France is a country whose name has become a synonym of the word ‘tourism’. At times one almost feels tempted to think that all that the French are doing in France is vacationing and having fun. Why should the rest of the world then be denied of an experience that will surely provide soothing memories during the gruelling hours of the day for years to come. Visiting France would probably be on the ‘must do’ list of many of us. Depending on your interests you can tailor your trip as the country offers a lot of different experiences. read more

Whenever my family travels, we travel with small children. As a father of three girls aged nine and under, I’ve witnessed a technological revolution aimed towards helping children stay entertained during extended travel times. It’s not the same as when I was a kid forced to endure protracted road trips by counting license plates. read more

Coming up with the perfect date idea can be trying. Most of these options can be a little pricey, but hey, isn’t finding your possible soul mate worth it? read more

Over the centuries, there have been many weird phenomenon and strange sightings reported around the globe, which have become part of the folklores in many areas. These unexplainable phenomenons normally generate a lot of interest amongst the masses as well. From haunted houses to the mysterious Bermuda Triangle, there is a lot on this planet alone, that we haven’t figured out yet. One such phenomenon is that of the Ghost Lights.

Generally, as holly wood would have us believe, all the strange happenings, the ET’s and aliens prefer landing in the land of dreams and try the American Dream first. Ghost lights are no different; the rest of the world also has its share of mystery. There are many well-known stories about these illusive lights that are there one moment and gone the next.

The Marfa lights of Marfa, Texas in USA are amongst the most popular of these ghosts lights. The earliest recorded sighting dates backs to around 1957, but stories of these lights are as old as late 19^th century. The lights are generally described as darting lights of different colours that hover a few feet above the ground , and have been known to guide the lost travellers home as well. Sceptics on the other hand like to kill the glowing charm of the mystery by attributing them to headlights of cars on Highway 67, but it’s improbable that the highway is as old as late 19^th century. There is even an ‘official’ viewing platform built by the local government to make sightings easier for the tourists.

The Hessdalen lights, of Hessdalen, Norway have also attracted a lot of attention. A special project was launched to understand these lights. Although the lights have been captured on cameras numerous times, no one is any closer to solving the mystery yet.

Another such phenomenon is the Min Min Lights of Queensland, Australia, The earliest sighting were reported in 1950’s, during winters, on a cattle farm. These lights have also been mentioned in the native Aboriginal folklores and are considered to be related to the earth, rather than the sky.

Gourdon Lights in Gourdon, Arkansas have a story of a dead railway worker, who fell in front of a train and lost his head that was never found. The light is from the lantern of the headless man as he searches for his head…. Spooky!

There are many other names given to these lights. Call them the Prairie lights or Will o’ the wisp, or the Jack o’ lantern, the truth is that even though man has come really far, still there is too much out there that we don’t understand and it only adds on to the magic and beauty of our wonderful world.

For the adrenaline junkies, roller coaster rides provide a sure fire way of getting their dose in a safe & secure environment. More & more parks these days are coming up with heart stopping rides to test the allegiance of the faithfuls. Here is a list of a few testing rides from around the globe:

6/ Colossus
A great ride in the Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, Colossus is an experience in itself. The ride holds the record of most inversions with a grand total of 10. Some call the experience exhilarating, while others deem it rough to the extent of being painful, either way, the ride makes the ‘scariest rides’ list.

5/ Dodonpa
Located in Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Japan, the ride held the record of world’s fastest from 2001 to 03. The .75 mile long circuit of this ride has heart stopping vertical drops and steep bends. At a speed of 171km/h, the passengers experience a force of 4G giving a feeling of being fired from a rocket.

4/ Tower of Terror
Dreamworld, on the Gold Coast in Australia, is home of many thrilling rides but the Tower of Terror can make the pro riders sweat while still waiting in line for their turn. The 100 mph zero-gravity drop will definitely sort the men from the boys & hats-off to the ladies game enough to get a seat.

3/ Big Shot!
While the rollercoaster atop the Stratosphere can be deemed ‘tame’ in comparison to Insanity, the Big Shot comes close to challenging it for its insane value. Astronauts travel at 45mph at blast off, which is slow in comparison because this ride throws you up with enough force to give you a weightless 4Gs for take off.

Set atop the Stratosphere as well, the Big Shot is literally that, it throws you up 170 ft to a height of 10.49 ft over Vegas. The bungee mechanism, only the complete opposite, means you come down and bounce about a bit before the ride ceases making you wonder if the over the shoulder harness that holds you to the Big Shot tower will be enough for you or will the seat take off with you with your arms and legs flaying freely.

2/ Insanity
Next is a different type of ride. Not placed in an amusement park, the Insanity is perched atop the Stratosphere tower in Las Vegas. Aptly named for what it seems to be at 906 feet above the Vegas strip, this ride takes you from the top of the tower and perches you at a 70 degree angle before a literal ‘spin’ at 40 miles per hour giving you a real bird’s eye view of Vegas…all without the wings. The best thing about Insanity is its versatility; the ride is completely programmable for the on-the-spot-engineer meaning it can give you up to a 100 different versions of insane!

1/ Top thrill Dragster
Top thrill Dragster, at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio, is only half a minute long ride that can make you recount your life’s sins in a jiffy. It broke a few records when it was launched, including that of being the first rollercoaster to top 400ft and the first to go at 120 mph as well. Check out the 400 ft vertical drop, and don’t forget about the 270 degrees twist along the way!