travelogue

Self-drive in Central Europe/ Alps тАУ II (Itinerary & Car rental)

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The rule says that Schengen Visa should be sought from the country which you visit for the main business. Rule of thumb is, the country where you plan to stay for maximum period of time should be the one to issue you the Schengen. Maximum number of days rule, however, may not hold good in some cases, e.g. if you intent to spend max time in the country which is not of your main business.

In our case, we approached Czech Embassy for the visa, since we were to spend maximum period (about 6 days) there.

Schengen Visa regime has also altered the procedure for entry into EU zone. For instance, since we took a FINNAIR flight, we changed flight at Helsinki. Now, after landing at Helsinki Airport, we shifted into тАШEU ZoneтАЩ part of the terminal. So, it was here in Helsinki that we underwent immigration/custom checks. Thereafter, once in EU part, all flights within EU were like domestic flights, despite flying from one country to the next.

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The retreat of the tide

The Emerald Islands of Andaman and Nicobar-II

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Our plan was to take a government ferry to Havelock and halt there for two days. For our return journey we planned to take the Makruzz back to Port Blair. We had to wake up at 5 in the morning to catch the ferry which leaves at ┬а6:30 am. The harbour at Port Blair is lively even at these early hours as it caters to to the goods coming in from the mainland, as well as from nearby countries like Thailand. The ferry which we were to travel on, was operated by the Shipping Corporation of India. Our reserved seats in the first class compartment akin to the Indian Railways chair car coaches made our travel comfortable. During the journey to Havelock, you are free to go on deck. Travelers can hear the soothing sound of the waves hitting the craft and enjoy the vast expanse of the ocean. The blue sea, and the green emeralds dotting them, complement each other, and add to the experience. After standing on deck for 15 minutes, we decided to get a quick nap.┬аWhen we woke up, the ferry was docking at the Havelock Jetty. After getting off the ship, we were picked up by a taxi our friends had arranged. ┬аWe were dropped at our hotel, a government enterprise called the “Dolphin Hotel”. There are various grades of rooms available and it is important to reserve the rooms early.You may reserve the rooms through online payment on the website. Make sure to get a sea facing cottage. The drawback about Dolphin Hotel was ┬аthat though it was set in a nice sea-facing location, it did not have a beach.There are a multitude of options to stay at in at Havelock, which suit all budgets.

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рд╣реЗрд░рд┐рдЯреЗрдЬ рдореЗрд▓рд╛

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рдЗрд╕ рдлреЛрдЯреЛ рдореЗрдВ рдЖрдк рдХреИрдиреЗрдбрд╛ ┬ардХреЗ рдореВрд▓ рдмрд╛рд╢рд┐рдВрджреЛрдВ рдХреЛ рджреЗрдЦ рд╕рдХрддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ, рдпрд╣ рдЗрдирдХрд╛ рдкрд╛рд░рдореНрдкрд░рд┐рдХ рдШрд░ рд╣реИ. рдХреБрдЫ рд▓рдХрдбрд╝реА рдХреЗ рдбрдВрдбреЗ рдЦрдбрд╝реЗ рдХрд┐рдпреЗ рдФрд░ рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рдЗрд░реНрджрдЧрд┐рд░реНрдж рдПрдХ рдХрдкрдбрд╝рд╛ рд▓рдкреЗрдЯрд╛ рдФрд░ рдШрд░ рддреНрдпрд╛рд░. рдпрд╣ рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдЖрдк рдХреЛ рдиреЗрдЯрд┐рд╡ рдпрд╛ рдРрдмрдУрд░реНрдЬрд┐рдирд▓ рдХрд╣рд▓рд╛рдирд╛ рдкрд╕рдВрдж рдХрд░рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ. рд╕рдм рд╕реЗ рдкрд╣рд▓реЗ рдпрд╣ рд▓реЛрдЧ рд╣реА рдХреИрдиреЗрдбрд╛ рдЖрдпреЗ рдереЗ.

рдЗрд╕ рд╕реНрдЯрд╛рд▓ рдкрд░ рдШрд╛рдирд╛ рдХрд╛ рдирд╛рдЪ рдЪрд▓ рд░рд╣рд╛ рд╣реИ, рдпрд╣ рдЬреЛрдбрд╝реА рджреЗрдЦ рдХрд░ рдирд╣реАрдВ рд▓рдЧрддрд╛ рдирд╛рдЪрдирд╛ рдЗрдирдХреЗ рдмрд╕ рдХрд╛ рд╣реИ рд╢рд╛рдпрдж рдЧреАрдд рд╕рдВрдЧреАрдд рдмрдЬрд╛ рдХрд░ рд▓реЛрдЧреЛрдВ рдХрд╛ рдордиреЛрд░рдВрдЬрди рдХрд░ рд░рд╣реЗ рд╣реИрдВ, рдиреАрдЪреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓реА рдлреЛрдЯреЛ рдореЗрдВ рдорд╛рд░реНрд╢рд▓ рдЖрд░реНрдЯ рджрд┐рдЦрд╛рдпрд╛ рдЬрд╛ рд░рд╣рд╛ рд╣реИ, рдХрд╛рдлреА рдмрд╣рд╛рджреБрд░реА рд╕реЗ рдореБрдХрд╛рдмрд▓рд╛ рдЪрд▓ рд░рд╣рд╛ рд╣реИ, ┬ардпрд╣ рд▓реЗрдбреА рдЖрд╕рд╛рдиреА рд╕реЗ рдкрд░реБрд╖ рдХреЛ рдкрдЯрдХ рджреЗрддреА рд╣реИ.

рдпрд╣ рд░рд╢рд┐рдпрд╛ рдХреА рд╕реНрдЯреЗрдЬ рд╣реИ, рдпрд╣ рдирд╛рдЪ рдХрд╛ рдХреМрди рд╕рд╛ рд╕реНрдЯреЗрдк рд╣реИ, рдХрд╛рдлреА рдкреНрд░реЗрдХреНрдЯрд┐рд╕ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж рд╣реА рдЗрд╕реЗ рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рдЬрд╛ рд╕рдХрддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рд░рд╢рд┐рдпрд╛ рдХреЗ рд▓реЛрдЧреЛрдВ рдХреЛ рдХрд╛рдлреА рдорд╣рд╛рд░рдд рд╣рд╛рд╕рд┐рд▓ рд╣реИ ┬ардкрд░ рдмрд╛рдж рдореЗрдВ рджреВрд╕рд░реЗ рдирд░реНрддрдХ рджрд▓ рдиреЗ рдЖрд╕рд╛рди рдиреНрд░рддреНрдп рдкреЗрд╢ рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рдХрд╛рдлреА рдЕрдЪреНрдЫрд╛ рд▓рдЧ рд░рд╣рд╛ рд╣реИ .

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 5 (Final)

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But me and my camera was not having any desire of sleeping as I wanted to capture the beautiful Teesta river in my eyes as well in the camera lens. The views from the bus window were amazing. Early morning, cloudy weather, green high mountains and flowing Teesta; I could not ask more from the Nature. I clicked endless photographs. After some time it started raining which made the surrounding more beautiful. Around 7.30 we stopped in the middle near a small tea shop just near the banks of the Teesta. It was a great experience to have tea on the banks of Teesta while is was raining outside.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 4

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The very first place to visit was Tashi View Point. It was around a distance of 7 km from our hotel. It is an observation point at an altitude of 6000 ft developed be erstwhile king of Sikkim, Tashi Namgyal. On clear days in early morning, this is the best place in Gangtok to view the mighty Mount Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. One final destination still remained to visit and it was Ban Jhakhri Falls. It is a theme park surrounded by lush green forest on the outskirts of Gangtok.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 3

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Vehicles are not allowed on MG Marg like in most Mall Roads in any hill station. A large sign board welcomed us at MG Marg. We were completely stunned after witnessing MG Marg, the feeling was kind of a European city. Gangtok administration has developed and maintained it in very good manner. It has been divided into two lanes, one lane for one side walking. And the divider is not a typical road divider. A large number of beautiful plants with flowers give the feeling of a green belt to the divider. On both sides of divider, benches have been placed so that people can sit and enjoy their time with no hurry. I didn’t have an experience of this kind of setup before.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 2

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Very soon we hit the Sevoke town and surroundings change dramatically. For first time we saw mighty Teesta river as it was flowing on right side of the road. On left side of the road were hills. The view was very beautiful and everybody in the bus was astonished. It was hard to believe the change of surroundings so sudden. As the bus was moving towards Gangtok on scenic NH 31A, we were enjoying the green hills, Teesta river running side by side and also the beautiful rainy weather.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 1

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What could be the meaning of the title of this post Hundred in Gangtok ? This is about visiting Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, in a group of around 100 persons one year back in May 2011. At sharp 2:00 the train started its journey at the right time. The mood inside the coach was like we were in some party. There were different activities happening in different compartments – people were playing cards, watching movies on laptops, senior persons were talking about politics and nation.

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