Toronto:CN Tower,Museums,Photos,Videos

July 7, 2013, 1:38 pm

≪ Previous: Canada Visa:Immigration,Flights,Video

Toronto : Alive and Contemporary
To view all previous posts on Canada,click here: Canada all posts

Where every point of view is beautiful @ On top of CN Tower

It's the magnum opus of CN Tower being woven continuously to this day in the landscape of truly cosmopolitan Toronto that I try to play hide and seek with but it appears from wherever I travel from.With Toronto,comes surprises.If you have been thinking where I had been all the while,let me tell you 1) I was holding onto my sweet and famous Canadian Georgian Hills Icewine and wondering if I should save it or just drink.If I drink I wouldn't be left up with the apple flavored frozen grapes made wine which of course I wouldn't be getting in India.One of the souvenirs I bought.There are many other small little things I bought.We'll discuss souvenirs later

The Canadian Ice Wine is not only famous but rich in taste

Can you spot something else?

My Canadian Tee-Shirt ;)

2)I was busy penning down my Canadian stories and realized there are so many that not even a book would be enough. 3)I thought I would edit the video guide first,but believe me this time I took 90 shots,yes 90 hd shots and editing will take time.So if you haven't watched my sweet and lovely 30 seconds Ontario trailer,click here:

And last but not the least,if you do feel jealous of my Canadian Endeavors,do not forget to write words of gossip(for ladies) and suggestions(for men) in my comment box.You could also help others by sharing your recommendations and stories.And before we proceed "LET ME TELL YOU WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER TRAVELLER'S MEET VERY VERY SOON IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CITY THAN BEFORE -ANY GUESSES?"

Our stay and how we did Travel @ Toronto

The stylish Hotel le germain at Mercer Street was centrally located to the iconic CN Tower and the busy market area.We had a pleasant and comfortable stay on all 4 days at the hotel with the continental breakfast.If you do wish to stay there(which I would recommend) you can walk around Queen's Street,China Town and even CN Tower which are at very close vicinity .We also have WiFi facilities in the hotel.

Ah..my cosy room @ Le Germain

The best way to get a general glimpse of the roads which was the first thing we did was to take a tour by the Toronto Bus Company.We got a chance to visit some of the interesting neighborhoods like Chinatown, Kensington market, Bloor-Yorkville,Queen street west and St. Lawrence Food Market.The summary on how to do Canada on your own will be put up in the last blogpost where we will over transport,budget stay and best places to cover.

The iconic CN Tower @ Toronto

You can't escape CN tower when in Toronto

CN Tower is Toronto's most famous landmark and probably most seen landmark.Holding a record for the world's tallest building and free standing structure for 30 years since its completion in 1976,it provides the view of the city that is second to none.It takes just about 58 seconds to be on the top of the tower at 147 stories.

The observation deck @CN Tower
The top of the tower isn't just the tower but an observation deck(from where you can look down 1222 feet glass),360 degree revovling restaurant and an edge walk if you dare(I found it a little costly for me $175 bucks for hanging on the edge,but I think that'll be worth the experience)

Dare you go! @ CN Tower
Museums that ain't boring but lively @ Toronto

The only word that comes to my mind when I think of museums is "Yawn,no way!".But of late,I have started liking the international ones.After Scotland,it was Canada's turn to showcase me the best of Museums.Adam(our tour guide,and editor of Dine) told us about the strinkingly interesting architecture of Royal Ontario Museum so we thought "May be".But we entered the museum we were like "Wow!Height of incredibleness".

Royal Ontario Museum,Toronto:The "ROM" as it is known to the locals is a crystal shard inspired design that not only transforms the museum but the whole of Bloor Street.

Have I missed the battle?Let's practice at ROM :)

Starting with the prettiest to not so pretty doll section,to the gladiators section where we dressed up as primary school fancy dress gladiator attire and swords(oh..It was heavy,I wonder how they used to fight) to the world of crystals to the egyptian history to even dinosauras. There are 4 different floors with 4 different themes.At 12 o' we had Gladiator show at Ground 0.ROM has stolen my heart and I would recommend it to everyone who visits Toronto.It's one hell of a museum.Timing 10am - 5 pm

Moving ahead of ROM is the Bloor Street East.Along the same road are the many designer shops you might want to have a look at."Winners" is one shop which I would recommend buying designer upcoming fashion wear on sale. Moving ahead we passed through the line of designer cars on both side of the road.

The cars we drive say a lot about us.How about this one?

Would you want to take one home(pic inset)?I wish I could.From convertible to batman cars to the vintage cars everything was on display.The beauty of Toronto is the theme of celebration changes everyday.Today was cars,tommorow could be something else.

Bata Shoe Museum,Toronto:How many pairs of shoes/sandals do you keep at home?4-5-6?Imagine 4 floors dedicated to two little lovely feet.

These are real shoes.Period.

Yes! A museum on shoes,sandals,chappals and a stunning collection of more than 12000 footwear.Some won by celebrities and some part of 4500 years of ancient history.Timings 10 am - 8 pm

Art Gallery of Ontario:The AGO features an impressive art collection you might like.Timing 10 am - 5:30pm

Gardiner Museum:The gardiner museum contains more than 2900 ceramic work from Europe,Asia & the Americas.Timing 10am - 6 pm

That's it for today.I hope I bought you bundles of creative museums you might have thoroughly enjoyed. Tomorrow we do some shopping in Toronto,discover food joints and do some cycling in the Toronto islands before we proceed onto the beautiful town of Niagara on the lake.

Tomorrow we earn some fat and burn some fat

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Kolkata Traveler's Meet

July 11, 2013, 7:16 am

≫ Next: Bodhgaya:Rural Bihar,Photos,Videos

≪ Previous: Toronto:CN Tower,Museums,Photos,Videos

Previous two successful traveller's meet: Delhi Travelers Meet& Bangalore Traveler's Meet

According to the recent study by BBC "Bengalis make up at least 60% of India's 400 million-strong domestic tourist traffic".According to IBN Live "Bengalis are the most widely-travelled people in this country and one of the most travel-crazy races in the world in terms of budget tourism, spokesman of the Indian Tourism Fair (ITF) Debashis Chatterjee told PTI" and according to me "For generations and beyond Bengalis have been part of this great travel community who travel with their Kaka kaki chacha chachi friends family and even siblings.Budget travel it seems is there birthright.Born creative and imaginative,they find ways in hardest of situations emerging as a winner in most of the territory unknown.Be it in Sikkim,Kashmir or Kanyakumari you would find an enticing and chatty bong connection."

So much so that a travel blogger "Poonam Parihar" in response to my post on twitter says

Sadly,we do not have many such events in Kolkata.I have lived half my life in this super friendly,chatty,safe and cheap city and even now the phuchka in Kolkata compares to no other.Kolkata is under-rated.If Delhi and Mumbai are the metropolis,Kolkata always escape the eyes of those who compare but honestly I feel Kolkata is a land of creative genius with tremendous potential in every field.A land where every other person is either a painter,or a writer or a singer or a dancer or has been one.One cannot define Kolkata just as a one-stop photographic opportunity during Durga pujo which no doubt lights like a land of glittery holy shimmers but is much much more.Once you live you would know.

So in the name of noble cause of uniting all those who travel to the all others who would love to travel alongwith,here's presenting Kolkata Traveler's Meet on 24th August at the award winning Tea cafe at Sarat Chand Bose.

I have conducted two previous Traveler's meet in Delhi and Bangalore and have made many friends.Some of them are travelling together and some of them are sharing their travel stories simultaneously.Idea is to interact,play games,listen to your travel stories,share some snacks and destination together and get set rolling for the next adventure!You can get in your guitars,tabla or even as petty as your homemade travel scrapbook!We'd love to see...

You can get the details on other two traveller's meet here:
Delhi Traveler's Meet:A glimpse Feb 2013
Bangalore Traveler's Meet:A glimpse Dec 2012

Ah..random performances that touch the heart@Delhi Traveler's Meet

Bangalore Traveler's Meet on Deccan Chronicle

If you love the idea,join us for the fun.Here's how:

ARE YOU A MEMBER OF MEET-UP.COM ? ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS A RSVP "YES" TO ATTEND.

Meetup.com Event Invite ,

OR

SIMPLY MAIL ME YOUR CONTACT DETAILS,NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTENDING AT ankionthemove@gmail.com WITH THE SUBJECT LINE "KOLKATA TRAVELER'S MEET"

OR

MAILING IS A BORE! WHY NOT FILL UP THE REGISTRATION FORM BELOW WITH THE DETAILS

SIMPLE ISN'T IT ? HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE SOON :)

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Bodhgaya:Rural Bihar,Photos,Videos

July 17, 2013, 5:24 am

≫ Next: Hot Air Ballooning:India,Photos,Videos

≪ Previous: Kolkata Traveler's Meet

The popular and not-so-popular Bihar

All previous posts on Bihar:

The ploughing of field is as equivalent to workout in a gym.But its fun!
I trembled to recollect my past visit."Serial blasts rock Bodh Gaya temple" was the traumatic news in my morning newspaper few days back .I refuse to digest the news. Slowly and patiently, I opened my laptop and searched for my folder "Bihar”. The pictures reminded me of fond memories of the holy land as if each and every place was coming as a flashback in my head. The only question was "Is it as the same before and after the blast? Or have things changed?"Are religious places now targeted as vulnerable attack sites or as victims of god's fury? Who do we seek support of? I didn't have an answer.

Didn't know before my search that it would take me to someplace this beautiful

In the last article, we discussed on how I intentionally decided to track my roots. Little did I know that the Bihar which I had in my mind has changed long back. Surprisingly not many dare to go and explore this land, hoping that they might just be kidnapped or taken away by goons. Tourism runs low except Bodh Gaya. Yes, Bihar is solely known for Bodh Gaya world over.

Mahabodhi Temple,Bodhgaya

Gautama Buddha is said to have obtained Enlightenment in this famous and religious land. The last blogpost contained my journey to single seated ropeway in Bihar and to Nalanda. This time we literally ploughed the fields and walked through the mushy land of water to discover the hidden gems of rural Bihar.

So let's get a little dirty, and enjoy the rest of the trip! But before we do I have good news for all of you:

"I will be part of ‘One Year To Go commonwealth games2014 event' starting next week. Another adventure ahead.....and many more stories to come".

The video on Bihar

Rural and Remote Dona, Bihar

The view from my window,mindblowing isn't it?

I woke up to the most beautiful morning I have ever seen. I didn't wake up to brush my teeth this time as usual, I woke up to view the mist clad scene outside from the small window of the hut partially opened. The view was as a painting "two three huts, fields ranging infinity, cows on road, one or two jeep passing by". The feeling of being disconnected to the outer world and yet deeply connected to nature was as sweet as fresh nectar.

Dona isn't very far from Nalanda,Rajgir and Bodhgaya. Rajgir to Dona is 45 minutes. The village Dona is named after Dronacharya from the epic Mahabharata. It's interesting how the epic gels with the modern. In spite of my fear over the road connectivity I found roads to be just perfect.

The greens are always a therapy,it brings an instant smile

That morning when I woke up I didn't have any hidden agenda. Last night, I had the yummiest chicken ever prepared on chulha in Dona. Even though the electricity wasn't there at night, I never felt the need to have it. We chatted half the night below the twinkling stars and a lantern. It was amazing to know how people live. And more how people live so simple. I was amused at their level of happiness and satisfaction. I was bowled over by their hospitality. The chicken I had was incomparable, I felt like licking my fingers till morning. It had the scent of coal and wood. For the first time I had more than 4 chappatis to this homely made fresh and soft chicken and all under one roof in Dona.

Farming of the Indian paan

Once you are in a village, what do you think you can do?For most of the urbanities including me, we tend to confuse exploration with a mere googled plan. But alas! we had no plans. We set out to discover, this time we didn't have honks or beeps to stop us or a fixed plan to cater to. Me, my cousins, my mom, my brother and my mamaji along with the bhaiya who used to work for us before and now stays there, we all set for a journey I wanted to be part of since long but never got chance. Some say group travel isn't fun anymore, but I prefer it to solo. I don't mind solo travel which I have done a lot of times before, but over the years I realized it’s the people who you can celebrate with, is much much better. Like this particular place would have been a little boring had it been done alone, but with a group the muddy fun just got exaggerated to the levels unimagined.

Getting wet, dirty and muddy in Dona Bihar

The only way to get to the other end.Dip in!

If you get one day to take a mud bath, would you love it or would you stay away ?If you get one day to cross fields without your chappals, would you still be with me ?

Field fresh

But if I say if you get one day to cross fields and fields and fields and plough the field and go in the paan fields along the small ponds where they say is home to the snakes or cross the small divided lines which separates one field from another without slipping down in all the muddy panoramic views around, you might consider.

This dip of water isn't that bad,is it?

No, you should. The feeling of walking with those bare feet in the fresh mud and finally giving up to just jump in the water to cross is unbelievable. The feeling of local villagers shouting and starting at you for your bemused muddy expression is laughable. The feeling of those same a minute back giggling villagers posing for you, is inescapable. That's all we live for isn't it ? The simple pleasures of life. Dona village also contains a very ancient temple with a pond in front where it is believed that whatever you ask for is given. I wish..I just get to travel the world; I hope my god's listening.

Bodh Gaya isn't just a foreigner’s paradise

Temples in Bodhgaya

Not very far away from Dona is Bodh Gaya. The popularity of Bodh Gaya doesn't live in a mere Buddha statue that many talk about. The temples are spread across acres of land. The directions and names of each of the temples are there on direction boards which is there every few meters .

....And there are many.

There is a magnificent Mahabodhi temple,80 ft Statue of the Buddha, Lotus Tank, Buddha Kund, Rajayatana, Brahm Yoni, Chinese Temple & Monastery, Burmese Temple, Buddhist Monastery of Bhutan, International Buddhist House & Japanese Temple, Thai Temple & Monastery, Tibetan Monastery, Archaeological Museum. Sujata village (2 kms), Dungeshwari Hill (Prag bodhi) (22 kms by road), Maitraya Project (3 kms).Next to the temple complex is the Thai restaurant where we had great green, yellow and red curry.

One more...

Bodh Gaya recommended place for stay

Monastry Stay

Roots of Wisdom Institute on the outskirts of Bodhgaya

Bhutan monastery is walking distance to Mahabodhi temple,Room rates 250 Rs

Hotel Stay

Niranjana Resort : Cottage Stay in Bodhgaya

Hotel Mahayana : Mid-range hotel on main road in Bodhgaya, affiliated with a Tibetan Buddhist group : Price 1k

Rahul Guesthouse Bodhgaya : Small family run guesthouse with a range of low priced rooms

Hotel Tathagat International Bodh Gaya : Mid-range hotel centrally located near the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya.

Lotus Nikko Hotel Bodh Gaya & The Royal Residency Bodh Gaya: Govt approved 3 star hotel

Rajgir recommended place for stay

Indo Hokke Hotel

For those who are willing to listen to my backpacking Jammu and Kashmir stories,sorry just a few more days and that should be up fully :)

Where to eat in Bodhgaya

Siam Thai Restaurant

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Hot Air Ballooning:India,Photos,Videos

July 18, 2013, 8:47 am

≫ Next: Scotland:Live,PhotoEssay

≪ Previous: Bodhgaya:Rural Bihar,Photos,Videos

A popular travel blogger "Mridula" writes in her journal in Oct 2010 Rajasthan Trip "Skywatch Friday- Colors against the Blue Blue Sky"and pens it down as "I was listening to my voice and I can hear the excitement in it".Watch her Hot Air Ballooning videos here : Take Off Up in the air

My first Night Flight in Singapore

Such magic is done by the balloons that the world beneath look small,smaller than you think.I have had my first ballooning night flight in Singapore which was an impulsive trip in 2008,and the views from above where no less than Google maps.Let's see a super cool video 5th Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2013 to witness the cutest hot air balloon on earth

Hot Air Ballooning is a comparatively new sport in comparison with other sports.But the popularity of the sport is growing at its own pace.Recently Darjeeling,Pench and Jammu Kashmir are new additions to Hot Air Ballooning hot destinations.

Hot Air Ballooning in Gulmarg,Image Source: Travelnewsdigest

Let's take you to the most recent development in this field:

Off Road Adventures, Darjeeling:

In an interview with Sangay Sherpa of Off Road Adventure,Darjeeling,he tells us

"It's been 4 years we are into paragliding and 2 years into hot air ballooning in Darjeeling.To avail these sports,one must have normal BP and his weight should be more than 40kg. We also have paragliding pilots with more than 100 flying hours and we are soon to launch solo Paragliding courses in October.Till now we provide tandem flights or joy rides and tethered hot air ballooning ride.The mountain terrain is such that we cannot have a free without ropes ballooning ride in Darjeeling.We are a popular adventure sports company in Darjeeling and our motive is to popularize adventure sports in this section of land.We also arrange adventure courses of 7 days for school children of age group 8 - 18.For those who are looking for alternate ways of staying in Darjeeling,we provide camping options at Tiger Hill.We conduct 7a 7b national championship rock climbing for professionals.The cost for a tandem paragliding in Darjeeling is Rs 3000.For hot air ballooning its 1500/- per person for 10 people and 15000/- for a solo flight."

IISM, Jammu & Kashmir:

Gulmarg has been attracting world-wide skiiers since long,and now to the addition of adventure sports in Gulmarg is Hot Air Ballooning.The director of the Department of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir, Talat Parvez,says

"In a bid to add new dimension to adventure tourism, we have started hot air ballooning. The successful demonstration took place and we are using it on a safety mode and it has been properly anchored. The pilot hails from Rajasthan and is well trained. The tourists by sitting in the hot air balloon will get to witness a panoramic view of Gulmarg from the sky. We hope that this becomes a regular feature for Gulmarg so that tourists who come for entertainment and who come to see snow should get an opportunity to see the snow covered valley. We are expecting large number of tourists".

The cost of Hot Air Ballooning according to IISM website is Rs 5000 for 5 days and the session runs from Aug - Oct.

Skywaltz, Rajasthan:

The most popular of them all is Skywaltz.SkyWaltz is the first company in India that has been licensed by the government to do ballooning on a commercial basis.Started in 2008, Skywaltz provides soaring hot air ballooning experience over Jaipur,Pushkar,Ranthambore,NCR & Neemrana. The cost of one 60 minute flight is approximately Rs 10,000.After the completion of the flight,you get Certificate of First Flight, duly signed by your pilot.Balloons are flown by highly experienced international pilots from the UK and USA.

Balloon Club of India,New Delhi:

The Balloon Club of India in New Delhi organizes hot air balloon safaris, as well as the India International Hot Air Balloon Mela in November each year. It's a balloon fair where joyrides are possible.

Tiger Ballon Safaries,Various Location In India:

Tiger Balloon Safaries offer commercial ballooning experience at various parts of the country including Pench and Gurgaon.They also offer festival flights at Pushkar Fair,Jaisalmer Desert Fair,Nagaur Fair,Hampi festival and Suraj Kund Crafts Mela.The cost per flight is Rs 12000/-

For my own adventure,I might be on a seaplane next in Scotland :).

Hope you liked the article.Hoping to see amazing comments

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Scotland:Live,PhotoEssay

July 26, 2013, 3:45 pm

≫ Next: Jumpin Heights:Bungy Jump,Interview

≪ Previous: Hot Air Ballooning:India,Photos,Videos

Scotland Revisited:The warmest Hi once again

Dear Dairy,

It isn't always that all your senses are tempted to and played with again.But I consider myself lucky.The things I missed last time in Scotland in April was the ones I was head on,in this trip.The previous posts were as:

A warm "Hi" from Scotland - Live Blogging
UK,Scotland:Visas & Flights (includes video)
Top 7 offbeat things to do in Scotland
A traveler and not a tourist: Scotland(includes video)
Food and Scotexpo 2013
Backpacking Scotland

Many of my folks have asked me "What is there in Scotland and why should we go there at all?".But today I let the pictures speak for themselves,Scotland isn't just one of the many trips,it is special.

And what more than one year to the next Common wealth games to celebrate with.Let's begin..the journey has just started and I am hear you tell you the untold stories of Scotland.The destination which you must have only seen in dreams..and wondered where?The answer lies here,yes everyone,just here.

Anki S.
Loch Lomond,Scotland 10:50 PM,26-07-2013

Me cycling,at the Chris Hoy Velodrome,the official Commonwealth 2014 Games venue at Glasgow.You can try your hand too.It's incredible because these are unusual bikes which you have to

ride on slant circular tracks.The higher you paddle,the more level up you go!

Scotland has great welcoming ambiance,sweet people and cool music.

The above picture @One year to go Commonwealth celebrations

There is a way out of every dark mist, over a rainbow trail.This one's straight out of my hotel window.Would you want to settle in a place like this?

Where history meet contemporary. Each museum is decoratively created where even if

you ain't fond of history you can spend almost a day or two admiring the awe-inspiring sculptures architecture and beauty

There's music in the landscape.

The amazing countryside which creates a melody.

Watch the video below to get an insight for the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2014

That's it for today.If you have been to Scotland share your most beautiful memories and I'll publish it in my next blogpost..

Cheers folks :)

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Jumpin Heights:Bungy Jump,Interview

July 30, 2013, 8:08 am

≫ Next: Toronto:Toronto Islands,Cycling,Photos

≪ Previous: Scotland:Live,PhotoEssay

The Jumpin Heights team gets candid with Ankionthemove about all things BUNGY and the journey with Jumpin Heights so far......!!!

Living at risk is jumping off the edge and smiling at your guts on the way down

Follow them on
On Facebook:Jumpin Heights Facebook Page
Website:Jumpin Heights Official Website

A Brief on Rahul Nigam, the founder and MD, Jumpin Heights

Rahul Nigam is an alumni of National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He served in The Brigade of Guards.

He always dreamt of getting extreme adventure sports into our country. It is because of his thorough research and liaison that the Extreme Adventure Zone has come up in Rishikesh.

His main focus has always been on providing safety by implementing world class standard operating procedures, use of best equipment and having the best trained crew (Jump Masters from New Zealand).

Thanks to Rahul Nigam for taking the wonderful initiative on making Bungy happen in India and thanks to the alumni of Jumpin Heights and Brig Singh for the conversation.

The journey of Jumpin heights and how it all began?

A group of daredevils at Jumpin Heights
India is not known to follow best of the safety standards in the field of adventure sports. Thus it became a challenge which initiated our journey to set up Extreme Adventure Zone with international safety standards in India. Search to select best of the activities for the zone started in 2006.

Is the jump worth the thrill or are there certain risks involved ?

Have guts...!Then Jump

Extreme adventure activity gives the adrenalin rush only because of the risk factor. Safety comes from Experienced Crew, Intensive Training and high degree of Discipline. Bungy jump is a once in a life time experience and each jump is treated as First Jump by the crew.

The initial hiccups and how did you overcome…

In spite of the initial hiccups,the sheer determination paid off.
Jumpin heights celebrates 3rd anniversary

It took 4 years to seek sanctions/permissions from various departments of the Govt. It was sheer grit and determination on our part to have succeeded in getting approvals and setting up this venture.

Your greatest achievement so far ?

Jumpin Heights in Media

Our greatest achievement has been to have set up the world class infrastructure and run the site safely for 3 years. It is great to see people coming to do Bungy jump from all over the country. Some are travelling from the NCR or even Chandigarh to do only Bungy jump and go back.

The best words of appreciation (from jumpers who have jumped with you)?

Your mind is Nirvana

(a)"I can now die in peace. Thanks. Bungy was great fun"

(b)"Nirvana,Nirvana..Gautam Budha attained it under a tree, I went closer to it with Jumpin Heights"

Does Bungy jump/Swing/Flying Fox happen all year around ? Any age-weight limitations?

Don't forget to collect your Dare to Jump certificate

The site is closed during monsoons(16th Jul to 30th Sept). Minimum age is 12 years and minimum weight is 40 kgs. For Bungy maximum age limit is 45 years and weight limit is 110 kgs.

Apart from Rishikesh which other destination in India holds a potential to be an interesting future bungy jump site ?

We are still exploring various hill stations where tourists come for adventure.

If there’s one social cause you’d love to contribute to in India, what would that be ?

We are already supporting rural health care in a small way. We organize fortnightly medical camps in the local area.We have also employed number of local youth to work with us.

Your venture is an inspiration for many people who want to chase their dreams and do what they like even if it is out of their league. What would you like to say to them ?

Follow your heart and believe in yourself. “Darr kea age Jeet hai”.

Your vision of extreme adventure sports in india ?

When bungy is for everyone

The site also has asia's longest flying fox which you can enjoy with your family and your friends

To give an international experience of a safe Bungy to Indians at an affordable price

Your opinion about the performance of girls/women at Jumpin Heights ?

Girls from all over the world are showing higher grit and determination in extreme adventure activities. Even in Bungy, very few girls have backed out as compared to their counterpart. The number of girls visiting Jumpin Heights is rising each day.

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Toronto:Toronto Islands,Cycling,Photos

August 6, 2013, 9:20 am

≫ Next: Philippines:Places,Photos,Travel

≪ Previous: Jumpin Heights:Bungy Jump,Interview

The Unusual Clothing Optional Beach
Canada All previous posts Canada All Posts
Canada Video Trailer Canada Videos

Cycling my Blues away @ Toronto Islands

While discussing the idea of cycling with one of my friend about Toronto,I randomly told him "You know we are going to pass through clothing optional beach today" and he almost was as excited as I was.Really,how is it like and what did you wear was the first thing he asked me after I returned."

Which way is mine Or which way is yours?

It's funny was all I could say.But alongside the Clothing Optional Beach which was titillating yet not so titillating was the clothing mandatory beach where we,in our most modest clothes were having our little sweet and a little sour gala time.It reminded me of the street in Pattaya where street menu means playing with your wildest imagination.

I take a long bike ride along the islands

Have you ever been to any such place where your senses are funnily titillated and instead of being turned on,you think what crazy world we live in?You can't classify them as good or bad experience.I have had heard similar stories from people who were part of this year's festive gala "Mahakumbh",were bare minimum was part of spiritual expression.

That's our cycling route map.

Unlike that,this was an expression of freedom in an open small section of land with a beach accompanied and carried with 'I don't care attitude' by mostly men.

Giggling all the way with my team of new friends,we slowly took our bikes out from the stands.Today has been a sunny day with unforgettable experiences.Let me tell you this wasn't one of those unforgettable. This wasn't even near to unforgettable.

The Unforgettables @ Toronto Islands

I can't change the direction of the winds,but I can always adjust my sail.

It isn't always the same when the cool breeze of air is accompanied with the near about perfect scenery. Hopping onto one of the ferries from the Toronto Island Ferry Docks located behind the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel we were quite excited to travel over the islands.So we had our Bixi bikes(Toronto's bike
share program) and there we go travelling the islands.It took us 15 minutes from the mainland to reach the island by ferry.We met Louisa Mursell from Transportation Options who was there to guide us and cycle along with us.

It looks like a duck,it quacks like a duck,but does it cycle like a duck.No wonder..

Center island is the main island where we found a small amusement park. Hanlon's point is Toronto's clothing optional beach.Walking and biking path lead us through out the islands.The ride through the islands was spectacular as we cross small miniature bridges,beaches,eternal green terrain,flowers,ducks and trees.

Toronto Harbour Tours..where does the cruise take me to?

After we had explored every inch of the island,we had our lunch and wines at Rectory cafe which was located in the island too!A tour with the Toronto Harbour took us around the Toronto's skyline and gave a closer look to the Toronto Islands and after we had our lunch,the finishing touch was a tour with the Toronto Harbour Tours.

The Happy go lucky @ Distillery Historic District

I came,I saw and I fell in love

I never knew that Toronto is so happening until I set my first foot forward in the ubercool Distillery District.Before I could go in,I spotted the balloons tied up at the entry slowly moving to and fro.It reminded me of my birthday.When I went inside, the music,the stalls made me jump with joy.Well almost!Many Hollywood movies including Chicago and X-Men have been filmed here due to unique architecture.The district has the largest collection of industrial Victorian buildings in Canada and the whole district was abuzz with artist studious,events,cafe's and even a theater.

Where celebration is always @ Distillery District

We even spotted many wedding photo shoots live in the district as the combination of old architecture and the buzzing music presented a perfect charm to the venue.We went to the Mill Street Brewery,the area's first brewery where we tried different flavors of fresh tap beer.We went to Soma for world class chocolates and had the best of spicy hot chocolate and non spicy hot chocolate shot.

Chocolates,Beer,Oysters; Need I say more?

Hmmm...that was unbelievably yummy!And last but not the least we ended it all up with the fresh oysters and fish on our platter at Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill.This was my first time on Oysters,and I initially was a bit skeptical on how to eat.But it was easy.Take a scoop out and chew in rather swallow in but the taste was very different.I liked it,It wasn't something I had ever tasted before....

PS:Guys and Gals,sorry for the delay in video.I hope you have already seen the trailer by now.It's taking a little long but let me assure you this is gonna be one of the best videos till date,hopefully.I was on a vacation to Scotland and missed out stories on Canada.But here I am,back on track.Do not forget to share your naughtiest adventures till date,your Canadian stories and what you like about Canada in my blog.

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Philippines:Places,Photos,Travel

August 8, 2013, 6:44 am

≫ Next: It's a beautiful day but not as beautiful as me

≪ Previous: Toronto:Toronto Islands,Cycling,Photos

Mabuhay everyone!The fun does not end in the Philippines when the sun sets,neither does it tone down the grandest of weddings because it is a destination of exciting adventures and deep rooted intrinsic values which we share with the Philippines in common.

Did you know?Boracay island in the Philippines was named 2012 No.1 World's Best Island
Image Source: tripwow.tripadvisor.com

The affordability,the connectivity and the similarity makes it an interesting destination.Many of my friends of late have recently opened up to the new idea of travelling to the Philippines. Not many know though that it could be their one of the best choices.Let me tell you why I say so..

-Mangoes : We share our common love for Mangoes.Yes,we do.Philippines is a destination where we get Mangoes throughout the year.The temperature too stays warm throughout.

-Festivals & Weddings : Like Indians,Filipinos love color and spectacle.They have a lot of festivals and so do we.They like organizing colorful weddings and fun events and so a perfect destination wedding at Philippines will be perfect for us Indians.For those looking to propose or a getaway on their honeymoon,the
picture perfect scenery makes it one of the kind experience.

-Eating Out : For travelers from India,the major concern is finding a good decent Indian food,sometimes vegetarian,sometimes pure desi. Philippines is the only country that offers food pertaining to the region you come from in India.There are also many Asian restaurants in Manila that caters to Thai food,Vietnamese food and Burmese food.So there goes the worry blues in the air.

-Nightlife : 2 hours from Manila is the Angeles City which is number one entertainment capital of Philippines.The nightlife,the karaoke and the night scene is fabulous and similar to Pattaya. 1 Hour from Angeles City is Subic where you can be part of ocean adventures and safaris.In metro Manila,of course it is a cosmopolitan area and there are lot of shopping,lot of nightlife,lot of casinos etc.

-Picture Perfect : Owing to its cosmopolitan diversity,Philippines has been portrayed as Hongkong,Portugal and areas of Vietnam and even some areas of the united states in many of the
Hollywood movies.In an Indian movie "kamakshikala" Philippines was portrayed as Beverley Hills.

-Shopping : Shopping is favorite for Indians and Filipinos as well,they like to shop,they like to contribute to the local economy by shopping.SM Mall of Asia is the third largest shopping mall in Asia.Marcus is for low and high end shopping.Green Hills Market is another market where you find stuff with great Bargains.

-Adventure : Davao is home to the tallest mountain in the Philippines,Mount Apo.Mt. Apo is a volcanic mountain and excursions to the Mountain as well as picturesque trails and impressive wildlife.Palawan has more than a 1000 islands by itself and has lot of watersports like Banana beach rides, diving,surfing and para-sailing. Palawan also has underground river where you can go kayaking between those limestone caves. Clark hosts hot air ballooning festival and Bohol is the home to chocolate mountains. Boracay has lots of beaches. But the most important beach for windsurfers is Bulabog Beach.

-Language: English is widely spoken in the country,so language wise it's pretty easy city to tour around.

-The people: The Filipinos are the most friendly people and its rooted in their intrinsic values of healthy and supporting other families - their neighbors and members of other communities and hence they are very very amicable.

-The BPO Industry: Philippines is also known for the BPO industry and hence Bangalore contributes
to second largest source for tourist arrivals in the Philippines from India.

Verna from Philippines Tourism Board Says

"We are very happy that number of visitors who have come from India to the Philippines is increasing.In 2012, arrivals was a growth of 8%,but by this year till may we have a growth of 22%.Last year we rode our new Tourism Campaign Its more fun in the Philippines and the idea of the campaign stem from a single question our tourism minister asked us why would a tourist want to go to the Philippines?And the simplest direct answer we could come up was well because its more fun.The Philippines is just not a place to see , it is a place to be.The campaign is anchored on the warm welcome and upbeat nature of the Philippines. Its a fusion of place and the people."

Top 10 interesting facts about Philippines we never knew

Hot Air Ballooning festival in Clark

-Philippines is the second largest archipelago in the world with 7107 islands

-Clark hosts Hot Air Ballooning festival that happens every year

Moving homes still exists in reality

-Filipino hospitality is renowned world over and moving house as a community still takes place in some of the remote areas

-The Boracay island in the Philippines was named 2012 No.1 World's Best Island

-Philippines has 6 different shades of sand,including the pink sand

The game of brown symmetry,Chocolate HillImage Source:nipunscorp
-Chocolate Hills is in the race for the list of new 7 natural wonders of the world

-Philippines is one of the oldest filming cultures in asia

Palawan underground river,Image Source:gopalawan.travel

-The Palawan Underground River with a length of 8.2 km (approximately 5 miles) is the longest
navigable underground river in the world.

-A large of reality shows like Survivor series are shot in Palawan due to a lot of very secluded islands ,uninhabited islands

-Cebu is the queen's city of the south and its figured very prominently in the history of the
Philippines.

To know more visit:

34 Interesting Facts About Philippines

Philippines Currency

1 Peso = 1.40 Indian Rupee

Philippines Visa Process

Creativity with Sand,yes Sand at Philippines Tourism Road Show

Glen from Philippines Tourism Board Says

"We have 14 days visa free entry to Philippines for Indian Tourist.The 14 day visa free entry is valid for Indian travelers with valid and current visa from Australia,Japan,Americas,any of the Schengen countries,Singapore and UK.The entry is through manila only at the moment.Indian travelers do not need visas if they have these visas".

Normal visa processing time(for the ones who do not have visa to the above mentioned countries) is 3 days.But the facility is also there to expedite it to 1 day and the rates and FAQ's is there on newdelhipe.com"

How To Reach Philippines

At present,Cathay Pacific goes to Manila via HongKong and Malaysian Airlines goes to Manila via Kuala Lumper.The round trip fare comes out to be somewhere around 27k.

Stay and Transport

For Backpackers:

Youth Hostels in Cebu,Manila and Palawan are great options.Range starting from Rs 500 onwards.

According to GoatsontheRoad,
Cost of two people in Philipines($50-60/day)
Budget Accomodation($5-$15/night)
Eating($2-$4 per meal)
Rice Terrace and Other Entrance Fees(Avg $5)
Alcohol($0.75 beer)

Plan your Budget Backpacking Trip to Philippines

For Transport,

Cebu is 1 hour 15 minutes from Manila
Bohol is an hour and 15 minutes by plane and 45 minutes by ferry from Manila
Palawan is an hour and 10 minutes from Manila
Davao is an hour and 15 minutes from Manila

Bus,Tram,Ferries and FastCraft are some of the options.For more information visit :

Getting Around Philippines

For Luxury travelers:

Resorts world manila is the newest mall at the same time entertainment complex near the newest terminal of the airport,they offer free transfers from the airport,they have 3 hotel in resorts world + a mall + an entertainment center + a theatre. It is also one of the popular destination for nightlife,bands etc.Marco polo
and Radisson are some of branded hotels

For a quick day out:

1)Pagsanjan Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls in the Philippines. To get to the falls, take the scenic one-hour boat ride that takes you up the Bumbungan and Balanac Rivers.

2)Taal Volcano is a complex volcano located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.Get on a horse,go up the crater watch the steaming crater and come back again.Awesome experience.

3)Try cruises - Cocktail cruise which is for an hour or a dinner cruise which is a chartered cruise.

4)When in Cebu,try the Alegre Guitar Factory.You can take a look at the workshop to witness the craftsmen do the actual guitar-making process.The costing is anywhere from 500 pesos guitar to 5000 pesos guitar.Ayala malls is also one of the places to shop in Cebu.

5)Donsol in Philippines is located at the south of Luzon island and you can do whale watching here.

A typical itinerary would normally include:

1)2 days Manila,2 days Boracay,2 days Cebu : 6 days
2)2 days Manila,2 days Bohol,2 days Cebu,2 days Palawan,2 days Davao : 8-10 days

Still got questions on your trip to Philippines,ping me!It's simple isn't it :)

Have you been to Canada or Planning to,follow my parallel posts on Canada Travel

Have you been to Scotland or Planning to,follow my parallel posts on Scotland Travel

Watch me on Tanishq Ankionthemove on Tanishq

↧

It's a beautiful day but not as beautiful as me

August 13, 2013, 4:08 am

≫ Next: High On Tanishq

≪ Previous: Philippines:Places,Photos,Travel

It's a beautiful day, but not as beautiful as me

Or
Capturing Bihar and Maldives through my eyes
It's not the camera that matters,but the content

I feel a great sense of pride on the beautifully crafted colorful timeline with my travel pictures on my Facebook wall. While the comments pour in on my success of my recent article in a publication and my self-created travel videos, I look back at the stumbles I have overgrown over the years. My biggest support isn't just one women but many I met during my journey called life. My mom has been my most influential support no doubt, but along with has been my cousins, my friends, people that I have met, independent women who inspire,dependent women who have had stories of sacrifice with grace, married women who knew how to balance life with career, women who had kids as their priority and women who had career as their priority, women who knew what they wanted from life, and women who are daredevils in their own world like Archana Sardana(India's first women Skydiver),Anita(Para glider with Temple pilots) and Capt. Vinitha(Microlight Flying Training Instructor). Women who were a mentor in their own sense in the form of friend,aunties,teacher or even my own maid. But today I wish to talk about me, I may not be a trend changer or a trendsetter, but the most fulfilling remark I got of late is from my mom "You made us proud. We never thought that you could reach such heights in a territory so unmarked and undefined. You inspire us to start with our hobbies again at this age. You make us smile everyday with the inspiration". That might keep you guessing who I am. But I have a humble definition to my work "I am a travel and adventure blogger at Ankionthemove since 1.5 years and by choice. I travel to national and international destinations, and bring about those destinations in the form of self-made videos and conversational write-up so that people travel on their own to those places. I also write about adventure sports and the inspiring people behind them. I believe that people who really contribute to society are the ones who deserve more respect.I conduct PAN India travelers meet to meet new travelers,make friends and understand what is that they are looking for while travelling and also to form travel groups". If that makes you think, just another travel blogger..Then wait. I quit my IT and adventure job 1 year back after working for 5 years and since then I am on move. I also work for Skydiving team in India apart from Blogging to learn and manage my financial need. I do so, because I love doing so. How many of us can claim that?

Starting from Bangalore,I have so far covered 24 states in India and 6 countries
and have written about 15+ adventure sports,events and interviews

As Tanishq Recent Mia Collection, my needs are very minimal and unique. I started off very small. I still remember the days when I used to carry my small Sony Digicam around Bangalore to record my voice in the open with tripod in one hand. People would stare at me or ask me if I was from TV. And all I had was an answer no, I am just a blogger. At times, when I took interviews, I felt shy to hold my small camera, it was a digicam after-all.Sometimes I took help from my husband,my friends,or even general people on road to hold my camera.Back then and even now my choices are fuss free, fuss free but fashionable clothes,fuss free but fashionable stud earrings. Something that defines me and my work – I do not think that being a travel blogger makes me wear baggy clothes. I love wearing what is in – It gives me strength to move forward. My brother along with me ad my family, did an All India Road Trip on Maruti 800,because that's all we had. An interesting turning point in my life was my failure to get into Airforce 2 years back but also my strength to move forward with the question that still haunts me “Why do you have to join Airforce to do something for the country” and I knew my answer- May be I needed a platform to do something about it and help states and people in tourism which lacks so .When I started blogging, I didn't know what it was about. I didn't know SEO,I didn't know people get invited to travel abroad. I didn't know how to make videos. I learnt along the journey that whatever path you wish for, gets created, all you need is a little confidence and the desire to move forward. All along,I learnt that traveling alone isn't scary, traveling with people makes one learn different cultures and traveling also broadens your perspective. The people behind adventure sports have their own stories of failure to tell, but now they are successful and that's all matters. The people who aren’t successful are satisfied.The people who aren't satisfied,complain. If I count back, I have had initial marital hiccups to confrontations to monetary deficiencies to severe health problems to rejections by editors and the constant desire to get at least a DSLR for my shoot, but now I realize that the most important lesson learnt back in life is to treasure people who are in your life. I picked up alternate professions in between to fulfill my financial desires. And now yes! I have a DSLR.My work has been appreciated by Fox Traveller,Deccan Chronicle and the likes. On days, when I feel nothing is working, I help my mom to play with her creative genius. She is an amazing artist and we both together help design my clothes. We share a bond now like never before. I see a new spark in her eyes, to go forward with her dreams. Ditto for my dad, ever since my own journey has started to fulfill, I see my dad being optimistic about his journey to Astrology after retirement. I see my brother too dreaming to chuck his MBA and start his career he wishes for. I see my husband supporting me like never before and I see his own career choices are slowly changing. I see my friends appreciating my work and when they need me I am always there.I see new people coming in my life and either I inspire them or they inspire me. I feel somehow I have reached a balance to support my family, my marital life and my career without impacting each other leading to fruitful and inspiring environment around. I also wish to expand and grow my blog to help the society more in terms of forming groups for volunteering for social causes. Although I have a long journey ahead, I think my work is as beautiful as the rising sunshine with new and creative ideas everyday and me and MIA are friends with similar interests.

I don't think a travel and adventure blogger,has to be boring,I have a life that I wished I had.
and I celebrate it with shopping,travel,work,people and sports

            I believe in infusing all my creativity with my work...and not settling for anything less.
                                 I believe in Me and Mia

To know more :http://mia.tanishq.co.in/

To participate,submit your entries to http://mia.tanishq.co.in/bloggerscontest/ by 16th August.All the best.

↧

High On Tanishq

August 14, 2013, 9:23 am

≫ Next: Chandipur,Orissa-Sea Mirage India

≪ Previous: It's a beautiful day but not as beautiful as me

Click here for about me on Tanishq

It is often that I think aloud what has been my weakness. The things I drool over and aim to get are of course essentially clothes, accessories, jewellery, cosmetics etc and etc. After all I am a gal and sale makes me go weak in my knees. Guys and Gals its 67% sale going everywhere on Independence day, how does that make you feel ?My choice is not particularly too feminine that I paint my nails, apply paints or mascara or hold a clutch, but on occasions which demand sophistication and presence of mind, I have my style that goes with the real than the reel. I consider myself lucky to be gifted with the art of being tomboyish in my shorts and being sweet and coy in my sari. After all , a travel and adventure blogger need not essentially be just out of the bed; I love fashion. I balance buying to saving. On days when I do not travel I shop. On days when I travel, I save. On days when I do nothing, I earn. I do not follow trends, but my style reflects comfort, comfort that can make me jump without having to pose. It’s more carefree yet subtle. My favorite colors are olive, white and neutral shades though I wear all colors.

Let me confess to you a secret I hardly wear jewellery. Though I admire them and buy a lot; I usually do not wear them unless it's an occasion. I find them to be coming in between my work; the movement around my ear doesn't let me concentrate. I sometimes wear my good old plain gold stud mom gave me, but those are too old and I wish it to change it to something more beautiful. On and off I buy the regular road side Jhumkis,but I hardly wear them. The reason is after wearing them for the while, the real color shows off! After all its not the real metal..

But with age and time, the designs on the brands and jewellery change based on today's idea of modern day women. For example, the recent introduction of Mia in Tanishq is a wonderful range for working women like us, who would rather prefer simplicity than anything else. The commercial emphasizes on the barriers we women have to face in life.

A Team of Tanishq says

"A lot of people have been coming and saying that they have been the victim. Before we made the Tanishq TV Commercial, we researched on what is it that women find as a barrier, the primary reason which we have highlighted in the past in the ostentatious display of femininity, beauty and now we have toned it down, we know you want it to be minimalistic and simplistic

Photo By Pratidhani Tamang

But barriers are barriers and it takes long time for people to overcome; We actually took this barrier head on and we actually got a lot of response from people on everybody keeps on telling you on what to do from somebody or the other; It may not be the boss necessarily but just anybody. Is it your birthday today, is there an occasion?Its always linked to some celebration; it’s just not acceptable that you come dressed prettily to office. We have shown lady as the boss, these comments typically comes from men, colleagues who are you friendly who suddenly come and say "what are you wearing yaar, why red, what is the occasion and stuff like that”.

Photo By Pratidhani Tamang

In terms of utility some women have actually said why you can’t give me earrings which also have a Bluetooth device. So technology meets beauty and jewellery in some form and we are working on integration of technology with jewellery. We also have come up with modular jewellery where the pieces can be separated in earrings,or a ring can be made a earrings or vice versa.The current MIA collection is also inspired by nature i.e the fine inner lines of cucumber is infused in one of the designs etc"

Click here for about me on Tanishq

Do you agree with the commercial?Tell me what makes it so resonating to your life?Have you faced similar discrepancies before?If yes,can your choice of jewellery help

Left-Right : Shalini from StylishByNature and Aarohi from ArtbyAarohi ,
Photo By Pratidhani Tamang

Arohi:Very nice ad.A women need to break a lot of barriers to be appreciated by the society for her work alone.What happens most of the time is people look at the exterier experience and don't give a chance.In that sense,jewellery makes you in a way more presentable..

Me with Saina from Pixel Platters,
Photo By Pratidhani Tamang

With her statement,and a confident yes,we had a beautiful afternoon all dedicated to the concept MIA had beautifully captured in the TVC.So let's a peek-a-boo on what all we did,the names of the bloggers and also a quick cool session on Bar-tending prepared by Anuj who has won many accolades in Cocktail Making and Bar-tending abroad.

Do they look delicious,well they were...?So let's try learn some of the cocktails with the smooth Jameson whiskey and Pepper Vodka on the rocks!Courtesy Anuj from The Hummingtree.

Why did all of us giggle when we were high..I guess It's the after effect of stunning jewellery,food and drinks.Heavenly.

Me with Smrithi from Vintage Obsession
Thank you everyone for dropping by :)
And a very very very very happy Independence Day

↧

Chandipur,Orissa-Sea Mirage India

August 14, 2013, 9:07 pm

≫ Next: Commonwealth Games 2014:Glasgow, Pictures,Videos

≪ Previous: High On Tanishq

Chandipur,Orissa - Sea Mirage Like Never Before

Dear Everyone,

Starting today the Independence Day I am coming up with an interesting series of places,I have been to in India but haven't captured many pictures because I wasn't a blogger then and we will discuss on how they are each unique in its own way.The single or double photo-series would be published every Thursday,so stay tuned.

Let's start with the most unusual one - Chandipur Beach Orissa

Imagine a vast expanse of sea,well wait,not sea,but sea,not sea,but sea and suddenly your feet touches the water,and you jump up with joy - Aha! Sea finally.India's only place with an unusual sea mirage,is stunning.At first glance it looks like just another beach destination from the other shore of the beach,and when you start walking your eyes fail to recognize the sea.The sea isn't the sea anymore.It's just sand.Sand till kilometers until you find the original sea.It's like a chase.It's wonderful. I've been there with my friends back in 2006,and I was shocked to see such a place.

The story doesn't end here,when you reach the water,the depth of sea is parallel to the surface of water and the waves are smooth not fiery.It's like an eternal river or a pond with smooth waves,but the feeling is amazing.You can play in the water even dipped till shoulder length.While guys played volleyball in the sea,yes,in the middle of the sea,we chose to be filmed by the local Bengali Channel crew walking in the middle of the sea.When all of us got a little tired,we took a small little table and placed it in the sea.But the waves weren't so strong to move the table.I wish we had some bottles of wine and kebabs to go with it.Unfortunately,I do not have many pictures of the sea.I wasn't a blogger then,and I only used to take out my camera when I felt like.But the perk was our adventure was captured by a local Bengali Channel which was aired at 10:30 pm night.I wonder if I can find it online,I don't even remember the name of the program(Such a pity!).But I remember the excitement my mom had in her eyes,she very dedicatedly used to switch on TV for consecutively 3 days to watch the same.And yes we were there,in our most excited moods to discover the sea which was hesitant to move on..

Chandipur is

Chandipur also known as Chandipur-on-sea, is a small fishing market and community at the confluence of the Budhabalanga River and the sea.You can also do coastal trekking from Chandipur to Digha.

Did you know?
Chandipur came into limelight over two decades back with the launching of ICBM AGNI. Chandipur-on-sea is also the location of the Indian Army's Integrated Test Range (ITR).

Chandipur - A Village in Orissa

Chandipur Beach- An Unusual Display of Optical Illusion - Sea Mirage

Where To Stay : OTDC Pantha nivas / Hotel Shubham

How To Reach: The town of Chandipur does not house a proper railway station, but trains to Chandipur can be taken till the railway station in Balasore. This railway station is quite well connected, with frequent trains to Howrah, Chennai, New Delhi and Bhubaneswar.3 and half hours journey from Howrah station is Balasore by train + auto or taxi from the station to Chandipur.

Important Festival: Golden beach festival is one of the significant festivals in Chandipur. This four-day festival is being celebrated in the month of December

Sighseeting Destination: Sight-seeing destination (Pancha-lingeswar, Buribalam, Nilgiri,bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary,Simlipal etc) are excellent with an Auto with reasonable price (Rs 700/ or so).

Food Specialty: Sarpora and pomplate fish

Must do:Walk on the sea on a beautiful full moon night.Take some cash along because you may not find an ATM in Chandipur,after all it's a small place.

Me, walking in the Simlipal Forest Orissa

And look what I have Spotted!

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Commonwealth Games 2014:Glasgow, Pictures,Videos

August 18, 2013, 1:29 pm

≫ Next: Kolkata Travelers Meet : A Glimpse

≪ Previous: Chandipur,Orissa-Sea Mirage India

Me with cute Clyde,the official Commonwealth Games Mascot

Welcome to Glasgow's George's Square. Up until the middle ages, this was just an old farmland and this was what was known for strip farming. Later in the years it became a big puddle and people would through rubbish in the puddle. Up until the 1781; The council made a decision that they want to level it. Today it is the center of Glasgow. The transformation from the old to the new is drastic. And so is Glasgow a very inviting destination with plenty to do here and more so to experience. The city is vibrant, dynamic and historical. With the next Commonwealth Games hosted in Glasgow, we do not have a reason to miss the occasion.

But when you ask me, why should you attend just another Commonwealth Games? I would say simply because it is not going to be just another.

I have been to Scotland twice, and every time I go there I find it surprising. Surprising because contradicting the popular myth of bland and no-colors as we think it would be, Scotland is a vibrant mix of colors and celebration. It has its own charm and both Glasgow and Edinburgh are walk able. While Glasgow is more creatively historical in the way buildings are set up or even pavements and shops, Edinburgh is more like a cosmopolitan city. Best part is they are just connected by about 45 minutes by train. Recently inspired by my travel stories, one of my friends in London, UK decided to explore the land so underestimated and lucky she was to get back those oh-so-beautiful pictures. The food too is special, it has got a taste like no other, and how to forget the whiskies Scotland is famous for.

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 "One Year To Go" Tickets

Sir Chris Hoy is the national Champion who has won gold medal in previous
Games and is now the Commonwealth Games Ambassador

Initially called the Empire Games, the first games started with 4-5 games in Hamilton Canada .Since then the Commonwealth Games are played every 4 years bridging gaps between the nations, and highlighting the best of every game and stretching the athletes limit. If you remember, the last Commonwealth Games was held in Delhi in 2010, where we had marvelous display of grand athletic genius and celebrations too. The next Commonwealth is going to be held in Glasgow starting from 23rd July to 3rd August.6500 athletes,17 sports and 71 participating nations, this is going to be Scotland's biggest carnival. The cost of tickets for under 16 and over 60 is 7.5 pounds and for the regulars its 15 pounds. The ticketing starts tomorrow and the details are available at:Glasgow 2014 Tickets

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 "One Year To Go" Celebrations

I too had my share of fun in the "One Year To Go Commonwealth Games celebration in July". I tried how to cycle in the Chris Hoy Velodrome named after the national cycling champion, Sir Chris Hoy. And lucky I was to be able to do it, even you can. It's open for everyone, but is an incredible experience in itself. Next we went to the Hydro which is also the Commonwealth Games venue. The Hydro is a massive circular dome shaped arena, where some of the sports will take place. We also visited Hampton stadium which is the national stadium of Scotland. They said the level of the ground is up scaled to accommodate some sports- How interesting isn't it? I also met Clyde, the official Commonwealth Games Mascot and he is incredibly Cute. Cuter than I thought. And last but not the least the place is already up with the celebration, so wherever you go, you would either find bagpipers, or gals dancing, or guys singing or the balloons flying or a puppet show even on road. We’ll discuss some other things in the next post but before I take you further, let’s indulge in some sports and pre-celebration galas. Let’s begin with a small snippet video shall we?

I hope you liked my video,if you did I will be awaiting a small token in the form of your sweet comments.Now let's take you to some of the venues and their pictures:

↧

Kolkata Travelers Meet : A Glimpse

August 29, 2013, 9:11 am

≫ Next: Sunday Soul Sante Bangalore:Photoessay

≪ Previous: Commonwealth Games 2014:Glasgow, Pictures,Videos

Indians love travelling, but people belonging to its Bengali community love travelling more than the others. - BBC

Bengalis the most widely-travelled people in India - Ibnlive

The moments of nostalgia made my heart flutter.I was standing at the Howrah Railway Station.Prepaid Taxi Line.I didn't know if people who have enrolled online would come,the thoughts kept pondering in my head,what if they don't ? I had a certain Plan B,If they don't I would take a tour of the city or plan a visit to my school once again. Kolkata-The city of travelers is rarely online.Not that I don't know the fact,a part of my life was spent in Kolkata.A part of Schooling and a part of my first Job.While I was still thinking about other Plan B's , the taxi wallah asked me sweetly "Kothai jabe tumi? ",I explained to him my location of stay.Minutes after the taxi started it stopped.Seems like there was another taxi wallah who was thirsty and the Babumoshai - my taxi wallah had some water.This is Kolkata I know,warm welcoming helpful and crazily lazy. This city has the most relaxing vibe,this city can make things wait or even people wait.

The sweetness in "O" is virtually everywhere from the mishti doi to the rosogulla to the moidan to the Esplanade.Reminds me of some of my teachers calling me "Onkita" instead of Ankita..!Gud ol' school days :)

Minutes before the meetup was about to start,I did a quick survey of the venue. Shruti,the owner of the Tea trove was more than helpful.One of my friend,who is a native of Bengal warned me "Ankita try to understand,we prefer local addas to cafes.Why do you think anybody would come?" But people did.They had faith or the same interest.I wouldn't mind conducting a meet up in a local adda or even you can,but first I should know of any popular local adda. Nevertheless,the ambiance added to the value "This was just the place I was looking for!",but what made the wait worth were the travelers,who also are my new friends now.The Tea Trove was also awarded The Telegraph Award of Excellence-2013, in the Category of Tea.

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” @ Kolkata Travelers Meet

A lot of people ask me why do I conduct meetup?And lot of time I think why did I come all the way from Bangalore to Kolkata ?And then a certain something brings smile back with a reason:Had I not been there,I wouldn't have known that Spiti Valley can be done in 1200 bucks for 5 days trip plan,that Burma is possible for 3000 bucks 5 days,that couch-surfing is catching up these days,that we have a secret new pub in Kolkata,that a Standup Comedian is like you and me,those vagabonds from Spain who have traveled 30 countries,that student who still aspires to travel,that being a native of Mizoram means being part of a beautiful new sunrise everyday,that endless gossip those new friends over a piece of Pizza and Chilled tea was worth the effort.

So far I have conducted three PAN India Travelers Meet : Delhi Bangalore Kolkata.The next meetup is going to be in Mumbai.But the objective is the same.To meet more and more like minded people and learn from them or hear their stories,make them comfortable with each other and travel together in future or stay in touch.To make the process simpler,I have created a Facebook group page "The Great Indian Travelers".As long as you do not promote a commercial activity,you are most welcome in the group.The objective of the group is you can share your own travel plans,ask people if they want to join,or post query about your travel plan.So let's take a quick look at the Traveler's meet,shall we?

Just another enticing marketing ploy..nah!

A real travelers meet with real travelers

A venue like no other...

The colors that inspire

We travel for travel's sake! Period.

Funky "Instant" Communities

And the winners are...

A small token of appreciation

Hey look,what I got!

Cauz it's never to late to "Follow your dreams and people"

Over a potfull of tea!

Now if you ask me what did I get back?I would say "Primal Satisfaction - The happiness on knowing that people are there to travel".Just in the meetup,we all opened up so very nicely,that some of us decided to join Sweta for Kumortuli the very next day. Kumortuli is a traditionally potters’ quarter in northern Kolkata where clay images of Ma Durga are made and painted.Very popular with the photographers. To view more pictures from the meetup,click here:
Kolkata Travelers Meet All Pics

That's called the magic of knowing each other face to face,builds up an instant connection.

Recently highlighted in Deccan Chroncile,
The meetup is going to catch up in other cities
berry berry soon!

Next post we spend some time in Kolkata and know what's in store for us.Till then,
Tada!

Sweet as Sugar and Old as Gold @ Kolkata

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Sunday Soul Sante Bangalore:Photoessay

August 30, 2013, 7:36 pm

≫ Next: Sunday Soul Sante Bangalore: PhotoEssay Part 2

≪ Previous: Kolkata Travelers Meet : A Glimpse

Imagine a creative ground,chilled beer & red wine Sangria on top to beat the heat,that youthful peppy crowd,those strings on guitar,the white color and grey tents lined up like a caravan,the backdrop of the glass tinted buildings of corporate,Sunday Soul Sante in Bangalore is a carnival of youngsters,for youngsters.

The Bangalore's youth driven flea where you find the 20-30 age groups displaying their own creative self with non-scientific innovations,it is just anything you might have dreamt of,recycled bottles of alcohol created a showpiece,illustrations on tees,heels that are bright colorful and cheap,bags with towns as imprint,names such as "Pink Jalebi,The Fool",feather earrings to colorful dresses,to tattoos to everything which we live for.Now or never.

It isn't Dilli Haat,it isn't state emporiums.It is Bangalore's own flee,and the owners of the stalls are folks like us.The owners -Some in shorts,some in casual tees.I can interview all of them,if given a chance.They are so young,and so creative that it'll amaze you.Such a break from the usual tie to shirt attitude of the sellers,well that's all because they are not hardcore sellers.

Once in Sunday Soul Sante,you can't escape buying a thing or two.The perfect place to shop for the most bright and creative gifts for your loved ones,or that vase in the corner of your home sans the pushy salesman glare.They all appreciate their work,and are confident and that's how they are there.You can be friends with them,or just chit chat if not buy.

Sunday Soul Sante is an initiative to uplift the spirits of creative youth in the country,who are bold to chase their dreams.It should be in every city.For one moment,with my glass of beer and Sangria at the ground and the flea around,I forgot I was in Bangalore.It is such excitement in the crowd,and such inspiring openness.

Taking you to the preview click pics,next blogpost we go deeper and look into who is behind the Sante,and meet another cute creative and interesting person "Alicia D Souza" and of course,a little more pics to add on the color.So friends and folks,here we go!

Those tall buildings and the crowd reminds you of which country?
India it is - The shining new.
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

My favorite purple flowered Jacaranda,blossoming at the entrance of Sante

You find many like these in Bangalore,on roads,on almost everywhere

And they are the most beautiful sight to see in Bangalore.

If you agree,mail me your Jacaranda pics,and will do a post with the credits

I have few,and they are the ones where roads are shaded with Jacaranda

Trees aligned on both sides

@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Meet Goa Gurl Sunita, a colorful young tarot card reader
+ Fashion Designer,how cool is that!
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

How about experiencing the charm of a fairytale,
in the world created by us?
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

That flow of Kishfisher and that music!
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

See I told you so...
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

How about being just one of them,
for a day..
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

It is for the celebration of Gen-X
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Next blog I take you deeper,a lot more non-girly pictures,and more such stories of the emerging youth,both guys and gals together to create a platform that is viral.

↧

Sunday Soul Sante Bangalore: PhotoEssay Part 2

August 31, 2013, 6:44 am

≫ Next: The Secrets to Backpacking the World Part 1

≪ Previous: Sunday Soul Sante Bangalore:Photoessay

Remember last time I mentioned about Sunday Soul Sante at Sunday Soul Sante Photoessay Part 1, I was all Gaga about how quirky and fun loving the crowd is.A few folks must have thought "Oh just another Mela!"

I had promised you then that I would come up with a detailed Photoessay but it slipped off my mind.Oops..Only when I got to know tomorrow is another Sunday Soul Sante,I decided to pen it down.The reason is I wrote is I wouldn't want you to miss the fun.I myself would be joining the fun anytime in the grounds.It's the most happening flea in Bangalore.The buzz is that they are planning to launch in other cities too very very soon.What more do we want than

Music.Masti.Shopping.Flea.Food.Drink.Talent Shows

I ain't abroad,yes buddies this is India @ Sunday Soul Sante

Where ordinary is extra-ordinary,where creative genius is on display @Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Where shopping means getting lost or finding your way
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Where yellow is mellow
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

When Bootiful really mean Booootifool
@ Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.
Showpieces made of recycled alcohol bottles
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Where drinking responsible leads to innovation
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Where people behind these are just like you and me!
@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Hanging around was never this fun

@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

How I wish I had a garden

@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

And those pretty peep toes

@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

Where competitions happen in the open

@Sunday Soul Sante,Bangalore

And never ends

Celebrate the Tandoor

Or chat over chaat

Whatever it is,that you wish for..whatever is it that you want
is right here in Bangalore for some celebration.

Sunday Soul Sante is on tomorrow from 11 am to 11 pm, at the ITPB Cricket Grounds in Whitefield Bangalore. Hope to see you there for some fantastic fun!
FB:Sunday Soul Sante FB Page
Twitter:Sunday Soul on Twitter
Official Website:Sunday Soul Sante

↧

The Secrets to Backpacking the World Part 1

September 1, 2013, 11:14 pm

≫ Next: 12 Wonders That Fire Up My Sense of Smell

≪ Previous: Sunday Soul Sante Bangalore: PhotoEssay Part 2

Of late,I have been getting quite a lot of mails and comments on being an inspiration to travel.It isn't impossible,I must say.What holds us back are our own fears.Once we know ourselves and the kind of travel we like,comes planning and making arrangements.It need not be solo travel,it can be travel with families,with friends,with anyone for that matter.Solo travel doesn't require so much guts either,just a little more homework.

Me,backpacking Maldives

The most useful piece of information I found on internet on travelling the world is the slideshow below;It literally will provide a step by step insight on how to backpack different countries on your own and on a budget you think will suit you.

60 countries on a plump shoestring hacking global travel from Mahesh Murthy

Solo Travel or Group Travel

Group Travel Can Sometimes Be Fun

Haven't we all traveled solo to either meet our families living at a distance or to appear for an engineering exam?The fear factor is in your mind.Letting go of your fear is easy.Start travelling to nearby places to begin with before you take huge steps.Why not consider travelling to Singapore which is considered the Safest ? Research more when travelling solo specially if you are a women.

Be prepared for adverse situations which might happen to anywhere anytime in the world.Though we all crave for that support from either our parents,partners or friends,travelling solo boost your confidence.If you think solo travel is not for you,why not start networking and travel with friends or people who are like-minded.While Solo travel has of late gained momentum,it depends from person to person on how comfortable they are with the idea.Solo travel also means that you get a new opportunity to make new friends along the way,making you not so solo anymore.

Travelling Alone isn't scary,its a matter of mind

However,with solo travel comes responsibility.I admit,whenever I am travelling solo,I check and recheck my passport number of times;I have traveled almost half the night in Edinburgh and Toronto solo and I would say Drunkards are everywhere.The trick is to ignore,ain't we Indians very good at it?The more you present yourself as weak and scared,the more likely you are going to get attacked.However,even though these cities are safe and management is in place;your attitude matters.

Travelling in a group or with a partner lowers down your responsibility. And hence you feel more light when you travel.Some places specially Maldives,J & K,Andaman,Thailand,Spain can be enjoyed fully when in group or with a partner.Haven't most of us been to Pattaya for that little tweak of mind.Imagine there,going alone.Would be drop dead boring.Some places like Singapore,Bali,Darjeeling,Rajasthan,parts of Europe,parts of US are best suited for travelling alone.

Travelling solo in India late at night should be best avoided.Some cities,specially the rural areas get dark and incidents might happen.Since the Nirbhaya case,I have seen people talking about carrying pepper spray and defensive action courses.While these can help to some extent and boost your self confidence a little;it is still not recommended to travel solo at night.Certain incidents cannot be predicted and its best to keep your dignity safe than indulge in mindless travel.This goes not only for India,but everywhere.The degree of being safe differs in each country and depending on that you can choose your ways of travelling.It indeed is an individual choice.

Dressing Up Or Dressing Down

Travelling the rural villages of Bihar

Big question.If suppose tomorrow I go to Bhutan where their traditional dress is Kira and Taego,should I be wearing those?Or if someone comes to India where the traditional dress in Salwar Kameez or Sari should they be wearing those.Of course not.With changing times,change the fashion of the country.Not everything is listed on internet,so what do you do?Dressing up is as important as travelling to an unknown place to avoid stares.For example,in Bhutan it isn't permissible to wear shorts/bare shoulder dress etc at the dzongs.

Or getting into the seaplane in Scotland

In South India,at some of the temples,the same rules apply.In main Maldives,bikini is prohibited.The trick is to not pack the traditional but pack a variety.Carry a stole at all times,or a light jacket.Carry a bikini along with a swimsuit.Carry 1-2 shorts along with full length jeans.Do not carry much,but carry what is required.This intern would make you feel safe and culturally happy.Do not forget to bring back "locally anything" as a souvenir.

We'll discuss some more points in the next chapter but for now,tada :)

Other Sources Which Can Help You Make Up Your Mind On Travel
6 Alternatives to Travelling Alone by Shooting Star
7 Useful Tips to Travel in Half Your Budget by Arnab Maity
How Do You Explore A Place by Mridula

↧

12 Wonders That Fire Up My Sense of Smell

September 10, 2013, 5:02 am

≫ Next: Niagara:Falls,Winery,Photos,Videos

≪ Previous: The Secrets to Backpacking the World Part 1

Charisma is the fragrance of soul.The soul begins from home.The home we always cherish.The places where we all flourish.Listing 12 of the fragrances that light up my sense of smell any day ,from the smell of cologne to the smell of rotten:

I leave memories where ever I go
Because I know the fragrance of paper is everlasting

Fragrance of an Old Book: An Old Book smell like ancient Egypt. Entrapped by dogma,living in its stories of past are those books which still create a spark in my heart.Some are those which I recently bought,they smell like fresh amber.Being a travel freak,my cup-board is full of recent Lonely Planets and Nat Geos .The oldest are the Sidney Sheldon which I used to read when I was a teen,the old Mills and Boon which used to titillate me in college with fantasy.

The old class X,XI,XII books that scares me even now!Those Physics,Chemistry and Maths textbooks which has scribbles of Flame with Friends,Love,Acquaintance,Marriage and Enemy.The Game "Flame" we used to play.

The games we used to play...

Those endless drawings on the back of the cover depicting just nothing.Those hidden so called beaming with infatuation love letters and the secret meanings.The cards my friends gave me and the cards I gave them.The intelligent Computer books which I hated,the sweet English stories I loved,the ABCD books with visuals I now make fun of.The scrapbook with the stickers,the school book with the stamps.The school book with the red pen dots and some with grade A's.The past has a smell,the smell of undefined ecstasy and the best example are the books I still treasure and every time I open them by chance,the magnificent aura repeats itself with everlasting smell that never will go.

Fragrance of the Man I love: I am a die hard romantic,I believe in first love.The fragrance of first love is sweet and sharp.The Gillette Aftershave to the whole range of men's cosmetic has certain nostalgic smell.So when the man I loved,proposed me on his knees in air balloon,I couldn't resist.Not that I wasn't in love with him,but because the feeling of the sweet smell to linger life long was interesting enough to not let go!The Cologne did the magic sweeping me off the feet.

Fragrance of a fresh paint is creatively strong
The reason I love my walls,my canvas and my oil paints

Fragrance of the Fresh Greasepaint/Paint: It was my dream to paint my room when I was a teen.Stubborn as I was,I wanted the colors to be a mix of orange and red,which my parents reluctantly refused - The color cream was then in.So I gather my paint and brush and started to decorate my wall.Every night the smell made me afresh and gave me confidence to complete the whole of it next morning.I worked hard,harder than my exams and voila! It was my room with my paints and the smell I loved.Fast forward I step my first foot forward to my new home after marriage.The shine was terrific,the walls set to welcome me.I opened the door smoothly and was smitten by the paint or the smell of it.I,then took my own canvas and created a girl of freedom with the paints I had.The canvas still smell the same and it gives me a feeling that I preserved what I love - My love with the fragrance of paints.

Fragrance of a Fresh made Coffee: I took out the old wrap of Nescafe.I was fighting a deadly headache,I had work,and I had reasons to not sleep.The coffee always does the trick but what it brings along with it is a smell that takes me back to days when my friends and me had beauty on our radar.Coffee with Mehndi gives a great color - They used to say,and of course the great smell.Every Saturday,it was our hostel ritual among girls to take the shower with the Mehndi dipped in coffee for the hair we used to dream about.I took out my Sachet again at my home,should I now?I give it a miss and just smell the coffee.The smell was refreshing even now.

Fragrance of the Rotten: A smell and a fragrance isn't always a rewarding word.For me,many times when my neighbors used to throw something in our backyard at home,the smell made me sneeze.The smell which I loathe.The smell which was in my own home,for sometime with piles of garbage when my maid was on leave.The smell of utensils lying bare in the washbasin.The smell of the rotten vegetables when I came back from travelling.The smell of unforgotten,rotten.

Fragrance of the Fried Chicken: Cooking is a pleasure.Though I do not cook so often now,I used to when I had just started with the mania of love of cooking 4 years back.The fragrance of fried Chicken,Fish or even ghee is unbelievably strong,the smell that makes me hungry,even if I have had a proper full course meal before.With ghee are my fondest memories of Diwali.Every Diwali when my mom used to put Ghee in Diyas,my only thought was what if they can be used in a Parantha,or can I just lick the leftovers.The smell which is irresistible and the taste delicious and plain,and that's why I love it!That's why others loved it and that's why I now have more friends.

Fragrance of the first Leaves: It's always been my dream to have a garden.Living in an apartment in Bangalore doesn't always give me that facility.But the dream doesn't remain a dream.I still have plants in my balcony,and sometimes they bloom on and off.And when they so,they bring along with them the smell of fresh new leaves.Rains make it more earthy and the moment turns more sweet for me,as my dreams are a new life.Recently along with the few plants,grew Tulsi and Chillies on its own,bringing a fragrance that I always wanted to add onto the list .Tulsi reminds me of my mom doing prayers,and Chillies of course gorging on a spicy Chicken gravy.

Sneakers that has worked as much as I have.

Fragrance of my worn-out Sneakers: Some hate it.I love it for the effort I had put in.While travelling,I usually put on sneakers,or for adventure sports.But as always when I come back,its a stingy smell I have to deal with.I wash it but the effort never goes.The smelly shoes are my best shoes.They bring back memories of my latest adventure,they remind me of my recent travel stories.

Those innocent smile and that lingering smell

Fragrance of the newborn Baby:The most lingering smell is the fragrance of a newborn baby.The milky way is I guess favorites with many.Smelling of the soft Johnson,the babies are god's gift to humans.When my friends come to my place with their babies,I hug them kiss them and immerse myself in their smell that makes me love them even more.

Fragrance of the Agarbatti: The prayers are our savior. We Indians are god lovers.The Agarbatti calms down the mind. Every time I light one,I go back in an era where my Dad and Mom used to ask me to pray to God,to an era where I take my footwear off and with peace in my mind calmly ask the god for my well-being and others.The era where we celebrated festivals together and the era where death was buried in the presence of holy smoke.The humble Agarbatti does the magic like no other.

Fragrance of Dettol: The hygiene comes first,say many.I do not.Suffering from periodic illness for last 2 years,my home smell of a hospital in disguise.Initially I hated it,but now its been a love-hate affair.The Dettol is everywhere on my clothes,on my face,on my bruises,but what I like about is the smell it holds with the promise it makes to our mind,that everything is going to be ok. It reminds me of my past when I used to fall often and with every bruise was this humble Dettol that made me happy.The marks still remain on places I have had hurt but the smell is the same "encouraging me" to move forward.

Fashionable to have grace and some sprinkles of perfume

Fragrance of my own: Fragrance takes you on a journey of time.My own fragrance has to be mix of potions and lotions,the things I apply and the things that apply to me.That honest fragrance I have learnt to live with over the years,the choices have changed.Bathing with the recent soap to the newly launched hair shampoo to my sunscreen,I am indeed a changing fragrance.The feeling of applying a perfume to oneself to uplift my own spirit has worked wonders for me personally and in the outside world.It's kind of exciting because it brings back memories to days when along with perfume came me in a dazzling sari and my friends laughed off and said "Oh you look gorgeous and smell divine".I always wanted my own fragrance because I could never find the right scent for me.And now when I have,I am happy.It is ever evolving,but the change is paying off well with compliments I have earned by trials and testing.It's always wonderful to be elegant, it's always fashionable to have grace, it's always glamorous to be brave, and it's always important to own a delectable perfume! Yes, wearing a beautiful fragrance is in style at any age!”

/*Please note that this is a contest entry for Indiblogger*/
Visit www.facebook.com/AmbiPurIndia to turn the Smelly Air to Smiley Air:)

↧

Niagara:Falls,Winery,Photos,Videos

September 19, 2013, 8:03 am

≫ Next: Toronto:Food,Canada,Photo

≪ Previous: 12 Wonders That Fire Up My Sense of Smell

My Previous posts on Canada
Canada All Previous Posts
Canada Video Trailer
Blue Mountain Village,Canada on Huffington Post

..And so the boat takes you to the bottom of the falls,you free your soul to the rain like mist and that's Niagara.

Aha guys! The wait is finally over.We have a full fledged Canadian Travel Video this time,and I have tried my best.once again the video is taken mostly on self timer or with assistance on spot from public. I hope you like it :)

If you remember last post,I had a great time cycling in the islands and dancing and eating at the Distillery district in Canada.This time,we take on to the usual Niagara Falls,but with a twist. Before we begin,let me ask you once "Have you been to Niagara?" What was your first expression?

Mighty Mighty Almighty...Nature's one of the best creation

Hmm..Mine was..as I said with a twist.We hop into a helicopter and pray to god at the world's smallest church.We then,take a quiet lovely stroll by the Niagara on the lake and watch a comic theater performance at Shaw Festival's Festival Theater.Then we celebrate the occasion of our well being by sipping onto the most gorgeous ice-wines produced in the escarpment.And before we move forward to the Niagara we know,we witnessed a night of Sky wheel and glitter.See I told you,its gonna be fun!

Niagara Enroute: Niagara on the Lake

There is a time to be quiet and a time to talk.There's time to be light and go for a walk.

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.
I pray for my well being and yours too at the world's smallest church

The charming and romantic town of Niagara-on-the-lake is only 30 minutes from Niagara Falls.The town is carefully preserved with 19th century architecture and charming inns,B&B's,boutique shops and golf.Some of the attractions of the town are Fort George and annual Shaw Theater Festival.The horses are lined up on the road and the maple syrup in in abundance.Just a little down the road is "Wayside Chapel",the world's smallest church with renovated interiors.We,actually went inside the church and it was a very peaceful humble experience.

Niagara Enroute: Inniskillin Winery

"The more expensive the wine is the more it comes from one vineyard and the less expensive the wine is,it could be a blend of others.In wine tasting its always interesting to try the raw product with the end product.Every grape here is 80% water" - Says Debi Pratt Inniskillin winery.

The first time I tasted ice wine,I was like voila! The sweet and rich flavor of the ice wines,makes it the best souvenir to bring back from Canada.

Inniskillin winery is the first winery to be granted license in Ontario.Debi says that people thought we were a land of ice and snow but what people wouldn't understand is positioning of our land with our climate was the very key.They said that we don't have enough sunshine to ripen the grapes.What they didn't know was since this region is very close to the Niagara Lake,the warm air comes off from the lake in the winter and its caught by the escarpment that creates an air flow pattern and that keeps it warm or rather warmer.

The frozen grapes and the frozen ice wines are a delicacy

The ice wines are made in winters.By the time,we pick the grapes for ice wine they are brown.The leaves are all gone,we put nets to keep a check from the birds and the wind.At Inniskllin we pick them at -10,even though the VQA(System that guarantees quality of wine) says -8 minimum. The natural sugar of icewines with good acidity gives a very clean and dry finish and its quite surprising.When people say what's the difference between German icewines and Canadian icewines,we have higher acidity. Inniskllin Winery arranges wine tours,to wine tasting year around to even picking of frozen grapes in the winter.

Niagara Enroute: Niagara Helicopters

And so I got a certificate of ......Niagara

All it takes for a lifetime of joy is that one moment of surprise.Imagine the huge Niagara River and Niagara Falls from the topmost view.Imagine an Ariel adventure of "over the falls" with Niagara Helicopters. The view is unparalleled to any.The Google map zoomed.

Niagara At Night

The smiling sunshine(me) at night with the most powerful stars

The Niagara itself is a very small town where you can explore the nightlife or many shops and boutiques.We enjoyed our best at the wax museum and sky wheel.The walk at 11 o' ish at night with the lighting and glow of Niagara was mesmerizing.

Around the top of the town @ Skywheel Niagara

When the night got lit up!

The Niagara Falls

Niagara : The super Ariel view

Operating for over 150 years,the Maid of the Mist boat ride is a must see attraction for viewing the falls.The ride is for 30 minutes although there is generally a queue for about an hour to get into the boat and exit.The boat takes you right under the falls,making you almost wet like a fresh bath.The thunder of the falls falling on you,like pitter patter raindrops is what makes it so popular.The light raincoats are provided,and that's what makes us so blue or yellow!

The journey behind the falls provides another unique perspective to the falls where you can cave in and see the water pouring in.The path also contains history about Niagara falls and how and when was it frozen. Elements on the Falls restaurant situated at Table Rock Welcome Center provides the best view with Niagara Falls in front and the great food.We also have Indian delicacies on board in the menu,so you can have great food with an amazingly lovely ambiance.

With my lunch with Indian delicacies,I take you to a couple of hot food joints in Canada tomorrow.In Canada,you get the best Thai food,the best burger,the best wines and the best everything..Unbelievable isn't it?Wait until I tickle your appetite with food that's super yummy..Also coming up how to backpack Canada,the hotels I stayed and Blue Mountain village.wait till tomorrow.Tada.

Do not forget to visit the below site for more details:
Ontario Tourism
Niagara Tourism

↧

Toronto:Food,Canada,Photo

September 24, 2013, 2:07 am

≫ Next: Spain Top Ten:Roadshow,Pictures

≪ Previous: Niagara:Falls,Winery,Photos,Videos

Foodies Day Out @ Canada Photo Essay

My previous posts on Canada
Canada All Posts
#Canada Travel Video
Adventures in Canada at Blue Mountain Village on Huffington Post

"It's not easy being green when so many delicious options are on the table.Believe me,the multicultural Canada has the best of all the places in the world".

If there's something called variety in true sense,its here.As Isar gave tips in my first post on Canada on where to find Indian food for Indians,the Canadian food itself has lots to offer.Since Canada welcomes people of different ethnicity and cultures kindheartedly,we also have street names as Chinatown(Chinese),Greek Town(Greek),Little Italy(Italians),Little India(Indians) to name a few.The beauty of these places are as the street starts you feel you are in the country of origin.For example,China Town reflects real China with local food,shopping goods,and even a Dragon Sculpture to symbolize the beginning of the road.

1)The Local

Poutine,Image Source :labanquise.com

Poutine is a common Canadian dish made with french fries and served with gravies.St. Lawrence Market,according to National Geographic is one of the best food Market in the world.At St. Lawrence Market we get the Classic Peameal Bacon Sandwich,which is also a Canadian Classic.We had the sandwich at the Carousel Bakery,one of the market's 120 food vendors.

We'll discuss some more options of how to food in next post where we learn to Backpack Canada.In that post "we'll have our guest as Adam Waxman,Publisher of Dine Magazine Canada and he will suggest us tips on how to Backpack Canada"

2)The Unusual

Gulping down the Octopus@ Tholos Greek Restaurant

Gulping down an octopus wasn't my dream but I am happy it wasn't alive but fried.The funniest part is before you taste something this unusual,the whole image of the Octopus live and crawling comes in front of your eyes.And then you are like "Won't be that bad!" and yes it wasn't bad at all.It was great.This time,I tried food which I otherwise wouldn't have like the Octopus,Oysters and Calamari.

...And the yummy Oysters at Pure Spirits Oyster House and Grill

If you are a non-veg and you haven't tried Oysters yet,its one of the tastiest fluid that goes smoothly down your throat like a magic potion.Its yummy.

3)The Vegetarian

The vegetarian delight at Westin Trillium House Hotel

I often tell my friend who is a vegetarian that you are missing a lot in your life.Sometimes I feel may be not.But there's definitely a need to create more interesting recipes out of just not Potatoes and Cottage Cheese,but may be Pumpkins,Brinjals so many green leafy shiny vegetables.However,Canada is Vegetarian friendly.Being in Canada,you wouldn't have difficulty finding a specialty restaurant or just general vegetarian food at almost all restaurants.

4)The International

Or the yummiest Thai Food at Mengrai

When it comes to International,nothing beats Canada.From the award winning Thai Food at Mengrai to the Japanese food at Distillery District to the Indian Food at Elements on the Falls,Niagara;Canada would surprise you with the authentic flavors the country has to offer.The owner at Mengrai,Allan Lim is a very interesting person and chatty to talk to.His achievements include serving the best of best Thai Food to Hollywood celebrities.Situated at the corner of Richmond Street(East),this small cute place is a must visit.

And the Butter Naan with Butter Chicken at Elements on the Falls

And to top it all I had Butter Chicken with Butter Naan(Imagine!) with the view of the majestic Niagara at Elements on the Falls,what would you say,coincidence or just a candid celebration of diversity?

5)The Deserts and Wine

Remember the super yumm ice-wines(Georgian and Inniskillin) I was talking in post 1 and in my video,the icewines are definitely the best buy.Along with it,we have desserts which are prepared with love almost everywhere in Canada.The world class Chocolates are produced in Soma at Distillery District.I had the yummiest hot chocolate shot there(Spicy and Plain) and it was thick,rich and just the shot I wanted in the perfect summer breeze.

The rich and the best Hot Chocolate Shot at Soma

Along with it we have Mill Street Brewery,which was Distillery District's first brewery.And of course do not forget to bring back Collingwood whiskey(Sweet) from Blue Mountains or Crown Royale Canadian Whiskey from the airport or the local store.

6)The Ambiance

Fancy a romantic Candlelit dinner with your better half,or just a luxury eat out experience?Indulge in fine dining experience at the revolving restaurant at the top of CN Tower or just have a sweet,candid and sophisticated food experience at Creme Brassiere,Yorkville.

Next I take you to the adventurous side of Canada,we have a look at where I stayed and we also learn how to Backpack Canada on our own :)

*Courtesy : Ontario Travel

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Spain Top Ten:Roadshow,Pictures

October 3, 2013, 10:30 am

≫ Next: Ontario:Backpacking,Toronto,Photos

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It isn't what I thought it is.No,La Tomatina isn't the only festival.The country which celebrates life,the country where warmth of people is similar to our India,the country where getting lost can land you up either in Mediterranean beaches or in the snow capped mountains of Pyrenees.The country which we know best for the Bollywood blockbuster "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara",the country most of us fancy about now.Spain.Yes,Spain.Hola Spain.Say loud "Spain".

Did you know??Spain will welcome a record number of international tourists in 2013

The Stunning coast of Costa Brava,Spain
Image Source:Bookableholidays.com

Today,I take you to the parts of Spain we know and parts of Spain we do not.And when I tell you that,let me surprise you with the fact that ZNMD wasn't even half of Spain.

Useful webpage : Spain on your own:Spain Travel Tips By Nomadic Matt

There's so much to do,so much yet to discover that 10 days isn't sufficient.Let's begin with some interesting facts:

1)Ever heard of Churros?

The yummy Churros,Spain

Image Source:Bakingbites.com

Miguel Angel Guerrero from Malaga-Costa Del Sol Tourist Board says Churros are so popular in the province.Made from Bread and fried in Olive Oil,the Churros are accompanied by Chocolate Sauce.San Churro Bandra is already open in Mumbai which offers Churros.The Indians when they come to Spain,never miss the Indian food.Although we have different cuisines for all tastes,They find the Spanish food to be excellent,they find it too good.We have Cooking vacations as well where you can discover,taste and cook the modern Spanish food and the traditional Spanish food i.e Paella and likes as well.We also have then competitions for the best cook.

2)Spain has snow and adventure

Vall De Nuria,Pyrenees in Summer
Image Source:Catalan Tourist Board

Not many know,even I didn't before I met Montserrat Subirana from the Catalan Tourist Board.She says Spain has loads to offer for those looking for adventure.Not only,does it have scuba diving and skydiving as shown in the movie,but many winter and well as summer sports which includes white water rafting and is one of the best country in Europe to do Rafting.Pyrenees is the best location to do this sport, with a better volume of water and a great variety of canyons. But also you can find Rafting in Galicia, Asturias, Murcia and Valencia.Spain has hot air ballooning,mountaineering,kayaking,cycling,helicopter rides etc.Skiing in Pyrenees is popular where we have kilometers and kilometers of Skiing.

Baqueira-Beret,Pyrenees in Winter
Image Source:Pirinalia.com

She also recommends renting a car because then you can take whichever route you wish for.Barcelona to Pyrenees is 3.5 hours,Barcelona to Girona is 1 hour and most of the places are reachable by car.

From the movie ZNMD, the skydive adventure took place at the Skydive Empuriabrava, in Costa Brava in Spain. Skydive Empuriabrava is listed as one of the top three skydiving centers in the world. They have facilitated over a million jumps since opening in 1985.

3)Spain for Sea

Andanlucia,Spain

Miguel Angel Guerrero from Malaga-Costa Del Sol Tourist Board says Marbella is a city belonging to the province of Malaga and is situated on the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the most popular
marine destinations. There are plenty of Bars,Discos,Nightlife,Restaurants,International Shopping Brands in Malaga.The ideal option is to spend an overnight in Malaga and Marbella(at least 3-4 nights) and then carry out different 1 days excursion may be to Ronda,may be to Seville may be Granada or Cordoba.

Catalonia,Spain

Monica Soles for the Barcelona Turisme says that Barcelona is a very open minded and lively city spread across 5 kms of beaches.Barcelona has culture,astronomy and best bars.The ideal time to come to Barcelona is end of march until Oct when weather is mild.July and August are very high temperatures.A lot of people come to Barcelona,only for shopping where we have local and
international brands.Here are some tricks on how to save money in Barcelona by HostelWorld

Lloret De Mar, Costa Brava, Spain was used by Katrina for her diving excursions in Catalonia.
The trio from ZNMD along with Laila (their diving instructor) go to the Medas Islands to complete their first adventure, Deep Sea Diving / Scuba Diving.Barcelona to Lloret De Mar is an hour.

4)The Surprising Architecture and world renowned Artists

World Renowned Architecture

I didn't know until Miguel told me that Picasso was born in Malaga and is their ambassador and hence they have a Picasso museum in the city which offers an impressive collection of 150 masterpieces. Malaga also offers a mix of Arabic culture,Muslim culture,Catholics and roman culture. The Cathedral of Málaga were built on the foundations of the old mosque.It also has the Arabic fortress which is a heritage site and the roman theater which is in the heart of the city.

Ronda,Spain

45 minutes from Marbella and one hour from Malaga is Ronda where a 100 meter high bridge surrounded by mountains divides the old from the new.On one side we have the ancient and unique mixture of culture,Arabic bath,Muslim palaces and Arabic architecture;on another side we have the whitewashed villages.

Barcelona on the other hand is popular for the Gaudi work.Monica says that Gaudi work,which is
internationally known and modern architect Gaudi who has constructed the basilica(Sagrada Família.) is the most famous tourist spot.Thanks to pope who came here 2 years ago to make it a basilica,before it was just the church ,and now you can go there and see the mass.Gaudi was inspired by elements of nature,and that depicts in his work.Park Güell which is till now a public park with a free entry will from 25th Oct have an entry fee of 7-8 euros that will go into the development of Catalonia.

5)The Lively Festivals of Spain

While Miguel tells us about the different local fairs of Andalucia which are celebrated with much zeal that includes Feria De Malaga where one week people wear Flamenco dresses and come to street dancing and drinking with friends and family,we have International Jazz Festival,Cave Festival,Malaga Film Festival to add it onto the list.But what surprised me most was..this!

Human Castles..

Yes,a human castle.One more similarity we share with them,or they with us.Remember our own celebrations on Janmashtmi where we build human castles and break the pot hung over a certain height.Almost similar is the human castle.Monica says in Barcelona spain they start with the first step,then second step and on the top is usually a child.Nowadays,they make the top person wear
a helmet.

Barcelona has lots of festivals like the electronic musical festivals named Sonar where tourists come from afar only to be part of the festival.Then we have flamenco festivals,jazz fetival,music and
exhibitions.Sonar international festival of advance music and multimedia art is where group of a band
called Kraftwerk in the 80's and now they are becoming very popular because they were the first German band and they use the electronic music in the 80's.

St Valentines Day on April 23rd is much more than a simple feast day in Barcelona. It is the Catalan equivalent to Valentines Day and love is in the air! Each year, the streets are filled with people strolling around grasping books and roses wrapped in ribbons in the colours of the Catalan flag.

And of course how can we forget La Tomatina in the Valencian town of Buñol,where Tomatoes are on fire.Malaga also has the most creative bull-fighting in Spain says Miguel.The Bull Racing scene in the movie ZNMD was shot in Pamplona,Spain which is 4 hours from both Madrid/Barcelona.Held since 1591, the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain attracts thousands of foreign visitors each year for 9-days (July 6-14) of revelry, morning bull runs and afternoon bullfights.

6)Ibiza isn't just party and Spain's World Heritage Cities

Silvia tells me that Ibiza is very famous for Indians,but Ibiza isn't just a party place but has a
rich museum and history.Toledo,which is one of her favorite place is just half an hour from Madrid and Cordoba,Toledo and Salamanka are wonderful world heritage cities

7)Offbeat Experience of Spain

Flamenco,Spain
Image Source:Holabarcelonatours.com

Miguel says apart from Cooking,one can experience wine boutique and wine cellars specially made in the mountain ranges.Seville as he says is a perfect family gateways where they can enjoy family activities,two aquatic parks,resorts,cable cars etc.From Marbella,for dolphin watching they can head to Montego Bay.Flamenco dances can be enjoyed in Malaga. In Ronda we have the longest private race course in Europe where you can drive your own cars such as Ferrari etc.

8)Connections

The route from anywhere to everywhere is well connected.Miguel says you can take a high speed train from Barcelona/Madrid to Sevile and Malaga.From Malaga it takes 2.5 hours to reach Madrid,and 4.5 hours to reach Barcelona.Barcelona also has hop on hop off buses.We have emirates and qatar via doha with daily flights to Barcelona Barcelona to Pyrenees is 3.5 hours.

9)Stay Options

Nomadic Matt recommends Kabul in Barcelona as one of the best hostels in Europe.Imagine staying at a place which is filled with buzz of interesting people!Spain also has 3-4-5 stars hotels,24 michelin stars hotel and boutique resorts.According to Bollylocations ,the hostels and hotels used for the stay in the movie ZNMD were

Hostal Posada Venta Pilar, Bunyol, Valencia, Spain
Scene: Hotel where they stayed at Bunyol

Hotel Casa Fuster, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Scene: Their hotel in Barcelona

Hotel Don Jilton, Bunyol, Valencia, Spain
Scene: Hotel in which they asked Abhay whether he is happy with Natasha

10)Souvenirs

Miquel recommends us Flamenco apron which is very popular in Spain as one of the Souvenirs to bring back

I haven't been to Spain,but it is in my list! The place looks like one of the most interesting destinations in Europe,what do you think?Have you been to Spain,how was your experience like?

For more information visit Spain Tourism Official Webpage
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