May 30th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Blending in to a city or country you're visiting has many advantages. Among them, allowing yourself to have a more immersive experience and not falling victim to a robbery scheme involving human feces. Some cities come with their own code of conduct, such as Washington DC, where during Gadling's recent summit we noticed anyone who stands on the left side of an escalator is immediately met ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
india posts
How To Avoid Looking Like A Tourist
May 30th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Blending in to a city or country you're visiting has many advantages. Among them, allowing yourself to have a more immersive experience and not falling victim to a robbery scheme involving human feces. Some cities come with their own code of conduct, such as Washington DC, where during Gadling's recent summit we noticed anyone who stands on the left side of an escalator is immediately met ...British Protesters Campaign For A Rain-Free Olympics
May 27th, 2012 at 4:00PM: And I thought the weather was controlled by nature. Recently, a group of bikini-clad female protesters in London headed to Parliament Square to demand sunnier weather and a rain-free Olympics. While this may sound outlandish, the comical campaign is actually part of a bigger project to help a community.
In the hopes that the government complies with the protesters – or that Mother Nature ...Photo Of The Day: A Glimpse Of The Dargah
May 8th, 2012 at 7:00PM:
Behind a lattice gate at the end of an alleyway in India lies the Sufi Islamic dargah shrine to Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, a renowned mystic, saint and scholar. Flickr user The Delhi Way offers us a tantalizing glimpse at what lies inside this sacred space in today's Photo of the Day, taken in the complex of Qutb on the outskirts of Delhi.
Does your hideaway photo belong here? Upload your ...Photo Of The Day: Meenakshi Temple
Apr 4th, 2012 at 5:00PM:
Take a glance at this photo of the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, India. With this still taken by Keith Pennington, it's not too much to ask to envision yourself there. The market within the temple is colorful and vivacious, and bustling with activity. Founded during the Pandya times, the temple was completely rebuilt by the Nayakas. Most of the structures today in the temple date back to the ...India Tiger Population Increasing Says Ecotourism Guide
Apr 3rd, 2012 at 3:30PM: India's threatened tiger population, once on the verge of extinction, has increased by 20 percent in the last four years. As the Albany Times Union reports, wildlife officials and naturalists report most tigresses in the central India reserves either have or will have their cubs soon. This information makes 2012 a good year for eco-travel to India.
"These days in the course of a 10-day tiger ...Video: A sadhu singing by the Ganges River, Varanasi
Mar 18th, 2012 at 6:00PM:
One of the best gifts travel gives you is all the great music you wouldn't otherwise hear. Strange tunes often stick in the mind long after the memories of meals and sights have dimmed. Last week I brought you a video of a kalimba player in Malawi. Here's a completely different tune from a completely different country, yet both tunes have gotten into my head.
This man is a sadhu, one of the ...
Indian government relocates villagers away from tiger reserve
Feb 15th, 2012 at 12:15PM:
The village of Umri in Rajasthan, India, is no more.
The entire population of 82 families, some 350 people, has been relocated because the village stands inside the Sariska tiger reserve, the BBC reports. The move aims to protect the local tiger population, which is rebounding after being wiped out by poachers several years ago. This reflects a gain in tiger population nationwide after ...Chatwal Hotels & Resorts plans for 52 new hotels in India
Feb 7th, 2012 at 5:00PM:
Chatwal Hotels & Resorts is planning an aggressive entrance into the India market. The brand recently launched a five year plan to launch 52 hotels (40 Night hotels and 12 Dream hotels) in India.
"For me, India has always been the ultimate hospitality destination", said Sant Chatwal, Chairman & CEO, Hampshire Hotels & Resorts, the ownership arm of Chatwal Hotels & Resorts. ...How to visit the Taj Mahal
Jan 25th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
"No, madam. I am sorry. Taj Mahal is closed today."
"But," I thought, as I skeptically squinted at the guard delivering this bad news, "this is the Taj Mahal. The TAJ MAHAL! It's one of the most recognizable structures in the entire world. How could it be closed?"
"It's Friday, holy day," offered the gatekeeper. My whole body slumped with disappointment. And just like that I had my Walley ...New budget travel magazine debuts: Off Track Planet moves into print
Jan 4th, 2012 at 11:00AM: Off Track Planet, a Brooklyn-based online budget travel publication, takes its f-bomb dropping idiom into print today with the debut of an eponymous magazine.
Off Track Planet, for the uninitiated, is geared toward the 18-30 set and is particularly focused on undergraduates.
Accordingly, the publication directs its attention to several subjects of primary interest to college kids; among ...Photo of the day - Feeding the fish
Dec 29th, 2011 at 6:00PM:
Visitors to India know that cows are considered holy and not to be eaten, but in some parts of the southern state of Karnataka, you can cross fish off the menu too. The fish at the Sringeri temple on the banks of the Tunga River are also considered sacred and fishing is banned, though pilgrims and visitors can feed the fish puffed rice. As photographer and Flickr user PointingandShooting ...Megalithic site discovered in India
Dec 13th, 2011 at 2:00PM:
The term "megalithic" generally brings to mind stone circles in the British Isles such as Stonehenge and Avebury, or giant tombs such as Wayland's Smithy, yet prehistoric peoples in many parts of the world erected megalithic monuments.
India is rich in megalithic sites. In Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, India, are some imposing menhirs, or standing stones, shown in the Wikimedia Commons image above. ...Video of the Day - Paraglider collides with vulture
Nov 1st, 2011 at 3:30PM:
It's been a wild month for 'animals vs. adventurers' on Gadling. First, there was the antelope that tackled a cyclist harder than any NFL linebacker could, then there was the kayaker that got up close and personal with a blue whale, and finally, the South African motorcyclist that saved a calf from drowning in a canal.
Today's battle? An incredible video from Russian YouTube user ...
3 "glamping" accommodations for the luxury camper
Oct 22nd, 2011 at 1:00PM: For those who are unfamiliar with the term, "glamping" is a way for travelers to experience the outdoors, like camping, but with more luxury amenities, like electricity, running water, and sometimes even modern architecture. Check out this list of stylish canvas accommodations from around the world, perfect for those who want to get closer to nature...but not too close.
Wildman Wilderness Lodge ...Photo of the day: Marina Beach, Chennai, India
Aug 17th, 2011 at 5:00PM:
This shot of Marina Beach in Chennai in India evokes numerous desires within me--ones that can be easily reduced to a checklist:
1. Visit India.
2. Visit Marina Beach in Chennai.
3. Fly kites more often.
4. Go to beaches at night more often.
5. Take photos more often.
Funny how much want a simple photo can initiate...
Be that wanting as it may, I really love this photo. Taken by ...10 countries Americans need advance visas to visit
Aug 17th, 2011 at 12:00PM: We live in an increasingly borderless world and we have access to many countries that were closed (or non-existent) 20 years ago. As reported earlier this week, Americans are especially lucky with access to 169 countries visa free. Still, there are still many countries that Americans need advance visas to visit. Visa applications and processing services can cost several hundreds of dollars and ...Photo of the day - Traveler vs tourist
Aug 11th, 2011 at 6:00PM:
Ah, the good old tourist vs. traveler debate. Every travel blog has inevitably touched on this non-issue of which is more "authentic" or "real." Can't we all just get along? Whether you hit the road to check the big tourist attractions off your list or do as the locals do, you're traveling and you're not really local, so who cares which way is better? This photo from Mumbai by Flickr user ...New site helps you plan day trips from Mumbai
Aug 5th, 2011 at 2:00PM: As someone who lived in Mumbai for two years, I can tell you there were numerous weekends when I just wanted to get away from the blaring car horns, insane traffic, and "go go go" mentality of India's most populous city. I relied on guidebooks and word-of-mouth to find out about nearby hill stations, such as Matheran (pictured at right), and beach-side resorts that were suitable for a day trip or ...Brits behaving badly abroad
Aug 4th, 2011 at 8:30AM:
Today the Foreign Office released British Behaviour Abroad 2011, with detailed figures on British nationals in trouble overseas (read: Brits behaving badly abroad). The period surveyed: April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011.
There are lots of interesting tidbits in the survey. British nationals request consular assistance in greatest numbers in Spain and the United States, though since both ...No skeletons on the New Delhi metro, please
Jul 30th, 2011 at 3:00PM:
A friend of mine, freelance photographer Jane Shepherdson, was recently in New Delhi and rode on the city's metro (subway system). She captured this odd sign about what's prohibited for passengers to carry.
Some of it is predictable, such as explosives, guns, and radioactive materials. You also can't carry "manure of any kind" (including your own, one would suppose) or rags. That includes ...
