A Road Trip to Prague

The overcast city of Vienna couldn't have invited the sun, as merrily as it did invite us. My wife and I were heading for our second trip to Europe covering Czech, Austria and Germany. The trip was supposed to be more adventurous, the stakes even higher. We wanted to take our confidence from our past Italy trip to another level this time.

Many firsts this time. More of road travel, All of apartments, lesser reserves of Euros and an altogether divine world to explore. But, it all began from that road trip to Prague from Vienna.

Ache - A Short Story

The sudden jerk of the train made Meera wake up from her dreams to realize that the coach was  completely empty.

The path she had traveled was not often tread, the route of her travel not often taken, the feelings that drained in her heart, not often felt.

For the first time, since she had begun her journey for souls, she would meet Heena, her confidante, amid the stalking overcast sky and thudding winter chill.

She stepped out, her heart beats missing aloud, the engine whistling rather suggestively, of the ashes that were left behind from the coal, burnt or alive, or rather both, the smoke that existed there within the coal, albeit in the latent form in the same black coal.

Heena was standing there, right there, Meera wanted to meet her eye to eye, through form to form, by matter to matter, Heena had no eyes and  Meera had a heart attache.

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This post has been written and shared for the series 'Five Sentence Fiction'.

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Looking forward to your comments.

Trip to Italy

There was a lot of restlessness in the choice of the destination for our perfect holiday. After some research and decisiveness of weather coming into play, we decided to head Italy. The Northern European countries, like France, Germany, Austria were expected to be quite cold in January.here. The chronicle of the Italian trip is what follows:

We aren't skiing or snow enthusiasts in particular, so Italy being already high on our list (right from the beginning) , the idea just got substantiated. Its Mediterranean climate, large coastline that annulled the cold continental wind , divine food, and shopping opportunities, all were simply too good to be missed out. Next on the task, distributing our time in magnificent country. And should say, we were spoiled for the choice. While our Trip map lays here, the chronicle of the trip, that made the contours of the map is as follows.

Travel For Soul - Poem

Travel For Soul .... by Dr. Komal Joshi Mishra

For the journey is within,

Mesmerized by 'your' creations,

Speechless seeing the colors' you' painted,

Let my spirit go on,

Bless me to just' be',

When all the noises die out,

 and silence within, 

From senses to soul,

Keep me travelling,

For the journey is within.......

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The poem is contributed by the guest, Dr. Komal Joshi Mishra. Her interests varies from Literature, Spirituality to meeting new people, apart from her profession, medicine.

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Looking forward to your contributions on the guest posts.

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Send across contributions to travelforsoulblog@gmail.com

Frozen - Short Story

The places I had traveled vignetted in front of my eyes, frame by frame, those streams, those mountains, that street I'd love to get lost again in, that mystery girl, those eyes that hold me even today.

The dark clouds that I had seen silhouetting the clear skies, I want to see them rain; The village just behind that river, I want to ferry in that last boat I missed that day; those words that were broken because of an airport announcement, I want them to be complete, I want to listen; the food that I could not taste that day I want to have it for the old lady, for her love on the platter.

For the miles I had covered, my shoe strings are still strong, my sole(soul) still not weathered enough, some space still in my image folder, some things yet to learn, some travels yet for soul.

My backpack, the lens, my memory card, my map, that power nap, they lay as frozen as me.

The flowers I loved so much, today I cannot touch, for I was not myself, for I was not traveling, for Alas, I was NOT alive, I am not, for I am frozen.

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This post has been written and shared for the series 'Five Sentence Fiction'.

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Looking forward to your comments.

Trip to Milan. A Mileu.

Milan was the last of the Italian cities in our trip, as also the city we were flying out from Italy. There was an early morning train from Venice to reach Milan. The timing of our train was awkwardly early being 5 in the morning. Not sure about Vaporetti services, we had to rely on our feet. The morning Venice was as calm, as we had left it in the night. Odd students crossed our way, as also some enthusiast morning walkers. It was quite cold and with our hustle and bustle, we reached our station well...earlier than we thought we would.

There weren't many travelers for that time of the day. An interesting story took place, that day on the station(I'll post that later). We almost lost our train. Thankfully, to  be in Milan, we boarded. Then some snores ahead we reached a rather bitterly cold Milan. Cold winds blazed ferociously across the channel of walls on the 'Milano Centrale' station. The chill took us by surprise without an exaggeration. thankfully, it didn't snow as we were expecting so through news in Venice.

Milano Centrali -  http://blog.kenkaminesky.com

We kept our bags at 'Luggage room' situated on the station. This gave us some time to be at the Historical Center. Milan is as cosmopolitan as fashionable. Italians prefer to associate it of being more European too than Italian. Milan is a major financial center in Europe. The morning office goers bustle was quite different from its Italian siblings(cities). Swanky cars and an array of traffic lights dotted Milan everywhere. High rise skyscrapers and meticulously executed town planning gives Milan a distinct flavor of its own. And yes, how can we forget the traditional historical center of an Italian city. Men and women alike, all are dressed elegantly and perfectly.None is in 'out' of fashion.  Also, evidently, it's very much a global city. English is widely spoken in Milan.

After roaming around for a bit, we caught a bus to the Malpensa airport. The expressway joining the city was excellent, with tempting 'Geneva' posts overhead. It wasn't congested but it may get so sometimes. So it's safer to keep that additional margin of time. Malpensa airport is quite picturesque with beautiful snow capped mountains in the background.

Snow Capped Mountains silhouetting the Blue sky - http://www.i-enry-aviation.it/guidamxp.htm

I just so wish, that had we got an additional day, we would have had sufficient time to explore the city. Alas, (for consolation in this case), there is always a next time. If going only for travel, a day and a half would be ideal for Milan.
We caught our return flight via Cairo to reach back Mumbai.

Phewww, Italy was some trip!!!

Travel Facts

• Stayed : In Milan for 1/2 a day .
• Stayed at : Didn't have to stay in a hotel. 
• Traveled with my better half .
• Traveled in TrenItallia from Venice in January 2013.
• Traveled to : Mumbai via Cairo in Egypt Air

You've been to Milan? Do you want to travel to Milan? Feedback for my post(s) ? Look forward to your comments !