24 HOURS IN MELBOURNE

24 HOURS IN MELBOURNE...

Make every moment count on your whistle-stop tour of Melbourne, and be sure to keep a list of places to go when you return.

It's easy to get around Melbourne by foot. Start in the city's heart at Federation Square. Opened in 2002, 'Fed Square' is a public space boasting galleries, restaurants and events as well as the Melbourne Visitor Information Centre.

Armed with a map you're ready to lurch into the hive of laneways and arcades. Uncover hidden boutiques and galleries, acclaimed restaurants and bars adorned with colourful street art. The hardest-to-find highlights are revealed on a Hidden Secrets walking tour.

Follow the aroma of espresso to Cup of Truth, a subterranean hole-in-the-wall serving a brew that justifies Melbourne's reputation as Australia's coffee capital.

Lurking in the laneways are myriad lunch spots with creative menus and well-cooked comfort food. Dart into decidedly literary Journal for a meal, ignoring the usual library commands of silence.

Melbourne's historic trams are an integral part of the landscape, especially the free City Circle Tram with its audio commentary. Complete a loop before wandering over to Southbank, past al fresco eateries and buzzing Crown Entertainment Complex to Eureka Tower. Ascend to Skydeck 88, the 88th floor viewing platform that's the highest in the Southern Hemisphere. Slide out in a glass cube to survey Melbourne and beyond to the verdant Dandenong Ranges and out over Port Phillip Bay.

Descending dusk means dinnertime. Choose from five-star dining experiences to inexpensive options down side streets. A degustation on high at acclaimed Vue de Monde is a triumphant end to your Melbourne fling.

Finish the day with a peek into Melbourne's bar scene. Go where the locals go to find the latest great drinking spot. The Croft Institute is kitted out with hospital ephemera, while Berlin Bar is split into East and West.

MELBOURNE EXPERIENCES

MELBOURNE EXPERIENCES....

Follow the right combinations of activities and sights to unlock Melbourne's secrets, whether you've just got one day, or even two or three days in Australia's culture capital.

A city with a love of the covert, Melbourne hides away its best bars, art galleries, live music venues, acclaimed restaurants, and designer boutiques to reward those who dare to delve. The seeking becomes part of the allure of the city as you venture along laneways, down stairs into unassuming basements and up high to a world that exists on the city's rooftops.

Melbourne also stows some of its highlights just beyond the city limits in the buzzing inner suburbs of Fitzroy and St Kilda. Fitzroy oozes bohemian cool while St Kilda's seaside air has been known to energise a night into the wee hours of the morning.

Victoria is a compact state and some of it's most famous sights are just a short drive from Melbourne. Even a couple of days is enough time to explore the city and head off to the beaches of Mornington Peninsula, the Phillip Island Penguin Parade, and the wineries and wildlife of the Yarra Valley.

KHIMSAR DUNES VILLAGE

A REMOTE HAMLET WHERE SANDS SEEM TO ROLL OUT INTO ETERNITY......

"This village nestles amidst sand dunes that seem to roll into eternity. It is truly remote, rural and romantic"

Most of us are aware of Rajasthan and its several gems like Jaipur and Udaipur. But how many of us actually know about the Khimsar Dunes Village, which embodies the very desert nature of the state. It resides about 15 minutes from the Khimsar Fort.

Only accessible by jeep, camel or horseback, this remote hamlet is where the sands seem to roll out into eternity. Resonating the beauty of the Thar Desert, you might come across a mini-lake that springs out of nowhere. But be warned, it might only be  a mirage!

Take in a golden sunrise or a colourful sunset amidst gold sands- even as you sip your cuppa! Down the sundowner, followed by a meal around bonfire- as million of stars blink benevolently down at you.

Take a jeep safari into the black buck (Chinkara) reserve or ride a camel into the wild desert countryside.

Also, what sets aside these properties from the others is the fact that these are family run 

hotels and 20th generation of the royal lineage still reside in the fort. The staff today are also 

direct descendants of royal courtiers who have served the family for generations with passion, loyalty and sincerity. This extended family offers hospitality at its best because it is

 hospitality from the heart!

MAWLYNNONG VILLAGE

THE CLEANEST VILLAGE

IN ASIA.....

Mawlynnong/Mawlynnong Village located in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, also referred as ‘God’s own garden’ has won the acclaim of being the cleanest village in Asia in 2003. The village known for its cleanliness is located around 90 kms from Shillong and is a community based eco-tourism initiative. The community has made collective effort to maintain the ambience of a clean village. The village offers picturesque natural beauty, a trek to the living root bridge at a neighbouring village Riwai. The village also offers a sight of natural balancing rock, a strange natural phenomenon of a boulder balancing on another rock.

Suprisingly, the village has hundred percent literacy and most of the villagers are conversant with the English language.  The village offers a number of small tea shops, where you can relish a hot of cup of tea with some snacks.

Mawlynnong offers  the opportunity to view natural beauty in abundance from the Sky Walk, a 80 feet high "machan' or observatory. You can also visit the Living Root Bridge and Natural Balancing Rock. For nature lovers, one day trek offers living amidst nature in all its glory.

 

VARANASI

VARANASI 

"Older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together"- Mark Twain

 

Varanasi, the holy city of India, is also known by the name of Kashi and Benaras. Kashi, the city of Moksha for Hindus since centuries, is known for its fine-quality silks, 'paan' and Benares Hindu University and Avimukta of the ancient days, Varanasi is the most popular pilgrimage point for the Hindus. One of the seven holiest cities, Varanasi city is also one of the Shakti Peethas and one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites in India. In Hinduism it is believed that those who die and are cremated here get an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and re-births. 

Considered as the abode of Lord Shiva, Varanasi is situated on the banks of River Ganges, which is believed to have the power of washing away all of one's sins.It is believed that three nights of fasting in Varanasi city can reap you rewards of many thousands of lifetimes of asceticism!

Varanasi is the oldest city of the world. Varanasi is more than 3000 years old and is famous as the "city of temples". There are about 2000 temples in Varanasi. 

The Ganga Ghats (river front) are the most popular pilgrimage spot of Varanasi and are centers of music and learning.

The holy city has been a symbol of spiritualism, philosophy and mysticism for thousands of years and has produced great saints and personalities like Guatama Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Tulsi Das, Shankaracharaya, Ramanuja and Patanjali.

Music is supposed to be the soul of life. By virtue of being the oldest living city, Benaras has its own rich history and treasure of music. According to mythology, when Renu (son of Vishwamitra) and Mahagovind founded Kashi (Varanasi), they also brought with them the Aryan traditions and the Vedic culture. Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of Varanasi and is also considered as the lord of dance and music. According to the Puranic tales the Apsaras, Gandharvas and Kinnars lived in Varanasi and made the musical tradition of Varanasi a rich one. 

Varanasi is also associated with many great instrumentalists. Sehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan is famous world wide while Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar has earned wide acclaim throughout the world. Other instrumentalists who have left their mark are Madan Mohan, Bhola Nath, Pathak, Mannuji, Amarnath Mishra, Brindwan Das, Ramdeo and Subodh Babu.