Here are some photos from our Darjeeling Trip in 2010
Here are some photos from our trip to Mandarmani
Here are some photos from our visit to UK. We stayed in the town of Hitchin, somewhere midway between Cambridge and London.
Among the trips that I made in the US during my stay there, the trip to the Yellowstone National
Park, Wyoming stands out. The beauty of Yellowstone is unfathomable. The past volcanic activity has created innumerable geysers, hot springs, hot spots in this park. That, combined with the natural beauty, makes it a truly awesome experience. Some of the
other places that we visited on the way during our drive from Salt Lake City were
equally awe-inspiring. These included the Idaho falls, the Craters of the Moon National
Park (dead volcanoes with solidified lava).
The Niagra falls and a ride on the Maid of the Mist, is
also a thrilling experience. Unfortunately, we didn't have a Canadian visa to get the most spectacular view of the , falls from the Canadian side.
The visit to Washington DC, along with colleagues from Mastech was the most memorable. It was on a Christmas holiday, which is also my birthday and here I was taking my mother to visit the capital of US. The trip started with a awkward incident. I left my key inside the car and locked it. We almost lost the hope of getting it back bcoz it was a holiday. However, it was AAA that made the trip possible by recovering the key. The trip from Pittsburgh with 3 cars driving in tandem, trying to keep up with each other was a fun filled experience. We were lucky to get a sunny day on 26th and took a conducted tour to the places of interest - the Smithsonian museums, the Capitol, the Lincoln memorial, the Washington memorial etc. We still had time in the afternoon to see the postal museum and some other places on our own. The next day we had plans to visit the White House before making the return trip, but then the weather did not allow that. It started drizzling in the morning and by the time we were starting back the drizzle was of snow. We got snow all along the way back. To end it all we had another memorable experience. After returning to Pittsburgh we had to return our hired car by the evening or get charged for one day more. It was like 10 minutes left for the car Co to close its shutters and we started driving in a frenzy to get to it by that time and return the car. We were not sure of the location of the office but ultimately managed to reach it.
Kanyakumari, the city at the tip of the Indian
peninsula, offers a majestic view of the three oceans, The Arabian Sea, the Indian
Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. A walk down the Arabian Sea coast or a visit to the
Vivekananda Rock Memorial or Vivekananda Ashram can give one a few moments
of spiritual bliss. However, the place has lost much of it's charm with the swelling
crowds and constructions, fences on the rocky beach. Some of the places to visit are
the Gandhi memorial, temple of Kanniyakumari(the virgin goddess), the waterfalls, the
fort, the medieval palace and the hanging bridge.
Mysore will always remain in the heart of the
Indians as the place from where the indomitable Tipu Sultan fought the last battle
of independent India against the British Raj. The fort of Tipu Sultan, now in ruins,
stand in sharp contrast to the majestic Mysore Palace belonging to a Hindu dynasty.
This palace has been a shooting haven for many Hindi films like for ex:"Mehbooba".
The places to visit in and around Mysore are - Tipu Sultan's samadhi at
Srirangapattanam, Tipu Sultan's fort, temple of Mahisasuramardini
(Mysore is named after the demon Mahisasura as it is believed that it is
here that the goddess killed the demon), Brindavan gardens on Krishnarajasagar
dam, Mysore zoo. One should also spend some time at the local shops selling
artifacts made of sandalwood, Mysore painting and Mysore silk sarees.
Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, is a quiet city
with a plethora of top class hotels and wide roads, sparsely populated with vehicles.
The city is known for the many ancient temples with exquisite sculpture on them,
ancient rock sculptures in the state museum, the scriptures of Asoka near Kalinga,
the Buddhist monument at Dhauli, the ancient caves of Buddhist monks at Khandagiri,
and lastly the Nandankanan, a unique natural zoo. There are very few industries in this
city, Infosys and NALCO being the notable ones.
Chilka, the largest salt water lake in India, about
200 kms to the south of Bhubaneswar, offers a tranquil environment, amidst the azure
waters of the lake, where one can spend some time in solitude. The Barakul guest
house of Orissa Tourism is an ideal resort on the edge of the lake with boating facilities.
A visit to the Kalijai temple on a nearby island on the Chilka offers a breathtaking view
of the lake, on the way.
Vizag will remain in my heart for the most
awesome view of the sea that I have ever experienced in my lifetime. The RushiKonda
cottage developed by Andhra Pradesh Tourism, located on a remote hill about 25 kms
from the main city of Vizag, offers this magnificent view of the sea from a height of 250 ft.
Another mesmerizing experience in Vizag is the trip to the Araku Valley. The train
journey to Araku Valley takes one on the highest broad gauge line in the
world(about 3000ft), and through some 40 tunnels. The tribal museum at Araku valley
and the underground caves with stalactite and stalagmite formations are the other
places of interest.
Puri, the most frequently visited resort of the Bengalis,
is known for the gigantic waves of the Bay of Bengal and the Jagannath temple.
A ritualistic bath in the sea and a darshan of the Lord Jagannatha completes the tour.
The trip to Kathmandu, our honeymoon trip, is
memorable in many ways. The grand experience at Hotel Everest amidst the natural
backdrop was a unique way to spend our first trip together. A visit to the Pashupatinath
temple, the Buddhist shrines, Durbar square (the durbar of the ancient kings) and some
of the picturesque places in the hills concludes the trip. Unfortunately, due to the cloudy
season, a view of the Mt. Everest eluded us.
Of course both of us have toured a number of places with our respective families in India.
Some of the places that I visited and remember are Madurai, Rameswaram, Nainital,
Ranikhet, Lucknow, Rajgir, the ruins of Nalanda University, Bodh Gaya, Shillong,
Darjeeling, Gangtok.
Sunetra's list includes Nainital, Lucknow, Kashmir, Chennai, Benares.
Sunetra specially remembers her visit to Shantiniketan, Ghatsila, Gangasagar
island which were fun-filled experience with friends.