*Disclaimer: this post contains some sub par iPhone pictures taken during a very foggy headed, jet-lagged state! I am on a trip in India right now and when I was planning my departure I decided what better way to start my adventure than a four hour layover in Kuwait. I am fortunate enough to be …
Delicious Bagan
Earlier this year I spent a few weeks with my husband exploring a truly wonderful country, Myanmar. Bagan is a must if you go to Myanmar, and we were very excited when we arrived there, following a 7 hour river boat ride from Mandalay. Bagan is known for the beautiful temples scattered all over, making …
The Isolation of the American Traveler
In comparison to Canadians, Europeans and Australians; Americans as a society are not known for their traveling and love of exploring the world. This does not mean none of them travel (obviously), but it the vast majority have not spent a great deal of time traveling to foreign places beyond Mexico, Puerto Rico or the …
Mt. Popa – Watch your step!
In Myanmar if you travel to Bagan a popular side trip is to Mount Popa; a spiritual mecca for Buddhists to check out shrines of some very important ‘nats’. A nat (not a gnat) is a Buddhist spirit worshipped in Myanmar, originally part of Burmese folk religion. After doing some homework I can say there …
The Kolkata Flower Market
On a trip in India years ago, on one of my final days in Kolkata, I had only one thing left I wanted to accomplish. That was to check out the flower market. The evening before I had decided that if someone tried to talk to me, I would make an attempt to be open …
Durga Puja – Princess Power!
On a solo trip to Kolkata a few years back, I was picked up at the airport by a representative from my hotel, cheerfully awaiting my arrival. She escorted me to the car where the driver was waiting for us. When we pulled away from the airport she turned back to face me and said …
Alone in Kolkata – Arrival
One of my first 'big' solo trips was to India and Nepal a few years ago. My main intention was to go to Nepal, where I would be spending a month volunteering at a Buddhist Monastery. I decided to add on a month in India beforehand to see some areas I had never been to …
Infectious India – An Introduction.
"India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most constructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only." ~Mark Twain India is unlike any other place you will …
Field Trip – Boudha
If you visit Nepal, visiting Bodhnath Stupa and it's surrounding area is a must. As one of the major sights to visit in the Kathmandu area, I had already made a trip before starting my time volunteering for a month at Rinchen Parli Monastery. It is full of tourists but is a very important pilgrimage …
A Month Among Monks
Volunteering in a Buddhist Monastery.