Travel and adventure

New regulations for Nepali travelers on visit, tourist visas abroad from today Kathmandu, January 24
The Immigration Department has rolled out a series of additional regulations for travelers heading abroad in visit and tourist visas beginning today. According to the Immigration Department, applicants for these visas are now mandated to possess a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months. Moreover, they must furnish essential documents, including the visa for the destination country, round-trip tickets, proof of accommodation for the entire duration of their stay, or citizenship certificates demonstrating a familial relationship if residing with relatives. In addition to these requirements, those visiting at the invitation of organizations must also submit the invitation letter from the respective entities or must showcase financial capacity by providing evidence of at least USD 500 in cash or an equivalent amount in debit/credit cards.
For travelers heading to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, a self-declaration form must be completed at the Immigration Office, explicitly stating the purpose of their visit and ensuring that it is voluntary and will not result in overstaying.

High up in the apple tree climbing I go, With the sky above me, the earth below. Each branch is the step of a wonderful stair Which leads to the town I see shining up there.
Climbing, climbing, higher and higher, The branches blow and I see a spire, The gleam of a turret, the glint of a dome, All sparkling and bright, like white sea foam.
On and on, from bough to bough, The leaves are thick, but I push my way through; Before, I have always had to stop, But to-day I am sure I shall reach the top.
Today to the end of the marvelous stair, Where those glittering pinnacles flash in the air! Climbing, climbing, higher I go, With the sky close above me, the earth far below.
Amy Lowell

Chitwan National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal known for its rich biodiversity. It is (a) …… (a/an/the/no article) UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Park (b) …… (is established/ established/ has been established/ was established) in 1973. It is a home to rare species of animals and birds, (c) …… (isn't it/aren't they/hasn't it/haven't they)? Visitors are often amazed by the sight of one horned rhinos bathing (d) ....... (at/by/on/in) the Narayani River. The guides (e) ........ (whom/which/who/whose) are highly trained provide detailed information to the visitors. Visitors who want to have the full experience (f) ......... (should /could /would /might) book a jungle safari in advance. If the park (g) ....... (is not protected/was not protected/had not been protected /will not be protected), these species might face extinction. The park authorities make the visitors (h) …… (following/follow/ to follow/ followed) strict rules to ensure the park's safety. Tourists often ask, " (i) ....... (Why is the Park famous/Why the park is famous/Why was the Park famous/Why the Park had been famous)?" The guides explain that it is famous for its natural beauty and wildlife. Visitors enjoy activities such as jungle safaris and canoe rides. (j) ...... (However/Therefore/Because/Although), they return with unforgettable memories.

On our recent trip to the Philippines, we spent a good five days or so in Cebu. Our main motivation for visiting the island was to attend our friend's wedding ceremony. Since we knew that our main priorities were hanging out with our friends and reuniting with a couple of long-lost playmates, we put very little thought into what we should see or do in Cebu.
Our slack attitude totally paid off, though. With nothing planned, we were totally and completely free to do whatever our friends suggested. Laziness pays off! For once!
We stayed at the Shangri-la Mactan Resort, on Mactan Island, which is just a couple of kilometers from Cebu City. The resort is really close to the airport, which was a major plus considering that traffic in the Philippines rivals that of Indonesia.
The resort seems to be the place to stay with young kids, and if you ask my children, it was a veritable paradise on Earth. There were two swimming pools, a water playground, and a beach with almost no surf, perfect for little ones.
I will tell you, though, that this resort is a factory. There are like 1000 beds, and the place is heaving on the weekends. And as with most hospitality institutions of mass production, the food is not good; however, it is one thing to pay top dollar for fresh, delicious, expertly prepared food. But, to pay top dollar for cheap, tepid, pre-ready meals? Well, that's not something I'm willing to do.
I suggest if you stay there, stock up on groceries. And, don't bother with the club lounge upgrade. The lounge is packed the minute the doors open, and the guests dive-bomb the buffet, scavenging morsels of cold, barely palatable food as though it were made of gold most rare.

The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black, Oh, I kept the first for another day ! Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and, I I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost

This morning the city of Paris looks slightly fuming; the sky is overcast, and it is drizzling too. But it does no harm to me. I have decided to go out for a visit or an observation tour. I had asked Nirmal bhaai for a list of museums in the vicinity of Paris yesterday. He brought me some brochures with the names and addresses, and street maps of Paris Museums in the evening. Paris has more museums than temples and gods in Kathmandu, he says. I am new to Paris, staying here for only one week. Hope these maps and brochures will show me Paris metro zones and guide me to some museums today. Last week Nirmal bhaai showed me Pompidou Centre, 'a complex building of high-tech structure'. This visit has emboldened me to explore further.
I guess I can cover a maximum, of two museums today. It means just giving a cursory glance. This is my plan. They say Cezanne is quite far away, Paul Cezanne, the post-impressionist painter, may be in the outskirts. I cannot visit him all alone, and cannot cover two museums in a day. So I chose to visit a museum nearby in the heart of the city. Likewise, Braque is far, Du Champ is farther away. So I have decided as per Nirmal's suggestion to start with Rodin's. Maybe I will go to Monet's next.

Pokhara gears upto welcome 2019
POKHARA. The tourism scene in Pokhara swayed between on-season and off-season until a decade ago where in March, April, May, October, November and December were considered to be peak seasons while the rest of the months witnessed a slack in terms of incoming tourists in the lake-city.
However, of late, the influx of tourists has remained untouched by the set definition of peak and slow seasons, further encouraging travel and tourism entrepreneurs here.
Keeping the current trend in mind, tourism entrepreneurs are looking to project and establish Pokhara as a sought after destination for celebrating Christmas and New-Year. In the same line, preparations are currently underway for organizing Pokhara street festival here in the city.
The 20th Pokhara Street Festival, which was known as REBAN Street Festival until 2007, is being held from December 28 to January 1, 2019 at Lakeside, organized by Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN).
REBAN Pokhara along with a team of tourism entrepreneurs have been engaged in preparations for the festival while also establishing Pokhara, Lumbini and Chitwan as the 'Silver Triangle'. It must be noted that these three districts hold major attraction points for internal as well as foreign tourists.
According to former President of REBAN Pokhara, Surya Bahadur Bhujel, the street festival also aims at marketing Pokhara as a destination for celebrating New Year, somewhat reflecting Goa's current image as a popular New Year destination.
The event will be celebrated as Nepal Carnival in the days to come, added Bhujel. According to him, the Gandaki Province government is also a patron for this event.
The festival will be held along a stretch of 3.5 kms of street in Lakeside, said President of REBAN Pokhara, Budharaj Bhujel.
At the event, cultural shows from Nepal along with Japan, South Korea, China and India will be exhibited along with cuisine representing various countries from across the globe at over 150 different stalls.

Tokyo is the most beautiful and peaceful capital city in Japan, where every tourist wants to enjoy its breathtaking nature, historical buildings, delicious food, and traditional places. A rumour, I had heard that traveling to Tokyo is very expensive. My tour to Tokyo has discovered an ample travel guide to visit Japan on a cheap budget that will help every tripper who is craving to see the beauty of Tokyo.
I planned to visit Japan from Malaysia, as I have stayed here since 2016. In 2018, I got an opportunity to participate in an international conference held by the University Tsukuba in Tokyo, Japan. As my first step, I tried to book an air ticket at a low price because my budget was average. Most of the airline ticket prices were expensive, which made me a little bit worried. Then I realized that Air Asia offers cheap plane tickets with limited baggage. I had no extra baggage, so I could accept that opportunity. Luckily, I managed to book a two-way ticket at a low price.
After nine hours of journey, when the plane reached Haneda Airport, I became amused to see Japan's beauty. Tokyo is both the economic and political center of the country. It is one of the most populous capital cities globally, and the total population is around 37.4 million. This beautiful city has become the host of many international programs and events, for example, three G7 Summits and the Summer Olympics in 1964. The airport, decorated with digital posters and banners, declared it would be the host of the 2020 Summer Olympics.