Mexico is always a good idea''

By Stacy Blake | Photography

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I saw far from my window and feel a deep swoosh in my stomach, noting the abrupt drop into the green, tree-laden gulch.

I’m aboard El Chepe, a major rail line in Northwest Mexico. This beautiful passenger train connects the states of Chihuahua and Sinaloa along a 652km span, crossing 86 tunnels, and rugged Copper Canyon. Local people told us that some call this the most scenic railroad trip on the continent. .

My parents and I have just left Creel, home of Tarahumara marathon runners. It’s also the site of Valley of the Monks, otherwise known as the Valley of the Gods. Legend has it that the enormous rock formations there are the petrified remains of monks caught forever in deep meditation. So, this would be an ideal setting to think really deep thoughts, but all I can think about the dinner we did in Creel.

Clad in brightly patterned, slightly faded cotton pants, their clothes and beautiful tanned faces made them hard to miss. It turns out they were on their honeymoon, backpacking through. I had fallen madly in love with their warmth, their beauty, and their worldliness. Now, on the train, I realize that I am also slightly jealous of them. But why?

On the train, I warm my hands around a mug of Abuelita chocolate Mexican hot chocolate. It’s my 10th cup this trip; I’m drinking it the way most people drink coffee, warmed by a lifetime of memories of little chocolate tablets melting into a pot of frothy milk.

This will become a huge part of all of my visits home, I realize, a scavenger hunt of the foods and drinks and candy present in my most memorable childhood moments.

As I slowly sip, I concentrate on the beautiful Italians until I figure out the puzzle of my envy: I long for their unambiguous Italianness. I want to travel the way they travel, move through a foreign country but know that everyone realizes where I’m from, who I am. I want to rest assured that my place is waiting for me in Mexico. I’m desperate to know that I’ll come back to the sun that shone on my childhood after a few adventures in the snow and the pines.

We find out from our waiter at dinner that there’s a dance tonight near the town plaza, so we go. People stand around the open dance floor: men in cowboy hats, women with shiny long hair tumbling down their backs. Not many people have gathered the courage to dance yet, but that will change soon enough. It feels delightfully familiar, An hour or so later, the dance has gotten more raucous. Someone spills a beer nearby.

And eventually, I’ll realize that my Mexicanness has been fed by pueblos mágicos and beautiful food and Spanish, the language of love. It is not a bean sprout. It’s as deep as Copper Canyon, as strong as the petrified monk rocks, and as big as the state of Chihuahua.           

que tengas un buen día

About Barisan Valley - Trip to Pahalgam,Kashmir

By Sonal Singh | Photography

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Baisaran Valley Pahalgam,Kashmir (March 2020 ,1st week). Often dubbed as 'Mini Switzerland' because of its long dark meadows resembling the ones in Switzerland, Baisaran is an eye-catching meadow.

The best part of baisaran is the Horse /Pony ride. Pony walas need to be bargained well, to bring down the cost to 50%. However, towards the end of the ride, you feel like paying them more for their hard work and friendliness.

We went on a reallly adventurous horse ride through streams and mountainous paths to reach picturesque locations of Baisaran, Dabyan and Pahalgam valley.

Its wonderful view all through the ride and after u reach the spot , its breathtaking view in Baisaran. Spend as much as time as you can.I want to spend some more time there but because of the bad weather and rainfall we decide have to go back asap...

Horse riding is one of the recommended activities for tourists visiting Pahalgam. Visitors can hire ponies or horses .

No doubt Pahalgam is the most beautiful place. But you cannot escape horse riding if you want to see the Pahalgam and horse riding at Pahalgam is definitely not advisable for first time horse riders. Everyday more than 2-3 persons are falling from the horse, which may result in serious injury. And I visited there in the month of March when there is heavy snowfall as well as rain so it was more risky.Even my Brother had a great fall while riding and he got injured as well.

The surface is very much unusual and controlling our balance on horse is a skilled job, and if you do not have any experience of horse riding, then chances of falling from the horse very high. So be very careful and please maintain your own body balance first don't get panic.Its completely worth going as all of sudden we saw clouds strom and trust me that feeling was amazing. Many people starter making havoc and started leaving the palce as they were not aware of this strom as it exists only for 10-15mins and then things ll become completely normal actually that was beauty of this palce..

PS - Must try Snow bike here. Don't forget to bargain with them.It was a fun ride after super adventurous hiking and horse riding..

Heaven on earth "Kashmir"

By Krishna Singh | Fooding

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With snow balls on one hand and fluorescent green valleys on the other, with streams flowing on one side and sheep grazing on the other Kashmir is termed as 'heaven on earth' for a reason.

My wife and I always wanted to witness the romantic beauty of Kashmir, but never got a chance. Grabbing the opportunity, we decided to spend a week exploring Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Aru, and Srinagar.

When the thought of visiting Kashmir struck our minds, we had no idea how to go about the plan, we somehow managed it.

Our flight landed in Srinagar from Jammu in the morning, but saving Srinagar for last, we straightaway headed to Gulmarg in our pre-booked cab. We had booked a Sedan on our way, we got to know about the disturbances being caused by some political issues in Srinagar. To tackle the blocked roads, our driver asked for help from his friend, who took us through.

Gulmarg turned out to be an absolute beauty with snow-clad mountains soothing the eyes, against the royal blue skies. Although, we had been to Ladakh a couple of times earlier, we had never witnessed snowfall.

We were well informed by our travel agent that our private cab cannot be used in certain areas of Kashmir, (including Gulmarg) as it's not allowed by the local taxi union. The moment we stepped out from the hotel, we began to get pestered by the touts and guides. This was one part of the trip that was very annoying

The world's second highest operating cable car ride the Gulmarg gondola took us through panoramic views of the Himalayas and vast snow-slopes. The beauty was soon complemented with thrill, as we donned the skiing gear. At a price of Rs.3400 for two, we were not able to ski beyond an hour, as we were limited by time. But, the two of us enjoyed the experience thoroughly under the supervision of the ski instructors, skidding around and crashing on the fluffy snow.

Moving to the top, we spent around half an hour and enjoyed a romantic lunch amid snow-clad mountains. The best part of the visit was, that my wife and I were the only tourists there. As a result, we enjoyed the exemplary beauty in uninterrupted peace.

Our stay at the hotel was amazing we got the best room with electric blankets to shield us from the cold and absolutely delicious food. The hotel had a typical Kashmiri look, with wooden interiors, and Kashmiri tapestries and carpeting.

Since our guesthouse was located almost in the middle of nowhere, we took a walk around the simple property and the river flowing 10 feet away from the house. It was a different world altogether.

By the time we reached Srinagar, it was raining heavily. The rainy welcome actually came as a bummer, since we were to visit the Dal lake and indulge in the Shikara ride. But, we had to skip the Shikara ride due to the fog and cold. The next morning, our driver was right on time and dropped us to the Srinagar airport for our flight at 9 am.

Our wish to see nature in its raw, untouched form did not go disappointed. And what we were served, was something we had never witnessed earlier. The whole experience disconnected us from everything and allowed us to connect with each other, in the bliss of nature.

A tale of kuala lampur

By Angela Francis | Photography

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Let me narrate you that from baby monkeys playing with my hairs to spending hours on train floors to cocktails on top of the world, Travelling gives you the best opportunities and the mystifying lessons, both teach you a lot about who you are and what you can handle. One night it is an overnight bus with spiked metal arm rests, A/C in your face and two people crammed on one seat watching you sleep and the next night you’re being taken for cocktails on a helipad overlooking Kuala Lumpur.

The changing of scene makes a big difference….

One night we were spending our nightlife in a floating bamboo shack on the River Kwai, no electricity and completely at peace with nature – until a beetle crawled on my face in midnight with no light available to find it, so while my buddy is screaming I’m shooting the toilets “bum gun” blindly all around the room. The next morning and we are bathing an elephant called Wandii in the river, bliss! The Thai trainer asks me “Are you brave?” Daring me to ride Wandii, with her permission and I decide I am brave, and I climb into the new situation as nervous and excited as the day I boarded the plane.

Crossing South America....

By Jefe | Photography

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When dreams come true!!! Crossing South America...

15.000 kilometers full of adventure, on our motorcycles, in 2 months through 5 countries....!!!

The trip lasted almost two months, and I travelled through Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay.

http://www.jefemotoadve.com/index.php/en/expeditions/aroundtheworld/south-america-gsadventure-dec-12-feb-13

I Traveled Solo to 8 Countries across 3 Continents in one Trip (Asia, Africa and Europe)

By Nomadic Tour | Photography

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Egypt, Jordan, Israel - Palestine, Serbia, UAE, Oman, Sri Lanka and Armenia Trip by a Solo Indian Traveler, Hitchhiker and CouchSurfer.

Hey Friends,

My name is Tourvashu. 

Traveling and meeting people from all over the World is only passion in my life. So far I have Traveled 30 Countries in 4 Continents across UK, Schengen, Africa, Australia, Middle-East, Balkans, Central Asia, South-East Asia and I'm looking forward to travel to the rest part of the world.

Until 2014 I never thought of

traveling outside India and did not even had a Passport.

Until 2018 I had traveled only couple of Countries.

In last two years I have traveled 25 Countries. 

Recently I traveled again to 8 Countries in Jan-Feb-March this year in 2020. I didn't post anything about my recent trip because of the sentiments against the travel due to Covid-19. Now the travel is being resumed gradually, so I think its right time for me to post about my trip. Believe, it will definitely gonna motivate and help everyone to travel the world again, of course after the situation improves.

So let me quickly start, I'm a budget traveler, I always try to travel in the least possible cost whatever is feasible for me. In Jan-Feb-March I traveled in 3 Continents across North Africa, Middle East, Balkans and Caucasus and had to cancel 3 Countries trip due to the pandemic. All these photos uploaded are from my last trip.

These are the Countries I traveled with number of days along with the total money which I spent in each country (excluding flight):

Egypt (14 Days in 13500 INR),

Jordan (8 Days in 11000 INR),

Israel and Palestine (10 Days in 5000 INR),

Serbia (6 Days in 7000 INR),

UAE (6 Days in 5000 INR),

Oman (4 Days in 2000 INR),

Sri Lanka (2 Days-Transit in 1000 INR),

Armenia (Just 1 Day, reason bellow).

( If you want to know how I traveled these Countries in such limited Budget then you can Subscribe and Watch my Vlogs on my YouTube Channel "Nomadic Tour", where I have shared all the detailed information, tips and tricks regarding Traveling the World in Budget.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/NomadicTour )

When I reached Armenia on 12th March, I got the news about the Airports throughout the world including India being closed, so after the immigration in Armenia, immediately I booked the Flight back to India for the next day and with heavy heart I cancelled my remaining trip to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and it was the good decision to cancel my remaining trip otherwise I would have been stuck either in Georgia or Azerbaijan until now.

For the first time in my life I did Hitchhiking in Jordan.

In Egypt, Jordan and Palestine I met so many people who were die hard fan of Bollywood (Specially Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Kajol).

I had so many local foods, drinks and desserts such as Falafel, Kushari, Foul and Aish Bread, Hummus and Pita Bread, Borek, Sahlab, Tamar, Kunafeh, Muhallabia, Kakh, Baklava, Basbousa, Harissa, Zalabya, Qatayef, Halaweh, Egyptian and Jordanian Local Pizza and many more. Among these, Falafel and Borek are my favorite which I had many times.

In this trip I explored two Wonders of the World: The Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and Lost city of Petra in Jordan.

I visited the most holy place for Christians and Jews, and third-holiest place in Islam outside Mecca and Medina in Jerusalem and Holy place where Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

I also experienced Dead Sea, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea and The Great Sahara Desert in Africa.

This was my brief description of my recent multi-country trip. Very soon I will post individually about every country in detail along with Itinerary, Cities and Town visited, Cost break up, accommodation, transport, local foods and drinks, etc.

Thank you for reading. I believe you all like the way I Travel the World and I also strongly believe that my travel stories will definitely motivate everyone to travel.

You can follow and contact me on Instagram for any queries or doubt regarding traveling anywhere in the world. My Instagram ID: Tourvashu

Link: https://www.instagram.com/tourvashu/

Join my YouTube Channel "NOMADIC TOUR" to watch my Vlogs on Budget Traveling throughout the World.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/NomadicTour

A planned trip of GOA

By Suhana Sharma | Photography

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Traveling is the best reliever and an excuse to enjoy time with family. So I make it a point to travel many a time in a year with my family. This time when my kids expressed their wish to go to Shirdi, the perfect opportunity of visiting Goa presented itself.

After the holy visit to Shirdi, it was time for some real fun. From Shirdi we travel Goa in train and faced frequent halts on the way. But the fatigue of getting delayed got covered up when our train coincidently halted right in front of the Dudhsagar Falls. Luckily, not only did we get a close view of the falls but got to feel its faint showers falling on us.

After a little train delay, we reached Goa and checked in at the hotel we booked on OYO. The hotel was one of the best hotels around the Colva Beach, with a swimming pool facility. Since our hotel was at a few minutes walking distance from the Colva beach, we spent much of our time on the beach. Another thing that the kids enjoyed the most, was jet skiing on the waters of Arabian Sea.

The next day we went on a tour of North Goa on an open roof bus, which covers all the major attractions of the city. It first stops near Dolphin spotting at Sinquerim beach, alongside Fort Aguada. Further on the way, we got to see the famous Central Jail of Goa where we caught a glimpse of the inside of the prison through its barred windows. After reaching Sinquerim beach, our boat stopped and the guide pointed out a few dolphins frolicking about in the water.

Back to our spot of the boat tour, we resumed our journey in the bus which took us around all the major beaches. After a lunch break, we visited the Calangute and Baga beach. Since there were too many beaches to visit and too less time, we decided to skip some beaches. After a day full of energy, we went on a night cruise at the Mandovi River.

After spending a day at various beaches, we explored the rest of the city the scent of spices was in the air and the beauty of the place provided the perfect food for pictures. The Mandovi river running parallel to the site was enhancing its picturesque quality. 

The next morning was the last day of the trip. In order to experience the sunrise at the beach, we all woke up early and took to the beach. Roaming along with the sun rising on one side and the coconut trees swaying on the other will be a memory to cherish. After a refreshing breakfast, we concluded our trip and went back to Goa Airport on our way back home to Varanasi.

Paragliding is really fun!

By Khyati Tiwari | Vacation

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PARAGLIDING IS REALLY FUN!

“The reason why birds can fly and we can’t is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.”

I was very much attracted towards adventurous activities, as I had been watching channels like DISCOVERY and NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC since my childhood, which made me dream of being a part of adventure sports but my main focus of attraction was PARAGLIDING. 

The journey began with a trip to a spot near TALLITAL, few kilometers from NAINITAL, UTTARAKHAND. My level of joy and excitement was unbearable, as had already convinced my parents for PARAGLIDING. After reaching the destination, I became ready with the costume, the moment was full of happiness and my heart was beating so fast that I was unable to control the flow of excitement within myself. I was ready to fly and explore.

At that time, the temperature was around 26 degrees C, with clouds all around, so weather was quite pleasant, which added more happiness to the adventurous sport. Though, according to the weather conditions, it was quite risky and dangerous to involve in the sport, but I love to take risks in my life.

Soon, my trainer and I were flying high in the sky. I was able to observe things in the sky as well as on the earth. It was a moment where I was feeling like I am the only one, who is able to observe everything on the earth. Sky was appearing like heaven to me and I was very happy as I succeeded in my mission ‘ADVENTURE SPORT’.

I felt like the sky was smiling and the wind was winking at me. It was a mesmerizing moment for me as I was very close to nature and at top of the world. I want to describe my feelings with the famous song,

“Aaj main upar aasman neeche, aaj main aage zamana hai peeche”.

 I was very thankful to God for making the moment so special and amazing. Also, thanks to the scientists for such an invention, which made me fly in the mid-air like a free bird.

I experienced the wind blowing all over my body, which made me feel light. I felt like I am the reigning ‘Queen’ of the dynasty ‘Earth’ and my role is to lead the world under my rule. Those 10-15 minutes were the most interesting ones in my life. I also did a few stunts while I was paragliding, those adventurous moments were like playing with toys for me.

The view at the sight was very exhilarating as birds were flying, wind was blowing at its highest speed, mountains were glowing with the sunlight, trees were moving with the wind and I, as a feel bird, was also flying high in the sky.

I was happy at the time of landing as the risk that I had taken up ended with a smile on my face. After I landed on earth, I closed my eyes and shouted at the highest pitch of my voice saying “I did it”.

I felt as if I was the happiest person on the earth. I started roaming around the area, looking towards the top of the hills with a shining face. The day was fantastic and those moments of my life were like lifetime achievement for me. So, the fact is established that Faith can make your dreams come true.

 When a dream becomes reality, it is amazing to look back at the journey. So, I am planning to go for PARAGLIDING again in the near future, and try a few new stunts this time to add more spice to my life.

Thanks for being a part of my journey by reading my story!

When in Rome for a day

By Thola | Vacation

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Wondering how to do Rome in one day for the next time you travel to this destination? Here is a list of my suggested sights to see on your next travel adventure to Rome, Italy.

MIAMI beach is where neon goes to die..

By Shelly Adams | Photography

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I have seen many people visiting Miami and they stay there for long time. I'd later learnt why. The city is very much open to fashion, cultures, food, music, and people, yet manages to never let anyone or anything get in the way of its nature, or crowd its space. Thinking back, I realise that every aspect of the city seems to rebuilt itself

I have always dreamed Miami through a Hollywood lens- a sunny, vibrant, lavish hotspot of wandrers with salsa and tequila, and beach-bodied beauties in bikinis. Then there was the constant mention of awards on travel portals for its great beaches, as a holiday destination, or a place to live in everything was up there.

An artificial island that was once a coconut plantation land, the city has rather sweet origins. A certain Julia Tuttle, popularly known as the Mother of Miami, sent the co-founder of Standard Oil, perfect Miami Orange blossoms. She ended up convincing him to extend his railroad from central Florida to Miami, build a world class hotel, and essentially lay out a whole new town. The city was incorporated in the late 1800s, and interestingly, is the only major city in the US to be planned by a woman. In the 1940s, Benjamin Green developed a lotion for soldiers of world war II, in his own kitchen. After the war, he improved his formula, and Coppertone manufactured it.The city is unofficially referred to as the sixth community of New York, yet it struck me while walking around, not too many people spoke English. The city is home to 150+ nationalities, with over 63 per cent of the population being Hispanic.

I signed up for the South Beach Food Tour, with an intimate group that enjoyed some massive tasting portions. We covered a range of restaurants from Gloria Estefan's Larios on the Beach, to smaller joints in different corners.

Miami port is touted to be the Cruise capital of the world, being the departure destination of choice for cruises to the Mexico, Bahamas, and Caribbean. Happy to lounge in the sun, on the waters, I catched the Bayside Blaster Cruise, which cruises along the Biscayne Bay. In few hours, we got a view of the downtown skyline, Millionaire's Row, Port of Miami and Miami Beach. The mansions here get successively bigger, as does the list of celebrities who own them.

We even got a glimpse of Fisher Island, where the likes of Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and Sofia Loren have lived.

A city's architecture always tells a story, and the Miami Design Preservation League, a non-profit group that works for the preservation of over 800 historic buildings, tells many in its 90 minute tour.

I can't claim to know much about art. Then I found the world's greatest outdoor art museum, and another walking tour. And I decided to widen my horizons.

Wynwood Arts District is home to over a 100 galleries. The Wynwood Walls house contemporary urban murals, created by artists from around the world. Some of the best artworks from these walls now only exist in photographs. Our guide, a local artist, got into the graffiti movement, and the unspoken rules between artists.

High end, high street, and locally and culturally influenced shopping in Miami covers the entire spectrum. Shopping plazas also boast art and culinary concepts, and street performers.

A city filled with a great food culture attracts most of the tourist from the world, I think everyone should visit Miami once in a life.

And here I am signing off. Thank you !!