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Travel ideas to see all the world has to offer on short itineraries

31/08/2024

What is a didgeridoo ? Didgeridoo are made out of hollowed branches of trees such as eucalyptus & played using vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone using a special technique called circular breathing. How does it sound ? Take a listen to this short clip !!

27/08/2024

Australia is a huge country & there is so much to do there. It is not just Sydney & the Opera House. Here are some places from my recent visit that you can add to your Australia itinerary

Moreton Island (off the coast of Brisbane)
• Tangalooma Wrecks
• Bird Watching
• Whale Watching (Aug-Oct)
• Wild Dolphin Feeding
• Beaches

Brisbane
*Street art
* Public art installations
* Museums especially Queensland Art Gallery which is free
* Nepalese Temple at South Bank
* Brisbane Sign
* Story Bridge

Currumbin
• Currumbin Rock Pools
• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

UIuru/Ayer’s Rock
• Didgeridoo workshop
• Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), you can hike along different trails here as well see the sunrise & sunset here
• Gallery of Central Australia
• Dot painting workshop
• Uluru Camel Farm
• Hiking around Ayer’s Rock
• Sunset & Sunrise at Ayer’s Rock

14/08/2024

Australia is home to many unique animals, be it the Koala, Kangaroo or Wombat & though you may not think dolphins to be unique to Australia, Moreton Island off the east coast of Australia is home to a pod of wild dolphins who come regularly to the beach at the island for feeding. This tradition dates back to 1980's when the dolphins started eating catch discarded from the pier. They grew accustomed to humans & enjoyed the attention & the tradition grew & blossomed into conservation. Now the dolphins are closely monitored & only fed 10% of their daily diet to ensure, this is just a snack for them & not a meal & so they remain wild & don't lose their ability to fish. They are free to come and go (though they like clockwork come every evening at 6:30 pm to be fed) & it speaks volumes about the trust these dolphins have for the Dolphin care team, that they even bring their young ones along. During our visit, we saw 5 dolphins & a 6 month old 🐬 as well. It was a joy to experience feeding these wild dolphins by hand. Definitely one of a kind experience that will fill your ❤️ with joy & a greater appreciation for the wild in the ocean ... may their tribe grow and flourish !!

25/07/2024

Tibet is a place that has long been on our list to visit & so happy to finally be here & see it for ourselves. It was everything we had imagined but also very modern. At times you feel like you have gone back in time but then you see an Apple store & you realize that you are very much in the 21st century. How long Tibet will be able to hold on to it’s past history is still to be seen which is all the more reason to visit it now, before it is too late !

How to get there – The easiest way to get to Tibet is through China. You will need a Chinese visa & an additional permit to visa Tibet which your travel agency can get for you. We used Tibet Vista, https://www.tibettravel.org/ & were happy with their services including some last minute changes we requested. Our guide was Tenzin, +86 138 8902 1842 who did a great job of showing us places that was on the itinerary but also some others that were not

Do you need a guide to visit Tibet ? - You do not need a guide to visit all the sights in Lhasa such as the Monasteries or Norbulinka but you do need the help of a guide to arrange your permit to visit Tibet & also to places like Jokhang Temple & Potala Palace. Taxis are available for hire by simply hailing them down, so though you do need the help of a guide to arrange tickets & permits, you can visit some places independently. Do carry your passport & permit at all times as you will need to show them at some security points especially to access Barkhor.

When to visit – Spring & summer is a great time to visit as the weather is good
but if you plan to hike, it is best to visit before the monsoons

How to acclimatize to the high altitude – Drink lots & lots of water, take complete rest on day 1 & take the next few days slow as well. Run a humidifier in your room if your hotel has one.

Itinerary –
Day 1 – Arrival & rest
Day 2 - Ani Tsankhung Nunnery & Norbulingka
Day 3 – Drepung Monastery & Sera Monastery
Day 4 – Jokhang Temple, Barkhor & Potala Palace
Day 5 – Meeting Tibetan Mastiff Dogs & Yak plus Departure

18/06/2024

If you are looking for a quick trip to Savannah & have only 24 hours to spare, here's a quick list of the sights to visit to make the most of your time there ...

Giant Globe at 14 E 73rd St
Forsyth Park & it’s fountain
Tour the Historic Homes in the Historic District
Lafayette Square & it’s green fountain
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
London Booth at Six Pence Pub
Wrought Iron Balcony at Marshall House
Savannah City Hall
City Market
American Prohibition Museum
Sample cookies at Byrd’s Cookie Company
Lunch at Little Duck Diner
Wormsloe Historic Site
Bonaventure Cemetary
Tybee Island Lighthouse
Tybee Island Beach
Crab Shack
GingerBread House

11/06/2024

Algeria Itinerary

Day 1 : Visit to Tipaza (hired car with driver from Hotel)
Royal Mausoleum of Mauritania
Tipaza Archaeological Park & Museum
Walk around Fishing Port of Tipaza & meal at a restaurant there

Day 2 : Algiers Sightseeing (Get your Own Guide booked online, https://www.getyourguide.com/algiers-l179835/best-casbah-tour-lunch-t654038/)
Grande Poste
Raïs Palace
Casbah
Ketchaoua Mosque
Dar Hassan Pacha
Bardo Museum
National Museum of Antiquities
Martyrs' Memorial

Day 3 : Constantine Sightseeing (walking tour on our own)
Monument aux morts
Sidi M'Cid Bridge
Mellah Slimane Bridge
Amir Abdel Kader Mosque
Palace of Ahmed Bey

Day 4 : Visit to Timgad & remaining Constantine sightseeing with our excellent guide, Bechiri Illiesse (0557 949713/0776 676887, email : [email protected])
Madghis, a royal mausoleum-temple of the Berber Numidian Kings
Roman ruins of Timgad

P.S - Exchange only as much Algerian Dinar as you need as any amount not used will be hard to exchange back as the country does not allow it.

24/05/2024

Timgad is a Unesco World Heritage Site that was founded in 1st century AD by the Emperor Trajan. It is incredibly well preserved & you can see how well planned it was with a grid structure with main streets & side streets running through it. It had a library, theater, public toilets, a temple & numerous other facilities just like any modern city today. The museum adjacent to the site has incredible mosaics & artifacts from the site.
Timgad can be visited on a day trip from Constantine. You will need a car & driver to get here. Guides can be hired at the site. Do carry your passport for security check at police checkpoints. There is no shade here, so if visiting in summer, an umbrella might be helpful

07/05/2024

Why visit Abu Dhabi ? Yes, people usually throng to glitzy Dubai & often skip visiting Abu Dhabi or visit it just to see the Grand Mosque but Abu Dhabi has so much to offer. Plus if you are not too fond of crowds & want to see a more quieter side of UAE, then Abu Dhabi is the place for you. From here, you can visit many other places such as Al Ain where you will get to see the traditional side of UAE. Here are some the sights we visited in Abu Dhabi & Al Ain. Please note, this list is a not a comprehensive list of sights in both places & only the ones I visited as they were of interest to me. You can see many more sights including sights such as the Louvre, Fossil Dunes & Salt Lakes in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi sights

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Reflection of the Grand Mosque in the Reflecting Pool at Wahat Al Karama
Qasr al Watan
Emirates Heritage Village
Mural by Kobra
Aldar Building
Emerging Man
Clymb Abu Dhabi
Al Bahar Towers
Dhow ride
Hidden Gem : Bani Hashim mosque

Al Ain sights

Al Jahili Fort
Jabel Hafeet
Hili Grand Tomb
Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum
Al Ain Oasis

01/05/2024

San Antonio, TX is a great destination to visit in Spring. Why ? Because the Blue Bonnets are in full bloom & you get to see a lot of other wildflowers in bloom as well. San Antonio has a lot of popular, historical sights to visit as well as quirky ones. Sharing my personal favorites from our recent trip there !!

San Antonio
Alamo
Riverwalk
San Fernando cathedral
Buckhorn Saloon and Museum
Historic Market Square
World's Largest Virgin Mary Mosaic
Frank’s Hog Stand
Junkyard Dog
World's Largest Cowboy Boots

Nearby
Brenham – great for wildflower spotting in spring. You can also do mural spotting here & grab delicious food & yummy ice cream during your visit here. At Independence near it, you can see ruins of Old Baylor University Campus
Painted Churches in Hill Country
Fredericksburg – another great place for wildflower spotting including seeing poppies at Wild Seed Farms

16/04/2024

Here are some of the places I visited on my recent trip to Ireland ... since this was my 2nd visit there, I chose to visit the places I had missed visiting on my 1st visit. These may not be Uber popular places to visit, but still worth seeking out ...

09/04/2024

We had planned to see the total solar eclipse a while back. We chose Texas as the weather would be warm but could only get tickets to Houston (we had wanted to go to Dallas). We planned to drive to San Antonio from there & further to Fredericksburg, up north which was in the path of total solar eclipse. We were so excited for this day but as we got closer & closer to the THE day, cloudy skies were forecasted & we lost hope of seeing the eclipse. But since we had come all the way, we still decided to go ahead & see what happens. And the Eclipse Gods finally answered our prayers. Though it was cloudy, they would part from time to time to reveal the eclipse taking place. As total solar eclipse approached, the sky got darker & darker & suddenly it went completely dark as if somebody had switched off the lights. I could barely see next to me & all I could hear was people saying "Oh my God" or clapping. It was a surreal moment ... though the total solar eclipse lasted 4 mins, for me it was the fastest 4 mins of my life & it went by so fast, that I am still in shock as to what I witnessed .... I am so glad I didn't give up despite the less than postive forecast & got to witness this once in a lifetime moment that will be etched in my memory forever ....

29/03/2024

It is also spotting Manatees .. saw this manatee yesterday in Edgewater along the marina chomping on grass

28/03/2024

St Patrick’s Day in Ireland
St Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world but who is St Patrick ? St Patrick was actually not Irish but a British who was transported to Ireland by Irish soldiers during a raid. After spending time in Captivity, he escaped & became a devout Christian & started religious training. After being ordained a priest, he returned to Ireland & began to convert people there to Christianity incorporating Irish beliefs & symbolism in his teachings. He is as a result regarded as the patron saint of Ireland & St Patrick’s Day is held on his death anniversary as a celebration of Irish life & culture.
How to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland ?
Here are a few of my tips –
1 – Make flight, hotel & car rental reservations in advance
2- Do not plan to drive around the city on St Patrick’s Day as many roads are closed to traffic
3- Buy your tickets for the parade. Though the parade is free to watch, Ireland often gets rain & it is still cold during this time of the year. Having seats at the grandstand means you don’t have to arrive super early to secure your position to watch the parade & saves you from bad weather to a certain extent
4 – Dress in the spirit of the festival

24/03/2024

So what else can you do in Venice during the Carnival time ?
Here are some ideas ....

Explore Venice on Foot. Venice is a photographer’s dream & you will find many photo spots. Mornings & late evenings are best for them as the day trip crowds have either yet to come or have left for the day
Explore the Leaning towers of Venice
Explore Venice’s many bridges including the popular ones such as Rialto Bridge & Bridge of Sighs & some not as well known such as the Ponte Chiodo
We live in the times of Social Media & some places have become so popular due to apps such as Instagram that they are even marked such on Google Maps as such like the Instagram famous Pier !! Do check them out to see if they deserve becoming so famous
Visit the many churches of Venice
Of course, Piazza San Marco cannot be skipped
Discover some hidden gems in little visited neighbourhoods. You can do this by looking up online or joining a walking tour
Indulge in the food & drinks of Venice. The popular ones are expensive but if you just stroll around & look for cafes frequented by locals & not by tourists, you will discover some delicious food which is not expensive at all !!

21/03/2024

A few glimpses of the awesome show, Terra Incognita. Marco's Mirabolante Voyage which was held during the carnival at night. It showcased Marco Polo's journey around the world & was a visual treat that played out on water with performers in boats, masks, fireworks, light displays, floats & so much more !!

05/03/2024

What else did I enjoy at the Venice Carnival besides the costumes and masks ? Here are some of them ....

29/02/2024

The Venice Carnival held in February each year has a long history & is considered one of the oldest festivals in the world. It began in 1162 after the military victory of the Venetian Republic over the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrich II von Treven. It became very popular in the 18th century when people started wearing costumes & masks so everyone could mingle & it would be hard to tell who is who. It was outlawed in 1797 & though it came back briefly for short periods , it finally came back in 1979 when the Italian Government decided to celebrate & continue this historic & cultural event. It is now so popular that it draws 3 million people to visit it !!

With so many people visiting this festival, what are the tips you need to keep in mind to attend this festival ?

Tip #1 Make your reservations for hotel, ferry & flights as far in advance as possible
Tip #2 Check the weather for rain & how cold it will be. This is a period during which it rains often, so be prepared with rain boots, umbrella (wind strong) & warm clothes
Tip #3 Check the carnival schedule for events. During my visit, there was a night performance I was interested in for which I had bought tickets early on
Tip #4 If you want to take pictures of the costumes & masks without crowds, wake up early & head to St Mark’s Square where people dress up & pose for pictures
Tip #5 If you want to dress up yourself, you can buy masks here or you can buy them beforehand. I would encourage you to buy your costume beforehand as I saw many shops selling masks but not costumes. You can rent them here but as far I know, you can only wear them for pictures but not walk around in them
Tip #6 Wear comfortable shoes. You will be walking around a lot. I walked 30,000 steps in one day !!

27/02/2024

Snapshots from Hampi in the state of Karnataka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

21/02/2024

Highlights from Hyderabad .....

11/02/2024

Snapshots from Aurangabad .....

07/02/2024

Snapshots from Amritsar ....

29/01/2024

Why you should visit the Golden Temple during Diwali - because it is beautifully decorated & you can see people light candles here. The atmosphere is so festive but yet serene ...

25/01/2024

Glimpses of my day trip to North Kolkata along the Hoogly River

18/01/2024

Itinerary, Details & Tips for visiting Socotra

Our guide for this trip was Abdullah. He can be contacted through Whatsapp at +967771891993

He’s a freelance tour guide on Socotra who handled getting our Visas, Flight tickets, Hotel Stay, transportation on the island & meals. He was with us from arrival till departure

Day 1 : Arrival & visiting Dixam to see Dragon Blood trees
Day 2 : Drivie to Homihil to see natural infinity pool, visiting Dihambri beach & Arher Sand Dunes
Day 3 : Shoub beach, Ditwah beach & lagoon & visit with cave man
Day 4 : Visit women’s cooperative shop & departure

Tip #1 Socotra has mostly camping trip itineraries available but the camps are extremely basic. However you can stay in a hotel. However, this will cost you extra for the fuel charge to go back & forth everyday versus going from camp to camp. You will also have shower, breakfast & internet in a room versus a camp. I chose to stay more comfortably in a hotel room but it is good to know the difference, so you can choose accordingly
Tip #2 : Please bring dollars in bank notes as per your need. Make sure they are new as old notes are not accepted
Tip #3 : April is a good time to visit as the weather is good & the bottle trees are in bloom
Tip #4 : There are weekly flights to Socotra from Egypt & UAE & twice weekly flights too though the latter is limited. You can accordingly choose to do a 7 day trip or a 4 day trip
Tip #5 : There are scam tours available who promise to do your visas but on arrival said visas turn out to be fake, so make sure you do choose a recommended tour guide/agency to avoid dissapointment

17/01/2024

Why meeting the Cave Man of Socotra is a must !!! He is a 60 year old guy living all by himself in a cave near Detwah Beach. He fishes in the Lagoon and is full of stories and tales of his adventures. But best of all is his knowledge of the Lagoon and all that lives in it ....

11/01/2024

Why is Socotra called the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean ? That's because of it's biodiversity & the endemic flora & fauna that can only be found on this island. Here are some examples of them ...

07/01/2024

Here's another museum to add to your list of museums to visit in Miami, the Lowes Art Museum in Coral Gables which is free & has a wide variety of collections from Contemporary Art to Art from around the world. Here are a couple of my highlights from there

12/12/2023

Miami is not just beaches ! On your next visit to Miami, check out these museums located in different locations around Miami. There are many more museums besides these but these are my personal favorties

Institute of Contemporary Art, Design District
Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami
Perez Art Museum, Downtown
Wolfsonian, Miami Beach
Gary Nader Art Gallery, Wynwood
Rubell Museum, Alpattah
Coarl Gables Museum, Coral Gables

30/11/2023

Every time I visit London, I try to take in some of the popular sights & as well as some quirky ones. Here are some of the ones I visited in the summer of 2022 (late post)

15/11/2023

Arona is less than an hour from Milan and makes for a relaxing day trip from Milan. It has a similar vibe to Lake Como but minus the crowds. For best experience, try to visit towards end of summer when the summer crowds have lessened. As for what to do here, my suggestion is to just take a stroll around this charming town, take in the views from the park & from the promenade. And of course, indulge in some delicious Italian food while taking in the awesome views !!

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Videos

The baby dolphin with the pod. We were told initially it was very shy & kept at a distance but now it's personality is beginning to come through & it has become more playful. Isn't it a joy to watch ?

The Dolphin care team with one of the Dolphins at the end of the feeding session as they get ready to leave the beach

This is the beach at Moreton Island where the dolphins come to feed every evening at 6:30 pm. You can see the sky setting in the backdrop & rows of people in columns of 5 getting ready to feed the 5 dolphins who came to the beach on the day of our visit. The young dolphin is not yet ready to be fed & is drinking it's mother's milk

Us feeding the dolphins under the watch of the Dolphin Care Team. The water was extremely cold but it was all worth it to hand feed the dolphin, Comet ☺

The sky got completely dark during total solar eclipse which lasted for 4 mins in Fredericksburg, Texas but to me it went by so fast, it felt like 1 min ....

Video of the sun as we approach total solar eclipse

Time lapse of 1 hour including before & after the eclipse ... you can see how the sky gets dark during full solar eclipse

It is also spotting Manatees .. saw this manatee yesterday in Edgewater along the marina chomping on grass #manatees #manateelove #visitmiami #lovemiami #LoveFL #staysaltyflorida

The ornate lamp posts of Dublin were also part of the parade

A float promoting keeping oceans clean for all those who live in it

View from the grandstand of the parade

All that roaming around made me thirsty for some fresh sugarcane juice 😋

Followed by qawwali by some very talented singers

Since Diwali is a festival of lights, people light crackers in celebration

People sitting on the floor as they are given free tea & pakora

Why you should visit the Golden Temple during Diwali - because it is beautifully decorated & you can see people light candles here. The atmosphere is so festive but yet serene ... #goldentemple #amritsar #incredibleindia

Cave man showing us a sea slug (or more commonly called sea potato) that gives out purple liquid when it feels threatened

Valais black nose sheep have very sweet personalities that match their cute looks

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