A Thailand trip is incomplete without a visit to Bangkok. Hence, post our incredible time in Phuket and Krabi, our journey through Thailand led us to the bustling city of Bangkok. Our abode in the vibrant city had to be extra special and hence we chose Montien Surawong Hotel. Nestled in the heart of Silom, Bangkok’s most vibrant and exciting district, it is close to all the major tourist attractions, including the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and the Jim Thompson House. After all, sightseeing and shopping in Bangkok has its own charm.
With the festive season approaching, there’s no better time than now to invest in celebration-appropriate menswear. When scouting for the perfect outfit, it is important to look for something that not only complements the occasion but also resonates with your personal style. Finding an ensemble that seamlessly harmonises the festive spirit with contemporary allure is key to making a lasting impression during this joyous season.
Krabi is no less than a wonderland and we wanted a suitable abode for us. Hence, me and my family chose Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa Krabi for our stay. The drive from Phuket to Krabi was smooth, all thanks to Lark Holidays from whom we booked our travel (Not only intercity but in city too). Lark Holidays is the most reliable travel operator at Thailand. The drivers arrive on time, cabs are clean and the drivers are well informed.
Our first International trip post Covid had to be special. Afterall we waited for 3 long years to go overseas. We chose to go to Thailand, a destination which I did explore a few years back and absolutely loved it. So why not relive the nostalgia!
Considering how special our trip was, our abode had to be even more special. That’s why we chose Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa, it’s not a hotel or a resort, it’s the quintessential idyllic island retreat. This 5-star Marriott Bonvoy beachfront lifestyle resort comes with unique design, inspired by nature which offer guests a chance to explore Phuket from a new perspective through spontaneous discovery.
It was hard to resist travelling over the last 8 months. Finally, we thought of taking the plunge, packed our bags, picked the car keys and headed to Agra for a royal stay at ITC Mughal.
This time our trip was extra special as it was our first trip post lockdown after a gap of 8-9 months. The old and heritage city Agra known as the ‘city of Love’ not only has the marvelous Taj Mahal but also has the splendid ITC Mughal. ITC’s luxury collection hotel is situated in close proximity to Taj Mahal and is a tribute to the Mughal builders of the past as this hotel is historic and is inspired by the heritage Mughal monuments like Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort.
I love the vivid culture India has where one gets to learn about different religions as well as their festivities. I have enjoyed the splendour of Christmas as much as I enjoy Diwali so when I got an invitation for a Ramadan Food Walk from Novotel Hyderabad Airport we could not say ‘NO’. After a 2 hour flight we landed in Hyderabad, the City of Nizams from where in a few minutes we entered the plush and beautiful hotel. A look around and I was captivated with the serene surroundings filled with greenery and nature.
When I think about Kerala, the first thing that strikes me is happiness, peace, people, warmth and a place full of life. Where people love to live life to the fullest and enjoy it too. No mad rush, no competition, just lots of colours aptly known as “God’s own country”.
It was now time for Kuta the popular tourist area of Bali known for beaches and resorts and we checked into Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, a dreamful destination. Yes, it’s so big, beautiful and splendid that I would choose to call it a destination rather than a hotel. For a family of 5 who didn’t want to restrict staying at different rooms connected by inter-room phones, we got the perfect solution without compromising on anything. Thanks to the Discovery Suite of the hotel which comprises of 2 bedrooms and 1 living room. The beautiful suite offered a home away from home with a Master bedroom featuring a King bed, private bathroom with tub, sofa, work desk and LCD television. There are also Junior Suites and Family Suites to suit the need for various guests. Well, the guests here rarely ever want to step out thanks to beautiful offerings they have. With 7 restaurants and bars, 9 function spaces, a spa, a fitness center and a spacious sculptured pool, it caters to leisure and business travellers alike. If you want to shop, you can head to Discovery Shopping Mall which is a few steps away. You can read more about the hotel here.
We all adore what our celebs wear and most of the times try to imitate the same style. Afterall a lot of the fashion comes from Bollywood movies whether it’s the Madhuri Dixit’s outfit from Hum Aapke Hain Kaun or Deepika Padukone saree from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. We all love every bit of it.
Recently I attended Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2020 held in Mumbai. The star studded affair spotted our favourite celebs from Bollywood on the ramp as well as the front row. Let me give you a download what the designers showcased and what our Bollywood celebs were spotted wearing:
You would have read our first travelogue on Bali which captured our escapades of our journey from Delhi to Seminyak. Since we are trying to give you a full download of our funfilled trip, here we present the second part of our trip- Ubud. In case you missed the first part, you can click here.
A private villa with a gorgeous pool amidst nature is what our Ubud stay was all about. Nature, villa, private pool, luxury, spa, waterfall, zoo, orangutans, tiger, deer… is what we experienced at The Sanctoo Villa located in Bali’s cultural and spiritual heart of Ubud, adjacent to the world-renowned Bali Zoo.
Golden Rules for Bali:
One thing I like about Bali is that it’s a Visa free country so no issues of getting all documents in place to apply for a Visa. One just has to carry flight tickets and currency but I would suggest you to carry hotel reservations as well.
For currency, I took dollars with myself from India as you get a good rate for Indonesian rupiah in exchange of dollars. Central Kuta gives the best rate. There are multiple outlets in Bali.
If you are not taking a packaged tour, it’s important to book the right transport service. I booked my car from Sanura Tours & Travels. We explored a number of places with them. The efficient drivers came on time, the cars were clean, the drivers were friendly, spoke English, and even clicked our beautiful family pictures. Not to forget, they coordinated with us on WhatsApp too and told us about local attractions as well.
Whether you are travelling with kids or as a couple, Bali Zoo is must in your itinerary. Night at the Zoo was about fun with elephants, snakes, deers, kangaroos, lions, sunbears and tigers in their nocturnal habitat- from feeding the lions, tigers, elephants and deers to touching and playing with the deers & kangaroos who loved us too. Taking a Python snake on us was another adventure and experience altogether! Breakfast with Orangutans was also once in a lifetime experience!
Bali Swing is also a must visit if you wanna be captured at a high. Bali Swing houses numerous jungle swings ranging from 10m, to 78m above the ground and everyone has ample options to choose from a total of 18 swings. A spectacular view which overlooks the river, tropical greenery and waterfalls is a given whichever swing(s) you choose along with its own thrill and adventure. So whether you are on a solo trip or are a couple, a family or are accompanied with friends, this is a must visit.
Devil’s Tear was one of the highlights of our trip. A must must visit! Waves come in force and what we see is epic. A rainbow formed in the midst of water. Wow! What a sight. One can just sit there for hours and watch the amazing sight. Me and my family were simply awestruck with the sight. Though, one must be careful going too close to the waves. This was a part of our Nusa Lembongan trip which we booked through Sunrise Fast Cruise Bali.
Once our dates were decided, we thought of checking out the flight which works well according to our itinerary. We checked tariffs and reviews of various flights and zeroed down on Malindo Air. I had taken Malindo Air to Malaysia earlier and loved my experience and had no second thoughts about this one. We were booked on Malindo flight OD 206 which had to fly out from Delhi at 10:05 PM IST and reach Bali Denpasar Airport at 12:15 PM (Indonesia time) with a three hour stop over at Kuala Lumpur. We were happy to see that the flight was on time and after a smooth check-in at the Malindo Air counter, collecting boarding pass, immigration and security check, me and my family were relaxed. With services like extra legroom, inflight entertainment, baggage allowance and meals on board, the flights are just perfect! Regional selections in entertainment section is just what an Indian traveler would love. Another highlight was the meal. I have hated having cold meals in almost every flight whether domestic or international but Malindo was a pleasant surprise. The meals were hot and yum! Such a pleasure!
One of my best memories while growing up is having bhutta from the street vendor. Our bhutta in the dining concept changed to corn chaat as well as corn on the cob. Little did I know that the crop ‘corn’ has 300 variations and types which are coded with numbers. ‘9126’ is grown on heavy soil and has disease resistance power, 9198 is grown on heavy/ medium soil while 9141 is grown on medium soil. What we eat as bhutta or corn on the cob is 2212…Isn’t this so interesting!
Yes, that’s what I discovered at the recently concluded Corn Festival 2019 held at Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. Honestly, when I got an invitation from Chhindwara District Administration, CM Kamal Nath Ji & MP Government, I wasn’t sure if I should go. Chhindwara is known to be a Tier 3 city and being in a metro we have a perception of how a Tier 3 city looks like. I did my research and said yes to the invitation which I am till date glad about.
Bali is a beautiful place. While we cherished the beauty of the Indonesian island known for its forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, beaches and coral reefs, we could not resist shopping. Bali offers a unique experience for shopaholics too as there are variety of places to shop – from local to brands to designer stores to boutiques. One would find goods like handbags, jewellery, footwear, clothes, lingerie and much more. Foodies, fret not, there is a food market as well. Then you have beautiful crafts like paintings, sculptures, furniture, home décor etc. The paradise offers everything here that is why Bali is the heart of Indonesia like Delhi is the heart of India.
We shopped a lot in Bali and we are putting down a list for you all so that you can make the most when you go to Bali:
While growing up, Independence Day/Republic Day have been synonymous with Big Bazaar sale. Three days leading to the patriotic day are when most of the families would stock up groceries, dinner sets, luggage and a lot of other things. Like every year, this year too Big Bazaar hosted a mega event – August Savings Bazaar during the recently concluded Independence Day which had everything at upto 70 percent which got a great response.
Come Diwali and our wishlist would be ready. While I am looking at an upgrade of my gadget(s) – my mobile and laptop, my parents would have a different wishlist in mind. My mother who is a housewife would be looking at new elements of home – buying new consumer durables (microwave, AC, TV etc) or decor to ensure our home looks the brightest and cleanest while my father who is a businessman would be looking forward to upgrading his automobile.
Festivals are at the heart of people’s lives in India and no festival is complete without food! Food in India is a celebration in itself and when its festival time, food becomes one of the key elements. Afterall every theme is different and that’s how food is set and marketing promotions for the same start.