Walt Disney World - Tips !

10:51 AM | by Vidhya sathy
So, here we are at the famous Walt Disney World. With a 7 year old, we were focused mainly on what she would enjoy being a part of it!


1. Since this was part of our  bucket list, we had applied for the Disney card a year ahead,  which gives a $200 cashback 💰💰with some features you can use while at Disney! . Though it might not be a huge savings that comes with Disney, its good to take a look

( I am not paid to add this link here . So take a look if you feel its worth the shot)

2. Plan when you want to go! Make sure its not the peak period, peak climates. Being raised in a humid city and currently living in a dry desert, still Florida was too humid to handle in the last week of June. The desert with 120 was much easier to handle than 80 at Florida 😰🥵☀️

3. Check out the Disney resort hotels based on your budget. Though this might be a slightly higher, its really worth staying at the resort. Advantage is you get the magic hours which is really a big time saver. You can do one park a day/ less than a day with a 7 year old! I guarantee!!
We stayed at the Pop Century and the Art of Animation (AoA) since we could not get the AoA on all the days. The Pop Century rooms were closer to the dining and the Transportation, the mermaid room at the AoA was a good 7 -10 minutes walk to the dining area, though my daughter loved this one.

4. Check for the best ticket prices. Sometimes your organization might have a tie up with a third party like plum benefits. Make all the possible savings you can here, since you are going to spend a lot once you land in Orlando.  Depending on the current deals  Special Offers , 🎁🎁🎁you can decide if you want to do the resort and ticket together or separately.

5. Purchase the magic bands and customize them ahead! The kids will surely love it! My husband did not and my daughter was asking throughout the trip!😳

6.  Strongly encourage to purchase customized T-shirts online if you want evolve into the characters itself :). 
We were not so particular.

7. Next comes the air tickets. Ok, you know how to get thru this part :)
After your tickets are done, make sure you call the resort desk and book for the airport pickup. Life is much simpler once you get down at Orlando Airport.

8. Once you have booked the tickets, make sure you have created an account on Create Disney Account. Also download the Disney app on your phone. *** This is so crucial!***

9. If you are staying at the Disney resorts, you are eligible for fast passes, 60 days in advance! You cannot ask for more.

10. How many days would you require - We did one park per day. So Magic Kingdom took one whole day, Hollywood Studios around till 4 pm, Animal Kingdom - till around 5 pm  . 
One day we did the Blizzard beach ( roughly till 2 pm). Hit the Typhoon lagoon if its just an adults party!
Since we had tickets for 2 more days,  we split the Epcot alone into two days. Also this was during the last two days of the trip, so we didnot  want to be exhausted completely.
This is possible only if you have a magic hours ! We were able to save the time on the lines!
Again this is with a 7 year old!


What to do/ When / How?

1. Disney changes the magic hours timings and so check for the latest magic hours. Plan your park based on which day they have the magic hours.

2. If you are not staying at the resort hotel, I would say you should do the park on the days when there are no magic hours. You might be able to see less of the resort folks atleast.

3.Once you have done the tickets, shortlist the rides that are having a long wait times. You could go the Disney app and check how the wait times are for today. So if there is a Monday magic hour for Magic kingdom, then block out Magic kingdom for Monday. Step 2, check all the rides with more wait times. My daughter is more a thrill loving person than pictures with the Disney princesses ! So we went booking fast passes that way. 

4. You get just 3 fast passes initially , so make choices more sensible. The magic hours don't have any fast passes, so this 1 hr is going to be for the rides you dont have a magic pass and has the longest wait time. Just be sure you have atleast 2 to 3 rides close by in the same land

5. For example, we were not able to get the fast pass for the Mine train( must see***). So we headed to that first..Next we did the Small world,  which had a 5 min wait time, otherwise can go up till 30mins and the Winnie the pooh, all before 8:45.  Also all these rides are close by so you do save time without running between attractions.
Since we had already seen Peter Pan in Disneyland ( I would rate Disneyland over Disney world in this ride), it was practically not on the list, but since we finished close to 4 rides so fast (thanks to magic hour), we joined the Peter Pan line exactly around 8:55am 
This is the time, the first set of people who had targeted Peterpan during magic hour are done with it and before the gates open for everyone. Just being smart 👍🤓. Have one ride like this in every park!

6.Make sure all your fast passes are during the first half of the day.This makes you eligible for more after it's done.Else you would be stuck for with only three fast pass rides.

7.Big trick: Even when you are on the lines, keep checking if you can modify the timings of fast passes
 There might be a opening that comes for a fraction of a second and you could be lucky to get your 8 PM ride modified to 11 am! Isn't that awesome? You get additional passes after 11 am! You will surely appreciate this jackpot 💰🥳🥳
***OMG! This is so useful 😜***

3. If your magic hour is at 8 am, hit the breakfast area around 6:30 ish..grab whatever if you are not hungry,  whatever dont forget the water, the elixir of life  😊

4. Though the park officially opens at 8 am, you can get through the security and almost till your land before 8 am! There are around 1000 people for magic hour, so it makes a lot of sense to be on the first 100 instead of the 900! Start early and you will have less time standing in the lines!

5. Put on the mobile app to guide you to the attraction. All set! Wait for the guards to signal green to head to your attraction!!









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Road to Badri

2:45 PM | by Vidhya sathy
Sometimes we forget that the best things are nearby and we search around the world to explore them. If you have not visited the Himalayas, then you are missing really something stupendous in your life....Enjoy the sound of the gushing ganges, the purity in the air, feel the pleasant climate and of all the bliss of solace......

Badrinath, one of the abode of Sriman Narayana is among the 108 Divya Desams ( Sacred Temples).
Its on the Himalayas and so its opened only during six months in a year. The rest of the six months its closed as its covered with snow. During this period people move to Joshimath, which is about 50 kms downhill.
The exact dates of temple operation may vary each year but the temples generally open around the end of April or starting of May.

Check on Offcial temple Website before you make the trip else you might me in for a suprise. We were gifted to visit the temple on the first day of the opening. Though its crowded on the first day

From Rishikesh we had hired a ambassador and it cost us around Rs.6000/- for the to and fro to Badri. It a 10 hours drive one way. Some of the beautiful scenaries await you in this journey. We started our journer early in the morning and the first sights were the tents for the adventure sports along the way. Rafting is one of the predominant sport you can witness.

There are five prayags on the way to Badri. Prayag is a place where more than one river unites(Sangam).The first Prayag was the Deo Prayag, which is the Sangam of Alakananda River from Badri and Bagirathi from Gaumaukh. From here only its called Ganga. On the way to Barinath there is a Garuda Gange Temple . A stone is taken from here and kept in the house so there will be no Serpa Dosham (Evils of Serpant )

 Figure 1 : Deo Prayag

The seond prayag, Rudra Prayag is the Sangam of the mandakini and the Alaknanda rivers. It flows down as Alaknanda further down.

                                              Figure 2 : Rudra Prayag
 
The third prayag is the Karna Prayag which is the Sangam of Alaknanda and the Pindari river. The Pindari river flows from the melting of the Pindar Glacier. From here is flows down as Alaknanda further down.
                                        
                                                         Figure 3: Karna Prayag
                              
The fourth Prayag is the Nanda Prayag which is the Sangam of Alaknanda and the Nandakini rivers. Nandakini river flows from the glaciers in the Nanda devi Peak. They join together and flow down as Alaknanda further down.
                                                  Figure 4: Nanda Prayag
 


The fifth Prayag is the Vishnu Prayag which is the Sangam of the Alaknanda from Badrinath and the Dauliganga river. The flow down together as the Alaknanda river.

                                            Figure 5: Vishnu Prayag
                             
After the fourth Prayag we had to stay for the night at a place called Joshimath. Joshimath is one of the four mutts started by Sri Adi Sankaracharya in the 8th century. A suyambu (natural) Narasimhar was installed by the saint Sri Adi Sankaracharya in this place.

Figure 6 : Joshimath
Joshimath is about 50 kms from Badrinath and would be the night stop. During the 6 months when Badri is filled with the snow the pujas are done at Joshimath.
From Joshimath the traffic to Badri is one way. In the morning from 6 am to 9 am its from the Badri downward. So after 9 am you can begin your journey upward to Badrinath. The climate is very cold here and in Badri. It is advisable to take your wollens as in Badri heater facility cannot be expected.

If you have the time, one place that you should not miss on the way from Joshimath to Badri is the Valley of flowers. Its a trek of around 11 kms from GobindGhat which is a 10 km drive from Joshimath. Valley of flowers is splashed with colour as it bloomed with hundreds different beautiful flowers, taking on various shades of colours as time progressed.

Then you land in Badrinath say around 12 pm Day 2 of your journey. First is to set your accomodation for the night stay.

From the Badrinath, there is the Neelkanth Peak right before your eyes covered with snow.

             Figure 7: Neelkanth Peak - During noon and at first sunrays in the morning
Three kilometers from Badrinath is the mana village. The mana village has the Vyas Gufa and the Ganesh Gufa (Gufa - cave). These are supposed to be the places where Vyas and Ganesh had meditated.

                                  Figure 8 : Ganesh Gufa and Vyas Gufa

It is also said that there are sadhus living four years in the mana village who donot come out of the caves even during the winter. You can see the India China border from the Mana village. It a high alert area and you can see the Indian Army all around these places.

Donot forget to have a cup of Tea in the "India's Last Tes Shop" or should i say the First Tea Shop? Other mountain here is the Kuber peak, Kuber the God of money.

Figure 11 : India's Last Tea Shop                           Figure 12 : Kuber Peak

One more amazing visual treat is the Tapt Kund in Badrinath. Its a hot water spring just next to the freezing Alaknanda. What more to say of this beauty!

Day 2 evening you can have the darshan of Sriman Narayana at Badri. The main shrine area houses the black stone image of Lord Badrinarayan, sitting under a gold canopy, under a Badri Tree. There are fifteen more murtis around the temple that are also worshipped. These include murtis of Nara & Narayana, Narasimha (the fourth incarnation of Vishnu), Lakshmi, Narada, Ganesha, Uddhava, Kubera, Garuda (the vehicle of Lord Narayan), and Navadurga.Hard sugar candy, Tulsi, and dry fruits are the typical prasad offered at Badrinath temple.

The Holy Shirne of Badri Narayana :



Day 3 morning you can have one more Darshan of Badri Vishal and head down before 8 am else you need to wait until 12 pm as the traffic is one way from Joshimath to Badrinath.

A wonder ful place, Jai Badri Vishal ki Jai !
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Just Bliss @ Art of Living

1:01 PM | by Vidhya sathy
I was not a penchant follower of Guruji Sri Sri Ravishankar when i wanted to take up the Art of Living - First Course. It was way back in 2007 when i enrolled for the course. I had no expectations but just the curiosity to learn more on meditation. But those three days really made a big difference to me.


Figure 1 : Art of Living , Bangalore



The Art of Living at Bangalore is one of the wonderful places. If you ever wish to take up the course i would strongly recommend to have a in house course instead of the part time one. The calm and quite environment does really make you see your inner self.

The people are provided with the stay and food. The food might not me as grand ,but you are treated to a three times satvic meal. And ofcourse there is more  food for the soul.

Bliss was the Sudarshan Kriya. It is a form of meditation coupled with a few types of pranayama which was created by Guruji himself. We are not supposed to elaborate on the technique, but let me say its worth the money that you pay to take up the course. If you are married, its better to take your spouse along.

The three day routine followed with some basic yoga, Sudarshan kriya, lectures - more on oneness and the musical satsang every night.

The teachers were the live examples .All bore a wide smile, a face which reflected the bliss that there were vibrating around. All were in there late twenties or mid thirties or thats how they looked like.

Follow the routine for 90 days and it becomes a habit. So is it with the Sudarshan Kriya.


Some of my pictures from Art of Living , Bangalore.
Figure 2: The Vishalakshmi Mandapam in the night.


Figure 3: Kudil where Guriji stays.


 
Figure 4 : Flowers before Guruji's Kudil


 
Figure 5 : Buddha Smiling at Art of Living

Listen to AOL Bhajans from Rishi Nitya Pragya


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The Soulful Rishikesh

9:31 AM | by Vidhya sathy
Some of the wonderful places in the sacred country of  India cannot be overlooked or debated upon. Here is one such place in the foot of the legendary Himalayas, Rishikesh. If you have already been there then you surely know what it is. The backdrop of the shivalik ranges, the sound of the great Ganges,the saffron robed sadhus all around ..... This place gives the feeling of being in utterly a different galaxy.....



Figure 1 : Sunrise at Rishikesh

Rishikesh is about 25 kilometers from the other sacred City of Haridwar. Rishikesh houses if iam not to go wrong the maximum number of  Meditation and Yogic retreats.
We were gifted to stay very closeby to the place where the Aarthi is performed in the evening.

Rishikesh was the third stop at our journey towards Badrinath, the earlier ones being Delhi and Haridwar.
A few hours from Delhi, what a complete diversity from the khadi to the saffron.

Few Places to see in and around Rishikesh
1. Lakshman Jhula  - This is the bridge used by Lakshmana . It is a hanging bridge. The original one was destroyed and the present one is a manmade hanging bridge in the same place.
2. Neelkanth Mahadev temple -1675 m. This temple is dedicated to NeeIkanth Mahadev (Lord Shiva) which is about 20 kms from Laxman Jhoola. According to mythology, Lord Shiva had consumed the effluent poison produced after Sagar manthan which had turned his throat blue and thus this place came to be known as Neelkanth Mahadev or Shiva with Blue throat. While going upto Neelkanth Mahadev one can have a wide spread view of Himalayan peaks, Bhabar forests and plains below  There is also a Suyambu Shivling here.
3. The numerouns temples on the banks of the river

Last but not the least, the magificant Aarthi performed there in the evening.
One more step towards enlightenment....




Figure 2 : Neelkanth Mahadev Temple


Figure 3 : Sanctum Sanctorum of the Neelkanth Mahadev temple


Figure 4 : Monkeys on the way to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple


Figure 5 : Smoking Sadhu, Rishikesh. Haridwar, Rishikesh and the Himalayas are full of Sadhus.
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