Want a reason to travel?I personally find that question very funny. The Lord created this world and he made it so beautiful, only for me to map it.“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls” said the French Cuban Author Anais Nin.

Every travelogue on Kerala is the same with the same adjectives to describe the “amazing backwaters”, “serene houseboats” and “delicious fare of traditional food”.

It was 5 a.m. when Anthony and I stepped out of Dimapur station on the morning of the 28th of November. No sooner were we out, than we were hounded by cabbies who wanted to ferry us to Kohima right away. But we had nowhere to go.We had spoken to a member of the Rotaract Club of Dimapur for the sponsorship of our saplings but we were supposed to call another number at ten in the morning.

Despite its recent noteworthiness, Kosovo has always been around and has been marked by a long succession of wars. The Kosovo war, famously remembered for allowing Kosovo to become an independent country was marked with heinous war crimes and a ten year long occupation by the United Nations and its NATO forces suppressing the Serbian forces. I was fortunate or unfortunate depending on the point of view, to be there during the war. Kosovo, despite the war and turmoil, is a very beautiful and picturesque place full of snow-capped mountains, flowing streams and lush green, grassy fields. Of course, back then, to even visit the place you had to be either the president of a country or have a UN stamped passport. But now, post-war, the newly formed country of Kosovo has been promoting tourism to the country.

It all began on my first journey to the mountains. Now if you’re someone who’s fairly street smart and believes in the good of most men, then you’re likely to be told off by every person who sits next to you on the bus or the train. I’ve had a range of old aunties, young college kids, sometimes even women my age who’d go out of their way to warn me about all the men and all the misfortune that’s waiting to devour unsuspecting little me. Not to mention, everything untoward that may happen to me from dysentery to being swallowed by a bear – it only gets better each time.

“We want to order this”, Navya said pointing at the menu. “Prawn rice.” The woman taking our order nodded. “Chilli [...]

Shillong, situated in Meghalaya, is perhaps one of the most picturesque cities in India.It’s luscious green mountains, clouds that linger so low that it seems as if they are almost flirting with you. The impeccable weather all year round is perhaps what led the British in tagging Shillong as the Scotland of the East.

From the awe-inspiring pristine beauty of ParoValley to the bustling streets of Thimphu, Bhutanis a not-so-tiny Himalayan Kingdom, where the people pride themselves on their happiness quotient. With great reverence for traditional Buddhist beliefs and respect for cultural heritage, the Bhutanese are warm and friendly and above all, humble. Our very first glimpse of the ParoValley, ensconced within the many mountains, transported us to another time period.

Why do you people go to temples? Why do people go on long, strenuous pilgrimages? Perhaps to attain purity, peace of mind, rid themselves of sins, and pray for their wishes to be granted by the almighty. I can’t answer my own questions because when I see temples, I see money making machines, I see dirt and filth, I see lies, and I see people being tricked and fooled.

India’s first national park established in 1936,JimCorbettNational Parkis the perfect retreat for nature-lovers. Placed on the foothills of theHimalayas, in the Nainital District of Uttrakhand, it is abundant and famous for its flora and fauna with over 100 species of trees, 50 species of mammals and 550 species of birds.
It’s an absolutely ideal setting for tourists, wildlife enthusiasts and photographers.