Tikku's Travelthon- Seven Wonders

Tikku’s Travelthon - My Seven Wonder’s

The Taj Mahal in Agra must top that list of mine . I drove across the Jaipur express highway with my cousin starting four in the morning . We were in Agra in two hours , we drove into the Oberoi’s Amravali for breakfast and a early morning swim .After breakfast we headed towards the Taj . Following the sign we finally reached the monument which has enthralled lovers all over the world . Taj shines and shimmers like a beacon it’s white marble glow’s in the sun and one can see persian scripture being carved in the walls.It has been well maintained with regular cleaning and scrubbing which goes on through out the day .The tall minarets stand like beacons as the huge darwaza threatens to engulf all with it’s awesome size . The domb of the Taj stands tall as if to say it can last for centuries . I just feasted my eyes on it’s perfect beauty and how it’s image was captured by the waters below.Right in the middle lie’s the grave go Mumtaz for whom it was built by Shah Jahan .

The Reefs of Hulu male in Maldives were another of my favourites. I fell in love with them and with scuba diving . I took a dozen dives 30 meters under the sea to explore its’ wonder . I jumped and sat on top od the aqua marine plants and played with a gang of colourful orange fishes

Cruise around the famous Hanoi Bay was also a highlight . We reached our ship early in the morning and were welcomed on the deck with wine and cheese . The deck was the best area to get a glimpse of the bay which was full of small boat’s and steamers . I still remember buying a packet of Pringles chips from a boat shop in the bay .Guests were seved special dinner and were given a demonstration of Vitnamese cooking too. Next morning was a uphill trek to the caves that are part of the bay and we explored their various forms and marvelled at their natural splendour.

The killing fields of Cambodia with it’s chilling history about the kill’s that took place during the years of the dictator Paul Pot stands as a reminder to us that act’s like these should never be tolerated by a civilised society . I walked around the mass graves which have given way to green fields. I listened to the commentary of the fields as i took a guided tour of the place .

The Volcano Kintamani near the town of Ubud is another sight .With a splendid open lake on it’s side it stands tall and still .Not active at this time it is a great reminder of the rumblings within the earth’s crust . Fruit’s and juices being sold as tourists capture the scenic beauty of this natural wonder.

The temples of Bali including the Pullahulur Aluwati temple are ancient and vedic in design . With statues of Indra , Brahma and goddesses parvati . They give a glimpse of another form of Hinduism praciced in Indonesia . All with their own holy water spring akin to the one i saw in Badrinath in India during my Chaar Dham Yatra. I bated in the holy spring and spoke to a oriental soothsayer a wis man who told me to work hard and never loose sight of my goal.

Lastly was my Visit to Amarnath the tomb of Baba Barfani the abode of shiv where i got the glimse of the icy shiv ling . Having reached here by helicopter and a two hour trek on mountain ponds . I bated in the icy waters of the glacier and rested the night in a tent between warm quilts . At the mercy of my tentwala . Amarnath was my best spiritual yatra in India.