Tag: WhatNext

Tatras National Park – Slovakia

By Alifiya Calcuttawala

Alifiya Calcuttawala, Regional Director, The Wanderers Kolkata writes about her experience at the High Tatras National Park which she visited in December 2013.

The way Tatras are today is a remnant  from the last glacial period. The first travellers who visited High Tatras came only about 200 years ago and believed that the Tatras were full of gold, silver and other gemstones.
The Tatra is the oldest and the most visited national park in Slovakia and is in the list of UNESCO biosphere reserve. Every year the park is visited by approximately 5 million people and it offers 600 kilometers of hiking trails. The High Tatras are spread over 341 sq kms, 260 sq kms of which are on the Slovak side and is rich with mountain lakes (approx. 190).

We drove from Krakow to The High Tatras National park and stayed in a ski village of ‘Stary Smokovec’ for two nights. This was a good break between seeing cities. In the 2-3 days that we were there we rode snow mobiles, did dog sledging and also took a horse carriage ride. The weather was kind, it was -7 degrees, but the two hours of bright sunshine in the morning gave us the courage to go all out and experience the outdoors.

By 03.30 pm it starts getting dark and obviously very cold. The Grand hotel where we stayed, was a delight since it had an indoor  pool, sauna and jacuzzi,  giving an ample opportunity in the evenings to thaw out. 🙂

Interestingly, it was their peak season – after 2-3 days almost all the hotels were sold out for the New Year; and apparently Russians have their New Year after a week, so this is place is almost booked out till January 15!

This region is a playground for the affluent Russians who like to spend and have a luxurious stay complete with skiing activities, spa etc. (there aren’t many  luxurious and high end accommodation  option available in their country hence most of them come to the Tatra National Park and stay in Zakopane, Smokovec and Pleso etc.
High Tatras offer 22kms of well kept downhill courses – the skiing centres are among the top winter centres in Europe.

 

Winter activities..
Dog sledging, skiing, hikes with snowshoes, snow mobile excursions,  climbing the icefalls, avalanche courses, snow rafting, sledding and skating.

There is a winter fun park situated in Pleso where one can do snow tubing, air boarding, snow bags and zorbing.
And of course, you can also do sky adventures (sky diving, scenic flights, balloon flights and paragliding). These can be done throughout the year!

In December 2013, Alifiya Calcuttawala travelled on a 12 days journey to Eastern Europe with a small group who wanted to see the Christmas markets. Her itinerary started in Munich, ended with Budapest and included Salzburg, Český Krumlov, Prague, Krakow and the high Tatras!
 

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!