The couple of days on the cruise ship in Halong Bay in Northern Vietnam were truly magical with constant sight of hundreds of limestone islands jutting out from the sea. During the days we kayaked in the open sea, while in the evenings we indulged in jacuzzi baths and massages and later enjoyed sundowners on the upper deck with twinkling lights from the other ships forming a romantic backdrop.
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Halong Bay Bliss: A Magical Cruise through Northern Vietnam’s Limestone Wonders
The couple of days on the cruise ship in Halong Bay in Northern Vietnam were truly magical with constant sight of hundreds of limestone islands jutting out from the sea. During the days we kayaked in the open sea, while in the evenings we indulged in jacuzzi baths and massages and later enjoyed sundowners on the upper deck with twinkling lights from the other ships forming a romantic backdrop.
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Raghupur Fort Trek (at 12000 feet) From Jalori Pass, Enthralling 360 Deg Views, Seraj Valley, Himachal.
Thrilled to have fulfilled a promise made 22 years ago of trekking up to the ruins of Raghupur Fort, perched at 12000 feet, starting from Jalori Pass in Seraj Valley, Himachal Pradesh. We enjoyed the 3 kms uphill trek lost in the wilderness and revelling in the unparalleled panoramic beauty of nature!
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Mangalajodi – from a poaching village to a conservation site
While on the last leg of our road trip in Odisha, an impulse took us to the Bird Sanctuary at the Mangalajodi Wetlands, on the northern edge of Chilika Lake. In a span of 2.5 hours we spotted 30 species in multiple numbers of these beautiful winged creatures as we glided across on our flat bottomed wooden boat.
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Hike To Ethereal Barasari Meadow – Ringed By Deodars, Mountains Rising High In Tirthan Valley Near Sharchi
Our impromptu hike to Barsari Meadow ahead of Sharchi Village (Himachal Pradesh) via the ancient Jamala Village which seemed in a time warp. Half an hour out of Jamala, the winding path soon led us to Barasari Meadow. We found it ethereal – the sprawling meadow, ringed by deodars and mountains rising high. We experienced an exhilarating calm here.
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Panoramic Day Hike in Tirthan Valley to Chhoie Waterfall, Hidden in the Forest up in the Hills
Our trek to Chhoie Waterfall took us an hour climbing up. We strolled down the couple of kms along the Tirthan River, from our resort in Gushaini to Nagini – from where the hike starts. After an hour’s climb we were rewarded with our first sight of the waterfall hidden in the forest up in the hills. Gratifying!
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Exciting Day Trek To Hippo Waterfall & Great Himalayan National Park Gate In Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Rediscovering Tirthan Valley after 17 years. Our exciting and adventurous day trek to the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) Gate and Hippo Waterfall in Himachal Pradesh. The trek took us a total of 7 hours, with an extended stop at the Hippo Point, about 3 hours one way. The journey was wonderful but the destination was magical.
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Don’t Miss This Day Hike | Ganjau Thatch Trek | Shangarh Sainj Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Our most delightful experience in Shangarh (Sainj Valley, Himachal Pradesh) was the day trek to Ganjau Thatch– an alpine meadow which took us one and a half hours to climb, slightly less time to return. We hike at an easy pace, imbibing the beauty of creation at each step and turn and taking time for crafting memories with pictures and videos.
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Goreme, Cappadocia – The Fairyland
Fairy chimneys – that’s what Cappadocia in Turkey is famed for. No not man-made, no not those in children’s fables, no not a few in a garden for a birthday party! Spread all over the 100 sq kms of Goreme National Park and beyond, formed naturally from the volcanic ash of eruptions, shaped over the years by wind and water erosion.
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Exploring (on foot) Offbeat Istanbul Along The Golden Horn & Cruising Down The Bosphorus!
On our last day in Istanbul (Turkey) we took a walking tour exploring the Chora Church, Greek neighbourhood Fener and old Jewish quarter Balat on the southern shore of the Golden Horn. We ended the day with the popular Bosphorous tour at sunset, nay ending the day looking up to the imposing Galata Tower.
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Capturing various moods of birds in suburban shimla
During our staycation in the hills at a nature retreat surrounded by a mixed forest around Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, the verdant and sylvan surroundings were home to many different species of birds. And here, I was blessed to sight these beautiful creatures time and again in their various moods; about 35 different species of birds out of which 25 I managed to capture through my lens, a mere 300 mm. Here I share some of my birding encounters and experiences with pictures.
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INTERNATIONAL – Splendors And Impressions
Goreme, Cappadocia – The Fairyland
Fairy chimneys – that’s what Cappadocia in Turkey is famed for. No not man-made, no not those in children’s fables, no not a few in a garden for a birthday party! Spread all over the 100 sq kms of Goreme National Park and beyond, formed naturally from the volcanic ash of eruptions, shaped over the years by wind and water erosion.
Exploring (on foot) Offbeat Istanbul Along The Golden Horn & Cruising Down The Bosphorus!
On our last day in Istanbul (Turkey) we took a walking tour exploring the Chora Church, Greek neighbourhood Fener and old Jewish quarter Balat on the southern shore of the Golden Horn. We ended the day with the popular Bosphorous tour at sunset, nay ending the day looking up to the imposing Galata Tower.
TRAVELLING IS ABOUT UNENDING FIRSTS – OURS AT FETHIYE, SAKLIKENT (TURKEY)!
At Fethiye by the Mediterranean Coast of South Western Turkey I hadn’t ever imagined that the Saklikent Canyon tour would include a challenging river walk to Gizlikent (Hidden Waterfall), a pit stop at Tlos – an ancient ruined Lycian hilltop citadel, an adrenalin rushing river tubing and a wacky mud bath. Each experience was an adventurous memorable first.
PENANG, George Town – A Captivating Microcosm!
George Town is part of Penang island and the capital city of the Western Malaysian state. Ranging from Colonial and Chinese to even Thai and Burmese besides of course Malay, Penang offers a diverse experience and a tremendous mix of culture and history contained in its architecture, temples and bylanes. However, the interactive street art stole our hearts.
Angkor Wat, The Temple City – A Traveller’s Travesty!
Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia is the largest Hindu Temple ever built. It took 30 years to build, 300000 workers, 4 million tonnes of stone, in the 12th century. Seeing the day’s last rays of the sun fall on the temple and bathe it with golden light is a magical experience.
Eclectic Experiences in Sri Lanka
A 2 week road trip took us through 2000 year old Buddhist caves in Dambulla, the 5th century AD Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress, our tryst with wildlife at Udawalawe and Bundala, whale and dolphin watching at Mirissa, a stint at stilt fishing (a dying tradition), getting close to sea turtles at a conservatory and more.
Sigiriya Lion Rock, Sri Lanka
In Central Province of Sri Lanka, lies Sigiriya Lion Rock, also called the 8th Wonder. Said to have formed from the magma of an extinct volcano, Sinhalese King Kasyapa I built it in the 5th century A.D., atop a plateau, 200 meters above the surrounding jungles. At the entrance of the palace is a gateway in the form of an enormous lion.
Franschhoek – Historic Tales & Vineyard Trails
Franschhoek in South Africa’s Western Cape Province surrounded by the vineyards, lying in the shadow of dark enigmatic mountains has a storybook setting with a stunning landscape. It is considered to be the food and wine capital of South Africa. The highlight of our stay indisputably was the The Franschhoek Wine Tram hop-on hop-off tour.
Bastakiya Quarters Dubai
Bastakiya Quarters in Bur Dubai is a quaint neighborhood built in 1890s by Iranian merchants and restored by Dubai Municipality in 2005. Walk through labyrinth alleyways and visit heritage courtyard houses topped with wind towers. Enjoy the open art galleries and those within the restored traditional houses. Here is a photo essay of Bastakiya’s mystic old merchant settlement!