My Photo Gallery: Travel Memoirs

I kick-started my photo gallery series way back in Feb 2014 but after that one post, I didn't do squat to keep the series alive (my bad!). Lack of time was a major factor that led to the stagnation of the series combined with a lack of interesting subjects to photograph. But then, as I was sorting out my old photo albums to back them up the other day, I realized that I had a lot of 'decent' (in my opinion) travel photos that I had taken over the years. Travel has been an integral part of my life since childhood and I'm thankful for having been able to visit some truly incredible destinations so far. So for this post, I thought I'd compile my favourite travel photos hoping to take you on an interesting and colorful journey.

My next post in this series will most probably be baby-related because I take far too many pictures of my little ones. I'm at home with them all day so it is far too tempting to not go crazy with my camera. I'm currently experimenting with different styles, angles and photo editing tools so keep a look out for that 😊

So let us begin the photo tour shall we?

Uniquely Singapore

This photo was taken at the lovely Gardens by the Bay. The Orchid is the national flower of Singapore and you will find mind boggling variants of this gorgeous flower at the Botanic Gardens as well as the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay. 

This was taken at the River Safari at the Singapore Zoo. The Giant Panda is probably one of the most fascinating species of bears and I would go any number of times to the zoo to admire this adorable creature.

Incredible India

It is quite sad that I haven't been able to travel much within India since coming to Singapore. But traveling around India is something that I'm sure I will eventually do, wielding my camera of course.

I cannot take credit for this particular picture because it was taken by my cousin Samarth on one of our day-trips to Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary near my hometown of Mysore. I've included it only because I like it so much 😊

Sailing Across the Sea

Me and my husband love cruises and one of our dream vacations would be a leisurely holiday on board The Royal Caribbean. But being in Singapore, the easiest option for us (for the time being) was the Star Virgo cruise which we enjoyed well enough to go on twice. I don't have any favourite pics that I took on board the cruise but this pic of the ship that was taken from afar brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.

China - Like Never Before

I had been to Wuhan in China for a conference during my Master's program. Wuhan isn't known to be a tourist destination (I hadn't even heard of it before) so I didn't know what to do with myself after the conference ended each day. One day me and my Chinese colleagues skipped the afternoon sessions and headed to the Yellow Crane Tower which the single largest tourist attraction in Wuhan. The imposing structure sits atop Snake Hill and offers a commanding view of the Yangtze River and the city skyline. This particular pic bring back many fond memories. 

Bintan Bliss

The island of Bintan in Indonesia is a great weekend getaway for residents of Singapore. We had been there a few years ago during a long weekend to unwind and rejuvenate. I spent most of my time huddled with a book, walking by the beach and taking pictures. Ah! I so wish I could do that right now.

Malaysia - Truly Asia

Malaysia is a country we have been to few times over the years. Apart from its proximity to Singapore, having family in Kuala Lumpur was another factor which was responsible for our frequent visits. Any visit to KL is incomplete without shopping at KLCC (which is located in the Petronas Twin Towers). I particularly like this night shot of the imposing Petronas Towers. 

When my in-laws were here a few years ago, we visited Langkawi, an idyllic archipelago of several islands in Malaysia. This was another relaxing holiday. We hired a car and drove around the island which was a memorable experience. This is one of my favourite pics from our Langkawi sojourn. 

Amazing Thailand

Having been to Bangkok and Phuket with my family when I was much younger, I wanted to visit one of the many talked-about beach destinations in Thailand. Phuket is a picturesque island in Thailand and a perfect holiday destination. Me and my husband have many fond memories from this holiday. Being avid lovers of Thai food, we had some of the most scrumptious Thai delicacies at a local shack that was near our hotel. And I still giggle when I recall us hiring a bike and randomly going around Phuket looking for a nice massage parlour (which we did find eventually).

This picture is of Kata Noi beach of which we had spectacular views from our hotel. 

This picture was taken on a short cruise to Phi Phi island, another stunning must-visit place. 

Beautiful Bali

I just love Bali so much. It is one destination that I would be ready to visit any number of times. My first visit to Bali was with my husband and the subsequent visit, a few years later was with my in-laws. Both holidays were unforgettable and I have so many photos of Bali that short-listing favourites was really hard.

In my opinion, one of the places that is an absolute crime to miss when you visit Bali would be the mountain lake resort area of Bedugul. And the main highlight of this area is the serene Ulun Danu (Temple On The Lake) that you see here in this picture. 

This picture is of the Tegallalang Rice Terrace in Ubud. The lush greenery is so pleasing to the eye. Don't you think?

This is Geger beach - a hidden gem of Nusa Dua. With crystal clear glorious blue waters and powdery white sand, this is a beach-lovers dream come true. 

This was taken at the Tirtha Empul Temple. I love this picture because it showcases the beauty, cultural heritage, faith and devotion that is symbolic of Bali. 

The Timeless Charm of Vietnam

Vietnam would probably be considered an unexpected choice for a holiday destination but I am so incredibly glad that me and my husband decided to head to Hanoi for a break. The best part of our trip was the cruise to the wondrous Ha Long Bay. Photographs do no justice to the breathtaking natural beauty of this bay. 

Taiwan - The Heart of Asia

This picture was from our most recent holiday to Taipei. We visited the Longshan temple where we got a glimpse of the religious and cultural side of the Taiwanese. Amidst all the prayers, chanting and incense burning, I was able to sneak in some photography too.

Mesmerizing Mauritius

Okay, so if anyone asked me to pick my favourite travel destination, I would pick Mauritius without batting an eyelid. This island nation known for its unparalleled scenic beauty is a sight for sore eyes. The Grand Bay in Mauritius is paradise on earth and I wouldn't even be able to articulate the experience of being there.

See what I mean?

Destination North America

I consider myself fortunate to have been in the US just long enough to visit many of the places that I had always been eager to visit. Even though I've barely scratched the surface, I'm glad to have brought back several memories that will last for a lifetime.

I wasn't into photography at all when I visited the US so as you can see, the photographs are kinda mediocre and not worthy of inclusion in a photo gallery. All these pics were taken with my little Sony cybershot camera. I still went ahead and picked a few that I liked so please don't judge me okay?

I snapped this picture of the Statue of Liberty on the ferry to Staten island. 

This was taken at Central Park in New York City. This was sometime in early December and the weather had just started to get chilly. I was thrilled to still be able to catch a glimpse of the fading fall colors. The carpet of green grass was blanketed by a myriad hues of autumn leaves which made for a pretty picture. 

The bedazzling view of NYC from atop the Empire State building

The famous Golden gate Bridge. I remember it was quite foggy that day so I couldn't really get nice pictures of this iconic structure. Boo!

This was taken at Yosemite National Park in California. A quiet, peaceful and visual treat for nature lovers.

One of the highlights of visiting Orlando in Florida was going to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. This was taken at Epcot at Walt Disney World. The weather was fabulous, the company was fun and the experience was marvellous so I had a blast.

I took this picture just outside our apartment in Milwaukee. We had arrived in Wisconsin just as the fall season was bidding adieu (much to my dismay) but on the bright side, I was there during winter so I got to experience snowfall just long enough to not get sick of it.

This was taken on a day-trip to Mount Rainier in Seattle. I had been to Seattle on a conference (again during my Master's program) and on one afternoon I cheekily skipped the conference and headed on a Gray line bus tour to Mount Rainier. This visit was very special to me because until then, I had never travelled anywhere solo. I thought I would be bored to death but I surprisingly enjoyed myself. I survived the looooong flight to and from the US, shopped to my heart's content, sampled different cuisines (I even went to an Ethiopian restaurant), drank a ridiculous amount of coffee that Seattle's famous for, went around the city all by myself and had a whale of a time. It was strangely empowering 😊

So that wraps up the travel memoir segment of my photo gallery series. I hope you enjoyed this visual tour. 

Which photo did you like the most? Drop a comment and me know 😊

Till we meet again....

Cheers,
Megha