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Flamingo Diaries

A Travel and Lifestyle blog by Bhavya Vatrapu

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Tag: india travel

When K’s heart broke, found a rebound and then Disappointed – All on the same day @ Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

June 12, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.
Darjeeling Toy train

Apparently my friend ‘K’ saw this super hit movie, The Darjeeling Limited (I didn’t), and was obsessed with it since. A couple of months ago, back in Pondicherry while travelling, she said that she wanted to ride on the Darjeeling heritage train. That Darjeeling toy train ride had been on my mind too for a […]

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Hello, I’m Bhavya Vatrapu


A twenty-something girl from India! I quit my corporate job to pursue more from life!
I often get lost on the road (that's also because I'm bad at using maps), find my way back, meet people on the way, listen to their stories, experience culture, write about all that and more here!

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Flamingo Diaries
Meaningful travel gave me a lot of incredible expe Meaningful travel gave me a lot of incredible experiences. Visiting Meenangadi village with @tyndisheritage  is one of those!
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#meaningfultravel #sustainabletravel #carbonoffset #carbonneutral #carbonnegativevilllage #inspirationoftheday #natgeoindia #kerlatourism #responsibletravel #inspiringstories #yourstory #yourstorymatters #youthkiawaaz #kerala #indiantravelbloggers #singleuseplastic #keralagodsowncountry #letlive #wildlife #sustainabilitygoals
On Dreams: I firmly believe that the world belong On Dreams:

I firmly believe that the world belongs to dreamers. We might stop pursuing them because of work and commitments because it's too risky because we think we are underqualified, etc etc., but dreams do not die. 
Julia Cameron once said, In the end, the reasons we ignore our dream do not matter. The dream still waits. 
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So think about that dream, write it down on a piece of paper, break your dream into small, manageable goals, take action, align your thoughts every day towards it, and let the universe help you reach it. 
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After all, why would we all be born with the ability to dream if we could not make them come true?
Few things that are still free on the planet - sun Few things that are still free on the planet - sunrises and sunsets! Every morning is a reminder that it's a new day that we've never lived before, and every evening, all things come to an end, and the only constant thing is change!
Books that I read, re-read in 2020 to fuel wanderl Books that I read, re-read in 2020 to fuel wanderlust. 
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Tibet With My Eyes Closed: Stories - Book by Madhu Gurung
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The bastard of Istanbul Novel by Elif Shafak 
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Roads to Mussoorie - Book by Ruskin bond 
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Motorcycle diaries - Book by Che Guevara
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The Shooting Star: A Girl, Her Backpack and the World - A book by Shivya Nath
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1000 splendid suns - Novel by Khaled Hosseini 
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Norwegian wood - Novel by Haruki Murakami
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I'm currently reading Malabar manual by William Logan.
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What are you reading these days?
I ended up moving to god's own country for a while I ended up moving to god's own country for a while in a strange turn of events. I spent time working remotely from this blissful paradise while the birds from the jungle kept constant company, read Murakami during the afternoon under the shade of bamboo trees behind my cottage, took myself out for sunset hikes. I was overjoyed looking at the gazillion stars that I couldn't see for a long time! 
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I guess this is how I would want my future travels to be (even after this pandemic is over) - Staycations - Find a responsible & sustainable stay, explore in and around the stay, avoid popular places, chill, work, read, relax, and rejuvenate! 
What are your thoughts about staycations?
Validation required* A lot of effort went into ta Validation required* 
A lot of effort went into taking this picture 😅
First Set up the phone camera on self-timer mode in spot 1 (ref 2nd picture) and run to spot 2 in less than 10sec (no, it was not very nearby)
When you are travelling solo, who takes your pictures? Most asked question. So this is how! 
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Who else can relate?
Errrrrbody told me how hard it is to find vegan fo Errrrrbody told me how hard it is to find vegan food in Kerala. But this is the land of Kattan chais and coffees, Appam, Puttu, Ada, and tons of coconut-based delicacies, which are all vegan by default! 
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What's your favorite food that is vegan as it is?
Storytime with @tyndisheritage Pic 1: Sunset time Storytime with @tyndisheritage 
Pic 1: Sunset time, heartful, stood there holding up tears (anybody else cries watching gorgeous sunsets? )
Pic 2: In Thalassery, when the government issued permission to cut off a similar old tree, all the school kids made turns to hug that tree, govt had to withdraw the permission after a few days 🙂 
Pic 3: The streets of Mahe - A little french town on the coasts of North Kerala. What history this place holds! This ex french colony was once upon a time an international border when the British ruled India. 
Pic 4: We took a long break and settled down to watch the sea from the St.Angelo Kannur fort. 
Pic 5: Picked up some wildflowers while walking! 
Pic 6: Me, indulged in Farhan's stories. About life here, memoirs from the past - Culture, struggles, social reforms, nationalist movements. I was shocked listening to some, got emotional for others, and laughed at a few. 
Thank you Tyndis, for making me part of your journeys. Thank you for welcoming me here. I don't feel like I'm here for the first time.
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#tyndisheritage #tyndistours #northkerala #keralatourism @keralatourism #solotraveller #travelblogger #covidtimes #maskon #indiantravelblogger #passionpassport #responsibletourism #sustainabletravel #indianfemalesolotraveler #kannur #thalassery #mahe #meaningfultravel #heritagetrail #culturetrip #cultureimmersion #incredibleindia
A few days back, before coming here, Naveen from @ A few days back, before coming here, Naveen from @tyndisheritage told me many great things about North Kerala! About the rich culture, how art forms like theyyam and kalarippayattu are not staged in this region but are performed as a way of life, about the sea kayaking experience, heritage trails, greatest stories, and of course the very popular Malabar cuisine. 
But I precisely remember him saying ''The beach is only 100mts from where you'll stay, you could read and probably write good stuff. It's peaceful, and only a handful of people visit there''. What are great things without comfort, I thought! The ease of social distancing in an empty beach; the convenience of not having to wear a mask; the magic of what the waves could do to an overthinking mind 🙂
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I couldn't write much this year. At least 60 stories are rotting in my drafts,  begging to be completed, and Kannur might be just the inspiration I needed. 
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Ps: This picture might have been staged, but the vibe is all real! 
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Thank you @sid_s__24 , for this picture!
Travelling is not the same! Last year this time, I Travelling is not the same! Last year this time, I spent time at Vellinezhi, Palakkad, revisiting the golden days of kathakali at olappamanna mana. In 2020, I didn't expect to travel, but for work and a couple of responsible tourism projects, Im back in Kerala, this time in the Malabar region. 
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However, traveling is not the same...I get anxious to step out.@keralatourism made it a little easy by having multiple checks and strict rules in place. Still, Im not going to any tourist places, avoiding passing by sensitive areas, and limiting local interactions. 
Instead, Im learning about the heritage of this land, listening to heartwarming stories, and understanding the political history and the culture of north Kerala from the local storytellers of @tyndisheritage. 
Will soon share these stories here 🐘🌞🌈🌊
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