Travel Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Travels for Taste

Prague and Vienna – How to plan a short break to Europe

September 13, 2014 by manjirichitnis 9 Comments

Wanderlust

Lazy me, I wrote this post on the bank holiday weekend but didn’t end up uploading it! But here it is now! Followed up of course with my Prague and Vienna trip travel adventures !!

Long weekend trip to Prague with my girl gang

Hello everyone! It’s Monday and we are all waking up feeling very happy that we are not rushing to work! London has many food festivals happening all over and also the Notting Hill Carnival concludes today. Hubby and I have just got back from a 3-day highland tour and so am feeling on top of the world. The highlands are simply breathtaking ….But more about that in my travel posts later, for now, let me tell you how my girlfriends and I, planned a fun 3-day getaway to Prague!

A beautiful reminder of our Highland adventure

Dreaming of travelling across Europe

It was my first ever trip to Europe and Jules who writes a travel blog told us one lazy afternoon over a lazy cuppa coffee how she has been wanting to go to Prague forever. I actually wanted to go to Spain as my first Europe trip but well Prague sounded good too! Muks (Muktha) who is a travel enthusiast was super excited too and just like that, we set the plan into motion. So we found a brilliant deal with British Airways and saved a ton of cash by booking our flight tickets and hotel stay with BA.

Short break – Prague and Vienna

The next task up was, of course getting a Schengen Visa sorted for Muktha and me. Jools had already got hers from a trip before and wanted to make the most of the visa. Fab!

Applying for a Schengen Visa from U.K

So while I started working hard at my new day job, we met in the evenings over several cuppas and planned the itinerary and chalked out a list of all the documents you need to apply for a Schengen visa. Here is a quick look on the Czech Republic visa site for documents necessary – please note this list is subject to change and you can get updated information about how to apply for a Schengen Visa for entry into the Czech Republic from the official website here

Print out of valid return ticket
Proof of stay – booking details of your stay in the Czech Republic
Valid travel insurance documents
Xerox of your passport front and back
Xerox of visa to prove you are legally in the U.K when applying from the U.K
Proof of employment, if valid
Employers letter original confirming that you are on their payroll
Bank statement of the past 3 months or your partner’s bank statement if you are financially dependant on them

Of course, you will need to carry your original passport and visa / BRP card.

Not sure if you need a visa to visit Prague? Have a look at this tourist information website, they have a helpful section with all documents that you require when visiting the Czech Republic.

Day Trip to Vienna

Jules meanwhile had a brainwave (expected!) and we decided to throw in a day trip to Vienna on Day 2 of our 3-day trip. Brilliant idea, I must admit and she found us a cracking deal with a travel company based in Prague. So a one-day road trip to Vienna was planned too!

Now all that remained was for us to get the visa! Which arrived in 5 days promptly – cool or what?! But it was a nervous wait especiallu for Muks as she is stickler for rules and timelines whereas I am …aheam NOT really the kind that would sweat over things much! hehehe

How to make the most of your single entry schengen visa

Muks did tons of research and spent hours online and finally the Czech embassy wrote back to her confirming that on a single entry schengen visa we are allowed to travel within schengen states. Muks and my very skeptical OH breathed a sigh of relief that at the Vienna border control we would face no trouble. All this while Jools was confident we could travel to Vienna too and after reading the email when Jules and I had a smug ‘told you so’ attitude which probably irked my OH a bit…but when two hard core travel enthusiasts and bloggers bitten by wanderlust can’t both go wrong can they?

Packing for Prague

Now the not so fun part had to be done – PACKING. With daytime temperatures of 27 ° C predicted we had sun-tan on the top of our lists !

Wahooooo!!!

Stay tuned to my travel blog post series to find out what happened in Prague and on our exciting one day trip to Vienna! What we saw ( or didn’t manage to cram into our packed sightseeing schedule !) and the exciting Czech food we ate – Schnitzels – yes ! 🙂

How to plan a short break to Prague and Vienna

L – R – Moi , Jules and Muks with the Astronomical Clock in the busiest square in the old town – when I first laid my eyes on this magical clock I fell in love with this city of cobbled lanes and historic monuments … it’s as if every brick had a story to tell… am sure they do actually … if only one could care to ask …

Prague – Posing outside the Astronomical Clock

Prague - posing with my girl gang outside the astronomical clock — Prague

Looking for travel inspiration? Have a browse through my other travel posts too!

Take a virtual tour of some of my favourite markets across the world

Family days out – Top 5 spots around London

June 16, 2014 by manjirichitnis 8 Comments

Planning family days out made easy

The Great British Summer is here and the weather is brilliant, sunny and perfect for days out in the park , at the beach or out exploring with the family on a weekend. There are many brilliant places that you can go to on a budget even if you don’t drive and have a really fun day out in the sun with the family.

My top 5 places to visit in and around London in the summer

Last year my 5 favourite day out spots were places where we did one day trips using public transport and carried a few essentials, there is always scope to go in groups and stay overnight in one of the quaint English Bed and Breakfast places – O.D on the morning Full English for breakfast and generally have a blast .

Recommendations for family days out in summer, in and around London

So here’s my list of my Top 5 picks for best places to spend a day out in the Great British Summer 2014, not too far from London,easy on the pocket,family friendly options and easily approachable by public transport! Let me know what you think :

Pebbled Shores of Brighton

This is trip down memory lane for me now, seems like yesterday though. my very first spring in the U.K and on a fine morning we set out for Brighton. Sun, fish and chips and noisy seagulls yes, sandy beach – no! But there is nothing a comfy deck chair can’t solve.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Brighton Pier — Family days out – Top 5 spots around LondonFamily days out – Top 5 spots around London

We hopped onto a 45-minute coastal cruise. The most enchanting view on the cruise was of the skeletal structure or what’s left of the West Pier. Something very fascinating and mysterious about this relic.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Remnants of West Pier Brighton — West Pier Remnants – Brighton

Ideal for a family days out in summer

Walked past the Brighton Marina to admire the many beautiful yachts.Many bars and restaurants along the quayside we choose a rather cosy looking one and had a leisurely drink watching the yachts bobbing around on the water the bright late evening sunlight bouncing off yatch decks.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Stunning Views — Stunning Views – Brighton

We stumbled upon the extraordinary palace the Royal Pavilion built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV. This royal ‘pleasure palace’ is remarkable for its exotic chinoiserie style. It was revered by fashionable Regency society and is still a distinctive landmark for vibrant Brighton & Hove today.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Royal Pavilion, Brighton — Royal Pavilion – Brighton

Fishing, Sailing, or taking a journey on the oldest electric train from the smallest station I’ve seen yet – Marina Station, there are loads of fun activities to do with the family on a day out. Just after we hopped off our bus to the station and on an impulse we took another bus into beautiful the coastal village of Saltdean. Whatever you do, don’t go away from Brighton without seeing Saltdean if only you do it on a plus bus journey like we did, especially since there is a road called Marine Drive at Saltdean, reminded me of Bombay it did.

Day out for 2 at Brighton will cost you approximately under £65 if you had to really budget yourself ***

Train Tickets:£20 if booked in advance via The Train Line
Plus Bus:£3.30 adult ie.£6.60
Boat Ride:£8.50 adult
Fish and Chips: Approx £5 each at The Regency Restaurant
Sundry (Ice Cream, Water, using public loo’s): £15

Soft sandy beach at West Wittering

To me a beach always meant soft white -brown sands and warm waters to splash around in , well that was until I visited a pebbled beach of course. So after Brighton , I was aching to go to a beach where I could just spread a blanket ,lie down and snooze off with the sound of waves in the distant background- ermm yes yes that sounds lazy , but heck thats me! Just walking along the soft sandy beach of West Wittering in West Sussex is very calming and watching kids screaming as they run into the bearably cold water, dogs digging busily into the sand and people generally soaking up the sun and hoping to tan evenly 😉

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - West Wittering Beach — West Wittering Beach

Sandy beachs makes for the perfect family days out

West Wittering Beach is one of these 4000 beaches and marinas in 48 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean that has cleared the strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services and is therefore a BLUE FLAG BEACH. So not only is this beach a highly picturesque place of natural beauty,wildlife and birds to enjoy but very safe too.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - West Wittering Beach during summer — Family days out – Top 5 spots around London – West Wittering Beach

With beautiful views of the Chichester Harbour and the South Down its a great place for adventure sports like windsurfing or kitesurfing.

After a long stroll along the beach and having clicked a few pictures especially the beautiful and colourful cabins at the back where we spotted a huge family gathering having fun around a tempting BBQ and lots of chilled beer – perfect! Ice cream at the beach is customary and after we got ourselves some at the beach cafe – braving a long queue we decided to just sit down n enjoy the sights and sounds. To find a quieter spot we walked past the area full of families and hyper excited kids and went to the area where pets are allowed, relatively fewer people and a spot just perfect to lay down a picnic blanket ! Before we knew it we were dozing and I think I dreamt I was part of Tintin’s adventures in Sussex- oh , well don’t you remember he snowy and he headed there in ‘The Black Island‘ .I have been a huge fan of Tintin ever since I first read Herge’s adorable imaginary whodunits as a kid ! I have spent endless summer holidays snuggled up in bed in the afternoon reading Tintin with my cousins or seated in a corner of my local library – such pageturners I tell ya!

How To get there: Train, Road, Bus, Cycle
Toilets Available: Yes
Food and Drink: Beach Cafe
Parking: Minimal charges ranging from £1 to £8 apply depending on what time of the year you visit.

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - West Wittering Sandy Beach — Sandy Beach at West Wittering

Family days out - Top 5 spots around London - Beautiful beach huts at the Sandy Beach, West Wittering — Beautiful beach huts at the Sandy Beach, West Wittering

Trekking Near Box Hill

Have climbed the Snowdon last year with my husband it might seem that trekking up Box Hill amounts to no effort, but don’t be fooled! It is a fairly good exercise getting up to the top of Box Hill and people enjoy this as its makes for a good climb with breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Salomons Memorial (viewpoint) offers views up to 26 miles away including Chanctonbury Ring and Devil’s Dyke, Sussex, also towards the Gatwick airport and the South Downs.

Family days out - Box Hill Trek — Box Hill

Family days out - Stunning View from atop Box Hill, Surrey — Stunning View from atop Box Hill, Surrey

If you are a trigger happy camera aficionado then this place offers huge scope for taking some great shots. If your a history buff then check out the Box Hill fort built in 1896 ,similar to 12 forts in the south east of England.There’s also an upside down grave where Major Peter Labellière was buried upside down in the belief that the world was ‘topsy turvy’.

Exercise and fresh air on family days out

Another interesting tidbit about Box Hill is that it was home to the inventor of the television!John Logie Baird, the inventor of television, lived at Swiss Cottage on Box Hill from 1929 until 1932. He carried out his initial experiments by sending a TV signal from the top of the hill to the valley below,he also conducted experiments using his Noctovisor an infra-red viewing device.

Family days out - Trekking up Box Hill, Surrey — Trekking up Box Hil

You do do one of the many walks around Box Hill, there is even a trail suitable for toddlers where you can be sure to fire their imagination and get plenty of exercise and fresh air ,who knows they might just discover some interesting flowers,birds or creepy crawlies! There is also a Butterfly trail but the most amazing walk is the superb stepping stones walk which we did.Its something out of a picture pop up book and there is great scope for me time as you walk past the River Mole on a 2 mile circular walk which will take you under 2 hours. Lined by Apple and Cherry trees the stepping stones dating back to 1841 were destroyed in WWII and reinstated in 1946.

Family days out - Stepping stones at Box Hill, Surrey — Family days out – Stepping stones at Box Hill, Surrey

This is Broadwood’s Folly – built-in 1815 for the piano maker Thomas Broadwood.

Family days out - Broadwood's Folly at Box Hill, Surrey — Broadwood’s Folly, Box Hill, Surrey

Due to its historic importance and stunning natural beauty Box Hill is a site protected by the National Trust. Once is not enough, Box hill is the kind of place that draws you in and you want to go back for more. One lazy Sundays when I don’t feel like walking too much we do a mini picnic tea with a thermos, a blanket and our imagination for company – the views are strangely relaxing and I suspect its the clean mountain air and the exercise that is relaxing.

Family days out - Sunset at Box Hill, Surrey — Family days out – Sunset at Box Hill, Surrey

Walk and relax at Richmond Park

The biggest enclosed space in London ,Richmond Park is largest of London’s eight Royal Parks.It is a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation in south-west London. It is also where I saw first set eyes on freely roaming deer – something I shall never forget. We were dozing (again!) on our picnic blanket in a nice little woody nook in the park and I had dozed off over a book when hubster urgently jabbing his fingers into my rib – ouch in an attempt to draw my attention to a curious bystander – a huge Red stag! Its massive antler had us awestruck and a bit worried at once. It just gave us a stare and then settled down on a patch of grass munching on something -Phew! Wide awake now, we packed our things as quietly as possible and went for a stroll ….

Family days out - Richmond Park - Deer roaming freely — Family days out – Sunset at Box Hill, Surrey

Surrey’s best finds for family days out

With over 650 red and fallow deer roaming freely one must always bear in mind that though they are immensely beautiful they are wild and we must respect their space.

Family days out - Richmond Park — Family days out – Richmond Park

Entry: Free
Cafe: Yes
Toilets: Yes
How to get there: Interactive Map

Caves at Reigate in the Historic town of Surrey

Thinking of a fab day out with the family under £15? This is the place to go. Ammunition storage during WWI and air-raid shelters during WWII these caves have seen it all. Local folklore has it that the barons held a secret meeting at the Barons’ cave on their way to Runnymede to sign the Magna Carta.

Add some adventure to your family days out

These are actually old sand mines which include the Baron’s Cave in the Castle Grounds and the Tunnel Road caves in the Western Caverns.The castle which is now long gone is only a mound overlooking Reigate town centre and is composed of soft sandstone and has been mined over several centuries.Many excavations of the castle still remain.For as low as £ 2 per adult and £1.50 per child you can tour the caves with an experienced guide who will share details about the history of the caves. Disabled persons can be accompanied by upto 2 carers who go free of charge.

Visit the official website of The Wealden Cave & Mine Society, a charitable organisation here. Read more on the Reigate History website here.

Barons’ Cave. Castle Grounds, Reigate, Surrey

Image credit :Howard Walden from The Wealden Cave & Mine Society website

Image credit Nick Catford from The Wealden Cave & Mine Society website

If you want a more relaxed day out why not consider a trip to Denbies Vineyard? Read my post about my day trip here.

Also, check out my detailed guide to discovering the area around London Bridge with my insiders guide complete with suggestions for the best Foodie Finds around London Bridge.

*** All prices mentioned apply to the period of June 2014, check links for updated information and prices. Always check transport links and information relating to each tourist area before planning a day out to avoid disappointment later.

Exploring Guilford town and River Wey Valley, Surrey Hills, England

July 1, 2013 by manjirichitnis 1 Comment

The weekend was brilliant, the great BRITISH summer has arrived and how, lucky for those who got to see the Wimbledon matches live and savour some strawberries and cream.

I’d been meaning to do this walk with my enthusiastic trekker hubby who has so much patience with my near zero capacity to do long treks,but his love for the outdoors, the way he plans a trek and the effervescent high he gets after he’s back from his favourite climb at Box Hill seem to have seeped into my existence too. So come sunny Saturday and Hubby,my cousin sister and me decided to go for a long walk in Guilford, inspired by the book ”50 best walks of Surrey”, we set out for making it to St.Martha’s Church, didn’t really make it there but had a wonderfull relaxed long walk. After we got off the train at Guilford Rail station, we go onto the high street. It was ablaze with wildly colourfull goods being sold at Street Stall, the Guilford Summer Fest is on until the 3rd of August.Getting distracted from our route was never so easy and welcome.I had to really stop myself from buying one of the vibrantly colourfull wicker baskets on display.

Not to be missed is The Guildhall and the prominent clock protruding outside. It is an iconic 16th/17th century building rich in history. To read more about it do browse through the following websites :

Also browse the follwoing two blogs for some usefull and intersting bits of information about the clock and the buildings rich heritage.

Then we turned into Chapel Lane from the High Street and entered the Guilford Castle grounds. Eager sunbathers , families and tourists had flocked to this beautiful historic site, with carefully manicured lawns and pretty flower beds.Such are the places where one does not how to stop taking photographs and really take in the beauty of the place and enjoy the moment…

Across the Guilford Castle Ground and on the A-281 we walked through Guilford Boat House car park and then the Wey Navigation and Godalming. It’s a perfect place to eat our packed lunches of soft wafer thin ham,pickles and crunchy salad,roast chicken and tomato chutney and quench our thirst with lots of orange juice. A moment of calm follows,as we indulge in people watching, gazing at the greenery and staring into space.In the background the happy cackle of lots of little kids expending their energy, many couples in canoes on the River.We chat up the ice-cream man, very popular indeed,banana and strawberry it is for us 😉

As we start walking along the banks of the River Wey, the tranquil scenic surroundings bring a feeling of calm and we only stop for a few photographs.We walk past the bridge over the river which leads to North downs way and before we get to St. Catherines Lock we pass by a group of these beautiful ponies.

We then turned back the Pilgrim’s way towards North downs Way and stood atop the wooden bridge and watch people in canoes and boats sail past, people exercising their pet dogs who seemed eager to swim across the river and retrieve a precious well chewed on branch.

Had we continued towards Chantry Woods we would have seen the bluebells but decided to head back. A moments breather at Shalford Park and back to the station it was for us. One long huge platform at Guilford Station marked 1,2a,2b !So platform 11 and 3/4th….maybe it does exist after all??!

If you too would like to do one of the many walks across Guilford, Surrey, the following websites have a lot of usefull information. I’d say getting your hands on the booklet 50 best walks in Surrey is a great investment!

Eco-camping at Panchgani, India

June 23, 2013 by manjirichitnis 11 Comments

Escape the Urban Jungle, go adventure eco-camping at Panchgani

How and why we decided to go Eco-camping at Panchgani – It was in December of 2010 that my two closest girlfriends and I decided that we should travel together to someplace cool, to mark the end of an era and celebrate my fresh start. I had resigned from my full-time job in vibrant Mumbai and was joining my husband in London, taking a dive into the unknown – a plunge of faith so to speak. Though our family and friends suggested exotic locations, we picked eco–camping at Panchangi, which now looking back I feel was the best decision ever!

Eco-camping at Panchgani

Camping at Eco Camps, Panchgani was the last thing the old me would have done, but I am so glad my friend P chose the place and helped me get over my long-time silly fear of doing anything remotely adventurous. The barbecue that night was thanks to S and her skills. We were very close friends to begin with and bonded, even more, that night over hot kebabs. Waking up to see lush green mountains and see a beautiful valley wake up with us was something I shall never forget. The river Krishna flows near Panchgani and the Dhom lake near the village of Wai can be seen from the Eco Camp Site.

Strawberries and cream at Panchgani

We walked into the village and found a quaint old shop and had some strawberries and cream, the street is dotted with street vendors selling strawberries by the dozen and fresh carrots. My mother in law went to Kimmin’s Boarding School and Panchgani and we walked to the road where the school is, the quaint old red and cream brick building was enough to take me back in time, on a nostalgia trip to my school in Mumbai, the beautiful stone grey building, the carefree school days, we grow up too quickly don’t we?

Oh and please do get some of these heart-shaped biscuits from this bakery – ROACH, I do have a picture of me posing with the sugar-coated biscuit but err it’s not going up here 😉

Barbeque under the stars at the eco-camp in Panchgani

It was also the first time ever I was part of a barbecue, we walked into the village at night, found a lady who gave us some deliciously marinated cottage cheese and peppers and shallots and we had some kind neighbours in the tent next door who lent us some hot coals to get the barbie going.

It was a clear night and the brilliant stars seemed to sparkle just to make us girls smile …

Lying down on the grass on a thin sheet and watching the stars, feeling the pleasant chill on our face, it’s nothing like anything I had ever done.

Fast forward to life in London and with a desire to finally get the travel bit of my blog going I wanted to complete the drafts of so many posts but I am so glad I decided to start with writing about Eco Camps at Panchgani. Megan and Andre have been kind to send me answers to my many questions on email. I hope that all those who are looking some great weekend fun drive down to Panchgani the first weekend possible and stay in one of the tents; this is an experience not to be missed. Proximity to Mumbai and Pune are great pluses. Of course, anyone planning an India vacation in Dec- Feb must stay here and give paragliding a go, make your holiday memorable and experience nature’s beauty, nestled so close to the maddening hustle bustle of two big cities – Mumbai and Pune. It’s almost like, well, a secret escape, something so bohemian about the whole experience!

Megan and Andre, you are an inspiration for those taking a plunge, a leap of faith, raring to follow their dreams, so thank you for being such brave achievers.

Eco-camping at Panchgani, interview with the owners by Manjiri of www.travelsfortaste.com

Interview with Megan and Andre who have created and manage the eco-camping site at Panchgani

Me: Why did you choose Panchgani?

Megan & Andre: Andre and I had decided in 1997 that we wanted to move from cold Canada to India to raise our kids (who were then 4 and 1).We actually wanted to live in Goa, as I first met Andre while on holiday in Goa. We dreamt of having houseboats on the river, but after researching a bit we found that it was hard to get permissions and there was too much barge traffic there. My parents told us to go to Panchgani as we already had a family house on land that my grandfather bought in 1922. So we said we’d give Panchgani a try.

Me: What inspired you and your husband to start this venture?

Megan & Andre: We wanted to start our own venture, passion, and a desire to follow our heart got us here.

Me: Are there opportunities for adventure sports at Eco Camps?

Megan & Andre: Para gliders with their own equipment converge here from dozens of different countries to practise their flying from Dec to Feb every year. Other adventures to be had in the area is a trek down to the Krishna river, a short one up to the peaceful side of the otherwise crowded tableland, forest walks, and visits to waterfalls in the rains. There is also a lovely sunset from the camp. ( Oh Yes, I can so vouch for that!)

When practising an adventure sport they must get adequate training and stay safe.

Me: Do share one of your favourite memories associated with Eco Camps

Megan & Andre: One favourite memory is having a different meal every day of the week from a different part of the world. This was in the early days when the paragliding guests came in smaller numbers and we used to invite them into our home for dinner most nights and each one took turns cooking.

(How very amazing is that, imagine a room full of guests from different places on this planet together , eating good food, laughing, sharing their life with each other !)

Me: Do your kids love what you do?

Megan & Andre: Our kids love what we do, and have learnt that turning what you love into an occupation is the way to go. Matthew, now 20 is in training to be a chef, and Arianne 17 wants to be a recreational therapist. Mikey who is 6, still wants to be a fire-fighter -Maybe because of the annual forest fire that comes up our slope every year. This is the one downside to living on the edge in Panchgani, when in the hot, dry summer, all the foliage is burnt by fires coming up from the villages below, burning all things including insects, birds, small animals and saplings in its wake. But we are now used to the annual burning. The fire does remain our biggest challenge but we do concentrate on all the other positive elements of life in this hill station.

Me: What are the facilities associated with staying at Eco Camp?

Megan & Andre: we have 4 large tents with toilets, a few smaller ones and 2 bungalows, 24hr water, hot water, drinking water. Food is delivered or you could use the kitchens. We have no service, but a fantastic view, some old trees, and amazing birdlife all around us. It is a 10 min walk into town, but at the same time secluded and quiet.

Touristy things to do while in Panchgani

Meet Megan and Andre – Entrepreneurs behind the eco-camping at Panchgani

Me: How do you manage to keep the place so well maintained yet affordable?

Megan & Andre: The rates are affordable because we don’t have waiters running around and our focus is not on minting money. We get by ok and are quite satisfied with the number of people who come. We don’t have managers or cooks to worry about either. The staff who we do have is happy people who have worked here for years.

Me: Any message for young entrepreneurs looking to start out on their own and follow their passion like you did?

Megan & Andre: Young people ought to follow their hearts to do what excites them, keeping the practical side of things in mind as well.

Me: When is peak tourist season?

Megan & Andre: Peak season is from Dec to Feb and April – May Apart from those months, weekends are quickly booked, but weeks are free-ish.

Me: Anything you wish you had done differently?

Megan: I wish I had paid better attention in my Marathi classes in school. i suffer from not being able to ably communicate my thoughts to the locals.

Me: What DRIVES you to follow your dreams and passion and survive the inevitable challenges one faces whilst running their own venture?

Megan: My husband and kids, the beauty of our surroundings and the thrill of living at the mercy of the elements are the biggest incentives to continue living and working here. Ever since Andre could manage the running of the camp and got accustomed to local ways, I began teaching French part-time at New Era next door. It keeps me in touch with what I studied for years to eventually do.

Me: How does one book a stay at the eco camp?

Megan: To book a stay at Eco Camp call Megan at +91-9960436352, more info on our FB group “Eco-camp panchgani“

The photos below are from a magical time in my life, I so wish sometimes I could open some door and go back and relive those days.

Happy Weekend peeps and when you go to Eco Camps, please do share your experiences with me!

Stunning views of the Krishna Valley from the eco-camp site at Panchgani

Breathtaking view of the Lake Dhom from the Eco Campsite at Panchgani

A typical Tent at Eco Camps - Panchgani — **A typical Tent at Eco Camps – Panchgani**

Beautiful Sun Set from Eco Camps at Panchgani

Local attractions are a short walk away from the eco-campsite at Panchgani

A retailers delight,Colour Blocking at a local shop in Panchgani!

Explore nature trails when eco-camping at Panchangi

Thank you to my friend Payoshni for letting me use her lovely photographs for this post, All information in this blog relating to Panchgani is sourced from here and here – please click on the hyperlinks 🙂

Any comments? Please post below or tweet me at @manjirichitnis and hey join in the fun on my Facebook page

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TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF SOME OF MY FAVOURITE MARKETS ACROSS THE WORLD

Borough Market – a slice of London’s History, Heritage and FOOD!

September 28, 2012 by manjirichitnis 6 Comments

If ever there was a memory I revisit connected to food, browsing, new experiences, and feeling that I LIVED and loved life to the fullest it is this Friday in July when I visited Borough for the first time ever…

Coming from India and have spent most of my life in Bombay I am no stranger to massive open food bazaars, haggling to get one free lemon or a bunch of coriander and feeling triumphant that I could get HAPOOS AAMBE – the king of fruits Alphonso Mangoes at a few rupees lower than the previous customer ….old memories of accompanying my mother as a child to the market every other day and helping her carry home-made cloth and nylon bags full of fresh vegetables and fruits. With these vivid memories in mind I set off with my pal N to visit the market.

Getting there by tube was fun and the first glimpse of the market sort of gave me that feeling of a newcomer to a large city, no not of feeling LOST but simply overwhelmed by the sheer variety of goods available,Of course the most beautiful part is the way all the sights and smells make their way into your mind, literally it was my nose leading me to the food !Set in Southwark, one is found staring at the SHARD as soon you exit from the Tube station, towering over the place it is an imposing glass structure.

The market is massive,has a really amazing old world charm thanks to its origin roughly dating back to the 1800’s when it started off as a wholesale market and continues to be,to this date.

Of course, we took a lot of pictures and ate many free samples along the way but the places where I feel silent with admiration were the Fresh Fish counter – for its sheer variety and activity surrounding the stall, the Mushrooms on display-I guess I had never seen so many colourfull, delicate and edible mushrooms in one place before! The Gamston Wood Farm with its exotic meats, yes as exotic as ostrich meat – left me totally speechless but owing to my many food allergies I didn’t experiment, but someday soon I do hope too! I purchased some ripe nectarines, ripe juicy tomatoes, and some crunchy salad leaf bunches.

The Market itself is divided into a few large chunks, we started by walking around the fresh fruit,vegetable and sea food shops, moving onto the inner food court where one find everything from superior Assam tea(which I did buy and got home in a cute brown paper bag and treat myself to some mornings with a generous chunk of ginger and plenty of milk, proper boiled sweet Indian CHAI!) to different varieties of cheese,exotic breads,organic foods,herbs,spices,nuts,dates,desserts sighhhh, then one is led to the many fresh food stalls where one can eat exotic burgers, hot dogs, rolls, pizza or sandwiches,soups,salads almost any imaginable snack packed with fresh meat,cheese and all things divine,I certainly envy all the office goers who can visit this place during lunch hour!Not to be missed are the bakery,patisserie and confectionary stalls, creative, hand-made and exotic all rolled into one, giving into those sweet craving is very easy indeed.Each trader no matter how small the stall exuded passion for their craft.Lot of international foods are available here in this massive expanse of a market each with its own spot under the sun so to speak.

There are many pubs and restaurants in the vicinity which sort of take over when the market itself shuts down for the day.

Simply walking past the fresh oysters and taking in all the gorgeous food aromas wafting around does good for any appetite.Aptly then Borough Market has won ”London Food Market of the Year” 2010 at the London Lifestyle awards.The sea food selection is the best in the city and it is also a great place to buy some amazing wines and spirits, from far-flung places across the globe.

”N” and I got ourselves ” The Spitfire” and a ”BBQ Banger” respectively from a friendly fella who happily smiled for my camera! Big Bonus points to him, am definitely going back for more yummy food!The rail-bridge crossing over this part of this market causes a bit of a rattle-shake-shudder when trains pass by overhead.

We took our hot meals wrapped in tissues and sat down in the compound of the Southwark Cathedral with many other and though it was windy we hardly noticed, eating our lunch like hungry school kids with sauce dripping off our face!

We then ate ice cream made from goat’s milk,thick,creamy and delicious are base emotions, it transported me to a green farm far away into the English countryside, I left I was on a patch of land watching women dressed up like village belle of times gone by carrying pails of creamy thick milk and barns full of healthy cows and other animals…. N had to shake me out of my dream world so we could continue browsing;)

Ice cream in hand and after much posing for pictures we strolled to the area with big shops which have been around for many years so much so that they have are food institutions on their own, one of them is Ginger Pig.When one enters the Ginger Pig shop,it’s almost like walking into a museum of oink oink 😉 EVERY possible cut,chop,slice,dip,garnish associated with cooking pork all under one roof – sigh ….

After strolling around some more and drinking in the sites, we decided it was time to leave but not before we spent some time browsing the flower stalls outside and purchased some magic potions from Neal’s Yard and some more relaxing tea for me,which I sampled at their store,it made me all drowsy and calm just what I recommend for a good nights sleep, count more deep sleep zz’s after drinking this one folks…

Chocolate – the food fit for The God’s especially the one made by Hotel Chocolat’….. the wooden interiors with the dim lighting and walls filled with chocolates so divine and varied that we just had to go in and have some liquid chocolate , mine was mixed with CHILLI ! yes, awesome right? we also got to sample many of the new innovations and sta down on one of the massive wooden benches and sipped our hot chocolate and dreamt of ……well more CHOCOLATE!

Though the weather decided to play spoil sport,nothing could take away the feeling of a day spent pampering my senses….all I wanted to do was go home with my spoils wrapped in crinkly brown paper and sink my teeth into the nectarines and turn the tomatoes into a thick creamy soup.

If I could I would have written a poetry to describe my feelings when I left the market, I wish I could come up with some quotable quote to put all that happens in one’s mind in the market in a nutshell, but really , it wouldn’t suffice, no written word or picture can do justice to the beauty of this vibrant part of London’s heritage and history, treat yourself to a day out Visit Borough Market ….

Visit the official website for updates on opening times, events and news http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Hover over each image to view the title.

Try some exotic french cheese ,please :)

Chilli Chocolate Milk ...they made me slip away into chocochilli heaven ummmm

My Partner in crime N is also lost in chocolate world ...sighhh

Post vacation hangover

June 7, 2012 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

I can’t say that a one and a half day escape from city life was a vacation , especially when I ended up buying a thick jacket due to the sudden change in the weather …but , just the thought of going away from it all even for a day is so refreshing that it has given me a massive hangover .

The Isle of Wight is a beautiful place and I know for sure that we are going back for more !

The beautiful seaside , the warm sun hiding behind dark clouds , the feel of the breeze on my face , the early morning view from our B&B room window with the water sparkling like a million tiny diamonds under the weak morning sun, the tiny boats bobbing around ….sighhhhh

A lazy breakfast and walking around aimlessly ….I could go on forever ….

But am back to the grind and have to go , but every time I feel upset about something , I have this little box of happy memories inside me that I shall open and peek into , just to make me smile 🙂

Browsing around at Angel

April 4, 2012 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

To the bored Londoner, it’s just another tube station but to me it is a beautiful cosy place with a wonderfully modern mall, a very alive and vibrant street market, great restaurants, and plenty for the hungry soul to do, to see, to absorb and soak in and spend a few hours enjoying the best that this place has to offer.

On my recent visit to Angel, I spent time walking around, enjoying the early spring sun, savouring the street food delicacies and discovering the joy of having a lazy cup of tea and an amazing cafe called Euphorium Bakery.

I walked around the street market and ate this awesome falafel wrap, it has the most divine crunchy fried falafel balls ummmmm and very, very tasty aubergines, cauliflower, spicy chilli pickled, fried potato dusted with the most amazing sauce and what not!

If you see the two blokes in the picture, one smiley and one err well Not so smiley ;), you know you are the right place for mind-blowingly tasty falafel wraps!

The street market has a butcher, a fishmonger, several fruit and vegetable vendors, carpet sellers, lingerie stalls, even a makeup stall! It has all sort of world cuisine on offer, right from the local jacket potatoes and fish and chips to mid-eastern falafels, African jerk chicken, Bangladeshi kebabs, Vietnamese noodles, Thai crispy prawns, and so much more and yes a generous spattering of many pubs and cafes including the famous chains like Starbucks and Costa for the loyal followers.

Though I strongly suggest landing up without having had breakfast , picking up a falafel wrap as an appetiser, then walking around taking in the vibrancy of the place and then eating to your heart’s content at any one of the many food stall, then wandering around the massive mall, indulging in some shopping , strolling around the quiet by lanes and plonking yourself onto an easy chair in one of the many lovely local cafes and sipping away on your latte’ or Indian chai and relishing an afternoon well spent .

A view of the massive ”Angels’s wings” at the entrance to the Mall and a View of the ” Angel’s Halo” at one of the exits ….

I even managed to get a steal-deal on a book I was looking to buy for some time now from a local charity shop ( I don’t know how she does it – By Alison Pearson, a must read for EVERY woman especially if you thrive on a huge guilt conscience of NOT being able to spare enough time for your family because you have a job that you love and are addicted to !, it’s a bible for one of my closest female buddies P)

A view of a beautiful flower shop located close to the bakery.

A little rain while I was safely tucked inside the cafe dropped the temperature by a few degrees and ensured I left to get home just in time to make hubbykins a steaming hot cuppa and share a long conversation about how I spent a lovely day out.

I also discovered a wonderful Fruit called Longan, it’s like litchi in the texture of the skin and the soft watery succulently fresh white fruit hidden inside but with a twist in the form of a sugary sweet caffeine kick concealed in the fruit that explodes with every bite that you take. I managed to gobble quite a large number of them, reluctantly sharing them with my better half 🙂

This is an image of the fruit, that what remains of the LARGE bag I got home I know, I know greedy me!

I have posted some pictures below of the fruit, it’s delicate skin that can easily be peeled off and globular succulent fruit inside.

In India there is a version of this fruit called Litchi or Lychee, it has bright red or dull brown skin, and the appearance of the fruit inside looks very similar to the Longan. Lychees are more oval in shape though and very different but equally delicious and sweet to taste and also are very succulent, every bite releases a delicious sticky liquid ummmm.

Some images of the Litchi or Lychee I got off the net :

It’s at times like this that I imagine how much of effort God put into creating this planet and all that is there on the planet , it is such small everyday pleasures that make me smile.

To those whose mouth is watering after seeing those images please head to China Town or any proper Chinese shop in London and ask for Longan . If you love them as much as I did , write back to me !Please !

I have posted a few images of my day out below, hope you enjoy seeing them. Oh yes, How can I forget the highlight of the day ?! I touched a LIVE snake and that too a BOA CONSTRICTOR (screaammmmmmm EEEEEEECHHHHH,yelll, shiver shudder shake shake ..none of that happened, even little kids were touching the slippery guy who seemed to be basking in the glory of so many curious human eyes set on him !), it is called a Common Boa Constrictor and inhabits rainforests, the other two animals I saw were an African spurred tortoise and a lizard which I think is the Bearded Dragon, a word of praise here for the handlers of these animals who work with a company called the Zoofari.

These handlers were gentle with the animals , very knowledgebale and great with kids too, they also ensured each and every fascinated child and adult got a blob of hand sanitiser after they touched the animals. Kudos to them ! Good work guys and I loved the concept of a mobile zoo and how they raise funds for wildlife ,a very noble thought and deed ..Indeed 🙂

The Zoofari Van :

The crowd around the display area :

Say hello to the Turtle , it’s quite massive isn’t it ??

And now the BOA…….

Ok that was me hesitating and touching the snake after all, so scale-eee , err never mind !

Well After those animals , feats your eyes on some images of the awesome Euphorium Bakery .

And just as I had left the area the taste of chai still lingering in my mouth, I was offered a free sample of the New Almond Latte at Starbucks, worth a try I say!

I managed to stuff my camera back into my bag and dragged my exteremly drowsy self to the tube station , but had to click this last one snap as I laughed aloud and people around gave me the look as if to say ”Crazy woman laughing all alone ..grumphfh ” well you would smirk too after seeing it wouldn’t you ??

Hahaha a quirky laugh at the end of a fab day, all I needed to inspire me to get blogging again!

England’s largest Vineyard – Denbie’s Wine Estate, Dorking, Surrey

February 29, 2012 by manjirichitnis 8 Comments

It’s was my parents first weekend at our flat in London and we wanted them to see some place really nice. Having visited London many times earlier they had done the usual touristy places and were not too upbeat on going into the crowded central line all the way to Central London. So hubby came up with an awesome idea, to explore Surrey.

So after an early breakfast we made our way by over ground rail to Dorking and walked across lovely tree lined roads to get to Denbies Vineyard.

The air was cool and crips, it was bright, sunny and the sky looked heavenly. Even my mother’s heavily arthritic and painfull knees didn’t see, to mind the trudge upto the main entrance as most other visitors whizzed past in their cars.

My dad was smiling and racing ahead with hubby while mother and me trailed somewhere behind admiring the mountains in the background.

The grapes seemed to tempt us as we walked alng the way ,testing our self control, ummmm,ofcourse we DID not take anyyy! Though I wish we had 😉

The neatly lined,seemingly never ending rows of grape vines balanced on their equally fragile looking support structures seemed to create a horizon of sorts, there are only a handfull of employees who work in the vineyard which is the largest in England and they manage this enterprise beautifully I must say.

I saw this beautiful couple, much in love perched on a ledge cooing away secret nothings into each others ears so to speak, they looked so cute I just had to take a picture, thankfully they obliged.

After a long lovely walk we saw the roadsign telling us that we had reached our destination, an exciting day out was about to begin , I couldn’t help but wonder if we would get any free wine for sampling ,after all , a long walk through a vineyard on a weekend and a very parched throat for company I am sure it wouldn’t hurt to gulp down some free wine .

Unfortunately no free wine or wine tasting was to come our way as we had reached after all the wine tours had been booked for the day, yes ,it is a really popular destination ,it was late summer ,autummn almost actually ,September 2011 it was,so feeling terribly dejected we were about to resign to our fate when we were informed by the smiling receptionist that there was a tour of the vineyard in the jeep that we could do , so I heaved a sigh of relief as I saw the smile back on my mothers face . Ater all I didn’t want to ruin their very first weekend with us.

We still had about an hour on hand before the tour was to begin so we decided to explore our surroundings.On the topmost floor is a rather beautiful restaurant to be explored when you want to loosen your purse strings and splurge .There was a small area where a potrait club was exhibiting some stunning paintings , I managed to get some postcard size prints of the originals and so did my mum.

Some of the artists were really good with themes ramging from countryside scenary to pets and wildlife.

Then we walked back down to an amazing gift shop which was crammed ceiling to floor with the most amazing gift items from post cards and the expected wine bottles to tea sets, cake stands ,home made jellies and preserves and many, many more extreemly tempting products ,I got myself a scented soap…sighhhh !

By then my husband managed to tear me and my mum away from the shop, my dad had started to grow this extreemly serious expression bordering on a mixture of impatience ,slight anger and a sarcastic smirk which seemed to say”baah women and shopping” , I took the hint and scampered out to check on our mode of transport for the tour and this is what I saw 🙂

Whilst we waited for the tour guide cum driver to arrive, I amused myself by taking some more pics , there were some brillant potted flowering plants and some lvelky banter of a large group of women apparently a “HEN PARTY” part of a day long Bachelorette party ,what fun !

Just when the small cowd beginning to get impatient that the lively ,energetic and extreemly well informed guide arrived and ensured we were all seated properly,rattled off some basic safety instructions and we took off on what was to be a tour with breathtakingly spectaluar views and laods of snippets of local history and ofcourse tons of information of how the grapes are grown, the types of grape varities grown, how popular the wine is and history about the owners of the land and the vineyard both past and present . I shall leave these details out as it would be a kill joy for those that want to go do the tour and mostly because since I had been there months ago most of it had been wiped off from the slate in my mind, strange though because even now if I close my eyes and imagine the tour guides voice I can sort of do most of the tours and see the same things as I have photographed in my mind’s ,it’s quite refreshing doing that especially on a dull winter evening . It’s early March and cant really call this Winter but heck it isn’t getting warmer yet is it now ?

This is the first picture I took while in the jeep train as I like to call it .What clear skies I say, beautiful !

And thus here we were a group of strangers on a fine Autummn day about to have a shared experience of delightfull visual impact and create a pleasant memory that will last for a long time to come!

We stopped at a spot high up on the hill we were on and I got the perfect photo opportunity I’d been waiting for …

Further ahead we came to a plateau like area where part of the massive old house inhabited by the original owners used to stand , some tiny portion has been resurected and is still in use , and by tiny I mean massive for us urabn folks living in matchbox houses , this is like 4 bog country houses put together but tiny in contrast to what used to be a grand residence of the yesteryears.

That’s our cheerfull guide holding some images of original plans of the structures back then , there was small quiz and I got a chocolate for getting some answers correct Yipeeeee !!!

Then I just took few snaps before the tour came to an end. Here they are :

After that tour we walked over to a rather quaint Kitchen Garden Centre in the premises.It has the most wonderfull things to add to ones garden and ofcourse a large amount of saplings,wind chimes,garden ornaments,pots and plants and an area selling cold sandwiches for famished souls as well,which can be consumed sitting at one of the wodden tree stump table and stools. It is a delight to stroll around the place and see the colourfull display of flora mixed with artistic and stylish garden ornaments.

By the time we were done with our stroll , it was time to adress the serious hunger pangs we all were having.

Surrey is beautiful there is so much to explore in the county, some off beat places, great places to trek or simply walk and ofcourse a vineyard to visit.

Aren’t the hedgehogs adorable 🙂 ?

Portobello Market

February 25, 2012 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

A bazaar or a street market , now coming from India the mention of the word market or bazaar brings to mind vibrant colours, streets buzzing with activity , bustling with stalls selling everything from old forgotten door handles to tasty street food , well my First visit to Portobello market was all of this and more . It starts of as a tiny lane snuggled between urban landscape and then as you start to walk along the street there is an explosion of colour , vibrancy and goods for as far as the eye can see !

I started my journey by clicking a few pictures with some rather naughty catch phrases printed on rusting old metal signage boards , silently guffawing I choose one mentally as my profile picture for Facebook – such is the dominant position that FB occupies in my mind , it always seems to crop up into my thoughts at all possible opportunities 😉

In the picture above I wonder how the 2012 Olympics could be already a rusty “OLD”piece ?!humm;)

Then there is the Official Street sign proclaiming that Portobello Road officically begins somewhere close to the signboard shop.

I particularly liked the many shops that packed choc-a-bloc with such pretty jewellery right from exotic earrings to the most wonderfully colorfull bead necklaces that every possible visual stimuli that can awaken my brain was at work , there is just so much to amass that it left me bedazzled !

What one expect is to find some really good deals on “Vintage” products like really pretty tea cups or cake stands, door knobs, furniture even .

This one particular shop was rather interesting !

Turns out its not just the shops that were colourfull really !

I was most delighted to these a shop selling the most quaint little miniatures of a cake shop complete with all sort of yummy looking pastries not bigger than a tiny petal if kept on your finger tip! There were also intricate miniatures of violins in cases and a zillion other things.

It also has a rather massive All Saints store with their trademark window display of all singer sewing machines and what an apt fit for Portobello Market I’d say, a Vintage window display concept for a market selling all these delightful Vintage nick knacks!

I wonder who conceptualised this display; they sure did manage to procure all possible old singer sewing machines out there didn’t they?!

There’s literally HUNDREDS of the machines lining every inch of their window space in every STORE and I believe now all across the Globe in most of their outlets , now THAT really is something!

A few steps of walking ahead and there was this brilliant balcony full of the most brilliant potted plants, someone certainly does have a green thumb I’d say , what a pretty sight to see so very SPRING like .

Now as one moves past the shops selling handbags, clothing, old furniture, tea sets ,door handles ,footwear , photo frames etc etc etc there is a new set of shops that takes over with fresh fruits and vegetables being sold on street stalls , fresh flowers, mobile food vans selling everything from wraps and burgers to salads and desserts .

There are a few street vendors selling some funky fashion jewellery as well.

There’s a section of the street market that was kind of empty and not as full with street stalls as expected, there’s probably some days in the week when the market is not fully operational. But there is a massive mall with many shops inside, but my rumbling tummy didn’t permit me to enter so I just took some shots of these huge arches outside.

It’s then that I saw this board and promised to return when the Farmers Market was open, sadly haven’t yet gotten around to doing that really.

As the Poster says am sure a market so vibrant does really have a SPACE for everyone !

The last few shops and a spattering of colourfull cafes and an ATM outside a party shop caught my eye.

Then I finally gave in to my tummy’s request and tucked into some yummy pub food and washed it down with a chilled beer.

What a beautiful day Indeed!

A few handy tips if you do plan a visit to Portobello Market :

If your going on a Thursday,it is not a good choice as the market shuts down shortly after noon and not all the street shops are up anyway.
Carry a bottle of water it’s a thirsty walk especially in the summer.
It’s a short walk when one exits from the Notting Hill Gate Tube station.
Make a mental note of the loos that are around by reading the info in the link below ,it’s important !

There is a website offering a wealth of info about the Market on http://www.portobellomarket.org/. I especially liked the detailed way in which they have listed places to run if your bladder is about to burst , mine was and I almost died when the public self cleaning toilet door swung open as it was in a disastrous condition sadly !So one of the pubs it was then , what a relief !

P.S: All Images used in this article are clicked by me so if you do resuse them kindly give me due credit !