Jo'burg in 2 days!

Jo'burg or Jozi as the natives would like to call it is city of contrasts. Johannesburg has a rich history dating back to thousands of years but the city got its real attention with discovery of gold. George Harrison was the man who stumbled upon the gold bearing reef which led to the gold rush with thousands of migrants thronging the city in search of wealthy prospects. It is believed that this man sold his claim for 10 pounds and left the city!

The Jo'burg CitySightSeeing Hop On- Hop Off tour is a great way to explore the downtown and learn the history of Jozi. They also offer combined tours of Soweto and Jo'burg city which is a worthy deal. Soweto is a township that provides housing to several blacks who were evicted during apartheid. The city had to bear the brunt of Apartheid and has been a witness to hatred, pain, and tears which is poignantly captured in the Apartheid Museum. A visit to the museum has left many in tears! It is indeed quite disturbing to know that the natives were treated inhumanely and were subjected to a grotesque livelihood.  The city tour covers the Apartheid Museum but be warned that a decent tour around the museum would take about 2-3 hours. Right now, there is a temporary exhibition of Nelson Mandela that takes you through his life history.

"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others" - Nelson Mandela

The quote beautifully summarizes the spirit of the freedom struggle in South Africa.

You can find more details about the City tour here. You get a discount when you book your tickets online.

Gandhi Square

The downtown depicts one side of Jo'burg while the sprawling suburbs of the city tell you a different story. Swanky cars, Glittery shopping malls, High-speed free ways, Fancy restaurants, Expensive apparel stores and Fashionable diamond outlets paint the burgeoning city!

After a tiring tour of the downtown, you can pamper yourself at one of the many plush up-market shopping areas. You can choose any one from the list that is close to your place of stay - Rose Bank, Melrose Arch or Sandton city. The Nelson Mandela Square is next to the Sandton city mall which boasts of a larger-than-life Nelson Mandela statue and is a quaint place to have a sumptuous evening meal.

What is an African city without wildlife? You can plan your Day 2 to visit one of the many private game lodges. Lion park is a famous wildlife conservation enclosure where you can drive through to meet and greet the lions. You can either do a self drive or book a guided game drive. You can also pet lion cubs. There are other similar private games within the vicinity of Jo'burg. I would recommend Lion Park as I have had great close viewing experience of lions and other animals. If you are with children, Jo'burg Zoo is another option but zoos aren't unique like the game drives. If you are visiting Jo'burg, I am sure a visit to the Kruger National Park is on the cards. In that case, you can give this a skip.

Cradle of Humankind is another prominent tourist destination which is a World heritage site depicting the journey of human species since evolution. If you are interested in science and curious about our origin, it is a place worth visiting provided you have time to juggle things!

View of the city from Carlton

Jo'burg also boasts of a couple of theme parks that makes to the top of popular tourist destinations but in my opinion, there isn't anything African in a theme park. Gold reef city is a theme park that is built over a closed gold mine. A tour down one of the mine shafts is possible but i believe it is currently not open to visitors.

Safety in Jo'burg is a huge concern for many travelers. There are many do's and don'ts that one must follow to not attract any untoward incidents. Just stick to the basics and am sure you will be safe. There are certain areas that are better avoided after sunset and venturing to such places can land you in trouble. By and large the city and its after-the-dark shopping malls are quite safe.

Things you shouldn't give a miss

• An African meal - Try Moyo @ Melsrose arch or if you are the adventurous, try the shebeens in Soweto ( Exercise caution if you are visiting in the night, it is better to take a local along)
• An evening meal at the Nelson Mandela Square/ Rose Bank 
• A walk around the Downtown in daylight - haggle and shop at the roadside
• A visit to the African Market in Rose Bank to get curios (open till 6 p.m)
• The view from the Carlton center

Curios @ African Market

A sharp mind, fiery tongue and a bit of composure is what one needs in a foreign land

My husband, Vishnu and I recently traveled through Italy and had a time for a life! Traveling in a new country has its share of challenges and we did face a few. It was our first day in Italy, after touring Milan we were headed towards Bellagio, a tranquil little town by the Lake como for our stay that night. Bellagio can be accessed only by a ferry. We had planned to reach Bellagio by 7.00 – 7.30 P.M and unwind at this charming town. We reached Milan train station around 5.30 and were good on time. First day in Italy and we were getting our selves familiarized to the system. We avoided the long queue and did well to get our tickets from the vending machine and spotted a train leaving to Varenna (our destination to take the ferry) in about 20 mins. We got our tickets, rushed our way to the right platform and boarded the train just on time. Everything was new and the last hour went like a breeze. We had to get down at Lecco and change over to Varenna. Too many places for your memory to hold right?

We were getting to the interiors of Italy which meant less and less of English. Luckily, we found a youngster who spoke fluent English and helped us with the connecting train. We did everything as told and proudly showed our tickets to the ticket checker and he responded in Italian. We sported a quizzical look! He spoke no English, We spoke hardly any Italian. There a saviour again, a co-passenger who translated what he told. And it meant – We have boarded a train that doesn’t stop in Varenna!

Get down at the next stop; take the next train that comes by!

We get down and to our surprise find a station equal to the one you find in a remote Indian Village – No lights, wears a deserted look with the information office closed. Turn around and find nothing but darkness! And now we are late !! Remember only access to Bellagio is by a Ferry, then I remember buses do go to Bellagio but takes more time and I wasn’t sure if any would be available at this hour. It was only around 7P.M but appeared to be 12 midnight.

And there again we find another Saviour, a woman waiting to board a train. Voila, we go ask for information. She speaks no English! Now, we don’t have anyone else to help us with the translation. Speak to her for 15 mins, try to grasp what she says and realize she says completely different from what we were told in the train. She asked us to take a train in the opposite direction to go to Varenna! What do we do? Trust your instincts and go with the lady!

Board the train and find the train empty! It felt like scenes from a thriller movie! No, we weren’t in the right spirits for an adventure now. Walk through the coups and find a lady who only understood the word ‘Varenna’ and we only understood ‘She has to get down there’. We are on the Right train! Time for some celebration? Not yet! Why? Will we catch the last Ferry?

Get down and run hastily with 2 heavy back-packs to the ferry station to see the ferry just leave. Sigh!! Hurriedly run to the counter and the first thing I ask, “Was that the last ferry to Bellagio?” I could hear my heart beat faster. Beat Beat and Beat. He says something in Italian. I ask, “Bellagio? Next Ferry?”
9.00 P.M. and our watch shows 8.02 P.M. Happy on one side that we still haven’t missed the last ferry and at the same time little disappointed that we missed the previous one.

Tired and beaten we realized that we were hungry. Looked around and found the place to be really deserted. Tried asking the man in the counter for other options and we couldn’t really converse in different languages.

We sit down and try to pick the address of our Hotel and would you believe it? I can’t find it! It is really turning out to be a thriller! Walk around to find a place where the owner was having dinner with his family. We were the only customers and asked if he was open. He took look at us and knew our plight. He welcomed us in, served us some hot pizzas and even helped us to get the address from the internet.

Now, we board the ferry with one co-passenger. Pretty cold! Land in Bellagio at 9.15 P.M to find the town already asleep. We have the address but no directions. We believed we can ask people around but never expected the place to be dead. But then, we had planned to arrive at 7.00 and now we are 2 hours late. Three possible directions and stumped we stood. We found a man smoking in the dark corner and approached him. Good or Bad, we had no choice. Here again no English! With enough experiences behind my back, now I was determined to get the information right this time. Our presence of mind helped us get this far in a foreign land where we didn’t speak the language. With that confidence and composure, I asked him the directions. He looked stoned. Tried speaking in the little Italian I knew – Didn’t help. Finally, I pulled out a paper, wrote the name of the hotel in big fonts, followed by ‘?’. He began telling us the direction in Italian. One by one I took down what he said, spent considerable time marking the directions on paper and reaffirming it with him. And then took the long walk through deserted streets embraced in silence – after about 20 mins of walk we spotted our Hotel on the right after a fuel station as told by the man. Grazie! In the darkness and anxiety, we really didn’t realize how beautiful this town was until we woke up the next morning! See pics.

It was the presence of my mind to pull out a sheet of paper that really got us out of the fiery situation. Lesson learned for the night was Humans don’t need a language to communicate, if we are determined to understand the other person then, signs, expressions and instincts can convey a lot!

We found a savior at every place we got stuck. God appears as humans to help us in reaching our destination. This incident reflected life for me!

Am not alone here!

View from our room

The beautiful view of the Alpine foothills

Relax in the tranquility of calm waters

Vaal River Area - A weekend getaway

South Africa is a country abundant with adventure & wildlife activities. No matter where you go, you will find an adventure activity to do! The country being small, in comparison to the country i come from; there are many places to head to, for a weekend stay.

Parys in Free State province by the River Vaal was our destination for the Christmas weekend. From my little experience in South Africa, i believe the most redundant activity one gets to do is enter a game or pay for some adrenalin pump. We knew what to expect and had planned for a relaxing weekend.

Parys is an ideal destination for unwinding! The Vredefort dome - the oldest and largest crater impact in the world is 5 km away from Parys. The UNESCO heritage site is closed at the moment for construction work. We managed to get in, thanks to the kind security guard!

Crater impact spots are interesting to read about but fail to impress anyone. It has a diameter of roughly 300 kms.[Pic of Crater impact]

Parys is a tiny little town, with country houses. It has a museum(didn't visit), Antique shops & art/craft items on sale.

Like any South African area, it is an home to plethora of Adventure activities! River rafting, Fly fishing, Quad-biking, Abseiling and Hot air ballooning(over the crater impact)!

We did river rafting - beautiful experience! I have done rafting earlier in India near Mysore. This was a totally different experience. Though the rapid levels were low, the number and the nature of the rapids set the adrenaline gushing. The rapids were of various kinds, each providing a new, surprising experience!

The Christmas season in South Africa is more of an off-season, so most of the activities were not available / fully booked! We wanted to do hot air ballooning but couldn't and we weren't interested in the rest.

Spent quality time at the Vaal river, and in our B&B River bush lodge. I would recommend staying there - it was neat & comfortable.

A nice relaxing break just an hour and half away from Jo'burg! Recommend it for a quick break, some rafting & relaxation.

Gaming is next on cards :-)

Roma in 2 days!

It was the last leg of our trip and the emotions were all mixed, rightly so! The train journey from Florence to Rome was scenic. The weather was just perfect. It is one of those typical European routes where one can get excited about the Italian landscape.

Our early retirement the previous day did a lot of good! We were wide awake, enjoying the beauty. We were at our B&B at 2.00 and knew we had to just run out to cover Roma!!

We stayed close to the Vatican, at Bibi & Romeo. I had recommend this place, Romeo is a perfect host. He is so helpful and everything about the B&B was just so right. Even though he is not available at the B&B, he has ensured everything is set right that you will never need him, and if you do, he is just a call away! Romeo pulled out a Roma map and gave a good brief about what best can be done in 2 days. We had our itinerary, inputs from the people on ground our always helpful. We did a quick re-grouping of our plan and off we went to start our tour.

We visited the capuchin crypt where the ossuary is decorated with bones. It was first of its kind, for us in the entire trip. We began our walk for the evening from there. Our next stop was the Pantheon,(Admission free)where Raphel's tomb is placed. I found Rome to be very busy that evening with loads of people walking down the aisle. There was a demonstration in front of the pantheon, making it appear very busy and crowded.

The evening was themed, "Roma for Free" for us, we next spent some time near the Trevi fountain! Bought some Pizzas and stood by the fountain. I am not sure which part of the day, the fountain would be free of tourists but an evening is definitely not the time! We stopped by at the Spanish steps, these are places where you can just sit and observe the scores of tourists around!!

The piazzas in Roma are indeed beautiful with sculptures and fountains! Piazza Popello, Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori were are next stops. The Pyramid at Piazza Popello is the one that features in the movie Angels and Demons. The fountain of four rivers is found in Piazza Navona. The Piazzas are the ideal place to slow down, grab a cafe, take a few bites and experience Roma.

We headed back to our B&B after our walking tour for the evening! We spotted a Pizza house near our B&B, a small one with white board placed outside that read - 'Honest Pizzas for Honest Prices". We were extremely happy to find this place - the man in the kicthen is an awesome human and his pizzas tasted great! He made our Pizza in 2 mins - yes 2mins. Customized vegetarian pizza not in his menu! We then had our next 2 meals in Roma with him :-)

Our penultimate day of the trip was planned on exploring the ancient Roma. Where else would one start but the Roman Colosseum. We spent a good 2 hours in the Colosseum!! To even stand in silence and imagine being in the days of Nero as a spectator at the Gladiatorial arena is a truly nerve wrenching experience!

A walking tour through the remains of ancient Rome, at the Palatine hill and Roman Forum. Excavations are still on and many are still being studied. If you are truly interested a good guide book will be of great use.

Capitol hill museum was our next destination, slowly by now, museums were becoming were becoming a bit of an overdose. 2 weeks of walking around every city was getting to us as well but here again we were in for a surprise. Every museum has something new to offer. The temporary exhibition here had put the works of Michaelangelo and Leonardo. When i say works, i mean the original study and paper works of these geniuses. A treat! Mouth of truth was our next destination for the day - a belief that the fingers will be cut off if you lie here! We ended our day with a visit to the Trastevere area, another side of Roma. I found it quieter, and more worn down as compare to Piazza Navona.


We wanted to either visit the catacombs or baths of caracalla, but we couldn't as most attractions in Roma during this season is closed by 16.30-17.00

We had a flight to catch at 8.30 the next day and our plan was Vatican and if possible may be squeeze one of it in but as luck would have it, there was a strike in Rome.

We walked to the Vatican, first the St.peter's basilica, it appears non-impressive from the outside but very impressive as you get in - truly rich! The vatican musuem has over 1200 rooms and it is impossible to do justice - it houses Raphello's major works as well. We did our best!

We had to create more buffer time as the strike was on. We headed to our man for our last mean in Italy - ate to heart's content and walked back to pick our bags to the airport!

* Roma pass priced at 25 Euros is worth. The first thing we did when we landed at the train station was to pick them.
* Roma pass entitles you to - travel in Metro, Buses
* First 2 attractions are absolutely free and discounts then on(Let the colosseum be one of your first priced at 12 Euros)
* Roma Metro does not connect you well - be ready to use the bus and walk.
* Gelatos in Florence are much better than in Rome.
* Staying close to the vatican is a good choice - Cheaper & safe - you are still close to one destination
* If you are close to the vatican, try the pizzas @ 10, via andrea doria - best for the prices!
* A good 3 day would be enough to cover the top attractions in Rome.

Italy Travel Guide

Traveling through Italy, one can expect to be blown over by artistic history, food, and landscape. Even if you aren't inclined to art, you still will be amazed by most cathedrals and monuments!

The popular circuit for traveling in Italy would be Milan-Venice-Florence-Rome-Naples-Sicily especially if you are traveling extensively in Italy.

The abridged version generally is Venice-Rome-Vatican city!

I personally believe it is better to take some time and relish the country than be hurried. Yes, the Roman Colosseum, Vatican church and Venetian Islands are a must see and would give you the glimpse of Italy but wouldn't you wanna relax on the beaches, and lose your taste buds to sensational seafood?

The northern and southern Italy are remarkably different - People, Culture, Food, Landscape - its good to experience both!

Season: Visiting Italy in winter and summer are two different experiences too!
Summer being the season, is filled with tourist. It is when the sun shines, perfect climate for traveling! Costs are high. Ideal time to explore the beaches and unwind in idyllic lush green surrounding.

The biggest plus in visiting during winter is cost! you will pay half the price for most things, as its off-season. But also be prepared to see most places wear a pale look as many wind up their business.

If you are going to spend many days in Italy then, i would suggest these quiescent hidden treasures : Lake como region - bordering Alps, be ready to witness some splendid landscape; Cinque Terre - enchanting rugged coast with cliffs, Verona - famous for its Arena, City walls and Juliet's love story; Lake Garda - scenic landscapes for rejuvenation; Islands in venice - Lido, Murano ; Coasts of Tuscany, Naples, Sicily - white sandy beaches.

They are not really hidden but relatively retain their cultural charm and beauty!!

Must See:

Last Supper Painting, Milan - Make your reservations online, gets booked a month in advance. You get to see this marvel for 15 mins exclusively! You can read the history of this painting. Expensive but still worth it, if you love and can appreciate art!

Venice - Just cause there is no place like it! Try to get away from the crowd and sail through the narrow alleys to get a real experience of being in venice.


Piazza Michaelangelo, Florence - a charming small city! experience the beauty of walking through this place. Go up to the Piazzale Michaelangelo - the view of florence from here is a real beauty!

David, Accademia Gallery, Florence - Entry on the expensive side but again worth the fee to see this sculpture of Michaelangelo

Leaning Tower of Pisa - The bell tower of Pisa cathedral that leans! 15 euros to climb up, if you think its expensive, you can skip it! The tower isn't very tall to give you great views. Walking up the tower in itself a experience, as you can feel the slant as you go up!

Roman Colosseum and Forum - Just to think you are standing in a place where gladiatorial games were held is a creepy feeling! Walking through the excavations of Roma makes you wonder! Read up Roman history to enhance your experience.

St.Peter's Square/Vatican Museum - Being in the world's smallest country! The vatican church is marvelous - take your time to stop by and be stunned. The museum is mammoth! It houses Raphel's work.

The Trio - When in Italy, make sure you see the works of Leonardo, MichaelAngelo and Raphel.

Apart from the historical monuments that will leave you astonished, spend enough time in scenic areas- Lakes, Beaches, and Hills. Learn to speak a few words of Italian, interact with the people, have a croissant and a cappuchino - truly Italian!

Travel and Food - the awesome combo! and in Italy, it is just gonna add up!!

Just let yourself shamelessly gobble those yummy Pizzas & Gelatos!!

Allora ;-) Godetevi il vostro viaggio gastronomo!

Paris Travel Guide - Less on cost, More on experience

There is plenty of information available online that will help you plan your travel to Paris. Here, i would be trying to put together my experiences that will help you explore Paris like a true traveler! Traveling in Paris, i realized if exploring the city is your interest then there are various means to cut cost and still experience the city's charm.

The first question that arises on people's mind is whether to take the Paris pass or not.

Paris pass provides you free admission to most of Paris's Museums and Monuments.
Overly-priced.

Don't take it!
Traveling within Paris - Metro is the best! The Paris metro connects the city very well, you will never feel the need for another transport.

Again with the metro you have several options - Paris Metro Pass, Daily Pass and Carnet(10 Tickets)

Paris metro pass allows you unlimited travel for a day,two,three, etc. You can choose the number of days.

Daily pass - unlimited travel for a day

Carnet is the best bet - you get 1 tickets for 12.5 Euros as compared to 1 ticket for 1.50 Euro.

Take a metro to your first place and then walk to the nearby attractions. Most attractions are close by and walking helps you experience the city better. If you had to take the metro everywhere you will miss the city.

You will use 3-4 tickets a day. Taking the daily pass at 6.5 Euros is not worth. Buy a carnet and use it! It saves money and time.

If you are traveling more than 2 countries in the Europe, the next question is ,"Do i get the Euro Rail Pass or not?"

The Euro rail pass may come handy if you traveling in through many countries and countries where rail is expensive. We did Italy without a rail pass and it worked out cheaper. So, don't jump and get the Euro rail pass, make a quick calculation and compare. The trains in Italy are said to cheaper than rest of Europe.

What to see?

With over 70 museums and monuments in Paris, what to see and how many days to spend in Paris?

The number of days depends on your time and interest in exploring the city! 3 days in Paris would be ideal, if you are traveling across many places. If you have the time anywhere between 5-7 days would be just perfect!

What is worth seeing in 3 days?

Museums - Pick 2-3 (Don't miss the Louvre)
Eiffel tower - book early to skip the lines. Go there around sunset so that you can see it both in daylight and night lights!
Arc De Trimoph and Champs Elysees - Walking up the Arc is worth it. You have Elevators too. At champs Elysees, spend time to try out the food.
Cathedrals Notre-Dame and Sacre Cour

Visit the Pantheon and Invalides. Luxemborg is close to Pantheon. Take a cruise on the River Siene.

Other main attractions: Moulin Rouge, Catacombs, more cathedrals, Palace of Versailles(Away from main Paris), La Defense(Modern buildings), Opera

Get a good map of Paris and spend some time to mark the place you are interested in and grouping them together! Keep both map of paris and metro map handy always!

All these attractions come at a price! The Museums are Free on the First Sunday of every month. Plan accordingly and save good money!

Experiencing the french culinary is definitely a part of your travel! Often, the small neat restro serves the most tasty and authentic food. Rue Mouteffard is a place where you should have one dining experience for the price and taste. You will get a 3 course meal for anywhere between 9 to 13 euros. All the restaurants display their menu outside, so it is easy to choose your place! Drink Parisian wine - you can buy some from Rue Mouteffard.

Dining in Paris is relatively expensive as compared to Italy. Find those quaint little shops for your money's worth. Montmarte is another area where you can eat cheaper.

Try the croissants - awesome!

Accommodation - If you are traveling alone, backpackers accommodation would be ideal and inexpensive. Please read the reviews on TripAdvisor before you make a booking, otherwise you might land in a shabby place.

Couples can also get into backpackers/hostel, if you aren't keen on luxury. They offer the basic necessities and are essentially clean.

You can get a room for anywhere between 60-80 Euros!

you still want to stay in a hotel and not ready to spend - try hotels little away from the main city! but then be ready to spend extra on commuting!

You may find cheaper accommodations near Gare du Nord, but it is better to avoid that area-mugging and pick pocketing is a possibility!

Montmarte is close to Gare du Nord, but is safer! You can find an accommodation here too.

Like in any new city, be completely aware of your surroundings, don't flaunt, carry only a day's cash and travel safe!

People of Paris - Language remains a barrier but humanity thrives beyond languages!
If you are focused to comprehend what the other person is saying, you will definitely understand irrespective of the fact that you know nothing of that language. Humans communicate your their body and mind.

We found the people of Paris to be warm and friendly. Everyone tried their best to help and greet even though they didn't speak English! Don't hesitate to ask. It is better to ask and be sure than be lost!

Paris is beautiful, just immerse yourself in her beauty and enjoy!

Need more info, ASK :-)

Paris - the charming city!

Just back from a lovely 2-week trip in France and Italy! Well, what do i say, words would fail to capture a travel experience. Traveling definitely rejuvenates the soul and leaves you asking for more! Only wish, i could travel someday aimlessly. Paris was an inclusion to our Italian trip and ended up being one of my favourite places in the itinerary.

Paris is charming! A city that is modernized yet retains its historic-artistic-rustic touch. The first thing that impresses you about Paris is its connectivity! Paris is so well connected by its Metro(14 lines) and RER(3 lines). It is quite maze on paper but once you complete your first onward journey, it is out-rightly simple. Paris is a city that needs to be relished by walks. Yes, walk through those quaint little lanes winding around the corners with numerous cafes and ristorante - quite an experience.


It is best to group your sites of interest together, get off at one metro and walk through the rest and board the metro at the end. Most metros are underground, by traveling completely in a metro you will miss the sights of this beautiful city!

Paris has the right mix of monuments and museums that doesn't bore you! I understand for most people scanning through museums can be utterly boring but don't worry Paris is not entirely about museums. Yes, it has over 70 museums if i am not mistaken. So, it is better to choose the top 2 or 3 for your visit. Unanimously the top 2 picks would be Louvre Museum and Musee de Orsay!

Louvre, besides housing the famous Mona Lisa of Leonardo Di Vinci, has some of the best collections of paintings and sculptures. It is massive and if you are inclined towards art and want to spend time - a day wouldn't be enough! Louvre was a palace that is now a museum and hence even if you are not interested in the paintings, the sheer brilliance of the architecture will leave you agape.

Musee de orsay is another museum with fantastic collection, earlier a railway station, now houses some magnificent art collection - Van Gogh,Paul Gauguin and many more. You can witness many art enthusiasts sketching in there, totally unmindful of the other tourists.

Apart from this, we visited the Centre Pomipdu, a modern art gallery. It gives perspectives from two different worlds of art. At the end of the trip, i began to respect and hold great admiration for the art from Renaissance period. Modern art banks on individual perspective's while in the art of the ages, you bring out one perspective that everyone can appreciate alike!


Take time off from monuments and museums during your travel to spend leisure hours in the old streets of Paris. It provides you rich Parisian experience. Rue Mouteffard is one such area, be there and immerse yourself! The numerous eat-outs can give you a true Parisian culinary experience. It is cheap and yummy! It is a nice place to window shop as well. You can shop for the Parisian Wine here, if you drink wine - don't shy away from wine tasting - lots and cheap!

Then the famous monuments, who will fail to see the Eiffel tower when in Paris. You can spot this tower from most places in Paris! Standing tall against the mighty wind - truly a wonder! Spend some time near the Eiffel tower, in the day light and night time - it is worth it! The view from the Eiffel tower is breathtaking as well - be there during sunset and just get lost! You get better views of the Paris city from the Arc De triomphe - honors the soldiers who fought the french revolution. You can spot other attractions from the Arc whereas from the Eiffel Tower you will get a Panaromic view. Both are definitely worth it.

Walk along the Champs-Elysees, a different experience from the old streets of Paris. It is thriving and vibrant with many business houses and small street stalls selling food, jewelery and clothing etc! There is plenty of food all over, stop by and continue picking what you would like to experiment - there is lots of variety!

There are several other attractions, choose what you may enjoy! If you are interested in French history, a visit to the Musee de l Armee - a brilliant digital portrayal of French history - is a must! It is within the Les Invalides that houses Napolean's Tomb.

There are many Cathedrals that is worth a visit - Notre Dame Cathedral and Sacre Cour is a must! Sacre Coure is less written about but it is eloquently stunning! The Montmarte area in which Sacre coure is situated is another place worth taking a walk that will help you explore Paris.

Finally, don't forget the cruise on the River Siene. It is beautiful and appealing. The live commentary gives you a lovely summary of the city! You may consider doing this on your first day as it gives you very nice perspective about the city and attractions. Most important attractions are along the River Siene and hence you can get a bird's eye view of them!

Next post on Itineraries for traveling in Paris, Recommendations for Food, How to take the Metro and Ways to save money !

Stay Tuned..

Drakensberg – An Adventure seeker's delight!

Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in South Africa, situated in KwaZulu-Natal province. It is a wilderness area known for its trekking trails and Adventure activity. It is about 4 hours drive from Johannesburg that could take you away from the hustle-bustle of the city to the country side, tranquil and picturesque. I got to drive about 150 Kms on way to Drakensberg, one of my firsts on International roads. I found the Highway infrastructure here to be like that of the National highways (our new NHs) in India, rather should I say India’s NHs are as good as the South Africans only that our sign boards could be improved. It is not the infrastructure that gives you a great driving experience it is the lane discipline that everyone follows here which makes driving simple, speedy and safe! In India we got to trust ourselves as a driver, here we need to trust the others on road; one wrong move by anyone could send your vehicle go tossing up! You could speed at 120-140 Km/hr near blind spots, on roads that have no divider between the onwards and upcoming traffic, overtake trucks at curves and be assured that no one will ever come in your way.

Drakensberg is a world heritage center and a National park which has entrances from many sides. The region is divided into Southern, Central and Northern; one can imagine the vastness of this region! We had booked our accommodation in Ikahaya Lodge, near Bell Park dam in central Drakensberg, which means we could do/see things only in this area, as traveling to northern or southern region would take about another 1-2 hours of driving.


Many adventure camps operate out of Drakensberg, one gets to go Quad biking, Zip-lining, Abseiling, water kayaking /tubing (in the summer/after the rains), canopy tours and few more. I did zip-lining; it was fun, not a very long distance, neither was it very high but definitely worth your first experience!


After a day of adventure activities, we retired at our home stay – a beautiful farm tucked away in a serene milieu. As the sun went down and the darkness set in; leaving us at the mercy of the stars to lighten up our trail – one look upwards towards the sky; took our breath away! It was the most beautiful night sky I have ever seen in my life. I have always wanted to sleep under a glittering night sky and there I stood exasperated - Gorgeous! In the bitter cold, it was hard to lose yourself staring at her; we made fire and spent some time engulfed by her radiance!
We were up early for a trek into the National Park; we were at the Monk cowl’s end of the entrance into the Drakensberg heritage center. Trek trails are conspicuously marked, with a map outlining the difficulty of each trail. It is made so easy that no one would need a guide and there are no guides. We did one of the easiest trails to Sterkspruit waterfall and a pool nearby. The water was piercing cold; sat there chit-chatted a bit and headed out. The trek was quite easy, with a small kid in our group of six it was our best bet. The place is quite inviting and we did want to trek further into wilderness, but that would need at least one full day. Some of our friends were waiting for us at the home stay for our next activity - the horse trail, so we had to wind up though we promised ourselves an overnight camp the next time!

Nine horses were saddled up for us to take the trail up the mountain and down the streams. As we mounted the horses and got ourselves into reining the horses, instructions were given out on how we should ride them, take control and maneuver them around – didn't sound easy! We had two guides; one would lead the way and another to look over us, which meant we had to take care of our horses.
The name of my horse was Chief! He was busy grazing all the time before the start; I had a question – what if he wants to graze when we are on the run – the lady told me , “you are on the run, you are in command – hold him back, don’t let him graze”. Fact File: Horses graze 16 hours a day!

Here we go – initially it was fun getting used to the movement of the animal and gaining control of the reins. We were in a line as the horses followed each other in a particular order (we later came to know some horses are not compatible with others and females don’t like to be closely followed by males!) I involved myself in a conversation with Chief – He was listening to my instructions and riding me with grace. Few sections of the trail was exciting – riding up hill, crossing a very small stream and trotting! In South Africa, people can own their own game reserve; the place adjoining our farm was a game area. Interesting isn’t it? You could buy lions, probably cheetahs too and have your own reserve!




We were almost close to completion when Spa – the lead horse wanted to go for a run and went away for a real horse ride! As we stood waiting for our lead, Chief started grazing (He tried grazing on our trail too – I held him back all the while), initially I tried to hold him back and then I saw other horses graze too and let him graze. The grass was too low and he had to bend a bit and in the course I let the reins slip out of my hands!! Uh-Ah, the reins were gone, I tried to catch the attention of our guide who was busy capturing us on camera. As I kept saying “I left my reins, I left my reins” Chief decided to run – Ouch!! There was rush of adrenaline; he shook me up quite literally that I could feel my stomach muscles twitch. My mind said,” I am going to fall any moment” as my lips were saying “I left my reins”! As chief ran forward, his head moved backwards and the reins came up and I held on it – the defining moment. I held him back and said “Hold on Baby! – Stop”. He did and I sighed a breath of relief. It would have lasted only about 10-20 seconds but enough to wobble you up. I regained my composure and we happily trotted back to the stay.

We were towards the end of another exciting, engrossing and entertaining trip. On our way back, I noticed something quirky – all the electrical poles in the countryside were of wood [Picture inserted] isn’t that an economical way? We could save on the metal cost; should propose that back home.



Travel Info:

Drakensberg is a Trekker’s delight. Like I said, there are many trails from several entry points to the National Park, Hence one could go there again and again until one explores it all.

It is ideal for people who enjoy Nature, Serenity (who doesn’t?), Trekking, Hiking and Adventure activities.

I would recommend Ikahaya Lodge for stay – Pleasant. There are many places to stay around.

We missed to see the much acclaimed Bushman cave paintings of Drakensberg due to the fact that none was close by. It is in the norther region.

Best Season to visit – Summer (when after the rains it is all green!), Winter (to see snow clad peaks)

Weather gets unpredictable when trekking to higher regions.

Drakensberg can provide you an absolute experience with nature and wilderness!

Magical Masinagudi trip

We started from Chennai at 4.15p.m on a Friday evening excited that are weekend plan was on. In a few minutes the Rain gods blessed us with mild spells setting a jubilant mood for the drive. We halted at Bangalore for the night and hit the roads again at 5.30a.m in the morning, before the city could get into action. The plan was to take the State Highway (SH-17) to reach Mysore and then proceed further towards Bandipur Wildlife sanctuary. We stopped over at Kamat Laukri, just after Ramnagaram for breakfast – nice place that serves traditional south Indian breakfast. The weather was mild, the drive was refreshing. We reached Mysore and the stretch from here till Nanjangud doesn’t offer an effortless drive. After carefully maneuvering the many pot holes, the road to Gundlupet was uniform. As the road way was inching towards Bandipur, a renewed silence engulfed the atmosphere with serenity hanging around the vicinity. We turned off our music and began listening to the birds chirp. We were getting accustomed to the environment and slowly drifted into the clatters from the wildlife in the forest. As the gentle breeze kissed our cheeks, we transcended into another space. We spotted Deers right at the entrance way to Bandipur and few Elephants as we crossed the forest. We were glad that our wildlife spotting began early.



We crossed the Karnataka State Border, entered into the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve area. We continued to blend with the acoustics of the nature and finally saw some civilian activity as we approached Masinagudi Town. We had clear directions and maps from the web and hence we could proceed without any stop over’s to Bokkapuram where most of the resorts are located. We had our bookings in ‘Jungle Hut’ – a lovely property to unwind. As we drove in, the landscape of the property was welcoming us with a broad smile; little did we know that the people who run the place would wear a broader smile. It is run by a family who live in the property – there is a home touch in everything. It felt like holidaying in a place where travelers were welcomed to join them, share their joy of being with nature. The hosts are very courteous and hospitable. We dumped our baggage in the cottage and walked around the property, immersing in its beauty. Absorbed in its tranquility I rested myself on the hammock to continue reading my book – ‘Many Lives, Many Masters’, didn’t need a better book. The pulchritude of nature allured me to establish a connection with ‘thy’. I rested my book and closed my eyes, slipping towards a quieter inner space. I went into a deep state of relaxation, being comforted by the chirping birds, buzzing insects and hissing branches. Mild breeze gently gliding past my ears, the chillness piercing through my skin, I was deep in my own space. Ecstatic. I didn’t want to get back to the real world but this is my abode now. I quietly returned to the serene surroundings.

We wandered around and settled down in the lounge – again a nicely done place. We spent time talking about nothings over a drink. The resort guide briefed about the variant Safaris and Treks that we can engage in. We quickly decided to do both the safari and the trek. The guide was very amicable. I didn’t want to do the Safari as we don’t get to sight any animals in the Safaris; at least the ones I have done so far and heard of. The guide was sweet talking and I thought why not give it a chance, after all animal sighting is a Chance. We had to start for the Safari at 3p.m; it was to be 2-3 Hr Safari deep into the Bandipur reserve. We went refreshed ourselves and dived into food. The resort has a Buffet system; all their dishes are tasty, Home style. The food is not exotic but is variant, cooked subtly to smack our lips and fill our stomachs. The desserts are very yummy. We finished lunch, unwound a bit as the deer sprawled around our cottages. It was time for the Safari. We drove in our vehicle into the Bandipur national park. Mr.JP, the naturalist who accompanied us for the Safari was educated in forestry. Wildlife and forest is his way of living. Both the guide and JP shared lot of information about wildlife with us that made the Safari interesting. For the first hour we really didn’t spot any animal, nevertheless the ride through the forest was enriching. We spotted Sambha Deer (Female) first; they were licking from the Salt pits made by the forest department. I have never seen a Sambha Deer before. It has reddish gall that seems like an open wound but isn’t. Sambha Deers are Tigers favourite hunt. Little further we sighted Bisons(Female) drinking water from a pond. All our animal sightings were close encounters – really worth it. It was the experience of Mr.JP that came in; he would spot the animal far away, turn off the engine and wait. He would then take us closer to the animals. We saw Monkeys, Deer, Peacock, Mongoose, Sambha deer (Male) and Serpent Eagle. It began to drizzle enhancing the experience. We saw a herd of elephants against the misty backdrop of the rain, dozen elephants inclusive of three baby elephants lead by the matriarch. Awesome. Our Safari came to an end. A chance well taken. We had to drive back to the resort in the dark. We spotted Male Bisons on the way and our guide was close to spotting a Leopard. We either missed it in the dark or he mistook it for a leopard.





Back to the resort, the evening was harmonic. We spent time idling at the lounge, indulged in a game of Pictionary. They have many board games and books stocked. It was an idyllic evening – small talks, a game of Pictionary, dinner and drinks. We woke up the next day early for the trek. It was guided trek in the hills behind the property. We were in a group of 8, it wasn’t very tough trail. A trek into the forest is always exciting. Two days back a couple on trek saw a bear, we weren’t so lucky! I was hoping we could spot more wildlife but we had to be content with the flora. We trekked to two high grounds from where one gets good view of the landscape – Breath taking. Little higher up, there was a stream, drenching one’s feet in a fresh stream of gushing water after a trek is rejuvenating. It was time to take the decent, the clouds were hovering above and we treaded back to our resorts.

We went straight to please our stomach; the trek had acted as a good appetizer. We finished breakfast, had little time before we could check-out. I went back to my hammock, completed my book – content in imagery and words. The book planted many seeds to be watered. We were all set for our journey back home. It was a refreshing break away from the routine. A very short trip that has left a lasting impact. We bid adieu to the hosts and made a silent promise to come back again on another day.

Travel Info

Route: Chennai – Bangalore – Mysore – Nanjangud – Gundlupet – Bandipur – Masinagudi.
[Mysore – Nanjangud stretch is patched with many potholes. Rest of the stretch to Masinagudi is smooth.]

Stay at: Jungle Hut, Bokkapuram.

Food: The resorts serves buffet. No restaurants can be found in the vicinity.

Food on the roads: Plenty of Dhabas and Eating outlets can be found along the Mysore-Bangalore highway.

Activities: Safari and Trek. Bird watching, Elephant feeding can also be done.

Best for: Relaxing with family and friends away from the hustle-bustle of the city life.
Making a mystical connection with nature and wildlife.

Lovely vacation at Marari resorts

We had been to this place called Marari Beach Resort for our first wedding anniversary, it was such a wonderful stay. The resort is located at Mararikulam village, around 80 km from Cochin Airport. What's so special about the resort ? I knew we didnt have much to see around the place and it was entirely gonna be in the resort and yet decided to go there..and they didnt disappoint us at all.

It was a 2 days stay, the resort was different in its policies, one of those that promote eco-tourism but in different package. one of their key values says "Benefitting the local community" and they do.They have their own bio-gas plant, do vermi composition to generate fertilisers, very much self -reliant..i should say. They have a butterfly garden, i found this a bit unique.. learnt a bit about butterflies ;-) they boast of about 95 different varities through the seasons.. i learnt that butterflies does not necessarily look for plants with nectar, breaking the myth.They have their own organic farm.very impressive.

you must be wondering what did this couple do on a holiday visiting organic farms and bio-gas plants ..Ha Ha..for those who know us, that shouldn't be of a surprise ! Their accomadations are brilliant and i am saving their best for the last .. they have rooms that offer private pools and we availed one of those.. It was a great experience to have your own pool ;-)

Their in-house ayurvedic doctor was so amicable, he educated us on Ayurveda and its essentials.. I have shown keen interest in ayurveda off late and more so after my wedding , after all , the heath of the family is in the womens hand..;-) So, i enjoyed that very much too..

The beach is accessible from the resort and is being well-maintained by the resort.. i found clean white sand for the first time ever in India, probably the second after Goa.. Litter free ..phew..i was delighted.. calm and peaceful..lovely indeed..

We even went cycling around the village, kerala villages are different and potrays a richer picture of Indian villages...brings in a sense of contentment..

Finally , the staff on the resort were exemplary..!! I dont wanna say any further.. If CGH's Management is advocating living in harmony with nature...then what better way to do that , with their friendly staff..

After any vacation, my mind would say "No more vactions for the next couple of months", but this time around, i was already planning for the next :-) Kerals is always special and will keep coming back...Marari or any of CGH's property would be the right choice..