Monika Suri

In the month of September 2019 I have been writing about my travel story of the recent NewZealand holiday trip , that too a solo trip. Go here if you want to read #traveloguenz from the beginning  My Newzealand trip has been a great experience and Travelling alone did teach me some lessons also . After my long awaited solo trip was accomplished , I came out as a new person . I found myself happier , rejuvenated and even more confident . “Travel brings power and love back into your life “ When I visited the Auckland zoo , there was a creative section for kids where they could paint , draw , play games or watch the LED show of stars and sky . There were some cards with ‘My Goal’ written on them . All children were writing their goals . I also wrote mine on a card . Look for yourself : Some Lessons from my travel : 1.Travel makes you confident When you travel solo there are many situations where  you need to all the little or big tasks alone . Right from Checking ...

Rotorua Rotorua is a major destination for tourists . It is known for its geothermal  activities , and features natural geysers at many places . The tourists can opt to relax in hot mud pools too at few spots . Almost everywhere in Rotorua , you can smell sulphur in the air and there are some bubbling hot steam points where it becomes difficult even to stand nearby bearing  steam and sulphur . That’s why the place is commonly known as ‘ The Sulphur city ‘ Rotorua  is a part of volcanic zone actually and as per Google I was expecting to see some natural geysers where boiling hot water keeps gushing  out of earth with very high energy . The water goes vertically straight upward upto quite a great height . But my bad luck you can say that I didn’t witness any such geyser , but I did see  hot pools every here and there .   Fun & Adventure in Rotorua There are some fun adventure activities also which you can do in Rotorua i.e. Gondola and Luge. Initially  I ...

The distance from Auckland to Whakapapa is around 350 km and the time it takes is around 4 hours by road . Whakapapa Whakapapa is a village and ski field on Mount Ruapehu’s  northern side . The ski area lies within the Tongariro National Park. The National park is known for its volcanoes . Whakapapa Ski Field has a huge range of ski trails, suiting all levels of skiing. Happy Valley at Whakapapa The Happy Valley is a wonderful place where people enjoy learning and doing ski at a beginner level . One just can’t stop himself from trying his hands at the fun ski board games . It’s fun stepping on the snow , feel chilled , riding on the board , falling , laughing ,shouting out loud , rubbing hands trying to warm up and then running to the nearest cafe to grab a hot cup of coffee . I enjoyed at this place with my cousin sis and brother-in-law . In my entire life I had never experienced the fresh falling of snow . But the Happy Valley brought more happiness when suddenly the...

Hop-on-Hop-off Tour I researched online for a city tour   and there I came across ‘hasslefree tours’ . After considering many options I preferred to book myself a 24 hour Hop-on-Hop-off tour of Auckland . It cost me dollar 12.90 and I was expected to reach near Skycity at 10am the next day . The Hop-on-Hop-off buses start from Skycity . They have defined two tours of the city- red tour and yellow tour . Both the tours cover different destinations . I chose the red tour as I wanted to explore the famous Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium and the Auckland zoo. I reached the Skycity at the right time . There were fifteen minutes for the bus to leave and I made use of those minutes to have a coffee at a cafe nearby . The whole bus was empty except  six of us ( including the driver) .   I  was enjoying myself in the open roof bus watching the city and clicking pictures . Auckland Zoo I hopped off the bus at the famous Auckland zoo . The entry was dollar 20 and the zoo staff...

Auckland gye aur sky tower nahi dekha to kuch nahi dekha The major attraction of Auckland city  is Sky Tower . Standing tall at 328 meters -taller than Eiffel tower of Paris , the Sky Tower of Auckland  is  an icon of Auckland’s sky line for more than 20 years.  It gives 360 degree view of Auckland up to 80km in all directions . I got  a ticket for 32 dollars and reached to the top of the building in the evening around 4 pm. I had not expected  it  to be so amazing . The view from the top was just mesmerizing -something that my eyes didn’t  want to even blink it away . Read my wonderful experience of a beautiful island The sky tower has a circular platform on the top covered with glass from where you can have full view of the whole Auckland . Watching the tallest buildings appearing  so small , watching the famous harbour bridge , the far away islands , the scenic view of the sea and the ferries , from such a great height makes the Sky Tower experience very exciting . Apart ...

Reaching Waiheke from Auckland central Take a ferry from Auckland central terminal and you reach one of the most beautiful islands of New Zealand . Before I  write about Waiheke island , I just can’t miss describing the wonderful ferry ride experience from Auckland central to Waiheke . The ride cost me  just 40 dollars and I entered the ferry . My previous ferry experience was in Kerala ,India but this was different . With a double decked ferry having seating inside as well on the deck , it was an exciting journey for me . Ferry that took me to Waiheke I preferred to stand  on the deck and enjoy the city view plus sea view with my ferry leaving  white streams of water behind . The experience of this ferry ride with the cool splashy breeze , scenic views amidst the dark clouds made me just fall in love with the island even before i reached there . I had to be careful of the crests and troughs while taking selfies . But I tell you , the experience was just fantastic . Me on the way ...

In Auckland , it’s quite easy and very comfortable to roam around by public transport  . You get an AT Hop card , it’s a travel prepaid card issued by Auckland Transport which you can use in buses , trains and even in ferries . If you want to read  my NewZealand travelogue from the beginning go to part 1   I got myself an AT(Auckland Transport) Hop Card and  also downloaded the trains timetable and the railway line map also on my phone . I was staying in Papakura . From Papakura I boarded the train direct to Britomart . Opposite the Britomart train station , there is Downtown ferry terminal very closeby which took me just 5 minutes of walking . Devonport Reaching the ferry terminal , you can get a ferry to Devonport .It’s around 15 minute beautiful ferry ride . You get to experience the breathtaking sea  and  the stunning views of the Auckland city . I was mesmerized to see the  views across the harbour , watch some people sailing , see some beautiful islands far away ...

I love to travel and explore new places – experience the different cultures , nature’s beauty and even just enjoy the journey . Travelling to any new place makes me happy and rejuvenates me .  I come back with my energy levels elevated and my inner spirit is then motivated to work more enthusiastically ,whether at home or my workplace . I have travelled  many places with my family – Goa , Kerala , Kanyakumari , Himachal to name a few . But It was my dream since long to travel solo . For the last many months there have been many posts on facebook of women who travelled solo . I used to go through those posts again and again and feel  excited . I even read few blogs about solo travels –how solo travelers said that one should definitely travel solo atleast once in lifetime . At the back of my mind ,  I had the unfulfilled excitement of international travel also along with the curiosity of solo travel . I had explored many places in India but just Nepal at the name of International travel ...

Starting September 1 , I am taking part in the BIG blogging campaign #MyfriendAlexa and I have been writing my posts under the theme #LetusKISS . KISS is an acronym for Keep it Simple and Significant and I express  my  gratefulness to God who made  me choose this as my theme  I have shared my mind and heart on keeping our Life as simple + significant , and stop unnecessarily making  it Complex . Let us focus more on the aspects which make Life significant , memorable and  appreciable . My Gratitude for Pains and Pleasures  Let us divert our focus from mere collection of  Things to collection of Moments . Let’s live our Life with Mindfulness rather than our minds always full of worries . Let us follow the path which leads to calmness , happiness , cheerfulness. To achieve a special kind of Fullness in life ,  Gratefulness also plays a major part . Gratefulness is magnification of the positive happenings in our life . If we can inculcate  a habbit of being grateful in all the time...

Nowadays I  often get to read or hear the words – Mindfulness , Gratefulness ,Joyfulness …. The point is why do we need these words ? I mean why ? All these words are ending with fulness . Are we lacking some fullness in our lives ? What do you think ? I think Yes ! we are somewhat lacking the fullness which we actually want out of life . We always feel like we are lacking something , we feel some emptiness in our lives , we feel stressed , we have got habitual of worrying constantly -may be about  past or the uncertain future . We forget being in the Present moment  We are eating our food but most of the times we just don’t relish its real taste because while eating ,we are either watching TV or talking with others or lost in self thoughts . We  drive daily in the morning  but we are doing it in auto mode . We are not enjoying the winds or the surroundings while driving because we are either worried about reaching our destination in time or murmuring about the little ...

Self-Care is not at all selfish . It is a very important aspect of our life . Self-Care means taking care of our body,mind and soul . We all need to devise few self-care tips or mantras that can ease our life and let us feel calm, stress-free and happy . We can spread happiness around only when we ourselves are happy . Isn’t it ? Let me share some of my personal Self-care mantras that ease my life and let me Be Calm :– 1. My Prayers I spend only 4-5 minutes in my daily prayer when I light up the diya in the small little puja corner of my home and I just stand with folded hands and eyes open  . The picture of Lord Krishna in Baalroopa in my little temple keeps me mesmerized .  It’s only occasional that I chant some aarti  also .Prayer shouldn’t mean only  demanding from God . As Mahatma Gandhi said ” Prayer  is a longing of the soul. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”  It’s not necessary that we sing some...

When was the last time you pressed a pause button in your life ? When was the last time you sat in silence for 10-15 minutes ? When was the last time you took a real  break from social media for a day ? When was the last time you took a leave from office just for yourself &  not only for your pending works ? When was the last time you smiled sitting alone ? When was the last time you felt worthless ? (It’s worrying if you often feel so ) When was the last time you felt like ” Almost half the life is spent , Baaki bhi aise hi nikal jayegi ” When was the last time you prayed from heart ? You may be thinking -What the hell is this writer talking about ? Where is the time to press the pause button  ? I have so many works to do . Others may be free but I have so many responsibilities , so many works . I am busy till evening in the office , then I get busy in cooking , kids , family , TV , I have to watch serials , I need to be updated about the latest news also , I have...

    Calm down ….Calm down ….. Why  this phrase ” Calm Down ”  has to be used so often? – sometime we tend to say it to any of our friends or vice-versa. What puts us in stressful situations ? Do we actually need to calm down ? What should be done to calm ourselves ? Any tips ? Almost daily I can hear someone asking in the office – ” Agli chutti kab hai yaar ?”( When is any  next holiday coming up ?)  Why does it happen that we are  waiting for the weekend or any other next holiday ? Even I question myself why I always wait for the weekend ? And it is not like that weekend becomes a complete rest for me . I am a mom , a homemaker – How can I sit idle ? I have scheduled  lots of pending works for the weekend . I have to do laundry , dusting , have to do chopping -grinding  of veggies as a pre -preparation for the next weekend , have to help my daughter in her school project , have to color my hair, etc.etc. So I am not free e...

  I was in college , doing my graduation . Although it was too early to think of but somehow the journeys of the  fantasy  world  had started -where a handsome Prince comes running on a horse , looking for his princess . That princess in my fantasy world was none other than ME . But the Prince Charming was still unknown . Yes I started dreaming of marriage and that too   love marriage . Watching hero heroines in movies , enormously in love with each other ,and also watching few girls in my college who spent hours talking on phone and blushing , spending bucks on lipsticks and sometimes highlighting their eyes with gifted eyeshadows , their boyfriends waiting for them on bikes in the evening after college time , all this wrote in my mind that I also wanted Love . I would also go for love marriage . But neither in college nor in university there came anybody to pick me on bike , except my father coming occasionally to pick me up on his scooter . I had disclosed my love marriage wish ...

As I told you that in this month of  September I am participating in  the blogging campaign #MyFriendAlexa by the team Blogchatter.    For this month long blogging festival , I have decided a theme in which I would be sharing few thoughts ,  quotes or ideas which can help keeping your life simple and calm . My  Theme is :  # LetUsKISS . What is this theme  about ?  Well  It’s an acronym for KEEP IT SIMPLE But  SIGNIFICANT . #LetUsKISS –Let us keep it Simple But Significant Today all of us seem to have a very complex life .  We are most of the times  in a hurry  and feel  stressed . The reason may be our family , our boss , the traffic jam we faced on road , the messed up kitchen at home,   the EMIs which we have to pay ,  or may be some other reason  . But this is for sure that something or the other keeps our mind  cluttered .    Let’s try working on de-cluttering our lives step by step . Let’s start today with the subject – Less is More or More is Less ?...