Travel Insurance - Be safe, be insured while you travel

Travelling is a regular and an important event in everyone’s life whether it is for leisure or work. People are opting for adventure travels just for the sake of adventure or to spend some family time together. Who won’t want to go on a vacation amidst scenic lands, pampered days and carefree moments – far away from hectic life! Well, how much we love travel we should not undermine the risks that it entails. Yes, travelling does have its own risks and probabilities of unforeseen situation distress. 

Make your travel itinerary foolproof by adding travel insurance to it.

What is Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover trip cancellation, lost luggage, theft, medical expenses, flight accident, terrorism, travel-company bankruptcies, emergency evacuation and other losses incurred while traveling, either internationally or within one's own country.

Therefore it can minimize the considerable financial risks of traveling and by spending a few hundred rupees, you not only insure yourself against financial disaster but ensure that, if needed, you get the best possible service.

 Do you need Travel Insurance?

For a number of travelers, insurance is a good deal; for others, it’s not. 

Each traveler’s potential loss varies, depending on how much of your trip is prepaid, the refundability of the air ticket you purchased, your state of health, the value of your luggage, where you’re traveling, the financial health of your tour company and airline, and what coverage you already have.

Even though you don't make a claim every time you buy travel insurance, it is unwise to go out without one. 

How does Travel Insurance work?

When you buys a Travel Insurance policy from an insurance company, you will get the right to claim reimbursements for any un-planned expenses you may incur when faced with the below risks during the course of your travel.

A medical emergency which might involve hospitalization.

Loss of baggage – checked in or delayed.

Losses incurred while travelling.

Emergency replacement of important items.

Emergency evacuation from host country.

Accidental injury.

Acts of terrorism.

Loss of passport.

If you come across any of the above emergencies, then you can avail assistance from your insurance cover provider as well as ask for complete reimbursement for the losses incurred when you return back home.

How many types of Travel Insurance are there?

Domestic travel insurance

Domestic travel insurance provides coverage for medical emergencies, permanent disability and death, checked-in lost/stolen baggage, travel delay and personal liability.

International travel insurance 

International travel insurance gives a comprehensive coverage for medical expenses overseas, hijack, baggage and travel delays, repatriations/evacuation to India, and loss of travel documents/passport besides the usual coverage.

Corporate travel insurance

Under corporate travel insurance India, employees of an organization can get coverage for both international and domestic trips.

Student travel insurance

There is minimum paperwork involved in student plans. The coverage is comprehensive and provides for expenses incurred on medical treatment, passport loss, and study interruptions.

Senior citizen travel insurance

Senior citizen insurance is for people who belong to the age group 61-70. It includes coverage for dental treatments and cashless hospitalization besides the usual benefits associated with travel insurance.

Family travel insurance

Family travel insurance covers hospitalization, baggage loss, and other incidental expenses. The claim disbursement is easy with minimal paperwork involved.

Individual travel insurance

Through individual insurance, you can get coverage against cancellation of trip, home burglary and trip curtailment.

Stay safe, Stay insured and keep travelling !


Images Source: Google

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Kerala: God's Own Country

Kerala  is globally famous for its serene and scenic beauty enclosed in the lap of Mother Nature. This beautiful place is adorned with the sheer wonderments of nature and is beautifully nestled in the south western part of India. It is endowed with the exceptional natural beauty that allures tourists from the nook and corner of the globe. 

A friend from Kerala told me that you need to visit Kerala at least thrice, to see it completely- once, to see the Western Ghats part, once, to see the Backwaters, and once, to see the Coasts! Thanks to that friend, I got to taste the flavors of Kerala in every possible way, in just one trip!

Cochin Airport welcomes you with grandeur. It's not as fancy as Delhi's T3, nor like Mumbai Airport, but it has a charm of its own. As you walk out of the airport, there are rows of coconut trees, exactly the way they look in photographs.

My friend had planned the entire trip, and my first destination from the airport was Fort Kochi. It has a lingering effect of the European culture, with huge mansions, and small cafes, and mostly foreigners chilling at the beach. For a foodie like me, it seemed paradise. We had lunch in one of the cafes, which served delicious grilled fish cooked with coconut sauce, and Malabari style prawns. 

After a sumptuous lunch, we headed for the Kochi-Biennale, that was taking place at that time. I guess I was lucky enough to experience such a rich tradition of art and culture. Biennale is held every year, from December to March.

The next part was one of the best parts of the entire trip~ a drive from Cochin to Kottyam. 

Kottyam, situated in the basin of the Meenachil River and in the basin of the Vembanad backwaters, is a beautiful town, with many old churches, giving it a vintage look. My friend, with whom I went for the trip, dwells from Kottyam, so I ended up at her place, and could binge on authentic Kerala cuisine, starting from Iddiyappam, to Beef Dosa. 

The next day, we went to Kumarakkam Backwaters, which is an hour's drive from Kottyam. Set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake, Kumarakkam has the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala.  Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a noted bird sanctuary where many species of migratory birds visit. Kumarakom has a wide variety of houseboats and is well known throughout the world for houseboat experience. We had lunch in a boat restaurant owned by Kumarakkam Club.

Next on the cards was Varkala, one of the best beaches in Kerala. The Varkala beach, which is also called "Papanasam", resembles old Goa. It has small fancy beach-side shacks selling amazing sea-food, and toddy. 

Anjengo Fort is a fort near Varkala. It is a place of historic importance as well as beautiful natural setting, Anjengo is an ideal destination for those who don't mind walking around and explore what is in store. The historic significance tagged to Anjengo comes through foreign powers like the Portuguese, the Dutch and finally the English East India Company. 

Varkala also has an estuary, Edava-Nadayara. The serene estuary meanders through dense coconut groves before merging into the Arabian Sea. The bridge over the lake is quite a vantage point to view the backwater stretching white and grey to the distant blue horizon. Boating is another great way to browse this tranquil waterway. 

There is also a cemetery inside the fort, which most probably would be having the remains of the occupants of the fort, and the oldest among the burial sites dates to 1704.

From Varkala, we took a bus to Trivandrum, our next destination. The capital of Kerala, its one the crowded cities in Kerala, situated on the west coast of India, and is bounded by Laccadive Sea to its west and the Western Ghats to its east. 

Like any other city, Trivandrum also has innumerable restaurants, which didn't fail to excite a foodie like me. Hotel Rehmaniya serves delicious beef, mutton and appam. Sneak into Hotel ZamZam for Malabari-style biriyani, and Hotel South Park for Onasadya, a typical Kerala recipe that will make your taste-buds go crazy!

The main attraction of course was Kovalam beach, which is around 18kms from Trivandrum city. 'Kovalam' means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees.

The sight of the waves lashing on the rocks below is awesome. Shallow waters stretching for hundreds of metres are ideal for swimming. The beaches have steep palm covered headlands and are lined with shops that offer all kinds of souvenirs. And of course, to pamper your taste-buds, you have to sneak into one of those restaurants alongside the beach. 

A few kilometres from Kovalam is the Sanghamukkam beach, which is perfect if you want to sit and relax, gazing at the sea. Since Kovalam is a more popular one, people prefer to go there, hence, Sanghamukkam is more peaceful.

Kerala has been perfectly named as "God's Own Country, because the more you see, the more you would desire for...

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Nubra Valley: Orchard of Ladakh (Leh-Ladakh Part 2)

Nubra valley lies between Tibet and Kashmir. It is the northernmost part of Jammu and Kashmir which is situated about 150 km from Leh. Nubra Valley is one of the must visit places in Ladakh.  
This region is known as the orchard of Ladakh because during summers, people get the chance to see the pink and yellow wild roses that grow in this region.

Surrounded by snowcapped Himalayan ranges, the view of the valley is picturesque and breathtaking. Twisting channels of the Shyok and Nubra Rivers crisscross the wide and flat Nubra valley. 

Main Attractions of Nubra Valley

The valley is predominantly Buddhist and boasts of several centres of Buddhist learning. Ensa, Samstemling, Diskit and Hunder monastery are famous Buddhist monasteries. 

Diskit

Diskit, is the administrative centre and the main headquarters in Nubra Valley is located about 120 KMs from Leh town of Ladakh district. This place has a famous Buddhist monastery. Samstanling monastery somewhere near Sumur is the one.

Khardung La Pass

The major attraction of Nubra Valley is going over the, highest motorable road in the world, Khardung La Pass which is at an altitude of 5359 meters and is 39.7 km from Leh.

Hunder

Hunder village sits like an oasis in the middle of cold desert in Nubra valley of Jammu and Kashmir. Remote but very beautiful it has acquired fame for its sand dunes, the cold desert that surrounds it. 
Bactrian camels are another attraction. Tourists throng the cold desert to watch the sand dunes and for joyrides on the Bactrian camels. Native to the steppes of central Asia, the Bactrian camel has two humps. 

Panamik

Panamik is situated close to Siachen glacier, it is known for its hot water spring. It is situated at an elevation of 10442 ft above sea level. The spring water contains high amount of sulphur and it is believed best for curing rheumatism and other ailments. Panamik is also the base for trek to Ensa Gompa. 

Turtuk

Recently opened for tourists in 2010, Turtuk offers a much different landscape and cultural orientation than rest of the Nubra Valley.

Where to Stay
Many guesthouses are there. They also provide tents for camping. Sumur has deluxe camps with all basic facilities. Hunder also has few good hotels as well.

Best Season to visit Nubra Valley
It is from end of May to August. This is the  peak tourist season. 

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