Aurangabad

Trip: Aurangabad > Ajanta > Lonar > Daulatabad > Ellora

When we told friends that we will be in Aurangabad for Christmas the question we faced invariably was 'What's there in Aurangabad?' Any reply to that question would be an understatement. 

Chand Bibi's Tomb, Aurangabad

Mahabaleshwar

• The Shivaji Fort, Kate's Point and plateau view point are the main attractions in Mahabaleshwar.
• There is a set of activity centres on the way from Panchgani to Mahabaleshwar which is fun specially cart racing at height.
• Mahabaleshwar is specially beautiful after monsoon with waterfalls and lakes and greenery.

Trip: Mumbai > Mahabaleshwar > Panchgani > Bangalore

The twelve of us had gathered from different part of country for a cool-down break. Mahabaleshwar was expected to be cold this time of year. We were prepared but our preparations were never tested thanks to the daily dose of alcohol and a milder than expected climate at this hill station.

View on way to Sydney Point@Panchgani

We stayed at Panchgani, our hotel window opening to a majestic view of Dhom Lake. Morning excursion included trek to Sydney Point for a panoramic view of the lake. Unfortunately I had to take this up alone as everyone was in lazy hangover state.

Waterfall on way to Pratapgarh Fort@Mahabaleshwar

We started for Pratapgarh fort late in the afternoon after brunch. Pratapgarh Fort was headquarters to none other than Shivaji. It has height and defense to suit the resume of great Shivaji's den. We took the nose-side view of this fort. The visibility was another proof why this fort stood tall under attack.

Pratapgarh Fort@Mahabaleshwar

On our way back we visited the Table Land - a large flat plateau in the middle of Panchgani. Sunset was beautiful from here. By the time we came back it was late evening. We refreshed ourselves for another round of merriment at a nearby roadside restaurant.

Ravine Hotel@Panchgani

Next day we had a brief business session before we started for Kate's Point. From here was a view to behold. I could pledge we were in some other world. It was the winner of this trip and the team really enjoyed watching the Balakwadi reservoir from as many different angles as possible.

View from Kate's Point@Mahabaleshwar

We spent a good hour here before returning to cosy hotel room. It was time to say goodbye to our little expedition of fun. The next morning we checked out early and took a flight from Pune to Bangalore.

Fatehpur Sikri

Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan

A trip to Agra is not complete without visiting the capital of Mughal Empire during Emperor Akbar's reign - Fatehpur Sikri  The drive to this small fort town is partly rough partly smooth.

Main Gate, Fatehpur Sikri

Nice

Trip: Paris > Nice > Monte Carlo > Antibes > Cannes

The dipping mercury level at Copenhagen was enough reason for me to plan my next trip down south of Europe. Hence I was standing on the massive coast of Nice in French Riviera on the first weekend of December. The beach town is small and walkable.

Morning on the beach, Nice

Naples

Trip: Copenhagen > Venice > Naples > Copenhagen

On a magical morning I was walking through narrow alleys that went up and up somewhere near the centre of the city of Naples. A fort like structure was visible now and then at the top of this city and all I wanted was to be there. Although it was foggy, I should have anticipated what I was going to witness after passing through the station of Pompei earlier that morning.

The ancient city of Pompei@Naples

Rome

Trip: Zugspitze > Pisa > Rome > Vatican City

The original idea was to cover the five points of the cross decribed in Angels & Demons. However at 3PM the three of us were only checking into a hotel room. It was walking distance from Station. We now had exactly 24 hours in Rome  By 4 we had a definite plan which was bit different from the original one. Colosseum was the closest and hence we found ourselves walking towards the grand structure in no time.

The Colosseum@Rome

Luxembourg

Trip: Luxembourg > Brussels > Amsterdam > Bruges > Fredrichshafen > Zermatt

Luxembourg is the fairy tale city of Europe. We started late night from Copenhagen by a City Night Line. The tiresome journey with three changes at Koln, Coblenz and Trier was proved worth it the moment we entered the realms of this city.

The most beautiful balcony of Europe @ Luxembourg

Hyderabad

A month had passed by without a trip worth blogging. Hence I ventured into the 10 hour drive from Bangalore to Hyderabad alone. Surprisingly the road was in perfect conditions and the weather was agreeable. A good 200 miles passed by in a flash. It was time to take a break.

It started raining while I was having some snacks at the only Reliance One stop. I enjoyed the sprinkles for a while before starting again. Soon the 99 km milestone came up which meant I would be there in a couple of hours.

Hyderabad was dull when I entered the city at 11. By the time I reached Manish's flat, I was too tired to think about anything else but sleep. Not without a couple of drinks though. Next morning both of us visited the Charminar area which had many restaurants known for the famous Hyderabadi Biryani.

After having a sumptuous lunch we moved to Golconda Fort. It was majestic. It was raining the entire day  and hence we decided not to get too adventurous at the slippery steps of the fort. We were back to our place by 8 PM and started drinking right away while watching the highlights of day's play of Test between India and SL.

The next day we started off for Ramoji Film City. It is a popular outing in Hyderabad. We were convinced when we saw a big crowd entering the place in the last slot of 2 PM. The theme park has all the ingredients to make a Hollywood movie. There is London and Dharavi located adjacent to each other. A mini Taj and Golden Temple adorned the lower levels of this huge establishment.

We were back in time to relax and start again for Hard Rock Cafe. The drive to Banjara Hills was serene and without hurdles. HRC offered us a couple of beers and some snacks. I had to start early the next morning for Bangalore.

Chitradurga

Trip: Delhi > Jaipur > Udaipur > Ranakpur > Ahmedabad > Mumbai > Davangere > Chitradurga > Bangalore

We started early from Davangere. A delectable bene-dosa (butter dosa) at a famous restaurant gave us the right kick and we drove the 40 odd miles to Chitradurga in an hour. Although I was here twice before, the agenda for this time was very clear - we had to reach the top.

We reached the foot of the hill we targeted to climb. Small steps were carved on the rocks to help us although the hill was steep enough to generate fear as to how we will climb down without tumbling. We reached the top after three rests and were welcomed by the city entirely visible from there. The ground of fort was chequered with grey rocks and green grass. It was richness in abundance - a treat for eyes.

We decided the climb down from the other side. It turned into an adventure after we realized midway there was no route further. It took some jumping, skidding and falling before we saw the ground. It was time for a break. Unfortunately the bottle of drink we bought was picked by one of the monkeys and we satisfied ourselves with water.

Walking to the other side of the fort we realized that there is a staircase made to the top of another hill which was still higher that the one we were on. We decided to take that one. The nature started conspiring in accordance with our plans.

As we reached the top of the Chitradurga Fort it started drizzling. We were tired with the climb and hence welcomed the rain and the wind with open arms. Standing at the top of the fort in rain and enveloped by clouds was really special. I don't remember many occasions such as this one.

Jaipur

Jaipur - Ajmer - Chittorgarh - Udaipur

• From Aamer at one end to Chokhi Dhani at another,  Jaipur is full of must go places.
• Budgets boutique hotels are readily available here thanks to being a tourist hotspot. Decide based on where you want to go after Jaipur.
• Don't miss the amazing top view of entire Jaipur from the window Of Madhavendra Palace. 

The two of us started at 10.30 AM on 23rd, December, 2009 from Delhi for a long drive. The road was smooth and the drive was fun. Somewhere on the way we decided that we should go all the way to Jaipur. Consequently we were standing in front of Aamer Fort at 4 PM. It is an old majestic fort stretched in few square kilometers. We walked on the walls of the fort before getting hungry.

Front View of Aamer Fort@Jaipur

Neemrana Fort

It was one of those regular outing for the three of us - me, Surbhi and Arpita. This time, however, we really went out of Delhi to try something different. Neemrana is an old fort, now converted into a five-star hotel, on Delhi-Jaipur Highway some 110 kilometers from Gurgaon border. We planned to start early morning. Yet the best we could manage was 11 AM. It was the beginning of summer - the date was 19th April, 2009.

We reached Neemrana around 2 and just missed the lunch buffet. It was not bad considering that the buffet was priced at 1000 bucks. The entry itself to the castle was 500 each. However exploring the fort was worth an experience. To top it all the first person I see entering the fort is my ex-boss. That was some co-incidence.

We first comforted ourselves with snacks and juices. The fort exists at various levels all interconnected to each other at various joints. It was easy to find the way us as we wanted to see how it looks from the top. There was an open swimming pool at one of the middle levels. Walking through the corridors of this royal fort generates a feeling of grandiose.

We sat at a lawn which was on the upper half and chatted or took pictures. Coming back down to the lower levels we found a hall which was full of swings. We couldn't have asked for anything better. We spent another hour swinging ourselves and feeling like royal kins. It was a 4 hour journey to Noida and hence we started by 5 PM for the return.

Tughlakabad Fort

It was Bachcha's idea to go for the Tughlakabad Fort. Google maps suggested it was almost in our backyard. It was a mistake and we realized that after an hour of leaving home when there was no fort nearby to us. Eventually we reached the gates and realized it was on the Mehrauli Badarpur Road although not very conspicuous.

We entered the fort area and after some shoots, tried to do something different. The walls of fort are tricky. We started moving on this and reached one corner of the fort complex. The view from there was awesome. We could see the walls of Tughlakabad Fort going for miles. It was time to take few royal pictures.

We did not return back and kept moving forward on the walls seeking an exit. It came after some exploration and it directly took us to the top of the fort which was kind of a plateau. We could see the entire complex from here. In the shade of dying sun, the ruins looked all the more enchanting.

We tried to visit another part of this fort which was at some distance and captured various shades of twilight before deciding to go for the Chicken Parathas and Macaroni at Tankoos.

Taj Mahal

 Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan

• Given the walk around and marbles that reflect heat, it is best adviced to visit Taj Mahal in Winters. The access roads are blocked for half mile where you need to park.
• Foreigners are charged 20X more than Indian nationals for entry fee. The amenities are almost non-existent and if you go on a weekend, be ready to go through a crawling crowd.
• Book a hotel nearby for a glance at night. People plan their visit on a full moon to see the white marbles glow in the dark.

Taj Mahal is magnificent - a structure unmatched in grandeur across the globe. A rich history and an exquisite location at the banks of Yamuna makes The Taj Mahal a wonder among wonders. My friends who had come from UK were insisting for The Taj. Hence we started early morning in August at 5.30 AM for Agra. Shaun and Nicola were the ones I was giving company. The highway is pretty smooth but the key to trip to Taj Mahal is starting early. We reached Mathura by 8 AM. There is a McD on the highway where we had our breakfast. 

Taj Mahal, Agra 

Chittorgarh

Jaipur - Ajmer - Chittorgarh - Udaipur

• Chittorgarh can be covered over a day trip from Jaipur, Ajmer or Udaipur. Delhi is overnight via train. Having own vehicle is definitely an advantage.
• If not own vehicle, take a three wheeler from station for 10$. The driver will also become a guide and help you cover most of the fort area.
• There are staying arrangements near the fort close to the top. Do take the stairs to top of Vijay Stambh. The view is spectacular. 

I was on an official trip to Bhilwara and was supposed to return back to Delhi via train from Chittorgarh. Hearing from people in Bhilwara what a beauty of a fort Chittorgarh has, I started early for the town.

Vijay Stambh @ Chittorgarh

Bangalore

How to explore a city that boasts of being listed in the English Dictionary. Being 'bangalored' means getting outsourced literally now. The consequence is an amalgamation of traditional Kannadigas with tech savvy crop of new IT professionals.

Water Tank, IIM Bangalore

Delhi

Delhi is the heart and capital of India. The royal facades of Lal Quila and ruins of Tughlakabad Fort are enough evidences of the legacy of this ancient city which has now tranformed into a modern cosmopolitan megacity. Humayun's tomb and Qutab Minar are the kind of landmarks on the busy roadside that very few cities can boast of.

Qutab Minar@6 AM

Delhi is, most importantly, the gateway to north India. There are five exits from Delhi for a traveler as numbered from 1 to 5 in the map below.