From our final house in the lower valleys of the Kumaon Hills (read about our walk here), Julian and I were heading closer to the snow line of the Himalayas and, as you can imagine, getting to such a location wasn’t going to be easy. A six hour bone shaker of a drive on eternally winding pot holed roads almost got us there, but not quite. When the road ran out we had to complete the last hour on foot, our bags (shamefully) carried by tiny Indian ladies in bright saris and flip flops.
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Walking the Himalayas with not a teahouse or tent in sight
The scene is hypnotic with rhododendron trees in early bloom, their vibrant red flowers contrasting against the snow-capped Himalayan peaks, whilst neon green terraces dotted with tiny villages cascade down vertigo inducing valleys. This was a daily event on the recent walking trip we (Julian and me) did in the little known but immensely pretty region of Kumaon in India’s northwest state of Uttarakhand.
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My ideal French holiday home - this could be yours too?
The Hubby and I are big fans of renting a house for a week in a pretty village, where we can come and go as we please, eat in local restaurants or cook up fresh produce from the market and – if the weather turns to rain – we’re not confined to a single hotel room. It’s the sort of holiday that comes with no airs and graces – we don’t need throbbing nightlife for this week (or ever really) and are much happier spending time together and completely unplugging from our normal lives. However, finding a rental property that’s stylish, well equipped, beautifully located and well-priced isn’t easy, even for a travel planner!
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On the road
Over the next few weeks I’m going to be travelling extensively through Laos and Cambodia reviewing lots of hotels, tours and other exciting things which I’ll be telling you about over the coming months. Most of the trip will be overland and I will be spending a lot of time on the road. This got me thinking about how most people always seem to want to fly everywhere when they travel and what a great opportunity they could be missing out on. Granted distance may prohibit travelling by road and to be honest I’m guilty of trying to save time by flying, but after many a delay and way too much time at airports, the Hubby and I are definitely starting to favour road travel; it’s a chance to sit still, watch real life unfold around you (not one put on for the tourist) and of course it makes for a great photo opportunity.
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