India

India

Kerala Backwaters — Vembanad Lake – a flat, glassy mirror, extending as far as the eye could see and merging seamlessly into the blue sky. That was the scene on the lake shore in Kerala before breakfast. The serene lake was unlike the choppy waters that we experienced the afternoon before. It begged […]

The waterways of Kerala

This entry was posted in International and tagged India Kerala on May 2, 2016

India

A cardamom plantation in Kerala — I have an obsession with cardamom. The sweet aromatic flavours that burst from those little pods are heavenly. It’s no wonder then that it’s known as the Queen of Spices. So when I visited Kerala recently, I looked forward to seeing just how this wonder spice is grown, along with […]

Spice journey in Kerala

This entry was posted in International and tagged India Kerala Munnar Periyar on March 30, 2016

India

Periyar Lake — What surprised me most was the chorus of bird song that filled the valley. In a country with a population explosion like India has, you’d think that nature will be overshadowed. Yet, as we waited for the sun to rise on the fringes of Periyar forest, the forest was alive. […]

Kerala explored: Periyar

This entry was posted in International and tagged India Kerala Periyar Safari on March 25, 2016

India

Tea plantations fringe this lake in Munnar — Streaks of light reached the bottom of the lush valley. The sun hid behind a veil of clouds, only to make fleeting appearances as it sunk closer to the horizon. We were in Munnar, far from the bustling India that we’d been passing through in the days before (read about […]

Kerala explored: Munnar

This entry was posted in International and tagged India Kerala Munnar on March 21, 2016

India

Temple and synagogue in Kochi — Kochi (or commonly known by its former colonial name, Cochin), was where my Keralan journey began. From centuries before, its coastline has seen the landings of traders and colonists from far afield. Like them, I too was lured by Kerala’s natural charm. Modern Kochi is the gateway to Kerala (the […]

Kochi – gateway to Kerala

This entry was posted in International and tagged India Kerala Kochi on March 21, 2016

India

Mysore Palace — Bangalore and Mysore – a mere 160km between them and yet worlds apart. These were the first cities on my most recent trip to India as I returned to explore more of this incredible country. Both impressed me, but for very different reasons. Bangalore, capital of the Karnataka state, is […]

Palaces & parks – Mysore & Bangalore

This entry was posted in International and tagged Bangalore India Karnataka Mysore on March 19, 2016