Tourists who might have added the Simpson Desert Conservation Park and Regional Reserve in South Australia may have to take a disappointment – if the itinerary is between Dec 1 of 2008 and March 15 of next year.

According to sources of The South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage, the step has been taken in the interest of the tourists taking into consideration the extreme heat that touches 40 to 50 degrees Celsius during the season.

An official of the department has also opined that many do not have the experience for such a crossing in the desert and they do so devoid of a properly equipped vehicle with radio communications and recovery gear in case of an emergency. The soft summer sand dunes increased the chance of vehicle being bogged down and causing breakdown. Travelers please take note of the comments. Be prepared with the cautionary notes as told by the expert in the department in case you make it to Simpson Desert.

Nowadays, there are many westerners being seen in one of the spiritual epicenters of Tamilnadu state in India. Tiruvannamalai is abuzz with westerners that are thronging in hundreds to prove that it’s a genuine retreat for the peace-cum-bliss loving. Tiruvannamalai is the land of the siddhas or the class of the self-realized who are believed to still occupy spaces in the ‘Arunachala’ mount in search of the divine.

The land is believed to be one of the abodes of Lord Shiva in the form of mountain and famous for the ‘Ramanashram’ – the place where his holiness Ramana Maharishi attained enlightenment. Maharishi means a great seer and true to his spiritual quest he was revered and continues to be deified by the majority of his times. Paul Brunton was one of the famous authors who settled down in Tiruvannamalai and wrote in detail about the great seer. There are many such spiritual retreats around the Tiruvannamalai Mountain, which thousands of devotees circumambulate every full moon day.

Hundreds of westerners are drinking the nectar of tranquil that Tiruvannamalai has to offer. Westerners scouting for peace and harmony have gainfully employed themselves and are settling down here. It’s common sight to see westerners sitting at roadside tea shops with smiles writ large on their faces. Lots of them can be seen in the internet browsing centers and market places being blended with the local populace.

Peter runs a German restaurant in Tiruvannamalai and he stays with his family. A woman from the western hemisphere on an interview to one of the leading satellite channels said that she was happy to stay in Tivuvannamalai and her children are studying there. She wished her visa was extended, but feels chances are remote. Another westerner said he prayed ‘Bhagwan’ (god) to allow him to stay forever in Tiruvannamalai.

If you wish to see yourself the facts, you may come to Chennai and visit Tirvannamalai, which is about 4.5 hrs by bus from the capital. You may alternatively make it up from Pondicherry or Puducherry after visiting ‘Aurobindo Ashram’ and ‘Auroville’ near Pondy.

‘If you have the inclination, we have the time- the exact time’. This was the advert of HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools) of India for the Indian masses long ago.

‘If you have the money, we will provide the entertainment’ may be the implicit message conveyed by IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation- an arm of the Indian Railways that looks into the travel and hospitality requirements for its passengers.

The latest buzzword of IRCTC is the introduction of ‘Belly Dancers’ in train and the proposal is true. You need not be taken by surprise as to whether it’s really happening in India. Targeted at high end passengers and aiming to give a touch of renewed tourism, IRCTC is set to introduce ‘Belly dancing’, which Russian belly dancers would do in the Kolkata- Goa- Mumbai train. The added bonanza is that the train would pass through Goa and there would be a brief sojourn there.

In addition to hip gyration of belly dancers, passengers can have toast with bollywood actors. Gorgeous train hostesses akin to airhostesses would also be there to greet the travelers. IRCTC has joined hands with the Kolkata based tour operator ‘I-Nova’ to provide these facilities for the changing mindset of travelers in Train. The train would have 16 coaches, which would depart Kolkata on Jan 2 and return on 11 Jan. The fare is fixed at Rs.35,000/- per passenger ( about $ US 700) and would include a boarding pass, Doctors and Nurses to take care of emergencies.

If any of my readers would like to be part of the 700 passenger capacity train, log onto net for further details. Luck smiles for those interested, in the form of a shipping cruise and dances at Goa. A five-star hotel stay at Mumbai is also on the cards for those that choose the route.

Is anybody over there in Germany? Don’t you waste a moment to see the ice sculpture festival in Bremen North Germany. Sculpting is a special art requiring artistic mindset and precision. Carving on ice requires much more eye for detail and special nuances to bring the cold bar into a hot selling piece.

Around 40 artists are expected to carve 28 figures centered on Grimm’s fairy tales at an ice sculpture festival at Bremen. The exhibits would include an 18 feet horse sculpture by a Russian Carver. For tourists it’s real chilly news for a cool tour in Germany.

It was a sweet occasion, where chocolates dominated with a difference. The 11th annual New York chocolate show on the Hudson River had sweet catwalks, where models walked the ramps in chocolate outfits. The week long New York Chocolate Show offered Chocolate makers an opportunity to display demonstration of their chocolate recipes in different forms of outfits.

A bodybuilder carrying chocolate dumbbells to exhibit the outfit designed by chocolate maker Jacques Torres and Narciso Rodriguez - who designed the red-and -black election - night dress of the better half of the US President elect, was one of the centre of attractions. Models in chocolates depicting Lara Croft, Bat Girl and Warrior Princess were additional attractions of the show, which was first started by Sylvie Douce and her hubby Francois Jeantet of France.

If we think fashion contests are only for humans, then we are wrong. If models walked the ramp adorned in sweet chocolate outfits at New York, Rabbits decorated the podium during the Rabbit Fashion Festa at Kanagawa Prefecture in Yokohoma City, suburban Tokyo. The Rabbits participated in varieties of outfits last Sunday at Yokohoma City. Some 8000 rabbit lovers watched rabbits dressed in school outfits and dresses including a native ‘Thai dressing’, which was the cynosure of all eyes.

Hundreds of ‘Dragon boats’ vying for victory on the waters of Cambodia was eye-catching in the Cambodian capital. The occasion was the annual Cambodian Water Festival in which hundreds of wooden boats sailed for race. Each boat contained scores of people with oars on their hands to cruise their boats for victory.

The specially designed boats set for the race to commemorate the victory of their wars, which the Cambodians had won centuries ago on their sails. The Cambodian Royal also witnessed the race, which was held as a highly decorated fair with all the luminescence any event that would carry with it. Underscore this season so you may witness the event in case you happen to be near Cambodia next time.

Puducherry or Pondicherry as it was popularly known is already drawing crowds for its wonderful beach, its proximity to ‘Auroville’ – the unique international living community and above all the ‘Aurobindo Ashram’. Now you may add one more spot for your visit in case you make it to Puducherry. You would certainly love it especially if you have a penchant for chirping of birds and bird watching.

However, you may not necessarily be an Ornithologist just to appreciate the beauty of the winged visitors that travel thousands of miles to settle for serenity in particular seasons. Fly your way to ‘Oussudu Tank’, which measures 390 hectares located at 12 km west of Puducherry. Chronicled to be constructed during the Vijayanagar rule, the place attracts around 51 different species of birds according to a study by a NGO (Non Governmental Organization). The Puducherry recently declared the area a bird sanctuary through a government notification, which would help the birds chirp for the tourists.