Down Under

When I left India I knew it would only be a matter of time before I started to really appreciate where I was.  I wouldn't by any means say that my trip to India was a vacation, but more of a life experience.  By the end I was so exhausted and fed up with being hot ALL the time and having to barter for absolutely EVERYTHING that I started to forget where I was and didn't appreciate it.  I now can look back at what I've accomplished and reflect on what an amazing experience it was! It was definitely difficult but well worth it! 
As I approached the end of my time in India I started preparing for my next adventure. The land down under! I started reading the book Down Under by Bill Bryson. I have collected some facts that I learnt from my good friend Bill about the country I was about to embark on!
It is the world's sixth largest country and it's the largest island. It is the only island that is also a continent and the only continent that is also a country. It is the only nation that began as a prison. It has more things that will kill you then anywhere else, a country where the fluffiest of caterpillars can lay you out with a toxic nip, where seashells will not just sting you but actually sometimes GO after you! Of the World's ten most poisonous snakes, ALL are in Australia, five of its creatures are of the most lethal of their type in the world.! WOW doesn't this sound like a great place to move to! haha 
Little did I know, but the poisonous creatures were actually the least of my worries when I first arrived here in Melbourne. Coming from 40 something degree weather to a freezing 15 degrees has been the biggest shock to the system. In comparison to Canada's winters it's not cold, but for me...I feel as though I am on top of Mount Everest with icicles forming on my finger tips and hanging from my hair and face! Ok maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but either way...IT IS COLD! The second shock to the system would be the PRICES! Coming from one of the cheapest places in the world to one of the most expensive  is going to take a lot of getting used to! :S (If ever) Despite the few negatives I am absolutely loving Australia so far. It is so nice to be surrounded by people who speak the same language as me, eat the same foods as me, and wear the same clothes as me! Not to say that it wasn't a great experience and fun to do, but after a few months I really started to miss the little things. Those little things that you don't appreciate when you have them all the time, such as simply being able to SAFELY drink tap water. Using real toilets that come supplied with rolls of toilet paper, and eating MEAT safely without wondering if you will die or become seriously ill within the next 24 hours! I've actually been able to sleep soundly since being here, not having to worry if I will wake in the middle of the night attacked by bed bugs or have a friendly little mouse visit my bed while I'm sleeping. You know...the little things! :)
I must say, one of the most amazing things since being in Australia is being surrounded by family again! I am truly blessed to have such an amazing dispersed family! Almost everywhere in the world I go there is someone there with open arms! I have been around more family in the past 6 months then I have been in a very LONG time! It's probably one of my favourite parts about traveling. Being able to reconnect with people that live so far from where I've grown up most of my life! 
For now my adventures will be restricted to the land of Oz where, as Bill says, if you are not stung or pronged to death in some unexpected manner, you may be fatally chomped by sharks or crocodiles, or carried helplessly out to sea by irresistible currents or left to stagger to an unhappy death in the baking outback. Sounds like this island will keep me entertained for quite a while, with many exciting adventures to come! :)

Princess of India

(Sorry for the delay...been a hectic couple of days...)

Jaisalmer: The Ocean Desert!

So arriving in Jaisalmer, completely submerged in the Desert, I felt like I was living Aladins life. (Although it has come to my attention that the movie does not take place here, I will pretend it does!) I had a magical view of the golden Jaisalmer fort from my room and every house was a golden sand colour with open rooftops where colourful saries hang to dry! Really a beautiful sight. My main reason for coming to this magical (and extremely hot) desert was for the Camel Safari! Eager to get on a camel I booked the tour for the next day!

Riding a camel is not THAT difficult. It's very similar to riding a strangely humped, long necked horse!  (Probably the consequence of a horse and a giraffe getting confused in this heat!) Strange... but beautiful animals! My camel was Mr. Magoo...a sneaky little youngster, the trouble maker of the group! We got along really well :) haha. By the end of day 1 I could barely sit! Riding a camel isn't the most comfortable thing! But nothing a good nights rest under the stars and some delicious fire brewed chai can't fix. (By fix I mean form temporary amnesia) By the next morning that sore bum was hard to forget! Especially after hours of GALLOPING through the desert. (Yes, that's right...I am such a professional that I had Mr. Magoo running!) But that sore bum was completely worth it! This safari completely exceeded my expectations! (Not that I really had expectations since I've learnt that's how you get disappointed!)

My departure of Jaisalmer was quite the memorable one! 5 minutes to the trains departure I was running after the already moving train with all my bags, trying to pay my host for my stay!

18 hours later I arrived in Delhi...here is where the craziness begins...

Agra: the Taj Mahal

So since my last two destinations happen to be the most popular tourist spots train tickets are all booked! So eventually I found (yet another) sketchy rickety broken down bus to get me to Agra! Struggling to keep my eyes open (since it's next to impossible to get ANY sleep on the overnight trains/buses), I arrived in Agra in the middle of the night. Threw my bags down and slept...for 4 hours! Then it was time to get up, shower...which conveniently my room ran out of water mid shower, so I had to sneak into another room to rinse the shampoo out of my hair...and get to the TAJ MAHAL for sunrise!

My whole trip I had been debating whether or not to see the Taj Mahal.  So I definitely didn't expect the Taj Mahal to be that spectacular AND it gave me goose bumps! It was breath taking! Such a beautiful love story and a remarkable building! Definitely worth the lack of sleep and craziness it took for me to get to! (Not sure it was exactly worth the 750 Rupee price! -indians only pay 20 Rupees, but still very glad I went)

Now, still suffering from lack of sleep, I booked a train ticket to Varanassi (my last stop) for that night. Only to realize later that I am wait listed (#128!). I knew it was too good to be true! Getting a ticket so easily!? Well, I couldn't wait! I have only a few days left in India and I MUST get to Varanassi! So I packed up my bags and jumped on the train without a seat and crossed my fingers that a smile and batt of the eyes would get me to Varanassi...even if it meant sleeping on the floor! (AND it worked...even was given a bed!)

Varanassi: the Holy City

I didn't think it was possible but it just keeps getting hotter and hotter...and after a 13 hour trip to Varanassi, now incredibly sleep deprived, I was starting to feel a little crazy! Watching body after body being burned, seeing mistreated, suffering animals everywhere, walking down tiny mazes of streets, crowded with thousands of people my first unfortunate experience with being sick! HEAT STROKE! In Varanassi of all places! With temperature reaching record highs here, NO a/c, the shower water hot, the drinking water is warm, unless you're lucky enough to find a cold one- which only lasts a few minutes- the fans are temperamental, and NOW to add to this a fever! I thought I was going to DIE! There's no escape!
Thankfully after 12 hours of sleep, 4 liters of warm water forced in me and cooling myself with wet clothes constantly I have managed to recover...as best I can...

Only 4 days left in India! Crazy! Couple more days in Varanassi and then back to Delhi! Oh how I dread Delhi...I've been avoiding it as long as possible! But after this place...I think I could handle anywhere! Varanassi is quite something!

A Whole New World!

Not 5 minutes outside of Jaipur and I was in the desert! Hot, dry, dusty sandy desert. (Camels included) Instantly all my negativity evaporated (probably due to the extreme heat being blown on me!) I was headed for a small town, Pushkar, just west of Jaipur.

My arrival in Pushkar was a true Indian experience. The bus packed full to capacity (probably more then capacity...) Swerved off the road hit an electrical pole and hung just over the edge of a small cliff. If it weren't for the pole I think we'd all still be in the river! "WELCOME TO PUSHKAR" the bus driver said to me once everyone was out safely. (Huge smile on his face) Haha What a welcome indeed!

Pushkar is a little slice of heaven. With not much to do except see a few temples, the holy ghats (where people bath) and SHOP (my main interest!) Its pretty much all you can handle anyways since its 40 something degrees ALL the time with NO escape. The closest thing to an air conditioner would be to stick your head a fridge! And with power not the most reliable thing here, neither fans or fridges can cool you down! Like I said...there's NO escape!

It's so refreshing to come to a town where everyone you pass greets you with "Namaste" and whether you are shopping, just walking by, sight seeing, eating you are always offered free chai! PSH! Who wouldn't love a town that constantly offers you free CHAI! Brilliant! Even if it's a billion degrees outside "Yes! I'd love some CHAI!!!" I think all places in the world should take note and start doing this! (Side note: it has recently been brought to my attention that CHAI actually means TEA in Hindu, and is not a TYPE of tea! Oops...no wonder I get weird looks when I order chai tea!  What I mean to say is chai MASALA! Lesson learned!).

I can't help but smile from ear to ear when I walk down the streets (Whilst listening to the Aladin soundtrack of course!) and pass a camel! I LOVE camels! For me to see them everywhere like this is so surreal! And they are everywhere! Kids are riding them, they are used to pull wagons, sometimes they just hang around the streets, I swear some are even pets!? I WANT A PET CAMEL! Cows are also EVERYWHERE here...but I don't want a pet Cow...just the camel will do :)

After what has been a really enjoyable and relaxing few days I am heading further into the Great Thar Desert where I hope to see more camels and to sweat even more then I already am! (Not sure if it's possible but from what I hear...Jaisalmer is HOT) Leave it to me to head to the desert in the hottest month of the year! :p

The Pink City

Jaipur gave me my first real taste of the North. The men are WAY more aggressive, the air is thick and dusty, and there are so many more flies!!! The Amber fort was incredible but that would be the only positive thing I have to say about this Pink City! Why I thought I would ever enjoy a city that is pink is beyond me!

I met a couple girls in my dorm who are also traveling alone (unfortunately none of them heading my way) It was nice to exchance stories and realize I'm not the only one struggling with this country! As a girl here we have to put up with so much and it can get quite exhausting! But the good news is I am still here, still pushing through...as much as I am desperate to get out of this place sometimes...I refuse to give up!

Amritsar

India is FULL of little games! One can very easily keep themselves entertained while walking from point A to point B. Try to guess how many times you'll get asked if you want a rickshaw, or how many times you'll get someone saying "hello" and try to start a conversation with you, or how many tourists you'll spot along the way, how many times someone will try and sell you something, and if you're feeling VERY daring, try and count how many honks you'll hear, etc...(the list could go on forever!) So long as you're in a good mood these little annoyances can make for quite some fun! That being said it IS still an annoyance! One which can't ALWAYS be fun and entertaining, no matter how hard you try!

Now as for Amritsar...I LOVE this strange little city. There's not much to do here other then visit the Golden temple! But it is so breathtakingly beautiful and so peaceful you can easily spend hours there. And its not the kind of place you just visit once! I spent a few days there and never felt bored :) I love how welcoming this temple is. ANYONE can enter, eat or even sleep (if you so wish) for free! All they ask is you be respectful, wash your feet and cover your head. Simple as that!:)

On my second evening here I witnessed one of the strangest events I have ever seen. The closing of the border ceremony between India and Pakistan! Everyday at sunset crowds of hundreds gather to sing and dance and watch the guards marching performance as they close the gates and take down the flags. I couldn't believe the amount of people that come to this! This isn't a one sided event either! Both Pakistan and India chant and march and witness this strange event. It felt as if I had attended a sporting event by accident? I'm not really sure what the purpose of such a performance is, or why it is such an event EVERYday but it was definitely worth it!

Now I'm making my way into the desert! Next stop...Jaipur.

Sum up the South

Hard to believe but my time in the South of India is up! From here on out I will be traveling the land of Forts and desert! I look forward to seeing the differences between the North and the South but at the same time I am sad to leave the comfort of the south! I know, shocking! I said comfort when referring to India! As much as India has been a struggle at times, I keep pushing through and am constantly rewarded with the unique beauty that is India! My last couple days in Kerela have been so amazing. I spent a couple nights up in the hills of Munnar where I FINALLY got a break from the heat! It was so nice to get all cozy under blankets and drink tea while I'm NOT sweating buckets! :) Mind you when I say it was cold it was actually only 15-25 degrees Celsius, but when you're coming from 40 degree weather (not including humidity) it FEELS like it could snow! The scenery in the hills was unlike any other I'd seen so far and was absolutely breathtaking! Tea plantations amongst jungle!! On my second night I met up with 2 Swiss girls that I had met previously in Hampi and we stayed in the jungle, about 20 km away from the city! It was incredible! We were even lucky enough to have a thunderstorm at night! I love thunder storms! And probably the best part about that night were the millions of fire flies in the garden!!! I've never seen fire flies before so when I saw them I felt like a little girl running after fairies!:) Such fascinating insects! Their bums GLOW! Haha
Returning to Fort Cochin for my last night in Kerela was also nice. Its always nice to return to a place you've already explored and mastered! You don't have the stress of finding things!:) So it was a stress free, quiet (as quiet as India can be) last couple days! A good (much needed) break before I now tackle the hectic buzz of the North! I've been told numerous times that the south is conservative and quiet when compared to the North! - Quiet? I don't know what they mean by that because I thought it was quite loud (with the exception of my ONE night in the jungle)...but we'll find out soon enough!

I'm cheating a bit and "Flashpacking" my way to the North in style! (Flying). Taking a train would take 3 days and while it would be a lot cheaper I think I would go insane! So from Cochin my next stop is Amritsar! Home of the Golden Temple! :)

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

The worst part about traveling is TRAVELING! At least in India! In south east Asia it was the best time to meet other backpackers and bond, while being shuttled around like cattle in the middle of nowhere, in hopes of arriving at your destination. But here, in India, I'm alone. Surrounded by few, if any, tourists. It also involves a LOT of waiting...waiting for the bus/train to arrive, waiting for the bus/train to get fixed, waiting to arrive at your destination! I have become quite used to the uncomfortable aspects of travel in India. The constant stares (my game has definitely helped!) And the constant phots being taken -I have a "game" for that one too. I take pictures of people taking pictures of me or pull weird faces...unless of course they ASK for a picture, then ill smile like a normal person!:) There are some things, however, which I don't think ill ever get used to. Number one on that list would be the disgusting clearing of the throat sound followed by spitting that ALL men AND women in India do:s I hear that sound everywhere and can't help but cringe everytime! I even hear it in restaurants! Where are they spitting?? :s I also can't seem to get rid of that nervous knott in my stomach everytime I depart one place and venture on to the next! Not knowing where I will sleep, if my bag will be under the bus still when I get to the otherside, IF I will even arrive, and if I do I'm hoping it's at a decent hour. Then there's always the hassel of getting from the station into town and not knowing how much to barter a rickshaw to! Its all a lot to handle and when you're doing it alone...its enough to make you crazy! BUT I wouldn't give it up for a second! I love traveling and if that's the price I have to pay so be it!:)

And so here I am...sitting in a little cafe waiting for my bus to Munnar...alone, nervous, but excited!
(Still would be nice to have someone to travel and share these memories with!)

The Backwaters of Kerela

I arrived in Cochin, Kerela at 430am tired and hopeful that this would be a great place. With so few tourists around, when one is spotted you are instantly drawn to each other! That being said, I met a great friend, Jon, from England! Thankfully he had already booked a place to stay...since its 430 in the morning, dark, thunder storming, and nothing is open, so I tagged along! :p  I just have to add, Kerela is already seeming like a QUIET place! Only a few honking horns! (And the time of night really doesn't make a difference in this country!)

Fort Cochin is a very small ancient town. There are old Chinese fishing nets which are still being used, and buildings resembling Dutch and British arcitechture. A weird mix of things but somehow it all fits together quite nicely! And Fort Cochin is QUIET and peaceful and just what I was hoping for!!! (In a country like India you need to find these little places in order to keep your sanity!)

The next day Jon and I headed further south to Alappuzha where we planned to do the backwaters trip. The backwaters is the main attraction to Kerela. It is a network of waterways 900 km off the southern coast of India. We decided to spend the day on a Canoe going through these water canals. I was very worried about spending 6 hours on a canoe in this extreme heat but we somehow managed to pick the BEST day to do it. Since it had thunderstormed the night before the air was a bit cooler and the sky was a bit cloudy! PERFECT for a trip like this! We would have died otherwise. It was just the two of us on this tour and our guide took us into his village along the backwaters. It was really incredible! We ate amazing traditional Kerela cuisine and enjoyed the company of the children in the village. We then sat back and enjoyed the peaceful and beautiful surroundings as we paddled through the backwaters surrounded by kingfishers, rice fields, jungle forest and watersnakes. It was everything I'd hoped for and more!

It's been so nice having company the past couple days and being able to have a normal conversation which doesn't consist of the same 3 questions: Name? where you from? Are you married? Traveling alone can be very stressful in India! Especially as a solo female traveller. Unfortunately Jon is on his way back to England now so I'm back on my own...but excited for the next adventure!

Next stop...the tea plantations in the hills of Munnar! :D

mySORE headache

SO... going to Mysore I was expecting a quiet little town similar to Hampi. That's at least the impression I got from all the Bangalore locals who said they escape the hussle and bussle of city life in Mysore. My trip started off great (on an AC bus!) But quickly went south! Unaware that Mysore was NOT the last stop, and without the stops being announced I just assumed everyone was going to Mysore and I'd know when to get off! (This was not the case...) So somewhere outside of Mysore the bus suddenly stops, when they realize I am still on! and I'm literally thrown off the bus! So the mySORE headache begins...Thankfully it was a decent hour and not the middle of the night on some random road out of the city! I managed to get a rickshaw back to Mysore and settle in a decent hotel.
I then went out to explore a little and get my ticket to Cochi sorted so I could then relax. Well...relax is not a word I would ever associate with Mysore. At least not in my experience! No one would help me find the bus stand...they would just wag their head and point me in random directions! And so the headache just grew...as I managed to get lost in the small town of Mysore. On top of it all it was insanely hot and probably the loudest uncontrollable honking and shouting I've experienced in India so far! (That MIGHT partly be due to the massive headache I had since my arrival!) When I finally found the ticket stand I decided I'd already had enough of Mysore and would leave the following day to Cochin!

By the time the next day arrived my headache was almost unbareable! I couldn't wait to get out! But only in a place like India can you hate a place so much and in an instant fall inlove with it again! While I was waiting for the bus I stopped in at a cute little chai shop to read and relax. It was perfect! And had the nicest, cutest little old man who ran the place! I had peace and quiet, endless amounts of chai tea and great food!

As I got on my overnight bus to Cochin I was so relieved to be leaving but a little part of me was sad that I had such great expectations for a place and been let down! I think the best lesson learnt here is to have NO expectations! As hard as that is... Expectations leave room for disappointment.

Here and There

It was sad to leave Hampi! Its the first time since I've been in India that I really felt comfortable and at home! I could easily have spent a few more weeks there:) Its so nice and peaceful, which is rare in a country where honking your horn every second is part of driving! But after a while I finally booked my first train ticket to Banglore!

I was so excited to take a train! Everyone's told me its so much more comfortable and the views are amazing! Its a must do in India! Well...if by comfortable they were referring to the wood plank bed too close to the ceiling to sit up then they were right! Ugh...SO comfortable...Thankfully I'm small enough to fit on these beds, I feel sorry for anyone taller then me!
Once all settled on my plank bed I realized I was lucky enough to have NO window! So there goes my view of the landscape! I did, however, have a bed facing 6 other beds...so for 10 hours I had 12 eyes on me, watching my every move!

For those of you who aren't aware, all Indians have a staring problem! Its not like they stare and when you stare back they look away (like normal people) they continue to stare at you for seconds...minutes...even HOURS! It's not a malitious stare (usually) and It's just something I've had to deal with. Normally it doesn't bother me too much, but when I am hot and tired and sleeping on a wooden plank the LAST thing I want is to be stared at like I'm a zoo animal!

I've developed a game, mainly to keep my sanity, to cope with the stares. When they stare, I stare back...as serious as possible! When they look me up and down I look them up and down! Now if I were to play this game in any other country it wouldn't last long...but here...well it can go on for quite a few minutes! I've had many hours of practice and have become quite good :) However, this game doesn't work well on a train...where you are stuck for 10 hours with no where to go! It actually makes things more awkward and uncomfortable! -I found this out the hard way.

I arrived in Bangalore, the IT hub of India! My first impressions weren't so good! It was hectic, loud, smelly, expensive, and terrifying! My first reaction was RUN! Thankfully I didn't though! I met up with a friend of a friend, Catherine and had my first "couch surfing" experience! It was incredible! By the end of the week I felt as if I lived here!

As much as I hate cities, there's something comforting about them- at least while I'm traveling. There's almost always a guarantee that whatever you need can and will get done in a city. You can't always get that in small towns. BUT regardless, I don't think I could have stayed too much longer there! So now I am on my way to Mysore! A small town south of Bangalore. Fingers crossed its as good, if not better then Hampi!:)

Birthday Bliss!

My birthday began somewhere between Goa and Hampi on a long, uncomfortable overnight bus journey. These bus trips are much worse then those that I experienced in south east Asia. They drive faster, more recklessly and the conditions of the road are also a million times worse. (It's best not to eat too many samosas before one of these trips!) As an added bonus, there was a terrible thunderstorm which we had to travel through. Don't think for a second that that would slow the driver down though! With all the excitement of the bus ride i'm sure you can imagine I didn't sleep much...
When I arrived in Hampi (thankfully in one piece) and settled into a beautiful little guesthouse within the Hampi bazzare I was already a million times happier then any minute of my time in Goa! I had a big room, with no weird Russian neighbours, and a roof top restaurant which overlooks one of the many beautiful temples here! This place reminds me a lot of the Angkor Temples in Cambodia, except that the village is in and amongst the temples itself! Absolutely beautiful! To make things even better I ran into my friend Peter from Mumbai! Already I knew I wasn't going to spend my birthday alone anymore :)
After a POT of chai masala tea, I went to do some much needed meditation! (shopping- one of my favourite forms of meditation!) I stuffed my face with all my favourite Indian dishes and wondered around the beautiful town. This was just what I wanted! For dinner I met up with Peter and two Swiss girls and we had a lovely meal while watching the sun set behind the temples! They surprised me with a traditional Karnataka cake with a candle and I was even sung Happy Birthday in 3 different languages! The owners of this little guesthouse were also so sweet and friendly about my birthday, they too came and joined us for cake! (they are STILL wishing my happy birthday haha) It was a wonderful day and I wouldn't have changed a thing...although, I am still craving that glass of red wine! (Hampi is a sacred temple city and is strictly alcohol and meat free)
I just wanted to take a moment now and thank everyone for the birthday wishes! It is really nice to know that no matter where I am in the world I am always surrounded by so much love! <3

Ups and Downs

What I have come to realize most while traveling is that it is not always as happy and bright as one may think. As in life you have ups and you have downs. In order to have true happiness you need to experience the sadness, the loneliness, and anger. In my last few days in India I have experienced a mixture of emotions.

I went on a slum tour through one of India's largest slums, Dharavi. A city within a city. This shanty town was amazing to walk through. The organization of this slum was impressive! They had a recycling center, leather making center, residential areas and even a "main street" with shopping centers. Anyone walking through this area without a guide is surely to get lost! Seeing the children was what really got me. They seemed completely oblivious to the state in which they lived and made the best of what they had! They were happily playing cricket in the small bit of garbage fields with sticks and a rubber ball. And everyone of them were so excited to see us and speak to us, with huge smiles on their faces. Genuine smiles! The warmness in these smiles is one to warm anyone's heart. No one tried to sell us things, or beg for money as we walked through their homes either. It was truly an experience that pulls at my heart, and one that I will never forget.

While in Mumbai I felt it very necessary to go to a new release of a Bollywood Film. This was an experience in itself! Never have I been to the cinema where the audience is so engaged with the film. People were constantly laughing, whistling, screaming and clapping. Their energy alone made this a very memorable experience! The film itself was a little difficult to follow (since it was in Hindi-no subtitles) but for the most part I THINK I understood it :)

After a few days in Mumbai, I feel I have settled into the swing of Indian culture. I have become a lot better at crossing the street, and ordering my own food, as well as bartering. So off I went to Goa...to some beautiful beaches!

Goa was not as I expected. Figuring it's the Indian holiday season, I really didn't feel like being harassed by a million drunk Indians on vacation! So heading south seemed like the best idea for some peace and quiet. I managed to find a nice little resort on the beach. Since my arrival however, I didn't get one moments rest. If I wasn't being harassed by the locals, it was by the drunk Russians staying at the resort. I am constantly harassed by Indian men here, and I am slowly getting used to that. I can brush them off and walk away, but when they (the Russians) live in the rooms next to you its a little more difficult to avoid. Every time I tried to leave or do anything there they were slurring their words and making inappropriate comments. When I managed to get away from them all I wanted was a nice cup of tea, to sit by the beach and read. Well, just my luck...the resort seems to have run out of MILK! So no tea. No friends. No wine! This has probably been my lowest low so far. Feeling so alone, on a beach, with no one to talk to and no tea! Not the way I was hoping to spend my birthday :(
After what has been quite a low for me, I decided I wasn't even going to give Goa a chance. I packed my things and went into town to book a bus to Hampi. Once the bus was sorted I needed some healing...some delicious massala chai tea. Feeling slightly more positive that things will get better I am off to Hampi tonight, where HOPEFULLY there will be some foreigners my age. (Fingers crossed)

There will always be ups and downs, and getting through these downs is part of the learning experience. When I get to these points I just keep telling myself...I am in India...INDIA!! And already a small smile appears on my face :)

p.s. Anyone feeling the need to fly to India is more then welcome to join me...would love the company!

Mumbai!

I am truely loving my experience of India so far! If it weren't for my new friend Inder (the waiter) I don't think I would be enjoying it so much! He has helped me with bartering, ordering food, showing me the sights and most importantly helps me cross the street! Half the time I have no idea what Inder is saying, where is he taking me, or what he has ordered but it has all been INCREDIBLE! Yesterday we went to watch the sunset at the beach and I even had my first local train experience! One experience I surely would not have had, had I not made an Indian friend! I was the ONLY non-indian in the entire train station! I was treated like a celebrity :) (numerous pictures and staring eyes) Inder and I went shopping where I managed to get 2 pairs of shoes, a ton of bangles, 2 shirts, and a silk scarf for less then 10 dollars! I also managed to set up my phone so calls are always welcome! :) (9769906539). If I had attempted all this on my own I would have paid ten times the price! (I know because I tried earlier in the day by myself very unsuccessful!) When I got home last night I made my first non-Indian friend! Yay!! We decided to share a room today to save on costs when SURPRISE...bedbugs! I have never packed so fast in my entire life (Em you would be very impressed!) We are now spending 3 times what we WERE paying, but staying in such a nice YWCA. It includes breakfast, dinner, a newspaper, bed time TEA and free wifi! (Any place that serves bed time tea is a FANTASTIC place in my books!) My new friend and I are off to explore more of the city (and hopefully get picked up by some bollywood film scouts). And for those of you who have read Shantaram, I am heading to Leopolds for drinks tonight!!! :D

So here begins my Solo travels

I arrived in Mumbai, India last night. Had a minor incident with checking into my hotel but thankfully it was all sorted and I didn't have to spend my first night on the streets! This morning, after a wonderful Indian breakfast which consisted of what I have called "breakfast samosas" -spiced potato balls which you put in a bread roll with a mint curry- I got a knock at my room. It was one of my waiters who was so excited to teach me Hindi that he came to write down some words for me! He then offered to quit his job for the 2 months that I am here and travel with me as my friend/guide! WOW talk about nice...but as much as I would love to have a guide, I need to do this on my own! Plus, 2 months is a long time to be stuck with some guy I just met! I did however take him up on spending the day around Mumbai together! Hopefully all goes well!! 

HERE WE GO! Day 1 in India...please don't be a scary one! (WIsh me luck)

A Taste of Pai to Koah San Pad Thai

Pai was a little slice of heaven! Just what Emily and I needed as we approached the end of our journey through South East Asia together! It was almost too good to leave, and if we had the time, we probably would still be there. We fell in love with Yellow sun in Pai bar, where we befriended the chef, Tee. He generously took us to a local food market where we bought ingredients and he taught us how to cook all the delicious Thai dishes! Green curry, Red curry, Penang curry, Spring rolls, Tom-Yam, Pad thai! Look out world, we have some new Thai chefs! 

After Pai we headed "home" to Bangkok. Back where it all started on Koah San Road! It was nice to end in the same place where it all started 2 and a half months ago! We stuffed our faces with as much Pad Thai, had a few Changs and ate some crickets! :S YUMMMM! It has been such a great experience so far traveling through South East Asia with one of my best friends! Meeting all the amazing people and being able to experience it all with someone was really something special! I am sad to say goodbye to Emily now but I know she has so much exciting things to look forward to when she gets home!

-I will miss you oodles and oodles like pad thai noodles <3 

recipe for disaster

Imagine a long winding road...now times that by a million! Now imagine this winding road going up and down mountains with straight cliff drops on either side! To top it off...picture the bumping, pot hole filled winding road! This was our 3 hour (normally 4/5) trip from Chaing Mai to Pai! Now add in a speed hungry driver who thinks its safe to overtake large trucks on a turn, slamming on brakes when he realizes he can't overtake before crashing head on to  the oncoming cars! It was as if he thought he was in a real life video game! FUN! (Not)
We arrived in Pai just in time! I don't think our stomachs could have held off much longer :s BUT we made it! And in one piece! :)
Pai is a little hippie heaven! Reminds us a bit of Guelph in Thailand! Organic food, vegetarian food, even VEGAN options! We have settled in a bamboo bungalow (on the river of course) This will be our new paradise! Don't expect updates anytime soon! Brain (and technology) have been officially turned off!:)  

chiang mmmmmmmai!

Coming back to thailand feels like coming back home.  We are so comfortable here and happy to be back to things we know - like beng bengs, broad beans, and bahts!  Our first day here didnt start off so great.  We were still recovering from the craziness that is laos and we had to take it easy.  We decided to do a trek for some much needed exercise and a little cultural experience.  It started off with some activities like a trip to a butterfly/orchid farm followed by the most dangerous snake show we have ever seen!  The man made us hold a cobra, put a snake on emilys head, and threw snakes into the crowd.  It was quite an experience.  The trekking was a bit difficult, either we were going straight up or straight down.  The land was very dry and unsteady making this simple task a wee bit difficult.  We got to relax and refuel with some delicious food though and spent a night sleeping under the stars.  Our group unfortunately was a bit of a dud.  We were with 5 germans who all knew each other and one israeli who worked for the secret service so needless to say he wasn't so chatty.  We made the most of it though and enjoyed riding some extremely well trained elephants.  We are happy to inform you they didn't use any form of discipline and could control the elephants with just vocal commands.
Back in the city, after a much needed shower (not that showering in the river was much different than what we are used to) we explored the night market here which is HUGE.  A little overwhelming and we managed to get separated but despite the size of the place we managed to run into people we know, including our friend Mark who we met at the sketchy laos border crossing.
The next night, armed with a list of questions, we hit up the monk chat at a nearby temple.  It was very informative and eye opening to hear them talk about their life and religion.  Very different from the life we lead.  Following the chat we were invited to learn how to meditate for an hour and a half.  It was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do.  We learned how to meditate sitting, laying, and walking.  One lesson was good enough for us to know that we are not cut out to be buddhist monks.  'Walking, walking, walking, we thought, followed by 'sweating, sweating, sweating, itching, itching, itching, hungry, hungry, hungry, boring, boring, boring'.  We had to acknowledge and repeat everything we felt three times (in case you didn't catch on).  Altogether though we are glad we went.  
Today we head to Pai! We have heard to very good things about it and we are looking forward to see what it has in store.

Been there Don Det!

So first of all I apologize for lack of posts recently...but WE ARE IN LAOS!!! Time moves so much slower here and hence, we do too! After the sketchiest border crossing we have ever gone through we made it into south Laos and headed to the 4000 islands! Home to the rarest dolphins in the world and probably one of the most amazing places on earth! The air doesn't move here, so when it's hot, it is REALLY HOT! Sometimes you feel as though if you stop moving you will just evaporate! Luckily it is an island, so we have some escape from the heat! There is no air conditioning here, and electricity is sparce and infrequent. The island even managed to run out of ICE and money!?! (It's THAT small!)
We were supposed to be on Don Det for 3 days...but as with most of our plans, that changed! After a week we realized if we didn't start moving north we would probably never leave Don Det!
We booked our ticket to Vang Vieng and headed North on our longest journey yet. What was supposed to be a 17 hour bus ride was over 24 hours! That's to be expected here though...this is LAOS time we run on! Now we are in Vang Vieng, where we have already overstayed our intended time! Laos has a tendency to suck people in! I didn't believe it before I came here, but I get it now. HOPEFULLY we make it to the bus tomorrow to head back into Thailand, but who knows...we were supposed to leave yesterday and that never happened! haha 

Angkor What?!?!?

We went from our highest high to our lowest low.  From the Gili Islands, we arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  Straight off the plane with little sleep we went to the Killing Fields followed by the S21 Prison Genocide Museum.  It was a lot to take in.  The Killing Fields was one of the many sites in Cambodia where hundreds of Cambodians were viciously slaughtered each day from 1975-1979.  We couldn't believe how something this terrible could have gone on in such modern times.  The worst part was the "mug shots" of all the prisoners in the cells of the S21 prison.  Out of the 20,000 prisoners there, only 7 survived.  We were privileged enough to meet one of them, however we were at a loss of words.  What can you say to someone who has been through such suffering?  For the first time in our travels we were overwhelmed with sadness.  It was a well needed reality check.  We had been in paradise, living on islands for so long it was nice to learn more about the culture of the people here.  It was an especially touching experience. 
After a loooonnnggg day we took the night bus to Siem Reap.  Arriving at 7:30 in the morning we were off to the temples of Angkor.  Keep in mind it has now been two nights without a good nights rest.  These temples are HUGE.  There are soooooooooooooo many to see and so little time.  We rented a tuk-tuk to help us with this daunting task.  They are breathtaking, each temple unique and beautiful in its own way.  Our favourite one was Preah Khan Temple.  It had gigantic trees growing in and around the ruins.  It really signified how old these temples are.  The history that these temples represent is like nothing we have seen before.  Saturated with temples we headed back to Siem Reap for a night out on the town.  We thought it very suiting to go to the bar "Angkor What?".  We had an amazing, fun, and very cheap night.  It was a nice change from the sombre mood we had been in for the past couple days. 
The people of Cambodia are among the nicest we have met thus far.  Everyone is always smiling, even when you aren't buying what they are selling, they will still talk to you and help you out with whatever you need.  It was very refreshing after some of the pushy people we dealt with in Indonesia.  The staff of our hostel have become our new best friends.  Anyone who comes to Siem Reap we highly recommend staying at the Okay Villa Guesthouse (doesn't hurt that they have a pool on the ROOF). 
We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here in Cambodia but look forward to our next destination: the 4,000 islands in Laos.  Lets hope we make it through the border! (fingers crossed)

Dreaming of Gili...

We escaped the craziness of bali and found ourselves on the beautiful island of Gili Trawangan. It was the perfect place to kick back and have a good time.  There are NO motor vehicles of any kind and no paved roads for that matter. To get around the island (which takes less than 2 hours on foot) you can rent a bike or a horse drawn carriage.  A lot of the island is still undeveloped but not for long judging by the amount of construction happening. We got there at the right time.  Behind the bars and restaurants is a tiny village which is lovley to walk around but also eye opening to see how poverty can exist so close to westernized resorts.  We spent 4 wonderful days walking around, enjoying the beach, swminning in our amazing pool, and discovering the delicious food.  There was a night market and for only 3 or 4 dollars you could fill your plate with spring rolls, noodles, rice, and a whole bunch of delicious (but unnamed) combinations of vegetables.  After eating a plate our lips would be burning and our faces sweating but it was well worth it.  The people on the island were also super laid back and friendly.  We met some great people from all over and it was really hard to leave the friends we made on our days and nights exploring the island. Hardest of all was leaving our american friend, Alex.  
We have travelled for over a month with him, discovering 3 countries together.  He has taught us a lot not just about traveling but about life.  He is one of the most kind hearted, generous, funny and positive people we have met.  We wish him the best in his future travels and will miss him a lot.  
Next stop for us is Cambodia, stay tuned!

Bali Bali Bali

Just when we thought it couldn't get any hotter we arrived in Bali Indonesia! This place is nothing like what we expected. It is the Asian Cancun! It's night life is pretty hectic and never ending! Almost too much to handle! We figured we wouldnt spend too much time here. That all changed when we saw the beach! Beautiful white sand beaches and crystal blue water! It is breath taking. Now for the catch... You don't get one minutes rest here. You are constantly bombarded with people trying to sell you things. Normally I can accept this, but these people are so aggressive! They grab you, yell at you, whine at you, even cry when you say no thank you. It's just a bit too much to handle and really takes away from the experience. It's quite unfortunate because Bali is really gorgeous but I wouldn't come back. 

We could evade the hawkers by going in the water and decided to try surfing. We found a nice lady who rented us some boards and warned us not to go out for an hour or so. Instead of listening to her warning like most people, we took to the water. Just a note to you beginners if you look around the water and no one else is surfing there is probably a good reason for that. After our near death experience in the powerful waves we gave up (temporarily of course). Hoping to try again in some much calmer waters. 

After a few nights in Bali we decided it was enough and are heading to the Gili islands.  We are looking forward to seeing another side of Indonesia! (hopefully a much more friendly side) 

City Living

I have a new appreciation for the little things! Like HOT showers!!! We are staying with Cathy and Alan, family friends of Kalenes.  It is soooo nice to have home cooked meals and comfortable beds and of course a real western toilet complete with toilet paper.  Their apartment is right in the heart of KL and the view from their balcony is breathtaking.  Right across the street is the KLCC, a huge complex with everything you could ever want.  We have spent a considerable time in the giant mall there.
Aside from shopping, we have spent our days exploring the city.  We are now experts at navigating the monorail system here which is super convenient and one of the cleanest public transportation systems I have ever seen.  We are very impressed with the city, it's sort of like an Asian New York.  On Sunday we went to Chinatown where you can get fake perfume, purses, sunglasses, and random squares of mystery meat.  It was very crowded with tourists and people selling things everywhere.  The next day we walked around to where the museums and gardens are but didn't have much luck getting in.  Everything was either closed because it was Monday or closed to us as non Muslim tourists.  Definitely got our exercise walking around there and lost 100 liters of water sweating in the heavy city heat.  Today we went around Little India and found lots of cheap shopping which was a nice change from seeing Gucci and Chanel in the mall.  Much more in our price range.  We had another delicious banana leaf meal eating with our hands like pros now.  Everyone there was so friendly and there was tons of head wagging which is what Indians do when they are agreeing with you, I think anyways, they do it a lot and I'm not always sure what it means.  We are going to have to practice it before we go to India.
We are getting spoiled with our meals here.  Cathy is a fantastic cook and it has been so nice to have FRESH vegetables and things that aren't fried noodles or fried rice.  The other night we took over the kitchen and made a delicious meal of bruschetta, pesto pasta, and greek salad.  YUM.   Tonight is round two and involves lemon and herb chicken, scalloped potatoes, dijon asparagus, and salad.  Pretty excited.
Tomorrow we take off to Bali!!!!!!!!  We are looking forward to getting out of the city and back to the beach.

Our host family, Cathy and Alan, with the delicious meal we made

biggest chair in KL. . so much fun to jump on!

the infamous twin towers of KL, right outside our apartment

Cathys cooking- YUM

the view from our apartment at night

our favourite place in the whole city- the KLCC mall

flip flops!

our experience eating durian- the smelliest fruit in the whole world

The Real Life Jungle Book

We have found the site of the Jungle Book.  A place that has snakes, tigers, bears, and jaguars.  Unfortunately we didn't run into any of these animals but we did see some monkeys, deer, and crazy lizards.  Did I mention the bugs? There are HUGE cicadas that make terrible screaming noises and fly at your face and body without seeming to notice where they are going.  At one point we thought there was an animal outside our room but it was just a HUGE bug the size of your hand.  I am not even exaggerating! We came to the jungle in hopes to do the Canopy walk. We really didn't think it would be very difficult a task but man were we wrong! The first attempt we walked all the way there (only about 2 km into the jungle, with no path) only to get there right when it closed! Our second attempt we thought we had it. We woke up early, had a nice big breakfast and were just about to go when we found out it closed in 20 minutes! So we RAN as fast as we could through the jungle to try and get there before it closed. According to our watch we were there 10 minutes before it closed...but our watch was not set to proper Malay time (aka they close when they feel like it). So now on our last and final attempt there is nothing stopping us! We marched through that jungle for the third time (now experts on the very muddy and unpaved path) passing every group of tourists we could! AND WE MADE IT! Just in time too. Once we completed the most amazing Canopy Walk the line up was over an hour! PHEW! Emily has yet to overcome her immense fear of heights but she pulled through with the canopy walk with ease! (well...sort of) haha Now we are off to Kuala Lumpur! Looking forward to doing some much needed laundry and hopefully some NON-fried, home cooked food! 

On the boat ride into the oldest rainforest in the world!

We thought these were funny

Beautiful flower for beautiful hair

Canopy walk!!

Perhentian Islands

Covered in body paint before the Full Moon Party! 

WE MADE IT TO MALAYSIA! 

Our new Island Paradise!

Onward bound!

Words cannot describe how unreal the full moon party in Thailand was! You just have to see it for yourself. Quite a nice send off as we leave Thailand that following morning!
It was a long uncomfortable journey which took us all day and into the night. We arrived in Penang Malaysia starving sore and exhausted. I should add we are still covered in body paint from the party the night before and getting very strange looks. With a goodnights sleep an a very long shower we were off to explore the city. One day was all we needed before we yearned for our beach bungalow again! So we decided to head for the oasis of the Perhentian islands. (even after being warned they were closed due to monsoon season) Another long uncomfortable bus ride followed by the scarest boat ride of our life and we arrived once again in paradise. The islands are magnificent and due to te fact it's "monsoon" season there are few people and very cheap prices. It hasn't rained once since we arrived 2 nights ago. We had fresh fish BBQ on the beach for dinner with the waves literally at our feet.
Today we went snorkeling around the islands and it was amazing. Tons of fish and huge turtles completely surrounding us. Unfortunately no luck sighting any sharks at shark point, but maybe that was for the best:) We also didn't see any sting rays which are prominent around these islands. Still an incredible day. Now a wee bit sunburnt, we look forward to having a couple drinks on the beach and watching the sunset! Can't wait to see what tomorrow holds!

The Island

Leaving Koh Samui, waiting for the boat to take us to the next island! 

 

We rented some motor bikes and drove around the island. We found some of the most beautiful beaches!

 

Our friend Alex and us at one of the beaches

 

We also found some elephants, so we fed them. Alex was also hungry so we fed him some bananas too haha

 

Koh Phangan

We are now on Koh Phangan where I think we will spend the majority of the time left here in Thailand. We have a little bungalow in a little bit of paradise! Why would we leave!?! Our bungalow is over water, and it took a little getting used to the fact that you can see below through the cracks in the floor. Especially annoying when you drop things! (because they disappear) But I cannot say one bad thing about this place! It is heavenly! The bungalow even comes fully equipped with a hammock! Right now I am laying outside and listening to the frogs under the stars. Tonight is an easy one, since we had our first HALF moon party last night. Let me just say this... its a million times BETTER then what I expected! Everyone is covered in neon glowing body paint and its just an insane party in the middle of the jungle! I am sooo looking forward to the FULL moon party now :) But thankfully we have a week to recover before that one! 

Island Living

After what turned out to be a 20 hour coach bus/broken bus/ferry/taxi/walk we made it to our bungalow in kho samui. It is a beautiful island, sandy beaches, breathtaking scenery, and surrounded by a refereshing ocean. We might stay down south for a while. Made a new friend on the ferry, alex. He is very helpful to have around for he knows a lot about traveling and is much better at bartering than we will ever be. Tomorrow we will do some exploring around town but definitely save some time to lounge around on the beach. Gonna go relax with a beer on the beach. Living the dream

A Little Tidbit

About to embark on our adventures!

Tuk-Tuk (our mode of transportation)

At the Wat Pho Temple 

Emily in the temple of love 

(Sorry couldn't turn the pictures, have borrowed a very friendly swedish guys computer. So nothing is in english! But at least you have a little peak at what we've been up to.)

Day 2: Part Two

Things we've learned so far in Bangkok:

1. Market vendors food is best! You can at least SEE beforehand what it is you're ordering!
2. Tuk-tuks are super cheap but don't eat before (you may lose your meal)
3. Thai people are very friendly but don't take their advise! They will usually lead you to the wrong place
4. Don't stick to main streets. You never know what you find when you turn the next corner. (We found the most amazing Vegetarian spot hidden in an ally within an ally!)
5. It's a good idea to check out the best bars in town (in this case the world) but check the dress code before you trek all the way across town!
6. Invest in earplugs. These people can party!
7. These people really love their Budhas! A little bit obesseively. They are EVERYWHERE! (Even life sized statue monks...which are very realistic)
8. This is not a city where people get up early. (Probably because they party til 6 in the morning)
9. I can't tell the difference between a lady and a lady-boy!
10. Bring toilet paper with you everywhere!

Day 2: Part One

You haven't lived until you have had a Thai massage! It's nothing like I've ever experienced. My travel book described it as "yoga being done to you". And there really is no better way to describe it! They twist, pull and push your whole body in all sorts of directions. Leaving you feeling strangely relaxed! Definitely worth the incredibly long hot sweaty trek we had getting to the Wat Pho temple where these massages were! (I apologize to our masseuses who had to put up with our grossness...it's. Very difficult to stay cool AND obey the temple dresscode)

Day 1

Emily and I have arrived in Bangkok, Thailand!:) yay! Now the hard part...how do we get from the hotel (which is not downtown) to our hostel (which is downtown)

Step one: find public transit

We ask our front desk to direct us to the bus or skytrain
"Oooohh noooo you can't do that...too hard...you must take taxi! 600B! I call for you" (imagine an asian accent)
So we refuse! We are here for the real thailand experience...we will find it ourselves!
And we did! (Had a little problem on the way TO the skytrain but that was only a minor misunderstanding.) So we took the skytrain as far as we could!

Step two: walk to the hostel

So the map is very misleading...first of all the roads are missing and most of the signs are written in symbols! Secondly it doesn't LOOK that far away.  The people here are great! So friendly! Every person is very eager to help us-get to THEIR friends hotel-which is not what we want! But they are just so happy you can't help but smile:) and walk away very slowly. So we continue along a road and hope for the best!:)
After 2 hours, 2 sore shoulders, 2 blistered feet and 2 very sweaty tired girls we finally made it to the hostel! Despite all the persistent negativity from the locals telling us we'll never make it!:) AND it only cost us 70B! Not bad! (Pat on the back)

Step three: check into hostel

You would think that is easy...but its not! First we couldn't remember where we put the confirmation, and then after much digging and unpacking we found it! Only to realize we booked it for tomorrow night and not tonight! Ahhhh! Thankfully they had a room for us tonight so we don't have to sleep on the streets:)

Take away message from this experience: don't take the easy way out! Its much more of an adventure the hard way! (But maybe check the dates beforehand)

And so it begins...

     "The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination" -Don Williams Jr

Life is an adventure...dare it!

Goodbye South Africa...until we meet again...