I found a new friend from delhi who is sighted and wishes to travel with bat. He has been a great friend who has been my room mate all along. But you need to be independent. I take help only in a new place and that too far the first time.
Regards Vamshi > On 14-Jun-2018, at 10:52 AM, Payal Kapoor <paya...@gmail.com> wrote: > > hi Vamshi, > that was a wonderfully detailed description and sounds really > exciting. so good to see folks out there walking their talk when > offering inclusive travel options for the blind. > what i am curious about is the response of other travellers in the > group? what was their response to having two blind persons on the > trip? did they engage with you and help you with things around, like > descriptions or just anything at all? > i am sure your feedback will encourage many of us to take trips with them. > Payal > >> On 6/14/18, Amar Jain <amarj...@amarjain.com> wrote: >> Thanks for penning it down beautifully. I am yet to have drinks with Ritu >> and Divya, but one thing which I really like about them is that they are >> really pocket friendly people and still offering pretty much the same thing >> which other players are doing in the industry. >> >> Regards, >> Amar Jain >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On 14-Jun-2018, at 9:59 AM, vamshi vamshi <gvamsh...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> Dear friends, >>> >>> I had just taken one more step in the direction of independent living for >>> blind, a tour alone to Sikkim, Indochina border with Bat travels. Now I >>> am in euphoria for not just completing my first tour alone, but finding a >>> new way of happy living with new bunch of friends! >>> >>> I took off alone from Banglore airport having all the apprehensions as it >>> was my first time tour without family, friends or known people. How >>> should I find the cab at Bagdogra airport? What if other sighted tourists >>> are not ready to help me? Will I be left out on a few spots on the tour? >>> How will I have lunch in a new place? What if I need to go to wash room? >>> What if other sighted tourists are not interested in talking to me? Will >>> it be risky to depend purely on my white cane in hilly places? Will I >>> enjoy the picturesque beauty of Sikkim as a blind tourist? Many more like >>> this. But then, I thought its worth giving a try. After all, life is all >>> about trying things new. Isn’t it? >>> >>> Day 0 >>> Getting bonded >>> All the group of 8 arrived at Bagdogra airport. Two of us were blind >>> and others being sighted. Pleasant surprise was that Bat Travel team of >>> Divya and Ritu were there a day in advance to receive us! Couple of hours >>> after introductions, we found ourselves cracking jokes at each others and >>> pulling each others legs. We started to Gangtok comfortably seated in two >>> SUVs, good old bollywood music playing and I humming some songs , more to >>> show that I knew them than to sing well (smile). River Teesta was along >>> side us as if was showing us the way. A river is the best friend for >>> blind in nature as it makes sound to make us feel it. Bat Travel team >>> was describing the nature around us, the size and shape of trees, height >>> of mountains, how far and low is the river, the depth of valley, colour >>> of monkeys, a fox that we sighted etc. It was as good as seeing >>> everything. By the night, we checked into the hotel at Gangtok and rested >>> after dinner. And yes, each blind was accompanied by a sighted in the >>> room to orient us. >>> >>> Day 1 >>> We enjoyed a water fall, Sprinkled water on each other and had a few snaps >>> taken. Then we went to Enchey monastery, with Divya or Ritu describing >>> sculpture and paintings in detail, even letting us have a tactile feel of >>> the Buddhist sculpture, rare leaves, flowers etc. Contrary to our >>> personalities and the tour, we remained silent in praying before lord >>> Buddha with a monk chanting beside us. After that, was the time for the >>> most exciting part of the tour, a rope slide between two mountain clifs, >>> with a water fall beside us and water flowing below us! A part of me was >>> hesitant but the stubborn side of me wanted to do it. I was carefully >>> guided to the clif and was explained how it would be functioning. Even >>> the staff there ensured all safety measures. But still, to be harnessed to >>> a rope, and sliding from one clif to another by holding the rope was one >>> heck of an experience! They even stop in the middle where we can leave >>> the rope and wave in the air. At that moment, it was a sense of >>> achievement to think, what if I can’t do certain things like sighted, here >>> I am doing an adventure which many sighted wouldn’t have done! After >>> having a Sikkimmese lunch with pasta, bamboo shoots, etc., we returned and >>> rested at hotel. >>> >>> Day 2 >>> Time to touch China! Natulla pass! 14,000 feet height! >>> It was all the more tantalizing when we had to wait twice for permits to >>> reach there. With every passing mile up, the temperature kept dropping >>> and air freezing. I deliberately refrained from wearing jacket till we >>> reached there to see how it will be like, but only to loose the battle >>> with the weather as by then my hands also started paining. It was a hike >>> to the top, with either of the bat travel buddies or sighted friend >>> holding one hand and my white cane in the other. There were steps, >>> treacherous passes, snow passes, other tourists and what not, but it was a >>> great experience to use the white cane at such a place and reach the peak. >>> We could see Chinese buildings, flags at the other end. My impish side >>> got better of me as I poked my cane beyond Indian border and was duly >>> cautioned by the army person against it. After saluting the army friends, >>> on our way down, we had hot tea, jilebi and popcorn. We had a few pics >>> and shouted Jayho to India at the border! On our way down, we stopped at >>> beautiful Tsomgo lake to have a yak ride. Ritu went so far to walk ahead >>> of me, or rather the yak to take a video of my ride. >>> >>> Day 3 >>> From east to west of Sikkim. >>> We visited Temi tea gardens on the way to west of Sikkim. It was planned >>> that we will have lunch in the middle of tea bushes! But nature had >>> different plans as it rained. However, it was no less an experience with >>> having lunch at top of a building of 50 feet height with the entire tea >>> garden below us, mountains around us and clouds along side! We visited >>> the factory and got the entire process of producing tea explained. We >>> even handled one or two machines to get hands on. Then we proceeded to >>> Okhrey, visiting the golden colour 130 feet statue of Lord Buddha on the >>> way. >>> >>> Day 4 >>> Wooden Home stay in a Sikkimmese village, and disability etiquette of a >>> village boy >>> Putting up on second floor of the wooden building was a rare experience. >>> A few humming birds woke us up in the morning. We argued amongst >>> ourselves for guessing the name of the bird that is humming, obviously >>> with no one knowing it correctly! It was a loving family that served >>> homely food in the village. >>> Then we went through a forest trail, and I have met a special person. >>> Ashish, a twelve year boy. He kept all others away from me and guided me >>> all the way through the trail across patchy ways, streams, rocks, trees >>> etc. He went so far to step on the ground ahead to check the firmness >>> and then place my cane. After sometime, he took the cane away from me >>> saying the path is smooth and my hand would pain for holding it for long >>> time. I took the risk of giving up the cane and prepared for an injury >>> for the love and concern he had for me, but his confidence took me >>> through. I thought Corporates and governments need to be sensitized with >>> prolonged campaigns and agetations, but a village boy from a north eastern >>> village just had the right attitude towards a blind whom he met for the >>> first time. Hatss off to him! The day ended with a Sikkimmese music and >>> dance performance, again with Divya and Ritu describing the steps. I even >>> tried my hands on the instrument and Sikkimmese dance, which was followed >>> by Anthakshiri sitting around bond fire. >>> >>> Day 5 >>> Good bye Sikkim >>> I travelled all the day, in a car to Bagdogra airport, in flight to >>> Chennai, RTC bus to tirupati, and finally a auto rikshaw at 1 in the night >>> to my home. See? I am confident of independent travel! >>> >>> Follow up >>> I received all my pics and videos taken with detailed description as to >>> who are all there, our poses and the background. Isn’t it inclusive >>> tourism at its best? >>> >>> About Bat Travels; Ritu and Divya >>> It requires great passionate hearts to give up jobs and start something >>> like Bat Travels. And great professional minds to run it. But their >>> uniqueness >>> Lies in the fact that they get sighted tourists on board with blind after >>> duly sensitizing them about blind etiquette. See how a village boy from >>> north eastern village helped a blind man from tirupati to have a life time >>> memory! It was my first innings with the “Bat”. And given my experience, >>> I will surely have more, and longer innings with them. Would surely >>> recommend to all my friends, blind or sighted, to go with bat Travels! >>> >>> >>> -- >>> G. Vamshi >>> Mobile: +91 9949349497 >>> Skype: gvamshi81 >>> >>> WWW.VIBEWA.ORG >>> EQUALITY AND DIGNITY >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Search for old postings at: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ >>> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>> accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>> please visit the list home page at >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >>> >>> >>> Disclaimer: >>> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of >>> the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its >>> veracity; >>> >>> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails >>> sent through this mailing list.. >> >> >> >> >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please >> visit the list home page at >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> >> Disclaimer: >> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the >> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; >> >> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails >> sent through this mailing list.. >> > > > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
