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Category Archives: Travelogue..my Travel Diary

Ladakh – Where we Ate & what we ate!

December 3, 2012 09:45 ⋅

The Maggi Story Pic: Priya Q

Steamed bun or Theemok; vegetable spinach cheese momos were the highlights of our lunch at the Tibetian Wak Kitchen in the market area; which is a very humble place with basic interiors.

We stopped for lunch at Khalsar on our way to Nubra Valley; a lunch which is better forgotten about than written. We accept that one can’t ask for non-veg food anywhere out of Leh, but the vegetarian dishes can taste nice too!! This was not the case at Khalsar.

Soupy Maggie Noodles Pic: Priya Q  Read more...

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Ladakh – where we went and what we did

November 26, 2012 09:48 ⋅

 

Stunning Ladakh …Pic: Neeta Kiran (co traveler)

My first trip to Ladakh happened in August 2012. It was a week long trip; albeit in retrospect I feel a few additional days would have been good for the plain reason that the beauty of Pangong Tso called for more time and shopping in the Leh market, which has lots to offer, also needs a few hours of dedicated time. I went with a group of 17 GALS through a trip organized by BucketList Travel Company.

What we covered:

Rafting on the Indus River

Rafting  Read more...

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Camping at Munnar

June 19, 2012 13:15 ⋅
Anaerangal Camp, Munnar, Kerala Pic: Priya Q

Anaerangal Camp, Munnar, Kerala Pic: Priya Q

Anaerangal Camp, Munnar, Kerala
Anaerangal Camp, Munnar is about 155 kms from Kochi and was the chosen destination for our last outing. With schools closing down for the summer, I along with 16 friends, decided to head to the mountains for a camping and trekking experience.

With the sole intention of unwinding and soaking up the splendor of nature that Munnar has to offer, wecar pooled and hit the road early in the morning. The traffic started to thin out as we moved out of Kochi city limits and the air got fresher and cleaner.As we got closer to Munnar, the vast and sprawling tea estates inspired the singer in few of us and we sang all the way up the winding roads.  Read more...

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Good time to visit London?

May 14, 2012 08:04 ⋅

London remains as one of my favorite places to visit. I hold fond remembrances of the city. It’s beautiful modernity, existing cheek-by-jowl with the rich cultural heritage is a must see for any traveler.

London Tower Pic: Mr.Q

The Tower of London, The London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, British Museum, Big Ben, The London Eye, The Buckingham Palace, Art Museums, well manicured gardens,Fish and Chips,… etc. are all reasons for me to go back another time.

 Read more...

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Wildlife Reserve

March 20, 2012 11:02 ⋅

Parambikulam, Kerala

Parambikulam Pic: Priya Q

The beauty of staying in Kerala is that it gives you many varied options of vacationing. It has something for everyone. Beaches, mountains, wildlife, backwaters, city life, country side, history, religious places, you name it.

Most of our extended holidays are well utilized where we try to get away from city madness; bundle up some sweet memories, laugh like there was no tomorrow, rejoice in each others company and get back totally rejuvenated.

Parambikulam Wild Life Reserve Pic: Priya Q  Read more...

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Kumarakom

February 16, 2012 11:57 ⋅

Kumarakom Pic: Priya Q

About 2 hours drive from Kochi, Kumarakom is a beautiful backwater location and is a must visit. Meandering canals, sprawling paddy fields, Vembanad Lake, rich variety of flora and fauna, stunning views constitutes Kumarakom.

Kumarakom’s close proximity to Kochi was a decisive factor for our impromptu trip with our friends. Idea was to drive down to place somewhere close by and just relax. So Kumarakom is where we headed to.

There are quite a few good resorts in Kumarakom one can stay like Kumarakom Lake Resort, The Zuri, Coconut Lagoon, Kayal Resort, Taj Garden Retreat,…etc. All the good resorts are built with backwaters as the backdrop and offer a boat cruise service on demand.  Read more...

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State of New Mexico

November 30, 2011 08:23 ⋅

This guest post by Rishi Menon and Suchi Ravindran Menon is continuation to part 1,2,3

16. Bandelier National Monument is in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Los Alamos is famous for its national laboratory where the first Atom bomb was designed. Bandelier National Monument has ruins of ancient Anasazi cliff houses and houses of Pueblo People. Plan to spend a whole day there and take trails to see some wonderful excavated sites, rock paintings and Petroglyphs. People have reported bear sightings there, so be careful while taking trails.

Bandelier National Monument Pic: Rishi Menon  Read more...

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Pictures of New Mexico

November 28, 2011 08:09 ⋅

This guest post by Rishi Menon and Suchi Ravindran Menon is continuation to part 1 & 2

11. New Mexico, known as the Land of Enchantment is endowed with Southwestern Charm. These hanging arrangements of dried chilies are called Chili Ristras and is an iconic New Mexican tradition.

Ristras Pic: Rishi Menon

12. Very large Array also known as VLA lies fifty miles West of Socorro city in New Mexico. There are 27 radio antennas arranged in Y-shape . They offer self guided tours. Make sure you are prepared for the weather since it tends to get very windy and storms are frequent. We were caught in one and had to run like crazy to get shelter. We also saw several jack rabbits hopping around.  Read more...

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Santa Fe New Mexico

November 23, 2011 08:36 ⋅

 

This guest post by Rishi Menon and Suchi Ravindran Menon is continuation to part 1

6. Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe is famous for its Mysterious Staircase. The chapel was built between 1873 and 1878 and it has many stories regarding the mysterious staircase, one being it was built by St. Joseph himself.

Santa Fe Loretto Chapel Pic: Rishi Menon

7. Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe is one of the major attractions in Santa Fe. It has a beautiful architecture and the store inside sell authentic New Mexican Christian gifts. We picked up colorful New Mexican themed cross for our Catholic friends.  Read more...

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New Mexico

November 21, 2011 08:00 ⋅

One look at the pictures taken by Rishi Menon during his visit to New Mexico and you will realize why New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment. Art, cultural events, local cuisine and wine, parks and monuments, scenic byways; New Mexico offers you reason more than many for a visit.

Explore New Mexico through the lenses of Rishi Menon and narration by his better half Suchi Ravindran Menon.  Suchi tells us in detail – what to do, what to see, what to buy and most importantly what to eat while in New Mexico :)   Enjoy!  Read more...

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