Referendum Thoughts Newest Article Amy 04:04

Ok, not strictly a travel post but I had to write something...


When I first arrived in Germany at the ripe age of 19, nobody batted an eyelid at the fact my german language skills were terrible. Nobody rolled their eyes or tutted and said "you're in Germany now, you need to speak german." Instead I was met with a beer and a "welcome to Germany!" I was inundated with offers of people willing to help me practice my german, to show me the cool places to go, where to hang out, which clubs to go to, I was taken to parties, concerts and museums whilst people told me about their lives and their country and tried to integrate me wholeheartedly. I've called Germany 'home' for 4 years now: it has helped me grow, it has taught me about other cultures, I've seen first hand the extremely long lasting effect of barbaric racism and nationalism, I've learnt about the country, I've made friends and memories which will withstand a lifetime. 

Fast forward 6 years when I first set foot on Asian soil in Sri Lanka. Again, nobody judged me for not speaking their language. Nobody thought me a drain on the economy or feared me. People said hello, helped me with directions, offered me fruit on the bus and welcomed me into their family homes and lives. As my trip around Asia continued, again I was met with kindness, with people giving up entire days and weekends to spend time with me, to show me their country and tell me about it, expecting absolutely nothing in return. 

When I first read that Britain had voted to leave the EU in the middle of the night, I thought I was dreaming and drifted back to sleep. When I awoke again to over 200 messages, I knew it wasn't a dream. it  pains me that when I've been so welcomed into other countries and cultures, I come from a country where the majority are no longer willing to do the same. A country where the national dish is chicken tikka masala, where the national drink comes from Asia, the cars from Germany and a lot of the football players from all over the world. And yet when it comes to accepting normal people, even people whom we have caused pain and suffering, are no longer welcome. I know that the initial emotional reaction will die down, and I will use today to grieve over the loss of the country I thought I could call home, but soon we will have to face the challenges and changes that come with this decision. We have to engage, to remain united and spread love. Stand up to injustices and prove that we can be great. As a great man once said, darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that, hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. So let's not quarrel with those who chose the future we are now facing, but unite and act with love and light. 

When Did Travel Become A Competition? Amy 20:31

Before I came travelling I followed a lot of travel blogs and joined a lot of Facebook groups to try and prepare myself and learn a bit about what was to come.
Recently I've seen an increasing number of posts about backpackers being 'travellers not tourists' and one in particular about how the 'travel thing' is overdone. The blogger in question referred to the increasing number of people travelling, ironically, as "the crash of travel". He talks about 'four years ago' as if he personally discovered Asia and as if 5 years ago nobody was travelling at all.

I fully understand that landing in an Asian country to find that the majority of people are fellow westerners can sometimes take a bit away from a truly authentic cultural experience, but some people aren't travelling to find that. For some people, going to a new place, discovering beautiful scenery or finding like-minded people and sharing adventures with them, is what travel is about. For others, it's heading off the beaten track, into dense jungle, barely inhabited villages and baron deserts which is the goal of travel. For most people, it's a mix of the two. Finding and exploring new and interesting cultures, but also finding new friends and making shared memories. I can go weeks without seeing another westerner but then I crave a bit of shared sense of humour or language and vice versa.

I get, too, that some 'travellers' have been on the road longer than others - at the end of the day, we're all human and all have our own individual timelines, goals and destinations. Of course no two itineraries are the same, but during my travels I have come across a fair few people who seem desperate to prove that they are away for longer or going somewhere more obscure or have done things nobody else has ever done - and most of this 'proving' isn't done in a cool, informative or inspiring way, but more of a bragging right: "I'm a better traveller than you."

People are more keen to go 'off the beaten track'

What I don't understand is: when did it become a competition? Why does it or should it matter whether someone is away for 2 weeks or 2 years? And what difference does it make if someone is a 'tourist' or a 'traveller'? Isn't the main thing to focus on that people are going somewhere? That comfort zones are being left, boundaries pushed, new cultures explored, new trails hiked and new waters swam in? Doesn't it go against all the cheesy travelspo Instagram posts like "the best stories are the ones found between the pages of a passport" if actually the story is only allowed to come from a certain place, where it was created over x amount of time and the storyteller was most certainly not a tourist?
 
Yes, more and more people are taking the time to travel now, but that's exactly what we need. In a world where people are becoming increasingly hostile towards other cultures; a world which is rife with conflict, prejudice, racism and religious distrust, now is the optimal time for more and more people to be exposed to new cultures, different religions, skin colours and ways of life. Let's please not discourage that by passing it off as 'overdone' - let's encourage it and promote it as much as we can and hopefully, through that we can achieve so much more than just a story in a passport.

India 8 week Intinerary Amy 22:24

When I arrived in India with 8 weeks to look around, I had no idea where to go other than start from the bottom and 'work my way up' - wherever that would take me. I've since been asked by a lot of people what I did and where I went whilst I was in India, so I thought maybe I could give an idea for others in the planning stages of their trip with my itinerary and what I did when I was in India!

As it was my first time in India, I found it really beneficial to start in Kerala in the south of India, which is much more chilled out than the north, generally is a bit better off and more used to tourists than some of the smaller and less-visited states. It gave me a really good introduction to India without being too overwhelming and really helped me gain confidence for the rest of my time in India - I liked Kerala so much I went back again after already having left India (I'll also do a 2/3 week Kerala Itinerary soon!)

Although it was only 8 weeks, I never rushed anything and actually spent quite a lot of time in each place, so this could definitely be condensed into 6 weeks or less if you don't have as much time but still want to see everything, by just spending 2 or 3 days in each place.

Day 1-10: Kerala 
I initially planned to spend 2 days in  Kochi before moving on to Goa, but I met a great bunch of people and ended up staying for 6 days! I wouldn't necessarily recommend spending so long in Kochi, but in a week in Kerala I would do:
Kochi - a sweet little port town. It is really well set up for tourists with loads of guesthouses, restaurants, shops and spas to keep everybody looked after. 2-3 days is enough to see everything Kochi has to offer - check out the famous Chinese Fishing Nets at sunset after cruising the backwaters all day or catch a Kathakali performance. Visit the Basilica, the Dutch Synagogue, and the Jewish cemetry before feasting on all of the delicious Keralan food you can fit in (I highly recommend Masala Dosa, Thali (a selection of curries with vegetables, rice and chapatti), Chili Gobi and Keralan fish fry. 

Banana Leaf Thali 

Chinese Fishing Nets, Kochi

Alleppey - about an hour and a half south from Kochi, Alleppey (Alappuzha) is a beach town and a well-visited tourist destination, with tours of the backwaters being one of the most popular attractions in Kerala. If you did the backwaters in Kochi, I wouldn't recommend doing it twice, but if you didn't, you can book house boats in Alleppey and spend a day or two cruising the backwaters with your meals and drinks provided. Depending on how much time you have and what you want to do, you can spend anything from 2 - 7 days here. I spent 5 days just chilling on the beach at Sea Shore Homestay, who have their own private beach for you to relax on and enjoy.

Sunset on Alleppey Beach

Munnar - a hill station a few hours east of Kochi. Such a hidden gem! We went here by motorbike and it was amazing. Munnar is absolutely beautiful and perfect for escaping the crazy towns and madness of India. Rolling tea plantations surround you on all sides, Mattupetty Dam is stunning and a popular spot for photographers. There are waterfalls and many view points to stop and admire the scenery, the area is also popular for hikers with trekking trails scattered around the hillside. Anything between 2-4 days is enough here.

Miles of tea in Munnar

Mattupetty Dam

Day 11-20 Goa & Hampi

Some people spend weeks in Goa alone, but if you are on a schedule and have a lot to see, I'd recommend 5-7 days to see it and enjoy some beach time before moving on.
I was in Goa in off-season, so haven't experienced the psy trance parties of Anjuna, but I spent about 6 days on Palolem beach with friends just eating, sunbathing and having bonfires on the beach. Palolem is beautiful and a great beach for just chilling out. My plan was to go to Palolem and then to Anjuna with a stop in Hampi inbetween, but I got stuck in Hampi and missed Anjuna but it's definitely an in-season destination and I'm sure I'll make it there eventually! 

Palolem Beach

From most of the beaches in Goa you can take a night bus to Hampi, a small town in the state of Karnataka. Hampi was definitely one of my favourite places in India and somewhere I recommend to absolutely everybody. With a really chilled out vibe, loads of chilled restaurants with beautiful views and great food, temples, rock formations and lakes, Hampi has a bit of everything. On my first night I met a guy who told me he was going climbing the next morning, and I had no clue what he meant, but he offered to take me and so I went along. Turns out Hampi is famous for bouldering - basically just climbing up the rocks with no ropes and a crash mat. As the rocks get too hot in the day, everybody goes at sunrise, which means no matter how shit you are at climbing, you get the most amazing view of sunrise over the temples and plains of Hampi. I went three times and was still crap, but it's definitely a lot of fun and the guys who do it are incredible (I recommend going to Tom & Jerry's climbing shop and speaking to them and Sunny). I spent about 5 days in Hampi and could easily have stayed longer exploring the ruins, buzzing about on a scooter (as terrifying as that was for someone who is inherently afraid to drive) and singing songs at Sunset Point... Hampi is not to be missed!

Virupaksha Temple, Hampi

Hampi Sunsets

Sunrise climbing sessions

Day 21 - 41 Mumbai & Rajasthan

If big cities aren't your thing, you can miss Mumbai off this and just head straight on to Rajasthan, but I really wanted to see Mumbai and it didn't disappoint. It is such a bustling city with loads of energy and lots of places to go and things to see. I'd recommend stopping there just to experience it and see it! 

From Mumbai head to Rajasthan which is the state where you'll probably spend most of your time and definitely the most interesting state. The route I took through was:

Jaipur - Pushkar - Jodhpur - Jaisalmer & Thar Desert - Udaipur 

I can't speak for Jaipur, as I got sick there and spent 2 days in the hospital, but I've heard from lots of people that it isn't the best place in Rajasthan and the tuktuk drivers here have a reputation for being the most pushy and scamming.
Pushkar is amazing and is a super laid back little town, with a pretty lake in the middle and loads of rooftop cafes and restaurants with views over it and the neighbouring towns. Loads of little shops and cafes and a really slow pace make Pushkar a really good place for some chill time, especially if you're coming from the busy Jaipur (or recovering from Typhoid...).

Sunset over Pushkar Lake

Jodhpur (otherwise known as the Blue City) is also sweet although I wouldn't recommend as much time here as it definitely doesn't have the same sort of vibe as Pushkar and is more just a tourist stopover to take photos and see the blue buildings.

Jaisalmer (also known as the Golden City) was one of my favourite stops. The city itself is absolutely stunning, characterised by its yellow stone buildings and the impressive fort. Stay in a guesthouse within the fort walls (I can highly recommend Shiva's Guesthouse). I arrived off the nightbus from Jodhpur and whilst the girls went for a nap, Shiva took me with him to his morning prayer rituals in the 2 temples next to his guesthouse. Through Shiva you can book the camel trek into the Thar Desert, which was genuinely one of the best experiences of my travels. The guides we went with were so lovely and always making us laugh, singing and they are incredible cooks! We paid about 1600 rupees (about £16) for 1 night 2 days and I absolutely loved it. Going to sleep under the stars in the middle of the Thar Desert and then being woken up by the guides with a cup of chai just as the sun was rising... ahhh it was just amazing - I definitely a must do!

Jonny the camel and I 

the best way to wake up

After Jaisalmer, we made our way to Udaipur. Udaipur is beautiful! You can easily spend 3 days just walking round and enjoying the views. There is a big lake in the middle which is gorgeous and houses a 5* hotel in the middle. The lake side at sunset provides beautiful views or you can take the cable car (Mansapurna Karni Mata Rope Way) up to the Karni Mata temple, which affords beautiful views over the city.

Day 42 - 56 Varanasi, Agra, Rishikesh, Delhi
Ok so I didn't make it to Varanasi in my trip as it was Diwali and every single bus/train/car/camel was booked up and it was impossible for us to get there. But I will go. And if you're there when it isn't Diwali and you can go, then go. I've heard from everybody how incredible it is. The true spiritual home of India, filled with religion, cows and crazy stuff, it is what we dream of when we picture India. Everybody I've met who went to Varanasi planned to go for 2 days and stayed much much longer, so I guess you have to wing that one on how long you want to stay.
   
Agra is a no brainer - you can't go to India and not see the Taj Mahal, (I wrote about some of the people who don't like to go in my previous post 7 Tips for Travel in India), but it was definitely a highlight of India. It is simply stunning. You only really need a day here. We took a night bus in, found a guesthouse where we were able to take showers and store our bags (you're not allowed to take bags into the Taj Mahal and there are no lockers so definitely find a room to keep your stuff!) and then went to the Taj at around 2 and stayed until after sunset, went for dinner and then jumped on a night bus out. Some people stay for 2 days to be able to see a sunrise and sunset, but sunset was enough for me - it's all down to what you want! :)

posin'

From Agra, we went to Rishikesh which I absolutely adored. We stayed at Mama's Guesthouse in Laxman Jhula ('up the hill'), and Mama is the most adorable lady in India and also makes the best veg thali for only 70 rupees (ask her to put pumpkin in!). I stayed for 5 days, mainly just wandering around and enjoying the scenery and the food. We went white water rafting down the Ganges on the first day of Diwali which was incredible and ended with us jumping out of the raft and swimming in the bright blue water of the Himalayan Ganges which was freeeeeezing cold but such an amazing experience! We also watched a lighting ceremony at sunset on the banks of the Ganges - this happens every single day and I highly recommend it, it was just extra special to be there for Diwali. Other than that we just walked around, did some little walks into the hills and up to the waterfalls and chilled out. Rishikesh is a really laid back place (as are most places I've written about, apparently...). It has beautiful scenery all around it and really friendly people and great food - with a lot of Nepalese influence and the north Indian food differs a lot from the Masala Dosas of the south!

White-water Rafting down the Ganges

From Rishikesh it was on to my last stop: the wonderful and feared Delhi. So many people told me horror stories of their time in Delhi, from just generally not wanting to leave their hostels to being grabbed and scammed in Connaught Square, people didn't have a lot of good to say about it. I decided to couchsurf in Delhi as a way of making myself feel a bit better about it, and it was a great decision. Although as soon as I arrived in Delhi, I felt the fear subside as I sat at a chai stand on the side of the road outside the station and smoked a beedi and drank a chai as the locals looked on in amazement and laughed at me before offering direction on where I needed to go to find my host. My second day in Delhi, I was really lucky as a friend of my Dad's offered to show me around, and drove me around to all of the sights all day. It was so lovely of her and I got to see all of the amazing architecture and bazaars without really having to put much effort in at all. I'd definitely recommend getting out and seeing Delhi, it can be frightening to go out into such a big city by yourself, but keep your wits about you and face it with a smile and you'll be absolutely fine and have the best end to your 8 weeks of India!

Safdarjung's Tomb, Delhi. 

I hope this helps a bit in where to go, if you'd like specifics or more details on any of the places or what to do in certain places, let me know and I'll help as much as I can, or if I should write a post on a specific town or city do let me know! :) 

7 Tips for Travel in India Amy 23:29

Market in Mysore, Karnataka 

1. Reflect 
One of the best things I read before travelling to India was that "India is a mirror". Smile and India smiles with you, laugh and the warmth you receive in return will stun you. Go to India with an open mind and an even more open heart. Let things surprise you, shock you and even sadden you, but retain your smile, love and curiosity and India will reveal its magic.

2. Engage
With everything: the environment, the customs, the chaos and the locals. It's so easy when travelling to find other travellers and stick with them, favouring the link to a familiar place, and of course I've done that as well and have made incredible friends in doing so, but some of my most prized and unexpected experiences have been with locals; some of my best meals were in roadside shacks no tourist would ever think to set foot in and some of the times I've felt most at home was when taken under the wings of locals and allowed a glimpse into their lives, homes and hearts. Before I came to India, everybody had warned me of horror stories and the lack of safety a solo female traveller has: "they'll say anything to get what they want", "they'll attack you at any chance", "as a solo female traveller you're an easy target" etc etc etc. and of course due to many factors, a western woman alone in India is somewhat interesting to an Indian and thus caution must be exercised as with anywhere, trust you gut and follow your instincts and if you feel you can a trust an offer of kindness, take it and learn to love India even more.

3. Surrender 
This is also something I read, but also something I did without even noticing. I don't mean a dramatic raising of a metaphorical white flag, but in India there is something to surrender to on a daily basis - a struggle between your head and heart (India is the country of the heart, I'm certain). Say yes to the local who insists on taking you out for the day or to visit his home and his family; smile at the man on the street when you've just dealt with 5 creeps leering at you; let yourself be swept up in the chaos of the narrow streets and let the laughter of children playing cricket in the street warm your heart when you're feeling tired, alone and a million miles from home.

4. Read Shantaram 
A book that you'll never hear spoken about at home, it only truly comes to life when you read it whilst travelling in India. The sounds, sayings and imagery become something you can relate to, something you understand and appreciate. The experiences you've had become fossilised in some of  the most beautiful literary expressions you've ever read. With each page you discover both an India unknown and an India you've already grown so familiar with without even realising.

5. Visit the Taj Mahal 
I met so many travellers who avoided the Taj Mahal like the plague, dismissing it as cliché and merely a tourist attraction. Yes it is a tourist attraction, and yes by Indian standards it is expensive, but it is also breathtakingly beautiful. The devotion and work put into it is astounding and you can spend hours admiring the symmetry from all angles.
In Agra itself, there isn't much to see, so take a night bus or train in, find a cheap room to dump your bags for the day and take a shower and then choose from one of the many rooftop cafés to get some breakfast with a view over the Taj. Head in around 2pm and spend your time wandering round admiring the perfection of the sight. 100% symmetrical from all sides, it really is a sight to behold. Find somewhere quiet(er) to sit (I found the west side in front of the mosque to be almost empty) and admire the way the lowering afternoon sun plays with the marble facades. Move to the eastern side to watch the sunset, then head inside to see the tombs, and as dusk falls find dinner in another nearby restaurant before jumping on the next bus or train to your next destination.

6. Eat

It's easy to get to India with an inherent fear of the dreaded 'Delhi belly' and weeks of food poisoning, but Indian food is some of the healthiest and most delicious food I've come across on my travels. Being vegetarian is the easiest option as there isn't much that can go wrong during cooking, and fresh vegetables are so plentiful and delicious, you'll always be spoiled for choice. From the South Indian breakfast of Masala Dosa, Keralan fish curry, and a host of thalis (my favourite was a pumpkin variation in Rishikesh!), try it all, and if you don't like it, at around 70p a meal, you can easily pick something else from the extensive menus - if you don't know what something is, try it, you may just find a new favourite dish!

It's easy to get sucked in to the comfort of western food, but apart from being almost always around 

3x the price of local food, it's almost always 1/2 the flavour and never quite what you wanted. 

7. Enjoy!

Yes, sometimes India is a difficult place to travel, especially alone. But once you get past the endless staring and the odd wandering hand or rude comment and just look around at the colourful chaos, it is a magical place. Revel in the colours, sounds, smells and the utter mayhem. When it gets too much, find an ashram or a chilled out cafe to drink a chai and take some time to yourself before heading out to face it again. There is always something to see or do and your senses will be overloaded at all times, but just embrace it and enjoy it!

Destination 2: India! Amy 06:50

Over the past few months, I’ve been busy saying my goodbyes to the city I called home and packing up my life in Düsseldorf ready for the next chapter of my life in Asia. I’ve been so busy that despite a huge amount of prospective material, I’ve done absolutely no writing whatsoever and nowhere near as much planning for my trip as I’d have liked, especially when it comes to the colossus that is India! In contrast to how meticulously I went about planning Sri Lanka - having almost every day planned out - India will be much less planned and much more flexible: so far I’ve only booked a week in a beach hut in Palolem and five days in a hostel in Varanasi over Diwali, the festival of lights which I cannot wait for! Other than that I know roughly where I want to go and what I want to see, but I’m hoping to find my inner hippy spirit and just meet people along the way and see where I land!
I also took the plunge and bought my first ever DSLR! I am by no means a photographer, but am starting to get to grips with it and can't wait to get to use it properly on my travels.. if anyone has tips for an absolutely useless photographer, pleeease help me!

My current route for India (ish) is:

Kochi – Mysore – Hampi – Goa – Mumbai – Udaipur – Jodphur – Jaisalmer – Jaipur – Agra – Varanasi – Delhi

It seems weird to go back on myself to Delhi but that’s where I’ll catch my flight to my next stop which will be...the golden land of temples Myanmar!

Does anyone have any great experiences of India or trips for a first timer like me?! Feel free to comment below! 

First Stop: Sri Lanka! Amy 10:31

After ordering a heap of Lonely Planet guides and reading endless blogs and internet posts, I am finally getting to grips with planning my trip!

I will be starting in September and my first stop will be a month travelling around Sri Lanka. I chose to start in Sri Lanka as I originally wanted to start in India, but feared it might be a bit overwhelming for a first-time backpacker, and I've heard great things about backpacking in Sri Lanka and also its many UNESCO heritage sites and stunning scenery.

As this is my first stop, I am planning quite meticulously, incorporating some couch surfing and utilising the great booking.com to book some hotels and guest houses along the way. I have never couchsurfed before, but have found some great guys with whom I will be couchsurfing in both Colombo on my arrival and in Kandy. I imagine as my confidence and experience grows, I'll become more lax in needing to book places in advance and will just let the road take me where I want to go, but for my first stop, planning is definitely helping to ease me in to my adventure!

My route in Sri Lanka is as follows:

Colombo - Anuradhapura - Dambulla/Sigiriya/Polonnaruwa - Kandy - Ella - Uda Walawe National Park - Tangalle - Mirissa (incl day trip to Galle) - Colombo

The only places I haven't yet figured out accommodation for are Anuradhapura and Ella - does anybody have any tips for these?

Have you been to Sri Lanka and have some tips/ must sees for me? I'd love to hear!

My next stop will be... India!
Amy x

T - 6 Months Amy 12:51

A few weeks ago what was supposed to be a normal day in the office threw my entire plan off course and left me -for the first time in a long time- considering my options and completely uncertain of my next move.

I graduated university in June 2012 and moved to Germany and straight into a graduate job in an international retail company. I worked my way up over two and half years, and was excited about what my future in the company looked like. Nevertheless, as nothing in life is certain, and I was obviously becoming too comfortable with planning my future, a spanner was thrown into the works in the form of redundancy. The office was relocating to the UK, which although is my home country, was somewhere I didn’t want to return to until my desire to be elsewhere had been satiated.

   After many tears, a trip to my parents, copious amounts of alcohol, comfort food and comfort shopping, I decided for the first time in years to simply follow my heart. I turned down a job offer and will use my redundancy pay and savings to do something that I’ve longed to do for years: travel.

   I know it’s nothing new to a lot of people, and although I moved to Germany alone (twice), there is something about the vast expanse of world yet to explore which fills me with nervous excitement and utter terror at the same time. Even writing this now, knowing I have a 6 month wait, the butterflies are stirring in my stomach and my heart rate is beginning to accelerate from the rush of 100 different emotions as I contemplate what I’m about to embark upon and the idea of how my life is going to change and who I am going to become.

   The reason for blogging about it is quite simple: I love to write. I have a Thought Catalog account and spend many hours scribbling away, and surely if there’s one great muse everyone can draw inspiration from, it’s new experiences. Secondly, the internet is so full of experience and what better way to connect with people also embarking on similar journeys, with similar experiences or who simply want to live vicariously through others... I am welcoming comments, tips, tricks, travel buddies – the world is our oyster.

So now I guess by putting this out there onto the World Wide Web, it makes it official. In August this year, I will leave my comfort zone of a 50sqm flat, a steady income and nearby friends and set out on my own on a journey to see the beautiful sights I’ve been admiring on Instagram for months and simply enjoy the wonders of the world.