June 2021

Book Review: Bloggers Unplugged

Books / By / July 20, 2021

A blog is very frequently referred to as an individual’s online diary. While the essence of this statement is true, it’s not all that easy going – speaking from experience of doing both. I have been writing a diary since I was a child, scribbling away every night about my day, about the highlights of my life and about my wants and desires. I used to write as if I was chatting to my best friend! Gradually, the nightly ritual diminished to few days a week, which turned into months (when I had too much built up and just had to spill!) and now it has completely stopped. Time seems to fall short always.

Blogging is all the above and much, much more. One must create fresh content on a regular basis which may or may not be inspired from their own life. Then there are the technicalities which sometimes seem like a burden – “Can’t I just write and the rest will work out eventually?”. Well, not really – there’s a lot to look out for and take care of if you aim to be a serious blogger. This is what author Ruchi Verma explains in her book Bloggers Unplugged – “a sneak peek into bloggers’ life”.

About the Book

The book contains “26 Lessons from Bloggers Life” (from the book cover) where blogger Ruchi Verma explains all there is to know about being a successful blogger. Ruchi is a multiple award-winning blogger who’s been in this field for 7 years. So, she speaks entirely from her experience when she enlists 26 ways to help a blogger; giving an idea of what goes into creating and maintaining a blog.

Book Cover

A Wellspring of Information

“There are many budding bloggers, new bloggers who love to put in their hard work but still not aware of some or many terms. This book will give them a ray of guidance to work better in their blogging journey.”

I am a new blogger – just started out last year. And I am the perfect model of what Ruchi says in her preface as quoted above. I work hard at creating content, trying to make each post look interesting, taking part in campaigns to increase exposure but I barely know most of the terms and what they stand for that I, as a blogger, should be aware of.

Each chapter of this book is about a term – technical or generic or commercial – which a blogger needs to know about. It explains about what the term stands for, why it is important and how a blogger needs to go about executing it AND a secret tip at the end of each chapter.

There’s a fountain of information in each chapter, and all of it’s related to a) how to write better content and why it’s necessary, b) how to promote a blog, or) how to keep track of how well the blog’s doing and then take steps to improve on it. There’s also DOs and DONTs which every blogger must follow.

There are terms I know about but don’t always follow, but after this book I plan to explore them and incorporate them, like:

  • Google Analytics, Domain Authority and Page Authority (from Growth chapter)
  • Adding keywords – long tail, short and medium (she explains with example in Keywords chapter)
  • Media Kit

The Illustrations

Every chapter is accompanied by her illustration which I adore – they are cute, funny and to-point. They demonstrate how a blogger’s mind work vis-à-vis a normal person. I like the effort and thought that has gone behind these pictures.

  • Illustration 1
  • Illustration 2
  • Illustration 3

I would also have liked…

Some small measure of feedback: Not all chapters have examples to drive home the point of those terms and that is something I would have liked in the book. And, for the Themes chapter, a step by step guide would have helped better for newcomers and to-be bloggers. Additionally, an introductory chapter on how to start the blog, from setup to first post would have been a superb help.

To Conclude…

The book is a mine of knowledge which any blogger will be happy to use as a guide. So, definitely go check out the book if you are a blogger or aim to be one (secretly or otherwise!). Download the book here.

This review was written as part of Blogchatter Book Review Program especially the Ebook Carnival series.

Book Review: Incredible India Bucket List by Aditya Sathe

Books, India, Travel / By / June 20, 2021

India is a land of such diverse topography and natural beauty, of rich heritage and culture, of ancient history and mythology – that one need never step out of the country to explore and satisfy their travel lust. And that is what author Aditya Sathe describes with ample evidence in his book Incredible India Bucket List.

“At very beginning I want to thank my motherland, India for being so Incredible with such a variety of attractions that made the choice of these 26 places so difficult!” says Aditya at the beginning of his acknowledgment. So true is this!

Book Cover

What’s in the Book

The book enlists and elaborates on 26 places of attractions pan-India, covering places of historical importance, religious significance, architectural marvels, or natural wonders. Majority of the attractions are hidden gems which a lot of us are unaware of, of the fact that these deeply interesting and important places even exist in our own backyard sometimes! The list includes temples like Sun Temple and Airavatesvara Temple, monuments like Warangal Fort and India Gate, scenic destinations like Ziro Valley and Loktak Lake. The index of names itself whets up your appetite for forging ahead with your reading super quick. And, to immediately set out for that destination! Sigh, if only we could.

What I Love…

Each chapter is about one destination – beginning with each letter of the alphabet. What I love about this book is the way each chapter is broken up into 3 segments – a background story, the noteworthy features of the place and what we should check out or look for when we visit these attractions. Each segment contains a wealth of information about India’s past, her culture or about her inherent landscape and scenery. For example, how Vikramshila grew to be a prominent center of learning during the Pala Empire, at par with Nalanda is a very interesting read and a highly engaging chapter. The Edakkal caves have a connection dating back to The Ramayana.

There are detailed notes on each of the places which helps you form a picture of the places being described. The author gives you helpful tips about when to visit and why, for example: during the festivals of Ziro Valley; and which particular facet of the place you should definitely visit and take a note of. The pictures themselves are borrowed and Aditya gives the requisite credit wherever due.

Trivia

I have been to a few of the places detailed in Aditya’s book but I still did not a few of these very interesting trivia/facts. Did you know that Gir Forest has over 300 species of birds and 37 species of reptiles? Or, did you know that the Marina Beach emerged as a result of construction of wave breakers of the harbour? We all know about the change of guards ritual in London’s Buckingham Palace, but were you aware that you can witness a Change of Guards ceremony held every Saturday at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi? All these and much, much more can be found in Aditya Sathe’s book. Download the ebook here.

Minor criticism

There’s not much to dislike about this book. Only couple of extra things which I would have liked – references to where this information is gathered from and indication of the current location of each these sights because it’s not always clear where we have to head to. But these are minor, there’s a whole host of things to absolutely love about this book.

Fascinating Encyclopedia of Indian Heritage

Once this pandemic is over or atleast in control and it’s possible to travel again, when you are planning your next trip, do refer to this book to help influence and guide your travel plans. I assure you, you will not be disappointed. Aditya Sathe is a travel fanatic like me and hopes to visit these places himself soon.

Image sourced from i.pinimg.com

This review was written as part of Blogchatter Book Review Program especially the Ebook Carnival series.

Sun, Sand & Sea @ Maldives Part II

Asia, Maldives, Travel / By / July 26, 2021
Maldives Snorkeling 1

I continue from where we left off – due to my fright to dip below the water for our first snorkeling foray, I was left alone on the boat staring at the deep blue sea around me and wishing I had had the courage to join the rest of the team.

Day 2: Snorkeling & Dolphins!

The gang of snorkelers who had gone for the activity (including my husband) came back with wonderful tales of seeing turtles and marine beauty. The guy who had accompanied them on behalf of the organizers was also disappointed that I wasn’t able to see all of that and he offered to help train me before the next snorkeling expedition and I agreed. How sweet!

  • Do not do what he is doing – let them be
Photos of the turtle coral reef that I missed

Picnic time

Our next stop on the half day tour was a tiny uninhabited island for our beach picnic. After a lazy lunch under large beach umbrellas and a walking tour of our island – including a photography stint, it was time for my training session. The trainer explained how the snorkeling gear works and how I should breathe through my mouth; he asked me to submerge myself little by little so that I could practice this. Lastly, I was told that I had to simply kick my legs to propel myself forward. Finally, he took me along for my first ever snorkeling experience and what an amazing feeling it was! It was like the underwater which had seemed like a scary monster was now my friend! I was ready for the next dip for our actual 2nd snorkeling excursion.

Marine Biodiversity

The snorkeling trip was an eye opener. A whole new world had opened up before me – a world popping and undulating with colors and textures. In the calming silence of underwater, I witnessed a wide variety of flora and fauna, indigenous to the Indian Ocean. Here was a school of dazzling yellow fish just swimming along, there was a brightly patterned shoal of tiny fishes darting by or oh hey, there’s a jewel bright blue fish! The coral reefs were full to the brim with life and sometimes scary creatures – eels, water snakes and what not. There were also myriad varieties of aquatic plants which existed harmoniously with the other creatures. It was marine biodiversity at its best.

I spent almost an hour underwater, just gazing at these marvelous finds and enraptured by the beauty of nature – the live corals, the fishes that call it home and the plants which are an integral part of this ecosystem.

Contribute towards Conservation

Appreciate the world established by our creator, of nature which always gives and never asks for anything in return. Do your part in helping preserve this marine life, in making sure they come to no harm.

4 (four) ways in which you as an individual can contribute towards conservation of our wonderful aquatic ecosystem:

  1. Use less plastic – plastic harms all marine species, often fatally. Limit your plastic use, especially one-time usage.
  2. Do not pollute the water – this is home to myriad sea-life; do not throw your trash into it.
  3. Do not uproot the coral – this is their source of food and shelter, not a collectible; this is also illegal
  4. Do not poke / prod or touch the creatures when on dives/snorkeling – worship and admire the beauty from afar, do not disturb them.

I am doing my bit by raising awareness through this post with the aid of Blogchatter’s Cause a Chatter campaign.

Day 3: Water Sports

The next day, or rather late afternoon, we engaged in a few more water activities.

Wind Sailing: First up was wind sailing. This too was something I had never done before so I was pretty excited. We set out on a small sailboat which bobbed lightly as we progressed. It was a pleasant feeling. This initial part of wind sailing receives its power from a small motor. However, partway out to the sea, the motor was stopped, the sails were unfurled and the power of the wind thrust the little boat ahead at jet speed! The boat zoomed ahead, cutting a path through the water and we held on to the rails for dear life! Wheee! It was such an adrenaline rush; the speed generated by the wind was unbelievable. Whizzing along on the water with the wind in your hair and face and teensy fear of falling overboard – what an amazing feeling it was. This is a must-try!

Sailboat and Us

Canoeing: A 2-seater canoe and just us with no guide – sounds intimidating but it was a fun and calming experience. We rowed as slow or as fast as we wanted, in whichever direction we desired (within a given boundary for our safety). Drifting along the water, with the setting sun as the backdrop was the perfect way to end the day.

Tip: It’ll take a couple of minutes to adjust your rhythms and synchronize your rowing so that the canoe doesn’t just stall in one place or go round in circles. Once you establish a pattern, only then venture out further ashore.

Again, we spent the first part of the day quietly enjoying the water and the beaches, refreshing our jaded selves and having a gala time sampling the various foods the island had to offer.

Day 4: Island Hopping & Shopping

Our final day in Maldives included one last water sport – riding a jet ski. That was an exhilarating ride, and a very wet one! We hurtled through the water at jet speed with water spraying on us from all sides. We took a pit stop at another island where there was a lovely stretch of deserted sandy beach to take some commemorative photographs, spot some baby sharks and stingrays.

Back at Maafushi, we shopped for some mementos – tshirts, shell keyrings, postcards, magnets etc. Most of them were reasonably priced but of course we haggled (dil hai Hindustani!).

Laden with presents and memories to last a lifetime, we bid adieu to the delights of Maldives early the next day via the speedboat and a flight from Male.

Other Itinerary Options

The aim of our trip was to relax and have a laid-back holiday. So we choose to do only this much and spent most of our time lazing on the beach or roaming the streets of our island. We also rented a bicycle for a few hours and just pedaled our way across the tiny Maafushi. If you would like to take in a few more attractions or activities, there are plenty available.

  • Scuba diving – be aware that you need to keep a gap of atleast 24-48 hours before boarding a flight after diving.
  • Enjoy a spa treatment.
  • Stingray feeding
  • Visit the capital city/island of Male
  • Go on a cruise

For more ideas, visit these links:

Bye bye Maldives – until next time…

Sun, Sand & Sea @ Maldives Part I

Asia, Maldives, Travel / By / July 26, 2021
Sea

If you ever want to relax on the sand, soak up the sun and enjoy views of a startlingly blue ocean, The Maldives is the place to be in. It is one of the ultimate holiday destinations that I have ever been to. It is a place where you can either be a complete sloth and be as laid back as possible or engage in a variety of water sports and activities – and all the while indulge your taste buds to the hilt.

Choosing the best island

The Maldives is an archipelago located in the Indian Ocean. It comprises of 1192 islands or atolls with an overall length of 871 kms. and only 298 sq. kms. of dry land out of 90,000 sq. kms. Out of the 200 inhabited islands, few are complete resorts on their own while the others have tourist hotels, shops intermingling with local residences.

Tip: Choosing your ideal island will depend on your budget, your preferences of activities – water sports, culture & history, or simply nothing. Check out this link to decide: https://visitmaldives.com/en/places.

Considering all factors, I chose to stay on Maafushi for our time in the Maldives. It is a mid-range island with options of water sports plus a span of empty beaches.

Getting there

The capital city or atoll of Male is the connect to the rest of the world via flight. As we landed, we got our first view of the water, within touching distance – it was so exciting! From Male, we took a shared speedboat to reach Maafushi – it took about 30 minutes. That ride was the first taste of being on the eye-wateringly blue ocean, of feeling the wind in my hair and the freshness of the nature around me.

Tip: The shared speedboat cost around $70 per head for round trip; a private speedboat would cut you back by $185. The other option to travel to your island of choice is by the local ferry from Male. That will take around 2 hours but costs much lesser – $2.

Tip: Visa is free on arrival.

Landing at Male airport

Currency

The currency of Maldives is Maldivian Rufiyaa, however the USD (US dollars) is widely accepted and you can easily carry out all your transactions with the latter. Since Maldives is a tourism-oriented country, all prices be it for activities, lodging or food is listed in USD for your ease.

Where to Stay

There are a multitude of options for accomodation in Maldives ranging from über luxurious resorts spreading over one whole island to mid-range hotels (which are still pretty costly) to budget hotels mixed among the local residences.

We booked a budget hotel called Stingray Beach Inn, which was a cosy hotel with hammocks in the garden and its own parrot!

Stingray Beach Inn (pic from Agoda)

Tip: Do bargain on hotel prices. Ours was for ~$125/night (after bargaining down from $140), check out the internet for current prices.

Day 1: Soak up the Atmosphere

After reaching Maafushi, we were escorted to our hotel where we freshened up and jumped right into vacation mode. The beach was a stone’s throw from our hotel, and we strolled up to the edge of the water. The sea was like a painting – innumerable, unimaginable hues of blue smoothly blending into each other and gently lapping onto white sands; it was paradise We simply enjoyed the whole atmosphere – the warm sun and the cool water and oodles of leisure time.

Trivia: The different shades of blue signify various depths of the ocean; for e.g. the light blue means that part of the sea is not too deep and the color is derived from the white sands beneath. The indigo is the deepest portion of the sea with marine life underneath. Isn’t that interesting?!

Upon arrival, we had an off-putting experience. We were met by the hotel’s manager who told us that our hotel was full and that they had arranged for alternative accommodation for the initial 2 days. However, their offered one was a pretty good hotel at par with what we’d booked so we were comforted. Tiny blip over.

Tip: The hotels overbook considering they will have some cancellations, so beware of your booking – talk personally to the manager.

The beach was never more than a 5-minute walk from any part of the island since the island is so small – in fact you can actually see from one end to the other width wise!

The rest of the day was spent in relaxing on the beach, walking from one end of the island to the other, peeking into shops and having delicious seafood. We also booked a package of water activities covering the next 2 days.

The day ended with us slurping on cold, yummy ice cream! This eventually became a trend of our stay there. There was this cute little shop selling ice creams for $1 and we just loved them.

Help Save Our Oceans

The lovely ocean that has given us so much pleasure is in danger; we all need to do our bit to help save and preserve the pristine nature of our water bodies.

I am doing my bit by raising awareness through this post with the aid of Blogchatter’s Cause a Chatter campaign.

Day 2: Snorkeling & Dolphins!

The 1st of our package activities included a half-day snorkeling outing. This involved a ride out to the deep ocean on a boat, 2 snorkeling forages punctuated with a beach picnic. It took about an hour to reach the deep portion of the sea where the coral reefs were to be found.

In between, we stopped at a dolphin haunt and were able to see several dolphins frolicking in the water, as if performing acrobatics for our pleasure. They were so cute and funny!

It’s hard to pin down a photo. But look closely, in the far distance, one is doing cartwheels!

For snorkeling, it’s said that its doesn’t matter whether you know swimming or not. We have life jackets on for our safety and the snorkeling head gear in place which helps us breathe underwater. I do not know swimming and when the time came to plunge into the water, I was terrified. I still tried – bravely. But as soon as I dipped below the water, the utter silence of underwater ensconced me from all sides, the pressure of water on my ears scared me such that I swallowed a whole load of salty water and jumped back above, coughing. Though I tried couple more times, I just could not do it.

The rest of our party carried on and were gone for a full hour. As I sat on the boat alone, I resolved to do better the next time.

Coming Up…

So, do I do better? What else is in store in our beach holiday? Watch this space for Part 2 of this Maldivian saga.