Travel Places

A world heritage site, Yosemite National park is located in East Central California, spanning the counties of Toulumne, Mariposa and Madera. A magnificent landscape that has been carved out by glaciers, it is visited by over 3.5 million visitors every year.

The joy of visiting this national park lies mainly in its awesome natural splendours. Everything seems to be large and majestic. Ranging from the breathtaking Glacier Point, where the views seem to encompass the entire state, to the swirling waters of the Merced River, every corner of this National Park spells grandeur.

How to get there:

Yosemite Park is 3 hours away from San Francisco by road. Most visitors tend to concentrate on the seven square miles of Yosemite Valley, where most of the popular sites are located.

Popular Sites:

El Capitain: A granite cliff that seems to tower over the valley, is one of the world’s most popular rock climbing sites. It offers year long accessibility, combined with different rock formations for a varied experience.

Mariposa and Merced and Toulumne Groves: The giant Sequoia trees of these groves can enthral you with just their size. But do look carefully and enjoy the beauty of these graves and the dignity they seem to exemplify.

Waterfalls: The granite cliffs and rock formations are great places for the waterfalls to be formed. In the months of April, May and June they can be observed in their abundance. You cannot miss the Yosemite falls – the highest in the United States.

Merced and Toulumne Rivers: These rivers have carved out deep canyons in the valley, and offer ample opportunities for rafting etc.

Activities around this region:

Backpack across the Toulumne Meadows, or at least walk across the 14 mile trail to Cloud’s Nest. If you feel that is too long for you, try the shorter trails to places like Elizabeth lake and Soda Springs.

Walk upto the Grizzly Giant, a 2,700 year old tree, which is as tall as a 20 storey tower. The hush of the forest and the splendour of these trees are enough to make this into a memorable walk.

Climb the El Capitain, there are about 80 routes to the top ranging from the doable to the impossible.

Take tour bus, along the scenic route of Tioga Road till the Glacier Point.

Adjoining regions:

Mariposa County : One of the few places left in this world where there are no permanent traffic lights, this country encloses much of the Yosemite National Park. It has no towns in its area, just three communities which live in census designated areas. 95% of the Yosemite Park has been designated as wilderness, hence enjoy the solitude and natures finest views.

Where to stay:

Camping – you can camp at the many campsites in this valley. Do check their opening and closing dates.

Lodging – there are many lodges such as Yosemite Lodge, Curry Village and Housekeeping Camp which provide lodging in the Park.

This park needs to be visited again and again in order to really be able to enjoy all that it offers. Every corner, every tree, every waterfall invites you to sit near it and enjoy the magnificence of God’s creations.

Bali is small, you could traverse the entire during one leisurely day. There are also travel advisories issued against travelling there from various countries.

But, it is a beautiful destination. It has been hit by terrorist activities, but then so has most of the civilised world. Bali charms you and it’s people love to have visitors around them. Leave your heavy backpacks at home, carry a small bag and travel around in a bus, if you are adventurous. If you are looking for luxury, there are some awesome hotels and resorts all around you. There are also budget hotels and timeshare places, Bali loves everyone and makes a place for everyone.

Best time to visit :

The cooler months from April till October. The rest of the time it is more humid and there are chances of rainstorms.

How to get there:

By air, you can fly to Bali Ngurah Rai airport, just south of Kuta . Most international airlines have flights to Bali. By sea you can reach Java, just west of Bali by ferries. Or you can take an overnight bus from Jakarta and then take the ferry from Java

What to watch out for:

Beggars and peddlers and touts; they can make your life difficult by hounding you.

Minor thefts, such as bag snatching and pickpocketing are quite common.

Bad traffic: do not expect that if you are walking on the footpath you are safe, watch the traffic all around you and take your own safety precautions.

Go out and enjoy yourself, it is a great place to sit on the beach and relax.

It has been described as a city for lovers, but we would like to describe it as a city for all those who love anything that is beautiful.

A city of waterways and canals and gondolas and singing gondoliers, it defies description. Every building seems to be a monument to someone’s grand dreams. Meandering lanes and fabulous squares, castles housing fabulous treasures and museums housing amazing art collections, all these form part of this remarkable city.

The Piazza San Marco has more pigeons than people and occasionally it gets flooded, but just sitting there and enjoying the grandeur of the world’s largest square is enough to make it worthwhile.

The Canale Grande should be traversed late in the evening, when all the palaces along the way have been illuminated, and you can avoid all the daytrippers who throng the boats.

The Basilica De San Marco, a monument to Byzantine architecture is place of worship and a glory to behold. Once again go to see it in the evening when it has been illuminated, it is an unforgettable sight.

To see the real Venice walk through it s cobbled streets and along the canals, bridges and squares. Stand on the Rialto Bridge and watch the world go by.

Remember, Venice is beautiful but expensive. So look for cheaper ferry’s rather than gondolas, eat in smaller cafes rather than in the restaurants in the plazas and take a waterbus ticket and travel all over the city.

Switzerland is the one country in the world where beauty abounds in every corner and in every valley or hilltop. It reminds you of all the paintings and postcards you have seen, lovely green hills, flowers and snow-clad peaks and pristine cleanliness. Every road you traverse, every resort you go to leads to exclamations of joy, and a look of amazement and wonder of the face of the traveler.

The best time to visit Switzerland would be between June and September. The months of April/May and October are also good times, and since the crowds are less, the costs are lower. But the weather is slightly colder then, so go prepared for that.

Since tourism is one of Switzerland’s biggest money spinners, you will find resorts and hotels and budget inns in every town. It is a highly efficient country, and all the trains and buses run with clockwork precision. The inter-connectivity by road and train is tremendous, so you can travel around with ease.

Do remember a few things when you visit Switzerland. All restaurants close by 9 pm, so if you are planning to wander around at night, please have your dinner in time. Food is more expensive here than in most European nations, so keep this in mind when you plan your holiday. Euros are not very welcome, since the Swiss are fiercely independent and would prefer that you use their currency.

These are but minor hiccups when you plan a holiday to this beautiful country. Nature is at her finest here, and you will leave with a lingering desire to come back again.