I landed in Mumbai late at night, but even through the darkness and steamed up windows of my taxi, it felt like a world away from the rest of India. Cramped high rise buildings, bright lights and glamorous billboards lined
A Slice of Luxury: Jaipur
In my nine months backpacking across India I have lived on a relatively small budget of between Rs 1,000 – 1,500 per day ($20-$30). Its not insanely cheap for India, but coming from my very comfortable middle class existence in
How India Turned Me Into a Feminist
I have a confession to make, I am a feminist. Nine months travelling through India has turned me into a feminist and this is me coming out of the closet. I have always considered myself to be egalitarian, striving for
Is the real India Invisible? – Andhra Pradesh
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
Cultural Misfits: Where do I fit in?
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
To Give or Not To Give
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,
The Beauty and Challenges of the Untouched Tourist Trail: Wayanad
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.
Foodie Post: The Thali
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
Guruvayur and Thrissur: How do you prove you are Hindu?
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
Kochi: My Ayurvedic Experience
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