All posts tagged: Solo female travel

Pushkar – India’s Hippie Oasis

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In the mountains of Rajasthan there lies a small but very holy town by the name of Pushkar. In Hindi ‘push’ means ‘flower’ and ‘kar’ means ‘hand’. The town is home to India’s most holy lake where each year thousands of hindus make a pilgrimage to the sacred waters. Legend has it that the lake was formed by the tears of Lord Shiva who was distraught after the death of his wife Sati. When Sati died Shiva cried so long and so hard that his tears created two holy lakes (in Pushkar and Ketasha – which means ‘raining eyes in Sanskrit). While visiting Pushkar it is possible to take part in a ceremony at one of the 52 ghats surrounding the lake. I obviously took part in such a ceremony at sunset (when in India…) where a holy man leads you in a series of chants and offerings, sugar, rice, pigments and flowers symbolising health, love, prosperity, for good karma. The experience was awesome, especially in such a picturesque setting – I honestly found myself …

The Day We Ran Over a Cow and Almost Got Stranded in The Middle of The Desert…

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In India getting the train is all part of the experience, they love a good train, and it’s the easiest and cheapest way to cross the country. So they’re pretty much unavoidable if you’re a backpacker like me and you’re on a budget! Luckily, I love Indian trains, there’s a sense of excitement about getting on one – Will it ever arrive? Will it stop midway through? Will it breakdown? Have you seen the Wes Anderson film The Darjeeling Limited? If not, see it, it’ll make you want to ride an Indian train. My first experience on a train in India was uneventful as it was a sleeper train so it was mostly sleeping that I was doing, but my second Indian train was certainly an experience… To get from Bikaner to Jaisalmer it’s a 5 hour train ride (or 6, or 7, or 8) on a local train – the kind where people hang out of the doors when the train is going and people wander up the aisles selling samosas. On this train …

My Fave Travel Apps: Insta Emoji

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Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE EMOJIS! I even had an Emoji birthday cake (the black side eye moon in case you’re asking) so when I found out you could accessorise your photos with them I was like ‘show me how, now’. This app is easy to use and lets you put LOL faces, hearts and even fake Emoji suns onto your travel snaps – I love it. Insta Emoji FREE Apple App Store   

Hotel Bhairon Vilas, Bikaner

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I love a good hotel – I stay, I lay, I unpack and I snap. This one’s a bloody great one too so read on… The hotel Bhairon Vilas looks, to the untrained eye, like a palace, elegant yet totally homely, the ancient residence is crafted from the red sandstone native to the town of Bikaner in the north of India. It’s literally the most beautiful hotel I have ever stayed in… period. The owner Harsh is one cool character, an Indian man in his early forties, he rocks (with aplomb I might add) a handlebar mustache., salt and pepper ponytail, a serious amount of silver bling and an old English tweed smoking jacket. He looks like a cross between a pirate and a Bollywood heartthrob. I met Harsh holding court in his bar, which looks like a 19th century Opium den – the dark walls lined with all manner of curiosities (many of them family heirlooms) – and he told me that the hotel is his ancestral family home, built by his great grandfather. …

colourful indian houses delhi

48 Hours in Hauz Khas, New Delhi

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My mate Akash told me that I had to visit Hauz Khas Village when I came to India, so I did and here’s what I found… GETTING THERE Get the Metro (yellow line) to Hauz Khas metro station, this cost me just 18p each way. Then get a tuk tuk as the walk is a little long, and not a particularly scenic one. Don’t pay more than 50IR to get to Hauz Khas village. If you must walk, just follow the road round to the left and I reckon it’d take 30 – 40 minutes. EATING The street food is plentiful and varied here, each district seems to have different dishes (so try them all). The prices are very cheap but go to the busiest stalls, they’re busy for a reason. And watch how much the locals pay so you don’t get given the tourist (higher) price. If you fancy something familiar there’s peri peri chicken, burger joints, pizzerias and crepe shops in Hauz Khaz, there is a definite European influence here, plus it’s one …

Make Your Own Hardcover Book with Artifact Uprising

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When I saw this amazing idea I knew that this is how I wanted to commemorate my round the world trip – with a stunning hardcover photobook by Artefact Uprising. The sister company of my favourite photo editing app VSCO Cam, Artefact Uprising take your photographs from either your app, iPhone or camera and let you turn them into your own book. Choose the layout, number of pages and colour of the book and arrange your pics anyway you want. I think this is SUCH a great way to collate all your travel memories and create a beautiful reminder of your trip. Hardcover photobooks from £43 Artefact Uprising

Hindi for Basic B*tches

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So called because ‘Hindi for Dummies’ was already taken. I guess you’re going to India – lucky you! Here’s some basic b*tch Hindi to get by with… GREETINGS Hello – Namaste [Nas-mas-day) Goodbye – Namaskar [Na-mas-ka] Saying ‘ji’ at the end of the name is used to show respect i.e. Namaste Shiva Ji Yes – Jee [As in ‘Gee Mister’] No- Nahin [Na-hee] Please – Krpaya [Kree-pie-ya] Thank you – Dhanyavaad [Dan-nay-vad] Good morning – Shubh prabhat Good evening – Shubh sandhya Good night – Shubh ratri CONVERSATIONAL (KINDA) HINDI How are you? – Aap kaise hain? I am fine – Mai achchha hoon You’re welcome – Aapka swagat hai My name is Sheree – Mera naam Sheree hai What is your name?- Aapka kya naam hai? I’m from (England) – Mein (England) se hoon. I am hungry and thirsty. – mai bhukhaa aur pyaasaa hoon. Can you help me? – Kya aap meri madad kar saktey hain? Where is the bathroom? – Aucaghara kahaan hai? Excuse me …! – (to ask for something/ to pass by) kshama keejeeae… …

7 Money Management Tips For Travel

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Travelling and money go hand in hand – if you want to see the world, it’s gonna cost you (although I have some tricks to cut costs HERE). Preparing for my own backpacking trip forced me to check my own bad spending habits and, frankly nonexistent, budgeting skills – so in the spirit of friendship I extend these tips to you. 1. Set a Budget No matter how much money you have saved, or how little you need to know exactly how much money you have to spend each day. Have this amount seared into your mind. If you go over one day, then pull it back the next and if you are underspending either save that cash for a treat or to extend your trip. 2. Open a New Account A savings account that you don’t have easy access to is a great thing. I used to have a savings account but as soon as I logged into my internet banking I was able to quickly siphon any funds into my current account. So …

11 Ways To Make Travel Dirt Cheap

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Going backpacking or travelling is very costly, no matter how you do it, but you can do things to be thrifty. I know people who have made £1000 last 6 months or a couple of weeks, it all depends on your travel style. So here are a few top tips to save mucho dinero (my Spanish lessons kicking in there, lol) on your trip… GO EAST The cheapest places to travel to are in the East (for us Brits at least), that means backpacker favourites Thailand, Cambodia and Laos as well as India. Europe is pretty expensive but Eastern Europe can be cheap – try Serbia, Hungary and Croatia. Places to avoid: Australia, New Zealand and America. How to save for a RTW trip >>> COUCHSURFING This is a website that connects hosts and travellers from all over the world. You get a free bed or couch for the night – all you have to do is create a profile and pay a subscription fee. Just be sure that your host has good reviews and …