Travel in India and eating in India. From Southern Kolkata to the Himalayan mountains of Sikkim. New Tourism, Culture, Lifestyle and Boutique Travel. Independent Guide to Travel in India.
“We don’t like travelling down there. It’s dangerous. The police are corrupt. They see our faces and pull us over.” “Really? Why do they pull you over?”, “To take money”, “So what happens if you don’t give them money?”, “We have to go to court meaning travelling back down there… we don’t like travelling down […]
Gangtok Mountain Utopia (Sikkim India) Read More »
Enchey Monastery is the unlikely stand out experience from our time in Sikkim. It is the first place we visit in the Himalayas and our introduction to the unique Tibetan culture in the region. On planning it didn’t rank high on the priority list “it’s nearby we may as well call in….” The previous night we
Enchanting Enchey Monastery in Gangtok Read More »
Himalayan food is a diverse and unique cuisine which covers all ends of the Himalayan borders and our journey brings us to the Indian side and the idyllic Sikkim region of the Himalayas. An area where Indian food is prominent yet local Himalayan food presides. The local staple dishes in Sikkim are no different to
Essential Eating in the Himalayas Read More »
Monsoon Season in Kolkata happens between mid-June and September with rains hitting hard and rains hitting fast. Don’t expect much warning. Of course we only find out by misfortune on our first day in Kolkata during the first week of September (2013). At this time Monsoon Season in Kolkata was coming to an end but
A Proper Monsoon Soaking (Kolkata India) Read More »
On our journey to Gangtok we travel from Bagdogra airport in New Delhi. The distance and price not so different to the New Jalpaiguri train station (NJP) to Gangtok route. Both follow the same road to Sikkim through Siliguri, Gorkhaland and travel up through the foothills of the Himalayas. Organising taxi to Gangtok is simple and
The Road to Gangtok and Sikkim Read More »
As always my planning for this trip was haphazard and lazy. By booking flights less than 2 weeks in advance, without checking the VISA situation, I am left with a last minute scramble for a VISA. First I find for British Passport holders there is an excess fee for an Indian VISA Application. While Fanfan
Indian VISA Application in Bangkok Read More »
Arriving in Sri Lanka we had an exciting, independent itinerary of whale watching, island hopping and cinnamon farms. A fun packed 4 days on the Sri Lanka south coast. Problem is there is always an element of unpredictability with eco-tourism. Expectations of nature to behave. On this occasion it was unwilling to do so as
South Sri Lanka: 4 Days 4 Backdrops Read More »
For a stopover or short stay in Sri Lanka, there is a free 2-Day Sri Lanka Transit VISA on arrival. Very easy to organise. Turn up at the airport (Bandaranaike International Airport) and go direct to the VISA desk next to airport immigration and exit. If planning to stay longer than 2 days VISA should be
Stopover in Negombo (Sri Lanka) Read More »
On the 11th of April 2012 we were sitting beachside on the South Coast of Sri Lanka when an 8.6 magnitude quake rocked the Indian Ocean. We were in the remote village of Ahangama 3km from the city of Galle when the Sri Lanka tsunami warning sirens sounded across the region. We had just sat
Sri Lanka Tsunami Evacuation (2012) Read More »
