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

Game of Throne Sites, Northern Ireland

Our bus tour took us to a total of seven GOT shooting sites. The most impressive was the Ballintoy Harbour. We went all the way down to the harbour and the view from down was majestic - mix of white and dark stones scattered around for ages. There is a white building used in the GOT scenes as an ancient building but actually is a coffee house.

The Dark Hedges

Paro, Bhutan

Thimpu - Punakha - Paro - Tiger’s Nest

Our trip from Punakha to Paro was eventless. A coffee break at Dachula Pass and a halt for identification at a check point were the only stops before we entered the Paro valley. Our driver who turned out to be an expert guide as well, took a detour and brought us at a viewpoint from where the entire airport was visible. It was a beautiful view and scary as well. Hills rise quickly around Paro airport which makes it extremely difficult to take off or land a large plane. Our guide took this moment to sell his skills and we were quickly convinced.

Paro Airport from veiwpoint

Punakha, Bhutan

Thimpu - Punakha - Paro - Tiger’s Nest

The road from Thimphu to Punakha goes through a high point called Dochula Pass. It means that within a span of two hours you will face a gradual fall of temperature from 20 to 15 degrees and then again rise to 22 degrees when you reach the river base. Yes, rivers are omnipresent in Bhutan. The pass itself is a major tourist attraction thaks to a fantastic view of the valley and a construction of 108 towers at the roundabout representing fogotten martyrs.

Dochula Pass Memorial

Thimphu, Bhutan

Thimpu - Punakha - Paro - Tiger’s Nest

Imagine an untouched beauty. She wouldn't know how to respond to a touch - at best her response will be ambivalent. Bhutan is like that - a country that vehemently protects its proud & rich tradition although it heavily depends on tourism and a bunch of countries for funds and technology. We entered the royal country of Bhutan through Jaigaon on a rainy day. Next morning was spent in the immigration office to receive permit before we were told the road to Thimphu is blocked due to landslides.

View of Thimphu from Buddha Point

Sigri

Trip: Delhi - Nainital - Sigri - Delhi

• Go for the village walk in the evening. A golden sunset and glimpse of village life in the hills will be worth the exertion. You can even restock at the village shop.
• A trek to the highest point is the best way to spend the afternoon. Both the view and the effort to reach the high point is invigorating.
• Remember there is no cell signal in here. Visit Nainital in the evening. It is hardly an hour away and the buzzing marketplace is a good balancing act against the seclusion of Sigri.

Imagine a cozy resort nestled in an islotaed heaven deep in the Himalayas, inhabited with simple hillfolks, few hutments and no cell signal. What can you do, disconnected from the city? How about if you are with a bunch of close friends, enough booze and an entire resort staff at your command, not to forget a stunning view of the ice-capped Himalayas and pleasant weather. You would definitely want to go there.

Golden Sunset, Sigri

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

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

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

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

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

Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka

• Swim, surf, snorkel and scuba with the fishes. Hikkaduwa may well have the bravest of fishes in the shallowest of beaches. Add the warm sun to it and you have a perfect picnic spot.
• Enjoy the lunch at nearby eateries including a Pizza Hut and several hotel restaurants. Its a typical beach town with a long beachline.
• Shower is a problem as the facilities are dirty even if paid. Arrange for shower with the same shop which provided scuba gear.

We started early morning for Hikkaduwa. We had enquired for scuba diving at Unawatuna the previous day but I had read somewhere that Hikkaduwa is better. We immediately hit a scuba centre and negotiated a good rate. It was time to learn the first steps of breathing and releasing water from nostrils. We failed miserably and hence were told we cannot continue into deep waters. While it was disappointing, an inviting beach was in front of us under the warm sun.

Sunset @ Hikkaduwa

Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

• Stay at Unawatuna rather Galle as most buzz is around the beach specially in the evening and later. This will also help in watching the sunrise from shore with a short walk.
• Evenings in Unawatuna get wilder. Torches come up and restaurants extend their seating to closer to beach. Make sure you get one of those front benches to enjoy the ambience.
• Scuba and snorkels are available although the water is not ideal for these activities. Still it is worth a go. Weligama is half hour drive and is perfect for surfing activities.

Unawatuna is a quintessential beach. It has an independent personality and proximity to Galle is just a coincidence. It has the buzz of Calangute and the serenity of Kovalam. It has a long beach line and yet the curve ensures everything is within eyesight. When we first visited it, our hearts were won over and over again, so much that we had to come again just to say goodbye.

Surfing @ Weligama

Hill Fort, Kesroli

• Great food, picturesque swimming pool and solitude, these are what Hill Fort Kesroli offers to you. If you are looking for adventure, go somewhere else.
• Morning walks around the village and fields is possible. Hotel also offers bicycles to help you take a round. 
• Bhangarh and Abhineri are each an hour away although in different directions. You can go for them if you are staying for couple days.

Hill Fort Kesroli is a Neemrana property and inaccessible to outsiders. You need to book a room to even enter the premises which is on high grounds and not at all easy to reach. It was my birthday and so we decided to spend a night at the resort. The August sun was bright as we drove from Gurgaon to Kesroli near Alwar in two and half hours. We checked in and roamed around the property. While the entrance is a climb, the fort is an easy navigation with rooms on two levels.

Swimming pool at lower levels, Hill Fort Kesroli

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

Shivpuri

• Shivpuri is home to rafting. White sand river-side used to be perfect for camping as well although recently that has been prohibited by Green Tribunal.
• Stay at a nearby resort or makeshift camps close to Ganges. It is better than Rishikesh for those who come to avoid the hustle of city.
• Rishikesh is 20 minutes drive from here. You can plan for evening aarti and dinner at chotiwala and comfortably come back by 9.

We reached Rishikesh at 2 and immediately hit traffic. The way Rishikesh has developed, a bypass merges into the city right at the middle of the busiest road. We crawled and reached Shivpuri at 3. To our utter disappointment, the riverside camps were moved sideways away from the Ganges. Now it attracted mostly bachelors. We decided to go back to Rishikesh but found a good resort called Bull's Retreat close by.

View from near Bull's Retreat Resort

Top 5 travel circuits from Delhi

Delhi - Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan - Delhi

Delhi - Sariska - Jaipur - Ajmer - Neemrana - Delhi

Delhi - Haridwar - Mussoorie - Kanatal - Tehri - Rishikesh - Delhi

Delhi - Jim Corbett - Nainital - Mukteshwar - Delhi

Delhi - Chandigarh - Kasauli - Shimla - Kufri - Chail - Delhi

Delhi - Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Mathura - Vrindavan - Delhi

• Can be covered in 2 days flat 
• Includes 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites 
• Stay overnight at Bharatpur, near the gates of Keoladeo National Park

Bharatpur Bird Sactuary