Travelogue

Travelogue : Jammu & Kashmir

2009-08-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

It was an exhilarating experience to be in close proximity to Himalayas. I have a great fascination for these huge mountains and considered myself lucky to get an opportunity to visit this state finally with the help of an Army friend.

Reached Jammu airport on 1st Aug and Colonel S was there to greet us. The entire trip was organised by him with the help of My Trip.com. We had a car arranged for us for our entire trip. Our driver, Rajiv, a young guy in his twenties took us to Katra from where we were supposed to take the chopper to Vaishnodevi temple. We reached Katra by afternoon but unfortunately due to bad weather chopper was not flying on that day.

We were unable to understand why on such a sunny day, chopper was not functional. We tried to figure this out by talking to Deccan guys who quite subtly told us to trust them as they knew better than us about the weather.

Due to rest of day plan, Colonel hired 2 army ponies to take us to the temple without wasting time. In my wildest dreams, I never realised that a Pony ride will turn out to be a nightmare !!!

It seemed Mata Vaishnodevi was in no mood to make our trip easy and pleasant as we thought it would be. As we climbed up, the weather started to play havoc. First, the visibility was reduced to zero and then all of a sudden huge downpour made it difficult for us to manoeuvre our ponies through the crowd. Luckily both myself and Tapashi had our raincoats and we managed to continue our journey.

Finally after 2 hours on the pony, we reached our destination. The whole temple complex was completely wet. We had to be careful walking as there was danger of slipping along the way. We were greeted by another gentlemen from the army who had our Darshan tickets ready. We followed him to the temple and were pleasantly surprised to see absolutely no crowd at sanctum sanctorum.

Mata Vaishnodevi finally blessed us with good Darshan after our gruelling experience on the pony.

The climb down on the pony is the worse than uphill. I decided to mentally switch off from thinking too much of the pain that my buttocks were going through while going down. My strong recommendation to people thinking of a pony ride is to walk, if possible and if not, use the Palki. Pony rides are OK if the entire ride is less than 1 hour and the ride is on the plains !

Finally at 8 PM, we managed to reach Katra where our driver was waiting to take us to Patni Top resort for our night stay.

Both of us were so tired and dead after the whole day trip that we just slumped our bodies on the backseat and made our way to Patni top. We were under the impression that it was 56 kms from Katra but came to know finally while checking-in at midnight from the hotel staff that it is 89 kms !

Needless to say, both of us did not have any energy left to take a shower or brush our teeth. We dumped our luggage and went off to sleep with horse shit smelling, only to wake up at 6 am to realise and appreciate the beauty of this quiet place.

We definitely wished we could stay for another night at this beautiful place but unfortunately due to our schedule, we had to leave the place at 10:30 AM to start on our next leg of journey to be in Pahalgam. Pahalgam is in Kashmir valley and one has to cross the 3 km tunnel to enter into Kashmir from Jammu. Pahalgam is 96 km away from Srinagar at height of 2195 mtrs in "Liddar Valley". Place is cool and known for its natural beauty. It is surrounded by high peaks of mountains and the place we stayed in "Mount View" has good view of the Liddar river and the mountains in front.

From Pahalgam it is worth a trip to Chandanwari (resting point for Amarnath Yatris) and Aru (proununced as "Addo"). One can take a pony ride to Kashmir Valley, Baisaran and Banyahal. We were at Pahalgam for 2 nights. One could hear the chopper taking Amarnath Yatris to Panchtarni from morning till afternoon.

After enjoying Pahalgam, we drove down to Sonmarg which is at a height of 2667 mtrs on Srinagar-Leh Road. Indus River flows close by and the hotel we stayed in had a good view of the Thajawas Glacier. On our way, we got to see ruins of Awantipur. The archaeologists believe that 2 temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Shiva was built in 9th Century by King Avantivarman.

Hotel Sonmarg Glacier had all the comforts and good dining. On reaching, we immediately went to enjoy the beauty of the Glaciers. Since next day was our day for Amarnath Yatra, both of us wanted to retire early to ensure we were up at 3 AM to get ready for the trip. 5th of Aug was last day of the Yatra and the most auspicious day (full moon day)

Early morning, we made our way to Baltal from where we were supposed to take chopper to Panchtarni. We were keeping our fingers crossed on the weather. Our Army friend had made arrangements with the pilot of chopper to take us on the 1st flight.

I had the privilege to be on the chopper by the pilot seat who was an ex-army colonel. I was excited as a kid to be viewing the valley at close quarters from the chopper as it made its way to Panchtarni. One could view the Amarnath Yatra route from the top and it definitely did not look an easy one. In less than 5 mns we landed at Panchtarni.

Since temple was closing at 12 in the noon, we had to take a Palki to reach on time. The view of the mountains is heavenly which can only be experienced by one and no amount of words would help to describe its beauty. Amarnath Cave is 12,758 feet hight and cave itself is 60 feet long and 30 feet wide. Below the cave, Amar Ganga flows where pilgrims take bath before entering the cave. We had a good darshan and felt blessed to have seen the ice lingam from close quarters.

After 2 nights at Sonmarg, we made our way to Srinagar where we were supposed to stay in Houseboat "Canberra" for 2 nights. The moment we arrived at Srinagar, there was some tension on the outskirts and we had to go via by-lanes to Dal Lake. The houseboat was beautiful and looked almost like a palace inside with exquisitely carved furniture.

Unfortunately, we did not find our houseboat Manager very homely and he seemed to ignore aspects of good hospitality. He and his wife never bothered to find out if we wanted lunch or dinner. We decided to have our dinner at Shamiana restaurant on Dal Lake road instead of having to remind the Manager every time.

While taking a Shikara ride in the evening, the cloud started gathering and in less than half an hour, we were welcomed with strong winds and rain. Luckily our one hour Shikara ride came to an end before getting caught in the downpour. We had yummy Afghani Chicken at Shamiana and around 9:30 PM decided to go back to our houseboat. More surprises were awaiting us as there was no power and the Manager informed that he will switch off the generator by 10:30PM which meant no fans for us !

It seemed that he was more interested in saving money than treating guests well. We decided to leave for Gulmarg the next day itself as we were not enjoying our stay at houseboat. Come morning, we left the place before 9 AM. While in Srinagar, we visited Shankaracharya temple, Mughal Gardens, Chasma Shahi, Lal Chowk, old Srinagar town etc.

In the old town, we could see a pakistani flag hoisted on top of a building ! It was a surprise to hear a chef informing us that Dr. Manmohan Singh from India visited them recently !! We asked him innocently if he was part of India or Pakistan to which he informed that youngsters do not want to be part of India or Pakistan but are looking forward to a Azad Kashmir which will be a separate country. The Army feels that most of their powers have been taken away by Government and they have to turn a blind eye to certain disturbing events in the state. If only they were given power, they can turn things around within months.

We were too happy to leave Srinagar and reach Gulmarg which is also known as "Valley of Flowers" situated at a height of 2730 mts. We stayed at Heevan Retreat which is nicely placed and very close to the Gondola (cable car). Since this was our last place to relax, both me and my friend decided to take it easy and enjoy the pristine beauty. The next day we took the Gondola to Khilanmarg and the Alpathar range from where one could see the LOC. We also freaked out on the sledge.

While in Kashmir one should definitely not miss Kashmiri Wazawan. We tried out Rista (Lamb meat balls), Mutton Roganjosh, mirchi Korma but missed savouring the Gustaba. One can also enjoy Kashmir tea "Kahwa" which has "Kesar" and dry fruit pieces in it. They do not use tea leaves.

On the whole it was a memorable trip for me and Tapashi.

Travelogue : Ladakh

2008-08-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

Finally, I made it to my dream destination with the help of WOW (Women on Wanderlust) club. We were 18 of us from different parts of the country who met at Delhi airport on 18th Aug to fly to Leh. The first thing you notice is the barren-ness of the Mountains. The Mountains are so bare and so do the plains. The beauty of this place, probably lies in this.

At Leh, we checked into Spic N Span Hotel, fairly decent hotel with all basic amenities (hot water, STD/ISD, restaurant, hi-fi connection etc). As is required, all of us chilled out at the hotel on first day to get acclimatized to the altitude. In the evening, we strolled to the bazaar, though it was not easy walking with normal breathing pattern. Most of us had to halt every few steps to catch up on our breaths !

Ladakh is a Mountain Desert, all around one gets to see only huge mountains in amazingly different hues & colors. When you look down from the airplane on landing in to Leh, the Mountain tops look like the surface of Moon.

On day two, we went up to Thiksey monastery, Shey palace, Sindhu Ghat, Sankar Gompa, Leh Palace & Shanti Stupa. The highlight of the day was the morning prayers we attended at Thiksey, view of the mountains from Shanti Stupa and the beautiful Sindhu Ghat (Indus Valley)

Day three was a drive to Khardung-la pass, the highest motorable pass in the world. The place is cold. We did not stay too long and quickly made our way back to the hotel. To make better use of the day, I suggest one should proceed to Nubra Valley from here and probably stay overnight at Nubra.

Day four was the most amazing experience of the entire trip. We went to Pangong Lake, which is 5 hours drive from leh. The drive itself has many things to offer to the tourists, in terms of the different shades of Mountains around. The pristine lake, untouched by human beings is just out of the world. Two-thirds of the lake is in China, we are told. The water is so pure and transparent that you could see through to the bottom. One would love to spend the whole day at the Lake but since we had to get back to the hotel, we left the place early. My personal suggestion would be to camp somewhere close to the lake, if possible. On our way back, we went to the Hemis Monastery which is tucked behind a mountain, 50 kms from Leh.

Day five was a trip to the Lamayuru Monastery, famous for its spectacular setting amidst a lunar like landscape (see the pics). We had lunch on the way at Khalsa and then proceeded to Alchi where we stayed overnight. Alchi is a little hamlet by river Indus with its own share of Monasteries. At Alchi, we went around the Ladakhi houses and even managed to visit one family, just to get an idea about their lifestyle. Evening we strolled near the Indus river, which was another wonderful experience.

On day six, we visited the Alchi monastery, famous for its exquisite wall frescoes. On our way back to Leh, we also saw the confluence of river Zanskar with Indus. For lunch, we relished the Langar at Gurudwara Pathar Sahib (Langar is served only on Sundays) after which we went to the Spituk monastery.

Our last day was fraught with excitement as we went river rafting in Indus. Needless to say few of us were sunburnt (even after applying loads of sunscreen lotion !). Anyone interested in rafting should ensure they wear something which covers their hand and legs completely ! The main attraction of the run is that one gets to go between beautiful mountains. Most of the river along this route had grade 1 or 2 rapids, though we also got to experience grade 3.

Overall, it was an amazing experience to be on top of the world, though the drive through rough terrains is not easy. The best way to travel around is to hire a Scorpio. I must add that BRO(Border Road Organisation)has done exceedingly wonderful job in building roads across Ladakh. One cannot miss the eye-catching messages posted by BRO team on side of the roads.

Sterling Mahabs - Indeco Hotels

2008-06-06T23:29:00.000-07:00

Since we had a discount coupon for this eco-hotel, thought of using it during one of the weekends. Place is tucked away behind the mahabalipuram main bus-stand. It is a nice and cozy place with its own swimming pool, pool-side restaurant and beach. The present owner has a fascination for antiques which is quite evident from display in the lobby and restaurant

The rooms are small but is good enough for a family. A good weekend getaway for those looking for relaxation and some fun.

Travelogue :Annapara, Wayanad

2008-06-06T22:46:00.000-07:00

This time thought of trying out Homestays instead of hotels/resorts. Tourism dept seems to be encouraging homestay concept which benefits both the traveller and the host. Tourists get a feel of the culture & tradition and host gets to make the extra bucks. I had seen the blog on Annapara in Wayanad and decided to experience the same with my family. Annapara (elephant rock) is in the midst of mountains and tea plantations.

We are welcomed by Shibu and Praveen who go out of their way to ensure guests are comfortable. Food prepared by the cook couple is awesome. We ended up over-eating every day and had to find ways of burning up the calories after every meal ! Thankfully, being in the mountains helped us to burn those calories much faster.

The place is not cheap by any means but advantage is that you get to move around on your own or with Praveen whenever you feel like it. Place is nature's bounty so one can easily relax just being with nature. There is good enough space for children to run around. They can play badminton or read books (a small collection) or just listen to music (own ipods, please).

The best thing (for some it would be the worst) about the place is that there is no electricity and you get power only from 7 to 11 Pm in the night. Rest of the day can be spent enjoying the breeze from the trees all around.

Our days were spent enjoying a shower under waterfall, swim in the natural pool, visit to eddakkal caves (prehistoric), a drive through the sanctuary to see elephants, wild boars, bisons and deer and to the nearby tea factory.

The place is amazing and a visit is definitely worth the money you spend. Word of caution - the food is mainly Kerala cuisine, therefore one needs to be prepared to accept that and relish every bit.

Weekend Getaway from Chennai : Yercaud

2008-04-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

I never ventured on trips by road which called for more than 4 hours drive. The main reason being my fear of speed on highways, especially the speed with which men drive. Considering the fact that it is India and we have different kinds of people with varied moods and behaviour (the don't care attitude), it becomes extremely difficult to be "safe" even though you try your best to drive safely. Anyways, after some sort of an understanding (on the speed limit) with my hubby who was going to drive, we set out on our trip to Yercaud.

We drove through Poonamallee, Sriperumbudur, Vellore, Krishnagiri (where you have to turn left for Dharmapuri), Salem and then Yercaud. The climb up was pretty OK. There are about 20 hairpin bends but we were able to reach our resort in 40 mns.

I think the best of properties in Yercaud is Hotel Lake Forest (500mts from the Lake). The rooms are really good with antique furnitures. Yercaud in itself does not have many "popular sight-seeing" places but one needs to enjoy nature and the drive through the woods. It is best to have one's own mode of transport in Yercaud as public transport didn't look too great. As for food, there are not too many places where you can enjoy good food.

Some of the interesting places could be the Montford school and just behind that "The retreat" (a college with a good view of Salem city), the drive through the woods while climbing up to Annamalai temple, drive through the teak forest etc. Word of caution - the road is very narrow to the temple. If you happen to see another vehicle on the opposite side, you have to be ready to go reverse gear downhill and find yourself a place to park to let the opposite vehicle go. Boatride on the lake would be another good option in the evenings. The children would especially love that.

While coming back from Yercaud, our Club Mahindra staff at Lake Forest asked us to try another route which he said would be more interesting and lively compared to the one we took to reach Yercaud. From hills take the road to Pallipatti, Harur, Uttangarai, Kunnathur, Tiruppathur and then Vaniyambadi. This route goes through many villages, so you have a good scenic view and some action. From Vaniyambadi, you are back on the NH4.

On the whole the trip was quite memorable !

Overseas Travelogue : Li Jiang

2007-10-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-05T07:45:00.001-07:00

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

2007-07-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-14T03:23:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

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.