<p><span>When I decided to take the leap across the Atlantic to attend the University of St Andrews in Scotland, I knew </span><span>it would be an adjustment</span><span>.</span></p><p>Aside from taking on the responsibility of college life, I had to settle into the culture of a whole new country.</p><p>Born and raised on Long Island in New York, I had only been to Europe once before starting at St Andrews, and had never visited Scotland until I showed up for my first day.</p><p>Needless to say, I was quickly confronted with a slew of major differences between the US and Scotland - some that I expected, some that completely surprised me, and some that seemed downright weird.</p><p>Here is a list of 15 that have stood out the most in my three years there so far. </p><h3><strong>1. A prevalence of kilts</strong></h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Kilts may seem like one of the most stereotypical things about Scotland, but trust me, it's for good reason. People DO wear them, especially to formal affairs! It's not uncommon to see men wearing kilts to weddings or other black-tie events, and the specific pattern of Tartan (or plaid) on the kilts may go hundreds of years back in a Scottish family's history. As for what the guys wear <em>under</em> the kilts? That's undisclosed information. </p><h3><strong>2. There are more sheep than people </strong></h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Reuters</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>According to the <a href="http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Agriculture-Fisheries/agritopics/Sheep">Scottish Government</a>, there were 6.7 million sheep in the country as of June 2015. In June of the same year, the census counted 5.37 million people. That would explain why you may drive miles without seeing a single person, but sheep-- they're everywhere. </p><h3><strong>3. Haggis </strong></h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Russell Cheyne/Reuters</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Even the name sounds unappealing, and once you find out what it actually is, you'll understand why. Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish that is a mixture of sheep insides, oats and spices, all stuffed into a sheep's stomach as casing. Being an adventurous eater, I wanted to try Haggis on Burns night, when Scottish poet Robert Burns' <a href="http://www.robertburns.org.uk/Assets/Poems_Songs/toahaggis.htm">"Address to a Haggis"</a> is read aloud while the lovely loaf is held up for all to admire. Let's just say I wasn't the biggest fan.</p><h3><strong>4. Grocery bags cost extra </strong></h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Phil Noble/Reuters</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>A law recently enacted placed a charge of 5 pence on plastic grocery bags. While not a bank-breaker, the charge does encourage people to bring reusable shopping bags from home when they go to the supermarket, which is much better for the environment. </p><h3><strong>5. The "<span>Eeyore effect"</span></strong></h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>David Cannon/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Scotland is famous for bad weather, but also for the fact that a whole four seasons can happen in one day: sun can change to rain, wind, or snow in a matter of minutes. It's also home to what I call the "Eeyore effect:" a phenomenon where a rain cloud can actually be small enough and quick enough to follow one person as they walk down the street, just like the one that follows Eeyore, the perpetually depressed donkey from Winnie the Pooh. It's definitely depressing to be followed by your own personal raincloud. The incredible rainbows that follow, however, are totally worth it.</p><h3><strong>6. The Mexican food is terrible</strong></h3><h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Gary Miller/Stringer</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></h3><p>Unripe, imported avocados and a general lack of Mexican immigrants means that Mexican food in Scotland leaves a lot to be desired. I will always remember the sad day when I tried to make my own Guacamole, and the avocados I had bought were so hard that I couldn't mash them up. The two Mexican restaurants in St Andrews aren't great, and students from Texas usually don't even step foot in them for fear of horrible disappointment. </p><h3><strong>7. Trousers are pants, and pants are underwear</strong></h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://speedpropertybuyers.co.uk/">Jeff Djevdet/flickr</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>This is an important one. Terms for basic items often change when you cross the Atlantic, and you might not know until it's too late. In Scotland, pants are referred to as trousers, and the word pants actually means underwear. When an American friend of mine responded to a compliment on a dress she was wearing by saying "thanks, I just didn't feel like wearing pants today," it was no wonder that the surrounding Brits gave her disgusted looks. </p><h3><strong>8.</strong> <strong>Hard liquor is sold in your everyday supermarket</strong></h3><p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/diaz/19190172165/in/photolist-9bHJTV-3mEV-9EFXQu-7wDA39-Nbe9k-2f7ZbJ-5hFJdR-Nbe9r-fVtRxN-5S44Ex-4DQWC3-4DLFAp-Ky7iU-8JGVC-4DLEkr-4DQVnj-7MN73-veLDBk-jkpcK3-uwCK3m-uxh9KB">Anton Diaz/flickr</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><p>It's definitely convenient. You can come out of your local Tesco with toothpaste, Vodka and tomatoes: no separate trip to the liquor store is required. And you probably won't be judged, either. </p><h3><strong>9. Many houses don't have clothing dryers</strong></h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Thomson Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Washers and dryers are seen on display at a store in New York</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>This infuriates me. Why, in one of the dampest and coldest countries in the world, would you build houses without clothing dryers? No dryer and lots of humidity in the air means that you can't expect to wear that sweatshirt you washed until 5 days later. And when you do put it on, it will be stiff, prickly, and will probably smell like mold. </p><h3>10. Tea often means dinner</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/5881677793/in/photolist-9XK8TP-aSwbPc-9XN3aN-aSwaXk-aSwbnX-aSw7Dp-aSw8Ek-aSw99F-aSweBv-9wvJ4C-9XN19Y-aSwayt-aSw9wV-9XK67g-aSweyK-aSw9Xk-aSwdKP-aSw84t-aSwcna-aSw78Z-aSwe9B-aSwf8x-9wsDmV-9wvJf7-9wvDbW-9wvAJS-9wvxP7-9wsDV8-9wsANP-ajdq4X-9XJLQF-oz1mXa-ox3AxW-a5VDWd-oJnN2Q-ajaQTi-ajdjTM-ajghXU-9wsFwM-ajdtjz-ajdsdB-ajgdYu-ajdkRT-ajdufn-ajg6us-ajdp7a-9iDv2A-9wvFCL-9iDvb9-9iDv6N">Flickr/Ewan Munro</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>You can imagine my confusion when some friends said that they were going to have Chinese food for their "tea." Then I realized that "tea" often means dinner, while actual tea is consumed during "teatime." </p><h3>11. Teatime is a real thing</h3><p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Russell Cheyne/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Some famous Scots sharing a cup of tea.</p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><p>If they're not meeting for pints at the pub, people will often get together to drink tea in the afternoon. And crumpets are real too. </p><h3><strong>12. Roundabouts can have multiple lanes</strong></h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Wikimedia Commons</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Besides the fact that Scots drive on the left side of the road just like their English counterparts, they also love to have giant roundabouts with 3 or 4 separate lanes. They look horrible and confusing, and that's one of the reasons that I never want to drive over there. </p><h3><strong>13. It gets dark at 3 p.m. in the winter</strong></h3><p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>David Cannon/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><p>In the dead of Scottish winter, the sun rises at around 9 a.m. and sets about 6 hours later. The short, dark days certainly take some getting used to: when it's rainy (which is often) it sometimes feels like the sun hasn't risen at all. But long days in the spring and summer--when the sun rises around 4 a.m. and sets around 10 p.m. - make up for the winter's lack of light. </p><h3><strong>14. Highland "Coos"</strong></h3><p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Brittany Kriegstein</span></p><p class="caption">Me making friends at an agricultural fair.</p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><p>It's a water buffalo, it's a woolly mammoth, it's a...cow? The Highland Cow (or "Coo," as the Scots pronounce it) is one of Scotland's friendliest creatures. They can often be seen grazing in the fields that line highways and country roads alike, and, despite those giant horns, they're said to be very gentle. </p><h3><strong>15. "It's a braw bricht moonlit nicht the nicht"</strong></h3><p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_ellam/4531491357/in/photolist-7Ur5vk-uA5drx-4HVWjS-6TS3wT-fkaZ9C-5aKeAY-7T83YN-8hJm6P-iwzS-brFqqB-s54W7K-aLfQKK-3t9ThU-b6igwR-8JdqGF-ft65oa-k2ixY-nkEZ7f-5qpKf4-6TS3mR-adgEcu-89uP8r-6kq9cJ-a2Wf2C-eShmUF-bVXoYU-deMkMd-5NB7Dt-dy1MPA-4CFqVH-5pXNr8-cjRbUj-bngSyw-4xr5p2-cYYz9N-biUpzF-aSx8s4-5pTWWG-dxVCe2-ohMtFk-5SrStb-57Gag4-76z8i6-a2SEFx-aCpGzP-i9fcUn-8yZ5TY-38ZUrP-7UvX9t-6bKakH">Mark Ellam/flickr</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><p>No, they aren't choking on Haggis. Scottish people have lots of their own words and expressions that originate from the old languages of Scots and Gaelic. These terms tend to vary regionally, and, peppered throughout general conversation, can make the Scottish especially hard to understand for the rest of the English-speaking world. The translation for this particular phrase: "It's a good (or brilliant) bright moonlit night tonight." Other points of confusion: "Aye" means yes, "nae" means no, and "ah dinnae ken" means I don't know. </p><p>Despite occasional difficulties in understanding them, Scots are generally some of the kindest and most welcoming people I have ever encountered. Unlike New Yorkers, they will not hesitate to say hello to you on the street, and are always eager to help a lost foreigner find her way. So, even though you might miss simple things like sunlight and good Mexican food, Scotland is a beautiful country and highly worth a visit. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/flirting-according-to-science-2016-5">The scientifically proven way to flirt better</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="xsdnZ0bjplEzk3yMBbITp0q5JpPOnTJm" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

15 things that shocked me when I moved to Scotland from the US

<p><em><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>China Photos/Getty</span></p><p class="caption">A group of lion (Panthera leo) cubs around 100 days old, huddle together in their enclosure at the QinLing Wildlife Park on August 7, 2007 in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China</p></div><p></p></div></div>Editor's note: This post originally <a href="http://www.quora.com/Lions/If-I-got-lost-on-an-African-safari-and-came-face-to-face-with-a-growling-lion-what-should-I-do-to-garner-the-best-chance-of-survival">appeared on Quora</a> in answer to the question, "If I get lost on an African safari and come face-to-face with a growling lion, what should I do to garner the best chance of surival?" </em></p>
<p><em>The top answer was written by professional safari guide Rory Young, the author of "<a href="http://lionalert.org/article/Stop_the_killing">It's Time To Stop The Killing: A Field Manual For Anti-Poaching Activities</a>." He gave us permission to publish his answer. </em></p>
<p><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value">The first thing you do when coming across a "growling lion" is freeze and avert your eyes. You also do not point at it.</span></span></span></span><em><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></em><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value">If a lion is not habituated to man it will most likely run. The danger arises with lions that are more used to people. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value">Look at the animal's tail. When a lion is angry or feeling threatened it will sweep its tail from side to side. If it is hunting it will keep its tail stiff and twitch it from time to time. It is much more serious if it is actively hunting you. If you see stalking indications then raise your arms above your head and wave them and most importantly SHOUT YOUR HEAD OFF. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value">If you have something in your hand then throw it at the lion. Even if the lion charges you do not run. Believe me this can be extremely intimidating. They charge at 80 km per hour and the roaring is deafening. If you have frozen and then lion is not approaching but not leaving either then start to back slowly away. If it starts to move, then freeze immediately.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value">My wife, Marjet, once walked into a whole pride at a concession we were running in Botswana. It was early morning during the cool season and she was walking from our home to the camp (a couple of hundred meters away). The lions had just arrived and were sunning themselves in the tall grass, so she didn't see them till she was right on top of them. Despite the aggressive roaring and repeated charges from different lionesses she held her nerve and walked away without a scratch. Needless to say she doesn't take any nonsense from me...</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value">Night time encounters are another story. I was once doing problem animal control in Gache Gache in Zimbabwe, trying to bait and shoot a lion that had killed several people and the night before had almost succeeded in breaking into Chief Mangare's hut. It was dark but moonlit and I was lying on the ground, carefully backed into a euphorbia hedge along with two game scouts and a fellow ranger. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value">I heard a very faint noise behind me and the lion was crawl-stalking me and just 10 foot back! He had actually carefully crawled through the dense hedging to sneak up on us. He was too close for me to be able to turn and shoot. However, I turned on the torch in my hand and shone it in his face. He ran off. So, if you are walking in the bush at night (it happens in safari camps especially) and come across lions, keep your beam in their eyes and back away.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span id="__w2_erxWhZT_toggle_link"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15318"><span id="ld_oidlqn_15319"><span class="inline_editor_value">One of the biggest myths is fire. Lions are not afraid of campfires and will often walk round them and see what's happening. However, keeping a fire between you and a lion is probably better than nothing!</span></span></span></span></p>

How To Respond If You Get Lost On Safari And A Lion Charges You

<p><em>It's easy to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/habits-of-boring-people-2014-7" target="_blank">be boring</a>. It's harder to be interesting. Want to learn how? Jessica Hagy offers the following advice, excerpted from her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/" target="_blank">"How To Be Interesting."</a></em></p>
<h3>Go exploring.</h3>
<p><span>Explore ideas, places, and opinions.</span></p>
<p>The inside of the echo chamber is where all the boring people hang out.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<h3>Expose yourself.</h3>
<p><span>To embarrassment. To ridicule. To risk. To strange events and conditions. To wild ideas. To things that make you cringe. To strange vistas and new sounds. Trust me. It'll be fun.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be More Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Become a spy.</h3>
<p>People watch. Eavesdrop. Lurk. Loiter. Listen. And you'll learn the secret codes of others. Every day can be an interesting recon mission.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container center" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></h3>
<h3>Tweak the schedule.</h3>
<p>Wake up before the alarm. Steal moments between stoplights to compose poems. Sneak off to a moonlit spot when you'd otherwise be watching something on a glowing screen. Work at night and play in the daytime. Carve out hours for the dreams you've been putting off. There's always time to explore. You get to decide when it is.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div><br /></span></p>
<h3>Keep asking why.</h3>
<p>Parents hate it when kids do it.</p>
<p><em>Why?</em> Because.</p>
<p><em>Why?</em> Because.</p>
<p><em>Why?</em> Because.</p>
<p>And on and on. But try it. You'll be surprised at how quickly a simple <em>Why</em>? can turn into a fascinating <em>Because</em>.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<h3>Share what you discover.</h3>
<p>And be generous when you do. Not everybody went exploring with you.</p>
<p>Let them live vicariously through your adventures.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<h3>Instigate.</h3>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Do not wait until tomorrow. Say, do, or make it now. Go where you need to be. Do not wait to be invited places. Host your own parties. Do not sit by the phone. Pick it up. Spread the word. Press the buttons. Buy the tickets and enjoy the show.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div><br /></span></p>
<h3>State the obvious.</h3>
<p>What's known to you is often a mystery to others. Your old fact is someone else's new lesson. Your simple task is someone else's impossible chore. Your mind is full of treasures that no one else has seen. Pass them on. An idea shared is not diminished: It's multiplied.<strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </strong></p>
<p><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div><br /></strong></p>
<h3>Do something. Anything.</h3>
<p>Dance. Talk. Build. Network. Play. Help. Create. It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you're doing it. Sitting around and complaining is not an acceptable form of "something," in case you were wondering.<strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </strong></p>
<p><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div><br /></strong></p>
<h3>Sign up.</h3>
<p><span>Join a club. Take a class. Volunteer. Have a party. Take a meeting. What we do shapes who we are. Be someone who's been there, done that, and wants to do new things tomorrow.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<h3>Earnestly enjoy yourself.</h3>
<p>Irony gets in the way of experience. Drop the pretense, and you'll have room to carry the day.</p>
<p>Sing along to cheesy pop music. Enjoy things that are out of style. Make silly faces. Stop stifling your giggles.</p>
<p>Give yourself permission to enjoy yourself.<strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </strong></p>
<p><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div><br /></strong></p>
<h3>Tinker.</h3>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Start with a wonder. How does this work? What makes that happen? Then poke. Take things apart and put them back together. Push buttons. Change settings. See how the pieces fit. See what powers the engine. See how interesting it all is. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Interesting-Simple-Steps/dp/0761174702/">How To Be Interesting/Workman Publishing</a></span></p></div><p></p></div><br /></span></p>

12 Simple Ways To Be More Interesting

Indians are evolving as travellers and seeking new experiences beyond the regular holiday spots that are just a tick in the box. The emerging neo-travelers want to explore places unknown, breathtaking landscapes and mingle with the locals to experience the place in its true sense and beauty. The peace, serenity and experience provided by these places are next to none. <keyword id="354768" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Expedia">Expedia</keyword> lists out a few enchanting destinations that are topping the lists of Indian travellers looking for the unexplored territories. <br />
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1.       <strong>Haflong</strong> is a hill station in <keyword id="6354915" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Assam">Assam</keyword> also referred as the land of blue hills. The green valley and the hilly treks at Borai hills are hotspots of adventure tourism events like hang gliding, Para-gliding and Trekking.<br />
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2.       <strong>Tawang</strong> is another such place. Located in <keyword id="46408" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arunachal-Pradesh">Arunachal Pradesh</keyword>, it has a well preserved Tawang Monastery which makes it a popular tourist destination. The Jang waterfall is famous for its beauty and the Sela Pass remains covered with snow for most part of the year. It also has a handicrafts center that promotes small scale industries for local handicraft.<br />
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<strong>3.</strong><strong>       Gurez: Kashmir: </strong>Gurez is considered to be one of the most picturesque valleys of Kashmir. Gateway of the ancient ‘Silk Route’, Gurez also incorporates the famous pyramid shaped ‘Habba Khatoon’ peak named after the Kashmiri poetess. Although the tourist related infrastructure is yet to be developed in this area, the accommodation facility is available in the main town of Dawar and the nearby villages. The beautiful Kishen Ganga river flows through Gurez valley with its clear blue waters and rafting can be done here. (Courtsesy: bmctouring)<br />
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4.       <strong>Warwan Valley:</strong> The efforts to reach this heavenly valley are worth it as you have to cross the tricky Margan Top (from where the famous Nun Kun peak can be seen on a clear day). Another gem in the unexplored Kashmir, Warwan valley in Kishtwar district situated at an altitude of approx 7000 feet from sea level offers breathtaking vistas of greenery, waterfalls and clear skies.  Warwan valley is sandwiched between Kashmir and Ladakh. On a moonlit night, one is enthralled by the sheer beauty of the snow peaks of Zanskar range and the shimmering Dariya-E-Chinab flowing through the valley with distant echoes of shepherds getting their ships back home. (Courtesy: panoramio)<br />
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5.       <strong>Kalimpong, <keyword id="6357783" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Bengal">West Bengal</keyword>:</strong> An offbeat hill station in West Bengal that hasn’t been explored a lot by too many people outside the East. Tibetan monasteries and crafts and churches make it a lovely retreat for the summer and winters. Make sure to shop for orchids in the elaborate flower markets of Kalimpong.<br />
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6.       <strong>Lepchajagat, West Bengal:</strong> Lepchajagat is located on a hill covered with Oaks forests and beautiful rhododendron. It is situated on Ghoom-Mirik road at the Sukhipokhri near Darjeeling. This place has an astonishing exquisiteness that is difficult to get over. The curious play of colors in the sky strikes you straight away. Partly black and white clouds drift from one hill to another. The other places close by that are not to be missed include Jorepokri, Mirik and Pashupati. (Courtesy: weekendestinations.info)<br />
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7.       <strong>Tarkarli Beach, Maharashtra</strong>: Known for its scenic beauty, the place will leave you awestruck. A walk down the edge of the sparkling blue waters in a beautiful experience. It also offers houseboat cruise on the Karli river and is one of the highpoints of the place. Adventure activities like snorkeling or scuba diving or underwater swimming are available for adventure seeking couples. Do not forget to try some of the delectable sea food that Tarkarli is famous for. (Courtesy:travel-logs.in)<br />
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8.       <strong>Diveagar, Maharashtra</strong>:  Gentle wind, sun kissed sands, calm and clean waters make the place appealing. The beach is a pleasant and clear water beach with the option of multiple water sports. The coconut cultivation that runs across the beach line makes it a lovely place to spent time around sunset with your partner. Bagmandala Beach is a clean and secluded beach near Srivardhan and one shall enjoy playing in the white sands of this beach. One can also visit the adjacent Bankot Fort via a boat ride.(Courtesy: indianholiday.com)<br />
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9.       <strong>Andaman:</strong> The <keyword id="589972" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Islands">Islands</keyword> are shrouded in the mystery for centuries because of their inaccessability. A paragon of beauty, these islands present a landscape of scenic and picturesque extravaganza, shimmering like emeralds in the Bay of Bengal and consists of 572 emerald Islands (36 of which are inhabited), islets and rocks slets and rocks.<br />
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10.   <strong><keyword id="64287" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lakshadweep">Lakshadweep</keyword>:</strong> Comprising a string of 36 palm-covered, white-sand-skirted coral islands 300km off the coast of Kerala, Lakshadweep is as stunning as it is isolated. The real attraction of the islands lies under the water: the 4200 sq km of pristine archipelago lagoons, unspoiled coral reefs and warm waters are a magnet for flipper-toting travellers and divers alike.(Courtesy: islandgetaways.com) <br />
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(The author is Vikram Malhi, Managing Director-Asia, of travel website Expedia. You can visit Expedia at <a href="http://www.expedia.co.in">www.expedia.co.in</a>)<br />
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Top 10 Unexplored Vacation Places In India

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>In deep space, far from Earth, a group of galaxies, including the Spiderweb galaxy, is one of the best examples we have to witness, in action, the formation of a galaxy cluster - the largest object in the universe. And when astronomers peered back in time 10 billion years, they saw something strange. </p>
<p>For 20 years, astronomers have been probing the Spiderweb galaxy and its surroundings for insights into how galaxy clusters are born, and adding to the story is a recent paper published yesterday in the journal Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics by an international team of scientists who looked deep into the heart of the Spiderweb's galactic neighborhood. This is what they saw:</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>In this blurry mess that depicts the region of and around the Spiderweb galaxy are blobs that correspond to dense pockets where stars are just beginning to form. These starbursts were hidden behind a vail of gas and dust and, therefore, were invisible until we developed instruments sensitive enough to see them. </p>
<p>Although lead author Helmut Dannerbauer and his colleagues expected that this burst of star formation existed, they were surprised to find it where they did.</p>
<p>"We aimed to find the hidden star formation in the Spiderweb cluster - and succeeded - but we unearthed a new mystery in the process; it was not where we expected! The mega city is developing asymmetrically," Dannerbauer said in <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1431/">statement released by European Southern Observatory</a>. Instead of developing within filaments of gas and dust connecting the galaxies, the team found that all of the action was happening in a small region off-center of the Spiderweb galaxy.</p>
<p>The surprising find indicates that their is still more to learn about how the largest, gravitationally-bound structures in the universe come to exist - including the Local Group, which is the galaxy cluster in which our very own Milky Way calls home along with about 25 other galaxies. Below is a map of the local group, with the Milky Way at the center for easy navigation. (The Milky Way is not actually at the center because galaxy clusters don't really have a defined center.)</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>Galaxy clusters are sometimes called mega star cities due to their size and also because the individual galaxies are churning out stars at rapid rates, up to 1000 times faster than our Milky Way. Whether these galaxies come together to form cluster symmetrically or asymmetrically is not well understood because astronomers, until the late '90s, rarely had the chance to see clusters of galaxies in the process of forming. The technology was not sophisticated or sensitive enough to see through the gas and dust of the extremely distant, early universe.</p>
<p>That is why the Spiderweb galaxy and its companions are so important to study because it gives scientists a snapshot in time when galaxies are just beginning their cosmic ballet of entangling one another in a gravitational partnership that will last for billions of years.</p>
<p>When astronomers look at the Spiderweb galaxy and its surroundings, they're seeing it as it was 10 billion years ago. Probing star formation in the distant galactic neighborhood took the team 40 hours of observations using an extremely sensitive camera attached to the <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/apex/">Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope</a>, which is located at one of the highest observatory sites in the world in Chile.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>The camera is sensitive to wavelengths longer than what we see with our eyes and is the wavelength that astronomers can best see star formation. </p>
<p>"This is one of the deepest observations ever made with APEX and pushes the technology to its limits - as well as the endurance of the staff working at the high-altitude APEX site, 5050 meters above sea level," said Carlos De Breuck, the APEX project scientist at ESO and a co-author of the new study, in the <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1431/">ESO press release</a>.</p>

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