How to Enjoy a Golfing Holiday

Golf is considered to be a luxurious game. The ones who can afford it are those who have enough money to spend on the demand and expenses of the said sport. Nevertheless, having a golf holidays can be one of the most exciting and relaxing vacation for a golf enthusiast.

A golfing holiday is a perfect vacation for those individuals who want to concentrate in golf alone. This is the time where they can enjoy and hone their skills in golf at the same time. A golfing holiday is also suited for those who are learning how to play golf. By taking a golf vacation you get the chance of playing with golf enthusiast hence giving you the opportunity to learn more about the sport.

In order to enjoy a golfing holiday, you must choose the right destination where you can spend your golf vacation. In order to make the right choice, ask your friends or acquaintances about the best golf resorts that they can recommend.

But if you are planning to bring your family on your golf vacation, then it’s better to think about important things like budget, golf facilities, entertainment facilities and additional facilities. Choose a golf resort that will allow your family to enjoy the vacation while you focus on your game.

To be able to enjoy a golfing holiday you just need to make the right choices based on how you want to spend your golf vacation. Who would say then that golf is just for the elites?

India through my eyes - Breakfast at Ranganatittu Sanctuary

The juvenile painted storks along with the adult painted stork having a go at their breakfast in Ranganatittu Bird Sanctuary .

I would also request you to join me on Facebook, where I share my travel stories, photographs and some published writing, some of which are not yet on backpacker. Please click the link here to be part of the journey and to share your stories as we go by 

Explore Philippines with 7107 Islands Cruise Ship

How would you like to try travel around the Philippines by a cruise ship? How would you react seeing those rich and breathtaking islands of the country?

Well, you don’t have to guess anymore because Philippines has now the 7107 Island Cruise ship that will bring you the beauty of the different islands.

The 7107 island cruise ship caters to foreign and local travelers who love to discover and explore the adoring magnificence of the country’s islands. This cruise ship provides a 5 star luxury accommodation with 137 rooms, bar, restaurants, three sundecks, spa, piano bar, gym and conference rooms. It can accommodate up to 400 guests.

7107 Island Cruise ship is the first inter island cruise ship in the country owned by a Filipino business man by the name of Esteban C. Tajanlangit Sr. The said cruise ship is designed to showcase the beauty and richness of the Philippines by enjoying the tour at the same time. The route of the 7107 island Cruise ship includes Boracay, Coron, Ditaytayan and Malcapuya Island, Culion Island, Panlaitan Island, Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary and the Apo Reef. All of these destinations are worth seeing so better get ready to experience the magical travel of the Philippine island riding on the first ever 7107 Island Cruise Ship.

Are you in?

Hulikere

More than 1000 years ago, sometime in the middle of 10^th century, a dynasty was born in the Malenadu or the hilly regions of modern day Karnataka. They were called the Hoysalas. They were not born kings, but were tribal chiefs who rebelled against the Chalukyas and went on to establish their own kingdom. Their capitals were initially Velapuri and then it moved on to Dwarasamudra. Today, we know the two towns as Belur and Halebeedu

I was in the ancient town of Dwarasamudra, looking for the remains of this dynasty . There were ruins, of old temples, Jain bastis and even the remnants of an old fort and a palace. The Pushpagiri hill looked down upon us hidden by a cluster of small village homes. A gentle breeze took us down a small lane covered by a canopy of trees. As we walked down,  we stumbled upon an ancient kalyani or step well. A bunch of kids played on the steps and looked at us with a tinge of curiosity. The village was called Hulikere.

“ Huli means tiger and kere refers to a pond,” explains the watchman there.” This is Queen Shantala Devi ‘s private pond,” he adds with a tinge of flourish. “You know, the security was so steep that even a tiger could not walk in to see her- that’s why its called Hulikere.” I took in the irony of security guards protecting the queen and her maids from tigers while bathing and pottered around. Small shrines adorned the steps of the well, while the fluffy clouds reflected in the waters . Frogs hopped around with the fish swimming blissfully in this heritage pond.

The Hoysalas are remembered today for their temples around  Malenadu . Historical records say 1521 temples across 958 centres were built  while today 434 temples survive across 238 centres . Most of the temples here are either in ruins or are in an obscure village waiting to be discovered.

An ASI document refers to a Bhuvanabhurana Catteshwara temple built at Hulikere by Cattaya, a subordinate of King Narasimha , one of the Hoysala rulers. Another document narrates this story . When he was going to Belur from Halebeedu , his carriage driver , Bittideva noticed a desolate temple and asked the king to give grants and renovate it.The king gave away dry and wet lands, a tank, oil mills for supply of oil to burn lamps and established a Saivite settlement with two rows of houses . Bittideva also received grants and built the Maideshwara temple and Bittideshwara temple in the vicinity. The area is today identified around Hulikere and Pushpagiri at the periphery of the Dwarasamudra.

A shrill cry of parakeets interrupted our reverie. The children had got over their shyness and were all willing to pose for pictures in return for chocolates . We shut our book and watched the colours of the sky change . The sun may have set on the Hoysala dynasty a 1000 years ago, but they made sure they left their mark behind.

This was published in my column, Inside Story in the Metro Plus. I would also request you to join me on Facebook, where I share my travel stories, photographs and some published writing, some of which are not yet on backpacker. Please click the link here to be part of the journey and to share your stories as we go by 

Passes of Ladakh

Breathlessness and Ladakh go hand in hand. If the views do not stun you with their stark harsh beauty, the heights will definitely make you go breathless. It is little wonder then that Ladakh is called the land of the mountain passes . Through out our many journeys around this mountain kingdom, we pass through several passes, however three of them stay in my mind .

Khardungla  is apparently one of the the highest motorable mountain road at 18,380  feet in India . This is the gateway to the Nubra and the Shyok valleys and although the pass is hardly 39 kms from Leh, it would take you at least a couple of hours to reach to the top.

 It was bright with blue skies when we reached there and filled with people, who presumed its a picnic spot, despite warnings not to stay outside for than 20 mins 

Changla  is the next, which I crossed on the 5th day of my stay in Ladakh. This pass , named after a saint is at 17590 and is enroute to Pangong Tso. We had our breakfast somewhere on the mountain roads, just before we climbed uphill towards the pass. You would meet a few nomadic tribes here, who are known as Changpa .The weather was already cloudy and foggy with chill breeze giving us a shiver now and then. We quickly used the rest rooms, which were tented pits and rushed to have breakfast as we climbed downhill.

Tanglang la , which is on the Manali - Leh route is almost as high as Changla and we crossed this pass on the last day of our trip when we were returning to Leh from Tso Moriri via Tso Kar. After ten days of sunshine and rain, it decided to snow, just as we were entering the pass and within minutes of us crossing the pass, we encountered a snow storm and a road block. A combination of prayers and some dare devilry by our driver Dorjee, brought us safely home to Leh. You can read about our misadventure here 

Here are some of the skies from at high altitudes..To see more wonderful skies, visit Skywatch 

Holiday Cottage Rentals

The Home Away Holiday Rentals considered as the top holiday rental site that connects various private homeowners who ever wanted of renting and profiting from their respective holiday home together with their million of travelers around the globe who entirely enjoys its space, freedom and the value of the private home over any hotel. Aside of that, also, about 30,000 home owners and various property managers have trusted of marketing their property for over 63 million of travelers around the globe who uses it upon finding the holiday rental in yearly basis.

The Home Away Holiday Rentals provides about 210,000 holiday rentals particularly self catering cottages as to select upon from travelers around the globe that supports the travelers not to experience much trouble upon finding an exact space that could be right for their relaxation, laughing, and playing together with friends and family. With that, the Home Away Rental provides a free informational access for various travelers be able to use for through directly bookings with the owner that can be found in the family holiday home for just 50% or up less than that can be found equivalent from hotel price, comfort and good ambiance. Indeed, opting for Home Away Holiday Rentals offering especially self catering cottages for traveler’s accommodation considered as a best choice to forego.

The story of Hampi

Great civilizations and dynasties do not have a fairy tale beginning, for they are all founded on streams of blood . While Indian folklore is rich in heroic legends , a birth of a dynasty is replete with battles fought and won . It is the same with the Vijaynagar empire , except there are several stories here with various versions. But the location remains the same. A river bed with a fortification on one bank . This was the principality of Anegundi, ruled then by a Hoysala chieftain. When the Delhi Sultans  laid siege to the Hoysalas and Kakatiyas, the latter fell, leaving South India vulnerable to their attacks. Our story begins here in the 14^th century.

Sitting in a coracle and  enjoying the ride around the Tungabhadra  I heard a guide narrate the story of Vijaynagar  to a group of tourists .”When the Delhi Sultans had invaded Warangal, two brothers called Hakka or Harihara  and Bukka escaped  and landed here in Anegundi,” he says , pointing to the town on the other side of the river. The brothers who were under the Kakatiyas then started serving the local chief here . Meanwhile the chief gave refuge to Bahauddin, a rebel nephew of the Delhi Sultan , Muhammad Bin Tughlaq.

“The Sultan plundered Anegundi and the brothers escaped again, and this is when they met Vidyaranya , a seer from the Sringeri Shankaracharya Mutt who asked them to build a city on the other bank of the river .He called it Vijaynagar or the city of victory though we also call it Vidyanagar after the seer, “ the guide said. The story however does not end here. The brothers raised a small army and revolted against the Sultan, who returned the kingdom to them. The seeds of the Vijayanagar empire which went on to rule all of South India for over 350 years had just been sown.

And yet everything about Hampi is not about Vijaynagar. Gazing at the waters of the Tungabhadra, I was looking forward to going towards the Pampa Sarovar on the other side. After all, Pampa is older than Hampi or Hampe as it was called and this was the Kishkinta of Ramayana where Rama gets the support of Sugriva and Hanuman and even kills Vaali. It is no wonder that Jambhavan , the lone sloth bear in Sugriva’s army comes alive in Daroji, the sloth bear sanctuary located close to Hampi.

As dusk dawned in Vittala temple , I was lost in the silence , when a familiar voice greeted me. It was the guide and his lot of tourists. As I walked away , I could hear him say, “ This is the greatest empire of all times, people compare it with Rome , but let me tell you that Vijaynagar is even more majestic than Rome .”  I thought this is probably where  civilizations and empires meet – on battlefields.  And yet there is a similarity in the stories - one river and two brothers…

The story was published in my column, Inside Story in The Hindu