Surrounded by seven hills, the city of Edinburgh, with the North Sea lapping at its fringes, is divided into old and new. We drive along the streets of the 18th-century part of the city where terraced Georgian houses stand tall. These houses are characterised by large windows at the centre while higher up, the windows belonging to the nursery become smaller. Those belonging to the dining rooms are the largest, much in the manner of a showpiece to display to guests, their size and number being indicative of one’s social status.
We drive past the statue of Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes’s creator had lived here. High Street comprises the principal shopping area, the original 18th century buildings opening out to shopping arcades below. George’s Street, named after King George III, leads to the museums that the city is known for, the Royal Scottish Academy and art galleries, famous for their Renaissance paintings.
Alexander Bell, the inventor of the telephone, who also lived in these parts, has many pubs named after him. Queens Street has retained most of its original ambience, a house with a doorway marked No. 17 having been home to poet and writer R.L. Stevenson who had lived there as a child with his nursery at the top of the house! The views and the botanical gardens close by inspired him to write Treasure Island. R.L. Stevenson came from a very wealthy family and used Edinburgh as the base for the writing of Jekyll and Hyde.
As we drive on, the greenery of the city opens up, past Parliament House, which stands opposite the Queens Gallery and we get a peek at the imposing façade of Holyrood Palace or Queens Park, the name changing according to the ruler of the period. Up the winding roads, past rolling parklands, dotted with lakes, and we finally arrive at Edinburgh Castle, which sits on the remnants of an old volcano. This majestic castle has dominated its surroundings for centuries. It has been the residence of Scotland’s monarchs, a prison for enemies, a repository of treasures and, at all times, a military stronghold.
Built on a steep volcanic rock, the castle is well defended. There is the one o’ clock gun salute on Mills Mount Battery, fired every noon, which has citizens check their watches and visitors jump out of their skins. A spectacular view of the city of Edinburgh can be had from the top the castle; spread out below lies the 18th century ‘New Town’, one of the greatest works of Georgian town planning in the British isle.
It is late afternoon and we leave the castle, overcome by the marvellous views from the battlements and its history.
Before the festivities get underway, there are flights to catch, security lines to endure and delays to tolerate. Here are 10 top holiday travel tips to help you navigate the festive season.
For procrastinators: Book last-minute: Typically we encourage travelers to book flights between 60 and 90 days before an anticipated date of departure. That ideal time-frame has now passed, leaving many fliers scrambling to find holiday fare deals. But all is not lost!Lucky for procrastinators, flash sales are popping up left and right and - better yet - the best is possibly yet to come. Start scanning now, as early December bookers could save the most on holiday flights.Travel alternatively: As ongoing advocates of both alternative airports and alternative destinations, our stance holds true with the season of cheer upon us. For fliers with a set destination in mind, taking the time to compare nearby airports based on affordability could mean major savings. Folks eager to get away for a beach vacation should look for the deal rather than the destination. Instead of Miami this Christmas, how about a beach town on the Gulf like Fort Meyers or Sarasota? The bottom line: do your homework.Fly on the holiday: Flight searches by date often tell an interesting but consistent story: flying midweek, early in the day or late at night saves travelers cash. 'Tis true on holidays, too. Many times the lowest fares go to travelers willing to fly on the holiday itself, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Eve. Plus, the cheer can be felt 35,000 feet in the air for flexible fliers, as some airlines are particularly festive. Lufthansa in Christmases past has cooked traditional German meals and decked cabins with wreaths and decorations so passengers - and flight crews - can share in the celebration.For gift givers: Shop online: In an era of ever-increasing baggage fees, it's best to show up to the airport with as little to check in as possible. Lucky for those with long wish lists, nearly everything nowadays can be found - and shipped - thanks to the glorious Internet. Order a Big Wheel-luggage hybrid for the junior traveler in your life or an airline gift card for your favorite frequent flier. No matter the choice, it means less to get through security and less on your credit card.Ship gifts: If you've found a gift at a great rate or a specialty item during your holiday shopping sprees, then of course seize the deal. But if it doesn't fit in your carry-on, you may want to ship it via a courier company. Do the math a week before to see what will cost you less: a tracked package or an extra bag. If it's the latter, remember to leave your gifts unwrapped so security can easily access the contents.Pack an empty suitcase: If the price is right, bringing an extra piece of luggage on your trip can be a frugal decision. Then, when it comes time to transport the gifts you've received home, you'll have an empty suitcase to fill. Either pack a fold-up duffel in your luggage or bring a separate bag if it means you won't get hit with high-priced baggage fees. First calculate what it will cost to ship your gifts home, then plan and pack accordingly.Peruse duty-free: International fliers over the holidays have the opportunity to savor their layovers a bit in the duty-free shops, where high-end products go for everyday prices in airports around the globe. Hubs like Hong Kong International Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schipol and London Heathrow Airport offer shoppers a bounty of stocking stuffers and goodies for under the tree. Shop on your way - or way home - tax-free. A friendly reminder: If you're connecting Stateside from certain international locations, liquids purchased at duty-free have to be checked before the domestic leg of your flight.For air mile collectors - Save the miles: Miles get tricky around the holidays, especially since "low points" seats for the most popular travel dates sell out even before the Halloween candy has hit the shelves. There's that, plus some airlines implement the never-popular blackout dates. Accumulated miles, whether through an airline or a credit card, are used most economically either when travel plans are booked early or a traveler has flexibility with their itinerary. Our advice: Save the points during the holidays unless you snag a great deal.Plan ahead and expect delays: Flight delays are pretty much a guarantee this time of year, whether its crowded airports, bad weather or mechanical problems causing them. There's a way to plan ahead so that getting stuck behind infrequent fliers and families of five at airport security doesn't cause anxiety. First, avoid connections if you can when booking, even if it means paying a little more. If a connection is a must, then ensure there's a long enough layover in case your first flight is late to land. On the day of travel, get to the airport earlier - way earlier - than you typically would. Worst-case scenario: You spend extra time with your Kindle at the departure gate or relaxing at the airport bar.Health: Invest in hand sanitizer: The most wonderful time of the year is also the most sniffly time of the year for many travelers. Keep that in mind before you head for the airport, and pack plenty of hand sanitizer to help fend off germs.There's nothing worse than realizing during ascent that you're stuck in a cabin full of recycled air with a sickly seatmate. Fill your prescriptions, drink lots of water, wash your hands often - whatever it takes to guarantee your holidays will be spent both joy- and health-filled.
India has been awarded to host the 2018 men's hockey World Cup. India successfully organised the previous edition of the mega event three years ago. 
Trust, of late, has lost its meaning. The only mistake of the 23-year-old software engineer, who was kidnapped and raped in Hyderabad, was that she trusted the cab drivers to take her to her hostel. There is no answer to why India is increasingly becoming a rape capital and why women in metro cities don't feel safe-- whether in cabs, buses, autos or malls. 
The techie, who had moved to Hyderabad recently, was so terrified to report the gang-rape that she filed a police complaint saying she had escaped the rape bid when she was returning from a mall around 8.30 pm on Oct 18. But the incident came to light after the police arrested the cab drivers. Read full story here The drivers drove her for nearly four hours in Hyderabad on several stretches, including the Outer Ring Road, and raped her at an isolated area near the Open Mind Birla School, Tellapur. They later dropped her near her hostel at around 2.30am. Read full story here In another shocking incident in Hyderabad in September, a 20-year-old polytechnic student was allegedly kidnapped and raped by the college canteen owner for almost 17 months in Hyderabad. Accused Satya Prakash Singh, 34, a native of Bihar, runs the canteen at TRR College of Technology at Meerpet, allegedly drugged and raped the victim in his flat. Read full story hereAfter the horrendous Delhi bus gang-rape on Dec 16, 2012, and the consequent death penalty to culprits, it was felt that the city would be safer for women. It is only far from it. Over 1,121 rape cases were registered in Delhi alone from Jan-Aug this year, the highest in the last 13 years.A 14-year-old girl was raped by a minor boy at knife-point at Gokalpuri in Delhi in October. The boy took her to an isolated place near the Wazirabad flyover and raped her. Based on the complaint, the juvenile was arrested.A 25-year-old woman was drugged and then raped by four persons in the Welcome area of North-East Delhi in May. The victim, who had separated from her husband and living alone, came across one Yashdev while looking for a job. He, on the pretext of introducing her to prospective employers, took advantage of her along with his friends.In Sept, the sexual abuse of a 9-year-old girl at Sholavaram near Chennai shocked the state. Four youths entered the house at 4am, took the girl who was sleeping. They raped the girl in a hut and fled. Police arrested two people Mohan and Ram in this connection. A 22-year-old engineering student in Chennai committed suicide at Chengam, 180km from Chennai, after her cousin E Ezhilarasan, also a student, posted photos of her sexual abuse on the internet. He along with his friends had raped her intimidating her with threats to circulate the clip. A 22-year-old engineering student in Chennai committed suicide at Chengam, 180km from Chennai, after her cousin E Ezhilarasan, also a student, posted photos of her sexual abuse on the internet. He along with his friends had raped her intimidating her with threats to circulate the clip. In September, a court in Bangalore sentenced six persons to life term for gang-raping a law student on October 13 last year on Bangalore University's Jnanabharathi campus. The girl and her friend were sitting in a car when they were attacked by the eight-member gang.There is a concern that Bangalore, the IT capital, is turning into rape capital. On Oct 19, three bar girls were allegedly gang-raped by a group of eight men. In Mumbai, the gang-rape of a 22-year-old photo-journalist when she was on an assignment shocked the nation in September. The culprits raped her after bashing up her male friend at an abandoned mill close to the railway tracks in the Mahalaxmi area. The same month, Santacruz police in Mumbai registered three rape cases in three days. That included the arrest of a 37-year-old man for allegedly raping his four-year-old neighbour. The four-year-old victim was allegedly raped by her neighbour when her mother stepped out of her house to buy milk.On September 23, a woman, who was asleep while travelling in an autorickshaw in Mumbai, was allegedly abducted and taken to Sanjay Gandhi National Park and sexually assaulted by a group of unidentified men. 
In a series of tweets, Dhoni shared with his over two lakh followers, photographs of the first bike that he bought -a Yamaha Rajdoot and how he dismantled the two-wheeler. 
"...I don't know who will assemble it but it was fun taking it apart," Dhoni tweeted accompanied by pictures of the bike."I think my plan of action is to restore the 1st bike that I bought for Rs 4500, ...Its in a very bad shape," Dhoni had tweeted last month.Free from his dismantling duties on the cricket field right now, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni turned his energies towards disassembling the first bike that he acquired as he enjoyed a rare break from the hectic international schedule.Dhoni has a fetish for bikes and has over a dozen of them besides 10 high-end cars. He bought his first bike for Rs 4,500 and plans to restore it. Dhoni also owns a two-wheeler racing team - Mahi Racing Team which competes in the World Superbike Championship.In pictures: Dhoni's dismantled bike which he is planning to restore.Another snapshot of Dhoni's first bike which he dismantled in order to give a new life to his old bike.Team India captain MS Dhoni is a self-confessed bike-freak. He is reported to have more than 20 bikes and 10 cars. His list of bikes include Yamaha Rx, Confederate Hellcat X 132, Yamaha Rxz, Kawasaki zx14r Ninja, Harley Davidson Fat boy, among others. As a hard-hitting batsman-wicketkeeper, Dhoni became popular for his long locks as well as his love for bikes. He was spotted speeding past most vehicles on the roads of Jharkhand during his early years in international cricketer. With fame chasing him, he chose to ride more in the comfort of darkness of night. Dhoni bought his first bike for Rs 4,500 and he said he planned to restore that bike. He also owns a two-wheeler racing team - Mahi Racing Team. The team has two bikers in Florian Marino of France and Dan Linfoot of Great Britain.Dhoni often collected bikes for prizes for his 'superhuman' efforts on cricketing field. In this pic, Dhoni drives a motorcycle which was awarded to him for being man of the series in the ODI tournament against England in 2007. India won that series 5-0. - AP Riding in the night looks the best bet for Dhoni to avoid the risk of getting mobbed. But that couldn't prevent fans from clicking his pic when he's enjoying his ride on his superbike. After humiliating Australia 4-0 in the Test series in India early this year, Dhoni and his men checked out the Formula 1 tract at Noida. Dhoni drove Confederate Hellcat X 132, his superbike costing Rs 60 lakh, and left everyone awed. 
When the whole of India celebrated Independence on August 15, 1947, Mahatma Gandhi spent the day fasting in Kolkata, as he was not happy with the partition. Gandhi was once unemployed. When he returned to India from London after completing a law course in 1891, he didn't find a suitable job as a lawyer. Two years later, he went to South Africa, where he got a job on contract by an Indian company. Gandhi was a man of peace, but he never won the Nobel Peace Prize. Despite his nominations in 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1947, he never got it. He was also nominated in 1948, the year he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse. The Nobel committee, which disagreed on awarding him posthumously, didn't bestow it to anyone that year saying there was no suitable candidate.Contrary to his outspoken and courageous demeanor, Gandhi as a kid was shy and introvert. After school, he would run back home as he didn't like to talk to anyone. Gandhi's Civil Disobedience Movement was inspired by the teachings of Henry David Thoreau, an American author, who lived on the shores of a sea like a hermit and refused to pay taxes.Gandhi loved walking and often called it the prince of exercises. As a student in London, he saved money by walking couple of miles every day. Not to forget, during the Dandi March in 1930, he, at 60, walked 241 miles to the sea at Dandi.He was very conscious of his diet. He would live for days just on fruits and goat's milk. Friday is an eventful day. Gandhi was born on Friday. India got its independence on Friday. Gandhi was assassinated on Friday. Gandhi's was a child marriage. He was 13 years old when he married Kasturba, who was 14, in 1883.Everywhere he went, Gandhi carried a set of false teeth in the fold of his loin cloth and would use it only while eating.