Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Stuck at Home? These 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch (Video)

Experience the best museums from London to Seoul in the comfort of your own home.


Going into a self-quarantine can have many complex issues and complications beyond having enough food and supplies for two weeks. In terms of entertainment, it also probably means you’re in for a lot of boredom, a lot of Netflix, and a lot of browsing the internet.
But there is a way to get a little culture and education while you’re confined to your home. According to Fast CompanyGoogle Arts & Culture teamed up with over 2500 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world..
Now, you get “go to the museum” and never have to leave your couch.
Google Arts & Culture’s collection includes the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City, and literally hundreds of more places where you can gain knowledge about art, history, and science. This collection is especially good for students who are looking for ways to stay on top of their studies while schools are closed.

Take a look at just some of Google’s top museums that are offering online tours and exhibits. Museums around the world are also sharing their most zen art on social media to help people cope with staying home. And if that's not enough culture for you, New York's Metropolitan Opera will be offering free digital shows every night at 7:30 p.m. Now you can even go "outside" with incredible virtual tours of some of America's best national parks.

British Museum, London

This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. You can also find hundreds of artifacts on the museum’s virtual tour.

Guggenheim Museum, New York

Google’s Street View feature lets visitors tour the Guggenheim’s famous spiral staircase without ever leaving home. From there, you can discover incredible works of art from the Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary eras.

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

This famous American art museum features two online exhibits through Google. The first is an exhibit of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including many renderings of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Dutch Baroque painter Johannes Vermeer.

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

You can virtually walk through this popular gallery that houses dozens of famous works from French artists who worked and lived between 1848 and 1914. Get a peek at artworks from Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin, among others.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul

One of Korea’s popular museums can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Google’s virtual tour takes you through six floors of Contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.

Pergamon Museum, Berlin

As one of Germany’s largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer – even if you can’t physically be there. This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Explore the masterworks from the Dutch Golden Age, including works from Vermeer and Rembrandt. Google offers a Street View tour of this iconic museum, so you can feel as if you’re actually wandering its halls.

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Anyone who is a fan of this tragic, ingenious painter can see his works up close (or, almost up close) by virtually visiting this museum – the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, including over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and over 750 personal letters.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

European artworks from as far back as the 8th Century can be found in this California art museum. Take a Street View tour to discover a huge collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, and photographs.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

This less well-known gallery houses the art collection of one of Florence, Italy’s most famous families, the de'Medicis. The building was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 specifically for Cosimo I de'Medici, but anyone can wander its halls from anywhere in the world.

MASP, São Paulo

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is a non-profit and Brazil’s first modern museum. Artworks placed on clear perspex frames make it seem like the artwork is hovering in midair. Take a virtual tour to experience the wondrous display for yourself.

National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City

Built in 1964, this museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic heritage. There are 23 exhibit rooms filled with ancient artifacts, including some from the Mayan civilization.
Sadly, not all popular art museums and galleries could be included on Google Arts & Culture’s collection, but some museums are taking it upon themselves to offer online visits. According to Fast Company, the Louvre also offers virtual tours on its website.
To see more of Google Arts & Culture’s collection of museums, visit the collection’s website. There are thousands of museum Street Views on Google as well. Google Arts & Culture also has an online experience for exploring famous historic and cultural heritage sites.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Coronavirus Lockdown: What’s An E-Pass And How To Get It

Several individual state websites, as well as police websites, are offering e-passes for the citizens to emergency travel. Here's how you can apply for an e-pass to commute during the COVID pandemic.

Misusing the e-pass or using after the valid date is a punishable offence.

As the entire country is facing a lockdown situation due to Coronavirus Pandemic, all the non-essential travels are being barred until the restrictions are lifted. However, the government of India is allowing the citizens to travel too during this pandemic. In order to validate their purpose of travel or emergency, the citizens must obtain an e-pass before taking their cars out. With  the spike in the COVID-19 positive cases across the nation, police, as well as other patrolling bodies, have made an e-pass mandatory to facilitate travel during the lockdown ensuring that no one breaks the curfew and disobeys any such rules.

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What is an e-pass?

E-pass is essentially an electronic pass issued online by the state government to facilitate the commute during an emergency or urgent situation. People related to the movement of essential goods and supplies throughout the country will require to get an e-pass. On the other hand, people willing to travel only in case of an emergency should apply for an e-pass which will let them aid their movement during these unprecedented times. And, they will have to display the e-pass wherever asked by the officials.

The e-pass consists of important details about the citizen such as name, address, contact number, the validity of the e-pass, purpose of travel and more. The e-pass will be issued to a designated location only for a limited period. The e-pass also mentions the number of passengers that would be accompanying the person.


Applying for an e-pass does not mean that it is granted. The local administration authorities will validate all the important details before issuing an e-pass. The citizens can apply for an e-pass through state government's individual website.

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How To Get An E-Pass?



1. For applying an e-pass, you need to visit the official website of the state or union territory.

2. After selecting the 'apply e-pass' tab, you need to fill up all the important details such as name, address, mobile number, vehicle number, vehicle registration number, government ID, district and town.

3. After filling all these details, you also need to furnish supporting documents for the same. And, now submit the application for an e-pass.

4. You will receive a message from the authority once the e-pass is approved.

5. Carrying the e-pass along with you is mandatory, which can be in a printed form or an e-copy. It should be furnished to the police or any other authority inquiring about the travel.

The residents of Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana can apply for an e-pass through - https://covidpass.egovernments.org/requester-dashboard/register. Several states are also offering e-passes through the state's official website or police department website. The citizens residing in Mumbai can get their e-passes from the website - www.covid19.mhpolice.in. Moreover, the Chennai residents too can apply for an e-pass through Chennai police website.




Friday, October 4, 2019

HOW I GET VISA WITHOUT BOOKING A FLIGHT TICKET

In order to apply for a visa, in most cases, flight tickets are required. Do you know why are they required! Actually, the visa issuing authorities ask this to ensure that you are actually going to come back from their country & not make an illegal attempt to stay there. However, buying flight tickets is an expensive affair. What happens if the visa application is rejected! Read on to know how to score a visa without having a flight ticket.

How to get flight tickets for a visa without actually buying them!

  • Airlines holding tickets
Some airlines give you the option to hold the tickets, I did with AirAsia and indigo. But through airlines, it is valid for 3-4 hours only.  So I use such tickets just to show to the immigration officer. Usually, I travel overland, so this trick helps me pretty well.
  • Online Travel agencies
Travel agency like Yatra.com gives you the option to hold flight ticket for 3 days. When I applied for my Malaysian Visa, I gave them the ticket which was on hold by Yatra. I did this for getting Thailand’s sticker visa as well. Please note that it is valid only for 3 days, so if the visa takes longer than expected, there is a risk.
  • Online travel agent
I found there are lots of online travel agent who can book a dummy flight ticket. I used this for getting my Chinese visa. The agency was bookingforvisa.com. They charged 20 US$ for 5 flight tickets.  Layover is not considered in this case. Suppose you are flying from India to Germany with a layover in Turkey, so it will be counted as One ticket only.

How I got a Thailand visa without flight tickets!

I got two visas this way. I used this website for getting Thai and Chinese visa. I will be using it again to apply for 2 more visas in the coming days. The best part of buying dummy tickets through an online agent is that tickets are generally valid for 3 to 4 weeks if your flight is not too early. I bought tickets on 26 April and I applied for my Chinese visa on 29 April. Got my Chinese visa on 7 May and then on the same day I applied for Thai Transit Visa, I got it on 9 May.
After 2 weeks, I checked my dummy tickets are still valid.

Benefits of booking dummy tickets for getting a visa

  • It will save a lot of money on actual flight tickets if your visa is rejected.
  • It will also give you the flexibility to travel.  Like my Chinese visa is valid for the next 3 months and I can travel whenever I want.
  • You can also use the dummy tickets for getting a transit Visa.
Feel free to ask questions in the comments.

Check this for finding cheap flight tickets

Once you are done with the visa formalities. You can use this tool to find the cheapest flights for any destination in the world on a given date.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

ITINERARY FOR KOH PHANGAN, 2019 [BUDGET TRIP 15,000 RS / LUXURY TRIP 25,000]

 I visited Koh Phangan for almost a week. Based on my trip, I made a travel series for my youtube channel – MountainTrekker. The first video of the series made many people curious about this destination. This video has almost every information in brief for a first-time traveller. I got a lot of requests for making itineraries for this island. Considering them I am sharing an ideal itinerary for Koh Phangan which may suit everyone’s need. A low budget traveller can do this trip in less than 15,000 Rs, whereas an average budget can be around 25,000 Rs. Add more money to your stay and food to make it more lavish.

An ideal Itinerary for Koh Phangan, Thailand


In this itinerary, I have tried to include almost all must do activities in Koh Phangan with their cost. The itinerary is designed considering an average budget tourist and a tight-budget backpacker. The price/cost shared are indicative and may go up or down in the due course of time.

Day 1

  1. India to Bangkok (Average return flight ticket – 6,000 Rs)
    • Return flight ticket during Sale – 5,000 Rs
  2. Bangkok to Surat Thani (Average return flight ticket – 1,400 Baht or 3150 Rs)
  3. Surat Thani to Koh Phangan (Bus + Ferry = 500 Baht or 1,120 Rs)
  • Stay: Average budget Room –  300 Baht or 675 Rs / Hostel – 120 Baht or 270 Rs
  • Food: Average budget 1000 Rs / Low budget – 550 Rs (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)
  • Total cost
    • for average budget tourist =   Rs 11,945 (6000 (flight)+ 3150 (flight) + 1120 + 675 (stay)+ 1000 (food))
    • for low budget tourist = Rs 7,430 (5000 (flight) + 490 (train) + 1120 + 270 (stay) + 550 (food))

Day 2

  1. Koh Phangan Day tour (from 500 Baht or 1,120 Rs)
  • Total cost
    • for average budget tourist =   Rs 2,795 (1,120 + 675 (stay) + 1000 (food))
    • for low budget tourist = Rs 1,940 (1,120 + 270 (stay) + 550 (food))

Day 3

  1. Rent a motorbike and explore the island on your own (starts from 200 Baht or 450 Rs)
    1. Must visit beaches – Mae Haad, Koh Ma, Bottle beach, Thong Nai Pan Yai & Haad Salad
  2. Relax on your favourite beaches (you must have found your favourite till now)
  3. Shopping in Thongsala market or Saturday market (only on Saturdays)
  • Total cost
    • for average budget tourist = Rs 2,125 (Rs 450 + 675 (stay) + 1000 (food))
    • for low budget tourist =  Rs 1,270 (Rs 450 + 270 (stay) + 550 (food))

Day 4

  1. Ang Thong Marine National Park day tour (starts from 2,100 Baht or 4,715 Rs)
    1. cost includes breakfast, lunch, canoeing, snorkelling, hiking
  • Total cost
    • for average budget tourist = Rs 6,015 (Rs 4,715 + 300 (Dinner) + 1000 (stay))
    • for low budget tourist =  Rs 1,700 (Rs 450 (motorbike rent) + 550 (Dinner) + 700 (stay))

Day 5

  1. Buffer day

Day 6

  1. Koh Phangan to Surat Thani (Ferry + Bus = 1,120 Rs)
  2. Surat Thani to Bangkok (Flight ticket price included in Day 1 expenses)
    1. 3rd class ticket in a train 217 Baht or 490 Rs
  3. Departure from Bangkok (Flight ticket price included in Day 1 expenses)
  • Total cost
    • for average budget tourist = Rs 2,120 (Rs 1120 + 1000 (food))
    • for low budget tourist =  Rs 2,160 (Rs 1120 + 550 (food) + 490 (Train))

Total cost of Koh Phangan’s trip

  • for average budget tourist = Rs 25,000 (11945 +  2795 + 6015 + 2125 + 2120 )
  • for low budget tourist =  Rs 14,500 (7430 + 1940 + 1270 + 1700 + 2160)

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

CHEAPEST WAY TO TRAVEL IN TORONTO | PUBLIC TRANSPORT


I visited Toronto in November 2019 and visited a few popular sightseeing places. While travelling in the city I used buses, trams and metros. I came across a day pass for tourist which makes Toronto public transport the cheapest way to explore the city.

Toronto Public Transport

The agency which operates bus, subway & streetcar services in Toronto is called TTC,  Toronto Transit Commission. It is like DTC or Delhi Transport Corporation in Delhi.
  • Bus – operated by TTC. bus fare starts from 3.25 CAD (Canadian Dollar) for a single ride.
  • Subway – Metros are called ‘Subway’ in Toronto. Also operated by TTC, a single ride cost 3.25 CAD
  • Streetcars – Tram is called Street Car in Toronto. It is also operated by TTC, a single ride cost 3.25 CAD

Day Pass TTC Toronto

For Tourist Day Pass are the best option to explore the city. Cost of TTC Day Pass is 13 CAD, but you get unlimited travel for One day. This pass is valid until 5.30 am of the next day. Now I am sharing the best part of this pass. 6 people can travel on a single pass in any transportation mode of the TTC system. TTC sell Group/Family day passes on weekends and statutory holidays. Cost of one such pass is also 13 CAD but valid for 6 people. This includes 2 adults and 4 children between 13-19 years or 1 adult and 5 youths between 13-19 years.

Saturday, April 6, 2019

VISIT BHUTAN : THE LAND OF THE THUNDER DRAGON

VISIT BHUTAN : THE LAND OF THE THUNDER DRAGON
Bhutan, officially called the Kingdom of Bhutan is one of our neighbours which offers ample reason for Indian citizens to visit this beautiful country. This landlocked country is a great tourist attraction and at the same time, perfect for budget travellers. India and Bhutan have had friendly relations for a long time. Bhutan is easily accessible and economical as 1 Bhutanese Ngultrum (it’s currency) equals nearly 1 Indian Rupee. Check this post and start making your plans to visit Bhutan.

No visa for Indian tourists to visit Bhutan

Bhutan has restrictions over tourism, so people from the west need to spend a lot of money to travel to Bhutan but the same doesn’t apply to Indians. Bhutan is quite welcoming towards Indian tourists! In fact, Bhutan and Nepal are the only neighbouring countries of India, where Indian citizens are not required a visa.

Documents required to enter Bhutan

  • Voters Identity card
  • Indian Passport (not mandatory)
  • 2 passport sized photograph
  • Duly filled application form (you’ll get at the immigration office)
To enter Bhutan by road or flight, you require either a valid Indian passport with a six months validity or a Voters Identity Card (VIC). Aadhar is not an acceptable document to enter in Bhutan. After submitting the above-mentioned documents at the immigration office you’ll get an entry permit. It usually takes 1 hour to get the entry permit of Bhutan at the Phuntsholing border.

Documents required to enter Bhutan with own vehicle

  • Entry permit issued by the Bhutanese Immigration department
  • Driving licence
  • Vehicle’s Registration certificate of vehicle
  • PUC (Pollution under control) certificate
  • A simple application to get the vehicle’s permit, addressing Sr. Regional Transport officer, Phuentsholing, Bhutan (There is no prescribed format)
If you wish to drive your vehicle (car or motorcycle) registered in India, you are required to obtain a Route Permit from the Road Safety and Transport Authority office in Bhutan after obtaining the entry permit from the Department of Immigration.
How to reach Bhutan from India
Bhutan by train:
The nearest railway station from Phuntsholing border is Hasimara (West Bengal). Catch a train from New Jalpaiguri (Siliguri, West Bengal) and then take a shared auto to Jaigaon/Phuntsholing border. You don’t need a reserved seat on the train since it’s not very crowded and the journey is not very long. It takes around 3 hours. The route from New Jalpaiguri to Hasimara is quite scenic. Trains pass through a jungle which is home to elephants. Indian Railways operate all the trains at slow speed for the safety of elephants.
  • Hasimara railway station to Phuntsholing border – 19 kilometres
Bhutan by Road:
Phuntsholing is the gateway to Bhutan. The entry point is known as Jaigaon/Phuentsholing border. Jaigaon is on the Indian side of the border and Phuentsholing is on the Bhutanese. You can get a direct bus for Phuntsholling from Siliguri. There is also a direct bus service from Kolkata’s Esplanade bus terminal to Bhutan.
  • Siliguri to Phuntsholing border – 156 kilometres
Bhutan by air:
You can travel to Bhutan by flight but it not recommended as it is expensive. Two flights connect India to Bhutan, Bhutan Airlines and Druk air. These flights operate from Indian cities like Delhi, KolkataGuwahati, etc. These flights take you to Paro Airport, which is the only international airport in the country. Flight from Kolkata to Paro takes 1 hour 10 minuteswhereas Guwahati to Paro takes 55 minutes

Airports in Bhutan

  1. Paro Airport is the only international airport in the country.
  2.  Yongphulla Airport in Trashigang is a small domestic airport that underwent upgrades through 2010. Yongphulla Airport was scheduled for completion in January 2010 but as of January 2015, the airport remains closed due to ongoing runway repair.

Embassy of Bhutan in India, New Delhi

  • Address: Royal Bhutanese Embassy, Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021.
  • Contact Numbers 011-26889230, 26889809, 26889807
  • Websitehttp://www.mfa.gov.bt/rbedelhi/

Royal Bhutanese Consulate, Kolkata

Useful Websites

Other valuable tips

  • For travel between cities, buses are the cheapest. They run on fixed times every day but there are only 1-2 buses to a particular destination in a day.
  • Food is not expensive. You can eat at nice restaurants without spending too much money.
  • Do not take any tourism packages. They will unnecessarily charge you a lot of money.
  • No need to plan in advance. The people are friendly and will help you in need.
  • You are not required to spend a minimum amount of 250 US dollars per person per day like the western tourists. Indians are exempted from this rule.
  • You do not need to submit any pre-planned itinerary anywhere. Feel free to travel at your will. But note that you will be issued travel permit only for the town of Thimphu and Paro from the border town of Pheuntsholing. To travel further, you need to obtain a permit from Thimphu immigration office.
  • The cheapest and the best way to travel within Bhutan is the Coaster Bus which is a 40 seater bus, operated by various private bus owners.
Best time to visit Bhutan
March, April, May, September, October & November are the best months to visit Bhutan. Spring season from March to May is the best time for nature lovers when the rich and vibrant colours of flora can be seen.  The moderate temperature during Autumn is a good reason to visit Bhutan between September & November.

ENTER NEPAL BY OWN CAR/BIKE http://videshtrip.blogspot.com/2019/01/documents-required-to-enter-nepal-by.html

Currency
1 Nu (Ngultrum) = 1 Rupee (approx)
(Ngultrum is pronounced as Naltram) Indian Rupee is happily accepted everywhere.

Time
+0600 GMT or +0030 IST
(In Layman’s language = if its 1:00 pm in India, it will be 1:30 pm in Bhutan)

Fuel
Petrol is cheaper than India
Hotels
Popular Tourist places – Starting from Nu 500 to Star hotels
Less popular places – Starting from Nu 250 to Nu 700 or maybe more

Altitude
Phuntsholing – 200 metres
Paro – 2240 metres

Some useful Bhutanese words
  • Guzuzangpo – Namaste (in Hindi), Hello
  • Kadinche – Thanks
  • La – Sir, Ji (in Hindi)
  • Lhakhang = Temple