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An Indian Girl in America – What To Expect On Your First Visit to USA!
By the time I was on my first trip to USA, I had already travelled to 4 other countries in the world (except India). So, I was pretty sure that this visit to USA would be quite similar to other foreign trips. Little did I know that I was in for a plethora of surprises in America. Life’s so different here! As I was trying to soak in all that was new for me, a thought often crossed my mind. What if I had a handy list of what to expect from America on a first trip! Maybe the surprise element would have gone, but I would have been better…
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Top Adventure Experiences To Have In and Around DUBAI
Dubai is synonymous with ‘luxury’ and ‘leisure’. This emirate is mostly considered as a destination for shopaholics, luxury seekers and family holiday lovers. Being the most happening emirate in UAE amongst the 7 emirates, Dubai is a favorite choice of many travellers. But, most importantly, the surrounding emirates also have a splendid collection of attractions and activities to enjoy. Adventure sports is fast catching up in the tourism scene of Dubai and its surrounding emirates and if you are gearing up for an adventure holiday, don’t just limit your choices to Dubai. Take a tour beyond Dubai on your adventure trip to get a complete, exhilarating experience of UAE’s adventure…
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Interesting Facts About GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
Golden Gate Bridge – Ranked #1 in any travel-list for California – This beauty first caught my attention in a song ‘Chunari Chunari’ from a 1999 Hindi Movie – Biwi No.1. I was hardly 10 years old back then and couldn’t quite look beyond the vivacious Sushmita Sen and the handsome Salman Khan. But amidst all this innocence, that image of a bright orange suspension bridge in the background, remained in my memories. However cheesy this might sound, but this was my first impression on the Golden Gate Bridge. I simply had no idea about what its name was or where it was. Nevertheless, that gigantic bridge at its vibrant…
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“That Unconditional Love for My Best Friend” – The Best #LoveStory Ever
Here’s a fictional short story on the essence of unconditional love – the best feeling ever! “It needs immense strength to give, without expecting anything in return (not even appreciation). And the day, you can give such unconditional love, is the day you free your soul.” ~ A Believer. It was my first day in graduate school, and I stepped into the premises with loads of excitement. Few moments later, my eyes caught a glimpse of a tall guy, with unkempt hair and a flustered look writ on his face. A thought flashed through my mind – Yes! This was the same guy I’d met outside a coaching institute almost…
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The grandeur of Chhath Puja at Dhanbad
Since the ‘Garib Rath’ direct route from Bhubaneswar to Dhanbad has been cancelled now (courtesy – the Jharia CoalField fires), we had to first take a train to Kolkata and then run for our lives to board another train to Dhanbad from a different railway platform. We were almost on the verge of missing this train due to overlapping timelines of our Indian railways. Perhaps, this thrill set the mood for my journey to Dhanbad – the Coal Capital of India! Travelling for the second-time after marriage to my husband’s city, was already giving me goosebumps. Once we reached the Dhanbad railway station, we decided to take an auto-rickshaw to…
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9/11 Memorial & Museum ~ A Must-Visit in New York
No visit to New York can ever be complete without a trip to the 9/11 Memorial. September 11, 2001 – A day which has probably left an indelible mark in our minds forever. The chain of events on that unfortunate day, have been described so aptly in the 9/11 Memorial & Museum that it will definitely give you gooseflesh. Probably, it was one of the worst attempts of terror attack in any country, which pulled down two of the tallest skyscrapers in the United States, along with thousands of innocent people. A True Story from the 9/11 Memorial This was such an emotional moment for me! It was a rainy…
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The Day I Met GOD Himself – A.R. Rahman
A.R. RAHMAN – This name needs no introduction. Being a 90’s kid, I have grown up grooving to the tunes of Roja, Bombay, Rangeela, Dil Se, Taal and what not! This man had started carving his niche amidst the cacophony of raging music directors in the country, right from those times. His music has always been mellifluous – it’s just DIFFERENT, it’s MAGICAL. I remember observing him keenly on television, in any of his public gatherings or interviews. He was always a man of few words. He was extremely humble, down-to-earth and exuded oodles of simplicity from that heavenly persona of his. He still is, a man of few words.…
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A Narrow Escape from Perverts Around Me – #MeToo
Born and brought up in a country like ours, sexual harassment in various forms is considered to be pretty usual in our daily lives. This marks the first impression about the sorry state of affairs in our nation. Sexual exploitation in any form, leaves an indelible mark on the soul of the concerned person – be it male/female. And a casual approach towards the frequency of such incidents, is alarming indeed. Somewhere, something is definitely going wrong! I clearly remember a vivid incident from my childhood, when I was hardly 11-12 years old. I was sent by my mother to the nearest grocery store to grab a packet of bread, when…
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#TheBlindList ~ Wander Bird’s quest to explore the unknown!
Almost each one of us has always had a ‘Bucket List’ in life – be it a wish list for travel, food, life goals and what not! But, have you ever thought of a BLIND LIST – a list with unknown wishes? A list which blindly says ‘Yes’ to the world. A list which blindly trusts the world to reveal its incredible beauty wherever we go, unveiling amazing new experiences at every turn. Because of my knack for impulsive travel, I have had both good and bad experiences. The bad ones were just a blemish on the learning curve, while the good ones created memories of a lifetime. Such is…
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Liebster Award 2018 – Blogger Award for WANDER BIRD
Today is such a special day! I feel deeply honoured to announce that Wander Bird got nominated for the “Liebster Award 2018”. What an overwhelming feeling! It was a regular Wednesday, jam-packed with blogging assignments, social media engagements and what not. I was busy checking my emails, listing down my tasks for the next day and figuring out other schedules for the day. Meanwhile, I started getting a lot of notifications from one of my Travel Bloggers’ Facebook groups. So, I decided to take a final look, before wrapping up for the day. And what a sight it was! My blog had been selected for the Liebster Award 2018 by…
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Standing right under the NIAGARA FALLS – Maid Of The Mist!
The Niagara Falls is well-known as one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Until now, I had read about the Niagara Falls in my Geography books in school, and then maybe saw few videos on Niagara Falls in the National Geographic Channel. But boy! What an experience you have, when you actually stand right there and watch it live. The grandeur of the crystal clear waters and the gushing winds make this place a visual delight. It is a geological wonder indeed. Journey from New York to Buffalo City There’s an interesting story behind our travel from New York to Buffalo City. We were so focused on budget travel…
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Top 5 Questions to Review Before You Start Professional Blogging
I have often been asked a lot of questions on where exactly to start, if you want to take up serious blogging. The basic thumb rule for blogging is – no rule at all! I have heard a lot of experiences, where people tend to get so excited about the idea of blogging that they actually tend to ignore the basics. They end up purchasing expensive domains, premium blog themes, researching about SEO and what not, without even having a basic plan of what their long-term goal for blogging is. I might not be a rule-book person, and don’t really believe in following mindless marketing gimmicks to setup a blog.…
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WANDER BIRD listed in “Top 100 Indian Travel Blogs 2019”
How do I describe how I feel today? No matter what I write, it will not do justice to how I exactly feel. Wander Bird finally makes a grand entry to a list of Top 100 Indian Travel Blogs by Feedspot. That moment, when I received an email stating the same, was indeed magical. It was a cloudy morning and I had just settled down in front of my laptop, with my cup of piping hot herbal tea. Before getting down to serious blog-related work, I decided to take a quick look at the status of my Amazon order. I was eagerly waiting for the Indian Tricolour to arrive. It was…
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Things To Know Before You Visit Statue of Liberty, New York
As part of a tightly-scheduled itinerary for New York, we were almost weary and tired on the last day of our trip to New York. But, no visit to New York is ever complete, without catching a glimpse of the Lady – the Statue of Liberty! So, we got ready early in the morning, quickly hopped into the Subway and reached Bowling Green Subway station – one of the closest stations to the Ferry terminal. It was a sunny Tuesday morning and and I had never imagined that there would be so many visitors to this place on a tourist off-season and working day. This clearly explains the world-class charm…
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HUMANITY First – Kerala Will Rise Above Hate-mongers!
Monsoons have always been eagerly awaited in India, since the Indian Monsoon plays a major role in turning large parts of India from semi-deserts to green lands. It is a symbol of joy and celebration, especially amongst farmers. They wait patiently throughout the year, just for the monsoons to arrive and help them grow crops at their best. Who could fathom that this joy would be diminished in India this year? Little did we know that this year, the same Monsoons would wreak havoc in God’s own country – Kerala. Around August 10-11, I noticed Twitter trends highlighting about Kerala floods, which had reached alarming levels. Several parts of Kerala…
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Top 15 Must-Visit Places in Vietnam
Vietnam has emerged as one of the most exciting tourist destinations of South East Asia in recent times. After continuous conflicts and war situations in the country, the government of Vietnam initiated a series of economic and political reforms. This marked the beginning of Vietnam’s journey towards integration into the world economy. Since 2000, the economic growth rate of Vietnam has been among the highest in the world. Gradually, this beautiful country has evolved and now become a hotspot for beach lovers, food enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Before we delve deep into the pristine beauty and cultural complexities of Vietnam, I have a major announcement to make. Best Offer on…
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“A Heart’s First Flutter” – An Ode to that uncanny vibe of LOVE
Disclaimer : Please note that I have never been a poet and hardly have any poetic flair. This particular post is a consequence of relentless encouragement from a woman of substance, who kept prodding me to pursue writing from my heart. We have never been close friends and were introduced on rather strange circumstances at some point in our lives. Our relationship from that day to today, has come a long way. Today, I look up to her as a major inspiration and influence in my life. And ofcourse, this post is dedicated to the man who has been my rock-solid anchor in life. I could not have asked for…
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“An Unplanned Pregnancy Changed My Life Forever” – An Honest Confession of a Young Working Woman
In the cacophony of a busy day, my phone blinked with a message – “I have some news for you.” And before I could even think of guessing, there was another message in my inbox. It stated – “I am expecting.” I was thrilled. I was actually feeling ecstatic, rather even that would be an understatement. The message was from an old colleague from work, with whom I had not even chatted for more than a year maybe. Even if we are not the closest of friends, she was always like a constant travel-buddy in all my trips. She would always be my travel roommate and secretly, I was quite…
