Backpacker 07🧗🏕️

Day 1 in Bali: it’s all about nature

As soon as I hit my bed next thing I was able to see was me tasting the world’s most expensive coffee, that’s right the Luwak coffee, and after having my coffee we went to visit the Tirta empul temple where I was about to dip my head in the holy water when my mom woke me up. I checked my mobile it was 7:30 in the morning. After freshening up I went to have my breakfast. I was eager to visit the Tirta empul temple. We left our hotel to appreciate the beauty of south Bali. Instead of the temple, we decided to kick start our day by visiting the lush green beauties followed by a visit to Mount Batur and then the consecrated places like Tirta empul and Goa Gajah so yess by the time we reach the temple my excitement was at peak.

Tegalalang Rice terrace

The rice Terrace is one of the most excellent spots to visit in Bali, situated in Tegalalang Village. It is in the north of Ubud surrounded by the astonishing rice porch set the cliff. It was overcast when we went there while enjoying the reviving sight of lavish green terraces I could feel the cool breeze all over my body that was helping me get rid off my tiredness. I was standing there enjoying my own company when I heard someone screaming, I went to perceive what’s going on, and I saw there was a huge Terrace swing and a woman was enjoying (frightened at the same time) her swing over the rice terrace(which was around 100 feet underneath!?) and I knew what I need to do to feel the adrenaline rush in my body.

It was a stunning experience to watch the rice patios while you are taking your swing over a rice terrace. Just imagine, You look down while swinging and there isn’t a ground underneath your feet but innumerable layers of rice fields which are about a hundred feet below!!!! According to me, that was the most ideal way to begin our day in Ubud.

Terrace Zipline cycling 🚴

I thought what could be more exciting than this but then I saw Zipline cycle and I asked myself let’s see how much frightened you are for the height… And so after the terrace swing, I ran towards the Zipline cycle. It was once in a lifetime experience.

Mount Batur 🌋

After having whale of a time at the rice terrace we went to Mount Batur. the miracle of nature Mount Batur is an active volcano. I had heard about Bali and it’s connection with the volcanic activities, but until now, I never saw any volcanic mountain so to watch mount Batur, the active volcano was dream come true.

sadly When we reach there it was all foggy so it was kinda bad news for us but we decided to have lunch and wait for the cloud to disappear and it was the right decision! To our luck sky got clear within half an hour and the view after that was breathtaking! the mountain and the lake beside it which is known as Batur lake.

The scenery was just picture perfect. So we spent next 15-20 minutes there, took photos and decided to head towards Tirta Empul.

Tirta Empul 🙏

when I entered the premise of the temple I immediately remembered my dream.
I must say the temple is way more beautiful than you see in photos or internet.

Tirta Empul which literally means ‘holy water spring’. A Hindu Balinese sanctuary that has been there since 926 AD is still being effectively utilized. The Tirta Empul temple is devoted to Vishnu, the Hindu god, and is considered as one of the holiest sanctuaries in Bali.

We spent almost an hour to explore this sacred place. At the entrance of the temple, they offer you the simple Balinese dress code that is ‘sarong’, you have to wrap this sarong around the lower body plus a sash around the waist, oh the important part they don’t charge for this. After visiting the temple you just have to return it.

After wearing the sarong, we strolled towards the external yard of the sanctuary. This zone of the sanctuary is called ‘Jaba Pura’. At the end part of the zone, there is another Candi Bentar built into the wall that prompts the central courtyard. This entryway is monitored by smoothly cut huge statues of two Dwarapala.

Then we entered the inward courtyard known ‘Jaba Tengah’ the main territory of the sanctuary. The heavenly springs bubble up here into a large, perfectly clear pool, it was clear greenish water and I was able to see the water source. From that pond, the water was flowing through 30 waterspouts into the two consecrated filtration pools.

When we reach there, worshippers were standing in long ques in the pools, and one by one each person was dipping their head under the water spouts in a purification ritual known as ‘melukat’. It is said that dipping your head in this water helps you wash your sins away and purify your soul.
but sadly I forgot to take an extra pair of clothes and so decided not to go for melukat ritual. Instead of that, I tried to capture a few photos of the devotees.

I was rambling around noticing each and every aspect, how the devotees are seeking blessings, the melukat, people posing for photos but I must admit there is that positive vibe that calms your soul, you will feel more relaxed in this area for sure.

Goa Gajah 🏞️

Goa Gajah which is also known as Elephant Cave is located near Ubud,
The complex contains both Hindu and Buddhist symbolism, as the cave contains lingam, a symbol of Shiva and also the picture of Ganesha, while by the waterway there are cut pictures of stupas and chattra that states Buddhism.

After visiting Shiva and Ganapati we went to the riverside, huge tree, less human interference, the sound of water flowing through the trees, I like such quite places the atmosphere of this place energized me.

After coming back to hotel we went to have dinner which was delicious, planned our next day tour and we all went to take some rest and much-needed sleep.

Province of Indonesia: Bali

The magical land where you will get Forested volcanic mountains, notorious rice paddies, shorelines and coral reefs, lush greenery, the rain that accompanies your entire year and the alluring aroma of coffee that turns you into a coffee lover all at one place… yes!!! I am talking about Indonesia’s gem BALI, an island which has become an essential part of every traveller’s bucket list and it was in my travel wish list as well.

Bali is a piece of the Coral Triangle, the region with the most astounding biodiversity of marine species. The islet is known for its yoga and meditation.
In the south part of Bali, there are towns which are famous for specific artwork including Mas, known for wood carvings, Celuk, for gems and jewellery, and Batubulan, for stone carvings while Ubud is known for the yoga and the place where you can meditate to calm your soul.

I was very much excited about our Bali excursion as I was waiting for this trip for almost 2 years. I went to Bali with my family in April. We took the afternoon flight from Bangkok and reached Denpasar airport.

After travelling for 1 and half hour we reached our stay in Ubud. Somewhere down in the bumpy focal point of Bali, among hanging banyan trees and lush rice paddies, situated a town named Ubud thought to be the Indonesian island’s spiritual and social heart. Ubud, a name that originates from the Balinese word Ubad, which means medicine, Ubud has long been known as an enchanted spot, wealthy in alleviating powers.

We were staying near Ubud palace. After reaching there I hit the bed immediately after having dinner. My next and the very first day started with loads of adventures and breathtaking views.

Historische meesterwerken

It was time to see the another gem of country Belgium.
The moment I reached this beautiful city named Ghent. I have to admit that I was mesmerized by the heritage as well as beauty of the this city.

City center is referred to for medieval engineering, for example, twelfth century
Gravensteen palace.

Gravensteen palace

Gravensteen is one of the strongest moated castle in Western Europe, surrounded by the River Lieve .
Today, it remains an extraordinary case of the European medieval specialty of stronghold

Belfry

the 91-meter-high belfry, symbol of the city’s independence, where the sanctions of the benefits of Ghent were kept.
Today, it has a cafe-restaurant, which is well known with Globetrotters.

Boat ride

A 40-minute tour will give you complete new point of view on this exuberant place.
Enjoy the boat ride through the canals of the beautiful city.

Graffiti street

an excursion down this spray painting back street in the city center of town is a treat. If you are lucky you can witness craftsman at work.

St. Nicholas church

This Cathedral in Tournai bluestone is a standout amongst the most delightful instances of the Scheldt Gothic style.
The church’s inside has been flawlessly restored to feature its breathtaking Gothic stonework.

You even can go on legacy visit. For history-darlings and engineering fans, Ghent can’t be beaten, in addition to its absence of visitors makes it an incredible place to get to grasps with present day neighborhood Flemish culture which makes it a ‘must go destination’

City I admire the most

Bruge the historic city of the country Belgium also known as the capital of West Flanders!

The city that safeguard it’s culture. Heart of this city is the UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of the best preserved medieval cities on the Earth. It has several canals, marvelous city houses, a striking belfry (bell tower)located at the magnificent town square, and various museums which makes the city not only a highlight in Belgium but also a huge attraction in entire Europe.

Our stay

it was the month of December when me and my sister was in brugge, we traveled from Amsterdam to Bruges via Brussels. luckily the hostel that we had booked was in city center so we were able to enjoy the beautiful architecture.

Chocolate stories

On our first day we visited the most delicious museum “Choco museum” which welcomed us with a huge chocolatefall ( like waterfall) Museum was showing the history , value and importance of the Choco beans. the best part was, they also demonstrated us how the chocolate making culture in the Belgium is.

Basilica of the holy blood

after tasting the delicious Belgium chocolate we went to the “basilica of the holy blood” it is said that there is a cloth which have stain of Jesus Christ’s blood.
the cathedral is huge and have colourful windows on which different designs have been made which enhances the beauty of the church.

Church of our lady

another splendid architecture. It is very huge and beautiful. Renewation was in process so we couldn’t catch sight of the entire church.

The boat ride

After coming out of the chapel we saw boats in canal which was providing canal ride to enjoy the beauty of the city’s iconic waterways, taking in all of the views, hues, and history with different perspective. 30-minute cruise ride at just €8,

Grote market

We were starving by the time we came to the Grote market. aromas of hot waffles with mouthwatering Belgium chocolate alured us, that day waffle was our lunch as we both just love waffle. Even if you are not a waffle fan you will fall in love with it after having the waffle affair in Bruges. have some Belgium waffle, chocolate and also a glass of beer while enjoying the city’s environment.

Minnewater lake

How can I forget about the minnewater lake!!! the classic experience that you just can’t miss while spending your leisure time in Bruges .

Random walk

on our second day we prefer to roam around without any plans as it was wonderful to get lost on the roads of the city, to see the horse cart running and making the sound of their feet against the roads made of stones. We spent our evening at the city square, enjoyed the dinner at local restaurant and then came back to our hostel.

There is something different something unique about this city; may be the architecture, colorful huge buildings or the chocolate aroma luring across the city… I don’t know, but I fell in love with the city. If you ask me how to plan 2 days’ trip to Brugge I would say ‘You actually don’t even need the itinerary for this mesmerizing town, just go through the narrow roads either by walking or have a bicycle ride and allow the beauty of this city to consume you.
if you are planning your next trip to Europe then you should definitely add this destination to your itinerary.

(Photo source: Google)

Journey of transforming from Romantic place to an active destination

“Switzerland is mostly considered as a romantic destination, to change this image and tell young as well as senior citizens from India who adore the nature we have plethora of options and are ready to welcome you 365 days of the year with open arms” says the director, Switzerland tourism, India Mr. Claudio Zemp while addressing the media on 29th of October in press conference arranged in Pune.

According to the deputy director, Switzerland tourism, India Ms. Ritu Sharma,”Indian travelers are becoming more and more experimental; electing to visit the country even in autumn, trying local cuisine of the country, adding less known places to the itinerary, preferring apartment stay over the luxurious hotels to get the feel of locals and are willing to connect with the lifestyle of people over there, this change of travelling pattern by Indian travellers is commendable, in 2016 a group of some bikers did a cycling tour through the swiss mountains”. Adding to this she said “Few years back well settled people of age group 30-55 prefer to go to Switzerland but now-a-days, retired senior citizens as well as IT personnel are visiting the country more frequently”

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh becoming the brand ambassador of Switzerland tourism from August 2016 contributed to huge growth in Indian travellers coming to Switzerland, in 2017 the number rose by 24% while this year from January to August 10% increase has been recorded. The Switzerland is welcoming free individual travellers (FIT) along with the group travellers and working on to change our image of romantic destination to an active destination thus have started various adventurous activities like snorkeling, sky diving, skiing which interests the young crowd. Switzerland tourism have given temporary name to a train after Ranveer Singh which runs between the stations Montreux to Interlaken.

Switzerland tourism started ice cricket concept from last year which took place on the frozen lake of St. Moritz, during this Virendra Sehwag, Mohammad Kaif, Zahir khan, Lasith Malimga like international players were present to play 2 day tournament.
Switzerland experiencing huge response of Indian travellers from the western states like Maharashtra ,Gujarat and looking forward to serve travellers from other states as well.
STOP OVER SWITZERLAND PROGRAM.

With the help of Swiss international airlines under which you can take 1-4 days halt in Switzerland before going to other European countries or during your voyage to USA. Because of this you save money on air travel and get to adore the beauty of this country. Further to this to make your journey within the country more hassle free they have included the ONE PASS FOR ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORT scheme because of which only only on swiss pass is enough to travel within the city in any public transport like train, tram, boat, you can use this pass as your ticket”

so what are you guys waiting for?? Book your tickets and enjoy the snow capped mountain of the Switzerland.

Bordeaux the capital of world’s wine industry. 🍷

Bordeaux, Port of the Moon. The city that gave wine culture to the world.

Puerta de Cailhau

As we got off the tram the huge Puerta de Cailhau which was in the form of a giant entrance structure welcomed us. I was awe strucked by the huge architecture.

By the time we reach there it was dark and entire glimpse of this huge structure was icing on the cake. We passed through the Puerta de Cailhau and started looking for our accommodation.

Airbnb

We had booked a private apartment through Airbnb which was located exactly in the heart of city,

that too exactly opposite to the tower Pey Berland.

Our apartment owner was very cooperative and helped us with required information. We all freshen up and went for dinner.
Wine museum

Bordeaux has huge and marvellous wine Museum . One can enjoy the vineyard tour. Just make sure you go there in the right season. We went to the top floor of the museum where we got to taste different kinds of wine.

After spending an hour or two we left for the modern art museum (I am not a museum lover so don’t ask me ‘how was it?’)

Historical monuments

After Paris this city has the highest number of preserved historical buildings.

Pont de Pierre

Stone bridge of the city. The bridge which is constructed on the Garonne river is a major attraction. Well your first question will be how a bridge can be a tourist attraction!!

Your all doubts will get cleared once you reach in front of the pont (bridge). It is an architectural treat for those who appreciate its elegance.

Monument aux Girondins

This huge monument has Statue of Liberty standing at the top end of a large pillar and flanked by two pools containing spectacular statues, of people and horses.
The fountain is an integral part of the monument.

Water of mirror

Well, this one is the best part of this city .”the mirror image of place de la bourse”. the place where water is spread to get the reflection of the palace de la bourse is known as water of mirror. The scene is mesmerizing. You will lose the track of time while trying to capture this beauty. keep your evening time free for water of mirror .

Night Life

At night this city transforms completely with the skyline decorated with lights and streets brimming with live events and concerts at various cafes and restaurants.

The city has one of the best theatres of the country which itself is a beauty.

Do visit the city to enjoy the authentic wine culture.

Let the festive voyage begin 😀

Long back Festival was an event that used to gather people of same religion or nationality . But now festival is not limited to just religious beliefs, and have crossed the national borders to unite people having same interest from all over the world and create festival tourism.
For festive tourists most important of which seems to be the exotic culture, presented during the events. Besides, tourists want to attend events of unusual and unique atmosphere, interact with people of similar interests, and get to Know more about the world.
Festivals are varied, uncommon events, not connected with work, they celebrate elements significant in the life of a given community, consolidating it, they are often related to the culture and religion of local communities, they often consist of many different social and cultural events, they are often regular events connected with art and culture. Sometimes they are combined with competitions.
The tourism where the aim is to attend festivals is treated as a part of event tourism.
Let’s have a look on some of the famous festivals for which people Travel 1000 kms and spend huge amount of money.

Running of The Bulls – Pamplona, Spain

Remember that climax from the film “Zindagi na milegi dobara”? Hrithik, Farhan, Abhay running through the small streets of Spain trying to save themselves from those scary bulls?
Yess it wasn’t a Bollywood masala.. it is a huge festival of Spain.

The Running of the Bulls is a part of the famous San Fermin festival. In this event people who have participated have to run in front of a small group of bulls (typically a dozen) that have been let loose on a course of a sectioned-off subset of a town’s streets. Timing of the so called race is fixed. A first rocket is set off at 8 in the morning to alert the runners that the corral gate is open. A second rocket signals that all six bulls have been released. The third and fourth rockets are signals that all of the herd has entered the bullring and its corral respectively, marking the end of the event. Every year around 200-300 people get injured during the run, although most injuries are contusions due to falls and are not serious. But one can try his/her luck if you want to take a lifetime experience. So planning your next visit to Pamplona?

Carnival of Venice – Venice, Italy

900 years old carnival that still has it’s charm on the minds of people living in Italy.
One time of the year everybody present in the city is free to do the things they desire without any restrictions or guilt and did I forgot to mention not getting cought?? seems like fairy tale?? But you can experience this all by yourself.

During this festival Venice is the most alive city in Italy or should I say Europe… Canals of the city are full of colourful boats, streets have people wearing various kinds of masks, jugglers, bands and other entertainers are there to make sure to add spice to the fest.
Even the nights are all about parties and masked balls.

La Tomatina – Spain

The Bunol where people come together to throw crushed tomatoes at each other for fun.
this is one festival you just cannot miss.

Tomato fights or the enormous water showers that follows after the tomato fight, la tomatina is one event that makes you dance.

Oktoberfest – Munich, Germany

Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Festival is celebrateed for 16days in late September to the first weekend in October with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year.

The event is all about beer, beer and only beer. Just imagine you are in the capital of Germany sitting in a cafe and all you see and smell is traditional huge glasses filled with beer.

Next time, when you plan your visit to Europe make sure you at least witness one of them.

Apps to ease your travel time

Hey travel lovers!! in last article you read about some apps that are useful before leaving home for your dream trip.
Here are some more apps which can be beneficial while you are having your travel time.

Splitwise

Split your expenses with your travel buddy without any trouble!! Because this app will help you throughout your tour to jot down your spending and will does the calculation part for you and you may pay each other in single fat payment, instead of a bunch of small ones. You can view your balance and keep the track while the app. will help you spend wisely and even can remind you about the pending bills.

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VOLO

This app keeps your experiences and moments alive with words and images. It marks the destination that you have wandered. It is basically your personal digital travel journal which you can carry in your pocket anywhere you go. The app helps you by keeping the track of location, images and the content you wrote in a folder.

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PackKing

Be it any location, season or duration this app will help you pack things by giving you an appropriate essentials list of what you should carry. The app makes you pack all the mandatory things without any hassle.

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Transalte voice- translator

Travelling to a nation of completely unknown language??? Not an issue now!!!You can hold a conversation in any language
Just have the “translate voice” app in your phone and let app do all the work. You can either give voice input or can type in the app and translate in the language you want . It will do the spelling correction part as well as word suggestions,
So download the app and you can have a conversation with a complete stranger in a language you don’t even understand.

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Go ahead! try these apps and let your smart phone do some smart work for you.

User friendly apps while traveling

Planning a trip?? Who needs a travel agent when you have a smart phone. To keep stress to a bare minimum we have rounded up some of the best apps.

1) Visit a city

The name says it all. This app will give you detailed information about the city you are visiting. We all get little confuse while visiting a city for the very first time, but “visit a city”will work 24/7 as your personal tour guide that too for free.
You can make your customized itinerary in this app and the app will navigate you according to your schedule.
The app will help you decide which sightseeing to do first and at what time.

Skip the que

You can easily decide which tour you want to hop and also buy the tickets and ignore the hustle of the never ending entry ticket line. The app will also tell you the exact opening hours of the place you are planning to visit.

internet is not working? No issue

No issues once you enter your day schedule and you lost the internet connection the app will still accompany you.

2)worldpackers

What you can do to go on pocket friendly excursions to see the world ??
Options are:
You can participate in work exchange program, volunteer in the hostels or organic farm or even in the human services. But the main question is where to find these opportunities? Right?
Well, there is an app where you get all your questions answered..
“Worldpackers”
The app connects Globetrotters with hosts from all over the world where you can exchange the work or your skills for accommodation. “Worldpackers” will allow you to have a chat directly with the host.
By doing this you can connect with the people having different cultural background and can enjoy the city’s culture.

You can Save up to 60% on your travel expenses.

Who can have benefits of “Worldpackers”

* Students planning to gain international
experience abroad during summer break.
* People who want to volunteer abroad.
* Person who is on Sabbatical leave.
* travelers who want to go on a budget tour in all continents.

images (1) — Volunteer while visiting a city

3) solo traveler

social networking app for solo travellers and backpackers.
App that helps you instantly connect with the travellers near you. You can discover nearby places while making travel buddies in real time.
As I said, this app is social networking platform so you can make your own travel let community, can share your experience and be updated about your travel buddies’ new expedition experience in your news feed.
You can use this app whenever you want to chat with a local, want to know about the famous places or even to just share a taxi, and list goes on. It is for each and every person who normally wouldn’t feel comfortable travelling alone.
So ladies if you want to roam alone but don’t want to feel lonely or just want to make like minded people near you install the “Solo traveler” in your mobile and make new travel buddies and have a safe & pleasant journey.

Travel-helps-you-meet-new-people-which-can-help-with-depression-and-anxiety — Find a like minded and get along

4) lonely planet

No need to feel lost or lonely in the new country when you have “lonely planet” the travel app in your mobile. Take the guidance from our travel experts and roam around the city. In this app you can have access to the map even if you are not connected to the the internet. You can bookmark the place you want to visit so that not even single destination get skipped. You can find the activity that suits your personality simply applying the filters. Need not to worry when Lonely palnet is here to help you with all the travel essentials.

il_570xN.554639685_3b4l — Bookmark the place and don’t miss any adventure

5) Travel triangle

You can just enter your requirements, destination, and the rest planning will be done for you by our expert travel agent who will give you multiple options fulfilling your travel requirements.
You can book your flight tickets, do reservation of hotels and even transit . Plan your own trip with the experts and have a Hassle free experience and top of all you can pay in installments.

So here are the few apps compiled that will make your traveling easy.

Kerala pins hope on tourism to get back to normal

Kerela tourism is pining hopes on tourism to rebound after a long and devastating spell of flood and relentless rain that has left the state in extra ordinary circumstances. ‘God’s own country’ as it is called is picking up pieces, restoring connectivity, rebuilding roads and launching new initiatives to bounce back to become one of the most sought of the destinations as it is otherwise known. On the sidelines of the trade meet organised by Kerala tourism in Pune at Hotel Grand Sheraton, Sajeev KR, Assistant tourist information officer said that,Kerala State Government and state tourism department with the help of citizens all over the country we have been able to restore the connectivity to the tourist destinations within a span of just 3 weeks. Further to this he added that “Kerala has introduced the ‘Jatayu Earth centre'(Kollam district) and Neelkurunji flower garden in Munnar (the flower which blooms once in 12 years) along with new hiking experiences, wild life safaris and cultural shows”

IMG_20181009_132526__01 — Cultural performances

IMG_20181009_123709__01 — Mr. Sajeev KR, Assistant tourist information officer, Kerala tourism.

While estimated loss of Kerala tourism department due to devastating flood is estimated around Rs. 2000 Cr according to Sajeev KR, he said most of the necessary tourism infrastructure has been restored and tourist have already started coming in to popular destinations. With festive season and ventor round the corner the expect more than 35 lakh tourist from Maharashtra itself.