On the fifteenth day the last day of the new year all people come outside the houses with decorative lanterns and join the crowd. A dragon made of silk and velvet move around the crowd. Chicken is usually served whole, representing togetherness.China is a beautiful -place to go you can go there for 15 days and participate in their traditions and ceremonies.

But being a very particular person, I always check out as much as possible about the new places I want to go by reading about them on the net and asking about them in the travel forums. I know sometimes it is not really that accurate but still it gives a lot of insight about the place and its surroundings and any new developments that otherwise is not yet advertised or known to many. Few people think that knowing a lot about a place before visiting it, takes out the real fun and adventure out of it. But hey, the real fun for me begins when you go beyond what everyone knows. So, if you want adventure try to reach the place and explore something new. Knowing about the place will help you to be adventurous and safe at the same time. At least I know what to expect and what not once I reach the destination.

Hopefully this year we could make it somewhere romantic and nice.

People at Prashar lake told us that usually there is 3-4 feet of snow during January. But this year there was absolutely no snowfall. Looks like there is an effect of recession on the mother nature too or is it alarming global warming effect.

As you can see in the pictures below, there is absolutely no snow in Prashar in winters. I never expected Prashar Lake to be like this in winters. When I saw images of this lake on google, I was really impressed to see the lake surrounded by snow clad mountains.

After a long rough drive and such a disappointment, the only good thing to have at Prashar was a cup of nice masala tea and maggie.

As per our plan, after resting for few mins we hoisted Indian National flag at Prashar Lake.

Facilities : The rooms have a nice hall with a tv, dining area, kitchenette, bathroom, large sit-out facing a valley, bedroom with attached bathroom, small sit-out. (all rooms are the same I heard). The rooms are air-conditioned, but the weather is quite pleasant in that area. The resort has a swimming pool, both for adults and children. They provide swimwear on rent too. They have two flood-lit tennis courts, a squash court, and many indoor games. There is also a play room for small kids (and baby-sitters too). There are sprawling lawns, gardens and walkways. Excellent landscaping and very, very clean. The staff were very courteous and friendly. There is a library and a huge pub too. The resort is pretty crowded on weekends, but mostly families come only for a day or as office outings, or for business reasons.

Spa : The spa is awesome. They have Thai/Swedish and Ayurvedic massage parlours. The massage rooms are comfortable with two tables (for couples) with good ventilation and soft soothing music. They give hot ginger tea after the massage which I think is refreshing. The ambience is awesome. The masseuses are from Thailand and have been hired from an agency in Phuket. We had the first experience of a massage at Bangkok. The foot massage there was awesome! Of course, anyday, Thailand is better!! They also have some fancy facilities like hydro-bath, roman bath, spinal bath, jacuzzi and ayurvedic massages, which we were not inclined to try.

Mauritius tops among young Indians Miss India first calendar was shot in Mauritius only.The 2008 calendar will also be shot in Mauritius only. If you want to enjoy nature beauty Maruitius is the best place to go. It has no dreath of indulgence points. One such famous place is the Shanti Ananda Maurice.

Mauritius is the most accessible island in the Indian Ocean a tropica paradise akin to Maui or Martinique but more traveler budget friendly. And for your information visa is on arrival for Indian passport holders.And the ECNR clearance stamp is not required to travel to Mauritius. So what are you waiting for wear your swim suit get ready to go to Mauritius.