Bangkok, Thailand

For the hundredth time in the day, I IM'ed my boyfriend and told him about these particular string of lights I want. He was all set to go to Bangkok and I knew such amazing things are sold in Thailand. He was extremely caught up in his preparation of the work trip and I was left alone to sulk and dream about those pretty lights. Never being the one to sit back and just keep waiting for things to happen, I switched on my laptop and opened Google. I searched for those beautiful lights, and how right I was! They are only sold in that country! Kick staring my wild imagination, I started looking about Bangkok and what that amazing city is all about. I had heard so much from all my friends who had had the opportunity to visit, but I'd never really thought about it until yesterday and now I just cannot stop planning my dream visit to Bangkok!

Update:
He is already in Bangkok and giving me a virtual tour of that beautiful, enchanting city! Man! I’m sooo jealous.

So, you must be wondering what did I find so awesome that I cannot stop talking about it? For starters, I am a sucker for cute accessories. Anything that is chic and quirky is on my wishlist! OMG Bangkok is THE place to be if you are looking to shop apparently. Cheap, cutsie stuff! Whattay steal! Shoes, slippers, dresses, bags, sunglasses, accessories, string lights..you name it and they got it! They also have so many tailors which, if everyone is to be believed, are cheap and sew like magic. I’m not all that materialistic..but a girl needs to have what she needs to have.

The lovely Loy Nava boat ride is what is the most exciting. I am not out and out romantic, but some conventional classic things are bound to sway even the most tomboyish of us. Since it was my boyfriend who told me about it, it was even more special because we kept talking about how much fun it would be with both of us there. I love canals and I had no idea there are more cities connected by them except for Venice! I remember watching an episode of “The Amazing Race” and seeing the wonderful floating markets! I mean..spending a whole evening with each other over looking some beautiful scenes and munching on fabulous food, what more can one want?

I am not the most religious person, but I love exploring different places of worships. I found Bangkok to be home to thousands of lovely “wats” or temples. I like to see different architecture and how different cultures worship and find peace. It’s amazing how we look for the same thing in such different manners. You know what is the best part? I actually realised that Indians and Thai people are so similar! Our culture is very family oriented, we are very serious about hosting our guests and are workaholics. I am blessed to be an Indian and would really like to see how the threads of our culture are woven in a foreign country.
My favourite flowers are the orchids.. they are native to Bangkok! Imagine finding an orchid garden! My dad used to buy me those every birthday, and somehow in growing up the ritual dwindled. I would love to be my 15 year old self getting lost amidst such beauty.

 Trips without a ride to a water park are a waste for me. I looked up the Siam Park City and oh boy WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE!! Slides and all that jazz.. makes my inner child excited!

Who doesnt like food? I am a big street food lover and I know Bangkok has so much to offer for foodies like me. Perfectly done flat noodles with soft boiled eggs, mamma mia, my mouth is watering just thinking about it! I love quaint hole in the wall locations, because I feel like those are the places which actually maintain the authenticity of the food they offer. Oh, and also, they are dirt cheap!

I kept going on and on about my dream vacation with my boyfriend too. He interrupted my thoughts asking me a necessary but saddening question.

Boyfriend: Hey..stop! Are you going to just dream or look up tickets to reach Bangkok?
Me: Uh. You know how much I hate looking at the ridiculously expensive tickets! They just make me want to sit at home and sulk and not ever think of flying out.
B: But, you want to travel.. why don’t you search?
Me: I wont find anything.

So finally with a big sulk I started searching. I came up with the usual expensive flights and was nothing more than disheartened. I mean, why just guzzle everyone? You fly so much, I’m sure you make enough money to cover costs and gain an decent profit. After looking some more I actually stumbled upon AirAsia. I felt like I found a goldmine. Affordable air travel!!! World's best online travel fair! The best part is that I want to visit sooo many destinations in Asia that my heart is swell with joy at this lovely discovery. I poured two hours on the website trying to see if there is some catch.. no sir! None at all.

I called up my boyfriend that very moment and we both logged onto the website. We did a mini hi5 and danced on Facetime at our good fortune.  Can you imagine what this means? That my dream can actually be true! We ticked so many locations on our bucket list, all thanks to AirAsia.

Looks like my dream to visit Gaggan, the Indian molecular food restaurant isn’t that far off! It features on the top 50 Asian restaurants, btw. Talk about diversity in just one city.

Now to day dream about that visit to Kuala Lumpur..  ;)

Philippines

I don't really care if it's not one of those oh-I-am-an-avid-traveller sort of a place to visit, or that it's apparently a poor country.. So they say about India, so I really want to visit and see for myself. Because, all I have looked up and heard is that it's a gorgeous, gorgeous place. Oh, and check out the skyline in the financial capital.. Come again, how is it poor?

Okay, so moving onto why exactly the fixation of Philippines took shape.. I have a friend, who has a friend in turn.. She's been to that country a lot of times and she's never seen a more beautiful place. I take her word for it! The descriptions she shares.. I am in love. It's not really a very in your face touristy place, so that's a real pull as well.

Firstly, it's an island country. That's a win-win for me. 7,107 islands. Each with a beautiful beach. Imagine that, friend. The typical island boasts a jungle-clad, mountainous interior and a sandy coastline flanked by aquamarine waters and the requisite coral reef. The best part is.. with all these islands, you can sometimes feel that you are on an island of your own! That's like Lost, minus being lost, ofcourse.

The Visayas are one place which fulfill the cliche dreams of a sun kissed beach and nature's paradise. Now, what's the fun if we don't fulfill some cliche needs? The beaches are white and palm fringed, the locals fish in the turquoise waters, and what excites me is the fact that you can island hop from there, as it's supposed to be really easy to hire a boat or a raft and find your own little island.

To compensate for the museum knowledge.. or lack of it, I do know about Vigan. It's one of the only towns to escape the World War II bombings and is like a part of Spain in Philippines. Plus five.

Kitesurfing..Kayaking.. I haven't forgotten them. What's left to say? The adrenalin rush is something to be experienced, and not talked about.

See you in Manila, fellas :)

Leh

I think it's every 20-something-from-India's dream to visit that place. A lot of us do fulfill that dream, but I'm afraid we aren't one of them. Firstly, it's a part of our homeland, and that's what makes it a million times more cooler than any other reason.

Leh's a beautiful amalgamation of natural beauty and a melting pot of various verticals of cultural heritage. It has a royal lining to it, as it was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh. It was one of the important stopovers in the trade route between Tibet and India.. Yes, the famous Silk Route! :) Leh has a heavy Buddhist influence, and there are atleast three very famous Buddhist temples. I love Buddhist temples. They are peaceful, have a certain calm about them.. and isn't that what we crave for? Some peace? Far from the crazy city life? Also, I follow a certain sect of Buddhism, and it has a magnetic force attached to it, in my opinion. So, I really want to visit them and absorb the peace the temples exude.

Pangong Tso! I SO want to visit this high altitude lake with deep blue waters, surrounded by mountain peaks. It's like a piece of heaven right here on earth. This place is so damn gorgeous looking, just in the photographs itself.. I wonder how gorgeous it would be in reality. Just look at the vast expanse of the never ending serene waters. Geeee! I can't help but grin at this beautiful picture. Also, there's white water rafting somewhere. I want to gather the courage and experience the thrill of something that wonderful.

Obviously I also want to see the War Museum of the Indian Army. The weaponry, the Siachen battlefield display.. I want to see all of that and feel proud of being an Indian!

Also, I learnt about a fun Donkey Sanctuary! A fitting tribute to the most abused yet the most hard working animals on the planet.  

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

So, continuing with Europe, the place I would really wanna visit is United Kingdom. Yes, not just England. The whole United Kingdom consisting of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland along with Ireland. It has been THE DREAM place for me ever since I started read Enid Blyton novels when I was really very young.

At the age of 10, my mother enrolled me into the British Council Library. Those were actually the best days of my life. :)
I am a very avid reader and i just LOVE novels. And the 'Famous Five' and 'Secret Seven' series were the first english novels that I had read! And, oh boy, were they beautiful or what!? Such moderately realistic stories and plots. And, most importantly, such a beautiful portrayal of the scenic countryside of the wonderful country of Great Britain. I was so much in awe about these places just by reading these books...
Then, I moved onto novels such as  "Sherlock Holmes" and the most famous "Harry Potter" books. And, they just increased my love for the country. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced me to the moors present in the countryside. And, what scenic beauty they brought! The lakes, rivers, streamlets, farms, green beautiful hills. All of this appeals to me just like heaven on earth. After reading the Harry Potter novels (I am a huge fan of this series) I just can't wait to go the King's Cross station and stand in between platforms 9 or 10. I just want to roam around London and find out where is the darn Diagon Alley.

After all of these things influence by the novels, lets come to something more practical. SPORTS!
And, more importantly to Manchester United . I am a HUGE FAN. You can't even imagine how huge a fan I am! It is like one of my life's goals to be able to visit Old Trafford and watch a match. Believe me I will do anything and everything to achieve that! It is such a hallowed ground. The museum inside the stadium tells a lot about the history and heritage of the Biggest and Best Club in the world! I just wait and wait for the day when I can enter that huge ground and able to see the trophy cabinet! WOW! Would it be beautiful or what?! Besides Manchester United, I would also like to visit London and all the clubs that are there... (Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, etc) And, in London I would really love to visit the 'All England Club'. More famously known as 'Wimbledon'! :D The only Tennis Grand Slam to be played on a grass court. It is so darn CLASSY. Everyone has to wear white clothes. Suits, Jackets, Trousers. I really love the royal feel that white colour portrays..

After this exhaustive trip of London and Manchester, I would love to visit the interior of the country. The various counties of Derby, Essex, etc. Just to look at the greenery. And the silence. Away from the hustle bustle of the city life. The royal churches and palaces. Scotland. The beautiful green country. The various historic ruins present there! Then would like to go the various ports of the country. Southampton, Portsmouth. The stillness. The view of water colliding with the land. Its so very enticing and soothing to the eyes!

Who in his correct mind would not want to visit such beautiful places and marvel at such natural and man made beauty. If I ever have the opportunity, and the money, the one place I would definitely be going to, would be United Kingdom.

Italy

Florence..Rome..Venice.. Milan.. Tuscany..

Gorgeous, gorgeous locales. Not to forget the scrumptious pasta!

Why Italy?

Eat Pray Love was the final read that I needed to put this locale on my list of places to surely visit. This woman makes you want to jump, skip, hop, run all the way to Europe. Italian. The language sounds so beautiful.. (it might turn out to be a pain because I don't really speak Italian!) but I love they way they roll their tongue.. the words come out a like little lemon tarts. Tangy yet delicious. I am a big foodie so I almost worship places with a rich heritage of gastronomical delights. I cannot wait to lay my hands on some authentic pasta..straight from the pasta land! Gelato ice-creams. Wines. I want to take tours of wineries, visit Naples and dunk myself into pizzas and walk through those streets to 'discover' my own type of cafe. Doesn't that sound heavenly?

And, seriously. Who doesn't wanna marvel at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and get funny pictures clicked? Who doesn't wanna step right inside the Colosseum and absorb the Roman heritage? I've wanted to visit that place ever since I couldn't even pronounce the name. The magnificence of that place is absolutely breathtaking. I wonder how may times will it multiply when I am actually there. I want to visit the monumental cathedrals, gape at the panels, absorb the beauty of the stained glasses. I want to roam the streets of Rome and feel envious of the beautiful Italian women.

Oh. Museums. I love visiting museums. So much to learn..so much to imagine. I have, have to visit the National Archeology Museum of Naples. This museum houses world's best collections of Greek and Roman antiquities, including mosaics, sculptures, and a collection of Roman erotica from Pompeii. There is a SECRET CABINET as well!!I love secrets. Only when I am a part of them, that is.

The quirky, romantic towns and unique styles are somethings I want to experience :)