Over the past few years of my travelling days, I had barely explored South India beyond the obvious and in 2017 I set about correcting it. It was the last week of September and I arrived at Chennai airport at the stroke of noon. I wanted to head straight to Pondicherry from the airport itself….
Category: Luxe
Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary & Staying in FRH
There is a certain charm in visiting popular touristy places in the off-season. The beauty can be enjoyed at a slow pace with no rush around. And I was also looking for much needed comfort, especially after a back breaking trip across the North-Eastern states North-Eastern states of Nagaland and Manipur. I had rushed straight…
Mahabalipuram – Of Historical Sights and Beach Delights
Earlier this year, I had made a promise to myself; that I would make a conscious effort to explore more of South India. And come September; it was time to head to Chennai and then traipse across Pondicherry, Auroville, Tranquebar and Mahabalipuram (also called Mamallapuram.) Although I was drenched in sweat just after exiting the…
The Shimla of Old : Life at Chapslee
While I backpack on most of my journeys, I enjoy experiential luxury once in a while, and when it is the home of the grandson of the erstwhile ‘Raja of Kapurthala’; you say yes! Chapslee has an evocative air to it and is one of the oldest houses in Shimla. The Kalka – Shimla Toy Train …
‘Dolce Far Niente’ in Tirthan Valley
While I had promised myself that I would return to Tirthan in the snowy winters, it was not to be. After going for brief treks in Great Himalayan National Park, I was convinced that this was one of the most pristine areas in Himachal Pradesh. It had already started getting unbearably hot in the plains…
2016 : A Year of Consolidation, Fulfilment and Paving the Way for a Lifetime of Travel
Last rays of the sun illuminate the snowy Himalaya, notice the moon rising through the narrow gap.Clicked in Khajjiar.#TravelTuesday pic.twitter.com/B4vAGDxv9R — Shubham Mansingka (@travelshoebum) October 4, 2016 Saying goodbye to 2015 in style! After the epic wanderings of 2015, when more than 250 days were spent on the road; this was a year in which…
A long weekend in Mussoorie – Explorations & Walks
The road looks like it has tried to recover from a deluge and given up. Dense fog covers the entirety of my view and fog lamps of cars are on at 8 in the morning. It is quite a welcome, and being a sucker for cloudy weather I am loving it. The one hour drive from Dehradun was akin to unravelling…
Experimenting with Luxury at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
I was at a point that comes in everyone’s life, after slow travel in the high Himalayas of Ladakh, Spiti, Lahaul and other offbeat destinations (offbeat at that time), my family had began to feel slightly worried about my solo sojourns. I was making a lot of money, and yet wasn’t spending anything that could…
Romancing the monsoon in Corbett
The air was heavy in anticipation of the much awaited monsoon that was supposed to be knocking on our doors. I was in the foothills of the Himalayas in the the quaint village of Dhikuli. We waited with bated breath for some respite from the balmy, almost unbearable weather. The mountains were shrouded in a cloak…
Heaven in Parvati Valley : The Himalayan Village, Kasol
From the moment I first stepped into the warm reception area of The Himalayan Village at Doonkhara (just before Kasol) in Parvati Valley, I was hooked. The resort, resembling a fort had bewitched me ever since my eyes had set sight on it, almost a year ago. I had just dropped in to say hi…
Rustic Luxury in Sonapani, Uttarakhand
The birds are singing, maybe it is the cuckoo with its pleasant voice or my heart is joyous with the abundance of nature. Petite green pears grow on a tree adjacent to another one laden with bright yellow apricots. I drool at the sight of a little signboard that says ‘’Vanya’s Strawberry Farm’. Vanya is the…
Finding Paradise in The Misty Mountains of Jhaltola in Uttarakhand
After a breathtaking drive from Munsyari I had arrived in Berinag set on the periphery of tea gardens. A smooth connection with shared sumos ensured that I reached The Misty Mountains, Jhaltola located deep into the mountains of Kumaon Himalaya. There were abundant flowers of all colours growing everywhere, my nature loving eyes were in for…