"Escape to Freedom" mallyak's Profile

My favourite on this planet -The Golden temple

The Journey not the Destination that matters

More than 30 years in the Hotel industry-long days and late nights-Shift work -a frantic Stressed out mission to keep pace with peers and I suddenly realized that I have wondered into mid-life leanings towards relaxed meanderings and wonderings.After nearly 25 years in Australia -A great country with an excellent standard of living -freindly people -Good weather-great career opportunities the craving to get back to my roots has set in.Perhaps its the expectation of a Standard of Life not Living that matters.I have outgrown the "Posing in front of world Monuments and shooting away with with my Nikkon-Smugly ticking away cities of the world I have been lucky enough to visit and suddenly I realize its time to let go of the past surrender the Now and create something for the future.

At this Point Enters INDIA!!

Impersonating The local balinese Hindu

In India, even the most mischievous minds cannot ignore chaos. The chaos in India is so blunt, so apparent, no one tries to hide it, the streets, the people, the way the Autorickshaws navigate, the horns, the broken pedestrian paths, the cows, the dirt, the aesthetics, the bended rules, the ceremonies, the time frames, the promises, the mess that infiltrate through all the senses. In India, the mind is left with two radical options firstly to get into depression by trying to keep on holding firmly and hopelessly to an apparent view of systematic order or surrender to chaos, to admit that the "what is" is chaotic by its nature beyond any possible control.Therefore, in India, even the most stubborn of minds finally become peaceful by not resisting anymore to what is apparently Chaotic surroundings!
This is why I love India so much, That is why I feel so relaxed amidst all this chaos.I know there is an Oasis of Calm around the corner-there is no need to look for it-it all suddnely appears !

Travelling together

At Home in Sydney

All our travels are low budget independent travels staying in hostels , budget hotels and Family home stays.I dislike the five star or the up market restaurants which serve "Fine Dining "food .The best places to eat are where one finds plenty of Locals eating and if it is street food and one sees a crowd of locals eating than that is where we head for and that is why we love travelling in Asia and India where some of the finest food is available at such cheap prices.AS long as basic precautions are taken there is nothing to worry about.Here I have to admit that my wife-soul mate and best freind Geetha has put up with my cravings for good food and the first thing I do when I reach a new destination is search for places to eat!

My Travels

Eating at The humble Varung in Ubud-Bali

1987-
Australia
1995-India-Bikaner
1997-India-
Alappuzha,Kochi,State of kerala
1999-IndiaIndia
2000-Rail journey across Singapore-Malaysia and ThailandAsia
2001-2002-SydneySydney
2003-New Zealand New Zealand
2004-ChinaChina China
VietnamVietnam
2005-IndonesiaIndonesia
2006-India-Hampi HampiSrilanka Sri Lanka
2007-India-New DelhiNew Delhi-AmritsarAmritsar-AgraAgra
2008-KoreaKorea
-Britain-Bath BathFrance-Italy-Greece-Spain-Switzerland-Austria-San
Marino-Liechtenstein-Holland-Germany-Belgium
2010-Thailand-Denmark-Finland-Sweden-Russia-Belarus-Poland-Germany- Czech Republic-Slovakia-Hungary
What the future holds we don't know yet But Plans are always on paper-
A dream of mine is to travel the lenght and Breadth of India by the Indian Railways-I would call it Romancing the Indian Railways-The great advantage of travelling by Railways across India is the time they give to yourself.You can eat-you can read-You can simply watch the Indian country side pass by and listen to the shrilling shouts of "garam Chai-Idli wada-Sanwich-Samosa-Could drinks-piaper(spellings modified!!)at stations across the lenght of the countryand making new freinds along the way.As a child I had the advantage of travelling First Class by Indian Railways as father worked for them!After coming to Australia travelling took a new meaning and I found my self surrounded by Glossy hustle and bustle of Airports crossing continents but strangely iI cannot recollect gleaming faces or Chirpy conversations in this methodical way of transport.Today after having travelled by Railways in India-Thailand -Malaysia-Australia-Europe, there is no doubt which is the Best Railway in the world-India followed closely By Thailand.Ofcourse it is all cost related and value for money for ordinary economy airconditioned travel.

My Favourite Countries and Places I have travelled

My parents

1.India-Hampi-Amritsar-New Delhi-South kannara-Rajasthan
2.Indonesia-Ubud-Jogyakarta
3.Sri Lanka
4.Italy-Florence-Sorrento-Masalabranse
5.Britain-London
6.Austria-Vienna
7.Slovakia-Bratislava
8.Poland-Warsaw
9.China-Beijing
10.France-Paris

Czars of the Hotel industry

95-present, At work were I spend some time on VT!

Tajmahal and Taj Intercontinental Bombay -India-1981-87
Sydney intercontinenetal Hotel-Australia-1987-1995.
Star City Casino and Hotel -Sydney-Australia-1995-Present
Its been a long journey-did not think I'd survived in a Hostile Kitchen enviroment for 6 months and nearly completed 30 years and would chose the same proffession if I had to start all overagain!
Heavily discounted Airline Tickets-free and discounted hotels-Working with so many cultures and nationalities,trying out different types of food- what more could you ask from a job??

1987 at Featherdale wild life park Sydney

A Big Thank you!

Some of the nice blokes I work with at Star City!

Lastly a VERY BIG THANK YOU to all fellow members who have made time to visit my pages, rated-commented, criticised and complemented my pages.Its always nice to get acknowledged for however small a comment or rating one adds and I always make sure I Say "Thanks for Visiting my pages"!
And all photos in my pages are taken by me-You are free to use them with my permission

Intro Updated Oct 12, 2012
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Comments (188)

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TrendsetterME 2 hours ago

Hey Kashi, "Happy Birthday", with all my best wishes ... :)
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GracesTrips 3 hours ago

Happy Birthday, Kashi! Hope you enjoy a wonderful birthday celebration. Where are you traveling to next?
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lynnehamman 3 hours ago

Happy Birthday dear Kashi= wherever you are! We have a new baby Grandaughter (born on Mothers Day) - so happy.
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HORSCHECK 3 hours ago

Happy birthday and all the best. I hope you are doing well.
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mehulraj 4 hours ago

HAPPY BIRHTDAY,,ENJOY
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Durfun 4 hours ago

Mayday Mayday.. Urgent message for Superchef Mallya! HBTY :-) I still remember your London visit.. I was hoping to catch you on 6/7/8 (6th July 2008) = what a day it turned out to be for me.. ab fab & very memorable :-)
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Donna_in_India 5 hours ago

Have a wonderful birthday Kashi!
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Odiseya 8 hours ago

Happy Birthday! I wish you a good health and many interesting travels!
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Donna_in_India May 20, 2013 at 4:39 AM

So....are you settled in now? :-) We'll be back in October but have a few trips planned before that. Hope all is well.
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  mallyak May 21, 2013 at 9:22 PM
  
  Visiting Sydney for 4 weeks other than that all oK!
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angiebabe Apr 25, 2013 at 1:57 PM

Hi Kashi! so youre back home in India?! how is it going?! Just read your latest words here and hey, just how Ive been feeling! Realising Im getting close to midlife time too I resigned from my job of 12 years in London! and took off to catch up on family and friends in NZ, do something about 12 years of storage in Sydney and start to face the music of where I want to be....back in Morocco at moment and looks like Im about to buy some land and then build a house here where Ive been visiting and loving for 10 years this year! but a year in China from August first hopefully...life is exciting isn't it! and Sydney was as beautiful as ever and know I love it so much there....but a bit scarey that its really starting to look like we don't have all the time in the world and have to start thinking about where to end up! All the very best with your life back in India and happy travels...with SA and Kenya at present wow!
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  mallyak Apr 29, 2013 at 3:28 AM
  
  Thanks Angie-i have relocated to india but still with a foot in Sydney-Its too beautiful a city to just forget!I have a property there.Africa is marvellous!will post up on VT when I am setttled.
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  angiebabe Apr 29, 2013 at 4:54 AM
  
  enjoy the rest of your tripping! yes Sydney is still one of the most beautiful cities in the world! but I sold my flat in Sydney which Im a bit sad about but contracts exchanged on my birthday which brought a smile to my face for some underlying message! its only been great so far - other than what ATO is up to! - and hey I still have my connections there....will look forward to your updates