The first time I visited France, it became my favourite country. It was the ultimate combination of beautiful weather, beautiful places, great wines and great cheeses!
But the second time we went, I was very disappointed. There were a little too many beggars/ immigrants, and so many more buildings. France was still beautiful, but it had definitely lost a lot of charm.
My love for cheese makes it a joy for me to be visiting France. Everytime we went to the malls, my parents had to pull me away from the Cheese shops! There were cheeses in all shapes, sizes and colours.... Definitely very mouthwatering!
The Eiffel Tower is such a treat, and the view from the top, very beautiful. There are human-like wax figures seated and standing, inside closed chambers,
showing the important people involved in the construction of the Tower. You can take a boat ride too, which takes you around the whole place, showing you various places of interest.
When I looked down from the window as the plane landed, I was taken aback by the beauty. A green carpet of tree tops was all that was visible, in sharp contrast to the concrete jungle we see in most countries. And the feeling stayed with me throughout the trip.
The people, the landscapes, the malls, were all so beautiful.
We landed in Copenhagen, and a friend drove us to Halmstad. We stayed in a beach house, which was a really pleasant experience. The best part is that the people here are completely in love with art.
Even in the small beach house, there were paintings on every wall. It was early winter and the weather was beautiful. We then headed towards Stockholm. A boat-trip in the Archipelago (collection of islands) was the highlight of the stay.
The trees were a beautiful riot of colours, from green to red to yellow.
A visit to Skansen made the trip more than worth it. It showcases the history and culture of Sweden. You can see older style of architechture, taste different dishes and watch the people making coloured glassware. It was a really wonderful experience.
This is the first place where I saw women drivers in buses. The buses had special side doors for women with little children, for them the bus rides were free!
While our host showed us around, he asked us what kind of food we'd like to eat, there were Chineese, Mexican, and many other restaurants.
When we said that we wanted to eat in a Swedish restaurant, he said there were none!! We finally settled for a small place which served Fisk Soppa (fish soup). Swedish food is simply great, Leek Pie being my favourite.
Overall, I'd like to mention that despite all the other beauties, the greatest asset of Sweden is definitely, its people.
When we landed in Houston, I was reminded about a lesson about space we learnt at school, "Houston, we have a problem"... Off to New Jersey and then a drive to New York.
What surprised me was that not many people use indoor heating system in their homes, unlike in Europe. The weather was colder than what we faced in Europe, and there was no heating!! Visiting the statue of Liberty was something I had really looked forward to.
A boat ride took us to the island and then we climbed up to the very top of the statue. That was fun!
Minneapolis and Salt Lake City were a real joy to visit. Minneapolis gets really very cold in winter, but we visited at the perfect time, and the weather was nearly like back home. Trees all red and ready to shed,
and large squirrels were the special parts of the visit, apart from the Minehaha waterfall, which also we learnt about in a poem at school. The Great Salt Lake was beautiful.
The best part of the stay, though, was celebrating my birthday at the Universal Studios in Florida. A one day visit each to the Disney World, Universal Studios, and finally the Sea World made the visit really worthwhile. The most amusing part was the
Earthquake at the Universal Studios, which was unbelievably real!! The VR rides were superb, and so was the Space Mountain, which was worth the 2 hour wait in the queue even in the off-season!!
We went to Singapore a little pensive with respect to the strict punishments for breaking the rules, but we were pleasantly surprised to see that things have quite changed in the last few years. The atmosphere seems lighter and the people more happy.
The malls were absolutely gorgeous. The bus and train facility at Singapore were simply superb. All you need to buy is one card, and you're capable of travelling both by train and bus.
The most interesting discovery of the stay was Durian. This is a very popular fruit, but the strange thing is that you are not allowed to carry it in buses and other public places, because it smells so much!!
The highlights of the stay were the Jurong Bird Park and the Sentosa Island.
The bird park was really beautiful, with all kinds of species adorning it. The layout was very beautiful, almost like a miniature jungle.
But despite the beauty and the fabulous work, what saddened me was that the birds were not really free to fly around as they liked. The most horrifying scene was that of a Brahmini Kite chained by one foot, screaming with anguish as it tried to free itself, while a little boy teased it.
The scene left me shocked and I've never been able to get over it. I realised that all this work is not really worth it if its based on ruining the lives of so many hundreds of birds.
The Sentosa Island was a real pleasure to visit. The view from the funicular which takes you to the island, is breathtaking. The island itself is a picture of beauty. Whats special is that everything in it is man-made.
A miniature version of Sea World, with a variety of aquatic creatures was a joy to watch. There were several rides we thoroughly enjoyed. The Merlion was a masterpiece in itself. But the best part was the musical fountain, which was the most beautiful one I ever saw.
There are several beautiful places in North India. Delhi has several historical structures such as Qutub Minar, Lal Quila (Red Fort) and Lotus Temple. There's the famous Taj Mahal in Agra. In Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the BhulBhulaiya steals the show.
It gets its name because it is said that once you get inside, you will never return.
Several people are said to have lost their way in the building and died. Guides can show you around the building though, they are well versed with the path that will take you to the top and back. It definitely is a must-see.
The speciality of North India is the really hospitable people. They're warm and friendly and will make you feel completely at home.
The food is very rich and so are the handicrafts you get here. The tie-n-die clothes are very beautiful, you'll never leave without buying a few for yourself.
Jaipur is called the Pink City, and when you visit it, you'll know why. Old Jaipur is full of Pink buildings. You'll find a lot of forts and palaces here. The architecture is marvellous, to say the least.
There's the Sheesh Mahal (The Palace of Mirrors) , the Hawa Mahal, which is now a Government office, the Raja Man Singh Palace and several other palaces you'll be glad you visited.
I just fell in love with this place. Once I entered the bird sanctuary here, I never wanted to leave.
Waking up early in the morning, touring the sanctuary in the small 'tonga' that the guide took us around in, chatting with him about their habitats, staring awestruck at the beautiful owl sitting in the middle of a tree,
trying to find the sarah crane in the middle of the field, and then spotting so many deer nearby, watching the caspian terns fly so gracefully over the pond... there were several experiences here that made us forget the rest of the world.
We happened to visit it just short of the season when most of the exoctic birds arrive, and that is one part I really felt bad we missed. Being avid birdwatchers, the stay at the sanctuary was a dream come true.
During our short stay, we spotted around 60 species of birds, and we left the place with mixed feelings - one of ecstacy, and the other, the sorrow of having to leave. This is the only place where I looked back while we were departing, and told myself that I did not want to go.
In South India you can find plenty of examples to illustrate the example 'Simple Living, High Thinking'. While the coastal areas are on the warmer side as far as weather is concerned there are also places which remain cool nearly throughout the year.
Hyderabad is the best place to buy pearls, besides the historical masterpieces it offers. Chennai is the most hot and humid place I've ever visited!! Tippu Sultan's palace at Shrirangpatna showcases a lot of his belongings, and the Dussera celebration in Mysore are known the world over.
Badami also has very beautiful cave temples, along with the Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur nearby, another structure which uses no pillars in construction.
There are several historical monuments in the South of India too. I found Hampi the most spiritual out of them. On one hand it stirs your soul when you see exoctic works of genius all destroyed...
it shows you just how reckless and cruel, man can get. Years ago, they'd sell diamonds and other precious stones by the street in heaps, like people sell vegetables in some places now. The musical pillars, which produce different notes of sound when struck,
were played every evening as dancers swayed to their tunes, and could be heard miles away. Its devastating.
And yet, you can feel the peace in the air, reminds you just how forgiving nature can get.
Everytime you close your eyes, you can feel the heaven that this place once was, before greed and violence left only stones to tell the story of a lost world to the future generations.
These are 2 other places close-by, full of stone carvings. Halebidu again, has quite been destroyed, although it is still not as bad as the state Hampi was left in.
The structures here do not use any binding material, but just simple interlocking systems to hold the walls and carvings together. The carvings are really out-of-the-world structures
and when you're told that they're carved from a single piece of stone, it leaves you gaping.
We drove all the way to Kanyakumari (the southern tip of the Indian peninsula) via Kerala, a few years ago and depite the dust and the grime
that'd get into our hair at the end of the day, it was an experience we thoroughly enjoyed.
What was interesting was that from the moment we entered the Kerala state, there wasn't an inch of free land along the road, something that we're so accustomed to, on drives to other places.
Houses, offices, and coconut trees.
When you visit this place, you realise why Kerala is called God's own country. Vast lakes, a variety of birds, old trees and a cool climate leaves you at a loss of words for description.
You can go boating, and watch the wild life happily living at their own pace. The serene atmosphere is something you will carry in your heart for the rest of your life.
Despite having visited so many places around the world, Goa continues to remain one of my very favourite holiday spots.
Calm beaches and rough ones, excellent seafood and warm weather make it the perfect place to run away to when you want to soothe tired nerves.
My personal favourite hotels in Goa are The Leela Palace, and The Majorda Beach Resort.
Goa is great for sightseeing too, with a variety of old churches.
What I like best about this place is that you may go for a one day visit or a week-long one... and you always come back refreshed.
Strawberries are the forte of Mahabaleshwar!! It nearly gets flooded during the monsoon season - June to Oct - but is a treat to visit during the other parts of the year.
The weather is on the cooler side, making it somewhat a hill station.
Surrounded by forests, this is one place that really gets you in touch with nature.
You can literally hear the silence in the mornings... and feel it soak into your body, its a very beautiful experience.
There are lakes nearby where you can go for boating, and watch the sunset meanwhile... or maybe go to the fair or go for long walks along the mountains.
