[Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India] Exploring Heritage on a Train Journey
[Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India] Exploring Heritage on a Train Journey
The tracks to Shimla The start of our summer vacation in Himachal Pradesh: Plane to Delhi, train to Chandigarh, and it was now time for a train (special one, though) to Shimla. Off we headed from a hotel in Chandigarh to Kalka station. The auto zoomed (a bit shakily) on the Chandigarh-Shimla highway toward Kalka, often overtaken by flashy cars. We held on tight until our route turned off the highway and onto the narrower road to Kalka.
[Himachal Pradesh, India] A Cool Summer in Himachal Pradesh
[Himachal Pradesh, India] A Cool Summer in Himachal Pradesh
On a previous vacation, we had fallen in love with the mountains and forests of Uttarakhand. So when summer came calling again, an escape to the Himalayas was the first idea that crossed my mind. This time around, B and I voted for Himachal Pradesh, and Junior readily gave his stamp of approval. The call of the mountains. Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India. After much thought (grey cells in action!), research (Google at our command!
[Vengurla, Maharashtra, India] The Beautiful Beaches of the Konkan Coast: Vengurla
[Vengurla, Maharashtra, India] The Beautiful Beaches of the Konkan Coast: Vengurla
View from Fort Tiracol. Tiracol, Goa, India. From atop a hillock, we gazed at the shimmering waters of the Arabian Sea below. To the left, the Terekhol (Tiracol) river (hidden from our view) proceeded to its rendezvous with the sea. And beyond the river, in the distance, lay a clean sandy stretch of beach. We squinted our eyes and thought we saw a couple of tourists ambling along in the sand.
[Tarkarli, Maharashtra, India] The Beautiful Beaches of the Konkan Coast: Tranquil Tarkarli
[Tarkarli, Maharashtra, India] The Beautiful Beaches of the Konkan Coast: Tranquil Tarkarli
The long stretch of sand is (almost) as flat as a pancake. Small waves crash in the distance and leisurely withdraw from the shore. Beige-colored crabs scurry along, visible one moment, out of sight the next. A couple of starfish lie still on the shore. Dozens of hungry plovers dig feverishly into the sand to find their meal. High up in the sky, a sea eagle flies home victoriously, with a struggling serpent held firmly in its talons.
[New Hampshire, USA] A Family Vacation in the Granite State
[New Hampshire, USA] A Family Vacation in the Granite State
“Live free or die,” they said out loud. To the left, to the right, in front, and behind. We had entered New Hampshire. The tall conifers, the winding roads, and the licence plates that made a clear point: “Live free or die.” Tales of mountains and forests. Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire, USA. Our vacation in the New England region had brought us to the granite state, New Hampshire. The land of the White Mountains, green forests, and blue rivers and lakes.
[Maine, USA] Of Nature Trails, Narrow-Gauge Trains, and a Spectacular Coastline

Escape to Dubai – II

Our Dubai story continues from Escape to Dubai – I. Day 2: Friday is the day of prayer and rest, and hence, the metro timings vary on this day. With the train service beginning at 2pm, we took a cab to our destination – the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo(housed in the Dubai mall). Tip: Do check Friday timings of your destination before you head out. Most malls and tourist attractions stay open, but times may be different from other days.

aladybird Asia , TheTravelBug , UAE Comments
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Totto-chan The Little Girl at the Window, by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (Translated by Dorothy Britton)

I stood in front of the bookshelf, wondering what to read. Suddenly, I glanced at a new addition, Totto-chan The Little Girl at the Window. Intrigued by the title, I took a closer look and the illustration on the cover added to my fascination. For the next couple of days, I was unable to stop thinking about the book. Each time I took a break from reading it, I would pick it up again almost immediately.

aladybird Bookworm (English books) , Reading List Comments
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