30 of My Best Pictures of 2016

Its that time of the year to relive the memories of the year that is bidding goodbye and to welcome the new one with a bang.

2016 – What a year its been! It has been a year where some of my long term dreams and aspirations came true and some new ones were born.  2016 has been special to me for many reasons.

• I started my travel blog Hopping Miles in 2016. Though this thought was born sometime in 2015, I took it seriously in 2016 – thus Hopping Miles was born to inspire myself and others to go out and see the world like there is no tomorrow.
• I traveled to Europe for the first time in 2016 – Croatia deserves a special mention here. It was in 2012 when I saw a picture of Plitvice Lakes National Park and Croatia went on top of my excel sheet where I list out the places I’d like to see at least once in my lifetime. In an attempt to save some bucks on the flight to Croatia, we planned to land in Italy and then travel to Croatia. But ended up exploring a lot of Italy too!
• Had some of the experiences that will last a lifetime and beyond. Self drive road trip in Europe, boat ride inside the Blue Grotto in Italy, reliving Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik, walking on rumbling wooden paths in between the waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park, remembering Disney’s fairy tale stories at Lake Bled in Slovenia, staring at limestone white washed houses with beautiful flowers tumbling out of the roof in Alberobello, setting foot in the world’s smallest country – Vatican City – without even a stamp in the passport, a train journey that took us to heaven and back in Bernina Express, Switzerland and much more such lovely experiences.
• Back here in India, though we could not travel our heart’s content due to certain family concerns, we squeezed out time for Wayanad, Kabini, Mysore and a short trip to Gandikota and Belum Caves in Andhra Pradesh and numerous road trips within Karnataka.

Have tried picking 30 photos, which I think were my best ones in 2016 from a hard disk flooded with hundreds of GB of pictures.

So, lets get the party started!!

Scenes from India

A short drive away from Bengaluru, Avalabetta was a respite from crowds!

Kabini teeming with wealthy Flora and Fauna

I always love to capture flowers – Lotus @ Red Earth Kabini!

Wayanad – A land of hilly tea estates and misty mornings

Nature’s way of mystery @ Belum Caves, Andra Pradesh

The Grand Canyon of India – Gandikota, Andra Pradesh

Scenes from Abroad

Vast sea hugging the rugged cliffs lined with orange tiled houses of Dubrovnik, Croatia

King’s Landing of The Game of Thrones was shot in Dubrovnik

Limestone houses with conical roofs made of stacked stones in Alberobello, Italy

Display of world’s best Ferraris in birth town of Ferrari – Maranello, Italy

A UNESCO Heritage site which is a train Ride!

Scenes from Bernina Express, Switzerland

This city needs no introduction – Venice it is!

Castles in Disney movies were inspired from this – Bled Castle,Slovenia

Pebble beach in Marina Grande – Capri, Italy.

Leaning from over centuries – Piazza del Duomo, Pisa

Crashed into a wedding in Medjugorje – Bosnia and Herzegovina

One of the best stretches to drive in the world – Amalfi Coast, Italy

Blue Grotto, an experience to be savoured forever!

Always a pleasure to drive in Slovenia!

Truly a nature’s wonder – Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Voted as Europe’s best destination of 2016 – Zadar, Croatia

The wild beauty of old town of Kotor in Montenegro.

Road that never ends – Somewhere in south of Italy

UNESCO Heritage site of Magnificent Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy

A city or a country? The Vatican!

After seeing European Summer which was happy and green, the real taste of summer was experienced in Qatar!

Best is for the last! Romance brewing in history @ Colosseum, Rome❣

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Been to these places? Would love your feedback ! 🙂

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