Goa: From Zoom Calls to Sunsets: Our Chaotic-But-Perfect Pandemic Escape

Remember the great indoor experiment of 2020? The year when "stay home" became the national mantra, and our weekends were a thrilling blur of Zoom calls, Dalgona coffee disasters, and trying to bake bread like we were in a survival series. After months of that, the travel-starved soul ached for freedom. So, in January 2021, when the world seemed to take a collective deep breath, our family had one thought: Goa. Our salvation, our promised land.

Why 'The Mona Lisa' is so Famous?

The worlds' famous smirk of The Mona Lisa, possibly the only woman in the history who has been stared at by millions without blinking once. She is googled more than your last crush, visited more than your neighborhood grocery store and, written about so much that even she might roll her mysterious eyes (if she could). But what makes her that famous? Sure she is gorgeous but lets be honest - so are cat videos and they don't live in bulletproof glass. So lets rewind to the renaissance and spill the paint...

Meghalaya Guide: Living Root Bridges & Endless Rain

 

We all have our own bucket list with all the fancy places we want to visit and experience by our own. I also have one, but to be honest, Meghalaya was there but not in my Top 3 destinations. I am more of a beach person who enjoys lazing at the quiet beach holding a beer under the sun looking at the waves. My wife though, wanted to go anywhere other than beach. Meghalaya is one destination we agreed on instantly. One of my friend also decided to join us along with his partner a day later.

Booking tickets and hotels didn't take much time, but deciding what all to cover in Meghalaya took lot of time. We had limited time and list of places to visit was huge. We spent lot of days in designing the itinerary and finalizing the places we would be able to cover within the limited time we have and trust me, this was most difficult part. Although we did cover most of the places, but if we had more time, we would have enjoyed a lot more. 

Goa, when it started to feel like Home - Chapter 3

My mind keeps telling me, “Explore new places! See the world! Try a different continent!” But my heart? My heart just whispers one word: Goa. It’s a conflict I’ve had for years. It’s not that I don’t love exploring, but when I think of a vacation, Goa feels less like a destination and more like a second home—a place where my soul exhales and my feet feel at peace.

I’ve been to many beach destinations, but the unique charm of Goa is something no other place has quite captured. This time, we decided to brave North Goa, a region I usually avoid due to the crowds. Our destination? The serene, laid-back haven of Arambol. I wanted to experience the North without the Baga-Calangute madness, and Arambol was the perfect compromise. Little did I know, the madness would start long before we even got there.

Sariska National Park Travel Guide: Best Time, Safari Tips & What We Saw

Not a very long time ago, I was pretty stubborn to view the tiger in its full glory, where it roams wild and free, where it doesn't have to rely on human to be fed, where just his one roar is enough to make every living being turn their heads. With an unsuccessful track record of not spotting a tiger in any of my previous endeavors, to Jim Corbett National Park and Ranthambore National Park, I was pretty keen to give it another try.

Sariska Tiger Reserve, situated in Alwar district of Rajasthan is well connected via road to Delhi and is just 3 hours drive away, approximately 200 kms. Stretched over an area of 881 sq km, this area was a hunting preserve of Alwar until it was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1955 and as of Oct 2018, it hosts 18 tigers including 5 cubs.

McLeod Ganj Travel Guide: Monasteries, Momos & Our Family Adventure in the Himalayas

I’m usually a “beach bum” kind of traveler. Give me sun-soaked sand, a hammock, and a fruity drink with a straw—and I’m happy. But this time, I swapped flip-flops for trekking shoes and headed to the hills. Destination? McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala—famously called Little Lhasa thanks to its Tibetan charm, fluttering prayer flags, Bhagsu Nag Waterfall, Triund Trek, and monks who (spoiler alert) might just have fancier smartphones than you.

This was a family trip—my wife, my kid, and me—and I was determined to make it a memorable one (read: not get yelled at for bad planning).

The Journey: Bollywood, Blankets & Bhai

We hopped on the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Volvo from Delhi—arguably the safest, comfiest way to reach McLeod Ganj. The bus was filled with young backpackers radiating “Mountains Calling” vibes.

Within 30 minutes, my son was snuggled under his blanket, fast asleep. My wife, as usual, had done all the packing (because if it were left to me, we’d just have three T-shirts and zero toothbrushes).

The bus staff put on a Bhai's (Salman Khan) Bollywood blockbuster. We watched it half-heartedly until our dinner halt at Haveli, Karnal—paranthas, chai, and a chance to stretch our legs. Then it was lights out… or at least, attempts to sleep in a moving bus while trying to ignore every honk.

After a long, bumpy night, we rolled into McLeod Ganj at 5 a.m. sharp. It was drizzling, jackets were out, and so were the taxi-walas shouting, “Sir, taxi? Kahan jaoge sir?”

Top Things to Do in Pondicherry (Besides Eating All the Croissants)

My mind keeps telling me to be a modern-day explorer, to seek out new frontiers and exotic cuisines. But my heart? My heart just whispers one word, over and over: "Goa." It’s a conflict I’ve had for years—a dramatic, internal struggle between my wanderlust and my deep-seated love for comfort. This time, we settled on a truce: a new destination that promised the charm of old favorites. Our pick? Pondicherry (Puducherry), a place where the French legacy isn’t just a historical footnote—it’s a lifestyle, complete with mustard villas, bougainvillea, and the soul-soothing promise of a good croissant. I was ready to trade my beach shack for a boutique and my Kingfisher for a pain au chocolat.

Ranthambore Safari Tales: Tigers, Chaos & Adventures in the Wild

If Jim Corbett refused to show me a tiger, surely Ranthambore National Park would. After all, every second traveler claims, “Arre, Ranthambore mein toh tiger pakka dikhega!” Famous for its Bengal Tigers, Ranthambore Fort, and epic safaris, this national park in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, is one of India’s top wildlife destinations.

I was determined this time—no tiger, no peace.

Are You a Beach Person or a Mountain Person?

Yea, yea, yea, as far as it goes and you are into traveling, you must have come across this inevitable question "Are you a beach person or a mountain person?". Well, we always pick a side as our mind wanders through all the timeless memories we may have created during all those vacations we had. We all have our own preference, our own likeliness to certain kind of holiday we look forward to. 

Well, if you are not living under a rock, you must be knowing that it is not just a regular question, the answer to it reflects about person's nature as per the study in the Journal of Research in Personality, extroverts prefer the beach to the mountains, while introverts prefer the opposite. It reflects the personality of a person, instinct of a person. But does it actually?

Haridwar - The Ancient Holy City by the River Ganges

The Ancient city of Haridwar is an important Hindu Pilgrimage site in Uttarakhand state of India where the river Ganges flows as it exits the Himalayas.  The largest of several sacred ghats (bathing steps), Har Ki Pauri hosts a nightly Ganga Aarti (river worshiping ceremony) in which tiny flickering natural lamps are floated off the steps. People often come here to achieve salvation and some just to get amused by the beliefs and vibrancy. Falling more into the second category, I also decided to visit Haridwar to experience the vibrancy of the city and also somewhat to get rid of my sins (I still don't know how that works to be honest).

Kerala: God's Own Country!!

After what felt like a hundred failed attempts at planning a vacation, it was finally happening. The Kerala trip. My excitement was a physical entity, a joyous aura that radiated from me, causing my friends and family to groan in unison every time I brought it up. I’m sorry, but also, not sorry. You can’t put a price on the joy of travel bragging.

So, the big day arrived, and my morning was a masterclass in controlled chaos. First, I carefully placed my camera—the most crucial item, my precious baby—in a place of utmost importance. Then, I scrambled to finish packing the rest of my luggage as we waited for our cab to the airport. Yes, we were running late, as always.

Warley Museum: The 'World's Smallest Museum'

Source: SWNS.com 

A telephone booth which was not being used anymore has been turned into 'world's smallest museum'. Yes, you read that right, a telephone booth. Located in Warley, Yorkshire, the booth was “adopted” from British Telecommunications (BT) by the town association of Warley and filled with the local historical artifacts. The exhibit includes old photographs, glass etchings, and personal items such as antique fashion pieces and jewelry.

Here is Why Flights take Longer than they did 50 Years ago

Ever feel like airplanes are dragging their wings these days? Well, you’re not wrong. Believe it or not, modern flights often take longer than they did decades ago - even though we now have shinier planes, fancy engines, and more Wi-Fi to distract us.

Take this for an example - back in 1973, you could zip from New York City to Houston in about 2 hours and 37 minutes. Today? You’re looking at a leisurely 3 hours and 50 minutes. That’s almost enough time to re-watch The Lion King, twice (with snacks).

So why the slowdown? The culprit is fuel efficiency. Yes, airlines figured out that if they fly slower, they burn less fuel—and save millions. Between 2002 and 2012, fuel prices skyrocketed from about $0.70 to over $3 per gallon. To cope, JetBlue once admitted in 2008 that by adding just two extra minutes to each flight, they saved a casual $13.6 million a year. That’s a lot of peanuts and pretzels.

And they don’t stop there. To squeeze out even more savings, airlines are obsessed with making planes lighter. Translation: your suitcase gets slapped with “excess baggage fees” faster than you can say carry-on only.

Oh, and here’s a fun trick airlines play: something called “Block Padding.” This is when they pad the official flight time with extra minutes so that - even if they’re late, they can still proudly announce they arrived “on time.” So, next time the captain tells you, “Good news folks, we’re landing ahead of schedule,” don’t break into applause. Chances are, the schedule was just stretched like yoga pants after Thanksgiving dinner.