My first cultural shock in Prague trip…

Many of my female European colleagues used to bug me to describe my cultural shock on my first abroad trip to Germany. I know what they wanted to hear from me and I used to say I never experienced cultural shock. To embarrass me further, they ask me how I felt about the display of affection in public places. I said that ‘it is common these days in every part of the world’ to which their eyebrows went up in surprise. Little did I know that I’m getting ready for my first cultural shock in my second trip to Prague.

      Within 10 days of my solo trip to Vienna, another long weekend opened the doors to Prague with a sunny weather forecast. From this trip onwards, I started following the weather forecast closely while planning my trips. I reserved a wonderful hostel for 10 euros per night and travelled through blablacar that got me another good deal. It took me around 4 hours to reach Prague from Munich. Next morning, I took local currency (Czech crown) from ATM and visited the nearby tourist information center. A girl from US approached me and asked me to join 'Free Walking Tour'. The word "free" motivated me enough to join her who introduced me to a group. That tour introduced us to all the major tourist attractions in Prague with a commentary about the history, kingdoms, world war, civil war, political situation, economy and culture. It was a wonderful tour and at the end of it we need to pay for the guide’s service if we consider the tour worth paying. Later, I tasted Czech cuisine (a few rolls) and visited John Lennon wall. In the evening I met a few more enthusiastic blokes who said that Prague has a great night life. I joined them and hopped to different clubs and pubs, which have free entry, listening to the music and dancing with them. It was quite an experience and fun as I never hopped around the pubs before.

      While I was coming back to hostel in the mid-night, a guy stopped me and invited me to a club that has an entry fee of 20 euros. I laughed at him and said that he got the wrong person as I won’t spend even a penny on these clubs/pubs. He was persistent and wanted me to have a look for a couple of minutes and then decide. He escorted me for a quick visit to a club for free and I thought that it is just like any other pub/club. But, it felt like another dark world. There were many big halls inside the club. Each hall has a podium and many tables and decorated with a different theme. The employees of that club are busy entertaining the guests on the podium and also on the tables. The guy who escorted me walked very quickly and I had to capture everything at a quick glance. While following him, there was a time when I wanted to have a second glance and turned my head back sharply to almost 180 degrees keeping my mouth and eyes wide open. After a quick visit to the club, we came outside and that guy noticed my shell-shocked expressions. He smiled and said that it is time to pay 20 euros and enjoy the ambience. Then I had to change my facial expressions to suit disappointment and said that it is below par and not up to my standards. He argued for a long time that it is the best club in Prague and finally gave up after realizing that I’m not ready to spend even a penny.

      Unable to come out of that shock, I trudged in that lane and was interrupted by another guy. He escorted me to the club in front of him saying that it is free of cost and I need to pay only for the drinks. As I’m a teetotaler, I had a smile inside my heart and followed him. He asked me to sit at a table with 5 chairs. There are already 4 guests busy watching the entertainment around. Two of the guests seem to be a newly married couple from an Asian country and the other two are American girls visiting Europe. I had mixed emotions flowing through my body. I am embarrassed to turn my head to get a glimpse of the entertainment around, uncomfortable sitting with the girls on that table at such a place and excited to pinch myself and realize which part of the world am I in. To get rid of nervousness, I initiated a quick talk with two girls sitting beside me. After a couple of minutes, I could not sit there for any longer and walked quickly towards my hostel.

      This was my first cultural shock for many reasons. Firstly, I always thought that pubs and clubs are only to drink and dance. Secondly, I always used to think that only men go to such places.

Charles Bridge
Old town square
Prague Castle
Museums inside castle
Astronomical clock
Synagogues
Dancing House
Powder Tower
Petrin Lookout tower
David Cerny Babies
John Lennon wall

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Travel... as long as you can.. as far as you can..

Who knows! I may forget the names of the places that I have travelled to. So, I listed down those 29 countries and 160 places (excluding India).

United States:

California - San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Folsom, Bay Area (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Fremont, Palo Alto, Newark, Fremont, Dublin, Saratoga, Los Gatos, etc.)

Washington - Seattle Area (Redmond, Bellevue, Sammamish, Crystal Mountain - Mount Rainier, Lake Tipsoo, Whidbey Island, Bothell)

Texas - Austin

Germany:
Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Nuremburg, Koln, Dusseldorf, Wolfsburg, Frankfurt, Ober Ramstadt, Magdeburg, Braunschweig, Soltau, Ingolstadt, Dachau, Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Castle, Oberammergau, Wustermark, Metzingen, Wernigerode, Gifforn, Forchheim, Schwerin, Hanau, Herzogenaurach

UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland):
London, Belfast, Edinburgh, Stonehenge, Bath, Warwick, Malmesbury, Oxford, Reading, Birmingham, Nottingham, Gloucester, Bourton-on-the-water (Cotswold), Blenheim Palace, Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede, Dark Hedges, Glynde, Banstead, Lewes, Buxton, Wetton (Peak District), Boswinger, Mevagisse, Bodinnick, Polruan, Hucknall

Switzerland:
Zurich, Bern, Geneva, Interlaken, Jungfrau, Grindelwald, Zermatt, Gornergrat, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Lucerne, Mount Rigi, Weggis, St. Gallen, Appanzel, Gais, Brienz

Italy:
Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence, Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Siena, Pisa, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre)

Spain:
Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Bunol, Seville, Ronda, Cordoba, Malaga

Portugal:
Lisbon, Sintra

Greece:
Athens, Fira, Akrotiri, Pirgos (Santorini island)

Turkey:
Istanbul, Cappadocia, Goreme, Avanos, Kayamakli, Derinkuyu, Zelvis

Russia:
Saint Petersburg

Jordan:
Amman, Jerash, Madaba, Mount Nebo, Shoubak, Petra/Wadi Musi, Wadi Rum, Aqaba

Netherlands:
Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans,  Madurodam, Rotterdam, Keukenhof, Noordwijkerhaut, Steenwijk, Giethoorn, Eindhoven

Belgium:
Brussels, Bruges, Antwerpen

France:
Paris, Chamonix, Ville-la-Grand

Austria:
Vienna, Innsbruck, Swarovski kristallwelten

Czech Republic:
Prague

Norway:
Bergen, Flam, Otternes, Voss, Odda, Skjeggedal, Trolltunga

Denmark:
Copenhagen

Sweden:
Stockholm

Finland:
Helsinki

Estonia:
Tallin

Latvia:
Riga

Croatia:
Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes

Serbia:
Belgrade

Bosnia & Herzegovina:
Bijeljina (Stanišići Ethno Village)

Slovenia:
Lake Bled, Ljubljana

Liechtenstein:
Vaduz

Vatican:
Vatican city

Thailand:
Bangkok


In India:
Here is the list of places that I visited in India before coming to Germany.

North India:
Delhi, Jaipur, Pilani, Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Manikaran, Srinagar, Kargil, Leh, Ladhak region, Pangyong lake, Nubra Valley, Amritsar, Wagah border, Patna, Gaya, Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, Saranath, Pune, Shiridi, Shani singanpur, Mumbai, Goa, Sasaram, Barun, Dehri-on-sone

South India:
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Kanipakam, Bangalore, Mysore, Dandeli, Gokarna, Belur, Halebedu, Sravan Belgola, Udipi, Murudeshwar, Shimoga, Salem, Yercaud, Jog falls, Shivanasamudra falls, Mekedaatu falls, Kudremukh trek, Savandurga trek, Anthargange trek, Ramnagara, Nandi hills, Talakadu

There are many other places that I have been to but unable to recollect now.

Solo Backpacking Experience to Vienna

I never understood how someone can get motivated enough to travel alone, till I set out on my first trip in Germany. My idea of travel was to go out with a group of 6-8 friends and have fun with them. An unexpected solo trip to Vienna not only changed my view of travel but also redefined the way I think, plan and perceive things around me.

        It's a 4-day weekend and my lazy bones already ate up half a day, in contemplating how to enjoy. An impulsive force stimulated me to search for the locations nearby Munich. My crazy decibels said "Come on! Come on Jet! Go! Go!". In less than a minute, I finalized Vienna as I liked its pronunciation . I inquired a friend about the transport and came to know that blablacar is a good option. Through blablacar, I contacted a person who said that he will be at my hotel in 10 minutes. I stuffed my backpack with a few clothes, whatever my hand can catch, and rushed downstairs. I got into the car with 3 more guys from different countries. Here comes my biggest puzzle. Where do I stay in Vienna? What places should I visit in Vienna?

          A quick chat in the car and a google search provided some pointers. I booked a hostel through my mobile and contacted 'Tourist Information Center' as soon as I landed in Vienna. I was surprised to see the whole Vienna assembling to attend Philharmonic music performance. I quickly joined those souls and got drenched in music. For the rest of my trip, I was mesmerized by the architecture of the buildings, the sculptures and statues in the middle of the roads, and the historic places, cafes and bakeries that Mozart and Hitler preferred to spend their time at.  In hostels, I met different blokes from various countries, roamed around with them, attended operas, tasted local cuisines and danced with the crowd in Vienna's summer festival.

         My solo trip to Vienna turned out to be the most exciting trip. In a solo trip, you can decide on where to go and how much time to spend without looking for others' consent. You spend more time to understand the history and culture of the place which can alter your views  and this is the main purpose of travel. I have learnt a lot in this trip in terms of the challenges it has thrown, the decisions I made and the experiences I relished. In short, it just showed me who I am without much introspection. I sincerely recommend that you take a solo trip to get close to your soul. Trust me! You will love it.

How to travel affordably in Europe ?

I have travelled across many countries in Europe over the last one year. Euro trip is a dream for many. It is very beautiful, yet expensive. I found a way out to travel affordably in Europe. I hope that my post would help fellow travellers/explorers who are looking forward to travel in Europe, affordably.

Finalize Destination:

When? : April - October for Euro trip. October-March for Aurora Borealis.

Weather: Check weather forecast. Make sure it is not rainy.

Festivals: European cities are full of life during festivals. A trip during unique festivals is fun and adventurous (La Tomatino, Oktoberfest, Battles of the Oranges, Haro Wine festival, Bullrun, Bullfight).

Best Travel fare:

Plan: Plan 2-3 months in advance to get the best fare

Public Holidays: Tickets cost a fortune during public holidays

Best fare: If dates are finalized, search in goeuro.com and skyscanner.

                 If dates are not finalized check the fares in Ryanair, blablacar,

                 Flixbus/Postbus

Airport-City: Avoid odd hours to get better transport from airport-city and vice versa.

Commute: Each city has a different travel plan. Try to take a 3 or 4 day pass that covers tourist attractions and travel within the city.

Reserve Accommodation:

Free: Stay with friends/relatives, Couchsurfing

Paid: Hostel Bookers, Airbnb, Booking.com

Where?: Center of the city - Nightlife is awesome in the center of the city and usally many tourist attractions are in the middle of the city

Before you travel, read about the country, its culture, history of the place, tourist attractions, currency and visa process.

I have many more suggestions to make your vacation, a wonderful outing. Shoot a mail to jet706@gmail.com for any tips/queries related to travel within Europe.

Funny (German) Experience

My first abroad trip has set a big platform for unlimited funny experiences. My friend Ramana, alias annayya, received me in Hamburg and taught me basic etiquette of Germany. I stood in awe of him after knowing the way he mastered German language by reading complex topics and novels over the last five years. When Ramana took me out, he read all the hoardings in German language loudly to ensure that I notice his proficiency.

    After two days, I had to travel from Hamburg to Wolfsburg. Everything is written in German and most of the people speak only German language. So, here comes my biggest challenge as I need to travel by three different trains. Very worried about my situation, Ramana accompanied me to the railway station (Bahnhof). A scrolling at the platform (Gleis) and an announcement in German language greeted us to which he paid utmost attention. He looked at me with a big smile and asked me whether I understood the announcement. With impending gratitude in my eyes, I responded that I must have got panicked and had to run after people without him. With immense pride in his eyes, Ramana said that the train was delayed by 10 minutes. The last time I saw such pride in his eyes was during his engagement.

    Even after waiting for 20 more minutes, the train has not arrived. Ramana tracked the train's location and spoke to the railway authorities fluently in German language. He came back with his hands on his head and requested me whether I can stay back in Hamburg for that night. My curious and shocked eyes stared at him to know the reason. It seems that the announcement and scrolling were provided to inform that the train will come to 10th platform. Ramana assumed/understood that the train is delayed by 10 minutes. He said that if a person like me with 5 years of experience in German language faces this kind of situation, then what is the plight of people like you? In no time, I thanked him for his concern and got into the next available train.

A date with Kudremukh in Western Ghats

Never was I so desperate for a break! Recently, I had been to the most beautiful trek (40 kilometers) in Karnataka, The Kudremukh. My friend Swamy and I joined a bunch of enthusiastic bachelors with whom we had unlimited fun throughout the trip through GHAC.

We started at 6 pm in Hyderabad and reached Udipi town by morning 7 am. Later, 11 of us hired a 20-seater to Balagal village. Our co-ordinator, Giri, came up with a couple of games through which all of us were introduced to one another. The real fun started there with the ‘Mafia’ game in which we stereotyped each person. On our way, we visited Hanumangundi water falls. Later, some of us sat on the top of a 20-seater through the ghat roads and had an adventurous journey until the police caught us.

After reaching Balagal village, we started our initial 8 kilometers trek amidst leeches at 4pm and reached Kudremukh base camp in two hours. All of us applied salt andneem oil with extra pair of socks surrounding polythene covers to protect ourselves from leech bites. At base camp, we spent around half an hour to identify leech bites on our skin and visitedthe Somawathi water falls nearby.

On day two, we started our exciting and adventurous trek from the base camp to Kudremukh peak at 6 am. The drizzle welcomed us to enjoy the scenic beauty of the trek. As we passed through the lush green vegetation, we noticed peacocks and Samba deer from a distance. Many small streams of fresh water on our way added more beauty to our trek. Oh My God! The clouds occasionally touched us and condensed to water. That feeling was simply awesome! The green mountains played hide and seek with the help of fog and created another master piece to the trek. Our journey from a muddy road to gravel uphill, from the grasslands to an uninhabited forest with fallen trees, from the slippery rocks to a fresh water steams was like a beautiful dream. Adventure awaited us in the form of leeches, mossy rocks and steep edges of the hill. On our way, we shared our food and water with our friends to unload our backpacks. We also shared a few packets of salt to get rid of leeches on our shoes and legs. Finally, it took us 4 and a half hours to reach the mighty and beautiful Kudremukh peak. All of us held our shoulders together and shouted with boisterous enthusiasm and moved in a circle.

Later, we trekked down 12 kilometres to the base camp in another 4 hours as it was very slippery throughout due to heavy rain. After reaching the base camp, we found that 8 of the 11 guys were bitten by leeches despite the heavy protective measures that we took. Later, we took bath after reaching the base camp and started walking another 8 kilometers.

It is definitely the most beautiful trek I had ever been to. Along with this trek, we also visited the Malpe beach in Udipi and the Lord Shiva temple in Murudeshwar.

Jet’s Jaaazzzzzz…. Need I say more?

Lazy Bones... me..:)

Firstly, thanks to my friends, teammates, colleagues and relatives who bore with me during my car research for the best urban car on hyderabad roads. After a six-month car research, I couldn’t find even a single hatchback or sedan matching Jazz’s standards or style. So, I went ahead and reserved one when the petrol price was at an all time high of 82 Rs/liter while every other new car owner was desperately craving for a diesel (45 Rs/liter) car. Whoever asks me “Kitana dethi hai?” I suggest that they better use public transport.

Honda Jazz’s review:

Pros:

Ultra smooth engine, Smashing looks (at least on Hyderabad roads) with futuristic design, Best in quality Music and air-condition, Trendy dashboard and magic seats, Spacious interiors, Safety.

Cons:

Mileage (when compared with that of diesel cars), The most expensive petrol hatch in India.

My experiences:

When I drove my car to my apartment on the first day, a couple of guys came to me and introduced themselves and asked more about me, praising the car as well. Since then, my car’s huge head turner appeal made me feel proud almost every day before passersby. Recently, a software engineer on a two-wheeler admired my car at a crowded JNTU traffic signal and praised me with his gestures while everyone around envied.

After 2 years... it makes me feel good for making the right decision... You know what!!!

Now petrol price is 79/- and Diesel price is 60/- ... hehe

10K run... Get... Set... Start...

Have you got registered for 10K run?

How are you practicing?

What is your Bib number?

Should we go by car or train?

These questions have been part of my daily discussions with my friends and colleagues for the last couple of weeks. Finally, the D-day has arrived. I got up at 4.30 am and woke my friends Manoj, Rajesh and Bob up. We went to Hi-tech city railway station, parked our car and took a train at 5.50 am. We reached ‘Necklace Road’ station at 6.10 am. A five minute stroll took us down to the starting point of 10K run. The race started at 6.40 am when film actor and union minister Mr. Chiranjeevi flagged-off the event.

Around 8500 participants turned up for the event. Water and other refreshments were served every 100 metres. ‘Gangnam Style’ music stalls in between kept the runners energetic. With the policemen and ambulances around, runners were safe and secure. I finished running 10 kilometers in 63 minutes, four minutes more than my personal best. I ran the first 5 kilometers in 32 minutes and the next 5 kilometers in 31 minutes.

At the end, I received a medal for finishing 10 kilometers run and also got some refreshments. Neither did I develop any sprain in my legs nor did I feel tired throughout the day. A few trial runs of 10kms, 7kms and 7kms in that order for the last one week helped me prepare well for this 10K run. Besides, 10K run was very well organized. Thanks to my friend Swetha for informing me about this event. I also made sure that a few of my enthusiastic friends and colleagues participate in this event and run for Aashayein Foundation. This foundation aims to promote child education.