Place: Edinburgh - Scotland
Mode: Train Trip (London Liverpool Street - London Stansted - Glasgow - Edinburgh - Glasgow - London Stansted)
Date(s) of Travel: June 11 - 13, 2010
You can read more about the place(s) here: Edinburgh - Scotland
My Experience:
1. Almost everybody who travelled to scotland tells you that it is a beautiful place. So we decided to experience scotland. We started around morning 7.00 AM from london and reached edinburgh around 3.00 PM after a small break in glasgow city.
2. Edinburgh is a beautiful city with lot of history attached to it. In the evening we decided to do a small trek which is adjacent to scottish parliament. The view from the hill towards the city and the seashore is so beautiful. In the evening we decided to do some pub hoping.
3. Next day we went to South Queensferry and did a boat trip to one small island. After that we did a city bus tour which was so good as they explain lot about the city history. In the evening we decided to go to the edinburgh castle but we were short of time and couldn't go.
4. We decided to climb the Scot monument which is built in memory for a famous scot poet. Climbing the 287 small circular steps till the top is little scary. The view from the top is so nice. Then we went to a pub to watch the world cup match between USA and England. No body in Scotland were supporting England and they were supporting USA just because they hate being part of UK and ruled by England. That was a very different experience.
5. Next day morning we went to a service in St.Giles Cathedral. It was a very old church and we met some scottish people asking about India and the religions we follow. Then we went to National Art Gallery followed by Edinburgh Castle. We spent some four hours looking around the castle which was nice.
6. In the night we left to London. We should have done northern scotland trip but due to time and plan we couldn't do it. But Edinburgh was a nice experience.
Thought of Day:Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. - Albert Einstein
Place: Dover - Kent, London, England
Mode: Train Trip (London Bridge Station - Dover Priory - London Victoria)
Date(s) of Travel: May 23, 2010
You can read more about the place(s) here: Dover - Kent
My Experience:
1. In the office some of my colleagues and myself decided to go to some place in the weekend and we zeroed in to Dover. We started at morning around 10 AM from London and reached Dover after an hour. The scenery during the train journey towards dover was so good and the sea at the last 5 minutes is so beautiful.
2. After having Brunch in the city (which is pretty small) we went to the dover castle. The view from the castle towards the sea is too good and one shouldn't miss the underground wartime tunnel guided tour.
3. Inside the castle there were people enacting as the king, prince and princess. We interacted with them and they looked like wax figures for me initially. The prince gave me some tips to woo girls. Yay.
4. Dover is very famous for its white cliffs and we did a small trek on the cliffs. From the cliffs, the view to the Dover port was amazing. Some people were even mountain biking. I envy them, coz they are damn fit. From the cliffs, you can the see the france.
5. After spending some time on the cliffs we went to the beach. In england, there are lot of pebble beaches, so not good. The view from the beach towards the white cliffs are good. It was worth time spending one day in dover.
Thought of Day:A picture is worth a thousand words. - Napoleon Bonaparte
Place: Yelagiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India
Mode: Bike Trip (Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Vaniyambadi - Yelagiri)
Date(s) of Travel: March 06 - 07, 2010
You can read more about the place(s) here: Yelagiri Hills
My Experience:
1. I decided to go by bike for the office party which happened in yelagiri. Since its a 170 km (one way) ride, I lended a Apache RTR 160 from my friend.
2. Since the summer started, I started around saturday 3 PM from bangalore. It was so freaking hot these days. Since the whole journey is on highway I was able to push the bike @ 80s constantly.
3. The Hosur-Chennai stretch is so superb that you would love biking. After reaching Vaniyambadi took a right turn which takes us to the yelagiri hills.
4. By around 5.45 PM I reached yelagiri since I haven't stopped anywhere. Yelagiri is a small hill station and its commercially growing. Having said its a hill, its not cold at all. Roamed here and there in bike and went to a temple which was nearby where I was staying.
5. Enjoyed the party and started the next day afternoon to bangalore.
Thought of Day:Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. - Russel Baker
Place: Dandeli, Karnataka, India
Mode: Tempo (Bangalore - Hubli - Dandeli - Bangalore)
Date(s) of Travel: January 23 & 24, 2010
You can read more about the place(s) here: Dandeli
My Experience:
1. Me and my colleagues started at around 10.00 PM from bangalore to Dandeli. Till Tumkur the traffic was very bad since some bridge construction was going on. After Tumkur, our tempo van driver felt very sleepy and he took some power nap for 2 hrs :(. During that time we were playing some music in the portable speakers on the highways.
2. Next day morning just before Hubli we had breakfast and I forgot the place name. Finally we reached Dandeli only at 12.30 PM, since the distance between bangalore and dandeli is around 500 kms. (blame the driver)
3. We arranged for home stay which is after Kulgi Nature camp around 12 kms from Dandeli city. The stay was too good and water streams flowing behind our house. The home food they prepared was too good and we just went on a rampage.
4. Just outside our house we spotted a big squirrel in a tree. We also spotted some jackals. But we couldn't spot any other wild animals.
5. In the night we had campfire and some music and I should say it was a pleasant one. The walk on the moonlight in the road was an thrilling experience, but we didn't go very far.
6. Next day morning we reached Jungle Lodges and resorts where we took a jeep to the Kali river for white water rafting. The early morning drive from dandeli to Kali river was sexy. It was so cold and green everywhere.
7. Doing water rafting on the Kali river was so good. I have no words to explain the awsomeness we experienced while rafting. Floating on the water with life jacket was simply good. We spotted lot of wild birds.
8. In the afternoon we went to a place called Syntheri rocks which is a natural granite sedimentary rock. Then in the evening we had plans to do jungle safari but time din't allow us to do that. Finally reached bangalore next day morning around 5 AM with dinner break at Rani Bennur town.
Thought of Day:Sometimes one pays most for the things one gets for nothing. - Albert Einstein
