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I remember the warm summer days of Mumbai during May 2000 when one day my mother came up to me and asked if i wanted to see heaven on earth!! I was so surprised by that question. I then came to know that my parents were planning a trip to Jammu and Kashmir. The first thing that crawled my mind was the situation there due to increased terrorism and wars that were constantly taking place. But my parents were assured by their friends that its a safe place and can be visited as it has a very tight security for tourists. My parents had gone for their honeymoon to Kashmir back in 1979 and they had promised each other to be back to the place with their kids. It was a perfect time to fulfill the promise made and we left for KASHMIR!!!

The first thing i noticed on Srinagar airport were ice covered mountains and beautiful pine trees. It made me go WOW and i was already in love with the place and the kind of climate. Srinagar is the capital city of Jammu & Kashmir. It is at an altitude of 1, 730 m.In the heart of the Kashmir valley, Srinagar spreads out on both sides of the Jhelum river. Srinagar offers the spectacular sights of the lovely lakes and the houseboats on them. The dry fruits and the traditional Kashmiri handicrafts are the other major attractions of the hill resort. Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Mughal Gardens, Hazaratbal Mosque, Shankaracharya Hill, Hari Parbat Fort, Adi Shankaracharya Temple, River Jhelum, Hazratbal Shrine and Jama Masjid were the places we visited during our stay at Srinagar. We even stayed in one of the houseboats named Hollywood palace and what an amazing experience it was!! My parents reminisced the days of their honeymoon and told me the stories about their stay in 1979. They noticed that Srinagar had changed a lot in these many years but we all concluded that if there is a heaven on earth, it’s here, it’s here, it’s here in Srinagar!!

Travel Information:

• By Air: Civil airport Humhama is 15 km from the city centre. Flights connects Srinagar with Jammu, Delhi, and Leh.

• By Rail: The nearest rail head is Jammu Tawi.

• By Road: Srinagar is situated on National Highway-1A, which connects to all parts of the country. Buses of Jammu & Kashmir Road State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) and STRCs of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh run to Jammu from major northern cities like Delhi, Chandigarh and Amritsar. Some continue to Srinagar, while there are many connections from Jammu.

Best time to visit: Between May and September.

Beaches, Coconut trees, golden sand, churches, flee markets, kokani food, boat rides, dolphins and so much more!! Oh yeah you guessed it right, it is GOA. Want to travel to Goa

Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast. The main attraction of Goa is its beaches. Its a place for lovers. An ideal destination for honeymooners and for people intrested in water sports.

Some of the most famous beaches of Goa are Anjuna Beach, Candolim Beach, Baga Beach, Dona Paula Beach, Benaulim Beach, Miramar Beach, Bogmalo Beach, Colva Beach. Apart from beaches there are many churches in Goa. These churches are a witness to the Portuguese invasion,in Goa. Built between the 16th and 17th century AD, these churches present a unique blend of the Renaissance and Baroque styles. These Goan churches are famous for their outstanding and exemplary Christian architecture.

And not to forget about the Goa carnival, a three-day fest that had its birth in Goa during the era of King Momo.One can find a lot of excitement bubbling across Goa,in the month of February,as Goa is dressing up for the carnival festivities. This carnival is celebrated just before the Lent season. Few other tourist attractions in Goa are an array of popular recreational activities and water sports, such as scuba diving, snorkelling, jet-skiing, water-skiing and even parasailing. Goa is also a great place for boat trips and many tourist enjoy pleasure cruises, where you are often able to view dolphins swimming and jumping, and also swim in the warm, deep sea.

To conclude Goa is a place ,where fun & frolic never ends,whether it is break of the dawn or dusk, midnight or noon.A magical destination!!

Fast Facts about Goa

• Main languages: Konkani, Marathi, English and Hindi
• Area: 3701 sq km
• Population: 1.34 million
• Capital: Panaji (Panjim)
• When to go: October to March