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A ten day experience to interiors of Rajasthan and Gujarat; on a personal vehicle There is no shortage of gems in India and almost every state boast of attraction that puts it on the world map. We went off on a journey to explore some of the roads less traveled and experience magnificent architecture, natural wonders and connect with nature at the same time. Some of these places we had visited years back, however, it stayed back in our minds, and we always thought of visiting them again. This time we had company with us @Oblong shots . The simmering sun of December meant perfect weather for travel and enjoying roads with good company. Quick Links: Cities covered on the trip Day wise itinerary Food Options Stay Options One State, many wonders, silky roads and one of the finest food offerings, that's right, and above all changing landscape with blink of eye and this is Rajasthan for you. We planned to cover some of the architectural jewels of Rajasthan, embrace nature’s phenomenon in Gujarat at Kutch concluding with the pristine beaches of Diu while spending 10 days on road and traveling approximately 3250 KMs. We hit and enjoyed the following cities on the trip: 1. Jodhpur (Small Detour – Ajmer Dargah and Bullet baba temple) 2. Jaisalmer 3. Bhuj / Rann of Kutch 4. Diu 5. Chittaurgarh (via Ahmedabad) Day wise itinerary: Day 1 : Get set Jodhpur : As always, we planned to leave early in the morning and cover maximum journey with the sun hanging on the top. So we left around 5:00 AM from Gurugram (Gurgaon) and took a breakfast halt around Kothputli (Old Rao Hotel) before reaching Ajmer around 10/11 AM. This was our first-time visit to a Muslim holy place (Ajmer Sharif Dargah), so had some struggle in adapting to rituals and practice. It was a good experience overall and we left little enriched in our culture and heritage. Our next detour was Bullet Baba temple, an unusual deity in remembrance of Om Banna, where people offer whiskey as devotional offerings. It's hardly a ten fifteen-minute detour however worth it. Our next halt was for lunch at Pali and then straight to the elegant structure, Mehrangarh fort. It’s hard to overlook such an immense fort Overlooking the blue city. In vicinity to the fort is Jaswant Thada, a resting place for many noblemen and members of the erstwhile royal family of Jodhpur. We also had plans for visiting Umaid Bhawan Singh palace however it was shut for tourists due to Covid-19. Our day ended with finger-licking Pyaaz Kachoris and Mirchi Vada from Shahi Samosa Day 2 : Onwards toward Jaisalmer : We started our day early around 7 AM towards Mandore (known for its Ravana temples built inside a garden full of monkeys) enjoying the architecture of Mandore garden, and further on to Jaisalmer. You will not be disappointed in your travel as roads are as smooth as butter and worth swooshing over. We reached Jaisalmer by noon and had ample time exploring the “living” fort. Our first visit was to the ancient Jain temples inside the fort and its amazing carvings. The temple follows strict opening/closing timelines. The wall cravings in all these temples will leave you in awe of the architecture and the peace will easily port you into another dimension. King and Queen palace are in the vicinity of the temple. However, its upkeep and maintenance are at a lower level in comparison to Jodhpur palace (maybe because it is a living palace). The place is swarmed by guides, and it's totally at one's whim to either visit the palace on your own or take a guide. If you are very much interested in knowing more about royalties, I suggest taking a guide package to cover the palace, Patwaon ki Haveli, and few more locations in the 3km radius of the fort. One can have delicious food around the palace, there are multiple restaurants, and you can choose from Indian, Continental, Italian, Chinese cuisines. We covered the temples, Cannon point (there are two, please visit the only one which is on the left of the king/queen palace) followed by Patwaon ki Haveli (around 2 km walk one side from the palace or you can take an auto, do not take the parked car out, or else the probability of getting stuck in traffic is high). In between, you can do shopping as well, the streets inside the fort are filled with shops selling souvenirs and more. The perfect end of the day will be with a perfect sunset and there is no better place than Bara Bagh just outside the city for one. It is a block of cenotaphs (or chhatris as fondly called by locals built) in remembrance of late royals and it is said that they were built on banks of a lake which has now dried up and greenery has taken over. You can sit back and relax and watch the sun melt over and passing through a horde of windmills, leaving behind the best of the orange hue with clouds colored with a tinge and floating like huge cotton balls. Day 3 : Paradise roads of Jaisalmer : We left early in the morning and had breakfast near the castle (Pakwaan), and left for Tanot temple via Longewala. It is a feeling of unusual calmness traveling on the roads which have desert as far as your eyes can see. What makes the roads of Jaisalmer even more picturesque are the inline humongous windmills marking the horizon. Curvy roads make you sing at top of your voice and enjoy the serenity. Those empty road shots that you have been craving will be satisfied here. There are two routes that you can take from here. Either visit the Tanot temple first and then cover Longewala or the other way round. In our case as the direct road from Jaisalmer to Tanot temple was under repair we had to take Jaisalmer – Longewala – Tanot and backtrack it. We went on to Longewala and experienced the “Indian” in us while enjoying history, relating to the “Border” movie as if everything you saw in that movie has come to life. Drive from Longewala to Tanot used to be a single-lane road however it has been now renovated to a four-lane highway and you will swim with the wind as you travel, and it will be nothing short of surfing in your dreams. Tanot temple holds a lot of significance and history of miraculous events during the infamous Indo-Pak war as none of the missiles/warheads that landed inside the temple premise went off. The temple is maintained by Army and is a must-visit as you may come across a warhead skeleton kept there. On the return, we took a small detour in between Longewala and Tanot and it was a narrow road, single lane, with huge sandhills as you move. This single-lane driving is something that you will never come across anywhere. It was like taking a car for a ride in heaven. Some of you may relate to it and some may not but this drive is something that we are going to take with us when we depart from this world. You can find a lot of food options in Ramgarh, a small town between Tanot and Jaisalmer where we had our lunch munching Kachoris and Mirchi vada to our hearts desire. En route to Sam dunes, we went to the Kuldhara village (some claim haunted) and Khaba fort. These locations have mystery written all over their presence as these places are known to be abandoned overnight due to tussle with the feudal lord. The most amazing thing is no one knows where the villagers suddenly disappeared overnight in thin air. Location is not scary as the story however it gives a glimpse of how closely knitted people were. It is something very different from the royal life of Rajasthan. No doubt roads leading from these locations till Sam dunes are worth a drive. Our last stop for the day was Sam sand dunes desert campsite. On reaching your camps you can take a camel ride to the top of dunes to enjoy a mesmerizing sunset (included in the deal with the stay) and by shelling few bucks more you can enjoy the ride deep into the dunes on camel carts. We stayed back and enjoyed the sun settling down for the night. In the camp, you will enjoy entertaining performances and local singing, which is a delight, and for us, the next enjoyment session was the ultimate Night Desert Jeep Safari. We left around 7:30 PM right after snacks and we went on to drive of a lifetime across the desert, jumping and swaying over the dunes in pitch dark with nothing but the moon lighting up the sky. Deep inside the desert and rampaging on our jeep we took a break to enjoy a small bonfire out in nowhere which our jeep drive organized for a small sum. Our experience was like a sine wave, hitting max thrill on the crest and equal tranquillity on troughs. We ended our night on a high with the ultimate Rajasthani dinner – Dal Baati Choorma and moved to our tents. Day 4 : Bhuj awaits – We were now ready to leave Rajasthan behind and move on to Bhuj (we recommend you travel to Udaipur for this day and enjoy lakes, and castles before moving to Gujarat however we had personal reasons to skip Udaipur and march towards Bhuj). Road conditions take a 180-degree turn as soon as you move from Rajasthan to Gujarat. State borders roads are in a pathetic state. Bhuj is an industrial complex and there are multiple manufacturing sites in and around Bhuj. Bhuj city is just like any other city but one thing is for sure it feels very spacious when you enter the city. This day most of the time was spent on the road and it was late in the evening till we reached our destination and called it a day, as for the next day, white sand (salt lakes) were calling. Food Options: Enroute Jodhpur: There is no end to breakfast options on way to Jaipur and forward, even before reaching Jaipur, you can find all popular chains like KFC, Burger King, Dominos, Pizza Hut, CCD, Barista, now Starbucks as well, and the Dhabas offering Indian, Chinese to your desires. Pali: GarhGirvar resort has become an unconventional stop for us in Rajasthan when going towards Jodhpur / Udaipur, it is an amazing rest over, with an amazingly ambient restaurant. Food is also worth the visit (maybe little on the expensive side) however the service is great. Jodhpur: Without a doubt, kachoris are a staple diet in Jodhpur, even if you are following a diet, please skip it for the kachoris and which better place than Shahi Samosa for kachoris. Jaisalmer: Restaurants are in abundance in Jaisalmer, we had our lunch at a restaurant behind Jain temples, Jaisalmer Oasis restaurant , though it was on the third floor in a nested society however staff is very courteous and the food is fresh and delightful. You can try other restaurants as well, however, do inform staff to make Indian food preparation as they are habitual of preparing meals to the likings of the foreign visitors. Stay Options: All the cities that we covered in this writeup have some amazing stay options and as most of the time we were in the car travelling, stay actually meant to spend night in a comfy place and move to next city. So we picked economical locations throughout this trip and following are our suggestions: Jodhpur: Preference in Jodhpur was to stay at a location that is near the attractions and not some distant resort so we picked up Fern Jodhpur for our stay. It is prime location located and provide parking space as well. We did not try food here so can’t say much about food however support staff is amazing and highly cooperative, and they do have Covid guidelines followed to the dot Jaisalmer: As soon as you are trying to enter Jaisalmer you will be approached by bikers to assist you in finding hotel, caution: DO NOT STOP, many tourists have complained on harassment from these fellows, mind your driving and move towards your destination. Jaisalmer have some amazing properties listed and no doubt you will get good options if you explore. We chose Wanderlust Guest House as it was located outside the Fort hustle however still had multiple food joints nearby in case if you thought of exploring them. Mr. Padam, owner is very helpful and supportive, and you can get a packaged deal for desert camp as well. For our stay at campsite, though almost all camps will offer you similar kind of package, it will have a free camel safari, dinner and breakfast, tents with common washroom / attached washroom. We have tried few camps before as well, however this time we went ahead with Melody Moonlight Desert Camp , and the best thing about this camp is it is exactly opposite of sand dunes where general audience from various camps "visit" sand dunes. With this, we come to an end to the first half of the trip covering Rajasthan. Rajasthan’s beauty cannot be covered in six days however, you can be content by visiting three cities – Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur. We have made numerous visits to Rajasthan and sure we will be returning for more in time to come. Also, our spend and breakup will come as part of subsequent blog. Have a good read..

One North Indian hill station which is known to almost everyone across India is Manali. This blog covers this station in vanilla flavor. Have a quick read and enjoy your next visit to Manali Quick Links : Ideal number of Days Day wise itinerary Food Options Spend Breakup Manali is among the most sought-after destination in North India with tourists pouring like monsoon rain throughout the year. Over the past few years, in addition to local tourism, it has become a religious stay for everyone visiting Leh/Ladakh or Spiti valley. Manali has a lot to offer from enthralling mountains and serene waterfalls to paragliding and ziplining for adventure junkies. Many off-beat destinations have popped up around the city for those trying to avoid commercial and crowded locations in Manali central. This itinerary is a blend of cherry-picked destinations covering the most popular locations in and around Manali for the summer season. Manali never ceases to amaze, even if you visit after few months it will still have something new or something you missed the last time you were here Ideal number of Days : If you are specifically visiting Manali to explore its beauty and scenery, 5-6 days are good enough if traveling by road from Delhi/NCR and 4-5 days. In case if you are reaching Manali by flight Nearest airport is Bhuntar Airport in Kullu. If you are traveling by Car from Delhi NCR, we suggest you leave an evening early and cover the plains journey till Mohali / Rupnagar. And then from Mohali / Rupnagar, we suggest you leave as early as possible in the morning , like 5ish to avoid traffic jams. Day wise itinerary : Day 1 : Travel from Rupnagar / Mohali to Manali. From Rupnagar (if you are leaving from Mohali, then maybe after an hour) travel distance is around 265km and takes around 8-10 hours to reach Manali (unfortunately it was Friday and we were subsumed by traffic at all places, so for us it took 14 hours). You will find most traffic around Mandi and Kullu. As we are talking about Himachal, there will be construction/patchwork through and through. You can find a few good options for meals in Mandi, other than that most will be small-time Dhabas and Maggi outlets. Once you reach Manali, depending on the time, you can recce local area and get a feel of the place. Leverage parking areas to explore around on foot, otherwise, traffic jams are more common than street vendors in Manali  Day 2 : Deepak Tal via Atal Tunnel – If you are a road trip enthusiast then this day will be a delight for you. We left at a good time in the morning towards Atal Tunnel through Leh Manali highway covering en route – Solang valley (15 min from Manali) – Atal Tunnel (40 Min from Manali) and Sissu, the first village after Manali towards Leh. As soon as you leave Atal Tunnel, the way splits in two, one towards Leh and the other towards Kaza. The landscape changes drastically as soon as you leave the Atal tunnel behind. There will be an urge to stop at every hook and turn of the road and capture every view, so be ready and keep your devices charged. The road till Deepak tal will take you through Keylong and Jispa; and is smooth as butter except for few rough patches, our hatchback sailed smoothly with little challenge. Deepak tal is a small yet pristine water body with most of the crowd left far behind. Though it is incomparable to Chandra tal (in Spiti) , the aura around is energetic and flows with positive vibes. You can also try some good monasteries around Keylong if not interested in traveling this far. You can find decent famiy restaurants in Keylong for food and snacks Day 3 : Rohtang pass – Must visit place for Manali. You can hire a cab very easily as there is a huge number of operators in Manali for the Rohtang pass. At Rohtang Pass, you will get to see and feel snow even in peak summers, most of it will be in patches, not too thick but good enough to enjoy. Keep your expectations from this snow very low as most of it will be mud stricken with activities like – Yak riding, Skiing, Tube slide, and more going in full flow. However, the view from the top is nothing but extraordinarily breathtaking. You can explore the area on foot to experience “on edge of the world” feeling. There are multiple waterfalls when you go uphill to Rohtang however if you decide to go towards Kaza from Rohtang, there are more beautiful waterfalls on the other side. Cab drivers will give you the option to return via Atal Tunnel (do choose this option) but be wary of twists and turns downhill as it may trigger motion sickness among a few. Day 4 : Local and One nearby destination (Manikaran / Kullu – Nagger Castle): On our last day in Manali we had an option to exert or spend it relaxingly so we gave Manikaran a skip and decided to go to Kullu instead. We visited Nagger castle, a small medieval castle located on a little detour from Kullu, it is easily approachable and can be found full of IT millennials/ Gen Z leveraging WFH in Covid times. Nagger castle is good but it can be skipped and not feel bad about it. Rest of the day, we spent visiting Hidimba temple (an ancient cave temple) and Local market road (MG road) for leisure and shopping. Do try 8 in 1/ 4 in 1 / 16 in 1 flavor ice cream (or as we know it – Softy) You can also opt for local places instead of Manikaran / Kullu depending on your interst and priority. Day 5 : Return to Delhi. Time has come to leave amazing sceneries behind and travel back to the regular routine. It is recommended that you leave as early as possible like 6- 6:30 in the morning to avoid all the rush. It took us 14 hours with multiple stops to return when we left by 6:30 in the morning. Food Options: Manali has a bouquet of eateries and restaurants with live music and amazing delicacies to offer. If you go by google maps, astonishingly you will find most of them have a rating above 4. Even dhabas have an average rating of 4.2, so there is a struggle to choose which restaurant to try. If we look at Food options geographically, there are good food options located on almost every road you take around New/ OldManali . Following are our recommendations: Corner House (MG road): Without a doubt, the best food we had in Manali. It was that one meal that was smooth on the palate, full of flavors and hitting all the right nodes from starters till Dessert. Courteous staff and on-time food delivery made us crave for more and we left with a slightly lighter pocket but full till the brim on the tummy. Il Forno (Near Hidimba Temple): Garden theme restaurant, with an outdoor and indoor setting, it offers some of the refreshing drinks from its garden fruits. Clay oven-based veg pizza was good but not that great. You will love the ambiance and if you have good company then an unforgettable time is confirmed. Food prices are on the upper side of the normal curve.   German Bakery (Old Manali): Riverside bakery with ample sitting space offers amazing delicacies like pies and coffee which are wholesome and amazing. You can have a full meal or dessert with coffee, depending on your choice Manalsu Dhaba: In case you are interested in simple yet yummy food try out Manalsu Dhaba just near the old Manali bridge, there are multiple dhabas around the old Manali bridge, all having 4+ ratings, depending on the crowd and your liking choose one. Roundez-Vous restaurant: Unfortunately, we visited this place when Manali was coming out of the second wave and almost all restaurants were struggling with staff shortage. The food here is premium on the pocket but average on taste buds. Clay Oven Pizza is not something that you will like and something which every restaurant is offering. The place has ample space and if your herd is huge in size you may try it out. Ride Inn: Away from the Manali’s restaurant honeycomb maze, Ride-inn offers stays and a thematic restaurant which is nothing like any other. The conceptual restaurant is all about drive machines, you will find so much artistry in the ambiance that you will fall in love with the place in a glance. They take time to bring food (observed some customers leaving without food) however it is worth the wait. Full of flavors and palatable.  There were some restaurants that we badly wanted to try however we couldn’t: Café 1947: Located on wide Leh Manali highway, we saw many reviews and videos suggesting this Café, however our hard luck, whenever we visited there was waiting for more than two hours and restaurant policy needs you to be physically there when your time comes on the waiting list. Opens around 1 PM in the noon and goes on till midnight (depending on local restrictions) Rocky Café: One of those restaurants which we were never able to reach due to distance between our stay and restaurant location, but heard that they offer among the best pizzas in town.  Renaissance: Known for its lip smacking Pizzas, this restaurant strictly follows timings. We could not enjoy its delicacies because we got held up by traffic and reached a little late. Our advice, do not take your car/taxi in Old Manali market to avoid getting stuck in traffic on steep slope.                 Some tips to have a good time in Manali: Staying location: Manali has amazing stays all around. Our plan is to select a property that is adjacent or a little far from the heart of the city. Due to the huge inflow of personal cars and cramped roads, you will observe people struggling and tussling over parking space. If you have your own vehicle prefer to stay on Goshal Road and enter old Manali through Nehru Kund, comparatively here traffic is low and there are good options to stay. We opted for Airbnb , as at times you get good options at economical prices If we could bucket Manali then there are three major areas: Old Manali where the hotels surround Mall Road, Old Manali bridge where most of the restaurants and hotels are, and then third will be Leh Manali highway crossing on the other side of Manalsu River. Traffic wise third area is most easily accessible and has the least traffic issues. In case you are going for a second pocket, we advise you to reach there through Nehru Kund and park near HPT Clubhouse or else you will struggle a lot to park your car and reach even by cabs. If you are visiting Manali in the summers, Solang valley offers nothing extraordinary, you can skip it completely. In case you want to try out adventure sports, then you may visit ; otherwise , it is like an open ground in between hills For Rohtang Pass , you can take your personal car by applying for a pass through  https://rohtangpermits.nic.in/ , you will be among the lucky ones if you are able to complete the process and make payment as well since the website is really slow. Another option is to take a cab by reaching out to local tour operators. One piece of advice though, bargain heavily as they start with skyrocket prices giving thousands of reasons. You can do multiple activities, hire a cab around INR 4k. Environmental advice: kindly bring back your plastic waste and do not dispose of it in Manali as hill stations do not have efficient waste management. This is for our own good and preserving precious locations. Stay options for Manali: Stay locations are always a personal matter. Some prefer a room in a hotel with hot meals available throughout and some believe in having a place with independence, we belong to latter category however at the end economical stay matters J Below are the options that we explored / stayed at during our trip: Farm stay at Rupnagar : As it was one night stay we made some compromise on the comfort and decided to stay at a Farm House, though house location is little deep in the village and reaching there may be troublesome, it was a good stay ( We stayed on the top floor, and were provided with coolers). Overall, a good stay with amazing fresh fruit breakfast. Hotel stay in Manali : Manali have truck load options in terms of hotel, however our priority was to stay a little outside the hustle bustle but yet reachable under 15 min so we decided to this location. We got a good deal on Airbnb in comparison to other booking sites. Our overall stay was good in this nice cozy hotel Spend Breakup: We spent in total INR 37k for this trip and the breakup was as: Stay spend : INR 15k approx for two rooms - four nights Fuel spend : INR 5k approx for petrol car Food : INR 6.7k approx (this is totally personal and depends on you) Misc : INR 10k Rohtang cab visit and other expenses ( also depends on your negotiation skills)

Just to the south of the Europe, lies the heart of the world, a place where intellectuality was born. A place where sun does not set in west rather it melts and leave a mark. I think I was in third grade when I first learnt about Trojan Horse and got fascinated with the story of Troy. Though I was never fascinated with Greece at that time, tbh till 2019 Greece was a distant land somewhere in Europe. I don’t know when my better half got fixated on Greece and pushed that we plan for scintillating Greek memories. Her wish = My wish Our plan was to try and find a balanced trip between the Greek mainland and well-known islands. When you explore Greek itineraries, you may get overwhelmed with choices and find everything pickable. You transform into a kid and want everything till the time reality slaps you, and you find your job, finances and other commitments standing on top and then you get serious about what to pick. We finally settled that we would spend two nights on the Greek mainland, and two nights in Mykonos followed by two nights in Folegandros and a night in Santorini. How did we finalize on these pitstops you ask? Sure, let's jump onto that. How to plan a perfect Greek tour? The answer is plain and simple. Decide on what you want to do in Greece. Your preference is island hopping; great go for it, you will not be missing anything if you do so. Your preference is experiencing history; great, the mainland has so many things that you can skip islands and will not feel bad about it. And in the end, you want both; now we are talking. Our one-week itinerary was distributed around the Greek capital, two of the most popular islands – Mykonos and Santorini and one mandatorily offbeat island(s) (it can be more than one). Now, this is quintessential that you select one of the many options and one island that does not regularly appear on Instagram or Facebook. Greece is so much more than Mykonos and Santorini, and personally, these both islands are awesome and everything, but if someone asks me, Santorini is an overkill, it is always crowded everywhere. Santorini was a mood killer and the only reason we spent a night here, was because it had a direct flight to Athens (Greek Capital), and I suffer from seasickness. We were more than happy with Mykonos and can revisit any day, and the third island i.e. Folegandros was personally my choice as I wanted an off-radar island and developed a liking as soon as I googled it. Most of the well-known islands are in the Cyclades group and you can pick any of them like Anafi, Ios, Paros, Naxos among others. What did we do when we were in Greece, that is a very detailed story and readable through the following links: 1. Day 0 and 1: Settling Down and leisure walk through History Boulevard 2. Day 2: Tete-a-Tete with the Sun and the Sea 3. Day 3: Commonalities of Mykonos 4. Day 4 and 5: Detoxifying @Folegandros 5. Day 6: Closure and Return So have a read and let us know how you feel about it. Before we sign off, I forgot to mention the best time to visit Greece is around September when the crowd is thin but at the same time, the weather is still good to enjoy almost summers in Greece. Though, peak season is March – June if you are a crowd-loving fan. In addition, to assist you in a way for better planning, you can go through our Greece logistics arrangement blog as well. Oh.. I missed to mention there is some smack-i-licious food options also mentioned here. Till Next time!! Adios Amigos!!

A Simple take on one of the basic question: Which Goa to visit - North Goa or South Goa? If there is one Indian city/ state which truly resonates with tourism, it is Goa. If we talk about millennials, be it our last years of graduation, initial few years of bachelorhood and job there would have been one friend, one colleague who would have popped this question – “Let’s go to Goa this year” and after numerous plan failures, breakups, or after getting married, every second or third Indian would have succeeded in executing their plan. And we can say surely, it takes not an itinerary but a simply fun mood to visit Goa. Pack summer clothes, book a flight, and arrive in Goa that’s all you need. After all, what’s Goa if not “Beach, Booze, Food. Repeat”. This is at least true for the first or second visit and if you are doing this for the fifth or sixth time, and you are loving it, then you are at the wrong place searching for an itinerary. We will not call ourselves experts in Goa planning. But we can say with utmost confidence, that Goa might be amongst the smallest states in India, but it is the largest in terms of tourism. Don’t trust us? Open Instagram and search Goa. You will get at least 200 different pages only for Goa promoting one or another thing. Without further ado, let's focus on why you are reading this blog? So basically, every second person can make a Goa itinerary, but we hope to provide a different perspective on how to plan your next Goa trip. After researching, planning, visiting, and learning from mistakes on what to and what not to do in Goa, we present to you how to plan your next goa trip. As we mentioned, it's all about perspective when visiting Goa. Goa has two facets. One which is calm, exquisite, green, vast, and expensive on the pocket, or what we call South Goa. Then there is spoilt with choices, hip, and happening, yet exquisite and a little less expensive is North Goa. So based on your company, budget, and expectations from Goa (or simply perspective) you should choose where you want to spend your holidays. Oh and expecting you are there for a holiday of max a week or less. If you are spending around ten days or more, you can divide your stay and cover both parts. We will suggest if you are spending 4-5 days and are interested in covering both, then please don’t. You will not be able to enjoy both as much as you want. The distance between two locations(North and South) is about 3-5 hours, depending on your stay location with Airport being somewhere in middle. When and Why to Choose either South or North Goa? Starting with South Goa, this is the place for relaxation, meditation, and connecting with your inner self. Below is a snapshot of what your day will look like: Waking early in the morning around 6-7 and wearing an additional layer as you feel chill in the air. You will take your vehicle and visit the nearest beach where you will find missing human souls. You will sit on the shore and play with soothing waves crashing at your feet. You will be back at the hotel/resort for your breakfast and dip in not so chilling swimming pool. You will get ready and decide to explore forts, and waterfalls near you, which probably will be an hour's drive or more depending on your choice. You will hop from one waterfall to another and have lunch in one of the amazing restaurants before heading to watch the sunset on another beach. There will be a couple of enthusiasts like you on the beach, clicking photographs for Instagram or recording the next Youtube video. By the time sun says goodbyes you will be tired but your mind will be full of energy. Your next stop will be the resort where you will get ready for the night and head to another restaurant right on the beach for live music and some booze. You head back to the resort late to enjoy the next day lazily. If not a party lover, then you will find architectural beauty spilling on the roads here. You can turn to visit monuments during the day apart from beaches in the morning and evening to have an eventful day. In North Goa, all the things are in close vicinity. You will get restaurants, stores, and stay locations in abundance. When you are out in your vehicle, you will probably reach one hotspot to another in a very short span, whereas traveling time in South goa is a little longer as all the spots are scattered. You will see civilization and huge gatherings in North Goa which is totally opposite of South Goa. Selection of location comes down to your budget, if you can spend some extra and look for a quality, distant peaceful time, prefer South Goa. If you are tight on budget and want a similar feel as South Goa, you can opt for Airbnb in North of North Goa, i.e. near Vagator beach. Another highly helpful tool, especially in Goa is Google maps. Search your stay property and work outwards to find locations that you can explore on your humane strength and pocket strength. Just to give an idea average room tariff in South Goa will be around 3.5-5k (10-20% higher than North Goa of a similar rated stay location) One piece of advice: You cannot cover everything if you are not in a “traveling profession”. Pick things that your group likes, which they agree on, and as per your capacity. Please do not blindly follow Instagram or YouTube Ideas. Goa is your fun destination; it does not need to be a traveler’s course. To conclude we will give you some good tourist spots from South Goa: Cabo De Rama Fort and waterfall right along with Cape De Goa Waterfalls like Bamanbudo, Netralim, Mainapi, Doodhsagar, and the list goes on Untapped beaches like Butterfly beach, Mobor beach, Palolem beach among others Restaurants: The Farmhouse (a personal favorite), Leda Balcao, Martin’s Corner Coming to North Goa, the following will be our recommendations: Chapora fort (Dil Chahta hai), Fontainhaas, Immaculate Conception Church (though it is very crowded almost at all times) Beaches: Though most of them are crowded like Calangute, Candolim however there are some quiet beaches like Anjuna, Vagator which are further in the north Restaurants: Baba au Rhum (must visit), Artjuna, Caravella Coffee house (another must-visit) but in any case, there will be endless options for you in terms of food and restaurants here. Various water sports like parasailing, banana ride, jet and many more at almost all the major beaches of the city but do bargain well for the best price In addition, we will not personally recommend scuba diving in Goa if you are a scuba enthusiast, though it's cheap compared to other locations, it is not at all worth a single penny. They try to create a fake scuba experience better to explore it in other locations. So that concludes our take on Goa, hope we helped you gain some perspective when visiting Goa. Adios!! Travel, Mi Amor

Two-part series on getting to know about the Maldives and whether you should visit Maldives. Through these two posts, We will be answering questions such as: What is Maldives? Private islands or Public Islands? Why visit Maldives? What is the best time to visit the Maldives? What are different types of private resort properties? How to choose a resort? If you are interested in answers to any of the questions above, I am sure the next 10-15 min read will be worth it. Heads up, this blog is the starting point of knowing Maldives better. If you are already aware of the basic geo and demographics understanding about the Maldives, please jump to Part II ( Why Maldives and is it worth it? ) Maldives has always been an exotic destination for many, and it has always been looked expensive, too good to be true, out of reach however, at the same time some may have ignored it considering it not value for money. Post-Covid, people have started looking at Maldives from a whole new perspective, given it is one of the “foreign” lands that were open and welcoming tourists from India. Generally, newly married pick Maldives as its basic offering - “honeymoon” setup is next to none. Locating Maldives Let’s start with understanding the Maldives demographically / geographically to better know and pick a location in Maldives for time to spend. The Maldives is a small group of islands located just below the Sovereign of India and Sri Lanka. It’s a Muslim-ethnic country and has strict guidelines on how to carry oneself in public. Important to note- you cannot carry liquor from your place to Maldives and if you are visiting public beaches, then you should follow the guidelines on what to wear. Coming via air route, you will land in Male, the Maldivian capital and biggest island in the Maldives. There are high rises, residential complexes, and everything you expect from a capital city with all sides surrounded by Sea (Yes Sea, Maldives is in the Arabian Sea). So, staying in Male will be like staying in any other beachside city. Maldives Atolls In Maldives, some of the islands are public islands that are accessible to all and can be visited by taking a public ferry and one can stay on different properties on these islands. Just like Andamans Islands (India). So, if in your opinion, new culture, new people are important as travel experience then opt for public islands. However, it will be less expensive to visit Andamans at any time for a similar experience. Coming to the exotic private islands, Maldives is a group of small islands clubbed into atolls – North Atoll and South Atoll. Most North Atoll islands are near to Male and can be reached easily with jet boat transfers whereas South atoll islands are a bit far and can be reached through seaplanes. Now if you are planning to go extremities of both North and South, you will need seaplane transfers. Most of the small islands are the size of a few acres (circumference of 2-10 km) which you can easily cover in hours. And individually, islands are owned by huge hoteliers. Hotel chains have set up islands as their property. There are many islands inhabited by indigenous people with no resort or hotel setup, which are off-limits for tourism until and unless you have been invited there by locals. If you are wondering whether you should plan for North Atoll or South Atoll? There is very little difference in terms of scenic views, luxury, or environment. Marine life around Maldives is very beautiful irrespective of the atoll. But it will only affect your decision to stay in the north or south if you are planning a sea excursion like snorkeling or scuba. Time to visit Maldives The best time of visiting the Maldives is from November – February. We chose November given prices are low and the weather is good. The same can be said for February when the temperature is almost similar, but the weather is too dry and chances for sunburns are high. Maldives package can be booked either for 3N/4D(3 nights/4 days) or 4N/5D and this is the ideal duration of time to spend in the Maldives. What Maldives Offer?  Maldives islands can be considered as a private retreat where you are only in touch with limited guests on the island and the company you went with. You can enjoy beach/pool swims, snorkeling, amazing food, photography, and enjoy the break from the never-ending race. Time at Maldives is like rejuvenation. As soon as you land in Maldives, its transparent water, hospitality, and ambiance take away all your worries. Human nature has always struggled with choices, we want more choices however when we have abundant choices and things to do, we get confused and end up with nothing. When you are in resort you have countable choices. Reduction in this burden is the biggest treasure of being in Maldives. You will be traveling to a place that has one of the best sunsets, one of the best white sand beaches, crystal clear water, and resort amenities to enjoy, I think you should plan for the Maldives then. As much as I enjoy big company, I enjoy a level above when it is just my partner and me. At the same time, families or groups of friends can also have some of the best days of their life. Hope this introduction to the Maldives has set a proper base and now if your next question is how to decide which resort shall you finalize? Please hop on to the next chapter: All things about Maldives resorts and How much will it cost?

Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast The famous quote from Shahjahanabad, Rana Safvi’s book has been aptly made for Kashmir Valley. Kashmir, sitting as the crown of the nation, is nestled between oldest Himalayan ranges. What makes Kashmir stand apart is its simplicity dwelling in the preciousness of nature. Srinagar, the capital city will come across like any other non-metro city. Though it is imperative that you may have heard / read something negative about the valley but when you are in Srinagar, you will observe people on their routine jobs, living, enjoying like any other city in India. At the same time, the probability of any incident occurring is comparatively higher but at least for a common man, it’s not as bad as presented in news. Hats off to security forces for maintaining the security and decorum of the place. Kashmir is beautiful in any and every season, be it winters or summers. All you need to do is plan and visit for that reason, we are here to assist you so that you can have a good time in Kashmir. Kashmir valley’s vantage point is Srinagar (if you are coming via flight) and it is up to your personal choice whether to keep Srinagar as the center for your visit or keep changing base as you travel to different locations in the valley. Our itinerary is based and planned for winters, to be very specific last week of December. We expected snowy Srinagar however to our disappointment, that was not the case. Something we heard a lot on our trip about Kashmir during our visit was “weather in Kashmir is like Mumbai’s fashion” (meaning it changes with a whip of wind) and guess what, it turned out to be true. For our whole trip, every day we felt like nature’s objective was to beat all kinds of weather predictions. Coming to the itinerary, for this journey we have tried to cover a lot of things like how to plan, places to visit, special mentions for you to make your trip memorable. You can use the following links to get a detailed itinerary for every location and important pointers. So hop on and make us your first stop for any travel planning. Gulmarg: Land from Frozen Pahalgam: Adventurous soul of Kashmir Sonamarg: Land of Golden Mountain Hidden gems of Kashmir Srinagar : Roti, Kapda aur aap Kashmir: Planning your trip Hope you have a good read and we can assist in your travel plans. Travel, Mi Amor.

Simplicity of a road trip during winters of North India Weekends and extended holidays have been given a new meaning in the Indian Dictionary. Most families plan small get-together trips to break free and have fun in a short duration of time. Due to this increase in the trend, the number of options to explore has also increased. Especially in the northern part of India, you will find resorts in distant locations of Rajasthan, upcoming Airbnbs in hilly states, or workcation locations in an exotic destination. All that is left to set sail is a few motivated souls in the group and an agreed-upon date to travel. In this plethora of road trip options, some heritage cities have historical roots, with an added modernization twist. Cities like Jaipur, and Amritsar which are the top 2 cities in this category, have always attracted crowds through their spiritual or historic connections. Most of us do have few options marked to cover when they are in these historical cities. Then one might ask what additionally these cities have to offer. It is for the same reason that this road trip is a little different. The generic itinerary of Amritsar included Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, and Wagah Border, and amazing food will be the top choice for most of them. Therefore, let’s uncover some of the uncanny places and some useful tips to spice up your next road trip to Amritsar. If you are traveling to Amritsar via Delhi NCR you cross multiple cities with some special offerings like Murthal Dhabas, Karna lake at Karnal, or the legendary city of Kurukshetra. You may plan your trip in a way that you take a food break in Murthal, some of the dhabas turned restaurants have the most mouth-watering paranthas and dishes. Karna lake is also reachable with a small detour however it may consume half of your day. Visiting Kurukshetra may take a day or so to explore, so there are multiple options for you to choose from. We planned our trip in a way to visit the famous Rang de Basanti fort or Dohra fort in Ludhiana, it’s hardly 5 min drive off the NH1 and easily trackable through Google maps. All though it bears very less resemblance to how it was presented in the movie however it’s a good stop over and worthy of your time here. Fort’s condition is not good, it's not that maintained yet the boundary wall stands tall and you can walk on the periphery, clicking photos, and spend time enjoying the farms all around with all green fields swinging to the tunes of the winds reminding you of the typical Punjabi beauty. In the summers, you may find kids flying kites outside and having a good time. As you leave behind Ludhiana, you can plan your next halt directly at Amritsar excluding the food and nature breaks. Amritsar welcomes you with a magnificent dome entrance and you can see that now you are entering the holy city of Amritsar. A lot of development has been done in the last few years and the city is trying to keep up with the growing population and infrastructure demands. Major well-known attractions of the city are located near Golden temples like Jallianwala bagh, shopping sites, partition museum, and a few others. It is preferable to book a hotel near Golden temple and ensure it has car parking for safety reasons. Most of the time when roaming in the city, prefer not to take your car, otherwise, you will be spending most of the time in traffic rather than enjoying yourself. Prefer transport mediums like E-rickshaw to cover places in and around. Govt has also developed infra around the temple making it easier to walk and discover. In the end, the choice is yours. Day in Amritsar can be planned in a way to cover Jallianwala Bagh, Partition Museum, Street food tour, Shopping can be done on the day you are reaching Amritsar. Golden temple is heavily crowded during the day, so it is most suitable to visit the temple in the early hours, preferably at 4:00 AM. Now if you are a night person then you can plan to visit late at night around 11:00 PM. Though if you plan to take a dip in the holy water then you must visit during the daytime. We made a mistake of reaching around 1:00 AM and we were unaware that the temple is closed for cleaning till 3:30 AM and it opens again around 4:00 AM. Langar services are open 24X7X365 so you need not worry if you feel hungry. As it’s a short road trip and the next day is your day of return, what better thing to do than visit Wagah Border and kindle your patriotism? One place which had the biggest makeover has been Wagah Border. I remember visiting Wagah Border when I was 10-12 years old, there used to be a very small audience standing on one side with a sitting capacity of 100 max I guess. On the visitors/ sitting capacity ratio, it is still the same, but then you used to sit close to the beating retreat. Due to Covid, you never know when they shut down beating retreat and you just visit there for fun. So you will have to check whether the beating retreat is scheduled or not. Because that will change the itinerary as you may have to cover the Wagah border a day before as it is an evening activity. Another place that is very near to the Wagah border and rarely visited by people is – Pul Mooran / Pul Kanjri which has a significant historic reference. It is far closer to the border than a closed Wagah border. You can see huge fencing almost 100 steps from you. The odd thing is everything looks the same on both sides of the fencing. Though there is a BSF post in front of it, they will not allow you to reach the fence. So please don’t act smart :P Pul Kanji is said to be Punjab’s Taj Mahal as it is a symbol of love, built as a stopover from Amritsar to Lahore. It is a good stop for a photography session as well. There are a few more places that you can cover in case you have ample time before you start your journey back. You can cover Ram Tirath Mandir, which is the birthplace of Lord Ram’s sons Love and Kush. It is again a small detour en route to Wagah Border. Another hotspot destination is Gobindgarh Fort, which has been beautifully maintained and is located only 2 km from Golden temple. And if you are looking for a short stop over to another religious site, then you may think about covering Tarn Taran, which is on the way back, and though it may take some time to cover Goindwal Sahib and Tarn Taaran Sahib here. Many of us have been to Amritsar quite a few times and most of the time we have on our itinerary Golden temple and Wagah border. Well now for your next visit hopefully you have some more locations to cover on your next road trip and that too without extending your stay in Amritsar. Coming up - Places for a weekend trip near Delhi NCR ;)

Dreaming of a spontaneous weekend escape that will whisk you away from the everyday hustle and bustle? Look no further! We're here to unravel the secrets of choosing the perfect destination for your quick getaway. While we can't promise an exhaustive list of all the incredible places out there (we'd need an infinite number of blogs and reels for that), we can certainly equip you with a simple approach to make your decision-making a breeze. Picture this: you and your loved ones, packing your bags, and setting off on an adventure-filled journey, leaving behind the stress of everyday life. But where should you go? Say goodbye to endless hours of research and confusion. It's time to embrace a simple yet effective approach that will have you jetting off to incredible locations in no time. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a whirlwind adventure of discovery and inspiration! Lately, we've been sharing our travel experiences, from planning to execution and post-visit reflections. Today, we want to help you streamline the process of picking a destination for a weekend getaway. This blog is the result of our contemplation, aiming to assist you in quickly shortlisting destinations and spending less time on decision-making. Let's get started with some basic assumptions: You reside in the Delhi NCR region (if not, don't worry, you can adapt the steps to your location). You have a Friday evening to Sunday night window for your getaway (approximately 48 hours, the minimum timeframe for a true getaway). Expect a minimum travel time of 10 hours (round trip). Based on this estimate, we'll focus on destinations within a range of 350-400 km. If you have a dedicated driver, you can consider extending the range to 500 km or beyond. Seasonal Considerations: To begin, let's consider the time of year when you plan your trip. If you're in Delhi NCR, you're surrounded by Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Haryana, and Punjab (including Chandigarh). We can exclude Haryana from our weekend visit options, as it offers few worthy destinations beyond a few resorts. Instead, we'll consider it as a midway stop only. To help you with the first-level shortlisting, here's a breakdown of the potential destinations in each state based on different months: ​Months / State Punjab UP (East) UK / HP Rajasthan Mar-Apr Okay Okay Prefer Avoid May-Jun Avoid Avoid Prefer Avoid Jul-Sep Okay Okay Avoid Okay Oct-Nov Okay Okay Top Choice Prefer Dec-Feb Avoid Okay Top Choice Top Choice​ Here's what these choices mean: Okay: You can easily plan a trip to any destination in this state, though you may face minor discomfort due to heat or cold. Prefer: Beat the weather for an amazing time, but expect larger crowds and competition for resources like hotels, restaurants, and popular picture spots. Avoid: Not recommended to visit these locations due to extreme weather conditions or other factors. Top Choice: Best time to visit the location, with great weather and an opportunity to enjoy nature's wonders. Your Choice: If you're particularly fond of a specific season, such as winter or snowfall, feel free to visit a destination of your liking. Great! With the state-level shortlisting complete, let's delve deeper into each state and explore the manageable distances within our allotted time frame. We've included screenshots from Google Maps to help you visualize the regions. Chapter 1: Punjab - Unveiling the Possibilities \The highlighted blue region on the map showcases the area you can cover within a 500 km radius (approximately 8 hours' drive) from Punjab. It presents various destinations worth exploring, including the renowned city of Amritsar. To learn more about Amritsar, check out our blog post at https://www.travelmiamor.com/post/amritsar-road-trip . Punjab Google Maps (Image source: Google maps) Chapter 2: Uttar Pradesh (East) - A Cultural Mélange The green region on the map signifies a 500 km radius (approximately 8 hours' drive) from Lucknow, covering prominent destinations such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Gorakhpur. These cities are steeped in culture, spirituality, and historical significance. (Image source: Google maps) Chapter 3: Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh - A Himalayan Odyssey This vast region, marked by the purple boundaries, is perfect for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Destinations like Nainital, Mussoorie, Dehradun, Shimla, and Manali are a few highlights within a 500 km radius (approximately 8 hours' drive) from Dehli. Each place offers breathtaking views, serene landscapes, and ample opportunities for adventure activities. Nainital (and nearby lakes, which are now more recommended owing to increasing traffic in Nainital) Almora Dehradun / Mussoorie Kanatal / New Tehri Haridwar / Rishikesh Landsdowne Mukteshwar Jim Corbett / Ramnagar Uttrakhand Google maps (Image source: Google Maps) Coming to Himachal Pradesh, post-Covid, multiple small destinations have come up offering a "work-from-home" setup at a reasonable price. In our circle, we felt every fourth person sitting in Himachal and working from the mountains for months. Lets list down places easily coverable over the weekend: Chail (will prefer it over Shimla, due to peace and relaxation) Shimla Kasauli Kufri Then there are some destinations which are little further like: Jibhi Tirthan Dharamshala Palampur Bir Billing Planning for Himachal Pradesh over a weekend is a little tricky owing to the distance from Delhi and mostly it will be a journey of more than 8 hours one way. So recommended way of travel is to reach Chandigarh and stay overnight before leaving early morning for Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh Google Maps (Image source: Google Maps) Chapter 4: Rajasthan - Unveiling Royal Legacies In the golden expanse of Rajasthan, marked in yellow, you'll find cities that reflect a glorious past and vibrant culture. From Jaipur to Jhunjhunu, Mandawa, Pattan, Neemrana, Ajmer, Jodhpur; each city offers unique experiences that transport you to a bygone era. All these destinations can be reached within a 500 km radius (approximately 8 hours' drive) from Delhi. Additionally, Ranthambhore (near Sawai Madhopur) is also in the radar. Rajasthan Google Maps In the end: Armed with our seasonal considerations, state-level shortlisting, and a closer look at specific regions, you can now make an informed decision for your next weekend getaway. Remember, these are just recommendations, and you're free to adapt them according to your preferences. So, pack your bags, hit the road, and embark on an unforgettable adventure that fits perfectly within your weekend schedule.

Have you ever embarked on a journey with a destination in mind, only to end up in a completely different place? Life has a way of surprising us, and travel plans are no exception. Join us on a thrilling adventure as we share our story of initially planning for Georgia, only to find ourselves enchanted by the hidden gems of Slovenia and Austria. From the initial apprehension to the elation upon arrival and the bittersweet departure, this tale will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Ljubljana: City of Dragon Unplanned Detour: From Georgia to Europe As we began our travel planning, Georgia was set to be our destination. However, the desire for a more European experience led us to consider other options. After evaluating various countries, including the Czech Republic, Croatia, England, and Scotland, we settled on Czech Republic and Austria. Excitement filled the air as we meticulously crafted our itinerary and made the necessary bookings. But a sudden blow came when we realized that the earliest visa appointment available was 20 days after our scheduled flight. Panic set in, until a wise suggestion from our uncle changed our course. Discovering Slovenia: A Hidden Gem Our relative proposed visiting Slovenia, a country less frequented by Indian travellers. At first, we were unfamiliar with this mysterious destination, but curiosity took hold. With a speedy visa appointment secured within 7 days, we eagerly set our sights on this unexplored corner of Europe. Slovenia, once part of the former Yugoslavia, revealed a rich history, pristine nature, and captivating architecture. It may not have the grandeur of other European countries, but it held a unique charm all its own. Nature's Bliss in Austria To compensate for Slovenia's architectural simplicity, we discovered that Austria had a secret treasure trove of natural beauty. The breathtaking landscapes of Austria left us awestruck. From the majestic Alps to picturesque lakes and charming villages, Austria showcased a side we had never anticipated. It was a delightful surprise to witness the harmonious blend of Austria's cultural heritage and awe-inspiring nature. Peace Dimension Planning for the Journey No Euro trip is complete without thorough planning. Our experiences taught us the importance of scheduling visa appointments early, especially during peak European summers. We recommend considering Slovenia as a viable option due to the relatively easier visa process. Our itinerary included three days in Slovenia before heading to Austria, specifically exploring Salzburg and Vienna. Inter and Intra city travels Navigating intercity travel in Slovenia can be a bit challenging due to low frequency, but various operators offer services. Check timetables frequently and ensure you travel with the same operator for round trips. In Ljubljana, the capital, consider getting the Urbana card, which provides free bus rides and additional perks like a boat ride and a ride on the Funicular (like a lift for reaching Ljubljana Castle) In Austria, public transport in Salzburg and nearby can be tricky, so renting a car is advisable for exploring the natural beauty surrounding the city. In Vienna, a vast metropolis, it's best to obtain travel cards suitable for your specific needs. Research different options based on your planned daily destinations to maximise convenience. Finding Your Perfect Stay When it comes to accommodation, Airbnb often offers centrally located options without breaking the bank. Use Google Maps to compare the proximity of your stay to key attractions. For more budget-friendly options, booking.com and Agoda can provide alternatives, ensuring a comfortable and convenient stay. Logistics: Sim Card, Travel cards and Currency Upon arrival, obtaining a local sim card becomes a priority. In Ljubljana, we were surprised to find no sim card shops at the airport. Instead, we visited a local retail chain like Hofer or Lidl to purchase a sim card with data packages costing around EUR 10. It's also advisable to keep small currency denominations for public transportation ticket purchases. When it comes to travel cards, evaluate your planned destinations in detail. In Ljubljana, we skipped purchasing a travel card as most attractions were within walking distance from our centrally located accommodation. However, in cities like Salzburg and Vienna, travel cards often include entry tickets to historic sites or offer discounts, making them worthwhile investments. Also, the Vienna travel cards come in various combinations, it may take some time to figure out best combo for you. Although, we ended up buying tickets only as the cards were coming costly for us. By the way, public transport is free on Sundays. So visit Vienna travel site and match cards for your requirements. Indulging in Gastronomic Delights Food options in Slovenia and Austria cater to a diverse range of palates. From vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes to vegan alternatives, you'll find ample choices. If you have specific dietary restrictions, such as avoiding eggplant, don't hesitate to communicate your preferences to ensure a satisfying culinary experience. Keep in mind that Slovenia tends to have slightly higher food prices compared to Austria, but the options are still plentiful. Packing some cup noodles or instant meals for quick fillers during travel can be a handy tip. Dressing for the Adventure Slovenia's summer weather remains consistent throughout the day, so light clothing is ideal. The long daylight hours offer extended exploration opportunities, though we regretfully missed experiencing Slovenia's nightlife due to exhaustion from daytime adventures. Austria, on the other hand, exhibits a varied climate, ranging from warm to cold and rainy. Packing layers of clothing will help you adapt to unpredictable weather changes and stay comfortable during your visit. Conclusion Our biggest takeaway from the adventure was to always start with getting an VFS appointment and then preparing an itinerary. Euro summers have become very famous and in a country like India, you may not get an appointment in due time. Embrace the unexpected twists and turns that travel can bring. Our detour to Slovenia and Austria turned out to be a serendipitous experience, leaving us with cherished memories and a yearning to return. By planning meticulously, adapting to unforeseen circumstances, and immersing ourselves in the beauty of these countries, we discovered that the most remarkable journeys are often the ones that lead us off the beaten path. So, pack your bags, embrace the unknown, and embark on a transformative adventure through the enchanting lands of Slovenia and Austria. Stay tuned as we add about experiences in Slovenia and Austria. Our stories may give you that push for Euro trip which you are trying to find. !!

Welcome to Ljubljana: A Hidden Gem of Europe! Step into a city where time slows down and vibrant vibes enchant you. From the calm airport to the medieval treasures and lively medieval town, Ljubljana is a blend of history, culture, and relaxation. Join us on an adventure through hidden streets and captivating sights in this European gem. Robbov Vodjnak We arrived in Ljubljana after a quick layover in Dubai, and our flight from Dubai to Ljubljana was short and enjoyable. Ljubljana immediately made a positive impression on us. The airport was calm and organized, making it easy to navigate. We located the bus stand for traveling to the city, and buses were scheduled hourly throughout the day. Our Airbnb booking at The cave turned out to be a fantastic choice due to its strategic location. It was just a 5-minute walk from the Bus and Railway stations, which happened to be next to each other, and only a 10-minute walk from the historic center of Ljubljana. After checking in and having a quick chat with our amazing host, we planned our exploration of the city and embarked on a tour of the central hub. The vibes in Ljubljana were refreshingly different from those of a typical European city. People here seemed more relaxed, embracing the art of spending time in good company rather than solely focusing on exploring architecture. Ljubljana is a relatively small city, and like most European cities, its heart lies in the old town or medieval town. The focal point of the old town is the magnificent Ljubljana Castle. By orienting yourself around the castle, it becomes easy to navigate and appreciate the city. Since there were numerous things to do in Slovenia and the surrounding areas of Ljubljana, we decided to spend our day exploring the city hub instead of venturing into the outskirts. We prefer planning our routes in advance to ensure we make the most of our time and feel in control of our trip. However, if you're a fan of wandering, you can simply drop anywhere and explore whatever catches your eye. The old town is centered around the castle, and no buses operate within its narrow streets. You can request to be dropped near the Dragon Bridge, which serves as a convenient starting point. Alternatively, if your accommodation is on the opposite side of the castle, near the Embassy of Croatia, you can easily explore the castle and enjoy the city from there. We usually prepare our route and try to cover as much as possible. However, if at any point we feel unsatisfied with our exploration, we often consult a map from the tourist center to find nearby attractions to discover. Here are the highlights we discovered in Ljubljana: Ljubljana Boat Tour : A fantastic way to start the day is by taking a 45-minute to 1-hour cruise to explore the medieval town. Several boat operators offer similar prices, so you can choose any of them unless you're seeking luxury services. Note that boat rides do not operate late in the evening or at night, so be sure to check the operational timings with the operators. If you're not keen on a cruise, some agents offer kayaking options or can direct you to places where you can take a refreshing dip. There's even a volleyball court along the river, though we didn't have a chance to witness any games. Nonetheless, the vibrant atmosphere suggests it's an exhilarating experience to play or simply watch others play on the court. Ljubljana Castle : Undoubtedly the main attraction of the town, the castle sits majestically atop a hill. You can reach it by hiking (a 30-40 minute hike), taking the Funicular (a fancy word for an escalator lift, which requires a fee), or even renting bicycles and cycling to the castle entrance. Once inside the castle, you'll be greeted by a spacious courtyard that played a significant role in its history as a convention center. The castle has been meticulously curated and divided into different sections. You'll find museums dedicated to Slovenian history and prominent figures from the past. We particularly enjoyed visiting the puppet museum, where the rich and fascinating history of puppetry came to life. PS: If you purchase the Ljubljana Urbana card, boat rides and the Funicular are complimentary. Dragon Bridge : Despite its size, this small bridge holds great historical significance as the former entrance to the city and castle. Adorned with four dragons on each corner, the bridge stretches for about 100-200 meters. Ljubljana boasts several architecturally beautiful bridges that span the Ljubljanica River. Another notable bridge worth mentioning is the Triple Bridge , which is conveniently located near the Dragon Bridge. Franciscan Church of the Annunciation : This grand church, situated at the foot of the castle, stands as one of the most recognizable buildings in the city center. It serves as a popular gathering spot, where children delight in water shows and people leisurely stroll, enjoying themselves. The interior of the church is equally captivating. Ljubljana Cathedral : Another nearby church that manages to hide in plain sight, the entrance to the Ljubljana Cathedral proved elusive to us initially. We convinced ourselves it must be closed until we noticed people coming out from one of the gates, revealing the entrance. The church's gallery stood out as a remarkable feature. Although we may have struggled to piece together the gallery stops coherently, it's definitely worth spending some time here. Exploring the Medieval Town : The medieval town and its surroundings offer a myriad of delightful spots to explore on foot. Restaurants abound in this region, and with their outdoor seating and open areas, it feels as if the city has come to a standstill, allowing everyone to relish each other's company, savor great food, and simply enjoy the moment. Moments like these are what make visiting Europe so special—being able to live in the present and embrace doing nothing. Us in front of "Universa v Ljubljani" (Ljubljana University) These are the main attractions in Ljubljana, but there are plenty of other options available depending on your preferences, such as various museums, operas and the zoo. Ideally, a relaxed two-day visit or a swift one-and-a-half-day itinerary would be suitable for exploring the city. If you want to read more about planning and logistics arrangement for this trip, do check out our blog: Surprise to Splendor Next on Travel mi Amor - We move to "The" cave and "The" castle. Stay Tuned Do checkout our IG page @travelmiamor :)

Join us on a rollicking ride through the chaos of morning mishaps, unexpected Olm encounters, and the delightful dance of unspoken conversations within the magical Postojna Caves. Unveil the secrets of a day filled with laughter, awe, and a touch of romance as we navigate through challenges and wonders, leaving you eager for the next chapter in our whimsical journey underground! Changing our approach to experiences and following a story telling mechanism with this one He stirred extra early, a spark in his eyes after spending the night delving into blogs and YouTube videos about a castle and cave. He shared the details with contagious enthusiasm, keeping the location a secret, adding to the suspense. Postojna Cave's wonder   Despite just a few hours of sleep, he was up and ready. It was their last morning in Ljubljana before heading to Bled. Packing the Airbnb was her specialty – she worked her magic like a pro.   Their journey started with a short walk to the nearby bus station, dragging trolley bags that seemed oddly heavy. The morning air was crisp, and a sense of anticipation hung around them. Little did they know, the day was about to unfold with unexpected twists.   At the station, their plans hit a snag. The cloakroom was cramped, and bus ticket confusion made things tricky. Towing the bags through the station, they faced their first challenge of the day – the cloakroom was at full capacity. Pivoting to Plan B, they headed to the railway station and found the cloakroom tucked at the far end. Towing their bags through a sea of commuters, they finally reached the counter, only to discover the premium charge for the largest cabin.   Trouble didn't end there. As they boarded the bus and presented their physical QR ticket, the bus driver instructed them to get the ticket issued from the counter in the local language. His interpretation of signs under pressure was as good as teaching a fish to climb a tree. Gratefully, the bus conductor, sensing their predicament, patiently accompanied him to the counter to get the ticket issued. And so began their magical day.   Reaching Postojna Caves around 10:00 AM, a small two-hour journey from Ljubljana, they were filled with a mix of relief and excitement. As much as they denied conforming to any "Indianness" stereotypes, hunger struck her, and a meal break became a non-negotiable pit stop. The debate about the cost of food within the cave was quickly settled as she enjoyed her meal while he nervously eyed the clock ticking towards their scheduled cave entry.   The line to the cave entrance became a stage for his silent victory dance. Meanwhile, she savored the aftertaste of her meal, blissfully seated. Little did they know, this was just the start of a day that would feel like stepping into a fantasy.   The cave's entrance loomed before them like the gate to another world. Boarding an open chair car on rail tracks, they went deep into the mountain, a ride straight out of Hogwarts. Stalactites and stalagmites, some reaching over 10 to 15 feet, surrounded them, turning the adventure into a surreal experience. The initial train ride was just the beginning, leading them to the majestic spectacle within the cave. The sheer vastness and echoes of the cave left him in silent awe. Each column, stalactite, and stalagmite seemed to whisper tales of a time millions of years old.   Deeper into the cave, a small lake revealed the lost river responsible for the magical formations. Walkways led them through a world of curtains, creating a sensory overload. The journey unfolded with moments of awe, like the deck where they encountered an elusive creature – the Olm, a sightless Scamander.   The quest to spot the Olms added excitement, with volunteers cautioning against noise due to the creatures' sensitivity. The cute, dragon-like Olms, surviving in complete darkness, became the unlikely stars of their own show, captivating their attention for an extended period. It was an unexpected encounter, adding a touch of wonder to their already extraordinary day.   Exiting the cave, a mix of excitement and reluctance lingered. She, tying her hair into a bun, expressed contentment with a subtle smile. The cave had etched itself into their memories, an experience unlike anything they'd encountered before.   The transition back into daylight marked the end of their subterranean adventure. The noonday sun greeted them, a stark contrast to the hidden world they'd explored. Their extraordinary day was far from over, with the promise of more wonders awaiting them.   The unspoken conversations between shared glances and smiles painted a romantic picture of a day that unfolded like a cherished fairy tale. As they stepped into the sunlight, a sense of anticipation hung in the air – a promise that the next part of their journey would be as enchanting as the cave they left behind.   And so, with humor and romance, their adventure continued, leaving them eagerly awaiting the next chapter of their extraordinary tale. As they faced the challenges of the morning and witnessed the wonders of the cave, the unsaid conversations between them added depth to the day, creating a mosaic of shared experiences and unspoken emotions that would linger in their hearts for a lifetime.

Part -2 of story based exploration. To read first part of the story read from this link: Part-1 ..... and the story continues... Standing at the Postojna cave entrance, he faced two options: a 45-minute to 1-hour walk or finding transport, as there was no public transport between the locations. With only 3 hours before their bus back to Ljubljana and to catch the next bus to Bled, walking wasn't viable. He chose against it, surprising and pleasing her. Checking with the cave’s ticket counter, they suggested their cab service, albeit pricey. Attempting to save money, he approached different groups/couples also visiting the castle. Unfortunately, some were walking or unwilling to share. Despite the setback, they booked the pricey cab and set off. The quick 15-minute countryside drive was amazing. Dropping them at the castle parking, it was another 10-minute walk, but they couldn't see the castle due to a curved road and a hotel blocking the view. As they crossed the hotel and looked up towards the castle, they momentarily froze. The castle’s white walls reflected a shade of yellow from the sun.   As they approached the castle, their excitement grew. The serene surroundings enveloped them, adding to the anticipation. They marvelled at the narrow road leading to the castle, surrounded by lush greenery and majestic mountains. The cave above the castle seemed mammoth. The entrance gate welcomed them with associates offering an audio guide, free of charge. Excitedly, they accepted the device, eager to delve deeper into the castle's history. It was a thoughtful gesture, sparing their expenses. With the audio guide in hand, they ventured inside, ready to explore every nook and cranny of the castle. Predjama Castle   Upon touching the castle walls, they appeared like any other fortress but as they looked up, they seemed to ascend infinitely. The entrance gate, seemingly fit for David, could easily accommodate Goliath. Plugging in the audio guide, they were transported into the castle's history, each step revealing its secrets and significance.   As they delved deeper, the guide illuminated the castle's complexity, with hidden passages and storerooms capable of sustaining its inhabitants for years. Erasmus of Lueg's defiance against the royalty and subsequent siege were narrated vividly, portraying a saga of courage and betrayal. Despite the encirclement, the castle's ingenious secret passage ensured survival, allowing for the clandestine transport of essential supplies and reinforcements.   Erasmus's unfortunate demise, trapped within his lavatory by treachery, added a touch of tragic irony to the castle's history. His lavatory became an unexpected symbol of his downfall, immortalized in the annals of the fortress. As they progressed and explored every nook, he smirked upon reaching the lavatory. It amused him to see its location outside the room, overlooking the vastness in front of the castle.   Throughout their exploration, the castle transformed from a mere structure of stone into a living chronicle of human resilience and folly. Each stone seemed to whisper tales of triumph and tragedy, leaving them in awe of its enduring legacy.   As they emerged from the depths of the castle, their minds filled with its rich history, they couldn't help but gape at the ingenuity of its builders and the resilience of its inhabitants. The castle had transcended its physical form, becoming a timeless symbol of human endeavour against all odds.   The castle has undergone numerous renovations since the war, attempting to restore it to its original glory. They continued exploring, feeling as if they were going down a rabbit hole with no end in sight. They learned about night-time group expeditions further into the castle caves but had to skip them due to time constraints.   Exiting the castle, they reminisced about their time there, still not feeling content. Reluctantly, they started walking towards the taxi point. He walked backwards, gazing at the castle in backdrop. Suddenly, she pulled him onto a beaten path, leading to a wooden cabin resembling a marketplace. Inside, the earthy smell evoked the golden era of the castle. They exchanged nostalgic notes, imagining the dances and gatherings of yesteryears. They decided to capture the moments. Due to presence of ambient sunlight, pictures came out aesthetically appealing. Slowly, they returned to the pickup point. Aesthetically appealing 😊 While waiting for the chariot, they took one last look at the castle, feeling its heavenly aura. Sitting in the cab, they exchanged glances, smiling at each other and at the castle one last time. In words, it was just a castle and a cave, but to them, it was a cherished memory in their hearts. Story ends, journey continues.... Thank you for reading our Predjama castle chronicles till the very end. We hope you are going back happy after reading through. We would love to hear your opinion on the story, and your reading experience. Please leave a comment or drop us a message. Thank you 😊