Bruges

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

I was alone and sleepy when I reached the sweet little town of Bruges when the clock was hitting noon. A small crowd of tourists was there to help me in direction and I moved with it. It was a Sunday after all.

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

Stockholm

Copenhagen - Bergen - Voss - Flåm - Sognefjorden - Oslo - Stockholm

The land of Victoria Silvestedt - that is how I used to relate Sweden with. How correct I was. Stockholm, the capital city, boasts of blondes in such a huge number that it is difficult to keep up with admiration. Where hazel green eyes, golden flowing hair and voluptuous body are a commodity the city is truly a land of fantasies. We started our three days with the trip to one of the archipelago that comprises Stockholm.

Having a sumptuous lunch with some of the hottest exchange students and a stroll at the island, we came back for a night at Stureplan - the centre of friday night parties at Stockholm. We spend a couple of hours observing people before coming back to our abode.

The next day we planned for Vasa Museum and an elaborate stroll to Gamla Stan which is the oldest of the 13 islands that Stockholm is made of. We started with the Change of Guards and missed it by a whisker of a second.

Vasa Museum was huge and elegant. The story of a ship recovered after 300 years in the sea was elaborately displayed.

Gamla Stan was awesome with narrow streets and curious cosmopolitan crowd. We did not buy anything but the walk through the cobbled paths was enough to occupy us all.

The next day we had to go back to Copenhagen  We covered a building which is claimed to be the biggest spherical building in the world.

We were back to Copenhagen and faced a little hurdle when a train accident changed our train routes and we reached our destination one hour later.

Bergen

Copenhagen - Bergen - Voss - Flåm - Sognefjorden - Oslo - Stockholm

The overnight train from Oslo to Bergen was half empty. We were able to stretch our legs as night approached. However the first couple of morning hours were crucial and so we set our mobile alarm for 5 AM. The morning was unforgettable. We were passing through fjords. Sky high mountains rose from nowhere and the train would have to tunnel through or meander as per the wishes of nature. We reached Bergen at around 7.

We refreshed ourselves at the station and went straight for the Information Office for a trip to fjords. The two famous fjords were more than 200 miles away and would take atleast two nights to visit. We were disappointed. Seeking instant redemption we went for Mount Floen through a elevator train. 

The view from top was worth more than other days because it was sunny with pleasant breeze at the top. I realized that I am at the edge of Europe.

We decided to walk down to the town as it was much more fun given the warm weather and multiple viewpoints.

Later we settled at Brygge which is a world heritage site thanks to its old port history. The fish market nearby was also enticing with fresh offerings.

At 3, I parted from my friend as I had plans for Stockholm the next evening with Sumeet and Rohit. But before that I had to travel to Voss which would serve two purposes. One I would be able to see the famous Oslo-Bergen rail link in daylight. Secondly Voss is simply beautiful from what I have heard.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen - Bergen - Voss - Flåm - Sognefjorden - Oslo - Stockholm

• Book a hotel near the main station. You will need both the trains and metro to traverse not only within Copenhagen but also to nearby attractions like Christianshaven.
• There is not much in Copenhagen - Tivoli Gardens, Carlsberg Breweries and the statue of the mermaid were all that we could figure out.
• Jelling and Helsingor are one day trips from here. So is Malmo in Sweden. We loved the crossover to Malmo which is sea on both sides of the railway track.

Although I am here to stay for a good four months, I couldn't suppress my wanderer self from expressing my first impression of Copenhagen. The first noticeable point is elegance. From the wooden flooring at the airport to helpfulness of a railway employee in directing us everything is presentable and beautiful here.

Damhussoen Lake @ Copenhagen

Wonder La

• Buses run from Central Bus Stand to Wonder La although most convenient would be driving own car. Reach before 10.30 AM to enjoy it all.
• Going for wet rides first is advisable. They are more fun and clean water is specialty of Wonder La. Keep your camera safe. Most popular wet rides are Wave Pool and Lazy River.
• End the trip visiting the giant Sky Wheel at the top of tower. View is amazing, worth taking few clicks.

The five of us started at 9.30 AM from our campus for Wonder La - an amusement park located on Mysore Road. Another ten miles and we could have hit Ramnagaram where shooting of movie Sholay was completed. The ideal time to reach Wonder La is 10 AM as the park remains open till 6 PM and eight hours are by no mean enough to complete a round.

Play Pool 1@Wonder La, Bangalore

We started late at 11 AM on our adventure. The first one was a play pool with tubs floating just to relax and warm up for the later rides. We moved further to twisters which were ducts twisting from third floor to bottom. Water Pendulum was on the same building and was one of the top rides in terms of thrill.

Twisters@Wonder La, Bangalore

Now and then we would run back to wave pool. Here artificial waves were created. The slot was every hour for 20 minutes and hence we had to time ourselves accordingly. It was fun.

View from Sky Wheel@Wonder La, Bangalore

Then came the fun racers. The vertical fall adjacent to it proved to be a teeth-crunching exercise and was actually not so much fun as thrill. Boomerang was the most liked ride and was enjoyed more than once.

Sky Wheel@Wonder La, Bangalore

After having a decent meal we again started for the other themes we had left. The best of them was lazy river. We spent almost an hour just meandering through the stream and watching the sky.

Entrance@Wonder La, Bangalore

By 6 we were ready to leave. We missed on the sky wheel which is knd of a landmark for Wonder La. Overall it was one of those days which reminded us that we are child at heart.

Hogenakkal

We started early morning for the Hogenakkal Falls. Recently released Raavan was the source of our motivation to invest a Sunday for some experience. It took us a good 3 hours which included a filling breakfast of omellete dosa at a roadside dhaba.

Hogenakkal was crowded and humid. We started from a hanging bridge which took us to the other side of the fall. We wanted to execute the most important of our plans - a ride on the round shaped 'dongi' which was a popular feature of this place.

We fixed up a boat and were taken to a nice long ride through different corners of the sprawling waterfall before being dropped at a river bank. There with a smoothly flowing water we had a playful bath and returned back on the dongi after a couple of hours.

We had another round of bath at a regular waterfall reshaped to make sure more people including ladies can have fun. We were hungry when we came out and immediately attacked a cane juice shop for some fructose laden energy.

We were back to Bangalore by 5 PM although I was feeling sleepy all the way. I was driving by the way.

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.

Panchgani

Trip: Mumbai > Mahabaleshwar > Panchgani > Bangalore

Leaving the city of Arthur Road Jail and Mahalaxmi Race Course, I went straight to Panchgani  Being alone as its advantages. I was at my whim as to where to turn the steering wheels. Panchgani as accessible and inviting.

Just stopped and clicked the orange on way@Panchgani

The only problem was that it was a weekend of peak season and finding a hotel room proved to be a mission impossible. Ultimately I checked into a hotel off the main road that led to Mahabaleshwar.

Hotel view@Panchgani

The main attraction at Panchgani is a bustling hill station and seclusion from Mumbai. Businesses have sprouted here in the form of high altitude go-carting, boating and forest treks. The moment I checked into the hotel, it started raining hard. The butler told me it was the first hard rain of the season and would last for a while. 

View from Parsi Point@Panchgani

The hotel room had a balcony large enough to sit and have dinner while rain poured incessantly. The winds would bring sprinkles of water to me and would leave me with goosebumps now and then. The next day I started early at 6 and stopped my car at Parsi Point. It boasts of a majestic view and a nice restaurant right at the edge.

Ridge view from Harrison's Folly@Panchgani

Moving further towards Mumbai-Bangalore Highway I stopped at a place called Harrisons Folly. It is a huge plateau of a land where one can drive to the edge. The sunbeams were trying to cut across the heavy clouds and the entire panorama was mesmerizing - all the more as I was standing there alone with my car.

Sunrise at Harrison's Folly@Panchgani

Satisfied with my morning excursions I decided to move ahead quickly as I had to reach Davangere by evening. By 8 AM I was already back on the Mumbai-Bangalore Highway. The next stop would be Highway McDonalds at Kolhapur.

Landour

Landour - the crown of the queen - thats what they call the older part of Mussoorie  While most of the urban tourists to this Queen of hill station indulge themselves to casual walks of The Mall Road or an extensive trip to Kempty Fall via Company Bagh, they actually miss the real charm of Mussoorie.

Night view of Mussoorie@Landour

To explore the Old Mussoorie  we took the Kulri End and walked all the way up to the Ghanta Ghar. There is a series of valley facing hotels the view from where is never disturbed by the wires. We chose the one right at the end of a ridge. It was a one day stay hence we refreshed ourselves quickly and found our way through a trecherous path to a rock cliff near the edge of the ridge.

View of Dehra Valley@Landour

A full view of Dehra was visible and it was like a fantastic secret being shared by the two of us. Bhaiya's school was visible and we took pictures and discussed about life.

Wynberg Boarding School

As evening approached we started on the more difficult walk to Laltibba. It is the highest point in Mussoorie.  The play of sunlight on the horizon at dusk is amazing at Laltibba. We ate our evening snacks and came back to our room to have our dinner. 

Horizon at Laltibba@Landour

The next day we started early for the Ropeway. It was a Monday morning, the ideal time to visit the Gun Hill through a ropeway. At the top, the view is hardly restricted in any direction. We had our Maggi and tea in mild sunlight and a beautiful view of The Mall. After half an hour we decided to walk back through stairs and to have another round of beverages at Cafe Coffee Day near Camel's Back.

McLeodganj

Trip: Dalhaousie - Khajjiar - Chamba - McLeodganj

- Book hotel in McLeodganj if you have come to enjoy the nightlife. New and better hotels have cropped up near Bhagsu Nag which make more sense.
- Dalai Lama’s residence is probably the most important place in the entire neighborhood. Dal lake is a good view. Enjoy the authentic tibetan food at the end of market at Pema Thang.
- Keep a day for Triund trek. It is worth the time and effort. Take cab to the foothill of the trek and ask the driver to pick you in the evening on call. Going to Dharmshala downhill is a waste.

Come to McL for leisure. From Dalhaousie we had come to McLeodganj, the haven for foreigners with its weather and stockpile of drugs. I was with four of my closest friends this time. It was bound to be fun. We started with the little marketplace.

Main Market @ McLeodganj

Dalhousie

Trip: Dalhaousie > Khajjiar > Chamba > McLeodganj

The four of us took the 9 PM Jammu Mail from Old Delhi Station. A vehicle was waiting for us at Pathankot station and we were able to hit Dalhousie at 10 AM as per our plans. Piyush had done extensive preparation to make us comfortable. Our further plan was to move as quickly as possilble to Chamba via Khajjiar.

Dalhousie is a small cloudy hill station with the market place starting from Subhash Chowk and ending at Gandhi Chowk within like quarter of a mile. We loved the weather. In the army guest house we were staying, clouds would come in through doors.

Last time I was in Dalhousie in the December of 2006 on a trekking expedition. It was dead cold then. The three days were fun as I was a part of a big group and we used to make little treks around the town as a part of acclimatization exercise.

We had our lunch with Piyush before starting for Khajjiar via the Mall Road of Dalhousie. As it was a weekday in off-season, most of the shops were closed. We ended up having just a cup of tea near Gandhi Chowk which I kept suspecting was made of goat milk.

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

Yercaud

We were three of us. Sumeet, Ashutosh and myself. The summers placement was just over and with a 5 day break ahead of us, we planned to visit this little known hill station near Salem. We started on a fine November morning from Bangalore to Yercaud on my car. The distance was 240 kilometers.

Rainbow on the way@Yercaud

Starting at 8 in the morning, we were fast enough to enter the town around 1. En route I drove my car into a stray dog. The incident was going to upset a lot of our plans.

Road of 36 Hairpin Bends@Yercaud

We skimmed through few hotels. The luxury of own car allowed us to search far and it was sheer serendipity that we ended up with heaven. Sterling Resort was not a resort as such. Our first impression was that of a hanging paradise. Our room was valley facing. For 2700 a day, it was a great deal for the three of us.

Tickmark Tourism Hot Spots@Yercaud

We decided to have our lunch in the room only. By the time we were done, the clouds also parted and we could clearly see the magnificent view of Salem from our room. We spent the evening driving around the hills and boating in the Emerald Lake. Later we had our share of drinks sitting in the terrace and watching mist playing with our view of twinkling Salem at night.

Emerald Lake@Yercaud

Next morning we woke up late. We started with a high point from where the town was visible. The Monfort School has an expansive campus as visible from top. We then visited a string of so called hot spots including Pagoda Point, Bell Rock, Gents Seat and Tipperary Estate. The only thing we missed was Kiliyur Falls. The path to the falls is tricky and it takes 5-6 hours going and coming back.

View from Sterling Resort@Yercaud

We started at around 3 from our hotel rooms and reached Salem comfortably before I realized that the accident with dog had damaged car's radiator. We ended up towing our car some 100 miles back to Bangalore with the help of a local garage. I would call even that as some adventure.

Manali

Trip: Manali > Rohtang > Keylong

It was the regular group - me, Piyush and Prateek. This time we decided to go for a long one. Our last trip of Pithoragarh was fun. We wanted to continue from that experience. It was the night of 27th May, 2009 when the three of us started. We chose this time of the month because we wanted to go beyond Manali to Lahaul Spiti which opens up during the peak of summers only.

The last few miles before Manali are remarkable when the road moves along the river. Manali is not a very large town, most of the hotels and residential area being located in one side of Beas river. Fortunately we found an accomodation in Hotel Beas (an HPTDC hotel) which was just on the bank of the river. In fact our room was on the ground floor and we could distinctly hear the flowing water. In the afternoon, we paid a holy visit to Hidimba Temple.

We spent the evening roaming around the bazaar area. We packed some snacks and came back to our room as it got darker. After some drinks and all it was time for dinner. The restaurant named Chadrabhaga was impressive with old woodwork and a decent food.

Mussoorie

Mussoorie has always been close to me. Bhaiya completed his high school from boarding school here and I have pleasant memories of the trip we used to make to drop Bhaiya. The last time I was here I was alone. I wanted to know if I can enjoy it that way - and I did.

Tourist map of Mussoorie (Not to scale)

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.