David Foster Wallace had said “Nothing brings you together like a common enemy” but for couples the world over nothing is as bonding as a secret getaway with poor phone connectivity, it glues together even the tiny bits of coupling that are coming apart and for new couples, a great bed always makes for unforgettable memories.
Here are 2 tropical places that couples are guaranteed to love, no matter what time of the year it is, simply for the way they funk up the romance:
La Closerie (Pondicherry)
This beautiful abode is literally tucked away behind bougainvilleas, on a street so beautiful that you wouldn’t mind camping on the pavement. It may be called a guesthouse but it is an old school mansion that has been done up tastefully, maybe even with the objective of being seductive.
As you walk in, there is an indoor pool and a tree that looks as if it’s emerging from the pool which magnificently towers over the first storey of the mansion growing out towards the sky. Everything in the veranda, including the hostess is dressed in flowy white drapes, creating an illusion of a dream. And then there are the rooms, all of them, each one sigh inducing. With a French, and therefore minimalistic vibe, the rooms are designed to create an aura of luxury and romance, in fact none of the bathrooms have locks on them, just to give you an idea.
As the evening approaches, you can hear faint sounds of either jazz or sufi music lighting up the place, mixed with the heady smell of the ocean that’s a stone’s throw away. The only drawback is that the guesthouse does not serve food, as a matter of fact; bringing food in is also not encouraged (that’s a bit of a bummer) but one doesn’t really mind, given that there’s a plethora of options to choose from around La Closerie. Besides, the breakfast of tropical fruits and the choicest of eggs make up for it amply.
If you’re looking to get inspired or fall in love all over again, this pretty little slice of yummy paradise is just what the doctor ordered.
Disclaimer: You will most certainly extend your stay by at least a few days so go prepared.
2. Jardin Ulysses (Goa)
Morjim in Goa is a lesser known beach (so far) and so attracts fewer people which translates into a heady rush of tropical goodness minus the sweaty, clammy crowds. In the middle of such obvious paradise, there lies Jardin Ulysses, a tiny little piece of enchantment.
First things first, it faces a bit of the ocean and that ticks a very important box for Goa, second, it has rooms that are so cozy and so beautifully done up, you would think they want you to never leave. There are 2 honeymoon cottages out of the 5 wonderfully done up rooms, while one cottage comes with its own private sit out and bathroom that only has a curtain for a door and multi coloured lights donning the washbasin, the other has a wooden terrace with a mattress smack in the middle of the terrace and wispy mosquito nets floating above it which additionally comes with a canopy of coconut trees right on top of that.
If ever you were done with the hormone surge that you’re bound to feel, you can walk up to the main sit out which extends into a tree house as well and partake on food that Aphrodite herself must have shared the recipe of, and listen to live music if it happens to be your lucky day.
You will most certainly return hoping this little gem remains hidden for a long while to come.
Disclaimer: You may never step out and actually go see the beach even once.
Rang Birange is organising a 3-day trip for all photographers, birders and nature enthusiasts. We will start from Delhi on 10 June 21:00hrs and the trip ens on 13 June 2016. For details, please write to us at rangbirange2015@gmail.com by 20th May. We have seats only for 10 people.
Born anywhere between May 21 and June 20, Geminis are the flip-flopping personalities everyone loves to observe.
Symbolised by two mythological twins, Geminis are believed to have a dual approach. It’s not that Geminis are two-faced or bipolar; they genuinely have two distinct sides to their personalities.
Considering their mercurial tastes and an insatiable appetite for variety, it’s safe to say that if you’re traveling with a Gemini, you are in for the craziest ride of your life.
1. Be prepared to learn and try new things, as travelling with a Gemini will expose you to experiences you never envisioned yourself having.
2. Geminis are extremely compassionate. You can depend on them to always understand what you're saying, or what you meant to say, even when you don’t say it at all.
3. Whether it’s seeing a famous sight you’ve always wanted to see or an unexpected adventure along the way, a Gemini will never say no. They seek adventure everywhere!
4. Geminis absolutely love people. Not only do they love people, but they love doing stuff with them too. They are prompt in speech, and quick in whim.
5. They're unpredictable. They can go from this normal, calm person to an enraged animal faster than anyone else.
6. Conversations you'll have with Geminis in the midst of travelling will be deep, and you will find yourself fascinated by how incredibly real they are.
7. Also, their brutally honest suggestions make for the best life advice.
8. They’re charming, witty and always up for a good time. Boredom is toxic to a dominant Gemini, so when you're with them on the road, you are destined to have a great time.
9. They are the friend you need, if you want to shop during you vacation because on top of them having great style, they need everyone around them to be just as fly.
10. It’s an exciting privilege to have a Gemini as your travel partner; just don’t say it too loud, or he or she may not remain your partner much longer.
P.S. You really don't have to be bound these wishful stereotypes. So, if you have a journey to embark on grab the person next to you and forget what the stars say.
2300 hours: My phone rings, I hope against all hope it isn’t him. With sleep in my eyes I check the name on display, yep, it is him.
“Hey Dom, please tell me its good news.”
Laughs, “bro I was doing the once over for my bike and noticed my engine oil levels are very low. I just topped it up a couple of days back, worried that I may have a leak.”
“Damn! What’s the earliest you can be sure?”
I knew what was coming next, but did not want to hear it.
“Sorry bro, I’m out, cant risk it.”
“Cool man, shit happens. Get your bike in order. Cheers.”
And just like that another ride cancelled. I lost the number of times we had made plans to ride together and cancelled. This was going to be a New Year ride, something to remember the start of the year by. The original plan was to ride on New Year day itself, but it had been mutually decided to defer the ride by a day due to the risk of encountering drunk riders and cops making the ride a misery – the normal New Year drama!
We had planned a ride to Kalsubai peak – the highest peak in Maharashtra, this also happens to be near Bhandardara dam and Arthur lake, it goes without saying we had a pretty elaborate itinerary. Our biker friends gave us pretty awesome feedback about this ride and our route and itinerary was planned with the help of their experience and the internet, a round trip of approx. 350 kms in a day. Alas!
02 Jan 2016
0000 hours: Lying on my bed hoping by some miracle Dom gets his bike fixed, or calls back and says it was all a joke. No such luck.
0300 hours: Was startled into the world of the living by my squeaky alarm. It took a while for me to come to terms with the cancellation. As I got into bed the thought crept into my mind again, I remember deciding against it as I slept. Weighing the Pros and Cons. Can I? Should I? What about permissions? What about safety? I gave it another 30 minutes before making up my mind.
I am riding SOLO!
Destination? I went over the route in my head, most of it was highways/expressway. Not exciting at all. I wanted the first one to be challenging, exciting, different, and scenic. So I decided to change the destination, I can always do this route another time with Dom and the other guys. Also it wouldn’t really be fair on my part to leave Dom stranded with a broken bike and do the route alone. So where? Had to think fast, it was almost dawn. Always wanted to visit Raigad Fort. A quick google search returned a 136 km mountain road route right up to the fort, green and scenic. Looked like something I could be interested in. Further south I noticed a place called Harihareshwar, back to google, search results were impressive. A quiet beach, away from the hustle and bustle, what else can a Goan boy ask for? My destination was set.
0345 hours: Gave my bike the final once over, checked my gear, said a little prayer and was on my way.
0430 hours: Took my first stop for breakfast at a small dhabba just outside Panvel city. This is the first time I was riding geared up and it took me some time to get off the gloves, helmet and jacket. While I took these off the waiter patiently stood by with a menu in his hand. Once settled, I took the menu and thanked him. He still stood there, this was surprising as normally once the waiter hands you the menu card he gives you a few minutes to go through it and then returns to take your order, I thought he was very kind to keep waiting on me while I decided, to not make him wait any longer I quickly looked down at the menu, the menu ended before it started. It had just three items on it –
Tea, ‘caffee’ and idli! This cleared up any doubts I had as to why he stood there – there was no need to leave. I ordered idlis and ‘caffee.’ While I waited for my breakfast to be served I went through my route. I did not have a phone holder attached to my bike which meant if I had to navigate with my phone I would have to keep halting, something I wasn’t very keen on doing, plus I wanted to save as much battery as I could for emergency use – did not have a power bank either!
Panvel to Pen was the easy bit, pretty straight roads, I had also traveled that route before. After Pen it was unchartered territory for me and my bike. Memorised the route and the place names, it would come in handy if I ever lost cell phone connectivity.
The idli and sambhar were just ok, but at least they were hot. I couldn’t complain of the view as much, the 10 minutes it took me to gulp down my idli and ‘caffee’ I had a front row seat to biking groups ride by the dhabba, I counted 3 different groups – a group of Royal Enfield riders followed by Ducatis and as I finished the last of my ‘caffee’, the loud Harleys made their ride by.
Settled my bill, geared up, and set off again. The route wasn’t too complicated so was hoping to cover a considerable distance before stopping again.
It wasn’t bad at all, hardly got any traffic owing to the fact that I had an early start and also because it was a Saturday. Music would have definitely made it better.
0530 Hours: Second stop. Somewhere after Pen. I covered Panvel to Pen fairly easily, even though I had not ridden this route previously I did have fair idea of the location and route. To describe in a sentence what I saw was a bridge from darkness into the light, and for some reason this compelled me to stop and click this moment. The image does not do justice to the real view. Also as I was admiring the view I remembered what Sam said to Frodo – “If I take another step, it’ll be the farthest I have been from home”, this point ahead was unchartered territory for me – the feeling was ‘different’.
I did a quick route check on my phone and was on my way.
0610 hours: Stop 3 – Nagothane. My trip meter read 60 kms. Not bad, it took me roughly an hour and a half to cover 60 kms including a 20 minute breakfast halt. While doing my route check I realised I had missed a turn off a few kms behind, asked a few locals for help with directions to figure out if going back was any good. It wasn’t, that turn would have added another 15 kms to my trip. Got verbal directions from the locals, thanked them and left Nagothane behind.
Around 25 mins and 20 kms later I reached Kolad. The roads from Nagothane to Kolad were bliss. Some sections were still under construction however even those sections were pot-hole free. After Pen I rarely encountered pot holes. I was easily doing between 80 – 90 km/hr throughout.
My next marker was Mangaon, there was a turn off from Mangaon towards Mahasala and I had no intentions of missing this one. Mangaon was the only place I encountered traffic yet.
0900 hours: I reached Harihareshwar! Before I describe the beach I must say I was surprised by the roads to Harihareshwar from Mahasla. Most of the section was Ghats, but the roads were smooth and pot hole free. There was the random ST bus blocking the road, but other than that one of the best roads I rode on.
The roads I so fell in love with. What cannot be seen is the road disappearing into the mountains.
The beach just added to the high from riding. It was deserted! I was expecting to see a packed beach owing to the holiday season. More than the loneliness of the place what took me by surprise was the cleanliness.
Harihareshwar Beach
This was at Harihareshwar beach. I spent almost an hour and a half here. There were a couple of couples but other than them I had the beach to myself. It was one of the most peaceful and silent times in my life.
On one end of the beach were rocks, where you could sit and dip your legs into the cool ocean water. I had not carried much in way of food and drink, a bottle of water, a couple of red bulls, a few chocolates and a few packets of chips. I enjoyed the moment with chips and red bull on the rocks!
I gave it another 30 minutes before convincing myself to leave. I had almost made up my mind to stay, but I had a plan to follow. I had made this up en route, I would visit Harihareshwar, Srivardhan, and Aravi Beaches before heading back.
And I was glad I did not wait back. Harihareshwar was great but what came next cannot be expressed in words.
A beach between two beaches. Harihareshwar behind the hill on the left and Srivardhan on the right (Cannot be seen in image)
Even though Harihareshwar and Srivardhan are almost adjacent beaches the route to get from one to another is long and twisty.
At a junction I stop to ask directions from a local. This boy was well dressed and seemed as if he was on his way to a party. After he gave me directions he asks me if I could drop him to a place en route. I agreed. He told me this was the first time he sat on a ‘super bike’. I did not correct him or explain the difference between a super bike and what I was riding. I did not want to ruin his happiness. The entire way he encouraged me to go ‘aur tej’!
The place he wanted a drop to was only 2 kms from Srivardhan beach, and I was right about where he was going - a wedding party. He was so glad to have got a drop and sit on a ‘super bike’ that he invited me in for lunch. I obviously refused with as much respect and appreciation as I could, however he would have none of it. A relative of his was getting married and he insisted that I accept his hospitality. I was looking for ways of telling him that I really wanted to try the famous sea food in the dhabbas here without hurting his feelings. Couldn’t come up with any, so accepted his offer. I had a little of everything he offered, it was vegetarian food, but tasty! I wished the couple and was ready to leave. The boy comes with a small package in his hand. He had packed sweets for me for my journey – Faith in humanity restored!
I had lost track of time. It was almost half past noon when I reached Srivardhan. Srivardhan was another beautiful beach. Wasn’t as secluded as Harihareshwar, but was as clean and beautiful.
The sand on this beach was vehicle friendly, and I took my bike to get a feel of the water. Normally you would expect the bike to get stuck or slip in the sand, which did not happen here. There were other vehicles too all over the beach.
I did not want to spend too much time here, because by now I really wanted to see what came next.
Srivardhan surprised me. Also, I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to get to the other beach and back. This was supposed to be a one day trip.
Trying to be a photographer – Srivardhan Beach.
It was only after I left the beach did it strike me the damage I must’ve caused the chain and sprocket riding in the sand. A quick cleaning and I was on my way again, making a mental note to get it cleaned thoroughly once I get back.
It was now well past 1430 hours. I was on my way to Aaravi Beach. Again the road exceeded expectations and so did the view. However, there were no hotels or restaurants on the way. I silently thanked my new found friend for his generous package of jalebis and for insisting I have lunch with him.
Another hidden beauty. On the left was Srivardhan, the beach in the centre between the trees was inaccessible, Aaravi was just beyond the trees on the far side of the picture.
At this point I truly lost all notion of time. All I could think of was reaching the next beach. So far one was better than the other. The view just got better. It was hot, but even the heat could not ruin the beauty of the place. What got to me was the silence. Silence everywhere I went. The roads where silent – no horny driver, no speeding rider, the beaches were silent – no crying children or noisy adults. There was peace all over. And not to forget – the Smell, throughout the ride I could smell the coast.
Aaravi Beach – The picture says it all!
I no longer was riding at break neck speeds, did not want to miss the views. I wanted to take it all in. I was riding at 40-45 km/hr from Srivardhan. Never was I so fond of riding slow than I was at that point in time.
Aaravi was different from the other two beaches. The road circumvented the beach. This beach did not have an entry point like the other beach.
The only barrier between the road and the beach was coconut trees. I rode all the way from one end to the other. I really did not mind riding back all the way. Those extra kms were worth it. I sat at this point and had a couple more ‘jalebis’ and finished off with another red bull. The only thing that would be left out on the list of things to do was sea food.
Points like the rocks at Harihareshwar, and this point at Aaravi really gets you thinking. I was surprised at the thoughts going through my mind at these places. At Srivardhan it was more fun than serious thinking. The serious thoughts are well beyond the scope of this write up and hence I shall leave them out.
I was never a fan of going back the way I came, it gets me all gloomy and sad, it reinforces the fact that that particular thing will end. And as I cross landmarks I go back to the point where I crossed it for the first time. I was wondering if I would see my friend again. I should have asked for his name, we called each other ‘bhau’ which translates to brother in English, and it was apt for were we not brothers? Isn’t it your brother who would stand by your side when you need him the most? I was his brother when he needed a lift, he was mine when he offered me food and sweets for the road, and did that not help me when I needed it the most?
My nameless brother, I shall forever remember you whenever I have jalebis!
The road ahead looked tempting, it was a steep climb and then disappeared around the mountain. I wonder where that would lead me. Would it lead me back home? Would it help me escape going back the way I came? Should I risk it? I checked the time, I would also have checked the route on my phone but as fate would have it I had no cell phone reception.
I thought to my self – interesting. I have two options, either go back or continue riding in the direction I was going. I could not make an informed decision due to lack of cell phone service and lack of locals to ask for directions. So I had a snicker and flipped a coin. I had enough of serious thinking and brooding.
It is this cool yet warm place known as the famous hill station in Dehradun. Had been there at the start of the summer in April 2011, yes this is a very late post, but I still dream of going there again.
The mountains, the greenery, the cold yet the cuddly warmth of the place, the hot paranthas, are sure going to call you there.
i have fallen in love with the term "garhwal" itself.
If i am going there again, I am surely going to build my house there and make it a holiday home.
The Cote d'Azur or the French Riviera is the glorious Mediterranean coastline of the south of France and could easily have been a figment of the imagination of a gifted poet. With the city of Nice, the sovereign state of Monaco and luxurious seaside resorts such as Cannes, Antibes and Saint Tropez, the Riviera is one of the most beautiful places in the world given its azure waters, pebbly-white beaches, rugged cliffs, grand boulevards, flower markets, chic boutiques, iconic hotels and a multitude of tanned legs. Using the word 'glamorous' to define these resorts dotting the Cote d'Azur would be a colossal understatement. You could sip on several glasses of wine, get a foot massage or two at the spa, snack on the juiciest of olives, discover palaces, spoil yourself in casinos and perhaps even appreciate a classical concert at the Opera; all of this while rubbing shoulders with your favourite celebrity! What more could one possibly want?
If in case you are travelling with kids, the French Riviera is exceptionally family-friendly, contrary to popular perception. And how could it not be? Children have all the space in the world to play around, build sandcastles in the sand, swim like fishes, eat an array of exotic fruits, ice-cream and local fried goodies and visit fascinating museums and parks among a gazillion other things they could do. This blue paradise is certainly the perfect recipe for happiness. So here is a 5-day luxury itinerary to help you explore the best of the French Riviera, with your family. Bonne journee!
Getting Around in The French Riviera
France has a great network of flights, both domestic and international and an equally intricate system of public transport. Nice has a pretty fantastic airport to itself and the easiest way to get there is by hopping on a flight from Paris, by booking your tickets a lot in advance, of course. Alternatively, the TGV long-distance, high-speed trains connect Paris to all of the coastal towns (by virtue of Marseille) and also help you save money. In order to go around the French Riviera, renting and driving a car is an absolute boon owing to the fact that all of the resorts are less than a few hours away from each other and the drive is picturesque. If not, you always have TER (regional) trains and buses which are obviously cheaper and even faster. While reservations on trains are not compulsory, purchasing a ticket in advance is recommended and so is owning European train passes/the SNCF Pass, all of which allow you massive discounts. The local transport around these resorts, if in case you do not have a car, is limited to taxis and public buses.
Places to Visit in The French Riviera: Saint Tropez (Day 1)
In order to experience the hallowed chicness of Saint Tropez, you could take a flight from Paris to Marseille and then either drive from Marseille to the resort or take a TER train. The journey should be around two hours long.
Amazing Things to Do in Saint Tropez (Parent Edition)
1. When in Saint Tropez, you must shop till you drop at the Places des Lices. This delightful open-air market is just the perfect place to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, breads and olives coupled with exotic soaps, antiques and even clothing for that matter.
2. Let your hair down in Les Caves du Roy, which is perhaps the best night club in Saint Tropez. The icing on this decadent cake is the fact that you might just spot a celebrity!
Amazing Things to Do in Saint Tropez (Kid Edition)
1. Explore the wonderful waterfront of Saint Tropez and watch your kids run around and play. The massive and pristine yachts, motorboats, cafes and bars will give you an idea of how fascinatingly chic this resort is.
2. Let your kids discover the fantastic world of butterflies at La Maison des Papillons. Created by Dany Lartigue, this museum represents some 35000 extinct and protected species of butterflies, including some of the most beautiful ones known to mankind.
1. Gandhi : If in case you're craving good old Indian food, Gandhi should be your stop. The prices are pretty reasonable and meat-free options are plenty considering how Saint Tropez is an expensive resort where vegetarian food is almost impossible to find. Yet another plus is the friendly staff.
Places to Visit in The French Riviera: Cannes (Day 2&3)
You could either drive from Saint Tropez to the gorgeous escape that is Cannes or take the TER train. The journey should last around 90 minutes.
Amazing Things to Do in Cannes (Parent Edition)
1. Discover the fantastic world of designer boutiques, fancy interior design stores and tea parlours at the Rue d'Antibes. This charming street is as French as it could possibly get.
2. The party just does not stop at Cannes' premier nightclub, Baoli. This beach club and restaurant is the favourite haunt of some well-known supermodels and fashion designers.
1. Walk around the Promenade de la Croisette with its glittering bars and restaurants in order to savour the real essence of Cannes and let your kids build sandcastles on the city's impossibly beautiful beaches.
1. Arcimboldo: This basic yet lovely restaurant is perfect for those who like Italian food and are vegetarians. The staff is attentive and can modify your order as per your needs and the desserts served here are almost otherworldly.
2. Le Maschou : A quintessential French bistro, Le Maschou surprisingly has a truckload of vegetarian options on its menu. And right from their crudites (salad) and jacket potato to their sangria, everything is sumptuous.
Places to Visit in The French Riviera: Nice (Day 4)
The TER train from Cannes to the extremely popular city of Nice is merely 30 minutes long. If you happen to be driving, the landscape/waterscape will take your breath away.
Amazing Things to Do in Nice (Parent Edition)
1. Watching a ballet performance at the Opera de Nice is an experience like no other. Additionally, you can expect the classical concerts to put you in a state of trance.
1. Watch your kids run and play around Nice's most popular address, La Promenade des Anglais. You could also rent a bicycle or a skateboard and let them have all the fun in the world while you stroll down this beautiful stretch.
2. Meandering through the narrow lanes and alleyways of Vieux, with its delis and quaint boutiques, is an extremely memorable affair. It will help your kids learn the art of discovering new facets of a place because not all those who wander are lost.
1. Alounak : An absolute delight for vegetarians and vegans, Alounak serves delectable Mediterranean cuisine and is pretty darn cheap. Make sure you polish off your meal with a helping of saffron ice-cream.
2. Le Soleil d'Asmara : This exotic restaurant specializes in delicious African (Ethiopian) cuisine and comes with a separate menu for vegetarians. The ambience is very traditional and so is the food.
The regal city of Monaco is less than 20 minutes by the TER train from Nice. The scenic drive along the coast should take around 45 minutes.
Amazing Things to Do in Monaco, Monte Carlo (Parent Edition)
1. This giant of an entertainment complex, known to the world as the Monte Carlo Casino, is a gambler's paradise. Have all the fun you can but remember that exercising caution is imperative. Interestingly, the casino is not open to the residents of Monaco.
2. The breath-taking Monte Carlo Opera has an extremely ornamented past considering how several classic lyrical works originated here. If you are a connoisseur of art, culture and the finer things in life, you must attend a performance.
1. Constantine : This cozy little restaurant serves organic Italian and Mediterranean fare and also caters to vegans and vegetarians. Their pasta dishes are great and their selection of wines is pretty impressive.
2. Eqvita Restaurant : Eqvita is all about healthy, vegan food and was launched by none other than Novak Djokovic! With an array of soups, smoothies and organic coffee on their menu, this place is doing all it can to prove that vegan food can actually be delicious.
Travelling to North-east India is no less than travelling to the lap of music in India. Some of the most iconic bands, that have grown up to cover for some of the biggest names in international music, have their origins rooted to the beautiful states of the North-east. More often that not known as the “unexplored paradise,” the North-east has more to offer than the obvious flora and fauna. With a music scene as diverse and colorful as its culture and a unique blend of folk, classical and rock genre the music reverberates the beauty of the region.
In fact, Shillong, the capital of the state of Meghalaya is also known as the “rock capital” of India.
And well of course for the lovers of travelling and music, here is a low down on the must attend festivals in the North-east.
Hornbill Festival
Where: Kohima, Nagaland
When: December 1-10
Why must you attend?
For starters, there are 16 major tribes along with many sub-tribes in Nagaland. Hornbill Festival brings together all the 16 tribes.
It is a weeklong celebration of the heritage and traditions, with night bazaars and a multi-stage musical extravaganza in Kimasa and there is something for everyone!
Ziro Festival of Music
Where: Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh
When: September
Why must you attend?
This is a festival that must not be missed. As the festival slogan goes: Eat, Drink, Merry, Ziro Festival is all about music and fun! The likes of Shaa’ir & Func, Menwhopause, Sky Rabbit, Lee Ranaldo, Steve Shelley and The Dust and more have performed there too.
Shillong Autumn Festival
Where: Shillong, Meghalaya
When: November
Why must you attend?
This three-day festival turns Shillong into a land of fun, frolic and absolute madness. One of the savviest festivals in the North-east, Shillong Autumn festival is more than just music.
Brahmaputra Beach Festival
Where: Guwahati, Assam
When: January/February
Why must you attend?
Are you more of an adventure-lover? Brahmaputra Beach Festival offers a lot more than you can imagine. Water rafting, canoeing, kayaking and Aero sports like ballooning, paragliding and hang gliding, beach cricket… and much more. In the backdrop of the mighty Brahmaputra, the beach festival has its own charm.
One of the highlights of our trip to Australia was driving the Great Ocean Road for three days. We were lucky enough to stay with friends in Melbourne, Australia the majority of time but in the middle of the week we headed out to tour one of the most scenic drives in the world! Our friends thought we were somewhat crazy as three days really isn’t that much time but we think it was just about perfect. Granted we didn’t have time to relax too much but we love being active and busy anyway.
For our journey we started on the southeast side of Melbourne at Noble Park so please keep that in mind if you want to use our trip as a basis for your travels on the Great Ocean Road. The itinerary I will outline below worked very well for us and I would only suggest a couple tweaks based on our experience. I will note those at the end of each section. Bolded items are key stops or activities that we did.
Day 1 – Driving to the Great Ocean Road via the ferry from the Mornington Peninsula with stops at Bells Beach, Lorne, Erskine Falls, and staying at Apollo Bay.
Day 2 – Stops at Maits Rest, Cape Otway Lighthouse, Twelve Apostles, Lord Ach Gorge, Port Campbell, London Bridge, Bay of Islands, and ending in Warrnambool.
Day 3 – Relaxation at the beaches near Warnnambool and driving back to the ferry on the inland highway.
Day 1 – Journey to Apollo Bay
With us starting on the southeast side of Melbourne, our friends suggested taking the ferry that departs from Sorrento on the end of the Mornington Peninsula. It was a great suggestion as we did not have to deal with traffic going through Melbourne and got to experience the relaxing Searoad Ferries. Time wise it was about the same time going through downtown versus taking the ferry from where we started. As for the actual driving this was our first time driving on the left side of the road!!! Honestly after about an hour of driving it started to become somewhat normal. The only confusing parts were when turning on to a street when there are no cars to guide you and the damn blinkers! I hit the freaking windshield wipers a million times instead of the turn signal. By the end of the trip I was used to it and when I went home I had the same problems again, haha.
After taking the ferry we drove along the coast and made our first stop at Bell’s Beach where some of the best surfing competitions in the world are held. The Rip Curl Pro was going on when we stopped but it was the beginning rounds so not too many people were around. We still managed to see some surfers ride the waves.
Onward we went towards the official beginning of the Great Ocean Road. Which is just a wooden sign built over the road, pretty anticlimactic. From there Lorne is a great stop and we spent a couple hours exploring and having lunch. The sun managed to come out and the water was insanely beautiful as we walked out to the short pier at the end of the bay. Of course a picture in front of the giant I Am Here bench was needed at the beach.
We drove up into the mountains to get a glimpse of the Erskine Falls which was at most a 15 minute drive from Lorne. Worth it if you like waterfalls. Just be warned it is a short, but very steep hike down the stairs. It was decently busy when we were there making it difficult to get a picture without people being in the falls.
We said goodbye to Lorne but wished we could have spent a couple more hours enjoying the sun and beach there. The stretch of road between Lorne and Apollo Bay is by the far the exhilarating driving part of the Great Ocean Road. The road hugs the coast while winding up and down the many hills. Views were incredible and we made more than a couple stops just to take pictures and really soak it in. One unfortunate part of this section is that some of the forests were decimated by bush fires just last year. The scars still remain and it is a sad thing to see but important to understand the power of mother nature in this area.
As we started approaching Apollo Bay just before dinner the hills started to level out some. We checked into the Great Ocean View Motel near the edge of town which was sufficient for our one night stopover. The hotel was nothing too special but like the name implies it does have a good view of the ocean. We ventured into the Apollo Bay for dinner which had a decent amount of choices for such a small town. Nothing too memorable but it is also a good place to pickup supplies at one of the grocery stores.
Other Suggestions
I loved our itinerary for the first day. The ferry, Bell’s Beach, Lorne, and the fun drive make for a great day. My only suggestion is if you have more time I would suggest an overnight in Lorne as it was one of my favorite towns on the trip. The beach there was beautiful and had a lot of options for accommodations.
Day 2 – The Twelve Apostles and More
This was by far the busiest day of our entire trip, but also one of the best. We woke early in the morning to try and pack in as much as possible. Departing from Apollo Bay we drove up into the Great Otway National Park which is filled with a beautiful rain forest that reminded me of Olympic National Park. We stopped at Maits Rest which is a short loop trail in the middle of the rain forest. No detour needed from the main road and definitely worth the short one hour hike. It provides a great contrast to the ocean and rocks on the Great Ocean Road.
From there we decided to make a detour and drive down to the Cape Otway Lighthouse. On the way there we encountered our first wild kangaroos and koalas so that was pretty awesome! The lighthouse itself was just okay. Don’t waste your time on the short hikes outside of lighthouse park as they don’t provide a great view. We did pay to go in the lighthouse area which has a lot of historic buildings, a cafe, aboriginal village, and of course the Cape Otway Lighthouse. We climbed to the top and got a great view of the coast line.
After our the lighthouse it was on to the climax of the Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles and the many other rock formations. The drive on this section wasn’t nearly exciting as it flattens out and there was a significant amount of road construction which slowed down our progress. We finally made it there around lunch time along with hundreds of other people. The Twelve Apostles is filled with tourists so just beware of that. We tromped out the viewing platforms and despite all of the people it was truly magically.
No stop at the Twelve Apostles would be complete without hiking down the Gibsons Steps which surprisingly many people did not do. This was one of the highlights of the entire trip. Just a tip, if you want to avoid people while on the beach just keep walking towards a couple of the apostles to the right. Literally no one was over there and we had it to ourselves. This spot became one of our happy places in the world. Amazing to see how the ocean can shape these magnificent rock formations that jut out of the water.
With all the amazing rock structures and short hikes we literally forgot about lunch and just kept going! As you drive west from the Twelve Apostles there are a couple more stops at some equally amazing formations. Of course we stopped at almost of them. The water colors mixed with rocks here made for some truly epic pictures. One of our favorites was the Mutton Bird Island near the Loch Ard Gorge. Eventually we made it to the cute little town, Port Campbell, where we stopped for an early dinner overlooking the small bay.
It was then on to London Bridge which of course fell down. This is a rock formation that used to literally have a massive bridge section that connect the parts but that collapsed in 1990 which stranded two people on the formation. Don’t worry, they made it off safe via helicopters. It is still a great site and when we stopped there as the sun was starting to go down making for some even more beautiful views.
Our last true stop on the Great Ocean Road was at the Bay of Islands Coastal Park. From there the road turns inland and leads to Warrnambool. We made sure to stop here for the sunset. It was a truly perfect place to watch it. No one else was there making for a very romantic and secluded spot. We love sunsets and this was one of the better spots we have found. The Great Ocean Road officially ends right before Warrnambool where we stayed the night and caught up on much needed rest.
Other Suggestions
Our second day led to an extremely busy schedule but it was well worth it. Nothing compares to the magnificent rock formations along the coast. A couple of suggestions if you are pressed on time or are not big into lighthouses would be to skip the Cape Otway Lighthouse as the rest of the attractions are even more amazing. There is a distinct lack of accommodations in this stretch of the road but if you have extra time Port Campbell is a very nice stop and would let you checkout the rock formations over two days. Overall an amazing day!
Day 3 – Warrnambol and Back to Melbourne
We were wiped out after all of the exploring on the previous days so we decided to just lounge around. Fortunately the weather was sunny and the beach was just a couple of blocks from where we stayed. Off to the beach we went! A perfect way to end our driving tour of the Great Ocean Road. We spent the morning at the beach and headed back into town for lunch. Then a three hour drive back to Queenscliff via the inland highway to catch the ferry. One thing about the ferry is even if you buy tickets for a certain time you can also catch an earlier one or later one. The tickets are good for the entire day just make sure to make the last one!
Back on the Mornington Peninsula we decided to make the most of our day and stopped at Rye to enjoy the beach and grab a delicious dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Baha! We were honestly excited for the Mexican restaurant even if it wasn’t authentic. It was actually one of our favorite meals and a great stop. It was just then a short hour drive back to Noble Park to get back to our friend’s place where we spent the last couple days exploring Melbourne more.
Other Suggestions
Our last day was pretty lazy but some alternatives would be to either stay or go to Port Fairy which is only 45 minutes away from Warrnambool. The town is suppose to be a lot more historic than Warrnambool. If you don’t mind driving a little bit further our Australian friends said it was worth it. Another option is to drive back along the coast to Melbourne but it will take significantly longer than the easy three hour drive inland.
Final Thoughts
Wow! The Great Ocean Road lived up to our expectations and even succeeded them! While our three day journey did not lead to much relaxation time, it was nearly perfect for as it was filled with so many sights. If you do have time I would suggest to spend another day or two to slow down and experience more. The Twelve Apostles were amazing, although extremely touristy which is not usually our style. Still worth it and it is possible to find more secluded outcroppings in the area if you really want to. It was an epic road trip and I am glad we did it!
Each of us has a distinct traveler persona and that is ruled by the celestial bodies somehow leads us to travel those places where we actually want to go. Whether you’re a luxury-loving Scorpio, an intellectual Capricorn or a restless Gemini, there just might be a destination aligned to your stars. Our zodiac often guide us what kind of traveler we are and whom we can accompany. So in this article, I have tried to bring out some travel destinations in India according to your sun sign/zodiac sign.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Aries are the most active travelers often prefer to travel solo. They seek to explore the least traveled places and hence adventure activities like mountaineering, rock climbing, river rafting, trekking and biking are like fiesta. The Aries will never waste their time as they will find the fastest mode to reach their goals. They are the most courageous and independent travelers you will come across. They hardly travel with their family and look for a passionate group. Since their energy level is very high so the recommended places for them are the Ladakh region, Garhwal Himalayan region, Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, vast ecosphere of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
The Taurus travelers like to build their own castles in the air even when they are traveling. Thoughtful and hence they are good planner. Remember that the Taurus traveler do a good amount of research. In contrast they are also creative in nature, determined where they want to go and are also independent. The Indian destinations for them are Andaman OR Goa.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
The Geminis like to travel with their friends and family. They are the most adaptable persons you will come across. So, places having a rich culture attract the Gemini travelers. One of the most unique features of the traveler in a Gemini is that they usually get bored sticking to the same place over days. Once they are done exploring one place they are ready for the next and thus they will prefer a package tour. Geminis would probably pack their cell phones, books, magazines and novels on holidays. They should try an adventure holiday in the Indian Himalayan region OR wildlife safari in Ranthambore National Park.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
The Cancer people love to stick to water and hence if you propose a beach holiday, he or she is always ready to travel with you. A Cancer could be a perfect companion if you are seeking for a leisure holiday in Kerala or Andaman. They are the most sentimental travelers you will come across. The Cancer people like to visit their memories and hence you will find them visiting the same destinations year after year. In other terms, a Cancer traveler doesn’t like to hop around and thus they prefer customized tour packages.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Being the sun sign-beater, the majestic and royal Leos will search for a luxury holiday package in Rajasthan and prefer a 5 star accommodation in Lake Palace, Udaipur. Everything that they will try out while traveling will reflect royalty and elegance. Well… the Leo as a traveler is always determined and exuberant and mostly likes to travel in a group. They love music, and would plan a vacation around a big concert. Hence their ideal Indian destination are Agra, Udaipur, Jaipur, Khajuraho and Hampi.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
Virgo love to stick according to their plans and hence make sure everything is well managed. A Virgo will often go for a trusted tour operator and will make a list of all the essential items to carry… what to see, shop and savor. So if you are traveling with a Virgo then you are likely not to miss anything as he or she would have done the homework. On the other hand, Virgo people are caring and fun loving. They would prefer a skillful holiday in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan in India.
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
The Libra people mostly like to travel to a balanced environment where they can have a bit of activity and bit of basking. An enamoring holiday in Goa could be an ideal pick for a Libra. So they will love to go to places where things are organized. As a traveler they will often want to be accompanied by a sweetheart person but at the same time they are open to meeting strangers. An inborn diplomat, they often like to participate in social and communal activities. In addition, the Libra loves to try out unique food and wine. Traveling with a Libra is really fun as they can adjust themselves to any place as they don’t have such preferences. Still a backwater holiday in Kerala may stir their mood graciously than camping in Pangong Lake in Ladakh.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
A bit reserved when they are traveling. For the Scorpio… vacation time is for romance. You will often notice that a Scorpio will often stretch their pocket on booking private villas or a luxury beach resort on a secluded beach. The Scorpios are one of the most passionate and philosophical travelers and loves to stick to a diverse landscape. They can withstand any climatic conditions.
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
In reality they are the most talkative people you will come across but when they are traveling they seek for peace. The Sagittarians are inborn travelers and love both adventure and leisure holidays. They also love to explore new culture and try to learn when traveling. As a traveler you will enjoy their company as the traveler in a Sagittarius will drive you to some unexplored places Kutch in Gujarat and far North East India. But remember guys… don’t blindly depend on a Sagittarius as they are not good planners and are largely dependent on their fellow companion. They are free birds and hence taking such burdens is not their cup of tea. As I said that they look for peace while traveling and hence tries to escape the crowd.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
The Capris love to be accompanied by hi-fi people. As they love things to happen in an organized way, they will prefer people who are organized and knowledgeable. Similarly, they love to travel those places where things are easily available. For example, they won’t stop at a shop for shopping, rather they will be visiting a mall if they are in a city OR when they are traveling they will visit those traditional and vibrant markets. They are always ready for places like Kerala, Goa, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
A Spa and Ayurvedic holiday in Kerala is what motivates an Aquarian. Although their interest varies a lot when it comes to travel, they mostly seek for a leisure holiday in the midst of a vast ecosphere. So a backwater cruise in Allepppey may strike them the most rather than houseboats in Srinagar. In other terms, a traveler in an Aqua is always a planner but at the same time they are dependent on their travel companion. They are hardly solo travelers.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
They love to remain simple as by their nature. The Pisces are the kindest travelers you will come across and often you will find them helping out others. So on their way, even if they are traveling somewhere and notice a sick animal, they will try their best to aid them. Well… the Pisces travelers do not have any specific choice of destination. They love both adventure and leisure but will often look for peace where ever they go. So a holiday in the Lakswadweep Islands OR an exotic weekend vacation in Coorg is in their list. For adventure they will stick to easy treks in the Garhwal Himalaya… hence the valley of flowers trek is in their adventure activities menu. They are romantics and love to spend time in the midst of diversified nature. They don’t believe in showing off things like booking a 5 Star accommodation OR reserving a vintage car.
So… what do you think? Let’s share your feedback below in the comment box.
For all the corporate employees a weekend full of peace and tranquility can rejuvenate us for the next few weeks. As we needed a break from our hectic day to day life, we decided to spend some time in Palampur. Palampur in Himachal Pradesh is one place which has calmness in abundance. A small town located in the Kangra valley is famous for the tea gardens, temples, Paragliding (it is the world’s second best site for paragliding) and the beautiful and serene surroundings. The best part that we liked about this place is that it isn’t commercialized as much as McLeodganj and Dharamshala. As the footfall is comparatively less, Palampur has its natural beauty intact within itself.
Palampur … Here we come! The first thing that instantly caught our attention was the peacefulness of the place. With kids walking down the streets after school, all we could see were their smiling faces. Although we did not have many plans for this trip, we decided to keep it short yet memorable by trying Paragliding for the first time. As Palampur is known as the tea capital of North India, we were able to see tea gardens all around us through most parts of the city.
Beautiful Tea Gardens of Palampur The first day at Palampur was spent at the Himachal Heritage Village which is an amazing property owned by Mr. Hem Dogra and Mr.Gagan Sharma. Both these folks are doing their best in keeping their culture alive with this beautiful place they have created for people to stay. We will be putting up a detailed story about the property soon. Once we took a tour of the property, we decided to retire for the day as the next day was supposed to be full of thrill and excitement.
Himachal Heritage Village Although it had rained heavily during the last night, the morning was completely different for us. We were greeted by bright and sunny day inviting us for the thrilling paragliding experience. The landing site for paragliding is at Bir which is 30kms away from Palampur. Before visiting Bir, it was important for us to say Hello to God with the first stopover at Baijnath Temple.
Baijnath Temple is one of the oldest temples in India and is known for the majestic grandeur of its architecture. The temple had very few devotees in the morning and was peaceful as it did not seem to be commercialized at all. We had access to the innermost part of the temple, right before the Shivling, which actually surprised me. After praying to God to keep us all safe during the upcoming adventure we all headed to our most important destination for the day, Bir!
When we reached the landing site at Bir, the first spectacle of a glider coming down calmly along with the flyer and the pilot boosted our confidence.
At the landing site – Bir! We headed for Biling, the take-off site, 16kms from Bir to take the plunge. Paragliding is an experience of a lifetime and one should definitely experience it. We will be putting up a detailed story of our experience at Bir-Biling soon. We had plans to visit the famous Sherabling Monastery on our way back but couldn’t do so due to the scarcity of time.
Excited to be back on land! On our way back to Kangra, we were pleased to notice the beautiful pine forest. Huge pine trees all around with a straight road passing through them was both peaceful and scary at the same time. Gagan informed us that this was the place where the Apsara Pencils ad was shot. Watch it here.
Pine forest in Palampur All in all the experience at Palampur was truly refreshing for all of us as it helped us unwind ourselves from our hectic corporate lives. We retreated back to our adobe with some beautiful memories, remarkable achievements (we succeeded in flying!) and all charged up for the next few days till we pack our bags again.
It was supposed to be a leisurely ride through the valley. ‘I just want to rent a bike for a few days and ride around’, I told Godwin.
Godwin had plans of his own, running in his head from way before. Godwin and Snehal are the amazing couple running ‘Ride Inn’ at Shanag Valley, 6 km north of Manali. A gorgeous place with probably the best food I’ve eaten while at Manali. Also the best view, and the cutest dog Luka.
‘Let’s do Pangi Valley and Sach Pass, you’ll love it’, Godwin said. I heard ‘valley’ and ‘pass’ and got excited. What i didn’t know was that since he, a regular rider, hadn’t been on the road for over a year, he was already pushing the limits in his head.
I’m not a biker really. I don’t like groups. I don’t like following others’ plans. I don’t even like bikers much. They talk about pistons and cranks and rods and shafts and *yawwwwn*. But since this was Godwin and Snehal leading the way, I had no problems at all. Digvij and Bhuwan, two of their friends, were coming in from Rajasthan, and we’d join them on their way through to Pangi Valley. And those two turned out to be super fun.
Leisurely ride, I thought. So I booked myself a nice 500cc classic. A tad expensive, as is the norm renting bikes in Manali (Rs.1200 – 1500 a day).
The rule was Godwin & Snehal rode up front, me second, then Digvij, and finally Bhuwan – the most experienced one to keep a watch on us.
This should be fun, I thought.
It was, for the first two hours…
Day 1 brought that easy ride to a shattering demise. It took us 9 hours to get across 190km, from Manali to Tindi. In my head, before we started, I was all ‘hmmm, that’s about the distance from Bombay to Poona, should take us about 5 hours…’
Bullshit.
Not when there’s NO ROAD. No kidding. The road disappeared after the first 40 km or so. Then there was only mud and rocks. Boulders and water crossings from glaciers melting above, foxes, and roads that you shouldn’t look over if you have a fear of heights. Up until Rohtang pass (50 km from Manali), everything was nice and reminiscent of a romantic scene in a Ryan Gosling movie.
After that it was all downhill, literally. Your ass hurts, of course, from the constant bump and grind on hard rocks. But readjusting your balls every 10 mins inside the boxers you wear, while using just the other hand to balance a 200 kilo bike on rocks and boulders, is a bit tough. Life lesson: never wear boxers to a long and treacherous bike ride.
Around 5 pm after i bounced over some 200 rocks and boulders, I turned to Godwin and asked him ‘how much longer is the road like this??’
‘Why do you ask so many questions, just ride man!’
That was it. I was trapped. If one question got that response, no more questions.
At night, after Bhuwan had hustled our stay at the forest department’s guest house, we rested our respective arses. They had old monk for company, and as always – the spirits bring out the funnies in people. And Digvij went on to tell us how, from behind me, he had a field day watching me ride.
According to him, I was either faster than a bullet, or slower than a snail. No in-between. Sometimes I was so slow, he thought I was stopping, and he’d imagine I was taking a break to pee, so he would too… and as soon as he stopped and got off, I was speeding like that bullet again. I didn’t even know this was happening. I don’t know what was going on in my mind. Just survival, I guess.
Next morning we were up, post some chai and parathas, on our way again. If day 1 was hard, day 2 was US army torture in Iraq. It took us 11 hours to cross 137 kilometers.
Let that settle in. Add to that the cold. Early October, season’s almost down cos of snow. Yeah, its freezing cold. By the time you end the day, your wrists, fingers, ankles, legs, face, everything’s numb. Even with gloves and innerwear and jacket on.
And in case I forgot to mention earlier, this terrain that we started off, can be seen on youtube under some of the videos that say ‘world’s most dangerous roads’
One landslide delayed our progress by about 30 minutes. Chairi was our lunch stop. There’s not many options for food in these places apart from dal-rice-chapatis, parathas and maggi.
Just before sunset, Digvij’s thunderbird breaking down was our big worry. The bike just wouldn’t climb the steep slopes anymore. And these heavy ass bikes have a mind of their own once they’re on a sharp angle. The number of times I just let the bike lay on the ground instead of bothering to pick it up was quite a bit. Digvij was in two minds to head back. But our peak was only 20 km ahead now. So we worked on constructive thinking. And Godwin, the champ that he is, just pulled out the bike’s air filter, and voila, it was all good again!
I learnt a few things about riding through glacier melt this same day. Snehal taught me a few things about staying steady and keeping your legs down. Cos I was treating it like a theme park ride. Legs up in the air and WHEEEEEE splashing water. But one rock under the water, slipping, could be the end of the ride. For the bike. And the rider. So the next time I almost fell in the icy water, I simply jumped off and let Godwin rescue the bike.
After reaching our highest peak, which was Sach Pass at 4440m, at sunset, we had to get to the next guesthouse before dark. My bright idea was to turn the bike into neutral and let it glide down the mountain.
IT WAS THE MOST EXHILARATING SHIT I’VE EVER DONE ON A BIKE.
It was pitch black by then in the mountains, moonless night. And the narrow beam of the headlight was all I could see ahead. Everything else around, black. The speed I had managed to pull with gravity alone was ridiculous. And I’m grateful to the foxes and dogs that did not run across my path. It’s not too good for the bike though, this neutral gliding thing. But there’s some things you can do on a rented bike…
It was almost 9 pm when we reached satroondi checkpost – which is a heavily guarded point because of its proximity to the Pakistan border, and history of militants coming in from the same. Shortly after that, we were at Bhairagadh – and cozily settled into ‘Mannat Guest House’. There’s nothing more rewarding than a pillow for the bum after a whole day of riding on rocks. These guesthouses we lived in were all in the range of 200-400 rupees a night. And the forest department houses are pretty cute too.
Day 3 was the calm after the storm. Also the easiest day for my bum to handle. Flat roads again, and despite another 11 hours, we managed 255 kilometers. We halted in Chamba for lunch at Zaika Dhaba, and bike corrections for Digvij. The ride from Bhairagad to Chamba was a beautiful one through the forest. Our boys from Rajasthan split here at Chamba, so it was eventually Godwin, Snehal and me heading back to Manali. There was still 2 more days to complete though.
Chamba to Dharamshala and eventually Bagsu was our final stint for day 3. Bagsu is right below Dharamkot, where unbeknownst to me, I was going to lose my heart a week later.
Day 4
Godwin & Snehal decided to stay at Bagsu a day or two. And since I had to return to manali to give back the bike, and catch a bus to Dharamsala and eventually get to Dharamkot to attend my retreat, I spent the final day solo. 10 am kick off from Bagsu, through Dhauladhar tea estates, where I stopped for some awesome green tea and juice, and then moved on to Mandi where I had a massive lunch of dal, chappatis, and you-guessed-it, parathas.
I was getting to Manali just around sundown. That’s when the Aut tunnel threat happened. Within the helmet was my sunglasses, which I should have taken off before the tunnel. But I didn’t think of the consequences. As soon as I got into that tunnel, everything was pitch black. And this is a tunnel that runs about 4km. Imagine riding 4km BLIND. I’m half-blind after sundown anyway. Old issue. Add to that, sunglasses that I cant remove mid-ride, because I have fat gloves on. I cant stop cos I cant see the side of the road, and there’s no way one can really stop in a tunnel. There’s a sinking feeling in your stomach. There’s panic, there’s also prayers. And you hope the one guy you’ve been ignoring all your life will somehow get you through this. HA! Eventually, the glare of oncoming traffic, which I usually cant tolerate, saved me.
This here is Aut tunnel (via youtube) – but doing the same thing like The Terminator is a different story.
As soon as I got out of the tunnel, I stopped at a quiet little tea stall, and reflected on life.
For a first ride, this was the hardest, and the most gorgeous ever. Would i attempt it again? Hell yeah! If it wasn’t for Godwin, this wouldn’t have happened, so i’m glad he got me into this ‘easy ride’. You learn a lot of things about yourself on the road.
Rameshwaram has been, for ages, one of the most frequented tourist places in India, especially from the pilgrimage point of view. This is the same place that the Indians, across the world, have heard all through in their lives, when they spoke and listened to the epic Ramayana. The town has been at the centre of a lot of action when Lord Rama and his team brought back Seeta from the mighty King Ravana, based in Sri Lanka. Having had a journey myself on India’s Longest Running Train & then exploring Kanyakumari, the last leg of my journey was Rameshwaram. A small town it is but Rameshwaram played a big role and has multiple tourist and pilgrimage points that are not-to-be-missed. And interestingly, it is not just the temples but also clean beaches, less crowd overall at public places and sacred ponds etc that will make you add this place to your bucketlist. Here I give you all the points I found awesome, well worth spending time exploring. Top 7 Must-See Spots in Rameshwaram
1. Ramanathaswamy Temple
(Picture Courtesy: http://bit.ly/1WXXSXb) The most favoured and most frequented Shiva temple in Rameshwaram. The legend has it, that this is the temple where it is believed Lord Rama prayed to Shiva to seek forgiveness for committing a sin of killing a Brahmin (King Ravana). The temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples, has 22 holy water bodies out of 64 in & around Rameshwaram town as a whole. Huge temple and fantastic architecture. 2. Agni Tirtham
(Picture Courtesy: www.tripsbank.com) Agni Tirtham Spot is a sacred place, located very near to the Ramanathaswamy Temple, about 100 metres. Agni Tirtham is one of the 64 sacred baths in Rameshwaram. Hindu rituals such as Yagyna and rituals for dead ancestors are being performed by thousands of people, who also take bath in this holy sea. Full moon days are considered very auspicious. 3. Gandhamadhana Parvatham
Do you recollect the mountain having magical herbs that was carried by Lord Hanuman to save Laxman ? This is the same mountain we are talking of. Located around 3 kms from the main town, it offers some great views 360 degrees. 4. Five-Faced Hanuman Temple
(Picture Courtesy: http://bit.ly/1OlArQY) As the name suggests, the temple is dedicted to Lord Hanuman. It is said that this is the place where Lord Hanuman revealed his five faces for the first time. In order to beat Rama, Ravana had approached the king of hell. The king of hell (Pataal Lok) Maharavana disguised himself as Vibhishan, brother of Ravana but who was helping Rama, and brought Rama & Seeta to Pataal Lok to kill them. Hanuman learnt that to kill Maharavana, he needs to extinguish 5 lamps at the same time. As they all were places in different directions, Hanuman revealed his 5 faces and nailed Maharavana. Some great stories to hear 5. Kothandaramaswamy Temple
Kothandaramaswamy Temple is where Ravana’s brother Vibhishan surrendered to Lord Rama and where Lord Rama performed the rites of Abhishekam for Vibhishan. The temple is close to 500 years old, located on the way to Dhanushkodi and has the idols of Rama, Seeta, Laxman and Vibhishan. 6. Bird Santuary
Bird Santuary @ Rameshwaram I know… If I keep telling you on religious sites, you’d get bored. That’s what Rameshwaram is mostly about. But hey, there are some other things that are good here too ! Like this Bird Santuary, located on the way to Dhanushkodi, off the Kothandaramaswamy Temple. Once you are through with your Darshan at this temple, you may keep some time on hand to sit and observe the migratory birds flocking this lake, especially in the months of November to February. 7. Pamdan Bridge
Pamban Bridge Road A railway bridge connecting Rameshwaram town to mainland India, this has now become a tourist attraction of sorts. The bridge refers to both railway and road bridges that are adjacent to eachother. Claimed as India’s first sea-bridge, the railway bridge has concrete structures, pretty much like a conventional method. Just that in the middle of it, is a section that folds up, thereby allowing ships pass by. If I am not wrong, between 4.00 pm to 5.30 pm, is the time of the railway bridge folding up. The surface is highly corrosive, making it’s maintenance activity challenging. Also, the strong winds is another challenge. In addition to this, there are other tourist attractions like Ram Setu, Laxman Tirtham, Seeta Kund, Jataayu Temple etc that are worth visiting. How To Travel To & In Rameshwaram ?
Rameshwaram is connected by road and railway to major nearby towns like Madurai, Chennai, Kanyakumari etc. Nearest airport is Madurai, which connects you to big cities, most of them via Chennai. The distances between all the tourist attractions in & near Rameshwaram is around 3-4 kms really. They are all nearby, except for famous Pamban Bridge that is around 18 kms from the City. The best way I figured is either having your own vehicle or hiring Auto Rickshaw. The latter charge Rs. 900/- for full day tour covering 9-10 spots, including all the above mentioned. What To Eat in Rameshwaram ?
Rameshwaram is a religious town, so it is a given that over 95% of the restaurants offer vegetarian food. But after having visited all the sacred places, I could not hold any more and I searched one great meal-joint by name Chola Express, offering delicious MEEN KOLUMBU (Fish Curry and Rice)… Awesome Taste !
Even during my 2 days in town, there were times when I got bored, may be due to the fact that I felt my hotel wasn’t that great and every time, waiting for a public transport was a pain – the frequency of buses isn’t that good. But overall I still would rate 7 on 10 for Rameshwaram Tourism.
Facing the Adriatic Sea with its awe inspiring landscape, beautiful old town and abundance of history, Dubrovnik can entice one by its many charms. A picturesque historic city surrounded by one great, walkable city wall, it is young, dynamic and cheery. At daytime, tourists crowd the places in the inner city, but by the evening, Dubrovnik’s youth comes out to party. They take over the city, its seaside bars, and street cafés.
Dubrovnik is a fantastic — a walled, orange-roofed old city perched above the Adriatic. George Bernard Shaw once said, “If you want to see heaven on Earth, come to Dubrovnik.” The Game of Thrones fans will remember this place as Kings Landing which has increased the number of visitors here.
With all of the beauty that this city has to offer, here are a few things that I really don’t think you should miss. The old city is small to begin with which gets very crowded all throughout the year.
Things to See-
Walk the Old City Walls- The series of defensive stone walls that surround the old town are considered one of the best fortification systems in Europe. The walls that surround the city provide an excellent spot for sightseeing at all angles. One can get an amazing understanding of the layout, some beautiful views of the beauty of the old town and all its hidden nooks and nuances. It can be quite a climb to get to the top of these walls, but the views will be well worth the climb. Visit Surrounding Islands- One of the things that Croatia is popular for is all of its surrounding islands. One can do a sailing day trip or take a ferry to the nearby Lokrum island or the Elaphiti Islands. It is a nice way to spend the day, soaking up the sun, swimming, exploring or just chilling. Though be wary of the tout’s selling the day trips. And yes negotiate a lot to come at a right price or these guys can really haggle and throw attitude over price and talking to others.
Climb Mount Srd- Another great place to go for a spectacular view of the city is to the top of Mount Srd overlooking the old town. One can take a Cable car to the very top for views of the Old Town and the surrounding islands as far as the eye can see. Walk Around the Old Town- Dubrovnik’s Old Town isn’t that big so one can easily walk around. The whole part of the city is pedestrian only full of small alleyways with cafes and restaurants everywhere you turn. Enter the town’s walls through Ploce gate, pass Revelin fortress, visit Church of St. Sebastian. Visit Rector’s palace and walk Dubrovnik main street from Saint Braise church, visiting Orlando’s column and all the way to Onofrio’s fountain. Stop at the Franciscan Monastery and visit the third oldest pharmacy in Europe.Visit the town’s old port. In the evening the whole old town gets a party atmosphere with the clubs & pubs coming to life. The Old Town also has several churches and museums you can visit to learn about the history of the city Accommodation– Accommodations in Split can increase depending upon the season and location. I recommend Airbnb since they offer incredible value and comfortable. This will help you stay without splashing a lot and maintain your budget. If you haven’t tried Airbnb before, sign up with my referral link for a credit of $30 on your first stay. They are of great value in this part of the world, and renting apartments is the norm rather than the exception. Expect to pay around 30-40 euro per night.
Eat and drink – The old city is full of cafes, bars & eatries. You may have to hunt for budget places though. Most popular is the Buza Bar sitting on the edge of cliffs at the side of the old city wall and can both be accessed through holes in the wall.
Dubrovnik was just as beautiful as I imagined. Unfortunately, it was also more crowded than the rest of Croatia.There is so very much more to do and explore. This really is a place with something for everyone to enjoy. Game of Throne fans can take the GOT walking tour to see the various places of the popular show. Also try going during March-April as the crowd is less during that time otherwise it is an all year round destination.
I had never imagined a city manifests everyday like a flooded city and henceforth become a hue-n-cry for several lovers across this globe. After my visit to Amsterdam, I was frankly not expecting anything new in Venice. But when I found myself there, I urged strongly to scream out and out – “How could a city be so stunning!” While planning for Venice, my main apprehension was whether to cover the city in one day or not. But after landing there and ending with all the itineraries successfully as planned (some left unplanned too), mused me with my decision of covering it in my trip of Different Shades of Italy in 5 Days. And that’s when the idea tantalized me to board on the trendy slogan of “Reality Vs Expectation“.
My motive is not only to measure how much the place beholds you with respect to its beauty, tradition, culture, heritage and growth (as per expectation but also to measure the effectiveness of my planned things. Here I lists them: a. Hotel Location near Mestre Railway Station : Out of multiple choices available and all being equally preferable, I chose location near to Mestre railway station. Reason: Ease of travelling by taxis which are easily available outside the airport Marco Polo, instead of taking the burden of dragging luggages in the city of 400+ canals or boarding them in a fully-occupied Vaporetto. Moreover we had to pick the train from Mestre towards Florence after a stay of one day, so everything moved smoothly with that decision. However, if someone is visiting Venice for more than 2 day then selection of Hotel or apartment from Airbnb in the midst of Venice is no less than a heaven. Preferable choices of location are : Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia Railroad Station and near Aligunana airport boat stops. b.Purchasing Bus/Vaporetto Tickets: ACTV is the Venice’s local Transit Authority. In our case, when we jump onto the bus (from our Mestre hotel) and ask the operator for ticket he denied its availability in the bus. Thankfully, we were lucky to safely reach at Piazzale Roma without any ticket check. Such cases could be avoided by purchasing tickets from Venezia Unica counters at the airport (also available at other locations of Venice) or simple purchase the voucher online from the official link and generate the card at any available ACTV self-service machine. A 1-Day City Pass of 20 euro will let you to roam freely in any ACTV vaporetto or bus (including Murano, Burano, Lido but separate card is required to/from Marco Polo airport). c.Vaporetto Ride Vs Gondola Ride I was gaped when I read about the charges of Gondola Ride (80 euro per gondola). Though it comes with a capacity of 6 persons, but unless you are not travelling in a big group it is better to save these extra bucks for the rest of your journey. On the contrary, Vaporetto are often over-occupied and not as laid-back as Gondola rides. However they provide the same surreal beauty of Venice if one stands at the edges of its open area. This options is best to heavenly save both time and money. d. Visiting Piazza San Marco, Saint Mark’s Basilica, St.Mark Campanile, Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs Piazza San Marco or St. Mark Square is aptly described by Napolean once as “the drawing room of Europe”. And it is undeniably true. Most of the major places to visit in Venice are envelope around this square – St. Mark Campanile where Galileo Galilei demonstrated his telescope in 1609, Doge’s Palace or Palazzo Ducale where Doges reside and ruled the Veneitian Empire before it was merged under Italian province and Saint Mark Basilica which is famous for its history associated with Saint Mark. We took a round of the whole square and then perched on the stairs gasping at the beautiful sight and enjoyed the melancholy music of the restaurant bands. And for all those who take interest in Bollywood, this square was filmed in the famous song of Ranbir-Deepika (“Khuda Jaane”). After glancing at the liveliness of Saint Mark’s basilica, we moved to Doge’s Palace and booked our Secret Itinerary Tour. Timings of the tour are strict and that need to be taken care of. More information is available at the official site.This tour is surely not to be missed. But rest of the palace, where we were left freely after our tour got ended, is over-time taking and is required to be cover hurriedly. Helpful Tip : Better to book the online tickets for Doge’s Palace. This would save your 30 mins in queue. After dosage of Venetian history, we moved to the lagoon side and headed to look at Bridge of Sighs. Here one could comprehend the pain of the prisoners who used to sigh at their last view of Venice before their imprisonment. e. Murano: Island of Magnificent Glass Art We took the ferry ride from the S.Zaccaria terminal (near to Bridge of Sighs) towards Murano. It took 35-40 min to reach the island, without any additional charges. 24 hour City Pass works here as well (+Burano, +Lido). I was alleviated by the single ticket policy. Cheers to the Venetian Administration! Murano, holds the brand name in the history of luxurious glass making art. And if you are here, then it is highly recommend to invest few bucks to purchase world-class glass works. Helpful Tips: Many brand name jewelry shops sells purely on Murano glass works, and are highly pricey. However, other souvenir shops sells no less good sets of Jewelry. Glass Factory is closed at 4 PM. Unfortunately, we couldn’t made it there. But as all reviews say – “It is worth to witness the demonstration of their stunning art!”; I would suggest it to you badly. f. Burano: one of the World’s 10 colorful Place Another 30 minutes of ride from Murano will take you to Burano, it comes in the mid-way of Venice and Murano. However, one can also directly take a ride from Venice to Burano. This island is crazily loaded with colorful houses and can be best described as “Island with Melange of Color”. Government decides the color of houses here. (See, your mouth has got wide open!) For me, it was another surprise from Venice, for I had never imagined a city be like this. Every corner is like a wallpaper and houses here demonstrate a typical Italian look. Beautiful flower pots and stylish curtains embellish every house. We discovered Burano too much (factually, in hunt for the most famous house of Burano “Bepi’s house”), and its every turn had rows of colorful houses keeping us constantly filled with ecstasy. g. Eating in Venice We found eating at Venice far expensive than Rome. Eating at restaurants near Rialto Bridge and St. Marks Square will ripped off your Euros. We had our lunch at the cafe that comes at the end of Doge’s Palace. Our ordered menus were all traditional dishes of Italy and believe me my tongue is still craving for that taste. h. Souvenirs at Venice Venetian masks, Murano Glass and Burano Lace work (both are highly recommend to purchase it from the islands itself) i. Things you should armed yourself with, before heading out to Venice Downloaded map of Venice in google map, so that it can be viewed offline as well. Map of Vaporretto routes, it would provide a better idea of various Ferry Terminal locations. This can be often proves handy than Google Map. Download Map from the official web site of ACTV. And before I wind up… Venice is undoubtedly a heaven for couples and a surprise-pack for enthusiastic traveler like me. In my trip of Venice, I was contented to be able to cover Venice as much as I had expected. However, I also recommend to visit Venice for two days to explore this surreal place in a comfortable pace and add-on more places like Lido beach, Torcello, leisure walk around Rialto Bridge. But for budgeted and time constraint travelers – “Guys, you can definitely follow me!” My meter on Reality Vs Expectation for Venice: 4/5
Once from chennai, we travelled on Kongunadu Trail, for 10days. With time constraint we covered 3 places. Tiruppur-Coimbatore-Ooty and back to chennai. We spent 3days at each place. We reached the destinations by night trains and started visiting the place from next day. The most unforgettable journey in my life.
TIRUPPUR -located on the banks of Noyyal river, it is a famous city in the Kongu Nadu region of Tamilnadu. It was ruled by Cheras during sangam period. This city is famous for small owners of various textiles. It is known as the cotton belt of South South India.Tropical climate prevails all through Tiruppur. Best time to visit-October to February. Days required to see full of Tiruppur -3-4 days.
point of interest -
Thirumoorthy hills - located near Thirumoorthy Dam, Thirumoorthy temple is worshipped by many.
Kumaran Memorial Statue - This statue is depicted in honour of Freedom Fighter Kumaran. It is situated near Tirupur Kumaran Salai.
Mettuparai - A beautiful village, with famous milk oozing need tree, where the milk has healing powers.
Grass Hills - A famous picnic and Trekking spot, covered with flora and fauna. It is also called Evergreen Shola Forest.
Panchlinga Waterfalls - It is located on Palani-Coimbatore highway. Another famous sport for Trekkers.
How to reach Tiruppur - By Air - To fly till Coimbatore airport and then on drive to Tiruppur.
By Car/Bus - it takes 1.5 hours. There are many luxury buses that go daily to Trippur.
By Train - Trippur station is before Coimbatore junction. Many trains stop at Trippur.
Shopping and cuisine - Kongunadu Cuisine is famous in Tirupur. Rice being their staple food is had with
-puli kozhambu-pepper Rasam-chicken-Goat Meat curries and
Tiruppur is famous for Textiles. Banians(half cut inner wear for men), T-shirts are made out of soft cotton and sold at a very nominal price. Knitwear is also sold famously here.
Famous shopping Markets - khadarpet - Gani Market-Rayapuram and Tiruppur Railway station market.
COIMBATORE
It is known as Kovai, and it is the second largest city in Tamilnadu. It is referred as Manchester of south India. It is a part of Kongunadu, which was ruled by Cheras. Tropical wet and dry climate prevail all through Coimbatore. Best time to visit coimbatore - September to March. Days required to see full of coimbatore - 3-4 days.
How to reach Coimbatore - By air - There are regular flights that connect to Coimbatore from many cities.
By train - Regular trains move up and down from Coimbatore.
By car/Road - Regular buses keep moving. The highway is pleasant to drive for many roadies.
Point of interest
Marudamalai - situated 15kms on the western ghats of Coimbatore this place is full of medicinal herbs. There are stone inscriptions from 12th century. The temple of Idumban, Paambaatti, Siddhar cave, uchi Pillayarpatti temple and pancha vriksham are famous.
siruvani waterfalls - They are called Kovai kutralam falls. They are formed by Siruvani river. The falls have dangerous deep cliffs and bathing is enjoyed by many at the bottom of the falls.
Gass Forest Museum - A natural history museum, related to forestry. It is a 100year old heritage site museum. Apart from wildlife, Timber species collections are famous here.
Dhyanalinga - It is a yogic temple dedicated for meditation, a large ellipsoidal dome was designed and constructed. The lingam is immersed in water. People take a dip before going to the temple. Maha kumbha Mela theme is depicted.
Black Thunder -A water theme park located at Mettupalayam. It offers 49 rides, surf Hill and wild River ride.
Cuisine and shopping- Besides Dosa, Vada, Sambhar and Rasam,
-Kheema Upma and dosa with Prawn Kurma are famous.
-Sudhumpu a dish made out of fish is mouth watering
-Venu Biryani made out of less masala, pepper and coriander is had all through coimbatore
-Chola, Kamba and paneer dosai are famous all through the city
-Ven Pongal,Kootu Kathamba Saadam,Kolu masiyal and Payiru thirattel are famous.
Famous Shopping Markets - Coimbatore is very famous for Textiles besides Handicrafts and artistic metal works.
-Victoria Town -oppanakara street -Old Coimbatore town- Coimbatore city market.
OOTY - It is known as Udhagamandalam the Queen of Hills. It is located in Nilgiri Hills. It was known as Wotokymund. Toda, Kota and Kurumba tribe are the inhabitants of Ooty. Ooty has subtropical highland climate. Ooty is a popular place for Panaromic views, nature and honeymoon couples. The best time to visit Ooty - May-June. Days required to see full of Ooty - 3-4 days are required to see full of Ooty.
How to reach Ooty - By air -To fly till Coimbatore and from there go to Ooty.
By bus/Car - There are luxury buses that travel 3 hours from Coimbatore to Ooty daily.
The ghat section is very pleasantable to drive.
By Train - There are trains up to Mettupalaym. Nilgiri Mountain Trains travel up the hill.
Point of interest -
Doddabetta - It is the highest peak of south India. There is a telescope house that gives full view of Nilgiri ranges. It is 10kms away from Ooty.
Rose garden - It is a 20 acre land, that grows variety breeds of Roses and other flowers too. Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department maintains this garden. It is seen on the slope of elk hills.
Ooty lake - Stretched 2.75 kms this lake was formed by John Sullivan. It is surrounded by eucalyptus trees, and shrubs. In May boat races are organised. Children park and Deer park are located adjacent to the lake.
Mukurthi National Park - It is located on the Nilgiris plateau, spread 78.46km. Nilgiri Tahr is seen all through the park. The flora and fauna add to landscape beauty.
Cuisine and shopping
Multi cuisine food are offered all through Ooty. Besides Indian, Italian, western and chinese
-Mutton, chicken and fish are freshly prepared.
-Sambhar, chutney and Mulaga Podi accompany all dishes.
-Baked items, chocolates, fruit and nut are famous all through the city.
Famous shopping markets
Ooty is famous for, Handmade chocolates, Tea, Aromatic oils and cheese
Sepang , a town near KL, houses the iconic Palm Tree Resorts along the Straits of Malacca. It is designed based on the famous Bora Bora resorts in Maldives. The Avani sepang resort shelters around 400 luxuriously appointed sea villas that shape a palm tree.
HOW BEAUTIFUL IS SEPANG
Sepang Gold Coast is a stunning Malaysian resort with better than perfect overwater bungalows.Here are some pictures we took on our weekend trip. The only downside to it is that the water is murky. It is not as clear as in Maldives. Also during the day the water retreats back which prevents you from certain activities like Kwaking but during high tide in evening it is back to normal.
WHERE IS SEPANG
Sepang is a town and district located in the southern part of the state of Selangor in Malaysia. Sepang takes about 1-2 hours from KL central. It makes for an accessible holiday destination for those in KL .There is no public transport to/from this resort.
COST OF STAY
Double rooms cost 10k rs per night and shared villas cost upto 25K rs. You will not find rooms cheaper than 10K. Two residents are allowed in a double room.
WHAT TO DO IN SEPANG
Sepang Gold Coast is a place to chillout and relax. An ideal beach holiday destination.
1.CYCLING!
The Resort has a lot of activities to offer. We arrived there on a Saturday morning. We registered at the reception. The staff handed us a pamphlet containing all the activities. We began our day with a cycling tour.We were shown around the resort with short stops for a photo break. It took us an hour. There was also an advanced cycling tour but we did not go for it
2.RELAX BY THE BEACH
There were thatched huts on the beach to relax. We hit back with a drink (coconut water) under the huts.
3.INFINITY POOL
We had our lunch at a ‘Selat bar’ and decided to go swimming.They have this amazing Infinity pool facing the sea!! Whoa. We had a one of a kind swimming experience.
The infinity pool facing the sea
4.GO KWAKING AND FLY KITES
The place is built on shallow waters. So the water retreats back in the afternoon and during high tide the water level rises. That’s when the kwaking begins.We took a kwak and went into the sea for about a few meters . We rowed for half an hour and returned back as my friend got sea-sick. There were kites to fly in the sky which seemed like a good pass time at the beach.
The Kwaks on the beach
5.VIEW THE ROMANTIC SUNSET
In the evening we went to view the sunset. One of the blogs quoted it is good to view sunset from ‘ Trunk 5’ but we could not see the sun that day as it was cloudy. Our bad. But viewing the sunset from trunk 5 is supposedly very romantic!
Watching the sunset from the balcony
6.LISTEN TO SOME LIVE MUSIC BY THE POOL
From 7 Pm they had live music at the bar inside the resort by the infinity pool. We enjoyed our dinner but felt the music was a bit loud. We had a peaceful sleep after a lazy sunny day.
In the morning I got some time in the balcony to experience the floating design of the resort as the huts were built on stilts over the water .You can see the sea beneath your feet between the wooden logs. It was surreal!
7.GO KARTING
One activity you could try at the resort is the ‘Go karting’ . They have a good race car track.
Also Sepang is famous for its dragon fruit farms. It is worth a visit.
I purchased some summer clothes at their boutique. We had some Malay food with coconut water for lunch and checked out of the resort. We had a real vacation experience at Sepang. A vacation I had been longing for ages. I usually travel with a tight schedule to cover X places in Y amount of time. This time I chilled out and had a peaceful time with less travelling around.
For Asians like me, who do not think of other Asian countries when it comes to a vacation spot: I LOVE CHINAAAA!! Having had the chance to live in Shanghai for a short period, I not only discovered that Asian countries like China, Tokyo, Korea are rich in its history and culture but also have some of the most scenic & exciting places in the world.
China is an entire world in its own and the people (I love them) they are beautiful both in & out. If I was lucky enough to find myself a job there, my family wouldn’t see me ever again: P
SHANGHAI: Some call it the New York of Asia, which I partially agree to, with the fast paced life & the picturesque infrastructure. Shanghai is the financial hub to the most populated country in the world, luring a large number of expats; sometimes I felt like there were more Spanish people in Shanghai than Shanghainese themselves. I heard more “OLA” over “NIHAO” making the city even more exciting with super diverse cultures.
The city is glitz and glamour with the right balance of heritage & culture. The breath taking waterfront promenade famously known, as THE BUND is my favouriteeessstttt, it is effortlessly beautiful during the day and excitingly electrifying in the night.
There is no doubt that The Bund hosts some of the finest restaurants and bars in town, but for the days you don’t want to be so prim and proper I would go to this less talked about place called“ Tian Zi Fang”: Alleys lined up with scrumptious restaurants and cute little Chinese stores. For me it was either “The Bund” or “ Tian Zi Fang”.
Since we are now talking about restaurants & food, being a vegetarian in a place like China, I was quite often faced with: “How do you survive there? Don’t they eat monkeys?”
Whatever the notions are regarding the food aspect in Shanghai: let me tell you, some of the best Veg. food items I have eaten, are in this country.
This is for all the vegetarians who fear eating some deadly creatures instead of a broccoli, a list of my favorite restaurants in Shanghai that serve possibly some of the yummiest vegetarian dishes. I totally vouch for these places <3
3 on the Bund – Mercato ( Italian )
3 on the Bund is amongst the famous buildings at the Bund with mouth watering and pocket tearing restaurants, but the food and the view is worth every penny. Mercato was my favourite Italian joint where I devoured on the pizzas and a cheese ball kind thing. Desserts are a must have here.! (Something Affogato).
Coconut Paradise (Thai)
French styled villas serving some remarkably beautiful Thai food. With a cozy seating arrangement Coconut paradise serves you some really good food at affordable prices.
The Nest
Not so much for the food but the cocktails and the ambience is incredible. The aura of this place is revitalizing, a place you may go after a long day of sight seeing. And if you are lucky to be there on a Tuesday, there are Happy Hours for all you happy people. :D
Henkes
Located in the heart of the city, right opposite Jing’an Temple: Henkes is serenely placed in the tucks of Hotel Puli, their turnip cakes served as sides with a few dishes are not to be missed.
Haiku by Hatsune (Japanese)
Do you like Sushi? You will start loving them once you enter this place. I went there with a bunch of my friends and we devoured on the Sushi platters. Haiku is extremely popular amongst the expats of the city & you better make a reservation- if you don’t want to be disappointed.
La Stazione (Italian)
La Stazione was my comfort place, I stayed right opposite to the most happening restaurant in my area. It had windows opened towards the streets, which looked amazingly beautiful during the brunch hours. Also on Sunday nights it was overly crowded with private jamming sessions, which was great fun.
P.S :Do not miss the Bellini.
10 Corso Como
For people who love art & creativity, you must visit 10 Corso Como, it is centrally located (diagonally opposite to Jing’an Temple) and also hosts a concept store with great designers and their pieces. Also for paupers like myself, I would visit the place on Friday nights, as you get to eat all that you want in just 100 RMB. The tapas is quite appetizing.
Din Tai Fung
Good vegetarian Chinese food and super affordable, the dumplings are quite yummy and the sautéed spinach is something you must try. The dumplings are served with a couple of sauces and you have special instructions on how one must eat dumplings.
Simply Thai
Simply Thai is spread over a couple of places in Shanghai and I have been to 3 of them, out of the three I would suggest you go to the one in French Concession. The ambience is a little more authentic then the other places. The mock tails are a must and the papaya salad and Pad Thai was just too good.
Sushi’O
ooohh Sushi ooo Sushi! This is the first time I had tasted sushi with mangoes and apples in it. A vegetarian sushi here meant a mix of fruits and vegetables. The blend was just about perfect. You may also taste the Rice cheese balls and the miso soup here :D
I hope you visit China and see how amazing it is ! Zaijian :D
One of the many gateways;treking areas in uttarakhand,India is dodital lake trek
Its a six day moderate trekk with beautiful scenic beauty and rare wildlife en route.Its cool climate provides a nice gateway from hot climate of rest of india. If lucky you can also find snow on darwa top in summer!
Its a perfect place for people who want a timeout from daily routine and social networking.
So get your rucksacks ready and be prepared for amazing experience!
Solo travelling is the best, and I don’t know anybody who will disagree. It really is an enriching experience, and here are some places that should really make it to your wishlist.
Dublin, Ireland
This is on first place because of a special reason. It is the year 2016, and the whole of Ireland is commemorating the Easter Rising of 1916. Ireland is heaven for people who love pubs, theatre, food and festivals. The surplus of rich culture and heritage will surprise you. One shouldn’t miss the GPO Witness History Museum and Kilmainham Gaol.
It is the place where natural landscapes and urban lifestyle meet, with super-friendly people, fine food and vibrant art and sports. The added advantage is the Opera House.
If you are hoping to find some solitude in the mountains, this is the trip you should take! Away from all the hustle and bustle, Leh and Ladakh are places where one would find complete peace of mind.
People watching in Times Square, sightseeing cruise on the Hudson, taking in the view from The Empire State Building, exploring the streets of Manhattan, and shopping at a Brooklyn flea market are some of the things to do while travelling in NYC alone.
In addition to all the style, and attractions like the Buckingham Palace and the London Eye, a solo trip to London will give you a new perspective on the world’s greatest city.
Famous for its spectacular canals, coloured houses, coffee shops, and rich culture, Amsterdam is also a solo traveller’s dream. Similar to its picturisation in the movie Queen, Amsterdam is amazing. Bikes are the most convenient and easy way to get around in the city.
It is no secret that Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. With the Eiffel Tower towering over the entire city, solo tripping in Paris is a dream come true for all art and culture lovers.
It is the centre of culture and life of the Icelandic people. One should not miss the natural wonders there. The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa is the main attraction. Go whale watching, and you could possibly spot some dolphins or seals too. Plus, the waterfront strolls and walkways are perfect for a relaxing morning of introspection.
With images of crumbling colonial architecture, salsa, cigars and vintage 1950s chevys, this is the best time to visit Cuba. Its tiny back street restaurants and artisan shops are a treat for the solo traveller. Low levels of crime are a plus point for the solo traveller.
The capital of Sweden, is spread out over 14 islands overlooking the Baltic Sea to the east. Its rich history along with beautiful buildings and picturesque scenery make it one of the best destinations for solo travelling. After the sun sets, the amazing nightlife of Sodermalm and the nighttime views of the city are breathtaking!
ng above it which additionally comes with a canopy of coconut trees right on top of that. 
