Travel | Horsleys Hill - When destination does not matter

Endless playing time, uninterrupted sleep and travel plans....the word vacation brings with it the joy of indulging in activities we all love.

First day of holiday for my children begins after the end of mid-term exam and we were deciding on a small weekend getaway near Chennai. And the next thing I knew, we were already on our way to Horsleys Hill. 

With no particular destination in mind and no prior bookings required, these weekend getaways are a perfect way to rewind. I love these quick weekend trips for the sheer joy of traveling with my family, when destination does not matter to us and we travel just to be together for some time.

Yelagiri - Travel gives you a story to tell, the story of Bhairava the dog

Think of a quick weekend getaway from Chennai and the first hilly place that strikes immediately is Yelagiri.

We love such short and sweet weekend trips by road. These trips are a great way to rewind, spent some quality family time together and just do nothing but relax with nature.

The best part of our trips is that both are children co-operate and are well accustomed to our frenzy way of travelling They get up as early as 3.30 am, take bath and make themselves ready for the trips.

A walk down memory lane - My Trip to Udaipur - I

There are many things in life that I wish I could keep with me forever. The memories and days spent at my hometown in Udiapur tops that list.

I had a chance to visit Udaipur last week, which incidentally was my shortest ever trip to my hometown. I started at the wee hours of morning, left my children behind for a week, changed two fights, killed never-ending transit time at airport, and then traveled by road again to finally reach Udaipur late in night.

Yes, I did it all in one day. But I am not complaining.

Travel | Just another weekend in Yercaud

Every travel leaves you with some unforgettable travel experiences you would want to treasure for ever. And what better way to freeze those precious moments than writing a bogpost and reflecting on your travel time with family and friends.

“We have a marriage invitation from my colleague in Metur city this weekend. Do your Google search and let me know if there are any good places nearby worth visiting.” Hubby informed me from his office and cut the line.

A few Google searches and I liked this small hill station Yercaud in Salem district which is located in the Shevaroys range of hills in the Eastern ghats of India.

But wait...there is more. Every other person in the forum was advising  not to visit Yercaud, as this small hill-station has nothing great to offer in terms of places of interest in the city.

Which was all the more better, as visiting every nook and corner of the city and spending the entire day running from view points to museums to photographing the monuments is not our cup of tea. We had done the same during some of our earlier trips and disliked doing it.

Travel | Pudukkottai - Getting immersed in the rich cultural heritage of rural India

Continued from here..
Stop. Take a deep breath. And walk, fly or catch a train away from the city and into a world where the average pace of life is slower than slow. "It is not down in any map; true places never are." ~ Herman Melville. 

Many of these rural destinations have gained popularity in terms of their artwork, history and natural beauty. 

If palatial mansions are what makes Kanadukathan then these hand-made tiles from soil have brought Athangudi on travelers map.  

Travel | Kanadukathan - Where art, architecture and craft meet

Continued from here..
Chettinadu is a cluster of villages in Tamil Nadu and Kanadukathan and Karaikudi are a few popular towns in it.The colossal palaces and bungalows in and around Kanadukathan are a good place to understand and appreciate the love for art, architecture and craft of the a very influential business community of South India called Chettiars.

Travel | Tiruchirappalli - A strong urge to reconnect with history

A vacation with your loved ones is a perfect way to give your mind and body a much needed break when work pressure creeps on, making you unfocused.
And that is what we did during our year-end winter holidays. As always, this vacation was also unplanned and we could not book tickets for our trip timely.

My hubby suggested we drive down by road and explore something different this vacation.

A close family friend of hubby who hails Kanadukathan suggested we make a trip to this lesser known town of South India.

He also ensured that the rich heritage of Chettinadu palaces, simplicity of rural villages and many ancient temples surrounding the town will mesmerize us.  

So, with the strong urge to reconnect with history and explore the grandeur of South India, we started our trip on a weekend.

Travel | Somnath Temple in Gujarat, immersed in God's word Part - 5

Continued from Part 4
'Prayers does not change God, but it changes him who prays.' ~ Kierkegaard. This eternal shrine of Somnath in Gujarat was destroyed six times and was rebuilt with more  vigour and devotion every single time. The first temple was supposed to be built before the beginning of Christian era. The present temple is the seventh temple on the original site of Somnath which was completed in 1995.

Travel | Gir in Sasan, Our First Sight of Asiatic Lions in Wild Part - 4

Continued from Part -3

The Safari system is pretty organized in Gir if you have prior booking for the rooms as well as for the safari.

Each safari cost INR 2000 including guide charges which is mandatory. I already read about people facing troubles in sightings lions in shared gypsies with noisy & cramped rides. We did not share our gypsy with anyone and did all are safaris by ourselves.

Travel | Gir is Calling, Sinh Sadan in Sasan Part -3

Continued from Part 2
Finally we were heading towards the mystical forest of lions called ‘Gir’in Gujrat. You can take a taxi from Diu or board a local bus which is a much cheaper option if you are on a budget.

There are many resorts and hotels near Gir forest but you may lose precious time if you book there. Everyone who wishes to go for lion Safari has to come to Singh Sadan to get a permit before heading to Gir forest.

Travel | A Wonderful Day on the Island of Diu Part -2

Continued from Part -1
Diu is a small ex-Portuguese island which lies at the southernmost tip of Gujarat and was a Portuguese colony before it was taken over by Indian government in 1961. Diu is not a part of Gujarat and is governed by Delhi which makes it an isolating place.
Beaches, forts, churches, cheap booze, simple people and laid back life defines Diu well.

Travel | A Relaxing Vacation in Diu Beach Resort Part - I

Continued from here.
To me the best thing about vacation is brainstorming the places to visit and then write down a tentative plan for the entire trip. Online reviews and Google comes to rescue for searching a comfortable hotel/resort, book safaris in advance and design the itinerary all by myself.

Years of traveling together to some known and some unknown destinations made the nature lover, an adventure enthusiast and the history buff in us go places.

Wedding in Rajasthan - A Celebration of Love, Food and many Emotions

"Marriage is not about the beginning; marriage is about the process and still being able to love through all things." ~  Rhonda. A marriage is a once in a life time ceremony in which not only vows, but also two families are shared between a man a woman tying knot.     

An Indian wedding is a perfect blend of traditions, grandeur, delectable cuisine and sacredness of celebrations. The unbound enthusiasm and the flow of emotions of all the family members have to be seen to be believed.

Travel | Udaipur Trip I - Of Appreciating Man-Made Beauty and Walking Through History

The nostalgia attached with every travel is hard to overcome. Each travel has a story to tell and every travel experience brings out the best times of our lives.
My Udaipur trip is a yearly ritual which I eagerly wait for. I remember reading it somewhere that visiting Udaipur is nothing short of reliving royalty and appreciating the city's man-made beauty!

Travel | A Fulfilling Trip to Pondicherry, Mangrove Forest and Mamallapuram

“Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer." It surely is a much needed break from the monotonous life, we all look forward to. I love the feeling of getting disoriented from the comforts of home and trusting total strangers for living in a new place. 
Most of our travel trips are unplanned which are decided instantly. Somehow I am not convinced with booking a holiday trough a travel agent where we need to do things as per their itinerary. 

A Trip to Charming Coonoor and Kotagiri in Nilgiri - II

"The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see" ~ Chesterton. And we started our five day travel trail on the same note to the majestic blue mountain range Nilgiri as a traveler, avoiding most of the popular tourist spots in Nilgiri district, treading the off beaten path. In the bargain we could connect with the nature and to those innocent people married to tough mountain life.

A Trip to Ooty through the Picturesque Blue Mountain Ranges in Nilgiri - I

We had no concrete travel plans this year as re-modelling the house, painting, developing our farm house and many such long pending activities were on the wish list.
Sweltering heat in the city, monotonous summer holidays and the travel bug in us had different plans for us. Time was the big constraint in finalizing the destination, as we had few days of holidays left. Kanha National Park, Periyar sanctuary and a few other tourist places came to mind, but they all needed prior bookings for jungle cottages and the rides.
A friend suggested to visit off beat places in Ooty, strange but its true that we never visited Ooty though staying very close to this lovely place. This mountain city is overcrowded now and has lost its charm due to too many tourists travelling and making it more of a commercial place. But the weather is perfect to beat the heat and relax, away from the sweaty Chennai in May.

Jim Corbett National Park - A Perfect Date with Nature!

Coming down the hill from Didihat to Ramnagar was easy this time, thanks to the timely advice from my friend and proper precautions against mountain sickness. The nearest staying option we could find was KMVN guest house in Ramnagar, which was well maintained and had good room service with all the basic amenities.

We were among the few privileged lucky travelers to Jim Corbett National Park or CNP who got the most coveted Jungle rest house Dhikala. After confirming the booking in Ramnagar and a night stay at KMVN guest house we hired an open Gypsy with a driver for 2 nights and 3 days. You need to show your bargaining prowess here to fix a good rate. And Rs. 2000/ for a day was not bad according to other co travelers.

Uttaranchal II - A Road Less Travelled

A hot cup of tea, misty morning and a picturesque Himalayas in front, mornings could never be better than this.A good night sleep did cast its magic on us. It is lovely to see morning hours with a different view.

“Blessed are those who are close to nature” The serene and unpolluted environment fills the people of mountain with exuberance and a life time gift of sparkle & innocence on their faces.Their expectations and needs are very limited which in turn makes them content & cheerful.

Uttaranchal - A Road Less travelled

A vacation always mean searching and booking for well-known tourist places and asking the opinions of friends and acquaintances who visited those places.
For most of the tourist spots are well connected with logistics and have a good network of boarding facilities, it is less painstaking going to such places.
But a trip to Uttaranchal last year changed my perception of traveling altogether.