Varkala, Kerala, India 26th January 2015 Originally a small temple town, the South Keralan town of Varkala is fast turning into a favourite backpacker hangout. And I would attribute this to what is called ‘the Varkala Formation’ – a steep red cliff rising adjacent to a small strip of beach having excellent views of the... Continue Reading →
Experience: Cruising Along the Turquoise Coast (Turkey)
Kas to Patara Beach, Turkey 7th October, 2014 'Life without a beach is no life at all!' goes a saying. While I do not subscribe to a view that extreme, I do feel that any proper long vacation should have at least some time spent in sea-and-sand territory. Exactly for this reason, I had planned... Continue Reading →
Postcard: Reading in Peace
Baga, Goa, India (14th April 2013) At dawn on a midsummer morning in Goa, I strolled on to the Baga Beach with my precious book in hand, found a beach chair and made myself comfortable. With a gentle early morning breeze blowing and the ubiquitous sound of waves in the background, I got immersed in... Continue Reading →
Passikudah, Sri Lanka (5th August 2013)The sun was setting on the eastern coast. The beach near our resort was so serene, the sand so soft, coconut trees swayed in the wind and the evening sky had acquired a blue hue. The setting was perfect for an evening walk along the coast line. We were virtually... Continue Reading →
Travelogue: East Coast Reborn (Passikudah, Sri Lanka)
4th - 6th August 2013 After 4 days of traversing the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka and soaking in some wondrous sights - marvelous archaeological sites, awe inspiring palaces built on rocks, and Buddhist temples built in caves - it was finally time for us to stop for a while, just relax and do nothing. It was therefore... Continue Reading →
Travelogue: The Jewel of Kedah (Langkawi, Malaysia)
We had to choose between Penang and Langkawi.... After our Singapore sojourn, me and my buddies had already made up our mind to go around Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur was planned for the last two days, and we still had two days in between. So where do we go? We had to make a choice between... Continue Reading →
Travelogue: Where the Stars Come Down (Cannes, France)
Cannes, a town in France’s Cote d’Azur, is synonymous with an annual event that captures eyeballs all over the world. As the Cannes travel website proclaims, the town’s moment of glory takes place in May, with the International Film Festival, when images of the stars descending the red-carpeted steps of the Palais des Festivals are... Continue Reading →
Travelogue: The Isle of Coconuts (Ko Samui, Thailand)
I had to spend the whole night cramped in a cab and travel over 800km in order to get to what is considered to be one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand…. There we were the day before, in a low-key Pattaya restaurant, the gang groggy (with hangovers), and all of us downing fresh... Continue Reading →
Travelogue: Welcome to the Riviera! (Nice, France)
At noon in late September 2008, I suddenly woke up from my deep reverie; I found myself staring at a strip of shining coastline and the vast stretch of the ocean beyond. So mesmerizing was the sight before me that I did not remember where I was for some time; I did not care. I... Continue Reading →