At the dawn of 2019, looking back at the year feels satisfying. From a married woman taking on a solo trip to Indians being the only Indians on a beach in Goa, the year has brought forth epic travel stories and experiences that have left the readers enchanted.
The long list of talented wanderers gave the editors at Tripoto a hard time finalising a list of recommended travel blogs of 2019! Yet, we are not complaining one bit. For the results that followed were stunning and filled with heart-warming stories curated with utmost care.
Here are some reccomended travelogues from the Tripoto community in 2019 that'll inspire you to travel in 2020:
1. A village straight out of Alice in Wonderland
Favourite excerpt:
“My head screamed with joy –Welcome to the bluest skies, the cherry blossoms and the roads so shy! We boarded the bus from Sainj for Deori as there was no other way to travel up. The roads were non existent and there were just a few buses in a day. The drive from Sainj was another 45 mins to Deori. The apple blossoms and green fields gave way to drier lands with enormous giants called Dhauladhars looming outside our windows. The path defined offbeat in its true essence giving way to the slushiest and narrowest roads with views that were simply breathtaking.”
2. Married and going solo in Chiang Mai
Favourite excerpt:
“I was just sceptical to try anything new from the Oriental cuisine. But I don’t know what inspired me to sign up for a Thai cooking class, in Thailand! I signed up for Asia Scenic Classes for a half day/ 4 hour session (800 Baht), they had me picked from my hotel at 8.30 am and first took us (we were a group of 8-10 people) to a local spice and grocery market. The group had people from UK, China, Australia & France and I ended up chatting quite a bit with two girls from China, who knew a little broken English. Since I was the only vegetarian in the group, special arrangements were made to substitute non-veg ingredients with veg ones. We ended up making papaya salad, Pad Thai, Massaman curry (along with the paste by grinding all the spices), mango sticky rice and spring rolls. After a couple of hours of cooking, we all sat down at the table and ate what we made, over interesting stories from our respective countries. Everything was so appetising and delicious that it made me fall in love with Thai food. That’s quite a feat!”
3. The only Indians on a beach in Goa
Favourite excerpt:
“Google and local people helped us arrive at Patnem Beach. And the first thought we had was-Where are all the Indian tourists? As a matter of fact, we could see Australians and Russians all around us, dressed up in vibrant 'Goa attires' and promoting Indian attire, accessories and bags in an immaculate way.
We parked our vehicle and made way towards our beach-house named 'Roundcube Guest House' which was located right next to the beach's entrance.
We were finally greeted by Indians, who were running the beach house and restaurant. The moment we were shown our beach house, we got blown away with its aesthetics and the view in front of us.”
4. Lost my passport in Italy
Favourite excerpt:
“Milano Centrale was fairly spotless apart from the occasional cigarette butts popping out between the lines of the stoned floor of the station. My train from Florence (Firenze Santa Maria Novella) to Milan covered a little more than 300 kilometres in an unbelievable 1 hour 40 minutes, leaving me little time to finish the thriller in my hand. I was almost forced to enjoy the lush green landscapes rushing past the enormous windows. With a little extra buck to spare, I got myself a first-class ticket. Apparently, there was a faster train available, but my Trenitalia adventures had to wait for another time. I was ecstatic at the prospect of visiting the home of Leonardo Da Vinci's legendary fresco at Santa Maria delle Grazie, a church and Dominican convent in Milan. Milano Centrale has its own beauteous virtues with a mix of Art Nouveau and Art Deco dominance. The early modernist building with its enormous glass and metal dome shelter some 24 tracks with a daily service to every major town in Italy. Awed by its charm, a felt a light nudge to my left and long story short: my passport was missing!”
5. The ever-changing Hampta Pass Trek
Favourite excerpt:
“Today was the day we had to glacial water. We were asked to remove our shoes and tie it to our bags or carry it on the shoulder. We formed a human chain and crossed the stream. The water is freezing cold, our legs got numb by the time we crossed the stream. All of us started making leg movements so that blood starts circulating properly.”
6. Walking the romantic city walls of Dubrovnik
Favourite Excerpt:
“Definitely the most remarkable sight in Dubrovnik, the City Walls once protected the civilised, sophisticated republic for centuries. These 2km long contiguous, imposing circular walls, so to say, completely package the medieval Old Town, with a total of three entrance gates. It takes about 2-3 hours to walk all the way round on the City Walls. There are cafes, ice-cream shops & fresh juice joints, all offering a table with a view. There are countless interesting vantage points and unique photogenic opportunities enroute. We made the most of it while enjoying a leisurely stroll, stopping to get that coffee fix or fresh juices.”
7. The best adventure in Jibhi
Favourite excerpt:
“She liked the idea of spending her special day away from the hustle and bustle of city-life and agreed to come with me. It was a dream come true, since she had never been a part of my crazy travel adventures before! So, this travelogue is really close to my heart. Also, the level of adventure I had on this trip was beyond ordinary!
Without wasting any time, I booked two tickets to Jibhi and browsed through the best hotels in and around the area. I had my first ‘aha’ moment of this trip when I came around this pretty little tree house on B&B.
It was love at first sight. I knew instantly that this is where we would celebrate my best friend’s birthday. Oh, and her name is Mansi. She is a stunning human and deserves the world. Coming back to my enthusiasm, I booked two tickets within five minutes of coming across the beauty that this tree house was.”
8. Travelling after my dog passed away
Favourite excerpt:
“My solo trip to Kerala, which has now made its way to my list of the best journeys, was about to get cancelled earlier. I was on the verge of calling off this vacation because of two reasons – first, my dog (whom I love the most in this entire universe) passed away just four weeks before the scheduled date of this trip and second, my personal life was in huge turmoil. But then, I pulled myself together and decided to do what needed to be done to raise my spirits – exploring God’s own country.”
9. A dreamy cafe with a gorgeous sunset view
Favourite excerpt:
“In terms of food, it's the European cuisine which the cafe caters to; with loads of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies, including sandwiches, burgers, pasta, coffee, alcohol, Shakshouka, and so much more. While I settled down for a Veg Margherita Sandwich and a cold coffee, my husband relished the Tuna Sandwich and a beer. The presentation, taste and after-taste were all too good. Just like the ambience, we were awed by its food too.
While we were there, it was almost time for sunset, and we knew we had discovered one of the spectacular beach-cafes in the country, to rejoice in the sunset view.”
10. Wandering for wellness to Mary Budden Estate
Favourite excerpt:
“The property is managed by Serena Chopra and her nine staff members who whip up delectable home-cooked meals. This consists of an array of cuisines, which can be prepared to your liking, or even enjoy a traditional Kumaoni meal which consists of Ragi roti, mountain spinach, turmeric raita, and pink ghee. The staff is very well-trained and extremely polite, exuding the kind of warm hospitality we seem to have forgotten in the big city hotels. Mrs Chopra also has five super friendly dogs and two cats, all of whom are constantly looking to cuddle with guests or play a game of fetch. You can go on long walks, do some yoga, trek up to zero point or bundle up and read a book (or three).”
What's your favourite travel story from 2019? Share in the comments below or here on Tripoto!
Need travel inspiration for the new year? Click here to go around the world in 2020!