Bali diaries: Peace and crashing waves on Nusa Ceningan

The island of Nusa Ceningan, just off Bali’s east coast, was surprisingly peaceful and incredibly picturesque. A great start to our week in Bali. Instead of trying to cram too much into our week in Bali, we decided to spend…

Chittorgarh Fort - Samadhisvara temple

Chittorgarh Fort: ancient, massive and imposing

The massive hill-top Chittorgarh Fort was the Mewar region's defence against invaders for 800 years. The third stop on our motorcycle tour took us up the hill, and into the last surviving settlement within the walls.

Kenya safari - Masai Mara - Lioness and cubs

Our Kenya safari: Up close with Africa’s incredible wildlife

We had always wanted to see the amazing wildlife of Africa up close. And our Kenya safari in Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara finally let us fulfil that wish. Despite the maddening amount of driving involved.

Balconies, Raniji ki Baodi, Bundi - Offbeat places in Rajasthan

Offbeat places in Rajasthan: Bundi, a town lost in time

Bundi is a small town lost in time, peppered with crumbling mansions and temples, and with the old Garh Palace looming over everything. We were glad we had taken a friend’s advice and made this the second stop on our motorcycle tour!

Tombs and Golconda - Hyderabad itinerary

A quick guide by a local on things to do in Hyderabad

Hyderabad's 400-year history means the city has lots to see and do, not to speak of its rich and varied cuisine. This downloadable infographic will give you some easy-to-reference Hyderabad itineraries and things to do.

Fort gate - Chittorgarh

Photo diary: Glimpses of Chittorgarh and Udaipur

During the second half of our two-week motorcycle tour through east and south Rajasthan, we explored the massive Chittorgarh Fort and the romantic 'Lake City' of Udaipur. Here are a few glimpses of what we saw.

bundi palace and bike - nominated for the sunshine blogger award

Photo diary: Glimpses of Jaipur, Ranthambhore and Bundi

Touring through east and south Rajasthan on our motorcycle gave us a unique perspective and a greater appreciation of the things we experienced. Here are some glimpses of our experiences in Jaipur, Ranthambhore and Bundi.

Veg galouti kabab - Tatva restaurant review

IQ’s veg review: Tatva, Hyderabad’s best-kept vegetarian secret?

Tatva may just be Hyderabad’s best kept secret, as far as vegetarian restaurants go. With excellent Italian, continental and north Indian cuisine, this is a place foodies should try at least once.

12 places with heritage sites that left us spellbound

Every place has some kind of history, with the past of some being longer and more complicated than that of others. But history leaves its mark in the heritage and architecture it leaves behind. And here are places with heritage sites that we found particularly fascinating.

Ramparts and moat at petla burj - The outer ramparts of Golconda Fort

Things to do in Hyderabad: The outer ramparts of Golconda Fort

The central citadel of Golconda Fort is one of the most popular tourist spots in Hyderabad. But most visitors don’t realize that there are some magnificent sights among the outer fortifications, too.

Lion on a rock at Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya, Africa

Video diary: The best of our memories of Africa

Riding over river rapids. Trekking through Martian landscapes. Swimming over surreal coral reefs. And, of course, admiring the breathtaking wildlife. This short video has all the highlights of our African adventure.

Koffee & Kardamom: A hidden gem in Kampala

Kardamom & Koffee: Among the most interesting coffee shops in Kampala

If you’re in Kampala and looking to take it easy for a few hours, head over to the cosy Kardamom & Koffee for some delicious, fresh-made eats and brilliant conversation. And maybe even pick up a few things to brighten up your home on the way out.

Charminar - Hyderabad itineraries and things to do

We found the best time to visit Charminar: early morning

Nothing says Hyderabad like the Charminar. The 400 year-old monument and mosque was built when Hyderabad was founded, and is still the symbol of the city today. But though it’s impressive at any time of day, we decided to try and avoid the crowds and the summer heat by going at 7:00 AM in the morning.

Cold beer in steel mugs on Talpona beach near Agonda in Goa, India

My 50th blog post, and a roundup of my top 10 posts so far

It's been a little more than year since I started this travel blog, and it's been tough but fun! Though I've enjoyed writing everything I've published, here are the top 10 posts I've enjoyed writing the most.

Motorcycle on the highway between Leh and Srinagar in Ladakh, India

5 great mountain holiday destinations in India

From lush green plantations, cloud-topped peaks and dense jungles, to precariously perched monasteries, Martian landscapes and sapphire lakes, these five destinations can offer you some of the most spectacular mountain experiences in India.

The surreal rocks of Fakhruddingutta in Hyderabad

If you’re in Hyderabad and don’t know what to do with yourself over the weekend, take an hour or two to experience the surreal rocky expanse at Fakhruddingutta near Gachibowli.

Grave captstone - Hyderabad itineraries and things to do

The forgotten Paigah Tombs of Hyderabad

Go back in time to Hyderabad’s glorious past with a visit to the Paigah Tomb complex, the last resting place of five generations of the foremost noble family of Hyderabad.

20 evocative beach pictures from around the world 

From walking a protected turtle breeding ground in Goa with two doggies and swimming in rock pools in the Seychelles to riding a motorcycle on a beach in West Bengal, here are 20 evocative beach pictures from our travels around the world.

Yay! A review of mine’s been published in Lonely Planet Magazine India

I recently wrote a short reader’s review on Thinnakara Island, Lakshadweep and submitted it to Lonely Planet Magazine India. I never thought they’d publish it, but they did! Of course, this isn’t a commissioned review or anything, just a reader’s contribution, but it’s still very reassuring. Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come.

A perfect long weekend among the hills and tea plantations of Coonoor

Surrounded by the Nilgiri mountains, the hill stations of Coonoor and Wellington make for the perfect long weekend, with spectacular views, rolling tea plantations and misty winding roads.

How we lived the island life for a few days in the Andamans

From snorkeling around the spectacular corals of South Button island and sitting in the still water of Wandoor beach to wandering around creepy Ross Island, here is how we lived  the island life for a few days in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India.

Eight great things to experience while visiting Bhutan

Experience the awe-inspiring sight of the Tiger's Nest monastery, some blazingly fiery local food, incredible views from Chele La pass, and more in this remote but proud Himalayan country that's a hop across the border from India.

Eight great reasons why you should visit Rajasthan, the ‘land of kings’

Magnificent architecture, imposing fortresses, colourful locals, complex cuisine, and traditional street art... find all this, and more, in Rajasthan—literally, 'the land of kings'.

Closeup of Ugra Narasimha statue in Hampi, Karnataka, India

Photo diary: Magical sights of Hampi

While the majestic Virupaksha temple, and the Vitthala temple with its massive stone chariot and musical pillars, are probably on ever visitor’s itinerary, Hampi has a lot more to offer—regardless of the weather. From riverside walkways with stairs cut into the living rock, and hidden shrines emerging from their lush sugarcane fields, to gigantic boulders in fantastic shapes, and emerald rice fields reflecting the sunrise in their motionless waters, here are some of the sights that have enchanted us over the years.

View of the Teesta from near Kalimpong, West Bengal, India

Six great experiences to have when you’re in Kalimpong

It was April in 2014, and my wife and I desperately needed a holiday. We were tired of the beach, though, and so we decided to head up into the mountains. After casting about a bit, we decided on Kalimpong in West Bengal, where we could stay as guests of the army, and where my wife could re-live some fond childhood memories. Here are six great experiences we discovered while we were in Kalimpong.

Photo diary: The colours of Kutch

In late 2013, my wife wanted to visit Kutch in Gujarat as a sourcing trip for her fledgling ethnic gifts business, so we decided we would turn it into our annual new year's holiday. We spent close to two weeks in Bhuj and its surroundings (arguably home to India's highest concentration of high-quality textile handicraft producers), investigated lots of towns and villages, and took in India's great white salt desert, the Great Rann of Kutch.

A getaway in the clouds: O’Land Plantation, Coonoor

Most visitors to the Nilgiris take in the sights and sounds of Ooty and its populated environs without realizing that the seemingly-infinite tea plantations on the hills offer a completely different experience, far from the madding crowd and closer to the wild

Twelve brilliant things to see in and around Sydney

In September 2010, after much planning and wrangling of schedules, we embarked on a well-deserved three week vacation to Australia. We had already decided early on that, rather than scramble around madly trying to do everything possible, we would instead stay in Sydney and get a feel of what life was like in Australia.

Sunrise on Bird Island, Seychelles

Six amazing discoveries we made in the Seychelles

Towards the end of 2011, a friend of my wife’s proposed that we go on a combined vacation, just us two couples, and suggested the Seychelles as a destination. We were a little hesitant, because we had heard it was expensive, but its reputation as a tropical island paradise was tempting enough for us to start doing some research. A few weeks later, our friends backed out, much to our chagrin, so we decided we would go alone. Through our research, we found out that, even though our vacation would be expensive, we could save a bit if we didn’t do too much island-hopping, and stayed on Mahé island most of the time instead. So it happened that we split our eight-day vacation between Mahé and Bird Island (more on this one later), and made six amazing discoveries along the way.

A road trip through Germany (part 6): Munich and the Oktoberfest

In September 2015, my mom, my wife and I embarked on a month-long trip through Germany, with a few days in Belgium and the UK thrown in for good measure. On the itinerary: Wuppertal, Brussels, the Rhine, Germany’s ‘romantic road’, Munich and the Oktoberfest, Berlin, London and Cambridge. All in a month’s time. This is part six of the story, and is about our experiences in Munich and during the Oktoberfest.

A road trip through Germany (part 5): Ainring, Salzburg and the Jenner

Once we had soaked in enough of the medieval atmosphere of the romantic road, we headed south-east, further into Bavaria and towards the border with Austria. There, just on the border, is the tiny little village of Ainring—known mainly for its golfing and as a stepping stone to Salzburg, a quick hop across the border in Austria.

Marienberg fortress in Wuerzburg, romantic road, Germany

A road trip through Germany (part 4): The ‘romantic road’

After our few days of doing nothing much in Gau-Allgesheim, it was time to hit the road again. This time, there wasn’t anyone to say ‘hi’ to, and it was about soaking in the past along the ‘romantic road’: a series of towns and villages that still retain their medieval charm from hundreds of years ago.

A road trip through Germany (part 3): The Rhine valley

When we got back from Brussels, we spent a few more days in Wuppertal, and then started our road trip in earnest. The first leg was a drive down the Rhine via Leverkusen, Cologne and Koblenz to Ruedesheim (a distance of just over 200 km, roughly one-third of the length of the Rhine in Germany) to meet some old friends of my mom’s.

Wuppertal and Cologne: Getting ready for our epic German roadtrip

In September 2015, my mom, my wife and I embarked on a month-long trip through Germany, with a few days in Belgium and the UK thrown in for good measure. On the itinerary: Wuppertal, Brussels, the Rhine, Germany’s ‘Romantic Road’, Munich and the Oktoberfest, Berlin, London and Cambridge. All in a month’s time. This is part one of the story.