BLUE IS EVERYWHERE....

While looking for the windows from Alentejo in Portugal, I came across from stunning doors and windows in Spain and Morocco.

Especially when I was surfing in Pinterist, I came across this city in Morocco which is painted in different shades of Blue. It is Chefchaouen.

Again the pictures I chose from Pinterist are worth sharing. I definitely have to travel to Morocco one day and to this beautiful town of Chefchaouen.

                                                                                                      

 

                                                    

 

IF THERE IS WILL THERE IS A WAY

This is amazing. The journey of an Indian couple around the world with a Tea Stall.
It is a must read story for all those, who has travel bugs.

Really I am very impressed, proud and inspired.

Here is the story from http://www.thrillophilia.com/blog/around-world-just-tea-stall/

Around the World with just a Tea-Stall!

HARE

While a million of people around the world give up their passions everyday and adapt to themselves according to the circumstances, a 65 years old couple from Kerala has set a new example of self confidence and passion. Rather than losing in the hands of circumstances, this couple from Kochin, gave up everything to fulfil their passion and travel around the world!

Vijayan, a small-time tea seller from Kochi, Kerala, with his passion and love for travelling has proved everyone wrong! Over the last few decades, this tea seller from Kerala, along with his better half, Mohana, has been to more than 16 countries around the globe. The travel list of this pious traveller couple include popular destinations like Britain, Switzerland, Israel, France, UAE, Austria, Egypt, South Africa and several others.

When asked about his passion, Viajayan mentioned his father as the person who introduced him to the fascinating world of travelling. A kid of 6, he got obsessed with travelling only after his father introduced him to the travel world and took him to places like Madurai, Palini and almost all the temples across Kerala.

Recalling those jovial days of his life, Vijayan says that after the tragic loss of his father, the zeal of travelling however started disappearing as responsibilities started growing around him. But as they say, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’, Vijayan got back to his passion once again. And this time it was his life-partner Mohana, who accompanied him all through.

Carrying on with the passion and love for travelling, the couple has by now travelled to some of the most desirable continents around the globe and is looking forward to explore the whole world.

When asked to his wife, she said, “I was really excited when we first travelled abroad. Belonging to a very poor family, I never dreamt of a life like this. Later along with him I too became obsessed with the journeys. Switzerland is my favourite among the places we visited”. She also recalls her experience when the couple made it to Israel and she witnessed the statue of Jesus. She calls that moment one of the best moments of their voyage and further admits that Switzerland has been her most darling destination.

However, unlike other professional or passionate travellers, this couple had to face a lot of obstacles and difficulties in continuing their passion of travelling! In order to meet up the expenses of travelling, the couple had to take loan from banks and had hard times in repaying them as their sole income source is their small time tea stall in Kochi.

Despite of all the obstacles and the hardship, this pious travel couple didn’t lose to the conditions and has always listened to their inner voice. There were times, when they had to save Rs 300 every day to plan their next trip; they in fact plan their trip only after repaying the previous loans. Unlike other travellers, who spend a lot during their vacations and trips, Vijayan and Mohana spend only $10 in picking up mementos from every destination and lead a very simple life all through.

When Vijayan was asked about what keeps them going, with a childish smile on his face, he replied that it is their love and passion for discovering new places and the urge to breathe free that keeps them motivating. He also added that, it is his wife, without whom it wouldn’t have been possible for him to travel around the world. With the last trip planned to Europe, the couple is now looking forward to visit the United States shortly.

Though with the growing age they are facing to procure loans from the banks, the couple have not stopped living their passion and is planning for their next trip to the United Nations.

BECAUSE I AM A GREEDY TRAVELER!!

Here, again I am talking about traveling. 
I always do :)

The lands I want to go are many.

The hearts I want to conquer are many. 

The smiles I want to win are many. 

I want to cross the seven seas and jump on all lands. 
I want to walk many streets, many shores, want to walk everywhere,
I want to live everywhere like it is my land, like it is my country, like I am a local.

I want to speak many languages.
I want to explore many cultures.
I want to enjoy many food. 

I have one life and they say it is not enough
I will still continue my journey, continue my walk on this path because it is never enough. 
I will always smile for my journeys and a backpack full of memories. 

Never say never, 
But I will never stop because I am a greedy traveler. 

MOROCCO IN MY MIND!!

This post is fresh. As fresh as a fish caught from a pond and curried. Even though there is little bit of past to it, it actually happened 20 seconds ago.

So starting with the past, last night, I returned from a wedding reception and sat on the bench outside my house to see pictures from Facebook, Instagram etc.  I was checking pictures in Instagram from a dear friend Susana Coever who is currently travelling in Marrakech. I saw many beautiful pictures of the city of Marrakech, the people, the busy street, the Jemaa El Fnaa Square. Immediately I started to think about my first encounter with Morocco. No, I have never been to Morocco, but I have heard many stories and about this country from friends.

But my first encounter with this country happened 2 years and 11 months ago. It was when my friend Jorge took me to a Moroccan restaurant in Arab Street, Kuala Lumpur. He told me many stories about his experiences in Morocco, the food and his bicycle ride in Africa through Morocco. We ate Tajine. The most popular dish from this country.

Although last night I slept off thinking about Morocco and how it would be to travel there one day. The ideas were active in my head when I woke up.

Now, coming to the present, call it a coincidence or telepathy or my Karma or for the exact position of the planets in the Milky way!

 I had to see Morocco in TV. I sat down for Lunch with my mother and her nurse. I was swapping channels and came across street food around the world in FOX LIFE. I like this program where the the host, Ishai Golan makes a great run though of the regional food of a country. This time it was Morocco. But who told him, this country is in my mind.

Beautiful and busy streets across Jemaa El Fnaa Sqaure. The  Moroccan cookies called Smeda. The fresh orange juice coming from the hot mountains and very famous among the tourists. Marragech - A hotdog from the street which is very juicy and last but not the least the Tajine. They showed how they are cooking with these earthen plates sitting on charcoal. The best part which amused my mother  is they do not add any water and the dish cooks from the moisture coming out of the vegetables and the meat. Quite interesting informations in half hour.

Really, sometimes what we are thinking is all what we see. So easily. This thought of Morocco has penetrated deep into my day.

One day, am sure I would experience all of it.

SHARING IS CARING # 14

The last post on the Sharing is Caring week in my blog. However this would not be the last time I would be sharing an article, blog, journal etc.

I am thrilled to share this one as this is very special to me. This post talks about the Medieval Europe.  An alarming subject for me. I always want to visit the east of Europe than the west. But I had a chance to go to the west first and I did not stop. I love the west too. However I have some perception about the eastern Europe and I want to go there to see if it is true.

In this article from www.tripoto.com, the author is Rama Arya shares about the beautiful squares of some less travelled destinations in the eastern Europe. She goes to Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia. So much I read about this countries and how they united to become one and then broke down to smaller nations.

Her itinerary is as below and I hope would be mine one day :

Cesky Krumlov

The small town of Český Krumlov dating back to the 13th Century in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic has to be my favorite. Its towering castle perched atop the hill, overlooking the painted Renaissance and Baroque architecture clustered around the Vltava River, is its crowning glory. The castle is the second largest in the country, comprising of forty buildings and palaces built around five castle courts and a castle park, spanning an area of seven hectares. Český Krumlov’s second gem is the Church of St. Vitus (15th Century) with frescoes from the same period. A climb up the castle’s round tower for just the right picture, a candle at the church, lazing in the old town square awash with golden sunshine, and a steak by the river – it was not just another day for me.

Telč

Whilst Český Krumlov is prettiness personified, Telč, also in southern Czech Republic, is Renaissance grace. Largely untouched since the 16th Century, pastel buildings with high gables and arcades line the long urban cobbled square with the Renaissance chateau and church towers at its two ends. Imagine candy pink, warm peach, dove grey, powder blue, lemon yellow and lime green edifices embellished with white stucco around a large sun kissed square :) That – is Telč.

Sopron

Eastern Europe’s medieval squares continue on to Sopron in Hungary, with its walls and foundations going back to the Roman empire. There is often something particular about a place that lingers on within us, long after we leave it. With Sopron, it was the Benedictine Church for me. Set up by the Franciscan friars in 1280, it has absorbed Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque influences over the centuries, and moved from its original Franciscan order to the current Benedictine one in 1802. It is neither grand nor artistically profound. Yet a sense of continuity hovers over it with serenity …

Eger

Eger in Hungary is, yet again, inimitable in itself. Well-known as a wine growing center, its thermal baths and Turkish Minaret reflect the 91 years of Ottoman rule (1596-1687). In around 1000 AD, St. Stephen, first king of Hungary, founded a bishopric in Eger. The town’s religious importance led to the construction of a castle for its protection in 1248, built around a Romanesque cathedral. The castle, famous for repelling the Turks’ attack during the Siege of Eger (1552), is in ruins today. The Romanesque church no longer exists. Instead, the classical 19th Century Eger Basilica in the town center stands grand and towering, surrounded by numerous later churches.

SHARING IS CARING # 5

Train journeys are unforgettable. I was probably 7 years old when I took a train to go Andhra Pradesh  from Orissa in India. I remember writing essays in school about, My first time in a train as India has one of the largest railway networks after USA, Russia, China.

Really train not only connect cities but also connect many people around the globe. We make friends, conquer distances and above all it bring us immense experiences. Hours could pass by looking outside that window, the sound of the railings, soothing wind on the face and smell of different soil.

In today's Sharing is Caring I came across one of the article from www.cntraveller.in which write about the 10 most famous train rides. Here is the list below :

Pride of Africa
Pride of Africa on the Rovos Rail, South AfricaPride of Africa on the Rovos Rail, South Africa
Rovos Rail provides a luxury ride through the heart of South Africa, from Cape Town or Victoria Falls to Pretoria. Travel in private elegant Pullman, Deluxe or Royal suites, complete with a washroom, shower and mini-bar. The windows in the suites can be opened to let you breathe in some of that beautiful fresh air. You can also kick back and socialise in the sitting or open-air area of the lounge car at the end of the train, and the trip fare is inclusive of lunch and formal-attire dinner in the two restaurant cars, along with South African wines.



The Indian Pacific
The Indian Pacific runs from Perth to Adelaide and onward to Sydney. The three-night journey takes you from Perth across the Avon Valley and the wheat belt into the city of Karlgoorlie for a stop, and then into the expansive plains of Nullarbor with a halt at Cook to experience the panoramic view. The final leg of the journey goes from Adelaide to Broken Hill and the Blue Mountains, arriving at Sydney. The Great Southern Rail service offers single, twin or deluxe cabins in the Gold or Platinum Service fare—that includes meals at the Queen Adelaide Restaurant Car—or regular Red Service sleeper seats. Passengers travelling in the Red Service can access the Matilda Cafe for meals and refreshments.


Eastern and Oriental express
The Eastern and Oriental Express takes you on a luxurious trail from Singapore to Thailand through Malaysia. Boarding from Singapore or Bangkok, the Classic Journey is a three or four-day trip with stops at River Kwai and Butterworth in Penang. Stay in the Pullman, State or Presidential cabins, all of which are air-conditioned and include a private en-suite shower and WC. The restaurant cars offer four-course Eastern or European cuisine, and the bar car has a daily evening performance. Don’t miss out on the Observation Car, which is located at the end of the train. It has indoor as well as outdoor seating, where you can take in some fresh air as you whizz past the lush tropical forests that the train rushes through.

The Coast Starlight
The Coast Starlight, operated by Amtrak, travels through the scenic west coast of USA. Enjoy the scenery roll by from the Sightseer Lounge Car, moving from Seattle to San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, Portland, and finishing at Los Angeles. Apart from the seating, on-board accommodation options are the Superliner Roomette, with two reclining seats with a window in between, or the Superliner Bedroom that includes an in-room shower and washroom. The Pacific Parlour Car offers daily wine and cheese tastings, a theatre and an arcade room for kids.


The Hiram Bingham
Hiram Bingham, PeruHiram Bingham, Peru
With the signature Oriental Express polished wood and crystal decor, the Hiram Bingham is a classy way to travel through the wilderness of ancient Peru. Starting from the Poroy district of Cuzco, the one-day journey includes a trip down the plateau of Anta, the ruins of the great Inca city, the Sacred Valley, onward till the main city of Machu Picchu and then back. Also included in your fare is a trip to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. Step into the dining cars in between for a Peruvian brunch and an Andean dinner, or the bar car for a collection of wines from South America. Don’t leave without trying the famed Pisco Sour cocktail.


Trans-Siberian Railway
This has to be the greatest train journey of all in terms of distance and time. While there isn’t one single direct train, there are international tour operators such as Russia Experience and Real Russia that ensure that you don’t go through the hassle of finding connecting trains by providing you with tour itineraries and guides. Crossing seven time zones and entire Eurasia, the Classic Trans-Siberian route by Russia Experience travels from St Petersburg to Beijing via Mongolia. Stopping by Moscow, Irkutsk, and Ulaanbaatar, this trip—called Classic Big Trans-Sib—takes 18 days. Customise your trip by choosing the cities you want to visit and how many days you wish to spend at each.
(www.trans-siberian.co.uk/trans-siberian.html) 18-day Classic Big Trans-Sib journey from Rs2,41,276



The Glacier Express
The Glacier Express, passing through AndermattThe Glacier Express, passing through Andermatt
Crawling through the Alps, is an eight-hour trip from Zermatt to St Moritz in coaches whose windows offer panoramic views. Scenic attractions include the Mattertal and Rhône Valleys, the little town of Visp, the Rhine gorge and the iconic Landwasser Viaduct. Before the journey, passengers are provided with headphones which can be plugged in to the information channel that highlights the history and interesting facts of the places that the train passes through. Lunch is served at your seat, and there is a separate bar on board for snacks and drinks.

Qinghai-Tibet Railway – Lhasa Express
Plying on the highest railway on earth, the Lhasa Express journey from Qinghai in China to Lhasa in Tibet runs for three days through the Tangula Pass. The trains equip passengers with emergency oxygen cylinders to mitigate spells of light-headedness. The onboard dining car offers authentic Tibetan and Chinese meals; and drinks like beer and tea. While the travel might not sound very luxurious, the journey through the stunning China-Tibet route with a view of the Kunlun mountains, Buqiangge prairie mountains, picturesque Conag Lake and the hot springs of Yambajan makes it worth it.



The Indian Maharaja – Deccan Odyssey
Deluxe cabin in the Indian Maharaja - Deccan OdysseyDeluxe cabin in the Indian Maharaja - Deccan Odyssey
This eight-day Indian rail journey is from Mumbai to Delhi via Jaipur and the journey includes stops for sight-seeing at Aurangabad, Udaipur, Jaipur and Agra, highlighting the Ajanta and Ellora caves, Udaipur City Palace, Amber Fort and Taj Mahal. Featuring deluxe cabins and presidential suites, a Spa Car and a conference or entertainment car, the train has plush interiors and a touch of royal enchantment to it. For a sumptuous dining experience, the train offers continental or Indian cuisine.


Danube Express
This 10-day journey from Istanbul to Prague on board the Danube Express passes through the dreamy Central European landscape. The highlights of this stop-and-see trip include the breathtaking Carpathian Mountains, a visit to the Bran castle, and three nights in Budapest. The train also stops in Vienna and Bratislava. The Danube Express offers spacious deluxe sleeping cars, a wood-panelled lounge car.

So what are waiting for? Try one in 2015.. :)

SHARING IS CARING # 3

 It is a brand new day and my exploration through my computer is on.
After a busy morning, I found some time in the afternoon to hop a little in youtube and the travel websites. I am reading a lot.

I see most of them on my Facebook wall, then one leads to another, I always have a bunch of posts to read and after screening them I share the ones which is really striking. Also I try to share the posts which are most appealing  for its honesty.

The pick of the day is from Lee Abbamonte. A traveller who is the youngest to travel all the countries in the world. I do not know how that is calculated but it is true as I google. His website is www.leeabbamonte.com.

His post is about 30 best man made sites around the world. The list is below and it goes from 30 - 1 as per the importance of the place. http://www.leeabbamonte.com/30-best/30-best-man-made-sites-in-the-world.html

30 Borobudur in Java, Indonesia
29 Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
28 Old City Sanaa in Sanaa, Yemen
27 Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England
26 Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
25 Schwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar
24 Polonnaruwa in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
23 Red Square in Moscow, Russia
22 Acropolis in Athens, Greece
21 Teotihuacan near Mexico City, Mexico
20 Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Singapore
19 Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia
18 Prague Main Square in Prague, Czech Republic
17 Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, USA
16 Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
15 Auschwitz in Oswiecim, Poland
14 Colosseum in Rome, Italy
13 Machu Picchu in Aguas Calientes, Peru
12 Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia
11 Tikal in Petin Basin, Guatemala
10 Djenne Mud Mosque in Djenne, Mali
9 Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE
8 Great Wall of China in Eastern China
7 The Vatican in Vatican City
6 Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet
5 Taj Mahal in Agra, India
4 Pyramids at Giza in Cairo, Egypt
3 Petra in Petra, Jordan
2 Moai on Easter Island, Chile
1 Tigers Nest Monastery in Paro Valley, Bhutan

I really like the classification because it very true. A big vote of appreciation to this great traveller as I like that he has considered both the new and old structures, the way he explains that he considers Tibet and China two different countries and his logic to include only one site per country. All this acclaims his honesty as a traveller.


Besides all the above I have an itching to mention that even before I read about this post today, I knew about him from Instagram. It happened one day when he had liked one of my pictures. I have been to 10 of the sites out of 30 which is 30% percent and 13 countries in the list.

Today I feel proud and it is very motivating. 

SHARING IS CARING # 2

Let's make it a habit. That is I share here the favourite posts I read everyday. The best ones that makes us happy, brings us smile, push us more to travel etc. The ones that literally inspire us to write more.

So every day this whole week, I would try to make two posts each on what others think of traveling. One would be traveling around the globe because there is a lot to do in this one short life.

On the contrary, the other one would be about the columns writing about traveling in India. My country which I always ignore, thinking that its here, I have a whole length of life to travel my own mother land.

So this one is to be proud about the breathtaking destinations in   India. It is from www.holidayiq.com

The only place I have been to in the below list of 7 is the magnificent Taj Mahal. My visit to this wonder was one of a challenge. But that calls for another post. Also I would like to mention that these 7 are the ones out of the many marvels of India. For example, I would reckon Hampi, Auroville etc.
With So much to travel, let's just pack our bags and hit the road.




Every Indian Will be proud of these 7 Marvels that exist in the country.

1. World’s Highest Monolith Statue - Gometeshwara at Shravanabelagola 

Source: hindudevotionalblog.com

HolidayIQ Traveller Priyam says, “Shravanabelgola is 160 km from Bangalore. It is an important Jain pilgrimage centre. It has a statue of a prominent Jain, Tirthankar. The statue is considered to be one of India's largest monolith statues. The temple and statue is located atop a hill. The trek from the base to the top is around 2000 steps and takes around 1 hour to complete. The view from atop is completely worth the tough trek.”

2. 2000 Bridges and 91 Tunnels - Konkan Railways, An Engineering Marvel 

Source: flickr/ Himanshu Sarpotdar

HolidayIQ Traveller Kalpesh Modi says, “It was a nice journey through lush green Konkan route with lots of tunnels. We enjoyed the scenic beauty of Konkan Railway’s. The food quality is good and one should travel through Konkan Railway’s to understand India's engineering expertise.”

3. Visit One Of The Earliest Civilisations In The World At Dholavira

Source: ipernity.com

HolidayIQ Traveller Madhu Menon says, “Dholavira, a village known for its archaeological excavations of the Indus Valley Civilization and Harappan Culture can be considered as one of the remotest regions in modern India. The place is closer to many of the smaller towns in Pakistan than the nearest town in India. But there is almost a 60 km impenetrable divide between the two countries by a unique desert that gets filled in with water during the monsoons and becomes as hard as any of the best roads in Gujarat during the other seasons.”

4. Asia’s Cleanest Village - Mawlynnong

Source: kopili.wordpress.com

HolidayIQ Traveller Mahadeb Pal says, “First of all, the weather of Shillong is very nice. Beside the town, you may also go to Mawlynnong, which is the cleanest village of Asia. You also can travel to Cherra or Shora which are the wettest placed in our Earth. All types of food is available there.”

5. One Of The 7 Wonders Of The World - Taj Mahal

Source: holidayiq.com

HolidayIQ Traveller Karan Brahmbhatt says, “A great monument that manages to surprise visitors even after 400 years! The sheer size and perfection of the artwork & design are something that can only be witnessed in person.” 

6. World’s Highest Astronomy Observatory - Hanle in Ladakh

Source: static.panoramio.com

The latest hotspot for international astronomers is nestled in the western Himalayas. The Indian Astronomical Observatory, sitting at height of 14,800 feet in the village of Hanle in Ladakh, is the world's highest astronomy observatory. The cloudless skies of the dry cold desert make ‘the eye in the sky’ an excellent site for star gazing. 

7. Asia’s Largest Solar Park Hub - Charanka Solar Park In Gujarat

Source: gpcindia.com 

Located just 150 km from Mehsana, and the largest site within the Solar Park, the fully operational Charanka Solar Park is one-of-a-kind. The solar park also saves around 8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.

SHARING IS CARING # 1

Really sharing is caring.

I mean it more as I would be sharing someone's else column, writing, words, posts etc in my blog.  More meaning to it as it would be about traveling. It is because for a very simple reason as this is a travel blog.

No its not because I am out stories, that I do not have more experiences, or because am not traveling for last 8 months. It is because of my mood these days. My mood to read more and more on traveling. I come across these great articles that talk about 1000 things to do before you die, festivals of december, 20 incredible destinations from India etc

It is really nice to read about the ideas of traveling from other travellers. It is motivating to travel more, to travel like them, to do things which is missed, to check on things already done and sometimes to re do things done before.

This one in particular is about 30 things to do before you turn 30. This is from Tripoto.com.

Here are the highlights from the post :

1. Before you turn 30, take a long solo-trip to somewhere you’ve never been. How about Nepal?
2.  Before you turn 30, go to the The Burning Man in Nevada, USA
3. Why not jump-off an Aeroplane in New Zealand before you turn 30

4. Before you turn 30, volunteer your time and spirit to help animals and create a better world for them.

5. Before you turn 30, spend at least one day of reflection and honesty on the mesmerising ghats of Varanasi, watching life along the holy Ganga.

6. Before you turn 30, take a week to live a life of abundant sunshine and scarce internet in a simple hut on a faraway beach.
7. Before you turn 30, experience waking up to the sounds of the gibbons and the horn-bills of the splendid Bornean rainforest
8. Before you turn 30, spend a freezing night chasing the best of the Northern Lights in Iceland
9. Before you turn 30, crash at a stranger’s home during your travels. Chose a homestay or couchsurfing over hotels to add another dimension to your journey.
10. Before you turn 30, make sure you visit a place that has emerged from recent violence and tragedy. Visit Rwanda, Cambodia or Bosnia & Herzegovina to let yourself face the limits of inhumanity and appreciate the spirit of defiance and optimism.
11. Before you turn 30, try going silent and ascetic for 10 days at a Vipassana Meditation Center.
12. Before you turn 30, take a night to camp-out under a moonless sky in the wilderness
13. Before you turn 30, visit the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala
14. Before you turn 30, rent a convertible and take a road trip in the USA
15. Before you turn 30, walk on the otherworldly landscape of Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
16. And witness the magnificence of the Argentinian Patagonia
17. Before you turn 30, travel alone, make friends and be moved to a teary goodbye for someone you’ve known only for a few days.
18. Before you turn 30,  go skinny-dipping somewhere pristine and untamed, like Madagascar.

19. Before you turn 30, make sure a witness a truly spectacular sunset and take a truly spectacular picture of it.

20. Before you turn 30, experience infinity in the deserts of Namibia
 21. And at the gargantuan Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
22.  Before you turn 30, hike up an active volcano in Indonesia
23. And trek up the Inca trail to Machu Pichu in Peru along with friendly llamas.
24. Before you turn 30, take part in London’s annual World Naked Bike Ride for a chance to let the sun freely shine down on your paling pudenda.
25. Before you turn 30, do something you will probably be a tad too wise for in a few years, like the full-moon party in Koh Phagnan, Thailand
26. Before you turn 30, visit our friends down under on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
27. Before you turn 30, enjoy a homecooked meal in a foreign land with friendly locals who don’t speak much English. Remember to take gifts.
28. Before you turn 30, travel to a place that challenges your beliefs and popular misconceptions. Visit Myanmar,Iran or Eritrea for a dose of reality vs. fiction.
29. Before you turn 30, spend at least a week with those who have less than you to understand and experience true gratitude.
30. Before everything, above all, discover what you truly care about. Before you turn 30, spend your years and your youth to seek adventure and inspiration. That’s what your 20s are for.

It is interesting that I did 14 out the 30 do's before turning my 30. For example I have done a day trip to Volcano of Mt Bromo, been to one of the seven wonders called Machu Pichu, think about traveling all the time, had meals with non english speaking foreigners in my friend Xay's house in Laos, been to Myanmar, Cambodia, done a 3 day tour in Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia and trekked in the Patagonia in both Argentina and Chile, I have seen some beautiful sunsets in Jordan, Chile, Sri lanka, Portugal etc.  As 14 out of 30 is nearly 50%, I think about other points. I want to do them all. Being 30 does not stop us, we can still move ahead by making inspirations from this post in Tripoto. 

Let's travel. . . .

20 UNHEARD INDIAN DESTINATIONS

Here is a link from another traveller. It lists 20 rarely traveled places in India.

I was very surprised as I never heard any of those places before. Atleast 80% of it.

Of course, I know Simlipal and Udayagiri in my region Orissa. I also know Rumtek in Sikkim and Mandvi Beach in Gujarat. Yet, am surprised that people do not travel here as these are in tourist maps of the respective states.


Lets pack our bags and travel more.
www.holidayiq.com

ONE LIFE IS NOT ENOUGH !!

The to- go travel list is ever growing. I am loosing track of it.
I had a little diary to maintain.
A little box to collect pictures around the world.
I have a big collection of Magazines to take me around the world as I turn pages.
I have traveled and I want to travel more. But how much more is a big question.

It is my dream every single day and yet my boat has not sailed for months now. Its the situations, the responsibilities, the decisions etc. It is the permutations and combinations. The days of my life.

 I want to .... I want to go!!

So many places to go. Why does it take so long to reach South America from India. Why can not we reach Africa in 5 minutes. Is the science not developed enough? Or it is our technology?  I want to see the Spiti Monastery in Ladakh today and I want to wake up at the Las Medullas in Spain tomorrow morning. Huhhh .....A traveler's mind is always greedy.

It is a tough life when how musch we travel is never enough. It will be never enough. There will a new destination every time we say "Finito".

Last week I had made a list of 30 countries I want to go in next 5 years. But now I think even if I travel all the countries and territories, I would be not able to see all that I want to see.

Really I keep saying this : One life is not enough.

But I want to .... I want to go!!

MAYRIG

12 Noon

It was when I was swapping channels. I was at Zee MGM when I realized that they were showing a french movie. Its always a curiosity for me watch classics in foreign languages, plus languages always fascinate me. Another point of interest when I realized that the kid in the movie is called Azad. 

The movie was already raising my interest as I thought this could be about a family that migrated from the Arab world to south of France. I was right it was Marseille in the South of France but the family is not from the Arab but one country called Armenia, where I would love to go one day. 

Azad is a Hindi word which probably came along the persian migration to the then Indus basin or maybe from Urdu to Hindi with the Mughal invasion. It is hard to tell and I have no mood to google it. But the name of the little boy Azad means free and is very symbolic in this movie. 

My friend Narine from Armenia had always told me that there are many similar words between India and Armenia. While I invited my mother and her nurse to accompany me for the movie, I also simultaneously wrote her that am watching this movie based on an Armenian family which exiled from Armenia to make a life in the south of France. 

It is family of three sisters: 

Anna the eldest who did not marry to keep a promise to her dying mother that she will always take care of her sisters. 

Mayrig who is married with one son called Azad. 

Gayanne who decides to be a spinster as she lost her love interest Zasken to death. 

There is another character called Apkar who escaped the massacre by the Ottomans, survives with the help of a Kurdish herd to land up in France and later helps the Zakarian Family from Armenia to find a home in France. 

The entire Zakarian family fuels bit by bit their sweat to build Azad and make him an Engineer. 

Half way through the movie my friend had wrote me back that this is the movie which she watch every year on 24th April. The same day to which she has lost some of her ancestors in the genocide planted by the Ottomans. She also tells me Mayrig in Armenia means Mother, which made the movie more emotional for me and my mother. 

Its incredible for me how I am watching a French movie with English subtitles about an Armenia family sitting in my hometown in Bhubaneswar, India. More than that I am translating it into Oriya for my mother and her nurse. My mother is also fascinated by the old France they show in the movie. 

Sometimes we travel a lot across countries, cultures, languages and people. Thanks to technology it is possible even if while we are watching a movie in our bedroom. 

ITS THIRUVALLAM... NO NO ITS THIRUVALLA

It was the usual, I arrived at the international airport of Trivandrum then go for walk with my friend Jorge around the area, see the beach, drank some juice and took rickshaw for finding a hotel in the city center.

It was difficult to find a place. All of them were full. But in the end it was decent place with a large bedroom, clean sheets and good toilet. 

The motto was to do some shopping for the wedding. So there was no window open for sightseeing. 

Although there was a big part of me wanted to go around the city. But I knew that I was coming back in two days. So we did lot of shopping, ate some great Kerala food and then it was time to leave for the Wedding.

Its been two days that my friend says Thiruvallam with the "m" almost silent. So I was assuming its his way of pronunciation as he is Portuguese. So they were relaxed as its only 15 minutes by bus from Trivandrum. That was a big surprise moment for me as I had checked its not less than 3.5 hrs from Trivandrum. 

I asked them are you sure its 15 minutes as seems one impossible ride to me unless you have a private plane ;)
They were like yes its a beach near by and takes only 15 minutes. Are you sure, its Thiruvalla? 

Aww, Thiruvalla!! Its too far. This was the reaction of Tom a friend from Trivandrum. We all were speechless. But I knew and was prepared for the Journey. However Jorge and Tom were very surprised as they expected a church wedding by the beautiful beach of Thiruvallam. 

I told them its Thiruvalla and not Thiruvallam. I dont even know or heard of this place Thiruvallam. So

we all moved to the bus station. 

I thought that there would be some air conditioned buses too. But no there were only local buses going there. We got the seats in the end and I knew it would be great adventure. The drive was great and the breeze was doing the fanning effect. I passed out for a little while and woke up to see the beautiful countryside of Kerala. Beautiful scenery, churches and the smiling people. It took us exactly 4 hours to reach the stop by Joyalukkas Jewellery in Thiruvalla where our friend Augustine was waiting for us. 

Lovely bus ride indeed for 84 ruppes each.

VISA ON ARRIVAL!!

Visa on arrival for travelers is a delight.

Imagine you land up at an airport without any queues at the embassy, no submission of 105 documents, no interviews which involves questions like why you are not married yet, no misbehavior from the embassy. 

You just arrive at the airport with your backpack and you are welcome. Sadly Indians do not enjoy this status for the ugly records in the past i.e to arrive in a foreign land and never return back. Illegal immigration. Indians do not cross the gate with same comfort as Europeans do. I read a survey that the nation which gets most visa on arrival in most countries is not an European country but from Asia. It is Japan.

This label is to share stories about visa on arrival and the tips.

However Indians do get "Visa on Arrival"

Little blessed although not like the Japanese or Europeans. Indians have Visa on arrival in 52 countries and territories. The trend so far is a positive rise in the number. The more we travel the more confidence we have for visa on arrivals. The more nations would get added to the list of nations welcoming Indian travelers.

So the mantra is lets travel more :)

WHERE TO GO FOR 2014!!

Where are the travel bugs heading for 2014?
To travel there is no boundary. Every place, old or new is always new for a reason. Its appropriate to say, the more you know about a place, the more you know the unknown. But if you have the thirst for new lands then there is a list from Lonely planet. An article published long back in October 2013. However, now is the best time to share here.

The destinations are fresh new and I have not been to the most of them. The places for budget travelers as the motive is travel more if you have less penny.

The shipwreck's cove -Greek Islands : A delight among the greek islands and I have seen this picture on various occasions. But I have never been to Greece and so never been here. Now in my list.

Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria of Sounthern Italy :  I have been to Italy once and dotted very few destinations like Como, Milan etc. The stay was very short and hectic. So hectic that I slept in the Duomo of Milan during the active prayer hour. Yes its very expensive. I remember ordering a half pizza for 15 euros. Had a complimentary drink. It was a fish. People were not friendly. But I was told by many that its different in the south of Italy. People are smiling and helpful. So says Lonely planet about Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria.

 Nicaragua : During my tour in South America, I started from Brazil and took a flight to bottom tip of South America. Then slowly I started going up. In Bolivia, I realized that its very cheap for food, living etc. In Colombia, I heard from many travelers that Bolivia and Nicaragua are the two cheapest countries to travel in the Americas. I admit for Bolivia and Nicaragua is certainly in my list.

Bulgaria : To travel in eastern Europe is a dream. Even before I applied for Schengen Visa to France, I always wanted to go east in the Europe as I expect it to be naive. In my head the imaginations play in that direction i.e everything in east would be way beautiful than the west. Lonely planet says Bulgaria is cheapest among the neighbouring countries in the east. I do want to go Sofia, although I am not sure about the recommended places Plovdiv and Varna.

Portugal : This is one country I have explored the most in the whole list. I have mapped a lot of the central - north places in this beautiful land. However yet to explore the southern spots of one of my favourite country Portugal. I was there in 2012 and dream to go back every year. I was almost there in 2013 but for my visa. lets see if I get lucky in 2014. If Portugal  happens then it would be a blessing

Fiji : An island destination in the Polynesia. Its too far and very expensive to fly from India. Although its a budget destination. It has to wait till we get more airlines to join the existing band of thousands of low cost airlines.

A Tip : Indians have visa on arrival for this island country.

Mexico : For me this country needs more time as I would like to explore it with the ease of time. Its beautiful and I would not worry about the budget when am there as its a country which needs time.

Karnataka, India : This is a place which is from my own land. A little bit information for those who do not know is that Bangalore in Karnataka is my second home after Bhubaneswar. I studied and work from this city. So I have been around to many many places and explore many cities and towns in this region. However there is yet to travel so much more like the north of Karnataka and Bijapur etc. The historical place Hampi is grand and one has to go there once while you are in India. I feel privileged to have travel there. So it does not count much for me in this list.

Palawan, Philippines : I have been in this country. However I have been to Cebu Island and Manila. Philippines is not a very expensive country and life is basic in the islands. Sad that the country was swept away by the natural calamities in 2013. However, while I was there it was so much nice. The smiling people, the warmth they share and always happy to receive foreigners. They say its more fun in Philippines and its very true. So I would certainly go back to this beautiful country and the recommend to all. If not Palawan, just go anywhere in Philippines.

A little tip : This piece of information is self tested. The visa in Philippines is on arrival for Indians if they are coming from Singapore with a valid Singaporean Visa and arrive in the airport of Manila. Its easy as if you ask visa from Singapore then its always valid for a year or two. So you save on the visa for Philippines. So what you waiting for. Head to Philippines.

Ethiopia : My steps in Africa has been very little. The only country I have traveled is South Africa. Ethiopia is a marvel of Africa. I agree its not possible to get around in one visit. I have heard many stories and read so much on Ethiopia that I have to go there one day.

In the end, I find it very applicable to say I havenot been everywhere but its on my list. I am an India who is travel Hungry.

To check on the article please click on the link below :
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/lonely-planets-best-value-travel-destinations-for-2014

14 of 2014

Its new year already. The very first month is to dream. Speculations, resolutions, analysis for how would be the coming year.

To check online the beautiful destination, discuss with friends,  asking for tips etc

Between all this, Lonely planet has come up with 14 beautiful destinations in India for 14 weekends. After all the places are beautiful. Do you agree with this list or what is your list ?

Big hug and Happy Traveling :)

http://www.lonelyplanet.in/articles/4387/top-14-in-2014

Indian Travellers !!

How far does an Indian travel.?
How often?  Many Indians have not been out of their cities.

Its possible that many Indians donot travel. The excuses I get are; we do not have time, it costs too much, who would struggle with visas, its okay if we do not our children would, we believe in saving for a better future etc etc. I would not blame the thought process. We believe in those lines as the way we grow in our societies. My sisters have always these lines; my kids are growing up, their school hours, exams etc
However one thing I have realized from my travels that there is never time until you believe that this is the time. Yes, we have to make time for travel little by little as traveling changes the meaning of our life.

However I guess there is change to be noticed.

People are stepping out of their cities now. In Cusco, Peru I came across 58 doctors traveling together all over south America. 

My friend Akshay Shete who has been to Peru but did not go to Machu Pichu. I remember him telling me that its very expensive and he wants to save for his dream house. He also lived in Mexico but did not go to one of the seven wonders, Chichen Itza. The reason was same and it thought its expensive. He went to Nigeria and did not travel as he was afraid its too dangerous.

But no more, now he understood that there is no fun saving for next time. Currently he took his mother to show around Malaysia to end his year. I got an update that it was his best travel so far. Also that aunty thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.

I was in Siem Reap for Christmas and end my year beautifully between the ruins of Ankor. There was huge tourist influx for the end of the year and half of them were from India. In the queue, I saw many with Indian passports. I am very happy with this new trend as the more we travel, the more confidence we gain for visas. Its a thing for countries to decide that Indians travel and just not migrate illegally.

Earlier I would rarely see Indian travelers. When I do my friend Jorge would always make a joke, look there its your aunty from India. Go say hello to your cousins. 

The time is changing. Indians are stepping out of their cities. 55 countries and territories avail Indians visa on arrival.

Come let's pack our bags for another destination :)

AM ALWAYS TRAVELING!

In between my 101 calls/emails/sms to South American embassies, to the agents in New Delhi, to my friends from Portugal, India, England and South America, All I think of is good luck to travel. How can I have success with visas.

In between my work for my french boss, for whom I am selling guesthouse in South Africa, online rentals in Corsica island, reconcile all the accounts, calls to Czech republic, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Zambia, Congo, South Africa and Indonesia for the purchase of Machinery for a laundry project to cater hotels in Bali, I think of ways to work, to work better. I have ambitions in Life. To earn for a good living, to travel,to travel to different lands, for different people, for their culture, for their smiles and for all that is called experience.

In between, the renovation work at the terrace of my mother's House, the remodeling of the bathroom, visiting/calling to different shops for the tiles, rods, cement, sand, chips, pipes, boundary work of plots, I dream of travels, my upcoming travels, my planned and unplanned travels, my South America, my Europe, my those colorful countries flying out of the globe and pulling me towards them.

Will I be able to fetch them ?

Work or no work, am always traveling. One day the world would be mine.

WHERE DO YOU GO ?

This is question from the famous or not so famous song in the 90's called Where do you go ?
The Song is from the American Band called "NO MERCY"

The Pop star in the song, Marty Cintron is all sad about his girl leaving somewhere. It was quite a hit when I was in school and I remember of dancing to his sorrows.

While I might have been sad those days to connect to the music, but if someone ask me this question today, I feel so thrilled. As I love to GO :)

When we meet our fellow travelers, Its a very common question, where have you been so far, which is your next destination etc etc and has very interesting answers. I would bring more of those conversations here soon.

I 'M SORRY, NO MERCY .... I LOVE TO TRAVEL > > >

TRAVEL DECISIONS

Sometimes to go or not to go becomes so difficult. Here was the plan to go for Uncle's Daughter's wedding. The wedding was happening in Kharagpur, a small town in the North Medinipur District of West Bengal.

So far that everyone was struggling with their schedules and responsibilities to make it. Finally it was my sister, brother in laws and me who were ready to go. Then we canceled several times. Finally till evening before we were not going.

Then calls my sister in the morning :

Kitty : Shall we go?
Bunty : Lets go !
Kitty : Okay lets go

So in 15 mins was shower,packed our bags and we hit the road to Kharagpur. Then continued lot of stories, laughing , Gossip, stopping in Bhadrak for the delicious fried rice, Butter Paneer, Mushroom fry, Mutton Chilly and Hilsa Fish and yes rain which was following us with blue lightening everywhere we went. Next day we heard its Cyclone in Balasore the neighbourig district of Kharagpur, North Medinipur. May be my brother in law drove back to Bhubaneswar at 220 kms/Hr and the rain could no longer follow us.

Sometimes there is no Travel decision. It is destiny!!