Challenge your fright on India Adventure Travel

Posted in Adventure Travel India on 04/25/2013 11:37 am by Jagjit

Watching an advertisement on TV reminded of my India adventure travel. It was about chasing a cold drink that led the actors passing through the hilly areas and the bumpy tracks. I had the similar experience on my adventure trip to India.

Ladakh Trekking Tour

Ladakh Trekking Tour

India is a favourite destination for adventure lovers. From trekking to rafting, from Jeep safari to scuba diving and from mountain biking to paragliding, India offers you the limitless opportunities for adventure. Water sports also form an interesting addition to adventure travel India.

Fascinated by its breathtaking beauty and interesting adventure, I visited Ladakh to satiate my thirst for adventure. Three of my colleagues-cum-friends also accompanied me. Starting from Delhi, we reached Ladakh by air. On being reached the destination, we were transferred to our already booked hotel.

The pleasant weather added more excitement to our Ladakh adventure trip. As we visited Ladakh in summers, we were able to cope with the cold because that is considered as the best time to go for an adventure travel in Ladakh.

We were eager to visit monasteries in Ladakh that had always been my fascination. The land comprises of rugged terrain and high peaks that beckon you to dare and break the limits.

Days were hot but we could not stop ourselves from trekking in Ladakh. We started a tedious trek to reach Shey monastery in Ladakh. Once we reached the monastery, our souls were contented and we did not regret on the expedition we embarked on.

The day was devoted to our visit to other famous monasteries in Ladakh like Lamayuru and Hemis. Mountain Biking was another exciting activity on our Ladakh adventure travel.

Ladakh Bike Tour

Ladakh Bike Tour

It brought us the excellent opportunities to access the roof of the world. That was one of the most challenging adventure sports that we had ever indulged in. The excitement to try on the adventure kept us energized.

The biking adventure in the Indian Himalayan region is like unwinding yourself to the mountain ranges towards higher Himalayas.

From Leh, highway turns north over the breathtaking Khardung La, which takes pride in being the highest motorable pass in the world. Beyond the pass is the flat Nubra Valley where we embarked on a Bactrian camel safari in the sand dunes of the Nubra Valley. There were old monasteries and beautiful villages around the valley.

The tour came to an end but our hearts were ready to take on another adventure. The time limit insisted us to return our homes but we left with unforgettable memories.

 

Feed your Soul with Celestial Insight on Bodh Gaya Travel

Posted in Bodh Gaya Tourism on 03/12/2013 12:22 pm by Jagjit

Being occupied madly in worldly matters, we never think of our spiritual uplifting. All we long for is, the enjoyment and worldly pleasures. Shaken off by my soul, I set out my tour for Bodh Gaya in Bihar.

Bodh Gaya Travel
Bodh Gaya Travel

My Bodh Gaya tour was sudden but with a push by soul in the search of tranquillity. Wishing to re-establishing my union with God, I headed on to Bodh Gaya trip. I took along my younger sister Elena with me and we started off from Delhi by train. It took us almost the whole day to reach Bihar.

The state boasts of a rich history of its remarkable culture, ancient tradition sand religious beliefs. Bihar was also ruled by some of the great dynasties in India like Magadh, Ashoka and Chandragupta Maurya. Bodh Gaya is among the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage centres in India that have added fame to the state.

On being reached Bihar, we were finally feeling being closer to the tranquillity that we had almost lost in our busy life. Sometimes I wonder how can we forget the almighty with whose blessings we have been able to enjoy all the materialistic pleasures.

Bodh Gaya is the place where Gautam Buddha, the spiritual leader of the Buddhism is known to have attained divine knowledge while meditating under an abstruse Banyan tree. I hastily went on to explore some of the iconic sites in Bodh Gaya.

First one was the famous Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya. This architectural wonder also serves as a blessed pilgrimage site. This famous tourist attraction in Bodh Gaya is also listed in World Heritage Sites.

Mahabodhi Temple Bodh Gaya
Mahabodhi Temple Bodh Gaya

Expelling the divine energy flow, the site also took me along to a celestial world. Sharing his knowledge, our guide told us that it was built by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka. The Mahabodhi temple also houses a diamond throne shrine. It is home to a leviathan black statue of Lord Buddha, sitting cross-legged.

I was too excited to see the Bodhi Tree. That was the place where Lord Buddha is believed to have meditated and attained supreme knowledge. He attained enlightenment after seven days. Another platform, called “Chankramanar” adorned with 19 lotuses is also established to commemorate his walking meditation. I felt blessed and the existence of some divine energy was so powerful that I could not resist it for a moment.

The time constraint did not allow me to explore other places in Bihar. The innate peace that I felt during my Bodh Gaya travel filled my mind with celestial joy.

 

Soaking in the Bliss of Nature with Kerala Travel

Posted in Kerala on 01/23/2013 04:00 pm by Jagjit

My friend Sandy is getting married next month. Before her D-day, she wanted to enjoy her remaining few days to the fullest. She wished to get away from the noise and pollution of the city and totally wanted to submit in nature. And hence, she came up with the idea of travelling to Kerala.

Padmanabhaswami Temple
Padmanabhaswami Temple

I met her at Delhi airport at 8: am and together we boarded flight for Thiruvananthapuram. On reaching the city, we hired a cab that took us to the hotel which she had already booked. The journey from the airport to our hotel was short but a smooth ride.

On reaching the hotel, we freshened up ourself. We were so tired that we slept after having a lavish meal that included mutton curry, fried chicken and some vegetable items.

The next day we woke up excited about our Kerala travel plan. It was just a one-day trip so we had already chalked out where we wanted to go.

We started our Kerala trip with Thiruvananthapuram since we were already in the capital city. Padmanabhaswami temple, the Hindu temple devoted to Lord Vishnu, was the first stop of our Kerala’s exploration. We were surprised to see so many devotees lined up outside the temple to make an entry and seek Lord’s blessings. We joined the long line too. When finally our turn came, we went in and offered our prayers. Sandy prayed for a long time. I guessed she might be praying for the well-being of her husband-to-be. The ‘Prasad’ offered to us was tasty. After making rounds of the temple, we set out for our next destination – Kovalam.

It is a beach town, lying about just 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram. The meaning of Kovalam is ‘a grove of coconut trees’. And I must say the town has been given the right name. There were limitless coconut trees, which surrounded the three small beaches. Lighthouse Beach is the most popular one. We enjoyed sunbathing and water scootering at the beach. I had hydrophobia but let me tell you after enjoying some wonderful time at the beach, I shed off my fear.

Backwaters of Alleppey
Backwaters of Alleppey

There were innumerable resorts, providing Ayurvedic massage and treatment. We went to a nice hotel offering Ayurvedic massage. The magic fingers of the lady massueser completely rejuvenated us.

Feeling relaxed, we headed for Alleppey, which is about 155 km from Thiruvananthapuram. I have always dreamt of enjoying the scenic beauty of Kerala on houseboat. Finally, it came true. For the first time in our lives, we stayed in a Kerala houseboat and enjoyed the breathtaking backwaters of Alleppey aka ‘Venice of the East’. It was a different feeling for us altogether. It felt great getting lost in the nature, far from the madding crowd. Sandy said she wanted to comeback to Alleppey for her honeymoon. The chef in the houseboat treated us with lip smacking Mughlai food. We particularly liked Mutton Biryani and Galouti Kebab.

After spending couple of hours exploring the natural beauty of Alleppey town, we returned to our hotel. Though our journey was short yet we had a great time.

 

Dalhousie tour – A visual delight of Dalhousie

Posted in Hills Stations on 12/19/2012 01:15 pm by Jagjit

When the scorching heat of Delhi was too much to take for us, me and my three friends packed our bags and took a trip to Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh. The journey was long and tiring but on reaching our destination, we were fully re-enegised. We freshened up and relaxed in a nice hotel.

After taking rest for a couple of hours, we set our for Dalhousie tour. One glance at this gorgeous hill station and I was enchanted by its breathtaking landscapes, centuries old temples, lush green forests of pine, cedar and deodar.

Nestled on the western side of the Dhauladhar mountain range of Himalaya and surrounded by snow-capped peaks, Dalhousie is a visual delight. It is in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The buildings, and churches of the town are highly influenced by the Scottish and Victorian architecture.

Dalhousie Tour
Dalhousie Tour

Founded by the British Viceroy Lord Dalhousie, it is a popular destination established by the British Empire in 1854 as a summer retreat. Blessed with scenic splendour, natural beauty, and a pleasant weather, Dalhousie tourism attracts hordes of tourists every year. It is a perfect location for honeymoon couples as well. Couples choose from a wide range of attractive honeymoon packages in Dalhousie.

We went for trekking in Dainkund peak, the highest mountain in Dalhousie. Fresh mountain air, captivating landscapes, I completely got lost in this blessings of nature. From its peak, we had the bird’s eye view of the city. The cool gentle breeze flowing through the trees sounded like a musical note to my ears. We clicked many photos in different poses on this peak. Pholani Devi temple on this peak is really amazing. The river flowing through the stunning valley made our trekking in Dainkund an enjoyable experience.

In the evening, we set out for a brisk walk round the Bakrota Mall in the Bakrota hills. This hill is just five kilometer from Dalhousie. Bakrota mall offers a popular walking circuit around the hill. From here, we had splendid view of snow clad peaks.

Next day, we decided to go for shopping. We went to Gandhi Chowk, formerly known as GPO, the most popular shopping destination in Dalhousie. There are numerous shops, delectable eateries, government buildings, and some cool restaurants. It is definitely a happening place in Dalhousie. A small Tibetan market near GPO attracted us instantly. We bought decorative items, jewellery, handicrafts, jackets, souvenirs, bags, from Tibetan Market.

On the last day of our Dalhousie tour, we visited Panchpula, some three kilometres away from Dalhousie’s General Post Office. Panchpula means five bridges. This place offers a picturesque landscape of the mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh. On our way to Panchpula, we came across the Satdhara springs gushing down from Dainkund peak. We had heard about the curative power of this spring, and so one of my friends filled her bottle with this spring water. She did it more for fun than to discover about its healing power. There’s also a memorial monument of revolutionary Sardar Ajit Singh in Panchpula. It is most frequented tourist spot and a very attractive place of our Dalhousie Holiday Packages.

Bakrota Hill
Bakrota Hill

We relaxed in the restaurant there and enjoyed some good food. After spending some time in Panchpula, we headed for Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary to have a glimpse of Himachal Pradesh wildlife.

Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary at Kalatop and Khajjiar in the Chamba district, draws a lot of tourists. It is about 6 km from Dalhousie. Dense deodar and fir forest covered more than half of the sanctuary. We were not very lucky to have a sight of animals but we managed to capture some migratory birds in our camera.

I must say we had a wonderful time in Dalhousie. I would love to make a trip to Dalhousie again and explore those places which we have missed out in this Dalhousie tour.

 

Sight Interesting Creatures with Wildlife in Goa

Posted in Goa, Wildlife on 10/09/2012 06:04 pm by Jagjit

Last month, an opportunity to visit Goa hit me. I jumped at it and embarked on Goa trip with a group of my colleagues. I was very excited about the trip as it was my first wildlife tour in Goa.

Racking my brain and moving my fingers on internet, I finally got the details of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in Goa. These included:

  • Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
  • The Mandovi-Zuari Wildlife Sanctuary

We were all set to explore the enticing wildlife of Goa. After reaching there by fight from Delhi, we all were in a mood to relax at the hotel. So we headed to the already booked hotel where we shed our fatigue amidst the warm hospitality and calm ambiance.

Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary
Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary

Soon, we left for Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, which was located in north district on Charao Island. It was situated just 5 km from Panaji city. The location can be gained access by a ferry from a place called Ribandar jetty on the southern bank of Mandovi.

On being reached there, we found that the sanctuary had 14 unique varieties of mangroves. The sanctuary provides a natural habitat to birds. We could enjoy the exotic flora and fauna along Mandovi which was well worth to watch. The wonderful sight of many local birds like eagles, kingfishers, kites, egrets, tailor birds, common sandpipers and red-wattled lapwings made us delighted on our visit to Goa wildlife sanctuary.

We could also spot the migratory birds like storks, cormorants, purple moorhen, pintail ducks and mallards. Apart from bird-lovers, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is a wildlife reserve that attracts all types of visitors. We could take utmost delight in exploring the park by a binocular that helped us to enjoy the bird closely.

The accompanying guide told us that the sanctuary was named after an eminent ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali. Though it is a small wildlife sanctuary of Goa covering an area of 1.8 sq km yet you can enjoy maximum adventure there.

The rich wealth of birds did not disappoint us and our wildlife tour to Goa was fruitful.

 

Stay Blessed with Natural Healing at Kerala Ayurveda Resort

Posted in Ayurveda Resorts, Kerala on 09/25/2012 03:35 pm by Jagjit

Perplexed by my busy schedule for several months, I thought of an escape in an Ayurveda Resort in India for complete rejuvenation. The implementation required the search of the best India Ayurveda Resort where I can shed my fatigue and move ahead with a refreshed soul.

John, one of my colleagues had been a great help to me. He joined me on this trip. After extensive research on internet, he provided me with the list of some famous Ayurveda Resorts in India, which included:

  • Ananda Spa Resort in Uttarakhand
  • Devaaya – The Ayurveda Resort in Goa
  • Athreya Resort, Somatheeram, Keraleeyam and Ayuryogashram in Kerala

Well, I decided to visit Kerala Ayurveda Resort as the destination abounds in lush greenery, serene ambiance and natural hub of medicinal herbs. My wish to make the most of Kerala Ayurveda tour resulted into a visit to Somatheeram Ayurvedic Health Resort.

Somatheeram Ayurvedic Health Resort
Somatheeram Ayurvedic Health Resort

Kerala Ayurveda has got worldwide fame in recent few years. ‘Ayur’ signifies life and ‘Veda’ stands for knowledge, so Ayurveda means the knowledge about life. Practiced for ages, this ancient healing system has been used as an alternate form of medicine.

Soon, we were transported to Kerala by air and to reach Somatheeram, we had to move 9 km south of the Kovalam beach in Trivandrum. Renowned as the world’s first Ayurvedic Resort, Somatheeram was located on Chowara beach on a hillock and sprawled over 15 acres of greenery around.

Built with Eco-friendly material, the accommodation facilities just made me realize that I was going to step in a truly blissful world. It offers rooms in categories like Standard Room, Garden Cottage, Special Cottage, Kerala House Standard, Kerala House Deluxe (A/C) and Kerala Deluxe Suite (A/C). Fortunately, I got an excellent room with the beautiful garden view in front of the room where I could see the myriad faces of nature, which was really soothing.

I inquired about the therapies and packages at the resort and I came across the following options that are provided in this popular Ayurveda Resort in Kerala:

  • Rejuvenation Therapy/Body Purification Therapy
  • Slimming Programme
  • Ayurveda Anti-Ageing Programme
  • Beauty Care Programme
  • Stress Management Programme (Manasanthy-Body, Mind & Soul)

After consultation with expert Ayurveda practitioners, I chose the foremost one and enjoyed complimentary services including Yoga sessions and boat tours in backwaters. I was given rejuvenation therapy and massage by an expert massasure who was well-aware of the minuteness of massage. It relived all my stress and I felt completely energized.

Rejuvenation Therapies
Rejuvenation Therapies

Based on my experience, I would recommend that one should undergo such rejuvenation therapies frequently that truly touch your soul and leave you refreshed. Following are some of the Ayurveda treatments that are offered at the resort.

  • Pizhichil
  • Njavarakizhi
  • Dhara
  • Vasthi
  • Sirovasthi
  • Udvarthanam
  • Abhyangam
  • Nasyam
  • Snehapanam
  • Kizhi
  • Dhanyamla Dhara
  • Yoni Prakshalanam
  • Kativasthi
  • Ksheeradhoomam
  • Thelam
  • Lepanam
  • Marma Massage
  • Lekhaneeyam

On the end of my Ayurveda tour, I realized that alone rejuvenation therapies and massages alone cannot do until you get the soothing and tranquil atmosphere such as I found at the resort. The sheer tranquility, the well-qualified Ayurveda practitioners and the invigorating therapies truly helped me to regain my energy and refreshed my agitated senses.

 

Experiencing Different Flavour of our Countryside-Golden Triangle Tour!

Posted in Rajasthan on 07/19/2012 12:50 pm by Jagjit

What an enchanting click of mind by eminent faces of tour operations to have made possible to Golden Triangle Tour in India! The perfection of splendid architectural buildings, forts & palaces, caves, customs and traditions, art and culture had triggered my interest to visit in the addresses people ought to name it Golden Triangle tour exclusive to us. Last year, I became one of them to share special about Golden Triangle tour, but it came exclusive more after it befriended with Pushkar tour.

Golden Triangle Tour
Golden Triangle Tour

Having been the luckiest one to get in this flip book-like tour, I had a long row of my office-mates to go. So, what’s different more there on? I contacted to one of the leading tour operators to queue us for good golden triangle tour attractions.

On the first day, we stepped in cashing this trip that started with the sightseeing of Old Delhi. The tour began with a visit to Raj Ghat, the Red Fort and continuing to the Jama Masjid by our tour operators. Truly there are no words to the tour executive, Amit to guide us excellently. We also enjoyed riding of Rickshaws at the congested road of Old Delhi. After visiting Old Delhi, we moved to other attractions in Delhi, such as Qutab Minar, India Gate and Parliament building on. Amazing! Stepping in Delhi ascertains to anyone to know why it is called as the capital city of India.

On the second day, we reached at the Delhi airport to Agra. Here, it became to us smell in essence of Mughals. The evergreen moments of Mughal artistry at Agra are truly accountable all over the world. On third day of our visit, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fathepur Sikri and Buland Darwaza compelled me to click more the memorable moments thereby.

There we also met to locals and sufis at these historical monuments to tell us the past of Agra and its buildings. As they told us that two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan transformed the little village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire.

Today a visitor like you to Agra names this state as a home to Mughals flawlessly. There are also huge numbers of hotels to perpetuate the hospitality as the most style of Mughals’ customs that we knew staying at the hotels after visiting to Agra completely. So, we would say to Agra the most part of this tour, in concern to discern the Mughals and their style of living.

On day four, we had our steps to Jaipur. We first checked in hotel assisted by tour operator. Again applause for our tour planner goes meaning a lot. The blend of Mughals and Rajasthani architecture brought us near to great amity of India. People in Jaipur were friendly to tell us about their cultures and customs well. Elephant ride experienced us perfectly the royal status of Rajasthan.

On fifth day, the eternal sightseeing of Jaipur, such as City Palace, Amber Fort Palace, Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal left me as to read my 7th standard history book. I captured many photos that complement my travel appetite.

Pushkar Fair
Pushkar Fair

On sixth day, we got together with another major attractions of Rajasthan that was none other than an explosion of fun, frolic, and laughter to me. Yes, I am to introduce you with Pushkar fair rajasthan.

Dance competitions, Dance performances, Camel race, Sports matches, Local Artist’ performances, Safed Chithi, Camel dance competition, Horse Dance competition, Pushkar Parikrama, Shilpgram- exhibition for traditional handicrafts, Turban tying competition and Moustaches Competition provided some wonderful photographic opportunities to me at Pushkar festival tour.

On the seventh day, we moved to Delhi after having Breakfast at Pushkar. With the limitless amusement at this golden triangle tour India, I would say you all have a must-visit by Golden triangle tour with Pushkar tour that will answer why Indian culture is visited constantly by tourists.

 

Visit Kasauli Hill Station to Witness God’s Live Painting

Posted in Hills Stations, North India Tours on 06/12/2012 12:37 pm by Jagjit

I have always been a travel freak. Every year, I explore a new region. Following my self-made ritual, I finalised Kasauli, Himachal Padesh as my next destination.

There were two reasons behind choosing Kasauli. First, as it is a hill station in India, it will give me a break from the burning summers of Delhi and the second reason was, I had never been to the place. I found it a perfect place to enjoy a break from my routine life and summers of Delhi.I packed my bags after confirmation of the trip with Mala, my best buddy.

Kasauli Hill Station
Kasauli Hill Station

To ensure the comfort during the trip, we booked Kasauli tour package with a renowned travel company. I always prefer to choose the same company as I just love the services by their executives. Choosing them lets me concentrate on fun, the sole idea of taking a break.

The day arrived. I told Mala to keep everything ready as we were supposed to meet outside my office. After winding up my work for the day, I asked Mala to reach my office. We took an auto and reached the decided pick up point.

After loading our bags in the cab, we left for the destination. During the journey, the only thing that was running in our minds was the abundant natural beauty of this popular hill station in India. After few hours journey, we were in Kasauli. It was early morning. We checked in the booked hotel and rested for a few hours as the journey was followed by a tiring day at office.

We got up at 11 and had breakfast in the hotel. Traditionally decorated, the hotel was a beautiful place to stay. Laden with all the amenities, the hotel was a quite decent place.

The first attraction we explored in Kasauli hill station was the Monkey point. It is the highest point in Kasauli. Although, we had read all the information about this beautiful place yet being there was completely different. The point offers the amazing views of Chandigarh region. It was really hard to take off the eyes from the sight. Beautiful Satluj was looking like a silvery trail. Mala was just clicking the pictures to capture the beauty of this hill station in India, but live views are something out of the world experience.

We also visited a small temple at Monkey Point. The temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and has a legend attached with it. According to the legend, while returning from Himalaya, foot of Lord Hanuman touched the hill.

From Monkey point, we moved towards Barog, another place to enjoy the arresting natural views. Breathtaking views of Choor Chandni made us felt spell bound. Also known as the ‘Mountain of the Silver Bangle’, Choor Chandni is beautiful beyond imagination.

After spending a couple of hours at Barog, we left for the hotel. We were so lost in the views that we forgot to have lunch. We realised it when we were moving towards hotel. After reaching hotel, the first thing we did was ordering dinner. We went in the room to freshen up ourselves.

Our next day was packed for Sanawar and Dharampur. These both are in the vicinity of Kasauli hill station. After having breakfast, we left for Sanawar, around 6 km from Kasauli. It houses one of the best schools of the country, also a heritage attraction. For both of us, it was a unique attraction but for Mala it was something more than what it was for me. For her, this around hundred years old school was a blend of culture, tradition and heritage.

According to the planned route, our next destination was Dharampur. Located around 15 km from Kasauli, Dharampur is amazingly beautiful. Healthy air of the fragrant pines and lush green surrounding made us felt like we are in heaven. It was really hard to leave Dharampur. Even at a point we thought to elongate our plan but duties in office were not allowing us to do so.

Terrace Farming Kasaulir
Terrace Farming Kasauli

We we back to the hotel in the evening. The last day in Kasaauli, the charming hill station in India, was for shopping as visiting a place and not buying any souvenir is not at all acceptable for both of us. So, we shopped a lot in Upper and Lower malls. We bought handicraft items as souvenirs of our Kasauli trip. As we were having the evening in our hands, we decided to explore terrace farms in Kasauli.

Amazingly beautiful, the terrace farms in Shivalik hills were looking like a beautiful painting. Due to shortage of time, we could not enjoy the views for long and returned to hotel. After reaching the hotel, we packed our bags and came back to Delhi on the same day.

The trip to Kasauli hill station was amazing. We were obviously not happy to be back in our routine life but definitely our hearts and minds were filled with unforgettable memories.

 

Shimla Tour-Enrapturing the Senses of Travellers

Posted in Hills Stations, Shimla Tour on 03/06/2012 12:45 pm by Jagjit

I still remember the interesting trip to Shimla that we made recently. On weekend, we generally had nothing much to do. As we were already in Delhi to attend a marriage so, going Shimla was a good decision. Richard asked me to visit Shimla and I, a big travel freak, jumped at it.

Shimla Tour
Shimla Tour

Richard is very good at surfing net and by the time, I could even plan how to spend our Holidays in Shimla, he contacted a famous tour operator in India and arranged everything. The train tickets, the hotel booking and the guide, everything was arranged by them only. Well, we had sometime in hand and thinking to make the most of it, we gathered maximum details of Shimla from internet. To my surprise, Richard was very excited for this trip as we got a break together after a really long time. He also collected a road map of Shimla, ensuring that we would not miss any attraction.

From Delhi we reached Kalka by Train in the early morning. On being reached Kalka, we took another train to Shimla, which took us to a narrow gauge track. We enjoyed this train trip with comfortable siting arrangements and good services. As the train started moving up the hills, the sceneries on its both sides took us to a beautiful world. The train took us through several tunnels-shorter and longer, beautiful slopes and green valleys which made us to enjoy every bit of the trip. Deriving its name from Goddess ‘Shyamla Devi’, Shimla is amongst the popular hill stations of India.  

The Ridge Road, the first place we visited in Shimla, was an amazing experience. The impressive views of mountains reminded us of our honeymoon visit. The refreshing air and the natural beauty together created magical moments for us.

Having heard a lot about the famous Jakhu Hill, we could not help ourselves going there. Situated on an altitude of 8000 ft, it has the popular Hanuman Temple, which is a big hit with tourists. As we reached there, we found many monkeys roaming freely here and there. We had some fruits in our hand. But as I was a bit scared, Richard offered it to monkeys. After embarking on hill, we enjoyed a mesmerizing view of the city.

Being the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, it has some of the most fascinating tourist attractions. We had to walk down to the hotel where we booked a room as there was no transport mode. Enjoying being walked together, we reached the hotel. The comfortable accommodation and warm hospitality lifted our mood. Moreover, we could get North Indian food, which was a big relief for us. The piping hot food and that too, with a meal of our choice just treated our taste buds very well.

Our next visit was to Viceregal Lodge, which is an impressive building in Shimla. It houses some ancient articles that took us back to the time of British rule. While coming back, we went to the Himalayan Bird Park, which was just on the another side of the hill. Models of endangered species including birds and animals can be seen there. Believe me, you have to walk a lot to see the wildlife. Luckily, we put on our most comfortable shoes that could ease us in walking.

The next day we devoted to visit the State Museum, which has a rare collection of historic sculptures and paintings. Located atop a hill, it is in a typical colonial building. The most exciting item was to see the Pahari miniature paintings. There was a library that immediately grabbed my attention. It houses a big collection of historical books as well as manuscripts.

At last, we decided to visit Chadwick Falls, which was located amidst the deodar trees. It was a blissful place where all we could enjoy the calmness all around. We could even listen the melodious sounds of waterfalls, which filled our heart with bliss.

Vicerega Lodge Shimla
Vicerega Lodge Shimla

Though I do love shopping, but Richard is more shopaholic. He took me to The Mall, which is a popular shopping hub of Shimla. Many newly-wedded couples go for Shimla Honeymoon Package also visit the place for shopping. We could see numerous shops and restaurants that are lined up and were looking colorful. A variety of beautiful handicrafts was there. After buying some handicrafts items for home décor, we moved on to the Lakkar bazaar. I was so delighted to buy some beautiful wooden objects from there.

The tour was over and we headed towards Delhi once again. Though it was a small trip, but the days that we spent there left us with beautiful memories.

 

Goa Beach Holiday: A Combination of Fun, Sun and Sand

Posted in Beaches, Goa on 01/27/2012 06:26 am by Jagjit

How do you feel when suddenly you get a chance to explore the land of sun, sand and sea? For me it was amazing, when I got the news that this time we would explore golden sun, sparkling sand and blue sea and for that the best place was Goa. I, Father, Sushant and Jiya, we all took leave for a week from our respective jobs and packed our bags to hit the Goa, the land of beaches.

Church of St. Francis Assisi
Church of St. Francis Assisi

It was hard for everyone to wait, so we opted the air route and took a flight from IGI airport, Delhi. It took around 2 hours and 25 minutes to reach Dabolim airport, Goa. Form there, we hired a private taxi to reach our booked resort located at most famous Dona Paula beach. It was a sea-facing resort from where we could enjoy the sea view all the time. For that day we decided to enjoy the recreation facilities at resort itself along with the spell bounding views of the calm and beautiful sea.

Dona Paula beach view doubled our excitement. It was heavily crowded and most of them were newly wedded couples who were there to celebrate their honeymoon in Goa.

The next day, we all left the resort a bit early, just to make most of the day. To start the day, the first attraction was churches of the land. We moved towards old Goa in car hired by us. Our first Goa attraction was Church of St. Francis of Assisi. Amazing architecture and a sacred place were a good start of that day. After offering our prayers, we left the place and moved to explore the culture of the Goa, blend of Indian and western culture.

After exploring some street markets of the city, the time was to enjoy the cuisines of this gorgeous land. Be it Italian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Thai, Gujarati, Chinese, South Indian, Mexican, European or Korean, Goa serves everything. We tried only rice, fish curry and bhaji and they were delicious. The day was over, we came back to resort and took the rest.

In rest of the days, we covered four famous beaches of Goa, including Anjuna Beach, Baga Beach, Bogmolo Beach and Calangute Beach. Every beach has its own charm and that cannot be expressed in words.

Rave parties of Anjuna beach attract a large number of tourists every year and that was the reason it was on our must visit list. We spent a full day on Anjuna beach. While Sushant and Jiya were enjoying underwater diving at the beach, I and father explored Wednesday Flea Market.

Goa Beach Vacation
Goa Beach Vacation

Classical dance events and musical concerts organized at Calangute beach kept us occupied for an entire day. Where the days were dedicated to the sandy beaches, our nights were occupied in electrifying Goan parties.

In that week, we tried to explore the maximum but still a week was not enough to cover everything.

This is almost impossible to cover miles of golden beaches and green landscape in a week. So, we left the rest for our next Goa Beach Vacation and came back with golden memories and famous Kaju Feni of Goa.

 
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