Rakhee Ghelani

Category: Travel

  • The Temples of Tamil Nadu: Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Thanjavur, Madurai, Rameswaram

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    Tamil Nadu is famous for its many temples and architecture.  I was fortunate to see several of them in various towns, namely Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Thanjavur, Madurai and Rameswaram.  Whilst the architecture is similar, each temple had its own unique features.  Here are some photos of my favourites of each. Kanchipuram A quiet town with not…

  • 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…

  • 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…