Travelling has been one of my best experiences in life
During COVID when we were confined to being just in one city, one place and the limitation of not moving from our comfort zone at home, or being at Work.
Having a supermarket and coming under Essential service, We were open throughout.
As things started to ease, all we wanted to do was travel first and we travelled to Mumbai, And that time, going out for Coffee and a meal was something so refreshing and beautiful.
We visited Juhu Beach, To breathe in some Fresh Air, And enjoy the calmness of the Sea.
A few months later we travelled to Kolkata and the experience of reliving the city of Joy was wonderful, Mocambo, Kusum Rolls & Hangla’s Rolls, and Flury’s were all so wonderful.
But, at the same time, we experienced the Durga Puja, Visiting the Pandals, Witnessing the Art & Culture of the city with artisans challenging themselves to have innovative designs and ideas for doing up their pandals.
If we hadn’t known the locals, This experience wouldn’t be the same as we experienced it first-hand.
Even Amritsar, A city where mom has spent about Two decades of her life before she moved to Mumbai and then Nashik.
Knowing the Ice Cream, The Chaat place, the Kulcha Counter, Poori Aloo place, Fruit Cream and the Lassi place. Making the trip even more memorable.
We had also travelled to Japan Pre Covid, and Brazil this year and in both these places we knew people locally. And both these places, we enjoyed ourselves so much, because of the recommendations we received, The travel Tips and the insights into the travel destination. In both, these countries we explored and found hidden gems that would only be known to locals.
That’s one of the reasons why I have enjoyed travelling to countries and hope to know people around the world, so you can live and Travel like locals.
This trip to Europe! Was long overdue! Not because it was another trip to Europe. But, because of the countries, we were visiting. We have been planning this route for the last 3 years as I remember. Two years of travel were taken away by corona and the only thing we missed was travelling. So, before we could plan a trip to any other European country. This had to be struck off my bucket list. This trip was very unlike the trips we have taken before. Starting with Antwerp we had a friend, Ambassador, An Artist and our local tour guide that was added into his profile as the day concluded since the way he showcased Antwerp. The cobbled streets, the Parks, the cafés and visiting Caffenation. Caffeination is a speciality coffee pioneer in Belgium. Jeff Vervellen a barista from Caffenation has won the world championship a couple of times. by giving us insights into the landmarks we were passing by walking around towards the centre of Antwerp by the end of the day our legs were crushed walking 30K steps on the 1st Day of our trip! Little did we know it was just the beginning of the warm hospitality from the locals we were going to be meeting ahead of our trip. Bruges & Gent felt light on the feet. Exploring the canals and small stores while we walked around to get a feel of the place. Bruges was beautiful the free shuttle service from the station to the centre of the city is another way of looking around the city before you start to explore on your own. While gent had interesting graffiti street art and cafés it also had an interesting book store. Booze & Books! With some of the finest alcohol and Designer bottles, you wouldn’t have come across until you visited the store. It was also good to notice Paul John a whiskey from India that has gained an international recognition. Gent & Bruges reminded me a lot about Scotland a lot with so many castles around. One looked like the younger side of Scotland while the other seemed like the older side of Scotland. Brussels on Sunday! Was zooming in with the Ferrari which was on display at the central square for the start of a perfect Sunday! Sun & Ferraris! Meeting the local person who we have known for a decade now and for someone who we make sure to visit Brussels. It was nice walking around the Sunday markets, Eating Belgium fries, and having Coffee & Waffles at the Galleria from Aksum Coffee house. Had some local Belgium food. Luxembourg! We had initially planned to stay here for two days! But ended up doing a day trip from Antwerp. Luxembourg’s view of the bridge from the centre was breathtaking. Two days would have been more than enough to enjoy the country. The Netherlands journey began with a lot of delays & going in the wrong direction for us because of a train accident on the other tracks. So, we did explore Delft a small town in the Netherlands close to Antwerp & Amsterdam and known for its blue pottery. And tasted a lot of handmade cheese from the Netherlands while we explored Utrecht too on the same day having hot chocolate from Hop & Stork a popular Chocolate cafe in the Netherlands. The next destination was Amsterdam! We had a few local guides here! Giving us a tour of the city! While we explored one thing with each of the guides! One day! We took the canal cruise from Amsterdam central with one local guide, Amsterdam is known as the North of Venice. As the water connects you to the other side of the city too. Quite a few people have started renting out boats since there isn’t enough housing space available. And had local Dutch food in a restaurant while this day it had poured all day long. With the other guide, we explored the Straat Museum. It’s a street art museum showcasing about 150 artists from the world and Europe. We also visited Tony’s chocolate cafe a chocolate brand that’s popular in Amsterdam. While the United States have Hershey’s, Germany has Riter Sport, the UK has Cadbury’s. Amsterdam has Tony’s. Chocolate flowing on the taps at the cafés, chandelier made is tony chocolate wrappers and a store, where you can see the process of chocolate making, this was the sugar rush we needed with the variety of homemade fries we had on our trip! We were the typical tourist! While walking the streets to get some coffee beans from screaming beans one of the popular speciality coffee that is gaining popularity across the globe! While purchasing my beans I had an interesting conversation with James who was preparing a cup of V60 of the Guatemala beans I was planning to purchase. While the coffee was being brewed James was speaking about the backpacking trip 14 years ago to India! And the places he visited in India one city that he mentioned! I just couldn’t get over it! Nashik! Part of his cities Of Kumbh Mela! Since I am too from Nashik! Oh! Wait! The last local guide we met were schoolmates & classmates with whom we walked around the red light street of Amsterdam and caught up with life in the Netherlands. While the bicycles were all over the Netherlands. We explored most of our cities by foot and trains to get there. Since with Europe, it’s all about the centre of the city, which can be covered by foot.
Travel to Brussels, Gent & Bruges from Antwerp one-way journey.
A journey that we had to experience once in our lifetime at least. Should we go to Zurich or should we go from Zurich and with not enough time. We planned out our exit from Zurich and so we did it through from Milan- Tirano to Chur. A four-hour journey going through the shades of greens and blues and tunnels with Lindt chocolates and Cherry liqueur for some company. The journey was lovely with the rains, the views and the comfortable space. A long time ago we had done the Glacier express Zermatt to St. Moritz and while that was covered with snow this journey was more greens, mountains, and waters through the journey. Maybe because more into the Italian region and little of Swiss. The train climbs up to the 2253 m high.
Planning to Travel:
Buy a Eurarail mobile pass: Depending on the days and countries you are travelling buy the pass. If it’s more than one country buy the Global pass.
Next, log in to the app.
And make the entry of all the passengers who would travel along with you.
Passport details and other basic information.
Make one Trip on the app:
Create a trip and add all the passengers.
Choose your preferred train time and soon one QR Ticket would be displayed on the app.
Now keep adding the journeys ( Intercountry, or outer country you would like to take)
And with the preferred time, you will soon have multiple QR Ticket under the first group you made for all your trips.
Now, whenever the Ticket collector comes to view your ticket it’s all there.
Do not buy a swiss pass it’s more expensive.
In case you are travelling with Zurich Via trams, Trains or public transport buy a Zurich card.
For Italy Milan :
Buy the ATM card – This can be used for Trams, Buses and Metro. A convenient fast way of travelling around Milan.
We always use public transport as much as possible to explore the city like a local.
The football season is in full swing in Europe,And what better than being on a vacation at this time in that part of the continent. On my recent exploration, which happened to coincide with the UEFA EURO 2016,France being the host .No,I wasn’t in France,But The Eastern European Circuit. Prague ,Vienna and Budapest and on those dates itself when each of these Host Countries were playing a competitive team.Football being The international National Sport of the European countries This experience of enjoying an Important football tournament was the highlight of my trip. Watching the Portugal v Austria outside the station with locals enjoying their beers,cheering to support their country, while there was a minority of Portugal supporters out there,The Austrian went Oh! Ah! at every attempt of scoring a GOAL.Thats was just the beginning of the football action we were going to experience. The Next Stop Budapest (HUNGARY) And HUNGARY Plays Portugal,A match very important for the Portuguese.
This match,Was a match we did not want to miss experiencing.We headed to a Stadium,Capacity of 7,000 people and this full with its capacity,had a atmosphere of if a Concert had been organised. people jumped to enter from the fenced Boundaries,climbing the gates.But as the match ended with a draw 3-3, the Hungarian Shouted Slogans and flocked around the streets forcing the public transport to shutdown (The buses specially) and as we reached our hotel on the way we saw people climbing the signals,Jumping and having a gala time and Do you Know why?
Not because,they were at par with The Portuguese,But because it was history that was made that evening it took Hungarian’s 44 years to qualify to the next stage of the league.
Travelling is something that makes you relate to places you have visited before, So on my recent vacation to Prague the moment I started exploring the city of Czech republic, I was reminded of Edinburgh in Scotland ,the particular setting of that place ,the statue near the Charles bridge,And the tram line towards the old town going through the architecture gave me the feeling of me being in Florence in Italy.To the extent ,the panoramic view of the city made me relate to Capri in Italy from Petrîn hill , when I could endlessly only see red roof tops from the viewing point as compared to the White House of Capri.No,I am not boasting of being a globetrotter,But only getting you to notice how travelling to so many places has made me observe and believe,that Prague is a place having something like every European country.
The cathedrals name Being the same with only the beauty of the stained glasses around being different.
The traditional food “goulash” soup like curry with the option of beef,Pork and chicken and bread is popular cuisine here.That was something different since all over Europe there are only a few dishes that are wet.The “Tredlink” Pronouced Tredlin was another tasty sweet cone with sugar coated on the sides, And if you wanted to have some guilty pleasure you could add the Nutella and vanilla ice cream to go for the kill.
This trip to Prague has been one of those trips that makes you wonder Europe has everything alike,Yet is so different.
A K H I L N A N D A 