The Roaming Shoes

Ahhhh Varsey! Where do I start? Should I talk about the magical forest, the colourful Rhododendrons, the awe-inspiring mountains or the night a cute furry friend nearly gave me a heart attack? May be I will tell you a little bit of everything and give you a glimpse of our trip to this beautiful place which was remarkable in every way. A little about Vasrey Varsey (also called Barsey) is a relatively lesser known destination in West Sikkim that is famous for its Rhododendron sanctuary. This sanctuary turns in to a riot of colours in March-April during the Rhododendrons bloom. Apart from the Rhododendrons, the sanctuary is also home to several species of Primula, Oak and Pine. If you are lucky you might even spot a Red Panda in its natural habitat while walking through the sanctuary. The place also offers majestic views of Kanchenjunga range and is a bird watcher’s paradise. About the trek The trek through the sanctuary covers 4.5 kilometres and takes on an average of 3 hours. It i

A massive fort lolls on the barren hill top under the endless blue sky. Below stands the city smothered with yellow honeycombed houses. Narrow streets fringed with ancient shops and ornate sandstone buildings open into bustling markets and opulent palaces. Every scene in Jaisalmer makes you feel as if a time warp has chucked a city from the Arabian fairytales to the present day. Though Sush and I always had our hearts set on the desert of Jaisalmer, it surprised us in so many other ways. So here we are, back after 3 fulfilling days in the golden city and penning down this list of things to do and places to see in Jaisalmer. The Desert No trip to Jaisalmer can ever be complete without a rendezvous with the desert. Indeed desert is that one element which makes Jaisalmer the most coveted destination in Rajasthan. So spend at least a night camping in the desert and indulge in some adventure in the day bashing the expansive golden dunes. Embrace the evening with a yon orange sunset and

  “Madam, you have been very lucky. My father was saying there has never been this much of water in the falls in October end in the last 25 years” – Our driver told us and how true his words were. Though Jog Falls has been on our list for a long time now, we could not make it there due to some or other reason in the limited window of July-September. This is the time when the water in the falls cascades down with immense force creating an incredible sight. Train tickets in waiting and my stomach infection still lingering after 15 days, we were not sure if we would make it this time too. To make it worse, came the cyclone warning that would affect coastal Karnataka including Jog falls area. Then like a sign, the tickets got confirmed with the help of a friend and my stomach started showing positive signs. We were all set to visit Jog Falls. Now since we have seen it, we can definitely vouch that it looks much more beautiful to the eyes than in any of the pictures we had ever seen. So

  Think of the desert and the 1st place in India that pops up is none other than Jaisalmer. This Golden City of Rajasthan is also home to exuberant forts and glorious palaces. But it is the charm of the bounteous golden sand dunes and desert safaris that attract majority of visitors into this beautiful city.   Sush and I finally got to fulfill our long pending dream of desert camping in Jaisalmer and we are still drooling over all that we experienced. We watched the most seductive sunset over the golden sand dunes, slept under a sky full of stars, luxuriated in the most graceful folk performances and had a thrilling dune bashing escapade. And behind all this was hours of research and browsing that helped us plan this trip in the best possible way. So here is all you need to know for planning that perfect desert getaway in Jaisalmer. Best time to Visit Jaisalmer Oct – Dec (excluding the Christmas Holidays): This is the best time to plan your desert trip. The days are not too ha