I am sure you are aware of Team ChicLifeByteās travelogue to Palampur-Dharamshala and McLeodganj! In case you missed our first post of Palampur where we stayed at the beautiful Glade Homestay, you can read it here. Continuing from where we left you on the last blogpost, we were on an amazing road trip from Palampur to Dharamshala and before we tell you about the awesome place where we stayed, I would like to tell you about the scenic on our way. Our first halt at Dharamshala was Dhauladhar Nature Park (zoo) which is known for the wildlife that lives here. Honestly, we were able to see much more than what we could see at Jim Corbett last year š Yes, we could spot a lot of animals and birds including leopard, emu, black bear and barking deer. The whole tour took about 45 minutes to an hour and then we left to see other spots. While in transit, we saw a momos stall and made out driver stop to know how momos taste in Himachal! Momos here were served with the chilli sauce as well as tomato ketchup! The amazing momos were enjoyed with Banta and then tea! Post which it was time for another religious spot – Chamunda Devi temple. To my pleasant surprise, I saw goats in a temple which is built alongside a beautiful lake with Lord Shiva’s statue.
How many times do we want to cut down from the hustle bustle of the city life and go to a quaint place away from the tension of daily life!
This summers, to take respite from the summer heat as well as the hustle-bustle; I planned to visit Dharamshala-McLeodganj. While doing my research for booking my travel and stay, I bounced upon a place called Palampur, a green hill station inĀ Kangra ValleyĀ in theĀ IndianĀ stateĀ ofĀ Himachal Pradesh, surrounded by tea gardens and pine forests before they merge with theĀ DhauladharĀ ranges. Further research indicated, Palampur is the tea capital of northwest India but tea is just one aspect that makes Palampur a special interest place. Abundance of water and proximity to the mountains has endowed it with mild climateā¦..this description was enough for me to decide my route! Yes, before I head to the popular hill stations thronged by tourists worldwide known as Dharamshala-McLeodganj, I decided to stop by at Palampur.
Mumbai is all about sea, sand, beaches, drives, food, Bollywood and has been on the travel hitlist for the maximum timesā¦though, for work but work hours are limited to the day time and we have the evening is free to explore the land (most of the times) . From eating at Bademiya to shopping at Colaba to taking a trip to Chowpatty to meeting our bollywood friendsā¦the land of dreams has given the brightest memories to me. From brand launches to fashion weeks, I have loved each minute I have stayed thereā¦ Juhu Beach, Marine Drive, Ferry Ride, Gateway of Indiaā¦the list is endless.
Summers are about leaving home and exploring the worldā¦and thatās when I started thinking of ideal summer destinations. Since I didnāt want something too hectic I thought of exploring Singapore, a small yet beautiful island country, well-known for cleanliness and safety. Afterall, Singapore is a perfect blend of culture, cuisines, arts and architecture.
For us travel enthusiasts, it is easy to book flights but where we get stuck is the accommodation that we are choosing. This is what I personally got stuck with while I was planning my trip to Goa and what played genie in the process was Cleartrip. A click on Hotels in Goa is all I had to do and it was not just the hotel names that popped out, it was along with prices, stars, hotel area and ratingā¦isnāt that wonderful? The infinite variety of accommodation from Guest Houses to luxurious hotels was what I wanted. With a brief description and filters, it did make my search easy and hassle free. Gone are the days when we used to call up our friendly travel agents for booking our flights and accommodation for a vacation or work tripā¦Now everything is a click away.
It was a real sunny day when I decided to wear my spun kurta in blue & pink with white ribbons to walk through the narrow lanes of Old Delhi. We boarded the metro from INA and after 7-8 stops, reached Chawri Bazar and took a rickshaw ride full of the hustle bustle and the food making activities on the way which were happening- kulfi, tikki, fruit chaat, garam dudh in kulhad & fruit chaat. It was amazing to see the food flavours of Old Delhi. I just kept gazing till we reached the Police Chowk and went to Gali Gulliyan there to reach our destination HAVELI DHARAMPURA amidst the small shops stocking necessities & the lane full of people. We were greeted by Vidyun Goel, daughter of Vijay Goel, the restorer of Haveli Dharampura who ensured that our experience was wonderful.
Who doesnāt love to shop without paying any international duty and thatās what we have done at Delhi Duty Free a million times. From a last minute pick from Mango to making your trip filled with fragrance from the Perfume section, we have done it all. Afterall, we girls can never resist shoppingggg. So, when Team ChicLifeByte was invited to Delhi Duty Free for a bloggers meet, I was quite excited. The place has everything from Perfumes to liquor to accessories in a layout spread across 440m2 which also makes it Indiaās LARGEST duty free retail space.
I was impressed with the security check at Terminal-3. Though itās a different experience when you are at the airport as a traveller but this time we were there as a blogger. We had already sent across our ID proofs through E-mail for the security pass which we personally collected. We were then directed to Terminal 3 where we witnessed the things which we spoke about. Yes, from brands like Pandora, Victoriaās Secret, Hugo Boss, Armani Jeans, Mont Blanc, Mac to chocolates like Butlers, Lindt, Cadburyās, Smarties, Guylian, Mars. I was actually impressed seeing the variety of brands and products. I felt they have increased the variety from my last international travel.
So, here we are on our fun filled travelogue with updates of our adventures at Corbett Blue Sky Resort in Jim Corbett.Ā If you missed out on Day 1, you can read it here. Day 2 started with a stroll in the green lawns and our morning cup of tea. The pleasant weather and fresh air made our morning great. It felt heavenly walking on the slightly wet grass. What a wonderful start of the day!!Ā We also had our morning tea and sandwiches in the lawn. Having our morning tea in greenery was a different and nice experience. Afterall we Delhi wallas rarely ever see such greenery. The veg sandwiches served with the tea were nice and soft with a filling of cucumber and tomato along with butter. The chai had elaichi in it and smelled wonderful.
This autumn, rather than doing the usual which is eating, shopping and sleeping , I decided to do something different. Though, I would still be doing the above mentioned things but at a different location. I decided to visit Jim Corbett to see some wildlife and meet our friends ā Deers, Tigers, Elephants, Leopards etc.
I took help from our friendly search engine Google and decided on Corbett Blue Sky Resort by Orawar Hotels for my lodging requirements. There were so many interesting things that I wanted to share with you so I have divided this post in 2 Parts. So here goes my travelogue for Day 1.
Recently I went on a FAM trip to the heartful Punjab cloud i.e. Chandigarh organized by Park Plaza, Zirakpur. My train journey (Kalka Shatabdi) started in first class with some fellowĀ bloggersĀ Maneesh, Susmita, Ambica & Pradeep. In 3 hours flat we reached and I felt really happy on reaching Chandigarh. We were taken to our respective cabs by the hotel staff who came looking for us at the station and Jaideep another blogger joined us in our journey on reaching the hotel.