BY MAYA NAIR

Greece and India have a long history together. According to Indians, Athens may not be the most “ancient” city that Europeans consider it to be. However, traveling to Greece is a very interesting and enjoyable experience.

Atlanta

It was past midnight when I requested my wife who was watching Bollywood comedy Golmaal withBintu to make me a cup of tea. She hit the pause button and grumbling went into the kitchen and shouted, “Sorry, we’ve run out of Typhoo tea leaves. Will a cupof Nescafe coffee do instead?” “Well, anything, Nescafe or Folgers- so long as it is a hot beverage,” I replied.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore; Dream; Discover.” – Mark Twain

There is no best time for travel. We have to schedule a time every year and decide to try one yet unknown place at a time.

Travel certainly opens up our minds. Everyone, especially children need to see how people live in other parts of the world. Our spiritual growth depends on our outlook and understanding. Our outlook is shaped by our experiences and there is nothing better to shape our understanding than travel. It helps us to see everyone in the world as One. Many of the wars will end when people on “opposite” sides are forced to see each other as brothers and sisters.

I love traveling; dreaming, planning and experiencing one new place at a time. J Most of the time is spent taking pictures so that I wouldn’t forget a single sight. It was only after our children were grown up that we started to travel. That, I think was a big mistake. We should have traveled sooner, before the children grew up and left home! L Travel is the biggest school in the world!

For my first travelog I will focus on one of the most popular destinations in Mexico – Puerto Vallarta.

We went to Puerto Vallarta for the first time in 2005. Most of the time, the people there assumed that we were Mexicans too. So we felt completely at home! The plantains, coconut trees, papaya, mangoes, lemons and Indian vegetation all over the place helped too. J

Mexico is closest to US and is still one of the best options for visitors from US. The people are friendly, we get almost everything from US there (cheaper to boot) and their hotels are among the finest. The food is healthy and inexpensive too.

Hotel accomodations include beach and swimming pool
 

Puerto Vallarta is a fully developed tourist location which can be reached by road, air or cruise ship. It is located on the western part of Mexico, bordering the Pacific Ocean. A mind boggling array of adventure tours awaits the eager traveler. Depending on our budget and time schedules, we can spend 24 hours outside the hotel if we wish.

Mexico is a shopper's paradise!
 

Most of the inhabitants of Mexico are descendants of the ancient Mayan Civilization. The Maya Civilization (2600 B.C) is known for its fully developed written language as well as its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Maya influence is evident from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and to as far as central Mexico.

Notes – Dollars are accepted in most establishments. It is best to have a cell phone with international calling services so that you can call back to US or any other country. Remember to take your valid passport. You may rent a car or use taxis to get around. Many of the taxis accept dollars and return the change in pesos.

Swimming with the Dolphins - a spiritual activity


Plumeria flowers in abundance

There are so many things to do in “Mehico” that we always want to return there. Here is a list of tours and things to do:

1. Mexico has hundreds of acres of Rain forests. Canopy tours are abundant where you fly from platforms above the jungle on zip lines and swing like a monkey through the trees. Good for the really adventurous J
2. Swimming with Dolphins in a closed swimming pool and trained dolphins (great for kids) or in the open Ocean guided by expert trainers.
3. Scuba diving, snorkeling or sailing in the mesmerizing turquoise waters of Cancun. Be mesmerized the beauty of the underwater world that opens up in front of your eyes or hear the songs of the humpback whales.
4. Whale watching in the waters of the Pacific Ocean (only certain times of the year)
5. Swimming with the dolphins, getting a kiss from them as well as riding on them by holding on to their flippers (its fun!)
6. Go on an adventure trip on the laceName w:st="on">SierralaceName> laceName w:st="on">MadrelaceName> laceType w:st="on">MountainslaceType> in a Jungle buggy. Get ready for an exciting, bumpy ride through the rain forest where you will see amazing flowers and gigantic trees along with some animals that we may be familiar with in India. Its fun!
7. Of course, the regular resort activities such as swimming, sailing, boating, fishing, shopping, biking and other healthy adventures abound in this amazing tourist destination.

For more information on what you can do in Puerto Vallarta, Google it or go to:

http://www.puertovallartatours.net/

http://www.vallartadiscovery.com/

http://www.vallarta-adventures.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g150793-Activities-c25-Puerto_Vallarta_Pacific_Coast.html