3 Most Beautiful Cities Of India: My idea of a perfect vacation

Lucknow is one city that is close to my heart after Bangalore. Although my parents hail from Uttar Pradesh I haven’t had the chance to vacation in Lucknow neither got a chance to take a trip to explore Lucknow.

I have been to Lucknow many times, but just till Railway station and from there a car picks us up and we travel right to our village located somewhere in the outskirts of Uttar Pradesh near Kheri district. Such is my sad plight. Eversince I was a child I was fascinated by Indian historic culture and its beauty and Lucknow is associated with the Nawabs and their culture and I have always wanted to explore it. Sadly I used to visit UP only when one of my closest relative would get married and that too once in 6-7 years.

Hence it has always been my dream to go on a beautiful serene vacation to Lucknow and explore its beauty. But a journey travelled to lucknow via different routes is what my perfect vacation is made up of! I have always been fascinated by 3 cities in India and unfortunately I haven’t got the opportunity to explore all three of them. Life in Bangalore is busy and taking out time to vacate within India is not everybody’s idea for a great vacation place in my family. Every time we plan to go on a vacation its somewhere posh and international but nobody wanted to travel and explore within India.
Its been my dream to explore beautiful Hyderabad, dazzling Delhi and the Lajawab Lucknow! I hate travelling or vacating all by myself or even with bunch of friends. Perfect would mean with family <3 ! Hopefully someday I will take out the time to vacate and explore these 3 beautiful cities..

I simply love journey’s by train. The fun, the frolicking and the long peaceful moments of staring outside from a moving train #Bliss ! *Mega sigh* Plus I am huge foodie and perfect vacation would be incomplete without exploring the beautiful food served in Hyderabad, the famous cuisine of Delhi and Lucknow is one of the best places for a foodie ! Everytime I journeyed to Lucknow we would go straight to our native village which meant , no staying in a hotel . But my perfect vacation would include a hotel that would have a swimming pool, a beautiful view, best cuisine, and super awesome decor *cheeky grin*

Perfect vacation for me includes factors like choosing the right weather, packing the right clothes, travelling with my loved ones, exploring historical monuments, clicking loads and loads o pictures, travelling by all three modes road, rail and air and staying at a beautiful and serene hotel ! As simple as that :)

The weather should be breezy, like spring, neither too hot neither too cold. Booking tickets at a good price also an important factor as money saved while booking tickets means another reason to shop on my vacation! I am huge shopaholic and when it comes to clothes and jewelry i lurv shopping for them, hence shopping at Delhi and in streets f delhi also has been my dream. I have read numerous blogs and articles as how awesome Delhi is when it comes to shopping, the same for Hyderabad and Lucknow !

Perfect vacation is incomplete without the perfect luggage. My vacation would include a journey from Bangalore to Hyderabad via train, then after I have explored Hyderabad I would love to travel to Delhi from Hyderabad by train again (Trains be awesome, except that there are many thieves lurking around!) And from delhi to Lucknow by Bus ( I am huge fan f travelling by bus ! The antakshari, the dhabe pe khana …damn!)

But once my vacation is complete and I have explored all of my three beautiful cities, I am sure me and my loved ones would be exhausted by all the travelling and the baggage would double for I plan to do loads of shopping, hence I plan to travel back home by Airlines ! I am fond of travelling though Jet Airways and would like to travel by the same. Being back home with all the memories, photographs and shopping without having to face any difficulties while travelling is my idea a perfect vacation.

What is your idea for a perfect vacation? A perfect vacation is not necessarily somewhere to vacate in a posh place or in a foreign country, for me it is exploring Indian culture.. Share your thoughts below.. I would love to hear what you think of my perfect vacation! :)

Continue Reading →

Magic of Vacations- Children !

A good vacation is a vacation with kids…

Source

The roars of laughter , the mischief, the storming, the banter , the voice , the smiles of our children is what counts when we are going on a vacation. A vacation with family is the best vacation.
Our parents often took vacations only when we had summer holidays , just not that back in our childhood, our elders made sure all the big weddings took place during the kids vacations so everybody could enjoy their holidays with children. Children just add the magical touch ! A vacation without them would be empty!
And hence as we grew up we got accustomed to the belief that there’s no vacation without the kids. But in order to make sure that the trip planned is fun , safe and enjoyable its important to ensure a few things.
A few things to keep in mind while travelling with kids to ensure they enjoy themselves would be their safety, how they must be entertained in order to not get them snapping and out of control (trust me this is where they have second thoughts on the vacation thing with kids ;) , the travel and the food . etc.
Safety first: Safety is definitely the first measure when it comes to travelling with kids. You can’t enjoy a vacation when you know your kids aren’t safe. Pack all you need, the medications, the snacks and talk to your kids about safety if your travelling by air. And most importantly never let your kids out of sight, saves you a lot of trouble and worry.
Travel Trip tricks : Make sure you get your children to catch their quality sleep when travelling ! it really helps. The food will help them to take it off to the sleep spot. Hence its important you schedule your trip accordingly.
Entertainment, entertainment and some more entertainment : You have no idea how fast kids get bored, ha forget the kids I get bored even faster than them , wait I am a grown up kid too. :P That is why I get bored ! *realisation* Jokes apart they really tend to get bored very fast and its important to take the important measures. Animated movie Dvd’s , scrabble or chess boards and story books are a great way!
Feed the fairies: Food my dear is what seals the deal for us children ;) Good food and half of the travelling has already been awesome :P :D The problem is that kids are picky. “I don’t like sweets “(So annoying! –.- ) “I don’t eat ice cream “(I would kill such kids! , I mean what on earth ! You don’t like icecream?! what the hell honey?!) “I dislike veggies” ( Yeah baby that’s more like it ! Hifi!) So you see. That’s the problem. Make sure you have restaurants nearby to suit the food tastes of your kids
Stay at a sweet ( suite;) place : Also its important to keep in mind about the place you’ll be staying at. Kids can create a big fuss, so its better not to choose a posh , upscale hotel will probably not be as kid-friendly  , so its better to use our correct judgment while choosing one. Choose among the best of best that has all the amenities to keep your kids entertained.
And now I just can’t wait for the vacations. ^_^

This post is a part of Indi Happy hours in relation to Club Mahindra’s Teddy travelogue’s !

Continue Reading →

Shopper’s Paradise ! Breathtaking Bangkok !

Ever wanted to be fascinated, intoxicated and mesmerized while out travelling with the family?

           Lets go somewhere and by somewhere I mean Bangkok!

Well there are a lot of places to choose from Switzerland, Kuala lampur, and OFCOURSE Bangkok !!!
Bangkok is a mix of modern with the grandeur and glory of its past illustrious prevailing even today. Be it the stunning temples, overwhelming palaces, a world-famous floating market or colourful Chinatown, each of these beautiful places intrigue you and tell a whole new different story every time you visit them.
Golden temples, addictive street food, amazing hotels and Asia's craziest nightlife. Thailand's megacity has far more to offer than you can ever imagine!!!
I am die hard foodie I could kill to eat all that incredible street food in Bangkok ! Those packed markets with mindboggling stuff to venture around! And the biggest shopping destination! I am a CRAZY Shopaholic ! *CRAZY AS HELL* And Bangkok is THE SHOPPER’S PARADISE BABY! Don’t forget those world class luxurious hotels and crazy nightlife at Bangkok!
Oh yes not to forget those temples so sparkly your eyes start to water ! These are very few reasons why I prefer the royal shopping and glamorous destination > Bangkok!
How to get there?
Gone are the times you fretted and fussed over going to the destination you desired ! With Air asia’s “World’s best online travel fair” providing the best packages to fly and experience a whole new world of touring we can finally fly to the land brimming with Thrills, smells,super awesome sights ,gracious people and SHOPPING ofcourse!
Now you are just one click away from hopping to the destination you have always dreamed of !
But before that you must have knowledge as to what are the best places to visit and enjoy the most at your destination and here is something I want to share about my dream destination : BANGKOK!
Paradise planner!
-Bookings confirmed ✔
-Bags packed ✔
-Camera ! ✔
Off you go ! So here I am to show you why Once you travel to Bangkok you would regret for not having visited earlier !
Knowing the right places to visit always adds flavor to the journey !

                            Paradise is just a dream away…

Best Of Bangkok !!!
On my quest to find the best of Bangkok I faltered with the Incredible! Read on to know more..

Sighting:
Hit the road , zoom along the highways , taking in the fresh air, eating along the roadside, chatting up with the locals learning about cultures and visiting the most attractive temples and located in Bangkok is the perfect start to a trip!
Which places to go:
Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) , the stunning beauty built in the 19th century will encapsulate you in its beauty
Grand Palace & Wat Prakeaw is a must visit for its beautiful architect and intricate detail !
The ‘Famous Floating Market ‘ I could hardly Imagine those dozens of wooden row boats floating by, each laden to the brim with farm-fresh fruits, vegetables or flowers. *mega sigh*
The colorful and exotic CHINATOWN! Almost everyone must have heard about this and its highest concentration of gold shops !
I have always been a water lover ! Chao Phraya River & Waterways One of the most scenic areas, the riverside reflects a constantly changing scene day and night: water-taxis and heavily laden rice barges chugging upstream, set against a backdrop of glittering temples and luxury hotels. *Dreamy face*
Watch a movie at La Scala Movie Theatre - The Nostalgic Vintage Experience Watching a movie sitting amongst architecture built in the 60’s ! Mind bowled eh?
For a look at Thailand’s modern art scene do visit the Museum of Contemporary Art
And the Jim Thompson House is a beautiful place and you will get lost in it ! Enough said !
 
Shopping:
What kind of girl wouldn’t like a crazy shopping outing in shopper’s paradise ?!Bangkok tops my destination because apart from mesmerizing beauty and delectable food they have this awesome shopping destinations! from street shopping to mall shopping you can’t just stop yourself when it comes to shopping here!
Who’s up for inexpensive designer quality clothing and accessories? Presenting you the the renowned Prathunam and Bobae Markets !!!
If you go on a trip to Bangkok and come back without shopping at Chatuchak "Weekend" Market, they say it’s a trip wasted ma’am !(Open on weekends only). Also don’t forget to board the skytrain here!
The malls in Bagkok are overwhelming ! Shop at the Emporium mall,Siam Square,Mah Boon Krong,Platinum Fashion Mall ,CentralWorld (PS: Bargaining is allowed..woohooo ) For the best handbags, heels, accessories and home accessories!
After you have emptied your wallets and lightened bank accounts you will feel like a happy angel ! Which does not happen all the time, does it? 

                                    Shop well , Travel often..

Partying:

The music and dancing is calling and I must go…

Party animal? *cough cough* Bangkok is also famous because it is termed as Asia’s Craziest nightlife city! Don’t miss out the Octave Rooftop Bar,Sky Bar Rooftop at Lebua, a chic bar Vertigo at Banyan Tree,Cabaret Calypso Show, and the Soi Cowboy!*cheesy names lol*
 
Spa and relaxing:
A rejuvenating spa treatment in a luxurious spas or a famous traditional Thai massage is the perfect antidote to ease away the blues after long day of shopping and sightseeing. Aromatherapy is my mantra  :P
From all that I have heard Bangkok not just a metropolis city  by also  a haven to relax, rejuvenate and regenerate.
Although local spa’s may give you the best service at great value you should not miss a relaxing at a chic spa named Spa Athenée also a Royal Mediterranean hotel!
                            Keep Calm and Relax…
So I end my quest here. Now all I can dream of is boarding that Air Asia plane and flying away to the city of my dreams …*Angelic face* If only….                   I dream the impossible. But I want to fly away..Perhaps some day…
Traveller’s lusting all of the above head to Air asia NOW ! They have great fares for those travelling to “The Paradise of the insane” Bangkok !
Image source:googled.

Continue Reading →