I love watching Hockey. Growing up, Cricket was dominating but Hockey stayed within the circle of interest. In the past few years, Hockey has edged out Cricket. Why? The finesse required in stick handling is stunning. The tactical complexity is fascinating. India’s history in Olympics in nostalgic. Most appearances in men’s (22 times), leads the… Read more: Thrill of the Game: Hockey Live at Wagener Stadium

First hike of the trip. 25mins drive from Salzburg to this wild and beautiful Almbach Gorge in the Berchtesgaden National Park

First family trip to Europe in a decade. Our daughter’s first. The plan took shape over months. We prioritized the outdoors and made some tough decisions to drop Vienna & Prague. Vacation planning perfection lies in striking a delicate balance of activity and tranquility. Getting to that sweet spot is the holy grail. Every moment… Read more: Autumn in the Alps: Vacation Planning

Sand dunes in the middle of nowhere, welcome to nature’s creations. This is the specialty of Maasduinen National Park, one of the 20 national parks in Netherlands. Duinen means dunes. I hiked 10 kilometers starting from the parking lot Parkeerplaats De Maasduinen, walking on the bridge, crossing the lake on a unusual hand-operated cable ferry,… Read more: Hiking in Maasduinen National Park, Netherlands

Why Lisbon? Someone asked me. A decade or so back when I was in Paris, I decided to plan a trip to Lisbon on the whim. That plan did not see the light of the day. The light showed up in July 2024. Cycling 20kms I enjoy casual cycling. Instead of finding my own way… Read more: Weekend in Lisbon, Portugal

10 / 11 Feb 2024: A weekend of drunk people in costumes, they said. One person even made, what is in my books, a culturally insensitive comment! The expressions did not sound something to look forward as a foreigner. After a busy work week, the weekend was meant for plenty of sleep and long walks… Read more: Carnaval in Netherlands

21-Jun-2024: Imagine the feeling when seated in a plane, ready to take off to Yogyakarta and the pilot comes on line to say “Welcome to this service to Jakarta”. The wife & me look at each other visibly puzzled! “We didn’t hear it well” was the first reaction and waited for the following announcement in… Read more: Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Trip Summary

2024 is here! A new year’s day is just another day in the life. Yet it is special because it is a new start. Another way to think about 1-January, one of the ~80 days assuming a life span of 80 years! It is matter of perspective. What’s in the adventure store for 2024? Few… Read more: IndiaHikes & Aquaterra Adventure Calendar for 2024

No paid links or sponsored references in this post I am in Mumbai for a few days. So I looked up whitewater rafting adventures in Maharashtra, India. I can find 2 options: Kundalika River 12 kms / Grade 2 & 3 / ~12 rapids / 2 hours / Easy Situated in the Sahyadri mountain ranges,… Read more: Whitewater Rafting Rivers in Maharashtra from Mumbai & Pune

No paid links or sponsored references in this post Year 2005. The wife & me, in our mid-20s then, visited the Cauvery Fishing Camp for a couple of nights. Bheemeshwari Adventure Camp is the official name. It is situated 120kms from Bangalore by the banks of Cauvery River. It is owned by Jungle Lodges &… Read more: Flashback: My First Whitewater Rafting Experience

When someone asked me recently what I learned from the experience of living in Japan (few months in Osaka & Tokyo in 2007 & 2008), my instant response was “quality, simplicity & attention to detail”. So, where else could be safer place to introduce our 14-year-old daughter to her first whitewater rafting adventure? Game Plan… Read more: Our Whitewater Rafting experience on Shiribetsu River in Hokkaido, Japan

NO paid links or sponsored references in this post. Stroopwafel. One of my cherished family memories is enjoying these Dutch cookies with the family back home. I bought them once while transiting through Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport few years back. This time I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in the city. Arrival & Stay… Read more: 2 days in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Among travel destinations, Japan is our first love. We lived a few months in Osaka & Tokyo in 2007 & 2008. During this period, we visited many places in central Japan such as Kobe, Kyoto, Himeji, Ise Shima, Hakone (Mt Fuji), Yokohama. Since then work trips took me to Japan about half a dozen times… Read more: Hokkaido & Osaka, Japan: Trip Summary

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