I m tired,
I recon it’s
time to declog , to unlearn , to unbucket the list .
I chose to ditch
the in-flight entertainment and instead invested in some soul searching.
Was on my way back from a coveted holiday destination in Europe . Ideally, I should have come back feeling rejuvenated , but instead I came back feeling annoyed and ripped off.
Was on my way back from a coveted holiday destination in Europe . Ideally, I should have come back feeling rejuvenated , but instead I came back feeling annoyed and ripped off.
Am a meticulous planner and a compulsive packer. Every holiday that I have ever taken takes months of planning . Apart from the bookings, I invest a lot of time in getting recommendations from friends , family , friends and their families and families and their friends. But it doesn’t stop there , I also refer to my vast collections of lonely planet’s. The packing is a different ordeal in its self . Like a typical guju ( don’t mention it , am a proud one at that ) orders go out days in advance , I carry food like its the beginning of the apocalypses . In the end I land up carrying more food and cloths than I actually need.
After so much
of time and effort put into every holiday , I still can’t remember the last
time I had fun. I was too busy sticking to the filofox. Ya I did proudly cover
all the recommendations by the TripAdvisor , dined at all the great places , shopped at all the famous malls. But there was always
that one café, that one little antique store , the one little church , that one
little boutique , that I would have liked to visit got left behind because it
was not the part of the “itinerary”. And it’s
that one thing ,that keeps daunting me till the next one comes along.
Dad’s turning 70 in 3 months . I sometimes break into a sweat in the middle of a night with the thought of them not being around forever. Loss is inevitable, but till then I want to make every moment count . I’ve lost a lot of precious time in my MeMe world . Its about time that i put my priorities in order.
Dad’s turning 70 in 3 months . I sometimes break into a sweat in the middle of a night with the thought of them not being around forever. Loss is inevitable, but till then I want to make every moment count . I’ve lost a lot of precious time in my MeMe world . Its about time that i put my priorities in order.
So i've
decided, that pa, ma and me would bring in his 70th vacationing some
place serene.
I know it’s a big ask for Yogesh to his handle work and the kids , but he knows
how badly I need to this.
The plan
on this trip is to have no plans. All I need to do is find a perfect
destination.
Am tired of
traveling to countries that are too touristy. Where everyone is trying to
shove some souvenirs in your face. And I just hate countries where the people’s
cold noses and in the north pole. So began my search for a perfect destination
that was not flocked by the world, but
still had a lot of to offer. A county
that was an eclectic mix of a vibrant cities and mesmerizing landscapes. But more importantly a country that is warm , because of its people.
In my serch for "the destination" I stumbled upon Northern Ireland,
and realized that it fits the bill perfectly .
What I absolutely love about Ireland is that I don’t
need to have a travel plan on this one. Ireland has so much to offer that the
journey itself can end up begin the destination. All I
plan to do is land, hire a car, and let the road lead the way. Its going to new experience
for me to travel without a plan but that will give me more freedom to experience
and explore. Am sure dad will get excited with the sound
of a vague holiday but, mom , being my Mom , will surely freak out!
As I researched more of this picturesque county , I couldn't believe how perfect it was for this trip.
Every article I read , every picture that I saw just made me want to drop everything
and get on a jet plane. The landscape of the Northern Ireland is nothing like I've ever seen before. I could sit by the country side and gaze at
the nuances of its landscape’s and feel content of having seen it all.
On my Northern Ireland wish list :
 |
| Titanic Belfast |
Carrick-a-Rede Rope
Bridge, Antrim : after a 1.15
hours drive from Belfast we get to Carrick-a-Rede , which boasts an
exhilarating rope bridge experience. Traditionally fishermen erected the bridge
to Carrick-a-Rede island over a 23m-deep and 20m-wide chasm to check their
salmon nets. Today visitors are drawn here simply to take the rope bridge
challenge! Can’t wait to do this with my nimble 70yr ol. But ma on the other
hand will be more than happy to sit this one out , while she chants and “chalisa”
for our safety . |
| Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge |
The Giant's Causeway : It lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea
coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of
some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic
sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland.
Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years have greatly
contributed to the development of the earth sciences, and show that this
striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50–60
million years ago. So many adjectives for one unbelievable phenomenon , cant wait
to get there and start exploring! |
| The Giant's Causeway |
The Dingle Peninsula: National Geographic once called it “the most beautiful
place on earth”. Dingle is arguably one of the island's more charming towns. Take
the road to Ballyferriter village and go for a walk on Beál Bán beach, which is
only really known to locals. Once you see the views of the vast Atlantic you’ll
see why they’ve kept it to themselves. I could spend all my eternity here , just soaking
up the sun and gazing the pristine waters. |
| The Dingle Peninsula |
The Mourne Mountains : Beauty comes easily to the Mournes, but there’s also a childish
joy about the place. Think of the 28 peaks as a natural playground.One man felt
the magic of the Mournes more than most. For Belfast-born Clive Staples Lewisthe
Mournes were a pleasure ground. The author was reared on the clean Mourne air,
while his mind was inspired by these surroundings to create the world of Narnia
from his masterpiece The Lion,
The Witch and The Wardrobe. Can’t
wait to get here and be inspired too.. |
| The Mourne Mountains |
The only prepping I plan to do on this trip is my flight , hire a car and book a no frills BnB , rest of the route I will figure when I get there !
These are the things on my to do list for Ireland, but i plan to see and discover a lot more. As am not bound by a piece of paper telling me what to do. This time I will let my heart lead the way. This time I will make sure I have a coffee at that café , shop at that little antique store and say a little prayer at the serene little church. This time I plan to take out time to bond Ma and Pa all over again. This time I plan to do it all, so that on my flight back home I come back as a
“Happy Traveler “
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