Travel

We decided to do a packaged tour of Kerala, India. The tour included round-trip flights from Delhi to Kochi, a taxi for the full journey, and all the hotel stays. Day 1 - Kochi to Munnar While going from Kochi to Munnar, a three-hour drive, we first stopped at Valara falls and then saw the Ayurvedic (herbal) medicinal and spice production at Greenland Spice Garden . Day 2 - Munnar We checked out the Mattupetty Dam and the nearby market. From there, we headed to Echo Point . While returning, we stopped at the Cowboy Adventure Park . I would highly recommend this park; your driver won’t probably want to take you here since the price is too low to give him a kickback. We had to skip Eravikulam national park since we spent too much time (~3 hours) at the Cowboy Adventure Park. Then, we headed back to Munnar and checked out the Tata Tea Museum. There isn’t much to see at the museum. In the evening, we ended up for a massage at an Ayurvedic Massage Centre . The center appears rustic, but the experience was excellent. ...

Cusco or Cuszo, an Andean city in South America, was the seat of the Inca empire and is home to the world-famous Machu Picchu. I would recommend staying near the city center of Plaza De Armas (“Parade Square”). Most tourist activities are in and around the area. Day 1 Start your journey with a walking tour. I did it with Inkan Milky Way . It would give you a good idea of the UNESCO heritage site around the central square (Plaza de Armas). If you are coming from the lower altitudes, then acclimatize yourself by taking rest, drinking a lot of water, and chewing coca leaves. ...

Lassen Volcanic Park has a lot to offer for everyone. The park has wide roads, and most tourist spots are easily accessible. Here’s what I would recommend Subway cave Lava tubes - easy 1/3 mile underground hike Hydrothermal Areas - Hydrothermal areas from where Sulpher escapes regularly. Some right next to the road and some accessible via a short hike. ...

Strenuous hikes Half Dome hike 17-miles 12-hours with a breathtaking dangerous climb holding chains on the majestic half dome at the end. This hike requires a permit for the final half dome climb. The Clouds Rest Trail 12-miles 7-hours hike. The trail ends at a point higher than the Half dome. One gets a great view of the park as well as the Half dome from here. ...

Day 1 If you are arriving at MSP airport, then start your journey with the Mall of America . It is the largest shopping mall in the United States and is pretty close to the airport. Next, head to Minnehaha falls . It is the favorite fishing spot for the locals. Hereafter, you can head towards the downtown. There isn’t much to do in downtown during the day time. And I would recommend checking out Sculpture Garden and the Lake of Isles in the evening. ...

Barcelona Public transport is good, get a Metro card with ten tickets, it can even be shared simultaneously. Beware of pickpockets. Credit card acceptance is high, but not 100%. Paella, a rice dish, is famous in Barcelona Day 1 Start your day with a walking tour. I would recommend Sandeman’s walking tours . In the afternoon, check out the History Museum. It is pretty detailed and has remains of the historic Roman city of Baracine. ...

Madrid, originally Myrit, was set up by Moors in about 700 AD, to fight against the Catholic Spanish stronghold of Toledo which used to be the old capital of the Castile kingdom. Public transport is good, get a Metro card with ten tickets, and it can even be shared simultaneously. Beware of pickpockets. Credit card acceptance is high, but not 100%. Churros + hot chocolate are famous in Madrid. The city has pedestrianized itself over time, so the city center is entirely car-free. Day 1 Start your day with a walking tour. I would recommend history-focused Sandeman’s walking tour and tourism-focused Rick Steve’s self-guided audio tour . After the tour, check out Puerta Del Sol, the Sun Gate. There are quite a few small interesting spots here, for example, the bear climbing the tree which is on the city’s Coat of Arms, and the 0 KM sign. ...

Rome has a rich history pertinent to western civilization. There are three different aspects of roaming in Rome, namely, architecture, history, and religion (Catholic - Christians). I was profoundly interested in history and to some extent, in architecture, and that influenced my itinerary. Day 1 - walks Start with a walking tour and after walking tour use Rick Steve’s free audio tour to wander in the heart of Rome, primarily, Trevi Fountain , Pantheon, and Spanish steps. Then use Rick Steve’s Jewish Ghettos walk to do a self-guided tour of Jewish ghettos. ...

Compared to Prague , Rome , Vienna , and Split , Venice is a tourist trap. The city is made up of a collection of 100+ islands. Bridges connect most of them, and you can walk throughout the city. All the public transport is using water buses called Vaporetto . A single trip costs 8 Euros. If you are planning to use Vaporetto, buy a 24-hour pass worth 20 Euro which covers unlimited trips on Vaporetto. ...

Croatia is a Balkan country south of Austria. It’s a small country of 4 million inhabitants and cities with medieval architecture. Games of Thrones was shot here. Basics The currency is Croatian Kuna (HRK), which is about 1/7th of a US Dollar. One can use a Schengen visa to enter Croatia. Public toilets are expensive. Almost all restaurants provide free access. Tap water is drinkable. Public transports between cities and even to the islands are pretty good. Use www.azk.hr for finding and booking local buses. Most people speak English in tourist cities. Useful phrases The language seems to be harder than the German language ...