On a windy winter morning, I stood below one of the legendary bridges across the Yarra River and gazed upon the towering buildings that dot the skyline of Melbourne. The “land of the Kulin Nation “ was called Naarm by the First People of…
Every traveller wants to discover new places and explore more destinations but the ultimate challenge is to embark on a new adventure, scale new heights and push one’s boundaries. And scaling the formidable Mt Kilimanjaro, the Roof of…
Standing alone in a narrow passage, I am lost wondering which of the dark mysterious paths in front of me would lead me to my destination. The voices echo around me but I cannot see anyone. Behind me is a corridor that opens to a door that…
Dreaming of the day that you finally quit that 9-to-5 job and travel the world with nothing but a smartphone? Today, being a travel blogger is less a quixotic feat of inventive storytelling, and more a productivity-oriented reality for…
Standing there, I am swept away in the sea of emotions as waves of people enter the city of Ayodhya, to see the Ayodhya Ram Temple, waving massive flags with images of Bhagwan Ram and chanting loudly “Jai Shri Ram .” Faith has many…
A streak of gold floods the horizon as dawn breaks on Marina Beach in Chennai. Centuries ago, the local Nayak rulers leased a coastal sandy strip to the British who fortified it. A settlement grew around the fort with White and Black Towns…
The massive medieval Gwalior Hill Fort headlines Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and is a city by itself with palaces, temples, step-wells, and rock-cut caves with colossal carvings. While the Chaturbhuj temple inside the Gwalior Fort houses the…
There are over six layers of history to this medieval fortress” said archaeologist Padma Shri KK Muhammad Sir as we stood at the foot of the towering Gwalior Hill Fort in Madhya Pradesh, admiring the glazed blue tiles sparkling on the…
“Make air, not war” screams the poster, promoting the annual Air Guitar World Championship in a quirky little city called Oulu in North Finland, the fifth largest in the country. ” You can’t hold an imaginary guitar in your hand and also…
It was an “inner calling” that goaded archaeologist Padma Shri KK Muhammed to restore and rebuild the ancient Bateshwar Group of Temples when he first saw the crumbling ruins of the 9th-century temple complex. Located near Morena, about 40…
There is more to Oman than just Muscat. There are many places to see around Muscat. Let’s go on a road trip and explore beaches, valleys, mountains, castles, wadis, and souks. Here is a list of some of the places to see in Oman and places…
There is an old-world charm that radiates from every stone wall in Poland. Stone benches take me on a melodious tour in Warsaw. There are dragons and mermaids everywhere. I see stars with Copernicus, the astronomer while I waltz around…
It’s a warm day but adding to the warmth are my hosts, Dinesh and Radha Bai Katare as they prepare a simple but delicious lunch of Dal Paniya. While the dal is being cooked separately, the couple with their extended family sit around the…
Croatia is a top destination for travelers looking to explore Europe’s natural beauty. Discover the best Croatia national parks and start planning your trip. Explore the best of Croatia National Parks Croatia is the perfect place to go if…
” Almost every region in Odisha has a village called Gopalpur and we are not even talking about the famous Gopalpur by the Sea. But this Gopalpur in Jajpur District is famous for the Gopalpur tussar, ” says our guide Sumanta ji as we walk…
Standing in the corridor of the ancient Sapta Matrika temple in Jajpur in Odisha, and looking out into the open, I see the waters of the Baitarani River burning in the afternoon light. The temple dedicated to the Seven Goddesses – Brahmani…
Some destinations are forever on your bucket list. And Morocco for me is one of them. Just before the pandemic hit the world, I had plans of visiting Morocco with my husband and we did quite a bit of research, including planning seven days…
It’s dark and nippy and as my eyes get used to the shadows of the dense undergrowth and the outlines of the clusters of tall grass standing as sentinels in the wilderness, I suddenly see a pair of eyes boring into mine amidst a clearing in…
“Shhh..let the jungle reveal herself. Whispers echo in the air as the excitement oozes out. “Don’t take the name of you-know-who… Sitting in the open jeep with blankets wrapped around us, we rub our hands in glee and wait quietly for the…
I am in the land of Mowgli at Pench National Park. The woods are dark and deep and the forests are wrapped in a dense fog of mystery. My date with the jungle begins in the wee hours before dawn. Century-old trees stand as guardians of the…
” You just missed a jungle owlet, ” says the naturalist Vishal Sharma, as I enter the portals of the Pench Tree Lodge by Pugdundee Safaris, one of the award-winning resorts in Pench Tiger Reserve. It is late evening and the night sky has…
Rocks and ravines, canyons and cliffs, waterfalls and valleys, forts and stupas, pre-historic art, and artisans – there are so many tourist places to visit near Varanasi beyond temples and rivers, ghats, and gullies. There are rugged…
Subah E Benaras is an emotion, a soulful immersive experience that allows you to feel the timelessness of this eternal city. It is a divine inward journey that awakens the soul within you. I am reminded of Mark Twain, the legendary…
The blinding winter sun adds a touch of warmth to the cold morning. Towering pines whiz past us as we drive uphill from Tanakpur to Champawat in Uttarakhand, a distance of about 73 km As we swerve along the winding roads, the journey feels…
Located on the foothills of the Himalayas and on the banks of the Sharda River and surrounded by dense forests is the charming town of Tanakpur in Uttarakhand. Rugged and raw with pristine views, Tanakpur is often referred to as the ”…
My guide Carlos Espin greeted us saying “ Let’s start the day with something beautiful” and he took us to some of the most pristine views of scenic landscapes as we soaked in the island way of life. Ibiza had a laid-back vibe about it, a…
Hola! Everyone needs a little bit of Ibiza in life.” I saw this quote in one of the tiny souvenir shops in Dalt Vila, the Old Town in Ibiza, or Eivissa as it was called, and I could not agree more. The vibe is special. Perhaps it is the…
Pet friendliness has a new address – Aurika Coorg by Lemon Tree Hotels. Last week, my husband Sharath and I travelled with our dogs, Raju and Aishu to Aurika Coorg, a luxury pet friendly resort in Coorg, set amidst 45 acres of rainforest…
What’s in a name you may question? But if you ask the sisters-in-law, Rekha and Kamla Khushwaha, who live in a little nondescript village called Ladpura Khas located near Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, they will say it’s everything to them.…
During a recent trip to Madhya Pradesh, I was listening to a presentation made by Dr Harold Goodwin, Founder and Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism where he said that ” Tourism is a polluting industry.” And that…