Nature travel

Did you realize you are currently living one of your dreams? Weekend Village Garden Vlog

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on August 12, 2024 0

But did you realize you are currently living one of your dreams?This was the caption of a reel I saw on Instagram last week and it stuck in my head.Unfortunately I don’t remember the name of the creator ,otherwise I would definitely share her profile link.

But her message stood stuck in my head.Being thankful and optimistic plus a realist is a lifeskill. It’s not about having your head in the cloud.It’s about having your head in the cloud, while standing firmly on the ground.

It’s about facing the devil while praying to the God’s.

It’s about fighting pollution and lack of green by making your own community spaces green.It’s an investment .It’s a choice in the future of our beautiful mother earth

Unforgettable weekend :From chaos to tranquility #villagevlogs

It’s about knowing there’s death and accepting it.But also know birth,and rebirth are nature part of the circle of life too.The eternal energy of the soul is immortal ,infinite and transcends space and time.

It’s about knowing you are more than what you dreamt you could be.

It’s about accepting the scars of losing with as much grace as the pleasures of winning .

It’s about grieving and growing stronger because you grieved.It”s about looking into the mirror and liking what you see ,not because of how you look ,but because of the person you have become.

And realizing you are currently living one of your dreams.Because spending time on weekends surrounded by trees while chatting,playing with friends was one of my dreams.

Writing this one for the #BlogchatterBloghop

Zillion Reasons I Love Nature But This One Tops the List !

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on April 30, 2024 0

Places which make me happy are always full of trees,plants and just the right ambience. The green ambience helps me feel one with nature.I have zillion reasons to love nature ,but this one Tops the list!

Nature makes me really happy.

I forget my worries,petty irritations ,the ten- yea-plan worries.Every other unhappy thought takes a back seat.Anything that takes away stress and worry from daily living is something I have always tried to embrace.Nature also helps me escape from the maze of thoughts going around in a loop.Nature helps me prevent self destroying negative thoughts.

Nature embraces me just the way I am.She helps me do more, with what I have.Mother nature truly loves unconditionally.When you love someone ,you take care of them.My plant friends have always looked out for me .They give me the strength to do what I do .

Last summer I was wondering how to spend more time in nature without suffering a sunstroke?The answer was literally blowing in the wind and we found a mango orchards close to our Nature Project plot and life is better,even in summer.

Something about mango gardens!

It’s cool under a mango tree even when it’s burning hot outside.Just visit a mango orchard in summers in Malda to understand the amazing shade bearing property of a big tree.Since it’s also a fruit tree it’s my favorite kind of tree to plant.But what if you don’t want a fruit tree but a flower tree?Then the Gulmohars,Yellow Ticoma and even the Big Bougainvillea trained to climb on a metal support gives plenty of shade and is stunning to look at.

Places which make me happy are always full of trees,plants and just the right ambience. The green ambience helps me feel one with nature.
In the video you will see the gorgeous trees from Rabindrasarobar lake ,an iconic Kolkata lakefront stones throw away from the home where I grew up.
Then there’s Rajkutir a beautiful property in Kolkata where the food and decor are both stunning.
Then it’s the Siliguri @mayfairsiliguri an absolutely breath-taking resort with everything curated with care .
The first one is absolutely free to visit and enjoy and the other two will need a budget ,but all the three embraces a nature first approach which will leave you refreshed.
I wrote a post on #WorldEarthDay https://healthwealthbridge.com/planet-vs-plastic-secrets-you-should-know-worldearth-day/
Give it a read .
#naturetravellers #westbengaldiaries #greenplaces #greenplace

In the video you will see the gorgeous trees from Rabindrasarobar lake ,an iconic Kolkata lakefront stones throw away from the home where I grew up.

Then there’s Rajkutir a beautiful property in Kolkata where the food and decor are both stunning.

Then it’s the Siliguri @mayfairsiliguri an absolutely breath-taking resort with everything curated with care .

The first one is absolutely free to visit and enjoy and the other two will need a budget ,but all the three embraces a nature first approach which will leave you refreshed.

This is my Z post for BlogchatterA2Z .

Plitvice Lakes National Park Croatia Trip

By Sumana Dey Das on July 19, 2023 11

Introducing a new Author on the Blog.

Toqday’s travel post is written by Mrs.Sumana Dey Das a Nutritionist,Mother,World Traveller,Singer and an avid reader. She is also my cousin sister .Both my cousin and her husband love traveling and when I asked her to share her stories on the blog ,she said yes!

Bringing you a little bit of magic from Croatia .It’s located on the coast of Adriatic sea .Central and South Eastern Europe according to the world map.Did you know the Game of Thrones was filmed primarily in this beautiful country?In this series of travel post by my cousin sister,you will visit a few of Croatia’s stunning locations and start planning your next vacation.

Plitvice Lakes and National Park.

Plitvice Lakes and national park is the oldest and the largest national park in Croatia.It was first opened to visitors and nature lovers in 1949. There are many lakes and all lakes are interconnected by a series of waterfalls and water courses above and below the ground.There are over 16 lakes and more than 90 waterfalls of various sizes in the national park

So,the lakes are grouped into upper and lower lakes. Interestingly, upper lakes are formed on Dolomites and the lower lakes are situated in limestone canyons. All lakes if joined together, will cover a distance of 8 km. The vast lake area is covered by very thick forests with many bird species. butterflies,reptiles dragonflies, and wild animals (bear, wolf, as told by our guide).
Plitvice lakes are very rich in calcium carbonate.

Beautiful lakes interconnected by waterfalls.In the lower lake areas there were limestone canyons

It can take upto eight hours to complete a tour of the lake areas ,if you decide to do fhe entire thing.We took a shorter version but even that was threw hours long.

Tufa Barriers

These Tufa barriers formed on the bottoms and margins of all lakes(started millions of years ago and still the process is going on) act as natural dams. These dams help to retain the water of creeks, rivers, and lakes. This very unique and amazing feature made the Plitvice Lakes area a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Over millions of years, under certain geological and biochemical conditions and interactions with living organisms like algae, mosses, and bacteria these lakes create many hard, porous, fragile limestone barriers known as Tufa barriers.

Swimming is not allowed here as there are many species of reptiles, insects, and animals living here. The ecosystem is protected to help them thrive in their natural home.

Saw many peacock blue and black dragonflies flying about .They are too fast and couldn’t be captured in photo or video,but only in my memories .

10 Things About Oceans that Make Me Grateful #WorldOceanday

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on June 10, 2023 0

A comfy chair, a cup of coffee, my library, the garden nearby ,a view of the ocean on one side and green mountains on another. That is my kind of place to live in. I have written about ways to beat plastic pollution and how an uncontrolled population can lead to more pollution of the environment in previous posts.The world needs a balance and what we do today for mother earth will help our children tomorrow.

When I visited Araku Valley and saw the sea beach at the foothill of the green mountain. I knew I wanted to live there.

When I visited Palolem Beach in Goa, I was sure.

In West Bengal, Mandarmani is a favorite beach destination for our family. We often spend time at Sonar Bangla and Aqua Marina Drive. Both locations offer direct access to the beach at Mandarmani and peaceful days admiring the ocean, swimming in it, and searching for shells.

I visited the ocean at Mandarmoni at least a dozen times, maybe more, in the last ten years.It was so frequent that we lost count.But it was during the pandemic in 2020 December that we visited with family that made us realize how blessed we are to even see an ocean.

Oceans existed before we came on the earth and the earth is three-quarters water and for a good reason. The sight of flowing water, milky frothy waves building up a crescendo and crashing down and starting all over again has a hypnotic effect. After the cyclone, we visited Mandarmani and it was sad the appearance of the property . But the ocean stood as glorious as ever.

I looked at it in wonder, awe, and sometimes I was little afraid. It feels wonderful to breathe in it but it’s unforgiving. It’s a reflection of the cycle of life and death that we go through repeatedly.

Life’s cycle – birth, crying, growing up, finding love, giving birth, and growing old.

On World Ocean Day I am grateful for the seas and oceans I have seen.

I am grateful for their beauty.

I am grateful for how they have given me a sense of calm when the world was chaotic.

I am grateful for the moments of peace they give me when my daughter played in the sand as a s toddler.

I am grateful for the golden sunsets and the beautiful seagulls.

I am grateful for the dolphins I saw playing in the Arabian Sea when I went on an early morning cruise in Goa. I thought it would be some people in dolphin costumes and it wasn’t that! The cynical me gave dreaming another chance.

I am grateful for the beautiful shells we collected.

I am grateful for the beautiful friends we made on the sea beaches.

I am grateful for the blue in the ocean (I hope it stays).

I am grateful for the golden sandy beaches bordering the ocean.

Ocean provides food, energy, and economic support to the world.That all goes inside the gratitude basket .

I am grateful to realize that “every drop makes an ocean”.

I am grateful that the world under the ocean exists. Because there are aquatic plants that help make the world’s environment cleaner and oxygen-rich.

Do you know?Ocean Trivia I loved

What percentage of oxygen comes from ocean plants?

Prochlorococcus and other ocean phytoplankton handle 70 percent of Earth’s oxygen production. Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, a National Geographic Explorer, has estimated that Prochlorococcus provides oxygen for one in every five breaths we take. (Source1)

What amount of Carbon Dioxide is absorbed by the Ocean?

25 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions are absorbed by oceans. They also help reduce up to 90 percent of the heat from emissions. Oceans are the largest carbon sink and also the ‘lungs of the planet’. (Source 1,2).

How does the Mangroves help create a greener world?

Mangroves are the perfect trees for creating carbon-rich ecosystems. They not only support the livelihoods of fishermen but help improve the quality of water and prevent coastal erosion. West Bengal has seen a decrease in 110 square kilometers of mangroves in two decades. Deforestation, agriculture, and aquaculture can all threaten mangroves. Irresponsible shrimp farming can lead to more damage to this already at-risk ecosystem. (Source 3,4)

Do you know how long India’s coastline is?

It is 7.5 thousand kilometers of coastline gives India a unique position in the world.

Blue Economic policy is drafted for India by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) to take care of our seas and oceans and the life that is supported by them. (Source 5).

There is a plan to generate clean, green energy and fresh water from the ocean using the latest technology. The UN General Assembly has declared the 2021-2030 decade as the Ocean Decade. The plan is to increase ocean research and raise public awareness of the importance of sustainable ocean use.

How to prevent pollution of the ocean?

Plastic pollution seen on the surface of the oceans makes up only 5% of the actual plastic in the ocean. The major part pollutes the ocean bed destroying the critical ecosystem

Reducing the use of plastic and picking up your own trash and these ideas I shared in this post can help us do our part in reducing plastic pollution.
Preventing excessive seafood farming.
Avoiding irresponsible tourism activities can go a long way in helping keep our oceans clean and blue.

Writing this for #CauseAchatter with Blogchatter .

Rabindrasarobar Lake :Must visit for a nature walk

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on December 23, 2020 0

Rabindrasarobar Lake :Must visit for a nature walk

HOW NATURE TRAVEL MAKES YOU HEALTHY, MORE SUCCESSFUL AND CREATIVE

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on January 15, 2018 23

I have blogged for the last one and a half years.Learning how to write posts,edit,find images ,publish and promote. It’s a journey which is fun , but all uphill!

Pahalgam in Kashmir :Beautiful nature travel destination

I started blogging as an experiment. I knew nothing about blogging, entrepreneurship, marketing or online business.
I loved learning everything!

Afraid about how to grow ,I discovered the best community of multicultural friends online .

Internet is the best melting pot of friendship. People whom you have never met helping you in all possible ways.

That’s when I found my “why”.

I knew one thing. I wanted to share my stories.Do my little bit.

What I read ,what I learn from the books,the blogs, people,podcasts,summits,newsletters….everything.

Sometimes about health wellness ,sometimes about entrepreneurship.

My goal is to ,try to help at least 1 person everyday through writing.

I am a “supers skimmer”, speed reader self-proclaimed voracious bookworm.

But like all hard-working moms in learning mode , I needed a break .

That’s where this post comes from.

In life and learning, the journey should be fun

WHY NATURE TRAVEL MAKES YOU HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL AND MORE CREATIVE

I actually got more stuff written after coming back , than ever before!

But there’s a catch (there always is)!Hectic tours to shopping destinations, don’t give the same benefit.

[bctt tweet=”You don’t choose the day you enter the world and you don’t chose the day you leave. It’s what you do in between that makes all the difference.” – Anita Septimus” username=”misra_amrita”]

THE VACATION STORY…. FROM THE BEGINNING

I was planning a 7 day long trip to Kashmir with family.
The plan was for the summer vacation.

With less than a month to go to get from reservation and tickets, I decided to first try to get the reservation and then book my plane tickets.
Whenever I book hotels online I prefer doing my research for family-friendly hotels with certain criteria in mind. The most important. It should have garden, nature views.I am not a fan of hotels in bustling urban locations.

They have their own purpose and are helpful for business travelers. But useless if you plan to relax.

I feel claustrophobic if I have to stay anywhere without seeing plants.

“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.” – Susan Heller
I had one main goal.Wanted to be somewhere where I could stare at trees, (I am a tree hugger) and my little girl could play.

So how exactly does travel among nature help you?

Being among natural surroundings watching the sun go down ,a river flowing helps your brain unwind .Imagine a spool of thread unraveling.That’s what happens to the coils of stress in your brain. The hectic pace of modern life increases and constantly overstresses your brain .The constant attention and focus that the brain needs for modern living makes you prone to depression, anxiety and mental Ill health. Just like your body ,brain needs a break,to rest and relax.

That what nature does.It decreases stress! Zero cost(except the cost to reach nature)zero discomfort 100%, pros no cons .That’s Nature therapy.

Once in a while you need to stop the hustle,slow down .Visit someplace where nature surrounds you. Nature makes your brain healthier ,happier and actually smarter.

After even small breaks among nature your performance will definitely improve.

That’s why I had visited the Hotel Himalaya House in Pahalgam.

THe Lovely Hotel Himalaya House :Nature travel for Health ,success and creativity

Nestled among tree covered valleys and snow peaked mountains ,with a sparkling ,river dancing by ,this gateway to the Himalayas will relax you.

Even if you don’t do anything except sit in the garden you will come back refreshed.
Nature is kind .It knows how to heal.

Nature heals: Travelling to nature helps boost our physical and mental health

16th-century German-Swiss physician,Paracelsus wrote, “The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.”

I zeroed in on the hotel with the most amazing view and beautiful environment.
Its health promoting ,family friendly .

I wrote to them about my interest in coming to their hotel and reviewing it ,as a family friendly healthy holiday destination
They agreed and my reservation happened without a hitch.
The hotel’s location is magical !
Surrounded by mountains on all sides with the Lidder river in front.

I am a nature lover.I love trees,flowers grass, plants ,mountains ,rushing streams, birds ,butterflies.Not fond of the scary stuff ,or roughing it!

It was idyllic..perfect. Nature helps relax your prefrontal cortex ,which is the brains big boss.This relaxation results in improved attention ,increased productivity and enhanced creative thinking.

Travelling not only broadens the mind,but actually makes you smarter.

“You don’t choose the day you enter the world and you don’t chose the day you leave. It’s what you do in between that makes all the difference.” – Anita Septimus

The pros of the hotel

Location, Location ,Location
Wonderful view
Beautiful well cared for garden and the rushing river…magical!
Rooms are very comfortable and beds with electric blankets, to make you sleep like a baby!
Good ,prompt smiling service .
Child friendly.
They were very kind to arrange oats porridge and other things as needed for my little girl ,every time I wanted.
The manager Mr.Iqbal and all the staff, were especially gracious.

Kashmir doesn’t allow prepaid phone connections .As all our mobile and wi-fi was on a prepaid connection ,it was a surprise total disconnect from all telecommunications .It’s better to have postpaid phone with you if you travel to Kashmir.

No phones ,no laptops no staring at digital screens.Soaking in nature through our eyes ,ears, nose and skin made our brain very happy.

You just don’t travel physically ,it’s also a sensory journey!

The cons.
Throughout our entire stay of 3 nights and 2 and a half days our mind was in a state of bliss.
In order to give an honest feedback (which is the most important thing for you my dear readers)
I have to tell about 2 things which interrupted our garden of Eden stay .

Short circuit of the electric blanket in the room shared by my mom and sis.

Not on the menu ingredient, in a pulao dish.
To the credit of the hotel management,they reacted very promptly to both the issues and made suitable amends.

Apparently entire Pahalgam has a wi-fi connectivity problem.That’s a good thing if you are on a vacation. But a bad thing if you have urgent need of the Internet.

That’s the main reason I have decided not to immediately move to Pahalgam ,open my clinic and work on my blog sitting next to the Lidder river .

Kashmir is beautiful.
The people are beautiful.
Our stay at the Hotel Himalaya House was magical(despite the minor hiccups )

Their weather and soul gives the people unique personalities which is evident in the way they interact.Nature definitely nurtures. The strife that we keep,seeing on Television was luckily not there, during the tourist season. My visit there made me introspect deeply about why heavenly beauty always has a high price to pay.

Shall. I be visiting again?
You bet! Since Kashmir govt doesn’t allow outsiders to buy property there.My plan is to rent or lease a cottage by the river after my retirement and write.
After all blogging is now my favourite side hustle!

Should you be visiting the Hotel Himalaya House in Pahalgam?
Definitely. Wonderful hospitality ,beautiful view. If you haven’t visited Pahalgam you have missed out on God’s prettiest creation.

Take home message:Go visit Pahalgam!Do have a postpaid phone with you ,of you don’t want to be totally out of touch with reality!

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all people’s cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou

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