Winter of 2013, even though I am simply mesmerized by Delhi during this season and trust me, it is indeed the best time to enjoy the city. I felt a yearning for a different place and a subtle change. For as much as i admire the Delhi life, I also crave for change and my idea of change nutshells in the wholesome idea of travel. Without any further delays, I sorted out my most convenient option for first time solo and decided on Amritsar.
Since my plans are almost unplanned and highly disorganised, I couldn’t get a direct train ticket to Amritsar and consequently, I had to settle on the next best option, which was a Volvo from Delhi to Chandigarh. It takes about 4 hours to reach this amazing metropolis. Chandigarh’s management and organised structures are some of the few commendable features that highlight its cultural hospitality and colourful heritage. Luckily, an amazing advantage of living in Delhi is that you’ll meet people from all over the world and that suffices for a budget control when you go to any other place. Here in Chandigarh, I bunked a bed with my friend at her hostel.
You see, being in Punjab or even when crossing it to reach other exotic destinations, one thing you cannot escape is, the melange of mouth-watering cuisines it proffers and carries the power to leave you utterly satiated. I had to try the famous Kulcha-channa and fruit beer at Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar. The next freezing morning, I left for Amritsar. One reason that urged me to pursue destinations is the journey that it offers. It took 5 hours to reach at the chaos breeding bus stand and getting out of there was a herculean task. Later, I hired a cab and just on the outskirts of the city dropped off to meet another friend-helper at the largest mall in the city at that time, Alpha Mall. The mall was just like any other mall, nothing to show for as such, although it did have a great antiques shop displaying abundant Sikh heritage.
