AJAY GARG

Music Fest in a Borneo Rainforest

August 2, 20201024 Views

Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2020, Rainforest World Music Festival Fringe (RWMFF) and Rainforest in the City (RITC) events, originally scheduled to be held in July 2020 were postponed due to COVID-19 situation around the world. This announcement by Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) was in light of the statement issued by the State Disaster Management Committee and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sarawak that all government and public gatherings involving more than 250 participants should be postponed to a later date. These events have been postponed and not cancelled for now and the organising committee plans to mobilise them if the situation gets better. With more than 20,000 expected visitors from over 30 countries, the RWMF 2020 was, as always, extremely important for Sar...

विदेशवियतनामसैर-सपाटा

Blossoming autumn in Vietnam

AJAY GARG

July 18, 20201299 Views

Talk about Vietnam, and this conjures up images of some ultra-beautiful valleys, mesmerizing bays, limestone mountainous islands jutting out of calm sea waters, flowery roads passing through greenish hills, unforgettable land journeys, and of course ever-smiling Vietnamese. The ending of the long rainy season in Hanoi is also the beginning of its beautiful autumn - the season of flower blossom and love. The beauty of Hanoi's autumn is a popular topic of uncountable songs and poems can describe how wonderful it is. September is the transforming time between summer and autumn, so the weather is cooler and more comfortable. Although the temperature is still in a high level, the hot in this time is not extreme than in June and July with less sunlight. Fall in Hanoi In September, Hano...

विदेशवियतनामसैर-सपाटा

Beautiful Vietnam on Wheels

AJAY GARG

July 4, 2020981 Views

I had read many times and at many places that the land journeys in Vietnam are among the best ones in the world and worth experiencing in a lifetime. This could be a big catch for a wanderer like me and it surely had ignited an urge in me to go and explore this land lying south of China. Yes, the name Vietnam itself means the South Land, which boasts of beautiful landscapes, smiling people, and varied culture and lifestyles across its vast north-south expanse; it also boasts of the natural wonders and World Heritage sites such as Ha Long Bay in the north, and a vast network of underground tunnels in the south that speaks volumes about the courage and ingenuity of local peasants in the war against American indulgence in their country. And after letting all these fact brew in my mind for...

केरलभारतसैर-सपाटा

विदेशी सागर तटों को मात देता वर्कला

AJAY GARG

July 3, 20201462 Views

केन फॉलेट के उपन्यास ‘आई ऑफ द नीडल’ को पढ़े मुझे ज्यादा वक्त नहीं बीता था। यह उपन्यास एक नाजी जासूस की गतिविधियों पर आधारित है जो दूसरे विश्वयुद्ध के दौरान ब्रिटेन में रहकर जासूसी करता है। इसके कथानक का बड़ा हिस्सा एक चट्टानी द्वीप पर घटता है- समंदर के सीने पर मुस्तैद खड़ी एक चट्टान, जिसकी तलहटी में लहरें ठांठें मार रही हैं। उपन्यास को पढ़ते-पढ़ते मेरे मन में इस नजारे की छवि कहीं गहरे अंकित हो गई। लेकिन मुझे अंदाजा नहीं था कि यह छवि जल्दी ही साकार होने वाली थी। वर्कला... केरल के दक्षिणी छोर पर एक छोटा-सा शहर। पहली नजर में यह हल्की-फुल्की रफ्तार से चल रही एक उनींदी-सी जगह लगेगी। चारों तरफ हरे-भरे पेड़ों से घिरा हुआ शांत रेलवे स्टेशन जहां ज्यादा चहलकदमी नहीं; स्टेशन के बाहर टैक्सी और ऑटो वालों की भीड़; सड़क पर से ही सवारियां लेती बसें; खाने-पीने की साधारण दुकानें। रेलगाड़ी से उतरने क...