journey to the southern-most tip of North Island. Lake Taupo is an hour away from Rotorua. This is where we decided to stop and enjoy a late lunch in full view of a happy blue lake the size of Singapore. There's a plethora of adventure activities, relaxation, good food, and nightlife to be found in this town. But we had to be in Wellington by nightfall.

At Wellington, we chose to stay at the Bay Plaza Hotel, conveniently located near downtown cafes, restaurants, bars, theatres, and the famous Te Papa Museum of New Zealand.

Despite the strong gusty winds, we decided to explore downtown and grab some dinner. The city is bursting with cafés, galleries, nightlife, shopping, and restaurants. We were delighted at all the dining options on the trendy Allen Street and finally settled on Masala. We wound up this long day with a night walk, peeking into the famous Embassy Theatre next door that staged the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings movie.

Waitomo and Rotorua, New Zealand

Day 2: This morning we were ready for the guided glowworm expedition at the Waitomo Caves . Mom and I went to sign up for the earliest possible tour so we could be on our way to Rotorua later that afternoon. Our tour guide was a young girl who had been christened Savitri by her Indian holy guru. She was as carefree and charming as a hippie. At the entrance to the caves, we donned our protective hard hats fitted with lights. This was the closest thing to adventure my mom had done in years. She was nervous but a great sport nevertheless.

The caves are dark and damp but Savitri did not switch on her flashlight immediately. She wanted us all to hold hands and feel our way through the pitch black of the cave. And then, as our eyes got accustomed to the dark, we saw them. Glowworms, one, two, then thousands started to appear on the roof of the cave. We were blown away.


Glowworms are the larval stage in the life of an insect called the fungus gnat. Although they are most spectacular in caves, they can be found wherever conditions are damp, food is plenty, and there is an overhanging wall. The scientific name of the New Zealand species is Arachnocampa Luminosa which is one of many creatures that produces natural light called bioluminescence. The light is the result of a chemical reaction that involves several components combining to emit a blue-green light. The light is used to attract food or insects brought into the cave through the rivers. And do you know that the light of a hungry glowworm shines a little brighter?

Mesmerized by the glow, we hardly realized that we had reached a river inside the cave. A boat was waiting to take us on the most spectacular part of this tour. We hopped on in the dark as Savitri expertly took to the oars. As we glided into the glowworm grotto, we were simply wonderstruck. Millions of glowworms twinkled like stars on a clear black night, only closer. We just gaped at our magical sky and made a million wishes. Our tour ended with a visit to another cave rich in stalagmites and other fancy cave formations. Then it was time for 'cuppa and bikkies'. Our outdoor tea party was complete with hot chocolate, tea, and cookies.

It was a gorgeous afternoon, as we set off for Rotorua. Woolly joined us from Waitomo for the rest of our trip. We drove through the forested Mamaku ranges and the meandering highways to reach the shores of Lake Rotorua by early evening. Rotorua is a much more bustling town compared to Waitomo and the hub of Maori cultural activities. The large information center was teeming with tourists. They promptly helped us locate a hostel and also booked us on a Hangi dinner feast that night.

We barely had time to navigate to the hostel, check in, and dump our bags. The bus was already here to escort us to the Hangi feast. After mingling and cocktails at the reception hall, we were shown into the open air auditorium-like setting where the Maori tribes showcased traditional dances. It completely reminded us of a Hawaiian Luau, except that the Maori dancing is way more aggressive than the Hula. They're both equally touristy and yet a must-do. Then the pork and vegetables were unearthed from their natural earth oven pit and dinner was served. The Hangi food is cooked for hours in a pit held with wire baskets and heated stones, producing rich, succulent flavors. The meal was delicious, even for a vegetarian.

New Zealand: Country Unbound

Day 1: We flew from Sydney to Auckland for our two week adventure around New Zealand. Nothing about our short jaunt in urban Australia had prepared us for this. Barely a half hour after we'd rented our car at Auckland airport, which we did after flying into the city, we found ourselves surrounded by open grassy meadows dotted with cattle. Now this was low season, so things were different as far as car rentals go. You may not be able to get away with this during the summer months. Nor I believe can you travel too fast on the one lane highways that traverse the length of the country; especially if you're either driving or following a lazy RV. The driving here is on the left side, just like in England and in India, so we were fine. Oh, and you can also rent cell phones with great travel plans right at the airport, so don't bother with calling cards.

So here we are, not far from Auckland in the North Island, in the thick of Kiwi countryside. Rolling green hills for endless miles populated every now and then with hordes of sheep and sturdy cows. All perfectly poised for a dairy commercial photo shoot. We're headed south to Waitomo to see the glowworm caves. Driving through endless virgin landscapes, we're amazed at the stark absence of human population. Dusk falls early and briskly. It's pitch dark by the time we get into Waitomo. Thankfully the visitor center is still open. We have a choice of staying at a fancy hotel up the hill, the B&B next door, or the cabins at the RV park across the street. We choose the quaint B&B after meeting the charming owners (Janet and Colin Beeston) and peeking into our cozy country style room. It's time to cuddle into those warm quilts but not before we've found dinner.

Nothing seems to be open around here at this hour. The folks hanging about the nearby pizza corner shake their heads with a vociferous "NO...O...O" to my inquiry about finding food. We then rush to the Subway we spotted along the freeway about 15 minutes from town. It's open, we have food! And a full stomach ignites new enthusiasm to see glowworms in the wild. Earlier our host made mention of a bush walk at night replete with glowworms. Nagesh is excited about this first adventure. So we deposit mom at our warm lodgings and set off with flashlights to spot glow worms.

Only the curvy roads are sort of spooky. The parking lot is hardly visible at night and the walk from there to the head of the bush trail is nothing short of plain scary. We start at the slightest sound and jump out of our skin imagining ghosts in the shadows. It's a scene out of the Blair Witch Project. We don't want to switch on our flashlights in case we miss the glowworms but it's too dark to go on without trembling for fear. We decide that this is adventure enough for one night and leave the glowworm sightings for the guided tour the next day. Mom greets us with a sigh of relief and an "I told you so" look.

Outside Our Riad in the Old City, Medina

Exploring the Innumerable Souks (Bazaars)

Souks in the Medina: Pulsating Life

Aladdin's Magic Carpet Land: Marrakech

Spices, snake charmers, fortune tellers, cock fighters, henna ladies: no this is not India but the medieval town of Marrakech.

Spice Route to Marrakech

The Jewish quarter in the old city of Marrakech. The markets that reak of spices and frankincense, where cocliquot flowers are used to make lipsticks, and multi-colored gelatinous soaps are a must-buy before a visit to the hamaam.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca

This is the interior of the Hassan II mosque. Made from marble and stone from the Atlas mountains, it's roof is made of exquisitely painted cedar wood. The roof completely retracts to let in the light on special prayer days when the prayer hall is filled with 25000 people. The women pray seperately on the raised balcony. The marble floors are heated in winters.

Bogart's Town: Casablanca, Morocco

Yeah! That's Kavita... looking like she landed straight from the boonies of Africa. We're outside the world's third largest mosque after the Mecca and the Medina, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. Grander and more exquisite than any mosque we've visited, this is truly worlds apart from where we were yesterday.

The Church of the Savior, St. Petersburg 

The Fountains at Peterhof 

The White Nights of Saint Petersburg

We couldn't have put it better than Christopher Hitchens in his article in Vanity Fair: "Soaked in history, blood, and sex, Russia's St. Petersburg—home of Nabokov, Dostoyevsky, Shostakovich, and Pushkin, and launchpad of Lenin's revolution—remains an edge city, straddling the frontier between Old and New Europe, civilization and wilderness. In this haunted place, especially during the long "white nights" of the summer, it's still possible to catch glimpses of epic grandeur"

This is the view of the St. Petersburg skyline at 2am! The sun was barely setting and a crowd of people were gathered to watch the ceremonial lifting of the bridges on the Neva River to let the marine traffic pass by. All the bridges on the river part magically every night during June to August between 1:55am and 4:55am. The whole city participates in the revelry in the middle of a bright White Night.



The long nights are a magical experience but tiring as well. We were out way past 2am each night and the bright sun would start peeping through our curtains as early as 4am. Can you imagine that this is about as much light the city receives at the peak of its day during the winter months.