5 places not to miss for Monsoon Road trip

If you are a rain lover and a tough soul, who enjoys water puddles, umbrellas, damp roads and aroma of wet soil, then monsoons is the best time for you to invade the offbeat areas of India by road trip. These places will gives you the real feel of Incredible India with cool winds, floating clouds and raindrops.

Here is the list of five places shortlisted by us for a monsoon road trip. For detailed information of the route before or during your road trip, you can check with one of the leading travel and highway enthusiast forum – HV Kumar.

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  1. Rann of Kutch, Gujarat

Distance from Mumbai – 933 Kms

Route Mumbai – Surat – Vadodra   – Ahmedabad –Bhuj – Kutch

Kutch during monsoon road trip
Kutch during Monsoon (Source: goindia.about.com)

In & Around- Enormous stretch of white salt marshes, appearing as white desert whereas in monsoons becomes a shallow fishing ground for fishermen. Not to missMoon light camel safari, the highest point Kala Dunger , Dattatreya Temple and hours glazing at stars in the clear sky both at night if you are lucky.

  1. Kausani , Uttrakhand

Distance from Delhi – 427 kms Route – Delhi – Noida –Rampur- Nainital-Almora- Kausani

Himalayas view from Kausani on road trip
Himalayas view from Kausani, Uttrakhand (Source- www.trodly.com)

In & Around- Baijnath group of temples, Bageshwar, Anashakti Ashram, Lakshmi Ashram and Pant Museum Not to missBreathtaking beauty, Panaromic View of Himalayan peaks like Trishul, Nanda Devi, Tea gardens and factory, Rudradhari Caves and Waterfalls %CODE1%

  1. Pachmarhi, Madhya Pardesh

Distance from Bhopal – 191kms Route – Bhopal-Hoshangabad-Sohagpur-Pipriya-Pachmarhi

Pachmarhi road during monsoon road trip
Pachmarhi road during monsoon (Source –betterphotography.in)

In & Around- Caves, Rock paintings, Waterfalls, Lake, Valleys, Narrow gorges, Mountain peaks and ancient temples  Not to miss Apsara Vihar, Bee Falls, Pandav caves, Duchess Falls, Jata Shankar, Handhi Khoh, Bison lodge, Reech garh, Dhoopgarh, Irene Pool and Rajat Pratap.

  1. Munnar, Kerala

Distance from Bangalore– 476 kms Route –Bangalore- Hosur- Dharmapuri-Salem-Erode-Trippur-Munnar

Munnar views during monsoon road trip
Munnar during Monsoon (Source: www.munnar.com)

In & Around- Lush green foliage, Matupetty Dam, Sita Devi Lake, Kolukkumalai tea estate, The Dolmens of Marayoor Not to missTea estates, Attukad falls, Athirapally falls, trek to Anamudi highest peak in South India and Bird watching

  1. Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Distance from Delhi– 767 kms Route – Delhi – Neemrana- Jaipur-Ajmer- Beawar- Pali- Sirohi- MountAbu

Road to Mount Abu during monsoon roadtrip
Road to Mount Abu, Rajasthan (Source – www.gluebomb.com)

In & Around- Dilwara Jain Temple, Nakki Lake, Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Trek to Guru Shikhar, Trevors Tank, Achalgarh, Sunset point Not to missScenic strolls, Mouth watering Rabri and local market at Abu road Caution: Though road trips are thrilling which rush your adrenaline, but you need to be cautious too at the same time. You never know when rain drops turns into cloud burst. So be careful and take some precautions while driving.

  • Before leaving, ensure your vehicle is in a healthy condition. Check your lights, tyres, brake and windshield
  • Preferably use wet weather tyres during monsoon road trip to avoid slippage
  • Roads especially fly-over’s can be slippery during rain, so be careful
  • Be considerate to two wheeler’s and pedestrians. During rainy season pedestrians are hard to spot whereas two wheeler’s don’t have enough control over their brakes
  • Avoid driving when there is heavy rain and zero visibility
  • Don’t leave your vehicles on the road. Park them in a clean safe parking lot away from rodents
  • Make sure you have spare Tyre, tool kit, jack etc in good condition
  • Carry first aid kit, umbrella and keep a torch handy

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Natural or chemical base beauty products – Choice is yours!

From the time you get up till you sleep, your fingers switch from one beauty product to other. Be it shampoo, cream, lotions, body butters soaps etc. These beauty products are not a modern invention. The history lasts back to 10,000 years, the time when Kohl was used in Ancient Egypt to accentuate the features and face appearances. The beauty “Cleopatra” used to bathe in milk to soften and whiten her skin. But in ancient era all these recipes were natural but what now?

According to a poll conducted by Huffington and Yougov in 2013, 50-60% of women admitted using at least one beauty product a day. On an average these beauty products/ cosmetics contain more than 13,000 chemicals and out of it, 168 of them are used by women daily. Aren’t these numbers shocking? They are definitely scary for me! They made me think what I am doing to myself.

Natural or chemical base beauty products

Are these chemicals base beauty products dangerous?

The regular beauty products available in market, contain chemicals like Parabenes, formaldehydes, aluminium, Triclosan, Phthalates, Lead, nickel, cobalt cadmium etc. These chemicals are multi functional and  are used in manufacturing, production, cosmetic industries. In cosmetic industry, quantity as well as quality of ingredients in product matters. When used in appropriate amounts they act as anti microbial, heal gingivitis, inflammation etc. But when in excess can disrupts hormonal balance, impairs muscle contractions, imparts birth defects, cause cancer, and reduce bacterial resistances.

A lay man cannot understand the quantities mentioned on the products nor he is clear with the recommended amounts. So, how to decide?

The only options are either by gaining the complete knowledge of what is what or by switching to complete natural beauty products.

What are natural beauty products?

Natural beauty products are those which contain ingredients directly derived from plants or minerals, with minimum or no processing.

Natural Beauty ProductsSource – learn.eartheasy.com

Benefits of using natural beauty products

  • Eco friendlyThe manufacturing of chemical based products puts those chemicals and by products into air and water, causing air and water pollution whereas natural products involve less processing and hence less pollution.
  • Rid from Chemicals & Skin Allergies – The chemicals, artificial colors in these readily available products can lead to skin itching, burning, allergies, redness etc whereas natural beauty product in favor of your skin rather than against it.
  • Protect nose from fragrances– Majority of people buy beauty product only after smelling them, similar to the way people eat with eyes before ordering food. While smelling these chemical and artificial fragrances not only go into nose but also lungs and your body. These toxic chemicals and fragrances can have severe effects on body. Whereas natural beauty products contain essential oils and perhaps they are one of the best natural perfumes in the world and the most concentrated in terms of aroma.
  • No Side effects and are gentle on skin

So at last, I will ask question – why are you worried only about food, whether it is organic or not. What about your skin? Are your daily care products natural or chemical base? Choice is completely yours to continue with these chemical based products or switch to the natural alternates. Take an action before it’s too late.

 

Place which calls me again & again – Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

The turquoise blue water, limestone cliffs, bleached golden beaches and coral reefs beautify this island no less than a paradise. Yes, I am talking about the Island Koh Phi Phi in Thailand, which is at number one in every traveler’s list. Moreover “The Beach” movie and star Leonardo Di Caprio brought this beautiful, bluish green water island to the limelight and fame.

Koh Phi Phi Thailand
Koh Phi Phi Thailand

Island Koh Phi Phi archipelago consists of two islands –Phi Phi Lee/Leh/Ley an uninhabited island 1.5 km away from Phi Phi Don. Phi Phi Don is a permanently habituated island made of limestones.

Recent History of Koh Phi Phi Island

The Koh Phi Phi islands were completely devastated by the Indian Ocean 2004 tsunami. Ton Sai village on Koh Phi Phi Don was nearly wiped out. With new building codes to preserve views, Koh Phi Phi’s infrastructure has been rebuilt.

How to reach?

The Phi Phi Island lies around 45 kilometers from the mainland coast of Krabi and 48 kilometers from the island of Phuket. They are accessible by ferry and speedboat on daily basis. From both Krabi and Phuket province, there are fixed timetables for ferry take off and it usually takes around 90 minutes whereas speedboat takes around 30 -45 minutes.

Koh Phi Phi Thailand

Where to Stay in Koh Phi Phi?

Ton Sai Village is the place to stay if you want fun, party, nightlife and more action. Most of the hotels, budgeted accommodation, party places and restaurants are located here. If you are looking for a relaxing stay with much fewer crowds, then Long Beach is the ideal location with picturesque beaches, tall island cliffs, and good food. The proper signage will lead you to the long beach through uphill- downhill and forest paths. There are no night parties at the long beach. You can walk down or go by boat to Ton Sai Village for the same.

What to do?

  • Relax and get mesmerized by the beauty of this secluded place
  • Give yourself a treat with sunbath
  • Munch over seafood and Thai food
  • Go for day trip to the nearby islands
  • Do swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving in the clear water
  • Dip in the beauty of coral reefs
  • Party whole night on the beach with the bucket of drinks
  • Dance on sand without shoes
  • Watch enchanting crazy fire shows and observe people who jump and walk on fire
  • Get lost in the neon colors of beach at night
  • Watch sunset before and sunrise after party
  • Stroll around the local market
  • Color yourself with the pretty prints of beach dresses
  • Get yourself inked if you have been thinking about it for a long time
  • At the end of the day, go for Thai massage and fish spas. They are actually relaxing

Do also read the complete Phi Phi Tour Guide, before heading to Island.Activities at Koh Phi Phi Thailand

Must Carry Essentials

  • Swim Suit, Beachwear & Towel
  • Shorts
  • Sunscreen lotion
  • Sunshades
  • Hat
  • Comfortable flip flops
  • Underwater Camera
  • Anti-mosquito lotion or cream
  • Water bottle and some handy eatables

Don’t forget to check detailed post on Beach Packing list.

The Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet

Homestay or hotel for tripper is completely one’s own choice. Homestay is exactly like B&B i.e. Bed and Breakfast. In Home stays you are accommodated as a guest in a private room with an en-suite bathroom and all sorts of luxuries. They are usually run by the homeowners who enjoy welcoming and interacting with people. Homestay does offer some advantages over hotels along with comfort. One gets to know more about the local tradition and culture as compared to staying in the hotels.

Valley View Homestay Ranikhet
Ranikhet

At Ranikhet all types of accommodations are available and for the first time, I choose Valley View Homestay Ranikhet over hotels to have a different feel. The gesture offered was up to the saying Athithi Devo Bhava which means the Guest is God. The staff and homeowner both considered an honor to have us as a guest at their place and they made all efforts to make our stay cozy and comfortable.

Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet

About

The Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet is located on the National highway between Almora and Ranikhet, approximately at a distance of 6 km from Ranikhet Golf course. It is a quiet place curated with love, labor, and patience.  Each point gives you views of lush green wide valley decorated in pear, apricot, peach and apple trees. In the evening sky in painted beautifully in hues of red and orange. At night the village lights, give the feel of twinkling/flickering Diwali Diyas from the balconies. If it’s cloudy than for seconds you feel you are floating among those. It is a bird watching paradise for bird lovers.

 Entrance to The rooms of Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet

Rooms & Tariff

There are 7 rooms from deluxe to honeymoon suites and tariff for each range from Rs. 2500 – Rs. 4500/-. Each room has its own aroma and gives a different view of mountain peaks and valley.

Rooms at Valley View Homestay, Ranikhet

Amenities

Amenities at Valley View Ranikhet included everything (TV, the Internet, Power backup, Laundry service, room service etc) to give you a real home feel. Rooms are clean; linen is beautiful and crisp with matching decor.  Bathrooms are well lit and spacious. There are so many cozy corners to curl up with a coffee mug and enjoy the nature to fullest.

Garden & Amenities at Valley View Homestay RanikhetFood

For food, they use local produce, natural ingredients of their own farm. The menu is multidimensional from Indian to Chinese to Italian and continental. Each meal is a wholesome preparation from fish and chips to macaroni. Snacks are served in the rooms whereas meals are served only in the small polished dining area.

The Cafe

Adjoining rooms, there is The Cafe an ideal place to munch over homemade cakes, pies, muffins and Cafe special platters. One can also buy local made chutneys, pickles and jams too.

The Cafe at Valley View Homestay Ranikhet

Some places nearby:

  • Ranikhet Golf Course
  • Local Ranikhet market for Kumaoni specialties
  • Orchards and Gardens
  • KRC Museum and War Memorial
  • Jhoola Devi Temple