The 106th anniversary of the heritage Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR) services was held in Udhagamandalam (Ooty) on Tuesday, 16th October 2013. Passengers alighting from the train were welcomed with red rose, cake and chocolate by railway officials. Built by the British, NMR train ran on steam engines for a long time. Running between Mettupalayam in Coimbatore and Coonoor covering 41.8 km, it now operates on an oil-fired engine. It is very popular among tourists alike the other mountain railways such as Shimla, Darjeeling and Jogindernagar. It has been given Heritage Status by the UNESCO. The train shot into fame after the song “Chaiyya Chaiyya” from popular Bollywood film “Dil Se”, featuring Shahrukh Khan, was shot on its roof top. METTUPALAIYAM - OOTY : It was in 1854, that ...
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Upendra Swami
Nothing engages me better than just travelling and photographing. Both are my first loves. Also love trekking, biking and anything that has a bit of adventure mixed into it. Successfully tried bungy jumping and rafting. Experienced an eight day solo high-altitude biking expedition and equally enjoyed a F1 track drive in a pilot car at sepang circuit. Nature pulls me- from snow capped mountains to deep seas... Alas! Still looking for a profession that lets me do just that. By the way... love humans as well!!
Once, adventure travel was the exclusive domain of daring young backpackers, this on longer is applicable. This season you can head for an adventure escapade filled with endorphin-boosting and some eye-opening extreme activities at Independent India’ s first planned hill city Aamby Valley City. 19 Degree North at Aamby Valley Cityis an ideal adventure getawaywith diverse range of fun activities, the adventure park promises an exhilarating experiences to enjoy the first-of-its-kind rides for the whole family! 19 Degree North, the epitome of adventure in Maharashtra is the place for all adventure and adrenaline junkies. If you are one of those brazen person who wants to get down and dirty, who revels in the mud and fears no twist or turns; who simply holds the handles of the bike and let
Read MoreSwitzerland’s largest winter sports region: The Mountains. The Horizons. The Light! Engadin St. Moritz is delightful as both landscape and legend. Thanks to the combination of glamour and nature this destination is a unique starting point. With four major peaks and 350 kilometres of pistes with guaranteed snow, 150 kilometres of hiking trails and 200 kilometres of cross-country trails, Engadin St Moritz is recognised as one of the biggest and most beautiful areas for winter sport in Switzerland. The wide array of sports and leisure activities on offer, the specialities of its regional cuisine, the wealth of cultural activities, and the multitude of events inspire and enthral its guests. The region owes much of its appeal to St. Moritz, the world’s most scintillating alpine destination,...
Read MoreThe 28th edition of the Creole Festival that will be celebrated from October 25-31, 2013 in the Seychelles is all set to go. This annual manifestation is aimed to raise the profile of all those who consider themselves a Creole, to also consolidate the Creole identity, and to showcase the achievements in the world of Creoles. Victoria, the accepted Creole Capital of the World, does that in valorizing, and in promoting the Creole oral traditions and cultures. Anyone who is proud to be a Creole will be in Victoria, the Creole Capital of the World, for the festival this year. It is important for all those who say they are a Creole to feel proud about it and to be seen and be counted as one for the world to see. One of the main objectives of the 2013 edition of the Creole Festival is to attr
Read MoreTourism Fiji has unveiled new branding and advertising that positions Fiji as the happiest place on earth. This is the culmination of a new global strategic direction launched around the world with a new website design, social media/PR and advertising campaign. The branding reflects consumer insight that identified Fiji as the Happiest Place in the World in the 2011 WinGallup Global Barometer of Happiness. CEO of Tourism Fiji, Rick Hamilton said this finding provided the perfect opportunity for the development of a new creative platform: 'Fiji – where happiness finds you.' "When you think about it, the whole world is continually looking for happiness," Hamilton explained."But actually, it's Fijians, the people who are trying the least, who have it the most. We wanted to demonstra...
Read MoreValley of Flowers National Park — a World Heritage site — will remain closed this year even as the yatra to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Hemkund Saheb has been resumed. The national park opened on June 1 this year and closed on June 16 after incessant rains triggered landslips and destroyed a bridge near the national park. The bridge — across the Pushpawati river — connected the Valley of Flowers and Ghangaria. The three-kilometre stretch between the bridge and the national park was also destroyed after heavy rainfall triggered landslips in the area. Sarvesh Kumar Dube, Sub Divisional Officer, Nanda Devi National Park, Joshimath, said, “Had everything been fine, the national park would have remained open till October end.” “The Public Works Department (PWD...
Read MoreIn a decision that could increase foreign exchange earning from tourism for the country in future, the Planning Commission of India has recommended a comprehensive overhaul in the visa facilitation process for travelers intending to visit India. In a joint meeting of the officials of the related ministries of Home Affairs, External Affairs, Tourism, etc., it was recommended to extend Visa on Arrival (VoA) facilities to citizens of 40 more countries. The Commission also recommended VoA for senior citizens and pensioners from all countries, as well as setting up online visa processing system to enhance smoother facilitation of visas for overseas travelers. The 40 countries which would be included in the list for VoA include the USA, UK, Russia, Germany, France, China, Canada, Brazil, ...
Read MoreVenice in Italy and a little-known Pokfulam Village in Hong Kong have one thing in common. Both are included in list of culturaal heritage sites at risk by World Monuments Fund (WMF). List also has places like the urban (Yangon Historic Center, Myanmar) and the remote (Gran Pajatén, in Peru); the ancient (Ancient Irrigated Terraces of Battir, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories) and the modern (the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, in St. Louis, Missouri), all for diverse reasons including conflict and neglect. India has three of its sites included in the list, they are - Historic city of Bidar in Karnataka, Juna Mahal at Dungarpur in Rajasthan and house of Sufi saint Salim Chishti at Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra in Uttar Pradesh. World Monuments Fund (WMF) announced t...
Read MoreDavos has been known to world as the host city of World Economic Forum (WEF). But besides that Davos is a panoramic resort village located in the heart of the Graubünden in the east of Switzerland. Together with the nearby town of Klosters, Davos Klosters is one of the most tradition-rich holiday destinations in the Alps and blossoms in new splendour and offers a wide variety of winter sports activities, and summer hiking trails, set amid stunning Alpine scenery. Whether you participate in WEF or not, Davos is still a place worth visit as a tourist. Let's have a look at the many things it has to offer this winter season:- Free skipass until Christmas - 16 November to 23 December 2013 During the pre-season, all guests will again receive a free skipass for Davos Klosters Mountain ra...
Read MoreGetting ready for masquerades! Its festive season in India and you will find many of those around.... specially close to Durga puja pandals and Ram leela celebrations... ...
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