Travelogue - Part 1.

Click for Part 2 & Part 3.

Since I started this blog a little late and could nt brag about my travels then and there, here’s a very brief summary of the travelogues. People who have already been bombarded by very long narrative of my travelogues through emails, please do not read further. I said no further. Stop. Here.

The rest of you poor souls and the stubborn people who did nt stop with the previous paragraph, here goes my ramblings...

I did nt know I liked travelling until I boarded my first flight to the Andamans for my honeymoon! I don’t remember much of the trip and I ve conveniently buried the photo album 6 feet under. (Thank God we did nt ve digicams then!)

The second time I boarded a plane, I was alone and had quit a job to fly to the UK to join HD. My first trip abroad and UK is still my best place to live and I made absolutely fantastic memories living there. We travelled in and around London like it was our last day on Earth. Also made a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland.
A must-not-see tip (MNST) -> Edinburgh Dungeon



Like everyone who has a visa for more than 6 months in UK, our first trip was to Switzerland as we don’t have to get a visa. We went in November and the weather was surprisingly beautiful. Sunny days with enough snow to play around, who needs heaven? I did nt want to leave Swiss. Little did I know that my wish was going to come true and I would be living in Swiss for 2 years. I went up the Jungfrau joch more number of times than Tirupati! Lesson learnt: Be careful of what you wish for!
MNST - Are you kidding me? This is Swiss. Hole up in the hotel room and you will still love it! :)

The xmas long weekend of 2001 took us to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Since it was winter, we did nt visit Disneyland and the Versailles palace in Paris and I had a long face till we reached home back to UK. Since I had not learnt the lesson I mentioned in the previous paragraph, God decided to laugh at my expense. We had a surprise long weekend for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in June and we went to Paris again for 3 days. Had my hearts fill of the city. Fast forward 2 years to April, 2004 when we were living in Basel, Swiss. Paris was 5 hours by train and I took my parents on a 3 days trip. HD wisely did nt join us. 3 months later, the in-laws come and we go to Paris again. If anyone of you looking for a cheap guide for Paris, you have my email id!
MNST -> Run if you hear the name Hotel Bellevue. (Very bad experience!)


We also travel to Italy for Easter holidays. Venice becomes by most favourite city in the world. (Till this day.) Though Rome was nt built in a day, we see it in a day. (Really a stupid thing to do!) A look at the Leaning tower at Pisa and I stopped at mid-sentence! (I was trying to say, what’s the big deal about a leaning tower?) The Duomo at Florence left us speechless and a few hours in Milan made me feel right at home as it was like walking in the crowded streets of Trichy being felt upon by perverted old men! They are everywhere I guess! Did nt do anything as I have seen more than my share of Italian Mafia movies!
Tip - Everything you heard about thefts in Italy is true. Be paranoid. Very paranoid.

End of UK trip. Going to every dear place (mostly restaurants!) and saying my goodbyes and leaving for India.

(to be contd...)