Road trips and walking tours..
Other Tales from the Road
Accidently spotting a vintage cafe or an art museum, when you had not planned for it; a chat with a random stranger or getting to taste a native delicacy; any of this, adds a charm to the story that you are about to narrate to your friends and family, when you are back home, after a vacation. There’s something charming about road trips. It allows us to go at our own pace, make impromptu stops, sing along with family, listen to music, play I-Spy with-my-little-eyes, with kids and so much more. Whereas, walking trip, are a great way to get some fresh air and exercise, for some guilt-free food binging through the trip. Both road trips and walking tours, provide us with a sense of freedom and adventure.
Once in the country, exploring the city or town on foot or by car, can help you explore a place significantly. Here are some gems, I thought of sharing via this post…..
A pitstop at Weerawila for some fresh organic yogurt served with a drizzle of honey. This thick and creamy yogurt is made of buffalo milk and is a famous local produce. (This surely took me back to my childhood days, when fresh buffalo milk and the curd and cottage cheese we got from it, was enjoyed with great love. 
…) These earthen pots are a regular sight as you enter Weerawila. Btw #Weerawila has its own domestic military and civilian Airport.
Read 10 essential while planning a road trip
On our way to Pangong Tso in Ladakh, we stopped at a nomad’s tent. Ladies with a wide grin, dressed in their traditional attire, welcomed us with open arms and treated us to salted tea, Yak cheese and Yak butter with no monetary exchange! This was my maiden trip at BucketList Travel Company, where I lead a group of 20 women, from across the country.
Watch the locals engaging in pastimes. In the picture you see them playing Petanque….. What is Petanque?
Located at the oldest square of Vienna ‘Hoher Markt’, the Anchor Clock is a piece of art in itself. It was built between 1911 and 1977 after the plans of the painter Franz von Matsch. The clock forms a bridge between two parts of the Anker Insurance Company’s building. The clock comprises of 12 historical figures from different eras that start parading with music, across the bridge in the course of 12 hours.
As you drive up from Kalambaka (in Greece) the nearest town, up towards Meteora gigantic rock formations greet you and the experience is almost science fictional. The Greek word “Meteora” means suspended in air and is quite an apt name for these gigantic high pillars of rock on an otherwise seemingly flat landscape. I visited the Monastery of the Holy Trinity which was a filming location in the 1981 James Bond movie “For Your Eyes Only” where Roger Moore and the bad guys had climbed these high rocks. We could visit Meteora, only because we were driving past this town.
We came across Human statues, in quite a few places, across Europe. Human statues are an art form in which the artist uses their body to create a still image. There are a number of human statue performers around the world that have become quite popular. These performers will often dress up in a costume and then remain completely still in that costume for long periods of time.
Street Art /Graffiti, I found in an obscure underpass, in a narrow or right in middle of a busy market street. In recent years, street art has evolved from an act of vandalism to a widely accepted form of public art. These pics were taken at George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the capital of the Malaysian state of Penang. We walked around this area for nearly half a day, exploring the famous street art. If this interests you, you must check out the special edition on Street Art In George Town.
I love walking through the local markets, put right on streets, and taking in the flavor of the city offered via panoply of items, ranging from olives, to fresh and juicy fruits, cheese, wine, bread, or some glorious looking flowers. Owl shop was an interesting stumble at Penang. We tasted Sturm at Naschmarkt Vienna. Sturm is a fermented grape juice available only during the harvest for about a month between late September and mid-October.
We came across this rather unusual clock somewhere in the middle of a cobbled street in Cambridge, lined with restaurants, cafes, bakeries and variety of other shops. This clock is quite unique with a devious looking Chronophage (time eater). John Taylor, the creator and funder of this extraordinary clock was unveiled by Stephen Hawking at Corpus Christi College. It was made to let all the students know that “Time is precious & that every second wasted will be devoured by the Chronophage.”
Benefits of Road trips and Walking Tours
- You can explore a new place at your own pace
- It’s cheaper than other forms of travel
- You can meet new and interesting people along the way
- It’s a great way to get some exercise
- You can see some amazing scenery
- You can stop whenever you want
- You can take as long as you want
- You can see things that you would miss if you were on a train or flight
This one time when landed at Bandaranaike International Airport at Sri Lanka, and instead of heading straight to Galle, which was our first destination, on our road trip planned across Sri Lanka; we detoured to Bentota, to lunch with friends, who happened to be vacationing just like us. Road trips, gives us that flexibility and luxury to change and adapt, to accommodate what heart calls out to.
What has your experience with road trips been? Do you like them? 
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