SHARE U'R TRAVEL EXPERIENCE - Page 3

Thanks Preethi and Ambi.

Preethi, Australia did that to me - brought out the poetic side in me. 😆

^^^ rly ? is australia that beautiful ? 😳

Yes. Lots of greenery, blue seas, clear blue skies, fresh air, space, space, space. Thus you don't feel you are in an overcrowded city.

karthi,u'r building up my interest on Aussie trip yaar,i'm anxiously waiting 4 my trip.May be end of this year,i may visit Sydney & Melbourne 2 visit my cousins there.

Ambi, I also have another reason why I love Oz - oysters and wine. 😆 😳 Much in abundance.

^^^ lol 😆 when i went to germany, it was rly nice 😊 i was rly little though, so i cant remember anything other than being inside an airport and playing on this inside playground.... it was a firetruck and some kid almost peed on me 😕 😕 😕 and i remember looking out the window, and a huge coke machine 😳 have u ever been to germany ?

Ambi, you are going to visit Oz and see your cousins? That is a big risk you are taking. 😆

I studied in UK. My travel was again to UK, Ireland, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, France, Singapore and Canada. While Denmark, France and Belgium was pit stop holidays, the rest were long ones.

Now, Ambi why I said abt cousins. I went to Canada for 10 days with my parents. I refused to stay more with my parents. I told my parents this is my first hol in long time, I want to do something more than visiting relatives. My cousin and family, his sister, my parents and me. My coz drove us from Toronto all the way to Quebec/Montreal. Beautiful country. I will tell you more about it later. I will tell you what happen to my parents after I left. They had invites after invites, cousins, inlaws, friends and relatives. Gee.... in 6 days how many people can you give an appointment? They had 2 breakfasts, 2-3 lunches and 2-3 dinners every day without fail!!! My parents were not ready for this kind of feast and they were worried they might offend someone. Infact, quite a no of our relatives were disappointed that I left early and told my parents off.

Infact, when I was there, I spent more time visiting my relatives than exploring! 😛 My god, the feast they put up! Unbelievable. 😲 I was shocked.

When my mum came back to UK, she said thank god. One more day in Canada I will surely puke! 🤢 My brothers and I had a good laugh about it.

Thanx Caryn,i actually hv 1 cousin in Sydney & 1 in Melbourne,so hope not too much 2 worry.

Karthi Oz,oyster & wine!!!!i'm a veggie & paaty(not in age)in drinks 😆

Ok coming 2 Bangkok,it is a tourist friendly place.
I'm just going 2 give a small tip 4 veggies(whoever particular in indian food) - There is a Hindu Temple(temple itself is a landmark,but still if u find it difficult hindu temple is close to Holiday inn Hotel,silom road) in Silom Road,just next 2 that temple,there is a small restaurant by name 'Chennai Kitchen' - Very Tasty & Very Cheap,its a south indian restaurant.U may miss the shop,the nameboard will not be predominent,it is a small shop.

We went 2 BGK with my family with many kiths & kin,so we've 2 luk for Indian Veggie.

Oh, I forgot, I've been to Bangkok and Phuket too.

I will write more later.

Interesting thread. Since most of you have written about your visits to Europe, North America and Australia (and one wrote about a visit to Thailand), I shall not write about my visits to those parts of the world. Instead, I shall speak briefly about the Middle East.

One of my favourite destinations is Istanbul, Turkey. Needless to say, there is much to write about when it comes to Istanbul, the crossroads of East and West, but let me just focus on two experiences. Visiting the Hagia Sophia was a veritable lesson in history. That monument began as a Byzantine church, was converted into a mosque during Ottoman times, and now is a museum and also a functioning mosque. The other place I enjoy visiting is Topkapi Palace. It's a showcase of the Ottoman empire but what I enjoy most is sitting in the cafe, sipping a turkish coffee, and looking out at the Bosphorus Channel. Oh, and, of course, I love shopping at the cavernous Grand Bazaar.

Another favourite destination is Cairo. I just love sitting in cafes in the bustling Khan el-Khalil area, sipping mint tea, taking in the apple fragrance of shisha (water pipe) and watching the world go by. The ancient city of Jaffa with its cobblestone paths and alleys is another delight in that part of the world. Damascus is another city I enjoyed visiting. It is far more open than one would think. One of the highlights of the city is its historic homes. (Btw, if you do visit Israel, make sure you have your visa stamped separately and not into your passport. Most of the Arab countries, except Jordan and Egypt, will take exception if you have visited Israel and you may be denied entry.)

Then there is Beirut. I visited it in June of 2006, some weeks before the Israelis bombed it. The city had been damaged in the fighting of the late 1970s and the Israeli invasion of 1982. But it had been carefully rebuilt when I visited it. I especially enjoyed walking through the middle class district of Ashrafiye, with its beautiful homes. The civic district was also very chic, with its French-style restaurants. Beirut airport was one of the best airports I had visited in that part of the world. But, sadly, within weeks of my visit, the Israelis bombed the airport and parts of the city. And, civil conflict has again broken out in the last days.

Visiting Iran four years ago was an educational experience, which put paid to popular notions that the mullahs exert tight authoritarian control. Teheran is far more open to the West than I had expected. I usually like touring departmental stores and supermarkets to determine how the people live. The supermarkets were well stocked with imported goods, including Godiva chocolates and popular brands of shampoo. The most memorable image for me was my visit to a lingerie shop. The sales assistant was covered in the obligatory abaya and she was handling the sales of all manner of skimpy undergarments, including G-strings 😃