My Visitors Guide to the Golden Temple of Amritsar, India The famed Golden Temple of Amritsar is the Sikh religion’s most sacred temple. It’s located in the Indian state of Punjab, homeland of the Sikhs, in far northwest India bordering Pakistan. The stunning Golden Temple is set in the middle of a large square pool, […]
PHOTO GALLERY: 12 Views of the Taj Mahal
PHOTO GALLERY: 12 Views of the Taj Mahal Did you know that the Taj Mahal is not a temple? It is, in fact, a mausoleum. Essentially it’s a massive tomb for one beloved Muslim woman named Mumtaz. In the late 1500s Moghul Emperor Raj Khan was so devastated by the death of his third wife […]
Travel Tales: Overland Drive From Cairns to Darwin
Travel Tales: Overland Drive From Cairns to Darwin During my 9-month trip around Australia I explored the vast country via many different modes of transportation. When I first arrived in Sydney I met up with my then-German-boyfriend. He had bought a pick-up truck and luxury caravan, which we drove around the states of New South […]
PHOTO GALLERY: Mandi, India – A Historic Riverside Town in the Himalayas
PHOTO GALLERY: Mandi, India – A Historic Riverside Town in the Himalayas Historic Mandi is scenically situated at the confluence of the Beas and Suketi Khad Rivers in central Himachal Pradesh state in the lower Himalayas. Mandi was established over 1500 years ago as a stop along the salt trading route between India and Tibet. […]
Easy India pt 3 – 10 Great Easy Destinations in India
Easy India pt 3 – 10 Great Easy Destinations in India If you’d love to travel through India but don’t want to deal with massive traffic, deafening noise, staggering crowds, toxic air pollution, stifling heat nor to put up with male harassment and the very real risk of rape (for western women travelers) then there’s […]
Travel Tales: My Visit to Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Travel Tales: My Visit to Sihanoukville, Cambodia After two days of exploring Cambodia’s blasé capital, Phnom Penh, I ‘escaped’ on a bus to the coastal beach area of Sihanoukville. At the time of my visit in late 2003 Sihanoukville was being lauded as Cambodia’s up and coming beach resort area with beautiful, quiet, undeveloped beaches […]
PHOTO GALLERY: Shimla, India – An Old British Hill Station in the Himalayas
PHOTO GALLERY: Shimla, India – An Old British Hill Station in the Himalayas Shimla is situated on a high ridge-line at 2200 M / 7230 ft in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh. Originating as a British hill station, Shimla now serves as state capital. It’s also a popular weekend and holiday destination for Indians […]
Travel Tips: Easy India pt 2 – Himachal Pradesh State
Easy India pt 2 – Himachal Pradesh State When I recently recommended Dharamsala town as a super-easy place to start traveling in India, I had not yet visited the rest of Himachal Pradesh State. Since then I have spent one month in Himachal and traveled its entire length from west to east. I’m now happy […]
Chandigarh, India: The Strangest City I’ve Ever Visited
Chandigarh, India: The Strangest City I’ve Ever Visited Chandigarh was not part of my original travel plans for India. In fact, I knew nothing about it except that it was a large Indian city on the hot plains just south of the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh. ‘Big city in India’ was enough to put […]
PHOTO GALLERY: Rewalsar, India- A Holy Lake With Monasteries & Temples
PHOTO GALLERY: Rewalsar, India- A Holy Lake With Monasteries & Temples Rewalsar is a small lake and community set in the lower Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh State, India. According to legend, the Indian Buddhist teacher, Padmasambhava, often referred to as the Second Buddha, created the holy lake water at Rewalsar due to an elaborate […]