Life and death in Varanasi
We had a night train to catch to Varanasi. ‘The City of Learning and Burning’, on the banks of the Ganges: Varanasi is one of the holiest places in all of India.
I travel with my husband a lot – but I also love to travel alone. Traveling ‘solo as a female’ is a big thing these days (somehow, traveling ‘solo as a male’ doesn’t seem to come up as much…). Either way, solo travel brings with it a whole different set of considerations, expectations, results and experiences. It might be daunting at first, but I think everyone should travel by themselves sometime.
The stories here aren’t necessarily about ‘solo female travel’ – but they are all about trips I’ve taken and adventures I’ve had, on my own, alone on the road.
We had a night train to catch to Varanasi. ‘The City of Learning and Burning’, on the banks of the Ganges: Varanasi is one of the holiest places in all of India.
Dangerous driving on bad roads is a given in Bangladesh. But you don’t have to get around only by bus: train travel is a great way to go. Especially if you follow my advice below.
Travelling in Bangladesh will inevitably involve a river-journey or two. An iconic trip: cruising on the Rocket, an early 20th century paddlewheel steamer.
Bangladesh: really? What should you expect? Here are some surprises and random quirks you will just have to get used to, when you travel in South Asia’s forgotten country.
The coast of Kenya: Swahili culture and history, perfect Indian Ocean beaches and the Lamu Archipelago. If you need some inspiration or a few ideas before you set off beach-hopping along the Kenyan coast, then read on.
I was ready to leave Tofo. I’d had my fill of lazy days at the beach, and started to get restless. And so that’s why I went from travelling by overcrowded chapa in Mozambique to safariing in a Kia Picanto in South Africa.
Oyv went home from Maputo, but I carried on up the coast to Tofo and life on the beach. Tofo-living is like a break from…well, from everything. Definitely from travel; even from Africa. Because sometimes, travelling is all about extremes.
Travelling down the coast of East Africa, forts, medieval mosques and palaces, and faded colonial ruins start to feel familiar, very fast. From Somalia to Mozambique: Arab traders, Indian merchants, Portuguese conquerors, and other European powers (plus more than a few missionaries and explorers) – this place has seen them all.
What could be better than three days of total quiet? Here’s my take on what it’s like to attend a three-day silent meditation retreat in Ladakh, plus info on where to sign up, accommodation, costs and transportation.
India never fails to surprise me – it’s good that way. This time, with the magical Himalayan former Kingdom of Ladakh. If you’re in India during the monsoon, head on up. There’s plenty to do, and little rain.
We had a night train to catch to Varanasi. ‘The City of Learning and Burning’, on the banks of the Ganges: Varanasi is one of the holiest places in all of India.
Dangerous driving on bad roads is a given in Bangladesh. But you don’t have to get around only by bus: train travel is a great way to go. Especially if you follow my advice below.
Travelling in Bangladesh will inevitably involve a river-journey or two. An iconic trip: cruising on the Rocket, an early 20th century paddlewheel steamer.
Bangladesh: really? What should you expect? Here are some surprises and random quirks you will just have to get used to, when you travel in South Asia’s forgotten country.
The coast of Kenya: Swahili culture and history, perfect Indian Ocean beaches and the Lamu Archipelago. If you need some inspiration or a few ideas before you set off beach-hopping along the Kenyan coast, then read on.
I was ready to leave Tofo. I’d had my fill of lazy days at the beach, and started to get restless. And so that’s why I went from travelling by overcrowded chapa in Mozambique to safariing in a Kia Picanto in South Africa.
Oyv went home from Maputo, but I carried on up the coast to Tofo and life on the beach. Tofo-living is like a break from…well, from everything. Definitely from travel; even from Africa. Because sometimes, travelling is all about extremes.
Travelling down the coast of East Africa, forts, medieval mosques and palaces, and faded colonial ruins start to feel familiar, very fast. From Somalia to Mozambique: Arab traders, Indian merchants, Portuguese conquerors, and other European powers (plus more than a few missionaries and explorers) – this place has seen them all.
What could be better than three days of total quiet? Here’s my take on what it’s like to attend a three-day silent meditation retreat in Ladakh, plus info on where to sign up, accommodation, costs and transportation.
India never fails to surprise me – it’s good that way. This time, with the magical Himalayan former Kingdom of Ladakh. If you’re in India during the monsoon, head on up. There’s plenty to do, and little rain.