Cobblestone Chronicles

Hong Kong is a concoction of contrasts - it is home to a skyline that is a vertical exhibit of glass and steel skyscrapers graced in a spectrum of neon lights, and yet retains the chaste culture of a city silhouetted against the quiet, serene, nonchalant hilltops! Not many cities in the world project the symbiosis of exquisite disparities. Hong Kong, however, is a city where dreams, differences and deftness are conflated. It is a perfect congregation of the Eastern and Western cultures, a place which is equally known for its natural beauty as much as for its towering skyline, a city known for its classical, yet contemporary culture!  Even with all the infrastructural notoriety, Hong Kong hasn’t atoned its soul. Till date, it remains one of the most distinctively creative hubs around the world, a showcase of diversity - an esplanade decorated by artists, chefs, entrepreneurs and designers alike; a city known for off-beat hikes and some assorted old-school experiences !...

One sees great things from the valley, but only small things from the peak! Not quite the context in which the above quote was said, but it certainly fits the bill when we’re talking about India’s crown jewel of the north, Ladakh. No discussion about travel in India is complete without a mention of Ladakh, and I just knew that I had to tick this picturesque valley off my list as soon as I could, and from the very first minute, I wasn’t disappointed. The first notable incident of the trip happened during the flight to Leh itself. As our airplane crossed into the Himalayas, magnificent views of snow-clad Kashmiri mountains beheld us, and it is the first and only time I have seen so many passengers standing at the same time in an airplane mid-flight, it was that stunning. As we landed, the first colour I noticed was blue. The sky. It was quite possibly the bluest sky I’ve ever seen, and coming from a polluted metropolis where even sunny skies have a whiteness about them, s...

There is a place in Central India where the sky meets the holly woodland. For when the sun begins to head home, hues of orange and yellow stretch far and wide. A blanket of clouds fill them in and a few moments later or so, the once cyanic sky turns into a never-ending canvas, right from the painter’s palette like an abstract splattered above the scenic plains. Though I’d tell you that there are several places in Central India that make for a unique and fulfilling holiday if wildlife or birding is something you’re fond of, the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is one my favourite places when it comes to wildlife. Now, I’ve travelled to Bandhavgarh only once but, the memory of that particular trip is etched in my mind in a way that I can almost visualize every sighting I had on the six safaris that I undertook there and given a chance, I’d travel to this pristine land any day. Bandhavgarh was an experience like never before.  A deeply desired tourism destination by many, Bandha...

Getting its name from what translates to ‘Muddy Confluence’ of the Klang and Gombak rivers, Kuala Lumpur is a city of vast importance to Malaysia, being the country’s cultural, financial and political centre. A myriad of colonial, Indian, traditional Malay, Persian and Chinese cultures has left its influence through the city’s food and architecture. A blend of history, modernity and nature, Kuala Lumpur truly stands out as one of the most appealing metropoles in South East Asia, and was the 6th most visited city in 2019. We take a look at the must-visits of Kuala Lumpur, both reputed and obscure. The City I’m sure all of you know about the Petronas Twin Towers, these buildings have become synonymous with Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia. This towering twosome stands at 1,483 feet tall, and were the tallest buildings in the world until 2004. Built mainly as a workspace for Petronas, the towers have served as commercial centres for several other companies, and as the country’s bi...