Neil Island, Andaman
Showing posts with label Walk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Walk. Show all posts

Friday 25 November 2022

Andaman’s Day 2: Havelock Island

    Andaman’s: Day 1 - Day 2 - Day 3 - Day 4 - Day 5 - Day 6 - Day 7 - Day 8 - Day 9

    Early morning we reached Haddo Jetty to take our ferry to Havelock Island. The ferry was modest and the journey was eventless. We reached Havelock around noon and a cab transferred us to our hotel in no time. Havelock is a moderately sized island so the first thing we did after checking in was to rent couple of two-wheelers.

    The Blue Bird Resort, our hotel in Havelock

    Saturday 21 May 2022

    Robber’s Cave, Dehradun

    We were in Dehradun to attend a marriage. We had the morning to spare and so we searched the internet for what we can do. We saw good reviews of a place mysteriously called the Robber’s Cave. It was enticing enough for us to take a trip. It was a half hour drive from our hotel.

    Entrance to Robber’s Cave

    Thursday 25 November 2021

    Thamel, Kathmandu

    • Thamel is the backpacker’s heaven in Kathmandu, located in the middle of city and host some of the cheapest hotels and bars
    • Even if you want a spacious / luxurious stay, it is recommended that it is closer to Thamel
    • Kathmandu Darbar Square and Garden of Dreams are two complexes diametrically to each other at the periphery of Thamel and can be covered together
    Our Hotel was adjacent to Thamel. It was a huge convenience. It meant most of our movements, be it for restaurant, bar or sites, we were able to do it walking. Even late night outings were possible on foot. In fact we realised late how colourful the night life in and around Thamel is.

    Kathmandu Darbar Square, Thamel

    Swayambhu Stupa, Kathmandu

    • If you are staying near Thamel, you can actually walk to this place early morning. Take the steps instead of the winding road. Beware of monkeys, they are numerous and greedy.
    • View from the top is amazing, one of the few high points overlooking the Kathmandu valley.

    On a crisp morning we started walking from our hotel near Thamel to Swayambhu Stupa. The map said it was less than three miles. We stopped at an open restaurant on the way for an english breakfast of toast, butter, jam, omelette and coffee. We reached at the base of the Stupa in no time and really loved our idea of a walk.


    Swayambhu Stupa, Kathmandu

    Sunday 18 August 2019

    Dublin, Ireland

    Ireland was crowded and unkempt compared to Northern Ireland. Dublin was more so with Trinity College right in the middle and a milieu of people from all parts of the world. The native language is Irish but very few people speak it. English dominates which makes Ireland even more attractive for the diaspora.

    River view, Dublin

    Sunday 7 October 2018

    Cheung Chau, Hong Kong

    Cheung Chau is a vacation within Hong Kong. The small island with polite residents and sandy beaches has an air of relaxation of Goa level. Only one hour from the busy Victoria Harbour, the island is an independent ecosystem and well commercialized. Ferries at regular interval from Pier 5 take you Cheung Chau - there are fast and slow ferries and option for first and second class.

    Tung Wan Beach, Cheung Chau

    Friday 8 June 2018

    Moscow

    SoumenlinnaHelsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow
    • Try to learn Russian in bits, its not very different from English. Keep a map of metro lines with you as it is a lifeline in Moscow.
    • Most of the attractions are concentrated around Red Square. Kremlin's armoury show is most sought after and you should reach early to buy tickets there.
    • Dont forget to try the river cruise and the Russian way of drinking vodka - that is quick shots in succession.
    Moscow was convenient and exhausting at the same time. The capital of Russia is grand in every possible way and yet broken into clusters that stand by themselves. Moscow is a city of cities just like any major capital in the world. It has couple of jewels, just like any major town, that fall in many a traveller's bucket list. It has a river flowing right across it. Add to that the football fever that was peaking when we reached with the host city inaugurating the FIFA world cup in a week time. We were at the right place before time.

    Arbat Street

    Thursday 7 June 2018

    Saint Petersberg

    Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow
    • Take a hotel as close to Winter Palace as possible. Not only most of the attractions are around this but also the buzz on the street with various kind of artists performing is truly engrossing.
    • Book the ticket for Hermitage in advance online. It is bit costlier but will save you lots of time as the entry queue for online tickets is separate.
    • Cathedrals are closed on different dates of week so plan ahead if you want to cover a particular one. River cruises are a great way to cover some of them.
    Russia is as foreign as I have been to a country. There is almost nothing written in English and almost nobody speaks English. You depend on google to do most of your navigational work and Uber to take you around. We reached Saint Petersberg on a windy midday and immediately felt the handicap of not knowing Russian.

    View from Hotel Terrace

    Wednesday 6 June 2018

    Tallinn

    Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow
    • Have a good breakfast and carry a bottle of water all the time. Tallinn demands a lots of walk up and down the old town which at times can be tiring.
    • Buy a sim when you reach Estonia. Most of the international networks either don't work here or are super costly. Carry an umbrella if you are going in rainy season.
    • Take St. Olaf's entry ticket to the top. It costed us €3. There are few views in Tallinn that can beat what you can see from up there. Most of the other entries in Tallinn are free.
    The Old Town of Tallinn is a magical place or so it seems. In a space of few square miles, you will come across a hill, a sky high cathedral, few viewpoints and an old way of life. Within the walls of the old town, life takes a backseat. You wish to fill your eyes with the beautiful structures that makes you hungry. There are rows of restaurants within the gullies of Tallinn in case you do not prefer the Town Hall Square that hosts the open restaurants.

    Inside the Old Town

    Tuesday 5 June 2018

    Helsinki

    Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow
    • Helsinki is for walkers. Be ready for the regular jaunts and start with a good breakfast. While the Pohjoisesplanadi is the heart road, there are several excursion specially the ones towards Sibelius Park and Rock Church that will beg a long walk.
    • Soumenlinna and Valsaari are islands accessible by frequent ferries. In summer they are open till late and hence one can plan them even in the second half of a day.
    • Most happening place is the Helsinki Cathedral and nearby market. City park is not far where you can see approaching and leaving giant cruises.

    Helsinki had the typical Scandinavian air - crisp and cold - when we came out of the Helsinki airport. A regular Finnair bus service took us to the city centre. It took us some time to figure out direction to our hostel and then some. It was a long journey from India hence we settled for a short nap. When we woke up it was still bright day and we were ready to explore the city.

    Helsinki Cathedral

    Saturday 2 June 2018

    Soumenlinna, Finland

    Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow
    • Soumenlinna from one end to another would be at least a mile long and given detours, one need to travel at least 3-4 miles to cover the basics. Be ready for these long walks.
    • There are beautifully placed restaurants and cafes within the fort walls that tempt you to just settle after a long walk. Do that.
    • The periphery throws great views of the sea and parts of fort island. Make sure you walk along the edges to cover that.

    Soumenlinaa & Vallisaari are two islands south of Helsinki in the Baltic Sea. It takes €4 and half hour to reach the islands - cheap for the rustic life one witnesses here. It was the same day we reached Helsinki that we ventured for these islands and loved what we saw. Clearly the brightest gem of tourist spots in Helsinki, that were a perfect start to our visit to Scandinavia.

    Fortress of Soumenlinna

    Saturday 23 December 2017

    Colombo, Sri Lanka

    • Stay closer to Galle Green Face if you are staying in Colombo. Other option is a beach resort in Negombo which is an hour away.
    • The Fort area which has the old market and railway station, is one of the busiest places in Colombo and also host the famous restaurants. Do visit.
    • There are a number of sea facing rooftop restaurants and bar that are a great pastime to spend and evening with friends. Also visit the Laksala shops that are government run souvenir shops.
    We returned to Colombo from Sigiriya on a warm afternoon. The drive was pleasant and our hotel was in the middle of the busiest district of Colombo. Hence it was in no time that we were on the road moving towards the famous Gangaramaya Temple. It was one of the three places we had finalized to visit on our short stay in Sri Lankan capital.

    Gangaramaya Temple 2

    Tuesday 27 June 2017

    Kyoto

    • Kyoto is huge. Plan ahead on what are the top sites you want to visit. Top three in my list were Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji & Fushimi Inari-Taisha.
    • Expect a lot of walk. Even if you reach the gates of one of the attractions, the walk inside will be tiring but worth it.
    • Take Kyoto Day Pass which includes transport and entry to some of the main shrines. For food, the restaurants near the river are best.
    Kyoto is beautiful. At the heart of Japan, nestled with temples, spotted with shrines and bifurcated by a river, the city is duly called the spiritual capital of Japan. We reached Kyoto through a super fast train from Osaka early morning and immediately started moving towards the Kinkaku-ji Temple. It is one of the showstoppers among the famous temples of Kyoto. Known for the gold-leaf structure and located at the centre of a placid lake, the temple was indeed teeming with selfie lovers as we arrived.

    Kinkaku-ji Temple

    Sunday 25 June 2017

    Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima

    • If you have a JR Pass, traveling in Hiroshima is not a problem. The hop-on-hop-off is part of the pass.
    • Most visited place is of course Atomic Bomb Dome but you can start walking from station and cover some other attractions in the same direction.
    • The city of Hiroshima buzzes as if to defy the existence of bomb attack. Malls and high streets are a treat to visit and restaurants are abundant.
    A grim reminder of human ineptitude to be the dominant species on this planet, the Atomic Bomb Dome of Hiroshima was nothing but graceful in its presence. We were in Hiroshima on a sunny Sunday afternoon without much fuss or spend. A distance of more than 200 miles was covered in a bullet train in less than two hours and then a loop bus took us to the Imperial Palace for free thanks to our JR Pass.

    Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima

    Saturday 24 June 2017

    Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan)


    • Take a ferry to reach Kaiyukan. It is the fastest way and throws beautiful view of sea and the giant ferris wheel adjacent to the aquarium.
    • While the entry and first stage (at top) is remarkable, it is nothing compared to the treasures down the Kaiyukan. Just hurry through the first mile.
    • Apart from the gigantic tank that contains the shark tank, the one most enjoyable are the eagle rays near the exit that you are allowed to touch.

    Osaka Aquarium was unplanned. We had kept a day for Osaka but we learned that the aquarium is only a ferry ride away. So we took it. To our surprise the aquarium was gigantic and contained seemingly infinite varieties of sea life. The tickets look a bit costly but once you are through, you will not regret an iota.

    Shark Whale @ Kaiyukan

    Friday 23 June 2017

    Diabutsu, Kamakura


    • Take direct train from Tokyo to Kamakura. Alight at Kita-Kamakura which is one station before the last and start walking. You will find shrines and treasures worth the walk.
    • Yuigahama beach was a disappointment. Rather take a seat on one of the sea facing restaurants or bar and take a meal.
    • Diabutsu is the highlight of this area. The Great Buddha in green surrounded by green is remarkable. Walking around is preferred although tiring.

    It always makes sense to visit the nearest beach-town on a sunny weekend and that is what we planned during our stay at Tokyo. Yuigahama Beach is an hour away from Tokyo. There was a direct train from close to our hotel to Kamakura and a 15 min walk from Kamakura station to Yuigahama. On the way we got feedback from a friendly lady on how wonderful the walk is from Kita-Kamakura to Kamakura. It was a good idea. The series of temples and a garden dedicated to the hydrangeas were delightful.

    Daibutsu, Kamakura

    Thursday 22 June 2017

    Toshogu Shrine, Nikko


    • Use JR Pass to reach Nikko for free. There is a Nikko Line which is faster but costs a lot. Take bus from the station to reach since the shrine is uphill. You can come back down walking.
    • The first three gates are the highlight of Toshogu Shrine including the five-storied pagoda, the Yomeimon and the three monkey gate.
    • A staircase takes you to all the way up where emperor's shrine is built. The chill air and dense forest around this place gives it a cool aura.

    Toshogu Shrine, deep in the hinterlands of Japan, was a perfect beginning of our first trip abroad in seven years. A spiritual centre in a natural habitat and rich with cultural heritage to be listed among the UNESCO World Heritage sites, the shrine near Nikko is a landmark in northern Japan. We started early and thanks to our JR Pass, we reach Nikko without much fuss in no time. A bus would take us to Toshogu from the train station.

    Toshugu Shrine, Nikko

    Wednesday 21 June 2017

    Disneyland, Tokyo


    • Disneyland is costly and for kids. For the first timers there is some uniqueness that attracts but then thats it. The castle, souvenir shops and food are great.
    • Our favourite ride was the splash mountain and Star Wars 3D. Both are new attractions and hence more in line with the new generation.
    • Disneyland is built on several movie themes. We both love the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and so we loved the theme park built on it right near the entrance of Disneyland.

    Disneyland was a dream destination. Since our JR Pass was not getting activated till next day and this was a top attraction in Tokyo we went for it. It didn't go too well. Firstly Disneyland is for kids and secondly it rained. Although some of the rides like the roller coaster became more fun, the whole experience was a bummer.

    Disneyland, Tokyo

    Tuesday 20 June 2017

    Tokyo

    • Tokyo is huge. Keep a metro map with you. Buy a Suica card to pay for the metro fare. Book a hotel closer to either Shinjuku or Tokyo station.
    • The best of Tokyo can be covered in a single day. Top of the line for us were Senso-ji, Metropolitan Building, Shinjuku Gyoen and Shibuya Cross, each for a different reason.
    • Disneyland is half hour by train and takes one full day. Be flexible for the day you choose factoring in the rain as it may be a dampener.
    Tokyo is among the most sorted capital cities that you will find on this planet. You land at Haneda or Narita and you will start finding visual aids to help you in right direction. Displayed on floors, walls or electronic boards, you just need to have eyes and a mind to find these instructions and you can cover entire city. Google Maps is handy in a broader way. There are information centres at almost every busy node to help you out in case. We landed at Narita and took a Skyliner to Nippori. Another train to Kanda from Nippori and we were checking in at our hotel room within three hours of landing - which included immigration checks, baggage checks, collecting data sim & pocket wifi, getting our JR Pass and collecting our pre-booked Skyliner tickets from airport.

    Tokyo from Metropolitan Building

    Friday 17 June 2016

    Darjeeling

    • You need to walk a lot given the traffic situation in Darjeeling. Tea estate will take a good half day. Toy train will take another half. Carry an umbrella for sure.
    • Glenary's is a complete food destination. A restaurant at the top and a bar at the bottom complement the bakery at the ground floor. Sit at the balcony and enjoy a pastry.
    • Avoid Tiger Hill. The itinerary is too tiresome - waking up at 3 and counting on a clear sky is too much for a cloudy Darjeeling.
    Darjeeling was once the queen of hill stations. The world heritage toy train was a marvel. The tea estates were part of many a travel wishlists. No more. Old buildings, dirty narrow walkways and congested roads support a crowd of tourist who come to see the glorious town of old but leave disappointed.

    Happy Valley Tea Estate