16 in ’16
2016 was a blockbuster travel year for me, where I got to visit eight countries – of them six new ones, and most excitingly for me, both North and South America for the first time!
I also got to tick a couple of adventure activities from my list, including paragliding in Uttarkhand and underwater walking in Dubai, stayed at a few gorgeous boutique hotels / homestays across India on work and leisure.
So, a quick look at the year that was, in images…
Began the year with a ten day trip to beautiful Myanmar with the husband
Seychelles in April for the Victoria Carnaval
The stunning isolation and magnificence of the Rockies, walking on Athabasca Glacier and being moved to tears at Niagara Falls – Canada in May
Many usual and some unusual suspects ticked off during a visit to Dubai for a stay at the new Taj, with a spectacular view of Burj Khalifa
My first trip to the USA (yeah really, can you believe it?) – two weeks on work in Louisiana and Nevada and then two weeks on holiday in California, Boston and NYC. What an incredibly spectacular country!
A dream trip for any travel enthusiast – and the delight of discovering there is so much more to Peru than Machu Picchu
Another unexpectedly delightful and beautiful country – who thought Oman would be so blue?!
Ended my international travels for the year with a wildlife trip to Victoria state in Australia – think kangaroos, koalas, penguins and platypus…
Then, there was the usual travel within India – went to the North East for a relaxed holiday (the last time I went was when I was 11!), a few hotel reviews and more chilled out weekends at luxury resorts too.
The second big trip of the year with the husband, after Myanmar in January – Meghalaya and Assam in November
A post-graduate class reunion in Ahmedabad and then a couple of day trips to Patan for the gorgeous Rani ki Vav stepwell and Nalsarovar for the flamingos
The Grand Dragon Hotel in Ladakh – in the middle of a frigid winter in January, the Gustor festival at Spituk monastery and a trip to Lamayuru along frozen roads…
The new and opulent Orange County at Hampi – for a review for Outlook Traveller
A visit to Freddy’s Bungalow in Bhimtal and Mary Budden Estate in Binsar, in February
The long weekend in mid August – a semi forest homestay in Masinagudi, lots of elephant sightings from closeby and this walk in the clouds near Ooty
Indulging at Ibnii, the beautiful new ecoresort at Coorg
Bumper sightings of Maya with her three cubs at Tadoba, once again staying at the lovely Svasara
I also managed a lot of wildlife related activities during my travels (even when they were not specifically wildlife focused) – look out for the next post coming up on this topic.
From the Grand Canyon in the USA to twice in Canada, over the Niagara Falls and over the Rockies, recently the 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road in Australia from the vantage point of a helicopter. 
