Showing posts with label Dead Sea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dead Sea. Show all posts
My greatest takeaway has been that fear only exists in our thoughts-Radhika Apte
8:54 AM
Actor Radhika Apte on her love for deep sea diving, overcoming fears and the rush of being dropped into the middle of the ocean
As told to Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 4, 2019)
My diving journey began last year, when film director Homi Adajania introduced me to a friend of his who taught diving. It barely took me one night to decide that it was something I wanted to attempt. Prior to this, my knowledge of diving was fairly limited, but I had always been curious about the underwater world.
And so, for my first dive, I flew to the Maldives, which, I am told, is a preferred spot for amateur divers. The excellent reefs and abundant marine life offered a peek into the glorious underwater world.
My trainer briefed me on the essentials that every diver is expected to know before, quite literally, taking the plunge: “keep blowing bubbles”, “watch your fins”, “monitor air pressure throughout the dive”, and “always attempt a dive when you’re completely certain of going through with it”.
Once I felt I was fairly prepared and somewhat confident, I was hooked up with the diving gear. It was time to head for the high seas. Ignoring my mangled nerves and a sense of trepidation, I dived in. If there’s one memory that I will take to my grave, it has to be the rush of being dropped into the middle of the ocean for the very first time. The first thing that occurs to you as you begin your descent is how surreal this experience of being secluded from the world is. Time slows down, and you shift your focus to negotiating changing currents and temperatures.
My first dive was to a depth of 80 metres, and as I made my descent, I grew profoundly conscious of the sheer expanse of the sea. Then, as I swam past exotic, aquatic creatures, it felt meditative. Taking in all of this can be a humbling experience, and you realise your insignificant presence in this universe.
I was initially skeptical about whether I’d be able to navigate underwater. In retrospect, I feel the diffidence may have had to do with a childhood misadventure: I was once stranded in the middle of the sea in Goa, and had to be rescued. I had been petrified of the sea ever since, so while I was excited by the prospect of interacting with marine life, it was also daunting. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to train myself to breathe from the mouth rather than through the nose — as is required while deep sea diving. But with measured movements and conscious effort, I found myself doing it — and before I knew it, I was swimming past glorious corals on the seafloor.
The experience of observing marine life and corals at such close quarters is a sensory experience like no other. I was bitten by the diving bug, and have, since, hunted for opportunities to explore marine life at other popular diving spots around the world. Aside from the Maldives, I’ve dived in the Dead Sea, and in Egypt. From being mesmerized by the tiniest of creatures in their natural habitat to swimming with sharks, sea lions and dolphins, my underwater adventures have been educational and euphoric in equal parts.
That said, I’ve also had my share of misadventures. The most memorable scare was when we were caught in a down current — this is a situation where one feels that one is swimming upwards, but is actually being pushed downwards by the current. Since I was with seasoned professionals, I was able to get through it without any injuries. With proper training and by adhering to the fundamentals, diving is, after all, a fairly safe recreational sport.
My favourite diving spot has to be the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador. But this is not a spot for amateur divers and one should only attempt it after having trained for some time. The sea here can be choppy, so divers are required to have mastered rough water techniques. Skipping over even a single part of the process can prove disastrous.
Focus is important, as is preparation — it’s best to go through a checklist to make sure every box has been ticked off. But apart from sticking to the technique and gearing up suitably, diving requires one to be in the right mind space.
One of the best tips I’ve received is to never attempt a dive unless you’re 100 per cent sure you want to go through with it.
But my greatest takeaway has been that fear only exists in our thoughts. It’s a product of one’s imagination and, more often than not, not real at all.
Floating in the Dead Sea felt mysteriously magical-Milind Soman
7:47 AM
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 27, 2017)
Located along the Mediterra
nean Sea, the geographically long and narrow country of Israel has seen a
booming growth in the number of Indian tourists in the last three
years. In 2016, approximately 45,000 Indian tourists visited Israel,
giving the nation a boost in the tourism sector.
Rich in diversity and culture, Israel offers holy tours through the city of Jerusalem for families, as well as leisure and adventure getaways in Eilat and Haifa. The popularity of its nightlife and the rise of trance music in the capital of Tel Aviv has given Israel a modern, metropolitan feel as opposed to its earlier reputation as the land of the disputed.
Model, actor, marathoner and triathlete, Milind Soman, crowned India's 'Ironman' after he completed a 17-hour triathlon in 2015, added another feather to his cap on March 17 after he successfully completed Jerusalem's 21 kms-11 hills annual marathon. He talks about exploring the Holy City on foot and running in the holiest marathon of his life...
Marathon man
The highlight of the seventh annual 2017 Jerusalem Winner Marathon was that out of the 30,000 runners, over 3,000 came from 65 countries. I arrived in the Holy City a few days before the marathon and this gave me the opportunity to explore Israel on foot. I represented India at the pre-marathon conference and interacted with the mayor, Nir Barkat.
I have waited for years to visit Israel - the Jerusalem Marathon was the ultimate hook. There's a lot of talk about conflict and violence in the world today and in this region in particular. But all I felt since I arrived was peace. The marathon's not just a sporting event, it's a spiritual event because you get to run through the city where kings and prophets once walked.
The Jerusalem Marathon is one of the toughest marathons in the world with one of the most beautiful natural routes through different terrains. It is also a symbol of religious and ethnic diversity. The starting point of the race is the Parliament building, the Knesset, in the western part of the city. Runners then loop around the Hebrew University, pass alongside the Valley of the Cross and through various neighbourhoods on their way up to the University's Mount Scopus campus in eastern Jerusalem. The route then descends to the Old City, taking runners through the Jaffa Gate and the Armenian Quarter and out through the Zion Gate en route to the forest. The finishing point is the Sacher Park, the region's hilly terrain. Stony paths and natural green routes make the marathon particularly challenging.
Getting salty
I visited the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth. It is more than 400 meters below sea level and I enjoyed rubbing the salt, which is known to be rich in minerals, all over my body and face. It is therapeutic, floating in the Dead Sea felt mysteriously magical, like achieving an impossible feat. I also enjoyed the segway ride through Jerusalem. Starting at the Jaffa Gate, this tour provides an amazing way to traverse Jerusalem's Old City in an eco-friendly manner and also visit the site of Sultan Suleiman's iconic structure.
We also visited the bustling Ben Mahane Yehuda, the fruit, vegetable and flea markets, where freshly prepared local food is sold. In and around the market are falafel, shawarma and baklava stands, and the juice bars, cafes, and restaurants add colour to the marketplace. The shopping routine is accentuated by vendors who call out their prices to passersby.
The Wall and Sepulchre
In the old city, walking along the Western Wall and visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was a spiritual experience. Also known as the Church of Resurrection by Orthodox Christians, this UNESCO World Heritage site in the Christian Quarter, dates back to at least the fourth century and is one of the holiest sites in Christianity, where Jesus is said to have been buried and resurrected.
Coastal delight
The beach-side cities of Tel Aviv and Eilat are modern and a stark contrast to the Holy city. Since it's warm this time of the year, the beaches are buzzing.
Food trail
I relished the challah bread - a Jewish speciality, freshly baked and served with all meals, and the soul-satisfying Israeli halvah, featuring cardamom, sesame tahini and vanilla.
Rich in diversity and culture, Israel offers holy tours through the city of Jerusalem for families, as well as leisure and adventure getaways in Eilat and Haifa. The popularity of its nightlife and the rise of trance music in the capital of Tel Aviv has given Israel a modern, metropolitan feel as opposed to its earlier reputation as the land of the disputed.
Model, actor, marathoner and triathlete, Milind Soman, crowned India's 'Ironman' after he completed a 17-hour triathlon in 2015, added another feather to his cap on March 17 after he successfully completed Jerusalem's 21 kms-11 hills annual marathon. He talks about exploring the Holy City on foot and running in the holiest marathon of his life...
Marathon man
The highlight of the seventh annual 2017 Jerusalem Winner Marathon was that out of the 30,000 runners, over 3,000 came from 65 countries. I arrived in the Holy City a few days before the marathon and this gave me the opportunity to explore Israel on foot. I represented India at the pre-marathon conference and interacted with the mayor, Nir Barkat.
I have waited for years to visit Israel - the Jerusalem Marathon was the ultimate hook. There's a lot of talk about conflict and violence in the world today and in this region in particular. But all I felt since I arrived was peace. The marathon's not just a sporting event, it's a spiritual event because you get to run through the city where kings and prophets once walked.
The Jerusalem Marathon is one of the toughest marathons in the world with one of the most beautiful natural routes through different terrains. It is also a symbol of religious and ethnic diversity. The starting point of the race is the Parliament building, the Knesset, in the western part of the city. Runners then loop around the Hebrew University, pass alongside the Valley of the Cross and through various neighbourhoods on their way up to the University's Mount Scopus campus in eastern Jerusalem. The route then descends to the Old City, taking runners through the Jaffa Gate and the Armenian Quarter and out through the Zion Gate en route to the forest. The finishing point is the Sacher Park, the region's hilly terrain. Stony paths and natural green routes make the marathon particularly challenging.
Getting salty
I visited the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth. It is more than 400 meters below sea level and I enjoyed rubbing the salt, which is known to be rich in minerals, all over my body and face. It is therapeutic, floating in the Dead Sea felt mysteriously magical, like achieving an impossible feat. I also enjoyed the segway ride through Jerusalem. Starting at the Jaffa Gate, this tour provides an amazing way to traverse Jerusalem's Old City in an eco-friendly manner and also visit the site of Sultan Suleiman's iconic structure.
We also visited the bustling Ben Mahane Yehuda, the fruit, vegetable and flea markets, where freshly prepared local food is sold. In and around the market are falafel, shawarma and baklava stands, and the juice bars, cafes, and restaurants add colour to the marketplace. The shopping routine is accentuated by vendors who call out their prices to passersby.
The Wall and Sepulchre
In the old city, walking along the Western Wall and visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was a spiritual experience. Also known as the Church of Resurrection by Orthodox Christians, this UNESCO World Heritage site in the Christian Quarter, dates back to at least the fourth century and is one of the holiest sites in Christianity, where Jesus is said to have been buried and resurrected.
Coastal delight
The beach-side cities of Tel Aviv and Eilat are modern and a stark contrast to the Holy city. Since it's warm this time of the year, the beaches are buzzing.
Food trail
I relished the challah bread - a Jewish speciality, freshly baked and served with all meals, and the soul-satisfying Israeli halvah, featuring cardamom, sesame tahini and vanilla.
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