“…freedom is the very nature of his being, that whatever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it ritual or superstition or limitation in any form.”
Richard Bach, 2006, 81
If you’re looking for who I am and what I love to do, go check out the homepage link. Or if your interested to know the stuff that is going to help you in your next travel escapade, just scroll the page below for posts from around the world.
Rebellion sounded like a lot of fun, but in Calcutta there was nothing to rebel against. Where would it get you?
— Bharati Mukherjee.
Kolkata brings me a smile anytime I start thinking of it. A place full of life, wonder and lights. True to its sidename, called the City of Joy, Kolkata definitely lives up to its name. I had the chance to stay in her arms for 5 days and within those 5 days, I felt she gave me so much that it felt like weeks all together. From the chaotic traffic, to the ever glittering tram tracks, to its cultural and art fantasies, Kolkata is like no other, it’s a city you have to go and stand right in the centre and feel its bliss.
I reached Kolkata from the east through the Santragachi station, one of the two busiest stations in the city, the other one being Howrah. Santragachi is a now gearing up for a new look and may be in a few months, it would become a hotspot of a travelling hub. The way inside the city is easier with a lot many options from the famous yellow taxis, local buses and the ever famous Uber and Ola. The distance to city centre from the Airport is 40mins and could go higher with the traffic and the distance from the stations are 30mins each.
The most stunning thing about Kolkata was that, the speed in which the city was moving. The city moves like it has no tomorrow. The people, the vehicles, the whole system is on the move. If your a stranger and you stand by any place and watch the city move, it would be like a fast forward video of sorts. But however, the people are sweet, sweet to another level, just like their desserts. They come to your need should you need something, if your lost or if your in the middle of a problem.
Kolkata is a very historic and a cultural place and if your coming to town, its better you have a plan. A plan of where to go, what to do and how to do it. If your coming on a 1 week plan, I guess it would be great to cover the city to your heart’s content. On the where to go part, you’ve gotta a big list to cover.
Here’s the top best things to do while your in Kolkata
Sundarbans – Admire Wildlife In Their Natural Habitat
Victoria Memorial Palace – Marvel At The Architecture
Dakshineswar And Kalighat Temple – Take Blessings
Science City – Enhance Your Knowledge
Howrah Bridge – Capture The Beautiful Landscape
Nicco Park – Have Some Fun Time
Park Street – Shop Your Heart Out
Eden Garden – Take A Plunge Into History
St. Paul Cathedral – Treat The History Buff In You
State Archaeological Gallery – Gaze At The Artifacts
Princep Ghat – Watch The Sun Go Down
Birla Planetarium – Treat Your Adventurous Soul
The Marble Palace – Peep Into The 19th Century
The Indian Museum – Take A Glance At Antiques
Salt Lake – Enjoy A Boat Ride
Tram Ride – Explore The City Like Bengalis Do
Vidyasagar Setu – Gape At The Panoramic View
Kolkata Restaurants – Relish Bengali Dishes
Mallick Ghat Flower Market – Flower Shopping
Mother Teresa House – Explore The Place
Belur Math – Calm Your Senses
Terreti Morning Market – Gorge On Tasty Dishes
Fort William – Spectate The British Inspired Structure
Birla Temple – Offer Homage To Lord Krishna
Chowringhee – For All The Recreational Activities
South Park Street Cemetery – For Haunted Escapades
Indian Botanic Garden – To Get Closer To Nature
I guess the above should easily give you a feel of what Kolkata is all about. I’ve covered the where and what to do there part in size. Now for the how to get going in Kolkata. The city is not built for slow people, its built for the Nascar Racers of real life. If your the one who cannot adapt to racing blood, then I guess you’re gonna have a tough time coming to terms with the speed of things in Kolkata. I’d say take the bus, taxi or walk 🙂
For the ones who are up to the game, there are a few rent a bike options which can save on your pocket and still give you the glory of experiencing the city in all its glory. The Chikkiboo Travel Co., has partnered with The Royal Brothers for affordable bike rentals. So go ahead choose the bike you love and get going. With the bike in your hand and a GPS enabled phone your pretty much covered to make your way in out and out of the city. Make sure you adapt to the speed of things, but do understand that citizens do obey the traffic rules, it’s much like controlled chaos to me. You need to stand in the stop line and you need to always watch out where the cops are while they direct traffic. The traffic police are quite rigid and I would suggest you watch out and ride carefully with your helmets and all safety gear that is required for a safe drive.
Parking at some places is free and for some places like the Victoria Memorial, you need to park at a very strategic location like St.Paul’s Cathedral from where you can cover the Cathedral, Birla Planetarium and with a 10min walk you can reach Victoria Memorial on the other side. Most parking dont exceed INR20/ to INR50/-.
Everyday if your out of home by 9am, you should be having a fruitful day covering many places and sights of the city. Do know that between 10pm and 6am, many of the cities roads become one way and you would be penalised for traffic violation. If at any point you see yourself as the only soul on that direction, then I suggest you take that turn right away 🙂 Always calculate the time it takes from your base location to each of these places. Make a subsequent map route to see which are the ones your can cover and finish on a day. In terms of petrol stations, there are very many fuel stations and filling shouldn’t be much of a worry anyway. All entities of business accept payments from Google Pay, PayTm and other digital payments. But I suggest you carry a certain amount of cash with you at all times.
The Sunderbans are a must see while your in Kolkata and are around 100kms away from city centre and should be done on a day trip, or can also be done as a 1 night trip based on your planning. Many local travel shops offer day trips to the Sunderbans, or you can even do a bus/car trip. I wouldn’t advise taking the bike all that far, knowing the roads aren’t that great. But Sundarbans, a definite must do while your here. The seasons are from September to March post which the tides and the monsoon take over the whole place.
Food in Kolkata is a delight, specially if your coming a long way to find out what it’s all about. Take your bike and explore the very many markets and low key areas for nice little restaurants which cater to local delights. Check out the Gupta Sweets and Arsalan for famous catches in their Bengali way of dishes. The prices aren’t that much and your tummy would love it for sure.
Now for the special ones:
While your in Kolkata there are some cheap thrills which could set your heart free, here are some of the little delights I loved while calling Kolkata home for a week.
There you go, that’s how much I loved and enjoyed Kolkata during those few days. The sights, sounds and the feel of that city is like no other, like I’ve themed it, you’ve gotta love it and nothing else. The speed, the chaos, the spirit of Kolkata is like no other and I had some of the best memories in there. I hope you too loose yourself in her arms and get to be in the middle of all the magic, just like I was, coz once your in Kolkata, you will never come back the same.
Agumbe village has 600 residents, a bus stand, five provision stores, two lodges, three home-stays, three eateries and a single ‘chaat’ vendor.
— Roshni Nair
Have you had the wild fantasy of being deep inside the rainforests, exploring the diverse flora and fauna and enjoying the sights and sounds of these pristine environments? The Chikkiboo Travel Co. now arranges ecology tours in Agumbe deep inside the Someshwara Forest Reserve in the Western Ghats in Karnataka.
The whole itinerary is perfectly planned where at first you reach the temple city of Udupi by either train or bus and pick your favorite bike from our rental partners Royal Brothers. A wide variety of bikes like Royal Enfield, TVS, Yamaha, Pulsar and Honda are available to take. One needs at least 15 days to book a bike in advance so that the pick-up can be made on the day of arrival. Once the bike has been picked up from Udupi, we take the incredible ride on the ghat roads to reach Agumbe. Agumbe lies in the West coastal of South India(Shimoga District), approximately 98 km north-east of Mangalore and 357 km north-west of Bangalore, the state capital of Karnataka in South India. The elevation of Agumbe is 643m.As part of the Western Ghats mountain range, Agumbe lies in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Agumbe is near the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kudremukh National Park.
Agumbe, apart from its natural beauty and rainforest ecology is famous for its annual rainfall, being the second highest in India. Its annual rainfall measures 7,620 millimeters (300 in). and is one of the wettest places in India. Once you’ve crossed the 14 hair-pin bends, you reach the beautiful village of Agumbe. The village is a very quaint place with very less noise and people. The total population of Agumbe doesn’t exceed 500+. If you love to be a part of history, try staying at the famous ‘Dodda Mane’ house, a 130year old structure which was part of the “Malgudi Days” serial which was shot during the 80’s based on the fictional story by R.K Narayanan. Get in touch with the folks at Dodda Mane at least 10 days before to let them know you’re coming, as attendance is on first come first served basis. Since it’s a very old structure, the moment you step in, your adhered by the house rules. You take extraordinary care of the house that surrounds you, you respect all the elders who reside along with you, you do not waste anything that has been offered to you during your meal time. The power comes only briefly, so you have to make sure you have duly charged phones and camera batteries. If your fortunate, you get the upper rooms which are a bliss to have when the rains come, as the windows offer a perfect opportunity to watch the beautiful rains from inside the comfort of the home.
Once you have experienced the love of Dodda Mane, you proceed to the most important part of your trip; exploring the rainforests of the Western Ghats. Chikkiboo has partnered with The Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology (KCRE), a center which offers an incredible glimpse into the conservation of rainforests and is helping the world spread awareness on the important of the forest ecosystem along with aiding in the research of flora and fauna across the Western Ghats for students and academics alike. KCRE is situated deep inside the rainforests and is an wonderful place to stay and experience the forest ecosystem right from within. There are comfortable cottages and tents catering to all kind of guests, right from couples, to research students to friends and family groups. While at KCRE, you will be taken to nature walks, treks and other awareness programs, showing you how fragile and important a forest eco system is. You will have a wide opportunity to interact with the conversations and other ecologists from KCRE talking about the various programs in place in Agumbe and also about their conservation efforts on the King Cobra, which is one of the most important breeds of snakes found within this region. It is noted that the highest numbers of king cobras per sqkm are found here in Agumbe. So a lot of the king cobra research is based in and around this region.
Once you’ve enjoyed the best of KCRE, you will get out of the rainforest region and proceed to the famous places in and around Agumbe. The famous temple towns of Sringeri, Dharmasthala, Belur, Halebidu are all very close to this region and is worth a visit. Another of some the must visits are the Mulayanagiri and Kudremukh peaks which are a blissful trek up on some of Karnataka’s highest peaks.
Once you’ve seen all these places, it’s good to return back to explore more of Udupi. With a quaint lifestyle, wonderful people and incredible beaches, Udupi is one of the most beautiful cities on the Konkan coast and you’ve got to spend at least 3-4 days exploring the best there is of Udupi. Try exploring the different temples, scenic beaches and the authentic Udupi cuisine to relish and add to your beautiful experience.
The best time to visit Udupi and Agumbe is when the monsoon is just about to start, during June – July when you will enjoy sudden sporadic showers. Biking is amazing in the ghat roads, but needs extreme caution, as one small bad turn can cause or ruin your entire trip. As said above, Agumbe is a wet climate area and you need all your rainproof gear to protect you from the rains and the natural elements. Getting your clothes dry can be a big challenge while you’re staying in Agumbe, so keep all the necessary clothes as required. Leeches are common in this area and you will find yourself host to many of these bloodsuckers. Be always weary of them and carry insect repellents to keep yourself from harm’s way.
In all, Agumbe would surely be one a lifetime experience for any traveler, for all what it has to offer. From thrilling bike rides, to the scenic Western Ghats, to the incredible show of the monsoon, it is a must visit for any traveler who loves to leave behind the hustle and bustle of the cities and come to a different world filled with all of nature’s beauty and blessings.
Chennai is a busy metropolitan city and fortunately, you have a wide variety of option to get in and out of the airport. From buses, trains to metros, it’s an easy skip from all the regular traffic one is worried about.
— Vivek Sharma.
Chennai or ‘Singara Chennai’ as we fondly call it is one of the 4 most popular cities of India, also called as Madras earlier. The city has seen so much during its development from being visited first by the Portuguese and then colonised by the British for 400 years.
Today Chennai is an ultra modern cosmopolitan hub and is one India’s most economical and cultural hotspots. With temples, beaches and centres of historical and cultural significance, including the UNESCO Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram, Chennai is one of the most visited cities in India. The city serves as the gateway to the southern part of India with tourists landing in the city and starting their trip to the rest of the region. Chennai was the most visited Indian city by foreign tourists in 2009 and issued the third highest number of visas on arrival in 2014. Chennai was also ranked as the 41st in global top 100 city destination ranking, with 3,174,500 tourists annually.
Chennai is easily accessible via train, plane and road. It’s connected by the vast Indian Railway network and also by intercity buses which run from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kochi. The main airport has both domestic and international terminals catering flights to and from majority of the Asian and European destinations. There are direct flights to Chennai from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dubai, London, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Kuwait and Colombo.
The Airport has gone through many structural changes and the new terminal looks very grand and appealing to the passengers. With grand check in counters and cultural aesthetics the new Anna International Terminal is a treat to the oncoming visitors. For arrivals at Chennai International Airport, there are numerous ways to get to the city centre:
The Chennai Metro was newly launched in 2018 and is a great way to explore the city directly from the airport. The tickets are nominally charged and can be bought from the station kiosks. The metro starts service at 5:15am and the last train departs at 11:00pm. Get more of your Chennai metro updates and timetables from https://chennaimetrorail.org/new-time-table/
The suburban train is the lifeline of most Chennaites when it comes to travelling in and out of the city. The chennai suburban train ferries close to 2.5 million people a day and is the second largest suburban rail network in India. The Tirusulam Railway Station which is 500m away from the airport is also another way to get into the city, even though going through the metro is more preferable.
The Airport Shuttle service is a bus service operated by the State Transport Corporation and operates bus services to and from CMBT (Koyambedu) for people who are wishing to reach the main bus terminal of Chennai.
The bus details are as follows:
At The Chikkiboo Travel Co., we always stride in making the process of travel simpler for our customers. In Chennai, its best advisable to book a UBER or an OLA cab to take you home or to your hotel. All cab drivers follow a rule where the customer should inform them as to which pillar they are standing next to upon arrival and its easy for them to come and pick them up right where they are. So all the passengers coming out of Chennai Airport to catch an UBER or an OLA cab are advised to inform the drivers that they are standing near ‘Pillar M45’, this is the pillar closest to the exit gate. If you are away in some other location, please make sure to see the pillar and its number behind you, so that you can guide the driver to your nearest location with ease.
For people who are departing from Chennai, you can either pick up the nearest metro train to come directly inside the airport or you can also take a local EMU train which runs parallel to the metro. You will have to get down at Tirusulam Railway Station and walk yourself towards the arrival hall which is on the first floor through the elevator placed at Gate1. Or if you book an OLA or Uber, you will be dropped directly at the many respective departure gates on the 1st floor arrival of the terminal of Chennai Airport (MAA).
If I had to name the biggest difference between Bhutan and the rest of the world, I could do so in one word; civility.
— Linda Leaming.
Bhutan is simply one of the most beautiful countries on earth, nestled between the Himalayas, this Dragon Kingdom was long close off for visitors from the outside world, but now it’s slowly opening up to the world. Not too big a nation, Bhutan occupies an area of 38,394 km² making it somewhat smaller than Switzerland or about half the size of the US state of Indiana. Bhutan’s landscape is mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna.
The country has a multiethnic population of 760,000 inhabitants (in 2015). There are three main ethnic groups in Bhutan, the Tshanglas (or Sharchop) are considered the aboriginal inhabitants of eastern Bhutan, the Ngalops, people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Bhutan, and the Lhotshampas, a group of Nepali language-speaking Bhutanese people. Official language is Dzongkha, a language closely related to Tibetan and Nepali. Capital and largest city is Thimphu.
Getting into Bhutan is a tough trick. Bhutan follows strict tourist regulation and everything is controlled by the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) which issues visas and entry permits to the country. Visitors from the SAARC nations get a visa waiver but the rest of the visitors from other nationalities have to pay a mandatory tourist for visiting Bhutan.
Bhutan imposes a mandatory per day fee of US$250 per person for foreigners and US$16 for Indian nationals who come into the country as tourists (US$290 for solo travellers), but what many people don’t realise is that, for the US$250 you pay, this fee includes your guide, private transportation, comfortable hotel accommodation and all food and entry fees (and an entire trekking crew if you go trekking). The other key thing to understand is that you can completely tailor your Bhutan itinerary to go wherever you have the time, budget and inclination to visit. This gives you the freedom to throw in some hiking, overnight in a farmstay, or just spend time soaking in a hotel spa. You don’t have to follow an agency’s set tour.
At The Chikkiboo Travel Co., we always stride in making the process of travel simpler for our customers. In Bhutan we give the tourists the opportunity to visit various festivals and other classic locations which regular agencies do not offer. By having flexible time options, we offer a diverse level of travel experience for our customers. You get to visit the Haa Festival which comes about in July, or you can stay at a traditional farm house where you can taste and experience authentic Bhutanese cuisine and hospitality. We also take tourists to the northern regions which are least explored along with trekking expeditions along the Himalayas.
Bhutan is also a great place to take bikes on rentals and drive across the country. Bikes rentals are pretty affordable and can be arranged on prior request. The best rides can be done from Paro to Thimphu or from Thimphu to Punakha.
Sabah is like the unexplored heaven of Malaysia. It’s a little jewel far away from its treasure box. The people, the cuisine, the geography and all of it is so different that it feels like another country.
— Ben Jilton.
Sabah is a Malaysian state occupying the northern part of the island of Borneo. It’s famed for its 4,095m-tall Mount Kinabalu, the country’s highest peak, crowned with distinctive granite spires. Sabah is also known for its beaches, rainforest, coral reefs and abundant wildlife, much of it within parks and reserves. Offshore, the Sipadan and Mabul islands are noted diving destinations.
If you have planned to travel to Sabah then you will be certainly flying to Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah. Kota Kinabalu or fondly called as KK has a well equipped international airport and is a bustling city full of exciting features and locations.
Driving in KK is very easy and the most preferred way for tourists from all over the world. Majority of the countries driving licenses (Indian, US, UK, GCC) are accepted and are allowed to drive light motor vehicles in and around the sabah state.
At The Chikkiboo Travel Co., we always stride in making the process of travel simpler for our customers, in KK, as per your travel style and request, we arrange the type of vehicle and once upon your arrival at the exit gate, our representative will wait for you with the car. The cars are generally in used condition and are of the age of 3-5 years with no specific defects or faults. Our representative will deliver the car, finish the formalities. As customers you will be requested to highlight any issues or defects on the car before getting delivery of the car. The fuel is to be returned at the same state as and when it was given. To make it simpler, we do not charge on the mileage of the kms driven, you are free to use it as much as required.
With the ease of having the car, you will be easily on access to drive to your hotel, visit exotic locations and all the hotspots of the city and beyond. The cars given do provide a great fuel efficiency and every 5kms you will find a petrol station which is easier to fill fuel if required. The parking in KK is free, unless required in some places and driving is on the right side as per UK standards. Upon finishing your trip in KK, you will drive back to the Departures terminal on the 1st level of KK airport and will park in one of the parking slots for our representative to arrive and finishing the formalities and take the car back.
You really go into this world of bliss. You have a piece of Earth so secluded from every other part and these animals, these plants are found nowhere else. And when you have it all in front of you, you feel nothing but mesmerized with their beauty.
— Lissie Hill.
Like what the heading says, Madagascar is very unreal and unlike any other destination on earth. Being the fourth largest island in the world, it’s full of picturesque landscapes and animals like lemurs you can’t find anywhere else. But before you set off, here are some things that you should know before you travel to Madagascar.
Madagascar lies in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa and has evolved in splendid isolation for more than 80 million years; the result is a unique and startling world full of upside-down trees, stone forests and, of course, lemurs. There are also 346 reptiles that aren’t found anywhere else except the island. The flora and fauna which you see here are not seen anywhere else on earth and when you visit, you will surely feel like looking at earth 500 years aback.
Getting into Madagascar is somewhat a journey by itself. You will have to take a flight to Antananarivo, or fondly called ‘Tana’ the capital and largest city of Madagascar. The city is located 1,280 m (4,199 ft) above the sea level in the center of the island and has been the country’s largest population center since at least the 18th century. Tana was invaded by the French in 1894 till the 1950’s and the French presence is widely felt when visiting the city and its cuisine.
The population mainly converses in French or their local dialect ‘Malagasy’ so its always nice if you can brush up on your French if your planning for a visit to Madagascar. On an interesting note, the natives of the island do not call themselves as African, even though the coast of Africa is so close, instead Malagasy people originated from Indian and Malaysian seafarers who landed on the island 2000 years ago and never left.
At The Chikkiboo Travel Co., we always stride in making the process of travel simpler for our customers. Here in Madagascar, you will be taken from the bustling capital of Tana, to the green forests of The Andasibe National Park where you will stay at some of the famous lodges available and you will wander deep into the jungles to see the lemurs in their natural habitats. You will also drive into Lake Manombato where you will head to the pretty famous Palmarium Reserve to enjoy the tranquil landscapes also see the elusive ‘Aai Aai’ the secretive lemur which is seen only in the dark.
The drives in Madagascar can vary a lot in time, since many of the roads different from good tar roads to muddy swamp roads which can be really difficult for vehicles to traverse around. So get ready for the unexpected when you head out into the deep forests of Madagascar.
The food in Madagascar is just about amazing, the French cuisine just makes it more special. Got a hankering for oysters, crab legs and freshly-caught fish? Luckily, Madagascar is a haven for seafood to satisfy your cravings. Whether you like it cooked, steamed or eaten raw, this island has it all. Get ready to have a seafood feast of your life once your here on your trip.
From the oceans to the high mountains, to the dense jungles to the stunning waterways, Madagascar has it all and I am certain you will enjoy a breathtaking trip of a lifetime when you come over. Travel is all part of the adventure in Madagascar, and never more so than on the colourful journey along the north of the island to the south towards Tana.
It’s so cheap and it’s so much fun. The best way to get across Sri Lanka in by train and I don’t think there is any other way to. To see the land on one side and the beach on another. That’s heaven, right there.
— James Borton.
Sri Lanka is a one of the sought after locations in the world, and true to the word, it is infact one of the highest rated travel destinations voted in 2018. Many people visit Sri Lanka for its lush green scenery and stunning blue beaches. Sri Lanka offers itself as a cheaper alternative for tourist who want to explore Maldives or Mauritius instead. The Sri Lankan Railways (SLR), started operations in 1858 as the Ceylon Railway Corporation and over the years became SLR and redefined its operations by increasing its network and operating newer locomotives, thus creating a bustling rail network connecting all four corners of the island.
The Sri Lankan rail network is 1,508 km (937 mi) of 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge. Some of its routes are scenic, with the Main Line passing (or crossing) waterfalls, mountains, tea estates, pine forests, bridges and peak stations.
At The Chikkiboo Travel Co., we always stride in making the process of travel simpler for our customers. In Sri Lanka, apart from our regular travel itinerary we also offer the scenic Kandy – Nuwara Eliya rail journey, which is one of the sought after rail journeys in the world with winding tracks running through hilly mountains and green tea plantations. In SLR, unlike other countries, the tickets cannot be booked online. One has to be physically present to receive the tickets and the tickets have to be booked at least 15 days in advance if visiting during the peak season.
The train comes in 3 class configurations, 1st class, 2nd class and 3rd. The 1st and 2nd are booked through reservation only. The first class is fully air conditioned and the windows cannot be opened, the 2nd class has recliner seats and the windows can be opened, the 3rd class doesn’t need reservation and can be occupied on first-come-first basis. The trains are segmented into Express, Intercity and Night Mails, the latter being the slowest.
The train routes are categorised into North, South, East and West networks, connecting all four corners of the island. The Colombo Fort station is the operating hub of SLR and most of the trains originate from this station. The tickets are less expensive in SLR and tickets in 3rd class for a Colombo – Jaffna can cost within USD5/- with the first class costing USD10/-
Some of the most important routes are as follows:
Colombo – Jaffna
Colombo – Bentota – Galle – Matara
Colombo – Trincomalee
Colombo – Kandy – Nanu Oya
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