I arrived in Mumbai after a long trip from Munich, Germany. I bought the flight when in Sarajevo for only $400 one-way. The British Airways flight to London was rough; we had strong headwinds that slowed down the trip on top of leaving the gate 35 minutes late. The plane circled London for a good [...]
The Archives of Traveling India—2010-2011
I flew to India on my 3rd year anniversary of travels after traveling from Egypt to Northern Europe.
The first week after the arrival in any country can be a whirlwind of an experience. Bombay is an intense city of 16 million people. During my visit I met a young guy that I helped with some provisions—he was so happy, he gave me a needed sim-card for my phone and offered to take [...]
The Sugar Cane in India is a welcomed site. The juice bars in Bombay selling fresh sugar cane juice will set you back 7 rupees (the exchange is currently at 45 Rupees to the Dollar). As viewed in the photo the harvest is manually accomplished and then the long sugar cane stocks are driven by [...]
Aurangabad is an important city in the state of Maharashtra, India. It sees a lot of international tourist traffic due to world heritage sites, Ajanta & Ellora caves. Travellers to Aurangabad will find history dating back to the 2nd century BCE, when the Satavahana rulers established their capital in Pratishtanapura, today known as Paithan. It [...]
I am severally behind in posting current information. The home-stay in Hyderabad was the best of the best. I am planning on visiting the family for a weekend before I leave the country in April. So far I have observed two house warming parties, one baby shower, and one pre-wedding party. I am heading to [...]
Here in India receiving a sim-card for your cell phone and also the convenient USB broadband Internet Stick can be difficult since the terrorist attacks in Bombay in 2008 for a foreigner. However with the correct contacts and knowing the different companies will assist in accomplishing the process correctly here in India. My friend in [...]
About two weeks, ago I pushed off from Aurangabad to Hyderabad taking a 12 hour overnight train. For my first experience, I choose the 2 tier AC carriage. The cost is considerably more than the dreadful non-AC sleeper class, yet the price contrast is a slim difference from the 3 tier AC carriage. For the [...]
During the home-stay in Hyderabad I was had the opportunity to observe two different housewarming parties or “Puja”, Pūjā alternatively written as Pooja, means reverence or worship. Puja is any Hindu ceremonial, from a simple ritual in the home to an elaborate public festival, in which an image or other symbol of the god is [...]
The train ride from Visakhapatnam (Vizag) to the Araku valley consists of multiple mountain tunnels and spectacular landscape. The semi slow 4 hour train ride is the best ride through the magnificent eastern ghats. It’s a fun ride with the Indians, all the kids shout, squawk, and yell through every tunnel. There are about 40 [...]
All last week I decided to nest here in Puri which is a pilgrimage area for several different types of individuals who are seeking the external form of spirituality. This last week consisted of rain and cool temperatures that I greeted enthusiastically; a change in the weather always adds to good health. Hindu pilgrims make [...]
Around certain parts of India there human powered “Rickshaws”. These guys are a slight head-rush. In Puri there are all pedal-cycle style. In Calcutta there are many rickshaws but no pedal-cycle, they human power the cart with their legs. These guys are the lower class of society and are more than willing to rip you [...]
The Sun Temple at Konark in the State of Orissa is one of India’s signature archeological landmarks and an Unesco Heritage Site. Most people visit the sun temple on a day trip from Puri or Bhubaneswar. Constructed during the mid-13th century to celebrate a military victory over the Muslims, the sun temple experienced continual usage [...]
The charming town of Darjeeling is the prime attraction within the hills of West Bengal. Surrounded by tea plantations that produce the famous Darjeeling Black Tea, and a spectacular view of the majestic mountain backdrop of Khangchendzonga—Darjeeling is not your average Indian town. As you travel north from Calcutta the facial features of the locals [...]
Last Monday I pushed off from Darjeeling to Gangtok in Sikkim in a shared jeep. The journey was the most difficult jaunt I have experienced in the last three years. One of the most difficult journeys was from Mostar to Jajce in Bosnia—after five minutes in the bus I started sweating and feeling nauseous. A [...]
Today I am Varanasi and will be for the next month or longer renting a flat. This situation materialized through meeting Mona in Slovakia during breakfast at a hostel. I stayed with her family (husband and kids) for about five days in Hyderabad. I inquired about a flat or personal space to rent and Mona [...]
I bought a new cycle today. I cannot deal with the rickshaws or three wheel autos having to bargain all the time. So I decided to buy a new bike for my transportation needs. It’s is a little tricky driving on the left-side of the road, but I will get use to the concept. The [...]
Varanasi is the oldest continuously inhabited city in India and is home to more than 1.3 million people who crowd its narrow streets. The charming chaos on the streets of Varanasi create a flare of cultural atmosphere. Here, you will share the street with bicycles, rickshaws, three-wheel autos, cars, people attending funeral cermonies, cows, pigs, [...]
Traveling India and other “developing countries” may increase an alertness that requires extra security for valuables such as your laptop computer and cell phone. Here in India most hotel doors have outside locks such as the picture above. Carrying a Master combination lock while traveling I find essential; master combination locks are reliable and proven [...]
All over India you can find Coconuts. Everyplace there are carts filled with coconuts that chop off the top of the coconut and serve fresh healthy Coconut Water. Most servers also will carve out the coconut pulp that may satisfy the appetite. While people prefer different flavors of coconut water, generally a green coconut with [...]
When a person visits India you should experience that many people are very nice and hospitable if you are traveling the non-touristy areas. At first you may experience their hospitality as genuine, however, here in India and all over the world, most people are concerned about themselves. India is a shame based culture. Everyone is [...]
I will be departing soon from Varanasi and India itself. Most of you know I will be heading to Berlin for about 5 weeks. Then I decided to camp out in Macedonia. The last time I only stayed two weeks in Macedonia. Orchid is very cheap, beautiful, and excellent food; I might also visit Bulgaria [...]
During my stay in Varanasi the nicest person I met is a guy named Sanjay that offers massages. Early in my stay, I was down at the Main Ghat and many guys offer massages, haircuts, and shaves, the person I first met talked me into getting a massage right on the Ghat, and his massage [...]
Traveling India proves to be challenging for many travelers. There are several dynamics you will want to consider in preparation before you set out on your adventure. All Budget and Mid-Range Hotels have Hard Beds. This entire country uses florescent lighting. All buildings are made from Cement with odd bright color paint. The Food is [...]
My last stop in India is the Capitol City of New Delhi. Within each city of Bombay, Calcutta, and Delhi resides a tourist/backpacker area—I consider these areas as backpacker ghettos. Any city you choose to initially fly into will most likely be the city you dislike the most. Many travel bloggers write negatively about Delhi, [...]
The Departure out of India proved to be pleasant because gradually I became very tired of the ultra-loud, dusty, and dirty streets of India. Sorry to say, but India is a garbage dump. The clean and quite infrastructure of Berlin is a welcoming site compared to dirty and smelly India. And, after being in India [...]
Indian cuisine is made up of hundreds of regional cuisines which can be traced back thousands of years. The dishes consist, primarily, of spices, herbs, lentils, rice, bread, potatoes, and vegetables. Hindu beliefs have played a large role in the formation of Indian cuisine, as well as the influence of other cultures that have come [...]