BreatheDreamGo » Travel Tips

Get inspired to breathe, dream and go

Mariellen — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:17:43 +0000

Coming soon:

the Travel That Changes You e-newsletter

BreatheDreamGo.com has always been about transformative travel. But now I am making that underlying value statement explicit with the launch of the Travel That Changes You e-newsletter. I will be featuring inspiring stories of real change by real travelers – and transformative travel tips by pros like Evelyn “Journeywoman” Hannon. Please sign up – the sign up box is in the right menu bar. I want this new initiative to be an inspiration for people who want want change in their lives, but don’t know where to start. By sharing stories, we can inspire each other – and also prepare each other for the ups and downs of change, travel … and life in general. So if you have a story of change or a travel experience that changed you please contact me to submit it and you could be highlighted in Travel That Changes You (with a link to your blog or website). The guidelines are below.

Future issues of the e-newsletter will feature:

Dave and Deb of ThePlanetD sharing their story of how travel transformed them from career-and-money-motivated suburbanites into globe-trotting experience lovers
A heart-felt essay from author Shelley Seale (The Weight of Silence: The Invisible Children of India) about how the children of India transformed her
An interview with Canadian writer Sylvia Fraser, whose book A Rope in The Water tells the incredible story of her spiritual transformation in India
Women explorers of the past such as: Dervla Murphy, who rode a bicycle from Dunkirk in France to Delhi, India in 1963, and wrote a ripping adventure book about her odyssey called Full Tilt
Jim McIntosh, a shoe maker from New Zealand, who traveled to Africa meet Hanna, the child he sponsors
AND transformative travel tips from well-seasoned experts like Evelyn “Journeywoman” Hannon and Janice “Solotraveler” Waugh.

Your stories of change and transformation

I know I am not the only one who was changed by travel. Many people are — and the trip doesn’t have to be as long as six months, as far away as the other side of the world or as transformative as finding a new life. You could change in a small but significant way by going to another town for the weekend. So please contribute your stories and inspire others to take a deep breath, connect with their dreams and go.

Guidelines: Send me:

- about 500 words (give or take 100),
- 1-3 photos (please size them to 550 pixels wide)
- a short bio with a link to your blog or website
- and one tip for others from what you learned

Send to Mariellen Ward at breathedreamgo [@] gmail . com

And sign up today!

Arrival of the Pilgrims by Jean-Pierre Muller

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

Top 5 myths about India

Mariellen — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 01:19:10 +0000

snake charmers in Jaipur, India

Myth #1: Traveling in India is dangerous

Before I went to India for the first time, I was warned to my teeth about how dirty and dangerous India is, especially by the doctor at the travel medical clinic. She really tried to put the fear of disease into me, and I went to India the first time loaded with precautionary supplies, pills and additional health insurance. Then I landed in Delhi at the very civilized home of my friend Ajay, who lives with his family in the Delhi equivalent of Forest Hill (one of the most upscale neighbourhoods in Toronto), and they laughed at all my stuff. When I did get sick I went to the local Max Medical Centre and after waiting about 10 or 15 minutes I got to see the British-trained head of internal medicine. The medical centre was spotlessly clean, modern and efficient, better than almost anything I’ve seen in Canada, and the visit cost 500 rupees or about $10.

At this point in my journey, about 10 days in, something began to dawn on me. I realized that many people in Canada, including me, were of the idea that India is a barbaric place. In fact, I found it to be very civilized. I no longer carry all those supplies and pills, I no longer buy extra health insurance. I practice caution, but I don’t assume the worst, I assume the best. And guess what?

This is what I have come to believe through my own experiences and those of many people I know: India will mirror back to you your own attitude, feelings, prejudices, barriers and limitations – and India will evoke your higher self, too. It can be very painful to see how impatient, judgmental, middle-class, naïve and unkind you can be! And very uplifting to discover your compassion, open-mindedness and spiritual awareness.

But I really do believe India knows best. India is like a guru who gives you the experiences you need to move you along your path. I often say that going to India is like that scene in Star Wars when Yoda sends Luke into the cave. Luke asks, “what will I find there?” and Yoda answers, “only what you bring in with you.” So if you are afraid, you will have scary experiences. And if you are open and trusting (within reason), you will find kind, helpful people who can really help smooth over the unavoidable challenges to travel in India.

Myth #2: India is a country

Pushkar, Rajasthan, India

India is often called the subcontinent, and there’s a reason. It is more like a continent or the European Union than a country like Canada, which is fairly homogenous from one end to the other, multiculturalism, natives and Newfies notwithstanding.

In fact, not so long ago – before and even during the Raj, the British colonial period – India was a nation of princely states, not unlike the city states of Italy; and before that, powerful rulers – who often attained that power through conquest and invasion – reigned over vast tracts of the country. The result is that India is an extremely diverse nation. As you travel from one part of the country to another, you meet people with very different linguistic, cultural and even ethnic backgrounds. In the south, the people are descended from the Dravidian culture. In the north, which was subject to many more waves of invaders and conquerors, the people are of Aryan descent. Rajputs from Rajasthan are about as similar to the Christians of Goa as an English peer is to a Greek fisherman.

There are 14 official languages – each state has its own official language – and just about every religion the world has to offer. Four of the world’s great religions were born in India – Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Today, the vast majority – about 82% – are Hindus, but with a population of 1.2 billion, that still means that the other religions are well represented. Islam, with 12% of the population, has 144 million followers.

So don’t expect the food, language or customs to remain static as you travel. In the north, wheat is commonly eaten as bread (naan, poori, roti, parantha, chapati, etc.); in the south it’s all about rice. In the north many people speak Hindi – but in the south, very few.

Fishermen in Kerala

Myth #3: Yoga is a system of exercises

Yoga was lost in translation. It did not survive the transatlantic voyage. What we have in the west is but a shadow of yoga’s full stature. You are forgiven for not knowing this; I also did not know until I went to India to study yoga.

Shiva, god of yoga, in Rishikesh, India

Yoga is one of the six schools (darshanas) of Hinduism, and one of the four that adhere to the advaita tradition. This is the belief in one truth, one consciousness, and all is god. Beneath the apparent duality of life – which is illusion, maia – all is one. The point of yoga is to still your mind so that you can become aware of this truth, and act accordingly.

If you did not get this idea from going to a yoga studio in a western country, you would not be alone.

In the classical system of yoga, known as Raja Yoga, there are eight limbs. One of them is asana, or the physical practise of postures. The point of the postures is to create and maintain bodily health so that you have the vigour to follow the other seven limbs, such as meditation.

In one of the most important books of yoga, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, asana is mentioned only three times, while meditation is mentioned many times. Meditation is one of the primary tools for achieving the awareness of truth – thus it is far more “important.”

My teacher in India, Swami Brahmdev, does not teach asana. He answers questions during satsang, chants during evening meditation and founded and runs a beautiful, peaceful, garden-like ashram for people who want to live in a spiritually focused environment. There is an asana teacher at the ashram, but the ashram does not revolve around asana practise. Not at all.

Myth #4: India is poor

Many people in India are materially impoverished compared to middle-class Canadians, but that does not make them poor. I have become very leery of labeling others as poor, disenfranchised and marginalized. I know this is a politically correct thing to do, but it sticks in my craw. Seriously, how dare we? How dare we be so judgmental? And doesn’t that just serve to make so-called “poor, disenfranchised and marginalized” people into victims, further exacerbating any problems they may have? I personally like to believe in my own abilities to survive and overcome, and I resent anyone who tells me I am a disenfranchised woman.

pilgrims watching the sunrise in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India

I have to say my mind was really turned around on this issue by my teacher in India, Swami Brahmdev who said, “Do not judge someone as poor. You do not know how rich a person is inside.” He then went on to tell us about the sweet contentment of the “poor” man who sells vegetables to the ashram and who leads a very simple, but satisfying, life.

In fact, generally speaking, I find the people of India to be on the whole much more content, much warmer and more generous than the materially richer people of the west. I now feel that western spiritual poverty is just as unhealthy and probably a lot more destructive to the planet than material poverty. If everyone on the planet lived that way a middle-class Canadian lived, the world’s resources would be used up by the next Commonwealth Games.

Myth #5: Hinduism is a religion

Krishna at Sivananda Ashram, Kerala, India

Hinduism is the world’s oldest extant religion and has a billion followers, which makes it the world’s third largest religion. But Hinduism is not strictly a religion, as we think of it in the west. It was not founded by one person, it does not have a core doctrine, there is no central authority, it does not require followers to accept any one idea, and no on can agree on when or even where it began.

The origins of Hinduism are lost in time, and are highly disputed. Scholars now believe Hinduism arose as long ago as 10,000 B.C. The earliest of the Hindu scriptures – The Rig Veda – could have been composed before 6,500 B.C. But the word Hinduism itself is not to be found in any of the scriptures. It was named after the people of Sindh, who settled between the rivers Indus and Sindh in what is now Pakistan. The Persians named people of Sindh “Hindus.”

Hinduism is a way of life – known as Dharma, the law that governs action. It is essentially a conglomeration of diverse religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas, beliefs and traditions. “It is characterized by the belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations, the law of cause and effect, following the path of righteousness, and the desire for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.” http://hinduism.about.com/od/basics/p/hinduismbasics.htm

The principal deities of Hinduism are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, sometimes referred to as the Hindu Trinity. Brahma is thought of as the creator, Vishnu as the sustainer of life, and Shiva is associated with dissolution and death. But many Hindus regard their gods and goddesses as manifestations of the Supreme God, Brahman — and there are as many as 30 million manifestations. After a visit to India, Mark Twain wrote: “India has two million gods, and worships them all. In religion all other countries are paupers; India is the only millionaire.”

India’s gifts to the world

Sri Ramakrishna, a 19^th century mystic highly revered in India, captured the spirit of Hinduism by saying, “there can be as many spiritual paths as there are spiritual aspirants and similarly there can be as many gods as there are moods, feelings and emotions within the individual believer.”

me in Kerala

Mythologist Joseph Campbell (who I consider to be one of my most influential teachers), expressed the essential difference between the philosophy of Hinduism and the monotheistic religions when he wrote: “The first principle of Indian thought, therefore, is that the ultimate reality is beyond description. It is something that can be experienced only by bringing the mind to a stop; and once experienced, it cannot be described to anyone in terms of the forms of this world. The truth, the ultimate truth, that is to say, is transcendent. It goes past, transcends, all speech, all images, anything that can possibly be said. … it is not only transcendent, it is also immanent, within all things. Everything in the world, therefore, is to be regarded as its manifestation. There is an important difference here between the Indian and the Western ideas. … Hinduism believes in the omnipresence of the Supreme God in every individual. There is no ‘fall.’ Man is not cut off from the divine. He requires only to bring the spontaneous activity of his mind to a state of stillness and he will experience that divine principle within him.”

Finally, historian Arnold Toynbee wrote my favourite description of Hinduism, which sums up what makes it so attractive to me: “There may or may not be only one single absolute truth and only one single ultimate way of salvation. We do not know. But we do know that there are more approaches to truth than one, and more means of salvation than one. … This is a hard saying for adherents of … Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but it is a truism for Hindus. The spirit of mutual good-will, esteem, and veritable love … is the traditional spirit of the religions of the Indian family. This is one of India’s gifts to the world.”

sacred cow in Haridwar, India

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

Planning to go to India?

Mariellen — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:50:28 +0000

Sita Sings the Blues

Ready, set, go to India

What to pack, what to eat, where to go and more

If you are planning to visit India, I have lots of resources right here on Breathedreamgo. Start by reading the following blogs: Advice for first time travelers, Top 5 Myths about India, Avoiding bed bugs, bacteria and bad guys, Top 5 things I’ve learned after a year of travel in India , Top 10 tips for women traveling in India and my Packing list for India. And don’t miss watching How to use an Indian toilet – it’s a funny and informative video by the great Wilbur Sargunaraj that will teach you a very important, essential skill.

I would also recommend reading about India. I have included a list of 10 books about India that I love, and 10 more books, and a list of spiritual books that I love, some of which are pertinent. Of course, there are loads more I haven’t read or even heard of — so let me know if you come across something good.

For guide books, I recommend the Lonely Planet Guide to India and the Rough Guide to India. In India, books are cheap, and there are lots of great travel and tourism books and guides available. I especially recommend Outlook Traveller, and the “Love” Guides to Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Bangalore.

If you want to know something of Hindu culture — and India is about 85% Hindu — I would suggest getting acquainted with the Mahabharat, the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita. The Mahabharat and the Ramayana are epics (the Mahabharat is the longest poem in history), and I am not suggesting that you read them in entirety. You can get abridged versions, read about them on Wikipedia, watch videos or find versions for children. There are lots of ways.

The Bhagavad Gita is essentially the “bible” of Hinduism. It is short section within the Mahabharat in which Krishna lectures Arjuna as the great battle is about to begin. He sets forth the philosophy of yoga and the basis of Hinduism. It doesn’t take long to read, but it takes a lifetime to fully appreciate and understand.

For a “pop culture” version of the Ramayana, watch Sita Sings the Blues. It may not be considered a traditional retelling, but it’s extremely entertaining and really beautifully crafted. Kudos to Nina Paley — who poured her heartache over her own divorce into artistic endeavour!

Cultural etiquette

Most people understand (I hope) that India is still a traditional society, except perhaps in parts of Mumbai. Even Delhi is comparatively conservative — and once you get out of the big cities, India is almost completely traditional. I am a “when in Rome” traveler, and I wouldn’t dream of disrespecting my host country. I wrote this brief list of Do’s and Dont’s to give you the basics. Far be it for me to tell you what to do … but please think about the repercussions of your actions.

Travel Tips and other resources

Here are some websites that could prove useful, and there are more on Links page.

IndiaMike, a travel forum for sharing tips on travel and living in India
IndiaTourism, official site
TripAdvisor, where real people review hotels and more
LonelyPlanet, and the Thorn Tree Travel Forum
The Matador Network, online travel magazine
Transitions Abroad, a comprehensive resource for working and living abroad
Journeywoman, travel advice for women
Wanderlust and Lipstick, travel resource for women with lots of info on India
Startbackpacking.com, a very informative backpacking guide
Love Guides to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, three gorgeous guides that will make you fall in love with these cities

Yoga and solo travel

I have spent more than a year in India in the last five years, on four separate trips. I have lived in Delhi, volunteered in the Tibetan community in Dharamsala, studied yoga at:

… and visited these states: National Capital Region (Delhi), Punjab, Haryana, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. I lived with my partner’s family in Delhi; otherwise I mostly traveled alone.

I enjoy traveling alone in India and can recommend it for women without reservation. I have even written about it for Solotravelerblog.com.

If you still have questions that are not answered here, please feel free to contact me at mariellen [@] breathedreamgo . com.

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

Taking the train in India

Mariellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:52:09 +0000

Poetry in motion

I love taking the train in India. It’s a great way to see the country, meet people and generally slow down your trip. Indian Railways is the world’s largest employer and the train system is massive and complex. You can book online on the IRTCT site and find great tips on Figuring out India Rail Travel on the wonderful The Planet D site.

I have many memories of watching India’s sun-baked landscape slide by, but here are two of my favourite train ride stories.

Long day’s journey

New Delhi Railway Station to Jaisalmer

My first clue was the difficulty I had in finding my bogey. Normally, India’s antiquated, seemingly chaotic train system always proves to have a kind of magical order, but this time I rushed up and down the platform looking for my car as none of them were marked. Finally, a fat, satisfied conductor ambled along and began slowing applying the dot-matrix printed sheets listing the reservations to each car. Once I found my car, and bunk, I didn’t feel much better.

India’s trains – like so many things in Indian society – are hierarchical. The Shatabdi’s and Rajdhani‘s are the best: the trains are new-ish, clean and they run on time. They usually ply the routes between India’s major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi.

The train I was on was going to Jaisalmer, a far-flung destination in the middle of the Thar Desert, on the edge of India. The train was old, not clean and absolutely crammed full of people and other non-paying guests. Over the course of the 21 hours I spent on that train, I saw about five cockroaches (and stopped counting, because the last two were running along the wall near my face as I was falling asleep) and two large mice. Or small rats. Not sure.

My bunkmates were a family of Spanish women and we made the best of the situation by having a party. Luckily for me, they shared their food with me as I had only two oranges and a bag of almonds to last almost 24 hours.

Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan, India

It was a long journey, and maddening, as we were often stopped waiting for other trains to pass. Finally we got to Jaisalmer and I lunged off the train into the glare of the noonday sun. I was struck by the colours of this far-flung Rajasthani town – splashes of neon pink and orange fabric against a backdrop of pale red earth, golden sandstone and iridescent blue sky – and I felt immediately refreshed by the sunlight and spaciousness.

And when I saw Jaislamer’s impossibly romantic fairy-tale fort rising above the desert, I was in awe. Here was a scene out of the 1,001 Arabian Nights that I idolized as a child. Here was the real-life version of my bedroom walls, which I had painted with exotic, Oriental scenes of genies coming out of bottles, turret-topped palaces and stone fortress-like cityscapes. At once, the arduous train journey melted in the magical heat of the Jaisalmer sun.

Unlikely heroes

New Delhi Railway Station to Haridwar

I arrived at NDLS in the blue light of early morning and began the usual round of haggling to engage a porter. “Neh, neh, there is no way I am paying 200 rupees, I live in Delhi.” One porter seemed unusually keen and genuine, plus he had a killer smile. I uncharacteristically agreed to 100 rupees, more than double the amount a local would pay. We made our way through the dampness and squalor to track 16 and I gave my porter my e-ticket. He discovered that I had only a waiting list ticket. I thought my seat was number 48; in fact, I was 48 on the waiting list and did not stand a chance of getting a seat.

on the train to Haridwar

It was a Friday morning and I was trying to board a train to Haridwar, the centre of the Kumbh Mela – the largest spiritual gathering on earth. This train, and all the others leaving for Haridwar for weeks in every direction, had been sold out for months. Nevertheless, my porter did not give up on me. He rushed to find the first-class conductor, and when he didn’t prove helpful, he rushed to find the second-class conductor.

The train was leaving in six minutes and I stood on the platform and poured my appeal for a seat on this man, who had a kindly face. The conductor said, “You can have my seat.” And he told me the number and with only three minutes to spare directed the porter and I to a second-class bogey. The porter genuinely shared my elation, and, I imagine, felt some job satisfaction as he stowed my bag on the overhead rack. I pressed 200 rupees in his hand. “Thank you – you deserve this!” I said, and he flashed his killer smile at me.

Later, when the seat beside me became available, the conductor sat down to chat and told me all about his hiking adventures in the region north of Haridwar and Rishikesh (the Char Dham pilgrimage routes). He was a very friendly and informative person and I took a lot of notes as I hope to do some of these hikes one day.

So, in typical Indian fashion, a so-called problem turned into an opportunity for friendly contact and adventure.

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

Travel tips from Incredible India Tourism

Mariellen — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:59:18 +0000

My Incredible India experience began with the incredible people at India Tourism. The helpful people at the India Tourism office in Toronto not only supplied me with contacts and all kinds of brochures and information, they are also sponsoring my upcoming trip. These people really do know India. If you don’t have an office near you, they have a very informative website, and offices throughout India. It’s unfortunate that there are many shady travel and tourism operators in India. But if you go through India Tourism, you can be sure of dealing with reputable people and organizations. Below is a list of Do’s and Don’ts India Tourism supplies to all visitors.

Do’s

It is advisable to avail pre-paid taxis/autorikshaws wherever available at the airports and railway stations. For metered taxis insist on paying by meter or ask for fare chart.
Contact the nearest IndiaTourism office/State tourism office for authentic information. These offices also supply guide maps/brochures free of cost/at the nominal cost.
Always reserve your tours or other travel related reservation through Government approved Travel agencies/tour operators. A list of approved agencies is available at the local Indiatourism office/state tourism office. This list is also available at Incredible India.
Hire a government approved tourist guide who always carries an Identity Card issued by IndiaTourism and archeological survey of India.
Keep your valuable in hotel lockers.
Change money only at authorized foreign exchange outlets/banks/hotels and insist on proper receipt.
Shop at government emporia/fixed price shops as far as possible to ensure good quality products at reasonable prices. And do not forget to collect proper receipts/bills of purchase.
Buy train tickets from railway Booking Counters or through authorized Travel Agents.

Don’ts

Don’t fall for tempting exchange rates offered by unauthorized people.
Don’t purchase air/bus/train tickets from/through strangers, touts and unauthorized travel agencies.
Don’t accept lavish hospitality extended by strangers/unknown persons especially while shopping for expensive items.
Don’t travel in a taxi carrying any other passengers.
Don’t deal with unauthorized persons. Stay away from touts.
Don’t show excessive money/Expensive items in public.
Don’t use ATM machine in presence of any other person. Don’t forget to collect your card and balance information slip before you leave ATM kiosk.

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

How I learned to love Delhi

Mariellen — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:25:35 +0000

[NOTE: This was originally published on Transitions Abroad.]

Lodhi Garden, Delhi

I miss the smell of Delhi. I lived there for a total of six months over the course of the past three years, and now I am back in Toronto. Toronto is a big modern city and it essentially smells like a parking garage; Delhi is a megalopolis with an ancient history and smells like cooking fires, tropical flowers, pollution, animals, sewage, incense, and who knows what else. Delhi does not always smell good, but it always smells like something!

I love Delhi for its smells and for the following reasons: it is diverse, colourful, enigmatic, and bursting with life. But these are also among the reasons that many tourists—who are often new to India, having just touched down at Indira Gandhi International Airport—find it so overwhelming.

But I was no doubt lucky. I was spared the usual Delhi arrival dramas that so many tourists sordidly recount, as they detail every shock and trauma. The aggressive taxi drivers. The windowless room in a Pahar Ganj hotel. The child beggars in Connaught Place.

A slower pace of life

The night I arrived for the first time at Delhi’s airport, I was picked up by an old friend and taken to his family’s house in genteel and prestigious South Delhi. I woke up the next morning to sunlight streaming through my window and the lyrical sounds of birds singing and vegetable sellers calling their wares as they bicycled slowly through the upscale neighborhood. I walked onto the family’s massive white marble terrace, glowing with the warm sun of a December morning, and was offered tea and breakfast (toast, vegetable omelet, curds and paranthas) by one of the servants (even many middle- and lower-income families in India have live-in servants). He brought out a small table and set it in front of me, and I ate on the terrace.

After breakfast—at about noon—a shawl-wallah arrived and spread gorgeous shawls and fabrics out for the ladies of the house to view, while we sipped tea in the sun. I bought several inexpensive wool shawls and two “suits” (three-piece tunic, pants and scarf), one in bright orange cotton and another in teal blue silk. The entire process was unhurried, relaxed, and enjoyable. That was my introduction to India.

My easy landing set the tone for subsequent adventures in India and taught me that India, and Delhi, does not have to be a rugged travel challenge, fraught with anxiety, culture shock, and suspicion. Living with an Indian family in Delhi, I was able to see the city through their eyes—and I discovered a slower pace of life as well as many lovely places to walk, eat, shop, socialize and relax in the capital of the world’s largest democracy.

Four tips for visiting Delhi

1. My advice, first of all, is not to believe all the negative you things you hear about Delhi. Delhi can be, and is, a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city that has a rich history stretching back thousands of years. It has been the capital of at least seven or eight great civilizations, and each of them has left monuments worth exploring.

2. Do do not stay in Pahar Ganj or even Connaught Place. Try Karol Bagh, Sunder Nagar, Vasant Vihar and, especially, anywhere in South Delhi. Traditionally, Delhi was badly served in terms of mid-range options. The five-star hotels are gorgeous, but expensive; and the inexpensive options tend to be dirty, windowless dumps in Pahar Ganj. These days, there are more and more guest houses and small hotels popping up in much more pleasant areas.

3. Plan your tourist activities in Delhi strategically. Delhi is massive and it takes hours to drive from one end to the other. Concentrate sight-seeing in one area per day. One day in Old Delhi (Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid), one day in Central Delhi (India Gate, Connaught Place, Humayun’s Tomb), one day in South Delhi (“Lotus” or Baha’i Temple, Qutb Minar, Akshardham Temple). Go through a reputable travel agency or good hotel and hire a car-and-driver. Again, it may seem a bit pricey, but it is worth it.

4. Do not run from one tourist extravaganza to another. Delhi offers an embarrassment of riches when it comes to cultural heritage and historic sites. It would be crazy to attempt to see the entire city in a few days. Schedule yourself some downtime and do what the locals do: Go for a leisurely stroll in Lodhi Gardens. Have a long tea break (or other refreshing beverage) at the Imperial Hotel. Take your time and visit the moving sites associated with Mahatma Gandhi: Raj Ghat, where he was cremated, is in the center of a big park; Birla House (aka Gandhi Samadhi) is where he was assassinated. Take a yoga class at the Sivananda Centre in Greater Kailash. Shop at upscale Khan Market and have lunch at one of the lively cafes.

I have learned much from my travels and yoga studies in India over the past few years. But one of the most important things I have learned is that your attitude to travel in India will color and influence your experience. I encourage people to go without fear, anxiety or suspicion. Visit India with openness, trust and the willingness to learn, change, and grow.

Sunset from the terrace, South Delhi

Living like a local

Here’s information on living like a local in Delhi for those who are not fortunate enough to be greeted at the airport by family friends.

You do not have to spend a lot of money or have rich friends to stay in the tree-lined, upscale neighborhoods of Delhi. Many relatively inexpensive guest houses are opening in some of the best areas, and there are other services that can help you live like a local, but not spend like a millionaire. Search the Internet for guest houses, small hotels or bed and breakfasts in Delhi. Or try these sites:

Craig’s List, Delhi, lists many service apartments and most of them seem to be in “posh” South Delhi. Look under sublets/temporary and vacation rentals.

Couchsurfing is a popular website that lists thousands of free “couches” to sleep on, all over the world, including the big cities in India.

Hermail is a service that Journeywoman offers to match women travelers with women in their country of destination. Your match can help you find a place to stay—or she may even offer to accommodate you.

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

Advice for first-time visitors and women traveling to India

Mariellen — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:15:57 +0000

Mariellen at Taj Mahal, India

I often get emails from women traveling to India for the first time, and they are justifiably nervous about landing by themselves in Delhi at midnight. So, this post is for you. It is a collection of my best tips and advice. You should also check out 10 Tips for Women Traveling India , my post Planning to go to India? and Top 5 Myths about India.

1.Go with an open mind and heart

Be cautious, but don’t be nervous. Be open, but don’t be naive. Yes, India is overwhelming to the first-time visitor and most people experience culture shock (you can spot first-timers by the deer-in-the-headlights look they have on their faces.) I have said in other posts on this blog (Traveling solo in India) that India is like the cave Yoda sends Luke into: you will only find what you bring with you. So, don’t bring fear. Most Indians are the nicest, friendliest and most helpful people you will ever meet. Even when they are trying to part you from your rupees, they are mostly very nice about it. (Always remember that there are many very poor people in India who have not had the advantages, nor the opportunities, that we in the west have.)

2. Arrange for airport pick-up

Try to get someone to pick you up at the airport when you land. Many good hotels and guest houses will arrange this for you. If flying in to Delhi, you can try contacting Dianne Sharma, who has a service for picking women up at the airport.

3. Stay in a residential neighbourhood

In Delhi, don’t stay in Pahar Ganj (the backpackers ghetto) or Connaught Place, the commercial centre of Delhi. Stay in one of the many very nice, leafy neighbourhoods of South Delhi. There are lots of mid-range small hotels and guest houses popping up nowadays. Here are two in South Delhi that I recommend: 1) Thikana is a luxurious, boutique hotel in a good neighbourhood that is much less costly than a big 5-star hotel 2) Kaori is for single female travelers only. It’s a single room in an apartment in Kailash, an upscale area that boasts great markets and the Sivananda Yoga Centre. Kaori has had good reviews on TripAdvisor.

4.Wear Indian clothes

Don’t bring very many clothes (aside from bras and underwear: read my Packing list for India). I wrote a blog post called 10 Tips for women traveling in India and my number one tip is to head straight to Fabindia after landing and buy several cotton salwar kameez sets (also known as suits). They are modest, comfortable, inexpensive and they will help you blend in a bit more. I also find that Indians tend to be more respectful of women whom they deem to be suitably dressed. Personally, I wear Indian clothes, including saris, almost all the time I am in India.

5. Find other like-minded travelers

It is easy to meet other travelers in India, especially if you use the Lonely Planet Guide (as everyone tends to go to the hotels, restaurants and attractions listed in the “bible” of travelers in India). But you can also look for other travelers on IndiaMike (there are usually monthly meet-ups in the big cities such as Delhi and Mumbai). The fantastic Journeywoman site — which caters to women travelers — has lots of resources for women going to India, including a service called Her Mail that connects women travelers with female locals. Also check out SoloTravelerBlog, a great site with lots of inspiring articles about the joys and benefits of traveling solo (personally, I think it’s the only way to go!) and Wanderlust and Lipstick for more India travel advice — even a guide book for Women Traveling to India.

6. Book a tour

There is a lot to be said for having someone guide you on your first trip to India. I tend to book all my own travel — it’s easy these days as Indian Railways and my favourite airline, Jet Airways, offer online booking — but for those who want to take a tour, take a look at the BreatheDreamGo Tours or contact Indus Travels. They specialize in small group tours and offer lots of different itineraries. Gap Adventures and Intrepid Travel also offers lots of tours to India (though they are not Indian-owned like Indus). If you decide to take the train — and you really should, it’s a great way to travel in India — check out my Resources page for links to several very helpful articles about taking the train in India.

7. Get to know your destination

Read books about India, and by Indian authors and check out my Do’s and Don’ts. India has a rich historical and cultural past and it is still largely a traditional society, in spite of all the mobile phones, Bollywood glamour and Levi jeans. Find out as much as you can about Indian society, as it will make travel easier. Many foreigners get frustrated by the way business is conducted in India — but it is futile and a waste of energy to get hot-and-bothered. Much better to try and understand, show some respect for an ancient culture (that is much wiser than the west in many ways) and go with the flow.

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

Traveling solo in India

Mariellen — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:12:45 +0000

[Note: Originally published as Recommended: Travel solo in India by Solotravelerblog.)

When I was 45 years old, I put everything I owned in storage, gave up my apartment and went to India for six months. It was the first time in my life that I had done anything like this. But it was time. I had always wanted to go to India and, after losing both of my parents, I knew it was now or never to go after my dreams.

Was I scared? You bet. But it was the “healthy” kind of scared – the kind that rises up from within and first whispers, then roars: if you overcome this, you will be forever changed. So I went. I jumped off the proverbial cliff to see how the universe would respond.

I will never forget peering out the window of the plane into the midnight blackness as we began our long descent into Delhi. All I could see was strange, random groupings of flickering orange lights. The familiar grid pattern of bright, even, white light you see when flying over a western city was nowhere in sight. I had no idea what to expect. I was on the greatest adventure of my life and I knew it.

And then I landed, and smelled Delhi’s acrid-pungent air for the first time and I knew everything would be okay. And it was. I spent six glorious months on a magic carpet ride. The universe held out loving, embracing arms and caught me.

Feeling safe among warm, friendly people

While all the stereotypes about India are true – it is crowded, dirty, noisy, chaotic and poor – it is also unfathomably rich in culture, tradition, spirituality and beauty. The ancient wisdom culture of India is alive in so many ways, but especially in the friendliness of the people. It’s the people of India that make traveling solo such a wonderful – and safe – experience. I can’t imagine kinder, more helpful, happier people.

Indians know how to enjoy life. They know how to be in the here-and-now, and appreciate time with family members and friends. They have a gift for relationship – and everything in India is relationship-driven. A poor shop owner would rather lose a sale than lose time with his family.

So, while traveling in India can be challenging due to crowds, chaos and delays, you will always find friendly people willing to engage in deep, meaningful conversations on philosophy, religion, values and other thought-provoking topics; and you will always find people willing to help you in any way they can. Personally, I would rather be in India with its dirty, late trains and warm, friendly people, than in a country with clean, super-efficient trains and reserved, aloof people.

If you go to India, my advice is to go with an open mind and an open heart. Take all the precautions, of course – especially with drinking water – but don’t go with fear in your mind or heart. I always say that India is like the cave that Yoda sends Luke into. “What will I find in there?” Luke asks. “Only what you bring with you,” Yoda answers.

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

Magh Kumbh Mela in Haridwar, 2010

Mariellen — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:36:41 +0000

The largest gathering of humanity on earth

Millions of people gather each year in North India to take a holy dip in the sacred waters of the Ganges, Yamuna and /or the mythological Saraswati rivers. Hindu devotees, pilgrims, saints and sadhus from all over India and the world turn up in huge numbers each winter. They believe that a holy dip in the sacred rivers during the Kumbh Mela washes away sins and can help them break the cycle of life and death and attain Moksha.

The Maha Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years in Allahabad — the sangam, or place, where the three rivers meet. This is the “big one.” The Maha Kumbh Mela is the largest gathering of humanity on earth. This year, a “smaller” version. called the Magh Kumbh Mela will be held in the sacred city of Haridwar, which is a four-hour train ride north of Delhi. (There is also an Ardh, or half, Kumbh Mela that takes place several times during the cycle.)

I am planning to be there, as my ashram is only a few kilometres from Haridwar. Not sure when yet, but I may try and be there for one of these auspicious bathing dates.

Bathing Dates for Haridwar Magh Kumbh Mela 2010

14 January 2010 – Makar Sankranti Snan – First Snan (bath)
15 January 2010 – Mauni Amavasya and Surya Grahan (Solar Eclipse) – Second Snan
20 January 2010 – Basant Panchmi Snan – Third snan
30 January 2010 – Magh Purnima Snan – Fourth Snan
12 February 2010 – Maha Shivratri – Pratham Shahi Snan – First Royal Bath
15 March 2010 – Somvati Amavasya – Dvitya Shahi Snan – Second Royal Bath
24 March 2010 – Ram Navmi – Fifth Snan
30 March 2010 – Chaitra Purnima Snan
14 April 2010 – Baisakhi – Pramukh Shahi Sanan – Main Royal Bath
28 April 2010 – Shakh Purnima – Snan

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.

My India list

Mariellen — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:44:43 +0000

My India list: top places, events and festivals I want to see

I believe in magic. How else can you explain that the more I travel in India, the longer the list of places I want to go gets?! I was inspired to write this list by Mighty Girl’s Mighty Life List, so here goes. Here’s my list at the time of this writing (and I am sure I am missing several things …):

Top 10

see sunrise over the Himalayas from Tiger Hill, near Darjeeling
watch the start of the monsoon in Trivandrum
attend the Pushkar Camel Festival
climb Mount Arunachala
see a tiger! — perhaps in Kanha National Park, the place that inspired Kipling to write Jungle Book
watch Indian classical dance at sunset in front of the temples during the Khajuraho Dance Festival
stay in tea gardens in Darjeeling, Assam and the Nilgiri Hills
have tea at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai
stay at the Tollygunge Club in Kolkata and watch the Kali Puja
go on Char Dham pilgrimage to source of the Ganga (Ganges River)

And the list continues …

be in Jaisalmer for the Desert Festival
visit Gandh’s ashrams: Sabarmati and Sevagram
take part in Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai
see the Brahmaputra River in Assam
visit the Ellora and Ajanta Caves
hike in Ladakh
be in Mathura for Janmashtami
take a boat cruise through the Sunderbans
join the Chariot Festival in Puri
hike in Sikkim
stay at Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur
see the Republic Day Parade in Delhi
~~spend some time writing in Bundi, where Kipling wrote~~
undertake 10-day Vipassana retreat near Jaipur
brief stop in the world’s wettest place, Cherapungi
see Dal Lake, Srinagar
stay at a spice garden in Kerala
visit the spice market in Old Delhi
finally go to Akshardham in Delhi
see the sun set and the moon rise at Kanyakumari (happens only two days per year)
attend Jaipur Literature Festival

Thank you for reading. Please visit BreatheDreamGo or stop by my Facebook page at Breathedreamgo.