Places of Interest
As soon as I saw the snow-capped mountains from my hotel room balcony in Manali, we knew we had to be there. At 13,051 feet above sea level, Rohtang Pass is one of 13 high altitude mountain passes in India and we were excited to head up there! It connects Kullu valley to Spiti and Lahaul while the NH-21 highway to Leh also passes through this. The highest motorable...
I was standing in a sacred location, a place that has served the Muslim community of Xi’an for more than a millennium. I was in China’s oldest and most renowned mosque. Laid out like a traditional Chinese Temple, the Great Mosque of Xian was built in 742 AD during the Tang Dynasty. The Great Mosque was built to honour the founding of Islam in China. The...
Sponsored Post Canberra is the city where the rest of Australia mocks its quietude, but those that reside in it sing its virtues. Despite being the seat of power to one the world’s most developed country, Canberra remains somewhat of an unknown to the tourists interested in trekking down under. Nestled between Sydney and Melbourne, Canberra’s birth was in fact the...
It was a bright sunny day in Sydney. A bead of sweat ran down my neck as the heat warmed my skin. I had arrived from Canberra – the cold capital of Australia just 30 minutes ago snuggly wrapped in warm clothes. As I got out of the taxi, I started to remove my cardigan. Silhouetted against the bright sunlight were dark maroon Anglo Dutch gables sharply pointing into...
So it was the last day of the Floriade Nightfest 2014 and I decided to give it ago. To my surprise, I managed to get tickets just 3 hours before NightFest opened its gates, how lucky was that? I had already seen the beautiful flowers during the day, and decided I should at least see what the Floriade NightFest 2014 was all about. To be honest, I preferred looking at...
Born in 259BC, a 22 year old young ruler from the western state of Qin had enough of the warring states around him. This one man made a decision – a decision that changed the course of history. In his vision he sought to put an end to war mongering quarrels and unite the land. He smote the war mongers and subjugated them. Very soon he was lord of all and China was...
The sun was shining brightly, the cool wind brushed our shoulders, the scent of jonquils and hyacinths filled the air, and the beautiful sight of tulips make spring the most beautiful season in Canberra. We were at the Floriade 2014, an annual celebration of spring showcasing one million flowers in bloom throughout Canberra’s Commonwealth Park! These photos will give...
[tps_header]THINGS TO DO IN XIAN: THE XI’AN CITY WALL IS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST SURVIVING WALL OF ITS KIND IN CHINA.[/tps_header] Its history began literally in the Stone Age 3000 years ago and served as the capital of China for several ancient dynasties. A great metropolis that was as important as Rome in its hey days. It was the starting point of the ancient...
It’s springtime in Australia and Mother Nature is having a makeover. The bare tree branches near my home are beginning to bloom with pretty flowers. The Cherry Blossoms trees in the city have bees humming around the opening buds. More butterflies are seen sitting on flowers and the screechy Cockatoos seem camouflaged between the flowering trees. It is also when...
Imagine arriving at an airport where you need to wait for your next flight beyond the transit zone. Perhaps you need to wait eight hours or more and paying for regular hotels may not be an option, when all you need is a place to unwind for a few hours. You may also need to grab a bite, send some emails, browse through the Internet for a bit and would love to take a...