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Journeys that are as good as the destinations

Last updated on: February 10, 2014 16:20 IST
Fort Dansborg in Tharangampadi (Tranquebar) in Tamil Nadu

Hit the road this Valentine's Day with your significant other.

Lakshmi Sharath lists out road trips that will bring you closer.

This Valentine Day, do not head to any romantic destination.

Instead add a dash of romance to your journeys.

For they say the journey is the destination.

And giving you and your beloved company are the snow clad mountains, the charming rustic villages, the sun kissed sands of time in a desert, rivers and waterfalls, dense forests and soothing beaches.

The road is wide open and you can cuddle up and choose any of these

1. Pick a coast of your choice

The sea breeze trickles your nostrils and leads you on a journey by the coast.

Passion is best expressed by the sea, its waves caressing the shore, lingering in a slow embrace as it leaves behind foam on the sands while it ebbs.

India has two vast coastlines -- one traversing from Gujarat to Kerala and the other from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu.

Pick any direction or state or if you have just a few days, then choose a stretch that you would like to explore.

My favourite would be the Coromandel Coast.

Driving from Chennai to Tranquebar:

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2. A road trip across forests

Last updated on: February 10, 2014 16:20 IST
Drive through the forests spanning Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala

If you are the wild and the passionate kind, then this journey is for you.

Imagine driving through verdant tracts of virgin forests, where the dense foliage converge around you, where detours take you to gushing waterfalls, where streams call you in whispers and a chance wild life encounter awaits you.

My suggestion:

Drive through the forests spanning Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala then head to Bandipur and cross over to Mudhumulai.

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3. A desert safari

Last updated on: February 10, 2014 16:20 IST
A village near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

The golden sands, the dreamy oasis, the music in the distance, the rustic charm, the silence -- what can be more beautiful than a sun set or a sun rise in the desert?

I was recently in Jaisalmer and I fell in love with the desert.

But this one is for adventure enthusiasts who would love to explore the desert and head out like a nomad with a caravan.

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4. A valley of clouds at Tawang

Last updated on: February 10, 2014 16:20 IST
A lake at Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh

If you like to get lost, head out to remote destinations, visit small towns by the river side, get engulfed by a valley of clouds, then this romantic route is for you.

I went on this route in early January and it was rather cold but the frozen lakes and the snowflakes made up for it.

But what was absolutely spectacular was the valley of clouds which surrounded us, near Sela Pass.

There was not a soul in sight.

ALSO READ Photos: Tawang revisited

5. Nubra Valley

Last updated on: February 10, 2014 16:20 IST
Nubra Valley, Ladakh

This is purely for adventure enthusiasts who can brave sub-zero temperatures, stay in Spartan conditions and are always flexible with change in plans.

But if the weather holds, the journey down from Leh to Khardungla to Nubra Valley surrounded by a blanket of snow is one that you will cherish for a lifetime.

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