Thailand: From Dancing in Phi Phi to Zipping around in Chiang Mai

Thailand - After a late night flight we arrived bright and early in beautiful Thailand and headed straight for the popular backpackers area, Khao San Road, Bangkok. As it was so early, rooms were not available so we ditched our bags and headed down the road lined with stalls. What a change from India where we often were searching for other backpackers, the road and restaurants were packed with Westerners. With only one night in Bangkok this time around, we explored a bit of the city by Tuk Tuk. Our driver was a mad Thai man who popped wheelies every chance he got. Bahhhhhht!

We headed South by an overnight bus from Bangkok to Krabi, a port to get to the Western Islands. This bus was slightly more comfortable than the overnight bus in India, but annoying because we had to switch buses at 5am. From Krabi it was a ferry to Koh Phi Phi.

Koh Phi Phi is a beautiful island in the Indian Ocean with high cliffs and flourishing greenery. With over 6,000 new tourists arriving daily, many of which were European, it is like a European Spring Break destination for a good time, good weather and good views. We spent five days here enjoying massages, snorkeling, diving, hiking to viewpoints, drinking buckets and dancing.

From Phi Phi we headed to Phuket. Where unfortunately Sarah left us and headed to Vietnam. We miss you Sarah, can't wait to meet back up with you in Cambodia!

For our day in Phuket we rented bikes and explored the coastline. We enjoyed freshly cooked seafood at a little fish market, gazed at the breathtaking views from the "Big Buddah" and did a bit of shopping in the lively town of Patong Beach. It was quite an adventure, especially navigating in the dark back to Phuket town. We got slightly lost, drove in circles for a bit and had an interesting encounter with two local police men. Remember to take your license if you ever rent bikes in Phuket!

We flew North to Chiang Mai next where we spent eight days enjoying the city and surrounding areas. Chiang Mai has the largest market I've ever seen, The "Walking Street Market" on Sunday. It spans for several blocks down one road then branches down two side streets for a few more blocks. We spent four hours walking up and down the streets buying trinkets and getting massages, still not managing to get through the whole thing! We also visited a Thai Silk factory where we observed and learned how to make Thai silk using a manual loom. You have to be quite coordinated to handle it!

To feed our wild side we ventured out of the city and up the mountain for some Zip-Lining with the Thai run company Jungle Flight. It was a rush to swing from sky bridge to sky bridge staring out over the Thai rainforest. We highly recommend this company, the guides (Capt. Jack Sparrow & Tom Cruise especially) were very comical and made the adventure that much more interesting and fun.

Chiang Mai is home to "The Tiger Kingdom" where you can go and cuddle with the beautiful animals. We had a great day snuggling up to big, medium and small tigers, even a small lion.

Rachel turned 24 while we were in Chiang Mai. HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACH! We enjoyed a lovely evening in celebration starting with an all-you-can-eat buffet at one of the nicest hotels in town - the Shangri-la. We followed this with some Muay Thai boxing, and ended the night at a Rasta bar where we bopped to the beat of a great live Ska Band.

After Chiang Mai we headed to the border in Chiang Khong to cross the Mekong to Laos...

Rishikesh: A Little Slice of Heaven

Rishikesh, Uttarakhand - also known as the Land of the Gods, made for a perfect and bitter sweet ending to our exploration of India. We were very lucky to have stumbled across the Shri Sant Shiva Ashram which couldn't have been more perfect. Situated right beside the famous Lakshman Jhoola suspension bridge, our very large balcony overlooked the holy river Ganges, framed by the majestic Himalayas in the background.

We spent many days here pampering ourselves with yoga, massage and Reiki appointments, and enjoyed many fantastic meals at our favorite restaurant in town - the Little Buddha Cafe. We enjoyed a hike to the waterfall, a dramatic run in with Char and a grumpy monkey, and a very authentic cooking course - making for a very fulfilling week.

Goodbye for now India.....

Rajasthan: Squatting and Seduction

Our longing to return to Pushkar faded quickly on the long drive back to Delhi, with an over night stop off in Mandawa. It was on these drives through Rajasthan that we noticed so many intriguing things that are commonly seen around India. We learned that Indians know how to make things fit - if there is not enough room inside a bus, they'll just hop on top!

We witnessed hundreds of Indians in the squatting position that men and women commonly use when chillin with their buddies on the side of the road. Also, it became apparent to us that only women are seen working in the fields in the heat of the day, or walking the streets carrying heavy loads on their heads, while the men sell food and useless items from their stall or sit around chatting with their mates.

My respect grew even more for these women when I noticed how each one wore their beautiful, brightly coloured sarees even when hard at work... What I love most about these sarees is how they help a woman look beautiful and innocent yet slightly seductive, as it covers the majority of their skin while framing their figure in a very feminine way. I've noticed that they are always graceful with the way they carry themselves and their confidence shines through as they walk with their heads held high and their gazes focused.

We realized how uncommon it is for Tourists to visit these villages one day, when we decided to purchase some fruit from a small vendor on the corner of a village street. We managed to attract a large crowd of boys and men, each one with the same look of excited astonishment on their faces as they stood just a foot away from us, staring. It was a very strange experience... but worth it - the oranges tasted amazing... although they didn't top Bermuda's oranges!

We learned later after speaking to a fellow traveller that the boys in the village were probably standing there with hope that we would choose one to fall in love with and marry. Apparently marrying a westerner is one of the best things that could happen to an Indian man as it would free them of their caste. The caste system is still very strong in India and most men are expected to do the jobs that their families have done for hundreds of years. It is common to find a rickshaw driver or a waiter at a family run restaurant with a medical or law degree. We have heard many times not to say thank you for these services as "it is their duty to serve us."

One thing I do envy about the Indian people that I have met, is how content they all seem with their lives... and the certainty of their life's path.

Racing Camels & Broken Scooters in Pushkar

We arrived in Pushkar, Rajasthan after a long drive through many very small, authentic Indian villages and lush scenery. Pushkar is a very old, holy city at the edge of the desert surrounding a lake. After arriving at our hotel, we immediately decided to extend our stay. Just like most places in India, Pushkar is very unique, with a good balance of locals, pilgrims and westerners strolling though the main market street in town. Vendors were stocked with silver jewellery and bright natural stones and crystals, along with the typical travel apparel that can be found all over India.

When hoping to explore a temple beside the holy lake we were bombarded by hundreds of pigeons and a number of men who proceeded to sit us down individually and take us through a blessing process where we sent thanks and love to our families and made a wish as we threw pink flower petals into the water. As expected we were asked for a donation which supposedly goes to the children in need around Pushkar - although skeptical, we all gave a small amount hoping that it would find its way to them. We were then given a piece of string to tie around our wrist as our passport to Pushkar - which shows that we have been blessed.

We had the intention of exploring the neighboring villages but found ourselves stranded on the side of a road because the scooter we rented decided to breakdown. Luckily the breathtaking scenery helped us keep our cool, while we met many friendly Indians. It was amusing to us that each and every person that drove passed us whether on a bike, truck or tractor stopped to lend a hand. We got a tiny taste of what an Indian party must feel like... in the middle of a road!

Later that same day a couple of us discovered the amazing world of reflexology and yoga, while others literally raced camels through the desert and played with the locals amongst the sand dunes at sunset.

After only a few days, we felt at home in Pushkar and found it extremely hard to leave...

Jaipur: 3 Idiots & Saree's Galore

Jaipur, also known as "The Pink City", is the land of Saree's and Jewelry... and is where I fell very deeply in love. The city market streets, Johari Bazaar in particular, were lined with store after store, all packed with from ceiling to floor with the most beautifully embroidered and brightly coloured silk and georgette sarees, pashminas and bed wear. Jewelry stores were decorated with a range of cheap to more pricey ethnic gold and brightly coloured stoned jewelery... As Rachel said, "It was to die for!" The amounts of bangles that lined the store walls was overwhelming but never failed to excite us. We left Jaipur with very, very heavy backpacks.... and even more amounts of inspiration. I hope the tailors in Vietnam are ready for us!

While in Jaipur, we enjoyed our first Bollywood film - 3 Idiots, a very entertaining and more dramatic than expected comedy. The theatre, the Raj Madir, made for a very fulfilling movie experience. Filled with hundreds of excited middle class Indian children, the inside of the theatre was a spectacular site to see. This replica of a giant pink birthday cake was the perfect setting for a very involved audience to enjoy a Bollywood film. Slightly lost at times, Harry's very high pitched laugh made it easier for us to join in at the appropriate times.

One of our favorite activities in Jaipur was exploring the massive Amber Fort high up on the hills right outside of the city. We met two very enthusiastic boys at the Monkey Temple, who followed us up the hill yelling useless facts at us and asking 50 questions a minute, while telling us their life stories all at the same time. After declining their services multiple times, their adorable persistentcy eventually won us over and we finally accepted that they would be our tour guides and new friends for the day... However, they weren't our friends at the end of the day when the tip we offered them wasn't good enough. Either way, I was happy to have met them. We witnessed some of the most amazing and breathtaking views of the beautiful 'Pink City' from these sites, putting Jaipur high up on my list of favorite cities in the world...

With a new addition to our foursome - Char, a journalist from London, we paid a visit to Chokhi Dhani - an all inclusive night of traditional Indian activities that is popular with locals. We enjoyed a buffet of Rajasthani food, with all the curry, chapati & salad you could ever imagine, a replica of a typical village, dancing, elephant rides, slides, carousels and our favorite, and most interesting activity - palmistry. It made for an entertaining night of laughs and hilarious photos opts...

I can't wait to go back to The Pink City!

Agra & Ranthambore: Where's the Taj Mahal?!... and the tigers?

We arrived in Agra after the following day to more coldness and even more fog, yet were still excited, and itching to catch a glimpse of the spectacular Taj Mahal. Not really knowing why exactly, we found ourselves at a very nice jewelry store selling amazing stones that are found in the walls of the Taj and were swept away again to a small workshop, where we were shown how these stones were installed in the intricately carved marble walls of the Taj Mahal.

With our hands full of goodies and our very empty pockets we were introduced unwillingly to Deepak, our tour guide for the remainder of our stay in Agra and the Taj Mahal. I'm very sad to say that because of the fog all I was able to take away from the Taj was the beautiful dramatic entrance and walkway leading up to it and the detail in the walls that I had been instructed to look out for. I think it was Jessie who said, "I forgot that the roof the Taj was dome shaped until I looked at a postcard some guy was trying to sell to me on my way out". If it wasn't for Deepak, I may have considered demanding my 750 rupees back.

Deepak was a very sweet young Indian guy who was currently putting himself through college. After sharing with us the romantic tale of the Taj, Deepak proceeded to ask each one of us how old we want to be when we get married - those of you who know some of us, might understand the humour in this question. He then proceeded to explain to us the Indian perspective on love, relationships and marriage.

We learned that most Indian women usually want to and usually are married by the time they reach their early to mid 20s... for men it doesn't matter but they are normally a bit older - early to late 30s. It is still very common for marriages to be arranged. Unfortunately for the women, it is their families who are responsible for finding them a suitable match, regardless of whether or not they ready or agree to their match. Whereas it is normally up to the man to decide when they are ready. They are then given options to choose from when necessary. Deepak says that he will marry once he has finished school and has enough money to take on a wife. Love was never mentioned. Although he had been in love once.... when he was 13.

We said our goodbyes to our new friend Deepak and drove 9 hours to Ranthambore, Rajasthan where we were to go on our first Indian Safari. Our experience with the Tiger Reserve in Ranthambore turned out to be a pretty similar one to the Taj Mahal... Deserted and cold. However the beautiful scenery and peaceful feeling of driving with the roof down in India at 6am made it worth while. However the very "interesting" food we encountered at a "restaurant" that we found in the basement of a local house, at a table right next to their dirty laundry, drove us out of the little village of Ranthambore earlier than expected. We headed for Jaipur, in search of warmth, nutella pancakes and banana porridge to comfort our very upset tummies....!

Click to view more pics from Agra & Ranthambore!

Delhi: No Hurry No Worry Like Chicken Curry!

Namaste!
So we arrived in cold, foggy Delhi and were immediately swept away and passed from one helpful Indian man to the next...! In one day we managed to see many of the sites including The India Gate, the Parliament House & a half built Monkey Temple with time to spare for a stroll through one of the most luxurious malls I have seen. Thanks to Visit India and a lot more money than we had intended on blowing in India, we also had a car arranged starting the following day to take us around the key places in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

This is when we were introduced to Anil, our driver, who ended up being a huge source of our amusement and Indian cultural educator for the duration of our tour. Anil, who we called Harry (short for Harry Potter), was a 31 year old very little Nepalese man whose favorite movie is Harry Potter, & whose music play list consisted of Shakira, Ricky Martin & the Backstreet Boys. It was Harry who first opened our eyes to the common nature of the typical Indian man we were to come across - very unexpectedly blunt, usually slightly offensive yet always endearing in a weird way.

View our pics of Delhi and more!