Gazing out at the turquoise green water of the Adriatic Sea never gets old, but the homes and storefronts on Brac that are nestled next to it are ancient. The orange tile roofs contrast sharply with the beige stone walls. It all looks like something in a travel brochure or a gorgeous painting. I had…
A dear friend of mine has been visiting Split for years, but it wasn’t until I experienced it for myself that I finally understood why. Split has a little something for everyone; mountains and sea, and ancient ruins alongside modern-day comforts. No wonder the producers of “The Game of Thrones” chose it at a site…
I love to travel. I live for it, and so do a lot of people. Besides being fun and exciting, travel teaches us more about ourselves and other cultures. There are tons of great reasons to travel, but to be honest, there are also many valid reasons not to travel. There is a dark side…
In the last two years I’ve been fortunate enough to visit twenty countries across this globe, from Mexico to Thailand, United Arab Emirates, to the Netherlands, and a bunch of other beautiful places in between. I’ve enjoyed white sandy beaches in Spain, majestic mountain peaks in Austria, and long hikes through the Himalaya Mountains, but…
Noel Kary stands at the end of the pier of Willapa Bay, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his grandson. He’s part of a 4th generation crab fishing family, and he didn’t stop commercial fishing until he was in his eighties. Now his grandson is fishing the very same waters of Willapa Bay. It’s a way…
I waited until I got back home to the USA to write this post. Why? It’s because many Indian’s consider complaining about a service, or anything in India for that matter, “anti-nationalism.” They don’t like anyone talking bad about anything in India, and if it’s a foreigner spilling the beans, that’s even more taboo. It’s…
This is a guest post by Jeron King The time has come to take a well-deserved holiday with the person you love, and there’s a lot to think about. The most important decision is where to go — why not consider India? When it comes to romantic destinations, you have plenty of choices, so we’ve…
Indian food is hard to beat. From Masala Dosa, to Thali, and Butter Chicken, it’s all mouth watering good. The street food is equally as delicious, but just a fraction of the cost. It’s also fast and convenient. However, if you are a westernized foreigner visiting India for the first time, you should proceed carefully. Indians don’t have any sanitation standards for their street carts. They don’t wear rubber gloves. Hell, they probably don’t even wash their hands. So, if you have a tender stomach I suggest you avoid Indian street food, but if you’re ready to indulge in some serious India treats, these are six yummy Indian street foods you simply must try.
Samosa is my new favorite Indian street food, and it costs only 10 rupees! That’s about twenty cents in USD. Samosa is a crispy deep fried snack with a flaky outer crust. Inside is a rich spicy filling of mashed potatoes and peas. It is usually served with a sweet and spicy sauce that reminds me a little of chutney.
All my life, I’ve had a terrible pattern of falling in love with the wrong people who weren’t a good match for me. At the beginning of the relationship, I’m overcome by a sudden burst of intense chemistry, and then I spend years, or even decades, trying to make it work. Now I realize that I did the same thing with Rishikesh, India. At first, I was attracted to her picturesque beauty, exotic charm, clean air, and the mighty Mother Ganga. But like any new relationship, the once rose-colored glasses have turned dark. Now that the new relationship energy is over, I’ve begun seeing obvious red flags that I missed.
I returned to Rishikesh for one main reason: deciding if I wanted to move here. The yoga, spiritual classes, Ayurveda, and recreation are alluring. Plus, it’s cheap here, really affordable! I could probably live in Rishikesh comfortably on $1,000 a month. Unfortunately, I’ve decided that inexpensive living is not enough for me. After a month in Rishikesh, the clear answer was no. I can’t live here. These are the reasons why my love affair with Rishikesh, India, is over.
The first time I came to Rishikesh, in early 2016, I cried tears of joy when I saw the brilliant blue sky. Remember that I had just left New Delhi, one of the most polluted cities on the planet. I hadn’t seen a shade of blue in the sky for months. The pollution in Delhi was so harmful that I could stare directly at the sun on most days because it appeared blurry and orange through the dense grey smog. Rishikesh is in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains, and she looked shiny and new to me compared to Delhi, a mere seven-hour drive away.
The first few time I visited Rishikesh I was astounded by all the usual tourist activities, such as white water rafting on the Ganga River, trekking through the Himalaya mountains, and shopping for exotic handicrafts. Then, last year around this time I took a 200 hour yoga teaching training course and learned that Rishikesh has…