DocDivaTraveller: 2015

2015 is almost over. Happy New year loves! So how was 2015 for you? Mine was a real roller coaster. My daughter turned one, I travelled to one of my dream destinations, completed seven months at work (the longest tenure till date) and my blog reached a new level. Its not that I did not have any share of troubles; I had many but I deliberately keep all my troubles away from my blog. Well the best part of this year have been some amazing vacations. We took holidaying to a new level by staying at an apartment in Turkey. Having said that it did not mean I don't love luxurious stays. The year ended with an awesome note with a short trip to the Pink city.

It was our first trip with our daughter and we stayed at the beautiful Lalit Hotel. This trip was in the mid of December. However The month ended with the husband going to a forbidden country in the middle East (name with held for safety purpose) which stressed our entire family. He returned safely yesterday and we all breathed a sigh of relief.

Trips usually mean less of relaxing and more of a gruelling adventure for us. But this time we decided to make it relaxing. We both had been to jaipur before and with our daughter travelling, we could not afford to make it tiring. So after we checked in to the luxurious property, we swam, ate and lounged around. I can easily say that this trip was the first 'relaxing' vacation of my life!

No one can stop me from getting into the pool even if its a freezing morning of mid December!

Gorgeous view from our room

Baby elated on seeing the pool...she would continuously stare at it and utter "Pani...Pani"!!

greeted with a beautifully made room!

All set to hit the pool on a chilly December morning!

This is a real vacation!!

Mother Daughter fooling around

The plethora of food we ordered: Hariyali Pomfret (my favourite), Sea green drink, Veg platter for hubs, a plate full of sweetmeats and Papri Chaat.

One of the best pomfret preparations I have had in my life!!

The hotel decked up beautifully for the holidays...

12/30/2015 4 comments

Do you recognise the huge structure in this picture? For the uninitiated, its a windmill. It is not a vestigial structure, but a real one. Well the one in the picture is non functional right now but it was working decades back. We often see rows of windmills on the beaches of Orissa or on the deserts of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The truth is windmills are here to stay, for good.

You must have first read about windmills in Physics books in high school. Maybe the first mention in class 4th or 5th. Since I belong to a petroleum family, I have had a good share of windmills in my life. ( My father is an engineer in Indian Oil Corporation so we all kids used to take part in campaigns that involved conservation of fossil fuels)

So right from childhood I am very well aware of the advantages of renewable sources of energy. Firstly they are here to stay. The non renewable sources like fossil fuels have limited reserves. Also they cause much undesired pollution. Hence its high time we switch to renewable sources of energy.

Water and wind are two main sources of energy which we can tap to full potential. India has hundreds of waterfalls and rivers through which we can get hydel power. As far as wind energy is concerned, India is the largest peninsula. That means we have a very long coastline which has high speed wind blowing all the time. All we have to do is set up windmills all along the coast.

We already have started tapping wind power in the coastal areas of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, deserts of Rajasthan, etc. The best part of wind energy is that its absolutely clean. The high speed wind rotates the turbine which in turn produces electricity. Nothing is 'burnt' during this process and hence there is no pollution. In a country where pollution is on an alarming level, switching to green sources of energy is the need of the hour.

Here is to why wind energy is the most reliable source of energy in the future:

We have a really long coastline which has high speed wind blowing all the time.

The raw material i.e wind is available all the time and that too in abundance.

In a country where power shortage is grossly prevalent, wind energy can be used to provide electricity to remote corners of India.

In a country where pollution is on an alarming rise, its high time that we switch over to green sources of energy like wind power. No burning of coal or petroleum means no pollution. Its purely #GreenEnergy.

No pollution means lesser global warming.

Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association has launched Windergy India – a unique digital platform to create awareness about the Wind Energy sector in India. Windergy India, is slated to be the voice of the Wind Energy industry.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has set ambitious targets for the Wind Energy sector. As the sector aims to reach 60,000 MW capacities, it needs the support of the government.

Windergy India aims to create wider public awareness on the benefits of wind energy, and the sectors efforts in India. Its mission to develop recommendation for Wind Energy among the general public.

You can check out their presence on social media at:

Facebook: Windergy India Page: facebook.com/windergy.india

Twitter: Windergy India Handle: https://twitter.com/WindergyIndia

You Tube: Windergy India Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8QB02llnGtutknhUyouHIw

12/28/2015 5 comments

One of the highlights of any Udaipur trip would be the City palace. The palace is the second largest palace in India after Mysore palace and the largest of its kind in the state of Rajasthan. However if you ask me, I found it to be an overrated and overcharged place. I mean if you are a history lover or even just fond of travelling, then you must have come across lots of palaces and forts (if you have visited Delhi or Rajasthan). So what's all the hype about this place? Okay so its located on the banks of the gorgeous lake Pichola. But isn't every fort or palace in our country beside a waterbody? Be it the Chunar fort by the ganges, the Ramnagar Fort again by the ganges ( The huge ganga drains a major part of North to East India) or our very own Old Fort by the dried up Yamuna, every royal dwelling had been built by the waterside for obvious reasons. The stark difference that distinguishes this palace from others is its prim maintenance. No wonder they charge so heavy ( as per Indian standards). You even have to pay extra for the camera!! Anyways the palace was really a treat to the eyes. Since we were so short on time, we tried to cover as much as possible.

The city palace had been built in the 16th century by several rulers of the Maharana dynasty to Sisodia rajput clan. Its a fusion of Rajput and Mughal architecture. It had been built on a hill top to provide panoramic views of the city. It was built in such a way so as it was protecetd from all sides by the lake, forests and Aravalli hills. This palace gives way to the Jag mandir which is located in midst of the Lake Pichola. Boat ride fares start from Rs 615 to go inside the temple!

One thing very quintessential to Udaipur is the obsession for the James Bond movie Octopussy. A major part of the film had been shot here including the City palace and the Sajjangarh fort. Every evening at around seven, every restaurant, cafe and hotel in the city showcase this film. Anyways I love this city for a lot more reasons than the extravagant city palace or Octopussy movie.

12/23/2015 9 comments

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It was our second excursion of Udaipur after Sajjangarh. After coming downhill through the winding roads of the Aravalli hills, we reached the banks of Lake Pichola.

Grabbing some quick bites

Bhagore ki Haveli is a huge mansion located at the gangor Ghat of lake Pichola. It has over a hundred rooms which has now been converted into a museum. The rooms display costumes, weapons and art. The prime minister of Mewar had built this Haveli in the mid eighteenth century.

At present there are 138 rooms with numerous corridors and balconies, courtyards and terraces. Most of them have been restored and few of the rooms open to the public. Unique items of the Rajput clan are put on dispaly here. I was not much interested in going inside every nook of this palatial mansion. I was happy seeing the Gangor ghat in the front. We took some pictures outside the palace, romped around on the banks of the lake and then left for our next stop.

On the banks of Gangor Ghat

Bank of lake Pichola

We were destined to come back in the evening to watch some heritage performances..something which all the people had been raving about. And no we did not regret a moment when we watched the show in the evening. The whole haveli lit up and it was a very pretty sight.

The haveli beautifully lit up

Perks of being an early bird...we got to sit at the front...

The name of the cultural show was Dharohar Show. It was really nominally priced..given the fact it was packed with stellar performances. The various song and dance routine were from different parts of Rajasthan and each one of them was spectacular.

Riot of colours...

Stellar performances by young girls...

The star of the show was an elderly lady. She looked as if she was the choreographer and the guide of the other performers. The toughest part of the show was left to her and she did an incredible job balancing a pillar of vessels on her head and tapping feet simultaneously.

The star of the show...

Stripe Dress: Globus

Sweater Dress: Promod

Jacket: Forever 21

Purse: Prada

12/18/2015 4 comments

The surreal Indian Ocean

Do you know which magical place is this? You don't need a passport for a surreal vacation; it is present right below our nose! Yeah, you got it correct! The mesmering getaway is none other than the Andaman Islands. I went there way back with my parents but surprisingly I remember every part of my trip. After being to so many countries, Andaman islands remain to be on top of my favourites' list.

What do you look for in a beach vacation? Turquoise waters, swaying coconut trees, sea gulls chirping and sumptuous sea food. What if you get all of this along with a dose of history?

Port Blair, the capital of the islands has the beautiful Corbyns Cove beach as well as remnants of the historical Cellular jail (reminds us of the gory struggle against the British).

You can opt for several day tours from Port Blair. Jollybuoy, Ross Island, Chidiya Tapu are few of the most popular ones. Ross Island has the ruins of a British colony along with a rocky coastline. Chidiyatapu as the name suggests, has thousands of birds. JollyBuoy is the place for aquamarine water and snorkeling.

Warning: There may be a possibility that you may not want to come back from these amazing islands! Don't say that I did not warn you before!

And now time for some good news.

For all the Bangaloreans, Make my Trip.com has introduced a new charter service to Port Blair. The charter offers direct flights, accommodation, packages and much more! You can choose from a range of packages (starting from 30,999 for five nights to premium gold and honeymoon) or customize your own! The four major packages are Explore Andamans, Andaman treasure, magical Andamans and exotic Andamans. You can opt for all inclusive packages (meals, stay, sightseeing, ferry and charter flights) or book only the flight and accommodation. These packages are tailor made to suit your needs. You can find out more here.

USP’s of the packages:

- Direct flight from Bangalore, travel time reduced to just 2.5 hours one way (earlier if you had to travel ex Bangalore, a flight change was needed in Chennai)

You can choose from a range of hotels depending on your budget. Some of my favorites are:

Shompen By Singhotel: It is named after a local tribe of the Andaman Islands. Located at 2 kms from the airport and just 3 kms from the harbour, it has an ideal location. Beautiful interiors, restaurant and conference room make your stay comfortable.

TSG Emarald View: This room says it all. It has lovely interiors and a restaurant, gym and proximity to the airport make it an irresistible stay.

HAVELOCK Islands: If you are looking for beauty all around, this is it. The Radhanagar Beach is one of the best in Asia and cannot be missed. You can reach Havelock from Port Blair by ferry and stay there for a night or two. You can snorkel, swim, SCUBA dive or simply laze around!

The Silver Sand Beach resort has its own SCUBA diving centre and is situated on The Vijaynagar Beach. If you want luxury then stay here. Also

NEIL Island: You can opt to stay at the Sea Shell Beach Resort for the ultimate tropical experience. I just love the thatched roof cottages!

So what are you waiting for? Book your vacation here and head to the perfect getaway!

12/14/2015 8 comments

So it was our first excursion of Udaipur. The Sajjangarh fort or the Monsoon palace is situated outside the city, so you need moolah to reach there. I don't know about my partner but I thought that the autorickshaw/cab drive was all that would cost us. But lo! I was wrong. A pricey auto ride ( as per Indian standards) led us to the entry of Sajjangarh wildlife sanctuary from where we had to pay for another ride! The auto ride was about a 20 minute one for which he charged Rs 300!! Then a government cab was supposed to take us to the palace through the wildlife sanctuary. That ride cost us around 250 for both of us! I don't want to sound stingy but I simply did not see that coming. Anyways after half an hour of twists and turns, we reached the hilltop palace.

The route through the mountains...

Sajjangarh Fort is situated atop the Aravalli hills from where you can get a spectacular view of the entire city of Udaipur. the lake Pichola on one side, Fateh sagar lake on another and rest of the area is surrounde by the Aravalli hills. The sunset looks mesmerising from there. But since we were short on time, we went there in the morning. A beautiful place remains beautiful irrespective of whether is dawn or dusk.

A bird's eye view of the city

The ride uphill was itself the most adventurous part of the excursion. Motion sick people beware! This may not be your cup of tea. It was built in the late 19th century by Maharana Sajjan Singh and hence its name. It was basically built to watch the monsoon clouds so it was name Monsoon Place.

This place is on the international tourist scene for another reasons. The Famous James Bond movie Octopussy was shot here. Surprisingly, a substantial amount of the film had been shot in Udaipur. That explains the obsession of the Udaipur people with this film. Every restaurant, cafe and hotel in this city show this film everyday at 7 at seven in the evening. Even i saw the movie carefully before arriving in Udaipur so as to be able to appreciate its beauty!

The main building was tall and majestic with typical Rajputani arrchitecture. We climbed to the top, glanced down through various windows and absorbed the beauty of the surrounding countryside. The views from above were a feast to the eyes. We spent about a couple of hours there and then it was again a rickety ride downhill. Somehow the crazy twisty rides pleased me more than the fort itself!