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Kenya
Fact File
Kenya,the
country where pristine beaches, impossible
summits, lavish reserves and nomadic
tribals live with a certain rustic
synchrony.
The
currency is the Kenya Shillings (KES),
Re.1 = 1.60 KES.
The
sodas and beers offered are generally
warm. Specifically ask for a cold drink.
Fresh
fruit juices are readily available at all
restaurants.
Local
beer or muratina, served in rural areas,
isn't the safest of liquors.
Quality
coffee and chai (tea) are available, as
the country is known for these crops.
Take
care of your personal belongings, as theft
isn't uncommon.
Banking
facilities, taxis, car hire, tour
operators and hotel booking offices are
conveniently situated at Nairobi's Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport arrival
hall. A scheduled bus service to and from
the town centre is available at the
airport's bus stops.
Information
desks manne by customer care officers are
strategically placed through the airport.
African
Safari:
*
Mumbai-Nairobi-Mumbai by Kenya Airways,
costs Rs.20,000 (without airport taxes)
*
Package cost for seven days: Approx.
Rs.51,600 (per person on twin-sharing
basis)
*
This includes accomodation, with
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
*
Transportation and game drives by non-airconditioned
private safari van with English speaking
driver/guide.
*Entrance
fees to all parks.
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Italy
Fact File
Italy,the
country a rich historical past and
diversity is also a country that loves its
cruises.
Climate
In general, Italy has a typical
Mediterranean climate with mild rainy
winters and hot dry summers. The climate
is subject to local variations. The
northern area, especially into the Alps,
has more severe winters whereas the
central areas are more temperate. Southern
Italy has a hot and dry climate. Rome
averages 20LC
- 30BC
in July and 5LC-
11BC
in January.
Language
Italian, German, French and Slovene.
spoken in parts; English spoken by those
in the tourist industry.
Health
No
vaccinations are needed. Biting flies can
cause illness in Mediterranean coastal
areas
and ticks transmit Lyme disease, so some
personal protective measures are
important.
Currency
1
euro = Rs 50 (approx)
What
to buy
Leather
goods, Alessi homeware, designer clothes (Versace,
Valentino, Armani), religious
paraphernalia, ceramics, Tuscan olive oil.
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Down
under to Australia
Go
to Australia, lying upside down on its
back at the bottom end of the world.
Australia is more than beaches, barrier
reefs and beer. It's large and lively.
Last year about 60,000 Indians visited
Australia, making them the third largest
tourist group in Asia. They went for
holidays and honeymoon, employment and
education, and business and beaches. And
for some, it was the sparkling Australian
nightlife, always attractive, always
Australia.
Ready
Reckoner:
The
population of Australia is 19.5 million.
Every
nationality except New Zealanders need
visas.
Any
time is a good time to be in Australia.
Summer (December to February) can get
uncomfortably hot, but its a great beach
weather.
With
distances between cities so great, flying
is the most favoured and speedy option,
although buses and trains provide a more
scenic, if lengthy alternative.
Mumbai
to Melbourne return airfare (economy
class) by Quantas Airways is
Rs.20,699+taxes; business is Rs.1,52,565
(basic fare).
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Toilet-Themed
Restaurant in China, success
Diners
in China are overcoming their reservation
by flocking to a new toilet themed
restaurant were business is booming.
Customers at the Modern Toilet restaurant
in Kuming, Yunnan province, eat on seats
converted from toilets. Signature dishes
include 'excrement icecream' and 'toilet
bowl hot pot'. Owner Xu Liang says the
restaurant has proved more popular than
expected with students in particular keen
to try the experience.
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Travel - first aid
kit
Check the list, then
fly out.
*Clinical thermometer
*Antiseptic
wound cleaner
*Wound
dressing materials such as sterile gauze,
adhesive tape and bandages
*Elastic
crepe bandages
*Tweezers
and scissors
*Insect
repellent and insect-bite treatment
*I
modium and oral rehydration salts
*Nasal
decongestant
*Sunscreen
and sunburn treatments
*Medication
for common ailments such as paracetamol,
antihistamines, cough lozenges and
medicine for motion sickness, and to stop
vomitting.
States of India
People
flock to 'Niagra of India' Hogenakkal in
Karnataka
Hogenakkal
(Karnataka): Known as the 'Niagara Falls
of India', the Hogenakkal waterfall in the
Dharmapuri district is a popular tourist
destination.
The
waterfall amidst the lush green and serene
surroundings makes it an idyllic and
excellent excursion destination for
tourists-both domestic and foreign.
However,
weekends here are rather fast paced as the
place is chock- a- block with people,
coming here to soak in the water showers
or enjoy a boat ride.
Besides
providing a perfect leisure spot, the
waterfall is known for its healing
properties. People suffering from skin
ailments especially come here to take a
herbal power shower.
"The
water here is excellent. It flows through
various places. Taking a bath in the fall
is good as the water has medicinal
properties. The water comes here from
Baramandla covering a distance of 350
kilometres. It flows through various
places," said Sathyanarayan, a
visitor.
Tourists
especially from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and
Andhra Pradesh come here to enjoy a boat
ride on the lake, which receives water
from the fall.
"The
lake is very nice and we enjoyed it a lot.
It's a fantastic place, especially the
boating and all is very good. The valleys
and the falls here are simply
superb," says Beena, a tourist.
The
tourists who want a bit more thrill prefer
an upstream boat ride through the water
falling from a high altitude.
-by
Jai Kumar (ANI)
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Students,
Travelers and Tourists
|
SIKKIM….
Abode of the Gods
From
monarchy to a democratic state in the
federal structure of India, Sikkim has
come a long way. If 1975 was the year
Sikkim turned its back on Rajtantra when
the state was merged with India, 1994 was
the year for the hill state to establish
itself as a Ganatantra, when the Sikkim
Democratic Front came to power.
Sikkim
has withstood the rigours of a nascent
state. Today in the mainstream of the
Indian social, political and economic
canvas, the state sits pretty in its
statehood. The grandeur is laced with
tranquility even as the border state
stands guard protecting the sovereignty of
the country.
Of
mountains, rivers, lakes and vales…..
Sikkim’s
physical features can be divided into
mountains, rivers, glaciers, lakes and
waterfalls.
Mountains
:
Sikkim
has a rugged topography and flat lands are
difficult to come by. The towering
mountains that hem this paradise of
nature, pose a problem to efficient
agriculture. The two mountain ranges are:
Singilela: on the Western border
Chola: on the Eastern border
The
Singelila Range boasts of the 8596 metres
Mount Khangchendzonga. This peak, the
third highest in the world, is difficult
to climb because of unpredictable weather
and winds.
The
Sikkimese believe that is not meant to be
climbed, but only worshipped, as it is the
abode of five treasures of the snows.
Glaciers:
Glaciers
are moving mountains of ice. There are
many of these in Sikkim, of which the most
important are Zemu, the most famous among
Himalayan glaciers, Rathong and the Lonak
glacier in North Sikkim.
Hot
Springs:
Sikkim
has many hot springs known for their
medicinal value, of which the most
important are located at Reshi, Yumthang,
Ralang.These hot springs are located at 25
kms from Gyalshing on the river Rangit.
Lakes:
Expect the unexpected in Sikkim. Lakes
in this rugged terrain are a visual
delight. Spring-fed as well as river-fed,
the Tsomogo, Khechoprai, Samiti, Cholamu
and Green lakes are among the better
known.
Passes:
The
mountain ranges are interspersed with the
passes which can be used to cross from one
side to another. On the Eastern Chola
range are situated the famous Nathu La and
Jelep La pass, both at an altitude of
about 1,15,0000 ft and Bhutah La at an
altitude of about 13,000 ft. The first two
lead to Tibet and the third to Bhutan.
On
West border of Sikkim and Nepal, the most
important pass is the Chiwabhangiang, at
an altitude of 10,300 ft.
Rivers:
Flowing
right across the length of Sikkim is the
river Teesta. Teesta originates as a
stream from the Cholamu Lake. Meeting
Teesta at the border between Sikkim and
West Bengal is its major tributary the
river Rangeet which originates from the
Rathong Glacier. The Teesta finally joins
the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh.
Waterfalls
The verdant green landscape of Sikkim
is broken only by waterfalls that leap out
of the hillside in froths of white.
Waterfalls are found almost all over
Sikkim but there is a profusion of them in
North Sikkim specially on the road between
Mangan and Lachung.
Facts
-
Literacy
rate has gone up from 7 percent in
1951to 70 percent in 2001
-
.The
infant mortality rate has dropped from
60 in 1991 to 51 in 1997.
-
School-going
children consist of 83 percent of the
population between the age 6 to 17.
-
Only
21 percent of children below 3 years
suffer from malnutrition as against
the national average of 47 percent as
per 1998-99 records.
-
Over
80 percent of households have
electricity connections as against the
national average of 60 percent.
-
Almost
85 percent of households have drinking
water connections as against 78
percent at the national rate.
-
Close
to 73 percent of households have a
toilet facility while the national
average is 36 percent.
-
Per
capita net state domestic product more
than doubled in real terms between
1980-90 rising from Rs. 1,571 to
9,472.
-
Sikkim
is perhaps the only state in the
country which provides free education
upto class XII.
-
The
Government supplies free uniforms and
free text books upto class V and 50
percent subsidy on the expenditure of
books for each student from class VI
to XII.
-
The
state provides rice to the 43,450
families below the poverty line at a
highly subsidized rate.
-
A
citizens
charter for targeted public
distribution system has been published
to educate the consumers of their
rights and their contribution towards
making the system more effective.
-
A
rich variety of forests, both
deciduous and coniferous, cover 82
percent of the land rich in flora and
fauna.
-
The
government has been able to introduce
work culture in the state by ensuring
monthly reportage mandatory for
government employees.
-
The
government’s mission is better
governance through the use of
information tools with the help of
modern information technology. Two
community information centres have
also been established.
|
Mail
Box
|
Travel
Talks
How
does one manage money while traveling?
#It's
a good idea to carry a debit card as well
as a credit card when travelling. Debit
cards lets you withdraw money from cash
points and pay for things in shops or over
the phone or the internet.
#Ensure
that your credit car has the facility for
foreign currency exchange.
#If
you do want to carry cash, Traveller's
Cheques are a safer and better option to
carry than actual currency.
#Don't
keep all your money in one place.
#Ask
the exchange bureau to give you smaller
denominations.
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Travel
Briefs
Revisit Godse Trial
Himachal Pradesh is
mulling over turning Godse trial venue
into a tourist spot. The trial of Mahatma
Gandhi's assassin took place in the
landmark Peterhoff building in
Shimla. Himachal Pradesh Tourism
Development Corporation (HPTDC) Managing
Director Subhashish Panda expects the move
to help boost tourism in the Queen of the
Hills.
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Travelogue......by
Katrina Moss
Discover
Rajasthan in 15 days
This
is a land of romance and valour,
magnificent forts and palaces. And awesome
sand dunes.
Day
1 Sariska, Siliserh
and Alwar
Begin
experiencing the enchantment of Rajasthan
with bala Kila at Alwar, the Siliserh
Palace overlooking a serene lake, quaint
Ajabgarh and open the jungle book at
Sariska wildlife sanctuary.
Day
2- Jaipur
The
Pink City where every corner, each alley
vibrates with history. The City Palace,
Amber Palace and several other monuments
tell you the story of the bygone era.
Day
3—Shekhawati-Nawalgarh, Dundlod,
Mukandgarh, Mandawa and Fatehpur
Where
walls are alive with exquisite frescoes, a
veritable open air art gallery.
Day
4- Bikaner, Deshnok and Gajner
One
of the three scintillating desert cities
of Rajasthan, Bikaner casts a spell of
sun-drenched ambience on the visitor.
Visit to Junagarh fort and Camel Breeding
Farm are unforgettable moments.
Day
5-Jaisalmer
This
is a famous desert city with the glow of
gold. Fort and dwellings are carved out of
golden sandstone. Some places to remember
are the Sonar Kila (Golden Fort), Amar
Sagar, the Lodurva jain temple and Sam
sand dunes
Day
6-Jodhpur
The
sentinel city shimmers in desert haze, The
lilt of desert tunes permeate the
ambience. Among a cache of quaint spots,
mandore and the exquisite Osian temples
will enchant you.
Day7-Mount
Abu and Ranakpur
The
only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu,
with its verdant forests, Dilwara temple
and the nearby Ranakpur jain temple will
resonate in your mind. The intricate stone
carvings of the temple are the ultimate.
Day
8-Kumbhalgarh, nathdwara, Haldighati,
Eklingil and Nagda
Temple
of Lord Krishna is known to the devout as
Shrinathji. The wildlife sanctuary and the
fort at Kumbhalgarh are popular
attractions. Then continue through
haldighati, Eklingji and Nagda on your way
to udaipur.
Day
9-Udaipur
Known
as the city of lakes, Udaipur bewitches
all with its expanse
of placid blue waters, marble
palaces and dreamlike gardens.
Day
10-Chittaurgarh
Still
today, tales of valour take its visitor
back to a past where the heroism of
Rajasthan reached its zenith. The Victory
Tower stands proud and tall, silently
eloquent with its memory of heroes and
sacrifices.
Day
11-Ajmer and Pushkar
Famed
for its shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti,
a Sufi Saint, Ajmer beckons to the
faithful all over the world. At Pushkar,
the lake is believed to be created by Lord
Brahma. It is said that pilgrimage in
India is not complete without a visit to
Pushkar. Pushkar is also a site of one of
the largest
cattle fairs in the world.
Day
12-Bundi,Bijolia,Menal and Kaishoraipatan
With
the delicate beauty
of minature painting, known as the
Bundi School, with its fairy tale like
quality. Bundi enraptures its visitors
with a haunting tune of its own.
Day
13-Kota, Badoli and Ihalawar
Small
jewels in the mesmerizing travel route
spanning Rajasthan, Kota and its environs
are the least explored areas. A treasure
trove of history, you can find prehistoric
cave paintings, water falls and dozens of
ancient temples here
Day
14-Sawai Madhopur and Ranthambhor
This
is the land of tigers, the Ranthambhor
National Park, known the world over for
its thriving population
of the graceful and fiery striped
denizens of forest.
Day
15-Bhratpur and Deeg
Here
the Keoladeo National Park welcomes you
with its diversity of winged
attractions.About 375 species of birds of
all decriprtion make this park a
bird-watchers’ paradise.Deog is famous
for its palaces.
Rajasthan
Tourism – Website: www.rajasthantourismindia.com
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What
kind of food should you take to camp?
If
you are backpacking for more than a day,
carry cold foods, canned goods, light
weight staples like peanut butter,
concentrated juice, dried noodles and
soups.
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Places
around India (Hotels & Resorts)
Ananda
--- in the Himalayas, Uttaranchal
A
unique destination spa resort, set amongst
100 acres and located in the picturesque
foothills of the Himalays, around the
palace of erstwhile Maharaja of Tehri
Garhwal.
ITC—Welcomgroup
Hotels
Mughal
Sheraton, Agra
Rajputana
Palace Sheraton, Jaipur
Welcom
Hotel Marriot, Delhi
Usha
Kiran Palace, Gwalior
ITC—Kakatiya
Sheraton, Hyderabad
Rama
International, Aurangabad
Grand
Bay, Visakhapatnam
Sullivan
Court, Ooty
ITC—Windsor,
Bangalore
Club
Mahindra Varca Beach Resort, Goa
It
is a haven of luxury on the poetic shores
of Varca. The resort’s characterisic
Goan architecture, multi-cuisine
restaurant and fun-filled entertaining
activities create a complete holiday
experience
Coconut
Grove
This
elegant beachside resort with its villa
styled accommodation is set amongst
landscaped lawns, a central pool area is
surrounded by a vast expanse of land and
white sand beaches to meet your every need
For
a quiet and tranquil vacation.
Holiday
Inn Resort, Goa
Come
to this beautiful hotel in Cavelossim to
experience Goa in all it’s splendor
Bogmallo
Beach Resort, Goa
Get
away from the hustle and bustle of city
life for a relaxing and complete holiday.
Stat
on the Bogmalla beach where every room
faces the sea.
Sonesta
Inns,Goa
A
perfect beachside location on the
beautiful stretch of Candolim’s golden
sands. It is arranged around
A
vast central pool area with an expanse of
sand and garden running from the grounds
to the warm waters of the Arabian sea.
Paradise
Village Beach Resort,Goa
Nestled
in the heart of Calangute beach is
Paradise Resort. Aesthetically designed
Spanish-style one bed-room suites and
studio apartments dot the beautifully
landscaped gardens.
Nizmar
Resort, Goa
To
treasure your Goan holiday, stay just 500
mts. From the beach in the heart of
Calangute at Nizmar Resort.
Club
Mahindra
Lakeview Resort, Munnar
Situated
5000 ft. above sea level amidst tea
gardens. Club Mahindra Lakeview Resort
with its 93 rooms offers a panoramic of
the mountain slopes and Munnar Lake
Treasure
Island Resort, Lonavala
At
Treasure Island you get more than premium
accommodation and healthy vegetarian
meals. The unspoilt nature and tumbling
waterfalls are set to give you the peace
of mind you desire.
Kumar
Resort, Lonavala
Just
one and a half hour away from Mumbai ,
with 30 luxurious rooms and the largest
water park in Lonavala with 11slides and 6
swimming pools, Kumar Resort, Lonavala is
a perfect getaway.
Usha
Ascot, Matheran
Matheran,
the rain forest surrounded with lush green
valleys has Usha Ascot, one of the finest
three star resort that is well known for
its quality and comfort.
Holiday
Inn, Pune
Holiday
Inn Pune is designed keeping the business
traveler in mind. It is located a few
minutes away from the airport and railway
station.
Doctor’s
Farm, Kolad
Doctor’s
farm is a farmhouse in every sense of the
word. It is situated on the Mumbai-Goa
highway, and is approx. a 3-hour drive
from Mumbai. Perched on the banks of
the Kundalika river, it is the
perfect spot to view the river meander
through the quiet hill range.
Windmill
Resort, Alibaug
Cradle
in the warmth of rustic settings, amongst
emerald green hills and gushing
waterfalls.
Ras
Resorts, Silvassa
A
destination for dream vacations from
Mumbai.
Quality
Inn The Meadows, Aurangabad
Aurangabad’s
only resort hotel spread over 13 acres of
beautiful landscaped gardens is in close
proximity to the world heritage sites of
Ajanta & Ellora. Stay in scenic
cottages surrounded by farms and
magnificient mountains.
Sun-n-Sand,
Shirdi
A
short walk from Sai Baba’s temple, the
hotel offers you sublime extravaganza at
down-to-earth-prices.
The
Renaissance Mumbai Hotel And Convention
Centre, Powai Lake
The
Renaissance Mumbai Hotel And Convention
Centre rests on 10 acres of lushly
landscaped grounds, with each of the
guestrooms featuring unrestricted
panoramic views of the natural
surroundings.
The
Resort, Madh Island
The
resort is situated in tranquil
surroundings at Aksa Beach on Madh Island
in close proximity to the international
and domestic airports and Mumbai city
Manori
Resorts, Manori
Drive
through the Manori village in an
autorickshaw only to relax and unwind at
Manori Resorts |
Travel
Talk 
The
longest journey is the journey inward..........Dag Hammarskjold
Skyline
in Toronto, Canada
