DocDivaTraveller: December 2019

Whenever we plan of visiting a city, I take time in finding out what all can be explored which doesn't cost a penny. A tourist always has different interests. Some are exclusively looking for spas, casinos, shopping malls and all such indulgent experiences. We of course do not belong to that category. We are constantly striving to find out exclusive activities to do or places to see that are special to that place. Since everything is expensive in Australia, we curated a special 'Free things to do list' Our first stop was Melbourne; hence here I am with all those things that didn't cost a dime.

Flinders Street: This is the oldest railway station in entire Victoria and is an iconic landmark of this city. However we were quite unlucky as it was undergoing renovation. Trams running in front of this Dome entry of this station is a postcard picture. Maybe next time if we go ever, we may fulfill this wish of mine.

Free tram circle: Public transport system in Australia is horrendously expensive especially in bigger cities like Sydney and Melbourne. However there are a free stops that come under the free tram zone where you don't have to 'tap' your Myki card or no balance would be deducted. It's fun to ride on a tram and it's a must do thing.

Melbourne Cricket Ground: If you are from India, obsession for cricket is in your genes! In our family, cricket is a religion, it's a faith! Before marriage, I too was fond of this game but since my husband is pathologically obessesed with this game, it's almost a threat to me!

Also Read: My cricketer husband

Even if you have never been to Melbourne or don't even intend to, Melbourne Cricket Ground can't be unfamiliar to you! It's the Mecca of cricket! Now there are two ways to see MCG. One is to take the official tour if you have an entire day. The other shortcut is to just take a photo of it like we did! We didn't have so much spare time to devote to MCG alone hence this cheat code!

Fitzroy Gardens: You may be the most emotionless person on Earth but you simply can't ignore the happiness spread by plants and trees! The Fitzroy Gardens is a huge green area in this city. There are several sections with James Cooks Cottage the most important one. The entire area is huge and undoubtedly pretty. You can spend as much time as you want.

Also Read: Why the James Cook Cottage is a must visit spot in Melbourne

Brighton Beach: What's the use of being in a seaside town if you can't hit the beach? Melbourne is situated along the mighty Southern Ocean and is blessed with some very special beaches. The water may not be as turquoise as rest in Victoria or Sydney or Queensland but they are special in their own way! The Brighton beach has 84 colourful bathing boxes which makes it a must visit for every photography loving person!

PS The parking can be pretty expensive.

Also Read: This is the most instagrammable place of Melbourne.

St Kilda Beach: Again this beach is not famous for it's water but it's special for it's own reason. It's quite near to the Brighton Beach. This place gives a magnificent view of the Melbourne skyline. At night you can see myriads of wild penguins parading! I wish they came out during the day too! How cool is that?

Yarra River promenade: Any waterfront is a delight to spend time on. And when it's the Yarra River, it's an entirely special experience! The most famous five star hotel and the Southern hemisphere's largest casino Crown is located just beside the Yarra River. This place is a delight both during the day and night. Happy people can be seen bustling here during the day while at night, glittering lights adorn this place with foot tapping music in the background. The skyline never fails to impress whether during the day or in the dark!

Also read: Why should you explore Melbourne at night.

Street Art: There are innumerable lanes in this city that is covered with jaw dropping art. Vivid hues, brighter themes. 450 Lygon Street Carlton, Hosier Lane, Swanson street, queen street, little Bourke street, Forum theatre, Payne's place Croft alley, Royal underpass are a few places to name a few. These are one of the most famous street art lanes in the whole world!

Also read: The street art of Melbourne.

Victoria Market: It's a huge local market that sells everything under the sun. It's an ideal place to buy souvenirs as prices are lower than rest of the city. On weekdays, the market closes at 5 PM. However it was Friday when we visited so everything got wrapped up at 3PM. The Melbourne skyline looks incredible from this place.

We stayed in South bank so almost everything was very near to us. Since our apartment was on the fourteenth floor, we got a splendid view of the city without going to the Eureka Sky deck! There are lots of cute cafes where you can take a bite. The city itself is very boisterous with happy vibes all around. The best way to feel the energy is to explore the city on foot.

There are many other important places in Melbourne that are indispensable from a tourist point of view: The Eureka Sky deck, Aquarium , etc. I didn't include them as they have a hefty entry price. This is a free list and you can enjoy the city without spending a penny!( Of course a fully recharged Myki card is must for commuting)

12/27/2019 11 comments

What are the major issues that our future is facing? Global warming, pollution, soil erosion, exhaustion of fossil fuels, etc etc. While much of it is not in our hands, a lot can be managed judiciously too. No wonder the process is long and tedious, but baby steps only can help us preserve our future. One small step which we can take in this path is by switching to palm oil altogether. But how?

What is Palm Oil?

Palm oil is derived from the palm fruit. It's a vegetable oil and is of two types: the one derived from the mesocarp is called Crude palm Oil and the other from the kernel is called the Palm Kernel Oil. Both these variants are nutritionally and chemically different from each other.

Is Palm oil new?

No, not at all! Palm oil is one of the most widely used ingredients in all the substances that we use in our day to day lives. Palm oil is present in lipsticks, ice creams, snacks, food items like margarine, coffee whitener, biscuit cream, soaps, toothpastes, medicines, animal feed, biofuel, etc etc.

Palm oil has been widely used in cooking too. It's very nutritious as it contains a high amount of Vitamin E.

How can it solve environmental issues to a large extent?

Help curb Global Warming: Palm trees have a perennial green canopy that provides a tropical rainforest like cover. Flora and fauna thrive underneath. The palm trees are an excellent absorber of green house gases, hence they would help assimilate CO2 and other gases. Also palm plantations are double as efficient as rainforests in doing so.

Oxygen yield: Palm trees have a greater surface area of the leaves and hence produce more oxygen during photosynthesis. That means greater CO2 absorption too, which is great for the environment.

Efficient Land utilization: Palm plantations provide more yield per hectare than any other oilseed crop, hence land is utilized more efficiently. Also measures are taken to prevent soil erosion during their plantation. Leguminous cover underneath fixes nitrogen and makes the soil rich and fertile.

Positive energy balance: Studies have shown that palm oil processing require a lesser input of fertilizers, pesticides and fuel energy as compared to other oilseeds.

Is Palm oil good for health?

Palm oil is rich in tocotrienols ie one of the components of Vitamin E. It is cholesterol free and Trans fatty acid free. It's semi solid at room temperature because of saturated fats in it. It is rich in carotenoids too. Since it's a vegetable oil it's vegan and is an excellent substitute for Vanaspati.

Is Palm oil suitable for cooking?

Palm oil is excellent for cooking. It has a high smoking point which means it is perfect for Indian cooking. It enhances the flavour of Indian food.

Palm oil is very rich in calories.

Palm Oil and Food security: Poverty is a rising concern in the developing nations. And land is becoming scarce for food cultivation. Since palm oil requires less land, fertilizers and pesticides as compared to other oilseeds, it would be helpful in establishing food security.

Socio Economic Development: Palm cultivation has helped in reducing rural poverty in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.

There are so many other facets to this wonderful vegetable oil that needs to be tapped. Why don't we use palm oil more widely? I mean it's already present in so many items in our day to day life. Why not embrace it wholeheartedly so that our environment and ourselves are both healthy and happy.

Visit Malaysian Palm Oil Council for more information.

12/16/2019 12 comments

Well 'swimsuit' is an emotional word for a woman. If you know what I mean. We females are so critical of our flaws all the time that swimsuit becomes a touchy topic. Anyways, if you are thinking about getting into shape for a swimsuit, then this post is not about that. I am all about body positivity so I don a bikini every now and then without ant qualms! Well this post is for the most important part of wearing a swimsuit (according to me) i.e keeping the bikini area clean.

Cleaning the bikini area again has some hassles. So what are the ways?

1. Brazilian Wax: This method is too famous but not too common. At least not for regular girls/ mommies like me. It's expensive, requires visiting a special parlour and is very painful.

2. Shaving: This is the commonest method although very risky and not at all ideal. The area is far from smooth and there is a big risk of nips and cuts. Not to forget the hair stubs that are left which give you one hell of a problem.

3. Depilatory creams: Well that's also an option but the important question arises 'Is it safe for this sensitive area?' The answer is NO unless it is a specially formulated one.

4. Everteen Creme Hair Remover Bikini Line: Now this depilatory cream is specially formulated for sensitive areas like bikini area and underarms. It effectively removes the hair around tender bikini lines making the area soft and smooth.

How to use?

Take a sufficient amount of Everteen creme on the spatula.
Spread evenly and apply a thick layer of the cream on the desired area covering the hair. Avoid the intimate area.
Leave the creme for 5 minutes.
Remove the creme with the given coin tissue.
After all the hair is removed, wash the area with water.
It's recommended to trim the hair in the desired area before applying the creme.