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Showing posts with the label offbeat

Chiang Mai and Samoeng Circuit, Thailand

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The city close to nature, foodies’ paradise, grand temples of intricate architecture, dotted with quaint villages and a scenic mountain road circling through villages, jungles, waterfalls, and farms, Chiang Mai is a balanced blend of urban life and peace of mind. I stayed in a homestay run by a very courteous couple in one of the by-lanes close to the Old City. Pancakes cooked by the host were so delicious that I made them my regular breakfast every morning. I explored the Old City and night market for 2 days and dedicated the rest of the days to traveling to nearby villages and completing the scenic drive of the Samoeng Circuit. Wat Chedi Luang Varaviharn The Old City, walled on four sides, is the most happening place in Chiang Mai, bustling with cafes, restaurants, pubs, street food carts (one of them being Michelin Star!), hotels, tourists, and not to forget grand temples, and there are lots of them, each one equally beautiful in its own way and charming. The most popular among them...
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Soyal, Himachal

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  One place where you would be graced with Serenity and Peace, it is Soyal ! Manali is surrounded by many beautiful places popular among tourists like Solang, Bir, Rohtang pass and flodded with cafes having great vibes. It is a place where you can be with the nature and also enjoy the chillout life of the metro cities. But if you are the one looking out for pure peace, serenity and bliss; then you need to head out to small hamlets and trails, offbeat to the touristy world of Himachal. Nestled among the pine and deodar trees, with pristine water streams gushing through them and covered with greenry as far as you can see is the small cosy hamlet of Soyal (Soil in Google Maps). It is located just 10 kms from Manali city towards Kulu (Nagar road) and yet offbeat. To reach Soyal you can drive till Mansari village and then walk for about 2 kms. There is a school near the parking spot with good view of the village and thats from where you have to walk towards Soyal. There is literally not...
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Manda Forest Walk, Jammu

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 Wanderers always find new paths to explore and paths destine wanderers to new experiences.  It's May'2021 and everything is shut. Groceries and essential services operate from 6-10am and post that the whole city of Jammu is deserted. A long drive on highway, relishing delicious savories at Pahalwan's and stop over to have scrumptious Kaladi kulcha in the busy old city market would usually be a days affair because of the hustle and bustle of the city, but it just reduced to hours for this hop over as the city got under lockdown. Usually this time of the year in Pune, I would be trekking some new fort in Sahyadri or exploring mountains in Himachal or Garhwal/Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand. Its been many years since I have spent so much time in my own backyard that finding or rather re-discovering old paths, alleys, gullies and spots became a constant habit. I would walk for  8-10 kms just to quench this wanderer thirst in me as all travel plans seemed far fetched from reali...
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