JANUARY 2016 • `150 • VOL. 4
WHERE TO GO IN
ISSUE 7
2016
AZERBAIJAN MEETING THE ELEMENTS MAURITIUS WATER ADVENTURES
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REASONS TO TRAVEL THIS YEAR PLUS 15 MUST-SEE PLACES AROUND THE WORLD
n a t i o n a l g e o g r a p h i c t r av e l l e r i n d i a
january 2016
Contents Vol 4 Issue 7
t r av e l i d e a s f o r 2 0 1 6
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Where to go in 2016
Uruguay, Botswana, Greenland: Our smokin’ hot list of 15 places to visit now
100 Reasons to Travel Now Myriad ideas inspire us to travel. Here are places and experiences we’re currently crazy about
Journeys
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The Elements
In Azerbaijan, the elements are evocative, cultures coalesce, and the familiarity is heart-warming By Niloufer Venkatraman Photographs by Chirodeep Chaudhuri
58 Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island
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The Long Way Home
A road trip across nine countries, spanning 20,200 kilometres, 58 days and eight time zones, in pictures Text & Photographs by Rishad Saam Mehta
Keenpress/National Geographic Magazines/getty images
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voices
JANUARY 2016 • `150 • VOL. 4
WHERE TO GO IN
ISSUE 7
18 Tread Softly
20 Book of Hours
The illustrated story of the postman who built a palace in Hauterives, France
22 Clan Rules
Over 70 years later, a photo album continues to inspire travels
n av i g at e
24 The Insider
Maximum Milan: A mosaic of food, fashion, and design captures the essence of Italy
28 Book Extract
120 Active Holiday
Three ways to experience the ocean in Mauritius AZERBAIJAN MEETING THE ELEMENTS MAURITIUS WATER ADVENTURES
99(+1)
REASONS TO TRAVEL THIS YEAR
122 Active Break
Exploring Goa’s mangrove forests on a kayak
PLUS 15 MUST-SEE PLACES AROUND THE WORLD
On The Cover Richard I’Anson’s image of the Carnaval del Uruguay in Montevideo goes straight to the heart of this vibrant festival of music, dance, and colour. Young and old join parades celebrating their history, freedom, and rich culture.
Revisiting the ancient Silk Road outpost of Kashgar in China
Short Breaks
From Delhi
124 Grand havelis, bowls of bhujia, and baby camels in Bikaner, Rajasthan
Stay
126 Slowing down at a homestay near Mumbai 127 A green corner in the concrete jungle
of Guwahati
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32 National Park
Blackbucks and raptors thrive in Gujarat’s Velavadar National Park
38 Off Track
Amidst the desert dunes of Oman, the surprise of glittering waters
44 Hidden Gem
The ancient wall art of Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh, still weaves a spell
50 The Comeback
In Rome, Nero’s lavish palace re-emerges after a decade
54 Local Flavour
Kashmir’s hearty winter delicacy, Harissa, hits the spot
regulars 12 Editor’s Note 14 Notebook 128 Strange Planet january 2016 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA
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dinodia (cave), tommaso girolamo/age fotostock/dinodia (monument), photo courtesy: Blue Safari (coral) Richard I’Anson/Lonely Planet Images/getty images (cover)
In Goa, a chance for travellers and nature to rejuvenate
Get Going
2016
Editor’s Note |
n i lou f e r v en katra m a n
Backpack of Memories
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and escape to one of the moments stored in my backpack. The learning and memories from travel have a way of balancing the scales in my daily life. For instance, my years of trekking in the mountains have taught me that even when I’m physically wiped out and feel like I cannot walk another step, I can still manage that last steep incline. Even when my aching muscles have announced they cannot move any further, I’ve learned to overcome physical exhaustion to get to where I need to be. It is eventually a lesson of mind over matter. A lesson I often dip into in daily life. A few days ago, I came home from work completely exhausted. I didn’t want to eat dinner or interact with anyone; I just wanted to sleep. But the Christmas holidays were on, and my nine-year-old daughter had been waiting for me to return home. She was eager for us to do something together after dinner and she’d planned for me to help her bake octopusshaped chocolate cookies. My initial reaction was to say no. But when I saw the look of disappointment on her face I revised my answer. I put myself on a mountain, on a steep incline, with no choice but to overcome fatigue and continue the journey upward. As the aroma of baking cookies filled the house I felt energized, a simple happiness gained from reaching the top of the hill. As the new year dawns, one of the most important things I will do for myself is find time to get away from the everyday crunch of deadlines and decisions. Whether it’s one-day trips or week-long vacations, I promise myself several breaks. They are the perfect buffer against the daily grind.
Waterfall near Gushaini, Himachal Pradesh
Years of trekking have taught me that even when I’m physically wiped out and feel like I cannot walk another step, I can still manage that last steep incline
National Geographic Traveller India is about immersive travel and authentic storytelling, inspiring readers to create their own journeys and return with amazing stories. Our distinctive yellow rectangle is a window into a world of unparalleled discovery.
national Geographic Traveller INDIA | january 2016
andré Morris
our mission
unchtime conversation in the office is always interesting. Recently, our art director Diviya was telling us about a friend who works in his family business even though he hates it. His heart lies in doing other things, but he’s forced by family pressures to do what’s expected of him, to toe the line and work in an environment where respect means saying nothing. His story is not an isolated one; it’s the story of countless young people in India. However, there is one small difference. To keep his sanity, every few months, this young man takes off on a trip that extends anywhere between a few days to a few weeks. He lives for these trips, travelling solo in India or abroad. It is his escape, but more than that, it’s his way of enhancing his life, of meeting new people he connects with, of experiencing new things. We all travel for different reasons and, for some, it’s a velvet escape point—a way of making reality more bearable. Although I’m in a job I love, I can see how travel serves to make the rat race more manageable, the stresses and strains of the real world more acceptable. On almost every trip I take, I find I come back with at least one special memory or moment that I unconsciously store away in a memory bank. It’s usually something quite simple or fleeting: hiking to a waterfall with my daughter, sitting under an apple tree, the call of a barking deer in the jungle at night. Sometimes a new experience might replace an older one. In this way, I’ve accumulated a small backpack full of joyful moments that I reach into whenever I’m struggling with a situation, person, or emotion. Sometimes, when I’m drowning in work, or when everything around me seems completely overwhelming or is driving me crazy, I try to close my eyes
book of hou rs
Amruta patil is the author of graphic novels Kari and Adi Parva. Book of Hours chronicles an hour spent here, there, elsewhere.
ANAﾃ記 SEGHEZZI (AMRUTA PATIL)
Voices |
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Navigate |
Nati o n a l Pa r k
Golden Grasslands Blackbucks and flocks of raptors thrive at Velavadar National Park By Shashank Birla | Photographs by Dhritiman Mukherjee is host to its larger cousin, the nilgai. It is also a birder’s delight, with over 200 avian species. In the park and in the village areas surrounding it, one can find other endangered bird species like the lesser florican, locally called kharmor or grass peacock. Predators and scavengers such as the striped hyena, the golden jackal, the Indian fox and the otherwise rarely seen Indian grey wolf roam the grasslands of the park and the jowar fields beyond it. Explore
Spread out over 34 square kilometres, Velavadar is divided into two parts separated by a road: the Grassland Area
and the Wetland Area. The grasslands, which constitute the blackbuck’s habitat, are among the most photographed areas of the national park. Because such habitats are often classified as wastelands, they are disappearing over much of India, tragically undervalued in terms of the threatened species they house and the role they play in maintaining the ecosystem. Habitats such as the wetland area in the southern part of the park, near the Gulf of Khambat, have also been under threat. Thankfully, there has been a strong movement for their protection, as citizens have begun to recognise how vital these areas are as havens
As grasslands are converted into agricultural fields, blackbucks resort to raiding crops and are treated as pests. Velavadar in Gujarat is one of the few places in India where they thrive.
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n India, the blackbuck is an animal as infamous as it is threatened. Better known for its role in the drama of actor Salman Khan’s life than for its own particular characteristics, this species of antelope is native to the subcontinent. A large number of blackbuck live in Gujarat’s Velavadar Blackbuck National Park, just south of Ahmedabad. It’s the park’s signature species, and it is here that you are nearly guaranteed a close encounter with this graceful animal as it crosses a road in front of you, or darts out into a meadow. Besides herds of blackbuck grazing their way across the grassland, Velavadar
for waterbirds, waders, and a variety of aquatic life. In fact, Velavadar is classified as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International, a certification of its avian diversity. Both the grasslands and wetlands are worth visiting; more mammal sightings are likely in the grassland area, while birders might find the wetland area more rewarding. However, as with any wild haven, animals don’t follow rules, all wildlife moves freely and you never know where you might get lucky with a sighting. The guides of the forest department are very adept at reading signs of life, and will help you get the most out of your visit if you let them know of your particular interests. Wildlife
Over 5,000 members of the threatened species of Indian blackbuck congregate in the vast, open grasslands of Velavadar. They are a sight to behold, with the adult males pronking (sprinting off the ground with all four feet in the air), a behaviour designed to advertise the antelope’s fitness and ward off predators. You can tell the males by their corkscrew horns, pale black upper bodies, and white underbellies. Females and juveniles often lack horns and are a sandy brown colour. The other major ungulate, or hoofed mammal, in the park is the hulking nilgai or bluebuck, less gregarious than the blackbuck, but just as common. While generally quite languid, they can run at great speeds despite their bulk. Other easyto-spot mammals include wild boar, the Indian grey mongoose, and the blacknaped hare. Many wildlife enthusiasts and photographers travel to Velavadar from far away to capture two enigmatic predators: the Indian grey wolf and the largely nocturnal striped hyena. Also well represented here are the Indian fox and golden jackal in addition to wolves. Though this was once the hunting ground for the now extinct Asiatic cheetah, Velavadar’s lone feline predator is the jungle cat. Many species of butterflies and reptiles also live here, the latter including the saw-scaled viper, Indian cobra, and common krait. For birders, Velavadar is a particularly good place to see grassland species including numerous varieties of larks,
Velavadar has several wintering species of harriers (top), lightly-built birds of prey that hunt small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds; Though it looks like a dog, the striped hyena (bottom) is more closely related to the cat and is a capable predator with powerful jaws.
pipits, sandgrouse, francolins, quails, and bushchats. Winter certainly is the best time to come if you are an avid birdwatcher, with many migratory waterbirds and waders making the national park their home during these months (Nov to Mar). Prominent among them are flamingos, pelicans, cranes, storks, and a multitude of duck species. Majestic birds of prey make this a raptors’ paradise. They include eagle speciessuch as steppe, tawny, and eastern imperial. There are also a huge number of roosting harriers including the pallid, Montagu’s, western marsh,
and hen harriers, and the short-eared and Indian eagle owls. Velavadar is one of the largest harrier roosting sites in the world. Watching hundreds of these birds of prey taking to the air during early dawn and returning to their roosts just before dusk is a memory that’ll last a lifetime. Velavadar National Park is closed during the monsoon, when it supports one of the highest densities of the endangered lesser florican during its breeding season. The sight of the male preening and leaping in the air repeatedly to woo his mate is one
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Nati o n a l Pa r k
Unlike the adult male blackbuck, young fawns are light brown and easily camouflaged by the tall grasses.
treasured by birders who come to the surrounding grasslands. Safari Cost and Timings
Unlike most other national parks, visitors can take their own cars into the jungle. The dirt tracks are clearly marked out, though they might be difficult to negotiate if you have a sedan with low ground clearance. An alternative is to arrange for a jeep from the Blackbuck Lodge, which charges `1,800 for a two-hour safari, which includes the services of a naturalist (not including park fees). Entry to the national park costs `400 per vehicle (up to six people), plus `100 for a forest department guide, and another `100 for each camera you carry. The advantage of having your own car is that you can use it for the entire duration of the two time slots (6.30 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; varies with season), whereas the lodge’s vehicles cost extra beyond two hours. When the park is closed during the monsoon, the Blackbuck Lodge organises safaris in the surrounding grasslands and fields that also yield good sightings of birdlife and a few mammals.
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Stay
There are two options for those who want to stay longer at Velavadar. Kaliyar Bhavan Forest Lodge Owned and managed by the forest department, this is a basic, budget option in Velavadar. Its main advantage is its location within the park, surrounded by grasslands with wildlife visible from the lodge itself. The lodge has four rooms, and the caretaker cooks simple vegetarian meals. Facilities are clean but basic (0278-2426425; doubles `3,000 for an AC room, and `1,000 for a non-AC one; payment has to be made in advance via Demand Draft made out to the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar, Bahumali Bhavan, Annex building, Block No. S-10, Forest Department, Bhavnagar 364001, Gujarat). The Blackbuck Lodge Spread out over 70 acres, this property has 14 large, well-equipped cottages. Rooms have air-conditioning, comfortable beds, large bathrooms, and rear verandas that overlook the grassland around the property. Sitting there, I spotted birds like francolins, cisticolas, lapwings. Sightings of the blackbuck and jungle
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cat are also common. Meals are multicuisine, service is excellent, and the in-house naturalist who accompanies you on safaris is well-informed (90999 12375; theblackbucklodge.com; doubles from `14,500). Seasons
During summer (Apr-Jun) the days can get hot with temperatures over 40°C. If you can bear the heat, this is a good time to see most mammals, as they congregate near water sources. Vegetation is sparser, making sightings easier. The park is closed mid-June to 14 October. After the park’s opening, the weather takes a pleasant turn. There’s a distinct nip in the air in winter (DecJan) when the temperature drops to 4-5°C at night. This is a good time for birdwatching, with a sizeable number of winter migrants and resident species. Getting There
Velavadar is 65 km/1 hr north of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, the closest airport and major railhead (taxi `3,000 oneway). Daily buses ply this route as well (every hour; ticket `100). Ahmedabad is about 140 km/3 hr north of Velavadar.
Navigate |
LocaL F L avou r
a plate of harissa is garnished with hot oil at a tiny outlet in the ali kadal neighbourhood of Shahar-e-khaas, the downtown area of Srinagar’s old city.
Hunting Down Harissa Kashmir’s winter-only breaKfast delicacy TexT & PhoTograPh by Sugato Mukherjee
O
n winter mornings, a crowd gathers in front of a few shops in Srinagar’s old town area during the wee hours, even as the mercury hovers around freezing point. They line up to buy harissa, a traditional breakfast delicacy that is cooked overnight in the cold months. Harissa was introduced to Kashmir by the Mughals in the 16th century and the recipe has not changed much since then. Don’t mistake it for the North African hot sauce with the same name. This dish requires meticulous preparation, and is made from the best portions of minced mutton, mixed with local rice, fennel seeds, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, and other seasonings. The concoction simmers in a huge earthenware pot over a slow fire for at least 10 hours. Zahoor Ahmed Bhat runs one of the harissa shops near or in the Ali
Kadal neighbourhood. He’s the fourthgeneration owner of the business that has been running for almost 150 years. He opens shop at 5.30 a.m. and by 10 a.m. he is done for the day, having dispatched large quantities of harissa to different parts of Srinagar, and the adjoining districts of Budgam and Pulwama. I find myself at a small table in the dimly lit interiors of Zahoor’s shop. He is seated on an elevated stone platform, and uses a brass ladle to scoop out a generous helping of harissa from the steaming pot. He garnishes it with a dose of flaming hot oil and serves it to me with two choche, a kind of Kashmiri roti. I take a tentative jab at the concoction with a piece of the choche. The blend of succulent meat and rice melts in my mouth. The distinctive taste of each spice—from the strong taste of cardamom to the faint whiff of cinnamon—tickles my taste buds, leaving
a smoky trail. Zahoor refills my plate with a generous second helping. “I won’t encourage you to take a third, though,” he smiles. He says that with good reason, referring to a local story about the 18thcentury Afghan governor of Kashmir. Apparently he loved the winter dish so much that he died overeating it. the vitals To try this winter indulgence, trace the harissa shops in the labyrinthine lanes of ali Kadal and Saraf Kadal, downtown in Srinagar’s old city area. The shops, about five in number, have no names or signage, but locals can point you to them. They open from November to March from 5.30 a.m. until they sell out the day’s preparation. reach early to avoid disappointment. a 100-gm portion costs `100-120 and comes with a couple of choche.
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In Focus |
I DEAS FO R 2016
Botswana’s Okavango Delta sometimes spills across more than 20,000 square kilometres, an ample runway for wildlife.
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■ world
Where to go in 2016
BOBBY HAAS/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE
Wanderlust and expertise meet to form our smokin’ hot list of 15 great places to visit now
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In Focus |
I DEAS FO R 2016
OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANa All hail this African queen IN A PART OF THE WORLD not given to small gestures and bland landscapes, Botswana’s Okavango Delta still manages to leap out as a singularly unlikely miracle. A massive fan of water that gets its start in rivers percolating out of the deciduous forests of Angola’s highlands, the delta evaporates 320 kilometres later in the sands of the Kalahari Desert. This wilderness is one of the last places to see the Big Five of the traditional African safari: elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros. It so nearly wasn’t. By the 1900s, European and American hunters had killed almost all of the area’s elephants, without which crucial channels in the delta silt up. But in the decades that followed, conservationists reversed the near collapse of this exquisitely balanced ecosystem and, in June 2014, UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site. Still, the designation will be meaningless unless the Angolan and Namibian governments also ensure that the rivers feeding the delta are protected. The romantic intimacy of the delta is best explored in a guided mokoro (dugout canoe). Experienced this way, the Okavango is Venice with wildlife. The flash of a malachite kingfisher, the mocking shout of hippos, the cry of a hadada ibis—each is a reminder that without wilderness we are diminished, lonelier. We humans are a part of, not apart from, our rich, rare, and fragile world. —Alexandra Fuller
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NORTH AMERICA
Best of the World 2016 7
EUROPE
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3
4
ASIA
11
14
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15
AFRICA 10
SOUTH AMERICA
8 5
1
2 9
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AUSTRALIA
1 Okavango Delta, Botswana 2 Uruguay 3 New York City, U.S.A. 4 Masurian Lake District, Poland 5 Seychelles 6 Greenland 7 Glasgow, Scotland 8 Philippines 9 South Georgia Island 10 Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil 11 Danube River 12 Eastern Bhutan 13 Côte d’Or, Burgundy, France 14 Bermuda 15 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, U.S.A.
blaine harrington iii/ramble/corbis/imagelibrary (cheetahs), ng maps (map)
Cheetahs rest on a mound near the Kwara Camp in the Okavango Delta.
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Café Brasilero, founded in 1877 in Montevideo’s Old Town, is a perfect spot for a cortado, or espresso with milk.
URUGUAY LOW-PROFILE Uruguay has received attention recently, thanks in part to the unconventional ways of José Mujica, its president from 2010 to 2015, who lived in a ramshackle house on a dirt road and donated much of his salary to charity. The attention is deserved: South America’s second smallest country, dwarfed by surrounding giants Brazil and Argentina, is an oasis of stability. A fashion-fixated international crowd flocks to the beaches, luxury lodgings, and arts scene in Punta del Este. To the east, wetlands stretch up the Atlantic coast to Brazil, notably the Bañados del Este Biosphere Reserve, home to more than a hundred bird species. Then there’s 17th-century Colonia del
Sacramento, a World Heritage Site for the fusion of Spanish and Portuguese architecture in its old town. Montevideo, where about half of the nation’s 3.3 million people live, is “the calmest capital city in Latin America, whether you’re strolling along the Plata River or ducking into a boutique museum,” says novelist and filmmaker Carolina De Robertis. Highlights here include the colonial Old Town and the costume-filled Museo del Carnaval. Uruguay may never emerge from the shadows of its neighbours, but for a land where banknotes feature artists and writers instead of generals and admirals, that may be a good thing. —Wayne Bernhardson
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Yadid Levy/Anzenberger/Redux
Under-the-radar South America
In Focus |
I DEAS FO R 2016
NEW YORK CITY, U.S.A. Start spreading the news about this famous skyline IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW America’s most visited city, you may want to take a second look. Over the past year, the tallest office building (One World Trade Center) and tallest residential building (432 Park Avenue) in the western hemisphere have topped out, at 1,776 feet and 1,396 feet respectively, part of a crop of bold new skyscrapers that are transforming the celebrated New York skyline. Public spaces, too, have been revitalised, from the waterfronts of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn to the High Line and the new Whitney Museum on the west side. The view from One World Trade Center’s 102nd floor observatory? Stunning. The view from a helicopter? Utterly surprising, revealing hidden nooks, rooftop gardens, and everyday activity made novel with a different perspective. The greybrown metropolis becomes quilted with white in winter; in spring, pockets of colour bloom. You almost can hear Frank Sinatra belting out, “I’ll make a brandnew start of it, in old New York.” —George Steinmetz
George Steinmetz
■wo rld One World Trade Center towers over lower Manhattan in this image from photographer George Steinmetz’s new book, New York Air.
Journeys |
ROAD ROA D TR I P
The Long Way
Home
A road t rip across n i n e coun t r i es, spa n n i n g 20, 200 k i lometres, 58 days, a n d ei g h t t i m e zon es, i n pi ctu res t e x t & p h oto g r a p h s by R i s h a d Saa m M e h ta
â– wo rld The drive between the cities of Novosibirsk and Ulan-Ude in Siberia, Russia, is exceptionally scenic in the fall. The road seems never-ending, and on some stretches Lake Baikal can be spotted in the distance.
Journeys |
ROAD TR I P
M
y childhood was filled with tales of adventurers who put their trust in a single ship, steed, or motorcycle while they crossed continents. Stories in which the internal combustion engine is a trusted companion and ally fuelled my wanderlust. My parents had a passion for motoring but could only afford cars that were already three decades old. Their love for road trips meant that we undertook motoring holidays in cars that had to be coaxed to complete the journey. Those journeys, often punctuated with hissing radiators and groaning clutches, were the start of my lifelong affair with the open road. And the romance of trusting a single car for a long road trip began. From my teens, I dreamt of driving my trusty car or motorcycle across continents from Europe to India. Given the political climate in Iran and Pakistan, countries on the shortest and most logical route from Europe to India, I had resigned myself to never fulfilling this dream. But because the universe works in mysterious ways, in 2015 I was invited to drive one of a pair of cars from Germany to India along a route that entered India via the northeast. This journey took me across Eastern Europe, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, China, and Myanmar. Although I’ve done road trips before, this was the longest yet; the realisation of a cherished dream. The route we took was once the only link between Europe and Asia. Along this route flowed ideas, inventions, cultures, languages, spices, even disease and gunpowder. But more than the excitement of following the footfall of adventurers, armies, and smugglers, for me it was the thrill of driving a Maharashtra-registered Audi Q7 all the way from Munich to Mumbai—a journey that spanned 2 continents, 9 countries, 40 cities, over 58 days, across 20,200 kilometres.
THE ABCs OF PLANNING A ROAD TRIP ACROSS COUNTRIES The joy of driving your own car or motorcycle across countries and continents is unmatched The logistics and paperwork for a drive like this are considerable, but if you break it down and give a year to the planning, it will become simpler. Now that the border between India and Myanmar is open for vehicular traffic, you can actually drive your own car into or out of the country. CARNET DE PASSAGE Along with a passport and visas for every country you will enter, you need the Carnet de Passage, which is like a passport for the car. In Mumbai it is issued by the Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) on behalf of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). It must be stamped while leaving and entering India, and is usually issued against a bank guarantee that is returned when the car is back in the country. INSURANCE Your vehicle needs international insurance. Some countries also require local insurance to drive there. DOCUMENTATION Among the documents required are an international driving licence and proof that the car belongs to you or that you are legally allowed to drive it. China and Myanmar need provisional registration for the car which has to be applied for in advance. China also needs drivers to have a provisional driving licence to be applied for in advance. COST OF SHIPPING A VEHICLE Costs vary based on where you ship your vehicle. The cost of shipping the
car depends on the space (volume) it occupies on a plane, not its weight. While the Audi Q7 cost `9 lakh to ship from Bombay to Munich, my Royal Enfield motorcycle would have cost `45,000. A small car that is roomy inside is a good option. Sending your car by boat is cheaper, but takes considerably longer.
I put the car on a plane in Mumbai on a Saturday and was driving it in Munich three days later, on Tuesday. BORDERS Driving across nine countries was never a hassle. Still, border crossings can be dodgy because language is a barrier and it’s not every day that patrollers see Indian cars crossing over from Poland to Belarus, or Mongolia to China. On border crossing days, keep a few hours as buffer. While you might waltz across some borders, it’s possible that you will have to wait for five hours at others. Pack so everything from the car can be emptied and inspected easily. Smuggling of illegal goods is what most border officials are paranoid about. HOMEWORK Research everything thoroughly. Find out about countryspecific driving etiquette and requirements. For example, in the Czech Republic, you have to purchase a vignette (a sort of highway tax symbol) which must be stuck on the windshield. WHO CAN HELP? The local RTO can help with some paperwork. However, it’s simpler to become a member of the local Automobile Association (AA) like the WIAA in Mumbai, and let them help with documentation. A company that specialises in arranging road trips abroad for Indians with their own cars or motorcycles is www.roadtripper.in. They can assist with visas, shipping, local guides, and more.
THE Route Munich
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2,400 km (4 days)
7,000 km (13 days)
Moscow Russia
4,200 km (9 days)
Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
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1,500 km (6 days) Chengdu China
5,100 km (25 days) Mandalay Myanmar
Mumbai Total Distance 20,200 km
â– wo rld
Europe The drive started on familiar terrain across countries that I had already visited and driven in. We stopped at pretty tourist cities and towns like Prague (above) and Regensburg (right). The first few days through Europe allowed us to get used to driving a right-hand drive car on the right side of the road.
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Journeys |
ROAD TR I P
Russia Russia is so much more than just Moscow and St. Petersburg. Driving across it I realised that it is actually a collection of vastly varied cultures, cuisines, climates, and time zones. In Kazan, we saw a family dressed up in traditional Tartar attire (top) and at Lake Baikal we spotted the brightly coloured houses typical of Siberia (left).
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Mongolia While most of Mongolia is standard steppes around the Gobi desert, Ulaanbaatar is a vibrant capital city with the Chinggis Khan Square dominating it (top). Out in the countryside, we encountered many shepherds on horses (bottom), herding sheep just like they have since the time of Chinggis Khan.
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get going
Active Holiday
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active holiday Ocean adventures in the isles of Mauritius
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active break Explore Goa’s thriving mangrove forests on a kayak
On a submarine ride to the depths of the ocean, visitors are provided fish charts to identify the many species they spot.
Chasing Blue Dreams I
sland getaways often translate into lying on a sunbed all day, cocktail in hand. The spectacular waters off Mauritius, however, deserve more attention. Even if you aren’t set to scuba dive or snorkel and prefer staying dry, these three fun activities will reveal deep-sea secrets and provide an unbridled rush of adrenaline. These pursuits, from the air, on the surface, and deep below the sea, cater to water babies, marine-life aficionados, and adventure enthusiasts. Up in the Air
The bigness of our blue planet hits me as I soar some hundred feet above the Indian Ocean attached to a rainbow-hued parasail. A cloudless sapphire sky meets the varied blues of Mauritius’ waters on a blurry horizon. Deep indigo waves conceal the mysteries of the
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2,313 The shortest distance in kilometres, between Mauritius and the nearest mainland, Mozambique in southeast Africa.
ocean, while clear aquamarine patches allow views of the seabed. The entire vista glints madly in the golden sunlight, like a sort of wild van Gogh painting. I’m happy breathing the salty air, legs dangling far above the water. Abruptly, the tension in the towline slackens, the parasail slowly collapses, and I rapidly descend. Before I can process what’s happening, my bottom is gently dunked into the warm ocean. Île aux Cerfs, where I’m parasailing, is a little speck off the east coast of Mauritius, geared for water sports of all kinds. The languid seven-minute parasail flight reinforces the might and mystery of the ocean from an aerial perspective. While observing reef patterns and the changing hues of the water below me, I can’t help but dwell on how little we know of the ocean, though it covers 71 per cent of Earth’s surface. I long to dive to its depths to learn more.
photo courtesy: Blue Safari
Under, Over, and Above: Three ways to find happiness in Mauritius | by Malavika Bhattacharya
Intensity These are fun ways to enjoy the ocean even for those who don’t know how to swim. None are physically taxing
Easy
Moderate
demanding
Deep Dive
The following day, I do exactly that. Aboard the BS 1100—a 10-seater submarine operated by Blue Safari from Mon Choisy—I step straight into a Jules Verne novel. An eerie blue glow fills the cramped space, circular port windows line the sides, and the front is a muddle of knobs. We descend into the murky depths, watching shards of sunlight fight to pierce the ocean surface. Captain Oliver, the pilot, announces that we’ll be reaching a depth of 35 metres where the wreck of the Star Hope cruiser lies. “The abandoned ship was scuttled in 1998 to make an artificial reef and a five-starhotel for the fish,” he says. The sea creatures sure seem to be living in style, darting around the 58-metre-long, coral- and seaweed-covered parts of the sunken ship. A bristly brown fish resembling an overused toothbrush swims past. It’s a lionfish, and its long spines can deliver a venomous sting that can cause extreme pain for days. Curious orange clownfish, pretty but poisonous purple coral, sad-eyed racoon butterflyfish: The ocean is a tangle of creatures in every possible hue and size. At this depth, colour and size are altered considerably. The diminished light and thick glass windows result in everything outside looking 25 per cent smaller. It’s evident that the creation of artificial reefs—a practice used by Japanese fishermen since the 18th century—aids in the formation of a rich marine ecosystem. “In 40-50 years, the entire wreck will be covered in coral”, says Oliver. In that cramped space we sit with noses pressed to the glass, inquisitive fish swarming around us, in a bizarre reversal of roles where we are in an airtight aquarium. On the Surface
Back on land, I head to Black River by car to explore the placid lagoons of the southwest coast on a nifty little Seakart. With a steering wheel and easy accel-
atlas
Mauritius madagascar
Mon Choisy
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Port Louis Île aux Cerfs
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MAURITIUS
La Balise, Black River
The 330-km coastline of the island of Mauritius has 150 km of coral reefs surrounding it.
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eration, the turbine-propelled, four-stroke engine, 110 horsepower vessels look and run exactly like go-karts, except on water. A gentle squeeze on the accelerator and I’m bumping along the surface at close to 40 km/hr, manoeuvring past party yachts and the occasional wave. The two-seater craft is easy to handle, almost like a scooty. There are no seat belts and barely anything to hold on to. It makes for a scary but thrilling ride, and the operators insist that the Seakarts are “unsinkable and unflippable.” Speedboats are so passé. I’m zooming across open water and each little swell knocks me off my seat so I’m constantly hovering mid-air. The salty sea spray whips my face and in no time, I’m drenched. Blue waves eventually give way to the aquamarine placid lagoon. The thrum of engines falls away and I jump in for a swim. Here at Crystal Rock, I swim around the rocky protrusion that floats on the emerald surface. A solitary shrub grows on it. In the distance, Le Morne Mountain shades the sun from my eyes. I’ve had the extreme thrill of speed and the deliciousness of a slow-paced swim on the same stretch of sea.
The Vitals Parasailing A round-trip boat transfer to Île aux Cerfs from Trou d’Eau Douce Bay and seven minutes of parasailing costs MUR 1,397/`2,577 per person. (Drive to the boat pick-up point near Le Touessrok resort. Book parasailing and other water sports at booths by the water on arrival at the island.) Submarine Blue Safari’s submarine experience lasts two hours, including a one-hour dive, and costs MUR 4,400/ `8,119 per person. Mon Choisy on the northwest coast is a 50-min drive from Trou d’Eau Douce Bay (Trou aux Biches; +230-265 7272; www.blue-safari.com). Seakart An hour-long experience with Fun Adventure Mauritius is MUR 5,300/`9,779 per Seakart (La Balise, Black River; +230-5499 4929; www.fun-adventure.mu). january 2016 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA
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deagostini/w.buss/contributor/getty images (island), photo courtesy: Fun Adventures (seakart)
Parasailing above Île aux Cerfs (left) provides the perfect vantage point to admire its sandy beaches and coral reef lagoon; Easy-to-drive Seakarts offer a thrilling way to enjoy the warm, blue water.
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from delhi Handsome forts and bowls of bhujiya in Bikaner
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stay Slowing down at a homestay near Mumbai
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stay A green corner in the concrete jungle of Guwahati
Bikaner’s grand havelis were built between the 17th and 20th centuries. Their facades and carved windows and balconies display a mix of Rajput, Mughal, and colonial influences.
Best of Bikaner
B
ikaner is not very popular on travel itineraries and remains relatively less commercial as a result. The Old City in particular is impervious to the 21st century; even ubiquitous mobile network hoardings have not penetrated this part of town. Its labyrinth of narrow lanes, lined with shops selling deep-fried street food, paan, and piles of spices, is perfect for an evening of exploring. But it has more impressive draws too. There are modest palaces, opulent havelis, and the handsome Junagarh Fort where royal heirlooms and even a reassembled
fighter jet are on display. These regal vestiges are clues to the city’s history: It was the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Bikaner ruled by the Rathores. There’s also the famous Karni Mata rat temple nearby, which draws both devotees and the curious. However, the trick to discovering this Rajasthani town is not through a whirlwind tour of the sights. It is to stroll along its bazaars, chat with locals, and dig into its sinful street food. Bikaner’s most popular export is after all, the Bikaneri bhujia which even has a geographical indication (GI) tag.
The Vitals
Bikaner is 440 km/8 hr from Delhi, 330 km/5 hr northwest of Jaipur and 250 km/4.5 hr north of Jodhpur. The closest major airport is in Jodhpur, while the main railway station is Bikaner Junction. Regular trains and buses connect Bikaner to other cities in Rajasthan and around the country.
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shutterstock/indiapicture
GRANDIOSE HAVELIS AND SAUNTERING CAMELS in A Rajasthani border town | By ambika gupta
Heritage Holiday
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Delhi
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five ways to explore Ship of the Desert Baby camels are lanky, doe-eyed, furry, and oddly endearing. Watch and even pet them at the National Research Centre on Camel. Camels of all ages live here, from babies flopping about on the ground to full-grown adults with big teeth and huge eyelashes. Sample camel milk ice cream that’s all the rage with locals.
Ornate Fort
Junagarh Fort dominates the city centre. Its chequered history is closely intertwined with the region. Over the centuries, the fort was home to about 20 rulers, from Maharaja Rai Singhji (Bikaner’s sixth king who laid the foundation of the fort) to the family of Maharaja Ganga Singh who moved out in the early 1900s. Each added personal touches, evident from the elaborate and sometimes quirky rooms. Dazzling gold work adorns some ceilings and pillars and the fort museum includes a collection of stupendously ornate dressing tables, and a DH-9 DE Havilland fighter plane received as a World War I trophy. (Open daily 10 a.m.-4.30 p.m.; entry `200 adults, `100 children and students.)
In the early 20th century, the royal family moved into the sprawling Lallgarh Palace. The west wing of the pink sandstone manor is now The Lallgarh Palace Hotel. Its corridors have photographs of erstwhile royalty, offering intimate glimpses into their everyday life. Visit for a meal or coffee in the marble courtyard. The Sri Sadul Museum, on the grounds, has treasures such as a railway carriage and a special soup spoon, half-covered at the top so the king’s moustache remained dry. (www.lallgarhpalace.com; buffet `850 per head; musuem open Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m., entry `20.)
Haughty Havelis
I consider Bikaner the land of havelis. The Old City has a number of gorgeous mansions, each grander and more ornate than the next. Some jut out at odd angles while others run the length of a small lane; most remain empty and locked up. I spend an afternoon taking in these massive structures in the narrow lanes. Their intricate facades alone are worth a trip—the atmosphere and setting are of a neighbourhood caught in a time warp.
Bountiful Bazaars
At the National Research Centre on Camel (top), the sight of dozens of camels out on their daily stroll around noon is endearing; Junagarh Fort (middle) houses a museum, and has beautiful glass, lacquer, and woodwork in its palaces; It’s impossible to escape shops in Bikaner’s old bazaar selling a variety of dry snacks (bottom) including dal moth.
Bikaner’s old bazaar, inside Koth gate, is a delight. Craftsmen hammer away at lac bangles and goldsmiths fashion ornaments. Smiling shopkeepers offer passersby khoya, paneer, or paan at no charge. Dig into piping hot jalebis and kachoris at the iconic Chhotu Motu Joshi sweetshop on Station Road, or sample a mind-boggling variety of bhujias in the tiny, yet crowded Bishanlal Babulal Bhujiawala (near Koth Gate, opp. Labuji ka Katla). january 2016 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA
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ambika gupta (camel & food), tboisvieux christophe/hermis.fr/getty images (junagarh fort)
A Home at Heart