Sylvan Villa lies in idyllic seclusion, shaded by the glare of the sun just as much as it is shielded from the tourists that flock to the popular haunts in Himachal Pradesh. In a tiny cut-off lane leading up to a hillock, this luxurious stone-and-wood villa in Dharampur wears what…
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Every traveller to Himachal Pradesh invariably has a visit to Spiti right on top of his itinerary. I was no different – the city enthralled me! A cold, barren desert way up high in the mountains, so high that even oxygen is scarce. Surrounded by lofty snow-capped peaks, sleet grey…
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I felt nothing. Numb. As I booked my train ticket to Chandigarh, stuffed all the winter wear I owned into a bag, covered the furniture in my apartment with old bed sheets, and settled into my berth as the train pulled out of Bandra Terminus, on what would be a…
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Hey dear readers, welcome back! If you hail from North India, there’s a high chance that you’ve already visited the bustling hill station of Manali at least once. The popularity of this teeming little place doesn’t seem to be diminishing – it still attracts hordes of foreign backpackers, Indian honeymooners,…
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Hey! Welcome back! You’ve probably heard of many hotels offering guests a one-of-a-kind experience, but by and large, what they offer is pretty similar. That’s why, when given a choice, I try and pick off-beat homestays and guest houses when I travel. The homely touch, the local stories I can…
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I heaved a sigh of relief as my GPS showed 5 minutes to Brajesh’s location. I travelled a long way to get to Jibhi – around 150 km from Fagu. It wasn’t the distance, but the road, riddled with bumps and potholes that made the journey seem endless. It’s almost…
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As someone from a touristy hub like Goa who lives in a quiet little village, away from the cacophony of the beach belt, I can sense why Jibhi would appeal to off-beat travelers. Apart from a winding road running straight through this mountain village, there is almost no sign of…
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As Shimla came into view, I gaped at what looked like a vertical city. Buildings appeared as if they were growing behind each other – from where I stood, what was someone’s top floor was the start of someone else’s ground floor. The road went on bending, dipping and climbing…
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