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it is a detailed blog about the city of Jaipur and its surroundings.
Green spaces, clean air, tranquility and not a sky scraper in sight - surely we're not talking about Mumbai (Bombay)?
Located in the northern end of the crowded, over-populated, polluted island city of Mumbai is the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. A 104 sq km island of greenery in the urban jungle. Instead of being harassed by street vendors you get monkeys chasing after you for a snack or spotted deer obstructing your path.
Deep within the park are the Kanheri Buddhists caves which were carved out by Buddhists monks between the 6th and 11th century AD. The near absence of visitors allows you to take your time and comfortably view the detailed rock carvings of Buddha.
You can easily find the national park and the caves in the northern suburb of Borivali - about 90 mins drive from south Mumbai or you can organise a private pick up and a tour with reality tours which'll cost you Rs 4000.
Sanjay Gandhi National Park is in the suburb or Borivali. Bombay's roads can be a minefield for visitors - take a taxi or even better take a private tour with Reality tourshttp://www.realitytoursandtravel.com/
Google map: tinyurl.com/y9vmesj
This is a booking site run by a hotel owners, made my trip a doddle!
This is a great website I have found which is all about Palolem Beach in Canacona, Goa, India. It lists lots of places to stay and things to do in the area. It is by far the best resource on Palolem on the internet, I highly recommend it. It even has a great forum where you can chat with people about Palolem and what they recommend, so is a must see if you are planning to visit the area.
Shop with beautiful Kashmiri papier mache work at very honest prices and a good attached B&B with excellent food. The owner is a welcoming friendly, honest face in hassle-y Srinagar
Dalgate Buchwara, bdalekashmir@hotmail.com, 01942479999
Nestled between emerald green paddy-fields, luscious palms and meandering canals is George Kutty's homestay, at the heart of the Keralan backwaters, in the village where Arundati Roy grew up. For $10 a day, guests are provided with ensuite, air-conditioned rooms and invited to share mouth-watering meals with the Kutty family, freshly prepared from the sumptuous fruits, spices and vegetables, which burst from their garden. Days can be spent navigating the waterways on the Kutty's canoe, exploring the surrounding villages and exquisite wildlife or venturing into the nearby, bustling market towns of Kottayam and Alappuzha. George Kutty's enthusiasm and knowledge is truly boundless, providing visitors with a priceless insight into and understanding of rural Southern India; its culture, traditions, religion and day-to-day life.
Sam's Beach Shack is great. Whether you want to have a cold drink and a snack or a full meal, you will be made welcome. There are sun beds and a wide range of food is served. Local and imported drinks are available at very reasonable prices.
There is a Beach Party every Tuesday Night, with entertainment, fireworks, music and dancing.
A great atmosphere and very friendly.
Near Holiday Inn Beach Resort,
Mobor Beach,
Cavelossim,
South Goa
I reached Nagarjuna Ayurvedic Centre (Kalady, Kochi, Kerala) in a sad state. After working on one of my books and writing several articles for a well known journal, I was physically exhausted and mentally stressed. I had heard and read of the excellent Nagarjuna Ayurvedic Centre and placed myself in their hands.
I was not disappointed. The ambience and the atmosphere were superb. The centre is situated in a beautiful environment at a river bank and very close to nature. The weather was also magnificent.
The ayurvedic team, led by Dr. K. Krishnan Namboodiri, were professionals to the core, warm and caring. They immediately diagnosed my condition and prescribed suitable treatment for my battered body and tired mind. I had several enjoyable sessions and every part of my body received expert attention –my head, legs, shoulders, tummy, etc were oiled and massaged among other things - I felt totally rejuvenated.
I left as a new man – physically and mentally. I resolved to return a year later for more of the same. In comparison to some over-priced Ayurvedic places, the Nagarjuna Ayurvedic Centre in Kalady is eminently affordable. The food is good, hygiene is of very high standard, services very friendly and as for the Ayurvedic treatment, it is in a class of its own. I unhesitatingly recommend Nagarjuna Ayurvedic Centre.
Nagarjuna Ayurvedic Centre LTD.
Okkal Post, Kalady, Kerala, India 683550
Telephone: +91-484-2463350.
Website: www.nagarjun.com
This is a beautiful boutique heritage guesthouse where I stayed recently. There were people from England staying there so I think others will be interested. Intimate, charming, private, spotlessly clean, ayurveda in-house, amazing decor full of atmosphere, fabulous view of ocean from rooftop restaurant, clean and private pool. Brilliantly situated for exploring the backwaters and helpful staff to arrange transport and give advice. Didn't want to leave and will certainly return. Go there if you can!
Beach Road, Alleppey-688012, Kerala India
Tel/Fax:00-91-477-2239767/ 2230767
email:contact@raheemresidency.com
web:www.raheemresidency.com
Silent Noise parties are held at Neptune's Point in South Goa – a stunning peninsula where hundreds of happy clubbers can look out across the water to Palolem beach as they dance the night away.
Everyone is connected to the music with wireless headphones so the party doesn’t disturb the neighbours (or the local police) and three DJs play simultaneously, competing to get the crowd to tune into their set.
Add in lasers, visuals, circus performers and tepees, and you’ve got a mini festival every week – helping to revive the outdoor rave vibe that originally put Goa on the beach party map.
Neptune's Point, Palolem, Goa
www.silentnoise.in
Lucknow is an historic place in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India.
This place had a central role during the 1857 independence struggle. The ruins of the residency embrace the scars and signs of it.
The old Mogol building are still standing tall. It's a place to see.
It is 9-10 hour train journey from Delhi.
www.lucknow.org.uk/
Ellora Caves, about 15 miles from the historical city of Aurangabad in India, are a wonderful piece of ancient art. Looking at cave no 16, you start thinking how this must have been carved. The nearby fort at Daulatabad is also work of inspiration with very imaginative architecture. You may also like to visit temple of Shiva -Hindu deity and enjoy the design besides getting spiritually elevated.
If you have time spare one day for the Ajanta caves.
Plan for a three day stay at Aurangabd in good hotels like Ambassador, Rama International and travel by taxi. Aurangabad is 50 minutes by plane from Mumbai(Bombay) India and is very reasonably priced. Be there between November to March to avoid heat. Dec/Jan are the best. Carry English to Hindi dictionary so that you can enjoy commentry of guides more.
A good place to pop your head in and learn about Ladakh.
It screens films every day and is a good resource for any questions you may have about Ladakh past, present and future, and other parts of the world. Focuses on climate change, ecology, the environment, agriculture, sustainability, and Ladakh's culture.
It has a shop where you can buy genuine souvenirs which will help the local economy (most souvenir shops in Ladakh are Kashmiri run). It's also a good place if you want a custom Ladakh souvenir - they can arrange someone to make you something in your size.
Sankar road, north east of central Leh.
By no means the only good places of course, but I enjoyed these cafes and restaurants in Leh:
Summer Harvest (Fort Road) - highly recommended in the guide books, and for good reason. Loads of locals eating there means it's bound to be good.
Desert Rain Cafe (off a side road from the Main Bazzar - about half way down, in the direction of north). Don't come here for true Ladakhi atmosphere, but if you're wanting some decent coffee, and other western reminders, Desert Rain has a relaxed atmosphere, has film nights, and talks from interesting people. No outside seating, but a good place to relax whilst you acclimatise. Good cakes.
My favourite Ladakhi/Tibetan eats were the Wok Tibetan Kitchen and Amdo Cafe (both on the Main Bazaar) - not widely mentioned in the big guide books, but decent food with a mix of tourists and locals.
The Penguin restaurant (Old Fort road, near the bottom) was one of my favourite places to chill outside in, the food is fine, but not the best. The garden kept me returning though.
There's no shortage of restaurants to explore in Leh - and there's a massive amount of decent pizzas and other western food everywhere.
Dzomsa (Old Fort Road, near the top) has good juice, good food supplies to take trekking, and importantly offers cheap safe drinking water - the influx of tourists seriously threaten many beautiful things about Leh - please use filtered water instead of plastic throwaway bottles.
All of these places serve cheap meals, but beer (if available) will be expensive anywhere in Leh.
Be aware that there can be occasional strikes which close everything down - your best bet is to head to the more upmarket hotels for food, or to look carefully around for signs of activity - some places are open despite locked doors.
Leh in the summer is THE Indian destination for the many, many travellers who flood this small town.
It's hard to believe that a shortage of accommodation does not exist in Leh, but from what I saw, there is no shortage.
The guide books mention only a small number of places, which led travellers I met to panic and book into the only places left with rooms - usually the most expensive ones.
I entirely understand that you may want to book in advance, but bear in mind that even in peak season in 2008, there appared to be far more rooms than tourists, and new guest houses are being built constantly.
As long as you've got a decent torch to walk home with, there are beautiful places to stay a short walk away from the centre of Leh, so if you are struggling to book accomodation, I would recommend trying to get a night or two booked somewhere, but then hunt around if you're staying a while - I paid a tiny fraction of the central hotel prices by staying in a family run beautiful but basic guest house 10 minutes walk from the centre.
Of course, you can turn up with no accommodation booked, but it is worth noting that when flying into at altitude, you will give your body the best chance of acclimatisation if you do very little on arrival and rest, rather than hump your bag around searching for the cheapest hotel (which is my tactic in other locations!).
I phoned a guesthouse listed in a trekking book (rather than the more popular mainstream guide books) the day before I flew into Leh, they seemed surprised that I was phoning to book, but I was glad as my flight arrived so early in the morning, I knew there was a room waiting for me, where I could dump my stuff, grab some filtered water, and then cafe-hop for 48 hours of acclimatisation chilling. I was just hugely shocked at how much some other travellers were paying in their upmarket hotels, which they weren't wanting to stay in, but they were all that were available in the popular guide book recommendations.
From the centre of Leh, there are hotels and guesthouses everywhere. The posher hotels tend to be southwest of central Leh, the densest backpacker area is in Changspar (north east). But I think the most interesting accommodation is in the Old Town area (to the east of centre), and off to the west are a few roads that wind through beautifully quiet scenery with homely looking guest houses.
If you've just arrived in Leh, even if you've come by road, for the purposes of allowing your body to acclimatise to the high altitude, beware of walking far with heavy bags.
For a real Ashram experience head to the Sivananda Ashram in Kerala. Set in the foothills of the Western Ghats this is a beautiful setting. A Yoga Vacation is about £8 (ish) a day staying in dormitory accommodation, two classical yoga classes a day and two veggie meals. You may get woken up in the night though by the roar of the local lions from across the lake. Some say there are crocodiles in the lake. And you'll have to do a bit of karma yoga - toilet cleaning anyone?
sivananda.org/neyyardam/index.html
Fly to Trivanadrum airport and then pre-pay for a fab taxi ride to the ashram, hold on to your seat it's a bumpy ride, not a good idea in a rickshaw.
Forget fashionable yoga retreats, the Surya Thejus Advaitha Yoga Centre is both affordable and authentic, with not a chakra-aligning celebrity in sight.
Tucked away in a serene green corner of Kerala, with forests and the peaceful river Poorna to inspire your inner guru, the centre is in Kalady, a shrine to Adi Sankara, one of India’s foremost philosophers.
The secluded setting feels refreshingly ‘real’ rather than a boutique bolt-hole, with only 3 rooms, each clean and comfortable, and Yoga classes taught by expert teachers.
It was a great place to de-stress and unwind - the teachers were kind and helpful to wobbly beginners, and even my skeptical partner was chanting by the end.
We left feeling several stone lighter, thanks to healthy (but delicious) food served up in the Kerala Vegetarian Canteen, and at around £24 a night, you don’t pay through the teeth for Zen-like calm.
Its a beautiful house, nestled in an enchanting coconut groove. The groove overlooks a large open paddy field to its east. Beyond the paddy field is a river, then a hill in the horizon. The sunrise is so beautiful here, its like a slice out of paradise.
There's no one around to disturb you, its just you in the lap of mother nature.
The serene Keri Beach is nearby, just 500 meters away.
The owner is Mr. Brian Fernandes, he can be contacted at Brianferns@gmail.com or at
+9108322516219
Try the Rajasthani thali at Monica for a taste of real Rajasthani food. It's enormous and it's the real thing. Dont miss it!
It's in the town but very close to the fort gate. The restaurant is on the first floor, with excellent views from the terrace.
It's the second highest motorable road in the world, crossing several passes, including two over 5000m. Snaking right through the middle of the Himalaya in North West India, it's closed over the winter due to snow. In the summer though, driving it is an incredible experience as you can see snow capped mountains high above you and below, valleys becoming increasingly green as you cross from Leh at 3600m in Ladakh which is very dry, high up on a plateau above the monsoon's reach, to Manali in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
Depending on how many stops you want to make, the journey takes up to two days and can be done by car, jeep or public bus.
Leh, Ladakh and Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India.
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