04 Apr

Along the old silk route – East Sikkim

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The entire zigzag road was blocked with snow. We were the only souls from far off plain lands stuck in the midst of old silk route, completely disconnected from the outside world and covered in a thick blanket of snow. Our journey to Gnathang Valley was cancelled. But what we witnessed was much more than what we had wanted and could ask for no more.

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Heavenly Dooars, Assam

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Samsing is a small hill village and tourist spot in the Malbazar subdivision of Jalpaiguri district. It is known for its beautiful landscape with green tea gardens, hills and forests, which attract a lot of tourists. It lies 18 km from the Neora Valley National Park.

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Landing in Lansdowne

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Bulla Lake or Bhulla Tal is a well maintained serene lake just 1Km from Lansdowne. It is a perfect picnic spot and very popular amongst children as it also offers boating. Boating facilities at Bhulla lake are good with few ducks swimming around as well in the lake water. One can also find a small souvenir shop, an eating joint, herbal plant nursery

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सिक्किम, गंगटोक part-1

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सिक्किम में प्रवेश करते ही हमारे दोनों तरफ ही पांच – छह मंजिलो के मकानों की कतारे नजर आने लगी। ऐसा लग ही नहीं रहा था कि हम हिल स्टेशन पर हैं। सुन्दर साफ – सुथरा क़स्बा था। पहाड़ो के घुमावदार रास्तो से होते हुए लगभग 4.30 बजे हम गंगटोक पहुँच गए।
अब हमें शहर के अन्दर होटल डेन्जोंग जाना था पर पता लगा कि यह बड़ी टैक्सी शहर के अन्दर नहीं जा सकती। वहां पर जाने के लिए छोटी टैक्सी से ही जाना होगा और उसमे भी 4 लोगो से ज्यादा नहीं बैठ सकते। हाँ सुबह आठ बजे से पहले अवश्य यह टैक्सी वहां जा सकती हैं। शहर की परिवहन व्यवस्था इन छोटी टैक्सी पर ही टिकी हुई है। लोग या तो अपने वाहन से चलते है अन्यथा इन टैक्सी पर ही निर्भर रहते हैं। यहाँ पर ऑटो , टेम्पो , ग्रामीण सेवा आदि नहीं चलते हैं। सिर्फ छोटी कार वाली टैक्सी। इन छोटी टैक्सी का किराया भी ज्यादा नहीं है। पंद्रह रूपये सवारी के हिसाब से लोग सफर करते हैं।

हमें लाल बाजार, डेन्जोंग सिनेमा के साथ लगे हुए डेन्जोंग होटल जाना था , टूरिस्ट समझ कर हम लोगो से वहां पर टैक्सी वाले 150/- रूपये प्रति टैक्सी मांगने लगे। मैंने होटल फोन कर जानकारी ले लेना उचित समझा कि यह लोग ज्यादा पैसे तो नहीं मांग रहे हैं। होटल वाले ने बताया कि 90 – 100 रूपये से ज्यादा नहीं लगता है। आप लोग टैक्सी स्टैंड से बाहर आकर टैक्सी कर लो। टैक्सी स्टैंड से बाहर सड़क पर आये तो एक ने 100/- रूपये मांगे तो हमें लगा सही भाडा मांग रहा है उससे 4 लोग होटल रवाना हो गए दुसरे ने 80/- मांगे उसके बाद दो टैक्सी वाले 60/- रूपये में ही चल दिए। मतलब यह कि अगर आप मोल -भाव करना नहीं जानते या स्थानीय लोगो से नहीं पूछेंगे तो आपकी जेब ज्यादा हल्की हो जाएगी।

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Spontaneously lazying at San Antonio, Texas

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stayed at El Tropicana hotel, along the Riverwalk at Lexington Avenuejust across the famous Tobin Centre for Performing Arts, by the Riverwalk. The lobby of the hotel is renovated but the rooms are quite old. The locality of our hotel was not so clamorous and the tranquil

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Amid nature in Camp Corbett, Kaladhungi – Uttrakhand

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very much a bird-watcher’s paradise . Purple sunbirds, orange bee-eaters, humming birds, pintails, wagtails, minivets, flycatchers, jays, bronze green doves, golden orioles, baya weaver birds, hoopoes, woodpeckers, kingfishers, whistling thrushes, drongos, cuckoos and the green coppersmith barbet calling “k-tong ! k-tong ! “ were all out there . A family of transiting langurs were busy shaking trees

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Exploring East Coast – A road trip to Southern states

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I tried to negotiate, suddenly an ambulance came from back, at the same time there was a government vehicle came and took a left turn to our right side road of the T Junction. While I was thinking that I should tail the ambulance, all the villagers ran toward the ambulance to agitate, the government vehicle took left, and in the middle of the chaos, I heard my wife, “Pronil Bhaag yahan se”, and I watched that right is clean and without wasting seconds I took right to tail the government vehicle.

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Weekend getaway to Pangot

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But suddenly the guide told the driver to stop and he started throwing search light in the jungle. I thought that it would be a mountain goat again so I didn’t take any much interest but the guide shouted ‘Tendua” i.e Leopard. I jumped up from my seat

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Tiger Sighting at Sariska Tiger Reserve

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I was ready with my camera, wiped the lens twice, removed the gloves and positioned myself stood high on the rear seat resting my back properly. Looking around with extra vigil eyes for more than 10 minutes discovered no sign of any big cat. Relaxed and confirmed of my hard luck again I reclined my stiff body to the iron bars of the gypsy and lazily looked at a pair of peacocks marching past close to our gypsy.

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Meeting with Monalisa and Mr. Eiffel – Part 1

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The main entrance covers a big area. Its size is comparable to one of the biggest metro stations (Rajiv Chowk) in Delhi. I am sure hundreds of people were only at the entrance, may be because of weekend (Saturday). For entering Louvre, you first enter the basement and get your tickets and then come to the ground floor to start your tour inside the museum.

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Picture perfect beaches on Jolly Buoy

The Emerald Islands of Andaman and Nicobar

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The view from underwater is breathtaking. Corals, oysters, sea weeds, colored fish  and the surrounding blue water is mesmerizing. Touching endangered species such as corals are  not allowed. The best part of the sea walk actually came when we fed pieces of bread to the  fish. As soon as you hold up the bread pieces, fish of different colors gather around you and it does get a bit ticklish but it is definitely a wonderful experience.  After 20 minutes of  “seawalking”, the divers  escorted us back up to the pontoon. When you climb up, one is likely to experience  the pressure factor again . At the end of it, the whole experience leaves you spellbound and the sparkling blue water always tantalizes you to go back underwater.

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