Author: Sarika

TRAVEL INDIA4 Comments

THE SUN, THE MOON,THE PLANETS, THE STARS – ALWAR, RAJASTHAN, INDIA

Sarika

Long weekends are always a boon and the time to travel for a travel freak like me. I love to explore new places, experience whenever i get an opportunity and outsource when the finances allow. This time i got to experience something unique which i never thought i would ever search. One blog suddenly came my sisters way and she shared it with me. And immediately we decided that we want to go to this place. It was the long weekend of March, thanks to Goodfriday. And we decided to go and see the stars, planets, moon, sun, galaxies, formations…etc … Continue reading THE SUN, THE MOON,THE PLANETS, THE STARS – ALWAR, RAJASTHAN, INDIA

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PEACOCKS AND LOTUS – YEOLA, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Sarika

It’s my sister’s wedding. And the most important rather exciting work is to do shopping. So we all decided to go to Yeola to purchase traditional maharashtrian saree – “Paithani”. The saree is made with very fine thread with Peacock design at the Border and Pallu. But now a days Lotus is also being made instead of Peacocks for variety. The saree looks really elegant when worn. Yeola is the only city in the State of Maharashta for purchasing traditional Paithani at a whole sale rate. So it is only advisable to go there if one wants to buy sarees … Continue reading PEACOCKS AND LOTUS – YEOLA, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

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LARGEST CRAFT FAIR – SURAJKUND, HARYANA, INDIA

Sarika

I was very fascinated with the term Mela (in hindi)/Fair (in english) from my childhood. And the all thanks to our Bollywood movies. Brothers or family members used to get separate from each other in Mela and reunite later after many years. This used to be plot of many bollywood movie. Finally i got a chance to fulfil my wish this year in 32nd Surajkund mela organized in Faridabad, Haryana.   Surajkund mela is at par with international standard fair and is worlds largest craft fair This festival is held yearly for 15 days in the month of Feb showcasing … Continue reading LARGEST CRAFT FAIR – SURAJKUND, HARYANA, INDIA

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LAND OF RISING SUN – TOKYO, JAPAN

Sarika

Tokyo, capital of the country and the world’s most populous metropolis. It offers seemingly unlimited choices of shopping, entertainment, culture and dining to its visitors. We planned our trip last Dec to celebrate new year. We wanted to be the first one to welcome the year 2018, as sun rises first in this country followed by other countries. The country is so vibrant, organised, technologically so forward, that you really enjoy the different colours offered by the city. We stayed here for 3 nights and the most interesting part about our stay was the famous Godzilla. The theme/subject on which … Continue reading LAND OF RISING SUN – TOKYO, JAPAN

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WALK IN MYSTERIOUS PLACES – KYOTO, JAPAN

Sarika

Kyoto is known as repository of Japan culture. The city is the spiritual heart of Japan. Kyoto has surely gained popularity as a must visit destination because of its incredible attractions for tourists. The city alone offers  2000+ temples and shrines. I got an opportunity to visit this place couple of months back in December. We had planned to stay in Kyoto first for couple of nights followed by Tokyo for our remaining stay  (generally people do the opposite). Upon landing Narita airport, we straight headed towards Kyoto by boarding domestic flight. Kyoto is much beautiful than i thought. It … Continue reading WALK IN MYSTERIOUS PLACES – KYOTO, JAPAN

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IT’S DEER CALLING – NARA, JAPAN

Sarika

Japan’s first permanent capital is now known as Nara, is full of historic treasure and scenic beauty. The city is compact and the highlights can be packed in a day tour of this place. We clubbed our Nara tour along with couple of things to see in Kyoto. We started our tour to Nara post lunch. There are mainly three interesting places to see here. Todaiji Temple The Great Eastern temple is one of the most famous and significant temple in Japan. The massive building houses one of the largest Bronze statue of Buddha – Daibutsu. The seated statue is … Continue reading IT’S DEER CALLING – NARA, JAPAN

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THE SNOWING BEAUTY – NIKKO, JAPAN

Sarika

We were very excited this morning as it was our last day of our trip in Japan and also the last day of the year 2017. Remembering the last day gave me such a nostalgic feeling on my journey to this place. Here I go –   We woke up early and reached our first meeting point in Tokyo which was only 2 min walk from our hotel. From there we boarded a bus to reach our second meeting point i.e. Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal. It was a beautiful 2 hr bus drive to Nikko. We could see the fields, mountains … Continue reading THE SNOWING BEAUTY – NIKKO, JAPAN

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CITY OF FOUR SEASONS – HAKONE, JAPAN

Sarika

Hakone, is known for its scenic beauty for all the four seasons of the year. One could travel to this place any time around the year due to its pleasant weather throughout. It is one of the most popular destination travelled, due to its proximity to Tokyo and stunning views of Mt. Fuji. Hot Springs, Lake Ashi and Mt Komagatake ropeway are other big attractions for foreign travellers. Hakone tour was scheduled in the second half of the day, post lunch. The itinerary didn’t excited me much. After witnessing Mt Fuji in the morning, I was thinking there would be … Continue reading CITY OF FOUR SEASONS – HAKONE, JAPAN

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THE GREAT WARRIOR – FUJISAN, JAPAN

Sarika

As the Japanese say – “A wise man climbs Fuji once, and a fool twice”, I didn’t even try to be part of either one. But yes, Fujisan is definitely a must visit place in Japan. Mt Fuji, known to be Japan’s highest mountain peak is also one of the active Volcano in Japan. The temperature in winters goes as low as -40 degrees at the top. The other way to witness this beauty, if you do not wish to hike on foot, is to go till Mt. Fuji 5th station, which is easily accessible via road/train. If you are … Continue reading THE GREAT WARRIOR – FUJISAN, JAPAN

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NIHON- NATION OF ISLANDS IN EAST ASIA, JAPAN

Sarika

Japan has always been a fascinating nation. Off late many of my known went to Japan and have been hearing lot of stories and things from them. Finally even I got an opportunity to see and live all the stories heard. Nevertheless everything I heard was true.   Here, am sharing a story on things I found super fascinating in Japan: Train System – Travelling in Japan is very easy due to its train system which I believe is best in the world. Although sometimes you may feel that map is so complicated and confusing, but if one knows how … Continue reading NIHON- NATION OF ISLANDS IN EAST ASIA, JAPAN

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PARTY CAPITAL – GOA, INDIA

Sarika

Fun, Frolic, Adventure and Nightlife are all synonymous to Goa. The city is simple to understand as compared to other states of the country. It is divided into 2 regions North Goa and South Goa. And both regions are just opposite to each other in terms of activities/characteristics. North Goa, is more for party, having fun with friends. All the carnivals and festivals happen here. One can enjoy anything here from beaches, churches, forts, water sport adventures etc. While, South Goa, is more for relaxation. Grab a book or take a sun bath are the activities which one can enjoy here. Both … Continue reading PARTY CAPITAL – GOA, INDIA

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MAJESTIC LAND – SWITZERLAND

Sarika

It has been long that I wanted to write about this dream come true destination. Its been over 10 years that I visited this place, but all the memories with this place is super fresh even today. It was my first place to travel abroad and that too alone without family/parents. Switzerland is indeed a dream travel place for everyone due to its pristine scenic beauty, panoramic snow covered mountains & glaciers, picture card cities, crystal clear lakes and adventure sports like paragliding, skiing…etc. I went to this paradise for a 10 day study tour with my collage, where I … Continue reading MAJESTIC LAND – SWITZERLAND

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JEWEL IN THE CROWN – JUNGFRAUJOCH, SWITZERLAND

Sarika

Experiencing Jhugfraujoch is the highlight of any trip to Switzerland. This is a different world altogether. The view from here nearly takes a breath away – glaciers all around snow crunches under the feet, icy air across your face and chilling wind with little drizzle on your body. One can only understand what I am trying to say, is by visiting this heaven. I got an opportunity to visit this wonderful place when I was studying. Never thought in my dreams, that I would ever go to this place so early in my life and that too my first travel … Continue reading JEWEL IN THE CROWN – JUNGFRAUJOCH, SWITZERLAND

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IN BETWEEN THE LAKES – INTERLAKEN, SWITZERLAND

Sarika

Interlaken known for its better connectivity to various regions is situated at the edge of 3 region Jungfrau, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. The view from this place is spectacular especially during good weather. We all friends, while in Switzerland on a study tour back in 2007, went here to do the famous adventure sport – paragliding. But that day to our dismay the weather condition was not suitable to do so. It was little drizzling that day which resulted in all the activities to be called off. I was very disappointed for not being able to do. The rest … Continue reading IN BETWEEN THE LAKES – INTERLAKEN, SWITZERLAND

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THE LAND OF SMILES – THAILAND

Sarika

Kingdom of Thailand as it is officially known, is a magnet for the travelers around the world. Bangkok, Pattya, Phuket and Koh Samui are among the 4 most visited/preferred cities/island in the country. I visited two very different from each other cities – Pattaya and Bangkok. PATTYA The first thing which comes in the mind when we hear Pattaya city is “it’s a men’s destination (especially in India)”, due to its large sex tourism industry. Although it does have many family friendly attraction and activities. So when I got an opportunity to travel to this city, I was very excited and  really wanted to … Continue reading THE LAND OF SMILES – THAILAND

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ISLAND OF THE GOD’S – BALI, INDONESIA

Sarika

It has been more than 7 years ever since I went to Bali, but it still feels like yesterday. All the memories related to this place are so fresh. Well, one of reason for this place to be special is it was our honeymoon destination – perfect, serene, and the most beautiful. I remember back then it was not that famous tourist spot for Indians and was only seen as a couple destination, but in the last 3-4 years it has become one of the favorite destinations for Indians be it couples, family and even corporates – many conferences /outbound meetings are being … Continue reading ISLAND OF THE GOD’S – BALI, INDONESIA

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BEACHES, HIGHLANDS, THEME PARKS – MALAYSIA

Sarika

I have been to this place twice, both officially with the company where I was working. My first trip was more fulfilling and relaxed than my second one. I was able to see and explore more of culture and sightseeing in my first trip. Malaysia is divided into two parts Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. And fortunately I could visit both these parts. And the more I travelled I started loving this place. Few places that I have been: Langkawi/Kedah Also known as Jewel of Kedah, is one of the most beautiful island I have ever seen. It is also considered as couple’s paradise, amazing … Continue reading BEACHES, HIGHLANDS, THEME PARKS – MALAYSIA

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DAY’S TRIP TO VILLAGE – DELHI NCR, INDIA

Sarika

It is always difficult to decide a place for picnics especially when you have small kids. One needs to consider lot of factors before zeroing on a place. There are lot of questions which pops up – is it a baby friendly spot? Can I take food inside? Can we carry baby bags? How much time will it take to reach the place Etc. etc. Have listed two such places which are baby/kids friendly. And the best part is, this place is for everyone. There is something for everyone from elders to kids. No one will get bored here. Both … Continue reading DAY’S TRIP TO VILLAGE – DELHI NCR, INDIA

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FUN AND FROLIC – HONGKONG & MACAU

Sarika

It was our 1st anniversary and we were excited to make it a memorable one. After lot of discussion/exploration on the destination we zeroed to Hongkong and Macau. This is a place where anyone and everyone can enjoy – be it a kid, couple, family, senior citizen. It has something to offer for everyone. We had booked a package for 5N6D in early December from Delhi. It is a best time to visit here, the entire country is in a festive mood. All the buildings, streets, markets, malls  were decorated with lights and Christmas trees. We were mesmerized with tall and beautifully decorated Christmas trees all over the … Continue reading FUN AND FROLIC – HONGKONG & MACAU

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DREAM DESTINATION – MAURITIUS

Sarika

It was my first offsite trip. I still remember, almost 2 decades ago, going to Mauritius was considered as a luxurious place and only  rich people used to go. Actually at that time travelling abroad was a big thing. Not everyone could afford it. It was a fad in TV serials as well, they used to have couple of episodes showcasing Mauritius as a couple went on Honeymoon or Family going their …etc. The story got revolved around it. I was fascinated by the beauty of this place and got a chance to visit this beautiful place when I least thought about it. … Continue reading DREAM DESTINATION – MAURITIUS

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THE LAST SHANGRILA – BHUTAN

Sarika

The Last Shangrila, the only county which follows Buddhism. It has sincerely preserved its culture, heritage. There is almost zero influence of outside world, neighboring countries, western culture so to say. It wouldn’t be wrong to call this country as a Third World. We celebrated our 7th anniversary in this magnificent country. It was a 4N 5D travel package and after lot of research finalized our itinerary as follows based on the kind of things we wanted to do. We kept our itinerary simple so that we can both relax and do  sightseeing, otherwise one ends up getting exhausted after including … Continue reading THE LAST SHANGRILA – BHUTAN

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UTTRAKHAND, THE LAKE DISTRICT- NANITAL, NAUKUCHAITAL, SATTAL, BHIMTAL, INDIA

Sarika

Nanital, known as “Lake District of Uttrakhand”, is one of the most popular hill station in India, especially for Northern India – it serves as a weekend gateway tourist destination. I always wanted to visit this place for two reasons, one it is a beautiful place and second, it is near to Delhi. Generally, people tend to visit those places which are far off and ignore the places which are nearby thinking we can travel this place anytime. And nearby places always get ignored as taken for granted destinations. We went there in August for 3 days, though not a good month to travel. Landslide is very common … Continue reading UTTRAKHAND, THE LAKE DISTRICT- NANITAL, NAUKUCHAITAL, SATTAL, BHIMTAL, INDIA

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ADVENTURE CAPITAL OF INDIA – RISHIKESH, UTTRAKHAND, INDIA

Sarika

It was one of my best adventure and cherished trip. Not only it was a well arranged/planned but was also my last trip as a bachelorette (before getting married) with friends. We were a group of 5 mad people (3 girls & 2 guys). We started our journey early morning at around 6am, in our own vehicle from Delhi, to avoid city traffic. When I look back now, it is very easy to plan things when one is single, with family lot of factors have to be considered while traveling, and specially with kids. It was Apr 2009 when I went to this magnificent … Continue reading ADVENTURE CAPITAL OF INDIA – RISHIKESH, UTTRAKHAND, INDIA

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ANCIENT HISTORICAL TOWN – NEEMRANA, RAJASTHAN, INDIA

Sarika

Neemrana, the place where i wanted to go from the day i heard about flying fox adventure. It was the major attraction for me to visit this place. So i was after my husband’s life to go there over a weekend….. We went in Mar which is not that good season to travel as the day gets quite hot. Luckily the weather was pleasant during our visit to this place. We preferred to drive down in our own car and stayed here for 1 night, 2 days.It was a 3 hr drive. We reached hotel at around 1 PM, post … Continue reading ANCIENT HISTORICAL TOWN – NEEMRANA, RAJASTHAN, INDIA

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HILLS, BEACHES, MOUNTAIN PASS – GATEWAYS, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Sarika

When I was in school, I always had some inclination towards official conferences and tours. I always used to think “wow – it’s so much fun in travelling/conferences”. My fantasy soon became hard reality and I got to know the fact, that all these conferences are super hectic. Luckily I got a chance to roam around during all my conference places in the free time. Mahabaleshwar It is a small hill station in the Western Ghats range. The hill station is very relaxing and beautiful.  Few spots which can be seen include: 3 monkey point – Natural sculpture of 3 … Continue reading HILLS, BEACHES, MOUNTAIN PASS – GATEWAYS, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

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EXPLORING HARYANA, INDIA

Sarika

Haryana is a state in Northern part of India. It surrounds the capital Delhi from three sides forming northern, southern and western borders of Delhi. Hence the state is very scattered. The state has its own charm and has couple of tourism spots. Gurgaon It is Located at the South border of Delhi.  Is mainly known as industrial and financial hub, due to many companies have their headquarters. It has many big malls and several good restaurants for partying. The major tourist attraction is – Kingdom of Dreams, which is first live entertainment, theater and leisure destination. It has two … Continue reading EXPLORING HARYANA, INDIA

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SARISKA NATIONAL PARK – RAJASTHAN, INDIA

Sarika

We all friends were discussing about one day trip to some place, where everyone can spend some time with each other and will also get a break from their regular routine.  After lot of discussion, somebody suggested – “let’s go to Sariska – it’s a place nearby & we can come back in a day” Bingo – everyone agreed instantly. On the day of our picnic, we all started early(to avoid traffic jams) in our cars and met at decided point (as people were coming from different parts of the city), from where, we further started our journey together. It … Continue reading SARISKA NATIONAL PARK – RAJASTHAN, INDIA

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AGRA – CITY OF TAJ, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Sarika

It would not be wrong to say Agra is synonym to Taj Mahal. The City is famous because of this spectacular monument in the city, Taj Mahal – 7th Wonder of the World. Have visited Taj Mahal 3-4times, andthe white beautiful stone structure is mesmerizing every time i have seen. It is weekend gateway from Delhi and takes 3-4 hours road drive. One can either come back the same day or can stay for a day to enjoy the beauty. Best time to visit – August – Mar (when the climate is cooler). During summer, the flooring gets very hot to walk … Continue reading AGRA – CITY OF TAJ, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

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HOLY PLACE – ASHTAVINAYAK, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Sarika

Ashtavinayak – literally means 8 Ganesha in Sanskrit. It is another very popular/well known gateway (for youngsters)/religious place in the state of Maharashtra.The trip refers to visiting 8 distinct idols of Ganesha, which are situated around Pune. Lord Ganesha is worshiped for unity, prosperity, learning and removes any obstacle. The pilgrimage s important because all the murtis were completely formed by nature, and were not created by human. We visited this place immediately post our marriage as their was a obligation which had to be fulfilled. Earlier, i was really upset as i generally do not like visiting temples. But i have to … Continue reading HOLY PLACE – ASHTAVINAYAK, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

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HIDDEN VILLAGE-SHAHPUR, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Sarika

Nature’s Place – Hidden Village, a place to relax for people like us who live in urban cities and need desperate break from their regular city life. Quite place to relax & refresh one’s mind by getting closer to nature. Hidden village, the name says it all, is actually hidden from the world, lesser visited/known weekend gateway from Mumbai, Maharashtra. Went to this serene, beautiful place last month. It is approx an hours drive from Mumbai. After almost reaching to this place, as per the GPS “destination on your right”, we couldn’t actually see this place, it was actually hidden. … Continue reading HIDDEN VILLAGE-SHAHPUR, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

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THE CAPITAL, DELHI,INDIA

Sarika

Delhi – the capital of our country is full of life- lively place, lot of tourist attractions, amazing food joints…the list is endless. Image of the city is dampened by some serious issues with respect to women safety. ..etc, but every city/country in this world has both negatives & positives and Delhi is no different. The city has its own charisma & culture. Living in Delhi for such a long time, I would highlight good things about the city. There are lots of things for a tourist to do from visiting key monuments to shopping markets to food joints. Here … Continue reading THE CAPITAL, DELHI,INDIA

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QUEEN OF THE HILLS – MUSSORIE, UTTRAKHAND, INDIA

Sarika

Mussorie is among the most famous hill stations  in the state of Uttarakhand in India. It falls under Dehradun (capital of Uttrakhand) District which is located approx 35 Km away and from Delhi – the distance is approx 290 Km. Other famous hill stations of Uttarakhand are – Nainital, Dhanaulti, Lansdown, Sattal, Almora, Kasauni, Bhimtal & Ranikhet. We travelled to Mussorie, couple of years back in 2011, from Delhi on a short vacation of 1N2D. We hired a cab from Delhi, and started our journey on a Saturday morning. On the way, we took halt for quick Breakfast at “Cheetal” … Continue reading QUEEN OF THE HILLS – MUSSORIE, UTTRAKHAND, INDIA

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‘GOD OF BEACHES’- GANPATIPULE, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Sarika

It was my wish from quite some time to visit lord Ganpati’s temple. Although, I usually don’t like visiting temples, but somehow, I had some kind of inclination to visit this place. Finally, my wish came true this year in March, when we were in Mumbai to attend a family function.  And from there, planned our short trip to Ganpatipule. Ganpatipule fallsin Ratnagiri district in the western side of Maharashtra and also referred as coastal ‘Konkan’. Konkan in Maharashtra is nothing but a coastal belt, so all districts situated on this belt are commonly refereed as Konkan. Due to its … Continue reading ‘GOD OF BEACHES’- GANPATIPULE, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

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HOUSE OF GOD – HARIHARESHWAR, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Sarika

Harihareshwar is also referred as “House of God or Dev Bhoomi”. It is situated in Raigad district of Maharashtra. It is very a popular weekend gateway for people from Mumbai, Pune…and other parts of Maharashtra. This Konkan place is best known for its temples and beaches. I have been travelling to this place every year post my marriage as it is a resident of our “kul-dev” Shiva. It is said that Shiv ji along with Vishnu ji, Brahma Ji & Parvatii Ji appeared here and blessed this place as their home. Therefore, all 4 hills surrounding the place are named … Continue reading HOUSE OF GOD – HARIHARESHWAR, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

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“HEAVEN” ON PLANET EARTH – KASHMIR, INDIA

Sarika

Kashmir…….Yes it is very rightly said….it is a heaven on Earth. The state is blessed with exquisite natural beauty – snow clad mountaintops, exotic orchids, lush green pastures, forests….& much more than you can think of…. It was our 3rd anniversary & we chose Kashmir for celebration. The decision could not have been better… We went in Dec and it was really chilly winter in Kashmir. I must say one should visit Kashmir during winters (which is considered as a not so friendly season for travelers). In Dec, you would see more foreign tourists than indian. This added great advantage for us. Wherever we visited, we got exclusive service. No long … Continue reading “HEAVEN” ON PLANET EARTH – KASHMIR, INDIA

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7 SISTERS & THE ONLY BROTHER – ASSAM & MEGHALAYS,INDIA

Sarika

7 Sisters and their only Brother – States of North East, as it is very popularly said. 7 Sisters – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura; 1 Brother – Sikkim is a very popular phrase used to define North East stated of our country – India. North Eastern states have a very unique architecture, style which not only attracts you but also make you feel proud of your rich heritage and culture. I think, this part of india still unexplored & preserves its pristine & rustic culture for amateur tourists to explore. We travelled to  – two beautiful … Continue reading 7 SISTERS & THE ONLY BROTHER – ASSAM & MEGHALAYS,INDIA

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GOD’S OWN COUNTRY, KERELA, INDIA

Sarika

Kerela – Land of Gods or Gods’ own country, as it is so rightly said. It’s a paradise on planet earth, similar to Kashmir in North. The only missing thing in Kerela is snow, otherwise, it is as beautiful as Kashmir. It is a heaven on planet earth. We (me & my husband), went to Kerela during Monsoon season, which is considered as not so good season to go. But I feel, one should travel during off seasons. And trust me you do not lose a single thing in terms of sightseeing, facilities and any other service. The weather was pleasant, … Continue reading GOD’S OWN COUNTRY, KERELA, INDIA