Malaysia: Beckoning of the Bustling Cities

The date was March 25, 2019. I and my friends were very excited for our first trip to a foreign country. It was Malaysia. I was very excited the night before and packed all the things I want to take there with me. I was even a bit sad as some of my group boys were not coming as their father didn’t agree for the trip (abba nahi mane😅).

At sharp 10 pm, we were at the airport, with full excitement for boarding. We all checked in and sat inside Air Asia. We were some 30 fellow friends with 3 faculty members and 2 tour guides.

Penang: Malaysia
March 26th, 2019

We landed at Malaysia airport and went to a hotel in Penang, Malaysia. We checked in and went to a restaurant, had our lunch, and after that, we left to visit the Penang hill. I and my friends we had a good time while travelling, we played small games in the bus while travelling and after reaching that place we went to the top of the hill with a train and we enjoyed some time there, had some good time there, clicked photos and went to visit some local places. After that we had our diner then I and my friends went to 7/11, took some beer and cigarettes and went back to the room. The whole night we talked about the day spent, enjoyed some time and went to sleep.

Twin Towers: Malaysia
March 27th, 2019

It was a cheerful morning. We had our breakfast in the hotel, spent some time in the swimming pool with my friends and went to some nearby beaches and had our moment. Then we and sat on the bus and went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Then we all went to visit twin towers. We clicked a lot of photographs. That night I and my friends went to a night DJ. Had some time there and came back to sleep.

March 28th, 2019

We got ready had breakfast and went to Sunway Lagoon, which is the world largest surf pool. Believe me, I will never forget that place. It was the best waterpark I ever went to. We entered there and it was a whole another world. There were various types of water rides minimum of 100 different rides, there was a park in there, roller coaster, wild animals and much more that cannot we described in words. I personally enjoyed a lot there, went to each of the rides and was full of excitement. We came back from there in the evening and went to see KL tower. Had our full time roaming at night with friends had dinner and went back to the hotel.

March 29th, 2019

We went to the Batu caves, Malaysia. Later we had to go up with the help of some 300 to 400 stairs. We went there had our puja, spend some time there had a little bit of shopping, clicked hundreds of photographs and went to the chocolate house to taste and buy some chocolates. Then we had our lunch and from there we went to do shopping.

After that, we went to Genting Highlands, Malaysia. That was a very beautiful place, we went there by a cable car ride. It was really fun there. Inside there a place called Skytropolis Funland, there were so many rides there where we enjoyed. We also went to the casino in there. After that, we went back to our hotel and we had a small night pool party at the top of the hotel. We enjoyed a lot there had some beer and danced together. Then we all went back to our rooms, packed our bags and went to the airport to get back to India as our trip was over now.

As a whole, the trip was a blast. I loved that place, enjoyed a lot there. The local people were even very good and kind. And if I had a chance would definitely visit that place again.

Want to read some more amazing experience stories? Click here.

Khardongla: Trip to the Highest Motorable Pass

Road trip to Leh Ladakh is boon and dream of every rider in India. A trip filled with dangerous and adventurous roads and mesmerizing views attracts tons of riders and traveller every year. Situated approximately at 11,400 ft above sea level Leh charms the ride and vacation. Along with the opportunity to reconnect to nature and its wonders. 

Khardongla Pass

The journey started from Delhi with the king of bikes “Royal Enfield Bullet” one of the best vehicles to travel. Bullet is mostly prefered vehicle due to the road conditions landslides and water crossings.

You do need permits to travel to Leh

The view form the valley: On the way to Khardongla

Start of the Jounrney

Starting from Delhi to Leh covering a distance of 1011km if you take Delhi- Manali- Leh route. However, Delhi to Ladakh via Srinagar covers a distance of 1230km. We went for a round trip starting from Delhi-Srinagar-Leh. While returning back it was Leh-Manali-Chandigarh-Delhi. From Delhi to Leh and back the whole trip ended up being a 10-day trip.   

The view of mountains, layers of snow, riding on different terrains, meeting other riders is a whole different experience.

Travelling away from the busy and noisy city life to a quiet and beautiful place which fills up your soul with joy and brings you closer to nature and its beauty.

You’ll notice how humble people are here in Leh. Also, no mountain trip is complete without tea and maggie. Maggie in Leh Ladakh is undoubtedly the best maggie with refreshing warm Ginger tea is a lifesaver and most delicious combo in harsh cold weather of Ladakh.

Maggi at Khardongla

The whole journey consists of numbers of halt depending upon your speed and destination. Roads and routes are highly dangerous at points hence one must wear proper gears and well-serviced bikes. Also, get your kit ready with some mountain sickness medicines, don’t forget your jerrycans for petrol storage you won’t get much petrol pumps to refuel.   

Things we enjoyed

Starting your journey from Delhi at night would be preferable as by day time you’ll reach the mountains and one must not ride through mountains at night time unless well-experienced rider. Leh is a visual delight a place like heaven within the Queen beauty state Kashmir.

On the way to Khardongla

If you plan to visit Leh via Manali don’t forget to visit the Rohtang pass, must halt at Keylong, Jispa, Zingzang Bar, Sarchu, Lachung La pass, Tanglang la. No expensive camera, drone, DSLR or any device can do justice to the view and experience of those mountain peaks and visual delights. Khardongla pass only permits the bikes of their own territory as per their rules so don’t forget to rent one in Leh or Jammu and Kashmir.

Royal Enfield, view of the valley at Khardongla

One mistake that you would not like to make is staying at Khardongla pass for more than 10-15 minutes. Yes, all that travel for a 10-minute stay at Khardongla. Worth the time. The altitude at which pass is situated is dangerous, one might get mountain sickness, headache, difficulty in breathing which would ruin your experience so it is advised not to stay long at the pass.

Khardongla

Khardongla was the best experience and I feel lucky enough to be able to ride the dream destination, Leh.

Check out some more experience stories here.

Africa: A Tour into the wildlife aisle

African Safari is more than just a holiday; it is a life experience. Well, what we know about Africa is that it is one of the driest and hottest continents with deserts and drylands but what most people don’t know about Africa is that it is the land of abundant natural beauty. The wildlife in Africa is a huge attraction for everyone in the world.

Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels

85% of world’s elephants and over 99% of the remaining lions are on the African continent, it has over 25% of the world’s bird species, home for world’s largest animal – the African elephant, 8 conservation hotspots, also has the world’s largest wildlife migration on earth. So need I say more?

Africa exhibits the incredible wildlife beauty and the best way to experience it is through an African safari tour. Africa is recognized as a safari destination, wildlife lovers from all over the world visit to experience African safari.

Grey Elephant Throwing Sand With Trunk Near Green Trees

Private African safari tour serves with maximum number of wildlife parks which attracts the attention of the viewers. They get to witness the alluring chemistry of wildlife and natural beauty through the vibrant parks which are surrounded by varieties of birds and mammals.

Top African safaris that are a must visit:

  1. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.
    • Serengeti happens to be the most popular African Safari, this is the oldest park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can witness the migrations of Wildebeests, Zebras and Gazelles if you visit this Safri during the migration season.
  2. Mana pools national park, Zimbabwe.
    • The best time to visit this Safari is from April to July. The national park also happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site and you can experience a paradise of wildlife here. You can take canoeing and walking safari, to get the most out of your travel.
  3. Mala Mala game reserve, South Africa.
    • Mala Mala safari might be the most photogenic safari. This game reserve is the largest among the Big Five game reserves in South Africa and it is bordering the Kruger National Park.
  4. Okavango Delta, Botswana.
    • Okavango Delta is created by the Okavango River that flows into the Kalahari Desert. The delta supports around 530 species of birds, 160 species of mammals, 155 species of reptiles and around 1500 species of plants. You can find the beautiful African Elephant and Nile Crocodiles when you visit this delta.
  5. Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia.
    • If you want wildlife around your campsites then this wildlife safari would be great for you. You can see Elephant Herds, Hippos, Leopards if you take this safari.

If you’re planning to experience the adventurous African safari, here are few companies that can help you with your trip with reasonable prices:

  1. Aboriginal tours and safaris ltd.
  2. Jewel of Africa Safaris.
  3. Mission Africa safaris.

Want to check out more articles on Travel? Click here.

Why should one visit Southeast Asia?

For the frequent travellers who want to travel but don’t really know where to go next. And for the newbie travellers who are looking for where to start. Southeast Asia is my answer. Why? The beauty you would find in Southeast Asia would blow your mind away and you would find yourself slowly falling in love with the culture and the aura of the places. Do you want to fall in love? Then visit these places in your next travel journey:

Vietnam:

Photography by: https://www.instagram.com/hhnam__/
Photography from: https://www.pexels.com/

Vietnam doesn’t only export rice to the whole world, they have so many beautiful places you can visit and explore on your own. From rich tea estates to amazing tailors to picture worth spots around the whole country. You could visit the Silk Marina Resort and Spa if you are looking for a relaxing place. This spa is located in Hoi An which is an ancient town in Vietnam.

Myanmar:

Photo by Sirikul R from Pexels

Dominated with Buddhist temples this place is a bliss for Travelers. If you follow Buddhism then you should visit this place for the cultural aspect of the society. And if you are a traveller then you should visit it for its River Plains and also for its monasteries. It is an amazing combination of surreal beauty and religion coming together. Places to stay in Myanmar for a little luxury Ananta Bagan and if you want something in the cheaper price then go for New Wave Guesthouse.

Thailand:

Photography from: https://www.pexels.com/

Thailand is very popular for its nightlife and laidback, carefree attitude among the citizens. The place Chiang Mai is known as the Rose of the North. The weather of Thailand is one to praise as it is great throughout the year. The nightlife comes later on which consists of Theaters, Clubs, Pubs, After Dark Shopping. Thailand also has huge national parks, beaches and mountainous terrains, which just gives us more wildlife.

Indonesia:

Indonesia happens to be the land of Volcanoes in Asia. Bali is famous in Indonesia, due to it being a huge tourist destination and also Honeymoon destination. But other than Bali, Indonesia has a rich culture, diversity, artworks and beautiful temples. Ubud which is a town in central Bali is known as the Center of Art of Culture, and if you are visiting this place, you can stay at Alaya Resort Heritage Ubud. This place happens to be very cheap and would be best if you are travelling on a budget. When you are visiting Indonesia, plan it according to the Kite Festival, as it happens to be the best festival in Indonesia and you would have a great time.

Laos:

Photo by Simon Matzinger from Pexels

If you love nature or just have an adventurous spirit then Laos would be a lovely place for you to visit. You can trek through the mountains, cycle along the roads and even kayak down the river when you are visiting Laos. The people of Laos are very warm and you would not have trouble becoming one with them. If you are looking for a place to stay near the Khan River then you should definitely try out The Belle Rive Boutique Hotel. If you are travelling on a budget then you should try out Thongbay Guesthouse. Visit Laos to experience the rich heritage and for the thrill.

Well these places are the reason why you should visit Southeast Asia, to experience these places and to understand different cultures living in Harmony is why you should visit Southeast Asia. What are you waiting for? Get these places added to your Bucketlist right now.

Incase you want to read more about Travel then you can check out more posts on our Blog

Plan your journey with these Websites

Whoever said that if you haven’t travelled the world you haven’t lived, was actually telling you the truth. Travelling is not just about going to different places. It’s about taking the journey to experience new things, meeting new people and understanding different cultures. If you just think that travelling is all about going to a place, staying there for a couple of days, seeing the “most famous” things around. Then, unfortunately, you haven’t travelled.

If you really want to travel and explore places nobody has explored before? Then you need to check out these websites for a more adventurous journey.


Photo By: https://angel.co/company/gemtrack

Gemtrack: Why should you look at this website before travelling? Because they help guide you to a more sustainable journey. Gemtrack travels promise you to show the unexplored places wherever you are travelling to, and that makes it more fun to travel with them.

cushy app
Photo By: https://dribbble.com/shots/4525586-Cushy-App-Icon

App Cushy: Cushy is an amazing website because they curate their travels through the help of the locals. So whatever you read on their blogs or on their application that would all be curated by the locals. What is better? Going their and then meeting someone, or talking to a local before your travel? We all know the latter one is correct.

not on map
Photo by: https://www.facebook.com/travel2notonmap/

Not on Map: If you are fond of living like a local then Not on Map is the great option for you. They are helping you reach the places tourists don’t usually visit. They are opening doors for the locals to interact with us by letting us stay at their places. So if you are someone who would love to explore a place like a local then this is the right option for you. Also, they have an Instagram page where you can get all the information about them.

Photo By: https://www.traveloffpath.com/flight-alert-sites/hopper-logo/

Hopper: Are you planning to travel somewhere but you don’t have enough budget to spend on the tickets? Try Hopper, what this website does is, it predicts the prices from various time periods and tells you exactly when should you book the tickets to adhere to your budget. Isn’t that amazing?

Forks And Backpacks: So what does this website do? Forks and Backpacks helps you build an itinerary for your travels. You would just have to fill out a form for them, and then would contact you for more information. If you are too busy to plan your trip yourself, let someone else do it for you.

Well these were some of the websites that you should definitely check out, if you love travelling and want to make your journey more fun and comfortable.

Also if you want more information on some of the other websites, you can definitely check out my blog on the Cushy Website, here.

Pondicherry: The French Riviera of the East

I am a beach person, if you’re also one, then Pondicherry is your paradise. Last year in November I went to Pondicherry and whenever I try to put my experience in words I always fail. You know, the fragrance after rain or your favourite food when you’re craving for it? That hits different, Right? Pondi felt exactly like that. It was a short trip of 2 days and trust me every moment was an irresistibly beautiful vibe.

There are 2 things i adore about Pondicherry which are Beaches and Food.

Beaches:

I visited 3 beaches in my stay over there. Rock beach, Paradise beach and Veerapatnam beach. All of them were astonishing with clear and pristine water and soul-soothing sound of waves. Out of all 3, Paradise beach has my heart because of its beauty

Food:

Pondicherry is a foodies delight because it has adapted from different cuisines of the world and people here love innovating on these dishes. The city is filled with cafes and restaurants worth drooling for. In the span of 2 days, I tasted different types of chicken and prawn dishes which was an absolute treat to the soul. I explored this cafe “La Vele Box” which was made with truck containers, a very unique concept and serves amazing continental food.

A beautiful evening at the beach:

On the 2nd day. In the evening I experienced one strikingly beautiful sunset of my life at rock beach, everything just felt graceful. I was reluctant to go back to the room after that, which is why I ended up having my dinner at a nearby cafe and came back to the beach. I enjoyed every moment and stayed at the beach till 11’o clock. With every wave hitting the shore, blowing breeze, flying hair,this is excatly when I wished I could freeze the time.

If you want to check out more experiences, check this one out and if you are looking for some Travel and Food related articles check out these pages.

Manali: Valley of the Gods

Like every other teenager, it was my dream as well to see this place of beauty. Goa?? No. Manali. And finally, it came true in January 2020. Probably one great thing that happened before lockdown.
Our college planned a 7 day trip to Delhi and Kulu-Manali and as luck had it I could convince my parents to let me go for the trip.

The journey Begins: Delhi to Manali
The Journey Begins: Delhi to Manali
Photo Courtesy: Aathira

The Journey Begins:

We left for Delhi on the 11th Jan. But it wasn’t Delhi that we had been waiting for. It was Manali. We just wanted our day in Delhi to be over as soon as possible.
On 12th night we left for Manali on a bus. What a ride I must say. From what a ride I mean the more brilliant it was, the same way sick it was. We started having more sick people on the way and it became worrisome after a point. We were supposed to reach our hotel at Manali by noon but due to some reason, we got late.

Hunger was creeping through our bodies and we were tired. It was then my friend Abhinav came up with the rescue. A kettle and several packets of Maggi. Did he foresee this? We wondered. We cooked our Maggi in the kettle inside the bus.
But let me tell you. There was a moment when we saw the one thing that we were longing to see. Yes, snow it was. Our joy knew no bounds we started jumping and dancing on the bus. And by 5 pm we reached our hotel.

Beauty of Manali
Photo Courtesy: Aathira

Beauty of Manali

Everywhere we saw, it was snow. We forgot the fact that we were hungry. We started throwing snow at each other and playing around and laughing. It felt like “Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani” coming to life.
The next day we went to Solang Valley. What a treat to our eyes it was. The beauty of nature was inexplicable and we were lost in it. The snow-capped valley just looked like vanilla icecream. Beautiful.

We did tier sliding, rode sliding, skiing and ATV motor sliding. It was sooo much fun. While we were leaving Solang valley it started to snow a bit. By the time we reached Hadimba Devi temple, the snowfall had increased to a great level. We experienced that most beautiful sight of snowing and that was unforgettable. It gives me chills down my spine even now.

The next day, on our way to Kulu from Manali we stopped for river rafting. It was such an impromptu plan. We sang songs, screamed and enjoyed without bounds. We had no extra clothes with us and we were all drenched and wet. Later we went to a gurdwara. The peace there was really refreshing. Later on, we did some shopping on the streets of Manali and started our journey back to Delhi that night.
We reached back to Hyderabad on 19th of January. This trip was the most memorable journey of my life and a dream come true.

Want to read more? Check out this experience story on Kerala!

Kerala: My Visit to the Backwaters

My trip to Kerala was a surprise trip that my Dad had planned in the year 2010. So I stayed in Coimbatore for some days and then started on my beautiful journey to cover all the South Indian states. Sounds amazing right? Kerala was amazing. I chose Kerala because of how it has left an impact on my mind.

The Princess Street in Kerala! Photo by Ramneek Flora

PRINCESS Street

We stayed on the Princess street in Kochi or Cochin. And the hotel was not that costly yet not very cheap but there is one funny incident that I cannot forget about that room. I and my brother we have always had a nature of touching things and probably ruining things as well. So we found a ‘safe’ kept inside the cupboard and we being the notorious lot. We kept putting new passwords and changing that old one. Then one time we forgot the password we kept, I and my brother freaked out and that happens to be our biggest secret till date.

The day we arrived at Kerala we got to our hotel and didn’t do much that day as we were late because of our driver and my dad wanted to click pictures of everything. So we changed our clothes and went out for dinner.

If you don’t like crowded places then Princess Street is not the one for you at night. We had prawns and chicken obviously. The food was a highlight because of its taste and that little hint of coconut in probably everything, seemed pretty good to my taste buds. And the best part of the dinner was that it was so casual to see foreigners dancing on the street while enjoying their Beers. The aura of that scene was amazing.

Morning in Kerala. Photo by: Ramneek Flora

The next day was the best day because we woke up early and went to the beach to look at these huge nets of fishermen and saw people playing in the sand early morning. That was my first experience with beach and I collected shells but I could not carry them with me because my mom would not let me.

The Backwaters

Later that day we went to the backwaters of Kerala, with foreigners (some hot guys as well! ^.^). And it was beautiful, I love water but that place made me crave for land. I had wished at that time if I could stay in Kerala forever. We had to stop for lunch and there we had North Indian food on banana leaves. Again one of my first experience of eating on a banana leaf.

The Backwaters! Photo By: Ramneek Flora

After that, we went to a small village where they made ropes. I got the first-hand experience on how to make ropes, it was an amazing time. 

The Practice of Rope Making. Photo By: Ramneek Flora

We had to leave the next morning for a different place but Kerala sure gave me so many good memories to talk about and share with people. There is just one thing that still bothers me is did anyone ever open that safe again? And I brought back a shell with me, always the rebel kid. 

Come along on a trip with these people

We love to go on trips and have fun. The mood stays good only if your company is good, so today I am going to tell you about the kind of friends you would definitely have with you on these lovely, mind refreshing trips. What fun is a trip with no one to share the fun?

the author of the group
The Author of the Group
Photo Courtesy: Pexels https://www.pexels.com/

The Author of the Group

  • This guy is basically the one who plans the whole trip. He is the most excited person for the trip and would also talk to your parents if they don’t allow. This guy would have the list of places one can visit, and the amount of money required and how would you reach the place. This guy is always ready. If I had this guy in my life, I would have been able to go on more trips.

“Oye kahi gumne chale?”
Author “Haan- Haan kaha jana hai? Shimla, Nahan, Manali? Tu bata bas, sara already planned hai”

The Silver spoon Guy on the Trip
Photo from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/

The Silver Spoon Guy

  • This guy is like the godfather to all those people who actually cannot afford to go on a trip, but then again they want to be there with you. He can afford the trip for many people.

“Bhai trip pe jana hai but paise nahi hai”
Silverspoon guy “Chill bro, mere pass hai. Tu bas bag pack karle”

The over packer on the trip
Photo Courtesy: Pexels https://www.pexels.com/

The Over Packer

  • This person does not really understand the concept of packing light, they want to take away everything as if it’s their last journey. But sadly this person always forgets the important stuff like towels, shampoos, and daily needed stuff. And you can find them asking for it from everyone.

“Bhai shampoo hai, I forgot mine”
“Bhai underwear hai? I forgot mine”

The Lazy Bum on the Trip!
Photo Courtesy : Pexels https://www.pexels.com/

The Lazy Bum

  • This guy never wanted to come on the trip in the first place. They would love to enjoy their cosy time alone in their room, but they came only because they thought it was fun and they won’t have anyone bothering them.

“Yaar wapas chale?”
“Yaar mein room mein ja raha hun, i dont want to do all this adventurous stuff”

Well, I really hope you loved reading this article and if you have not gone on a trip yet with your friends then you should soon. Because this is the time to have fun, so start today. And incase you want to read more about Travel blogs you can check them out here!

We The Foodie People: Types of Foodie

“I am a foodie, but I don’t eat chicken or egg”

How often have we heard this phrase “Oh! of course, I am foodie” but the next moment that person says that they don’t eat chicken and egg. And then you wonder what kind of foodie they really are, well they are not really foodie people, they just like to eat. I am sure you would have figured it out by now what I will tell you today, YES! We are going to talk about the types of foodie we see in everyday life.

people who only click pictures
Photo Courtesy: Pexels
Social Media Puppy.

We all have seen these people who wait for the food to come out only to click pictures. They probably have this passion for clicking pictures of food and obsessed with likes. But these people are also hell-bent on trying new food every time they get a chance.

Do it yourselves.

This person does not want to try anything from the outside and they don’t have a problem with making everything in their house. Maybe because they are just scared of the germs and the kinds of stuff they would use behind the kitchen doors. But the best part about these people is that they know what to make and how to make it.

The Junkie.

This person is only depended on fast food. They can go to McDonalds, KFC, Subway any time of the day and be content with the food. They don’t want to try anything new.

Allergic Foodie

This person just has a problem with all the things, they can’t have milk because they are lactose intolerant and then they can’t have wheat because it makes them bloated. And the end up having just the salad.

These are some kind of weird people who claim to be a foodie but we all know they are not. And if you are a foodie then prove it by eating things you love, try new cuisines, open up yourself to different tastes. Cause that is what a foodie does.

Want to read more Food Related content? Here.