Hampi in pictures..

Chennai sappadu

Poovar, kerala

Poovar is one among the natural wonders where the Lake, River, Sea and Beach meet the land- a rare combination.

Poovar is unspoilt and unexplored, envoloped by the most serene backwaters, and opening out to the sea and a dream golden sand beach.

We took a Boat ride to the beach and back(1600 INR for 2)..The ride was Breath-taking..we spotted a lot of birds,mangroves..Surrounded by water ,trees and the sky,this is one ride Highly recommended..

Poovar was a trading center of timber, sandalwood, ivory and spices. Poovar has been one of the ancient Muslim settlements along the western coast of India.The Central Mosque here is believed to been built by Malik ibn Dinar and his missionary team, more than 1,400 years ago.

It is truly a window into paradise. The tranquility of Poovar is punctuated by the sound of waves and the birds. The area is abundant in well-preserved local flora, with hundreds of species of spices, exotic flowers, complete with banana and coconut groves.

Poovar Beach, near the Kovalam Beach, separates the River Neyyar from the sea. Poovar is basically a fishing village and the only way to reach Poovar is through water. The beach is known for its pristine and virginal beauty. Because of the active fishing population the beach is not really used as a sunbathing spot or for swimming as the currents are quite strong.

We were told by our boatman if we are lucky we might get to see a few birds..he showed the pictures of the birds we might spot..lucky enough we saw almost all the birds we were shown :))) 

Kingfisher-Spotting the birds in Backwaters adds lot of thrill to an already funfilled ride!! 

India diary!!

Exploring India-
India is a huge huge country with so much diversity.There are desserts and hill stations and sea,everything you could ever imagine.To travel and explore this magnificent country full of color and culture will take a long time.Here are a few things which we have done and loved and would not mind doing again.
Rafting in Rishikesh-
Rishikesh is famous for temples but nowadays it has a become a very popular spot for white river rafting.Staying in tents.Exploring the surroundings.The early morning around 5walk that we took around the tents that we stayed was one of the best of our lives.It was like a painting flowing river,hills and tents.

The place where we stayed..The tents were comfortable and cosy..The camp had all the basic facilities..

Talking about rafting,it was one hell of an experience you know if you have done it.To our surprise the water was freezing cold but we loved taking a dip in it.

Highly recommended if you like adventures,you would love the rafting,cliff jumping and all the other activities and staying in a tent is  another experience altogether.

Nahtula pass(Indo-China border)-
Visiting a place as beautiful as Sikkim itself will bring a smile on your face.All along the way you wouldn't want to take your eyes of the Teestha river.

There are a lot of monasteries and other beautiful places.But this one is a must visit.You can't help admiring the beauty and feeling the patriotism when you are here at this place.

Monasteries in Gangtok-
Dharma Chakra Center also known as the Rumtek Monastery is located in eastern Sikkim, 24 kilometers away from Gangtok. Rumtek is situated at an altitude of about 5800 feet (1547 meters). The best season to visit this monastery is from March to late May, or from October to mid-December. 

Rumtek Monastery

 Toy Train-
There are hill and mountains at a lot of places but if you have not taken a ride on a toy train in these hills,you are really missing out on something which can't be described in words.You don't want this journey to end ever.Sitting in a toy train,we never wanted to get off it and the amazing view it offers just adds to the whole experience.We took a ride in Ooty and just loved it. http://traveledncaptured.blogspot.in/2012/12/coonoor.html

Forts and Palaces of Rajasthan-
When you stay in a place for years you don't really realise it's importance.Posing at the same places n number of times and still have no pictures because you were always the host and the guest always took the pictures,sigh!!!

When i was in Jaipur as a kid,we used to have guests almost all the time and I used to be the tour guide :) when my parents did not want to climb all the way up to the Amber fort with the guests.The sheesh mahal and the guide lighting the candle,I knew the word by heart.The monkey snatching your snacks,the breath taking view of Jaipur at night from Nahargarh.The sad thing we don't have a single picture of the beautiful forts of Jaipur and it was too late when we realized that.So i made a short trip to Jaipur few years back to meet my school friends and clicked a few pictures.

The place is full of colors,dance and forts.Shop for mojris and leheriyas.Enjoy the rich food of Rajasthan.It is mouth watering trust me.Udaipur has some of the beautiful garden and palaces.Explore the whole of Rajasthan if you can.The palaces gives you the feeling of magnanimity of that era.Jaisalmer,Bikaner,Ajmer,Pushkar,Chittorgarh are marvelous places,will try to scan the pictures and upload here soon.

Mumbai-
A must visit place to feel the energy and our favourite city.Read the full blog about Mumbai here things-to-do-in-mumbaiGo here to feel the madness of the city,enjoy the street food or the plush restaurants.Shop from the streets,take a ride in Victoria.Everything is possible in this city.Visit the Mohammad ali road during Ramzan to enjoy some out of the world sweets and kebabs(Ramzan @m ali road)

Backwaters of Kerala-
Imagine an island as small as park,with water all around you and lush greenery on the horizon,that has to be Kerala.Take a houseboat cruise if you are an avid nature lover,this place will never disappoint you.Sit back and relax and enjoy the beauty and this place is full of it.
http://traveledncaptured.blogspot.in/2012/11/allepey.html