Popular tourist destinations - GOA

Goa is one the best tourist attraction in India. It is very popular tourist destinations because of its gorgeous beaches. Apart from beaches Goa also offers attractions, Goa cuisines, water sports and a colorful culture. There are many more things to explore in Goa like churches, one of the major attractions, natural beauty, shopping and nightlife. The Goa Carnival is unique in the sense it’s not celebrated elsewhere in India.

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Beaches: 

Goa is a Land of Beaches, there are around 40 beaches in Goa,and some of them are still virgin. Anjuna, Calangute, Baga, Dona Paula, Colva and Bambolim are among the most famous beaches in Goa. Mostly beaches are divided into north and south Goa beaches. Each and every beach of Goa has it’s own importance, these beaches are paradise for beach lovers.

Famous Calangute Beach in Goa

Cuisines: 

The cuisine of Goa is one of the best in India. The cuisine is mostly seafood based that include crabs, prawns, tiger prawns fish etc. It is also considered as Goa cuisine can’t be complete without fish. Foods in Goa are influence of Portuguese and Hindu. Fish Curry and rice is a traditional food of Goa, which is really very delicious.

Goa Fish Curry

Wildlife: 

There are some famous wildlife sanctuary in Goa like Madei, Cotigao and Bondla Wildlife sanctuary, which supports a rich flora and fauna. These natural habitats are home for a wide variety of wild animals, including Indian Bison (Gaur), Cobra and leopard. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in North Goa is famous for rare species of birds.

Wildlife in Goa

Culture: 

Goa offer a mix culture of India and Portugal. Culture of Goa including its heritage, people, fairs and festivals. There are number of churches in Goa built by the Portuguese and these are one of the great attractions in Goa. Rave Parties and late night parties on exotic beaches of Goa are the major attraction for tourist peoples. Goa Carnival and Nightlife in Goa offers a true flavor of mix culture of India and Portugal.

Culture of Goa

Natural Beauty: 

Goa is a state which is gifted with incredible natural beauty. Natural Beauty of Goa includes waterfalls, green forest, fabulous beaches and sunshine. Waterfalls in Goa are added attraction to its natural beauty, The Dudh Sagar waterfall is one the major waterfall in Goa.

Beautiful Waterfall in Goa 

Carnival - Goa

The state of Goa celebrates its one of the biggest festival of the year, the Goan carnival festival. Carnival at Goa is not stop three days and nights festival of fun,entertainment,song,music and colors. Goa Carnival is one of the most awaited festival and attracts many tourists from all over the world. Konkani dance, Street plays and Grand feast are few major attraction of Goa Carnival festival, It will be starting in February 2013,get ready for food,dance,music and fun.

Famous Goa Carnival

Did I Pack My Toothbrush? Getting Organized for Travel

For many of us summertime = vacation time. Some people will spend their days off at the local pool. Some may choose to sightsee in their own town. Many will leave behind the comforts of home for the open road. Regardless of the destination or mode of transportation, it is important to be organized for travel.


A few benefits of being organized for travel:

1. Being organized will save you time.

Having a copy of your packing list on the computer will cut down on the time used for re-creating it every time you travel.

2. Being organized will save you money.

Doing pre-travel shopping at home will save you big bucks (especially on film and batteries...) that might be otherwise be spent at a tourist trap.

3. Being organized will save you stress.

No need to stress while scrounging for your tickets and ID at the airport if all of your paperwork is organized in one place.

Follow these organizing tips to keep your vacation a stress-free, time and money saving event:

Plan ahead. Create a general itinerary before you travel. Grab pen and paper and jot down your travel times, hotel check-in/check-out times, and a list of activities/places you’d like to visit. This will help you make sure you have allowed enough time to get to your destination, and whether or not you’ve scheduled too many activities for one day.

* Stop by your local ‘AAA’ office for a Triptik and other travel-related services to help map out your route if driving.

Create a checklist to help you pack. Keep it on the computer so you don’t have to write it over every time you leave home. Use it as a template and update it before each trip to include anything new such as medications, toiletries, accessories, etc.

Keep all information related to your trip in one place. Create a folder for papers such as reservations, confirmations, and tickets. When you look for the information you need before or during your trip, you’ll have it all at your fingertips.

Keep a toiletry bag packed with small sized travel sized-containers all year round. By doing so, you’re always ready for a long trip or an overnight stay. Take a quick inventory of its contents before you leave home—you might have run out of toothpaste on your last trip.

*If your favorite products don’t come in sample sizes, purchase small, travel sized containers and fill them with your favorite shampoo and creams. Label them clearly so you don’t accidentally condition your hair with a facial moisturizer...


Place items you’ll need immediately at the top of your suitcase. Items such as comfortable shoes, pajamas, and toiletries are more easily accessible if they’re closer to top. When you’re tired from a long journey, the last thing you want to be doing is rummaging through your suitcase.

Use suitcase organizers to separate outfits or types of clothing. Products such as Pack-It Cubes or Ziploc bags do the job well. Hefty makes One-Zip 2.5 gallon bags (found in many supermarkets) that are large enough to organize clothes and later can be used to keep laundry or wet bathing suits away from the rest of your belongings.

*Wearing your bulkiest pair of shoes while traveling will give you more space in your suitcase.

Organize your wardrobe around one basic color such as black, navy, or brown to prevent overpacking. You’ll be able to mix and match easily and you won’t need to bring a ton of different shoes. Also, when packing--think about your vacation activities. Will they include hiking? Days at the beach? Having dinner with relatives? Think ahead and pack items you may need for those activities such as band-aids for hiking, aloe vera for sunburns, and the scarf Aunt Shirley gave you for your birthday if you’ll be seeing her.

Travel safely and have an organized trip!

Planning on Doing Some International Travel Over the Holidays?

[shudder]. No really, a little EQ - managing the attitude, and using the ole noggin' can make it almost pleasant!

1. Pack your patience and your Emotional Intelligence.

Turn down the emotions, turn up the forethought. Example - research your destination on the Internet prior for websites where individuals (not paid interests) can tell you what you can ^anticipate^.


2. Pre-arrange everything you possibly can – air, hotel, car, restaurant, attractions, plays.

3. Make copies of your passport, traveler’s checques, credit cards, itinerary, and airline tickets.

Carry one copy with you and leave one copy with your designated emergency-contact.

4. Carry with you the address and phone number of your country’s embassy (consulate) for each country you’ll visit.

5. Take any regular medication in your hand luggage and be sure you have more than enough for your trip. (Remember needles and scissors can’t be in hand luggage.)

6. Check the US State Dept. advisories, www.travelstate.gov, before your go for immunizations, hazards and other pertinent information; the Overseas Security Advisory Council, www.ds-osac.org,and the Transportation Security Administration site, www.tsatraveltips.us.

7. You'll know you'll be waiting, so use your EQ and figure out how to make it A Good Thing.


· Use e-ticket and online checkin when you can.
· Bring along that book you’ve been meaning to read
· Bring a pre-paid phone call and catch up with buddies
· Bring a neck pillow and plan to catch up on your rest
· Dress appropriately for sitting or lying around an airport for a long time – loose clothing that can be abused

8. Use your neocortex when you pack, not your brain-stem. (You KNOW the rules, abide by them! Exorcize from the brain-stem another time, another place.)

· Pack carry-ons lightly so they can be checked more easily
· Check the checked baggage allowance and be sure your name and contact details are on the outside of each bag
· Avoid packing anything that looks like a weapon (guide – anything you wouldn’t give a toddler free access to – nail file, letter opener, knitting needle, and the more obvious hand grenades)
· When traveling to and from North America, TSA recommends not locking checked baggage
· Check here www.tsa.dot.gov for common items which become hazardous in flight due to temperature changes and pressure, and don’t pack them.

9. Be sure you have a valid passport and any required Visas and be prepared to show them at any point along the way.

10. Know the rules of security checkpoints and abide by them.

· Only ticketed passengers can proceed beyond it
· All electronic items will be screened – laptops and cells. Remove laptop from travel case.
· Keep ticket and boarding pass and ID within easy reach – like on neck chain
· Wear shoes easy to remove and as little jewelry as possible

P.S. Here's a tip from a seasoned traveler. You KNOW you're going to be buying things, and possibly taking home gifts, so pack some clothes that are ready for Goodwill and that you can deposit in another country's "Goodwill" to leave space in your bags for the return trip.

21 Fun Ways to Celebrate Christmas

1. Get your friends together to string popcorn and cranberries while watching animated kids' classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.


2. Get your youth group to create a living nativity scene one night a week in front of your church.

3. For a few laughs and a lot of fun, get together with friends to look at each other's family photos from past Christmases.

4. Form a kazoo band and go caroling—no singing allowed!

5. Pile the family in the car and drive around your town looking at Christmas lights.

6. Drop anonymous notes on your teachers' desks thanking them for sharing their gift of teaching with you. You may want to include a message about the greatest gift of all, Jesus!

7. Make your own creative wrapping paper using butcher paper and festive stamps.

8. Make a nativity scene from snow; if you live near a sunny beach, sand-sculpt the nativity scene.

9. Check with your local animal shelter and see if you and your friends can help give the animals their baths. Bring red and green ribbon to give them bows when you're done.

10. Go to your church one evening when no one else is there. Bring a single candle to light and sit in the silence, enjoying the peace of the season. (Be sure you've cleared this with somebody on the church staff.)


11. Grab your siblings for a fun day of shopping for your parents. After you've purchased the gifts, find a good place to sit and watch people. Try and guess who they're shopping for and what they bought.

12. Make hot cocoa for your grandma or grandpa. Ask them about Christmases past and their favorite traditions.

13. Try a holiday recipe from a different culture, like Mexican wedding cookies or Norwegian lefse.

14. Make a mixed tape of familiar Christmas carols sung by famous musical artists and have a contest to see who can guess who's singing; award the tape to one who gets the most correct.

15. Read the Christmas story (Matthew 1 and Luke 2:1-20) several times before Christmas; write down some new insights God gives you as you read.

16. Offer free babysitting for a busy mom in your church while she goes shopping.

17. Give out candy canes at school with a little note that explains where this tradition came from—to represent the staff of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ; the red is his blood; the white is the purity of Christ. (Get the whole story at www.daily-blessings.com/ch4p.htm.)

18. Turn off all the lights and read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by candlelight.

19. Get your youth group to clean your pastor's or youth pastor's house while they relax with their favorite Christmas CD.

20. Volunteer to be a Salvation Army bell ringer. Give candy to young children who drop money in the bucket.

21. Keep a journal of all your favorite Christmas memories from this year so you can thank God for each one and remember them next Christmas!

Moorea Island - French Polynesia - Tahiti

Moorea is a high island in French Polynesia located at 17 kms away from northwest of Tahiti. The island surrounded with spectacular beaches, coconut trees and mountains is the one of the popular honeymoon destinations for newly wedded couples from Europe and America. The magnificent beach resorts and the nature’s beauty of Moorea island are not just for newly wedded couples, but takes anyone into the romantic mood. 

Some of the fascinating pictures of Moorea beach resorts

Royal Rajasthan on wheel

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels is the name of new luxury train in India which will cover some places of Royal Rajasthan. Luxury train tour in India has become so popular that Government of Rajasthan has introduced a new luxury train after Palace on Wheels. The Palace on Wheels has received great response from the foreign tourists and it was not possible to accommodate all the tourists who come for the tour. In fact the train is booked till the end of 2009. So the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels has been introduced to fulfill the tourists demand. A week of royal life style including visit to the some of interesting famous spots of Rajasthan is something very exciting. 

Royal Rajasthan on Wheel is a new version of Palace on Wheels with a better facility. It is an epitome of luxury, pleasure, wonder and so on. This luxury tour will cover the destinations like - Delhi, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Chittaurgarh, Bharatpur and Agra. Tourists will be taken through a charismatic train tour of 8 days. 

Facilities on the tour

The facilities on the train are really royal. There are two types of coaches in Royal Rajasthan - deluxe and super deluxe coaches. The super deluxe coach has two suites. Each suits has capacity of 4 persons and specious sitting area with dressing table, luggage space and specious bath room. There is a common lounge in the coach also.

Deluxe coach has 3 double beded cabins with a capacity of 6 pax. There are sitting areas, dressing table, luggage rack and specious bathroom in each cabin.

There are two resto lounge bar with capacity of 120 pax. And one most interesting thing added here is the Wi-Fi Intenet connection. Last but not least there is a spa cum gym to provide the ultimate relaxation to the tourists and super deluxe saloons too.

The Royal journey of Royal Rajasthan will start from Delhi. Every Sunday it will depart from the capital city. And after 7 days of Rajasthan tour the train will come back to the Delhi via Agra. The journey in the luxury train is an awesome experience. The interior, food , places everything give the tourist a feeling of royal treatment. 

Travel Map of Royal Rajasthan on Wheel

Basic Travel itinerary : Royal Rajasthan On Wheels Luxury Train - 9 Days

Delhi • Jaipur • Jaiselmer • Jodhpur • Sawai Madhopur • Udaipur • Bharatpur/Agra • Delhi

DAY 1 - Saturday - Delhi
Arrive Delhi. Meeting and transfer to hotel. Afternoon city tour visiting colorful bazaar Chandni Chowk, memorial to Mahatma Gandhi and Jama Masjid followed by sound and light show at the Red Fort.
Overnight at : Taj Mahal. (B)

Day 2 - Sunday - Delhi
Morning at leisure. Late afternoon transfer to Safdarjung Railway Station to board Rajasthan Royals (Luxury Train). Departure for Jaipur. Dinner on board.

Day 3 - Monday - Jaipur
Morning arrive at Jaipur. Breakfast on board. Departure by coach for city sight-seeing visiting Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Elephant ride and Lunch at Amber Fort and Shopping. After lunch visit City Palace & Observatory. Return to RROW for tea and fresh-n-up. Visit to Jai Mahal Palace by coach in the evening and return to RROW. Departure for Jaisalmer. Dinner on board.

Day 4 - Tuesday - Sawai Madhopur - Chittaugarh
In the Morning arrive at Sawai Madhopur. Departure for Ranthambore National Park (Sanctuary visit). Breakfast at Vinayak Hotel & visit of Jhoomar Baori. Arrival on RROW. Departure for Chittaurgarh. Lunch on board. Arrival at Chittaurgarh. Departure by coach for city sight-seeing. Evening tea and light & sound program at Fort. Return to RROW by coach. In the late evening depart to for Hotel Panna by coach for cultural program & dinner. Return to RROW by coach. Departure for Udaipur.

Day 5 - Wednesday - Udaipur
This morning arrive at Udaipur. Breakfast at Sikarbadi (Heritage Hotel). Departure for sight-seeing by coach visiting Sahelion Ki Bari, City Palace & Crystal Gallery. Lunch at Fateh Prakash/Sunset Point. After lunch enjoy a boat ride in Lake Pichola. Depart for Station by coach to board RROW. Evening Tea on board. Departure for Jaiselmer. Dinner on Board.

Day 6 - Thursday - Jaiselmer

Breafast on board. Arrival at Jaiselmer.After breakfast departure for sight seeing visting Gadisar Lake Fort, Havelies and City tour. Return to RROW for lunch. After lunch visit Kuldhara, take a camel safari to sand dunes and evening tea. Attend a cultural program with dinner at sand dunes. Return to RROW by coash. Deaprture for Jodhpur in night.

Day 7 - Friday - Jodhpur
Arrive at Mandor, Jodhpur (breakfast on board). Departure by coach for sight-seeing visiting Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada & Umaid Bhawan Palace. Lunch at Umaid Bhawan Palace. Return to RROW. Depart for Bharatpur and Agra. Dinner on Board.

Day 8 - Saturday - Bharatpur - Agra - Taj Mahal
Arrive at Bharatpur. Visit the World Heritage Keoladeo National Park (Ghana National Bird Sanctuary) prior to transfer to Agra. Breakfast at Bird Sanctuary forest lodge. Return to RROW and departure for Agra. Arrival at Agra Fort Railway Station. Departure by coach for sight-seeing - Visit to Fort of Agra. Lunch at five star Hotel. Visit to Taj Mahal & Shopping. Enjoy Light & Sound program at Agra. Return to RROW by coach. Dinner on Board. Departure for Delhi from Agra Cantt.

Day 9 - Sunday - Delhi
In the morning enjoy the breakfast on board. Arrival at Safdarjung Railway Station. De-board the train. Transfer to Delhi Airport by car/coach. Depart on your onward journey. 

(RROW = Royal Rajasthan on Wheels)

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