Overseas Travelogue : Li Jiang

On one of my official trips, I happened to be part of a seminar which was held in a beautiful place called LiJiang, close to Tibet

It is said there is a fairyland beneath the colorful clouds of southern China. A place blessed with fresh air, clear streams, breathtaking snow-capped mountains, and an undisturbed landscape inhabited by a friendly group of people.

Lijiang has the best preserved ancient town in China - the OLD TOWN which has been listed in the World Cultural Heritages by UNESCO in 1997. The Old Town was once the center of Lijiang and continues to maintain the original flavor of the local lifestyle, the typical groups of buildings and the profound cultural heritage of the region. When wandering along Square Street or any other streets in the Old Town, you will be struck by the peaceful surroundings. From enjoying the sight of the setting sun from historic hotels to local farmsteads, there are many favorable things here for travelers. The place is also good for the real shoppers - every age group will find something interesting to take away from this place. I was surprised to find some Russian dolls and Indian handicraft items being displayed in some of the shops.

While at this place, please do not miss Mu's Palace and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. My most memorable experience was being on top of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, which is 4680 mts above sea level (almost same as the base camp of Mt. Everest)

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Mountain) is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. Consisting of 13 peaks, among which Shanzidou is the highest one with an altitude of 5,600 meters (18,360 feet), Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). Looking from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (nine miles) away, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence, the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

One can reach LiJiang by air or road. I took a flight from Beijing to Kunming and from there took a connecting flight to LiJiang.

The pics that I took on top of the Jade Mountain is part of my favourite collections

Travelogue : Ashtamudi

Nothing like the "Gods own Country". Last week I had a short vacation at Ashtamudi Resorts which is now part of Club Mahindra. The resort is 40 mns from Kollam Railway Station.

Backwaters are unique to Kerala and Ashtamudi is the second largest. Ashtamudi means, ‘eight-armed’, after the eight arms of the lake. The resort is facing the backwaters and one can enjoy the enchanting natural beauty as well the rustic life in the village. It has been built in romantic and idyllic surroundings to provide rest, recovery, and peace.

Hope the pics I took would give you an idea of beauty and serenity of the place.

People who are touring Kerala can spend a day or two here and visit some of the places in and around Kollam. Half a day sight-seeing could be to Thangasseri Lighthouse, Kollam Beach, Ashramam Adventure Park and ofcourse Shopping !!

If any of you are interested in the Temples of Kerala, then I would suggest half a day tour of Thekkam Guruvayur Temple, Ochira Parabrahma, Chettikulangara Devi temple, the famous Chakkulathukavu, Mannarsala Naga Temple etc

If you have a day, then one could go to Thenmala. One could go to the Punalur Hanging bridge, Thenmala dam and Palaruvi waterfalls.

For those who are new to Kerala could go on a tour of the capital Thiruvanthapuram. You can visit the Kovalam beach, Padmanabhaswami temple, the Museum (Monday closed), Kanakakunnu Palace and Veli tourist village.

Travelogue : Shivanasamudram

While in Bangalore, I made a trip with family to the picturesque waterfalls, the ganganchukki and Bharachukki, cascade down 60-90 meters. These falls are source of Asia's first Hydro Electric Power Station called "Shimsa".

You will reach Ganganchukki in about 1 1/2 to 2 hours from Bangalore. For people who are adventureous and do not mind a bit of excitement in life should try the round boat rides to the falls at Bharachukki. The boatman will check with you if you want to get fully wet or half wet. For getting fully wet, they take the boat right under the falls !!

At Ganganchukki, one needs to be careful of our lovely ancestors - the monkey which are in plenty and they do not mind sharing things that you are carrying with you, especially the eatables.

If you have time, one can also make a quick tour of Talekkad which is situated on the banks of river Kaveri. The place is known for its sand dunes and the temples buried underneath. For lunch, I suggest that you come till Talekkad and look for Udipi Restaurant. Close to this restaurant, there is a family which also serves lunch to the travellers. It is extremely difficult to locate a decent place to eat anywhere near the falls or on the way to Talekkad.

Hope the pics would enthuse you to make a trip to the falls !

Travelogue : Goa

Goa would always be my favourite destination for a holiday with its laidback atmosphere, easy going life and calm beaches. We stayed at the Varca Beach resort of Club Mahindra - amazing place with loads of fun opportunity for everyone.

The best way to enjoy Goa is to spend time in the sun soaked beaches. We hired a bike and went from one beach to another and enjoyed yummy seafood at the shacks near these beaches. The adventurous types can definitely try water sports - parasailing, water scooters, speedboats etc.

The places to see in and around Goa are the churches, beaches and more beaches. One can even enjoy the river cruise in the evening on the Mandovi river. These are short fun cruises which gives you a taste of the Goan culture.

Trip to Goa is not complete without shopping for Port Wines and Pheni !!

Travelogue : Munnar

We had been to Munnar 4 years back. It is the most breathtakingly beautiful place. We stayed at Club Mahindra which according to me is one of the best located resorts at Munnar. The food there was simply fabulous.

Some of the places to visit are Pothamedu for tea/coffee plantations, Devikulam lake, Atukkal waterfalls, Eravikulam National Park, Top station, Echo Point etc.

Munnar is a place which should be visited around Sept to March and one must take warm clothes if going between Nov to Jan.

We went to Munnar by road from Madurai. One can reach Madurai either by train or flight from Chennai. From Madurai, one can take a cab. The ride is quite pleasant and can be completed in 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

On the way back from Munnar, go via Thekkady, where one needs to stay for a night or two to enjoy the sanctuary.

I do have some pics of Thekkady which I might post once I scan them.

Travelogue : Pondicherry

Pondi is my favourite weekend getaway. From Chennai one can comfortably drive down and cover the 139 kms (from beginning of ECR) in 2 1/2 hours. If you are going in a group, one can stay at Vatika Guest house which is at 67, Rue Du Francaise (near the Promenade). They charge about Rs. 1500 per night for a big room which can accomodate upto 4 adults. It is an apartment which has been converted to a guest house and the owner I must say keeps the place really neat and tidy.

While in Pondy, one should not miss going to Mother's Ashram, Auroville, Children's Park and Chunambar backwaters.

Life is really peaceful out there and best way to go around the white town is to hire a cycle or just walk around (if you are OK with walking endlessly).

We were lucky to get the coupons for lunch at Ashram. I must say that if one is looking for plain, simple and healthy food, you should head for theAshram dining hall. If not, the options are Sadguru Restaurant (the yummiest Sambar ever tasted !), Ananda Bhavan which serves vegatarian food, La Terrasse, Rendezvous & La Cafe. Needless to say, one should also enjoy the different flavours of Bacardi Breezers which you can get at a shop close to La Terrasse restaurant

The best cocktail snack according to me is the Mulaga Bajji !! (Chilly fry, coated fully with gram flour).

One who enjoys early morning walk should definitely try the Promenade. We had a refreshing walk by the beach.

Travelogue : Kerala

Kerala, known as the "God's Own Country" is truely amazing place. I had penned a poem years back on this beautiful place while vacationing in my ancestral home in Kollam.

Great feeling is it to watch these lovely plush green mountains
Unaware was I of myself, seeing nature's heart rending beauty

Cast your eyes around you O Traveller !
Feel the gentle sway of coconut leaves
Dark Shades cast by the rubber trees
and happy rivulets passing by

Don't strain your eyes to look for a barren land
as Mother Earth has decked the soil with minerals rich

Pitter-Patter, sound of raindrops falling on roof tops
Summer rains turns the land to a misty green
Smell of raw earth fills up my thirsty soul

Chimney smoke and the jackfruit trees
leaves me hungry and yearning for more !

Great place is it with rivers wide flowing through villages
boatride in the lagoon has many a sight to offer

Neatly dressed women with long shiny black locks
children walk to school with books in one and umbrella in the other
Toiling away are the farmers in distant fields

Common sights are they, found no where else,
Land of coconuts and God's own country is it known as
Sage Parasuram's find in south, faces the might green Arabian Sea.


Check out my blog for more on Kerala.

Travelogue : Sikkim

Sikkim reminds me so much of Kerala with abundance of flora & fauna. On reaching Gangtok from New Jalpaiguri station, I felt that this place, for some reason has still not been fully exploited by mankind (thank goodness !!). Due to this, one would be able to see nature at its best.

We went to Sikkim in Oct and we clubbed it with Durga Puja celebrations in Kolkata. On reaching Kolkata, since it was quite late in the night, we unfortunately could not go and see the pandals in the night. I had always dreamed of being in Kolkata to witness the celebrations which finally came true. Next day morning, immediately after breakfast, we set out to see the many pandals and the pujas being conducted. It was amazing to see what pains the organisers have taken to built the pandals of their creative imagination. There was one pandal which was made of horlicks bottles !!

While in Kolkata, one should definitely relish authentic Bengali cuisine at Oh! Calcutta restaurant at "The Forum Mall" and 6, Balligunje place restaurant.

The drive to Gangtok from New Jalpaiguri is about 4 1/2 hours drive. On the way, if there is a landslide, then you are stuck for another 1 hour in traffic jam. Fortunately for us, there were no landslides and we reached our hotel Himalchuli by lunch. This hotel is run by a couple and has a very homely atmosphere. We were so hungry that we just told them to make us dal, chawal(rice). We got the hot, steamy dal and rice and we gorged on it like some hungry wolfs !!

Some of the interesting places to look around is Rumtek Monastary, Changu Lake (amazing place), Do Drul Chorten (Stupa), Enchay Monastary and Tashi View point. From Gangtok we went to Pelling and stayed there for a night to get a closer look at Mt. Kanchendzonga. Here one can take a evening walk through the tea gardens. I would say the best time to go to Sikkim is in Mar/Apr as the place will be filled with the wild flowers and one can easily go on a trek in North Sikkim to enjoy nature at its best.

In all it was an exhilarating experience for us and we enjoyed every bit of our stay at Sikkim. I plan to go there once again to do a full fledged trek when the flowers are in full bloom.

While at Sikkim, one must definitely try their local liquor (made of fermented maize)

Travelogue : Manali

I have a fascination for the snow mountains, especially the Himalayas. I went to Manali about 2 years back in the month of Oct alongwith my family. We took the volvo coach from Janpath, Delhi. These coaches are very comfy and seats can be pushed back to enjoy a good sleep. We took the overnight bus which dropped us off at Manali at 9:30 in the morning.

From the bus stand, we directly went to our Club Mahindra resort - The timber trails, which is 15 mins away from the main mall.

While at Manali, we explored the nearby places like the Hadimba Temple, Vashisht hot springs, some few monastries and club house. One day was dedicated for the Rohtang pass visit. This was really a breathtaking experience, especially climbing the mountain top to get a feel of the snow.

We took the ponies till almost 3/4ths to the top and rest we had to trek up. Thin air can bring headaches for people not used to the heights. I would say people with heart problems should avoid the climb up. Since it is a bit cold up in the mountains, it is best to hire the yak coats and leather boots from the tiny shops that you would find on yr way to Rohtang.

If one is the adventureous type like me, one can always try the paragliding.

Last but one day, we spent our time at a desolate picnic spot which is on the way to Manikaran. There was no one but our family there at that spot. There was a small restaurant and 2 guys running the place. Seeing us they got into action and asked us if we would like to do trout fishing and eat our catch. Since none of us have ever tried fishing, we agreed. They gave 2 fishing lines to us and each of us in turn dropped our fishing line into the pond and waited with bated breath for our catch !!

It took almost 1 hour and none of the fishes seem to fall in our trap. Finally one of the owners himself came and tried and got 2 big trout fish. We had a yummy lunch with fried fish and bit of fun in the Beas river which flowed past this picnic spot.

In all, we had good fun at Manali

Travelogue : Dharmasala

My holiday in April this year was in Dharmasala, the abode of His Holiness Dalai Lama. This beautiful place on earth is surrounded by the Dhauladhar range and is situated in the state of Himachal Pradesh. My family& relatives reached Dharmasala by cab from Pathankot. One can take a overnight train from Delhi to Pathankot and then take a cab to Mcleodganj, which is where all the action is !

Unfortunately, our resort (Club Mahindra) was in lower Dharmasala, closer to the Kotwali Bazar and my relatives were staying at Hill Queen hotel in Upper Dharmasala, Mcleodganj.

First two days, we went around places close to Mcleodganj like the Monastary of His Holiness Dalai Lama, Norbulinka Institute (worth going to check out the art works of Tibetian culture), Dal Lake (good for a evening walk around the lake), Namgyal Monastary and St. John's Church. Also, a morning trek to the tea gardens.

Last but one day, we dedicated to a trek from Mcleodganj to Tibetian Children's Village. This was one of the memorable highlights of this visit. I would recommend all you healthy people to go for this trek.

While in Mcleodganj, one has to try the pastries at the corner shop (can't remember the name but anyone would guide you to the shop as there is only one !) and the tibetian food (rice, kidney beans, tofu etc).

Dharmasala is a place where one can feel awed by the huge mountains. In Mcleodganj, which is mostly inhabited by the Tibetians, also showcases the Tibetian dance/music show for the tourists. The ticket is only Rs.30 and worth watching to understand their life and hardships.

Travelogue : Coorg

I went to Coorg in Oct with my family and I have to say that it is the best season to be around. We stayed at the Orange County resort, a quiet tranquil place set against the backdrop of coffee plantations. The cottages are excellent and Kodagu food is really yummy !

While at the resort, I hired a bicycle and went around the place, near the cauvery river and explored nature around it. One can always hire the round boats and go along the river to enjoy the stillness of nature. Resort has a excellent ayurvedic massage center which can be used to rejuvenate oneself. Besides Orange County, now even Club Mahindra has a lovely property in Coorg.

Some of the places worth visiting is the nagarhole sanctuary, abbi falls and on way back from Madikeri to Mangalore, a Buddhist Monastary.

Best approach to Coorg is from Mangalore. From Mangalore, one can hire a cab to reach Madikeri.

I would say Coorg is a place to relax & get energized.