Best of Jan- June 2018

Half of 2018 is already history. I had only 2 international trips and couple of domestic trips this year so far. Have written about 85 posts so far this year, which is a relatively less number compared to previous years. Anyway, purpose of this post is to highlight some of the most popular posts in my blog published in first half of 2018- in case you've not been a regular reader, you might wish NOT to miss these posts.

Most popular posts:

1 Zoomcar ZAP Subscribe explained
This post has been most read one so far on my blog this year. Obviously there's lots of interest in renting/subscribing a car than buying one and people are curious about new schemes launched by rental companies. Some of the feedback I gave in this post was taken positively by Zoomcar to update their policy.

2. Swiggy Cheats

This post detailing some of the clever ways in which Swiggy tries to make extra money has been the next most popular post. I see more and more comments on Quora on how newer tricks are adopted by brands to con customers.  Do check and be careful.

3. List of top active bloggers in Chennai
This post received lots of appreciation and was used by multiple PR agencies to identify and contact right bloggers. I plan to update it once or twice an year to maintain an updated list. Do comment if I've missed any crucial bloggers

4. Ten expensive countries a couple can explore for the price of 1 year LKG fee
This post was written on a light mood after seeing some schools charging 2 lakh INR+ as yearly fee even for LKG. But on a serious note, it highlights the ever increasing cost of education and a thought process- is it really important to have kids or spend so much on education?

5. TravelSpice 's clever business model explained
Wrote about this hotel booking website which claims to offer super cheap rooms. It is a clever business model- without enough data I can't term them as scam or fraud, but my gut feeling says probability of saving is very low as the model is very tricky. Since I wrote this they have won a few awards, have engaged a few bloggers to write positive stories and continue with their business as usual.

6. Tata Hexa XE review
No one reviews cheapest variant of a car. I did, with Tata Hexa's base variant, XE rented from Zoomcar. Do read the review if you're considering the car.

7. Simple lifestyle changes that can help you travel more
This post provides a set of tips on how to save more from your day to day life, so that you can travel more. Practical and serious ones, for those who think they don't have enough money to travel.

8. Should I buy a drone? pros and cons
Buying drone is the next big thing- action cameras have got too common now. But what are the pros and cons? Is it really worth? Do find out in this post.

9 Robot Restaurant, Chennai
A restaurant in Chennai where robo waitress bring your food. New concept and very popular one. Do read.

10. Unique themed restaurants of Chennai
A list of 15 unique restaurants in Chennai with special themes. How many of them have you visited?

Most commented posts
Excluding the most read posts listed above, below posts got good number of comments

1. Completed 12 years of blogging
My blog enters 13th year this May. Lots of congratulations comments makes this post one of the most commented.

2. Chennai Rail Museum visit
A lesser known attraction in Chennai- the rail museum is a worth visit.

3. ClickArt 3D musuem in Chennai ECR
A creative place to get yourself clicked- 3D museums are popping up in all cities now.

4. How to drink tender coconut without a straw
Read this post to understand how to drink a tender coconut without a straw and save more plastic.

Photo by Kudpi Raj

5. Sudha's car museum in Hyderabad
A collection of unique and interesting cars- a must visit when in Hyderabad

6. Experience visiting Matrimadir's inner chamber
Not many manage to visit Matrimandir's inner chamber- this post explains the process.

7. Solitude Farm Visit, Auroville
This back to the nature farm visit was very useful to understand the value of growing our own food or reducing food miles. We had a very engaging day at the farm. Do read to know more.

8. Srilanka's highest peak- Piduruthalagala
This recent post got good number of comments, probably because this destination is missed by many visitors

9 My experience visiting Arabian Travel Market 2018
In this post I shared my experience visiting ATM2018 as a blogger.

Posing in Arab outfit- courtesy Dubai Lounge, Clicked by Rutavi Mehta

10. All you need to know about Japan Rail pass
Must read if you're planning a visit to Japan

Some of my personal favorites
1. Horton Plains National Park visit experience and FAQs
Read these posts if you're planning to visit them during your next trip to Srilanka

2. Most spamming Indian brands- some of the brands that have been spamming me too much- be careful before giving your details to them

3. Topslip and Perambikulam- is it worth visiting these places in TN-Kerala border? Read before planning a visit, to save your time and money

4. Simple solution idea for Mahindras to boost sale of electric cars- I think this idea, if implemented will help boost sales of electric cars in India. Tweeted to Anand Mahindra but didn't get any response.

5. Nirvana Adventures basic paragliding course experience- completed my basic course this year- read to understand how it was

6. New Idea for Dubai tourism- on how to allow driving enthusiasts to try their hands trying desert safari

7. My experience trying Flyboarding in Dubai- I failed but the experience was worth it

8. Dubai police and their luxury cars

9. Rolls Royce Chennai launch- first time I got close to this 12 crore+ car and get to feel it up-close.

10. Managing Srilanka trip with public transportation- you can save a lot if you manage your Srilanka trip with buses and trains than renting a taxi.

Double Decker bus in Kandy

Read more of Dubai and Srilanka posts here. Also check best of 2017