The WorldNomads Travel Film Scholarship is back!

If you are a 18+ novice film maker (non-professional), you can apply to win a fully paid trip
to New Orleans and be mentored by film maker Briann Rapsey. What are you waiting for?

Click here for details.

Last year, the lovely Shriya Pilgaonkar from India won this trip.

Travel Brazil - Film Scholarship Winners Go To Rio Carnaval (Part 1) from WorldNomads on Vimeo.

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Super energetic Kim had made plans for us to visit nearby Virginia City just a day after her wedding.

Not to be confused with Virginia state, this is a quaint little town in Nevada that's stuck in time.

-  Or that's what they love to market!



The region was at the peak of it's glory when the first gold deposits were discovered in Comstock Lode, followed by silver deposits in 1859.



Originally a mining boomtown, Virginia City is a fun touristy place today, telling you stories of the
yesteryears through it's olde style architecture, signboards and colourful costumes.

    

Almost every shop and service here is crafted to maintain the theme of it's glorious past.



We did a quick tour of the region onboard the slow but fun Virginia Truckee Mining Train!



Interesting anecdote: Mark Twain first used his pen name here! Speaking of pen names, ahem...

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Las Vegas was extravagant but not exactly 'exciting' for me. Perhaps because i've never really favoured opulence, and always preferred nature's grandeur and simplicity to manmade substitutes.

Almost as if the travel Gods were to concur, we drove from Vegas to the Grand Canyon after spending 2 nights in Sin City. I was expecting this big gorge which would be a photo op we'd do and forget about.



But when we reached the Grand Canyon National Park and got our first peek of the natural wonder,
I just stood there in awe of the magnificence, humbled by such an outstanding force of nature.



Just 5 minutes of being in such a splendid place, you realize that 'grand' is an understatement!



The sudden realization that one needs to spend not hours, not a day but at least a few days circumnavigating and exploring this structure set in...



... but we had an agenda to complete... My best friend's wedding!



As i looked back at the Grand Canyon one last time before we left, i promised myself i'd come back to soak in more of it's splendour and explore the area in more detail.

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Made it to New York City / The USA! 

The primary agenda of my visit here is my oldest pal Dru's wedding.
But being my first ever trip, I had to visit my dear friend Nick Gray in New York first.
He asked me to write "Quick notes about my first impressions of his country / city."


Nick and me at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - he runs exclusive 'Museum Hack' tours of it.


Welcome to The MET - came straight here after a 17 hour flight, BOM-KWI-LHR-JFK


All the resources I put together for my epic one month trip of the USA.


Washington Square Park - this was like a better version of Shivaji Park back home!


Nick was kind enough to write this awesome note for his friendly neighbours!


An open deck NYC sightseeing bus, a hot dog vendor and the ubiquitous Yellow Cab.

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I'm writing this blog post exactly 10 days before i head there, after finally receiving my 10 year visa!

My oldest pal from school is getting married and his fiancée is helping me make secret plans to surprise him by showing up as an unexpected groomsman :D

What better way to begin this exciting trip than a VIP invitation from the US Consulate to attend the 4th of July celebrations in the city?!

All-American burgers

US Consul General Peter Haas addressing the crowd

US goodies and schwag!

More shiny stuff

with US Consul General Peter Haas

Off i go! Don't judge me by my choice of wrist wear, thank you!

Super excited to attend the wedding and meet my buddy Nick Gray in New York City!

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5 years ago, I happened to visit a stunningly beautiful country that had me spellbound in no time.

Today, I'm overjoyed to announce that...
this country has picked me as one among a select few to experience it's wonders on a fully paid trip!!

Part of the global brand campaign, this was a Twitter contest which invited users to share and
discover why 'The Answer is Colombia' using the hashtag #TheAnswerIsColombia.

Each winner was asked to choose one 'unique' experience from a list on their website.

Having already visited Colombia and missed one mysterious, ancient place - i decided to visit San Agustin.

So, rest assured i'll be covering the best of this place, and the rest of Colombia once again
- this time with lots more videos and regular blog posts, live, raw and real time.

Hello again, South America - See you in February of 2014 - Hasta pronto, Juan Valdez!

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Starting a new series for the blog - properties and experiences I loved personally.

Kicking this off is Teso Waterfront, a stunningly set riverside lounge + restaurant + resort destination on the Chapora-Siolim road in North Goa.

The owners have made every effort to make this a memorable experience.

From wooden flooring to Greek-style open frame seating areas flanked by gorgeous white sheets, this is an ideal location for a party, a date or even a bespoke wedding.

Check them out at TesoGoa.com

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For anyone who's ever been to India, the desi bobble or nod is an amusing, lifelong memory.

Nirvana Films captures this aspect of the traveler's experience brilliantly in the new Incredible India 2013 ad.

Big crush on the lead actor by the way!

... and here's my friend Noah Kagan doing a dorky head bobble...

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At the recently held Travel & Tourism Fair 2012 (TTF) in Mumbai, perhaps the best stall in terms of value for travelers was the Youth Hostel Association of India one.

I was pleasantly surprised that they had created a nice Guide and brochure to promote hostel culture in India (and around the world).




What is YHAI?

Quite simply, it's an organization which brings travelers together and offers a variety of hostels to stay in, anywhere in the world.

They have some fantastic treks and trips in the country, and the membership is affiliated to Hosteling International, which has hostels worldwide.

Annual membership is merely Rs.100 while the life membership is Rs.1,550.

I booked my very first hostel in Sao Paulo, the Praca Da Arvore Hostal on Trav.com and availed the YHAI / HI membership on visit. In the first 3 days of stay itself, the full value of my life membership was redeemed - that's how amazing YHAI can be for you as a traveler.

So head over today, and get yourself a YHAI / HI membership!

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Photos by Ales Prikryl

Go forth, your mountain is waiting! :) Brilliant video from Burning Man 2011.

Definitely one of the most amazing places on earth and on my wishlist.

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As per the National Center for Languages, there are over 6,000 languages spoken in the world.

That’s what the European Day of Languages (EDL) on 26th September aims to celebrate
- by showing people how important languages are, and what fun can be had learning them.

       

As a polyglot currently learning German at the Goethe Institut, it's going to be a privilege for me
to attend The European Day of Lanuages 2011 here.

Looking forward to some fun activities, events and lots of learning!

Interested in learning a new language? Come join the event at Goethe Institut

[Cross-posted on my Personal blog, Kronicles with K]

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The Indian traveler has an almost unfair advantage when it comes to picking up new languages on the go.

Since the devnagri script is phonetically pure, you always know exactly what a word sounds like when spoken.

Let me explain with an illustration, and I hope you use this language hacking technique which I used myself, to pick up Brasilian Portuguese and Latin American Spanish easily and quickly!

In this earlier post, I've already directed you to free online resources for learning a foreign language. With the help of Mango Languages or MP3s you've downloaded on to your player (or just listening to phrases along the way), you would first learn pronunciation of some key words.

Like in Brasilian Portuguese, 'r' is pronounced as 'h' which means Rio de Janeiro sounds like 'Hiu ji Janeroo' - that just looks weird in English, and seems unnatural. What I'd do instead is write this in Hindi / Marathi.

So, Rio de Janeiro = हिऊ जी जनेरू!

"temho uma cartao de debito, ta bom?" (I have a debit card, is that ok?) actually sounds like "तेंयू उमा कह्तौ जी देबितो, ता बों?"

Language Hacking using phonetic Devanagri script by kaushal


Try it the next time you want to learn a new language :) You'll be glad you're Indian! 

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Cross-posting this from my comment on the Tripping.com Facebook page.

Tripping: Tell us about a *random act of kindness* from your travels. 
Me: First day in Colombia... after having heard enough of "isn't it scary/risky" and refusing to believe such non-tested arguments, I found myself talking to one of the oldest men I've ever met. he was as local as local can be - came from a Guarani descent and spoke Quichua. 

Colombia es passion!

When i told him in my broken Spanish that I was here to explore his country, he was delighted to assist me in locating a shared taxi to reach my destination, the beautiful Las Lajas. He wished me a great stay and I knew already that I was in a great country with great people :)

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One of the best ways to be inspired to travel and to collect information about destinations you zero in on, is to visit travel exhibitions and fairs in your city.

This weekend, as I'm headed to the TTF & OTM (Travel and Tourism Fair 2011) - the biggest travel and tourism fair here in Mumbai (and perhaps India?!), I thought I'd share this with all my fellow travelers and specially novices who have yet to set foot and explore the world on their own.

Here's 5 great reasons to visit travel expos - and how you can make the most of it!

1. Free Maps and Destination Guides
Travel fairs throw up tons of information through visuals, brochures and handouts. Use some discretion and pick up only stuff you can actually use for your travels.

I usually pick up only maps, guides and price lists - not brochures and handouts, unless I'm specifically interested in something. Keep their cards instead - use a pen to write what you liked at the back of it!

The stall owners would appreciate non-wastage of their material too.
Bonus: It's good for the environment!

2. Official Destination Representation
Get your doubts and questions answered by the best people who could help - the tourism boards or reps of the state / country / city you're planning to visit. Many merchants / tourism boards would even have a keen willingness to patiently understand your profile and help you plan your perfect trip! Keep their cards so you can revert or say thank you later.

3. Offers, Discounts and Contests
The consumer is truly king at these exhibitions. Not only do you get all the info and details on your dream destination from possibly the best people - but you also stand to avail the hottest deals, and even win contests perhaps. Try your luck. Who knows?!

4. Discover New Destinations
Sweet serendipity - You might have Ladakh on your mind but discover Bhutan instead!
Keep your eyes wide open and soak it all in :)

5. Meet Great People!
Travelers are open-minded people who wander the planet and most likely spread warmth, cheer and great energy. You couldn't possibly spot someone sad here.

From my own personal experience, I bet the psych majors would be able to prove that dopamine levels run as high as shopping therapy here - without burning a hole in thy wallet! Make some friends, find a travel agent, you may even chance upon a travel partner at such an event.

Drop me a message at kaushalk@facebook.com if you'd like to join me.
See you there! 

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Just came across a phenomenal contest running on the travel blogosphere, thanks to Asma Kazi.

Chris Guillebleu, a personal excellence leader and travel hacker who runs popular travel + unconventional living blog 'The Art Of Non-Confirmity', is generously giving away 25,000 miles to anyone who convinces the judges about why they should be awarded the miles (with which you may create your custom trip to anywhere you'd like!)

Brilliant, humble and exciting.

I'm already super thrilled to discover the blog and author! :)

To enter, please head to Chris' website - The Art Of Non-Confirmity.  Godspeed!

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Third article in the Mumbai Mirror, this time about my favorite island - Ilha Grande!

Check it out in full glory...

Emerald Isle: Ilha Grande (1 of 2) by Kaushal Karkhanis

Emerald Isle: Ilha Grande (2 of 2) by Kaushal Karkhanis

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After a hugely successful Oktoberfest organized by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, which Mumbaikars LOVED (my friends who went there stand testimony) - it's time for some more authentic epicurean delights from around the world, so celebrate! :)

Washoku 4 - A Japanese Street Festival


For the fourth year in a row, IHM Mumbai and maidoindia are bringing Japan even closer to India!
WASHOKU, the annual Japanese food festival is back with a bang. This year, the ambition is to replicate an entire Japanese street in Mumbai, and give the visitors a true feel of ‘the Land of the Rising Sun’.

WHEN: 21 - 24 October
WHERE: Catering College, Dadar, Mumbai
COST: Rs. 500 per person, coupons redeemable at stalls
CONTACT: +91 9769666923, 9769666942 to have your passes home-delivered.
Press coverage: Hindustan Times | Bindass


 Ecuadorean Cornucopia
 
Drawing inspiration from its diverse regions, the cuisine of Ecuador is a perfect integration of tropical fruits and vegetables, seafood and an eclectic style of cooking that is indeed unique and delightful. Savour the Incan and Spanish influences in this unique gastronomic festival of Ecuador.
Experience the cuisine of Ecuador with a dinner buffet at INR 1400 plus taxes.
WHEN: 19 - 26 October
WHERE: Hornby’s Pavilion, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
COST: Rs.1400 + taxes
CONTACT: ITC WelcomZest Lounge / Embassy of Ecuador to India
Press coverage: Chef Edgar Leon speaks to LiveMint | Delhi samples… Ecuador

 French Wine Workshop
Sopexa and French Ministry of Food present the French Wine workshop at The Tasting Room. Discover, savour and revel in the secrets of 5 different wines from around France. Also learn how wines are made and stored and the proper ways of serving and pairing them with food. 
WHEN: 23 October, 4 – 6 pm
WHERE: Good Earth, Lower Parel, Mumbai
COST: Single: Rs. 1500 + taxes  | Couple: Rs. 2500 + taxes
CONTACT: 65285284, 24951954 | Burrp!
UPDATE!
Prasanna (@labellagorda) informs me of another wine fest happening in Mumbai this month, as part of the Celebrate Bandra festival.

Wine tasting, cooking contests, wine appreciation talks, master chefs in action!
WHEN: 30-31 October, 4 – 6 pm
WHERE: D’Monte Park Recreation Club, Bandra, Mumbai
COST: Single: Rs. 500  | Early Bird Offer: 5 passes for Rs. 2,000
CONTACT: Official website

Thanks Niharika, Sagar, Prasanna for the heads up!
All 3D flags by 3DFlags.com

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