Hey guys, I know you have been missing us! We missed you too. But now we are back, Yay!!! I want to thank you guys for being here even when I was not around. I am quite surprised to see how well the blog is growing now. We got a little more than ‘15800 Reads’ last month which is so amazing. Thanks to all my dear friends and readers. If you follow us on our social media then you must be knowing that currently, I am doing a series of travel posts on Instagram & Facebook covering our Rajasthan Road Trip. And the same I’m going to share on my blog now.

During Valentine’s week last month (Feb 2020), we did an unplanned road trip for 9 days across Rajasthan with Nemit & it turned out to be the best of all our road trips so far. We just had 2 major destinations in our mind which we wanted to cover i.e. Jaisalmer & Jodhpur but we could explore 5 different destinations.

Rajasthan Road Map

The only reason to keep the trip unplanned was the uncertainty.

We were not sure if we could go that far in our i10, we had no idea how Nemit was going to take it & I highly doubted if I could drive such long distances with cervical & lower back pain. We knew just 1 thing that we were gonna enjoy every moment of the journey. And we were also prepared mentally to deal with any kind of situation. I’m sure that’s what got us through this adventure.

You may also want to read – Road Trip & Car Safety (when traveling with kids)

I got some DMs asking for a detailed itinerary, so here I’m doing day-wise posts of our Rajasthan Road Trip. Because writing about 9 days in a single post won’t do the justice to the whole expedition. So, here it is the Day 1 of our trip.

Rajasthan Road Trip – Day 1

9 Days – 5 Destinations – 3 Travelers

(Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaipur)

🔺Day 1 – Noida to Bikaner
🔺Distance covered – 542 Km
🔺Total Time – 11 Hrs
🔺Stay at – Hotel Sagar, Bikaner @hotelsagarbikaner
🔺Place visited – Explored nearby places in the evening

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When we started off from Noida we were not sure where to stop for the night & we wanted to cover as much distance as possible. But we also wanted to enjoy the journey so we decided on a time. If we could reach Jaipur before 1 pm we would continue the trip & stop at Bikaner. If not, we would stay at Jaipur.

We started at 7 am from Noida & crossed Jaipur around noon with 3 quick pit stops. Later we stopped around 2 pm at a local restaurant for lunch. We reached Bikaner at 6 pm with just 1 pit stop.

The roads are good but we found some crazy traffic till Jaipur, there were countless trucks on the road which were blocking all the lanes so it was a tricky drive but a thrilling one for sure. We had packed some veg sandwiches & masala idlis for snacking on the go, worked like magic to keep Nemit calm on the first day of the drive.

What else worked to keep our kid happy? Talking & Talking!

Check out this post on Instagram to watch some videos – Click Here!

After driving for 11 hrs we just wanted to hit the bed but Nemit was ready to roll. So, we freshened up & headed out for a quick drive around the place. There was a fort nearby but it was already closed so we drove around for some time & came back to the hotel. We stayed at Hotel Sagar which is a beautiful property with the heritage feel & a modern touch. So, we spent some time exploring the place before heading for dinner at their restaurant.

Hotel Sagar, Bikaner

Here’s a quick review of Hotel Sagar, Bikaner – Click Here!

The last thing I remember from that night was Sumit in a deep sleep & I was about to pass out too while Nemit was happily lying between two of us playing with his toys with no sleep in his eyes. I don’t remember what happened after that.

Overall, it was an extraordinary day! Here’s to a memorable Rajasthan road trip, 9 Days – 5 Destinations – 3 travelers, we did it!

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Have you done an unplanned road trip with your little ones? How would you describe the experience in just one sentence?

The post Rajasthan Road Trip Day 1 (9 Days/5 Destinations) – Traveling with a Kid appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

It’s been a while since I last wrote a travel post. So here it is for all you travel lovers, our experience of staying at RKN Beach Resort in Pondicherry. We visited Pondicherry (also Puducherry) last year in August to celebrate my birthday. You may wish me on 23rd August 😛

We prefer taking a vacation to celebrate birthdays & anniversaries. In summers, we travel to the colder regions like hill stations. While in winters we have many options, hills to experience the chills, beaches to soak in the sun or just the plains.

But monsoons are different, it’s always a task to look for places for a perfect vacation during the rains.  So, we have been choosing the beaches since last 3 years on my birthday. In August 2016, we had an amazing time exploring the beauty of Goa in monsoons.

Chapora Fort, Goa (2016)

In August 2017, we decided to visit the God’s own country, Kerala. This was also the first time when my mother & mother-in-law traveled together for the first time.

You may want to read – How I became a Daughter to my Mother-in-law?

Then came August 2018 and this time we wanted to have a short & relaxing vacation. So, we thought of checking out Puducherry which is a 3 hr drive from Chennai airport. Now, it was a big task to find a good resort for stay because Puducherry is not that famous as a tourist destination hence not many great stay options within budget.

5 Reasons Why You should Stay at RKN Beach Resort

Source- www.rknresorts.com

Call us lucky that we found this gem of a place, a beautiful beach side property with ample space and activities. Though it was my birthday but at RKN even Nemit & his Nani had a gala time.

1. The resort is Kid-friendly.

As I always say if you are traveling with kids, make sure to plan a kid-friendly holiday and book a kid-friendly hotel for stay.

RKN beach resort has a lot of space which the kids would love for sure and they have a well maintained kid’s play area too. Lots of greenery around, clean & safe surroundings.

Kid’s Play Area

2. There are 3 swimming pools in the resort.

We spent most of our time chilling by the pool. It was my best relaxing birthday ever. It’s mentioned on their website that they have one of the biggest pools in Pondicherry.

And, Nemit learned his first jump into the pool here.

3. The resort has its own private beach.

Just walk out of the back gate & there you are, standing on the brown sand with the majestic ocean just in front of you.

One of their pools is situated right at the back gate. So, you could come from the beach, take a shower & jump directly into the pool. Oh, it was so much fun!

Nemit with his Nani

4. Many options for indoor & outdoor games.

Since it was August, the chances were that it might rain so we wanted to make sure we get ample options to spend our time indoors. They have Carom Board, chess, S Bridge and Billiards Table. They also have Gym & Spa facilities.

Spa at RKN Beach Resort

5. You can get amazing offers & packages if you book directly.

The only way we could book this place within our budget was because we booked directly with the resort. They were running a fantastic offer during monsoons & we saved quite a lot on that. But make sure to book early if you want the best rooms or the family room. Don’t forget to call them & ask about the room you would prefer.

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Now, this was all about the things we liked about the resort. But to give you a fair idea I would also like to mention a few things which we didn’t like about the resort.

1- Their beach is not well maintained, no sun loungers or hammocks to sit & relax. But their private beach is an extension of one of the best beaches in Pondicherry, Paradise Beach.

2- The food was not so great. And, the service was average.

3- They don’t provide cab & it’s really difficult to get a cab from outside. We booked an Uber for sightseeing which took almost an hour to reach the resort. So, it’s better to have your own driver & cab with you.

This post is part of the Week 2 of August Weekly Blog Hop hosted by me and Alpana. And, it’s written on the prompt – August.

To read posts from other bloggers, follow the hashtag #WeeklyBlogHop on social media.

So, that’s all for today. I hope you find this mini review helpful while booking a resort in Pondicherry. Now tell me in the comments if you have ever been to Pondicherry, if yes, where did you stay? Would love to know your experience.

Don’t forget to share this post.

The post Why You should Stay at RKN Beach Resort in Pondicherry? appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys! How’s the weather treating you? Is it too hot or too wet? Well, here in Delhi we are waiting for the monsoon to arrive anytime soon and get some respite from the scorching heat. To escape the ever rising temperature, we planned a short road trip to Rishikesh last month. Our 2 days stay at Shaantam Resorts & Spa was great but I can’t say the same about our road travel. Check out my recent travel posts on Instagram to know all about it. I’ve also written about how we kept that trip within our budget. Ok, this post is not about Rishikesh, it’s about the monsoon trip we took last year with our toddler.

Last year in July we planned a monsoon weekend getaway to UDAIPUR from DELHI and it was awesome. If you are looking for any nearby destinations for a quick getaway but don’t want to go to the hills do consider Udaipur.

How to reach Udaipur?

There are 3 ways to travel to Udaipur –

• By Road
• By Train
• And, By Air

I know weekend getaways are more about road trips but we wanted less travel time and more time to relax and enjoy. So we decided to take an overnight train from Delhi to Udaipur and planned our return by flight. That overnight train saved us a full day of travel. We reached Udaipur early morning and we used that day to explore the city.

If you follow my travel stories then you must be knowing that we keep our itineraries free from city travel. But, it was not possible when we were visiting a city for a vacation. So, we kept it flexible which means we made no itinerary!

The good thing was we had recommendations from our Insta Family which helped in planning our day. We had booked Amantra Shilpi Resort and had requested for an early check-in which was quick and smooth. The room was big, spacious, comfortable, had a king size bed and also a big balcony.

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The weather in Udaipur in mid-July was amazingly pleasant, it kept drizzling every now and then. Even when it was sunny, it was not that hot. Below are the 3 places we visited in Udaipur and the first 2 are highly recommended.

A Day in Udaipur with a Toddler during Monsoon

• Fateh Sagar Lake

Udaipur is famous for its big, beautiful, artificial lakes and Fateh Sagar Lake is one of them. Our driver told us about boating in the lake but we were not too interested. Boating with a toddler sounded too boring but what we saw there changed our minds. We immediately booked the tickets and waited for our turn. The lake was huge and it was not peddle boating, there were speedboats circling around the lake. Now, that sounded thrilling!

It was sunny but we could see clouds in the distance & as soon as we stepped inside the boat, it started raining. The boat driver said it’s just drizzling so we are good to go. But as we took off, it started raining heavily. This speed boat ride turned out to be one of our best experiences in Udaipur. I also made a video of our boat ride, it was crazy. Don’t miss the expression on Nemit’s face in the video.

Oh, by the way, we waited quite long in the queue to get the front seats in the boat. So, either you rush, wait or request to get the front seats which guarantee extraordinary thrill & view.

• Sajjangarh Palace

Our next stop was Sajjangarh Palace situated on the top of a hill, an hours drive from the lake. The weather was amazing, although the rain had stopped the whole city seemed to be covered under the clouds. Taking a ride to the hilltop in such weather sounded perfect. Another reason to visit this palace was its name.

Sajjangarh palace is popularly known as Monsoon palace since it was built chiefly to watch the monsoon clouds.

So, how could we not visit it and watch the clouds from the top? Nemit decided to take a nap on the way which gave us time to enjoy our couple time.

Nemit was still asleep when we reached the palace and we did a very stupid yet daring thing which I would not recommend to anyone. We trusted our driver and left Nemit with him. We told him to call us in case he wakes up or cries. He was a good man, he took care of Nemit and when he woke up, he climbed up to the top and brought him to us.

The view from the top was breathtaking, we could see the whole city from there once the clouds scattered away.

Nemit with our driver

• City Palace

After lunch, we decided to visit the City Palace. We thought walking in the rain would be fun. But we forgot to consider the walking distance and didn’t even think about the number of stairs.

So, we started with full of energy and by the time we reached the first floor of the palace we were out. We had to literally drag ourselves from one passage to the other. At one point, it felt we were lost!

Not a very great idea to take infants and toddlers with you, strollers are not allowed beyond a point. And, carrying a child up and down and through the narrow passages is just a waste of energy.

We decided to go back to the lake to relax our senses. One of my friends on Instagram had suggested a great place to hang out in the evening and that was our next stop.

Must try food joint – Vinod’s Cafe

It’s one of the open fast food cafes on the Fateh Sagar road opposite Fateh Sagar lake. They offer a variety of fast food options and are famously known for their ‘Kulhar coffee’. If you ever plan a trip to Udaipur, you can’t miss this place. It’s a heaven for food lovers. You get good food and an amazing view of the lake just across the road.

So, that’s how we spent our Day 1 in Udaipur. I’ll soon write posts on how we spent our Day 2 & Day 3 in Udaipur. I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Do share it with your friends and family.

Now, a special announcement! My blog growingwithnemit.com is turning TWO this July and to make the celebrations grand, I am hosting a #BirthdayBlogTrain along with my friend Gunjan whose blog also completed two years this June. And we both invite you to be a part of our celebrations and join our birthday linky party.

40 Bloggers – 30 Days – 5 Picture Prompts – 1 Party

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

The post Monsoon Weekend Getaway – A Day in Udaipur with a Toddler appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Whenever the summer heat gets unbearable all I dream of is escaping to the beautiful hills. We, North Indians are in so much love with nearby hill stations that many of us refer these as our summer home. We are soon going to enter the hottest months of this season. And all I can hear is the buzz around for planning a perfect weekend getaway from Delhi.

In fact, we are also in the vacation planning mode for the next month. It’s been 3 months since our last holiday. And, now we badly need a quick escape from all the city chaos and stress to recharge our mind & body. The other day I was discussing the options for a weekend trip with my husband. And, we were shortlisting the places we could consider for our little getaway.

But this time we ended up in an argument on where to go. And, this has happened for the first time that we were having clashing ideas for shortlisting a destination. I want to explore some new place in Himachal Pradesh this time whereas hubby dearest has his heart in Uttarakhand.

I reminded him of our last couple of hill vacations in Uttarakhand. To which he refreshed my memory of visiting Manali on last New Year’s Eve. Ok, but I don’t think that counts. It was too cold and we could not explore Manali at that time.

Where to go on a Weekend Family Trip? Himachal or Uttarakhand?

It’s not that I don’t like Uttarakhand, it is as dearest to me as Himachal. But Himachal is more lively and is full of adventures. I mean if I think of it now, I feel the choice of place depends on what kind of vacation you are looking for. As you know, I am a die-hard adventure lover and that’s my biggest calling while deciding a place to visit.

Pic from our Trip to Kausani

Sumit is also an adventure enthusiast but this time he’s looking for a leisure trip. And, he successfully convinced me for another weekend getaway from Delhi to Uttarakhand. I agreed only on one condition that we will stay at an Airbnb like our last family trip to Mukteshwar. I will be revealing the place in my Instagram stories next week so catch me there for all the fun.

Our weekend getaway is almost sorted. But if you are still confused about whether to go to Himachal or visit the unexplored Uttarakhand, check out the below points.

Pic from our Manali Trip in Himachal

• Why choose Himachal Pradesh as a perfect weekend getaway?

1- Himachal is undoubtedly a more developed state as compared to Uttarakhand with better infrastructure.

2- It is also the preferred choice of tourists due to the many facilities it offers to them.

3- The roads are much better from Delhi to Himachal as compared to roads leading to Uttarakhand.

4- Huge adventure opportunities for tourists of all ages.

5- There’s a wide variety of stay options in Himachal as compared to Uttarakhand.

Pic from our Mukteshwar Trip in Uttarakhand

• Why choose Uttarakhand as a perfect weekend getaway?

1- Uttarakhand is more serene and peaceful. It is an explorers delight as not many tourists are seen in this part.

2- People of Uttarakhand are extremely helpful & friendly.

3- Their hospitability is beyond comparison. They can go out of their way to make you feel comfortable.

4- Many hill stations are not yet commercialized & offers an unspoiled beauty to its visitors.

5- Garhwal and Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand are known to be the safest places in India. Hence, a perfect getaway option for solo travelers and families.

You may also read – Weekend Getaway to Kausani in Uttarakhand!

I hope I cleared up some confusion about where to go this summer holidays. So, what are your plans for a weekend getaway with the family? Do share with me in the comments below.

That’s all for now, see you guys tomorrow with another travel related post.

Today is Day 23 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘W’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen W for Weekend Getaway. 

• Subscribe to my blog. Sign up here
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You may read all my posts under BlogchatterA2Z here!

Reference – https://www.quora.com/Which-is-a-better-state-Himachal-Pradesh-or-Uttarakhand

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Hey guys, the weekend is here! So, today’s post will be the last one from our Meghalaya Trip for this month. And, I’ll be sharing our first ever camping experience with our toddler – Riverside Camping with Kids at Dawki.

Dawki is the last village of Meghalaya situated at the India-Bangladesh border. It is famously known for boating in crystal clear water of Umngnot river. While planning our itinerary, we came to know about Dawki and without any second thoughts, we added it to our trip.

However, we were not sure whether to stay overnight at Dawki or move to Mawlynnong village. Hence, we didn’t book accommodation for that night & kept our plan flexible. And, I am happy we kept it like that since we got to experience our first camp life with our toddler.

Sometimes, unplanned trips turn out to be the best! And, Meghalaya was one such trip out of many.

It was our 6th day in Meghalaya and it took us 2 hr 30 min to reach Dawki from Cherrapunjee. The road was not so good and after a point, there were a lot of trucks continuously coming from the opposite side. Dawki was relatively warm since it lies near the plains. But, it got really hot around noon. At that time, we were actually not very happy with our decision to visit Dawki.

The first look of the Dawki river from inside the car

When we finally saw the big Dawki river and the India-Bangladesh border on our right, we felt good. But the road was jam-packed with all the vehicles parked on that small lane. The sight was not very impressive. We were approached by many boatmen who wanted to book us a boat ride. We said no to them since we had other plans!

While on the way, our driver had promised to take us to a much better and quieter place which was 9 km ahead of Dawki. I must say the driver was quite proactive and definitely very smart. In such a short time, he understood our preferences very well. If you remember he even told us about the offbeat Arwah cave in Cherrapunjee. And, this time, he recommended camping to us.

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Dawki to Shnongpdeng – Riverside Camping with Kids

We were quite panicked when we saw the rush at Dawki & were totally turned off by that sight. Not many people know about this another place which is truly a hidden gem. And, a treat for nature and adventure lovers. So, when you reach Dawki, just ask your driver to take you to Shnongpdeng. It took us another 15-20 mins to reach there.

We were very much impressed by the place. Its perfect location amidst the forest, the beautiful river, greenery, and peace all around. Now the task was to find a decent place to stay. Our driver had already suggested camping to us but we still wanted to check another place just in case. You always want to be well prepared when you have kids with you.

Luckily, we found a nice room overlooking Umngnot river obviously overpriced but we were happy to have some option. Next, we wanted to check the Shnongpdeng camping area. The same person who showed us the room, accompanied us to show his camps.

Now, to reach the camping area, we had to cross a narrow suspension footbridge built over the river. And, that was the only way to reach to the other side.

Suspension bridge over Umngnot river

It looked scary at first & once on the bridge I just froze, couldn’t even feel my legs, it was nerve-wracking. I looked up and saw the man was about to reach the other end. My husband & son were almost in the middle when the bridge started shaking badly. I looked at my husband and missed a beat to saw the terrified look on his face.

Crossing the bridge

It was a test of my love, No! not for my husband but for the adventure 😛

I had to do it & after much struggle, I reached in the middle and took Nemit’s hand. Now, we all 3 were walking together, Nemit in between us. Woah! that was one spine chilling experience. And, we had to do that not once or twice but every time we had to cross that river.

Camping with Kids – Shatsngi Homestay And Adventure

When we reached the camping area, we knew we had to stay at the camp only. Once again we made a trip to the other side, packed our backpacks with essentials for 1 night & left our suitcases in the cab.

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Yay, we were finally camping with our toddler. We chose a big family tent for us and talked to the manager for activities that we could do.

We booked camp from  – Shatsngi Homestay And Adventure

Shatsngi Homestay And Adventure Camps

He suggested going for a boat ride which was already in our to-do list. We decided to have lunch and then go for boating. The sun was setting and the temperature was going down. Everything was so perfect. There were only a few boats in that part of the river at Shnongpdeng, the whole setting was quite charming. And, we loved the boating experience.

Boating in Umngnot river

It became cold and dark around 6 pm. We changed into warm clothes and sat outside our tent. It was so serene and beautiful.

Happy Nemit outside our tent

We got to know that there were no charging points in that camping area and there was only 1 lightbulb. Soon our phone batteries died and we realized we were in a true nature camp setting. We just surrendered ourselves to nature that evening.

Dinner at camp

It was then time for dinner and bonfire. It always amazes me to see the most delectable food served in such rustic settings. The food was super yum.

It got quite cold at night and bonfire did a great job at keeping us warm. We were having a gala time, later our driver and camp manager with his wife also joined us. We talked & laughed, they shared their stories, we shared ours and with that, we called it a night.

Nemit enjoying a bonfire at camp

It was a perfect camping experience!

We woke up fresh and happy. Then went to the river bank for some fun family time. The water was cold but it couldn’t deter Nemit from enjoying.

Morning at camp

Morning at Umngnot river

Umngnot river

Ok, let me tell you, that day there was only 1 more couple staying at that camp. So, we were a little worried too for our safety. That night, we left everything to the almighty. And, we realized faith still works, there are still good people. We were quite vulnerable that night & anything could have happened considering we were a family. Our phones were not working and we were totally alone in that part.

As per our experience, we found all the places we visited in Meghalaya to be quite safe and traveler friendly. I would still suggest going well prepared, keep a torch and power bank with you.

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So, this was our wonderful camping experience at Shnongpdeng near Dawki. I highly recommend riverside camping with kids to all parents.

That’s all for today, see you guys on Monday with another travel post. And, if you liked reading this post, do comment below and don’t forget to share it.

Today is Day 18 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘R’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen R for Riverside. 

• Subscribe to my blog. Sign up here
• Follow us on Social Media – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

You may read all my posts under BlogchatterA2Z here!

The post Riverside Camping with Kids at Dawki, Meghalaya appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, as promised in my last post, today I will share our experience of exploring the caves in Meghalaya.

My oldest memory of visiting a cave takes me back to my childhood. We used to visit Vaishno Devi, the famous Hindu shrine in Jammu, every year. For me, that was the first taste of adventure travel. The overnight train journeys followed by the risky bus rides through the hairpin bends in the hills. And then taking up the 12 km mountain trek from the base camp at Katra to finally reach the cave on Trikuta mountain. Since then I have been fascinated by caves of all kinds. And have never left a chance of exploring any famous or offbeat caves during our travels.

Some of the caves we have visited are the animal caves at Nainital, Tiger cave in Krabi the limestone caves at Baratang Island, Mawjymbuin cave in Mawsynram, Phra Nang cave on Railey beach Krabi, Mawsmai cave & Arwah Lumshynna cave in Cherrapunjee.

There are many caves in Meghalaya and one can take caving expeditions as per their expertise. If you are a first timer and not the adventure lover kind, Mawjymbuin cave will be a perfect one for you to visit. If you like thrill but are afraid of exploring the deep dark unknown spaces then try visiting Mawsmai cave in Cherrapunjee. This one is the most famous cave among the tourists.

But, if you like exploring offbeat locations and you thrive on thrill then you should definitely try exploring the Arwah Lumshynna cave.

Exploring Offbeat Arwah Caves in Meghalaya with our Toddler

Inside Arwah Cave while returning back

Exploring the Arwah caves in Meghalaya was one of our most exciting & terrifying experiences of all. Check out these 5 reasons why visiting Arwah cave was our best escapade ever–

1. We had no idea that such a cave existed in Meghalaya until we reached there.
2. We had no idea if we could manage the cave expedition with our toddler, still, we took up the challenge.
3. Also, we didn’t know how deep and long was the cave. We went a step ahead and said ‘No’ to hire a guide.
4. We were not well prepared & equipped for cave exploration. Yet, we managed to touch the darkest passages inside the cave.
5. Although the cave was surprisingly long, creepy, quiet, & suffocating, we felt the sense of joy & satisfaction.

Our Journey of visiting the Caves in Meghalaya

It was our 4th day in Meghalaya, we started early morning from Shillong to reach Cherrapunjee. Our driver had promised to take us to all the viewpoints on the way. And he happily kept his promise that day. We were about to reach Cherrapunjee when he mentioned about these offbeat caves which no one visits. After our not-so-good experience of visiting Mawjymbuin cave the other day, we were not interested to explore yet another dull cave.

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But when he mentioned that these are the longest accessible caves for visitors, we decided to check these out. After getting a go-ahead from us, he took a sudden left turn and we were now off road moving at a speed of a tortoise to avoid jerking and shaking. Nemit was totally enjoying the ride though.

The road didn’t seem to end and we were almost regretting our decision. But just then we saw a big parking area in front of us. Finally, we reached but couldn’t see the cave. Upon enquiring we came to know that we need to walk some 800 meters ahead to reach the cave. We were already so tired that the idea of walking any further put us off.

Arwah Lumshynna Cave 

Walking towards the ticket counter

After walking a few steps, we saw the ticket counter from where the walkway leads to the cave. Once I stepped on that path, I just skipped a heartbeat, the view in front of my eyes was extremely beautiful.

Ticket Counter at Arwah Cave

It seemed we had entered a fairytale setting, the pathway was narrow with hills on one side and tall trees & deep valley on the other. The only sounds we could hear were of birds and insects. It was the most beautiful sight which we were least expecting that time. And, all our tiredness just faded away.

Walking towards the cave

We enjoyed each minute walking on that bridge towards the cave. Soon, we saw the cave entrance where we were approached by a local guide. We were certainly not in our senses and refused to hire him. We went inside the small entrance and walked down the stairs. The cave looked huge from there. There was another flight of stairs which seemed rickety but we managed to descend safely.

What we saw ahead was a huge passage, poorly lit, small water streams flowing out of nowhere, water dripping from the ceiling and only sound was of flowing water. 

Fossils

That was the moment when we realized we were going to have the best experience of our life. We moved further enthusiastically carefully making our way in the semi-lit cave observing the limestone formations. There were fossil carvings on the rocks above, we were totally having a thrilling time.

Inside the cave

We moved further and realized it was getting darker with each step. Since we were not carrying the torch we used our mobile phone torch to find our way ahead. And then the passage started getting narrower. Soon we reached a point where it was pitch black and even our phone lights refused to help us see clearly. The only sound we could hear was our own heartbeat, I can’t even explain the adrenaline rush I could feel in that moment. Also, it was quite humid and suffocating inside.

After an hour’s ordeal, we decided to head back and took a deep breath when we saw the natural light once again.

12 Things to keep in mind before visiting Arwah Cave

1. Hire a guide.
2. Carry a big torchlight.
3. Don’t carry a big backpack or handbag. A backpack might get stuck in narrow passages and you will need free hands to keep your balance so no handbag.
4. Carry enough water bottles, it gets quite hot inside.
5. If there are more than 10-20 people inside the cave, wait and keep a distance. It’s a one-way cave you will not like getting suffocated in that small area.
6. Wear comfortable shoes preferably with rubber sole or floaters or crocs sandal which gives a good grip, it is very slippery inside. Keep an extra pair of footwear in the car in case your shoes get wet.
7. Be very careful with kids, don’t leave their hand in a dark or a slippery area.
8. Don’t step into the water stream.
9. Be alert and don’t panic.
10. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, return back.
11. You can take your toddler (age 2+) with you, strictly a ‘no’ for babies and infants.
12. Otherwise, the cave looked safe, just watch your step and mind your head.

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That’s all for today! I hope you liked reading our experience and found this post helpful. Are you an adventure lover? Would you like to take your child to explore Arwah cave?

Today is Day 15 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘O’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen O for Offbeat. 

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The post The Caves in Meghalaya – Exploring Offbeat Arwah Cave with our Toddler appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hi friends, hope you are liking my travel posts. The weekend is here and I’m eagerly waiting for Sunday to take a break from writing & spend some quality time with family. But before that, I want to share our experience from our day in Pahalgam, Kashmir. And, today I will be sharing the top 5 things you can do with kids when in Pahalgam.

We had spent 2 days in Pahalgam, day 1 we kept for leisure and on day 2 we went exploring the charming beauty of Pahalgam. However, if you want, you can club these activities together in a single day. We had booked Kolahoi Green Resort which is located en route to Pahalgam from Srinagar. And the Pahalgam market is just 7 km from the resort.

Source – www.kolahoigreen.com

This resort is strategically located in the most peaceful location offering a splendid view of the mountains. And, the best part is the Lidder river flows just across the road making it a perfect resort to stay with family. We had spent most of our leisure time at the riverside.

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Top 5 Things to do with Kids in Pahalgam

1- Fun Time at Lidder Amusement Park

Now, if you are traveling with young kids then you should definitely take them to this place. This fun amusement park is just 5 mins from Pahalgam & is a perfect place for young kids to play & enjoy rides. You may read more about it here!

2- Visit Betab Valley, Pahalgam

A 15 min scenic drive from Pahalgam with the Lidder river flowing by your side will take you to Betab Valley. If you have watched the famous Bollywood movie ‘BETAAB’ starring Sunny Deol & Amrita Singh then it won’t take much time to relate to the name of this valley. And, this will also make you excited to look for exact shooting locations which you could recall from the movie.

Movie Poster – Betaab

My mother & husband were quite excited to explore this place. While my mother in law and I were just happy to be at such a calm and peaceful location. Nemit was happy to see all the green open space which was perfect for him to run around.

The weather in Kashmir is quite unpredictable, it can go from sunny to cloudy to windy within no time. And, when it gets windy, it gets super chilly too. Only a Maggi & chai can save you. Luckily, it was Nemit’s nap time, so he slept peacefully for an hour while we had a Maggi picnic at Betab Valley. Check out the below post for more pics!

 

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A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Oct 19, 2018 at 7:05am PDT

I would suggest reaching here around 10 – 11 am and spend an hour or two. Kids will love exploring this place.

3- Trek to Chandanwari Glacier

Chandanwari is a beautiful spot just 20 mins from Betab Valley. It is also the starting point of Amarnath Yatra. When we reached Chandanwari, it was already 2.30 pm and the temperature had started going down. Our driver dropped us near a small market from where we had to walk or I can say trek to the glacier point.

Trek to Chandanwari

 

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A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Oct 30, 2018 at 12:24am PDT

It was a memorable experience, Nemit was enjoying the most. He just wanted to keep going even when the terrain was quite rough and we had to literally run behind him to catch up.

Nemit trekking to the glacier

There was a completely different feel to that place. I don’t know if it was the Oct month or the time of the day but the place was extremely quiet. The only sound we could hear was our own echo in the valley or the gushing sound of the river water. The moment I took a step towards the glacier I fell in love with this place.

 

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A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Oct 19, 2018 at 9:26pm PDT

I wanted to dance and sing and just stay there forever. I am really not able to put my exact feelings in words, but I was completely mesmerized by the beauty of Chandanwari.

Snowfall at Chandanwari

Just when we were returning to our cab, it started snowing. It was very slow and we could hardly feel it. But that added to our ecstatic mood. We decided to stay for some more time and again ordered a round of Maggi & chai for us. And, cookies & chocolate milk for the little one.

4- Drive to Aru Valley

Our next stop was Aru Valley which was an hour drive from Chandanwari. Since it was already 4 pm when we started, we knew we won’t be able to spend much time at Aru Valley. Just after 10 mins drive, it started raining heavily. And, the whole drive turned into the most delightful long drive in the hills.

We put on the music and started our own karaoke in the car. While our driver was getting worried, we were in full mood to go out and enjoy the rain. And, as soon as we reached Aru valley, the weather took another turn, and now we could see the rain and the hail together. Even that could not stop us.

Crazy We!

For me and my husband, it was the perfect moment to go out and feel the chills. And, we did that exactly. In that extreme weather, we walked a few meters to the valley and clicked pictures. That’s crazy we!

At Aru Valley

Nemit was missing all the action since his grandmothers didn’t let him go with us. Poor baby! But on our way back when it stopped raining and the sky changed colors, we stopped once again.

Posing in rain & hail!

It was a small viewpoint from where one can have the complete view of Lidder valley. And, click click, how could we not take pictures with such a stunning landscape in the background.

Family Pic

If you can make to Aru Valley before 4 pm and if the weather permits, it’s a beautiful valley to spend some leisure time with family.

5- Leisure Time by the Lidder River

We were lucky that we booked Kolahoi Green Resort in Pahalgam, it was the best place we could book considering its location. And, how could we not walk down to the riverside for some lovely family time? Read more about it in my next post here.

 

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A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Oct 18, 2018 at 9:04am PDT

So, that’s all about spending a day in Pahalgam & the top 5 things you can do with kids. I hope you liked reading our experience. And, if you plan a day in Pahalgam, you know what all you need to include in your day-itinerary.

Do share it with your friends and family. I am signing off now, see you guys tomorrow!

Today is Day 11 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘K’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen K for Kashmir. 

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The post A Day in Pahalgam, Kashmir – Top 5 Things to do when traveling with Kids! appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hey guys, hope you all are doing well. Let me take you on a joyride to Gulmarg Gondola today, one of our most thrilling experiences in Kashmir. It was also on top of my travel bucket list until last year. We visited Kashmir in October 2018 and had planned a 5-day itinerary with 3 major destinations, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and Sonmarg. Here’s an ultimate Kashmir Travel Guide for you if you are traveling with kids.

We were already quite nervous about our trip because of the tensed situations in J&K. However, we wanted our trip to be a memorable & exciting one so we tried including some adventure in it. And, today I am going to share our experience of an adventurous Gulmarg Gondola Ride.

Kashmir

Most of you must be aware of Gulmarg being a popular ski destination in India during winters. Many tourists, travelers, and adventurers visit Gulmarg in the months of Dec-Jan-Feb to enjoy the snow.

However, if you are planning a vacation with young kids, I would suggest not visiting in the extreme winter months. Especially, if it’s their first experience at a high altitude as the temperature dips as low as -14 degrees Celsius in peak winters.

We found October to be perfect for traveling with kids when the average temperature was around 5 to 15 degrees Celcius.

Gulmarg Gondola Joyride

Gulmarg Gondola is one of the world’s longest & highest operating cable cars which operate in 2 phases. There’s one more phase that is chairlift which majorly operates in winter months.

3 Stages of Gondola ride

Gulmarg to Kongdoori (9 mins)  and Kongdoori to Apharwat Peak (12 mins)

Chairlift – Kongdoori to Mary shoulder (children below 10 years of age are not allowed)

Although I have experienced ropeway rides at many other places like Manali, Mussoorie, Mansa Devi ropeway and Nanda Devi ropeway in India and Langkawi sky cab in Malaysia. The Gulmarg Gondola ride was quite an exhilarating experience for all of us. It’s thrilling and spine-chilling when you are thousands of feet above the ground & all you see around yourself are the snow-covered mountain peaks & the tips of pine trees.

Well, I remember freaking out when the cable car started swinging due to strong winds after crossing phase 1. At that moment, I was having flashes of movie ‘Frozen’ (no, not the Disney Frozen). The movie where 3 friends get stranded on the chair lift when the ski patrol mistakenly left them behind.

I was getting all the horrible thoughts in my mind. I looked at my mom, surprisingly she looked calm, I am sure she was in the meditative state. When I turned to look at my mother-in-law, she seemed as terrified as I was. And, I immediately turned to my husband, to get reassurance that everything is fine & he managed to reciprocate with a smile.

Next, I wanted to see the reaction on Nemit’s face in that situation. I was avoiding eye contact since I was fearing that he would want to jump into my lap the moment I look at him.

But to my utter surprise, he was the only one who was enjoying the valley view. He was happily looking outside across the glass door when he turned around & said, ‘Wow, look mumma-papa, that’s snow. I want to play in the snow.’ And, it brought a big smile on everyone’s face. And, our fears just vanished into thin air.

That’s childhood, fearless & carefree.

All you need to know before taking the Gondola ride!

When to visit

Gulmarg Gondola is operational all year round. They may shut down periodically for maintenance. It is better to call on the helpline numbers before visiting Gulmarg and check with them if they are operational or not.

• Email – info@gulmarggondola.com
• Ph- +919650226555, 91-197-2435837

We visited in October and there was not much snow even at phase 2 or the snow was too thin & slippery. Also, there were no snow activities during that time. But the views were breathtaking, there were fewer tourists and we got to enjoy the panoramic beauty of the mountain ranges.

If you want to enjoy the snow activities, visit from Nov to Mar.

 

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A post shared by Neha Sharma (@growing_with_nemit) on Nov 2, 2018 at 7:08am PDT

Timings of Gondola

Gondola timings are from 9 am to 5 pm (depending on weather conditions) and the ticket is valid only for 3 hours from the time of boarding. At any time, if the weather gets bad, they immediately evacuate the place for the safety of tourists.

Ticket Booking

You can book tickets through the ticket counter or online e-ticketing sites www.jksccc.com or www.gulmarggondola.com.

It is always better to book tickets after checking with them the current weather conditions. I would suggest booking online once you reach Gulmarg. Ticket counters usually have long queues which are a total waste of time. Also, when you book online you get to select a time slot (of an hour) from 9 am to 3 pm & the ticket is valid for 3 hours.

For phase 1 & 2, children below 3 years are free. And for phase 3, children below 10 years are not allowed.

Gulmarg Gondola Online Ticket Booking

I would recommend booking a two-way ticket from Gulmarg to Apharwat. Go directly to phase 2, spend some time there playing in the snow and then come back to phase 1. Please take care of small children and senior citizens as they may face some breathing problem for the first few minutes.

As per our experience, Nemit was all good and excited and didn’t face any issues which we were fearing. However, my mother-in-law did get breathing difficulty at Phase 2 & she couldn’t enjoy much. My mother was initially good but after some time she also felt a bit tired, due to less oxygen at high altitude.

There’s a seating area at both the levels in case someone wants to rest & relax and catch a breath.

What to Wear/Pack

At Apharwat, the temperature keeps on changing depending on the weather condition. So, even on a good sunny day, it is advisable to pack a pair of woolen gloves, a woolen cap to cover the head, ears & neck (or even face) and an extra jacket/wind-cheater. It is always good to put on layers rather than covering up in 1 bulky woolen.

That’s how we layered up!

For kids, keep a pair of spare outfits in case they need a change after getting wet playing in the snow.

And, wear comfortable shoes, snow boots or hiking boots are good. You can also rent boots after reaching phase 2.

Do you need a Tourist Guide?

Yes!!!

I would strongly suggest booking a guide if you have kids or elderly with you. They can help you walk through the snow, can carry your bags and narrate to you some amazing tales of the hills.

We paid INR 500/- for 3 hrs (bargain as they start from 2000/-). I am sure the charges are high during peak season and winter season.

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So, that’s all for today. I hope you enjoyed reading this post and found it helpful. I would love to hear your experience of any cable car rides. Do write them down in the comments below.

Today is Day 10 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘J’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen J for Joyride. 

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You may read all my posts under BlogchatterA2Z here!

Image Credits – Gondola Main Image (Blog & YouTube) via www.jktourism.org and www.tourmyindia.com

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Kashmir Travel Guide

Hey guys, welcome back to my blog. The Week 2 of #BlogchatterA2Z begins today with letter G. And, I thought of bringing to you an ultimate travel guide to help you plan a trip to Kashmir. Jammu & Kashmir is a state in northern India surrounded by the great Himalayan ranges. J&K consists of 3 regions – Jammu, Kashmir Valley, and Ladakh. Today, I will be talking about the Kashmir valley which is famous for its beautiful landscape, snow-capped mountains & pristine lakes & rivers. Not to forget the warm and lovely people of Kashmir.

I know currently the situation in Kashmir is bit tensed & not favorable for tourism. Also, families may not consider it as a preferred travel destination. But, I am sure that everything is going to get normal very soon. And, travelers & tourists will start flocking this beautiful valley once again.

I fell in love with Kashmir at a very young age. I have heard many stories of its heavenly beauty from my parents & have seen it in their b&w honeymoon pictures.

My Parents in Kashmir (1983)

It was my childhood dream to travel to this beautiful destination. And my dream came true last year when we planned a family trip to Kashmir in the month of October. My mother and mother-in-law had also joined us since it was a special birthday trip for my husband.

We were confused about whether to go or to cancel this trip until the last minute. But once we stepped out of the airport and the fresh air touched us, we knew our stay in Kashmir was going to be very memorable. And, we would be taking back so many memories with us.

Here’s a famous quote by Mughal Emperor Jehangir when he visited Kashmir “Gar Firdaus bar-rue zaminast, hamiasto, hamin asto, haminast.” Meaning ‘If there is heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here’. And, it still holds true.

Let me help answer some of the common questions which we had while planning our trip.

When to visit?

The first thing we wanted to check was the best time to visit Kashmir. We were looking for the month of October which is considered the onset of winter season & also the offseason in Kashmir. My husband called a few tour operators in Kashmir and checked with them about the weather conditions. He even checked with the hotels to be sure about the weather since we were traveling with a toddler and senior citizens.

Kashmir is one destination in India which you can visit at any time of the year. It depends on what you want to enjoy there. And what temperatures you can tolerate.

• Summer – April to June (Max tourist footfall)
• Monsoon – July to September
• Winters – October to March (Max Snowfall in Dec-Jan-Feb)

Summer months get the maximum crowd in the valley. However, people who love snow, flock in the winter months. We visited in October and found it to be the perfect time to enjoy the true beauty of Kashmir, it was neither too cold not too hot.

How to Reach?

Since we had only 5 days in hand, we chose the fastest way to reach Srinagar. The airport is very well connected to all the major cities in India. The flight takes only 1 hour 30 min from Delhi to Srinagar. And the fare ranges from INR 3000 to INR 5000 depending on the airline. You can reach Kashmir by any of these means, by-

Air- Srinagar International Airport

Road- Delhi to Srinagar (809 Km via NH 44)

Train- Jammu Tawi Railway Station in Jammu

Places to Visit in Kashmir?

Now that you have decided when & how you want to travel to Kashmir, it’s time to decide which places you want to include in your itinerary. Below is the list of 10 famous places in J&K-

1. Srinagar
2. Pahalgam
3. Gulmarg
4. Sonmarg
5. Leh
6. Anantnag
7. Pulwama
8. Jammu
9. Patnitop
10. Kargil

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Here’s a Quick 5D/6N Kashmir Itinerary 

This is the itinerary that we followed for our 5-day trip.

We all know the situation in Kashmir. We keep hearing about the news of violence, stone pelting, and ceasefire violation in J&K. Srinagar is the main city that witnesses the violent protests by the frustrated youth. But let me tell you, Kashmir is the warmest place on Earth & the care and hospitality by the Kashmiris is truly heart touching.

For Kashmiris, tourism is the main source of their income. And, they can never go against tourists or hurt them. In fact, they go out of their way to save tourists from any foul situation. During our stay, we felt that warmth, love, and care in their hospitality.

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