India

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Finally the day of departing this wonderful town comes near and i feel a sense of the blue’s . I had my final meeting of the day with Shraddha of yourstory.com and then was whisked away by the DTZ Property team to see a couple of more properties in Indra Nagar , which is one of the most up market areas of the city I liked what i saw but was not able to make up my mind . It started to rain as usual and the cloud’s came up .I could see the rain pelting all around me ,it was wonderful and was lost in the musky haze of the city. I got a taste of Banglore traffic for the first time man it is a bitch. “ you know i always think how difficult must be for wealthy people to manage all their assets , they must be getting all confused , what with all the day to day decisions one has to make.” i gasped to Shachi . “ I agree but then they have managers and secretaries to manage their wealth and you do need some trust worthy people around you .” Trust well that is a limited commodity in today’s time . My eyes rolled towards the window as the traffic passé by .

Bangolore the Garden city , The Lake City , The Temple City the Indian silicon valley , i saw it in all it’s Avatar . From it’s temples to it’s gardens i aquatinted myself with the property market of the city , it’s Startup culture , it’s travel portal’s and it’s food . I enjoyed the ambience the weather and also managed to catch a movie with my cousin’s .

It is a city that i want to come back to again , but haven’t i said the same about every other city i was in . I wanted to settle down in Honk Kong and Singapore last . That’s the fun of this journey you never really know where you are going . An Unknown current has taken over and i am riding on the wave. The rain is still on and some thunder can be heard now . Dhar has briefed me on his task for the next month and i am satisfied that i am headed in the right direction . My Tickets are booked and bag’s are packed as i bid farewell to Bangeluru ….

Man the weather is the most amazing this about this city , the weather is always around 25 - 30 degree’s from sunny to cloudy and then a bit of rain. It seems like it always rains in Bangalore after the sun has been out for a while . I had completed a week in this city and had been keeping busy. Abhishek my cousin and his new bride , we all went for the movies , and guess what we watched?

Talvar the movie made on the 2008 Arushi Murder case. The movie was very engaging with a great cast Irrfan Khan , Konkona Sen Sharma , Tabu and a whole host of character artistes . They played their part’s to the tee .The music from Vishal Bhardwaj was haunting and he does have the technique to make dark cinema. It’s the rawness of the film that strikes you and how truth is pursued but at the same time how differently it can be perceived and the final tragic verdict. A must see film doesn’t take sides and yet shows us fact’s presented in the light of each murder theory.

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I wanted to visit Coorg - the land of the Cauvery but canceled my plan at the last min , I wanted more sleep and decided I needed it and I just could not wake up as early for the drive. Woke up late , missed breakfast, my first time in weeks and went to crash my pal's place. We went for a ride after a while and he took me whizzing past the day in his car. We visited a lake called Bellandur and which has been in the news lately I was told but no I wasn't around the newsy part - more the calmer side!!. I later watched my friend's kid practicing the piano and it felt sublime! All in all a rewarding and interesting experience.

I started feeling hungry after a bit and walked around and found a "juice shop" and tasted Kokum the first time in the form of juice and feasted on mango lassi after a tasty round of Ambur Biriyani I found being sold on a road. Oh! god bless the lovely weather here.

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The morning started with a call from Ani to give me a earful of advice on how to pick the right property in Bangalore and how not to hurry up with my decision, hardly surprising since there is money to be made. I then went around with the team from DTZ to see some cherries that i could pick from the city's property market. I zeroed in on a townhouse condominium called Zonasha Paradisio . I think it should be a good buy at half a million US$ and with a rent agreement with someone in the hospitality who could pay a rent of 15lakh’s per annum. But Ani has advised to wait and decode attitude on this one.We searched for flat’s in Indira Nagar , and Whitefield road.

I had my breakfast and took a hotel taxi straight to the office of Thrillophilia . It was on the third floor with a lot of activity happening all around . I was greeted by Chitra the CEO & founder of the company and she liked my Travelthon story and concept so far and advised me that some one from her content team would call and take it from there.

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The last meeting was a bumper Holiday Iq cancelled my appointment and i was left with nowhere but the hotel to go to. After my lunch meeting with my friend, I decided to hit the SPA at the hotel called O2. It was for a 90 Min Thai and Balinese massage and spa treatment was just what i needed , man the after she covered me head to toe in oil and rubbed my muscles with vigor . Each point on the feet each nerve was pressed and put in it’s place , all the loose joint’s where tightened as i made funny noises . I went to sleep for a while as the massage was intense and very soothing .The room smelled of jasmine and rose , with music playing in the background , the lighting was low and the room was spacious. The massage lady just went on and on making sure no part of the body was left asking . I took regular sip’s of lime water to relax myself . After the 90 min massage , i took a shower and headed out .It was a wee expensive Rs 5000 in all and i felt like i was floating on the cloud’s .It was like coming out of the gym , only with less aches and pain’s . On top of that it is healthy for the blood circulation and the oil is great for the skin. I loved the experience and will repeat it surely during my stay here Ah! Bangalore i am enjoying it…

The Indian Silicon

Nothing beat’s the air that roar’s and the heart that throb’s and keep’s this city going. Yes reached Bengaluru after a three hour jet aiway’s flight from Delhi. One is hit by the efficiency of everything in this city and the speed with which this city moves. From the baggage trolley to the Taxi Pick up everything went like clockwork . I was picked up from the airport by a taxi from my Hotel Mercure Grand. I was here on a mission , one was to find a property the other was to build the IT back end support for my endeavors with an old pal and IT aficionado and promote it.
The guy came straight to the airport and picked me up on his old truck like jeep. He said that the first thing to do in his town - Bean Town Bengaluru was hit the booze shop and took me to a swank outlet. I picked up a single malt with a carton of cigarettes and that was the beginning of or techie night. We stayed up all night and smoked up while my friend played around with my iPhone plus updated the software and did other cool sounding things got the thing all wired got all my account’s in one place. The idea was that that it would be easier to promote something. The climate in Bangaluru was cool around 28 degree , the air was crisp and it was overcast. Me and my pal drove around the houses of Millionaires on Koramangala area, where the hotel was.

I took a look at Nandan Neilkarni’s bungalow & a few other worthies including an MP, industrialist who owned a radio station among other things. I feel there's a lot that can achieved here. Spoke to my brother Chotu on the phone , he is coming over to see me with his lovely wife.Looking of property should be fun in the city and it looks great place to stay in and invest in. I am struck by the city , unfortunately their was a bandy today and all my meeting’s got postpone. Banglore is the 4th richest city in India and along with Pune had the best return on investment for people who invested in reality.

I might go to Coorg for a few day’s and enjoy some places and sites near bang lore , it looks like my trip will be longer then i expected. I am beginning to sink into the sound’s and sight’s of the city and hope to meet all my another friends who reside here.

Tikku’s Travelthon and it’s Philosophy

Through my travelthon i wish to explore the world with my unique perspective . I want to taste , feel , love and explore things that captivate me and engage me . I want to explore the religious and spiritual philosophy of the countries i visit and the people who i speak to and encounter . Like the hotel manager Rue Ballistiros who i meet in Manila . He took me around in his car to explore the night life of the city , including the famous Pegasus bar . Dost my scuba diving instructor who taught me how to enjoy the wonders of the deep sea . Maria the call girl i meet in Manila and shared my bed with one night .The story of her struggle to feed her family and to get her educated .
Thom the Tuk tuk driver who came at 4:00 in the morning to take me to the Ankor Wat temples , it was because of him i could take some great sunrise pictures of the temple.

Exploring the beauty of things and how they are in harmony with nature through my camera and video’s .I enjoy most of all the food and sink my teeth into local cuisine . I tried sushi and snake for the first time during my travels. The contrast of the Urban jungle and the wilderness of far flung land engages me and keep’s me going . Heart of heart i want to fall in love and find my soulmate during these travels. I enjoy the adventure sports and the temples alike . But just getting lost in a city without an agenda is my favourite pass time . Can i make this a life a never ending life around the globe .A journey with no end and no beginning only a long road saying just keep going .

The varied contrast of rivers , oceans, lakes and mountains welcome me on my thins never ending journey as i laugh with the people in the markets and squares . I love the thrill of the unknown and of experiences waiting to happen . Floating around the bar’s and disco’s of the city . Enjoying the Smile of Ankor the famous opera or shooting the AK 47 at a Cambodian shooting range my tastes vary as my mood change.
Giving is another thing i enjoy weather it was feeding the sadhu’s of India , tipping the poor pony owners of Kashmir . I donated bag’s of rice to children in Vietnam and gifted my shoes to a sherpa in amaranth . Giving to people gives me great joy as if i am giving back to my larger family . The world looks one to me at times and at times diverse .But have no doubt we live in the most wondrous plane in the earth . Great travellers of the past have tried and now it’s my turn to discover it’s mystery and it’s abundance.

I want to grow as a human being during my travels become wise and learned at the same time spread the universal words of love peace and joy around the world .

Lastly share my experience through my travelogues , blogs , reviews and write ups so that i can encourage others to follow this path and become nomads . An army of wanderers who don’t know when to stop.