As the love for adventure sports grew, bungy jumping had to be on the list and that too from the height which is the deepest in the world – 160 Mts. That’s right it happens right here, in the Land of Himalayas, a three hour drive from the capital, Kathmandu. The world’s second deepest fall when it comes to bungy which has a 3 second free fall and the first while you are going for a swing at The Last Resort. They have canyoning and tandem swing too.

Some plans are best when not much research is done. It had to be sometime this year (hopefully) or later that I had no idea about, but it had to happen sooner. Its better when we don’t really know what we are in for, how the craziness is going to be?? I remember making plans for this activity couple of times and never succeed. So this time we were going even if everyone couldn’t make it. As the payment was done a day earlier at their office which is situated in Thamel, the videos were being played one after the other. The nervousness rose as we watched it, the confusion began on which adventure should we opt for as we filled the form and we were relieved as we got to know that we could chose any activity on the spot.

When options are given it gets confusing and one can think about it as many times and not get to a conclusion. This was exactly what happened to us. The dreams of jumping from a height which we had never imagined, the anxiety was mounting as the time went by. All the collective stories from different jumpers and swingers started coming together and we were going to be one soon.

The three- four hour drive was fun and the view was super green on the way, as we passed Dulhikhel. The last half an hour drive was a little patchy and the ratio of foreign nationals and Nepalese was the same. It was amusing listening to everyone as they spoke how scary it is going to be. Everyone was in the same zone- scared in the mind, but the heart wanted to go for it. As we reached the bridge at Bhotekoshi the feeling of the dive started sinking in and at the same time the view was breathtaking. Since the resort is on the other side, we crossed the small narrow link and we could see the platform where we were to jump from. As we reached the resort, which is beautifully made, with those camping tents, a perfect get away from the K-town.

We were given in a good briefing about bungy jump and the swing and were just instructed on one line- Keep your mind aside, and don’t think about anything, just go for the jump. We finally decided on the swing as it sounded more thrilling. And in no time we were at the bridge waiting for our turn. As we went diving one after the other, we could sense the exhilaration, adventure, apprehension on most of the faces. This feeling was pretty normal.

As the bungy jumpers were harnessed by the ropes on their back and legs, a small video was quickly made by the crew. The moment when we were geared for the jump can never be forgotten. It was such a weird feeling. We had no idea where we were going to go even if we could see the river flowing right beneath. As I stood on the edge of the platform, I forgot how beautiful the mountains looked or the view was, the only agenda was experiencing the most famous swing. It seemed really easy but the count of 3, 2 and 1 by the bungy master gave in a roll, and we were surprised we were up for the activity. It was super crazy up then. The 7 seconds of freefall went over 150 km/hr and got over in no time as we swang from one end to another. The starting 3 seconds went swiftly as we reached the end of the fall and realized the swing. And then was the best part as we kept swinging from one end to another looking at the clouds and the clear blue sky. Some seconds of adventure surely takes your breath away. As we spoke to others, they gave the same expression.

The half an hour uphill to the resort was so tiresome. It was totally worth the escapade. With that we were the swingers for the day, 22^nd May 2014, wherein Prakriti, Arpit and me marked our adventure date. With some lunch and clicking session we were all set to get back.

Looking forward for more awesomeness, more journeys. On the list stands Zip flying, Canyoning, Sky diving, Para-hawking, kayaking and off the list have been many from Paragliding, Parasailing, Flying fox, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Jet – Skiing, Rafting, River crossing, Mud –biking.

P.S:: If you are thinking twice about going for the excitement, do not. It will end before you know it, you just got to feel like a bird and fly.

Check ::

This topic can be taken in different way. The title could be for finding the purpose of life or searching yourself within the crowd or something that makes you the happiest or it could also be about the dream job that you always wanted. As much as the theme is catchy, we are not discussing about any one of them. We are talking about how the search is never over. The search for that one person whom you think you can spend the rest of your life with.

Back in those days when you saw the cutest boy in school, your heart beat faster. You probably never got the chance to speak to him much but the slightest of conversation with your senior would be replayed time and again. That smile would sway your mind and things would be understood differently. Small talks and those mushy notes, that look in the eyes was worth the love dose.

The phase of puppy love got over sooner and there as college began; many followed the mass, and badly wanted someone in their life. Even if you were not truly in love, even if you weren’t falling for someone, you did not want people to notice. It might just be a statement of being with the prettiest girl or a tag of being in a relationship. You could hardly find one enjoying college days with the best bunch of friends and being single as they weren’t forcing themselves for the search. It amuses me how people look for emotional support, and don’t believe that they are always enough for yourself.

As much as it sounds crazy, but the search still goes on to find that perfect one. It is not just with men but girls are on the watch too. Each one of us knows that everyone has some imperfection and we need to see beyond it. The best of qualities that made us fall in love with that person should never be overshadowed. Since you have been in love for so long and been in the happiest relationship where each day is full of excitement, charm and charisma. When everything seems complete, there are some who are still on the lookout. It is quite surprising to hear people falling in love when they are already in a relationship which they frantically wanted to be in. The feeling and emotions are not in control at times, you cannot keep looking for more. You need to be happy with that gorgeous gown or the newest gadget that you saved up for so long and not want everything that is new to the collection. But the irony is you always want more.

P.S:- Do what you did in the beginning of a relationship and there won’t be an end ~ Anthony Robbins~

It’s so amusing to see the transition in this generation as we compare kids to children born in late 19th century. Not many years have passed but it feels like so many things have changed so quickly. I wouldn’t really comment if all is for good but sure can relate my childhood days. And as I am starting with the comparison I am wondering how difficult is it for our parents to see the transformation and accept it. It sure is an extra dose of challenge for parents to raise their kids. It is really hard to figure out how they deal with them and is appreciable how they are patient with the children. Each child is pampered to the highest point. It sometimes gets hard to process the unreasonable demands and the stubbornness of children. The interesting bit is all their wishes get fulfilled too. They do not have to choose between a pair of doll or toy cars because they know they will get both of them without trying much harder. Gone are the days when the color pencils purchased would last for half a year or say a quarter. Now, there are 5 different varieties of stationery and the kid wouldn’t even realize if something is missing. It’s just not about one particular child; the tradition is the same around each block. The custom has become such that parents while agreeing to the wants are making kids more carefree, forgetting to teach them the value of money, to take care of things and making them less responsible. As far as I have come across, kids have a gadget which belongs to them; they do not eat food without television or playing a game on the mobile phones. They are so picky with food, that making them eat a meal is the hardest task ever. Encouraging this act is nothing other than lack of discipline and obedience. Each parents dream is to be a genie for their child, but I guess they need to take it slow and go the old school method and teach them to be patient and fight for what the deserve and let them earn the prize. Certainly, the kids of this century are so informative, knowledgeable and tech-savvy. Thanks to technology. They exactly know what they want and how they want things. It is so surprising when they know the smallest details of the things they love and it is so much fun listening to the conversation between the teens. The smartest answers and the way they tackle different situations is commendable. So appreciate the way parent’s thoughts are changing and extra-curricular activities are given importance. They have started understanding what passion is and how any field is creative if one has passion for it. Nevertheless, how much we modernize and go ahead with times, the intuitive power and the innocence of child will always remain the same.

Every relationship is diverse, it has a special beginning and own charm to it. As each one of us have a love story, and each fairy-tale has two people who are crazily, madly and deeply in love with each other. Falling in love is different for everyone. Some might get physically attracted and then get to know more about that person and some might fall in love in the process of knowing one another. For some it just happens, and for the others, it takes a while to fall in love. By the end the cupid arrow does strike each one of us. We love the pampering, the feeling of being in love and the small romantic things that we do for one another. I so wish these small gestures stay forever.

It’s always said the element of attraction is when two individuals are opposite. That’s how the chemistry works. What do you think?? Has it worked in your relationship?? I guess being totally different from each other, the way you think and your interests does work well for a small term. At some point of time, you need a consent . Undoubtedly, you get to explore about more things and get an idea from various perspectives on general talks. But when the things are not accepted in the same way, there comes the tricky part. One always learns in a relationship and grows so much but if the liking and idea is not similar it does not last for long. So imagine if you are an adventure freak and you want to experience outdoors and you wouldn’t leave an opportunity to do so, and the person you are with doesn’t like outdoors. It would be such a bummer. These are small things but talking about priorities, likes, and the thinking process, it is the best when it is alike. Or else there has to be huge compromise and adjustments.

The relationship becomes more beautiful when one person loves the sunrise and the other loves the moonlight. It ends sooner when one person loves the nature and the other one doesn’t care about it. All I am trying to say is OPPOSITE ATTRACTS is just a phrase, and if you try to mold the person on how you are than you are changing the person whom you fell in love with. Similar taste in food and movies will not hold you together neither will different hobbies and passion drive you apart. It’s what you chose to make of these differences.

And as it’s said “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”

It’s been a month that I have posted on the blog. There are so many events happening, so many places that I have travelled past month and so many crazy incidents adding so much to write. I added the topics on the note of mine at different times and as I compiled them all, the headings seem to go on for another 2 months. Whoa, that’s going to be a whole lot of interesting work. Writing is one of the best things that one can fall in love with. As I have started with VLOG, which is addictive too, the experience is great and each video gets better each time.

Each travel has added a travelogue and articles on interesting incidents, people and various cultures and lifestyle. It is so incredible to see different religions and so many different natured individuals. Observing the situation can be so amusing and entertaining.

I started with my travel diary after a year of blogging. It never struck me that my journey could be drafted in a blog. Since then I have been regular. It was the same with the videos. After two years of posting articles, one fine day I realized that I missed out the opportunity of making small videos. About 10 travel blogs have been posted already on You Tube after that date. As one thing led to other, I have no idea what is going to be next, but my creativity is surely on a high.

All I want to convey is write your heart out, it need not be in a very complicated language, simple words and easy sentences. You could start with writing your everyday journal and pen your thoughts on how you feel about a particular occurrence. This will not only increase your vocabulary but clear your mind on so many things. And there will be a time where you will want to write for hours and hours as you get addicted to writing.

Relationship can get trickier at times and once it starts getting complicated there are two alternatives, some fade with time and some just end so quickly that there is no full stop. There is no conversation, which leaves the other perplexed and confused on what happened. I guess, it is always nice to have that talk when you end things, the presumptions and assumptions about different things do no good to anyone.

Imagine two individuals being in relationship for the first time, without any previous attachment, things would be much simpler. There would never be looking back, and the bond would be stronger as there would be nothing to hide, the lives being an open book, and nothing that you would feel not happy about. The firsts are always special and if you are with your first for the longest, life could not get any better. You learn with time but being each others first is the most special feeling.

There is a different charm of being in a relationship with someone who has been with many and wants to be with you for years. Even if you are not his/her first, you are being pampered and loved and the number just does not matter. Everyone has a history and as people grow in each relationship, the way he/she has been is because of those many relationships they have been in. So you should be happy that you found someone who can handle things better . Everyone has a baggage, who doesn’t is the question? You should be completely cool with it if you have your own baggage. But the faster you forget about your own and your partners past, the better your relationship will work out. You should not be comparing with your ex or talk to them about their exes time and again. If you do that, it surely is a relationship killer, unless you are in a very different comfort zone.

There are so many relationships which do not work after a decade of being together. As time passes by, some attachment stays the same and some don’t exist, again depending on the nature of the person. It surely becomes hard, and there are reasons for it not to work. When you enter into another bond, there is always a question which stays in other’s mind. It is hard not to accept that the same story will never be repeated. If you do not want that question to arise in your loved one, you got to move on completely and love them like your first as the past is gone and it’s better to leave them in the history.

World Health Day is marked on 7^th April, 2014. I had no idea unless I saw it on the newspapers yesterday that this day is celebrated too. I am sure there are many of us who are so bad with dates and since there is celebration for each title, it gets more confusing. So what do we actually do on this day? What do we do on the environment day which comes each year on 5^th June? There are many events which take place on that particular day and the result is short termed. Don’t you think we need to carry these habits everyday in our lives and create awareness among people who are not using them or are not contributing to the environment?

This thought led to the making of THE KTM DRIVE. We don’t do same things here, but we do things differently. It all started with giving out tree saplings, some bearing fruit and some flowers. When we gave them for free we were not satisfied as we were giving out a message for a greener town, but at the same time, were those saplings being taken care of? Were they planted around the house? What was the result of the event? This inclined us to create awareness in various ways. We started visiting schools, orphanages and planted the sapling with the kids, made sure that they had the responsibility towards the green.

One thing led to the other, and we started with RUCK SACK PROJECT – a project where we collect old clothes and give it out to the one in need by wandering around the town. Giving clothes to the homeless, contributing our time at the old age home and having a mini-ice cream party, giving out new socks and gloves in the winters, this time we met young girls and taught them healthy habits. They knew it all and were so smart for their age, but a little brush up on their oral hygiene and sanitation was required. We gave them healthy kits with toothbrush, toothpaste, hand towels, nail cutter, body lotion, hair oil, ear buds and bathing soap. This is how we celebrate each event as world health day/ environment day.

These kids sang for us in chorus to the Nepali song Slowly Slowly and we were surprised when we got to know they were singing together for the first time. They were really good. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the talented kids spreading the message of cleanliness. After the talk was over, this girl asked one of us as to how much water do we drink in a day?? It left us surprised. The smartness and promptness of the kids these days is uncanny.

There are times when people come to us and ask on why are we doing these events, are we being funded, where do we get the ideas from and what joy do we get from it? Here is the answer. Each event has been a two way learning process, and we have inspired many through our journey. We are not registered neither being funded, till date we have been collecting money from our members for our events which need monetary help. Let’s see how far we can go with it as it is a team work and we do have amazing members around, we are waiting for someone to take the lead and carry it on later.

Each one of us is busy in something or else in our professional careers; we conduct these events once a month, 12 times a year. I am sure each one of us can give in that much time for a cause, something that is making a difference in the lives We would love you to be a part of our drive but even if you cannot, we request you to do your bit and give in a little time of yourself, to the people who are in need. It could be the smallest, but an act of giving gives you satisfaction, contentment and happiness which are beyond thoughts.

Each one of us is raised with values and principles. We have always been directed on what stands correct and incorrect. The steps as a child are set at home and the same is strictly followed at school. The rules have been made ages back and the tradition has been going on since then. We are revolutionizing, changing the pattern but there are some custom which have been the same. Just for example: Women leave their houses, and go to a new home after marriage making an unknown place their own. Not just home but they change their surname and take their husband’s last name. Why aren’t they allowed to keep their father’s last name forever?? Why aren’t the men leaving their houses and adapting in their new home??

This practice has become less with time and prevails in most of the countries. We need to accept the power of men in the modern times is higher. Even in the 21^st century, the responsibility of both the sexes is differentiated after wedding. Especially in Asian countries, there is an extra accountability and expectation from the daughter in law of the family even if they are capable intellectually.

Who decides what is right or wrong? Who makes the rules and where are they inscribed? I believe it is just the belief which has been going on since a long time and we are afraid not to follow them. We want to reform the conventional practices and carry on with our transformed thoughts but are anxious if it would be accepted in the society or not. With the uncontrollable expenditure in weddings, exchange of monetary value from jewelry to gifts between two families (another form of dowry), and inviting the relatives who has never kept a relation till now, it seems illogical. But there we are attending the ceremonies half halfheartedly and as a requirement.

That was one perspective and there goes another. As kids our acts are calculated each time and categorized as– A naughty kid who is inquisitive and tries to explore more than required for his age. The right was always known, but there were no reasons given behind why is it the correct thing. We all have faith on the universal and omnipresent. We want to lead the path which Lord Buddha has enlightened us with. The various teachings in Mahabharata and Ramayana are etched in our hearts and we follow them. The phrases in the holy book “The Bhagwat Gita” teaches us so many things. The different religions follow their own morals.

Have we ever given a thought on various wrongs at those times, how Mahabharata is based on the fight between cousins for land and property? How Pandavas could bet their wife in a gamble?? Why was Lord Ram sent to exile for 14 years just for the reason that his younger brother would be given the throne?? I believe there is no right or wrong.There are many ways to see the same situation.

I was waiting for this one, this day when I would pin my 250^th article. I have come a long way in blogging, two years completed at www.themangogroovewordpress.com and a domain at http://www.shikhabahety.com. There are so many things I need to improve on, the grammar, the choice of words, the typos and how I forget to proof read before publishing it. With each blog I learnt so much, a new word being added to my vocabulary, synonyms of different words and how imaginative my mind tried to be with random thoughts and tried to make a piece of writing in my mind in different situations.

Writing to me is expressing what my thoughts are and different instances that we come across in our everyday life. The ideas and topics keep striking from the start of the day; some are real issues added by review of an inspiring movie recently watched, the love talk which can be related by all and also serves as a travelogue. There is no trend on the writing and that is the best part. It is a diary which has crazy fairy tale of a valley girl.

I remember my first writing clearly, I had no idea how did those words come together, rhyming with each other and made a beautiful fictional story. I never thought of being a blogger unless a friend of mine read some of my articles and he suggested I should start blogging. I was scared at the beginning wondering if I even had the time to write in a day, and if the blogs are going to stop before they start. So it all started with writing for myself and describing what is happening around me. As there were various comments and responses and some of the readers could relate to what was being published, it started encouraging me more. The readers appreciated the ideas and loved the short writings.

Some critically read it and suggested me on various areas so I could improvise and this was the part I loved. Trying to be better and making it an interesting read for all.

I would never call myself a writer because my writing is not refined and polished. They are bizarre at time and some topics cannot be understood or related by the readers. It all started by aiming one blog per day and then went on a blog in a week and at times a blog in a month. Targeted 10000 views this year and we are already at 5000. In the process, I achieved patience and became more expressive. This motivated me to write a novel THE CRAZY STUPID THING CALLED LOVE which once started with rhyme phrases at the journey at PARADISO. And yes a big shout out saying THANK YOU everyone who has been a part it. Give in any suggestions and your feed back to make it better 🙂

http://shikhabahety.com/writing-is-creating/

http://shikhabahety.com/a-note-saying-thank-you/

All of us were meeting after a long time, there was so much to talk about, so many things that we had to update each other on, reminiscing old memories. We loved making last minute plans then and we did the same this time. We decided the place for the trip and were excited for the next day. The night went by quick and it was time for us to head out. Early in the afternoon, we were set for a ride to the nearby hilltop when the climate changed drastically, and it rained heavily. The sudden change of weather made us think how the morning was sunny and bright. Some of us remembered getting up to the sun rays across the window sill. Some complained that they could not laze for long as the harsh sun rays came on their face.

As we discussed about the morning sunshine, it was gloomy and dark on the outdoors and in no time the garden was filled with white sheets of hailstones. We settled back and changed our plans as the ride wouldn’t be fun with the puddles and potholes all around. We treated ourselves for coffee and continued with our conversations.

All of a sudden, we started with a serious discussion and it was all about global warming and climatic conditions. How the weather
had been changing these years and how the extreme weather leaves everyone with a surprise. The winters had increased in the mountainous region and the southern part of Asia had been experiencing uncontrollable heat. There were so many factors and one of it had been urbanization and less of greenery.

This led to the topic of choosing the weather, summers or winters. As preferred choices were given, I stood amused with this question. It was a situation when I had to choose between blue waves and lagoon or the hilly mountains. Both were my favorite. The choice had to be made between scorching heat waves and the frosting winter cold,I voted for winters. To think about it again, I love summers too.

We keep complaining about how cold the weather is, and feel twice the cold. We cannot tolerate summer and whine, and the warmness increases. When its time for summers, we want winters more as it’s all in the mind. Its truly said the grass is greener on the other side.