Warm Welcome to the New and Shiny Year 2014

Written by Shezaa Nehal

The New Year's Eve celebration greets warmly the coming year, which could be very beneficial, gainful, satisfying and flourishing for the entire world. Everyone is anxiously waiting with the hopes of fulfilling their desires and dreams with the gleaming beam of new sun. Here we will identify the best possible ways to welcome the New Year in the following lines.

Hangout Anywhere For New Year's Eve Celebration

The New Year's Eve celebration can be ideally organized at home, in any unique restaurant or hotel located in the city or anywhere in the local station, in a farm house, in a relaxing location, or in any sea resort. The main aim is to bid goodbye to the passing year, and offer a very warm welcome to a new excellent and shiny year, with the hope that it will bring significant benefits and amazing success, together with well-rounded pleasure and joys.

Jovial Activities for New Year Eve Celebration

The New Year Eve celebration is amazingly known for its foods, which add spirit and eagerness to the vibrant festivities. Other vital components of New Year celebration are eating and drinking gatherings, having a party and dance, gorgeous light decorations, experiencing fireworks and bonfires, and joyful trip to adventurous Hatta mountain safari, a place of natural elegance and grace. There are some well known dishes that are associated with this evening like prime rib, seafood, some soups and lentils and many more.

Rafting in Rishikesh

Written by Zara Jones

The holy Ganga River is one of the strongest anchors of the Hindu religion. It holds the faiths of millions of people and is looked upon as a saviour. The journey of a Hindu life begins and ends in Ganga. The river immerses not only the sins of the people but also the bodily ashes of the departed souls.

The sacred waters of Ganga originate from the mighty glaciers of the Himalayas and after a journey of 250 kilometres, it reaches the plains of Rishikesh (in Uttarakhand).

River Rafting Tour Rishikesh  Photo Credit : Bhandariseo

Rishikesh is the base for undertaking the ‘Chota Char Dham’ pilgrimage comprising - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. The city is also famous for its Yoga and Ayurvedic treatments. The rejuvenating effects of the therapeutic practices get more enhanced through the spiritually enriched in the  picturesque land of Rishikesh.

There is one more facet of Rishikesh for which it has become renowned world over - the adventurous side of the revered land. Rishikesh offers various enthralling activities like river rafting, body surfing, cliff jumping, rappelling, rock climbing, waterfall trekking, kayaking and canoeing. Among all of them, river rafting, which is famously called white water rafting, is the major sparkling attraction, bringing thousands of people to Rishikesh.

Steven Moore of Lowestoft ENGLAND

28. Featured Traveller 
 Steven Moore

Writer : Novelist : Traveller

 Lowestoft ENGLAND

"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, 
in the end." ~ Ernest Hemingway

Featuring a fellow traveller is fun and fulfilling. It's a great honour, especially to me as a blogger who tries to reach out, not only to a cool guy who blogs, but that is also a seasoned writer. 

Flag of the United Kingdom

I am talking about nomadic Steve, who, once upon a time, hailed from England.  He has since travelled to many places around the globe (and still counting). I cannot help but publish the list of countries he has explored, not just once, but a couple of times. Have a look and tell me if you notice something.

England (home),  Republic of Ireland,  Wales x 5,  France x 3,  Monaco,  Spain x about 20,  Italy x 2, Vatican City x 2,  Holland x 3,  Belgium x 2,  Czech Rep x 2,  Poland,  Austria,  Germany x 3, Greece x 2,  Turkey x 3,  Slovakia,  Hungary,  Israel x 2,  Egypt x 2,  Tunisia,  Morocco,  Nepal, India x 2, South Korea x 3,  Japan,  China (Hong Kong),  Singapore x 3,  Indonesia x 4, Philippines,  Malaysia x 5,  Thailand x 8, Cambodia x 2,  Vietnam,  Laos,  Australia x 6,  New Zealand x 4,  Fiji,  French Polynesia,  Argentina,  Chile,  Brazil,  Peru,  Mexico x 3,  U.S.A x 2, Canada.

It's no wonder Steve does not stay long in the UK. He is always on the road, and possibly at places we still haven't heard of. 

You might ask why he's visited Spain the most (20 times) and not India (x2) which is his favourite destination. Steve must have a good answer to that. Please note that he is a writer, so he can surely justify as you read on.

Steve in the Red Sea

Steve loves to travel by train but prefer to walk on his travels.

He muses, "Budget is important, as I tend to go on longer "trips" than short holidays. But sometimes, you've just got to splash out on once in a lifetime moments. Carpe Diem, right?"

Taiwan- beautiful island blending East and West

Written by Ruth Sheffer

The lure and magic of the East with the comforts of the West - what could be more tempting?

After living in China for a while, the attraction of modern toilets and a clean environment could never be overstated. So with this in mind we hopped on a ferry boat to the island of Jinmen and from there onto a small domestic flight and soon found ourselves in the heart of the capital city, Taipei.

Maobitou Rock Formations & Cliffs - TAIWAN

How can I describe Taipei - bustling, cultured, fascinating, illuminated? 

All of these are true, but not enough to capture the charm of the city. It has a great subway system, cheap and easily navigated even by those who don't read Chinese characters. It has skyscrapers, the famous Taipei 101  being one of them, it has Asian markets full of cheap knock-off goods, but also exclusive glitzy fashion stores for the fashion conscious, and it has every style of restaurant imaginable, from the hole in the wall noodle guy to the fancy elegant upscale seafood place. 

It also has a fascinating history and enough museums to prove it, and finally it has art galleries and exhibitions. We were lucky enough to be there during a Hello Kitty exhibition in a building formerly a tobacco factory.

Autumn in Patroklos Island

Written by Antonis Iordanoglou

Years ago I heard my father talking about Gaidouronisi (donkey island in Greek), as we drove to Cape Sounion, watching this remote island, located quite close to the shore. We now know the place as Patroclos (or Patroclus’) island and since I got my speedboat I often moor at its sandy beaches and protected bays.

Island of Patroclus...

On that October Saturday, I had gone spearfishing with a friend, again in that island. The weather was weird: it started like a north wind but kept changing direction west - east. The clarity at the atmosphere was amazing. We loiter at the spotless horizon all the nearby Cyclades islands up to Serifos. What a sweet autumn afternoon...
 
Very few boats had come out to the sea that day and quiet was absolute. Underwater it was quiet too; fish were not many, but the images were full of greatness.

I was watching around, during my dives, the remains of the many shipwrecks of Patroclus. Broken crockery everywhere, iron plates, wires, handles from ancient jugs tied to incredible formations with the colourful rocks of the seabed, trimmed with all kinds of seaweed, anemones and sponges. I've seen those remains many times.