Author: Dev

Manali Travel Guide

Published by Dev

Where the Beas River chuckles merrily down the gorges, and the snowy peaks of the mountains reach their fingers to meet the sky: that’s what Manali is, in one sentence. Though of course, many would argue that Manali has lost its charm due to no control over tourism inflow (including me) for me, it is still one of the highlights in the Indian Himalayans. Manali is a go-to vacation spot for not only adventure seekers but leisure seekers, honeymooners, as well as budget travelers. It has temples, hot springs, one of world’s highest mountain passes, a rich culture and adventure sports like paragliding, skiing, and river rafting — all under a 50km radius. So if you’re planning a vacation, Manali can — no matter what your travel needs are — be your next holiday destination. Plan your holiday in Manali with this ideal Manali Travel Guide: Weather In Manali Although Manali is packed year-round with tourists, it is wise to get an idea of what to expect from the weather there, because at 2050m above the …

The Excitement Of Revisiting Places

Published by Dev

Sitting at nearly 3000m above the sea level, looking at the same landscape I am most familiar with, I wondered if I am, indeed, wasting my time here. I mean for a travel blogger, whose profession makes him money only by visiting new places and talking about them on the internet, isn’t it necessary to keep moving, always? And yet, here I am, back to the same place I have been to, a dozen times before. Yes, I am talking about my second home, Sethan that I first traveled to back in 2016, and since then revisited at least a dozen times. Though of course now that I’ve started a hospitality venture here (my first real offline business ever: an adventure camping place with the name of FootlooseCamps) it has become even crucial for me to revisit the place to manage it — from checking on the staff to paying for bills. But the habit and the excitement of revisiting old places is not something new for me. How Did I Start Footloose Camps Just like …

Visiting Chakradhar Samaroh In Raigarh

Published by Dev

I fairly remember how when Chhattisgarh Tourism invited me to attend their annual cultural event of Chakradhar Samaroh I was bursting with excitement. Visiting Chhattisgarh was high in my list. I had heard about the mentions of its undiscovered beauty from a fellow traveller and an avid motorbiker, whom I happened to meet last year during a motorbiking expedition in Jammu. “Don’t leave any opportunity to visit Chhattisgarh,” he would repeatedly insist, supporting the statement with his personal adventures. A little Googling (upon his frequent requests, of course) then introduced me to a new world — the unbounded beauty of many natural caves, waterfalls and a rich culture that Chhattisgarh has to offer. So yea, when Chhattisgarh Tourism contacted me to attend their annual cultural event of Chakradhar Samaroh, I provided a quick yes. What moreover made the invitation better was every thought of visiting the unheard of town of Raigarh. This would mean that after landing in Raipur (for it had the nearest airport to Raigarh) I was in store for a 4-hour train ride passing through …

Hemkund Sahib And The Valley of Flowers Trek: An Ideal Travel Guide

Published by Dev

In September, the peak tourist season for visiting the Valley of Flowers and the Hemkund Sahib was already far from over. I was told how the valley would have appeared totally different, draped in a blanket of colourful wildflowers, had I made it a month ago. But in the second week of September, the valley looked pretty much washed-out, just like any other ordinary valley in the Himalayas. At four in the evening, and on day four, I had already begun the last leg of my journey – the trek back to Govindghat. I was constantly praying for some sunshine and azure skies to compensate for the wet weather I had experienced in the previous few days. But as I progressed towards Govindghat and completed about a couple of kilometres, out of the remaining 8 km of the trek, the weather started worsening. Light showers had already begun. With only 3 hours of daylight now left with me, I picked a little more speed! I was disappointed for not being aware of the fact that September can be …

Valley Of Flowers Trek: All You Need To Know

Published by Dev

“Unfortunately, you are not doing the trek to the Valley of Flowers the right time of the season. The flowers are generally found in full-bloom sometime between 15th July to 15th August,” provided the tour guide Shobhit, making me feel sorry for myself. On September 5th, the Valley had already started shedding the flowers, and with them, some of the leaves too. The monsoon was far from over too. In about one month from now, winter would hit the Himalayas hard, turning the Valley of Flowers into an ordinary and charmless landscape, with patches of white and (almost) no green. Disheartened, I realized how I had been planning to visit the place for the previous three years, and when I finally made it there, I made at the wrong time of the year – the abscission. It was clear that September is certainly not a good time to visit the Valley of Flowers. Though the valley was still looking gorgeous, with frequent waterfalls and water-crossings keeping me entertained, if I had made it in July or August, I would have …

Hong Kong Itinerary: What To Do In 3 Days

Published by Dev

When an invitation by Cathay Pacific airlines landed in my inbox to experience and explore Hong Kong with them I knew what was next: a few sleepless nights of obsessive research and excitement. More research though, as I had to create my own itinerary and go about my holiday in Hong Kong as I find it fancy. With only five days in hand, to travel this attraction loaded-city (despite its small size, Hong Kong can be overwhelming) I jam-packed my days with as much as possible. I planned on trying the strange and popular food, going on hikes, exploring street markets and doing whatever else was suggested by other travel blogs out there, keeping in mind the most important thing: a limited time of 5 days, and rush! So out of those 5-day dedicated strolling in Hong Kong, I’ve created an ideal Hong Kong travel guide for people with even shorter time in hand. Three Day Travel Itinerary For Hong Kong Arriving In Hong Kong After a 4 hour flight from Kolkata, I arrived in Hong Kong …

My Cathay Pacific Economy Class Experience: India To Hong Kong

Published by Dev

Off late I’ve started noticing the little dissimilarities that different flight operators offer. And I’ve noticed that it may just be the same class (say economy or business) with pretty much the same fare but the way different flight carriers operate — right from the check-in counter to in-flight experience to baggage collection — vaguely vary. And I think this habit, that I’ve recently inherited, happened because I’ve taken just too many flights recently — speaking of the last three months itself, about 15 flights in total. So this time as I was contacted by Cathay Pacific to try their India-Hong Kong operations, I thought, why not! Though unlike my previous airline’s collaboration with Flysoot from India to The Gold Coast, in Australia, where I was particularly asked to write a blog post for them, this time there were no deliverables involved. It was a personal choice, totally, whether I wanted to write and promote them on my blog and Instagram Page and other social media channels. I think Cathay Pacific played it smart by playing …

Why Hong Kong Is An Ideal Travel Destination

Published by Dev

“And what about the Visa, I have never been to Hong Kong before and have no idea about its immigration laws for Indians. Am I required to apply for a travel visa for China,” I asked with a sinking feeling in me. “Oh, the good thing is, you don’t need a visa for Hong Kong if you’re travelling for no more than 15 days,” the lady on phone replied, with much affability in her voice. I fairly remember how when an invitation from Cathay Pacific landed in my inbox to travel to Hong Kong for a few days and experience their flight operations from India to Hong Kong, my biggest travel fear hit me hard. I was at 3000 m above the sea level in the Himalayas at that moment with no intention of calling off my trip and heading back to New Delhi only to apply for a visa. Returning home for applying a visa would have further meant waiting at home for a week to get the passport back before I could actually …

Travelling Bavaria In Germany In A Week

Published by Dev

Bavaria is unlike any other part of Germany. It has all the good things (that a tourist would want), unlike other German regions. It’s cleaner, more laid back, amazingly diverse, has enough small towns to wander around and yes, more beer than one can imagine. From towns like Munich that are popular as the beer capital of the world to others like Rothenburg that has always remained an inspiration to artists, Bavaria has something for everyone. During my recent trip to Germany, I got a chance to spend some time in Bavaria and Bavaria alone, thanks to the German National Tourism Office (GNTO) in India that invited me for a one week long media-trip. It all happened when GNTO asked if I’d be interested in a self-planned solo trip to anywhere in Germany. Since I’d been to other regions in Germany during my previous two visits, Bavaria turned out to be a natural preference. How Many Days You Need For Bavaria Well, if you want to completely absorb Bavaria, you need at least a month. And …

How to Make the World Your Home

Published by Dev

And here’s the thing about travelling: Even the most dedicated, passionate travellers get homesick from time to time. I do, too! It seems perfectly natural, doesn’t it? You might spend months out of each year wandering the world, jetting from one country to another, opening yourself up to new adventures. Travelling feels like a nourishment for the mind and soul, but travel-fatigue eventually set in and you start longing for those things that feel familiar and comforting; the things that make you feel at home. Unless you make the world your home instead …and that’s how I stay on road for longer too — by making the world my home. It’s a state of mind that helps you to be able to feel comfortable and connected to all the things that matter most, regardless of where you are. I Bookmark My Travels Bookmarking your travels is a great way to help yourself feel at home wherever you go.  For example, I use travel GPS tracker apps that allow me to bookmark any location I’ve been to and …