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Pondicherry: La Petite France of India

June 14, 2020 Kathleen Poon Destinations, India

Back in the early 2000s, I was at a clinic, waiting to see the doctor. On a side table next to where I was sitting was a pile of newspapers and old magazines. Most of these old magazines are often beauty/fashion or health-related, but on that day, a Condé Nast Traveler magazine was lying there and what looked like a fairly recent edition. I picked up the magazine, flipped through its pages of beautiful travel pictures, and stopped at the Cover Story which was about a former French colony in India called Pondicherry. This was eons ago, therefore I don’t

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Day Trip From Chennai to Kanchipuram

March 26, 2020 Kathleen Poon Destinations, India

As I’m writing this, myself and fellow Malaysians are forced to stay at home from 17th until 14th April 2020 – our government implemented Movement Control Order (MCO) as a preventive measure to contain the coronavirus pandemic from spreading further in the country. It doesn’t affect me that much as I run my business ventures from home anyway, but ever since the MCO was implemented, my clients have been distracted by such changes, thus work has slowed down considerably. Rather than spending too much time watching Netflix, I thought, this is a perfect time for me to resume writing about

Travel Bloggers Share: Why I Love Mumbai

June 19, 2019 Kathleen Poon Destinations, India

The very mention of Mumbai conjures images of relentless crowds, endless streams of commuters, traffic congestion, heat and humidity, and slums. Nothing could be further from the truth. As Mumbai suffers from overpopulation and chronic shortage of space, the city seems to be bursting at its seams. For those living in Mumbai – Mumbaikars – they have to deal with such realities on a daily basis. And just like any Indian in the country, they take all of this in stride. Despite the city’s problems, Mumbaikars seem to have a soft spot for the city. I’ve heard them say, “Mumbai

Dabbawalas – Mumbai Lunch Delivery Service

April 1, 2019 Kathleen Poon India

The story about Mumbai’s famous lunchbox carriers – dabbawalas – has been around for nearly twenty years. It all began with a Forbes article ‘Fast Food’ by Subrata Chakravarty who gave insights into the men who supply office workers of Mumbai with home-cooked food, a lunch delivery service that has existed for more than a century. The word “dabba” loosely means “lunch box” and dabbawalla translates to lunch delivery man. For six days a week and 51 weeks in a year, an army of 5,000 dabbawalas conducts an average of 260,000 transactions daily. This translates to 130,000 metal tiffins delivered

Experience Legendary Kashmir Houseboats

February 27, 2018 Kathleen Poon Destinations, India

The first destination that most tourists visit in Kashmir especially in Kashmir Valley is Srinagar. Srinagar is the largest city of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), and the city has lots to offer in terms of heritage and Mughal gardens but the real draw is the legendary houseboats. Any stay in Kashmir should include at least a night or two on the fabled houseboat, and one can choose from the eight hundred houseboats moored by the edges of Srinagar’s jewel, Dal Lake and its smaller and quieter Nigeen Lake. Many tourists are attracted to these houseboats because of the unique experience

Are You Planning a Trip to Kashmir? Here Are Popular Tourist Destinations in Kashmir

February 20, 2018 Kathleen Poon Destinations, India

The Mughal Emperor, Jehangir was said to have written about Kashmir, “If there is paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this!” Kashmir ranks as one of the most beautiful places in the world, renowned for its mountains, valleys and gardens but this paradise on earth has been beleaguered by violence and border disputes between India and Pakistan for many years. This highly-contested prized possession has been declared off-limits to tourists on a number of occasions so much so that the troubles have seriously affected the valley’s thriving tourist industry. Despite high political tensions that remain

Cheerful Stay at Grand Chennai by GRT – Review

January 29, 2018 Kathleen Poon Destinations, India

I was excited to arrive in Chennai, for it was my first visit to Tamil Nadu and to the southern region of India. But I was ambivalent at the same time, not knowing what to expect of the southern city. I had been travelling for twenty days in other parts of India, and by that time, I had experienced a multitude of emotions. I felt happy to have met old friends and made new contacts in Bhopal and Delhi, but low-spirited as I gained insights about the Kashmir situation and overwhelmed by the mad rush of Mumbai. That said, I

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Peacock Trail with Storytrails in Mylapore, Chennai

January 21, 2018 Kathleen Poon Destinations, India

Whenever I travel to a new city, I’m always looking for walking tours. This is because I feel that walking tours is the best way to have an introduction to a new place. Walking tour guides are different from your bus tour guides – they give you insights into the history, heritage and culture of the place by sharing stories and anecdotes. Storytelling is always more interesting than a history lesson, and for that reason, I joined a walking tour called Peacock Trail with Storytrails in Mylapore, Chennai. After having travelled to India nine times over five years, November 2017

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Top Places to Visit in South Goa

January 17, 2018 Kathleen Poon Collaborations, Destinations, India

Goa is one of my favourite states on the west coast of India. After spending much time in the bigger cities in the country where there are massive crowds, vehicles, traffic jams and honking, Goa is a respite from all that congestion and noise. Back in 2014, Goa was a place where I had sought solitude and relaxation at awesome beaches on lovely coastlines amid towering palm trees. Spread over 3,700 square kilometres, Goa is divided into two districts: North Goa and South Goa. I had stayed for four days in South Goa, after which I moved on to the

Bloomrooms @Link Road, South Delhi – Review

January 13, 2018 Kathleen Poon Destinations, India

When we travel, most of us spend time sightseeing throughout the day, only to return to the hotel in the evening. Hence, we don’t usually get the chance to peruse most of the hotel facilities such as the bar, spa, swimming pool and gym. As such, do we really need all the fancy trappings that we find in a luxury hotel? Not really. Instead, what we want is a clean room, comfortable bed, hot shower, working air-conditioning, fast speed WIFI, and an overall good service. So, when I was visiting South Delhi in November 2017, Bloom Hotel was what I