Colours of Cape Town

One of the places we went to while sightseeing in Cape Town was to Bo-Kaap or the Malaysian Quarters.Now this place must be familiar to all of you.The colourful buildings of the street has been a backdrop to a countless bollywood songs and has even inspired it's very own film set back home.I wished we had more time to spend here to experience more of the culture of the place( and the yummy-looking Malay coffee place we passed ),but sadly that was not to be.I did however manage to get some quick shots clicked in all of the 20 minutes we got to spend taking in the sights.

The bag I am carrying is my new favorite bag.It is roomy and easy on the shoulders and I love it and I'm carrying it everywhere now.I bought it at the souvenir shops outside the Seal Island dock.Supposed to be the cheapest souvenir shopping according to our guide.But I am sure I was still very willingly ripped off like the gullible tourist that I am. :D

Top:     Green Apple,City Centre 1,Kolkata

Denims:     Best Mountain,Paris

Boots:     BK Market,Kolkata

Bag:     Souvenir Shop in Cape Town

Scarf/Snood:     Woolworths,Cape Town

Sunglasses:     Minimal Baroque by Prada

Earrings and Bracelets:      Miscellaneous 

Vineyard Romance

During my trip to South Africa,we had the opportunity to visit The Spier Wine Farm for a vineyard tour and vine tasting.The day we were supposed to leave for the tour started out extremely rainy and gloomy and rainy and we were all worried that any outdoor activity was pretty much out of the picture.However,the weather gods heard our silent prayer and by the time we reached,the rain had slowed to a drizzle and soon stopped altogether.The weather was beautiful and everything looked fresh and green and had a romantic air to it.

We had a wonderful day with a segway tour of the vineyard which was great and our instructors were really nice and helpful navigating the bumpy roads.We tasted some delicious wine and cheese.We had the most delicious lunch at their farm to table restaurant and saw some incredible eagles and owls at the Eagle Encounters Rehabilitation Center. At the end,we left wishing we had more time to explore the huge gardens and relax in the midst of nature at the Spier Wine Farm.If you have this as a part of your South African itinerary,I would reccomend you take a full day to visit and make a picnic out of it, or if possible stay the night at their hotel.You will go back refreshed.

Cowl Top: Forever 21

Pants: Zara

Boots: Steve Madden

P.S.-This review is not sponsored.All the views expressed are my own.

This Time For Africa!

This summer I had the opportunity to travel to the wonderful country of South Africa.I was amazed at the huge amount of similarities between our countries and the people I encountered.Besides sharing a similar colonial history,it was quite enlightening to know that this was a country where apartheid was abolished legally only in 1994! When we think of racial discrimination in such a large scale in today's world,we consider it something that had happened in the past before our time.It was shocking to see a place where the people got their rights only a few years back.The amazing thing was this sordid history had not embittered them.The people I met were open,friendly and looking forward to a brighter future.There were a few people were not that nice too,but not more than any I had encountered in any foreign country.The landscape and wildlife of the country will just take your breath away.They had some of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen.I have shared some pictures of my beautiful journey below and hope that it inspires you to travel to South Africa to explore for yourself.

V&A Waterfront

Kango Caves

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

Knysna Waterfront

Spier Wine Farm

 

Dock for Seal Island

Boulders Beach

All pictures are copyright of @Shreya Jhunjhunwala.

Pardon the picture-spam of this post guys! But,I just couldn't resist.:D
Have you ever been to South Africa?What was your favorite place to go?

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How To Travel Smart!

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky

are like shooting stars?

I could really use a wish right now,wish right now,wish right now.

The lyrics of this song haunt me as I get that familiar itch to leave it all behind and travel to a new destination.I love the break that holidays provide from our mundane everydays and we enter an alternate dimension where you are relaxed all the time.It's ok to go clubbing with a sunburnt nose.And missing the prepaid breakfast buffet because you slept in is also acceptable once in a while. I love the feeling of excitement when you step out of the airport to get a cab and all of the sudden the jet lag disappears and your camera starts clicking away.I love how we learn something new everyday and chat up to random locals which we would never do at home because we're always in a hurry.I love the sights and smells and sounds of the unfamiliar.

I have picked up some tips on how to travel smart over the years and would like to share them with you.I am in no way an expert and I hope to learn a lot more from the journeys yet to come but I hope that these might help you to plan your next trip!

• Do not go for a package tour! Having a few hours of 'leisure time' in a day is not my idea of sightseeing.I also hate the idea of getting up at 6am on a holiday so that you don't miss your bus.Plan a holiday according to your interest.You might want to spend more time at a park than a museum.Planning your own itinerary gives you the freedom to do that.                                                                      
• Unless you're at a beach destination and all you want to do the whole week is sunbathe and eat...Do not go for an all inclusive resort.An AI has buffet meals which can get a little boring after a while and you don't really get to go out to explore the destination much.
• Compare your flight,hotel and bus bookings at a website like Skyscanner which gives you the rates available online at different travel websites and lets you choose the most affordable option without compromising on the quality.Also,get a quote or itinerary from your local travel agent.It's free advice and they are always happy to help! Sometimes they have special concessions for certain destinations.You can combine online booking and booking through agents to tailor make a perfect holiday!hop
• Pack only what you need.You don't want to ruin a good vacation by mourning something important you left behind.Avoid carrying food and alcohol.They are illegal in some countries and you might have to pay a hefty penalty fee if caught.Check the laws of the place you are travelling to.For example,its illegal to carry alcohol and religious idols into the Maldives.And,No hand luggage except your purse is allowed while coming back from Srinagar.
• Check the weather prediction before you pack.Sometimes the average temperatures are unpredictable.Always carry a sunscreen,sunglasses,a cap,an umbrella and a light jacket or Shawl.When we went to Istanbul in the middle of the summer,we were freezing on the first day because the temperature dipped suddenly due to unexpected rainfall.
• Make a list of places you want to visit along with their contact details and timings before you go.A lot of tourist places are shut on a weekday and we tend to lose track of what day it is when on a vacation.If you are a vegetarian like me,make a list of the vegetarian or veggie friendly places.Tripadvisor is your best friend.
• Invest in a good camera.Even if you don't like clicking pictures of yourself,the best way to preserve memories are through pictures of the places you see.Smartphones just don't cut it,no matter the Megapixel.
• Talk to the locals.Its sometimes better to break free of the itinerary and take the advice of someone who knows the place best.
• Spend some time alone.Sometimes when I travel in a group,I like to take a day alone relaxing.I read a book at a coffee shop,lounge around the beach or stroll around downtown.It feels amazingly peaceful and you notice a lot of things that you would have missed if you were with someone about the place.
• Travel by public transport.It's much more interesting and cost efficient than taking a cab!
• Switch off your cellphone,put your feet up and just relax!

I leave you with an assortment of my favourite pictures from my trip to Kenya! A surreal experience that I would love to have again or maybe explore other parts of Africal.Happy Travels!

P.S.-This post is my entry for #travelsmartwithskyscanner Contest by Indiblogger. All images are subject to copyright.