SUNDAY

AUGUST 17, 2014

travel planner

INTERNATIONAL

SCENIC ROAD TRIPS

Youve heard the phrase the journey is more important than the destination. Now hit the road to know what it really means.
Whether its dramatic coastlines or high-altitude landscapes, these picturesque stretches are best experienced on the road

INDIA

MANALI LEH
HIGHWAY

MUMBAI GOA HIGHWAY

The journey to everyones favourite beach getaway is both smooth and picturesque, though at
600 km, it can get a bit tiring. NH17 runs from
Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram, winding its way
through the Western Ghats and caressing the
Konkan coastline. On the way, there are numerous attractions: birdwatching and trekking at the
Karnala Bird Sanctuary, panoramas of Vashishti
River meandering through the Western Ghats,
and the pristine beaches of Ganpatipule, Diveagar and Tarkarli. The surrounding cloud-kissed
hills are at their greenest during the monsoon.
The steep turns only add to the thrill.

EAST COAST ROAD

If youre looking for a high-speed blitz, theres no better stretch than the
165-km Yamuna Expressway. A ride on Indias longest six-lane highway
will take you from Greater Noida in the National Capital Region to tourist
mecca Agra, in just over two hours. There are open spaces, green fields,
and sundry villages on either side, but the countryside is little more than
a backdrop to the
smooth tarmac in
front. With a speed limit of 100 km per hour,
the only interruptions
on the straight-as-anarrow road are the five
toll plazas.

Lined with rice fields, swaying coconut palms, fishing villages and glimpses of the Bay of Bengal, this
state highway in Tamil Nadu runs along the Bay of
Bengal, connecting Chennai with Cuddalore. Starting with the quaint Cholamandal Artists Village, the
Kalakshetra music and dance school and Dakshinachitra crafts centre on the outskirts of Chennai, it has
enough to delight both nature lovers and culture vultures. Travel back in time at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mamallapuram, soak in Puducherrys
unique French ambience, stroll on the pristine
beaches of Tharangambadi, or go boating through
Pichavarams mangrove forests and backwaters.

My maa ke haath ka khana I Is delicious, especially her dhaba-style aloo

matar and rajma chawal. No matter how
hard I try to recreate the same aroma
and taste in my dish, I always fail at it.
My earliest memory of food I Since I
have lived in a joint family, food for me
isnt just about pleasing my taste buds,
but a whole lot of fun that comes with
eating together.
My favourite recipe I Undoubtedly, aloo
matar; its my weakness. This is because
when my mom was expecting me, she
would keep craving aloo matar. So, my
love for it started even before I was born!
I enjoy cooking I I simply love it when I
get a lot of compliments for my cooking.
It gives me a high. I also find cooking
therapeutic and relaxing.
To impress my man I Id stick to my
forte delectable north Indian food
that is complex in flavour and beautifully presented.

Men should learn to

cook too I My brother
was taught to cook with the
same enthusiasm my sister and I were. I
strongly feel that even men have a role to
play in the kitchen and should cook for
their loved ones whenever possible.
On the sets, I eat I Simple, home-cooked
food. Light, vegetarian dishes keep me
energised and nourished. I eat at regular
intervals as not eating for long can trigger mood swings.
My favourite foodie destination I New
Zealand.
My non-food passions I Old Bollywood
music is something I enjoy. Im also an
ardent traveller and like going on weekend holidays from time to time. My
favourite travel destination is Europe. I
am also an avid reader and love to spend
my spare time reading.

DHABA-STYLE ALOO MATAR

shikha.shah@timesgroup.com

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

Oil: 2 tbsp I Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

I Green chillies (slit): 1 I Onion
(diced): 1 I Ginger paste: 1 tsp I
Garlic paste: 1 tsp I Tomatoes
(diced): 2 I Coriander powder:
2 tsp I Cumin powder: 1 tsp I
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp I Red
chilli powder: 1 tsp I Dry
mango powder: 1 tsp I
Potatoes (peeled and cut into
8-10 pieces each): 5-6 I
Shelled peas: 1 cup I Garam
masala: 1 tsp I Salt to taste I
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

In a wok, heat oil and add cumin seeds.

Add green chillies and onions. Saut
onions till they turn soft. Add ginger and
garlic paste and saut for another
minute. Add tomatoes, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, red chilli
and dry mango powders and saut for a
minute. Lastly, add potatoes and peas
and half a cup of water. Add salt to
taste. Cover the pan and cook till potatoes are soft. Turn off the fire, sprinkle
garam masala and cover immediately.
Open after a few minutes, garnish with
coriander leaves and serve.

fitness trend

Burn calories with the 4-minute

Tabata workout!
T
According to a
recent study, people
who performed Tabata
training five days a week for
six weeks (a total of 120 mins
of exercise over a monthand-a-half) improved both
their aerobic and anaerobic endurance

he Tabata workout, a super

high-intensity
internal
training (HIIT) routine takes
only a few minutes but promises to
burn as many calories as you would
in an hour of running or cycling!
One of the most popular HIIT
forms today, Tabata intervals are
only 20 seconds long, with 10 seconds of rest in between repeated
eight times. This can be done with
almost any form of cardio exercise
running, swimming, cycling,
plyometrics, jumping rope and
can be done anywhere. Discovered
by Japanese professor Izumi Tabata
in the 70s, this fat-burning miracle
workout is great for those who are
pressed for time. In fact, if done correctly, just four minutes of Tabata
could produce better fitness results
than an entire hour of running on
the treadmill!

Warm up l Since this workout is

Consult an expert before trying this workout

purvaja.sawant@timesgroup.com

THINKSTOCK

HOW TO ADD TABATA TO

YOUR REGULAR EXERCISE
ROUTINE

ically push oneself to the extreme, this level of intensity is not suitable for everyone.
It is appropriate for healthy, advanced exercisers. This ensures that you have better
awareness of how hard to push your body
and when to stop.

Since Tabata is such a high intensity workout, you

should only do it few times a week so that your
body has enough time to recover fully

super intense, you need to spend at

least 8 to 10 minutes warming up. Your
warm-up exercise should be similar to
the type of Tabata workout you are going
to follow. For example, if youre going to
do sprints, warm up with walking and
then jogging.
Cool down l At the end of your workout, take 10 minutes to slow your heart
rate by working at a lower intensity, doing the same movement you did in your

workout. After that, spend a few minutes

stretching.
For beginners l To incorporate this
workout in your regime, swap one or two
of your usual cardio workouts every week
for quick Tabata training.

WHO SHOULD TRY THIS

WORKOUT
Since this workout requires one to phys-

Completed in 2011, this

2,600-km-long transcontinental highway links the
South American countries of Peru and Brazil,
and passes through several dramatically contrasting landscapes. It
runs along the Peruvian
coast, through remote stretches of the Andes and dense Amazonian rainforests.
Stop at the Incan and Spanish colonial capital of
Cusco for a slice of history from here, you can take
a diversion to the famous ruins of Machu Picchu.

THE AMALFI COAST, ITALY

The Amalfi coast in Southern Italys Sorrento
Peninsula is home to one of the most legendary
drives in the world. It is, in
UNESCOs words, An outstanding example of a
Mediterranean
landscape. Expect stunning
sights all along its 50km sweep, with cliffs,
towns and historic terraced villages on one side
and mesmerising vistas of
the Mediterranean Sea on the
other. Stop en route to admire Positanos stack of
pastel houses, Amalfis grand cathedral and town
square and Ravellos hilltop gardens. Dont forget to
taste the local citrus liqueur, limoncello, at the lemon
groves in between.

For more details, log on to happytrips.com

sonam.joshi@timesinternet.in
THINKSTOCK

Sakshi Tanwar,
TV actress

INTEROCEANIC HIGHWAY,
PERU-BRAZIL

REUTERS

YAMUNA EXPRESSWAY

This 8-km long zigzag road on

the Norwegian coastline
passes through seven
bridges, connecting the
islands between the
towns of Kristiansund
and Molde. The most
famous
of
these,
Storseisundet Bridge, is
known for its thrilling turn
that gives incoming visitors
the illusion of the road ending in mid-air! The ride
comes with breathtaking views of the Westfjords,
and the surprising glimpses of seals, whales and
exotic birds along the way are an added attraction.
Daredevils head here during autumn to experience
the spectacular storms, but the seaside is equally
attractive in calmer weather, thanks to its numerous fishing spots.

REUTERS

With spectacular views of snowclad Himalayas, glaciers, streams

and high-altitude plains, this
winding 490-km-long highway
epitomises adventure at every
step. Its covered in snow for
most of the year, and only opens
during the summer months, between June and October. Keep
your camera ready for some
stunning Kodak moments, but
be prepared for some hairpin
bends as well! The two-day drive
will take you through five
mountain passes, including
favourites like Rohtang La and
Taglang La, the highest point in
the journey.

THINKSTOCK

ATLANTIC ROAD, NORWAY

THINKSTOCK