Discovering Nepal Differently. You’ve heard of Kathmandu, but have you heard of Kirtipur? It’s one of those little-known gems that’s only 7 kms from Kathmandu but a world away from the mainstream tourist circuit. Sitting on a hillside next to the Hattiban Forest, it is actually one of the Kathmandu Valley’s oldest Newari towns dating back to 1099AD….
Lessons from the Road
One thing you’ll always notice about India is there always noise. This isn’t just in the cities (where it is getting too much) but in the forests, plantations, on the beaches, nature makes her presence felt, birds, insects, animals, there’s always a symphony of sound. I’ve had conversations about this with many Indian friends. In…
The People of India Project – Gaurav Bhatnagar
I first met Gaurav at the Outlook Traveller Responsible Tourism Awards in Delhi where he was a gold medalist! He is the inspirational figure behind The Folk Tales, which started in 2013 with the aim of offering travelers a chance to experience life in rural India by integrating tourism with socially and environmentally responsible initiatives…
Snapshots: A stay at Walterre and Discoveries around Dehradun
Woken by the sound of rain thundering down on the tin roof of the charming English meets India-style, country cottage. Ventured onto the terrace where we sat in comfort, under the shelter and sipped on g&ts whilst witnessing the angry skies thunder around us and the brilliance of the lightening showcasing the surrounding hills, standing…
Community Homestays, Nepal
And now for something completely different. This was my stay in Pataudi, not only is it (not yet) famous for almost being a UNESCO site, Pataudi was the first destination for a project now called Community Homestay. There are 17 homestays here where you literally stay in a local’s home with the family. This project…
Solo Female Travel, the kindness of strangers and using common sense.
There’s been a lot written about this over recent years, I’ve read some articles, disregarded others and didn’t honestly pay that much attention to it. Foolishly perhaps, given the growth in this as a ‘business.’ Then, a couple of years ago, someone who had written many articles on the subject contacted me for an interview…
Memsahib’s dad visits India, aged 80 – Part 4.
I am not sure if two years in a row makes something an annual event, but it would be rather nice to think so. Christmas 2015 at Devshree was all about lovely walks, exploring the fort, lazy lunches, chilling out on charpois after a farm cooked lunch (and discovering the delights of cow s**t bread…