Ever wondered what it would be like to spend a few days in an ashram? I did. In fact, I was extremely curious. What kind of people live in ashrams? How do they live? What do they have to sacrifice? The journalist in me, had so many questions that needed answers. More importantly though, I wanted to experience the ashram life for myself. It was while traveling through Kerala, India the opportunity arose. We met a fellow traveler, who convinced us that visiting The Amritapuri Ashram” would be a great experience. Instantly, we were both on board with the idea. Why not? It is not everyday you get the chance…

When you are on the road for a year, every single day is different. Some days however, become permanently imprinted into your memory forever.  One those days for me was when we went to Periyar National Park. This could have been our last adventure! I am not exaggerating, keep reading. It was a beautiful sunny day in South India, and we had signed up for an all day trekking tour at Periyar National Park. This is one of Kerala’s most popular national parks due to its beautiful nature and wildlife. People flock to this amazing park, lured by the possibility of spotting wild elephants, deer, boar, and perhaps even tigers!…

One of the most famous landmarks in India is the Taj Mahal. Ever since I was in elementary school, I had always wanted to see this marvelous white marble mausoleum. It was almost about 15 years later, that I finally had the opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal. Jason and I arrived into Agra, India around midnight by train from Delhi. We were told by our driver, sunrise would be the best time to see the Taj Mahal. However, we were too exhausted to wake up so early, so we planned to visit during noon. That was a huge mistake. Although Agra is home to one of the wonders of…

Madikeri, is a beautiful hill station in India’s Karnataka State. It was here, in Southern India, we decided to do a homestay. As travelers, we really enjoy talking and learning from the locals. So, when the opportunity to spend two days and a night with a local Indian family arose, we were thrilled. The area surrounding Madikeri is a trekker’s paradise. We spend two days with our host, trekking through these beautiful landscapes. Along the way, our host shared insightful information about the various plants and species inhabiting the lands. This was some of the best trekking we had ever done. Aside from the views, what made the trekking very…

Our first trip to India was only for 2 weeks. During this trip we managed to make our way to Udiapur. This city, which has become a very popular tourist destination, is located in the state of Rajasthan in western India. Although Lake Pichola, the artificial fresh water lake, and the Lake Palace were beautiful, our most memorable experience was doing horseback riding for the first time ever in Udiapur’s countryside. We were given a quick lesson on how to guide our horses. Once were we seated on our horses, we rode through some villages. The villagers were so happy to see us riding the horses and were waving at…

The train pulls out of the Chennai’s station and into the early morning sunlight. I am exhausted, it has been a long night. With my heavy backpack on my shoulders, I sit uncomfortably on a second class seat. There are Indians everywhere on the train; some are fast asleep while others are gazing quietly out the windows. I close my eyes. I desperately need rest. Soon however, I am awakened by a horrid smell. The stench is so unbearably awful. I open my eyes. As the train, continues to roar down the tracks, I stare with disgust at the fields of waste. There is filth everywhere. It seems like a…

This is Harmandir Sahib, better known as the “Golden Temple” in Amritsar, India. It has become a holy place of worship for Sikhs. And, it is remarkably beautiful. I absolutely had a lovely experience visiting this sacred site. The moment I stepped inside the temple area, I was overcome by a sense of serenity and happiness. Aside from the mellow sounds of prayer, the water and massive space surrounding the temple created a very soothing atmosphere. It was a haven away from the hectic narrow and chaotic streets of Amritsar. Dedicated Sikh worshipers line up in an orderly fashion to have the chance to enter and pray inside the Golden…

These are the serene and pristine backwaters of Alleppey, India. Upon entering the backwaters, it felt like time had slowed down. The weather was gorgeous. The vegetation was plentiful and luscious. It was a beautiful place in time for me. We shared our kettuvallam (a houseboat) with a lovely Australian couple, while we enjoyed our two day and one night tour of the backwaters. Together, we reveled in the beautiful scenic views of nature, good conversation, and chess games. As a treat, we were offered a plateful of fried bananas as snacks. It was the first time we had ever eaten fried bananas and they were absolutely delicious. Eating fried…

These talented artists prepare for their upcoming Kathakali dance performance in Fort Kochin, Kerala, India. Aside from the elaborate costumes and make-up, the actual dancing was very impressive. This was one of the most entertaining and memorable dance dramas, I have ever seen. I was amazed by how the artists used only body movements and specifically their eyes, to tell the entire story. What is the most memorable dance performance you have seen?

These Indian women work very hard to diligently pick tea leaves at the tea plantation sites in Darjeeling, India. After touring the nearby Happy Valley Tea Estate, I learned that a great amount of effort is put forth not only by the women picking the tea leaves outside, but also the workers who work in the tea factory. It was a very educational trip that left me with a deeper appreciation for tea. By the way, the green tea I drank in Darjeeling was wonderful!