Vast Blue Skies

I happened to chance upon this exciting travel magazine - INTERNATIONAL LIVING and decided to share it with you here while you have stopped by to visit. They have all the answers for all travellers with itchy feet and exploration in their blood. They haven't forgotten the seasoned traveller either who will certainly find what they might have missed earlier ... However, I won't keep you away from this exciting world of travel, discovery, living in exciting and exotic places..... HAPPY JOURNEY ... BON VOYAGE amigos..... INTERNATIONAL LIVING has been called the 'ultimate travel magazine.' It's that...and more. It's a magazine for anyone who wants to broaden his or her horizons, visit foreign countries, make overseas investments, and save money. Yes, save money. INTERNATIONAL LIVING will tell you: how you can pay for your travel expenses (and then some) to many places simply by shopping for bargains - about retirement havens where you can stretch your money beyond

KODAIKANAL Picture courtesy of - http://www.flowersofindia.net/ KODAIKANAL is a beautiful place is in Tamil Nadu, situated on Palani hills at an altitude of 210om. It is one of the most popular hill resorts in India, a charming hill station. near Madurai. The beauty of the ideal hill station lies in its woods , lovely lake and bracing air. It is approachable from Ooty/Coonoor which takes 7 hrs via road. From Coimbatore it takes 3 1/2 hrs via road. Peculiar to this region is a unique shrub, named as Kurinji which is found in KodaiKanal. This shrub has light, purple-blue coloured flowers , it flowers in every 12 years. It will flower next in 2016. Hope many of us are lucky enough to witness this. picture courtesy - http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/2006/11/photo-essay-flowers-galore-kurinjis.html Kodaikanal is the best place to stay during the hot summers, and to avoid the heat and haze of plains. This place also provides an opportunity to hike in the quiet shola forests. When to Visi

COO N OOR & O O T Y This is the Coimbatore - Metupalaiyam - Coonoor - Ooty circuit. I haven't been there yet but the beauty of Coonoor and Ooty has capitivated me from what I have read about them. These 2 beautiful hill stations are topmost of my list of places to visit next. One has to first go to Coimbatore and then move onwards to Metupalaiyam (located at the foot of the Nilgiri hills) which is the popular entry point for the toy train journey and road route to Ooty via Coonoor . You can get to Metupalaiyam directly by train from Chennai. Mumbai doesn't have a direct train service to M. It takes 1 hour to by road from Coimbatore to Metupalaiyam. It takes 3 1/2 hours by road from Coimbatore to Ooty. If you need to stopover at Coimbatore enroute to Ooty, there are several hotels available. COIMBATORE Hotels - 1) Aiba Regency – Tariff Rs 495 - 1600. http://www.hotelaibaregency.com/Contactus.html 28A, Geetha Hall, Opp. Railway Station, - 0422 - 2303737, 2303747