Delay

I was hoping to post the link to my new blog, but unfortunately I will have to delay the release for a few days while I work on some minor fixes.  The blog won't be 100% when it's released, but I want it to be at least 50%. It's currently standing at 45%.  I hope to have it out this weekend!

Picture of the Week #77 will be on the new blog.

Changes

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.  The last grains of Don't-Forget-Your-Passport! will run out on Friday, February 18th.


I'm happy to announce that I will be releasing the new look of my (Wordpress powered) blog as first announced late last November, on Friday, February 18th!  I will be adding many new features that I'm quite excited about.


The migration from Blogger to Wordpress is complete and my new blog is online already, complete with a new name (Why a new name?  I'll explain later).  However, I'm giving myself some time to make some fixes.  I'm not a developer or a web designer, and don't have any experience in Wordpress and PHP.  So, it's taking me some time to tweak my theme.


The blog will not be 100% at the time of release on next Friday (February 18th).  But, if I wait for it to be 100% before telling everyone about it, then it will never happen.  So, I pulled the trigger last Friday (February 4th) and purchased a domain and a hosting plan.


Once released, I will look forward to getting your feedback.  No doubt, there will be many things to improve and your feedback will be invaluable.


I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed sharing my pictures and articles with you.

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You!

"Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed."

- Irene Peter

Articles / Posts


I've realized that it is quite difficult to write good quality articles or posts.  Being in the office from 9-5 does not leave me with enough time (or energy) to spend time writing/editing articles, and I don't like to write something just for the sake of posting something new.


As a compromise, I started my Picture of the Week series last September.  The series is not a new or unique idea by any stretch of imagination.  However, the series allows me to reminisce about my past travels and treks.  In addition, I get to post something that is meaningful to me.  I'm trying to make my picture-of-the-week more relevant to world events.  Here's an example.  In the future, I will try to be more consistent about writing little blurbs under the picture that will help tell the story behind the picture, like this one.


New Look


The days of this blog on Blogger are numbered.  I'm working on a new site that will feature a revolutionary new look and feel for my readers (i.e. me).  Alright, I'm exaggerating - but only slightly (hah).  I'll be moving to Wordpress and a custom URL.  I will move all content from this blog to the new one.  I'll also be adding a couple of new series and features that I'm quite excited about.


Stay tuned!

Remember, Don't Forget Your Passport!

You may be wondering where the name of this blog came from?  Don't-Forget-Your-Passport!  Many many years ago I used to watch a show on TV called "Don't Forget Your Passport".  It was a great show featuring off-beat destinations like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Bolivia.  I'm not sure if the show is still on TV.

This show inspired me to travel on my own.  I always wondered whether I could do it or not.  Now I know.  I can be independent, find my own way and survive in a foreign country whose language I don't speak, without being scared.  In fact, instead of being scared, I now find it exciting!  I feel... this is what life is all about: Dreaming... Believing... Discovering...

After meeting Dr. Prakash Amte and Dr. Mandakini Amte in 2007 in Toronto, a new dimension has been added.  I don't just want to see things, but I also want to do my part in helping the poor people.  I started with bringing used (but still nice) clothing from Canada and donating those to people in small villages (wadis) in India when ever I went trekking.  That is my way of giving back to the society... and villages in the Sahyadris are very close to my heart.  I'm not doing great things, but I'm doing what I can.  I'll try to do more in the future.

[Angkor Wat in Cambodia - the largest Hindu Temple in the world - Picture by Neeraj]

Cambodia was the first country I traveled to on my own.  My flight from Toronto was via Hong Kong.  When I reached Hong Kong I was quite nervous about how I would manage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, seeing as I was reaching in the evening and did not even have a hotel room booked, nor did I know where I was going to stay.  But when my flight took off from Hong Kong I saw some mountains and all my fears and apprehensions were instantly gone and I had a smile on my face.

Such is the magic of mountains for me.

This blog is dedicated to the show that gave the world to me.  Not only did I discover the world, I discovered myself.  Thanks and Cheers!

And remember, Don't Forget Your Passport!

Travel Blogging or Junk Blogging?

I read a lot of travel blogs, and lately it seems that an overwhelming majority of the so-called "travel bloggers" blog at least once a week only to keep their blog "active".

Rolf Potts' Vagabonding, Anil's foXnoMad and Gary Arndt's Everything Everywhere are a few popular (and very commercial) examples.  Not that they don't contain any useful information, but the amount of junk posts on those blogs is too high.