The land of infinite wonders, Kerala has just begun to unfold its colors to the tourists who have started to pour in hordes from all over the world to capture the true essence of this magical land better described as – God’s Own Country. With its verdant backwaters, virgin golden beaches and lush green mountains, Kerala is increasingly becoming a tourist hub attracting thousands of international and domestic tourists every year from all parts of the world playing a key role in the framing and development of the regional economy. A Kerala tour has become almost a compulsory feature of all itineraries to India.

However, it is only recently that Kerala tour has become so popular among tourists all over the world. Surprisingly enough, the sinfully tempting and exotic locales in Kerala were kept hidden from the tourist spectrum for a long time. This late limelight has, however in a way proved beneficial for Kerala- the dense forests and vast backwaters have fewer plastic bags and mineral bottles that bear traces of enthusiastic tourists all over the Indian subcontinent.

Kerala is in more ways than one, India incarnate. Be it the moist supple fertility of its soil and climate, its ancient orthodox temples or the smiling hospitality of its dark skinned people, Kerala makes for most of the Westerner’s view of India. Somehow, time has not been able to etch too deep a scar on the face of Kerala and the ancient traditionality of the place and the innate awareness of that heritage among the locals is what takes one aback at his/her first Kerala tour.

You will pass plenty of sprawling spice plantation homes and rich beach and backwater resorts on any drive on the outskirts of a city and it is fascinating to see how almost all the significant structures you pass conform to the Keralian architectural traditions- conical roofs with intricately carved wood paneling and railings, brass bells hanging at doorways and pillared conical porticos rule the show. The houseboats that take tourists along on a cruise of the backwaters are all traditional wooden houseboats that were actually used by the ancient dwellers of this ancient land to traverse the stretches of emerald backwaters that connected one island to another forming an intricate network of lakes and canals teeming with a rich store of aquatic life. The Vembanad Lake notably, is the largest lake on the Kerala Backwaters.

The ancient heritage of Kerala however, has more to offer than wooden houseboats and Chinese fishing nets- it is the wealth of the ayurveda and the masked dance of Kathakali. A Kerala tour without a therapeutic massage or a Kathakali performance is an alien concept in modern day tourism. With the mushrooming of innumerable ayurvedic spas and the promotion of Kathakali by travel agents and hotels, Kerala tours have become serious competitors of Southeast Asian destinations. The Kovalam Beach and the Varkala Beach along with the backwater lakes and the Eastern Ghats are burgeoning fast and steady into a tourism market that seems increasingly to shun the city for rustic luxury with a seasoning of the exotic.

Kampala was built on a seven breath taking hills, cut up by delightful valleys, and swamps traversed by sluggish streams, giving it entrancing cinerary. Kampala hills not only provide a back drop of the city and a panoramic view from any direction, but its living history and definition. The seven hills on which the city was gradually built are: Rubaga, Namirembe (Mengo), Makerere, Kololo, Kibuli, Kampala (old Kampala) and Mulago. The three hills are dedicated to God: The catholic hill of Rubagga; Namirembe hill provides the headquoters of the Bristish church missionary society, and Kibuli is Muslim. Kololo and Nakasero were assigned for diplomatic, residential and administrative purposes. Mulago was set a side as the hill of the sick and Makerere, the tower of knowledge. Kampala hill remains a Fort, Muslim new mosque headquarters and a small administrative centre.

Kampala the garden city of Africa grew into Uganda capital partly from historic accidents that started over centuries ago in the Kingdom of Buganda. Thought slightly over a 100 years old, the city is now firmly east established as one of the fasted growing commercial and business city on the continent, home to more than 2 million people.

Its form this development that Kampala manage to host the Common Wealth meeting in 2007, which lead to the development and rehabilitation of New Hotels around.

The word Kampala come from the word “Impala” a type of antelope, which the 19th century Kings of Buganda used to graze on the slop of the hill near Mengo palace. Most of the are were the present day Kampala stands was wetland and mash, dominated by rolling hills, an ideal habitat for the impala, grazed on the hills and came down to the wetlands for water.

In those days places were named after events or things associated with them. So the Bristish reffered to the area as the Hill of the Impala Kasozi Kampala. So, whenever the Kabake (king) left his palace to go hunting, the Royal guards could tell his visitors that he had gone to Kampala to hunt; the name Kampala stuck.

The Name”hill of the Impala” was given specifically to the hill on which captain Fredrick Lord Lugard, a British admistrator, established his camp in December 1890. this hill was the imperial Bristish East African Company’s administrative headquarters until 1894, when the company collapsed and the headquarters of the protectorate was transferred to Entebbe. A small building existed on the hill was the new mosque is built; the building which is next to the mosques formed the first museum between 1908-1910. Unfortunately the site is not accessed to the public as it is the home of the Uganda Muslim Supreme council.

At this tinny Fort and administrative post, Lugard Hoisted the Imperial British East African company flag on December 18th, 1890; it was replaced by the union jack on April 1, 1893. The fort at Kampala hill (now known as Old Kampala) attracted several hundred people and a small township developed. Soon, traders erected shops at the foot hill.

After this foundation was laid just before the turn of the 20th century, kampala began a speed development. Its physical and climatological factors favoured it more than any other spot for modernisation. Kampala was also advantage as easy access to Entebbe (the colonial capital and gateway to Uganda for most international visitors), its central position. By 1900 the confines of the fort had become too small for the distractive purposes, so it was decided to move the colonial offices and government residences to Nakasero hill. Shops and other commercial premises followed and flourished.

Asian entrepreneurs flocked in and begun controlling part of the commercial activity. While the British planned and laid development for Kampala, the Asians implemented it. They monopolised the serene business life rapidly growing town.

With improvements of communication the growth of Kampala was assured. Between 1911 and 1945, Kampala’s expansion followed closely the Patten of international events. World wars led to the depressions, while post-war years saw a boom impetus and trade expansion.

The commercial and administrative growth was replicate in the Kampala’s population growth rate. The population stress in the city placed more additional demands on social and physical infrastructures, including housing, water sanitation, electricity, health units and schools. From 1930s steady progress was made to provide piped water, electricity (at first by generators) hard roads drainage services and water-born sanitation. The church missionary society had already established a hospital at Mengo hill in 1897; the British set up Mulago hospital in the early 1920s. These services contributed to the improvement of health and other social facilities, and subsequent status of all municipalities bestowed onto Kampala on January 1, 1949.

In the field of education, work on Makerere College (now Makerere University) started in 1922 at Makerere hill. Dozens of primary and secondary schools have been built in and around Kampala were also built till date. Missionaries and Asians took the lead in the sector were Luganda, gujrat, urdu, and English were the major languages of instructions in schools.

After 1945 Kampala’s development kept pace with increasing volume of commercial activities. This was particularly so in the 1950 s, which saw tremendous construction of new office block, residential houses, maintenance of 160 km of roads in the town ship and the landscaping of kololo Airstrip ( now the national Heroes’ cemetery).

To safeguard and protect the development work and projects, the British installed soldiers at strategic hill around Kampala. These military stations were transformed into fully-fledged barracks. These were: Makindye , Mengo ( later referred to as Lubiri ) ,Kireka and Mbuya .

Kampala has undergone a remarkable transformation since its conception in the 1890s. In physical size it has grown from 19 square kilometres to the present 80 square kilometres, an expansion that has been reflected administratively.

In 1906 the settlement was declared a township. In 1950 the first mayor of Kampala, Sir Amar Maini (C.B.E) was appointed. 9 the current mayor, Mr John Ssebagala-Kisito, is the seventh mayor) On January 1, 1962, Kampala became a city council. The City had kept its peace and had blossomed. Hence, on the day Uganda was granted independence, October 9th 1962, Kampala was finally declared capital of Uganda.

Where Asian mult-culturism rules: Singapore as a tour destination!

A cosmopolitan Island country with a stimulating mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures, Singapore as a tour destination has immense scope for fun, adventure, shopping, culinary treats and romantic heart-beat moments galore. For the global tourist on the look out for great bargains, international shopping experiences, world-class products, exciting nightlife, relaxation and spa-centered rejuvenation or simply a great holiday destination, Singapore is where the fun is!

What sets Singapore apart: the essence of Singapore as a tour destination.

Varied cultural offerings and veneration for all religions, evident in the importance the state gives to freedom of spiritual belief with its plentiful churches, temples and Buddhist monasteries and prayer halls makes up the essence of truly multicultural and cosmopolitan Singapore city. A rich and diverse style of architecture as depicted in Singapore’s numerous museums, houses, shopping complexes and extraordinary office buildings portray the city’s willingness to imbibe the best of both worlds: the West and the East effectively and artistically.

Things to do while visiting Singapore as a tour destination:

A modern, metropolitan city that has a vibrant mix of old and new, contemporary and traditional establishments that co-exist in comfortable levels for welcoming global tourists is evident in the island city’s essential hospitality flavor even today: local restaurants, zoos, native food markets and eclectic social diversities are as much the crowd-pullers to Singapore as a tour destination as other aspects of fine living, such as Chijmes, a popular dining, shopping and entertainment site, Dalhousie Obelisk, at Empress Place, Istana- the official residence of the President of Singapore and Lau Pa Sat. Merlion, the lion head with a fish body resting on a crest of waves is Singapore’s national emblem; Parliament House and the Elephant Statue, Raffles Hotel, one of the world’s last great 19th century hotels, Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Supreme Court and City Hall are other popular postcard images that make up the rest of Singapore’s landmarks!

Africa is famous for its wild animal forests. Geographically Africa is a beautiful place with great valleys, peaks, lakes etc. The world famous second largest fresh water lake “Lake Victoria” is in Africa and the deepest lake also. The geography of Africa is suitable for farming. Nowadays tourism became the main economy of Africa.

When you reach Africa you will surely go to see wild life animals. So it is better to go with good travel programmers. They will arrange you a good guide as well as vehicles for you. The guide will help you find out all the places you wish to visit and this will help you, saving your time and money. In Africa there are the most amazing wildlife animals like crocodiles, elephants, hippos, lions, hippos, tigers and much more. You can also see some nice nature scenes like lakes, peaks, and forests. While going to see for wild animals you should be cautious because most of the animals are very dangerous. So always be alert. Do not try to move towards the animals, better stay in your vehicle itself and watch.

About health concerns in Africa, the main health problem is Malaria, so take precautions before going on your trip. The other is sanitation-related disease; you will infect this disease from drinking water or from the foods like fruits and vegetable. So always be conscious.

You should be careful about all your property. Keep your money and things in a safe place while you are moving out. Do not place it in your vehicles and go. Arrange a good and safe hotel or apartment to stay. You can book your room or apartments through the organizers itself; they can provide you the best options. Before moving out you should have a better idea about the places you like to visit or take help from the guide and then decide. This will help to make your African Safari a nice and memorable one.

If you are planning to holiday in Asia with your young family, here are some tips and recommendations to make your Asian holiday that much more enjoyable.

Be it relaxing in heavenly Bali villas, or hiking in Kuta Kinabalu, or enjoying Disney World in Tokyo, Asia offers a huge variety of holiday destinations for those with younger children.

However, as rewarding as it is, traveling with the younger ones in Asia is not always an easy sail.

Here are some insights gained traveling across Asia with children in tow, over the past 10 years.

Getting There and Back

It is more than likely that you will be taking a commercial flight to Asia.

Here is the first word of caution. As far as traveling with the young ones is concerned, not all airlines are created equal. No, I don’t mean the level of service you can expect, as this seems to be of quite a high level whichever Asian based major airline you choose. In our experience, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, and Emirates all offer great service when you are traveling with kids.

However, the big difference comes in how much different carriers choose to charge for the younger ones. Some carriers, for example, charge 10 percent of an adult fare, for infants, traveling on your lap, without a seat. At first, this may sound like a fair deal. However, if you consider the fact that this 10 percent is calculated as a percentage of a -Full Published Adult Fare- price, you may find that you are paying as much for your infant’s air fare, as you are for your own discounted fare! The good news is, not all airlines use this pricing policy, and if you shop around, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars even before you leave home!

Also, do keep in mind, that many airlines will offer special -Child Meals-. Some, such as Singapore Airlines, do also offer different menus for different age groups.

Similarly, for toddlers and older kids, it is worth checking what is on offer in terms of flight entertainment. Some airlines will have dedicated children’s cartoon channels, with a large selection of entertainment options, whilst others may not. If you are traveling long-haul, this alone could make a huge difference to how well your Asian holiday kicks off.

Transportation on the Ground

The quality and safety of ground transportation varies immensely from one Asian Country to the other. However, as a general rule of thumb, do not expect taxis to provide child safety seats, and in many parts of Asia, even rental cars may not have the child safety seat option.

The good news is, across most of Asia, metered taxis are plentiful, and relatively well maintained, with working seat belts. When you are in Singapore, you can expect (or even demand); fully functioning seat belts both at the front and back passenger seats. In other parts of the region, you may find that seat belts have been removed, on purpose, because ‘they get in the way’.

So, if you are adamant that you would like child safety seats whilst holidaying in Asia, you may consider bringing your own, or picking one up, when you land at your destination.

Probably with the exception of Japan, Korea and Taiwan, facilities on local train services are of a variable quality, and unless you are going for gold, and staying on the Palace on Wheels in India, or a special First Class trip between Beijing and Shanghai, you may want to plan well, and take all your essentials on board with you.

Food Matters

Whilst most westerners find Asian food (especially South Asian, or South East Asian food), quite spicy, this is not necessarily an issue when traveling with the younger ones. Most hotels and restaurants will prepare food for the little ones separately, without the spices. Also, if in doubt, plain noodles, or plain rice with some vegetables on the side is always readily available as a good stop gap ration. Depending on how off the beaten track you decide to travel, you are more than likely to find, old favourites such as fish-fingers, chicken nuggets, and hamburgers in most parts of Asia.

One word of caution on the food front is the liberal use of MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) in Asian cooking. This food additive is also used in the west (mostly packaged crisps/chips), and in principle is no more harmful than many of the E numbers we may consume daily. However, in many Asian countries MSG is used very liberally, especially in soups and food with sauces. In China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, to name a few countries, you can expect that your soups and sauces will contain MSG by default. Many parents who live and travel in Asia complain that excessive MSG causes dehydration, lethargy, and mood swings with some younger children (and many adults are also found to be sensitive to excessive MSG). If concerned, request for your food to be prepared without any MSG, or choose MSG-free restaurants, increasingly available across the region.

Bare Necessities

In general, availability and the condition of public toilets in Asia leave much to be desired. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Singapore and Japan for example, typically provide some of the cleanest public conveniences to be found anywhere in the world. Also, in each country, there are certain locations, such as hotels and airports where hygiene standards are going to be at international levels. However, it is good practice to always carry your own tissues, and wet wipes with you when traveling in Asia. Also, to address this problem, in many Asian cities, you can also find special antiseptic wet-wipes, which are very handy when dealing with some of the lesser public conveniences.

It is also worth noting that, restaurants/coffee-shops do not always provide their own toilets for guest use, and more than likely share facilities with other establishments. This is true for even larger malls, and good quality restaurants in hygiene conscious Singapore. So, the old trick of, grabbing an unwanted cup of coffee or a drink at a restaurant, just to be able to use the facilities is not always a solution in Asia.

Similarly, availability of baby changing rooms varies immensely across the region. In Singapore, and Hong Kong for example, changing facilities are readily available in most shopping malls, one almost on each floor. However, when you are off the beaten track, even some good quality hotels may not provide child changing facilities.

Breast Feeding in Public

As a general rule of thumb, if you decided to breast feed in public, regardless of how discrete you are being, expect to be stared at. The good news is, across most of the region, this is no more sinister than surprise and interest on the part of the locals. If in doubt, you may want to retreat to a quiet corner, back of a restaurant, or baby changing facilities.

My Child is a Model!

If your children are under four or five years old, and/or blonde or with naturally curly hair, expect to be approached in parts of Asia by total strangers wanting to take photos of your child!

Again, there is nothing sinister about this request. They just want to capture the -cute factor- and share this amazing image with their friends and families.

You will typically be approached by Japanese, Korean, and Chinese ladies, who will want to pose with your child, and take each other’s photos. However, there seems to be no age or gender limit to this interest, over the years, our little ones have been photographed by business people in suits, restaurant chefs, and the odd octogenarian in small villages.

Asia’s Love for Children

One thing is for sure. Wherever you go to in Asia with your young family, you will find the locals ever helpful and highly interactive with your little ones. Asian’s love children, they love their own children, and also the children of foreign tourists.

My advice is, make the most of this, and allow your children to interact with the local population, be it your villa team at your rental Bali villa, or a chef in a Chinese restaurant, or the old lady selling flower garlands outside a temple in Thailand!

Most important of all, don’t feel like you have to wait till the kids are older before you can visit Asia. Have a go; both you and the children will love this colourful part of the world.

Enjoy your Asian holiday.

Many happy returns…