DocDivaTraveller: August 2018

The Connaught Peak is one of the many beautiful viewpoints in Mahabaleshwar. Perched at a height of 1400 metres above the sea level, it was earlier known as Mount Olympia, and is the second highest peak of Mahabaleshwar. Connaught Peak is located just five kilometres from the Mahabaleshwar bus station from where you can easily hail an auto rickshaw or a cab to the spot. The best time to visit the Connaught Peak is from June to September. However, if you are planning to trek your way up there, then October to February are the recommended months. A perfect spot for a family picnic, this is one of the most popular spots in Mahabaleshwar. The main market is only seven kilometres away from the peak where you can shop for your friends and family. The Connaught Peak is an ideal spot in Mahabaleshwar for families to enjoy a fun time together. The mesmerising views of Lake Vena and Krishna Valley add to the experience. The Krishnabai Temple, Ram Mandir and Old Mahabaleshwar Temple are situated close to Connaught Peak.

Other popular tourist spots close to the Connaught Peak include Helen’s Point, Falkland Point, Sunrise Point and Dhobi Waterfall. These places are a must-visit for all nature lovers. If you are looking for an ideal weekend destination, then Mahabaleshwar is the place you must head. While there are several resorts to choose from in Mahabaleshwar, the Club Mahindra Sherwood resort comes highly recommended.

Ideally located (only a few kilometres from the town centre) and close to several interesting tourist spots, the Club Mahindra Sherwood resort is the one you need to head for the perfect holiday. A superb location, great connectivity, adventure activities, and lots of great food, these are some reasons that should help your decision to stay at the resort when in Mahabaleshwar.

The comfortable rooms at the Sherwood Resort In Mahabaleshwar come with all essential amenities. The in-house restaurant serves some of the most delicious food you’ll have at the hill station while enjoying a wonderful view of the valley. The resort also offers several fun-filled activities for families and you can also seek sightseeing assistance should you need any.

A Club Mahindra membership allows you to enjoy amazing holidays in some of the most exotic destinations in India & abroad. One look at the Club Mahindra reviews online will help you understand the many benefits of being a Club Mahindra member. So, for that dream holiday with your family, you know where to head now.

8/29/2018 3 comments

If you are new to this blog then let me tell you that our real penchant for exotic exploration started with Philippines. However I hat one regret that we couldn't explore the famous Banau rice terraces. Just like Philippines, Indonesia is an archipelago too and is a major rice producing nation. Often we visualize Bali with lush green rice fields. So before leaving for Bali, I did my share of research as to where to get the best view of rice terraces.

Tegalagang is a place very near to Ubud which has the most vast array of rice fields. Although you would spot them every where on this island ( even the infinity pool at our villa overlooked the rice fields) Tegalagang is where you would find them in the most visually appealing way. You may know already about my obsession with the colour light green so this was probably my fantasy to see lush green fields. But when we reached there we realised that we were not the only crazy ones because it was so crowded. But being said that, it's one of the most memorable experiences of Bali.

While riding across the length and breadth of the island we saw rice fields after every couple of kilometres. But nothing can equate with Tegalagang. First, the area over which this crop is grown in really vast. And secondly it's on a steep slope so it's terrace farming in the literal sense. We walked almost every corner of the fields and did a lot of climbing to get views from every possible angle. I was thrilled and more than satisfied with our excursion!

Points to remember:

There are two times in the year when the paddy fields are lush green. When they are newly sowed, they are too sparse. And when they start riping, they turn golden. Different areas of Bali (depending on the altitude) mature at different times. We visited in the first half of November and found the perfect shade of light green.

There are a couple of old women in between the fields who stop you for donation. That can be quite irritating as they literally force you and prohibit you from going ahead.

There are no entry fees. It's a field! Although someone may charge you for parking.

It is really hot and sunny and humid out there. Make sure you are carrying enough water because the scorching sun will suck you up! Don't forget to wear a hat or carry an umbrella.

Wear comfortable footwear. There is a lot of walking involved that too on slippery and muddy land. Make sure it has good grip.

There are lots of souvenir shops nearby but they charge exorbitant amounts. Make sure to haggle!

All said, it was one of the highlights of our trip.

Top: Only

Skirt: Zara

8/20/2018 6 comments

When you are planning for a vacation in Bali, you visualize 3 things (at least according to me) : a pool villa, rice terrace fields and endless temples. While renting a pool villa would cost you an arm and a leg anywhere else in the world, it wouldn't in Bali. But still it is more expensive than the normal hotels. So we decided to split our 5 days stay in two parts: first half in a modest hotel and second half in a private pool villa. All well that ends well right?

To start with I always dreamt of staying in Ubud which is the cultural centre of Bali. While Ubud is the most popular place for foreigners, as they reside for long periods, it's not so for Indians. There are plenty of reasons: it's far from the airport, there is no means of public transport and accommodation is comparatively more expensive than that of Kuta or Denpasar. But I was adamant. So we went on a quest to find a reasonable yet beautiful accomodation in Ubud and thankfully found one.

The White House (like any other lesser known hotels) was tough to locate. Although they sent us a cab to pick us from the airport, we could not make out the exact location as it was late in the night.

The next day my partner hired a scooter for exploring the island and that's when we realised that it didn't correspond exactly with its Google location.

Anyways we had entered the place in the dark but the serene vibes were palpable. The gentle sound of water fountains and the heavenly fragrance of incense sticks created an enchanting aura. Anyways we were too tired to investigate with our tired minds (it was a crazy trip in Australia) and dozed off as soon as we hit the sack.

The next morning our snooze was broken with the melodious chirping of birds. The rippling of water had become louder yet more melodious and traditional Balinese music was playing in the background. I immediately got up and removed the curtains to discover the enchanting view just outside our room.

The infinity pool was just two steps away from the balcony of our room. There were innumerable types of plants and flowers and the fragrance of frangipanis was hypnotising. A couple of guys were carrying a holy plate for the morning rituals. I caught hold of that guy and posed with the plate. Every building was different and was designed traditionally...in the Balinese way. I just frolicked around in the garden and made my husband take uncountable pictures.

After a quick freshening up, we headed for breakfast. That too was served in a beautiful way. Sadly I had to gobble it fast because I wanted to swim and we had a long day of sight seeing planned ahead.

The staff was very sweet too. Although staying in a pool villa (later) was an experience on a different level altogether, we were really happy with this place. Cheap and beautiful...just like we wanted.

Dress: Vero Moda

Sunnies: Prada

8/11/2018 10 comments

A baby is the most important member of the family. A happy baby means a happy family. A night of peaceful sleep is an indispensable part of not only the baby's happiness but the well being of the entire family. So what is the commonest thing that hinders a baby's sleep? Sadly it's nasal congestion. With pollution levels really messing up the environment and humidity reaching an all time high, right now the maximum number of patients I am getting is of common cold leading to blocked nose. I have mothers coming to me and requesting me to give something that would allow their babies to sleep peacefully. I am a mother too, so I can very well relate to these woes.

What are the commonest reasons for nasal congestion in babies?

Common cold: Nasal secretions because of cold eventually dry up forming crusts inside the nose. These crusts block the nasal passages and the baby is unable to breathe through nose. Rhinitis or common cold is the commonest reason.

Excessive dry air: Too much of room heater/radiator usage during winters leads to drying up of the delicate mucosal lining of babies leading to inflammation and blocked nose.

Allergy/ Hay fever: Too much pollutants or pollens in the air can trigger a hypersensitive reaction in the nasal mucosal lining leading to its inflammation and eventually blocking of nose.

Baby is irritable, breathes through mouth and is unable to sleep at night because sleep breaks repeatedly. Infants are unable to take feed properly. Even toddlers are fussy with their eating as they are uncomfortable all the time. Since their nose is blocked, they avoid eating as they have to breathe through their mouth.

So what are the ways to decongest a baby's stuffy nose?

1. Nasal Drops: This is one of the easiest and most effective method. Nasivion Nasal Drops come in two variants: 0.01% for infants and 0.025% for babies. This highly diluted concentration of Oxymetazoline ensures unimpaired breathing by unblocking the nose and is absolutely safe.

2. Saline Solution: This is again one of the safest way to combat rhinitis and these drops are available over the counter. Nasivion saline drops help unblock the kid's nose by moistening the nasal passages.

Hold the dropper at the nasal entry of the child for easy administration.

3. Clean the nose: Hardened crust because of a common cold is a major reason of impaired breathing in a child. Since they are too young to clean it themselves, dab a swab of cotton in warm water and clear the nasal passage.

4. Nasal Bulbs: Kids are too immature to blow their nose themselves. This is when a nasal aspirator comes handy. There are various types: oral suction aspirator, electric aspirator or a bulb syringe. It sucks the mucus out of the baby's nose. However I strongly advice to do it under a doctor's supervision.

5. Vaporize: As I said earlier, too much dryness in the air especially during winters causes rhinitis because of drying up of baby's sensitive nasal mucosa. Placing a cool mist vaporiser or humidifier in the vicinity of the child ensures that the nasal passages are moist enough. Remedies like Nasivion have a special decongestant formula that is suitable for little noses (age group 1-6). If you don't have a humidifier, just placing a wet towel in the room in front of the radiator can also serve the purpose.

Always consult a paediatrician before administering anything in your baby. What are your hacks for a peaceful sleeping baby? Let me know!