All posts filed under: PLACES

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Amy Kim from Canada Talks About Her Trip To Pakistan and The Wonderful Places She Visited During Her Stay There

Published by Vilina

Traveling to a new place, meeting new people and learning about a new culture is one of the most thrilling things. Especially, when it’s full of little unexpected surprises like Amy Kim’s lovely visit to Pakistan. With the breathtaking views up in the north, green valleys, friendly and warm people, and so much more, she reminisces about her experience. She chats with R&L about her travel stories. Amy Kim from Canada (she is half Korean and half Taiwanese), who is currently working in Mumbai talks to R&L about her incredible visit to Pakistan, the unbelievable beauty of the landscape and the friendly hospitality of the locals. Hi Amy! Tell us a little about yourself and what you do. My name is Amy Kim and I’m a 26-year-old Canadian working in Mumbai. I’m heading the marketing department of a travel social enterprise based in Dharavi called Reality Tours and Travel. I love what I do mainly because I know 80% of all our profits go back to the community through our charity Reality Gives. My team is …

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NorthEast India Fashion | Street Style Trend Report From The Local Fashionistas of Arunachal, Manipur and Tripura

Published by Vilina

Street style culture has been trending for a while now, with individual style taking precedence over everything else. In the North East of India, street style is more than just a fashion statement – it’s a showcase of individuality and the region’s diverse cultures, mixed tastefully with global influences. Today, we catch up with some of the trendsetters from three states of North East India – Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura – to give us the lowdown on their personal style and what’s trending on their local fashion scene. Arunachal Pradesh Jomter Karlo | Fashion Student at NIFT Mumbai A fashion student from NIFT Mumbai, Jomter Karlois originally from Arunachal Pradesh. She loves to keep it edgy, funky, and unexpected by styling her outfits with accessories in unconventional ways. “I am not much of a ‘dress’ person. I like to mix & match my outfit to create different looks each time and my wardrobe consists mostly of crop-tops, shorts, pants and skirts. I am just old school like that. I’ve grown up being inspired by …

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#Faces | “I Wanted to Capture The Moment When This Mom (Who Runs a Homestay) Finally Gets Time to Piggyback Her Baby” – Abi Lama, North Sikkim

Published by Nara Longkumer

“I work for a travel company, so this was taken during one of our work visits to a homestay at Gnathang Valley which is at an altitude of 14,000 ft. The woman in the photo runs this warm homestay with her husband, who is posted in North Sikkim. In the picture is her baby Hissey, who is as adorable and caring as her mum. She had just finished serving us breakfast and I managed to take this picture of her and her baby. This picture, to me, really captures her warmth as well as her strength as a woman and as a mother. Because her husband works as a police officer in Sikkim, she runs this homestay by herself for the better part of the year. Gnathang Valley is such a remote place… life up here isn’t as easy as it looks, so just her unabashed zeal and commitment is truly inspiring.” ~ Abigial Lama “I felt like capturing those little moments, like when she gets time to piggyback her baby” – @AbigialLama

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Camp Under The Stars and Refresh Your Souls By Trekking to the Picturesque Dzükou Valley in Nagaland | Rohan Abraham of India Trail Talks About Their Upcoming “Dzükou Fest”

Published by Rachel Thong

We all know that city life can be stressful – and not only that, routine life anywhere can get depressing at times. We are also well aware that an escape to nature is what we need. But it’s easier said than done. For most of us, planning a getaway is not an easy task. For instance, a trip to the much talked about Dzükou valley in Nagaland may seem inaccessible to most of us. That’s when boutique travelers like “India Trail” provides a convenient solution. Known as the travel experts for the beautiful and mostly unexplored region of North East India, the guys at India Trail have been doing their bit to allow people from all over to experience the natural wonders of the region. Today we have co-founder of India Trail Rohan K Abraham to talk about their upcoming camping trip “Dzükou Fest” to enlighten us about the place, the camp and everything you need to know, to finally plan your trip to Dzükou Valley – the most beautiful trekking spots in the North East of India.  Rohan Abraham of India Trail chats …

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#FACES | “Sangestar Tso Lake in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh is a Piece of Heaven on Earth” – Gom Chozom

Published by Vilina

  “This photo was taken in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. It was my first visit, and the experience was surreal. Literally felt like I was experiencing  Heaven on Earth; everything was so serene and the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful!  This particular location (in the photo) is called Sangestar Tso Lake and is also famously known as Maduri Lake. It is next to the India-China border and the Bumla pass. Walking amidst the stretch of flowers and lakes was the highlight of the visit. Being a nature lover, the sight of the clouds, flowers, and mountains brought so much peace, happiness, and calm. The valley here is full of wildflowers during this time of the year (Aug-Sept) So you will see plenty of small wildflowers blooming along the walkway and all over the trees. The fresh breath of air and the chirping of seasonal birds makes the place even more enjoyable.” ~ Gom Chozom 

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Vloggers “Twins and The Other Girl” from Sikkim Gives Us a Glimpse into Their Lives in Gangtok

Published by Vilina

Youtube stars behind the channel ‘Twins and the other girl’ – Pinky, Tinku, and Prakrithi, take us on a tour of the beautiful state of Sikkim, known for its shimmering waterfalls, lush green forests, the mighty Kanchenjunga mountain range – and their leisurely cafe culture.  22-year-old twins Pinky and Tinku, and their friend Prakrithi use their YouTube channel and social media to share fun yet simple snippets of their life in Gangtok, Sikkim. They make sure to stay super stylish and on-trend while doing all of that! The trio takes us around their favorite cafes in Gangtok and also gives us a glimpse of their everyday lives – interview and video below. YouTube stars of “Twins&theothergirl” – twins Shreya Rai (Pinky) and Shraddha Rai (Tinku) and their friend Prakrithi from Gangtok give us a peek into their everyday life in Sikkim and also take us around their favorite cafes. Read on to know more about them, their passions, inspirations, and much more.     Hi girls! Tell us a little bit about yourselves. We are Shreya (Pinkey) and Shraddha (Tinku) …

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Joseph’s Travel Pics Show Us Why We All Need A Little Bit Of Bhutan In Our Lives!

Published by Joseph Solomon

They say not all who wander are lost and traveling definitely gives you the freedom to discover things you would not be able to experience otherwise. Bhutan known for its breathtaking landscapes, beautiful monasteries and historical dzongs (fortresses) is a heaven for anyone seeking for a country that is VISA free for us! Joseph Solomon is a 23-year-old, currently staying in New Delhi. Read on as he takes us through his trip to the land of Thunder Dragons and coined as the happiest country in the world – Bhutan. He also shares his top 5 recommendations for anyone traveling to Bhutan. Joseph in Takin National Park Thimpu, Bhutan “The Indian U-15 Women’s were playing in the SAFF Championship in Bhutan and I was fortunate enough to travel with them to Thimphu and Paro.” “I stayed in Thimphu for 14 days and my mission was to do something – anything new – every day. There was no plan, I just asked people about local treks and hikes and googled my way around those during my trip.” …

#Faces | Shwayi’s Beautiful Visit To Paro Taktsang ‘Tiger’s Nest’ Monastery, Bhutan

Published by Nara Longkumer

  “I was in Bhutan for a vacation with my Bhutanese friends from college. I’m from Mizoram and currently studying at Sharda University. Since we all take the same course (Bachelors Degree in Dental Science) we visited Bhutan as an ‘after exams’ trip.  This picture was taken at Taktsang, Bhutan. Taktsang means  “Tiger’s Nest.” I loved vacationing with my friends – to see the place they’re from and to see their hometown through their eyes. The whole experience turned out to be a giant memorable trip but Taktsang Monastery stood out. It was beautiful to see the devotion with which so many people walk through such a steep mountain to pay their respect. The tiger’s nest cave was scary and different from anything I had ever done before. The climb was hard for me but it was such a treat to finally look upon a temple constructed on such a precarious cliff. I liked almost all the food I ate there, although I had tasted many prior to the visit courtesy my friends who sometimes cook in our …

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“I Wanted to Capture the Special Bond Between the Old Farmer and His Faithful Buffalo – Spotted at Tharpu Village in West Sikkim” by Nityam Rai

Published by Vilina

“He is a farmer who works for his landlord. I met him at a field in Tharpu Village in West Sikkim, which is about 30 kms. away from my house. This was my second meeting with him, and I feel we are friends now. The first time I met him, I couldn’t take his picture as it was raining but I had a beautiful conversation with him. The conversation kept my mind awake the whole night. Apparently, he comes to the area regularly to work, along with his faithful friend – Kaley, the buffalo. I regretted not taking their photos, so I went to the same location the next day. Lucky for me, I met both of them, and I took a lot of pictures that day. I could see that he shared a special bond with his buffalo. For him, it was more than an animal; it was both a friend and a family for him. In the middle of our conversation, he cut off saying that his buffalo was thirsty; he pulled him towards the shade, dug a temporary …

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Hop Over To “The Grub Cafe & Bakery” in Laitumkhrah Shillong to Taste One of the Most Delicious Burgers in North East India

Published by Nara Longkumer

  Ah Shillong. One of our favorite places in the North East of India; a place where folks from across the region have shared memories of. Being a boarding school hub, students from across North East and even beyond come here for school and college education. You will thus see plenty of young folks adding color to the town. It is also a place for music and fashion lovers. So naturally, with such a vibrant crowd, Shillong has a host of cafes and restaurants – from cozy to fancy, serving a choice of cuisines.  Today we visit  “The Grub Cafe and Bakery” located in Laitumkhrah Shillong. Started by a husband and wife duo, the place is known for their delicious and gigantic burgers, and their cute bakery section – with a spread of the loveliest desserts to suit any mood and weather. Let’s go meet the founders and find out why this place is a local favorite. We had a chat with Banrisha  – one of the partners of “The Grub Cafe and Bakery” to know …