Magic

Does it get better than a lovely monsoon evening with loved ones, chai and pakode?

Nothing like a beautiful view of the magical Pune skies after the rains have washed over all the dust and worries of the day. For many people, their balconies are their retreat from the troubles of the world. For me, my balcony is like a safe place. A place where I can just take a moment to relax and enjoy with a delicious cup of chai. Since an early age, I have never missed out on having the evening chai with my family, in our balcony. It is a place where I know that I can share my worries without the burden of judgement. A place where I can keep my troubles aside, or watch them fly away with the wind!The pandemic has definitely taught me to find happiness in such little things and to be grateful for this time.

Illustrated by: @radha_joglekar

Image by: @dhruvadeshpande

Location: Pune

A Distant Dream

Travel seems like a distant dream now. Before the lockdown, travel was a way of life for many. New places, new people, new cafes, new windows. New experiences would keep people going. Sitting at my window, I remember all the beautiful things that I had the pleasure of seeing out of different windows. How refreshing it felt to take a long walk in nature. Reminiscing those memories, travel is just a dream now which we can hope to fulfill some day.

Illustrated by: @radha_joglekar

Image by: @radha_joglekar

Location: Seven Sisters Walk, Brighton UK

Stuck in the Mountains

For a backpacker, a travel photographer and a filmmaker, is there anything like being “stuck” in the mountains? A friend of mine is currently in Himachal with no data signal, no tourist activities around, no cars and not many people – thanks to the lockdown. As romantic as this might sound, the answer to the above question is in fact, yes.

Rain, hail or shine, he walks for half an hour one way to find a spot with data connectivity where he can sit on the ground and attend his online class. With no roof over his head, a raincoat is the only protective gear he can carry on this daily adventure. When I ask him, ‘so much just to attend a class?’ He says ‘there’s a hunger in me to learn new stuff’. This is the view from his temporary hostel balcony. In his free time, when he decides to stretch his legs and rest, the mountains seem to extend a warm hug! The view probably makes everything worthwhile.

Illustrated by: @juileesays

Image by: @thegreatindianbackpacker

Location: Choj, Parvat Valley, Himachal Pradesh