Travel Secrets May-June 2015 | Page 9

I FIRSTWORDS ’ve just got back from France, still wrapped in a champagne haze. The places I toured have so far been off the grid for most Indian tourists. Now that I’ve laid out my story of discovery after heady discovery, I hope you’ll make plans to visit the coastal and inland beauties of La Baule, Guerande and Nantes. Picture having a slice of the Atlantic coast and the Loire River all to yourself! You can, in these parts, for much less than you would pay in the starry Riviera belt. It’s raining hot sunshine; time to go dreaming of snow-laden Iceland and apple-carpeted Himalayan valleys. London writer Shozeb Haider will make you want to chase the northern lights, while Delhi’s well-known author-photographer Ajay Jain’s lyrical description of Shoja will have you craving for those crisp, cool climes. And if you’re looking for an allseason destination, don’t look beyond the Irish capital, Dublin. It’s my favourite city in the world; period. Summer of Ocean and River We’ve added a new member to the Travel Secrets worldwide family of Correspondents: the lovely and lively Sw edish girl Ida Josefin Eriksson, who makes her debut with an ode to Stockholm. Her tips and advice deepens our belief that no amount of research and reporting can beat what a local can tell. TS writer Chhavi Doonga fell in love with Chiang Mai at first sight. We would, too, if our trip was made up of exciting elephant shows, flavourful Thai dinners, and laid-back views of rice fields from large hotel balconies… Based on your feedback, we’ve added a bouquet of Power Secrets to this issue. You’ll find them sprinkled in between the longer stories, and we hope they will help you travel better, smoother, happier. Safe travels, and Happy times. Shubhra Krishan, Publisher & Editor May-June 2015 Travel Secrets  9