Today we have a surprise destination for you! A destination that will definitely go up in the next few years due to tourism, a place that is a perfect city break, a lowl budget one, ideal for both short getaways and long adventures on the ski slopes or on mountain trails.

For more travel inspiration watch our video!!!

Thermal baths in Tbilisi

It is all about Georgia, Tbilisi, which is also its capital city. But let’s get to know Georgia a little better through some interesting facts:

• And lets start with the name! We call the people of Georgia, Georgians, “Workers of the Earth “, they call themselves Sakartveli and the rest of the World Gurtjistan which means wolves. The legend has it that the name Georgia has been given by the Greeks as we are talking about a nation who is more than capable with farming!
• The country declared independence from Soviet Union in 1991 9th of April.
• The official currency is the GEL with the Lari subdivision and exchange rate with the Euro is 1 to  3 approx.
• The old capital of Georgia was the Mtskheta which is now under the protection of UNESCO as well as many monuments of the country.
• The country is in dispute with Russia because of the territories of Aphazia and Ossetia, in case some of you are interested in learning more…
• The country is famous for its good tasty wine and is known for its special wine that matures in pots.
• Also it is a rising winter destination because of the Snowy Mountains, the low budget resorts, the trails  of the nature and the hot baths!
• In summer Georgia is transformed into a well known tourist resort as well with the seaside Batoumi.
• The river Kura or Mtkvari that permeates the city, also crosses Turkey and Azerbaijan.
• Before its christianisation Georgia had pagans (visit the Uplistsikhe Caves and meet myths about Pagan gods, Berikan Pagan ceremony).

Tastes from Georgia

For Georgian food we can talk for hours, its really tasty! Briefly we recommend you to try:

• Khachapuri Pie
• Ajarian Khachapuri Pie which has been awarded as Number 1 by the world-renowned culinary magazine taste.com
• Lahmajoun
• Natakhtari Beer
• Churchkhela
• Wine
• Chacha drink 55 degrees of alcohol
• Khinkali Kalakuri

The highlights of the city

• Freedom Square
• Bridge of Peace
• Metekhi Temple (12th century)
• Anchiskhati Church
• Mtatsminda or David Mountain
• Hot baths
• St. George’s Church (Kashveti Church)
• Tbilisi Sulfuric Baths
• The Government House
• Tbilisi Botanical Garden
• The cable car Narikala Fortress
• Sioni or Zion Cathedra
• Mother of Georgia
• The clock on Shavteli Street where every day at 12.00 and 19.00 a pleasant melody is heard and called The circle of life
• The old walls
• The old town, totally hipster!
• Armenian TV producer
• Statue Tamada Sufra Proffessor the wise banker with the horn in the hand who announced the toasts.

Practical issues

SIM card for your smartphone can be found  free with very cheap Internet cost at the airport just before your exit. Wifi  is everywhere and it is  for free!
Currency exchange can be found in many central locations.
The museums are closed on Mondays.
There is a mall where you can do some shopping! There is also a bazaar which is more easily accessible (flea market)!

Transportation

Transportation from the airport of Kutaisi  to Tbilisi is really easy as Georgian Bus buses departing according to your flights. Tickets can be purchased on Internet or just before leaving the airport.  In the city we were by feet, actually we did 50 miles in less than 2.3 days! The city is pleasantly walked has comfortable sidewalks, underground and aboveground crossings in which all… All drivers stop for the pedestrians! There are taxis, just download the application Yandex (uber-type) those of you who intend to use them and finally there are the yellow buses starting from the central square of freedom!

Nearby Adventures

• Ski (two ski resorre)
• Trekking (Summer months)
• Uplistsikhe Cave Town
• Stalin Museum
• Gori Fortress
• Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
• Mtskheta
• Jvari Monastery
• Svetitskhoveli Monastery
• Samtavro Monastery
• Bebris Fortress (The Elder’s Fortress)

We recommend on the first day a Free walking tour with Giorgi! He will show you the whole city and  it is  far most the best Walking tour we have ever tried and trust us we have  joined a lot of tours so many years of travelling. On the same afternoon, a cable car ride can be experienced.
On the Second day an excursion to monuments located outside of Tbilisi is a must. Information can be found here.
On day three… for ski lovers, skiing! For lovers of hiking, hiking! For lovers of relaxation, warm baths!

Suggestions for exit and food

Drink (all Hipster places so if you are not fun of it you will not like them)

• Warsawa
• Art Cafe
• Moulin Electrique

Food

• 21
• Khinkali House
• Meama

Coffee

• Art Cafe
• Moulin Electrique

Budget per person for three days
Airtickets with Wizzair €30
Hotel “Good ” €50 the three-day
Transportation to and from airport €12
Food €10 in a good restaurant with beer and salad
Beer €1.5
Pies 1-3 € (from the shops that buy the locals are under €1)
Sweet delicacies locally made with Muto and walnuts €0.60
Coffee 0.30-1.30 € (in the local shops more economical)
One day excursion outside Tbilisi €20
Free walking tour as you wish, eg. 10 €
Cable Car €1.30
Souvenirs €5 (eg. 10 magnets)
About €160 per person, the weekend!

We hope you enjoyed our post and visit Georgia soon!

Modloba means thanks!

The post BEST OF TBILISI – TRAVEL IN GEORGIA appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

It is not just simple country, but a continent with a unique variety of languages, customs, climate, terrain and of course people. India is a unique and special country that can give travellers unique experiences that they won’t meet anywhere else in the world! Travelers visiting India are either quite tough and know what to expect or just curious to get to know this country of colors of flavors and of many religions!

Whatever we could describe to you about India it still wont be enough and the only way to find out is to live it yourself!  This country has many faces and it is difficult not to succumb to discovering them yourself! A country with unbelievable inequalities, rich  and poverty! However, India is a country that will remain in our memory and certainly after our travel experience we have turned into people, different, better…

india taj mahal travel traveling

Health

A few issues with the stomach are expected to occur but do not intimidate this! Obtain the necessary medicines and vitamins according to the travel medicine instructions and you will be OK! Do not expect high levels in the issues of hygiene… So get your own wipes and disinfecting liquids. Read our other post about India and our advice for aspiring visitors! Be prepared!

Time of Visit?

India has a total of 3 seasons: The warm, the wet and the winter with spring to hot days in the south and cooler in the north. For us most areas, from November to February are the best months. We visited India the month of February and it was like spring or early autumn! T-shirts and a cardigan for the evening hours!

Cost

In a country such as India it’s hard to tell you a price for every traveler, as prices range from incredibly low levels to the highest you can imagine! We are, perhaps, somewhere between the low and the high budget level, so cost depends on your needs and preferences, and you need to classify yourselves! In general, living in India is too cheap for Western people! You can stay in incredible hotels at very low prices up to the cheapest hostel starting at 2 dollars! Just get your credit cards and a little cash and you’re OK!

The weather…?

Wet and hot, smelly with spicy smells and aromas!

Visa

Don’t forget to issue your travel visa on time!

india taj mahal travel traveling

Risk

Generally while we westerners… fear India… for some inexplicable reason… India is a very safe country and there is no reason to fear of the different! If you avoid going around on the road late hours as you would do at any other trip of yours, you have nothing to fear, meet locals and learn their customs, they may even call you for a lunch in their own home, do not be afraid, they mean it!

Indian people?

Indian people are always smiling! Pleasant, cheerful, eager to help you and get to know you! You will see enough of them asking for selfies etc… They don’t often see white peopleafter all, and think that you look just as curious to them as they do to you!

Holi Festival

The most famous festival in India is Holi a celebration that looks like our colour day! Splashed with paint and colours!

Tip, don’t take a camera, just enjoy it!

india taj mahal travel traveling color day holi festival

Itineraries-Schedule

The choices when talking about such a huge country are limitless! Visit our blog post to learn details and all the options that we recommend to you!! We travelled to Golden Triangle and Varanasi and we highly recommend this trip! Especially Varanasi is a must!!!  Just ask us and we will help you! 

Airport

The main landing airport is that of New Delhi, attention because we are talking about one of the largest airports in the world! It is busy and you have to make sure you have plenty of time to board on time! From the same airport think about combining a trip to Nepal for example.

Transportation

Metro, Cyclo or rigsaw (tricycle bike), Local buses (DARE IT!!!!), plane, train, car rental (not recommended) and of course private driver! We tried everything but driving ourselves and believe us all means of transport is a great experience itself! For trains don’t forget to book tickets up to 3 months in advance! Airline we chose was Jetairways because of the positive feedback we read Online and we can say that it was a flight like any other!

Closing words…

Describing only in a few blog lines this vast country is not easy at all, we would like to keep on readers’-potential travellers’s minds the image of an ancient civilization, a culture filled with contrasts, colors and aromas! India is closer than you imagine, what remains is only the decision to travel!

We are here to help you, open your wings and meet the land of 1.5 billion people! Just feel free to ask!

The post INDIA TRAVEL FOR BEGINNERS appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

Angkor Wat is the one of the most beautiful Cambodia temples as we have already written in our relevant post, but it is not the only one!!!There a lot of hidden temples and places, beyond Angkor Wat and around the jungle that are waiting to explore them and learn their secrets. This article is written to meet the most famous of them and it is a good start point to begin your Cambodia adventure like Tomb Raider.

• Bayon temple

The Bayon temple is well known for it’s decoration, which includes multitude of serene and smiling faces on the many towers that are in the top of the temple. It is also knows as “face temple”. Bayon temple was built in the late of 12^th or early 13^th century as the official state temple of Khmer king Jayavarman VII.

Face temple – nonstoptravellers

• Ta Prohm temple

Ta Prohm temple or originally called Rajavihara (= monastery of the king), is one of the most outstanding and popular Cambodia temples. It is a combination of jungle trees and ruins and that is the reason why it is well known as Jungle temple. It was built in the late 12^th and early 13^th centuries, by the Khmer king Jayavarman VII, and was operated as monastery and university. The temple was abandoned in the 15^th century (after the fall of Khmer empire) and the restoration started in the early 21^st century. The temple of Ta Prohm was used as a location in the film Tomb Raider.

Jungle temple – nonstoptravellers

• Banteay Srei temple

Banteay Srei or Banteay Srey is a Cambondia temple unique for it’s elaborate decorative wall carvings a reason why it also known as “precious gem” or “jewel of Kjmer art”. The buildings are constructed of red sandstone and they are miniature in scale, comparing with the Angkorian construction. Banteay Srei was consecrated on the end of 10th century (967 AD) and was the only major Ankor temple that not built by monarch. The temple was rediscovered in 1914 and has been ravaged by stealing and vandalism.

• Phnom Bakheng temple

Phnom Bakheng is a Hindu and Buddhist Cambodia temple in the form of Temple Mountain, which is built in the top of a hill. It is popular for the sunset view of Angor Wat temple but it is also a unique temple, by architectural point of view. It is a symbolic representation of Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods and it is built in a pyramid form of seven levels, representing the seven heavens. Phnom Bakheng is 65 metres high and the temple has 109 towers. It was built at the end of 9^th century by king Yasovarman. This temple is also a Tomb Raider scene. There are two wayfairs to go to the Phnom Bakheng temple on foot or with an elephant ride.

• Preah Khan temple

Preah Khan is a Cambodia temple known for numerous trees and jungle surroundings that are growing among the ruins, like Ta Prohm. It was built in the 12^th century for king Jayavarman VII to honor his father. The hole complex combined the role of city with almost 100.000 officials and servants. The first initial cleaning of the monument was conducted during 1927.

• Pre Rup temple

Pre Rup is a Hindu temple dedicated in the end of 10^th century as the state temple of Rajendaravarman. It is a temple mountain made of laterite and sandstone.

• Banteay Kdei temple

Banteay Kdei is also known as “Citadel of Monks; cells” and its’ meaning is “a citadel of chambers”. It is another beautiful jungle temple like Preah Khan and Ta Prohm but smaller and less complex. It was built in the mid 12^th to early 13^th century during the kingdom of Jayavarman VII. Banteay Kdei temple was used as o Buddhist monastery and remained neglected after Khmer reign ended for several years. It was exposed in 1920 after cleaning the overgrowth vegetation.

• Ta Keo temple

Ta Keo is another temple mountain in Cambodia, which is possibly the first that was built entirely of sandstone. It was dedicated around 10^th century, by Jayavarman V, but it remained unfinished until the reign of Suryavarman I.

• Baksei Chamkrong Temple

Baksei Chamkrong is a small and not crowded Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was completed in late of 10^th century by Rajendravaman II. Because it is not popular to tourists it is very peaceful and in the top of the temple you could enjoy very nice view!

• Angkor Thom’s South Gate

It is one of the five man gates of the ancient city of Angor Thom. It is the best preserved and most commonly visited form tourists. It was built in the late of 12^th century by king Jayavarman VII. The gate was made to protect the city but it is also a holy Buddhist gate to the city. In the causeway you could find 54 figures of gods on the left side and 54 figures of demons on the right side. Although Angkor Thom is a Buddhist city, it is said that this scene depicts the Hindu mythology of the “Churning of the Ocean of Milk“.

Angkor Thom’s South Gate – nostoptravellers

• Terrace of the elephants

Terrace of the elephants or elephant garden is the place where the king Jayavarman VII used a platform to view his returning victorious army.

Here you could find the map of the tour!!!

Cambodia Hidden Temples Map – nonstoptravellers

Enjoy and do not forget

“travel is to live”

*photo credit pickyourday.com

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Let’s look through my quick recommendation list for a great trip in north India!

1. Do visit Delhi (old and new one), Jaipur, Agra (if visiting  when fool moon try spending some night time at Taj Mahal) and Varanasi.
2. Do spent a day on the Delhi streets to find out the real India (a took took ride will cost you only 20-40 rupees).
3. Do try spiritual tour in Varanasi and a boat ride at river Ganges.
4. Do have some yoga exercise.
5. Do travel via train (will you?).
6. Do try a cyclo or took took or rigshaw ride.
7. Do bargain like an Indian (at least 50-80% of the initial price).
8. Do try Indian species and Indian cooking (the non spicy version… is still as spicy as it gets).
9. Do take a towel, some hankies, hygiene hand gel etc.
10. Do take  some basic medicine with you, probiotics, electrolytes (just in case) and ask for vaccinationa before going.
11. Do take some disposable socks (for the temples).
12. Do wear a money belt.
13. Do print or download your e-tickets or you wont get into the airport.
14. Do stay well hydrated.

On the other hand…

1. Do not take too much clothes with you.
2. Do not try any street food.
3. Do not brush your teeth with tap water.
4. Do not go out after dark (especially if woman).
5. Do not panic due to chaos because simply its everywhere.
6. Do not get surprised by the spitting, the littering and trash.
7. Do not drink alcohol in public.
8. Do not overeat.

Traveling to India does not look like any other trip. Each station is also a dive into a distant past, but also an opportunity to explore a country of the future…

Open your mind and heart and enjoy this extraordinary travelling experience!

The post INDIA THE COUNTRIES OF COLOURS TASTES AND RELIGIONS appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.