Spend on Experiences !!! Make memories all over the world...

 Pokhran, the only thing that strikes to your mind when you first hear this name is that this tiny village in Rajasthan was the test site for India’s first underground nuclear weapon and the train of thoughts will take you to picturize John Abraham if you are a Bollywood buff ! Planning a trip to such a place doesn’t come naturally and that’s exactly why you should visit Pokhran.

​Located conveniently between Jodhpur & Jaisalmer, Pokhran is also connected to Bikaner and serves as a perfect pit stop for “tourists” visiting the rather conventional locations to enjoy the highly commercialised heritage of Rajasthan. But if you are a raw traveller looking for offbeat experiences, try and spend some days in this quaint village and immerse in the authentic Rajasthani culture.

A direct flight from Delhi to Jodhpur & 3 hours in a cab which can be arranged in advance by tying up with the local hotels will take you to Pokhran. It’s a sleepy town and gives a very rustic feeling. As you drive in, the highway is lined up with stalls selling Cham Cham ( a sweet delicacy), which was too sweet for my taste but is perfect for people having sugar rush. Its unusual to find a decent place to stay in such a small village, however Fort Pokhran was a pleasant discovery! ​Hidden in the by-lanes at the heart of the city lies this majestic Fort partly transformed into a heritage hotel and managed by the royal family of Jodhpur themselves.

Our perception about this beautiful country has largely been influenced by American movies, is that why we don't really consider Russia for a holiday destination. More so, The greatest Briton of all time, Winston Churchill famously remarked that Russia was "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."
I say, you need to visit before you form a perception, oh and leave room for a huge surprise! 

​I reached the Russian Capital at around midnight, with a few friends that I had made in St. Petersburg. The train ride was picturesque with a lot of greenery and open fields to gaze at. We checked into Moscow Marriott Grand Hotel on Tverskaya street, which is the main radial street. We decided to explore the city while it was relieved of its hustle bustle. The enticing back alleys and charming side streets that branch off of Tverskaya street are filled with hole in the wall eateries that are open late and serve some delicious food. The few people on the streets were hospitable and extremely helpful to point us back to our hotel when we lost our way.

The day started with a visit to the famous Moscow Kremlin, it overlooks the Moskva river and is situated in the heart of the city. Kremlin happens to be the seat of the present Russian government and houses the Kremlin Museum and the Armory. Its business as usual at the State Kremlin Palace, a swanky modern building which remains unobstructed by the flocking tourists. I stood gobsmacked staring at this splendid building, which has been destroyed time and again and yet here it stood in all its might. Of course, like a tourist I did click pictures with the Tsar canon and the Tsar bell, which are on display on Kremlin ground.

After having my visa application rejected by the American Embassy, Russia was the obvious choice for a holiday. Russian visa was not extremely hard to get! My obsession with Russia could not be contained any longer. First stop was going to be St. Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and Leningrad.

I landed at the Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg, on a fine June afternoon. After clearing immigration, it was a long but scenic ride to Corinthia Hotel in the Nevsky Prospect.

The city was decorated and there was much pomp and show, the people were out on the streets. I checked into the hotel. On inquiring I was told that I got lucky as the city was celebrating Scarlet Sails, which happens to be the most massive and famous event at the end of school year. 

Honestly, I had not done much research about the city. After changing into my party clothes. I stepped out to explore the city, on foot. Before that, it was a pit stop to one of the many cafes that line the streets of Nevsky Prospect. As I sat outside one of the cafes and absorbed the breath-taking view while sipping my vodka, I thought about how fascinated I had been about the glorious and bloody Russian history, its architecture, the Tzars and Tsarinas and all the powerplay that Russia has to offer. The architectural beauty of the city is breath-taking. You are surrounded by old European styled building, without any modern building in the heart of the city. 

A unique way to admire the Russian Venice is to take a night boat ride through rivers/channels. You get a totally different perspective of the city, the monuments on the riverbanks are lit up and they take your breath away.  It was around 9:30 pm and I was surprised to see the sun. That is how St. Petersburg gets another nickname “The City of White Nights”. It’s a natural phenomenon which arises due to its closeness to the polar region and ensures that in summer the nights do not get completely dark for a month (don’t forget to draw the curtains before you sleep) !

That night when I finally went to bed at around 3 am, I could not help but marvel at the beauty and the history of the city. Scarlet sails ended with spectacular fireworks and water show, which was preceded by music concerts and a whole lot of celebration.

In our previous blog we shared our experience on Theog, Himachal Pradesh and how did we manage to reach our hotel.  We also talked about our wonderful spa session.
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If you haven't read, here is a quick link Theog - A Quiet Escape Into The Mountains Part 1.

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The next Day (Day 3) started at 6:00 a.m. with another hike uphill, crossing paths with a Tibetan house with a history of war. It was the only house in an around 1000 acres of land which survived the war. The hike was planned to enjoy the mother nature, away from the city stress.  Point of being away from crowded Shimla town was achieved. 

Its funny how one never sulks about being sleepy or any misadventures coming your way when you are in mountains.
On the slopes of these pine tree covered mountains we came across a quaint lil village with just about handful of houses. Almost all of them had a House With A view, perfectly nestled  to soak in the views and savor the serenity. Most of the houses still had the old traditional charm with mud walls and cobbled roofs resting on wooden logs.

Our path was smooth and uneventful, surrounded by Pine trees and patch of small apple orchards. We found ourselves admiring the beauty of the woods and the vegetation covered with fresh snow. The sun rays could not touch the forest floor as the treetops which created a canopy over our head were dense. There was a gentle breeze, creating the single sound of rustling leaves. The leaves appeared as though they were dying to fall out of the tree and join their companions on the forest floor. Together with pine needles and other flora the leaves formed a thick springy carpet for us to walk upon.

The whole setting was augmented by bird chirpings and rustling leaves, giving us our moment of the morning session of mindfulness. But.........
Our little conversation with our instructor/guide filled the air with folklores of Theog. He surprised us by carrying 2 portable chairs & a foldable table. Not to forget he had a picnic kit ( Tea, muffins and some peanut + jaggery bars.  Spending about an hour in the wilderness, we spoke about how the most dramatic elements of the area were the majestic trees themselves. Tall and stately, glowing red trunks and high crowns towering over a thick vegetation with grasses and native plants. We even started planning for our next vacation. 

The journey to Theog ( Himachal Pradesh ) was a planned vacation. This hamlet of less than 5,000 people is well-connected to the rest of Himachal Pradesh via National Highways 5 and 705. It started around 1.30pm from Chandigarh Airport (Punjab) which is about 150 kms to our destination.

The journey was filled with excitement, as it was going to be an action packed 4 days tour. The windows were down ( in the initial leg of our journey) music was on and 100 miles of adventure to be covered on your wheels. Inspite of the weather being distinctively windy, we pulled off at many places to admire the valley and the surrounding beauty. 
We were half way through, just about to cross Shimla ​( 30 kms away from Taj Theog ) as the snow started falling, it made it difficult to drive. What was a wonderful journey so far, now, has turned into once in a life time experience for us. The S-curve road and the sharp U-turns of the mountains, covered with snow made the 1hr drive to a 4 long hrs., as the vehicle wheels kept skidding over the thin ice sheets even at a speed of 10 kmph. Out of sheer joy we could not stop asking our driver ‘Sirji’ (name of the car driver) to stop the car as we were amazed by the outside view and the snowfall.

​After few minutes of play with snow we were chilled to our bones, we could not even switch on the heater as the car was not a 4 wheel drive and we could not afford the engine to seize. The last leg of the journey was muddy and off-road upwards drive to the top of a hill where , 'Taj' which was recently opened, was nestled.

Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal and lies about 1400 metres above sea level. This Himalayan city has so much to offer its guests that you need atleast 3-4 days to see & feel it in the truest sense. But in this fast paced life, time is what most people don’t have. So if you have only 2 days to spare in Kathmandu, don’t be disappointed. I have done all the homework for you and have listed down a complete plan for these 2 days so that you don’t miss out anything.

These are the best places to visit or experience most of it can be covered in 2 days:

1. Chandragiri hill – It’s a 30-45 mins drive from the city depending on where you are put up. Leave soon after you check in. Once you reach the foot station, you can buy tickets for the massive 2.5 kms rope way that takes you right up on the Chandragiri hill. The rope way itself is an exhilarating experience that you will remember for a long time. Once you reach the top, you can pray at the Bhaleswor Mahadev temple, stroll in the kids parks or pay a nominal fee to witness the majestic Everest range from an observatory.            

           Entry fee - USD 10 to 25 (depending on your nationality)
           Total Time Required - 3 to 4 hours

​From my adolescence, I have been a mountain admirer and this made me pass through various peaks and passes located in extreme north of India. However, this time I wanted to change the rules of my vacation and chose to visit Munnar, Kerala or as they say it is Gods own Country.

​Munnar is green paradise which during British raj was one of their favourite vacation spot. The stunning destination is a 5-hour scenic drive from Kochi airport passing through bends and blind spot but as soon as you approach your destination you’ll witness the lush green valleys, ubiquitous Tea estate and dense fog that would cut down the visibility to less than 5 metres.  The view of widespread immaculate tea gardens is indeed bliss and seems like nature has placed a green carpet over the town. The stupendous valleys, grandeur tea plantations, Spice and Ayurveda gardens will keep you enthralled throughout. The place is ideal for nature lovers and the views of high ranging mountains and skyline is just majestic. For the ones looking for some adrenaline rush, this place is also a biker’s paradise and you can witness Royal Enfields to Harley Davidsons cutting through the misty roads of Munnar. Munnar also welcomes adventure seekers with its variety of day and night forest trails, trekking options and a rich wildlife. 

I would recommend spending atleast 02N/03D and not miss even one of below mentioned places:

1. A visit to Kanan devan hills plantation (Tata Tea Factory) is must and will be “Jaago” moment for everyone and if you are complacent about your tea making skills then I am sure you will be amused after the insights gained during the session. The educational and entertainment tour edify history, origin, types of tea leaves & garden, tea preparation traits and finally a brief of the entire process from plucking of leaves to packing of final tea crushes. While you are leaving, you can have a pot of fresh tea and buy tea leaves as souvenir for friends and family

​On a lazy afternoon, you just lie by the side of a secluded little beach island listening to the sounds of the sea along with a few other enthusiastic souls around you. Sounds soothing? Well, that’s Krabi for You!
 In the daily grind of life, we all seek to steal away a few moments of silent happiness and store its memories under our pillows. The rewind which plays in our dreams does not always reduce the pain of the daily grind, but it surely makes it all very easy to tackle as you wait for your next beautiful encounter with mother nature. If you are the midst of such a situation, it’s time that you take a break from your daily grind. And what better place to unwind than the beautiful sand beaches of Krabi...! Here’s 6 reasons why Krabi should be your next best escape along with all other details that you need to know before you plan:

1. Beautiful white sand beaches on hidden islands: Krabi is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The soft white sand adored by the tall palm trees and fascinating limestone walls that surround most beaches take your mind and heart to a world of fantasy. You can see the varied marine life and their beautiful colours without even dipping your head into the water; it is that clear! You need to be there to feel the magic that these beaches create… It’s a beach lover’s paradise and the heavenly warmth it offers can be so addictive that you start disliking any beach which doesn’t live up to the ‘Krabi standard’. Though there are numerous beaches scattered along the coast line and most offer the same fabulous feeling, here are some of my personal favorites.
​a. Wang Long bay: If you are looking for a semi-private beach to spend some romantic lazy time with bae, nothing comes close to this beach located in the south of Koh Phi Phi Don. This hidden gem is not known to most tourists as it is situated as a thin channel between enormous limestone cliffs making it virtually invisible. Due to the thin entrance, not more than 3-4 boats can stop at this bay at once and hence most operators avoid it. Some operators (mentioned later in my article) do stop at this serene beach depending on weather conditions.

b. Koh Tup Island (also known as Tub, Thap and Tap): Unlike Wang Long, this beach is quite popular as it is one of the islands covered in the famous 4 island day tour. An ideal site for snorkelling, this picturesque beach is also unique for another reason. ‘Talay Waek’ which means ‘divided sea’ is a common occurrence here during low tide. A sandbar is accessible during low tide which connects Koh Tup and Koh Mor (another adjacent islet) to the Koh Kai (Chicken island) situated about 500 metres away. Despite this being a common phenomenon, it is quite an unbelievable sight for someone visiting the first time. However, do carry good water shoes as the sharp corals/shells beneath the water may hurt you. 

c. Nui beach: Just like Wang Long, Nui beach is desolated by most tourists in the fervour for more popular beaches. But it’s best to keep this secret to yourself, else this beautiful abode of heavens will soon become another haven, flocked by tourists. The black rocky walls of the beach are an ideal contrast to the white sands and the big rocks in front stand out magnificently on the clear turquoise water. Its a sight you will cherish for a long time. 

We will continue from where we left in the first part...

The word ADULT printed on the ticket proved that Ocean Park’s not for kids only. Hehe .. so I consoled myself. A single day in Hong Kong is a sensory-busting experience. Get an early start at the massive Ocean Park — Hong Kong’s answer to SeaWorld, but much more animal-friendly (they don’t have Orcas).
We were welcomed graciously by the staff at Ocean Park, a rather far cry from Genting Highlands Theme Park where you marched in and the attendant at the gate would only glance at your wrist, not your face.
Once entering, do not rush but instead take your own sweet time preparing your own itinerary. Grab a map and the daily show schedule available at the entrance, and plan your erm … “journey” else you’ll be running around in circles wondering when and where the shows are being held. But rest assured all the shows and feeding schedule are presented at least twice a day, and some may not be worth spending time on.
Located in the Southern District of Hong Kong, Wong Chuk Hang, Ocean Park is one of the top tourist destinations in Hong Kong. This marine-life theme park features thrill rides, world-class entertainments and animal exhibits. It is the first Asian winner of the Applause Award, the most prestigious awards in the amusement and theme park industry, in 2012 for its outstanding entertainment.
Are you wondering what we did there? Oh well, we did nothing but had fun! So if you are also planning to go here, I am giving you 12 reasons to try its diverse selection of world-class marine attractions, rides and shows!