Mandrem Beach, Goa

Trip: Delhi - Goa - Delhi

• A scooty ride to Mandrem is half the fun. The long and shallow beach is perfect for kids so if you are with them, its a perfect getaway and they will love it. 
• Visit Baba Au Rhum on the way. It is authentic french restaurant and has some pastry delicacies famous around Goa.

Mandrem was nothing like a beach I had seen before. Calm and composed, shallow and yet deep, it was inviting to both kids and adults alike. The seclusion, distance from main Goa and the sheer size of Mandrem made us fall in love with it. The shacks were as usual very useful and helpful, at a price. Old songs of 90s were playing. The warm December breeze under the afternoon sunshine made the booze even more effective. We were entranced.

Shacks, Mandrem

Aguada Fort, Goa

Lighthouses fascinate me. They have too much to offer. As if the sea on one side and land on another was not enough, these guardians in the darkness offer unmatched view of the landscape from a high point that by design has to be visible from afar. The spiraling staircases take you to an alien looking gigantic torch that rotates. Very few lighthouses are open for tourists - the three most facinating ones I have climbed are the one in Mahabalipuram, Kovalam and Diu Fort. Unfortunately the one in Aguada Fort is not open and many a photogenic views have been bereaved from innocent tourists.

Lighthouse, Aguada Fort 

Ozran Beach (Little Vagator), Goa

Ozran Beach is also known as Little Vagator due to its proximity to the larger Vagator Beach. In all perspectives, it's an independent beach, in fact more than any other, thanks to the large hills that bracket this small pocket. Lately constructions have begun in this secluded paradise which means in next one year it will be as crowded and commercialized as any other beach in Goa.

Little Vagator

Baga Beach, Goa

Goa me sab chalta hai (everything is acceptable in Goa). We heard those words at 2AM near Tito's when a group of girls were moving out in scooty. That summerizes the existence of Goa as the most preferred vacation spot in India. Goa has something for everyone - like life you just need to find those few things and settle in.

Water Sports, Baga Beach

Macau

Macau is a party place. Gambling, consorts and shopping would be the top three activities that one would go to Macau for. Then there is leisure and tourism but those are lower in the list. An hour on speed boat from Hong Kong, Macau is invariably paired with the big brother HK for people coming from far and depending upon the activity, one spends time in each of these SARs. We were in HK for 3.5 days before we decided to take a Cotai Jet to Macau on a sunny afternoon.

Ruins of St. Paul’s

Disneyland, Hong Kong

What draws us to Disneyland is the exhuberance and excitement that’s created by both children and their parents while they enjoy and entertain. Hong Kong Disneyland is no different and yet different from other Disneyland’s as they go. There are unique rides and few new ones like the one we saw in the Iron Man Experience. It has been added after the acquisition of Marvel Universe by Disney.

Disneyland, Hong Kong

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

Victoria Peak, Hong Kong

Victoria Peak is a treasure. As it happens with all the treaures, everyone wants to have a part of it. Hence there is queue and crowd thats unmatched even in a city as populous and cosmopolitan as Hong Kong. Still tourists thrive to watch the bustling city as a singularity from a high viewpoint. Victoria Peak however offers more than than, hence the treasure.

From Peak Tower Escalators

Hong Kong

Trip: Hong Kong & Macau

Hong Kong - the city of malls - has everything one seeks for. The so called financial capital of the world attracts all and sundry that money can attract. Hong Kong is not cheap. Yet the city of concrete is not all skyscrapers. To begin with, there is Victoria Peak at top of which you truly understand the geography of this city. Then there are islands far and wide, all part of Hong Kong SAR, yet so pristine that you will think twice if they are actually part of the bustling centre.

A view from Victoria Peak

Moscow

Soumenlinna - Helsinki - 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

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

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

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

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

Sarnath

Trip: Delhi - Lucknow - Varanasi - Sarnath - Delhi

• Best time to visit Sarnath is November-February. The site demands long walks and summers can be sweaty.
• While the main stupa and remains of Ashoka Pillar are significant attractions, the star attraction is the head of Ashoka Pillar preserved in the Archeological Museum next to the excavation site.
• The adjacent Digambar Jain Temple is dedicated as birth place of 11th Jain Tirthankara Shreyanshnath and has beautiful artwork on the walls.

Sarnath treasures some of the most vital symbols of Indian heritage and it was a pleasant surprise to witness them during the few hours we stayed there. Less than half hour from Varanasi and home to one of the largest buddhist establishments in the world, Sarnath is part of history textbooks. The highlight of our trip was the archeological museum which has as good a collection as I have seen across the world.

Stupa @ Sarnath

Varanasi

• Book hotel as close to Dashashwamedh Ghat as possible. Most of the attractions are around this ghat. You can even stay late after the famous aarti to go back to your hotel.
• Try everything that is famous to eat as Varanasi is famous for the eateries. Chat and Lassi are two most tries items here.
• A boat ride to Assi Ghat will help you cover the University end of Varansi in style. The Vishwanath Temple within BHU is as peaceful place as possible.

Varanasi was exactly as everyone had described over the years. Congested gullies, overpopulation, lots of cows all along the majestic river Ganges with chants and mantras in the air and a promise of spiritual upheaval. The holy city draws throngs of foreigners to showcase the heritage of India and from what we saw, they don't return disappointed.

Ganga Aarti @ Dashaswamedh Ghat

Lucknow

• Bada Imambara, Chota Imambada, Roomi Gate and Clock Tower are all located at walking distance from each other. Bada Imambara holds Bhool Bhulaiya which is not to be missed even with the crowd thronging.
• Aminabad is the area to be for food related interests. Tunday Kababi, Prakash Kulfi and Netram Kachori are all close by.
• La Martiniere and Ambedkar Park are good for a stroll. Both offer different legacies - the college is old and the park is latest addition to Lucknow.

Lucknow was shining bright as we alighted from Shatabdi. Our hotel was little far in Gomti Nagar but thanks to readily available taxi for hire, we checked in within next half hour. Plan was to rest for an hour and chalk out the route we need to take to maximize our stay. The Imambadas (Bada & Chota) were definitely in the list and so was the delicacies of Aminabad - Tundey Kababi, Prakash Kulfi and Netram Kachoris to name a few.

Chota Imambara

Kasol

• Staying in camp near the river is an option but consider for safety if you are going with family. There are good hotels near the market at good price as well.
• Kasol to Manikaran is a half hour walk. Trek around the river is main attraction apart from the obvious ones around smoke.
• The city is small and cozy. People start walking at evening till late night and try different joints specializing in food from different part of world. Don't miss that.

Kasol is as different a hill station as possible - a flowing river right next to it, surrounded by high hills and the charm of Malana cream - all add to a mystery that attracts youths around the world to this small town. We reached Kasol at noon after a spiritual morning well spent at Manikaran.

On way to Chhalal

Manikaran Sahib

• Don't come by car if you can. Park your car wherever you are staying and walk to Manikaran. There are Volvo buses that ferry around here which create massive jams.
• Come prepared for the holy dip in the hot spring water below the Gurudwara. Food served at the gurudwara is tasty and healthy. Dont miss that.
• The scenic view of Manikaran is best visible from high ground. Try to find one. The holy town bisected by a sizeable river is beauty to behold.

We drove and drove and drove and reached Manikaran exactly in 30 hours. This included a comfy stay at a resort near Mandi overnight. Hence we were fresh and full on energy when we hit the holy city. The first glance of Manikaran gives an impression of a bowl with a liquid flowing through it. Surrounded by high hills and dissected by Parvati river, the city automatically brings the spiritual in you to fore.

Manikaran Sahib