National Geographic Traveller India May 2015

iran M AY 2 0 1 5 • ` 1 5 0 • V O L . 3

ISSUE 11

The

GREAT Outdoors AYREEJ RAHIMAN

SRINAGAR SEEKING KASHMIRIYAT TAIWAN AL FRESCO ADVENTURES NORWAY ALONG A FROSTY TRAIL CALIFORNIA CAMPING IN THE MOJAVE DESERT

PORTUGAL ALONG AN ENDLESS COASTAL PLAYGROUND | NAMIBIA WHERE DESERT MEETS SEA APRIL 2015 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA

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May 2015

Contents

Volume

3

Issue

11

N A T I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C T ra v eller I n d ia

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Joshua Tree National Park, U.S.A.

In Focus

Journeys

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58

66

96

Leap of Faith

Blue is the Warmest Colour

Norwegian Frost

Story Without an End

Amidst rain, snow, and biting winds, a chance encounter spells hope on Norway’s nebulous Besseggen Trail

On each of her annual visits to Bhutan, the writer digs deeper into the culture of this Himalayan kingdom

By Nitin Chaudhary

By Mita Kapur

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100

Text and photographs by Sankar Sridhar

A New Year’s road trip from the cobalt-kissed coast of California to the heart of the Mojave Desert, one campsite at a time

By Neha Sumitran

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80

Seeking Kashmiriyat

Al Fresco Taiwan

Where Desert Meets Sea

Explorers Club

A family of five spends the summer on a houseboat, discovering Srinagar’s Alpine meadows and the poetry of its mountains and people

Despite its reputation as one of Asia’s most industrialised countries, Taiwan actually has enormous potential for outdoor experiences

A self-drive Namibian expedition through Etosha National Park and the Namib Desert, where flaming orange dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean

Early seafarers inspire an adventure along Portugal’s endless coastal playground

by Vivek Menezes

By Zac O’Yeah

photographs By dhritiman mukherjee

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national Geographic Traveller INDIA | may 2015

by Janelle Nanos

stephen simpson/getty images

Spurred by Hindu gods and English explorers, a group of mad mountain men navigate the lofty reaches of Uttarakhand’s icy Panpatia Col

ISSUE 11

The

GREAT Outdoors SRINAGAR SEEKING KASHMIRIYAT TAIWAN AL FRESCO ADVENTURES NORWAY ALONG A FROSTY TRAIL CALIFORNIA CAMPING IN THE MOJAVE DESERT

PORTUGAL ALONG AN ENDLESS COASTAL PLAYGROUND | NAMIBIA WHERE DESERT MEETS SEA

On The Cover Sajad Rafeeq, an amateur photographer from Jammu and Kashmir won Nat Geo Cover Shot 3, a photography-based reality TV show which ran on National Geographic Channel earlier this year. This cover image, which Sajad shot on the outskirts of Srinagar, perfectly captures the joy of spending time in the great outdoors.

12 Editor’s Note  14 Inbox  121 Big Shot 122 Inspire  128 Travel Quiz

42 22

108

40

Voices

16 Tread Softly

Zoos can help with animal conservation­—if they’re run with compassion

18 Book of Hours

Local Flavour There’s a lot more to Irish stout than a pint of Guinness

An illustrated travelogue of an old Goa bakery

Smart Traveller

20 Guest Column

42 Money Manager

Seeing your city from another’s perspective

Buckle up, Sydney has beautiful beaches, sport, adventure, and culture

Navigate 42

Bookshelf Telling tales in Cuba, Sri Lanka, and more

49 Checking In

22 Postcard

Coffee in Trieste has a language of its own

Coffee, spice, and all things nice at these plantation stays in the Deccan

24 Lit Trip

Get Going

Sugared almonds and shades of Don Quixote in the Spanish town of Alcalá de Henares

26 Dark Tourism

Mauritius, site of one of the greatest human migrations

28 Hidden Gem

108 Active Break

A journey up to the world’s smallest active volcano

110 Learning Holiday Gardening lessons from the wasps and leaves of an organic forest farm in Coorg

Stop and smell the flowers in Singapore’s Botanic Gardens

Short Breaks

30 Book Extract

114 From Delhi

Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms

34 Geotourism

Asia’s cleanest village works hard to live up to that epithet

36 Taste of Travel

The pleasures of a mamiapproved meal in Chennai

Twinkling lights, lakes, and palaces, Udaipur is all about the romance

Stay

118 Rekindling childhood memories in Gulmarg 119 Poee and pineapple pickle in Goa

may 2015 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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jeff greenberg/age fotostock/dinodia (family), dr. antonio comie/getty images (volcano), mark chapeaux/agf/dinodia (cafÉ), sajad rafeeq (cover)

M AY 2 0 1 5 • ` 1 5 0 • V O L . 3

Editor’s Note | niloufer venkatraman

Never Say Never

In a strange way Dubai reminded me of that other great desert city— over-the-top and built to entertain its visitors— Las Vegas

our mission 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.

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national Geographic Traveller INDIA | may 2015

familiar culture, the Indian expat feels very much at home. And judging from the number of people on the beach and at the Global Village (a culture and entertainment centre) even on a hot, sunny weekday, other expat communities are very happy here too.

Of course the UAE has its many problems; its underbelly of labour camps and seedy underground institutions. Yet, for the visitor, urgent and dramatic change is visibly underway everywhere. It’s an emirate on the move, with development projects omnipresent. In Abu Dhabi, I was surprised to learn that branches of the Guggenheim and Louvre museums are due to open soon. And some may scoff at the thought of the soon to be completed Taj Arabia—a reproduction of the Taj Mahal that is reported to be four times larger than our 17th-century original—but the truth is that it will bring in ever more visitors to Dubai.

So I’d say that I came back chastised, having learnt the lesson: never say never to a destination. You really never know whether you will like it, until you’ve actually visited. By any yardstick Dubai is impressive. It’s expensive, it’s full of malls, but it’s doing something right. It’s certainly doing a much better job of keeping the tourists pouring in than we do in this several millennia-old civilisation of ours.

The Dubai Fountain

sorbis/shutterstock

F

or several years, while my sister lived and worked in Dubai, she tried to convince me to visit. “Never,” I said refusing to entertain the thought. I had decided that Dubai was no more than a series of expensive malls that held no interest for me. I felt I had no reason to ever go there.

Cut to five years later. Quite suddenly last month, with a week off from work, a series of conversations with a friend who’s been living in Dubai for four years had me booking the family for a week-long visit. I was just as sceptical as before, but this time around, with no real agenda for the holiday, I was willing to at least look around.

The UAE surprised me. I liked it. In a strange way Dubai reminded me of that other great desert city—over-the-top and built to entertain its visitors—Las Vegas. Yes, it is a city of malls, but I had to admit that a few of them are quite something. You can learn to ski or ice skate, visit an aquarium or a theme park, and my favourite, watch a fascinating musical fountain after 7 p.m.

It’s while driving between Dubai and Abu Dhabi that I saw the real, stark, barrenness of this land. Only then did it hit home how amazing it is that out of absolutely nothing, this emirate has created a place that will continue to attract many million tourists every year. And that Dubai is already the fifth most visited city in the world.

I could see why this city is attractive not just to the tourist. Within a few minutes of walking a street in the neighbourhood of Deira it was easy to understand why it is beloved to Indians. From the Iranian owner of a shop selling nuts, to the Arabic server at a local shawarma restaurant, people everywhere, who had never been to India, were speaking Hindi. With western conveniences, a fantastic, ever-improving infrastructure, and

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Our site, natgeotraveller.in, is filled with web-exclusive columns, podcasts, and videos.

These are some of our stories.

NGT Recommends Immerse yourself in Indian culture one meal at a time. NGT staff pick 28 restaurants across the country worth travelling for.

IN PHOTOS Sebastian Cortés’ striking images of Sidhpur, Gujarat, capture the mansions of the Dawoodi Bohra community in a capsule outside the rush of time.

I

took this picture at the Krishna temple in Hampi, Karnataka. It was built by King Krishnadevaraya in 1513 to celebrate the conquest of the kingdom of Utkala, which lies in present-day Odisha. I visited Hampi in October last year, which is a good time for travellers as the weather is forgiving. —Sawant Tandle through dense mist, past mountainsides dotted with waterfalls. Sohra itself is a charming little town with a wonderful market, known for oranges and thick, wild honey. I recommend visiting in December, when it is less rainy. This is after all, one of the wettest places in the world.

—Suman Sengupta

The state of Meghalaya’s natural beauty is most conducive to long holidays.

Shillong, the capital, is a hot favourite with tourists and

it is pretty, but Sohra (also known as Cherrapunji) stole my heart. The magic begins on the drive there. The two-hour journey weaves

Correction The article titled “A Sight for Sore Eyes” [March 2015] incorrectly states that the trout-fishing season is from 1 Nov-28 Feb. The season is actually from 1 Mar-31 Oct.

Write to us Share stories of your travel with us. We will publish some of them on these pages.

Emails letters@natgeotraveller.in Letters National Geographic Traveller India, Sumer Plaza, 2nd Floor, Marol Maroshi Road, Andheri East, Mumbai 400 059. Published letters may be excerpted and edited.

Subscribe Call +91 22 40497435/ 37 or write to subscribe@natgeotraveller.in

Visit us at www.natgeotraveller.in may 2015 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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Sawant Tandle (temple), Suman Sengupta (rock pool)

Temple of Rock

LIFE ON THE MOVE In a haunting photoessay, Arati Kumar-Rao documents India’s ancient rivers, from source to sea, through mountains, virgin forest, barren deserts, and threatened mangroves.

Voices | book of hours amruta patil

ANAﾃ記 SEGHEZZI (AMRUTA PATIL)

Amruta Patil is the author of graphic novels Kari and Adi Parva. Book of Hours chronicles an hour spent here, there, elsewhere.

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national Geographic Traveller INDIA | may 2015

Voices | guest column Vidya Balachander

A Different View

T Vidya Balachander is a food and travel writer based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Having called Mumbai home for several years, she decided to go on a real-life adventure ten months ago. Colombo is the first pit stop of many she hopes to make in the years to come.

wo-year-old Maya stepped on to the gardens of Colombo’s Independence Square—a green oasis surrounding a monument built to commemorate the country’s independence from the British— and took in the vast open space that stretched before her. Never one to be thrown by a new experience, she took purposeful strides on the soft grass, a slight smile on her face betraying that she did actually like all this—the trees, the birds, the breeze, all so difficult to enjoy back home in Mumbai where she lived. I’d been to Independence Square a million times before but seeing it through a toddler’s eyes gave me pause.

Until that moment, I had perhaps taken Colombo’s beauty for granted. After having lived here for six months, the city’s green spaces had become as much a fact of life as the warble of birds outside our balcony; the mango trees laden with fruit gracing the city’s sidewalks, and the bougainvillea flowers casually draped over the walls of whitewashed villas.

“This city is like a cross between a European and South Indian town,” said Arun, a dear

In the months since I arrived, I have plotted my own unique path around the city, one guided by fragrances and flavours rather than maps and street names

Isso vade, lentil diskettes studded with shellfish, is a Colombo street-food favourite.

friend. That’s when I noticed how the centuriesold buildings with art deco facades commingled amiably with its chaotic, modern-day charm.

“I love that the autorickshaws are so colourful,” said another friend, Menaka. Walking along the outer periphery of the Viharamahadevi Park, a sprawling green space in the heart of Colombo, I noticed, perhaps for the first time, the red-greenblue-yellow colour palette of the tuk-tuks that I had taken so many times before.

It wasn’t like I had been completely oblivious to Colombo’s charms. When my husband and I took the plunge and moved our life from Mumbai across the Palk Strait, I had decided to leave my notions and comparisons behind and just appreciate this new home for everything it was worth. Within just a couple of days, I had my first taste of the ambarella, or the hog plum, a small, sour-sweet tropical fruit with a flavour unlike anything I had tried before, and fallen headlong in love. I feverishly began to seek it out as if it were the first clue to solving the crossword puzzle I found myself at the centre of. Since I couldn’t find any decent chaat in the city, I satisfied my craving for dodgy street food with isso vade or lurid orange, deep-fried lentil diskettes studded with whole prawns (eyes and all), served with a spicy, nameless sauce, of which my mother would wholly disapprove. I learned to keep a keen eye out for the green tuk-tuks that ferry fresh paan (bread) every evening.

At teatime, I would sometimes tear small pieces of kimbula banis, a crocodile-shaped bun studded with sugar crystals, and dunk it into a cup of black Ceylon tea, which I only learned to love after moving here. In the months since I arrived, I have plotted my own unique path around the city, one guided by fragrances and flavours rather than maps and street names.

Seven months later, my traveller’s enthusiasm for new experiences has been replaced by something mellower. I know my way around the aisles of the supermarket, and I know where you can find the best avocados, but I’m still awestruck by the thunderstorms that bring rain to this tropical land almost every evening. I may be more familiar with Colombo now, but I haven’t lost myself in its tapestry just yet. I want to stay curious—just as much as I want to call this city home—and it helps when an astute friend drops by, opening my eyes further, so I may be seduced yet again by Colombo’s hidden graces. may 2015 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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naumold/yay media as/alamy/indiapicture

Seeing your city from another’s perspective can be illuminating

Navigate | hidden gem

Urban Oasis Singapore’s Botanic Gardens are an island of tranquillity in a sea of noise | By Aysha Tanya

D

espite its perfectly pruned trees and bursts of purple bougainvillea, Singapore is still a city, and it can get to you. When the high-rises and the throngs of pedestrians walking at alarming speeds that only urbanites attain are all too much, there’s no better place to unwind than the Botanic Gardens.

Stepping into the 182-acre gardens is like entering the heart of a forest. The air is fresh and rings with the sound of water splashing from the myriad tiny fountains where children pause to dip their fingers.

Founded in 1859 by the Singapore Agri-Horticultural Society, the Botanic Gardens on Cluny Road constitute the city’s second such attempt, which turned out to be very successful.

The gardens draw roughly four million visitors each year. Open

28

ATLAS

Singapore

The National Orchid Garden, located within the Botanic Gardens, houses orchids named after world celebrities. Prince William and Kate Middleton have recently joined the ranks of Elton John, Nelson Mandela, and Jackie Chan.

national Geographic Traveller INDIA | may 2015

daily from 5 a.m. to midnight, they are frequented by runners, tourists, elderly ladies attending yoga sessions, or those looking to escape the bustle of the city.

Since 2002, Singapore has been vying for the Botanic Gardens to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Its case is strong: not only do the gardens house dozens of heritage trees, some of which are over 150 years old, it also hosts endangered species of rainforest trees. The gardens have been instrumental in developing Singapore’s identity as a “Garden City” over the past fifty years.

Singapore’s streets are full of plants that were grown here first and then transplanted.

The park has evolved from its origins as a 19th-century colonial “pleasure garden” into a centre of learning, research, and conservation. The Library

of Botany and Horticulture here is one of Southeast Asia’s oldest reference libraries. It contains numerous journals, rare books, research papers, and articles that are a treasure trove of information for researchers.

As I watch a bunch of excited picnickers settle on a lawn speckled with colourful blankets and inflatable balls, it is obvious that for Singaporeans it is moot that the gardens be declared a World Heritage site. For them, it is already much more. It provides an opportunity to connect with nature and, for just a few hours, to find an island of tranquillity in a sea of noise. I smile to myself as a jazz performer takes the stage and croons a catchier version of Ella Fitzgerald’s “Summertime”.

Today, it’s an opportunity to listen to some good live music and watch the city’s citizens unwind.

eugene tang/alamy/indiapicture (girl), lonely planet images/getty images (promenade)

Singapore Botanic Gardens is a fragile ecosystem in the heart of the city state. The Curtain of Roots (left) and tropical canopies (right) ensure an uninterrupted supply of fresh air.

Navigate | geotourism

Shining Example Asia’s cleanest village works hard to live up to that epithet | By Mirza Zulfiqur Rahman Photograph by arun bhat

In addition to keeping Mawlynnong free of litter, residents of this Meghalaya village, are also very passionate about football.

L

abyaman Mawroh and her family rise with the sun.

The 10-year-old gets ready with her even younger siblings Harvestfield and Richardofield to lug their mesh baskets around the neighbourhood. Other young children join in, steering the baskets by their rim through the neat concrete pathways around their homes, and it soon begins to look like a car rally. Their objective is to clean the area near their houses of litter and dry leaves. The kiddie troop is just mimicking the elders in the village who already follow a rigorous routine of cleaning.

This is a morning scene at Mawlynnong, a small hamlet in

ATLAS

Mawlynnong, Meghalaya

Mawlynnong is 80 km/2 hours from Shillong, Meghalaya’s capital. Shared taxis (`150 per head) ply between the two places.

The closest rail head is Guwahati, Assam.

Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills, where visitors are welcomed by a huge billboard—ironically, erected by a cement company—to the “cleanest village in Asia”. It lies 18 kilometres west of NH40 (now assigned to be the international highway through Dawki to Sylhet district in Bangladesh) and is home to around 95 Khasi families of the War sub-tribe.

I came to Mawlynnong six years ago, bringing along a fascination with living in tree houses and the sheer imagination it must require. Since 2008, I have engaged with the community, drawing from their expert knowledge of natural building

techniques, and the use of traditional local materials like bamboo.

Their livelihood is sustained by agriculture: the villagers grow betel nuts and leaves, pineapple, jackfruit, bay leaves, and collect honey from plots in the forest adjoining their village. Cityslickers like us with cushy jobs could pick up a lesson or two from them. Aside from the back-breaking work in the fields, all the villagers are dedicated to community initiatives that include—apart from keeping the village spick and span—building the local school, arranging and maintaining water connections from nearby streams, and jointly participating in inter-village football matches.

The intensity of football is rivalled only by fishing. I discovered that the Wars have annual fishing competitions, for which villagers train for months. During their leisure hours, groups of villagers armed with fishing rods set out for crystal-clear streams along trails known only to them.

These paths also lead to living root bridges and gushing waterfalls that the region is famous for.

They have opened Mawlynnong up to an influx of tourists—and people like me who’d like to understand and benefit from the region’s traditional practices.

My bedroom is 57 feet from the ground. I sleep cosseted by the top branches of a kreit tree in a beautiful tree house, organically linked to the landscape in every way. On a good day, I can see the vast plains of Bangladesh from my perch. As raging thunderstorms roll into the Khasi Hills, the enveloping clouds narrate the story of the War community’s knowledge of ecology and their symbiotic existence with their environment.

may 2015 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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Smart Traveller 42

money manager

a family-friendly guide to sydney

49

checking in

plantation stays in the deccan

One of the nicer ways to see Sydney’s famous beaches is to do the Bondi to Coogee Walk, a six-kilometre coastal stretch that weaves past empty coves, bustling restaurants, and surfers riding the sparkling waves of the Pacific.

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Sydney Sojourn Families can spend three days in Australia’s most famous city within `1.3 lakh | By Shubhda Khanna Nag

S

ydney’s icons are known the world over. The famous Opera House, massive Harbour Bridge, buzzing Darling Harbour and the gorgeous beaches of Bondi and Manly— there’s plenty of sightseeing to do. What I love most about Sydney though, is its enthusiastic yet easy vibe. Monuments apart, the city has a thriving cultural scene. There are colourful parades, street performances, music concerts,

national Geographic Traveller INDIA | may 2015

and open-air theatres so there’s never a dearth of things to do, no matter what your area of interest.

INTO TOWN Taxis charge approxi-

mately AUD45-55/`2,250-2,630 for the 20-minute journey from the airport into the city. Another option is to take the Airport Link train that runs every 10 minutes, and connects to major stations in and around the city (AUD17.80/`890,

coolr/shutterstock

This is National Geographic Traveller India’s handy guide to Sydney, Australia, for a three-day holiday for a family of four (two adults and two children). We’ve suggested a range of activities and dining options along with prices so that you can pick what suits your budget and preferences. While Sydney is ranked one of the world’s most expensive cities, this insider’s guide provides enough tips for you to plan a mid-level holiday within `1.3 lakh (excluding airfare). To make your trip simpler, download apps like Urbanspoon (iTunes) for restaurant reviews, TripView Sydney Lite (Android) for real time updates on public transport, and the official travel guide from www. sydney.com/holiday-planners for a comprehensive overview of the city and its attractions.

Smart Traveller | money manager

AUD 14/`670 for children under 16; families pay for only one child, the others travel free). For a family of four, however, a taxi is a better bet. If you intend to drive around Sydney, book a car in advance at Budget or Avis and pick it up from the airport. Rentals start from about AUD80/`3,910 a day (budget. com.au or avis.com.au). Once you are in the city, it’s easy to get around. Most attractions aren’t more than a 30-minute walk from each other. There is a free shuttle bus service (Route 555), which loops around the Central Business District or CBD, making stops at Central Station, Circular Quay, and many city monuments (www.transportnsw.info).

Tickets for buses, trains, and ferries can be purchased from stations, bus stops, news agencies, and convenience stores.

If you’re planning to use multiple modes of transport, a MyMulti DayPass is a good investment (adults AUD24/`1,200, children AUD12/`600).

SLEEP EASY Sydney has upscale, boutique, as well as budget accommodations. Blue Hotel at Woolloomooloo Wharf is a nice luxury business hotel.

It checks all the boxes when it comes to style and elegance, and affords views of the Royal Botanic Gardens (6 Cowper Wharf Road; +612-9331 9000; www.bluehotel.com.au; doubles from AUD237/`11,580). For a more budget-friendly option try the Aspire Hotel in the quirky suburb of Ultimo,

a 20-minute walk from Darling Harbour (383-389 Bulwara Road Ultimo; +612-9211 1499; www.metrohotels.com. au; doubles from AUD104/`5,082). For adventure and a history lesson, camp at the UNESCO Heritage-listed Cockatoo Island, erstwhile shipyard and prison.

It is budget-friendly and the kids will love it (15-min ferry ride from Circular Quay; www.cockatooisland.gov.au; from AUD45-50/`2,155-2,400 if you bring your own tent). Camping at Taronga Zoo is another option. The zoo has a package called the Roar and Snore, which includes a night safari and tented accommodation with glittering views of Sydney Harbour (taronga. org.au/taronga-zoo/accommodation/ roar-snore-more-information; from AUD640/`30,640 for two adults).

DAY 1 BAY WATCH No matter which part of the city you decide to stay in, head to Circular Quay on the first day of your holiday. Sydney’s tourist hub is full of things to do, and home to the city’s most iconic structure—the Opera House. The best way to explore it is to attend a show (tickets from AUD45/2,155 for adults; cheaper for children depending on the show). Alternatively, take a guided tour (adults AUD37/`1,850, children between 5-15 years AUD20/`1,000) or simply walk around and up the stairs; the views of the Royal Botanic Gardens from there are amazing.

Right next to the Opera House is the famous Harbour Bridge, affectionately known as the Coat Hanger because of its shape. Adrenaline rush-seekers might consider the Bridge Climb: an activity that involves climbing on top of the Harbour Bridge in a harness. Though expensive, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that provides an unforgettable, panoramic view of Sydney. It’s thrilling, but not very demanding, and takes about 2.5 hours to complete. Views are best at dawn and dusk (www.bridgeclimb.com; from AUD248/`12,400 for adults; AUD168/`8,400 children; rates vary according to time of day).

Situated on the harbour, Circular Quay is full of water-facing cafés and restaurants. Seafood lovers can hop on a ferry headed toward Watsons Bay (AUD12.40/`620 return ferry ticket) for a meal of fish and chips at the famous Doyle’s on the Beach. Try to get there a little before lunchtime so you don’t have to stand in a long queue. Try a little bit of everything with the seafood basket, which has fried fish, calamari, prawns, scallops, and chips. Doyle’s has two branches, one a restaurant and the other a takeaway place. Get your food packed and find a nice spot in the garden right across the beach (meal for two AUD40/`2,000).

Past and Present When the ferry drops you back to the Quay, walk over to the historical area called The Rocks,

may 2015 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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jeffg/alamy/indiapicture (spiderman), julian love/awl images/getty images (opera house)

Circular Quay is probably the most photographed part of the city. Among the many monuments packed into this tourist hotspot, is the Museum of Contemporary Art (left) and the Sydney Opera House (right).

Like most big cities, Sydney’s highlights span many interests. Seafood fiends will be tummy-happy with the catch at Watson’s Bay (top right), while garden nurturers might like to spend a few hours at the Royal Botanic Garden (bottom right); For a lesson in urban renewal, make time for The Rocks, once a naval port and prison, now a bustling neighbourhood lined with cafés. An artwork by Bud Dumas featuring a soldier, a convict, and a family (left), clues passers-by of the area’s tumultuous past.

one of the first European settlements in Australia. The cobblestone laneways and old buildings hark back to Australia’s early days. While today it’s full of lively gelaterias, bars, and flea markets, The Rocks actually has a rather grim past with stories of convicts and hangings, murders and violence. A great way to explore the history of this neighbourhood is to sign up for a ghost tour where a guide walks you through landmarks while narrating interesting stories. You are unlikely to see a ghost, but you will get goosebumps (www.ghosttours.com. au; adults AUD42/`2,010, children AUD33/`1,580).

Next, hop over to the Museum of Contemporary Art nearby, to look at some thought-provoking exhibitions (entry free). From here, walk into the beautiful, leafy Royal Botanic Garden.

During January and February, you can go to the adjacent St. George’s Open Air Cinema where your screen is set against the backdrop of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge after sunset. It’s an

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Your Expense Stats Make the most of Sydney’s culture scene—the streets are alive with concerts and open-air performances. While navigating its icons can be expensive, there are plenty of free or budget-friendly ways to explore the city.

19% 9%

food

getting around

national Geographic Traveller INDIA | may 2015

12% stay

60%

Sightseeing Budget

Mid-Range

Expensive

experience not to be missed (tickets AUD35/`1,750; stgeorgeopenair.com.au).

Get out of the Botanic Gardens on Mrs Macquaries Road and keep following the signs towards the Domain, to reach the Art Gallery of NSW, one of the most popular art museums in the country. It has a great collection of Australian and Aboriginal art as well as European and Asian paintings. Grab a bite at the gallery’s café on the first level or the restaurant on the ground floor, which has soothing views of the gardens and the sea (daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; entry to permanent exhibitions free; www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au).

For dinner, make your way to Woolloomooloo Wharf, a 10-minute walk from the gallery. China Doll serves fruit cocktails and Asian food in a sleek setting (Shop 4/6 Cowper Wharf Roadway; 02-9380 6744) while Kingsleys Steak and Crabhouse has earned a reputation for its steaks, mud crabs, and terrace views (10/6 Cowper Wharf Roadway; 1300 546 475). A meal for

glenn van der knijff/getty images (child), oliver strewe/getty images (doyles), g m price/age fotostock/dinodia (plants), edd westmacott/alamy/indiapicture (pie chart)

Smart Traveller | money manager

Smart Traveller | money manager two at either will set you back by about AUD80/`4,000. The more budget-conscious can try the popular and reasonably priced Harry’s Café de Wheels (the famous beef pie is around AUD8/`400) and then gorge on hazelnut torte at Flour and Stone (AUD5.50/`260 for a slice).

Day 2

Located in the heart of the city, Toronga Zoo offers close encounters with fuzzy wallaby babies, kangaroos, and graceful giraffes, along with views of the harbour and its towering skyscrapers.

Anti-Yoga (www.gelatomessina.com.au; from AUD7/`335 for sundaes).

Day 3 All in the Family For your third day, I

suggest an early departure for Circular Quay to catch a ferry to the Taronga Zoo. Spend half a day with Australian animals like kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas, and get stunning views of the city.

The food at the zoo isn’t great so carry sandwiches or burritos and have them at one of the many sea-facing benches there (+612 9969 2777; taronga.org.au/ taronga-zoo; adults AUD46/`2,300, children AUD23/`1,150).

Luna Park is another hit with the kids.

To get to this amusement park from the zoo, catch the ferry back to Circular Quay and get on another one going towards Milsons Point Wharf. The park’s rides are fun (even for adults) and you can easily spend a couple of hours here (1 Olympic Dr, Milsons Point; daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; opening hours vary seasonally; +612-9033 7676; www. lunaparksydney.com; unlimited rides pass between AUD 26-46/`1,245-2,200 if bought online and AUD 30-50/`1,4352,400 if bought at the park; ticket prices vary according to height).

Shoppers Stop Back in the city, if

you are ready for some shopping, walk straight from Circular Quay on Pitt Street to Pitt Street Mall, 15 minutes away. There are multiple shopping

centres here such as Myers, Westfield, or Midcity, selling clothes, bags, shoes, accessories, and housewares. Sydney’s shops shut relatively early (by about 6 p.m. on weekdays except Thursdays when they are open until 9 p.m.). At some point, make time for the divine hot chocolate at Max Brenner, one of the city’s best coffee shops. Little ones can order a Babycino (AUD5.45/`260 for a classic hot chocolate and AUD2/`95 for a Babycino). In general, Sydney has superb cafés, but for a cheap, hot coffee on the go 7-Eleven sells a decent one-dollar cappuccino.

Another good place to shop is the heritage Queen Victoria Building (QVB), a five-minute walk from Pitt Street Mall. It is a pleasure to browse through and also has great designer stores. For cheaper buys Chinatown is the place. If you reach before 5 p.m. go to Paddy’s Market in Haymarket, which sets up shop from Wednesday to Sunday and sells fresh fruits, vegetables, and a lot of interesting touristy knick-knacks including aboriginal art and boomerangs.

Above Paddy’s Market is the Market City mall with several factory outlets of popular brands.

Dine at Emperor’s Garden (96-100 Hay Street; +612-9211 2135) or Chat Thai (20 Campbell Street Haymarket; +612-9211 1808) to savour some of the authentic, delicious Asian food for which Australia has become well-known (meal for two AUD50/`2,400).

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Deep Water Sydney has beautiful beaches and one of the most popular of those is Bondi (pronounced bon-die).

Take one of the many buses headed there for a scrumptious brekkie by the beach at Chapter One Coffee and Wine Room (Shop 3, 34 Campbell Parade Bondi Beach; 02-9130 1651; chapter-one.com. au; cost for two AUD40/`2,000). Book lovers must swing by the adorable Gertrude and Alice Café Bookstore for their cornfritter stack with bacon, followed by any of their indulgent chocolate desserts, all in the company of 25,000 books (46 Hall Street, Bondi Beach; +612-9130 5155; www.gertrudeandalice. com.au; cornfritters and dessert for two AUD 60/`2,840).

Also highly recommended is the six-kilometre Bondi-Coogee coastal walk. The two beaches are connected by a beautiful cliff path overlooking the water, with gorgeous views of the beach, parks, and cliffs. The walk itself is not too difficult, but it does have a few steep paths and staircases on the way, and takes about two hours to complete.

There are many spots and cafés to stop at, catch your breath, and soak in the area’s natural beauty. Wear comfortable shoes and carry sunscreen and shades (bonditocoogeewalk.com.au).

After the beach, head back to Darling Harbour, the heart of Sydney (www. darlingharbour.com). It’s always buzzing with activity and street performances.

Walk along the harbour starting from Cockle Bay Wharf and stop for dinner at Baia for beautiful bay views and delicious Italian food (114 Cockle Bay Wharf; +612-9283 3434; baiatheitalian. com.au; three-course sunset dinner for AUD30/`1,500 per head). If you skip dessert or just want an extra indulgence, stop at Lindt Café, barely five minutes from Baia, for freshly made chocolate waffles, or walk to Star City Casino’s Gelato Messina on the other side of Darling Harbour. The gelateria’s whimsical creations include a cake called Dr. Evil’s Magic Mushroom and a sundae named

In Focus | the great outdoors

of Spurred by Hindu gods and English explorers, a group of mad mountain men navigate the lofty reaches of Uttarakhand’s Panpatia Col Faith and protein never sit easy, but nowhere is it more evident than at 4,500 metres above sea level in the Himalayas. I am sitting with my friends Avilash and Pawan Bisht and our guide Sundar in a kitchen tent, as it is pummelled by hail and roughed up by shrieking winds. The glacier under us moans and rumbles, the hollow grinding of ice and rock floods our flimsy shelter.

“You shouldn’t have brought the eggs and canned fish,” Sundar says.

“Now the gods are angry.”

Given a choice, most would put down the Himalaya’s higher reaches as godforsaken places best left alone, but when Sundar, our local guide, speaks, they seem more alive than us drearyeyed souls in our down suits, rubbing our hands for warmth in a losing battle against the steadily dipping temperature.

Behind us—four days’ walk over badlands of boulders, shifting surfaces of sand and rock, meadows abuzz with insects, and across roiling rivers—lies Badrinath, the holiest of holy Vishnu shrines, near which we began our journey. Ahead, over four full days, an even more challenging terrain awaits us: soft snow, steep inclines, and vast expanses of glaciers riddled with crevasses all the way to Madhyamaheshwar, the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva that’s part of the Panch Kedar circuit in Uttarakhand.

We are, in a manner of speaking, at Middle Earth, caught in the crosshairs of the preserver and the destroyer.

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Disproving Legend We’re on the Panpatia Col trek, to follow in the footsteps of explorers who walked this route in the last century. This trek is part of our project-in-progress to document in images, text, and maps the routes hailed by British explorers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

For us, mad mountain men, these visits began as means to get off the ever-expanding “beaten track” in the mountains. But after the crossing of Auden’s Col—the route charted by British surveyor J.B. Auden in 1939 from Gangotri to Kedarnath—it became more of a salute to pioneers who braved weather and terrain in their pursuit of legend and curiosity, exploration and cartography. After all, there is always this fear-cloaked excitement that comes with the understanding that no book, no guide map, and no one really knows what we are all venturing into. The proverbial leap of faith, if you will.

uttarakhand A trekker threads his way down Panpatia Col in the Garhwal Himalayas, across a hillside clawed by snow melt. Situated at an altitude of 4,200 metres, the pass forms a bridge between Kedarnath and Badrinath, two major Hindu pilgrimage sites.

Text & PhotoGRAPHS By Sankar Sridhar

In Focus | the great outdoors

Views are partly the reason trekkers venture into the high mountains. Here, the team scouts the approach route to Parvati Col, with Neelkanth peak looming on the right.

This neck of the mountains, between the holy shrines in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region is shrouded in legend. It is said that a priest from Kedarnath walked to Badrinath daily to light the temple’s lamps. His wife urged him to spend more time at home. When her pleas fell on deaf ears, she called upon Shiva for help. Shiva made the peak Neelkanth rise up on that route, and peppered the rest of the way with other obstacles too great for humans to overcome.

What became of the poor priest no one knows. But the legend endured long enough to whet the appetite of explorer C.F. Meade, who in 1912 reached a col on the Satopanth glacier, a watershed parallel to the route we had decided to take. We hoped we’d be more successful than Meade, who returned from there announcing that it could not possibly be a route for pilgrims.

In 1934, explorers Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman set out to find for themselves how good Shiva was at setting up insurmountable hurdles. They probably gave the god an AAA-rating, considering they found themselves trapped between ice walls and a bear-infested forest beyond a col of the Satopanth Bank, in a place called the Gandharpongi Gad. A route they had expected to cover in two days took more than two weeks, and they just about lived to tell the tale. Food ran out, and they survived on bamboo shoots for which, in Shipton’s words, they had to go “fighting with the bears”.

The duo was among the luckier explorers on this route. Two trekkers from West Bengal who tried to retrace their steps in 1984 were never heard of again. And these are only the documented stories. The mountains keep their secrets well, and

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with each disappointment or disaster on the trail, the route has only grown more silent.

It seemed ironic then, that in a near-vertical land of thin air and sub-zero temperatures, we find the success of our mission stalled not by glaciers and crevasses, or inclement weather and bad health, but by eggs and canned tuna.

Thankfully, Avilash and Pawan run an adventure travel company and know these problems only too well. Between the lack of eggs and an aborted expedition, the choice is easy to make. Avilash asks Siri Dai, our cook, to make us a vegetarian dinner. It’s a silent peace offering to Sundar, and a hint of what our menu will be for as long as we remained in the realm of the gods. Pawan and I repack the eggs and tuna to drive home the point—the protein can wait.

Uncharted Territory To say that we are treading where no one else ever has would be a lie. The quest for finding the legendary route between the shrines first bore fruit in 2000, when Martin Moran, an English mountaineer, led an expedition to summit Neelkanth, a solitary peak close to the Panpatia glacier.

After their successful ascent of the peak, Moran and his team managed to climb the dangerous Panpatia icefall, a feat made possible by the extensive equipment they carried, and went on to exit at Kedarnath. They became the first party to lay to rest the mystery of the route between the two temples.

India notched its first success in 2008, using an unlikely ally to achieve the feat—Google Earth. A man, known simply as Debu-da from West Bengal, managed to cross successfully and

uttarakhand

The ground isn’t always frozen solid. Occasionally, stubborn streams (left) break through, their waters kissing the surface before disappearing under the ice once again; One of the Sherpas celebrates crossing Panpatia Col (right).

without the need for Moran’s derring-do, since he skirted the deadly icefall altogether to find, relatively speaking, a less dangerous way up. This was a route that followed Khirao Ganga, a stream that emerges from the base of the Panpatia glacier and flows through a valley parallel to the one used by ShiptonTilman and Martin Moran.

Still, knowledge of previous successes and all the maps, research, and preparation, rarely help in making the real slog easier.

Luckily, the next morning arrives bright and cheery, bathing the jumble of peaks, ridges and hanging glaciers all around us in a golden glow. To our west rises the main icefall of the Parvati glacier. Gnarled and broken, it tumbles down layer by insurmountable layer all the way to the valley floor, every bit as dangerous as Shipton described it: “We gazed down upon the head of a very formidable icefall. It was appallingly steep and for a very long time we could not see any way of tackling it which offered the slightest hope of success.”

To stand against this might of nature, we have a piece of A4sized paper that contains a thin line charting a route of possible success winding its way up from next to Neelkanth. The peak itself rises hefty and straight, piercing clouds that float too low, an unmissable landmark in this Himalayan labyrinth.

Beyond, what we see from camp is a landscape in utter disarray. Gigantic boulders strewn over the glacier’s serrated surface. Hissing streams snaking their way across the ice. Gaping crevasses waiting patiently for one false step. In images, such expanses may evoke a flood of awe and visions of human frailty.

In reality though, it’s quite the opposite. Backpack strapped on

and ready to go, I discover the carapace of city life shatter, the mind freed of a multitude of unnecessary clutter in this realm of snow and ice. My world shrinks until it is reduced to the next six inches of solid ground that I am ready to plant my feet on. Every step, every moment, is as intense as it is full of peace; heartbeats, breath, and the crunch of boot against snow and ice form a synchrony that keeps every sense alive, and random thoughts at bay. All that matters, I realise, is how surely each foot is planted, and whether our socks are dry at the end of the day. And while the explorers never penned such thoughts, I was sure they’d agree.

Our progress is slow but steady as we climb a minor hill that rises like a wave, its crest is a knife’s-edge ridge that melts into a seasonal snowfield on the flank of the next hill. Great walls of rock rise up around us, so steep that there’s no place for even the snow to cling to. It isn’t the best place for a camp—the snow being steadily chewed by underground streams—but it will have to do. We hurry through dinner and call it a day.

Conquering Parvati col We set out early the next morning, hoping to cover some ground before the sun rises and softens the snow. We make good time, beating the sun on the western flank of the climb and entering the shadow of the eastern side—a place of deep snow and steep drops.

We plough on in slow, steady motion, digging our ice axes in, taking turns to open a route by beating down the snow and waiting for drifting clouds to clear and visibility increase beyond five metres. As each layer of cloud clears, it reveals yet may 2015 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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In Focus | the great outdoors another heaving hump of snow waiting to be climbed.

On a clear day, the pain of the climb might have been offset by the views, but now all that the mind can focus on is the numbness caused by the damp cold, and the sinking feeling of another mound of snow appearing when it is actually the pass we are eager to make acquaintance of.

At midday, we finally climb the last mountainside, beyond which the land flattens to a tabletop, bringing with it a different kind of disorientation—a desolate nothingness with little to lead us on. Many a past traveller may have found himself lost on this stretch—disoriented and climbing down the wrong valley, finding his advance blocked by an armada of crevasses and beaten back by winds too harsh to battle—keeping him from connecting the final dots to the Parvati and Panpatia cols.

But today, amazingly, the weather is clear and windless, and among the peaks that ring in this plateau, we can easily identify Chaukhamba, the palace of Shiva, towards which we will be walking for the next two days.

There is no hurry any more. We will be traversing the plateau, and in its flatness and fullness of snow, the area seems like one huge, perfect campsite. Avilash, who’d been pushing us to hurry before this, now allows some respite.

“These are the promised views for which we have gone through all this trouble. Let’s enjoy them.”

And then he adds a more sobering note: “Just make sure you keep an eye out for the crevasses.” Luckily the egg-induced storm Sundar was worrying about two days ago, now proves a boon. It has dumped enough snow to seal off the crevasses, making our journey a cakewalk. There is better news still.

We’re already at 5,000 metres, so climbing up to the 5,400metre-high Panpatia Col will not cause great grief. In fact, it will only be a signal that we are about to leave this rarefied world and head to greener vales.

The Finish Line Of course, when all goes well, you can count on the weather to be unpredictable. Over the next two days, we are drenched by rain, battered by hail, baked by the sun, and blinded by whiteouts, all the way to Panpatia Col, which looks like a small hillock. Only the stump of a rope and the precipitous drop on the other side, remind us of how daunting this col is from a different approach. We begin the slow march downhill to a valley patterned by wind and thin channels of water towards our destination for the day: the unmissable yellow tents that shine in the otherwise white surroundings. I say a silent prayer, thanking not the gods, but our team of Sherpas and porters for creating the finish line for that day’s trek. Siri Dai, I am sure will have tea ready for us the moment we reach camp.

With the most dreaded sections of the trek behind us and the adrenaline levels lower, all we crave now are dry socks and views of carpets of grass. But even those are hard-won. For rain and clouds and boulders litter the onward journey. We slide across gentle slopes of snow, boulder across gigantic rocks, and negotiate a slew of streams until, at last, the forests of pine and oak are visible far below us. Hidden somewhere within is the temple of Madhyamaheshwar.

By the time we reach it the next day, I am assailed by depressing thoughts of just how I will limp across the finish line to the roadhead at Raansi.

And then I remember: there will be a well-marked village

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trail to follow and, unlike Shipton and Tilman, I won’t have to survive on bamboo shoot and wild mushrooms. We have enough eggs and canned tuna to help us all sail across with breath to spare.

Even Sundar, I am sure, will agree. Sankar Sridhar is a travel writer, photographer, and author of Ladakh: Trance Himalaya (India Research Press, 2009).

uttarakhand

Hindu legends and heavenly views characterise the trek. Madhyamaheshwar Temple (facing page, bottom) in the Garhwal Valley, is believed to have been built by the Pandavas; At Khirao Valley (top left), the group camps with shepherds, rounding off the expedition with a much-needed bath in a waterfall (top right).

The Guide Getting There Haridwar is 200 km/5 hours northeast of New Delhi, and well connected by road and rail. The Delhi-Dehradun Shatabdi is perhaps the most convenient way to travel between the two cities.

From Haridwar, take a jeep to Joshimath (270km/8-9 hrs; `600) and then continue to Badrinath by jeep the following day

Seasons An unpredictable climate pattern has reduced the window of exploration to early-May to mid-June. During the day, the temperature hovers around 18˚C and can fall to -10˚C at night. Expect rain, snow, and bouts of bad weather if you attempt the trek in June. The postmonsoon season offers the prospect of a crossing in the end of September, though temperatures could easily be 5 degrees lower.

Gear This is a proper expeditionstyle trek, so it’s necessary

to be equipped with excellent mountaineering boots, crampons, ropes, some anchors (snow bars, icepitons, and rock-pitons) apart from regular trekking gear such as good quality 3/4-season tents, sleeping bags, and warm clothing for low temperatures. It is possible to hire equipment from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation in New Delhi.

Useful Information  It’s best to undertake this trek under the guidance of an experienced operator.  Fitness training before the trek is essential.

(50km/2 hrs; `200). Start the trek from Badrinath or from the point where Khirao Ganga meets the Alaknanda (about 12 km short of Badrinath). If you start from Badrinath, you will need to cross the Holdsworth’s Pass (also known as Neelkanth Khal/Pass at 4,650 m to descend to Panpatia glacier at 4,200 m).

Trekking permits are available from the Forest Department at Joshimath (01389-333179; entry fee of `150 per person and `100 per tent per night). There is a forest department checkpost at Khadara, halfway between Madhyamaheshwar and Raansi, on the last day of the trek.  Porters for the trek can be hired at Joshimath. It is important to equip the porters with good equipment and sleeping bags to ensure the success of the expedition.  There is no habitation between Khirao village and 

Madhyamaheshwar. Inform officials at Joshimath, and friends and family about your proposed itinerary so that search and rescue operations can be organised if there is any delay in your arrival.

Organised Trek Since there are no detailed maps and the logistical requirements are significant, this trek is not offered by most trek organisers. The author travelled with White Magic Adventure Travel.

This year, White Magic will conduct the trek from 13-27 June 2015 (www. whitemagicadventure.com).

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Get Going | the philippines

Active Break Intensity The trek up Taal Volcano is not very demanding, but several visitors prefer hiring a mule since the path is narrow.

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Easy

Moderate

The number of recorded eruptions of the Taal Volcano since 1572

Demanding

Visitors frequently opt to take horses for the 45-minute hike up Taal Volcano.

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A journey to the world’s smallest active volcano is a real discovery by manasi mathkar

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I

slands always make me think of beach-bumming. So when I moved to the Philippines I was surprised to discover that the country is known for high-adventure activities such as kiteboarding, scuba diving, and spelunking. One particular adventure caught my eye and I signed up for it pretty early into my stay. I was thrilled at the prospect of visiting Taal, the smallest active volcano in the world and the second most active one in the country.

The journey to the complex volcano, located in the middle of Taal Lake on Luzon island, begins from the city of Tagaytay, a hill station about two hours south of the capital Manila. There are two ways to make the 20-minute journey from Tagaytay to Taal Lake—in a car or on a motorised tricycle. Even though the drive is smoother in a car, our group’s enthusiasm got the better of us and we opted for the trike. It’s a long, winding, narrow road and the driver dove headlong into oncoming

DAVID NOBLE/nobleIMAGES/Alamy/indiapicture

Mountain DEW

An aerial image of the Taal volcano lake area (top left) shows why Vulcan Point is called “an island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island”; Taal Volcano’s caldera (top) is 18 km in diametre; it’s rim full of eroded hills and cliffs. To reach the volcano, which erupted last in 1977, visitors take a motorised outrigger boat (bottom) across Taal Lake and then hike up a narrow trail. minutiae

Permanent settlement is prohibited on Taal Island.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology declared it a high-risk area and Permanent Danger Zone.

hire a mule simply because the path is narrow and those on foot have to press against a boulder to give passage to a quadruped (which sounds a lot easier than it actually is).

The stunning view from the top of the volcano blew me away.

Crater Lake is unperturbed and peaceful and wholly justifies the effort it takes to reach it.

That’s also when we had our little “Eureka!” moment. Vulcan

Point is a tiny island in Crater Lake! This distinction earns it a unique (and long) epithet: It was considered the world’s largest island within a lake, on an island (Volcano Island), in a lake (Taal), within an island (Luzon). Mesmerised by this fact, we stood at the ridge of the caldera, admiring nature’s marvels. And after the protracted journey to the top, it was a sight well-earned.

The Guide Taal Volcano is a day trip from Manila. While buses to Tagaytay are available from the Filipino capital, visitors can also hire a taxi that will allow you to stop at roadside nurseries and fruit stalls selling local produce (approximately PHP3,500/`4,900 excluding fuel, toll, and driver’s meals). Entry to the island PHP50/`70; mule charge PHP500/`700.

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Tips/indiapicture (volcano), Spacephotos/dinodia (aerial view of taal), siddharth Mehendale (boats)

traffic at what seemed like supersonic speed. I gripped the iron bars in front to avoid flying out and didn’t manage to so much as glance at the lush green hillside overlooking the water body.

This was followed by a ride in a motorised outrigger boat (banca in Tagalog) across Taal Lake to Volcano Island. The sparkling blue expanse almost feels like the sea. The water is pristine, and the bancas bobbing on its surface must have inspired a few paintings. On a calm day with no wind, you can expect smooth sailing. No such luck for us.

Before we set out, the boatman pushed a plastic sheet towards us, but failing to understand his instruction, we neatly folded it and kept it aside. The water turned out to be choppy and we were completely soaked by the end of the half-hour ride.

Thankfully, it was sunny enough for us to air-dry ourselves before reaching the summit of Taal Volcano, from where we could see Crater Lake. The trek up isn’t too hard, but I opted to

Regal Romance

Twinkling lights, lakes, and palaces galore, heady Udaipur will make your spirits soar | By Ambika Gupta

3+ DAY S

Udaipur’s romantic landscape is as enduring as the city’s seductive monuments. The lake city’s enchantment appeals to travellers tired of making last-minute dashes to Jaipur. With its placid waters, gently gliding boats, and graceful havelis, Udaipur looks like a delicate watercolour.

It originally grew on the banks of the lovely Lake Pichola, which continues to dominate the south of the city along with the City Palace and Fort that rises from its edge in breathtaking splendour.

Udaipur is named after Maharana Udai Singh II who founded the city in 1559 as the capital of the Mewar kingdom, presided over by the Rajputs of the Sisodia clan. Its name translates to “city of dawn”, but curiously, it springs to life at dusk. It is carved out of the Girwa Valley, set among lakes ringed by the hazy Aravallis.

Despite this deliberate positioning, Udaipur’s romance is guileless, neither affected nor contrived. A symphony between man and the elements weaves through its filigreed balconies and rippling waves and rises in a crescendo.

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In tourist-friendly Rajasthan, Udaipur is one of the biggest draws. The royal family of Mewar has shown the way by converting parts of the palace into luxury retreats—the old city area around the palace complex and Lake Pichola have followed suit. Right outside the palace entrance is the colourful Lal Ghat, crammed with tourists, shops, and restaurants. To the north lies the equally lively Gangaur Ghat. On the opposite bank, across the bridge outside Chand Pol is the relaxed Hanuman Ghat, lined with beautiful lakeside restaurants. Aside from these spirited attractions, there is an unobtrusive yet robust side to this dainty city, waiting to be explored.

EXPLORE Crown Jewels When the fiery desert sun dims, the harsh light of the day is replaced by a soft pink glow shot through with purple streaks.

This light shines on the sprawling City Palace and Fort, creeps into its delicate inlay work and

Lake Pichola remains the glittering heart of Udaipur, except during​ a recent drought when it had dried up for a few seasons.

nathape/shutterstock

heritage

Short Breaks | from delhi

udaipur

On the Water Rather than glide on Lake Pichola, take a walk along its banks. On the

fringes of the ghats you can experience a slice of authentic local life—unhurried, relaxed, and very homey. You’ll likely pass an akhada, see pickles and spices put to dry, grannies snoozing in the sun, men playing chaupar, vermillion-smeared mini-temples burrowed in tree trunks. Eateries on the water’s edge have delightful names like The Frog Prince.

Back in the bustle of the old city, I quickly learned to sidestep ponderous cows and truculent autorickshaw-drivers. Its steep, narrow lanes are hemmed in by equally narrow traditional havelis.

An exquisite bronze Garuda, the bird-vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu, greets visitors at the entrance to the 17-century Jagdish Mandir.

Their impossibly slender staircases lead to the rooftop—earlier, where papad and spices would be spread on muslin saris, now there is alcove seating with faded cushions. The converted haveli restaurants host backpackers and have multicuisine menus: a wholesome Indian thali or a set American breakfast, alongside special lassi and the ubiquitous nutella pancake. The ground floors usually retail Rajasthani silver jewellery, cloth bags, mojaris, leather-bound notebooks, statues, and artefacts.

But Udaipur’s truly unique craft is Mughal-style miniature painting. This painstaking artwork is created on paper, cloth, wood, and glass.

Several miniature artists hold classes where you can pick up the technique and try your hand at painting a fine canvas.

Antique Land The Maharaja’s vintage car collection has some award-winning

beauties, all in mint condition.

Over a dozen cars are on display in a semi-circular arc of garages and the centrepiece stands with its bonnet open, inviting you to examine its mechanical entrails. The pièce de résistance is a 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II. All these cars are lovingly preserved and proudly displayed. An old companion from their heyday­— a peculiar looking gas pump—stands guard, keeping a watchful eye on visitors (Garden Hotel, opposite Sajjan Niwas Garden main gate; 0294-252 8016; daily 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; entry `250).

unique experience Dharohar is a daily performance featuring swirling, whirling song and dance recitals by local folk artists.

They perform in a very atmospheric setting, the Neem Chowk courtyard of the 18th-century Bagore ki Haveli, where similar performances were held for the royal family in days of yore. The haveli is the former residence of Amarchand Badwa, the prime minister of the princely state.

This mansion of 138 rooms now houses a museum, which has frescoes and some fascinating displays like the world’s longest turban (Gangaur Ghat; daily 7-8 p.m.; entry `60).

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alex treadway/getty images (temple), sonderegger christof/prisma bildagentur/alamy/indiapicture (dancer)

the stained glass, and teases out the finer details of the exquisite masonry. The mansions and ghats that flank Pichola play their part and the twilit sky crackles with an electrifying display in dazzling shades.

The palace complex is as majestic as any royal fortress, but shimmering in the deep waters of Pichola, it looks luminous. It is really a series of palaces that were built by the different Mewar rulers over a staggering four and a half centuries, which makes its uniform design all the more impressive. You file down countless staircases, troop into vast courtyards, pop into durbars, catch your breath in geometric terrace gardens, and this is just a fraction of the sprawling complex. There are hotels, restaurants, bars, more galleries and arcades sprinkled across.

The Mardana Mahal and Zenana Mahal have been preserved and developed as the City Palace Museum. Its well-maintained, original furnishings, paintings and artefacts can be seen in the same spots they have occupied for years. A very large number of people visit the place complex and the museum, which means you sometimes have to queue up on narrow staircases, crane your neck and balance on your toes to peer over bobbing heads to view the exhibits (daily 9.30 a.m.4.30 p.m.; entry `250 during the day and `560 between 9-9.30 a.m.; www.hrhhotels.com).

Don’t miss the incredibly rare, world-class crystal collection displayed in the Crystal Gallery in the Durbar Hall Sabhaghar. Maharana Sajjan Singh ordered it from F&C Osler in Birmingham but he passed away before it could reach India.

The fabulous crystalware that includes thrones and goblets lay unopened and half-forgotten for a century until it was put on display in 1994 (daily 9.30 a.m.-5.30 p.m.; entry `550).

Understandably, the palace is a popular destination for weddings. I visited right after the fairy-tale wedding of the royal scion, Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar. Three days after the celebrations, lavish decorations were still being dismantled and wedding guests kept emerging from the palace to pick up curios before their departure.

It is impossible to miss Jagdish Temple, near the City Palace’s Badi Pol entrance. A long flight of stairs leads to this gleaming white landmark on Jagdish Chowk. It is an oasis of equanimity in the midst of the busy crossing and the peal of temple bells frequently drowns out the blaring horns. The temple has elaborate carvings on its walls and a black stone idol of Lord Jagannath within.

Marg. They are slightly upmarket but each rivals the other in fantastic views of the radiant fort.

You can examine the menu, view, and ambience before settling down at your handpicked spot for the perfect evening. The James Bond movie, Octopussy (1983), was shot in Udaipur and the city has claimed the legacy. Signboards outside restaurants advertise dinner-time movie screenings.

Gathering Dark At dusk, the tangle of weeds

in the water, the untidy electrical wires overhead, all the messy bits melt into the darkness. The lakeside is festooned with orbs of bright lights.

It’s a treat to walk along the lively lanes, catch snatches of music and merry laughter drifting from cafés, while the shop-owners lounge outside in a relaxed, truly holiday vibe. There are many bridges on Pichola and you will likely cross the one outside Chand Pol, between Gangaur Ghat and Hanuman Ghat. It has kissing gates on both ends and a beautiful view of the brightly lit banks.

Dinner time brings with it some difficult choices, because of the sheer number of restaurants populating the banks. One of my favourite parts about the city is the sumptuous all-you-can-eat thali at the Garden Restaurant.

This is not a meal but a crash course in the mind-boggling richness of Rajasthani cuisine and hospitality. The food won’t stop until you do.

Waiters coaxed me to eat more, sliding steaming halwa under my nose (Garden Hotel, opposite Sajjan Niwas Garden main gate; daily 11 a.m.3 p.m. and 7-10.30 p.m.; thali `200).

The area around the Fort is dotted with rooftop restaurants, which are festive and great for budget travellers. On the opposite bank, al fresco restaurants are gathered along Hanuman Ghat

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Out and About The Monsoon Palace on Banswara Hill is located in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary. It was built in the 19th century by Sajjan Singh as a hunting lodge. Originally named Sajjan Garh, it’s now locally known as Badal Mahal—like its more famous counterpart in Kumbhalgarh—because of the seasonal cloak of heavy clouds it wears during the monsoon. While you can drive all the way inside, visitors on foot can take a jeep from the gate of the sanctuary to the palace-museum, a rather dramatic vantage point to view the setting sun. From the wide-arched windows on the top floor you can get spectacular views of Udaipur. The tranquil, scenic retreat is ideal to while away an afternoon, perhaps playing Scrabble, just like an elderly couple I met here.

The palace has a sweeping, semi-circular terrace that juts into the surrounding forest. In the evenings, tourists troop in to watch the sun sink into hills and trees (about 10 km/20 min from City Palace; entry `20; `130 for cars).

In Kailashpuri Village (22 km/40 min from city centre) is the shrine of Eklingji, an avatar of lord Shiva. There are 108 shrines in the complex.

Eklingji is considered Mewar’s real ruler with the kings functioning as his representatives (daily 4.30-7 a.m., 10.30 a.m.-1.30 p.m., 5-7.30 p.m.).

At Mor Chowk in the City Palace, three glass, gold, and mirror peacock mosaics display the vibrant bird in summer, winter, and the monsoon (top left); Traditional applique bedspreads (top right), wall hangings​,​and other linen make great souvenirs​. Their gorgeous designs ​are ​mostly inspired by nature; Wall murals (bottom) are an intrinsic part of Rajasthan’s artistic traditions.

martin harvey/getty images (woman), ellen rooney/robert harding picture library/dinodia (GARMENT STORE), zoonar/pzaxe/dinodia (mural)

Short Breaks | from delhi

udaipur STAY AND EAT Amet is a luxurious heritage haveli with deep roots in the city, its history and royalty.

Its indulgent layout of arched corridors connecting pristine lawns is inspired by the Mughal Gardens of Agra Fort (02942431085; amethaveliudaipur. com; doubles from `6,600).

Jaiwana Haveli is a comfort-

iron chairs. If you prefer a loftier view, Upre By 1559 AD, Lake Pichola Hotel’s rooftop restaurant has alcove seating, and a well-stocked bar.

The dhungar maas (smoked mutton curry) here is delicious.

THE GUIDE

Udaipur

ds De lhi

rd s

Eklingji N

Badal Mahal

Udaipur N

Udaipur

Getting around Unmetered autos are plentiful and the most convenient way to navigate the town.

Negotiate the fare beforehand. The old town is best explored on foot. Regular city bus service is available for Dabok Airport.

Jai to wa

rd s

r pu

Jai

ds De lhi

w ar

Laket oPichola

r pu

City Palace & Fort

rd s

ds De lhi

Jagdish Mandir

to

r pu

Jai

to

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Getting there Air Dabok Airport is 24 km from the city centre. Daily flights connect Udaipur with Jodhpur, Jaipur, Mumbai, and Delhi.

Rail Udaipur is directly linked by rail to Delhi. The most convenient options N are the overnight Chetak Express and Mewar SF Express that depart from Delhi in the evening and reach Udaipur early in the morning.

Road Several deluxe and luxury buses connect Delhi and Udaipur. The journey takes about 14 hours (one-way fares start at to wa `450).

w ar

Orientation Udaipur is a city in southern Rajasthan that lies close to the state’s border with Madhya Pradesh. It is 680 km/11 hours southwest of Delhi and and 421 km/6 hours from Jaipur.

Lakeside terraces and rooftop restaurants are ubiquitous. On summer evenings​, they fill up as soon as the temperature drops.

to wa

Seasons The best time to visit, as with any place in Rajasthan, is between Sept and Mar when days are sunny and the evenings cool. The nights however, can be very chilly during the winter months from Dec to Feb.

may 2015 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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martin harvey/getty images (ROOFTOP RESTAURANT), Gaurav Ogale (map)

able mix of modern amenities in a heritage property. It has a great location, next to the palace in the heart of the old city. This efficient, wellmanaged hotel is good value for money (0294-2411103; www. jaiwanahaveli.com; doubles from `2,650).

For a romantic dinner, pick from restaurants on Hanuman Ghat which have unhindered views of the lake and fort. Ambrai in Amet Haveli sits right at water level and serves Indian, Chinese, and continental fare. This al fresco restaurant’s decor is tasteful: a leafy canopy overhead, packed earth underfoot, and wrought