Visited any new place ? Share your trip report.

[Mariyam]

London.

 

Lots of day trips: Oxford & Cambridge, Canterbury, Dover, Bicester village, Brighton, Bristol, The Cotswolds & Bath

[jf1gp_1]

3 minutes ago, Mariyam said:

London.

 

Lots of day trips: Oxford & Cambridge, Canterbury, Dover, Bicester village, Brighton, Bristol, The Cotswolds & Bath

Never been to England. My wife found it beautiful but dull. 

[Mariyam]

On 8/31/2025 at 9:41 AM, jf1gp_1 said:

Never been to England. My wife found it beautiful but dull. 

Will agree with her.

The country side is particularly beautiful. One could argue that is there is a certain stillness, and hence a dullness in everything beautiful.

 

Edited September 2, 2025 by Mariyam

[mishra]

Was in Lanzorate. Its Spain but just off African coast line. Okish place. Everything is black in color. Specially Rocks land and soil. 

People are nice and friendly.

 

Everything was nice till Iast day, I visted a old Lighthouse which was just 100 mtres off the hotel. Architectucture there was confusing. Black circular 6.5-7 feet tall structure. Nothing to cover it. Each one has enough space that 5-12 people can sit on ground.  No one was there to tell me what it was. There was a Board that in 1435 onwards, place was used as transit place where African slave were bought. Suddenly it hit me. I was standing in real Slave Market. Still feeling bad

[Mariyam]

On 9/1/2025 at 4:50 PM, mishra said:

Was in Lanzorate. Its Spain but just off African coast line. Okish place. Everything is black in color. Specially Rocks land and soil. 

People are nice and friendly.

 

Everything was nice till Iast day, I visted a old Lighthouse which was just 100 mtres off the hotel. Architectucture there was confusing. Black circular 6.5-7 feet tall structure. Nothing to cover it. Each one has enough space that 5-12 people can sit on ground.  No one was there to tell me what it was. There was a Board that in 1435 onwards, place was used as transit place where African slave were bought. Suddenly it hit me. I was standing in real Slave Market. Still feeling bad

This is very macabre.

 

[EnterTheVoid]

On 9/1/2025 at 9:20 PM, mishra said:

Was in Lanzorate. Its Spain but just off African coast line. Okish place. Everything is black in color. Specially Rocks land and soil. 

People are nice and friendly.

 

Everything was nice till Iast day, I visted a old Lighthouse which was just 100 mtres off the hotel. Architectucture there was confusing. Black circular 6.5-7 feet tall structure. Nothing to cover it. Each one has enough space that 5-12 people can sit on ground.  No one was there to tell me what it was. There was a Board that in 1435 onwards, place was used as transit place where African slave were bought. Suddenly it hit me. I was standing in real Slave Market. Still feeling bad

 

Few weeks back, I was in Berlin, Germany.

Near the Brandenburg gate, there are these housing blocks. Nothing out of the ordinary.

 

There were these tour groups that stopped at one of the car parks near the apartment complexes. I later found out, that one particular car park was the location of Hitler's bunker, the Fuhrerbunker.

The bunker is deep underground - It survived the bombing in WW2. The Soviets tried to demolish it, it survived that too.

Near the bunker, you see these open spaces that are not used for anything. They are spaces where important Nazi buildings once stood - Himmler, Goebbles etc, they all had their offices there.

 

One building from the Reich chancellory did survive - 'The German Ministry of Aviation', which housed Herman Gorring's offices.

It's this massive office building that occupies an entire block (and some more). The building had more rooms than they needed - It was all to project the power of the regime.

That building now is the German Ministry of Finance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detlev-Rohwedder-Haus

https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Content/EN/Standardartikel/Ministry/History/detlev-rohwedder-building.html

 

Berlin is like that. You never know the history of the location you just walk past.

 

Edited September 2, 2025 by EnterTheVoid

[Mariyam]

@EnterTheVoid Why does the picture have alamy written all over?

 

Did you go to the Museum island?

[EnterTheVoid]

5 hours ago, Mariyam said:

@EnterTheVoid Why does the picture have alamy written all over?

 

Did you go to the Museum island?

 

Just their watermark.

 

Nah, no Museum Island. Spent all my time in Berlin going on walking tours. 

[Vancouver]

India

 

Basics are cheap. But anytime you want more than basics, cost and taxes are ridiculous.

 

Don't know how middle class people afford to live here. 

 

It rained for all 10 days I stayed in India, saw flooding around Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. Appreciated the lack of pollution and visibility due to rain.

 

Highways and expressways are nicer now. 

 

 

[bharathh]

On 9/3/2025 at 6:50 PM, EnterTheVoid said:

 

Just their watermark.

 

Nah, no Museum Island. Spent all my time in Berlin going on walking tours. 

 

I walked 50k steps in 2 days in Berlin. Lovely walking city. Hamburg as well. 

[singhvivek141]

19 hours ago, Vancouver said:

India

 

Basics are cheap. But anytime you want more than basics, cost and taxes are ridiculous.

 

Don't know how middle class people afford to live here. 

 

It rained for all 10 days I stayed in India, saw flooding around Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. Appreciated the lack of pollution and visibility due to rain.

 

Highways and expressways are nicer now. 

 

 

The way they live in any other city of the world.

Major cities have metros, intra city buses, local trains etc to commute. Last mile connectivity is sorted by the autos or 2 wheeler rides or even the shared cabs.

 

B tier cities people have bikes all around, though now even cities like Lucknow, Bhopal, Jaipur etc are coming up with their own version of ring roads which are exclusive for cars...leading to an overall growth of 4 wheelers.

[goose]

 fairly sure i just saw disha pattani in bond street, london. she had clothes on so cant be 100%. that's my trip report.

[Mariyam]

Kabini: Nagarhole Tiger Reserve

 

[EnterTheVoid]

https://www.ndtv.com/lifestyle/why-georgia-is-fast-becoming-a-sour-trip-for-indians-despite-40-percent-increase-in-visitors-in-2025-9292903?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

 

Georgia in the news again. 

[bharathh]

On 9/18/2025 at 3:49 AM, EnterTheVoid said:

https://www.ndtv.com/lifestyle/why-georgia-is-fast-becoming-a-sour-trip-for-indians-despite-40-percent-increase-in-visitors-in-2025-9292903?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

 

Georgia in the news again. 

 

Beautiful country. Terrible people. Worst service I have ever experienced in my life. For a tourist country they are beyond pathetic (and no - the service is uniformly pathetic for everyone). In general the people are always grumpy and annoyed with everyone.

Edited September 19, 2025 by bharathh

[randomGuy]

Guys when we spend tourism dollars, it contributes to keeping our currency weak. That is why personally, i don't go to expensive foreign vacations. Modi ji ne bhi foreign destination weddings ko discourage kiya hai. Ofcourse it's your money your choice...

 

Comparison of price of a loaf of white bread country wise. India is 7.5 times cheaper than usa for the same thing. It won't hurt if rupees appreciates a little vs other currencies.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_price_rankings?itemId=9

[Cricketics]

Just came back from Wales. Had a flat tire in a village just when it was getting dark and all mechanic shops and garage were shut for the day. Whole town it seems came to thelp. I had a rental car which had a wheel lock so flat tire couldn’t be taken out. This was my first ever flat tire and it happend on a trip but now I have story to tell. Added for great experience in meeting locals and seeing their kindness. North Wales is very scenic. 

Edited September 19, 2025 by Cricketics

[Mariyam]

1 hour ago, randomGuy said:

Guys when we spend tourism dollars, it contributes to keeping our currency weak. That is why personally, i don't go to expensive foreign vacations. Modi ji ne bhi foreign destination weddings ko discourage kiya hai. Ofcourse it's your money your choice...

 

Comparison of price of a loaf of white bread country wise. India is 7.5 times cheaper than usa for the same thing. It won't hurt if rupees appreciates a little vs other currencies.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_price_rankings?itemId=9

Tourism in India is not value for money.

I know it’s harsh, but it is what it is.

 

If you want everything taken care of, it’s ₹₹₹₹₹₹₹ and there is no mid range experience to have. It’s either very expensive or budget where there is no modicum of quality control.

[Mariyam]

49 minutes ago, Cricketics said:

Just came back from Wales. Had a flat tire in a village just when it was getting dark and all mechanic shops and garage were shut for the day. Whole town it seems came to thelp. I had a rental car which had a wheel lock so flat tire couldn’t be taken out. This was my first ever flat tire and it happend on a trip but now I have story to tell. Added for great experience in meeting locals and seeing their kindness. North Wales is very scenic. 

Share some pics of the scenery!

[Cricketics]

@MariyamHere you go. Can't add on ICF using attachment as it says I have used up my 2m. Had to upload from cell phone on third party to share here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Cricketics said:

 

 

Just came back from Wales. Had a flat tire in a village just when it was getting dark and all mechanic shops and garage were shut for the day. Whole town it seems came to thelp. I had a rental car which had a wheel lock so flat tire couldn’t be taken out. This was my first ever flat tire and it happend on a trip but now I have story to tell. Added for great experience in meeting locals and seeing their kindness. North Wales is very scenic

Edited September 19, 2025 by Cricketics
on cell phone