Away In A Magical Land, Thailand... the tourist capital of Asia

Sun, Mar 07 2010 09:28 PM

It was a dream journey. A fantasy that came true and lasted for seven days. Beaches, rivers, mountains, forests, and a perfect picture of modernity presented by good roads, skyscrapers and sky-trains…. Yes, it is none other than Thailand, the tourist capital of Asia.

We, a group of three, had taken off from Kochi, changed the flight at Colombo, and landed at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport the next day (from Chennai, it takes only three hours). One of the busiest in Asia, only steel and glass seemed to have gone into the making of the airport. The interiors looked like a big shopping mall with all sorts of goods one can imagine of – from clothes of reputed brands to safety pins. It took only less than an hour to complete the formalities... Read this article

The Treasure Hidden Jordan...

Fri, Nov 20 2009 09:03 AM
A peek into an ancient treasure pot which conceals wonders from a bygone era...

I had pictured a perfect desert on setting off to my new destination. It was Jordan, an Arab country with Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Israel, and Saudi Arabia as its neighbours. Naturally it was the image of a desert land that my limited knowledge of world geography propped up in my mind. I boarded the plane expecting date palms, camels, searing winds, and sand dunes.

We passed Muscat and the scenes underneath buttressed the image of Jordan that I had in my mind. Nothing could be seen below except vast areas of desert. After three and a half hours from Muscat we were about to land in the Queen Aliya Airport of Jordan. I looked down and was crestfallen. There was nothing but a desert with an average airport in the middle. The plane landed smoothly. Checking didn’t cause much delay... Read this article

Dazzling Dubai...

Sun, Sep 13 2009 10:42 PM
Luxurious, sophisticated, and magnificent with an ever-changing skyline Dubai sparkles on the global horizon with a flourish that marvels the beholder

We were in the commercial-tourist centre of the most modern world. It is known as a wonderland which gave off gold in return for one’s sweat. And the best place to spend that gold too. Yes, it is not possible to imagine any other place than Dubai which will perfectly fit the picture. The same old place which has grown to be the star of the Middle East.

The city welcomed us with a charming ambience rooted in traditional Arabic hospitality topped with an ultra-modern flourish. This contrast in its nature had always perplexed me. But, as it always had happened, we were feeling very comfortable within a few minutes of landing there... Read this article

Nature’s Secret Bank Account

Thu, Apr 30 2009 10:30 AM
Huge chiselled marble rocks were shimmering white all the way. Far away, we could see the snow-capped Alps. We were in Northern Italy, going through the largest marble market in the world. Leaving behind the Tuscan Hills and River Po, our bus entered the Lombardy Plains and there the Alps came nearer welcoming us with all its breathtaking beauty. In its folds lay our destination and the most beautiful part of mother earth – Switzerland.

It was a long drive. Crossing the Italian-Swiss border, the bus reached Chiasso (pronounced `kjaso), a small Swiss town. We got down at the Swiss immigration office. The Schengen Visa will take you to all the major countries of Europe. But Switzerland is not a member of the European Union and so you need a separate visa to enter the country. We could see many people from Italy walking over to this small town... Read this article

To the Ends of the Earth

Sun, Feb 15 2009 11:19 AM
Despite internal tensions, Srilanka sports a disarming smile. The country is full of surprises for travel buffs.

“Do you believe that Ravana was the king of Lanka?” I asked. Our tour guide Terence laughed aloud. I was a bit embarrassed. I shouldn’t have asked this to a guide who had a thorough knowledge of the history of the island. “We are traveling through a land which has a long history. Perhaps you will find an answer to the question by the end of this tour. If that happens, my mission as a guide will be fulfilled”, he said. It sounded as if he had covertly thrown us a challenge. We decided to meet the dare in true sportsman spirit.

This was my second time in Sri Lanka although the first could not be called a real visit since I was on my way back from Bangkok and could hardly manage a glimpse. This time we had chosen a full blown package... Read this article

Salacious Malaysia - Genting, The Highland Wonder

Mon, Dec 15 2008 09:35 AM
Time stands still under some unknown magic spell in Scottish writer J M Barry’s Imaginary Island called ‘wonder land’. No future, no present, no past. And kids remain the same forever in the magic land. They never grow old. They never lose happiness. Barry’s Never Land, the utopia of innocence and timelessness in his famous play Peter Pan, is a piece of literary marvel of all times.

The magic term Never Land is a dear one since then. In19th century, the uninhabited regions of Australia were called Never-Never Lands. Even today, some places in the northern region and parts of the Queens Land still sport the name. Perhaps those places might have inspired Barry to pen his beautiful piece of imagination. In the Johny Depp starrer Bollywood film, Finding Never Land (2004), Barry and his Peter Pan comes up again. Pop wonder Michael Jackson, for instance, named his California estate... Read this article