Category: Travel

August 1, 2016 Travel, Within India

Narrow Gauge Journey

Narrow Gauge Journey- Title

If you are on summer vacations, or on sabbatical leave or simply have some spare time, take a ride on Indian Hill Railways or Narrow Gauge (NG) lines.  You will go through tunnels, little hamlets and over awe-inspiring bridges.

These rail journeys will give you an exhilarating experience when you pass through quaint mountain ranges, and cross over mangroves with thick and lush green environment around you.

Narrow Gauge Journey-Matheran
Matheran Railway Station

Neral and Matheran, in the state of Maharashtra, a hill railway track is a 2 ft. Narrow Gauge line covering 21 km in the midst of thick forests of Western Ghats. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is over 100 years since it was opened back in the year 1907.

Narrow Guage journey-Toy train, Matheran
Toy train Matheran

Being inside a toy train can be a lifetime experience, the tighter curves, magnificent water bodies and a wide variety of flora & fauna.  As the train wheezes up the clear mountains amidst mangroves you cherish these moments of a scenic view. Oh! What a journey it is.

Matheran is the closest hill station to Mumbai in the Sahyadri hill range in Raigad district of Maharashtra State. It is situated at a height of 803 m above sea level.

By train:

You can catch a Karjat bound local train from CSTM (a.k.a. VT Mumbai, India) on the Central Railway to Neral Station.

Use the foot over bridge at Neral and get to the other platform. Inquire about the toy train and whether tickets will be available. If you want to ride in the Matheran toy train, then make sure you have booked in advance.

Narrow Gauge journey- Toy train -Queen of Sahadri Hills
Neral Matheran train-  Queen of Sahyadri Hills

The Toy Train

Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy conceived the imaginative idea of a 2-ft narrow-gauge railway from Neral to Matheran (20 km). He imported three specially made engines from Germany in 1905. The railway was opened in 1907. This train became 100 years old on April 16, 2007.

Places to visit in Matheran:

Lake Charlotte – A spectacular waterfall overflows from the lake during and shortly after the monsoons. It has peaceful surroundings of dense evergreen forests, bird songs, and pretty butterflies.

  • Panorama point – is a very beautiful as you can see a panoramic view of the hills on the left and a beautiful Ulhas River to the right. This point is perfect for Sunrise and is also called “Sunrise Point.”
  • Heart Point – Here one can see a beautiful scene of the valley and this point looks like a heart, so gets its name.
  • Monkey Point – At this point can see the monkeys in large numbers and their mischief life-sized.
  • Malang Point
  • Luisa Point – The view from here to the waterfall (run off from Charlotte Lake ) during the monsoon is spectacular.
  • Honeymoon Hill
  • Echo Point

The other grand narrow gauge journeys in India are:-

  • Pathankot to Joginder Nagar in the state of Himachal Pradesh
  • New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal.
  • Mettapulayam to Ooty (Udhagamandalam) in the state of Tamil Nadu.
  • Kalka to Shimla in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
July 29, 2016 Round the world, Travel

5 Interesting Facts about the city of Bangkok

Bangkok- Interesting facts

No city is as plain as it seems. Each city has some interesting facts unknown to the rest of the world. The same is with Bangkok. This article discusses some of the top interesting facts about the city.

Bangkok- Interesting facts about the city
An Urban Oasis on the River Of Kings

Thailand is one of the best places you can visit from India. Travel to Thailand is cheap and booking one of the Bangkok to Mumbai flights will cost you as much as any domestic flights. The cost of living is low and the shopping scene is filled with varieties and often very cheap! There are so many fun things to do in the city but there are also many interesting facts that remain unknown to many around the world

  1. City with the longest name

Bangkok has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? But did you know that its actual name has 169 characters in total? The name is so ridiculously long that forget the rest of the world, even the people from Thailand are unable to pronounce it and call it Krung Thep. The full name is, brace yourself, ‘Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahinthara Yutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Mahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit’! Bet someone to pay the drinks for the whole table if they can pronounce it and they might end up breaking a glass or two!

2. Kings anthem played before every movie

Bangkok- King's national anthem before a movie
In Thailand, there is a king and so before every function (school concerts, movies, etc) the King’s Anthem is played and everyone stands in reverence.
Image credit- sevenfarmers.blogspot.com

The Thais are extremely patriotic and play their national anthem every chance they get. But did you know that before you sit down to comfortably watch a movie, of which you just bought the ticket, the theatre will play the King’s anthem before the start of the movie! So don’t get too comfortable yet, as you will need to stand up and pay your respects to the anthem by standing while it’s being played.

3.  The third washroom

The increasingly high number of transgenders in Thailand are known to the whole world, but did you know that the country actually has a separate washroom for them? Next time, you rush to a public washroom, don’t be surprised if you see a third washroom! One is for men, the other for the women and the third is for the transgenders.

4. The place where Redbull originated

Bangkok where Red Bull originated
Red Bull Energy Drink

Did the famous Red Bull drink ever help you through the night before having to submit an important paper the next day? Then you have one person to thank, Chaleo Yoovidhya from Thailand. This is the man who pioneered and created this energy drink which has today grown into a multi-billion worth power drink company that has its reach in all corners of the world and all major sporting events.

5.  Dubbed Venice of the East

Bangkok-night life
Nightlife in Thailand
Image credit- www.gapyear.com

Thailand plays home to one of the most exciting and happening nightlife scenes in the world. The nightlife scenes are so epic here that it has been dubbed the ‘Venice of the East’, primarily due to its nightlife and some parts owing to its beautiful layouts of various canals portraying a landscape like that of Venice in Italy.

Apart from these, there are many other interesting facts about the city like how all the temples of Thailand are imprinted on the back of the Baht coins. All these and more makes Bangkok all the more fascinating!

10 Rooftop bars in Bangkok
You may like to read 10 Rooftop bars in Bangkok
July 26, 2016 Travel, Within India

Top 5 Destinations for Street Shopping in India

Top 5 destinations for street shopping in India-title

Dubai might have a floating mall, but, India is the spot for shopping all that you want like a king. Starting from street shopping to grand malls, there are a lot of places to shop in this country. Thus, it is important for all shopaholics to keep their calendar open in this country. Let us talk about the top shopping spots in the country.

Kerala

Street shopping in India- Cochin
Cochin Fort Shopping

When it comes to street markets or malls, there is no place to beat Kerala. This is the top tourist destination in South India where a walk through the markets is considered to be an important tourism activity. The street of the Cochin Fort is a well-known place for shopping. Starting from antique items like clocks and vases to delicacies; you can find almost everything in this place. This is the Venice of East and this place is the best for romantic shopping. Moreover, the largest mall in the country is in Kochi. The Lulu shopping mall is found in many international spots too. If you want some luxurious shopping experience, this is the right place to stop.

New Delhi

Street shopping in India- Delhi
Delhi Street Shopping

This is the capital of the country and one of the popular places when it comes top shopping destination. No matter what type of shopping experience you want, you can find the right spot in this city. Starting from Select City Walk Mall to the flea market, you can find a lot of spots to enjoy shopping in this area. It is not possible that someone visits Delhi for vacation and not roam around the local markets and malls.

Mumbai

Street shopping in Mumbai, India
Street shopping in Mumbai

There are a lot of markets in Mumbai and each market is famous for certain items. Many tourists love to walk through the markets, shop and enjoy the local life. You can find almost everything in these markets. Are you fed up of street shopping? You can find the second largest mall in the country in Mumbai. The Phoenix Market City has almost all attractions like restaurants, movie screens, retail stores and many others.

Chennai

Street shopping in Chennai, India
T-nagar Shopping

Pondy Bazaar, T-Nagar and many other areas in this place are dedicated mainly to shopping. You can find both street shopping and big malls around here. Apart from these, you can find a lot of top-notch malls like Phoenix Market City, Vijaya Forum Mall, Sky Walk, and many others. You can find many unique items and interesting objects to buy in these malls and street shops. If you love to bargain, the street shops are the best.

Jaipur

Street shopping in Jaipur, India
Jaipur Market

It is the capital and largest city of the Rajasthan. It is called as the Pink City. This is famous for a lot of activities including shopping. There are a lot of malls and street shops in this spot. This place is famous for textiles, handicrafts, puppets, precious jewellery, Minakari work, quilt and many others. You can find a lot of shopping centers and authentic shops where you can find a lot of these items. You ought to take your time to walk through the markets to get better deals in this city.

July 11, 2016 Travel, Within India

5 Places in Lucknow that Breed the Paranormal. Be Scared!

Paranormal Lucknow
Lucknow railway station
Charbagh Railway Station, Lucknow

Lucknow is known as a city that has seen various wars, mass executions, happening before. In a blend of a few passing’s with meandering spirits lead to spooky areas in the city itself. Today, we are discussing, 5 most frequented spots in Lucknow where various apparitions meander. The dominant parts of these ugly areas belong to the British while some of the forts and sites are antiquated, and hold a dreadful environment that pulls in individuals that love everything thrilling and horror.

Paranormal Lucknow
Image credit- Twitter

If you are going to Lucknow from Mumbai, and since you are the one-night crawler, you are looking for the red-eye Mumbai to Lucknow flights, then wait a moment! First, confirm if the destination you are heading to in Lucknow has any of the following sites on this route. If yes, then buddy, better avoid the late night landing, or take an alternate tour. Otherwise, if you are one brave heart and kind of enjoy these thrills, then no problem, go ahead, but at your own risk!

  1. Balrampur Hospital

This hospital stands on a graveyard which was meant for British troopers. The appearance of apparitions became a force to be reckoned with when a secretive operation was led on a patient a couple of decades prior. The operation was executed by two baffling obscure specialists who couldn’t be followed after the cross-examination. This hospital is feared by everyone in this locality. Patients are frequently startled by sudden commotion or strides down the passageway when there is nobody around. They have additionally experienced the fear when a dreadful face shows up at the window and abruptly vanishes.

  1. Railway Quarters

Moving ahead towards the chronicled railway quarters in Lucknow.  It is not the complete Quarter that is spooked but rather, a different section of this complex that is a breeding ground for the paranormal activities in this area. The quarter was named Turrets and was apportioned to Bill Turner, the central specialist of the Oudh Rohilcund Railways. It is said that once Turner found his wife in an objectionable position with a young British officer. In a state of fury, he shot the two lovers and committed suicide as well. Turner’s ghost is reportedly haunting the site till date.

  1. Sikandra Bagh

After mercilessly slaughtering a large number of Indians, 72 Britishers died and were buried in the grounds of Sikandra Bagh. The assemblages of Indians were left to decay there. After dusk, faint cries and wails have been reportedly heard by locals. They have experienced spooky presence across the grounds and sudden chilly temperatures after twilight. The spot holds a scary hush and a negative vitality covers the spot lodging these souls.

  1. Nirala Nagar

Nirala Nagar nestles right in the midst of the city, yet, despite its bustling boulevards and dynamic life, this colony has an eerie vibe to it. This state was as far as anyone knows based on a place that is known for graves, a cremation ground, peepal tree, five mosques and couple of sanctuaries. Whoever lives in this settlement is known to have faced downfall in their career or personal life. Not many kids are found in this region. There is an obscure hush which envelopes this colony and locals have numerous times reported that they have heard the faint commotion of kids cries and spooky ghosts going into nothingness.

  1. OEL House

The OEL house is a ramshackle structure and was once the site of mass slaughtering of officers when a fire broke out amid the 1957 rebellion. The well in this house was utilized for dumping the burnt bodies of the soldiers. At that point onwards the spirits meandered aimlessly and frequented this house and its encompassing. Recently, the Vice Chancellor of Lucknow University began residing here and encountered these paranormal affairs. Stories have been heard about the VC’s driver’s child being possessed by the detestable spirits as he tossed stones into the well just to receive faint wails and cries consequently. He died a miserable death after this abhorrent ownership.

Well, who knew that the city that is known for its irresistible Awadhi cuisine, and the classy Chikankari embroidery details, also has this dark, spooky side to it. Now that you are well acquainted with this side of Lucknow, beware!