Roads

The land of monasteries and mysteries of God……

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I entered the ‘Spiti Valley – The Middle Land’ realizing that i have lost all the contact with the world outside. If everything goes according to the plan, it would be after 3 days i.e. on 7th Oct evening when I’ll get the network back upon reaching Manali. But for now let me enjoy the beauty of the Spiti Valley for the final 27 kms left to cover from Sumdo to Tabo. As the valley now divided into two parts ‘Light & Shade’ looked magnificent in the setting sun….

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Mussoorie – The Queen of Hill Stations

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After our stroll we left for Dehradun, we boarded a shared cab from the Gandhi chowk and reached Gandhi road, as we had our reservation in Nanda Devi express which leaves at 2300 hours we had lots of time to spend so we went for a quick window shopping at the Market on the main Gandhi road, after wandering in the market we went to Ali’s Non-veg restraint at the Gandhi Road, it is a famous non veg eatery and it has two outlets one at EC road and the other one at Gandhi Road. This food joint offer good non veg food and that too at very affordable prices. By this, the trip that started with food we wrapped the trip with food only.

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Travel Games – Games to play for kids while on a road trip

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This video has been created by my daughter Vrinda (7 years), we call her Kuhu at home, and my niece Pihu (12 years). We love to go on road trips and many a times it gets difficult to keep kids entertained while one is on the run. In this video, Pihu and Kuhu share some of the games that we love to play while travelling. Most kids love these games. These can be played with grownups as well. Each of these games is educational game in it’s own way.

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Delhi to Ramgarh, Mukteshwar

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Incidentally, when we left our home for hills, there was sadly red alert on one TV channel announcing heavy rains and land slides in Uttrakhand in the next 48 hours. While my wife wanted to cancel the trip, I and Neerja pursuaded her to take a chance. Throughout our stay, the sky remained heavely overcasted with high probability of rains. Though I love rains and more than that the smell of hot pakoras and steaming mugs of tea, along with refreshing breeze and lurking fears of land slides. Luckily there were no rains till we arrived back home with renewed synergy.

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Coffee, Hills, Foliage and Beaches – Part 2

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There are two basic varieties of coffee: Arabica and Robusta. On asking how does one distinguish between two varieties and which variety is popular brands nescafe and bru made of he told us that instant coffee in India contains a mix of whatever coffee beans remain after sorting. To a connoisseur, instant coffee is blasphemy as the taste is nowehere near good coffee. We left after 20 minutes promising to return back some other time.

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Lucknow to Nainital – Road Review

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During Ramzan Eid , we had a long week end holiday which I wanted to encash through visiting the nearby place and spend some quality time with family. Hence, we decided to visit Nainital which is a hill station and around 400 Kms from Lucknow. To reach to Nainital we have 4 options 1) By Train Journey till Kathgodam and from Kathgodam to Nainital by hiring taxi 2) Through UPSRTC Volvo Bus 3) Hiring a taxi 4) Hiring a Driver for own Car 5) Self Drive.  All the options except 5 were not working favorable to us due to Ramzan holiday and there was no availability of train ticket, and engaging taxi and driver is very very costly affair. Hence, I made up my mind to let me try self-driving.  

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Ranikhet and Kausani : Himalayan Meadows – Part I (The Journey)

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The king with his entourage was passing through jungles of Kumaon, when a saint crossed his path. The vain king was offended and soon the saint was brought before him. The saffron clad saint, annoyed with King’s heckles, plucked a leafy branch from a wayside bush and swiped it across the King’s bare arms – it sent the king writhing and groaning in pain, as if a million needles were inserted in his arm. This is how the hymns of Ranikhet started.

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Bath – The Classic Architectural Marvel

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The bus-ride through southern England showcased the beautiful countryside; it pleases your eyes and soothes your soul with its soft contours of green hills and meadows. No rough edges or jagged ends to jab your field of vision. Occasionally you’ll find a cluster of trees as if to relieve the monotony. Looking out of the window one fails to notice that you didn’t blink for a long time. Bath is an eye soothing place to be in.

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Kolkata to Kumaon – Corbett to Kausani via Ranikhet

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 We reached the city at around 1230 hrs and found a place to park the car and went straight to the market place of the Mall area where maximum numbers of restaurants were there.We had a hearty lunch in a place, overlooking the descent of hill terrain and numerous colorful civilization monumented by the tiny match box like houses. After lunch we went straight to the Ranikhet Golf Course nearby and after that around 55 kms drive to Kausani.

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Kolkata to Kumaon – A stay at Allahabad

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In Hindu tradition Triveni Sangam is the “confluence” of three rivers. Sangama is the Sanskrit word for confluence. The point of confluence is a sacred place for Hindus. A bath here is said to flush away all of one’s sins and free one from the cycle of rebirth.One such Triveni Sangam, in Prayag (Allahabad) has two physical rivers — Ganges and Yamuna — and the invisible Saraswati River. The place has religious importance and the site for historic Kumbh Mela held every 12 years,

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