With stunning beaches, historic temples, a vibrant nightlife, and so much more, Thailand is a great place for your next vacation. The Southeast Asian country has seen rising tourist numbers year on year, with over 30 million people expected to make a trip to Thailand throughout 2018 alone. Getting a Thailand Visa is also very effortless.

If you’ve never visited before, you won’t be disappointed. However, you do need to be mindful of certain things when planning your trip. Here’s what you should consider.

1) English is common

The fear of not knowing a foreign language might put you off a vacation abroad. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself, but there’s too much of the local language to learn to be able to hold a conversation. This isn’t something to stress about in Thailand. Some words have been adapted from English, and are easy enough to learn. If you can get your head around these words, you won’t stick out quite so much.

2) Research your planned destinations

We all want to see the sights when we go somewhere new. Thailand has so much for you to explore, but don’t be fooled. Some locals will take advantage if you don’t prepare in advance. Taxi drivers like to trick you into believing a temple will be closed so they can take you somewhere they’ve been commissioned to go to. You can only have the upper hand if you know beforehand that they’re lying. Just explain to the driver that you know that the temple or other destination is open. If they persist, that’s your cue to leave and find someone else to take you there.

3) Get your shots

Traveling to Thailand from other countries will require vaccinations to keep you safe. It’s recommended for all visitors to have shots against tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis A, but a doctor could suggest ones for things like rabies too. You are at risk from infection if bitten by some animals in the region, especially if you want to go trekking.

However, you’ll still need to seek medical treatment even if you do have the vaccination. A vacation shouldn’t be ruined because you didn’t take the right precautions beforehand. Two weeks of medical treatment in Thailand can cost in excess of $50,000 which you certainly don’t want to have to fork out for. Make sure you’re fully prepared!

4) Animals are everywhere

Thailand is home to a lot of animals that you’ll encounter on your adventures. You should be wary of any animal that isn’t domesticated, largely because of the above reason. There are thousands of soi (stray) dogs that might carry all kinds of disease. Although volunteers are doing what they can to help these animals, their presence is still overwhelming on Thailand’s streets.

Monkeys are another animal that you should be hesitant to interact with. Beaches in Thailand are often home to these creatures, but it’s best to admire them from afar. Although they can be friendly, don’t relent and give them food. The more tourists feed them, the more dependent they become on humans.

5) Think about cash in advance

Almost any vacation outside of your own country will require a change in currency. Thailand uses the Thai Baht, one of which equates to 0.032 US Dollars at the time of writing. This changes regularly, so it’s ideal to keep an eye on conversion rates well in advance to your trip.

Although you won’t know how much money you’ll need while you’re there, immigration officials like you to have no less than 10,000 Baht on you when you enter the country. It’s best to take more than you might think you need, and then store it in different places while in the country. By doing this, you’ll be prepared, while still being safe with your money.

I hope this post has given you something to consider before planning your trip to Thailand. Let me know in the comments if there’s anything important that I’ve missed out here. You might also find my 4 tips before travelling to Thailand helpful.

 

A vacation is something which everyone is excited about. If there is a kick-ass trip planned for the vacation, the excitement doubles!

 

You use office hours to look for hotels & flights. You read reviews of the places you are going to visit. But, how do you feel when your trip is cancelled? Well, here is what we think you would feel for every different reason of your trip being cancelled!

1) You abuse your boss left, right & center

Well, if its your boss who broke the hell loose on you, you have no option but to abuse him. You start complaining about how many leaves does your boss take.

 

2) You feel jealous of a friend, taking a trip while you couldn’t make it

Source

What if your friend takes a trip while you are warming that office chair? You know that he is going to return and tell you how awesome his trip was. Salt on your wounds, isn’t it?

 

3) You abuse airlines when they say nothing can be done

If your trip is cancelled because of an airline company, you feel like calling their call center or confronting their twitter handle. You would do this inspite of knowing that your call/tweet is not going to reschedule your canceled flight.

 

4) You say you never planned for it

If you are very enthusiastic about this trip, you will have to come up with a story! You don’t want your friends to know how much effort you put in planning. They will either sympathize with you or mock you

 

5) You don’t like exploring social media

 

 

Only FB statuses that you will spot on your timeline will be about trips. You would feel that your friend is forcing you to ‘like’ his FB status about his trip and make you jealous.

 

6) You start planning for a trip after 6 months

Only planning for a trip can get you excited now. You start looking for upcoming long weekends. Planning a trip, is the only way of getting over your cancelled trip.

 

7) You become workaholic, for a week

 

For one week, after you cancel your trip, you become workaholic. You start finishing work way before timeline. Thinking that this would be helpful in taking the next vacation.

 

8) You hate your friend for ruining your plan

 

What if you had to cancel your trip because your friend decides to get married on the same dates? Well, you will have to cancel your trip and attend the wedding. You wrap a small note along with your gift saying “Why these dates?”

 

9) You realize there is nothing to be done and just deal with it

 

You have tried everything to do in order to make that trip happen! But, finally you realize and decide to deal with it.

 

Well, lets hope you don’t have to cancel any of your trips. But in case you have to cancel any of your trips, be sure the next trip is well planned and of course, amazing!

 

 

 

When you have a trip planned, you are all excited. You embark upon the journey to adventure or solitude. But, something goes wrong and your trip is spoilt. Here is what we think can spoil your trip. How many points do you agree with?

1) You hire a driver to drive you crazy

Have you ever booked a cab with a driver? You would agree that the driver has a lot of power to spoil your trip. Well, it happened with me when I had visited Wayanad. Our driver tried to fool us at the karnataka-kerala border. When we exposed him, he made our trip hell by staying grumpy all the time. Imagine you with a grumpy driver with an attitude of a captain making your ship sail only to his whims and fancies. The worst part would be if he is a rash driver. You will cling to your safety belt till you reach your destination.

 

2) A friend doesn’t feel well

Now, say you are in Goa. You obviously plan to go crazy. But, a friend decides to go crazier. Next morning, while you are all pumped up, your friend is not feeling well because of a solid hangover. Thanks to going crazier last night. Well, you have no choice but wait for him to conquer his hangover. But, half a day will be gone by the time he regains his senses.

 

3) Fall short of cash/deb

You fall short of cash or can’t find an ATM nearby. Well, you can miss some of the best experiences. Imagine missing an amazing water sports activity just because you didn’t withdraw enough cash yesterday. Avoid this by planning well!

4) You are a pure vegetarian or a fussy eater

You feel like you are stranded in alien land when you don’t get veg food. While your carnivorous friends are savouring sea-food delicacies, you are enduring plain hakka noodles with tomato ketchup or maggi. Well, this is a deal breaker. The situation worsens if you want only rumali roti & kali daal in Thailand. Being a fussy eater can cost you fun.

 5) You are a pure non-vegetarian aka meat lover

This is how you feel when you don’t get to dig in a chicken bucket while on a trip. You have no option left but to overturn your table

 6) Airlines decide to frustrate you

You packed your favorite T-shirts for your trip. But, the airlines lose your luggage. Sometimes your airlines make you miss your connecting flight or just make you wait 5 hours for a delayed flight. Well, the upcoming trip better be awesome for you to overcome the frustration.

7) Your hotel decides to charge you for something unreasonable

You enter a hotel and enjoy a welcome drink. Only to later realize that it was not complimentary. This is just a small example. A hotel in Phuket charged Rs 1,000/- because they discovered a pink mark on their white towels. Such rip-offs can only spoil your trip!

8) People, too many people

You go to your favorite destination just to discover the place swarming with people. You can no longer spend a moment of solitude with nature’s surrounding beauty.

9) Your boss calls you up and gives you a shock

Your boss calls you during your trip and assigns you some work. Well, the best part is that you will have only 2 hours to finish it after you are back from your trip. Boom! Trip spoilt.

Well, we frankly hope that none of the above reasons spoil your trip. Keep traveling and stay amazed. Wishing you a very happy holiday season!

 

 

Everyone these days love to travel. There’s some sort of awakening I guess. It’s good. Very Good.

Travelling is addictive. Once you leave your comfort zone, it captivates you. Places call you to see & love them. Well, it happened to me at-least. I’m a very hard person to please. I like simple things and simplicity these days is almost extinct.

After 3 years of surviving in the concrete jungle of Mumbai city, I was back in Himachal. I did take short breaks to visit the near-by destinations. But, I was yearning for a longer trip. In Himachal, I visited Parvati Valley, Kasol. Himachal Pradesh is truly a mystery land! This time, I treaded on the path of wanderlust on my own. I did not have much guidance to craft out a perfect journey. But, I was with myself. No friends, no lover. Only Me!

Going to places and meeting new people always boosted my confidence. As I write this, I realize that we are surrounded with easily accessible information. In today’s age of technology and internet, we are losing human touch. We are too busy looking at our GPS systems to figure out the way instead of just asking a local person. The Google maps have replaced the Pan-walas eager to help you reach your destination. It’s not bad! It’s just that I feel that an important aspect of human relationships is fading away.

Coming to these breath-taking places makes me believe in the supreme power. I realise that we are just power less humans. There’s something more powerful, Nature. When I stand admiring the magnanimity of the Himalayan range, my belief in the almighty increases by leaps & bounds.

I’m not going to give dos and don’ts on solo trip. To each their own! Personally I prefer a basic accommodation with a kitchen if possible. I hate ordering food all day. I like to do my own stuff. For me, going to places like in Himachal means getting closer and closer to nature. I can sit all day admiring rivers and trees, and mountains and waterfalls. The fact that there is a magnificent backdrop as I tread jovially on the path of adventure.

For me solo trip is not for sightseeing or being touristy (I don’t know if there’s a word like this, but hey I can make my own words.) I don’t like the idea of being a tourist in my own country. I like to blend in. For me going solo was to know myself more, being one with self. Trust me, once you start enjoying your own company, you’ll never be lonely. So, go ahead! Be with yourself! But before you decide your own solo trip, BELIEVE! Believe in everything you see, touch and feel.

 

Going Solo

Google recently launched their flight search in India. The online travel agents like Makemytrip.com , cleartrip.com etc had been anticipating this move anxiously. The Google flight search is a flight aggregator enables the user to directly book flights directly on the airline website.

We are going to see how can you utilize Google Flight Search to plan a trip and save some money while booking it.

We have listed 5 ways in which Google flight search can help you.

1) Choose a destination based on your budget

Its a Sunday afternoon and you want to plan your long pending trip. You know that your budget is 25k for a round trip and you want to explore South-East Asia. But, you have not been able to zero down on the destination. Some say Philippines has the best islands and some vouch for Thailand beaches. You are as confused as a monk in a bar. Google flight search will help you here.

Select a destination, say Bangkok. Hit search from your city. Google flight search will show you list of flights to Bangkok. Along with that, it will also show you a map in the top right corner. Expand the map.  In the map, the route to Bangkok from Bangalore (My City) will be shown. When you explore a bit, you can see simultaneous options which can be covered under 25k.  Apart from Bangkok, you can visit Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore etc within your budget. Did your friend mention philippines has beautiful islands? Well, just add 5k to your trip and you can spend a sunny morning exploring the exotic islands. See, it just took 5 minutes to narrow down and finalize your destination!

I have been dreaming to go to Europe. My problem is to find the cheapest flight which can land me in Europe. I thought Istanbul will be the best option as it is considered to be the gateway to Europe and has the shortest air-route from India. But, Google flight search busted the myth! As you can see in the map below, Istanbul is costing me 63k for a round trip. But, Rome can be reached just for 46k. I explored a bit and to my pleasant surprise, Paris return flights are only for 33k!! In a second, I just reduced my trip cost, enough to sponsor my 1 month stay in Europe! For a traveller, there is no better value than this discovery!

 

2) Plan your itinerary by selecting the most cost effective route

If you are going for a long vacation, planning an itinerary is another task. Lets take an example. You would like to spend 15 days in South-East Asia or Europe. 5 Days each in 3 countries. You can shift your origin and see which next destination according to your dates will be the cheapest. You can use the expanded map option and create your itinerary in 30 minutes!

The multi-city option can also be user here. However, not all of the international flights are bookable online through Google flight search. You might be prompted to call a travel agent.

3) Save money if your dates are flexible

Now, when you are planning a vacation, you decide a month initially. Exact dates might be decided later. This is when Google flight search will be very handy. Say for example, I want to visit London in the month of April. Select a date in middle of the month to observe the rate-graph of the month. As you can see in the image below, on 22nd April, the flight rate is 24k. However, on 11th April, it is 34k! I would not think twice if I can save 10k by postponing my trip for 11 days.

4) Use the impeccable User Interface

The user interface is impeccable here. As the map expands and contracts, you feel that your trip is going to be a big adventure. Well, I specifically like the part where to check flight rate to a destination, you just have to click on it in the map.

5) Save your dream trip and get fare alerts

Well, there might be instances where you are saving up for your dream trip and would love to know when the time is right. Just create your itinerary on Google flight search and save it. You will be able to track the prices and get alerts on the go. Pack an extra bag and keep it ready just in case you get an amazing offer.

 

So, curl up in front of your TV with your laptop and start planning your next amazing trip! Watch this video for a quick introduction to Google flight search

[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hffP2vr1Jk[/embedyt]

The above mentioned points are those which I like as a user. In case you have additional inputs, please comment and let me know!

Featured image source: www.siliconindia.com

 

 

Google Flight Search

The Limca book of records has for long been capturing amazing records in India. Since 1990, the book has been recognizing Indian achievements across various fields. These achievements showcase the Indian attitude of turning dreams into reality.

For example, there was this Indian couple that dreamt of travelling across the seven  continents. Devaprakash Ramachandriah Shampur and his wife Shalini of Tumkur, Karnataka visited all the seven continents of the world together. Over a period of seven years, they visited these continents to achieve something that they had always aspired towards. This  spectacular achievement sealed their entry in the Limca book of records as “the first couple to  travel to seven continents”. Devaprakash and Shalini are the very personification of  determination and perseverance.

That’s what it takes to enter the Limca book of records. It’s great if you have a dream. But if you  have  a vision to back up that dream, the Limca book of records is waiting for you.

 

Another good example is Mr Sameer Singh, a mechanical engineer from Roorkee, Uttarakhand. His dream was to disseminate technical knowledge through practical sessions. He realized that it would not be possible to achieve that without travelling to the leading technology setups in India. So he gathered the mechanical students of 2012-13 and organized 26 educational tours!

Not only did he enable the students to learn technology through the best possible method, Mr Singh also achieved what he had always dreamt of. The Limca book of records recognized this achievement in the category of “Most Educational tours in a year”. This record would surely be an inspiration to all engineering professors across India!

 

When it comes to travelling, there are many modes of  transport. Some prefer to take a flight while others prefer trains. Rail Parishad, an NGO which works as a link between commuters and railways, showcased their love for trains by organizing a wedding reception in one. This was done in the Adarsh Coach of the Nashik-Igatpuri Panchvati Express.

The couple were part of a beautiful ceremony amidst 110 passenger guests. This quirky wedding reception was recognized by the Limca book of records as the “first wedding reception in a train”, and the event was embedded in the pages for eternity.

 

Sometimes, individuals join hands and form a great team. One such group of individuals created a marvel named Terminal 2 (T2) of the Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport. This passenger terminal spread across a sprawling area of 44 lakh square feet is a special achievement by Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd. The terminal was recognized by the Limca book of records as the “Largest Passenger Terminal”, and just as well; the architectural magnificence and beautifully captured Indian art craft & heritage of the T2 deserve to be commemorated.

The terminal is even more fascinating because of its stylish structure. The art wall, illuminated by skylights, represents peacock feathers in their expanded form. I had visited Thailand on 26th Feb 2014, 14 days after the terminal was operational. I still remember the enthusiastic staff who were working with pride in this spectacular masterpiece of architectural aesthetics.

From the adventurous couple to the dedicated professor, from the quirky wedding reception to an architectural masterpiece – all these examples represent the true Indian spirit. The Limca book of records has been able to capture all these instances of positive Indian attitude. These achievers have not only made their friends and families proud, but also painted an amazing picture of India on the global canvas.

Many such examples are included in the Limca Book of Records (LBR) 2015. The 26^th edition was recently launched at the Jaipur Literature festival, and this latest edition is a special on literature. Along with this special edition, a special pocket edition was also launched. The pocket edition will be available across book stores for Rs 150/-.

The Limca book of records has been doing a great job in capturing the Indian achievements. The book inspires many to dream, persevere & achieve, and here’s hoping it continues to do so for many years to come!

There are many cultures in India. Shifting from one state to another is always exciting as you would meet people from new cultures and explore new landscapes. This post is about my experiences, as I assimilate various cultures in India, by staying in different states. Every-time I moved to a different state, it was a bold move for me.  However, every change has made me stronger and brought a positive change in my life.

The first state, where I stayed for 21 years, is Gujarat. When I completed my school, I continued with my graduation in Gujarat. Gujarat offers rich culture to imbibe. Be it Kite flying day or Navratri celebrations. Any festival is celebrated with zest! However, for me, Gujarati culture was the only culture I had experienced since childhood. Hence, I decided to move to a different Indian state for my post-graduation. This decision turned out to be a life-changing one!

Out of the available options, I selected Goa for completing my post-graduation. I had visited Goa during my graduation days and had returned back completely exhilarated. So, when a prospect of studying in Goa appeared, I was very excited. I stayed for 2 years in Goa during my post-graduation degree. I made some lovely friends and partied like crazy. I still remember the long bike rides dissecting breath-taking landscapes in Goa. This state taught me how to enjoy life and make responsible decisions at the same time! During my stay, I was bitten by the travel bug. Till date, I have stayed infected. This has completely changed my life. I used to travel earlier also. But, now when I travel, I travel with an inquisitive pair of eyes, in search of splendid experiences to remember for lifetime.

Every phase of life has to end. But, only for a new chapter to begin. In my case, after the Goa chapter, the “City of Dreams” was destined for me. With hope in heart, I landed in Mumbai. I started my corporate job and lived life as a liberal bachelor who had just started earning. My friends were in the same state. So, Mumbai gave us all a sense of freedom and self-independence.  I met many new people and became more social. I started to find it easy to strike a conversation with a random stranger. Well, Mumbai does that to you!

But, eventually, I seeked more excitement in my career. I was always inclined to the travel industry and hence started seeking opportunities in the same. Finally, I decided to take a bold step and shift companies. I got a job with a leading travel website. Due to this, I had to shift to Bangalore, the city of pubs & gardens. I spent a lot of time to find the perfect house for me in Bangalore and I found it! As I write this, I  sit in my balcony, allowing the cool Bangalore wind to caress my hair.

For me, starting a new life in Goa, Mumbai & Bangalore was exciting! Exploring various cultures in India, in search of a new chapter in life, has definitely made me bold and confident for taking certain steps.

It’s way past midnight and sleep eludes me. I sit in my comfort chair, enjoying the calm breeze under moonlight. The soft songs playing in my headphones sets a perfect mood. I am exploring some information on the web, planning for my upcoming trip. That’s pretty much what I do on any weekend. This weekend is no different.

Suddenly, I stumble upon a great article about Bhutan. I start reminiscing about my trip to Bhutan 2 years back. Gradually, these memories start occupying my mind and I start thinking about the wonderful times I had with friends!

What makes a person happy? Is it money? Fame? Power? Well, I don’t know about these 3. But, for me, small things about traveling conjures happiness.

Waking up to chirping birds is happiness. Deep sea diving with friends is happiness. Admiring nature’s magnificence as a curious child is happiness.

Be it waking up early to catch a flight and making sure your friends are up or racing against time to catch a train, the rush of emotions before a trip is happiness for me!

I have stayed in Mcleodganj for a month, went for an overnight drives to Goa from Mumbai, camped in the middle of dense Himalayan forest, jumped off a cliff in Bir-Billing, swam with turtles in Indonesia, tasted Vietnamese hospitality in Hoi An and experienced a lot more because of my travels. The sense of achievement for me does not categorize under making tons of money. For me, completing a trek, along with a friend, in time to see the sunset behind the snow capped & glorious mountains, is true achievement!

I distinctly remember the time when I was in Bumthang, Bhutan. I cannot forget this experience as it makes me happy from the bottom of my heart, every time!

It was a moderately cold day in Bumthang. The sun was yet to rise and we decided to take a morning walk. As we were exploring the unknown terrains, through dense mist. we discovered a flight of stairs leading up a hill. We started climbing the stairs, with our hearts beating fast in anticipation of the sight that awaited us. It could be a panoramic view of Bumthang town or maybe a secret temple. We had no idea what was in store for us. Slowly and steadily, we traversed through the mist, which was now fading gradually. After half an hour, we finally reached the top and our discovery left us in awe.

In front of our awe-struck eye, there stood a beautiful monastery. The monks were chanting their morning prayers. Some monks were feeding birds. We turned around and saw a beautiful view of Bumthang city. As the mist faded, the beautiful city landscapes looked splendid. We stood at the entrance, admiring the serenity of the monastery. A monk approached us and offered breakfast. We denied in the beginning but had to concede to his humble requests.

We sat in their kitchen and waited for the breakfast. It was simple and delicious. We were offered rice with curry and some biscuits with steaming hot tea. We relished the breakfast. Next, he offered to show us the monastery. We happily agreed. He showed us the meditation room and adviced us to attend the ongoing guided meditation session. We sat in line with the monks. The meditation session started by a sound of spoon tapping a bowl. As the sound vibrated across the rooms, he guided us to control our breath and make the mind thoughtless. It was difficult at first. But, gradually, we were engrossed in the enveloped serenity. After 10 minutes, we opened our eyes. Those 10 minutes were the most calm & peaceful time we had in years! For me, reaching a state of thoughtlessness was like achieving true happiness!! It just felt so relieved to not let a single thought perturb you!

This experience is only one out of many experiences during my travels, that made me happy. I feel happy not only when I experience these moments, but also when I remember them! As I write this post , I feel happy! Just because deep down in my heart, this experience occupies a small space, which can always make me happy.

It was Saturday and I had to catch an early morning flight to Delhi. I was visiting Delhi to go and explore Bir. The cab arrived on time and I stopped admiring the early morning’s silence and rushed to get into the cab. As the driver traversed through the empty lanes of Bangalore, I took out my Asus Zenpad 8.0 and started to scan the list of movies which I had transferred from my laptop the day before. It was going to be a long flight!

My Asus Zenpad 8

I am not a big fan of flights. In the last year, I would have taken at least 40 flights for work and leisure combined. The same flight routine is pretty boring for me. Especially, long flights; like a 3 hour flight from Bangalore to Delhi!

To fight boredom, I always carry my fully charged laptop with me. The bulky laptop occupies lot of space in my backpack and is heavy too! The only motive of carrying the laptop is to watch movies during the flight or finishing off my pending blogs. I don’t recall opening my laptop during a trip!

To always carry laptop with me seemed unnecessary. I decided to get myself a lighter device with decent screen size which can help me watch movies but, not increase the weight of my backpack by 2-3 KGs. So, I got myself a new smartphone with a big screen.

Did it suffice?

No!

The screen size was decent, yes. But, not enough!

I didn’t really enjoy watching movies on it and regretted not carrying my laptop during one trip. The next thought to solve this problem was to get a tablet.

What was I looking for in a Tablet? Two things.

i) Big screen: A screen good enough to watch a movie in HD Quality.

ii)  Light weight: Should be really light, it’s absence from my backpack should not be felt!

With these things in mind, I started evaluating Tablets and came across a few good options. Meanwhile, I got my hands on Asus Zenpad 8.0 and I was surely impressed by this device!

Did it meet my expectations?

Yes! Not only it met my expectations, but also exceeded it. Here, I am listing 5 features which I personally love about Asus Zenpad 8.0.

1) Durable Battery Life: 

One of the most irritating thing for me is when my laptop shuts down, just 20 minutes before the movie climax. I desperately wish for a charging point below my arm-rest at that time! But, Asus Zenpad 8.0 was truly a savior for me. It has an impressive battery backup and lasts anywhere between 12 – 15 hours depending on the usage. For me, this is a great feature as I can watch my movie in peace without wishing desperately for the movie to complete before the device battery drains.

The Asus Zenpad battery lasts pretty long. There are optimized modes as well for power saving

2) Sleek Design:

The design of Asus Zenpad 8 really impressed me. The sleek design & attractive looks carves a unique place for this tablet and sets it apart from the crowd. The metallic line around the tablet gives it a rich look.

The back portion of Asus zenpad 8 can be changed. One option is to keep the plastic cover attached to the body and other option is to attach the tablet with an Audio cover with an inbuilt speaker!

The audio cover is an impressive accessory and makes the tablet look really rich, somewhat similar to leather cover. However, it does increase the weight of the device. But, given the style quotient it adds, I wouldn’t mind the weight.

This audio cover has to be bought separately as it is an additional accessory. It enhances the multimedia functionality of the tablet as your movie watching experience will improve.

The Audio Cover looks elegant, with a fine touch, similar to leather

You can mount the Tablet in this manner and watch a movie!

Without the Audio Cover, you will have to attach the normal cover, which also looks elegant!

The back of the normal cover also looks stylish and makes a statement!

3) Calling capability & 4G equipped

The 3rd feature of this Tablet it the enabled connectivity. Asus Zenpad 8.0 is equipped with calling capability and has 4G enabled. For me, using 4G in Bangalore has been a delight for my Mobile and Dongle. Hence, I am really excited that this Tablet is 4G enabled. I intend to buy a Sim card and start browsing internet at high speed.

4) Big Screen with sharp features

This feature was one of my necessities  and I’m glad that Asus Zenpad 8 was able to satisfy this. The 8 inch display is a delight while browsing on the internet or watching movies. I can also work on this Tablet. I can write blogs, work on excel, update my blog and much more! I am not very found of working on smaller mobile devices, but the screen size of Zenpad 8.0 makes it convenient for me.

The combination of decent screen and audio cover works perfectly!

5) Lightweight

When I put it in my backpack, Asus Zenphone 8.0 isn’t very conspicuous. Hidden underneath other stuff, this Tablet solves my problem of laptop laden heavy bags. Asus Zenpad 8 is surely a good replacement when compared to my bulky laptop. It weighs only 350 grams!

However, if you are carrying the Tablet along with the Audio cover, the weight will increase, but not by a very high margin.

It’s actually pretty light, you can carry your Audio cover with you and detach it whenever required

On a closing note, Asus Zenpad 8.0 is surely a good buy if you are looking for a multimedia Tablet. The display is of good quality and big enough to enjoy watching movies, playing games, browsing apps or internet. It’s lightweight, stylish and a great companion for frequent travelers.

For detailed specifications and features, you can visit Asus Zenphone 8.0 page on the official website.

Are you using any tablet? Which one? How is your experience? Do let me know in the comments.

Also, do follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, I’m looking for some great travel ideas!