Kerala is well known for its beautiful backwaters. It is one of the best ways to take in the scenes of urban and rural life in this South Indian state. The backwaters are an intricate knit of rivers, lakes, islets, canals and streams that pass through towns, villages, paddy fields, forests, markets and houses of…
Tag: InstaTravel
Performing Arts: Kathakali
Prep for traditional Kerala Kathakali performance. Stage make-up session starts one hour before the performance. It involves the application of several layers – base and colours made out of crushed natural coloured stones mixed in coconut oil. The performer applied his own make up first and is later aided by another artist. Before the performance…
Rail Adventure: London – Inverness
Train journeys are a great way to just take a back seat and enjoy the scenery as you watch the world go by. I’d usually peek into the homes, towns & villages along the line (not in a creepy stalker kind of way 😄), and wonder about the stories and lives of the people who…
Our Fading Heritage: Jerejak Island
My next read! Waiting to dive into the pages to find out more about our very own Ellis Island here in Penang, Malaysia. Sadly, the spot where more than a million migrants to Malaya landed between 1877 and 1957 is earmarked for development of a theme park and resort. Heritage groups are fighting to preserve…
Serenity Path
Khareyana Spa – One of my favourite spots in the town (now a city) I practically grew up in – Petaling Jaya. I’ve been visiting this old residential bungalow that was converted into a spa sanctuary since 2003. The proprietor Puan Azam – a retired civil servant has always been very warm and welcoming since…
Queenstown, Singapore
Queenstown in Singapore holds a lot of pleasant memories. I spent quite a number of school holidays at my Aunt’s Singapore Housing Development Board (HDB) flat along Margaret Drive. The Queenstown Public Library was my favourite spot in addition to the NTUC Fairprice store – both a 10 minute walk from the flat. I witnessed…
Drive Thru: Central Spine Rd
One of my favourite drives – low traffic and amazing scenery! The partially opened Central Spine Road that will link Kuala Lipis in Pahang to Kuala Krai in Kelantan once it is completed. It currently terminates just outside Gua Musang town.
Chasing Ghosts: Birth of the Kellie Saga
Based on what we were up to, one would expect a “Booooo! Instead of the”Mooooo!” we got as a greeting when we pulled into Kellas Estate located in the rural district of Dallas, Scotland. “You’d really look good on my plate right now … a nice juicy steak!” exclaimed an exasperated Terence as we passed…
Food Trail: The Felix Hong Kong
I love old hotels – not the ghost stories and apparent haunting in these places. I can do without those. Have lived in a few old buildings – never experienced anything and never want to – lets keep it that way! To me it’s just the notion of walking through a room, hall or passageway just…
Magical Land of Fairy Chimneys
We landed at the Kayseri Airport late in the evening and some of the spectacular scenery that greeted us during the flight descent was fading in the twilight. When we got into the Natureland Cave Hotel that I had booked online, Terence looked like he was about to bite my head off. “I’m not a…
A Rail Adventure – Coast to Coast on Amtrak
Two years ago I embarked on a trip to the United States of America. I wanted to do and see as much as I could, but soon discovered that this would be impossible because geographically the United States was a huge land mass and it would take hours to fly between cities and days to…
Sunrise over Cham Than, Hoi An, Vietnam
Cham Than is a quaint village in Vietnam. Located between Hoi An and Cua Dai Beach.
It’s a quaint and quiet getaway for those who want to escape the crowds and tourist at Hoi An town which is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.
Wake up to the sound of ducks swimming in the irrigation canals that lead to vast rice fields – which in turn supplies an amazing foreground for breathtaking sunrise every morning.
Maria Dass the World 