BoTLoT Challenge – Week 2 – Travel Diaries

Last weekend I was in Calcutta… sorry Kolkata (I’m sorry, I still like calling it Calcutta and not Kolkata. It’s just easier. I don’t think I will ever be able to get used to call Bangalore ‘Bengaluru’) for a friend’s wedding. Last time I had visited ‘Kolkata‘ was to spend some time with my in-laws. My husband and I wanted to spend sometime in the city with them as they were moving to Pune. We had three days in Kolkata and we wanted to stuff in as much as Kolkata darshan as we could. The only day we had to go visit our favorite places, we overslept! When we got our of our hotel, my husband, friend and I were a trio on a mission. We had three hours before we had go visit some relatives and a lot of ground to cover before that.

We started with New Market. We had puchkas, did some silver shopping at Chamba Lamba, had walnut brownies at Nahoum’s, bought Bandel Cheese – all while trying to navigate the maze that is New Market. We rushed over to Nizam’s and had a roll. (95 Rupees for one chicken roll and one mutton roll!! I cannot believe how inexpensive things are in Kolkata!! .. And yumm!!) Finally, we got to Park Street and had some amazing Chinese food at Bar-B-Q. We did all this in three hours flat! We had attacked the streets of central Kokatta with military precision. Our fauji fathers would have been so proud!

Anita Desai said , ‘Wherever you go, it becomes a part of you somehow’. I don’t know when I will get to visit Kolkata next, and last weekend was my opportunity to gather all the experiences, sights and tastes that I will hold on to until I visit the city next time.

This week I invite you to write about your travel experiences. A place, an anecdote, an experience – anything that you would like to share.

A few things that could help your post…

* If you would like to add images to your post, please feel free to do so. * There is no word limit to this week’s challenge either. So write away! * The format of your post is anything that will help take your idea forward. It could be a dialogue, poem, a combination of both, etc. There are no rules.

You can leave a link to your post or write the post in the comments. (It is preferable if only the people who do not have blogs, but want to participate, use the comments for their post. Lets try to keep the page as neat as possible) If you like someone’s post, do tell them that you appreciate their work by liking their post.

If you are finding it difficult to post your piece, you can email it to me at abitofthisandalotofthat@gmail.com and I will post it for you.

Remember the challenge closes at midnight on November 11th, 2014. Also, remember to hashtag your posts! #bitofthisandlotofthat. Do not hesitate to get in touch with me for anything at all at abitofthisandalotofthat@gmail.com.

Take us with you through your words and images. I cannot wait to travel with you.

13 Replies to “BoTLoT Challenge – Week 2 – Travel Diaries”

  1. oof, chamba lamba.. I remember so bad… My ma and dad had got me this amazing pair of dragon shaped earrings.. Gorgeous.. and now in all my travels (Delhi, Ambala, Derby, Melbourne) they seem to have disappeared somewhere.. 🙁

    But on a happier note, my dad is right now in Calcutta and I cannot wait to revisit the city, Flurries, and of course him

    1. I always buy at least one pair of earrings when I go to Cal.. CL is the best!! This time when I went they didn’t have much stock.. And yet I was able to get a gorgeous pair of earrings! Visiting Cal you have to be ready to really EAT! The food there is just too good! Always end up putting on a few kgs *sheepish grin*

      1. Calcutta deserves it. I can’t wait to visit dad and go hogging there.

        In other news, I blogged and added to the weekly challenge. Here’s the link http://mszknowitall.wordpress.com/2014/11/11/the-perfect-pint/

        It’s nothing stupendous. Last minute scribbles. Hope you enjoy it!

  2. Aha! I love this topic….. the joys of traveling. Traveling is a MBA to life…..theres always so much to learn and to give…one realizes that you occupy such a tiny spot in the world……travel experiences (good or bad )are always such fun to relate and often an ice breaker.
    I have come across several who are mere arm chair travellers- who travel through the eyes of others…they listen to stories earnestly and go through your travel pictures with admiration and appreciation. Then there are some who are tourists, perhaps take a package tour , eat the same food as they would back home ….who have a long list of ‘must do’ checklist…. the number of tourist sites they can tick by the end of their trip…… and then there are the real travellers….who most times travel independently , plan it as they go or have every thing planned in advance. Now which ever way you travel…. you learn so much…and all your travels surely make a major impact on your life (and the pockets)!

    Go on…. go travel the world and feel the joy…. its almost an addiction!

    “The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.”
    ― G.K. Chesterton

    1. So well said. Travelling really adds that spark to your character.
      I cannot wait for my next trip 🙂

  3. This is a post by my mother in law.. Rooma Mitra.

    Travel write ups i think should be easy for me…though there is so much to write about don’t know where to start from! So let me begin with my travel to Thailand!

    This holiday was three years ago.
    Travel plans were made by my sister in law and we just said yes, then there was no looking back.
    We first reached Bangkok one beautiful morning…stayed the night at the Ambassador Hotel at Sukhumvit and next morning left for an island called Koh Chang. We were eight of us and had a lovely time driving up to the point from where we had to take a ferry…along with our vehicle!! The first glimpse of the island was a treat to the eyes, looked so beautiful that we couldn’t wait to hit the shores and the beach!! Checked into our resort called Kacha Resort Koh Chang.
    So we spent six days at the island doing nothing yet packed in so much…from spas to long drives to walks on the beach.Evenings were spent on the verandah of one of our rooms overlooking the pool spilling on to the sea. The sea was a little rough as it was during the monsoons that we had gone but it didn’t stop us from being on the beach early mornings and early evenings and of course we spent a lot of time at the swimming pool of the resort, which had a bar in the pool( what more can one ask for)…eating at the shacks on the beach. The food was to die for. Fresh catch of prawns, lobsters. squids, you name it and it was there.
    Koh Chang being a small town did not have much of a night life but we managed to find a place called Oodies where we spent most of our late evenings listening to the most amazing group playing the most amazing music.
    Finally after six blissful days we got back to Bangkok. Bangkok is another story…typical hustle bustle of any big city….shoppers paradise and not to mention full of thugs! We had a bad experience with one Tuk Tuk driver who got so angry with us (because we said no to him taking us to a gem factory) that he spat at us and even chucked a stone which narrowly missed us! Thereafter we decided no more Tuk Tuks,travel around the city in the metro or taxis.Three days we spent in the city and realised it’s not enough! there is so much to do and see!
    Looking forward to our next visit!!

  4. Koh Chang is a fun place… not quite commercialized like Koh Samui.

  5. […] am linking this post to the weekly challenge my friend Pooja has going on in her blog.  Head over to her blog to know more about her and her diaries […]

    1. Also, just because I play dirty and to win.. that birthday boy in question is your dear darling husband…now guess who got him that Guinness … It was the night we discovered exotic dancers in Koramangla.. 😀 Ask him ALL about it.

      1. Hahahaha!!! I had a feeling!!! I know all about that Bday… the boys talk about it when they reminisce about the old Bangalore days.
        Btw… the first time I had Guinness is with your husband.. haha!! What are the chances! We were on Hollywood street in HK with my dad. We went to a bar and ordered a round of Guinness because I’d never had it before. Uff!! I still remember that burnt flavour on my tongue. I pride myself for being a beer drinker, even more so since I met Viraj, but that one pint was so strong! Once we finished that pint and walked out, I was trying so hard to make sure that my dad doesn’t realize that I was a little high. Haha!!
        I don’t think I’ve had Guinness after that, but now I surely feel like one 😀

        1. What are the odds..haha!

  6. […] to travel there is one story I would always like to put on words but never had time (thanks to a bit of this and a lot of that for motivation – hope I am in time, GTM is till before midnight […]

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