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Scotland: Why, When, How
Looking back, the year 2017 was like the craziest roller coaster ride in an amusement park leaving me, the rider, nervous, exhilarated and other things unfamiliar. But the Gods of Travel were undoubtedly kind to me. How else does one get lucky enough to have checked two places from their travel wish list in a year! Yes! Yours truly went on a three-day trip to Athens (with the elder sister and her husband) and a week-long solo trip to Scotland; the first in May and the second in August. Athens was a special treat because of the… hold on. I’ll come to that later. How about I regale you (I…
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10 Things You Must Do In Edinburgh
Two trips to Scotland in a span of two years and a couple of blog posts later, I’ve had several people connect with me for tips on ‘things to do/see in Scotland’. These considerable numbers of friends have grilled me on topics ranging from the obvious… What to see in Scotland? What to eat in Scotland? Where to stay in Scotland? … to city-specific questions like How many days do we need in Edinburgh? Should we stay in Edinburgh or Glasgow? Would you recommend driving in Scotland? Do loos in Scotland have water? The answers to these queries have differed each time, depending on the interest of the traveller – while…
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How My Parents Spent 72 Hours in Scotland #Chapter2
It’s a common enough complaint of a child of any age that his/her parent nags and tends to hover. I shared the same sentiments. But all of that came to a screeching halt – albeit temporarily – when it came to the trip with my parents to Scotland. Because with startling clarity, I realised I’d been hovering. I’d been overly worried. I’d been obscenely protective. And I stand by all of those sentiments. I didn’t want the parents to fall ill on foreign shores! This was rather evident by the number of times I asked my parents “are you okay” when we were heading back to Edinburgh after a day…
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How My Parents Spent 72 Hours in Scotland #Chapter 1
When I boarded the airplane to Bristol at the Edinburgh Airport in September 2017, I’d been thinking about the perfect week spent in Scotland, hoping I could visit the country again. Who knew I would be on Scottish soil before hitting the year-long mark! “We must visit Scotland. I want to show your mother around Edinburgh and Glasgow,” my father had said, as we settled in for the long flight to Heathrow, London. This was June 2018 and our destination was my elder sister’s home in Bristol for a much needed family vacation. My father had visited parts of United Kingdom way back in the 1980s. So there was quite…
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Once Upon a Travel… Revisited
Sometimes, its good to revisit the beginnings, right? It's time to reflect on where it all started and it begins with 'Once upon a travel'
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A Guide to Comfort Travel for Aging Parents
The past month has been spent happily basking in the English summer sun and revelling in the much needed family time with the three of us – the parents and me – heading down to spend time with the elder sister and brother-in-law who’ve set up home in UK.The parents also wanted to travel a bit and explore, take in as much of England as their aching knees can allow. It’s been a while since the parents have travelled extensively and on foreign shores; nearly a decade to be precise. And much has changed in the interim. While we did manage to squeeze in trips to several places, travelling with…
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Your Guide to Azerbaijan
On an average day, rolling out of bed seems to be the hardest thing to be done. But occasionally, I wake up ready to take on the world, my heart pounding with the excitement of having achieved something. Even if it is something minor. Like perhaps having convinced you to plan a trip to one of the beautiful places I’ve written about. And wishfully thinking that you are planning that trip to Azerbaijan and will be booking your tickets soon. And it is my duty then to equip you with some tips to make travel smoother and safer. Travel & documents Applying for a visa to the Republic of Azerbaijan…
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Gabala, a Beauty Spot on the Hills
For most tourists, Gabala or Qabala is a preferred winter destination considering the plethora of winter sports that can be enjoyed on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountain range. In fact, Mount Bazarduzu, the highest peak in the Republic of Azerbaijan is located in this region. But summer in Gabala isn’t too bad, I say! This tiny city was the first stop on our two-day ‘explore the country’ endeavour. We decided to spend a night at Gabala before heading to Shaki and then returning to Baku. Gabala is a roughly 3-hour drive from Baku but when you are travelling through a picturesque landscape with two women who kicked off the road…
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Rock Etchings & Mud Volcanoes of Gobustan
If you thought Baku is the beginning and end of Azerbaijan, and that I was done talking about my weeklong trip, you were soooooo wrong! Seven days is long enough time to tuck several experiences under your belt. And if those days are spent in a country like Azerbaijan, it is sufficient time to explore more than just the capital city. The first two days I spent in Baku made me realise that the city is the perfect canvas to showcase the wealth of a growing economy. With its sky-touching towers, modern buildings that share boundaries with structures from bygone eras, the city has a rather glitzy vibe. The vibe…
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Baku, a potpourri of influences #Chapter 2
Holy smokes! A year ago at this time, I was walking through the lanes of Athens, debating over souvlaki and gyros while ticking places off my ‘must visit’ list. With my favourite travel partners – the elder sister and brother-in-law – I was busy getting a Greek suntan. Fast forward to the summer of 2018 and I am sharing tales from my trip to the lesser-known but utterly beautiful Azerbaijan. In the week gone by, I’ve used up (hopefully!) some of your precious time to sing praises about Azerbaijan – I’ve waxed eloquent about the marvels of the Old City in Baku (read Baku, a potpourri of influences #Chapter I) and been a…
