Haridwar

• Half day for Haridwar is enough. Move to Rishikesh or Dehradun for night stay.
• Store your luggage at one of the hotel lobbies that offer this service at nominal charges.
• Brahm Kund is shallow and crowded, better take a dip on the other side of Hari ki Pauri.

Although I have been to Haridwar so many times, this was the firs time in conscious memory that we truly explored the holy city. Earlier it was a matter of taking a dip and then moving to either Rishikesh or Dehradun. This time we had the whole day and we decided to cover some major attractions around the city.

Brahm Kund @ Hari ki Pauri, Haridwar

The holy dip at Haridwar is kind of mandatory and an exhilarating experience whatever time of year it is. Our train ticket was for Dehradun but we alighted at Haridwar at 11 in the morning and checked in our luggage at one of the numerous hotels which offer this facility at nominal charges. 

Holy dip at Hari ki Pauri

Hari ki Pauri which is the main ghat of Ganges is few kilometers away from the railway station. We took an e-rickshaw and reached there by 12 noon. In november the Ganges is cold but under the warm sun we took many dips near the Brahm Kund. We were hungry now and settled at one of the famous restaurants adjacent to Hari ki Pauri for lunch.

Udan Khatola to Mansa Devi Temple

Next we took the Udan Khatola (a ropeway) to Mansa Devi temple. The ride throws top view of Haridwar which is very different from the bustling city that you visit. Mansa Devi Complex was crowded and had every kind of restaurant at top as well. We spent an hour here and came back.

Monekys @ Mansa Devi, Haridwar is visible in the background

It was 4PM. We decided to wait for the aarti before moving for Dehradun. We settled at the famous Mohan Puri Wala for tea and snacks. At around 5 the crowd started gathering opposite the main bank. It was a massive crowd. We were late and had to settle at the back. The aarti was not as great as at Dashmesh Ghat Varanasi but we enjoyed it.

Crowd gathered for Ganga Aarti

It was time to head towards Dehradun where our hotel rooms were booked. We picked our luggage and took a rickety bus. Thanks to amazing road between Haridwar and Dehradun, we were at our destination in no time.

Our Lady on the Mount Chapel, Goa

• Reach before sunset and enjoy one of the most stunning dusk possible in Goa
• Heritage sites of Basilica Church are on the way to this place so you can cover that first

We were in Goa without an itinerary and therefore we were here one evening after reading a blog that mentioned this as one of the hidden gems. So it was. We arrived a few minutes before sunset and were mesmerised by the view from the mount itself.

Our Lady on the Mount Chapel, Goa

Cabo de Rama Fort, Goa

• Take our couple of hours for this place, you will love exploring different corners of the fort.
• Nearby Cabo de Rama beach is good but the view from the cliff that drops to this beach is amazing. There is a sea facing restaurant also but its a bit costly.

One of the hidden gems of Goa, Cabo de Rama fort is spectacular. A proper fort with layers, viewpoints, a turquoise lake and beach, we instantly fell for this place. The fort is in south Goa and we found it by accident on our way to Agonda Beach. The approach road to Cabo de Rama has sea on the right side and hills on the left.

Sea view from Cabo de Rama

Chapora Fort, Goa

• Chapora Fort became famous after a scene from Dil Chahta Hai was shot here. As is true for anywhere in Goa, this place is best accessible by a two-wheeler.
• The place has everything to offer but in limited amount. The small trek up to the top, street vendors on the way, the view from the top and of course the DCH spot make it a place worth the visit.

We were in Goa for a week without an itinerary. It was a leisure trip. We had been to Goa twice before and had covered most of the prominent attractions like Aguada Fort, Basilica Church and Spice gardens. We wanted to take it easy and go for one not-too-famous point every morning and then relax the rest of the day. We decided to cover Chapora fort and Anjuna for the day.

View from the top @ Chapora Fort

Ugrasen ki Baoli, Delhi

• The Baoli area is surprisingly small. It makes sense to cover this as part of a set that may include Jantar Mantar & India Gate.
• There is limited parking. It is advisable to park on the outer ring of Rajeev Chowk and walk to this place.

Covid was over - or so we thought. We decided to venture out to a place which was on our list forever. We had crossed this place a hundred times and were never able to visit. As planned, we parked our car near the British Library and decided to walk to the Baoli.

Ugrasen ki Baoli, A stepwell at the centre of the most crowded area in Delhi

Pattadakal & Aihole

Trip: Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole & Bijapur

• Pattadakal and Aihole are very close and can be covered together. Pattadakal is more complex and is next to a river hence a better choice for resting and lunch.
• Aihole is smaller but filled with temples. There is a nearby temple ona small hillock as well that gives a good view of surrounding area.

Pattadakal Temple Complex

Gol Gumbaj, Bijapur

Trip: Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole & Bijapur

• Bijapur is best covered by own vehicle. Gol Gumbaj is the only attraction here and Bijapur is far from any place.
• The dome of Gol Gumbaj is a marvel, a true masterpiece of architecture. You will believe it when you are there.

We reached Bijapur on a winter afternoon and immediately decided to hit for the Gol Gumbaj. It is well maintained and well organised. In no time we had parked our vehicle in a huge parking area and were inside the grand structure. On top of us was the world famous dome but there was no way visible to reach there. From the ground it looked so high and empty that for a moment we thought the upper zone is not open for tourists.

Gol Gumbaj Main Entrance

Badami Caves

Trip: Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole & Bijapur

Tips: Winters are more suited for Karnataka hinterlands. Transportation is a challenge if you do not have own vehicle, so either rent a car or come with your own vehicle.

We drove to Badami on a rented car. Earlier the same day we landed at Hubli airport and rented a Zoomcar. It was very convenient. We settled in a pre-booked hotel and made plans for the next few days. We wanted to cover Badami, Pattadakal and Bijapur in next two days. The first choice was obviously Badami. Our hotel was next to the archeological site although the main entry gate was a walking distance away.

Natraj sculpture in front of Cave 1 @ Badami

Hemkund Sahib

• Hemkund is at a height of 15k ft. Best plan an acclimatisation day at Gangaria and a trip to Valley of Flower before attempting Hemkund.
• Check SpO2 before you start and if it is less than 90, take a Diamox tablet.

We reached Gangaria a day before after a long but enjoyable trek from Govindghat. Gangaria is a small village on the way to Hemkund and acts as a base camp for both Hemkund and Valley of Flower. We were surprised to find there was neither internet nor any kind of signal here. Nobody told us that we are going to be disconnected from the rest of the civilisation for the next 3 days.

En route to Gangaria, base village to Hemkund

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Trip: Ireland & Northern Ireland

Tips: Take guided tour bus from Dublin if you do not want to drive the whole day. Take the option of boat ride from Doolin to see the horcrux cave, the site of a Harry Potter movie.

Cliffs of Moher was windy and thrilling. The thrill was to walk on a narrow path adjacent to the cliffs facing sea hundreds of feets down. The monument of fallen suggested the thrills was not without risk. Still we took the whole round and watched the amazingly carved faces of the cliff from different angles. Being told that the horcrux cave shooting of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was done here made things doubly interesting.

A view of the cliffs