Madhya Pradesh in 7 days – the Itinerary

Hindustan ka dil dekho tagline kept ringing in my ears for years.. I was met with a lot of questions on holiday in MP? What’s there to see.. my answer to them .. you’ll be surprised!

What struck me when we started planning a trip across MP is the sheer size of it! Obviously given its one of the biggest states in India! You can look to have a lot of different kind of experiences –

Heritage and Culture – trace the history of Rajputs and Bundelkhand; exploring some stunning forts and temples – Gwalior, Orchha, Khajuraho, Sanchi, Ujjain etc.

Nature and Wildlife – some of the best wildlife sanctuaries to spot tigers and other wildlife is in MP – Bandavgarh, Kanha, Pench, Satpura etc. Some amazing waterfalls like Bhedaghat, Marble rocks, Dauladhar etc and hill stations like Pachmarhi.

We chose to do a culture and heritage tour from the north to south of MP. The route we finalised – Gwalior-Khajuraho-Orchha-Bhopal. We wanted to cover Indore and Ujjain (for the temple) but were short of days.

Here is how our 7 days were distributed across MP –

Day 1 – landed in Gwalior and covered the Gwalior fort. Its huge!! Easily takes 4-5hrs. Other sites to see – Tansen’s memorial, Jaivilas palace museum, Sarafa bazaar, Sun temple etx. Stay: Clarks Inn. You can also explore the MP Tourism hotels, we stayed at a few in other cities and it was great.

Gwalior Fort

Day 2 – Day trip to Morena – we hired a car for the day through a contact from the hotel to drive to Morena to see temples of Miatwali, Padavali, Bateshwar and a Shani temple. We returned around 4pm and even covered a few sites in Gwalior like the Sun Temple.

Bateshwar Temples

Day 3 – Gwalior to Orchha via Khajuraho – We continued with the same car and driver to visit Khajuraho and a drop to Orchha. Gwalior to Khajuraho is a 4-5hr drive. Khajuraho to Orchha about 2-3hr. Mind you, this is a long day. Stay: MPT Sheesh Mahal, Orchha. Its located in the Orchha fort complex and was awesome. Another option is to stay at Khajuraho for a night and drive to Orchha the next morning. MPT has multiple options in Khajuraho as well along with other properties like Ramada.

Khajuraho

Day 4 – Orchha – explore the fort(s), Chaturbhuj temple, Raja Ram temple (the only temple where Lord Ram is viewed as a King and gets a gun salute), Chattris – and their gorgeous view!

Orchha Chattris

Day 5 – Orchha to Bhopal – This would be a long drive if you take a car (7-8hr drive). We instead explored train options from the nearest station which is Jhansi. Being at the border of UP we took a taxi from Orchha to Jhansi – easily available and costs 800 Rs. Autos also available and cost 400Rs. Then a train from Jhansi to Bhopal (~3hrs) to see sights around Bhopal. Stay: MPT Palash Residency, Bhopal.

Day 6 – Sightseeing around Bhopal – From Bhopal you can do a day trip covering Sanchi Stupa, Udaygiri caves, Bhimbetka rock shelters and Tropic of Cancer. You can also split this into 2 days since Bhimbetka is to the south of Bhopal and Sanchi and Udaygiri to the east. If covering this in a single day, start early (max 9am) to end by 7pm. We took a taxi from the MPT booking office located on the same premises as our hotel.

Sanchi Stupa

Day 7 – took it a bit easy and explored sights within Bhopal. Upper lake, lower lake, new market, Van Vihar National Park.

Van Vihar National Park

Check out the other MP blogs for a day wise log at the various cities to see what all to explore, what to miss, and places to eat!

Planning Tips –

1. Some days can be hectic but you do have the option to break it up. If a day seems hectic, take it easy the next day.

2. Most places – forts and temples across MP have a lot of history behind the carvings and inscriptions. If you would like to hear the story, a guide is recommended. However it would easily take 2-3 hrs so it is a trade off of time.

3. The forts and temples are full of staircases which are high and narrow. Pack clothes and shoes accordingly.

4. To travel to some places like Morena, Khajuraho, Orchha etc it is convenient to hire a car for the day. It optimises on time but may cost a little more.

6. The drive from Gwalior to Khajuraho has a newly built/in construction highway and the road is good. Takes lesser time. However, If taking long drives between cities try to reach the hotel by sunset if travelling solo or in a small group. The highways get lonely post sunset.

7. MP Tourism is very well organized and has multiple stay options in every city. The properties are well maintained and the food and service is good too! They also offer taxi for day trips around. Rates are reasonable.

8. Digital wallets like Paytm and Phonepe/GPay worked almost everywhere including autos and taxis. You just need to ask 🙂

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Srinagar to Doodhpatri – A day trip

Day 4, we wanted to take it a bit light. We were exhausted from the adventures of the previous days and visiting Doodhpatri was perfect.

Translating to the Valley of Milk, Doodhpatri is a hidden gem and hasn’t yet been discovered as a tourist heaven. It hence provides some un-matched views of lovely landscapes against the back drop of the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas.

Situated at a 2hr drive from Srinagar, we started around 9:30 am and the plan was to get there and roll around on the meadow. The road to Doodhpatri isn’t the best and it took us a while navigating the potholes. We reached around 11:45am to see a huge cultural function organised by the Army – Doodhpatri 2021. We were invited, very warmly, to come watch the show. We got chatting with a few of the jawaans and found out that this was organized to promote the destination among locals and school kids to come visit and enjoy nature.

We got a front row seat to watch the various dance and music performance, many of which were performed by the jawaans. We had never been to any Army function and this felt like our moment of being on Jai Jawaan. We thoroughly enjoyed the show, clicked a few pics and then headed off further inside Doodhpatri.

We drove down the winding mountain path to another section, where you can take a horse and ride up to a waterfall. We were done with our share of horse rides especially after Pahalgam and just walked around absorbing the sheer beauty of nature and the place. It just felt so serene, so open and free. The side of the valley is also dotted with huts called Dhoks where the tribes reside. They move down to the town once the winter sets in.

After spending a while there, we got back into our car and started back to Srinagar, biding our good-byes to the jawaans we had be-friended.

We stopped at the base or entry point of Doodhpatri and grabbed lunch. There a few shops that we saw as soon as we entered the Doodhpatri checkpoint while coming and we had decided to stop there for our meal on our return.

Got back to Srinagar, shopped a bit and then called it an early evening to get back to the houseboat and enjoy the sunset at Dal Lake; reminiscing a really great day. We were thinking of dropping Doodhpatri, but we were so glad we went. Be it the Army program or even if it wasn’t there, the purity of the place is something you should experience.

Things to keep in mind –

1. There is no mobile network or places to eat/drink at Doodhpatri.
2. Eateries are only at the entry point at the base of the mountain. Not even small tents serving food on the meadows.
3. There are no washrooms available either.
4. It is an ideal place for a Picnic – Bring your own food and spend a morning or afternoon here.

Tomorrow, our last day, to check out Srinagar (will cover the places we shopped in that).

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Srinagar to Pahalgam – A day trip

Day 3 was a trip to the beauty that is Pahalgam. Pahalgam is situated at an altitude of 8900ft and is a 2 to 2.5hr drive from Srinagar. It is also the other starting point for the Amarnath yatra. Its not just in Pahalgam, but there are some amazing things to experience en-route.

Don’t miss on the Highway – We started around 9:30 am (we were late, recommend starting earlier) and an hour away drove past Saffron fields. Kashmir is known for its saffron and if you are visiting around end october/november you will see the purple bloom of the saffron flowers on either side of the highway NH1. This is the main highway that Our Ex-PM Mr Atal Vajpayee had built to connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari. You will also see the highway near Pulwama dotted with multiple shops selling dry fruits and saffron. We stopped here on our way back to make some purchases.

Saffron fields

As we sped further away from Srinagar and towards Anantnag district, you will notice a lot of Cricket Bat Shops and Factories on either side of the highway. Another specialty of Kashmir is the Willow Cricket Bat made from the willow tree wood. These bats are manufactured at these factories.

Cricket Bat Factory

Apple Valley – the thing you must-do at Anantnag is visiting the Apple Orchards and having the freshest apple juice ever. The entire place is called Apple Valley and we were delighted just at the sight of the apples hanging from the trees. We spent a sometime in the orchard, managing to pluck an apple from the tree and eat it – so fresh, so juicy! Most orchards have a small stall making fresh juice and selling apples. Highly recommend trying the apple juice – its delicious – very sweet and refreshing.

Apple Orchards

Fresh Apple juice being made

Pahalgam – We left from the apple orchards and an hour later reached the main Pahalgam market and parked at the tourist taxi stand. There are a number of things to do at Pahalgam and you can cover it in a day (provided you reach Pahalgam at 11am) or even spend a night at a hotel on the side of the Lidder river, giving you 2 days to take it all in.

Pahalgam

Here is what all you can do at Pahalgam –

Baisaran – This is a beautiful meadow situated at the top of a hill. You can hire a horse near the tourist taxi stand and go there; takes about 2-2.5hrs round trip. Remember to bargain hard with the guides. The climb up to Baisaran is VERY steep and it had rained the previous two nights so the pathway was extremely slushy. The incline that the horse has to climb is also very steep … honestly, it was quite scary. The horse slipped a number of times in the slush and loose gravel. If I had known this earlier, I wouldn’t have signed up to do this. Bharath decided to walk instead and the slush wasn’t helping. He slipped and his foot went into the slush and he lost his shoes! Returned bare foot down the hill while I continued up the hill with the help of the guide. After a lot of heart stopping escapades and prayers, reached the meadow of Baisaran to be greeted by some gorgeous views! Lush green meadows, pine and deodar trees dotting the mountains, simply breathtaking. Also, this was one of the sights where the movie Bajrangi Bhaijaan was shot. I spent some time absorbing the views, clicking pictures and then started the even more scarier descent. If that guide (Prince bhai) didn’t help me down all the way, couldn’t have made it. Finally reached the base to find Bharath waiting without shoes and half his trousers covered in mud; but overall he was okay. Thank God! What an adventure this was! Tip: No one tells you how the path is – its quite a steep climb and if it has rained the previous night, wouldn’t recommend the climb.

Ride a horse to Baisaran

Baisaran

We came back to the taxi stand to grab lunch and calm ourselves down after that adventure. The Punjabi Rasoi is a popular place and even at 2:45pm had a long queue outside the restaurant. We waited for 15mins, but still weren’t close to getting a seat. We were famished and went to another place called Hotel Palestine. The food was good and the quantity was a LOT. Two of us couldn’t finish the Veg Biryani. By the time we wrapped lunch it was a little past 4pm; leaving us almost no time to explore other places. We chose to give it a miss and decided to start back to Srinagar.

Other sites to explore in Pahalgam – Aru Valley, Betaab valley and Chandanwari – At the tourist taxi stand of Pahalgam market you can hire a taxi to see all these places starting at 1800 Rs. There are set rates for the various sights irrespective of the time duration for which you take the taxi. Aru and Betaab valley would have taken us about 2hrs to cover and hence we gave it a miss. Aru valley is the starting point of many treks and said to offer some views as you drive across. Betaab valley’s name comes from the movie Betaab which was shot there. Going to the valley is a 12km trek, however the view is from the top! Ask the driver to stop at the Betaab valley view point; you can skip going to the valley itself. Chandanwari also offers some great views.

Since we decided to start back to Srinagar giving Aru valley etc a miss, we stopped at multiple places along the Lidder river to get some great pics of the mountains and the landscapes. You can ask the driver to stop at the view points you want to see or he would also know spots which are good. It was a 3hr drive back to Srinagar along with the pit-stop to buy dry fruits and saffron at Pulwama highway, leaving us exhausted but carrying some great memories of the adventurous day!

Tomorrow, we got to take it light at DoodhPathri!

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Srinagar to Gulmarg – A day trip

Day 2 was a day trip to the most awaited town of Gulmarg. While I had just planned to ride the gondola and back, we were in for an awesome surprise ahead.

Gulmarg is a 1.5hr drive from Srinagar and we left around 9am. Our houseboat owner has recommended to take a guide (their own person) at the tourist taxi stand and we were hesitant given our experience with the horses in Sonmarg turned out to be expensive. He also mentioned to ask the guide to take us to a lake, if we were okay to trek. Being the curious us, we spent the previous night reading up about the famous lake of Alphatar (that he was mentioning) but we couldn’t go there. Read on and you will know why.

Gulmarg

Things to do in Gulmarg –

1. TREK – We reached Gulmarg around 10:30 am and met our guide Mansoor bhai at the stand. He quoted 900 Rs for the entire day, to take us to places around Gulmarg and we agreed. (Also being conscious that Kashmir runs only on tourism and all their livelihoods had been impacted with covid). At the entry point of Gulmarg, we were asked to take a covid test, but with the help of our driver Tahir bhai and Mansoor bhai, we showed our RTPCR reports and we were good to do. Mansoor bhai then got into the car, turned to us and said, “ Ajaz bhai (The Houseboat owner) told me you guys can trek”. We said yes and 10 mins later he stopped the car and told us we would be trekking from there to the ticketing office of the Gondola. I looked up at the rudimentary path and steep incline and wondered.. how??

The view of the road from where we climbed

We started the steep climb, slipping a bit, catching my breathe due to the altitude and lack of fitness and finally reached a point where there was a flat path. We walked on it, climbing around fallen trees, with some amazing views of the valley, and about an hour and a half or so later reached the ticketing office. We were the only ones on that path and it felt so serene.. so peaceful.. just the trees and us.

Trekking views

Trekking views

Tip – this trek wasn’t a known trail. We would have never found it on our own if it wasn’t for a local. We were the only ones on that path and hence this truly was the off-beaten route. Wouldn’t recommend it if you suffer from breathing difficulties. This needs some level of fitness since the distance is almost 3-4kms.

2. BUTA PHATRI We reached the gondola ticket centre around 12:30pm to find it highly crowded and long queues to ride it. Mansoor bhai then recommended visiting Buta Phatri which was another site. We hadn’t planned for this but it did sound quite cool and decided to see it. One thing to note – all the taxis from Srinagar or anywhere else only go to the entry point of the town eg: Gulmarg. To sightsee within Gulmarg you need to hire their local taxi. All the taxi drivers have a union and quote rates of 4000-5000Rs for the 15mins drive to Buta Phatri. We bargained with our guide and kept a final price of 3000 Rs. He got us a cab and we set off.

Why visit Buta Phatri? Buta Phatri is the last village on the India side situated about 3kms from the LOC. This is completely controlled by the Army and was closed for tourists for almost 22+yrs. It has recently opened up and invites a lot of tourists coming to Gulmarg. You will continue to see heavy army presence through the hair pin turns unto the entry point. You need to deposit a Govt ID proof at the entry point and collect it on your return.

Buta Phatri

When we reached Buta Phatri, the view that meets the eye is indescribable! Stand aside Switzerland, this place this sheer, untouched beauty. To go around Buta Phatri you can hire a horse; they will tell you it’s 3km etc; but we just decided to walk and its hardly 1or 2kms round about. The natural beauty of Kashmir is here – the green meadows, the pine trees on the mountains, simply magical. You will see the landscapes dotted with huts of the Gujjar tribes. Across the mountain is Pakistan and we could see a station on a mountain and were told Pakistan starts from there. Given Buta Phatri is an army training area you can also hear the firing of gunshots echoing through the valley. Pictures are prohibited close to the army base. Any Mobile network does not work in Buta Phatri.

Buta Phatri

Buta Phatri

We spent some time walking around, clicking pics and then started back to the gondola rocker centre. En-route we stopped to climb a small hill to find a lake on top of it. No one knows how the water got there.

Lake

3. Gondola ride – The gondola is a cable car which connects two mountains in phase 1 and phase 2. This 10-15mins ride to each phase provides some stunning views of Gulmarg. Unfortunately the Phase 2 was under repair and was closed. This meant we couldn’t go to Alphatar lake either. But that was okay! We now purchased our gondola ticket (740 Rs ) for Phase 1, got into the queue and into the car – and man are the views amazing! The Phase 2 tickets can be bought at the same ticket center and cost an additional 950 Rs.

We reached the end of phase 1 which is the top of Kondgori mountain and that opens into a lush meadow. I ran around the meadow like a cat finding an open area and made Bharath (the husband) click an abundance of pics. We were famished at the end of it and were happy to walk to the tents there serving hot maggi, tea, kahwa, pulav, chinese and what not. We had a kashmiri pulav, maggi and kahwa and it was divine! Especially with the view it came with! There is no mobile network on the top of Phase 1.

View from the gondola

At Phase 1

At phase 1

Maggi with a view

View from the gondola

We caught the gondola back to base feeling very content with how the day had panned out. We thanked Mansoor bhai profusely, including giving him more than the guide fee he quoted and he happily accepted the money without even counting it! We bid goodbye to the glorious landscape of Gulmarg and started back to Srinagar, taking back with us memories of one amazing day!

Tomorrow .. Pahalgam!

Tips – I would recommend taking a guide. Seeing a place from the eye of a local, is something altogether. Check if your houseboat has a tie-up; its the best way to ensure you get a good price. The Gondola ride is usually crowded in the morning and by afternoon the crowds reduce. Weather can change at any time and carry a jacket.

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Srinagar to Sonamarg – A day trip

Day 1 of our 5 days in Srinagar was a trip to the Meadow of Gold ( Sonmarg) situated at an altitude of 8900ft.

Sonamarg is about a 2hr drive from Srinagar across a scenic route of majestic mountains. We started off at 9:30am, taking our first stop at a dhaba about an hour away to enjoy a warm cup of tea along the Sind river. Most of the drivers and guides have designated dhabas and lunch spots that they stop at and this was our drivers.

Along Sind River

After our tea we set off towards our next stop for a quick picture as we climbed the mountains in the district of Gandebal. There are a number of view points so recommend stopping for just one or two; its a long way to Sonamarg with things to do there.

At Genderbal

At Sonamarg, trek to Thajwas Glacier – When you reach Sonamarg, the first thing that strikes you are the lush green meadows. You can see it right at the parking spot. We reached around 12/12:30ish and immediately got onto haggling with the horse guides. The main highlight here is the short trek to the Thajwas glacier. During winter it is covered in snow and maybe open for some winter activities. The journey to Thajwas glacier is about 3-4km long on a pathway which is both muddy and has a road. You can either hire a horse or cover it on foot (if you are experienced with trekking at high altitudes). Everyone recommends a horse, however my husband covered the return journey on foot and he felt it was better.

Hiring the horse – that is a process in itself. All the horse guides have a union of sorts and the starting price was 2000 Rs per horse, which is very steep. After a LOT of haggling they finally agreed for 2500 Rs for both of us ( I still think we over-paid). Its a tiresome and time consuming process so be prepped for it.

Ride to Thajwas glacier – We started off on our horses to be greeted by lush green meadows and high mountains lines with deodar trees. Its a beautiful view indeed!

Pro Tip: carry a tripod to mount your phone on- makes it easier to take photos and videos while riding the horse.

After a short while, we took a stop at the Sind river. This is the spot where some scenes of the film Bajrangi Bhaijaan was shot (as per our horse guide). We spent some time playing with the water and clicking a zillion pics.

Then proceeded to the walk upto the glacier. Its basically a flat area with a bridge across dotted with tents serving up hot maggi and tea. It can get crowded depending on the number of tourists. You can continue the climb further up, but mind you it is quite steep. The guides do tell you that they can take you up to see snow, but we weren’t too keen. The weather was changing and it was threatening to rain, and we decided to head back to base. The entire ride from the parking lot and back took us close to 2-2.5hrs (we lost time in haggling with the guides).

There are a number of restaurants at the car park area and we went into one of them for a very late lunch. Post lunch, around 4pm we started back to Srinagar. As soon as the car pulls out and drives you will notice on the mountain bases numbers and directions marked in Blue. These are markings for the Army to train in high altitude and mountain warfare. With that we got back to our houseboat at sunset to unwind for the rest of the evening.

Our next day was something I was looking forward to .. gorgeous Gulmarg!

Tips – Do ensure you haggle hard with the guides. Don’t take the horse if you have trouble with your back or any other fears. The path is a bit gradient and steep in some places, but otherwise flat land. If you have some level of fitness and experience trekking in high altitude, you can walk it.

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Heaven on Earth – Kashmir, A 5-day Itinerary

When you hear Kashmir, the first picture that comes to your mind is of the green meadows lined with pine and deodar trees against the backdrop of the mighty Himalayas. The valley has been tense for many years and while we had our apprehensions too; checking with friends who had been there recently helped immensely in reassuring us of the safety of visiting.

Pahalgam

Duration and Sights – We planned about 5 days, end of Sep to early Oct, to immerse ourselves into this beauty. This is more than enough. You can also spend about 7 days by choosing to stay in Srinagar and Pahalgam. Top places we narrowed in to visit – Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Doodhpatri. These were the top spots given we decided to stay in Srinagar only. With Srinagar at the centre each of these locations were in the four corners from Srinagar.

Best time to visit – Srinagar and all its nearby places of Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam receive a lot of snowfall and many things are closed for the winters. Ideal time to go is from April to October. Early October, the weather was not too cold, moderate for some light winter wear and had abundance of sunshine; it rained at night though. Winter (Nov to Feb/Mar) has tourists flocking to Gulmarg to ski and enjoy other winter activities. Dal Lake completely freezes in winter. The houseboats and community here break the ice to make pathways for the shikhara. Winters are very cold and the houseboats install a make shift heating system with wood.

Dal Lake

Gulmarg

Stay – When in Srinagar, definitely stay on a houseboat! We did a bit of research, read up some reviews on trip advisor and decided to stay in Chicago Houseboat (for some reason many houseboats are named after a US or UK city). I had looked up the Chicago Houseboat website and they had mentioned that they offered packages. I am a DIY travel girl; but given the sensitivity of the valley, it didn’t harm to enquire. We knew what we wanted to see, but the travel logistics to the towns were what we needed to figure out.

Chicago Houseboat is owned by Mr. Ajaz, a 4th generation Houseboat owner and a conversation later he was able to send us a brief itinerary of a day wise plan of keeping Srinagar as a base and driving to each of the towns. We requested for some edits and he was happy to do so. He also gave us a recommendation for an additional day we had. The houseboats offer an all-inclusive package which covers breakfast and dinner along with evening tea or kashmiri kahwa; along with a car and driver to take us to the various towns each day. This turned out to be a huge blessing since it saves you a lot of time & energy of haggling everyday with the local taxi drivers for the per day cost of hiring a taxi. Also note, most houseboats are located in the middle of Dal Lake and ensure the package includes the daily shikhara ride to and from the ghat.

NOTE – All taxis from Srinagar go only to the entry points of the town like Gulmarg, Pahalgam etc. If you would like to sightsee within Gulmarg or Pahalgam or anywhere else, you would need to take the local taxi. The rates vary and many are unionized and could quote high rates. Bargain hard!

Chicago Houseboat

Flights – flying in covid times was a bit scary given this was the first flight we were taking. To avoid change of planes we picked a route which had a technical stop-over at Amritsar or Delhi and it was quite comfortable.

What to Wear – depending on the season you visit, do check for temperatures and pack appropriate winter wear. Weather in the mountains change rapidly and its recommended to be prepped with a good jacket, thermals and raincoat. Also carry comfortable clothes since there are multiple potential trekking spots at the towns.

Sonmarg

Mobile network – Pre-paid connections DO NOT work in Srinagar. Only post-paid works. We had Airtel and that worked quite well for both network and internet; unsure of other networks, BSNL is the predominant one here. The Houseboats are equipped with wifi, but one will need mobile network while travelling.

Covid Guidelines – Lastly, Srinagar airport requires an RTPCR negative report. They also do a test at the airport for free, however recommend carrying one. Though the JK tourism site or even the airline guidelines didn’t mention we needed a negative RTPCR despite being fully vaccinated, we decided to take one and boy that came handy! P.S. they also checked for our RTPCR report at the entry point for Gulmarg, else would have had to take the test. Do check the ever-changing guidelines when you travel.

With that we were all set for our trip – this is the least planning I had done for any of my travels 🙂

Kashmir’s economy runs largely by tourism and it has been hit quite badly due to covid. Kashmiris are one of the most hospitable people and welcome tourists with a warm smile and an open heart. You will notice that at every turn you make. Next few blogs will cover the day wise itinerary we followed across Kashmir. Stay tuned!

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5 Hidden Gems of Singapore

Singapore was the first country I visited, making it very close to my heart. My eyes twinkle every-time someone talks about SG. During this lock-down, I caught up with an old friend who had made my stay in SG a lot of fun and we got to reminiscing our good ol’ days.. Thus getting me all nostalgic and turning to wordpress 🙂

When ever I travel to a city, I try and ensure I learn to navigate and make my way around independently. I used to spend many weekends simply walking around or riding the bus or metro to many parts of this city, discovering the nuances and the multiple small joys this city has to offer.

SG has a LOT of touristy things to offer – Sentosa, Marina Bay Sands, the zoo, chilling/partying at Clarke Quay, Universal studios, luxury shopping and so on.. But apart from these SG has a few hidden gems! Having lived there a bit, here are my top 5 things to do, apart from the popular ones… Discover them on your next visit to SG!

1. Shopping @ BUGIS STREET! Any visit to SG is not without a trip to the famous Orchard Street – hub of all the Louis Vuittons of the world. SG can be a bit expensive, especially when you do the conversion to INR. But don’t fret! You can manage to do the Indian equivalent of Janpath and Commercial Street shopping right in the heart of SG. Head to BUGIS STREET. Bugis Street is an arcade of multitude shops selling everything from socks, to t-shirts to souvenirs to dresses, bags, shoes and many quirky things. Very easy on the pocket, you can shop for some great dresses, tops, shoes for 20$ each! Bugis Street also has some good food option, for those who get peckish while they shop.

Top buy reco at Bugis Street: I found these toe socks – like gloves, socks with a covering for each toe.. so cool! Tiny umbrellas, which can fit into any hand bag.. a great purchase, been using them for years now! Bottle Jackets – Cuz even your wine bottles feel cold 🙂

The most popular reco one will get is “Visit Musatafa in Little India” for cheap shopping. However, I have found Bugis to be much more appealing. But if you are looking for some cheap perfumes, and electronics, head to Mustafa.

Did you know the brand Charles & Keith originated in SG.. That means it is way cheaper here than in India. I happened to discover the factory outlet of Charles & Keith 😀 Located in Anchorpoint Shopping Centre on Alexandra road, it has a fairly decent collection and some Discounts and Sale too! The shopping centre is the factory outlet for a few other brands as well. But a visit to the C&K store, worth the while!

2. FOOD! – SG offers a lot of options in terms of cuisines – entire South East Asian to Indian to continental etc. I do have a few favourites which I keep turning back to on my visit there..

Zenso – located near Bugis, this small, quaint restaurant offers some great choices in SEA and European cuisine. I highly recommend the Thai green curry here – one of the best I have had. Also there was this person who used to sing Shah Rukh Khan songs when he meets someone from India 🙂

Madurai Idli Shop – I know what you are thinking. Indian in a foreign land.. But trust me when the stomach craves for some home cooked food, head to Little India to this restaurant for their cottony soft idlis with the myriad colour chutneys and finish off your meal with their signature Jigarthanda!

Annalakshmi – I found the concept of this place very interesting. Established with the intent to provide food for everyone this restaurant provides great home-cooked Indian food without a PRICE on the menu. Run on the concept of “Eat how much ever you want, Pay how much ever you can” one can eat to their heart’s content and pay whatever the amount they feel is worthy at the end. This restaurant has all the cooks and keepers on a voluntary basis and people work here with the intent of “Seva”. Be mindful of 2 things – Do Not Waste food – serve as much as you can eat – the buffet is un-limited; Ensure you have a Reservation since the waiting times can be quite long.

3. Indulge in some Middle East! SG has an entire area dedicated to the Middle East. Spend an evening at Arab Street. Enjoy the delicious cuisines from Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey along side Turkish coffee. There are a number of small street markets selling a myriad of items. Shop for the famous middle-eastern lamps and light-shades, they are gorgeous! For those who love quirky things, head to Haji Lane, right next to Arab Street. A small lane, lined on both sides with boutiques, cafes, and other eateries has a lot to offer in terms of clothes, souvenirs, small quirky items and some great food options. I did pick up some fab designer dresses here!

4. An Evening at East Coast Park! East Coast Park is a popular area to do some outdoorsy activities – frequented by numerous cyclists, roller bladders etc, its a great place if you would like to spend an evening cycling around or just sit back, relax and enjoy the beach view with some good food and drinks. The park is on a beach front giving you the required dosage of sun, sand and sea. Head out there, rent a bicycle and cycle around, with the occasional pitstop at the vendors and grab some munchies. Its a great spot to catch up with friends, just sit around, chatting.. almost a mini picnic 🙂

5. Hiking Trails in the heart of SG!

Tree Top Walk – SG is known to be a city but, you can get the experience of hiking through a mini-forest right in the middle of this city. The Tree Top Walk is a suspension bridge situated in MacRitchie Park. The Park itself is a large Natural Reserve governed by the Singapore Botanical Gardens offering Singaporeans and tourists the green lung in the city. MacRitchie Park has a lot of natural hiking trails and you can easily spend a day amidst nature. You can also do some bird watching and observe the biodiversity in this Park. #Tip: Do check the weather and opening/closing timings before you head out there!

Henderson Waves Bridge – Another green lung in SG is the Southern Ridges which comprises of multiple trails and elevated walkways connecting parks, teeming with flora and fauna. One such elevated pedestrian walkway is the Henderson Waves Bridge – a wave shaped, undulating bridge connecting two hills, is Singapore’s highest pedestrian bridge. A great space to spend an afternoon or get there early in the morning, to avoid crowds; walk around, absorb the nature and ofcourse great spot for some beautiful Insta shots!

Hope you found this useful and discover these places in your next visit to SG.

If you have already been here, drop in a comment and tell me your experience.

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The land of Mozart! Vienna.. in 2 days

Vienna.. the land of art, culture and music. The bustling capital city of Austria is an amalgamation of various cultures – pieces from the Ottommon empire right to the Bohemian empire and ofcourse German culture and traditions. Getting around the city is easy and all the sights are at walking distance. However, I had taken the Vienna City card which gave me unlimited use of the public transport – metro, tram or bus and also some discounts on the entry tickets for the sight. I had booked an Air B&B one stop away from  Stephansplatz and it was very convenient.

As always I started off with a free walking tour ( I have decided I will do this in every city) by Good tours.. I like the little anecdotes shared by the tour guides, something you don’t get to read in all the pre-planning research that you do. The tour quickly covers all the main sights but I also had my eyes on a few I had to do which weren’t covered in the tour. St Stephans Cathedral is the most popular one, but the one that really had my eyes pop out was the Karls Kirche (Charles Church). A 80m tall church, situated quite close to the other sites, it has magnificent architecture both on the inside and the outside. There is also a lift, inside the church which takes you up to the dome to be able to see the beautiful frescoes up close! I don’t really have a fear of heights, but when I looked down at the altar my heart did stop for a second. The church also has a VR facility which takes you on a ride on top of the church.. quite cool I must say..

Vienna was ruled by the Hofsburg empire and they were quite flamboyant. This you would see in the interiors of the Schonbrunn palace and Hofsburg palace which are absolutely gorgeous. Vienna also has a lot of expansive gardens with statues erected at various points of famous people; a good place to chill for a bit. There are many more sights to see but I did have limited time here and hence picked the highlights to visit.

For my evening, I had something exciting picked out. One cannot leave the land of Mozart without attending a concert. I am a music lover; listen to any kind of music and classical music is something that I enjoy. I picked a Joanas Strauss and Mozart concert – an evening well spent listening to the sound of a lovely orchestra playing famous compositions by Mozart and Strauss with a bit of ballet, waltz and opera, all in the beautiful Kursalon Wien venue right in the heart of the city…. 

Being a vegetarian, I had figured that I will live on basic food – forms of bread, egg, fruits etc in Europe. However, I discovered, much to my delight, that Vienna has plenty of restaurants in and around Karlsplatz which are completely vegetarian. I have had some yummy burgers, salads etc here. Highly recommended for all the veggies! For the non vegetarians Vienna streets are lined with the hot dog stalls called Wien Würstel and they are supposed to be good! And ofcourse the Schnitzel (which btw isn’t Viennese) 

I was coming to the end of my Viennese adventure and had saved the best for the last….  the Sacher torte! This is a chocolate pastry with a layer of chocolate on top. Simple as it sounds, it couldn’t get better than this.. Finishing off the trip to Vienna, seated at the Sacher Hotel cafe, licking the Sacher cake and cream off my fork! #Life’sGood. 

P.S. you get the Sacher cake in many shops but the Sacher hotel is the one where it originated. 

Next up Budapest! 

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The magic of Prague… a 3 day itinerary

My fascination with the Czech Republic and Prague started with my dad’s stories of his stay in CzechSlovakia way back in the 60s and 70s. Hence Prague just had to be on my list! 

I took a early morning bus from Berlin (pre-booked on FlixBus) and landed in Prague around 12 noon at the main railway station. My German number decided not work as soon as I crossed the border and hence I had no internet. I enter the railway station to realize that everything is in Czech! With the help of some broken English and sign language managed to get a new sim (Vodafone was a recognizable name :P) and activate it. Phew! Now I was ready to take on Prahaaaaa… 

I had booked an Air B&B close to Wenceslas square only to realize it is a bit of a distance from the happening places around Old Town Square. Tip of the day: live closer to where all the attractions are and that’s in and around Old Town Square. Trust me, you will realize this when you have to walk back after a long day of sight seeing. 

I started the Prague adventure with Sandeman’s free walking tour (yes, learnt this from Berlin). Our guide Brandon took us through most of the sights and covered a bit of history and was also very entertaining! We were a group of 15 folks, of which many were from India, living in different parts of the world. We were 3 solo female travellers as well! I was amazed on how this is catching up! #WomenPower 

On the 2nd day, I decided to visit some of the places I had zeroed in on during the walking tour. First stop was the Jewish Quarter – the Old New Synagogue, Jewish Cemetery, Pinkas Synagogue etc. You can purchase a Jewish museum ticket which gives you access to all the sights in Jewish Quarter. After my well spent half day wandering the streets of Jewish Quarter, I decided to take the Sandeman’s Prague Castle walking tour (paid, but not so expensive). Starting off at the Jan Palace square, our tour guide, Jirke, a local Czech national, was able to give us a good perspective of the history and also a bit into the architectural aspects of the structures. First of all the Prague Castle isn’t really a Castle; its a complex housing various structures- St. Vitus Cathedral, Presidential Complex, beautiful and scenic gardens, Golden Lane etc. St. Vitus Cathedral is the main highlight and boy is it beautiful! The size of it does not fit into one photo frame! The inside of the Cathedral has amazing stained glass work which leaves one spell bound (I am a sucker for stained glass work). Towards the end of the tour you get to go to this view point from where you see the entire city of Prague.. breath-taking and yes DP picture taken 🙂 Incidentally met another solo woman traveller from India on this walking tour… #WomenPowerAgain

I then descended from the Castle through an area called Mala Strana..  I just cant help falling in love the with neo-classical architecture of this city… when you see Mala Strana, you will know what I’m talking about. With the day drawing to a closure, took a walk across Charles Bridge and ended my day with a nice big Chimney Cake (Trdelnik).. YUM!! You must try it! 

Day 3 in Prague was a bit more relaxed. On a recommendation from the friend who was with me on the Walking tour I decided to visit the National Library called Klementium. I’m sure when I mention library one would say.. ha! Boring!! Well think again.. the Klementium is a complex of buildings spanning 2 Hectares housing the Baroque Library Hall, Astronomical Tower and Meridian Hall. This place is totally undermined. Once you purchase your ticket, there is a guided tour which takes about an hour covering the library and astronimical tower.  The Baroque Library has books from the 1700s; a massive one with Biblical interpretations from around the world, well preserved in a temperature and light controlled room with eye catching frescoes on the ceiling. This will definitely leave you awe-struck. The Astronomical tower is another wonder; the guide details out how people used to tell time and also take you through the devices used. Its lovely to see some of the measuring devices we use today in their antique version from the 1800s like the Barometer, microscope   Etc. The tour ends with the last spot being at the veiw point at the top of the tower which over looks the city #DPspot. Tip of the day: wear appropriate clothing – the stairway to the tower top is a spiral and it’s quite steep; it also gets quite windy on top. 

I then decided to finish seeing the rest of the synagogues (since I had the pass for all).. out of all the one which caught my eye was the Spanish Synagogue. Its interior architecture is quite different from the rest.. has a bit of an arabic influence.. 

For the afternoon, I walked across Charles Bridge to check out the Lennon Wall- a very colourful wall dedicated to Lennon done up by street artists. #DPspot. Then went on to visit the Church of Lady Victorious and Infant Jesus of Prague. Another beautiful church with grand gold inlay work. After a quick stop for chai, went for a walk through Mala Strana, hunting for a miniature version of the Jawa bike as a souvenir for my BIL… Yes, Jawa used to be manufactured in Czech Republic but not anymore, so you can imagine how hard it must have been to get one. After a LOT of searching managed to find one near Charles Bridge. My last stop for the day was the Dancing House (the name caught my fancy). A 15 mins walk from the bridge its a building which is quite unlike any other. You have to see it to understand it 😛 

That wrapped up my Prague adventure.. a city just out of a fairy tale.. and oh yes! Souvenirs! Loaded up on Manufaktura products ( Czech personal care brand), some enamel goodies, magnets, a small wooden puppet and of course a shot glass! I still wish I could take back the Bohemian glass crystal 😭 

Anyhow.. moving from one fairy tale city to another.. Vienna you are next! 

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3 weeks in Europe – The Planning

The travel itchy feet syndrome is one where you cant wait to take off on another adventure and I had this for more than a year. After 2017 being the year of leg injuries I was itching to take a vacay.

Having travelled across most of SE Asia, Europe was top on my list. The Husband was unable to take leaves, yes, it gets difficult to coordinate calendars, and since I had some friends scrattered across Europe, I decided to do a somewhat SOLO trip. After a lot of additions and deletions I picked to do Central/Eastern Europe on this trip starting in Germany. What started as an ambitious plan of covering 9 cities from Brugges to Budapest was shortened to 7 cities thanks to reality and ofcourse limited number of leaves. After I received a “3 weeks holiday!” exclamation from my boss who then agreed with a Ja Simran Ja dialogue, I said a big thank you to him and started planning it.

Now when you try to do a Euro trip on your own (without using a travel agency), its almost like a full fledged project planning and execution for close to 3 months! With my birthday falling in May I chose 3 weeks around that timeline (flight ticket costs were also a factor) narrowing down on 3rd week April until 2nd week of May (I wanted to avoid the peak touristy season which is June onwards). Its really really hard to pick areas and regions to cover in Europe cuz there is so much to see! I also wanted to spend atleast 2-3 days in each city to not make it a whirlwind trip. Hence started the planning of my budget Euro somewhat solo trip.

So next.. decision points & bookings – cities to go to, route to take, booking of tickets, inter city travel tickets, accommodation, giving enough time for visa documents prep and submission (takes about 2weeks or so) and ofcourse Itinerary in each city.  Thank god for excel sheets!

1. Cities – I narrowed down basis my interest in history, culture and adventure and also basis calendar availability of my friends. I had to do some permutations & combinations to arrive at the apt duration that I would stay in these cities and the route to follow – to ensure its optimal so that it isn’t too much back and forth, it coincides with weekends for my friends and not too expensive. The final route I chose was to do a round robin.. easy peasy.. Frankfurt-Berlin-Prague-Vienna-Budapest-Salzburg-Munich-Interlaken-Frankfurt. Since I had a direct flight in and out of Frankfurt, I chose that as my entry and exit points.  Booking flights 2 months in advance helps in managing costs – point to note my lord. My friend in Frankfurt decided to join me in Berlin, another friend in Budapest and one in Munich. So weekdays were solo travel. Weekends were with friends!

2. Inter-city travel and Acco – the travel and acco have to be booked in advance as the proofs need to be given for visa application. More so if you are a solo woman traveller. That means planning or rather a birds eye view of your itinerary as well. I had started my research on this by reading up on what to do in the cities, watching Rick Steve’s Europe videos on Youtube (they are quite good) and speaking to my friends. I chose to spend an average of 2 nights in each city (some had 3 as well) basis what all I wanted to cover. Air B&B was my first option for acco and I scouted for them in each of the city. Pick the location appropriately, preferably city center as it helps in commuting/walking to all the sights. I found some great studio apartments in Prague, Vienna and Budapest. In Berlin, since we were late in booking, we had to pick a hotel. An Euro trip isn’t complete if you haven’t experienced the youth hostels. I picked those in Salzburg and Interlaken (in Swiss even Air B&Bs are expensive!) In Munich, I had a friend’s place to crash at.

I then booked my inter-city travel via trains and buses individually. My first thought was, why not Eurail pass. However, when I did the maths, it worked out to be more expensive and time consuming as connections weren’t great. Buses were booked via Flixbus, that’s the most widely used network. Trains through Go Euro. Flights – no way! Buses and trains also give you the real a feel of Europe, sitting by the window, enjoying the lush countryside and sipping on your cuppa. With the multiple iterations around the cities and their, travel I did make a mistake in my dates for one of the journeys. #panic. Thankfully realized it early on and was able to cancel and re-book the train. Phew! #Facepalm. P.S. take print outs as not all places are digital friendly.

3. Visa!! – the biggest task at hand was to collect documents for the tourist visa. Schengen visa document requirements is a big turn off! You need to provide proofs of everything – flight, stay, travel, proof of profession and income, whether you have enough money to survive the trip, covering letter with detailed itinerary, Travel Insurance, and ofcourse passport and civil status – eg: marriage certificate etc. Someone had even asked me to keep a NOC from my husband or father handy incase they ask!! Talk about gender equality!

Visa needs to be applied in the country which has the maximum stay, which was Germany in my case. I booked my appointement through the VFS site (all forms can be downloaded there) and went and submitted the docs along with biometrics. Visa came in about 2weeks time.. Yay!!

4. Shopping and Packing – I now had a lot of things to buy.. to pack for a Euro trip, one needs to be prepared for all seasons – summer, winter and rain! I had no winter clothes so that meant investing in a good jacket! I initially wanted to carry a backpack all through, but thanks to a shoulder ailment, I decided to carry a small trolley (10 kg, cabin luggage of sorts) and a medium backpack. Wondering how did I fit 3 weeks of stuff in it? Trust me, the idea is to pack light and travel with delight. You will realize this when you have to lug your luggage through cobbled streets, up and down flights of stairs, lift it over your head to store it in the train baggage compartment and of course run with it when you are late for your bus or train 🙂

I picked very light weight clothes – about 16 tops, 3 trousers, 2 shoes (most important as you need to walk a lot!) 1 slipper, 1 good jacket, light cardigan, a couple of stoles, other winter wear, toiletries (very expensive to buy there), 10 pairs of socks, towel, raincoat, umbrella, medicines, chargers & power bank and some ready to eat food since I’m vegetarian. However, I didnt really have a problem in Europe for food.

P.S. I even had some space for the knick knack shopping I wanted to do 🙂

Tip: roll your clothes while packing them in your suitcase. It saves space.

5. Itinerary – thanks to the research that I was doing I had a fair idea of what all I wanted to see. But who is going to remember all of that! That’s when I discovered Visit A City app. Its been a blessing! The app/site recommends and allows you to create 1-4 day plans of sights to visit, the opening timings of those sights, the distance between them, some tours that you may want to take etc. I also wanted to attend some music concerts in Vienna and Salzburg so I pre-booked them online. But yet, left a lot of room to get to the city and then figure out what I wanted to do.

6. Lastly, Money – I had taken some currency and a Forex card. Found the card to be very useful as most places were card friendly….

Alright! I was now all set for my first Europe adventure!

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