Blogs from Rajasthan, India, Asia - page 4

When I first decided to return to India earlier this year as a solo traveller, I had no intention of revisiting The North. I had, after all, visited the major tourist destinations between Delhi and Kolkata and further north to Darjeeling and Sikkim in 2013, and felt no need to retrace my steps. But then my sister, Ginny, expressed interest in coming along. This will be Ginny’s first visit to India, and not to have a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, walk the ghats of Varanasi or gaze in wonder at The Palace of the Winds in Jaipur would only make for half a trip, so the itinerary was extended. I don’t mind returning to these cities for a second look, as I have found many fascinating places to visit which I didn’t get to ... read more

There are many advantages and drawbacks to solo travel, I love both solo travel and travel with just the right companions. I suppose it doesn’t take much imagination to figure out the perks of both types of travel, but some of the drawbacks may not be as obvious. When you travel alone, there is this weird dynamic that you may never appear in any of your vacation photos. Of course, selfies are one way to solve the problem, but selfies only go so far, and let’s be honest anyone over the age of 35 feels slightly weird taking selfies. You want normal looking, not too posed and not too canned photos, but when traveling alone that can feel like you are asking for the moon. Possibly one of the best solutions to this minor dilemma is ... read more

They say all good things must come to an end. I appreciate the sentiment, but not sure I wholeheartedly agree. Sure, we need to appreciate the good when we have it and the not so good is an illustration to help us identify the good when it comes along, but do all good things really need to come to an end? Is it necessary that we always heed this warning about the good moments in life? Are we required to embrace this resigned acceptance? I say no, no and even more no. Sunny days come and go. Parties can only last so many hours or maybe days. Sunsets are interrupted by sunrises. Weekends are punctuated by Mondays. The seasons change and so does our very definition of good things, but what about age old, time tested ... read more

India is nothing if not the country of dichotomous extremes. The poverty aside the wealth. The awe inspiring beauty alongside piles of rubbish. The value of life blurred with the lack of meeting even the most of basic health needs. The monsoons followed by the dry season. The dance of tradition and the push for progression. All cultures have these pushes and pulls, but in India it all seems magnified like the savory punches of curry spices or the dizzying swirl of color or the endless sea of humanity. India is in your face extreme and that, I suppose, is what we love about her. I had one of these days recently. It illustrated India’s version of an unplanned rollercoaster of emotion. I don’t really like rollercoasters. I started my day, as most days, at Pushkar’s ... read more

Sometimes, when we least expect it, the universe gives us gifts we know we probably don’t deserve, but we take them anyway and hope we can someday repay the gesture or gift. That is truly the only way to describe what happened one afternoon at the sand dunes affectionately and informally known as Camel Hill at the Pushkar Camel Festival. People often ask what I do when I am at Pushkar and how I occupy my time for so many days. I even had one friend ask what my ”intention” was while I was in India. Well, the honest truth is a lot of nothing. I spend a great deal of time walking around, especially where the camels hang out, and just being. It doesn’t sound exciting or glamorous, but the time sure flies by when ... read more