Exploring LA with our 7 month old|California travel with baby

We’ve developed this tradition of traveling every summer to a new destination to celebrate our engagement anniversary, July 4th! Read all about our earlier jorneys to Tuscany, Rome, Milan and Venice. Here’s a post on traveling with a baby bump, that we experienced in 2016 (I still haven’t got around to writing a detailed post on our babymoon)

We decided to celebrate this year in style, our first with the little munchkin! One of my best friends now lives in LA and what better opportunity to visit her than this summer.  Today happens to be her milestone birthday 🎉 🎂… so all of you reading this post, do send her (and me) some happy thoughts!

Happy Birthday Kripa aunty 🙂

I’d like to start off stating how LA received us. We had a major car rental fiasco that I should warn you about. We went in to the airport car rentals thinking we’d get a good deal but we had to take a few shuttle buses back & forth between a few providers and then finally. We were tired from the 6 AM flight settled for one at almost $90/day (incl taxes) for a basic car. Don’t think even Europe was as expensive! Anyway, my suggestion is to do your due diligence well in advance and ensure you know what your getting into. Luckily we only rented for the first 3 days, after which we would be with our friends for the long weekend 🙂

Get 15 % off on this LA tour by Viator 

Distances in California seem much much more than any other place we’ve been to, nothing is closer than 20-30 miles from each other and traffic is quite crazy even on freeways.

Jet, set, go!

Since we now have the baby traveling with us, our holidays are no longer full of to-do lists that are prepared weeks in advance. We now take every day as it comes and are excited with whatever we manage to see of a new city. The journey matters the most, not the destination. 

 Book the best kid friendly activities in Los Angeles

We had a peaceful evening in Malibu and just about managed to make it to Zuma beach for the sunset. It was not as happening as we thought it might be, but I hear weekends are quite buzzing. If I remember right, road parking can be done after 5 PM on all days.

Malibu

Griffith observatory and planetarium was the highlight of our trip. We enjoyed at least half a day here. The drive and the experience is amazing. Do make a note that children under 5 are only allowed in the first shows of the day (I believe weekdays are at 12:45). This was the best $7 spent. We absolutely loved the 30-minute planetarium show.  Look out for free parking, go right near where the paid parking starts and the free parking should be available right outside – you don’t need to park all the way down at Greek Theatre.

We had another wonderful sunset at Venice beach. Baby V had a blast crawling around on the sand and splashing on the waves. He got quite cold soon after and his lips were literally shivering. He passed out after getting cosy in the Kol Kol baby carrier (read all about our experience with the carrier here). The town is said to be created like Venice with original cottages and Venice Canal Historic District. Though we din’t drive around much but it looked like a lovely quaint little neighborhood.

We spent an afternoon the oh-so famous Hollywood boulevard. The place is so glamourized but you do find regular people walking the streets. I really was hoping to bump into some stars, or not! We walked up and down almost the entire Walk of Fame on Hollywood blvd and it is quite exhausting. We did want to spot a few stars and the hugsband’s journey was complete once we saw Donald Trump’s 😀 We found some street parking on the south side of the boulevard but the most happening parts are near the Chinese Theater in the north – but it’s impossible to find parking around that area.

Santa Monica pier was a happy buzzing place and we won some free tickets at a spin-and-win challenge ( still need to wait and watch if we actually won something or if it’s one of those timeshare shams.. Will keep y’all  posted!) This led up to a delectable dinne at Trestevere.

We drove around at the famous Mullholland Drive and enjoyed seeing some stunt bikers doing their thing. Here’s a snippet thanks to our Drone-acharya, Srikant:

Huntington Beach was an exhilarating evening, and totally worth the long drive down south. It din’t feel like summer at all, with the family cozyied up in a comforter.

We had a fancy lunch at Sagebrush Restaurant in Calabasas. We had excellent Mexican fare, but my vegetarian friend would beg to differ. Though we landed up devouring her mushroom tacos along with finishing our own plates.

Our 4th of July was filled with shopping at Camarillo Premium Outlets and Fireworks at Marina Del Rey. The fireworks was really festive but coming from Dubai, we’re used to something so much more magnificent. But Marina Del Rey seems like an exciting fancy place to visit even during the day.

If you are wondering why we skipped Universal studios and Disneyland, read my post here. I’m sure we will land up visiting LA some other time in future and will still have a lot more to look forward to. What we enjoyed most is great company, lovely weather and beautiful memories.

What we enjoyed most is the best company we could ask for. We witnessed some wonderful company! The house we stayed at had a wonderful pool and a very cozy feeling. It was worth spending whole days lazying around.

Until next time… Happy weekend!

Much love,

Dee

Like every other place, I wish we could’ve spent some more time in LA. But hey, hugsband says we can always go back! ❤

Make all your elevator rides LEGENDARY!

One of the unique aspects of living in high-rises is the elevator experience. A couple of years of living and working in the famous Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Lakes Towers  areas is enough to get a master’s degree in elevator management! Weather you are someone who spends 500 minutes a year in elevators or someone visiting high-rises, here’s some elevator food for thought:

1.Say Namaste to the security camera, and don’t bother being naughty – the security personnel are busy watching you, or not.

2. Since you have a few minutes in the elevator, chat with the security folks on the emergency phone line 😉. You never know when you would need good friends in that room during a crisis!

3. Press multiple buttons on your  way out. I mean, who hasn’t ever done that!? Haha.

4. Keep your phone down.. you’re going to loose network pretty soon anyway, right before the time your ears pop!

5. Catch on some much-needed sleep. You could get those 2 minutes that you wish you got in your bed that morning, or in that boring meeting at the end of the day. And hey, who says you can’t sleep while standing – try it!

6. Talk to the sweet little kids, unless they are on a hover board- they could attack you!

7. Don’t cool down in the elevator. It could get hot in a place like Dubai, but try not to use the elevator to cool down – unless you are lucky to ride all alone, then you do whatever you want!

8. Let it go… let it go! Always allow those inside the elevator to exit first. Don’t barge in. If it looks nearly full, don’t try to squeeze in. Let it go with a polite smile or say something witty 😉

9. Allow the pregnant women to pass please , it’s scary when the doors start closing up on your bump!

10. Press the button to the direction you’d like to travel, not the direction the lift should come to you in, and definitely not both. Please! If you want to go up, press up. If you want to go down, press down. Cardinal rule.

11. Don’t smoke. The smell lingers long after you are gone. And you might die anyway.

12. In case of a breakdown, don’t panic – there’s very less chances that you will be left abandoned. A pregnant woman takes 20 minutes to climb down 54 floors, you do your math!

13. Get lost in the new world of Destination dispatching. Not so intelligent yet.

14. Find your zen with the elevator music, the closest to meditation some of us will ever get to.

Free trivia – Mirrors and wall art are usually placed inside the lifts and in landing areas. This is done to help in distracting you from the long wait/ travel times. This also helps those who are claustrophobic, by making spaces appear larger than they are.

 

Leaving you with a compilation of some super fun elevator pranks, enjoy!

What are your quirky elevator learnings?

– Dee

Image sources:

Shutter stock

Clip Art Library

Clip Art Fest

uiobservatory.com

Evertue

schindler.com

hooloovoo.aminus3.com

Easy pregnancy guide |Tips on life with a bump

Pregnancy is a wonderful phase in anyone’s life and it should be enjoyed to the fullest. These months are the preparation of a beautiful new life ahead that you never know existed. It is not only a mother’s prerogative to do her best before & during her pregnancy, but also the partner’s duty to ensure the smile on her face never fades away.

Being a first time mom, my baby has completely changed my life and my perspective in life. I’m blessed with a wonderful hugsband who has supported me every step of the way. I’m also grateful to have found a super-strict doctor who helped me reach my ultimate goal.

  Fantastic brand The Spoiled Mama

If you have the slightest itch that you would like to have a baby in the near future, reshuffle your lifestyle choices as soon as possible before you even get pregnant. Be the fittest, healthiest and happiest you can be. The best you can do is to do your best. Here I have penned down some tips on lifestyle choices with a bump:

1.Smile

Keep your days stress free and nights restful with a full nights sleep. We made every weekend a retreat into our beds where we made up for all the sleep we would be loosing once the baby gets here 🙂

Smile! Your baby will smile with you 🙂

Picture credit: RSN8

Hair & Make up: Debra Saniya Waqar

2.Stay active 

An active lifestyle is the key to a healthy life and it is extremely crucial during pregnancy. I worked till 2 days right before my baby was born and I was walking to work every single day! At my 6th month, I enrolled in an amazing yoga class ( Zen Yoga) that not only gave me a new perspective about myself but also gave me a lovely community of friends to interact with. The hugsband and I would also head out on long walks late at night, and this was an excellent stress buster.

This is not the time to start a new fitness regime, make sure you stick to what you know your body and endure. Make sure you don’t stretch more than 70% of your limit. This is an investment to a beautiful delivery and speedy recovery that one must not ignore. It is recommended to take it easy during the first trimester.

Make sure to consult your OBGYN before you start any fitness program.

3. Eat right 

This is probably the most important aspect during pregnancy. I was cooking up until late in my pregnancy and this kept me in control of what and how much I ate. I made sure to include healthy grains, green leafy vegetables and lentils that worked for our appetite. I let go of sugars as much as I could; I really did not want to land up with gestational diabetes, as my father’s side of the family has a strong history of diabetes. Make sure to snack on nuts and berries throughout the day to keep your metabolism up. This is not the time to over indulge in sinful food, unlike how the old adage goes. This is also not the time to go on a diet. Eat right, and eat frequent meals to keep your energy levels up.

Do give yourself a cheat meal once in a while, but try not to over-indulge. And trust me, all the controlled goes for a toss once you deliver – postpartum is when you actually are eating for two!

4. Capture the journey 

Make sure to capture your beautiful moments and places you visited while they were inside. While you are at it, embrace your belly and smile. You will surely miss being pregnant once the little monster gets out! Pen down your journey and when you read them years later, you’ll laugh at every silly symptom which would’ve felt like a mountain at the time.

Capturing memories at my maternity photo shoot with 2 fabulous photographers

5.  Clothing

I managed to stick to my pre pregnancy clothes throughout the first trimester. I then transitioned to looser tees, leggings and loose cardigans to work. By month 5, I went all out and bought very good maternity clothes mainly from ASOS that I wore till the end. Make sure to be comfortable in what you wear. You will need to dump all your heels for a while, it is just to be careful.

6. Read

I was glued on to every single development in the pregnancy and kept abreast with the help of multiple Apps and the handy book my sister gifted – “what to expect when you are expecting”.  What I really missed out is reading about what happens after the baby gets here! But I don’t think any books or apps could have prepared me to face my baby.

7. Spend quality time with your bed. Take care of yourself 

Make the most of your time before the bub gets here. Pile on all the sleep you can get. Take your long baths, I really really miss them now 😦 Get your nails done and a hair cut, maybe. Indulge in some certified pre-natal massages.

8. Build your support system

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and it’s so true. You need all hands on deck at least for the first few years. Build your support system of experienced mothers and other pregnant mothers so that you can gain knowledge from others experiences and share relevant information with your peers as well. The sooner you start, the easier it gets down the road.

9. Nesting

The nesting instinct kicks towards the end of pregnancy for most mothers, and some fathers as well. Roll with it. Make your home a welcoming haven for your soon to arrive bundle of joy. You will have absolutely no time or energy to make the effort once the baby arrives. You will have to depend on the spouse or other friends & family to fetch things for you.

10. Music 🎶

Listen to your favourite music throughout the journey. My baby for sure loves Coldplay! If your mind is calm and happy, so will the baby’s. I also heard a lot of Classical music like Mozart and Beethoven – you will find tons of playlists on YouTube; this is supposed to be very helpful for babies brain development. We managed to go for a Mozart concert in Vienna and this was truly a thrilling experience to have with the bump 🙂

11. Kegel exercices

It really helps to do Kegel (pelvic floor) exercise right from the start; in fact, Kegel exercises are excellent even otherwise – throughout your life! It is extremely helpful in the long run and you will be thanking yourself once you’ve delivered.

12. Moisturise 

Though there are plenty of stretch mark creams available, I feel a simple daily routine of applying moisturiser or oil to your bump, hips, back and legs really goes a long way. I used plain ol’ home – made coconut oil and I highly recommend this.

13. Spend quality time with your partner

Life as you know it is about to change. Get out on regular dates during the pregnancy, and find every reason to celebrate with a fun dinner at home. Cherish the quiet times. We were lucky to have lived in Dubai during the pregnancy and we managed to get out to some exciting places and late night walks in the sultry summer months.

14. Set your intentions right for the birth day

This is something I learnt over time from my previous Yoga training and from Claire, my pre-natal Yoga teacher at Zen Yoga. Set your intentions for the birth day and for your baby. Pregnancy and delivery are overwhelming terms but can be a beautiful experience if you tune your mind well. Labour & Delivery are tough, but are nothing but mind over body experiences that women have been going through since times immortal.

15. Find a suitable OBGYN and hospital

I know many women opt for home births and alternative birthing options but what works for the stereotypical pregnancy is a good OBGYN who will not necessarily be your friend, but will guide you through the right path culminating in a beautiful birthing experience. We found our guide in Dr. Paramjit Luthra at Medcare Hospital, SZR. She is a tough nut and can come across as slightly rude and in-your-face. But this really worked for us, as we did not need a friend who would applaud at every extra piece of cake that I ate but would be a strict goal keeper as she has your ultimate interest  in mind. If she was any more lenient, I would’ve probably gone overboard and probably had a tougher time during labour & delivery.

Read my post on travel tips during pregnancy here.

A new baby is a wonderful addition to any family. Enjoy this beautiful phase, before the madness sets in!

Cheers,

Dee

Disclaimer – this is a blog post based on my own experiences during my pregnancy. Please consider that every body, and every pregnancy is unique and what I’ve mentioned may or may not be applicable to you. This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you

Featured image picture credits: Silvester Clifferd

Biggest Challenges While Travelling

Boeing wing. Flying over the clouds

Let’s take this quick poll below to understand what you feel are your biggest challenges while travelling (work or leisure)?

Let me list down my thoughts, some of which you might find helpful and hopefully at some point, I should be able to elaborate more on each with individual posts:

• Internet – I always recommend to have access to Internet & GPS while on the go. While not being connected may be the style of some seasoned travellers, more often than not, Internet can only help you enjoy your travels.
• Food – I have seen that most Indian travellers tend to ‘need’ Indian food even when traveling. I wish people were more open to exploring local food. Of course one can always stick to their choices of Vegetarian or Non-vegeterian, but please understand that even places like Indonesia & Thailand have good options for Vegetarians and even Vegans. All you need to do is keep an open mind, and ask (or Google!).
• Itinerary – I always prefer making my own Itineraries. Highly recommend you to make your own, based on what you like to see & do. However, if you must stick to one of the pre-decided ones, ensure you have enough free time each day so that you are not running from one spot to the other just to tick things off the list. Probably the worst thing to do is visit 5 countries in Europe in 10 days. Sounds super exciting to tell the world that you ‘checked-in’ to all these amazing places but I really don’t know how much you understand any one culture at all. Though moneys could be an important point to trigger this debate, if you must travel, you are better off understanding one culture, over ticking off your list. Quality over Quantity – always!
• Family & other commitments – If I could, I would be travelling every single day of my life. Unfortunately, it is a romanticised idea that suit those you read about in new-age fairy tales called Online articles. :-p Having said that, I wish we could visit at least 1 or 2 unique places a year. We are blessed with weekends that make for the best time to travel. Traveling in one’s own country or region is also something that already expands your thinking and let’s you become better world citizens. This would be my wish for the world.

Start surfing & plan your travels already!

Cheers,

Dee

Salalah, Oman

Salalah, Oman

The most important point to consider while traveling anywhere in the middle east is the weather. A couple of days here or there could be a game changer!

The husband and I traveled to Salalah over the Eid holidays in September. We had a brilliant time, but this could’ve been a lot better if we had made it just a couple of weeks earlier – in the Khareef season. It was so sunny that we were exhausted at the end of every day. Best time to visit: July to September.

We ran short of time and could not get our Visas before our travel date. But since we had traveled to Oman just a couple of months ago, we were quite confident we would get Visa on arrival. Check out details on Oman Visa here. We were told By Oman Air (I specify the airline as it important to know!) at Dubai airport that Visa and immigration formalities would be done at Salalah airport. But when we arrived at Muscat, we realized after wasting a lot of time that we had to obtain our visa and clear immigration right there. Every passenger was annoyed and tired, the super late night flights don’t really help! I wish the staff was a bit more organized and capable of handling passengers. They had quite a casual attitude and we had to run to board the flight!

Done with all the negatives, here are a few things I loved about Salalah:

Stay

We decided to stay at a quaint little villa owned by Roy, a Brit expat who has lived in the middle east for over a decade. His wife and toddler were a much-needed dose of family that made us feeling very warm and welcome. The villa was very close to the Hilton.

Roy gave us the real download on Salalah, places to visit, places to miss, must eats, must buys and so much more. He was a friend, without whom the trip could have ended up blah!

F&B

– Food options are quite minimal – ensure you eat & stock up when you can 😉

– The hotels seemed quite over-priced and were not recommended even by local friends as food is quite average for the hefty price paid.

– Salalah Gardens Mall was one of the most civilised places in the city, with a small food court

– There are quite a few good F&B options on 23rd July Street

– Do not miss out on Oasis club, especially if you are over a weekend. This place by Salalah port is frequented by expats who live there and also those who are traveling. They have some very good food, beverages, some fun games like pool. They of course screen football matches all around the year. The outdoor seating is highly recommended!

Al Mughsayil*2

This is the place to be. Al Mughsayil is everything we were looking for – simple, private, beautiful, relaxing time. We happened to go 1 evening and decided we had to go back the next morning. Best time to visit is after 430 PM in the evenings and 6 AM in the morning. The landscape is breathtaking and the area is so peaceful that words and pictures can’t describe enough.

The Frankincense Museum

The Frankincense museum was a highlight of the trip. An amazing journey through the history of Oman and how the civilization came to be. After this, we opted for a buggy ride around the vast archaeological site that housed ancient ruins of the city, the mosque, houses, the palace, schools etc. Just during sunset, we went on a 30 minute water taxi ride around the whole area. Not the most romantic, given the noisy family of 6 whom we were stuck with. But the sights, the smells, the birds, the water still bring a smile on my face.

I picked up some souvenirs here because I wasn’t too sure where else I would find em.

The museum is located in the centre of the city and opens at 3 PM. You could easily spend 3 hours here, so ensure you plan well. 

Don’t forget to enjoy Tender coconut water which is very close to the Museum.

The mountains

We drove endlessly through the mountains and it was a peaceful drive. Not too much action, not too many vehicles. There were some spots with spectacular views. The tomb/ mosque of course had a lot of visitors and we kind of avoided it but went around anyway. I believe the mountains would be a lot more enjoyable during the Khareef season.

Anti-gravity point !

The last but not the least point, the Anti-gravity point. The freakiest, weirdest hour of my life. GPS directed us to the spot without an issue, and as we approached, we figured how famous this place has become – unlike stated in many online reviews. There were about 40 other cars trying to figure out exactly what we were trying to establish. I have no explanation but just a gut feel that is is just an optical illusion and that gravity remains unbeaten.

A few other tips:

– You can easily pick up a SIM card right after you collect your baggage. It is important to have access to GPS, as there are practically no road signs

– I highly recommend renting a car or getting one with a driver, depending on the agenda of your trip. There is no public transport at all, so God help you!

– Salalah airport. What a pain. When we were to depart after our trip, we entered Salalah airport on GPS and off we went! When the arrived at the destination, we realized we are at the old airport that was vacated over a year ago. The new airport is right behind the old one, but it takes over 25 minutes to reach. Again, we almost missed our flight, but I’m glad we had web checked in, so we could kind of get away.

Like every other place, I wish I could have stayed just another day to explore Salalah. But hey, hugsband says we can always go back (In Khareef season of course!)

Happy travels!

My first giveaway!

My first ever giveaway, yayee!! How kicked am I 🙂

GPSmyCity makes popular iOS and Android apps that feature self-guided city walks in over 470 cities around the world. Each app contains self-guided walking tours for a single city, allowing visitors to explore the best of the city on foot, at their own pace.

I downloaded the Dubai app myself and it’s actually quite interesting. You can access any popular attractions, discover trendy streets, explore new areas of the city, customise a walk of your choice etc etc. Pretty neat. I wouldn’t mind using this app while visiting a new city or if I’m in the mood to look at a new perspective on my current city too. I’d love to read up on a city before hand and have access to my to-go list on the move. Most of the information is still accessible offline, which makes it super convenient. Of course, there are options to share your footprint on social media. 

So here’s how YOU can get a free code for a full version of this app (that otherwise costs $4.99 in the app store). To download this awesome app and explore something new, just follow these 3 ultra simple steps:

1) Shout out your name and city. This could be your current city, your favorite city, a city you would like to visit or one that just amuses you. Make sure the city you choose is listed here: http://www.gpsmycity.com/user/static_sfg.html

2) hashtag #deegivesaway and #gpsmycity

And voila, you could win this free app code !

Let me remind you again that this app can be downloaded only on iPad or iPhone so make sure you have access to one of these.

I have 10 such codes to give away and contest ends on 20th October! Winners will be chosen across my blog, Facebook and Instagram pages and announced by 25th October so get on with it already!

Cheers,
Dee

Road trip to Oman – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE weekend getaway

So 21 of us decided it was high time in the high city and needed to get out. After a couple of months of planning & coordination, we managed to decide on Ras Al Jinz turtle reserve in Sur, Oman.

Road tripping to Oman

I don’t think any of us cared about squeezing in a 1500 km road trip into a weekend. It had to be done.

We headed out on Thursday after work, around 7 PM. We drove on to Sharjah-Kalba road, and after 2 – 3 wrong moves, successfully reached the Hatta border crossing. We reached here by 11 PM and there was not too much of a wait at the immigration. 21 of us can vouch that it is way more sensible to have your Visa done earlier at the consulate, than take a risk at the border. Better not to take much of a risk! Another tip is to download the Here App. Brilliant as it provides an Offline map – all you need to do is download the country map while you can.

Stayed over at Sohar – Atlas Hotel Apartments

We decided to stop over the night at Sohar and chose Atlas Hotel Apartments. The place was slightly difficult to find at midnight but a good samaritan escorted us to the door step! The rooms are large, clean and well kept. The breakfast was a bit of a let down, but maybe that’s because so many of us landed up going all together. But I would still recommend this place to anyone who wishes to stay over.

Stop over at Muscat – Muscat City Centre, in not so centre of the city

We decided to drive on towards Sur and stopped over at Muscat for lunch. Very basic & quick at the easily accessible Muscat City Centre which is easily spotted on the highway.

2 routes from here : Take the Muscat expressway which is way faster (might save you about 10 minutes), unless you want to enjoy a bit of Muscat via Sultan Qaboos road.

Stay over at Sur – Resort Sur Beach holiday

We stayed at this place which is itself about an hour away from the Turtle reserve. The hotel has a lovely view and overlooks the beach. Not the best beach though, it’s filthy and not very pleasant. But the view of the Gulf of Oman is breathtaking, especially very early in the morning.

Ras Al Jinz turtle reserve

We finally make it to the Turtle reserve well in time for our allocated time of 9 PM. We were a fairly large group but had to unfortunately wait till almost 11 PM before we were called in. Apparently you have to register in advance but the slots are allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis. Priority is given to those staying over at Ras Al Jinz. The experience itself lasted about 45 minutes and was mind blowing. The guide drove us to the beach and in pitch darkness, walked us through the turtles in various stages – laying eggs, covering up, and we were lucky to spot freshly hatched baby turtles appear from the sand and wiggle their way towards the water. This is an exhilarating experience I will cherish for a long time. 21 happy people returned back well after midnight.

1 piece of advise here: Please fill up your tanks before you head to the reserve as there are no petrol pumps in at least a 30 km radius!

Sink hole – Hawiyat Najm Park

We headed back to Dubai after a relaxed breakfast right opposite the hotel with some yummy Omani egg & chips sandwich & Zafrani Chai – both must trys. We stopped over at the Sink hole which is in between Sur & Muscat. Oh boy! I will never be able to truly express how excited 21 of us 20 something’s were in the 1 hour we spent here. The view is breathtaking and something like I’ve only imagined in some super exotic location in a movie! The picture here, clicked on my phone, is exactly how the place looks. Brilliant is an understatement to describe how excited I was. The little fish are don’t trouble you much but are quite an exciting addition the the water. The water bed is pokey & slippery but a pregnant friend entered the water so I’m sure you can as well!

You can swim to the end of the hole and climb up and JUMP! The first time in my life I have ever jumped into water. What a fun!!!!

I’d like to add that fuel prices are 50 % cheaper in Oman than in UAE so you know where to put your monies!

Like every other place, I wish I could have stayed just another day to explore Oman. But hey, hugsband says we can always go back! <span class=”wp-smiley wp-emoji wp-emoji-heart” title=”<3

 

Roma|Rome|The Vatican|The most historic city in Italy

When in Rome, do the Romance!

Soak yourself with the beauty of the city. It is hot and crowded, but the art, architecture, theater and music will leave you spell bound. They say Rome wasn’t built in a day – it shouldn’t be seen in one either. I highly recommend a minimum of 3 days including The Vatican. Amid the big city madness, I highly recommend buying a 24 or 28 hr Romapass for all your public transport needs in the city.

The Vatican –

At The Vatican

We did the half day Vatican tour which I highly recommend. Being non-Christians, we had a very faint idea of the significance of the Vatican. Our guide explained details – by timeline, which helped us understand the history of the smallest country in the world. The whole tour lasted 4 hours and we were taken through The Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica. We marvelled at the history of Italian artistes that worked hard to preserve Roman culture as we see it today. Every door, every corner is thoughtfully engaging.

Villa Borghese – Not sure if I should even list it here as the closest we got the Villa Borghese was it painfully large gardens. We walked for at least an hour from the closest Metro station and Villa Borghese was still a long way ahead of us so we decided to just ditch seeing the ‘museum’. Though I recommend advance booking for all those who would like to visit. The gardens around the Villa itself is very peaceful and this is a great way to spend a sunny afternoon (not in peak summer though).

Colosseum, Roman Forum – Since we had a Romapass, we could choose to enter 1 location for free and I’m so glad we chose The Colosseum. The line for those with a Romapass was 75 % faster than those without it so I highly recommend this to all. We opted for the audio tour of the Colosseum that helped us understand what a magnificent piece of architecture this is.

At The Colosseum

The Pantheon – The Pantheon is a very interesting structure in a very crowded part of the city. What takes your breath away is the sheer expanse of the single structure. I had read in many forums that one needs to be modestly dressed here as it is an active church, but I saw no one checking or imposing any rule.

Spanish steps – Spanish steps is a fantastic place to visit. A tiring but fun climb to the top, hundreds of tourists and one is obviously reminded of Audery Hepburn & Gregory Peck. Oh I did have my Audery Hepburn moment here.

Piazza Navona – The funnest part of Rome. The husband now dreams of buying a property right in the heart of Piazza Navona as he is equally smitten by this place. The whole festive atmosphere starting early evening makes for a lovely setting to spend a few hours just hanging out. The international travellers, the local youngsters, the old-timers and the entertainers – everyone has a part to play in Piazza Navona!

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Trevi Fountain – I can’t really include this on our list as Trevi Fountain was shut for restoration. But we did do the customary coin throwing over your shoulder. Hopefully, we go back to Rome real soon 🙂

Grazia Italia! Ciao !!

Like every other place, I wish I could have stayed just another day in Roma. But hey, hugsband says we can always go back! ❤

Tuscany, an Italian region you need to visit-Florence-Chianti

I can safely say that Tuscany was the reason for my decision to visit Italy. I have always been fascinated by the region – the wine, the food, the culture – has always amused me. And I can not put into words how happy these couple of days made me.

Firenze, Florence was our third stop in Italy. We had already seen a bit of Italy but Florence was something else. The beautiful paved streets, the very typical buildings, the florentine music…. everything took our breath away during the 20 minute walk to our BnB.  We stayed right in the heart of a city in an average room, but we couldn’t wait to dump our luggage and head out. You can check out the Air BnB listing.

Our first plan was to visit the famous Duomo tour, Santa Maria del Fiore & the Baptistry. These all are included in a single ticket which can be bought right behind the Duomo. This trip was way too time-consuming as we were in the queue for almost an hour, and when you are on a tight schedule, you want to cover as much as possible! But there is no way around it if you would like to head up to the Duomo. But once we reached the top, the whole wait was worth it. We could see how Florence is so distinct from the rest of Italy but yet so similar. The rooftops are the typical red and the green hills all around the city makes one feel truly blessed! The facade of the Duomo complex is exquisite and very unlike any other i have seen. The structure has been very well maintained and I’m sure the steady influx of tourists is a great reason for the up keep.

Our next stop was a half day Horse back riding tour in the Chianti region. This was the highlight of our trip! We had a fun, sunny hour riding through the vineyards in Chianti and then got a guided tour of the wine cellars and of course, a very detailed wine tasting session. Chianti Red & Classico wines are now available all around the world but to be seated in the region, with local food was quite something. The beauty of this place takes your emotions to another level and even though we were tired from being under the sun, our hearts were super happy!

Horse back riding in Chianti

The next day, we took an early morning train to Pisa. This was an easy ride and the walk from the Pisa centrale to the leaning tower is fairly simple. I highly recommend you reach Pisa before 9 AM because the place is sparsely crowded then and you have plenty photo ops then! By 9 – 9.30 AM, the crowd comes in and takes over the beauty of the place. The ticket to enter the leaning tower is in the office very close by. Though quite expensive, you can not not enter the leaning tower. Entering the leaning tower was the most surreal experience ever. The gravity defying building not only looks like a Wonder from the outside but the tilting feeling inside the tower can not be described. The walk up to the top is extremely difficult and certainly not recommended for the faint hearted. I think it took our group of visitors a good 45 minutes to reach the top the last leg of the climb is the most difficult! The view from the top is quite lovely but that tilted feeling is what makes being on top way more exciting than the view. This is a must do for anyone visiting who can bear the strenuous climb.

After Pisa, we headed straight back to Florence to visit the Ponte Vecchio along the Arno. This is another gravity defying bridge that is really very fascinating and looks straight out of an exotic travel book. The bridge itself just has Jewellery stores but the walk around the bridge is really fun.

We then headed to visit David and his friends first the duplicate at Palazzo Vecchio and then the real deal at Galleria Accademia. The Aura around Florentine art was enough to excite me to cover as much part of history as possible. Michelangelo   can be seen and heard all throughout the city. An ardent art lover will definitely spend more than a couple of days in Firenze!

Like every other place, I wish I could have stayed just another day in Florence. But hey, hugsband says we can always go back! ❤

New girl in town!

PC:www.visitdubai.com

I’m in my month 8 in Dubai and what a year it has been! What struck me first was that there is so much familiarity with all the South Asian faces around. This is what my husband calls “pseudo India”. One can get away with talking in Hindi at most places, and it is quite re-assuring for a new comer. I felt like an interloper at first, with everything and everyone seeming very distant. No friendly neighbors, no job – and that leads to no friends, highways. I missed everything about India in the initial days. But this just bothered me for a few weeks. This city starts growing on you like any other. The variety of entertainment options and opportunities is unfathomable. What is also awesome is the wonderful smiling faces everywhere from the gym, to the malls or even the local grocery store. People are genuinely smiling at others. I started accepting all the frills and thrills in this city.

1) Weather: Pleasant, Hot & Hottest – I am lucky to have arrived in November, in the best months to be in Dubai.There is a lot happening – festivals, markets, etc etc. The Husband and I enjoyed many evenings sitting at the Balcony sipping our Tea. It is exciting time to be in Dubai, if you what to do and what not to do. Come April, the smiles start appearing the other way around. It is hot, sticky and sunny – 24*7! I have never had tolerance to heat but this place takes it to another level.

2) Getting around – Yay! I live right next to the Metro station and this makes me super independent. If you are looking to set up base here, I highly recommend staying within 500 mts to a Metro station (consider walking in Summer months as well). This is extremely crucial as it can be a while till you can drive yourself around. The Metro is the lifeline of Dubai and this will be seen at peak hours at all the downtown stations. It is very easy and economical to use the Metro. You can pick up the ‘NOL Card’ which can also be used for Trams and the buses. Taxis are readily available (except around 4 to 6 PM – I guess this is their change of shift ?) and are not too expensive, the minimum fare is just 12 AED.

3) Stay – All new migrants stay towards the southern part of the city. We are at JLT (Jumeirah Lakes Towers) and it is one of the best places to be at. The proximity to Metro line, accessibility to all parts of the city, restaurant & shopping options and the whole community feel makes it a very lucrative area. There is also a very active FB page that makes it a very good neighborhood. Other options for a similar lifestyle are also available at Dubai Marina/ JBR but rents are way higher in those areas. More economical options are Discovery Gardens, TECOM, Al Barsha etc. Important tip: Make sure to read reviews on the building before finalizing the place.

4) People – Dubai is truly a juxtaposition of the east and west. On one hand, you have the Western population all around and on the other, a plethora of South Asian and Filipino population filling up the rest. Wikipedia says 53 % of Indian population is Indian! Whowuddathunk!

5) Language – Just about everyone in Dubai talks in English. You can also get away with Hindi/ Urdu in most places – including malls, grocery stores, taxis, your building maintenance guy….Just be polite and all your work can get done.

6) Dining in & out – There is no dearth of eating options in Dubai. You name the cuisine and one can list 50,000 options, like literally! There are some really good options in each pocket of the city, from the old Dubai (Karama, Bur Dubai) to the more happening joints at DIFC. There are some super restaurants at the Marina area – most of them also come with beautiful views. I hope to do individual posts of Food options in the city.

7) Things to do – In winter, there are tons of options in and around the city. Everyone is out on the roads, in the malls, on the streets, everywhere! The tourists fill up any empty spaces. Some things I enjoyed the most were – Hot Air Baloon riding, partying with friends on a boat from the Yacht club, Dhow cruise, festivals like Street nights DXB, Dubaicanvas, Christmas celebrations at Madinat Jumeirah, NYE, long drives outside the city and so much more!

8) Shopping – Again, there is nothing you could not buy in Dubai. There are the typical Malls in almost every area, then the old Dubai for a regional (read: Indian) shopping experience. There are many markets like Ripe market, Fruit & Vegetable market etc for an off-beat experience. There are plenty of options to suit all budgets.

Being my first post, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I hope to continue writing….

Please do reach out to me for any recommendations or help that you would need.