Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Great Little Secrets to Enhance Your Travel Experience

Travel is exciting, but it can also be stressful. Over the years, I have come across many little tips from others that have been helpful in minimizing the stress and allowing that once-in-a-lifetime trip to be the wonderful and exciting experience it should be.

I want to thank all the people who have given me great tip advice over the years, and also those who have shared their wonderful travel tips in magazines and books. Frequent and experienced travelers, listen up, too. These tips may also be new to you.

The Coffee Pot Trick

So you went to a fancy schmancy restaurant and you had a great meal, but you have quite a bit left over and you don't want to toss it. No problem! Before leaving the restaurant, ask for some aluminum foil. The next day simply heat up the leftover food on the warming surface of the hotel coffee maker. It works like a charm. Just make sure there's no H2O in the reservoir.

Oh No -- Forgot My Shaving Cream!

I hate when this happens. But no problem. Your hair conditioner can do double duty. Conditioner does a great job of softening up those whiskers, and makes for a nice, smooth shave. Just check the shower area of your bathroom for the free little bottle of conditioner.

If You Wear Glasses, You Have To Do This Before Leaving For The Big Vacation

Before you take off, have your optometrist write you out a current up-to-date prescription. If you damage your glasses or even lose them while you're on your trip, head over to a large store like Walmart or BJ's. They can simply call your doctor and have the prescription filled. That way you don't have to go through the hassle of visiting an optometrist and getting a new prescription.

Don't Lose Your Cell Phone - I LOVE THIS TIP!

Cell phones are such a necessity these days. How did we ever live without them? Most cell phones nowadays are also cameras. When you travel, take a picture of your hotel's business card and use it as the background on your phone screen. If you lose your phone and someone finds it, the hotel where you're staying is the first thing they'll see. If they're a good person, maybe they'll return it to the hotel. This is especially useful in foreign countries because the business card is in the local language.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Five Art and Architecture Destination in India

From lotus temple in Delhi to wondrous Taj in Agra and marvelous sculptures & painting at Elephanta Island, India has a great number of destinations which entice architecture-lovers from far corners of globe. Here's my list of India's top 5 places to admire artistic creations. The list, however, has not been endorsed by any magazine or survey.
Agra: It may seem obvious, but it's not without a reason why Agra in state of Uttar Pradesh tops my list of places for art-lovers. Home to Taj Mahal: one of Seven Wonders of World, Agra is India's most talked-about tourist place. Taj Mahal, with its unique blend of Persian, Islamic and Indian architecture styles, is one of the most attention-grabbing manmade monuments on this earth. Amazing work of stone-cutting, carvings, paintings and calligraphy on white marvels leave all the visitors stunned. Even the domes & structures alongside the main complex add to the architectural beauty of this wonder. Beyond the Taj, visitors can experience flawless Mughal architecture at Red Fort. Fatehpur Shikri and other ancient buildings in the city are also worth exploring.
Delhi: Nothing beats a Delhi trip if you're the one inclined towards arts & cultures. One of the oldest cities in the world has turned to be a vibrant metropolis in India, but its age-old architectures & grand history still has a charismatic charm and never fails to impress architecture-admirers. The city has a long list of historical monuments with many of them designated as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. From forts to monuments to religious sites, the city is like a museum of master architecture work. Mammoth Red Fort, towering Qutub Minar, impressive structure of Rasatrapati Bhawan and unique design of Lotos temple is sure to leave folks breathless. You can visit to Akashrdham Temple to view amazing carving & paint work of modern artisans.
Ajanta-Allora Caves: Stunning structures made by rock-cutting, Ajanta Caves hold an immense collection of sculptures and artworks pertaining to great Bhuddhist religion. This includes some famous paintings too, which remind us of Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanks. As old as 2nd century BCE, these cave monuments have been a dream destination for artisans and archeologists. They are a world heritage site by UNESCO and are must-visit tourist spot in Indian state of Maharashtra.
Mahabalipuram: Mahabalipuram is undisputedly the most picturesque town of South India in sense of architectural beauty. Monolithic rock curved temples are the center of attraction, which are architectural masterpieces founded by Pallava kings. Wonderful Dravidain architectures backed with unsurpassable history & spiritualism in Mahabalipuram keep art-lovers and history-admirers flocking the city year-round. There are eight rathas in the town, which are made of rock-cutting and named after five pandawas of Mahabhartha and their wife Drupadi.