Category: Travel Diaries
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Dzuluk – tracing an old silk route.
It must have been late in the evening but I couldn’t figure out what time it was. It was dark but that was quite normal- cos’ it was winter and the sun sets around 6-ish. The temperature was about 3 ° (Celsius)- not so cold considering I have experienced 35 below. I was trying to…
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Indulgence has a new name- ITC Gardenia.
Have you ever found yourself in a predicament so embarrassing that it’s not even funny? You’ve told everyone around you that have planned on going on a holiday – but eventually did not. Of course, there could be a number of reasons but do you really think they care. All that matters to them is…
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The Ripple Tea Experience
It was not so early in the morning and the temperature must have been in the 20’s. I was on the bed with my eyes half-open, wondering if I should get out or just go back to sleep. Of course, the latter wasn’t necessarily a good idea considering that every time I closed my eyes,…
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Novotel Hyderabad Airport Hotel.
If you’ve been reading my blog long enough, then you’d know the kind of importance the “City of Nizams” hold in my life. Apart from spending close to half a decade in this city, it was the perfect launchpad for a food and travel writer like me. My journey started with reviewing restaurants on Zomato,…
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Little Paris of the East – Hanoi
I sat there at this eatery, made legendary by Obama. His visit to Vietnam meant more to this restaurateur than lifting a 50 yr old embargo. I was deaf to the constant murmuring of customers around me. All I could think of was that I was having a bad day- the cab driver overcharged me…
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Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon – Bhutan
Have you ever heard of the term “Gross National Happiness”? Every country that we know measure their economic performance by something that is largely materialistic- money. I’m not saying that money doesn’t effect the way we live our lives but can we truly concede that it is the (if not the only) source of our…
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Weekend at The Serai, Kabini
I was immersed in thought; besides that, a feeling that something was weighing me down. It was nothing in particular but several episodes that transpired over the past year was playing in my head. It was happening- the experience was not unpleasant but liberating. I looked around and we were in a boat about 15…
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Chadar trek- tale of a South Indian Pahadi.
“Nobody is born to withstand extreme temperatures; it is human instinct to adapt as much as we can or at least try. It’s only when you put yourself in such situations you realise what your body is ready to endure. The question is how far are you ready to go?” – Abhilash Mithren Ladakh- the…
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Kabini – a weekend by the lake.
Kabini – a weekend by the lake. I know we all have established that fact that holidays are hard to come by if you’re working in the IT sector. Also, when you plan one, you want it to be for a considerable amount of time- say a week- not less. But, therein lies the dilemma-…
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Kaziranga – One horn nation
Kaziranga – One horn nation When I logged into my dashboard today, I realized that it’s been over 3 months since I wrote anything on my blog. What have I been up to? Well, besides the usual tripping on life minus a couple of chaotic weekends.. hmm.. a planned trip to Assam, couple of more…
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La Cuisine de Francoise at The Promenade
La Cuisine de Francoise at The Promenade What is a French connection? Most of you may recall a UK-based fashion retailer while just a handful of you’ll would tell me that it has something to do with sex (Hint: Urban dictionary). It is a little confusing as to what it actually means or refers to!…
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Little Lhasa of India – McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala
Little Lhasa of India The last phase of my trip to Himachal was spent in the picturesque town of McLeod Ganj. McLeod Ganj is located on the slopes of the mighty Dhauladhar Range at an elevation of 7000 feet (approx.). It is an extension to the city of Dharamshala; both which are in Kangra district.…
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Trek to Triund Hill
Trek to Triund Hill I have always been fascinated by trekking and hiking stories but to undertake one- was something I didn’t contemplate. In my college days, we used to drive off to unknown locations and then explore the locality on foot. Back then, I was in good shape, my eating habits were almost inadequate…
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Malana Village – The Great Unknown!
Malana Village – The Great Unknown! If you are an ardent PC gamer, then you will remember the Himalayan country of Kyrat in Far Cry 4. Kyrat is the fictional country where the storyline of the game develops. Everything I loved about the game had to do with Kyrat- a country of extensive mountains and…
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Kasol – for the free spirit.
Kasol – for the free spirit. Being a South Indian, North India was somewhat like an uncharted territory for me. I often joke about it saying, “To boldly go where very few South Indians have gone before!!”. Indeed, it was an endeavour in itself- the fact that a trip to the North would take more…
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Goa travel diaries – Anjuna & Vagator
‘If Anjuna beach is the temple of trance, then surely the sunrise and the sunset is a spiritual experience’ – Abhilash Mithren There is something about Goa- for years, people across the world have congregated on the beaches of Goa- swaying, raving, partying- echoing in one voice, the legacy of the flower children born in the 70’s. With…
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City of Angels – Los Angeles
City of Angels – Los Angeles The single most regret I have is not being able to click a picture such as the one above- the Los Angeles skyline in the night is extremely beautiful. A city that is featured in almost every Hollywood flick and is also the center of the nation’s film and…
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Monterey, 17-Mile Drive, Pacific Coast Hwy
Monterey, 17-Mile Drive, Pacific Coast Hwy Do you remember playing the game Roadrash? I’m sure that everyone must have played this deranged motorcycle-racing game at least once during their younger years. Some of us liked the game for the ability to ride close to your opponents (while racing) and literally kick/whip/punch them off their bikes.…
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Las Vegas : The 7-star oasis of the Mojave Desert
Las Vegas Las Vegas aka ‘Sin City’, ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’, ‘City Of Lights’, ‘The Strip’- some of the few ubiquitous nicknames conferred upon this city that has transcended the very meaning of entertainment. A city that many have not visited yet, have heard a lot about- a paradise for all the fun-loving. Las Vegas- located in the Mojave Desert,…
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Pier 39, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island, SFO, CA.
San Francisco- These days when we talk about a metropolis (especially in India), very few of us would use words such as peaceful, beautiful or clean- in fact the more commonly used words are polluted, crowded and noisy. “I don’t mean to be a hypocrite and I’m sure many of you’ll might ask me to leave…