Coronavirus LIVE: Modi locks down India for 21 days from midnight

Coronavirus LIVE updates: The government deferred deadlines for filing tax returns, extended a tax amnesty program and unveiled other relief steps, while promising more measures to support the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are very close to coming up with an economic package which will be announced sooner rather than later,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at a press conference in Delhi.

India, Asia’s third-largest economy, is under pressure to boost spending to fight the economic fallout of the pandemic that’s infected close to 400,000 people globally and 519 in India and brought normal life to a halt. 

Citizens across India observed a self-imposed curfew Sunday, a day when the country’s borders were also sealed temporarily to international flights aimed at limiting the spread of the virus.

Why is Sleep Paralysis so scary?

Its been more than a week since I'm working from home due to the coronavirus social distancing thing and I usually don't sleep in the daytime but since there is not much work today. I took a bath at 1:00 pm and after lunch, I slept for like 1 hour.

Around 3:50pm I woke up but not really, I thought I was dreaming I tried to move and I failed, I tried to turn to the other side of the bed I failed, I was trying to scream and shout but couldn't able to speak a single word.

I was sleeping with my chest towards the bed and felt like somebody was sitting on my back and pushing me hard against the bed. This wasn't the first time I was experiencing this. But Since the lights are off I was scared so much that when I tried to shout or call someone again, a little amount of saliva comes out from my mouth. (Like someone crushed an orange with their hands so hard and juice starts coming out) After this amount I finally able to move and rush towards the switchboard and switch on the room's light and drink water.


What's the pattern of Sleep Paralysis with me?

• As far as my observations, It usually occurs in the daytime, which obviously indicates that when I slept on unexpected times.
• I also observed that it happens when the lights are off, which is the more scariest part.
• It happens when I am sleeping alone and in a big spacious room,

Paranormal Fact about Sleep Paralysis

• According to some people when this happens, It means that a spirit is sitting on your chest with their hands on your shoulder.

~Nilesh Kumar

@nileshkumar94

What will happen after Corona Virus

We never imagined this situation in our life. As everybody was entering 2020 with new goals and dreams, nobody was aware of the upcoming crisis which has become a current global crisis.

Let's not talk about the current situation because we don't know when this will gets over. But what will happen after COVID-19?

How life will be changed after this....?

Hesistation to Meet and Interact

Handshakes would not gonna be that strong as they used to be. Any kind of meet and greet with unknowns or loved ones will always leave you in doubt of risk. Yes, surely things will get fine But it will take time (a hell lot of time) to gain trust to gain the faith of each other.

Travel the World?

A 25yr old guy who was saving funds, just to see the world before his life ends is now actually saving his life (ONLY LIFE). Travel planning would not be the same anymore, Obviously, nobody wants to travel the world if the world becomes home of a deadly virus.

Resetting the Nature

Things are going bad, But not for nature. Shutting down of Public transportation, cars, factories, fewer people on the streets, less traffic leads to less pollution is actually leading to a better environment. Working from home is turning out like a blessing for nature.

Maybe this is God's indication of telling us to slow down, to not pollute this wonderful planet, to respect everything and everyone on earth, spend time with your family and friends because at the end of your life when you are lying on a hospital bed and recalling everything from your life. Then only those moments will give you a smile which you've spent with your friends and family.

~Nilesh Kumar

@nileshkumar94

Hatu Peak Trek Experience

Hatu Peak is one of the beautiful places in Narkanda, And It is just 60km away from Shimla.
As usual, Me and my 6 life long (maybe) friends took a bus on 21st march 2019 from Kashmere gate to Shimla.

We reached Shimla at 6 am in the morning, The weather was pleasant since it was the ending of march and summers are about to begin.

After that, we went to the nearest bus stand and took a private bus to reach the Shimla bus stand and from there we took a bus to Narkanda which is the starting point for Hatu peak trek.

After a 2 hrs of the bus route, we've reached Narkanda.

At that point in time, everybody was super excited to start the trek because this time the trek was super easy and there are certain things which we were not expecting at all.

By the time we've started the trek, we saw snow on our way. The more we step ahead the more snow we are seeing. It was extremely beautiful. There are cranes on our way who are cleaning the trek paths to the Hatu temple because the layers of snow were 7 to 8 feet. It was amazing to see and experience this much snow.

Me and two of my friends step back at the last stretch of the trek Since we think it was narrow and risky too. So we went back to the base and started rolling in the snow like kids which was super fun.

And rest of the people resumed their last stretch towards the Hatu temple and reached safely. According to them, it was priceless and beautiful to be there at the top. And after watching pics we agreed too.

Since it was a one day trek we went back to Shimla and stay there for a day. We went to the below places in Shimla and end our trip with precious memories.

• Jhakhu mandir- Tough to reach but worth a visit.

• Cafe Shimla times - I've never seen a cafe this beautiful. A must visit cafe.

• Mall Road - Roaming on mall road cracking jokes with your friends is priceless.

I hope this article will help you in any way.

~Nilesh Kumar

@nileshkumar94

Corona Virus - Hope is the Vaccine

20th March 2020


Ashoke Pandit(An Indian Filmmaker) tweets

Shame on U

@TheKanikakapoor

for being irresponsible by hiding ur details from the authorities, after U returned from #London & joining a party at a 5-star hotel, coming into contact with nearly 100 ppl. Now that U hv tested #CoronaVirus +ve, U hv put others’ life also in danger.


A tweet for Kanika Kapoor who tests positive with COVID-19 (Corona Virus) and people who came in contact with her are actually going under self-quarantine. Her dad reveals that she came in contact with around 350 - 400 people in three parties.

But according to Kanika "Iss baat ko bada chada kr btaya jaa rha hai, Vo koi party nhi thi"

We don't know when this will get ends but till then let's see what everyone is doing and experiencing on a daily basis.

Work from home

Honestly speaking, I felt lazy all day, Going office in the morning every day may be a pain the A** but it surely gives a great start to the day. It's been almost a week since I am working from home.

I am trying to work on things I like to do in my spare time but laziness leads to nothing. The only thing I feel good about work from home is not waking up early and not getting ready for work.


Desi Parents don't give a shit

"My parents actually don't care about the virus!" A 25yrs old guy who is working from home when actually tried to aware his parents about the virus and suggests the precautions against the virus. They replied "Hume kuch nhi ho rha, Bhagwan saath hai hmare" or "Jo hona hai ho kr rahega"

No, they are not uneducated or stupid, they are from a middle-class family and it's their thinking. You can either argue with them or just pray for them.

What to do?

• Don't Socialize, Stay at home

• Don not panic

• Stay happy because you never know "Kal ho na ho"

~Nilesh Kumar

@nileshkumar94

Russia Visa Process for Indians

Going abroad is a dream for everyone, But sometimes we hold ourselves to initiate things. As we think that going abroad must be either very expensive or we never gonna get the Visa.

I would say both of the reasons are incorrect, We don't have to be rich to travel abroad.

All we need is a "Plan".

In this article, I will guide you through the Russian tourist visa process for Indians step by step.  I assure you that you will get your visa within a week if you follow the below steps exactly the way they are mentioned below and in case you will face any issue you can watch this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfQmYzgRu2M&t=834s

Let's Begin :

Select you Trip Dates

The dates are important because the Russian embassy will only give you the visa for those dates (Dates should not be more than 30days). So please select your dates first, For example, you want to travel Russia for seven days in December 2020 the first week then your dates could be like 1/12/2020 - 7/12/2020.

Flight Bookings

According to the Russian Embassy 2020 rules, flight tickets are mandatory and you will be asked by the Visa center official at the time of appointment. So if your intentions are true and you are traveling to Russia legitimately for travel then book your tickets and fix your dates.

Select Cities and Hotel Booking

If you are planning to roam in multiple cities in Russia, then you need multiple hotel bookings too and they will ask you for this at the time of visa appointment. So you should select your cities and book your hostels/hotels according to the specified dates.

Invitation Letter 

You cannot visit Russia unless or until you have an invitation letter by any travel organization which is authorized by the Russian government. There are multiple online tourist organization websites that will provide you with this by a good amount of money (Mostly 19.9$USD). After some research, I've found one of the cheapest agency for the invitation letter (16$USD).You will receive your letter in your mailbox, after the minute you completed the form online.

Invitation Letter - https://rusvisa.online/en?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1MXpBRDjARIsAHtdN-0_Q3tga8vAlzMpqciJPMmpT2GRgr8hjFUzl3v0pokyW4p62CCDfeUaAgnnEALw_wcB

Please note that you have to fill the exact same dates and the hotel name in the invitation letter which you've been locked for the trips. For example, if you have selected multiple cities and multiple hotel bookings then please mention it on the form. Don't cheat and be honest with your details.

Please write down the confirmation number, reference number (Please ignore the alphabet characters) and host organization name, address form your invitation letter. 

Travel Insurance

Yes, you need travel insurance for this trip, Travel insurance may not be mandatory but it is very important as Russian immigration will not allow you to enter their country without travel insurance. So go to the policy bazaar website - https://www.policybazaar.com/ and buy a travel insurance policy at a very cheap rate (700-800INR).

Note the policy number because you need to put it on your online visa application form.

Visa Application Form

Visit the application link - https://visa.kdmid.ru/(X(1)S(dmeuhq45d1fnwqzwoxh2v155))/PetitionChoice.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

 and create an account just like Facebook. Fill the details according to your dates and booking which is simple could be done easily. You might face some issues when you will be asked to fill the travel company name (mentioned in your invitation letter "Host Organization"), the confirmation number and reference number (mentioned in your invitation letter and please refer to the image above). Once you completed the application form, Select the Visa application center from the options and not the embassy(Since VFS is more convenient than then embassy).

Note - Please remove the first 3 alphabets of your reference number and fill only numbers.

VFS Appointment 

I would prefer you guys to visit the Visa application center (VFS) and not the embassy directly, As VFS officials are helpful and guide you through the process also.

Please go through the link - https://www.vfsglobal.com/Russia/india/Schedule-an-Appointment.html and book your appointment accordingly. (You cannot book your appointment on weekends)

Collect Your Documents

• You need nothing but all the print outs of the above-mentioned points
• 2 passport size photographs (3.5cm x 4.5cm with 80% face visibility)
• 6-month validity Passport

Collect everything and reach the VFS center on time (Scheduled appointment time, Don't be late)

Fees 

Not a heavy fees but be ready to pay 4100INR at the VFS. After they verify your documents at the center you have a choice to pay via cash or card. Post payment they'll ask you to collect your passport on the given date.

All the best and feel free to reach out in case of any queries.

~Nilesh Kumar

@nileshkumar94

Nag Tibba Trek Experience

This picture was clicked on 20th October 2018 when 5 lifelong friends reached the top of Nag Tibba Peak after an almost 7-8 hrs of moderate trek.

I would not say it was easy Since one of our friends actually put all of his strength just to be there at top of the peak with us But it was actually more than easy and less than difficult.

The majority of people standing here are from IT corporate, People usually travel to get a break from their daily stressful jobs. But I've never seen anyone of them stressed or tense. Nag Tibba was not sudden it was preplanned one week prior.

We took the bus from Kashmere gate on Friday night and since we haven't applied for any leaves, so we need to be back in Delhi by Monday morning. We've reached Dehradun early morning and boarded a bus to Nainbagh. After taking a lift from Nainbagh we've reached the start of the trek i.e Pantwari. We were not a part of any travel groups, so we carried a few packets of bread, biscuits and all from Pantwari before starting the trek. The beginning of the trek was pretty easy and after 2 to 3 kilometers, we could see a better stretch of landscape with forests and streams. We reached the camping spot by the sunset and since we were extremely tired, we just enjoyed the sunset to the fullest.

Somehow we talked to camping guy and arrange 2 tents for us, The temperature was dropping down as the night approached the region and we started shivering.

The next morning, we started to climb the hill around 4:40am to reach the top of Nag Tibba. It was around 4.5 kilometers from the base to the top. Before reaching the top itself, we could see Nag Devta Temple. It was the only kilometer from the temple to the summit. We took around 3 hours in total to reach the top. The views from the top were amazing.

We saw the tall mountains in the Himalayas, especially from Swargarohini to Nandadevi. We descended to reach Pantwari before sunset as we had to reach Dehradun that night itself because we have our tickets booked at 8pm from Dehradun to New Delhi. It was a fun and memorable trek.

~Nilesh Kumar

@nileshkumar94

Best Hostel in Singapore

There are certain reasons, that why a person should choose a hostel instead of a hotel. So if you are on a vacation with your family then you may prefer living in a hotel with all the comfort and lavish facilities, But I will surely recommend you a hostel if you are travelling alone or with someone who is ready to meet and interact with people from around the globe.

For me, it was a simple google search which leads me to the best hostel in Singapore. Let me give you a step by step walkthrough of this whole hostel experience of mine.

The InnCrowd Backpackers' Hostel 2, Little India, Singapore

Bookings

You can book this hostel on multiple booking platforms, Please choose cheaper option because the experience will be the same.

Booking.com - https://www.booking.com/hotel/sg/the-inncrowd.en-gb.html
Hostel World - https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/The-InnCrowd-Backpackers-Hostel-2/Singapore/6986

Current Price - 916 INR (17.56 SGD)

Meals and WI-FI

They provide free breakfast which includes big size bread loaves (You can toast it) and with some tasty jam and butter and you can have milk, tea or coffee as much you want. Don't forget to clean your dishes and place them in the right place.

They have strong internet in the lobby but weak signals in bedrooms. But they have 3 computers in the lobby which you can use anytime.

I mean, what else you need?

Washrooms and hygiene

I have zero complaints about bedrooms but I will surely doubt the size of bathrooms but they do have hot water with good pressure. They may not be the cleanest but still worth the price.

Staff and Free Tour

 They have 3 people at the reception which comes in rotational shifts, Every person was helpful.
There's one Singaporean girl who usually comes in afternoon and the way she treats or guides people was beyond my or even anyone's expectation.

If you've decided to come here then please be there on Thursday's because they provide free scooter tour on every Thursday to everyone who registers for it before that day (You can ask for this tour on reception).

I've been part of that free tour and trust me, There's no better way of exploring streets of Singapore like the way I've done it (On a Scooter).

Nearest MRT (metro station)  - Rochor station
Directions - https://goo.gl/maps/CCRKENwVuQNsybts8 

Hope you will enjoy your stay.

~Nilesh Kumar

@nileshkumar94

Song From Past

"A song could bring back memories you never thought you'd remember, Like How a beautiful song can put you back in the memories which you may have forgotten"

I've traveled to Singapore in October 2019 and there's not even a single day when I stepped out from my hostel without my earphones on.

At that time I was totally unaware of having music on iPhone offline. So just before boarding my flight from Delhi airport, I'd downloaded a youtube video offline i.e "Charlie Puth Jukebox" and I have also downloaded a movie "Gangs of wasseypur 2 " from youtube to make my flight less boring.

From the first day of the itinerary to the very last day at Singapore, I listened to that Charlie Puth's Jukebox daily.

It was fun roaming around in the streets of Singapore with my earphones on and Since I wasn't getting bored with those songs at all, I was listening to it on a super loop.

Here's one of my favorite song from that Jukebox which suddenly brings back everything from my first international trip.

Song Name - L.U.V by Charlie Puth
Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeDp4Hikin4

~Nilesh Kumar

@nileshkumar94