It is not every day that I end up staying in hotel suites. If I count it would be actually in single digit. But my three most cherished experiences stand out due to opulence and practicality! The first experience that comes to my mind was staying in the Levi Spirit Villa (picture above) in Lapland,…
Performing Animals- What Can a Tourist Do?
First off I use the words traveler and tourist interchangeably, so take your pick. In our travels we sometimes come across a situation where we end up interacting with performing animals. I have to admit I became conscious of the issue only gradually! I derive a lot of pleasure from visiting national parks. I have…
Majestic Himalayan Sky
There is everything about the Himalayas that attracts me towards them! I am lucky that I have been to Nepal, Bhutan and of course explored the Indian Himalayas as well. Trekking is my favorite way to see the grand mountain range. But I am always happy to be there! And the Himalayan sky paint a…
Culturally Sensitive Travel
Globalization vs. localization has been an never ending debate. Some believe that the whole world is becoming more and more alike, akin to a global village. It is said that increase in trade and travel will lead to even more homogeneity. And yet many believe and customs and culture still remain as distinct as ever…
10 Years of Travel Blogging
I started blogging a long time back, on 10th June, 2005. At that time I was between two jobs. I had a month before I would join another. I was sitting at my sister’s home and they forced me to start a blog. OK they didn’t actually force me but then they gave me no…
In Praise of Haldiram
Now that I have started thinking about food, I realized I actually quite enjoy going to Haldiram. There are two locations which I frequent. I go to the one in the MGF Mall, Gurgaon and the other being Shipra Mall in Ghaziabad. One is close to my home, the other is close to my sister’s…
Khum Khantoke in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Khum Khantoke in Chiang Mai is a popular restaurant serving the traditional Lanna dinner along with a vibrant cultural show. Khum means a wooden pavilion and Khantoke is a circular plate which contains many dishes. Traditional khantoke is served while the guests are sitting on the mats on ground! Modern ones can be served on…
Have You Visited Chandratal in Spiti?
If you have visited Chandratal in Spiti, you could stop reading now. If you are yet to visit the region, what are you waiting for? Ladakh has now become very popular with tourists. Spiti is equally beautiful and less crowded. I find the terrain very similar at both the places. But there is one crucial…
Bathtub My Guilty Pleasure
A lingering hot soak in a bathtub is my guilty pleasure. It is possible only when I travel because at home we do not have a bath tub. Let me rephrase it, we are the kind of people who grew up in homes without bathtubs. Hence it is the norm for us, we do not…
World Environment Day
I feel every day is environment day. But then 5th June is dedicated as the world environment day. As a person I feel I do very little. But then whatever little I do, I am going to talk about it. But what worries me more is that I do not know what more can I…