Sent from my iPhone
> On 14-Jun-2018, at 10:18 AM, 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.. awesome description really. I feel like > going to Sikkim at once. 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..
