Goa Travels and Property Rentals

If you are craving sun, sand and sea; Goa is the ultimate destination. While most people consider Goa to be a beautiful beach holiday destination, what amazes me even more is its colorful culture and delicious cuisine. A great mix of the Indian and Portuguese culture, the churches, fairs and festivals are quite a delight to watch. It is amazing how Goa is a travel destination for all types of travelers, be it budget or luxury. I have visited Goa in almost all phases of my life starting from luxury family trips to college trips on a very tight budget. Having done that, I know how the quality of stay and travel matters to most Goa travelers. Looking at the recent trend of non Goa residents buying properties there for holiday homes, I did some research in the same field to figure out the current property rates. If you are also looking at something similar, I must recommend you to go visit https://www.goavillaestate.com/ . Goa Villas Estate is actually a rapidly growing and ever developing real estate Brokerage Company since 2009 that provides all kind of real estate services around Goa.They help you to find any type of villas for sale in Goa, buy or sale cottages, houses and villas in any part of state. The realty offers that you can find at this website have been carefully selected by their professional realtors and brokers which means that all villas for sale in Goa are presented in their online catalog which are of the highest standard and are located in the beautiful, picturesque and environmentally pristine parts of Goa.

Non Residents are investing in Goan Villas for many reasons.

• First reason is obviously the idea of a holiday home in a serene faraway land which has great connectivity to all major cities as well.
• Renting out in peak tourist season can really fetch some good money.
• Reselling at a higher price is always a good idea for an appreciating property.
• A retirement plan for most couples and what better than the land of Goa.

Going by my personal experience, North Goa being the party place is always a great option for investment homes which can be rented out to tourists but South Goa is the place to be if you are looking to soak in leisure and harmony. The advantages of investing in North Goa are popularity among the Indian tourists, numerous clubs and great night life which ensure a steady rental income from these villas. On the other side, South Goa is filled with pristine beaches and stunning properties which are available at a remarkably lower price. To know more about which location to invest in, please follow the link https://www.goavillaestate.com/buy-villa-in-goa.html

Browsing through the available villas, this caught my sight. To know more about the same, please click on this link https://www.goavillaestate.com/property-2335.html. So convenient that one could avail the laundry and maid services from the nearby hotel as well.

While any one (Indian, NRI or foreigner) can buy a property in Goa, it is important to get complete clarity on the taxes. GoaVillaEstate has enough and more information on that as well – https://www.goavillaestate.com/purchase-taxes.html

Some of the stunning pictures of Goan villas –

Enough said, while I cannot wait to drool over some of these stunning pictures, please go check out the website and book your next luxury villa in the dream destination of Goa, the sunshine land of India.

If you are dreaming of a life in sand between your toes and delightful cocktails on the beach as the sun sinks below the horizon, Goa is the place to be.

HAPPY HOLI WITH NO COLORS

Holi is the most exciting of all the Indian festivals, for adults and children alike. While the color blast is sure to lift your spirits, the celebration can get really messy! Also, with all the water conservation issues lately, I think people are looking at more options to celebrate Holi in a unique way avoiding colors in the first place. Nevertheless, there are plenty of ways in which you can have fun and celebrate the festival of colors in an eco-friendly manner. If you are not looking forward to Holi because of the colors, here are 7 other reasons you can create for yourselves to enjoy the festival –

1. The Décor : Festive décor is a must for the right vibes around any festival. Go for simple props as a display e.g gulal in chai glasses – It will set the mood at the entrance itself. You can string up bright balloons and paper ribbons all around. Colorful flowers will further add to the life of the occasion.
2. Food, food and more food : Holi is associated with food as much as it is with color. Well, that’s how most Indian festivals are J If you are fond of cooking, this is the time to make some lip smacking sweets, particularly gujiyas (Sweet dumpling made with flour and stuffed with khoya). If you are fond of eating like me, the choices are never ending. I always wait for Holi to get the best of food throughout the day gorging on sweets and savories in all the meals.
3. Colors for the kids: I am sure there would be many over protective moms like me who wouldn’t want their kids to play with colors but I am definitely not averse to the idea of introducing the concept of having fun with colors. While V is too small to even understand the art and craft, I plan to help her with few splatter cards and coloring books. Looks like fun, let’s see if she really enjoys it.
4. Photo shoot – What a wonderful occasion to get few pictures clicked. You can make it a day to remember using a blank wall and a variety of props such as rainbow wigs, outsized sunglasses, multicolored hats, and colorful boards. Also, don’t forget a pile of masks and pouts to add to the fun.
5. Forgive and forget – Did you know the festival of Holi is actually a day to forgive and forget, and to try and end conflicts. So, make peace amongst your groups and people you do not get along with.
6. Chance to dress up : The traditional dress code for Holi has always been white but if you want to celebrate the festival with colors on your clothes, you can dress up in the brightest of colors and enjoy the color blast.
7. Go for a theme: Themes in parties are always fun. A good theme can take a boring gathering to a legendary party.Go for funky themes or a floral theme where the décor to your dresses, everything is filled with flowers. Never underestimate the power that bunches of colorful fresh flowers wield.

Hope you enjoy Holi the way you like.HAPPY HOLI , guys!:)

BABYWEARING X SOULSLING

 

Although baby wearing is an old concept, it has gained a significant momentum in the recent times as researchers have validated the benefits of this timeless practice. The studies have confirmed that our children’s social, physical and emotional development are all affected by human contact. Like many other mothers, I too have been told not to wear the baby often as it makes them clingy but if I go by my personal experience, I and V thoroughly enjoy the whole process. I cannot even begin to express how wonderful I feel when she falls asleep so close to my heart. After all, she is a piece of my heart beating outside of it.

Coming back to the benefits of baby wearing, let me list out the 3 most important ones which have helped me immensely in my motherhood journey –

Bonding and emotional security: The intimacy associated with the baby and mother/caregiver is multiplied exponentially with baby wearing and is directly proportional to the understanding and communication between the two. When you have a strong foundation, it leads to a healthier relationship in times to come. Holding the baby close comforts him/her, this has been a boon for colic babies as well. So, the next time someone tells you that you are spoiling the child by holding/picking him/her, think twice.

1. Multitasking: They say being a mother is a job where you get no holidays. It is true, we get no breaks, no leaves and no time offs – so basically every other task needs to be completed along with managing pretty much everything related to the baby. With baby wearing, I was not just able to do the household chores but also travel conveniently with her wound around me. V was not too comfortable in the stroller when we went on a trip in her first few months but wearing her made both of us comfortable.

3. Eco friendly option: The third less thought about benefit of baby wearing is it offers an option to cut down on the plastics used in strollers and chairs. People have been making their own baby carriers since ages but now, even in India we get ergonomic carriers in the best quality with the ease of online availability as well. My favorite one being Soul Slings!

Having said this, I must emphasize on the fact that baby wearing is a good experience only if the baby is worn correctly. So, while choosing the baby carrier, there are certain conditions that you will have to keep in mind, few of them listed below –

1. Ergonomic baby carriers – An ergonomic baby carriershould distribute the child’s weight evenly and comfortably for the wearer while giving good support to the child. The safety of the baby and the wearer is of prime importance, so it should give proper support to the baby and not inhibit the growth of spine in any way.
2. Carrier suitable for the age – One carrier does not fit all ages and weights. A stretchy wrap is ideal for a new born as it takes the shape of the new born whereas a stronger structured one is more suitable for a toddler. Soulslings has a droolworthy collection of Onbuhimo, wraps, full buckle carriers and ring slings in the most amazing prints and soft breathable fabric.Here you can see me using the Standard Full Buckle Carrier from www.soulslings.com –

3. Purpose of babywearing: It is important to firm the purpose of baby wearing and then choosing the carrier which best fits the position suitable for the purpose. So, if you want to nurse discreetly you would probably opt for a wrap, if you want to go hiking with the baby, you would probably opt for a full buckle which is ideal for back carries.

I personally have had the best experience with www.soulslings.com, you should definitely go check out their collection.

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Look who has got my back!! I have been travelling a lot with V and it has been possible only because I decided to wear her weeks after she was born.Here,I am using the standard full buckle carrier from @soulslings_india one for the toddlers which is perfect for front and back carries.The best deal is it is perfect for fathers and other caregivers as well.When I started babywearing , I did not really have the best knowledge of how to evaluate a good baby carrier but now that I know,I thought I must list out 3 most important ones for you all- 1. Must go for ergonomic baby carriers as safety of the baby and the wearer is supreme. 2.One carrier doesn't fit all ages and weights-a stretchy wrap is ideal for a new born as it takes the shape of the spine while a stronger structured one is more suitable for a toddler. 3.Firm the purpose of babywearing (nursing discreetly,travelling,hiking etc) and accordingly choose the carrier which best fits the position suitable for the purpose. P.S : My Valentine V is having her morning chai on my back 🙂 #soulslings #soulslingsindia #vogueviolet

A post shared by 𝓥𝓸𝓰𝓾𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓸𝓵𝓮𝓽 Invisalign (@missvogueviolet) on Feb 13, 2018 at 10:42pm PST

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Learning from Homestay Hosts!

‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ is an ancient line that comes from the Hindu Scriptures which speaks about how a guest is equivalent to God. While this is practiced widely in India, we got to experience the flavor of it in our Paris Trip where we decided to stay with the host family through a popular home stay website. While the option is far more economic compared to a hotel stay, the experience is unmatched. In most occasions, you will find the hosts being extremely enthusiastic about letting out their place. They won’t behave like they are just temporary landlords who are handing over their keys to you. They are in the true spirit, cultural ambassadors proud of the place they’re from, sharing their homes and offering a unique experience in the city you have come visiting. We as a couple had a ball in not just Paris but different cities of UK and Europe staying in various apartments where we met extremely generous and fun loving hosts. We have been picking up our learning from each of the experiences.Here are few pictures from the home stay at Paris.

A reading corner is my favorite, everywhere I go!

 

Let me just share my top 7 points on being a good host and why you should consider hosting your space to guests –

1. How to be accepting – No matter how different your cultures and languages might be, there is always something common to strike a chord with and this is a great platform to explore that. Similarly, you also learn to respect each others’ differences, either way it is a great way to improve the quality of accepting people around you.
2. How to respect individual space – When you are letting out your house to strangers, you have to place hundred percent trust on them and it is not easy. So, that itself is a huge task to complete before you step out to become a host. As guests in our homestays, we felt completely at home particularly in the magnificent modern apartment of Paris only for the reason that the hosts gave us our space all through the day yet made sure to join us during the meals as one big family.
3. How to be a cultural ambassador – As hosts, you can be an instant favorite if you give useful recommendations like the local pubs, the nearby restaurants, the must see places and the ones that can be skipped, the opera, the theatre and the list goes on. Funnily, it improves your knowledge of the culture of your locale.Hence, it is always wise to write to the guest beforehand and understand their interest and purpose of travel.
4. How to exchange values – Hosting guests provides you with the opportunity to learn about a new country’s cultural and family values as much as it provides them with the same opportunity. Understanding other’s cultures teaches you to understand more about people’s personalities and attitudes towards many different aspects of life.
5. How to make awesome food – I know it sounds funny but I have heard people say that some of the best foods they have had in their lives are with the host families they have stayed with. In our experience, the hosts would leave a generous spread of breakfast at the table every morning but they loved to cook food for supper every evening. We took this opportunity to introduce few Indian dishes to them and they absolutely loved it(minus the spices). Interestingly, one of them was Spanish, so it was a brilliant concoction of Indian, French and Spanish food that we had every evening.
6. How to build professional network – Foreign language is a great plus for your resume if you are ready to take up an international assignment, this is a wonderful opportunity to grow your professional network .
7. How to be passionate about simple joys of life – Hosting is possibly the most natural thing that comes to human beings, after all you must have hosted someone at some point of life – be it friends or family. Hosting a stranger can be a really rewarding experience if you leverage on this unique opportunity of making a new friend, getting to know about a new culture and possibly open a channel to your next travel to the guest’s city.

Picture from a busy locale just outside the apartment, from fruits to flowers to pubs – everything a stone’s throw away!

The next time you think about letting out your space to a stranger, think from a positive perspective!

Happy Hosting!

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Atithi devo bhava is an ancient line from the Hindu Scriptures which speaks about how a guest is equivalent to God.While this is practised widely in India,we got to experience this amazing hospitality at Marc and Xavier's place in Paris. My top 3 learnings on being a good host comes from these gentlemen- 1.How to be accepting-No matter how different our cultures and languages might be,there is always something common to strike a chord with. 2.How to give space- When you are letting out your house to strangers,you have to place hundred percent trust on them.We felt absolutely at home in this magnificent house only because they gave us our space yet joined us for meals as one big family. 3.Being a good guide – As hosts, you can be instant friends when you give useful recommendations like the local pubs,the nearby restaurants,the opera,the theatre and the list goes on.Read full story on #vogueviolet-link in bio👆 Have you ever experienced such an amazing hospitality from strangers that you can't forget the hosts? #airbnb #homestay

A post shared by 𝓥𝓸𝓰𝓾𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓸𝓵𝓮𝓽 Invisalign (@missvogueviolet) on Jan 31, 2018 at 7:39pm PST