ABOUT THIS BLOG

Climb every mountain

Search high and low

Follow every byway

Every path you know

Climb every mountain

Ford every stream

Follow every rainbow

Till you find your dream!

We are a well traveled Indian family and I’m starting this blog to help first timers with their international trips. I’m giving general details and will be glad to answer specific questions posted under particular posts.

This is a non commercial site and I’m not earning any revenue; I avoid inserting advertisements —the intention is to offer free information based on our personal experience of extensive travels.

We've left a piece of our heart in the jungles of South Africa where wild elephants, lions and rhinos roam in uncaged freedom; we've gazed in awe at the peaks of Peruvian Andes where time stands still and llamas and alpacas live harmoniously with the hardworking locals; we've sailed through the stunning fjords of Norway; lost ourselves in the serene beauty of New Zealand and felt a profound sense of peace on the meadows of European Alps in Austria, Bavaria and Switzerland!

 Our hearts have been drenched by the thundering waterfalls of Iguacu, Argentina, Victoria falls and the Niagara, not to forget the myriad falls spraying their way down in magical Iceland and the stunning Pyrenees in Spain and France! 

The pristine blue glaciers of Argentina, the glistening mirror lakes of Canada, the incredible beauty of Alaska, the azure beaches of Spain and Hawaii have held us spell bound. 

Out of man made wonders, the palaces and churches of Russia  vie for number one with the eternal city of Rome! The Great Wall of China winding its way through hostile mountains is etched in our memory. 

It's been such a privilege to savor all these gems scattered all over the globe and  it's a pleasure to walk down the memory lane reliving all these wonderful adventures... that's what this blog is all about! 

These are some souvenirs from our travels 

Contents of this Site:

I've started off with general tips on planning a trip to Europe and then continue with specific countries.

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/03/how-to-plan-trip-to-europe.html
is an introduction on passport, visa formalities for Indians.

All the rest of the posts are relevant for all countries...

The second post gives tips for planning a multi destination Europe trip with suggestions for allocation of number of days and choice of season, tour  vs individual trips, aspects to be considered when planning a driving holiday

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/03/how-to-plan-trip-to-europe-planning.html

The last post in this particular topic of general tips covers booking air tickets, train trips, Hotel bookings: 
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/03/how-to-plan-trip-to-europe-air-tickets.html

I continue with specifics of planning a trip for particular countries and give detailed reports of our trips.

So far, I've posted reports and tips about Switzerland, France, Italy, South Africa, Zimbabawe, California, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Russia, UK,  Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Hawaii, Canada, China and New Zealand in this blog. 

I'll continue adding more countries when I find time. The specific links are at the bottom of this page.   

Navigation of this site:

I've given navigation buttons for specific countries at the top right hand corner of every post. Because of the site format, the latest post for that country opens when you click on the button. If you want to start from the beginning and proceed serially, you have to scroll down  and click on older posts at bottom right. It's easier to just click on the link I've provided at the bottom of this page and start from the beginning and go forward with the link for the next post I provide at the end of each post.

You can also navigate this website by clicking on the posts listed on the right side of this page. The template makes the links a little unclear to read, so I'm listing the details of the posts here.

I've put in tabs on the top of the posts but sub menu is proving difficult--let's see if the attempt works out!

Places covered so far:

 The specific places I have covered in this blog site so far are as follows:

SWITZERLAND:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/04/switzerland-switzerland-seems-to-be.html
gives the basics of planning a trip to Switzerland... it shows you the regions and your options for port of entry. It guides you in your planning by listing common mistakes and how to avoid them.

This blog continues with tips on when to go, where to stay and must-dos in the following post:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/04/switzerland-part-2-when-to-go-vacations.html

Tips on choosing the correct travel pass, currency/handling money in Switzerland, clothes, food, safety tips are covered in the post:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/04/switzerland-part-3-passes-food-safety.html

That post leads you on to detailed tips and reports of our trip to Switzerland which you can replicate if your trip is between mid June to Mid Oct.

FRANCE (Paris, Versailles, Fontainebleau):  

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/04/paris-basics-of-planning-trip.html
covers basics of planning a trip to Paris.
Apart from the sites/sights in Paris, the posts also cover day trips to Versailles and Fontainebleau

Some more stuff here from a later trip

PARIS 2022:

Jardin du Luxembourg,  Église Saint-Sulpice, Église Saint-Germain des Pres, Petit Palais, 

Sèvres – Cité de la céramique (Sèvres City of Ceramics)

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/07/spain-2022-trip-report-day-17-paris.html

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/07/spain-2022-trip-report-day-18-paris.html

ITALY:
Rome:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/05/how-to-plan-trip-to-rome.html

Florence including Pisa:  

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/05/how-to-plan-trip-to-florence.html
Venice including Murano, Burano:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/05/how-to-plan-trip-to-venice.html

SOUTH AFRICA 2016:
Before continuing on with European countries, I got sidetracked and covered our recent African safari and visit to Victoria Falls...
 https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/06/how-to-plan-trip-to-africa.html

Cape Town:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/06/south-africa-trip-report-day-1-jnb-day.html

Safari in Kruger National Park:

 https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/06/south-africa-trip-report-kruger.html
Panorama Route:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/06/south-africa-trip-report-panorama-route.html

ZIMBABWE:
Victoria Falls
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/06/africa-trip-report-victoria-falls.html

USA: ROAD TRIP, CALIFORNIA, 2016
Again on another side track I posted on our recent driving holiday in California including Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia National Parks. and Highway 1 drive
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/07/california-road-trip-yosemite-sequoia.html

I've resumed Europe and have covered Spain, Denmark and Norway

SPAIN 2015:
Madrid, Segovia, Toledo, Granada, Seville, Cordoba are all covered in separate posts starting with:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/07/spain-consists-of-17-independent.html 

There is more of Spain in the trip done in 2022, link is down this list

DENMARK:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/08/denmark-trip-report-day-1-copenhagen.html

NORWAY:
These posts cover Oslo, Norway in Nutshell, Bergen, Hardanger Fjord Drive, Lofoten Islands in Arctic circle

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/08/how-to-plan-trip-to-norway-trip-report.html

GERMANY OCTOBER 2015:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/09/germany-trip-report-days-1-5-schwabisch.html

is the beginning of the report of our Germany trip and covers Schwabisch Hall, Mid Rhine Valley, Cologne, Weimar, Kassel, Sababurg, Trendelburg

RUSSIA 2012:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/11/russia-trip-report-day-1-moscow-red.html

covers our vacation in the very beautiful cities of Moscow, St Petersburg with day trips to the awesome Peterhof, Pushkin and Pavlosk palaces

BRAZIL 2012:

This report covers the lovely Rio de Janeiro and the fabulous Iguassu falls in Brazil

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/12/brazil-trip-report-day-1-rio-de-janeiro.html

ARGENTINA 2012:

Here's a report on our trip to the AWESOME Iguazu falls in Argentina:

 https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/01/brazilargentina-trip-report-day-5.html

ARGENTINA 2013:

We had another trip to Argentina visiting the awesome south with its glaciers and pristine lakes...the 2 week report starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/05/how-to-plan-trip-to-argentina-day-1.html

NEW ZEALAND:

Report on our recent (Feb-March 2017) visit to the fabulous New Zealand, both North island and South island is here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/03/how-to-plan-trip-to-new-zealand.html

PERU:
These posts cover the very BEAUTIFUL Cusco, Maras, Moray, Ollantaytambo,  Aguas Caliente, Chinchero, Pisac, Saksayhuman, Tambomachay, Puno, Arequipa, Chivay, Yanque, Colca Canyon, the AMAZING Isla Suasi in Lake Titicaca and of course the MAGNIFICENT MACHU PICCHU

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/06/how-to-plan-trip-to-perutrip-report-day.html

UNITED KINGDOM:

UK visit report starts here: London and day trips from there and Edinburgh are covered:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/08/how-to-plan-trip-to-uk-london-trip.html

CANADA:

Canada visit report starts here, covers Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Vancouver, Victoria, Revelstoke, Calgary, Toronto, Niagara Falls:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/09/how-to-plan-trip-to-canada.html

BUDAPEST:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/12/budapest-prague-austria-trip-intro.html

is the beginning of the report on our Nov 2017 holiday in Budapest, Prague and Austria

PRAGUE:  

Our report on Prague continues here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/12/prague-trip-report-days-3-and-4.html

AUSTRIA:

SALZBURG:

Our report on Salzburg starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/12/salzburg-trip-report-day-5-old-town.html

Our day trip to the lovely Lake district Fuschl am see is here:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/12/salzburg-trip-report-day-6-day-trip-to.html

VIENNA:  

 Report of Vienna starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/12/vienna-trip-report-day-7.html

Our day trip to Wachau valley, Melk and Durnstein is here:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2017/12/vienna-trip-report-day-9-day-trip-to.html


HAWAI'I:

The report on our 2 week vacation in Hawaii starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2018/02/how-to-plan-trip-to-hawaii-trip-report.html

CHINA:
The report on our 16 day fabulous China vacation starts here:

httsp://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2018/04/how-to-plan-trip-to-china.html

ALASKA:
Report on our Amazing Alaskan Adventure starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2018/09/how-to-plan-trip-to-alaska-intro-of-our.html

GREECE:

 The introduction to the report of our 17 day trip in November 2018 to Gorgeous Greece starts here!

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2018/12/how-to-plan-trip-to-greece-trip-report.html

BERLIN, MUNICH, BAVARIA, BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS:

We had a LOVELY vacation in Europe [Berlin (day trips to Hamburg and Potsdam), Munich, Bavaria (Fussen, Neueschwanstein, Hohenschwangu castles, Ehrwald, Zugspitze, Garmisch, Mittenwald, Wies, Linderhof, Etal), Belgium (Brussels, Bruges, Gent) and Netherlands(Leiden, Ansterdam) ]

Apr 12-29, 2019 including the Easter week.

GERMANY BERLIN 2019:

The report starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/05/how-to-plan-trip-to-berlin-intro.html

HAMBURG:

Hamburg's Miniatur Wunderland is here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/05/berlin-trip-report-day-4-day-trip-to.html

BAVARIA 2019:

MUNICH:

Report on our 1st day in Munich continues here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/05/munich-trip-report-intro-day-6-old-town.html

Report on our last 2 days in Munich continues here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/05/bavaria-trip-report-day-10-nymphenburg.html

Report on our drive to Fussen through lovely Bavaria, Ehrwald, Garmisch Partenkirchen, Mittenwald is here: https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/05/bavaria-trip-report-day-7-zugspitze.html

BELGIUM:

Belgium part of our trip with Brussels, Bruges, Ghent continues here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/05/belgium-trip-report-day-12-flight-into.html

THE NETHERLANDS:
Leiden, Keukenhof, TULIPS, Zaanse Schans, Amsterdam are covered here:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/06/netherlands-trip-report-day-15-tulips-n.html

ICELAND:
Report on our 9 day driving vacation in Iceland starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/09/how-to-plan-trip-to-iceland-intro.html

FINLAND:
Report on our 6 days in Finland starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/11/finland-trip-report-day-10-flight-into.html

ESTONIA: 

Report on our day rip to Tallinn, Estonia is here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/11/finland-trip-report-day-15-day-trip-to.html

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2019/11/finland-trip-report-day-15-day-trip-to_19.html

HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA:

There are 8 posts.
Fabulous Faberge starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2020/03/fabulous-faberge-appreciation.html 

Art and Culture in Houston has 7 parts. Part 1 starts here:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2020/03/art-and-culture-in-houston-part-1.html

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2023/04/year-end-fun-at-houston-texas.html

HOLIDAY FUN Houston

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2023/04/year-end-fun-at-houston-texas.html

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA:

There are 2 parts. Part 1 starts here:
https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2020/04/fun-in-san-antonio-texas-usa-part-1-sea.html

DISNEY WORLD, ORLANDO, FLORIDA, USA:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2020/04/dream-vacay-at-disney-world-orlando.html

NEVADA [LAS VEGAS, GRAND CANYON, HOOVER DAM] 

Report on our visits to Grand canyon, Las Vegas, start here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2020/05/nevada-holiday-grand-canyon-and-las.html

MEXICO

 [MEXICO CITY, TEOTIHUACAN, PUEBLA, CHOLULA, ATLIXCO] 

Trip report on Mexico starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2021/10/how-to-plan-trip-to-mexico.html

USA: 

YELLOWSTONE AND GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARKS 

Report on our vacation in Yellowstone, Grand Teton national parks starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2021/11/how-to-plan-vacation-in-yellowstone.html

TURKEY:

 Istanbul, Cappadocia, Antalya, Perge, Aspendos, Side, Selcuk, Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Pamukkale 

Report of our Turkey vacation starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2021/12/how-to-plan-trip-to-turkey-introduction.html

CHILE: 

Santiago, Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, San Pedro de Atacama

Report of our Chile vacation starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/01/how-to-plan-trip-to-chile-intro.html

SPAIN 2022:

Catalunya, Barcelona, Tarragona, Costa Brava, [Blanes, Girona, Figueres, Cadaques], Besalu, Pyrenees [Ribes de Freser, Queralbs, Val d'Aran, Jaca, ]. Montserrat.

Trip report on our vacation in Catalonia, Spain 2022 [Costa Brava, Pyrenees and Barcelona] starts here

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/06/how-to-plan-trip-to-northern-spain.html

PARIS 2022:

Jardin du Luxembourg,  Église Saint-Sulpice, Église Saint-Germain des Pres, Petit Palais, 

Sèvres – Cité de la céramique (Sèvres City of Ceramics)

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/07/spain-2022-trip-report-day-17-paris.html

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/07/spain-2022-trip-report-day-18-paris.html

FRANCE ROAD TRIP SEP 2022

[Champagne, Burgundy regions, French Alps, Riviera, Pyrenees, Loire Valley Chateaux]

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/10/how-to-plan-road-trip-in-france.html

USA: Road Trip to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Napa valley and Redwoods

Report on our road trip in the US from Houston, Texas to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Napa valley and Redwoods starts here

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2023/02/how-to-plan-road-trip-to-las-vegas-los.html

Mexico Feb 2023: Mexico city and Taxco 

We were in Mexico city [with a weekend trip to Silver city Taxco ] for 10 days in Jan, Feb 2023, Report starts here

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2023/04/mexico-city-feb-2023-trip-report-intro.html

Egypt Nov 22-Dec 11, 2023: Cairo, Luxor, Abydos, Dendera, Edfu, Kom Ombo. Aswan, Abu Simbel

 DIY TRIP NOV 22-DEC 11, 2023  report begins at

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2023/12/how-to-plan-trip-to-egypt-diy-trip-nov.html

 Japan: DIY Trip Apr 12-28, 2024 [Tokyo, Nikko, Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, Miyajima, Takayama, Shirakawago, Kamikochi, Toyama, Kurobe Alpine Route ]

Report on our Japan vacation Apr 12-28, 2024 starts here:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2024/05/how-to-plan-trip-to-japan-intro-part-1.html

I'll continue adding more countries when I find time to post!

HAPPY TRAVELS!