Weekend bliss - Brook at Khanna's_Karjat

Kashmir.. beauty beyond words

Heaven on Earth has become a tagline to describe the beauty of Kashmir & very aptly so!

Kashmir, right up in the North of India is on the travel list of most people I know. We had been wanting to visit Kashmir since a long time. Finally we planned the trip at the nick of time in Apr'16,  houseboat booking was done one day prior to leaving.

The start of the trip was really eventful for me. We had a 4 a.m flight to catch  & just the previous evening we had spotted a not-so-welcome friend in our home-a Rat!!
being the owl I am, I slept around 1 a.m to catch a quick nap before leaving for the airport. In those 30 mins, I felt something scamper on me & I shrieked & flung the sheet to see the rat run over the ledge.
So yeah .. next one week we were going to leave our home with a rat! We closed all other rooms, placed some traps around & left . I was now really grateful for the very early morning flight because there was no chance I would've fallen asleep on my bed after that! Talk about silver linings :)

We reached Srinagar pretty early in the morning. Wanderbug's Kritika helped us with her trusted travel contact - Mr Shaukat who picked us from Srinagar Airport. Shaukat is a very reliable driver for Kashmir. (+91 99068 76232)

As you drive out of Srinagar airport, you cant help but notice the number of armed forces men around. Something you are definitely not used to while on a vacation.
Shaukat took us to a vegetarian place Krishna Vaishno Dhaba for breakfast. We had one of the best ever Onion Uttappam (a type of savoury crepe) Lil joys :)

Along the way..

3 days in Kolkata - Food,Food & more Food !

19th March'16 -India vs Pak, Eden gardens..While watching the match the husband asks.. "For the upcoming long weekend .. You want go to Kolkata as your birthday trip?"

Me.. "Ofcourse ..Yeah!!" .. Kolkata has been in my must-go-to places list for a long time.

& that's it Tickets booked.. & while having yummy Achija Pav Bhaji, watching a fantastic match I started day dreaming about Rasgullas,the old houses & what a puchka would taste like. This trip was the best gift to this inherent foodie!

So through the week..I troubled everyone I knew connected to Kolkata.. Friends & acquaintances.. & they all sweetly wrote back to me with the must haves !!

The husband's friends in Cal wondered..why were we visiting Cal! Are we stopping by enroute elsewhere.. Nope, 3 days just Cal!

We are vegetarian yet there was a good ground to be covered..luckily they all recommended the same stuff from the same specific street/restaurant.. So the taste was vetted for us :)

Thursday morn we landed at Cal.. most people we saw had evidence of how well they had played Holi the previous day :)

You know you are in Cal when..

Go Goa_Roadtrip _Mumbai-Ganpatipule-Tarkarli-Goa

December..the month that makes us realise that each year flew by faster than the earlier one..

Our month was also flying by..with family visiting ..Had a week in-between.. & heard about cousins visiting their Goa home from Bangalore..that's it.. The free week also planned for :)

December slowly became a fabulous family month !

Our first long roadtrip... we started off late in the morning towards Ganpatipule..
Took the old NH..very good roads.. Single lane being time consuming barrier..but the landscapes & villages in between more than made up for it.

Endless stretches of nothing.. coupled with good music..perfect day!

Nothingness

Reflections

Manali - Dreamy & picture perfect

Continuing with the good fortune of seeing our beautiful country we planned a trip to Manali - Shimla - Chandigarh flying in & out of Chandigarh (Sep 25 - Oct 3'2015)

I had last been to Manali about thirteen years back. It was a two-three day halt then after a very memorable trek to Sar Pass in Himachal Pradesh.

Situated amidst snow-clad Himalayan peaks, a river playing peek a boo, quaint cafes with good food & music, and colourful shops Manali is one of India's best hill stations. It has a little something for everyone. After spending sometime in Manali, you understand why many foreigners spend months together at Manali/Dharamshala during summers & Goa during winters :)

The Journey:

We landed at Chandigarh in the afternoon around 3 p.m & for some strange reason both of us thought we'd reach Manali by 9 p.m (day dreaming clearly!) Our driver Mr Gurpreet very sweetly said 'Abhi toh teen baje hai.. 12 tak pahunch jayenge' (its 3pm, we will reach by midnight) ..what..midnight !!.. 

Baby Pigeon is here !! 15.09.14

Dazzle of another kind.. this ones about one of the most lovely experiences of my life... 

About a month back I was aghast having found our lovely flowering periwinkle plant destroyed by pigeons. Soon after all the picking,it was just a pot of soil  
One afternoon, I saw a pigeon sitting on that pot & as the day went by..found this - A lil white egg being protected by its mommy's warmth  the same barren pot was now a sight of Cuteness! 

 I had to google to know we had to wait atleast 17 days before the egg hatches !! Aah..thats a long wait...

P3's Travel Dazzle: Ladakh - A Picture Diary of Barren Gorgeousness

P3's Travel Dazzle: Ladakh - A Picture Diary of Barren Gorgeousness: Coz words are just not enough to express the beauty of Ladakh ! Leh town from Shanti Stupa

Ladakh - A Picture Diary of Barren Gorgeousness

Coz words are just not enough to express the beauty of Ladakh !

Leh town from Shanti Stupa

Sikkim - Greens..White & Gravel Beauty.. (Part 2 - North Sikkim)

The most exciting part of the trip is here.. exploring the beautiful region of North Sikkim.

North Sikkim is a must visit. The mountains & gravel make for long tiring drives, but the views & the stunning beauty of the place is totally worth it. We opted for a 2-Nights/3-Days package trip conducted by Galaxy travels (Gangtok). To visit these places you require a permit which the travel operator will obtain for you on submission of copies of  ID & address proof.It is best to book a private vehicle instead of a shared one, as shared ones have 7-8 passengers in one vehicle & the way up is very rugged. 

Highlights:

• Gurudongmar Lake
• Glimpses of Teestha river along the way
• Breakfast at a local's home
• Snow clad coniferous trees at Yumthang valley
• Dom Bang

 (This post is a part of the 2 part blog on Sikkim. For part 1-Gangtok, please follow this link

http://traveldazzle.blogspot.in/2014/05/sikkim-greenswhite-gravel-beauty-part-1.html )

Glimpse-  Gurudongmar Lake

This ones a long post with many pictures, as words just cant do justice to the beauty of this region :)

Sikkim - Greens..White & Gravel Beauty.. (Part 1 - GANGTOK)

April with its public holidays + good weather in Sikkim..  it was just meant to be.
(This post is a part of the 2 part blog on Sikkim. For part 2 - North Sikkim, please follow this link
http://traveldazzle.blogspot.in/2014/06/sikkim-greenswhite-gravel-beauty-part-2.html)

Day 0: When Day 1 became Day 0
We go to Mumbai airport sleepy at 5 am.. loitering around the boarding area to keep awake.. stand in line for Boarding.. & just before we reach the counter..Screen change.. BOARDING CLOSED !! ..wht !!..how..why !! now wht !!! there went the sleep..

 'Sir ..we have another flight in  sometime , u can try for tht'..

& that ensured running outside the airport to reserve new tickets.. running inside to get baggage..
Was a Saturday.. few combinations to suit our connecting flight timing ..
 no tickets available.. Oh !! this was so not meant to be :(

Booked tickets for the next day.. Got the bags..informed change of plans to the local travels at Sikkim..hopped into a cab for the only appropriate thing that could be done... Some yummy South Indian Breakfast at Manis, Matunga (Mumbai)..

Tucked in some nice breakfast..complete with filter coffee.. 
off started the first day of vacation at home..lazy day with food being delivered.. syncing the ipod & other such imp stuff :)

Day 1: Mumbai-Gangtok :

Day Trip from #London- #Windsor Castle, #Bath, #Stonehenge

Day trip from London - Windsor Castle - Bath - Stonehenge

Where we had kept most of our London trip pretty flexible to wander about at our own pace, we opted for a tour with Golden tours to visit Windsor castle, Bath & Stonehenge. One can visit Windsor by train too. But before you plan your visit to Windsor Castle, its best to check the official website to ensure that the castle will be open for visitors on the day you wish to visit.

What luck, we were blessed with bright blue skies ... while London was cold & damp… we started the tour with a pick up at 7:30 a.m.

First stop : Windsor Castle

An English Castle.. still used by the Royal Family . Did you know Windsor Castle  is the oldest and biggest occupied castle in the world?

U.K - # Lake District - The beautiful U.K countryside... with mesmerising landscapes ...

 I hadn't really heard of Lake district before this trip. We were on a two week vacation to U.K in Sep'13. Having covered London, Edinburgh & Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland , Lake district as suggested by friends, was the last stop before heading home from London.

& what a stop it was…mesmerising !! twists & turns with gorgeous landscapes strewn about.

Velvety Hills

#Desaru : Weekend getaway from Singapore

We had just applied for Malaysian visa & there popped a deal in my inbox.. 2days 1night stay at Lotus resort, Desaru... got the visa in two days..
 ..I do believe in signs as per convenience  :).. & so I booked the deal for that weekend..

Nothing to expect. . Just an impromptu plan to relax together..

Lotus Resort

6 days in # BALI,Indonesia - Arts, Culture, Peace !!

We planned a trip to Bali to bring in my birthday in 2012. It was a six day trip, with my inlaws joining us for last 4 days. 

Bali to me is a mix of Goa & Kerala (whatever little I've seen of these two places ) Vibrant yet lazy, a fabulous coastline like Goa, fantastic temple architecture & green fields like Kerala.

Sculpture depicting a scene from Mahabharata

With its varied landscapes, artistic talent & deeply spiritual culture Bali has something to offer to a wide range of visitors. Bali is among the top destinations for couples, I'd strongly recommend Bali for family reunions/holidays as well... 

#New Zealand - Paradise on Earth

We went to South Island of  New Zealand in September 2011 on our honeymoon. 

South Island of New Zealand has the best of the whole worlds scenery in one accessible place. From the breathtaking Alpine scenery to glimpses of the Pacific coast, Huge shimmery blue lakes, Glaciers, Glacier hot pools, Gorgeous stretches of grasslands, Wine growing regions, once in a lifetime Whale watching encounters..Its all here !! 

Add to that, its the place for adventure seekers - Bungee jumping, Sky diving, hang gliding, hiking kayaking and many more activities …!!

 

Vibrant colours of  Nature -Cherry Blossoms  & 'Kea' Bird

Our ten day trip covered the South Island- #Christchurch -#Mt Cook- #Queenstown-#Milford Sound- #Franz Joseph- #Greymouth-Christchurch- #Kaikoura (Whale watching) & back to Christchurch .