In search of the unknown...

My husband grabbed me by the arm and said, "Come with me, I have something to show you."

It was 1 A.M and his sudden voice pulled me away from my peaceful sleep. 

"What happened?" I inquired in a sleepy voice filled with concern.

"Just come with me."

He took me to his favourite place of our house - his workshop in the garage. His favourite, but I just abhorred it. It was the place where he worked night and day to fulfil his 'dream project'. We had been married for 13 years and his day began and ended in that very place for most parts of the year.

During the initial days of our marriage, I did show up my disappointment in the form of anger or irritation but as years passed, I became wise enough to realise that his 'dream project' was a mistress I could never get away with, so I simply kept silent about it. Moreover, with the kids, my job and a household to run, I had a lot on my platter to handle as it is.

So, today when Mr. Hubby dragged me for this unexpected meeting with his mistress, I was quite surprised. 

But what followed next was even more astonishing. My husband had finally completed his dream project apparently.

My eyes saw a magnificent aircraft in silver and blue. It looked powerful and quite appealing. I stood there in disbelief and silence. 

"LUFTHANSA", I finally spoke out what was written in bold blue letters. 

"Yes, I have named it Lufthansa - the majestic bird gliding through air." 

"Waste no time, I want to take you on a ride." My husband gestured as he moved towards his muse. 

With disbelief and bewilderment, I sat beside him. 

He smiled reassuringly and I could make out from his face, how excited he was. 

"Where are we going? Is this for real? Will it fly?" I blabbered out my confusion in the form of questions one after the other.

"Relax. And get ready for a magical and thrilling journey"

Before I could even embrace my mental chaos, we were flying through the clouds in our brand new Lufthansa!

Titanic - The ship of dreams

"Look below my Rose" my husband pointed. 

I shook my head in disbelief. We were flying over this gigantic ship, oh no! It was 'The titanic'.

It looked so mesmerising. I wish I could have words to describe what I felt at that moment. 

Soon enough, we landed just next to this:

picture courtesy

"Remember the day, during the first year of our marriage when you had expressed a desire to watch the movie Titanic with me? And I walked off to my workshop?"

I was too overwhelmed at that moment but of course the day came to my mind swiftly. I had lost all desire to watch movies after that day I guess.

"This is but a little gesture to make up for that", my husband smiled and hand in hand we went inside the magnanimous ship.

The unsinkable ship as it was known, was a place I could only dream of visiting. Standing in the midst of this vessel and admiring the corridors and deck, totally unplanned instilled in me a love for this world.

It is said that RMS Titanic was the world's largest passenger ship when it entered service and the largest man-made moving object on Earth at the time. Facilities on board included a gym, pool, Turkish Bath, a squash court and even its own on board newspaper- the Atlantic Daily Bulletin. (source: here)

But, as they say, man proposes and God disposes. 

Sometimes, perfectly planned journey like Titanic end up being a tragedy.At other times, even unplanned, random journey turn out to be an unforgettable enriching experience.

The highlands of Scotland 

I was engrossed in my thoughts, when suddenly Lufthansa landed in front of this colossal castle

Hollyrood Castle - Edinburgh, Scotland

"What place is this?" I asked my husband.

"It's the Hollyrood castle in Edinburgh"

"Edinburgh. You mean Scotland?"

I couldn't believe my ears and eyes.

"You had planned our first anniversary destination to be Scotland but I had ruined it, remember?

I had not been able to say a word. This unplanned trip was so much more enthralling to experience.

I continued to explore this unknown place. It was lush green. 

I had forgotten to carry even my phone, so I just continued to capture the beauty of Scotland in my mind and soul.

Scotland has a dramatic and diverse landscape. Scotland has about 300 castles and is also Europe's top haunted destination!

Edinburgh, the capital city is built on seven hills just like Rome, Moscow and Madrid. (source:here)

A glimpse of lush green- Scotland through my eyes!

I couldn't help but mull over the fact that how disappointed I was when 13 years ago this 'planned trip to Scotland had failed to materialise'. We always believe in travelling after creating a detailed itinerary but it was only today that I realised random trips can help us explore the world in a very unprejudiced way. All you need is to be open minded enough to #SayYesToTheWorld.

Rebecca's Manderley - The mysterious Gothic estate

Our next destination turned out to be a place which was a part of my all-time favourite thriller novel 'Rebecca'. Through the words of Daphne Du Maurier (author of Rebecca), Manderley had become so tangible that visiting it was like words painted to reality. 

I remembered the opening lines of the book "Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again" and felt no less special than the second Mrs. De Winters!

The Mysterious Mansion of Manderley

Sitting beside this Gothic mansion, I wondered how much our world had to offer. Not just what was tangible and viewable through our eyes but also, all that which was a part of our imagination and perception.Through our thoughts, we could explore and unlock so many untrodden destinations and submerge in their pristine beauty...

"What happened, you seem so pensive. Aren't you having a jolly good time?" My husband Inquired.

Enjoyment was not exactly the word I wanted to describe my experience with. It encircled beyond the realms of enjoyment. 

I wondered what inspired a daring band of Vikings led by Leif Eriksson who set foot in North America and established a settlement about 500 years before Christopher Columbus did. (source) Or, Sir Edmund Hillary (first person to climb Mount Everest) apart from rest of the world?

They were open minded enough to #SayYesToTheWorld and travel with #TheBlindList  , ultimately filling it up and creating a bucket list for the rest of us. Their quest for unknown and unplanned is something that has kept the a step ahead from other inhabitants of the same world!

don't you think so? 

I expressed this desire to my husband to travel to a place which none had seen or set foot on. It might have been a weird desire or a distant dream but as Eleanor Roosevelt  said "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." 

.... And so begins my journey and it shall continue. Gliding through the known terrains and paths to find what remains hidden and waiting to be discovered by yours truly!

I begin my journey to a land unknown

it is lush green, trees swaying in the wind

my path is unfamiliar, a virgin land

discovering it, I have found myself

a journey I shall be oft repeating

a blind love for the mysterious world....

This post has been written for #TheBlindList contest hosted by Indiblogger and Lufthansa. For more details, check Lufthansa's page here and also their video below

Leonardo DiCaprio - the hunk of my dreams!

awesomeness personified!

I was wondering that I so proudly boast my love for Leonardo DiCaprio in every nook and corner of the real and virtual world, be it my blog's about me section (oh! you haven't cared to read it even once? what a shame! minimize this window, open my blog on the other one and READ IT I say and then return back to continue this post!)

back? So you read it! great, lets proceed. So whenever I actually describe myself, I have to blurt out Leo's name some where or the other. That makes me wonder, where should I put his name in my official resume? If you have any idea, be kind and let know pleaseee!

The not so latest 'your Facebook movie' trend ( I know, it flopped) saw my movie featuring Leo more than me. No! not the wall street type Leo. He was a cocaine and 'f'' king in that. In my movie however, he was my prince *blush*

I get more wishes and messages (now whats-apps) on his birthday than I ever got on mine. I mean that's obvious because early in the morning I message people that its my love's birthday (like they care) and some of them are kind enough to reply and some of them are just plain guilty because they had forgotten to wish me on my birthday!

And oh that reminds me that on the Oscar Night (morning in India), my phone buzzed incessantly with Whats apps informing me that Leo lost. Some of them were concerned enough to ask me 'are you fine?'. Oh come onnn! You thought that I am so blinded by louuveee that I expected a 'drug addict wolf' of the wall street to win against Mathew Mcconaughy?  (or whichever way you correctly spell his name :/ )
obviously not! And the jury of academy with their feet in their graves would have never let Leo get an Oscar for roles such as these! yes, they are the Alok Nath's of Hollywood;)
So I am a sensible lover you see *sheepish grin*

OK now enough of honesty. I had started writing this post with an intent to praise Leo to the skies or maybe as high as that 'lemon wala drug' took him in wall street or maybe straight to the heavens like he went after titanic, the quick and the dead and Romeo and Juliet!
So please don't bring in Oscars again and again. They are over for this year and Leo and I have moved on. end of discussion.

 *now tone change*

Leonardo DiCaprio is the greatest actor ever born. (what? this is my post and my blog, kindly bear with the lies and superlatives)
A heart throb, most amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, fabulous, miraculous, prodigious,stunning, stupendous, wonderful, unbelievable,extraordinary, phenomenal,sensational, spectacular,notable,outstanding, remarkable; impressive, smashing, mind-blowing + boggling + blinding (wait! does such a word even exist? I guess not but then love blinds every organ of the body so I will keep it) attractive, enchanting,enthralling actor ever!

What are you marveling at now, Leo's attributes or my vocabulary? whatever it be, both have been created by me :P

I have a million and more reasons why I completely and madly love Di Caprio. But PDA is so not my kinda thing! which is way I will just share 5 reasons (that may interest you too or if they don't, ACT interested at least on my blog) down here. So here we go

1. He played the character of Jack Dawson with such panache that absolutely no one could or would EVER be able to surpass! I mean, the love in his eyes, 'you jump,I jump' and the way he sacrifices his plank for that stupid, confused girl. You tell me, will you sacrifice your life if you were in place of him? And that too for Kate Winslet? Although she considers him the best actor of his generation but still?!

2. Apart from the acting talent and the skill of changing girl friends once in a week month year, he has been an active wildlife and nature conservationist.

3. I really love him for saying things like "I prefer ordinary girls - you know, college students, waitresses, that sort of thing. Most of the girls I go out with are just good friends. Just because I go out to the cinema with a girl, it doesn't mean we are dating." keeps my hope so much alive! :D

4. The academy has been constantly disappointing him and his fans but still he puts up with a brave face and keeps coming up with such wonderful movies consistently and that too of the kinds which Academy would never approve of (remember I told you about the Alok Nath's? ). 
This clearly show, he is amazingly talented and not 'dying' or 'acting' for Oscars.

5. His voice- I am madly in love with his voice. It just keeps ringing and murmuring in my ears. 

And if you aren't convinced yet then I present to you a song written by a Dutch- girl band K3 called 'Leonardo DiCaprio I love you'. Read the translation here

There can't be a better tribute of love to this great actor. And the second best tribute? well you just read it :P