If you want to experience the soul of a city, always ensure you stay in central part of the old town. You may not get fancy and luxurious stays – but then being a part of the boisterous city and assimilating the flow throughout the day is the agenda and NOT the luxury of your...
A disclaimer before I begin – I am no food connoisseur. I lack the understanding of the complex art and science of cookery and its many myriad ingredients! However, like many, I enjoy my food and I would rarely refuse the adventure of trying out different cuisines. Food, for me, is an essential ingredient of...
Every tour operator would suggest a day trip to Lumbini to ‘sight-see’ the grand stupas / monasteries of different countries around the Maya devi temple. Lo! Your tick on the checklist for Lumbini is done. That’s such a tragedy! If you yearn to absorb the history of Buddha and walk in the...
The birthplace of Lord Buddha!! Thought not a ‘touristy’ location with fancy structures or the grandeur of nature – was very excited to go there! The history of a location and the fact that you are standing in the very place where history and legends were made – transports one to a different age and...
Bedouins (the desert people), the Nomads of the Middle East are said to be a very hospitable and a warm-hearted community. We had the opportunity to experience this hospitality and to hear firsthand of the complexity of the cultural traditions of this hardy desert tribe. On our Jordan tour, we stayed...
A preferred option for my travels is a self-drive itinerary – always! Though: a self-drive may not be feasible in all the places e.g. in South East Asia – where it might simply be too risky and economically not justifiable or in places where the main destination is the city itself e.g. Singapore. There is no...
Kalabsha? You will never see the name of this temple in any of the standard itineraries of Egypt. If you are with a guide, you would be told that it is a waste of time – mostly out of their own ignorance. At the least, you might see this monument on...
The “Tourist” to Egypt will have no idea of the ‘Other’ non-glamourous Pyramids of the Ancient Civilization of Egypt! But for the Experience Traveller, the Pyramids of Saqqara and Dashur will indeed have more charm – they predate the Pyramids of Giza and show the interesting history of the development of...
Travelers usually feel that their trip to Egypt is complete with a visit to the Pyramids of Giza and the Nile Cruise! Alas beyond these iconic (and well marketed) experiences, we miss out on the not so usual destinations – which are equally beautiful and historic! One of these off-the-beat destination is...