Saturday, December 4, 2010

100 journeys before i die : 50-41

After a month long hiatus, its time to hit the top 50.


50. Sunbathing in the Seychelles


'Idyllic' fits the bill. Think of white sand beaches, lush forests, crystalline waters... add in life a la creole, and you're willingly stuck in paradise. 


The Four Seasons is the de facto hotelito supremo.


49. The Shinkansen


Another fast train fetish - the Jap bullet. Another excuse to amble around Japan. But mostly a means to get in that cliched Japanese picture - Mount Fuji in the background, you in a bullet somewhere in the centre and cherry blossoms at the fore. That means you should take a ride from Tokyo to Kyoto (also to fulfil a journey that will show up higher up on the list), or Osaka / Fukuoka / Hiroshima (basically anywhere west of Tokyo). Alternatively, head up north to Sapporo or Nagano to time your trip with some winter fun (both have been Winter Olympics hosts).


When in Tokyo, the Park Hyatt rules the always crumbly roost. Tough competition from a variety of players - Two Four Seasons, a Ritz-Carlton, a Peninsula, a Mandarin Oriental and so on.


48. The Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb


Simple enough. Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and take the most awesome photo of you life. 


Sydney has plenty of hotels to offer. The Park Hyatt has an awesome location on the waterfront between the opera house and the bridge. Others include Four Seasons and the demure The Observatory (with its famed franco-japanese fare), apart from the Blue, further away, but equally hep with its decor.


47. The Road to Timbuktu


Yes, Timbuktu exists, and so does the road to exotica. While Mali (the country) is no tourist paradise, its like a grail for the intrepid traveller. Beyond the mud walls of Timbuktu, head out and mix with the many tribes, rediscover the roots of voodoo in the day markets and just soak in the aroma of authentic Africana. Better still, rope in yourself with a nomadic safari through Mali, going through the regions of Mopti and Dogon, mixing the savannah with the sahara.


Don't expect too much in this last-outpost-of-exotica. Adequacy is the best find in the under-a-dozen hotels that offer air conditioned rooms and running hot and cold water.


46. Uluru


Or, as the non-aborigines better know it, Ayer's Rock, sitting bang in the centre of the Australian bushlands. Couple it with the now-touristified but reasonably nice aboriginal experiences on offer, and voila - best stargazing nights of your life.


A lot of luxe places dot the landscape, Longitude 131° being the best, as per international reviews.


45. Ferry Hopping across the Aegean Sea


That means the sun-kissed, white plastered, windmill-dotted, blue domed, hilly laned, empty beach-ed, oh-so-romantic Greek Islands.


A huge amount of places to stay, but go for Katakies on Mykonos, a local legend of sorts. But the best you can do is hire a superyacht and sail off with the young and pretty.


44. Antoni Gaudi's Barcelona


Which is definitely the most done-with way to see (IMO) the best city in western Europe. When you're done with gazing at the Sagrada Familia and loving the Parc Guell, take a trip to the other architectural marvels of the city - Montjuic Hill (with the positively supreme Barcelona Pavillion), Port Olimpic and Tibidabo Hill, along with the ever-inviting La Rambla. Take a cue from Vicky Cristina Barcelona, it helps.


Stay at the W, strongly reminiscent of the Burj al Arab, but exciting in its own right. Or, go for Gran Hotel la Florida, sitting silently on Tibidabo hill and offering the hi-life with awesome views.


43. Wildife in the Ngorongoro Crater


Africa and luxury very obviously translate to safaris and camps. Ngorongoro crater is a meteor formed depression with everything you can expect from the African savannah.


And that includes the near legendary Ngorongoro Crater Lodge to lighten your pockets at as well.


42. Play Tomb Raider at Angkor Wat


Fairly simple. Play out your Indian Jones / Lara Croft fantasies in the Jungle encroached ruins of Angkor. You can patch that up with lessons in Buddhism with monks, or boat house hopping on the massive Tonle Sap lake.


You really don't need to look elsewhere with Aman at hand. Go for Amansara. Plenty of others as well.


41. Italian Food on the Italian Coast


Is there a better way, still? While I've ogled my eyes out at the oh-so-pretty Cinque Terre, there are still places like Portofino and the Amalfi Coast (the place which most Hollywood movies show as a serpentine highway on a cliff-sea-side driven on by a lonely actress in a speedy car). La Dolce Vita, indeed.


Le Sirenuse in Positano and Hotel Splendido in Portofino are two of the best rated hotels in the country, both occupying pretty hillside locations with views of towns literally spilling down to the sea.




Score - 13/50

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