26 Gifts, 26 years, 26th Jan - My Bday Week

Celebrating my ME time King size! An attempt to promote personal time - Love yourself first! Treat yourself awesome! You deserve it!

My last post was a bucket list of random things I wished to do over a week. Here are the list of gifts I actually gifted myself.

Day 1 - 22nd Jan

1. A relaxing long tub bath – with bath salts and candles. A spontaneous one. Didn't really shop much for it. Went on with what ever I found at home.

2.Hairdo – straighten and/or curls! Straightening my hair took an hour. Loved the output. Curls tried another day, it didn't quite work out. So skipped it.

3. Balu's office party - dressed up and enjoyed

4. Temporary tattoo at the office party

Day 2 - 23rd Jan

5. Made my favorite breakfast - french crepes with chocolate syrup

6. Made myself Choco Chai - Yum

7. Baked Garlic Roasted Potatoes with parsley.

8. Bought a new toy for my car - mini mouse

9. Ice cream at Cold stone 

Day 3 - 24th Jan

10. Went for a spontaneous mid night drive- one afternoon I took a nap, and so that night was quite     struggling to put myself to sleep. Got up, looked around, felt a little hungry, toasted bread and spread jam, ate them. Then a spontaneous idea to go on a short drive around. Ha-ha.

11. Couple Massage at a spa- it was a new experience for both of us. Super relaxing one hour of full body massage.

12. Went to Falls with Balu

13. Jamuns- made them quick in 30 mins and we finished them all in less than half a day.

14. A relaxing long tub bath – with bath salts, music, candles, and hot chocolate chai ;) Loved this one. More planned out.

Day 4 - 25th Jan

15. Bday blog- the plan

16. French toast and added the chocolate syrup

17. Wrote a love letter for Balu

18.  Cake – upside down pineapple cake. Turned out just perfect. I couldn't wait for 12, just got the cake baked right in time when Balu was back from work. Asked him to sing for me. Lol. And I cut my cake and we both fed each other as we sat at the dining table. 

19. Updated pictures on the fireplace.

20. Got myself a little balloon

Day 5 - 26th Jan

21. Bath (unexpected gift turned out to be the most favorite) It's super relaxing- if you find some time and have a tub. I recommend it. Loved it the most. Had this set up every alternative day, that's 3 of the 5 days! I look forward to frequently enjoying a tub bath. 

22. Draped in a new Sari

23. A little photo session and chit chat with friends

24. Visited the temple

25. Had Mango lassi

26. Went out for dinner with Balu - Anjappar

Things I skipped this time-

1. An entire day off Facebook/ all social media - tough during my birthday with friends and family wishing over various time zones.

2. Mastering the art of taking selfies (Should try more)

3. Buying and potting a plant (Not the right season)

4. Dancing - LOL

5. No great movie running in theaters (to watch alone)

6. Nails treatment - Nothing special about it, I do them quite regularly, skipped it this time.

Enjoyed my birthday this year!

Arizona

Places to visit / things to do -

1. Grand Canyon – Dramatic views, rafting and hiking http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/grand-canyon-national-park
2. Lowell Observatory – storied facility with tours and Star gazing https://lowell.edu/

Grand Canyon has 2 rims – North and South rim. And sadly they aren’t connected directly through the park. Its 3.5 hours apart. North rim is a small stretch. The South rim is the more visited attraction. And the Lowell Observatory is 1.5 hours away from the south rim. It’s a stargazing observatory/ People camp over there as they enjoy the view- lying beneath the amazing Milky Way Galaxy!

26 gifts, 26 years, 26th Jan! - The plan

26 lovely things I plan to gift myself for my 26th birthday! Read on to know how I pamper myself! :D I love myself the most! Celebrating my ME time King size!

These were my ideas to spend my birthday week. I started from Friday and am gonna go on with it till Tuesday! So this is just a tentative plan/ a birthday bucket list. The plan made a week back. Idea given by a friend. Stay tuned for the real story!

1. Massage at the spa

2. Dance to a some music – record it if possible

3. Cake – upside down pineapple cake

4. Jamuns

5. An entire day off Facebook/ all social media

6. A relaxing long bath – with bath salts, rose petals and candles

7. Hairdo – straighten and/or curls!

8. Make my favorite breakfast - french crepes

9. Visit the temple - Drape a sari

10. Do a homemade facial

11. Manicure and Pedicure at home

12. nail art – choose the colors and buy if necessary

13. short drive to the Falls

14. Stop by the plant nursery

15. Buy/add a new toy for my car

16. Plant a pot of herbs in my balcony

17. Have Chai watching the rain pouring

18. Watch a movie alone (never done this before)

19. Make my favorite dinner – Pasta, sandwich and/ or soup

20. Write a love letter to Balu (been a while)

21. This blog –the plan and the real one!

22. Master Selfie taking (not a fan of it- but would like to give it a try)

23. Challenge myself to call and speak to a random friend without mentioning it’s my birthday! ;)

24. Balu's office party - dress up

25. Call friends over for tea and cake! And a little chit chat!

26. Update pictures on the fireplace.

A couple have changed/ switched to more exciting stuff. I still have 2 more days of celebration!

Ofcourse not gonna stop celebrating life! I will still continue enjoying my ME time once in a while! Share how you did like spend your ME time.

Wyoming

Wyoming isn't well heard of, but Yellowstone National Park! It's one of the largest National Parks running across 3 states. But the majority is Wyoming. A beautiful park with active geysers and volcanoes. A must visit place.

http://yellowstone.net/intro/top-10/

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

Plan 2 to 3 days! Head to the visitors center first, collect maps and information on how to plan your stay, trails to take, overviews to picture. 

How much is too much - photos and privacy

This is all over my head now. Been speaking to many since my last post or actually from a recently issue. And this isn't the first time, I have been is this situation, it’s been a couple times. Moreover, I don't wanna stand in this place again. So thinking about it deeply. Wanna learn this lesson more rightly and not mess up things again. 

Thinking about it, this incident crossed my mind - My friends put a pic of me years back. I untagged myself. Told to remove / but they didn't. Then I just enjoyed the comments!!! 

Does this include in my privacy then?! 

The first couple of friends I spoke to did support my view. We thought it was ridiculous to be called privacy. Then I told Balu about it, and his viewpoint made me think harder leading to another blog. Ya I agree I am bit jobless currently and the little things around are getting a little more than the required attention. But it is a privacy issue and I want to get it cleared out. 

So Balu was against me. He asked me if it was okay if people clicked pictures of my car?! 

So again how much is too much?! 

The first time my uncle asked me to limit pics of the lab on fb. It was private stuff. I realized n quickly pulled them down.

A second time it was my friend. She wasn’t smiling / didn't like her pic. But it was the only pic I had. She had untagged herself. N I refused to remove it.

A third time-- I did not tag this lady. N it was a pic not showing any of faces. Instead our hairstyles and sarees. She wanted me to remove it. I was mad. N I cropped her out. N my perfect editing led to an awesome pic.

The fourth time now, a freaking pic of a cake, a party hall of decorations and a blurred out pic of the host. I removed the pic with people in it. But they still insisted to remove the others, which I eventually did, but I didn't get it. Does that hurt privacy too?? 

What is privacy? What things come under private? What do u call - u own it?! A party hall, a cake, a car -- who do these belong to?

Yes they are private and require permission from the owners to be posted on your website or social media. Many times people don't get know where their stuff are shared out there but it's just etiquette to let them know and get their concern before posting them. 

Going further may be in addition to photo credits, we should mention picture concerns approved or something like that ... May sound ridiculous to most of us but some people do have their own concerns and issues.

Colorado

A place for skiing and adventure! And most attractions close to Denver city. At the max 3 hour away.

Places to visit–

1. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – High altitude zoo with giraffe feeding
2. Red Rocks Amphitheatre
3. Georgetown loop railroad - picturesque rail tour of mining’s heyday
4. Butterfly pavilion 
5. The Wild Animal Sanctuary
6. Hanging Lake

Things to do-

1. Pike’s Peak – Mountains, running, hiking, skiing, climbing
2. Rocky mountain national park 
3. Cheyenne Mountain State Park – picnicking, biking, camping
4. Royal Gorge – rafting, canyon, river, adventure
5. Royal Gorge Bridge – bungee jumping

Ski resorts:

1. Steamboat
2. Breckenridge 
3. Beaver creek
4. Telluride
5. Aspen Mountain (upscale with 4 mountains)
6. Keystone
7. Winter park

Facebook updates- How much is too much?

Speaking to my virtual friend -- we realized how our Facebooks suffer from OCD (Obsessive Cleaning Disorder) ! How much importance we give to maintain them just perfect! And how we expect playing an invisibly fair game is on Facebook! You read what's happening in your friend’s lives equally you gotta update your wall and timelines babe! We exactly know who follows us and who spying on us! Watch out!

Here goes a complete Facebook analysis:

There’s no hard and fast rule to use Facebook, but over the years most of us have adapted to this knowingly or unknowingly, read more and you will realize how true it is. 

• Update a profile picture in consistent frequency of intervals- like monthly or 3 months once
• Your profile is up to date on basic information
• Cover pictures have some scenery or a group picture
• Your profile security is at its max
• Timeline pictures are best to be one at a time. If more are posted… they don’t get individual likes
• These days’ people hardly create an album… it’s all timeline/ profile pic and cover pic
• We take an extra minute to add that caption – be it a quote or a story of the memory in the picture
• Check in a special place… check in too often or similar places… people get bored
• Follow the trend of hashtags… its catching up great responses
• Add a picture of yourself with a good cam or good editing and effects – a decent number of likes
• Add a picture of you and your spouse or life partner – double the likes
• A picture with friends – only likes from a little more than the common friends 

I see Facebook as a place where one portraits how they dream to be, the Reel you! Sharing all your life events, good memories, voicing out your views! It surely is a place where your memories are all stored for yourself! 

Yes there’s more than 300 friends – We all look into what’s happening in everyone’s lives, who is following you, who is spying on you and not sharing anything of their lives.

But the truth is… no one remembers where your life is heading… once you have logged out… we are living our real life and have no time to think about the reel world. 

I like so many pictures of my friends, but talk about the picture days later, I would blink! Ha ha. 

There’s no time to think what others are thinking! Just live your life the way you love it to be! Sure that’s true on Facebook! Best wishes to you all for the same in real! 

Facebook is for likes and comments! Not for sympathy and dislikes! But life isn’t always that way! No wonder the virtual world is so beautiful.

Photos and sharing – Call it my frustration or just a viewpoint?!

Type 1: take plenty of pics and post the best ones 

Type 2: take plenty of pics and post none 

Type 3: hardly take pics and post none 

I am type 1- love clicking pics, collecting pics from others at an event and sorting them, editing and collaging, and finally post them. Of course not to forget adding captions and even blogs sometimes! 

And I find it difficult to understand these type 2 folks! So what's the point of clicking pictures and not share your memories with others! 

Oh ya, both type 2 and type 3, they don't even like others posting their pics... Weird people! Share your thoughts. I just don't get the point. You don't like a certain picture- untag yourself! That's the max you can do! Don't come and tell me to remove it. Isn't that my wish?! 

Note: there’s no copy write issues here... Errrr 

So my dear friends - I completely hate it when someone tells me what I should do on my Facebook! Remove a pic of u?! U didn't like it?! Well sorry ... If that's so ... Don't pose in the first place. I take pics on a daily basis ... I am looking for ways to share them. I do consider requests made well ahead, but once posted, a last minute demand… wouldn’t encourage it. Thanks.

These thoughts led me to a conversation- Facebook-- How much is too much?

Coming soon! 

A birthday party in the neighborhood!

I started this blog, saying today, then yesterday, and now its day before yesterday… Never have I thought so much to write one blog. 

So yes, I was invited by my neighbor for her 5 year old daughter’s birthday party. I went up and down 2 to 3 stores, wondering what I should gift a 5 year old kid! All the gift boxes and toys read 3+ and were quiet kidish for kid of 5. Lol. I was running out of time too. So finally picked a 365 fairy tales and rhymes book. I didn’t even find a gift wrapper or ribbons. So just picked some foil from the kitchen and wrapped it and quickly took a marker and wrote the “To” and “From” with the message- Happy Birthday to the birthday girl. At the party speaking with others, I realized I wasn’t alone- almost all had the same doubts! We had no experience in buying gifts of that age! While a friend suggested clothes / dresses. While she added “Girls never are fulfilled with their wardrobe”! How true right?! 

It’s my first time going for a kid’s birthday party alone. Everyone in the neighborhood were invited. The party started with a magic show and then was followed by cake cutting and then dinner. Kids were playing all around and adults forming their own groups – chit chatting. A good social gathering. The common complaint being the weather and the season for not meeting up much more often. From this gathering I wonder how much goes into planning a party. And the kids are so involved into the themes of their party. They had an Ice cream cake, Yum! Too good! But they had a hard time cutting it. Ha ha. 

And I learnt how smart this kids are, especially the birthday girl. Her mom can no more pick stuff for her. She has her own likes and dislikes. She picks and knows exactly what she wants – from her dress to the cake theme. Kids are your Barbie doll only till one year she says. Then she has her own thoughts. Wow… she is already big enough. 

But on the other hand, the birthday girl just really didn’t know much… she did choose her cake, the theme of the posters… but beyond that … cake n dinner… everyone other than her enjoyed them… she doesn’t like sweets much.. That was funny, her mom helped her cut her cake, and took a piece to feed her, and you know what... she quickly pulled away… amidst all the other kids waiting for the cake…Ha ha… 

On the whole, it was a good evening to mid-night… Thanks for the invite! 

Pennsylvania

Places to visit –

1. Hershey’s Chocolate World – Chocolate tour – A free 30 minute tour! 
2. Presque Isle State Park – beaches, lagoons, lighthouses and more

Theme Parks / Amusement Parks

1. Sesame place
2. Hersheypark
3. Dutch Wonderland
4. Splash Lagoon (Indoor water park)

Things to do

1. Pocono Mountains – rafting, honeymoon, skiing, mountains http://www.poconomountains.com/

Cooking – An everyday habit or an occasional hobby?

My circle of friends and family – Mostly women! They learnt to cook when they had to do it. Soon after their marriage, when they moved into a new place, a new family, when the need was there. My mom, granny, and my aunts – all have the same story. Trial and error, they learnt to cook, every mom passed on their recipe books to their daughters. 

My dad and uncles claim they know to cook. As they studied away from home, they learnt the basics. But I haven’t seen them cook on any occasion. 

My mom cooks 3 meals a day, plus coffee/ chocolate milk in the evenings. I fascinate about it today. And each meal would consist of 2-3 dishes. My goodness, today I struggle to cook a single dish per day. Call it laziness or convenience. 

In today’s world, both women and men from my country equally learn cooking at around the same time – obviously when the need is there. When we are away from home. Be it for work or for studies. When we start living on our own is when we call up our mom to ask her doubts on cooking and actually step into the kitchen. Most of us in that phase develop an interest towards cooking. And there’s always the vast information on any topic on the internet. I google for a recipe and give my on tweaks to it as I make my meal for the day. 

I like cooking as a hobby. I love to experiment new recipes. I open my fridge, check what vegetable I have, google in them and say Indian curry or recipe, and surprise there’s a recipe! Different dishes I have tried so far are Banana Payasam, Pineapple Rasam, Bread Halwa, Bread Jamuns, Peanut Curry, Cabbage Vada, Beetroot Chutney, Dosa Pizza, etc. 

Now cooking daily… Oh man, I would have just been done with the dishes and in no time the sink would be full again. I would like to eat healthy and cut down on rice, but make those chapathi’s, oh man… they aren’t too easy. It’s an extra work. Rice is much simpler. If I cook a lot and store it for the next day, it isn’t appealing to eat it. And then there’s differences in taste from person to person, if you live with others. Be it your hubby or others in your family. Errr… Cooking daily is a pain. 

How do you handle it? Ideas welcome. Please do drop in your thoughts and suggestions.

My First Best Virtual Friend

Back in 2012, One day the fb messenger popped up- It was a message from her, replying to my post on room-mate search that I posted on the university fb page.

Then another day we spoke about a cooking pic I posted on my wall.

A couple of years later, end of 2014 to be precise, she commented on a post, which was a forward prank. LOL. Something like, if anyone likes or comments on it, they continue the chain of posting random things on their wall.  

That day, we chatted for long, we chatted on topics quiet in depth. We instantly found common interests. And the same day, exchanged numbers and spoke for almost 3 hours! I was in Mid-West then and she was in the West Coast! Now we have switched time zones!

She is one of best friends- and one I haven’t met yet! Ha ha! 

Massachusetts

Places to visit - 

1. Boston duck tours - http://www.bostonducktours.com/the-tour/ there are a lot of places covered on the tours. There are 30-40 landmarks to see on the tour. And it’s amazing how the vehicle can both travel in water as well as on land, just like a duck! Ha ha! Cost is $40 (aprox.). It’s an 80 minute tour. 
2. America's most prestigious and important universities, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Harvard Square and Harvard Art Museums
3. Boston Common and Public Garden Swan Boats - http://swanboats.com America’s oldest park and the start of freedom trail
4. Beacon Hill  - a beautiful neighborhood with good parks and museum filled with history
5. Boston Harbor - Waterfront

Things to do –

Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area - 

1. Explore tide pools
2. climbing to the top of the historic lighthouse
3. hiking the trails
4. camping
5. fishing
6. swimming at Spectacle Island
7. Park Service rangers give kayak lessons and walking tours of the island every day in summer.

www.nps.gov/boha

http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/boston-us-ma-boston.htm

New Jersey

Places to visit –

1. Jersey Shore (Beach, seafood, amusement park)
2. Casino Pier (Pier side amusement park and waterpark)
3. Safari Off-road adventure
4. Absecon Lighthouse

A very small state. All the attractions can be covered in a day! A leisure weekend would do. 

Michigan

Major cities – Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Mackinac Island, Holland, Muskegon, Battle Creek,

Places to visit –

1. Mackniac Island (North most of Michigan)
2. Sleeping bears dunes national park (Near Traverse City)
3. Pere Marquette beach - White sand beach on Lake Michigan (Muskegon)
4. Belle Isle - conservatory, aquarium, zoo and beach (Detroit)
5. Millennium park (Grand rapids)

I accepted my nomination - Liebster Award!

I have been nominated by my best buddy, fellow blogger, Yelp Reviewer, and much more, Janani of Jan's doddles. Tagging her post here, to know more.

Liebster Award Rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.
2. Display the Liebster Award on your blog.
3. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
4. Answer the 11 questions you were asked.
5. Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers for the Award and have them answer 11 questions.
6. Let the other bloggers know you’ve nominated them.
7. Copy the rules into your post.

11 random facts about myself:

1. I have been to 6 countries before I was 7 years old, and I remember nothing of it.
2. I skipped my second grade due to my age while moving from US to India at 7.5 years.
3. I struggle speaking in my mother tongue (Telugu) and started speaking in my hometown language (Tamil) only when I reached high school, coz I am very shy and scared to make flaws.
4. I love talking to myself aloud when I am alone.
5. I can’t swallow a pill.
6. I was born in New Zealand on an Indian National Day and my wedding was in India on a New Zealand National Day.
7. I have switch 4 schools from Kindergarten to High school.
8. I don’t enjoy American sitcoms.
9. I am an Aquarian and I make friends easily.
10. My name is as unique as I am! ;) My dad made it up! If I wasn’t named Akilya, I’d probably be named ‘Janani’! Ah! According to the Horoscopes seems I should have been named with letter J. Well my parents chucked the horoscopes for naming me!
11. My ideas and interests are evolving and changing drastically even today as I turn 26 soon!

11 questions answered

1. If you could move to any part of the world right now, where would you go and why? Singapore probably! Coz the only con I have of being in USA is the distance to travel to India. So If I am in Singapore, I’d still be in a developed country, with the same lifestyle and traveling to India will be economically friendly.
2. What’s your favourite season of the year? And why? Spring! Not too chilly nor too hot.
3. Which three novels would you recommend to everybody you meet because you couldn’t put them down? I don’t read novels.
4. What is your favourite way to recover from a long and bad day? Favorite way? The best way I would recover from such a day would be by putting myself to sleep, rather than overthinking the situation.
5. Coffe, tea or…? Till school days it was Boost (a chocolate drink). Now I don’t have anything on a regular basis.
6. Name one thing you taught yourself to do. I am still teaching myself to let go the people who are not in my life anymore- best buddies
7. What’s the one thing on your bucket list that you absolutely have to do? No such thing. I am neither persistent nor patient. Just take life easy as it comes.
8. Is there a teacher who taught you something that still sticks with you even now? If so, who’s the teacher and what was the lesson? My English teacher, Mrs. Veena Kannan once said treat all the non-living things well, as they have lives. I still secretly follow that.
9. If someone made a movie about you and your life, what genre would it be and why? A mixed genre – Emotional + Adventurous, I guess. With a strict childhood, and adulthood appeared to be always on the go, socially crazy happy online!
10. Is there something you love to do, although most people dislike it? Being over active on Facebook! I consider people who dislike it, to be jealous! Ha Ha!
11. What do you see in front of you right now? Darkness – It’s time to turn on the light!

My Nominees:

1. Ramblings only / SK
2. Sruti’s BookBlog / Sruti
3. Expressions / Shachi
4. Me, Myself and my blog / Vidya
5. Bookmarks for the mind / Jaikanth
6. Heart speak / Sobana
7. Crazy Person Things / Ishita
8. Coconut Chutney

To the nominees: Congratulations! I hope you accept the award and write a post. I do understand if this award or the content does not relate to your blog or if you simply would not like to accept it. I would highly appreciate if you acknowledge this post even if you do not accept it :) Thanks & happy blogging! Please find your questions below.

My 11 questions to you

1. How would you love a typical day to be?
2. Do you get angry? If so, how do you handle it?
3. Imagine a day without a clock- your thoughts?
4. Top 2 expectations from a vacation? Be it a weekend or 10 days!
5. Name one thing you taught yourself to do.
6. Any idea what to do with the numerous pictures we click on our phones?
7. Is there something you love to do, although most people dislike it?
8. If you could move to any part of the world right now, where would you go and why?
9. Are you a morning or an evening person?
10. Your thought on cooking daily. How do you deal with it? Cook daily or eat out?
11. Sweet tooth or spicy hot?

Thank you for reading this long post. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed typing it out. Happy New Year! 

Tennessee

Tennessee’s greatest attraction is Great Smoky Mountains (also called Smokies). Don’t stop by visiting just once. There’s loads and loads of things this park has to offer.

Places to visit –

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park ( http://allegra2013.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-great-smoky-mountains-national-park.html )
2.  Gallingburg Space Needle
3. Ruby Falls (Cave)
4. Rock city (Scenic views)
5. Lookout Mountain (Hiking, mountains, falls)

Things to see in Great Smokies (Hiking/ waterfalls/ scenic drives)

1. Clingman’s dome
2. Monte le Conte
3. Chimney tops
4. Appalachian National Scenic Trail
5. Trillum Gap Trail
6. Blue Ridge Mountains
7. Tennessee River

Things to do in Smokies

Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park – 15 Zip-lines, Ropes course, Climbing Walls, Swinging bridge, ATV tours

1. Backcountry camping (check for the rules)
2. Bicycling (there are specific trails)
3. Fishing (Check their rules)
4. Golfing
5. Horseback riding ( check for rules)
6. Whitewater rafting (The Pigeon River and Nantahala River are two of the most visited bodies of water in the Smoky Mountains for whitewater rafting.)
7. Wildlife watching (Black bear, deer, elk, salamanders, snakes)
8. Skiing and Winter sports
9. Zip-lining
10. Helicopter rides

For more details check out here: https://www.smokiesadventure.com/smokymountains/outdoors/outdoors.htm

Indiana

Indiana is a pretty dull state. I have just been to the dunes. Indianapolis is a big city and Fort Wayne would follow next. Been there for shopping and entertainment (movies).

Places to visit –

1. White River State Park
2. Marengo Cave (underground canoe exploration)
3. Clifty Falls State Park 
4. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (Just a beach, and at a far end you can see the Chicago skyline faintly)
5. Notre Dame University

Know anymore? Add your comments below.

Your best custom travel guide by Akilya - Texas

Texas is the largest state in the states! I plan to concentrate on 4 major cities –Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. It has a weather most of the year. It’s said to hardly snow, instead there are rains and hail stones! Summers are super-hot though.

Dallas is around 3 hours away from Austin and Houston. Houston to San Antonio is also another 3 hours apart. Austin is around an hour drive from San Antonio.

Attractions in each city –

Houston –
1. The Galleria (Shopping center, ice-skating rink)
2. Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park (Green space with cascading water element)
3. Wet n wild Splash town (water amusement park)
4. Bayou Place (Entertainment complex- theatres, bars, dining)
5. NASA Johnson Space center
6. Kemah Boardwalk (Waterfront)

Dallas –

1. Reunion Tower (Sky Deck)
2. Zero Gravity Amusement Park (Bungee Jumping and other adventure sports)

Austin –

1. Lady Bird Lake
2. Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge (arch bridge)

San Antonio –

1. River Walk (A must see- row of shops, eateries along the river)
2. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (Safari Park)

San Antonio and Houston I would love to visit soon. Let me know if you know more places you’d like to add in.