I get asked all the time, “Why do you choose to stay in India?”. I am asked this by my Indian friends, by friends overseas, travellers I meet and most recently by my parents who are here visiting me for
Finding Home
I recently went through the rather stressful experience of trying to find somewhere to live in Mumbai. The options are overwhelming and also very varied in their quality and price. Coming from a country where you look up some places
Class or crass: India’s Middle Class
One of the biggest culture shocks I am now experiencing relates to what is considered to be “class” or behaviour that represents economic and social status. It isn’t something I saw much of when I was backpacking, but now that
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
Inspiration: Travel and Parkinson’s Disease
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
Life in the Indian village
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
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
The Anticipation of Banking in India
One of the fundamentals of living somewhere is the need for a functioning bank account. I should know; I spent four years of my life creating a business helping people migrating to Australia open bank accounts. This business opened accounts
The Differences Between North and South India
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
Pictorial Post: Dharamsala
Dharamsala is the home place of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet in Exile. It’s a town of contradiction. On one hand it is peaceful and calm. It must be the only place in India where people apologise if