Rakhee Ghelani

Category: India

  • The Joy and Curse of Solo-Travel

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    I love traveling on my own, I have been a solo-traveler for about 14 years now and thrive on the freedom and exhilaration of it.  I guess you could say I have a strong independent streak and am comfortable in my own company, after all I have lived alone for 13 years. I have now…

  • Is the real India Invisible? – Andhra Pradesh

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    As I made my way down the east coast of the country, I decided to stop in a few places in Andhra Pradesh along the way, which gave me quite a “real” Indian experience.  First stop was Visakhapatnam, otherwise known as Vizag.  This is a beachside city that is touted as the best beach on…

  • Beauty, Nature and Solitude – Chilika Lake

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    I chose to travel down the East coast of India, on my way to Chennai, to experience the road less traveled.  Odisha is certainly a place I loved, but I discovered quite quickly that the less worn path also comes with its challenges, especially for someone with limited linguistic skills.  Whilst my rudimentary Hindi was…

  • Puri, Konark and 64 Yoginis

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    Puri is a small seaside town in Odisha that is a popular holiday retreat for local Indian tourists.  A stroll along the beach on a Sunday afternoon had a great carnival feel lots of bathing in the sea (fully clothed of course) and camel rides.  Everyone seemed relaxed and they were certainly enjoying themselves. I…

  • Inspiration: Travel and Parkinson’s Disease

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    Travelling around India, I have come across all types of people; hippies, spiritual seekers, cultural aficionados and just those who are interested in seeing India. In Puri, I was lucky to meet the most inspirational couple I have met in my travels., a Canadian couple who have spent a lot of time in India over…

  • In the Path of Buddha (Part 2) – Rajgir and Nalanda

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    Rajgir is a small town in Bihar about 2 hours by bus from Bodhgaya.  I was a little apprehensive about going there as Bihar has quite a bad reputation; it is known for being unsafe, particularly for women, lawless with bandits being common place (so I was told), so I was on my closest guard.…

  • In the Path of Buddha – Bodhgaya

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    I left Delhi feeling the need for a bit of calm and zen; not two words that readily come to mind when thinking about India.  Visiting some of the famous Buddhist sites seemed like a good place to start. I still have such beautiful memories of trekking in the Nepalese Himalayas and the calming effect…

  • Cultural Misfits: Where do I fit in?

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    I am learning Hindi and have found the experience particularly challenging given the rather diverse cultural history I come from ( something I have discussed a bit previously here). My grandparents were born in India, my parents in East Africa and myself in Australia. Growing up, a mixture of four languages were spoken in my…

  • Life in the Indian village

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    I was fortunate enough to spend my Christmas and New Year break with friends in a small village in the Punjab.  Getting to experience the true village life is not something an outsider gets to do usually. In some places I have traveled to village experiences have been offered, but I find these usually to…

  • Cheesy Post: Some things I learnt in 2011

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    Its the last day of the year, so I thought I fitting to do something a lot of people do… reflect on the year.  So not dissimilar to many other bloggers, here are a few things I learnt in 2011 in no particular order: Money is irrelevant if you’re not happy Yes it is nice…

  • To Give or Not To Give

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    Its coming up to Christmas, and whilst I am not Christian, it does make me think about some fundamental things like kindness, generosity and most importantly respect.  I like to believe that I practise these principles in my everyday life, however traveling through India recently, I have certainly found myself challenged and internally conflicted in…

  • The Beauty and Challenges of the Untouched Tourist Trail: Wayanad

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    Wayanad is a region in the north east corner of Kerala.  It is nestled in the hills, bordered by both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Its location makes it a stunning place to visit, but an absolute pain to get to. Wayanad is not serviced by the fantastic Indian railway network, so it really can only…

  • Foodie Post: The Thali

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    I just love thalis. From a foodie’s perspective, they are the perfect way to sample a regions cuisine in one healthy and well balanced meal. So what exactly is a thali? The word “Thali” actually means “plate” in Hindi, and when you order a thali this is essentially what you will receive.  A stainless steel…

  • Guruvayur and Thrissur: How do you prove you are Hindu?

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    How do you prove what religion you were raised to someone you just met? A Christian can wear a cross, although anyone could do this relatively easily. A Muslim woman can wear a Hijab, but not all do. A Jewish woman can shave her head and wear a long skirt, although only the orthodox do.…

  • Kochi: My Ayurvedic Experience

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    I love natural and alternative therapies, so much so I am actually a qualified massage therapist and have dabbled in reflexology. Whilst I have tried many different therapies including acupuncture (yes I find those needles quite relaxing), naturopathy, homeopathy and every type of massage I can find, the one thing I have never tried was…

  • Pictorial Post: The Keralan Backwaters

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    The backwaters of Kerala are one of the biggest tourist destinations in South India. The backwaters are essentially fresh water tributaries that end up rolling into the sea. I visited that backwaters twice, once from Alleppey where I literally stayed on the backwaters and then again from Kochi. The true beauty for me is about…

  • The Call of the Ocean: Varkala

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    For 105 days I have been completely land-locked. Locked between the mountains, rivers and the dust of north India. Whilst I have visited some beautiful places, I found myself desperately longing for the sound and smell of the ocean. I am a Cancerian, a quintessential water baby. Whilst I was born in-land, I have never…

  • The Differences Between North and South India

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    I have only been in South India for a couple of weeks, but I immediately felt that there was a huge cultural shift between North and South. It’s not just the food and climate though that makes South India like a different country to me, it is the people and the environment. I appreciate I…

  • Discovering Delhi: Some of my favourite things

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    I have spent the last few weeks in Delhi.  Its been a time of relaxation for me, hanging out with family and enjoying the company of friends who have dropped past.  What I have enjoyed the most has been discovering some little gems in Delhi that I wouldn’t normally get to see if I was…