Month: February 2014

Insiders View on London

The Wanderers in conversation with Minaxi Mistry

Everything the guide books or tourism websites won’t tell you about the place.

One little known fact/trivia that everyone should know about when travelling to London

That the London Underground Tube service is excellent, efficient, and the fastest and easiest way to get around the City

What is a must buy when in London?

English Tea!

One take-away after a visit to London? 

British pomp and pageantry – no one does it quite like the British.

What is your advice to first time travellers?

Purchase an Oyster Card, it’s the fastest, smartest and most cost effective way to pay for travel around the City.

One thing to definitely pack when travelling to London

Jumper / Umbrella as you can never predict the down-turn in temperature

One activity anyone travelling to London should not miss.

Hop On / Hop Off Red Bus – excellent way to see all the amazing sights properly with guided information

Where should anyone, travelling to London, definitely get their picture taken?

Buckingham Palace

Which is the best place to get a panoramic photo?

By Big Ben / Westminster Abbey

Best place to enjoy sunset/sunrise?

London Bridge

Most romantic place to take a special someone to?

Duck & Waffle located on the 40th Floor of the Heron Tower – the highest restaurant in the UK !

Best place to have local food?

Any good old fashioned London Pub

Your favourite local dish and drink that you would recommend?

Traditional Fish & Chips served in newspaper and a refreshing Gin & Tonic

One place only the locals would know?

Camden Lock Market for it’s sheer funkiness and eccentricity……you will see sights here of the wackiest people that you will only ever see in London

The best pub and best place to catch up for a drink?

The Royal Standard of England – 900 years old making it the oldest Freehouse in England.  Wonderful food, dog friendly and very cosy.

A local festival you feel more travellers should come and see?

Trooping Of  the Colour Parade is the celebration of the Queen’s official birthday in June. You can watch it for free as it marches past Buckingham Palace and down The Mall, but the real spectacle takes place on Horse Guards Parade, where the Queen will take the salute from one of her Household regiments

The things guide books will not tell anyone about London?

How Expensive just about Everything is in London from Food to Accommodation to Travel Expenses

Is there any particular month you would not recommend travel to London and what would that reason be?

January / February as it can be quite depressing – dark, dismal days

In one sentence,  London is innovative, dynamic, and outrageous, with history and culture leaking from every brick and individual style around every corner.

It’s a supremely cosmopolitan city , with excellent restaurants, quirky pubs, avant-garde shops, unparalleled museums – most of which are now free – superb theatre and attractions and a blitzing nightlife.

Born in Lancaster in the North of England (near the Lake District) in the UK, Minaxi Mistry moved to London when she was 6 years old.  All her education and working life has been in London so she is definitely a Londoner through and through – accent and all.  For the last 25 years, she has worked in a sales capacity and always in the Travel Industry which she absolutely adores. Minaxi  has travelled extensively and her aim is to still travel lots more as nothing makes a person richer and wiser and gives more of a thrill than Travel!

Wandering around Paris

By Shobita Louis

Paris has since long held a special place in the quintessential traveller’s heart. However, while most tourists are enamoured by the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysée and Musee du Louvre, Paris has much more to offer.  We bring you little known (among Indian travellers), yet highly recommended places to go to and things to do around Paris..

Grevin Musee

Grevin Musee is a wax museum and very similar to Madame Tussauds™ and is housed in a very opulent building, which is very similar to an Italian opera house from inside. Thanks to its Baroque architechture, it has got a very French flavour. It houses a host of international wax statues in several themed rooms – The famed House of Mirrors, The Spirit of Paris, The Champions, The Discovery Tour, The Childrens World, History – Yesterday and Today. While it houses a number of exhibits from around the world, the only Indians whose wax models are exhibited here are of M.K. Gandhi and Shah Rukh Khan!
At the end of the exhibits, there is a workshop that shows how the figures are created. This is a part of The Discovery Tour.

Grevin Musee is located centrally in Paris. It is situated on Grands

Boulevards, near the opera Garnier.

The Wanderers tip:
A visit to Grevin Musee is a must if:

  • You are a  second time visitor to Paris and who has been to Madame Tussauds™ before
  • Someone who has been to any Madame Tussauds in the world
  • You are visiting for the first time and want to do something fun. Also, you are fine if a visit to Grevin precedes Tussauds experience. (Grevin is cheaper than Madame Tussauds™)

USP

  • Cheaper than Madame Tussauds ™
  • It has a fun 8 min audio visual show at the entry hall
    A leisurely and comprehensive visit can finish in 1 ½ – 2 hours
  • The Wax figures at Grevin Musee are globally and locally famous, so it is better to read up on them

Parc Asterix

Parc Asterix is a theme park located North of Paris and as the name suggests, it is based on the iconic comic – Asterix!
There are 32 attractions, 08 shows and 06 different ‘worlds’, as opposed to 60 odd attractions at Euro Disney that are spread between Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios. Given its smaller size and the crowd being less, more rides can be done at Parc Asterix in a day than at the parks in Disney. However, it has the capacity to hold only about 07 – 08 thousand people as opposed to 80 thousand at Disney. The park has more exiting rides that are suited for older children and adults whereas, Disney’s rides cater to young children (and therefore ideal for kids aged 08 and younger).

It is located in the North of Paris – close to Roissy Charles de Gaulle! From Paris take a shuttle bus that leaves from a meeting point at the Louvre every morning at 08.30 Am. The buses depart from the park back to Paris at 06.30pm. Depending on the traffic, it can take about 45 minutes to an hour.
From Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport, there are shuttles that leave half an hour from an appointed point. They leave from 09.00 hours

until 1 hour before Park closure. For the return journey from the Park to CDG, the shuttle is available every 30 minutes from 0930hours till an hour after the park closing time, i.e. 1800hours. Depending on traffic, it will take approx. 15 – 30 minutes

The Wanderers tip – Who should go

  • Anyone who is a fan of Asterix comics!
  • Clients who have already been to Disneyland
  • Adults and families with older children, especially not particularly enamoured with Disney and want a fun day out on roller coasters and other exciting rides

Other important info:

There is a hotel (3 star family hotel) – Hotel des Trois Hiboux – on the grounds of the park. The Dolphin shows happen every day at 01.00pm. The park is open from April to November. But remember, that the park is closed during winter.

Chantilly

The Chateau de Chantilly is a beautiful chateau and has been closely associated with French Royalty. The last private owner was the Duc d’Aumale (Son of the last French King Louis Phillipe). The Duc was a great collector of arts and books and his entire collection is housed in the chateau.
When he died in the late 19th century he left the chateau and his entire collection to an organisation called the Institut de France, which has now opened the grounds and chateau to the public. It is managed by Domaine de Chantilly and has received donation worth 40 million euros in the past from The Aga Khan for restoration work. The art collection and the Museum is said to be only 2nd in ‘greatness’ to the Louvre. The books and manuscripts are also said to be the 2nd greatest collection in Europe.

Located in the North of Paris, by train it takes 25mins from Gare du Nord to Chantilly station. Or you can take a private transfer from Paris to Chantilly.

Your tour can consist of the following:
A tour of the chateau, which will include the Grand Apartments and the Museum – Musee Condee ( the art works and books).  At an extra cost you can also add a visit to the Grand Stables that once housed 100 horses and hunting dogs. It now has 35 horses used for dressage! There is a horse dressage show that happens (at additional costs) which can be added depending on the schedule. There is a Relais Chateaux hotel – Auberge Du Jeu De Paume on the grounds. It is very romantic and perfect for Honeymooners.

Important events:
Famous horse races happen in June and in September, which are very similar to Ascot. If you are planning a trip to Paris at this time, it makes sense to tie your visit to Chantilly.

Why Chantilly
Chantilly is traditionally famed for

  • Chantilly lace
  • Horses
  • Chantilly cream ( precursor to ‘whipped cream’)