1. To be amazed by the endless green tea plantations

2. You befriend monkeys

3. and oh yeah, elephants

4. To find the most photogenic people on the flower market in Calcutta

5. To finally get your hands covered with Henna

6. To feel like in a Wes Anderson movie on the Darjeeling Mail

7. To travel on an old school Royal Enfield

8. To feel really really popular

9. To admire the mountains

10. and lakes

11. and ride lost roads

12. To meet other cultures

13. and participate in those cultures

14. To realise traffic at home isn’t that bad at all

15. To see more colours than you’ve ever seen

16. To cruise on a houseboat with a pool

17. and wake up to dreamy sunrises

and of course the FOOD! So there’s only one thing left to do: book those plane tickets and go!

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When planning where to go in the world, I mostly let my gut feeling decide. If I hear mind blowing stories about a country, it will probably end up on my list. To be honest, India was not on my list. So many countries where I wanted to go and India wasn’t one of them.

But then came that email, an invitation of my high school girlfriend. She announced that she’s marrying her Indian boyfriend, first in Belgium and then in India. I smiled when I got the invitation, I knew immediately what was going to happen. I’m going to INDIA. At that moment I was in Australia and India was not in my ‘schedule’, I had to figure some stuff out, but when you have an opportunity like that, you grab it with both hands.

Trying to get as much out of my India trip as possible, my boyfriend and I planned an unforgettable motorbike trip before the wedding (more about that here: Monkey, elephants and a Royal Enfield). But we couldn’t get the wedding out of our heads.

Feeling like a movie star

The wedding was intense, two days of celebration, usually three, but the stars weren’t in the right position. So we had to be happy with two – which we were of course. It was an incredible, unforgettable and exhausting experience. Amazing, but so different than any European wedding.

First of all: everyone talks. The whole time. In Belgium we sit still and listen polite to what’s happening in front of the room/church, all the eyes on the bride and groom. In India it is the total opposite. A wedding is a perfect chance to reconnect with family and friends they haven’t seen in a while. And they don’t wait to catch up until after the (long) ceremony. So when someone is doing a ritual in Sanskrit in the front, they eat, walk in and out and talk. The dad of the groom even the loudest.

I also loved the rituals during the ceremony. It looks like one big, impressive play. The groom arrives at the house and has to ‘buy’ his wife-to-be from her sister – which was a funny situation, because the groom wasn’t prepared for this and had a mix of dollars, rupees and euros worth only 35 dollars in his pocket. Not enough for the sis of course Then he walks inside, with all the guests in his footsteps. Halfway during the ceremony the bride arrives in the room with leafs in front of her eyes, she has to walk a couple of times around her husband-to-be and can only then reveal her eyes.

From the beginning ’til end there are 2 video cameras and 3 photographers recording everything. I felt like on the set of a movie. Being with only 10 European people, we caught some attention too. For example: when we did the first steps on the dance floor, a second later the 2 camera’s and photographers were shooting it.

Related to that I had an awkward, funny moment during the ceremony. The groom and the dad of the bride were sitting in front with the priest and saying ritual verses to each other. Suddenly one of the photographers says to me: “you, you, go there, between them!” I had to go into the spotlights, crawl awkwardly behind them, sit on my knees and smile. Definitely my weirdest photo-bomb ever.

The traditional clothing, the fresh flowers, the colors, the henna and the sweet people made sure this wedding left quite an impression. I enjoyed it so much. Because it was so different than anything I’ve seen before, because I had a unique glimpse in an interesting and warm culture and because I saw the intense happiness on my friends’ face.

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I can’t believe how fast time flies. One year and a half ago I quit my job to travel. Bye vtm– newsroom, bye family and friends and bye good life. I’m ready for an even better life. Looking back on all those things I’ve done I get a warm fuzzy feeling inside. I challenged myself to go travelling alone, I met great people, did crazy stuff and saw beautiful things. Of course there are lonely and sad moments, but after a while you’re not afraid of those anymore and they only make you stronger.

One year and a half equals Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, France, Italy, India, Maldives and Singapore.

TOP 7 MOMENTS
I want to share the best moments of this last year and a half. Those moments where everything feels right. But when I start making a list I end up with 23 moments. These seven made the list:

1. Bumping into wild elephants

Sitting on the motorbike in India, driving through beautiful nature, holding my boyfriend tight and seeing a wild elephant crossing the road. On top of that we see a few minutes later some other elephants chilling along the road. I realized that moment that life was spoiling us.

2. Being part of an Indian wedding

My high school friend Heleen married her Indian fiancé in Calcutta. What an experience! The colors, the people, the atmosphere! A blogpost about that wedding is coming soon!

3. Diving with sharks in the Maldives. My first time ever I saw sharks while diving. Trust me, you feel very much alive at that moment!

4. Screaming on the highest swing in the world

For the wimps that don’t dare to bungee jump – like me – there is the’Nevis Swing’, the biggest in the world. You are hanging 160 meters above the canyon floor when they suddenly let you go. Be prepared for a free fall of 70 meters and to go 120km/p/h. Go and have a look at the site and see what you think of it.

5. A day scootering around Pai, Thailand

You know those perfect days? Everything goes smooth, you do nice things and you realize how much you are enjoying life. I had one of those days in Pai, Thailand. Some friends and I decided to rent scooters and go away for the day. We went to a huge Buddha-monument, jumped into hidden waterfalls, checked out a canyon and tried to boil eggs above a really hot hot spring. And in between we enjoyed the combination of warm sun and a breeze on the scooter.

6. Stumbling upon a lost place in Italy

During the Italy-motorbike trip with my boyfriend we stumbled upon a restaurant in the middle of nowhere between the mountains. We couldn’t believe our eyes. An old Italian guy cooking some meat skewers above a bbq. That with some good cheese and a beer made the perfect motorbike break!

7. Camping in the van next to Lake Pukaki

Sun, food, good company and Mount Cook proud in the background. And the stars at night aren’t bad either.

What now?

This trip was definitely a good decision for me. I had the urge for so long and I’m happy I did it. I guess I’ll never loose the the love for travel. But now it is time for my next challenge. And that will be in New Zealand (so that’s also still a bit of travelling, right?)

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Well, as you can guess, the city surprised me. Ok, it is busy and so big, but it is also really diverse. No matter what you prefer, there’s something for everyone.

What I loved was the area around College Street, where they sell books, books and books. Me and my friends felt like kids in a toy shop.
When you’ve read enough book covers and bought half of them, go relax in the Indian Coffee House, a place where Indian academics often gather and people like to enjoy a good coffee.

Another must is the flower market. I heard good things about it from a friend that lived for years in Calcutta. He advised us to get up early and wander around.

My first 3 seconds on the flower market I was a bit disappointed. I saw a lot of garbage in an unorganized dodgy-looking area. But then I started to see the flowers popping up. The most colourful flowers I’ve ever seen all gathered together. Walking around and seeing and smelling all those flowers is an incredible feeling. On top, the people are so nice. A couple of men gave me roses, another seller put a flower in my hair and I played a bit around with some kids.

Unfortunately our time in Calcutta was limited, because we were going to the wedding of my high school girlfriend Heleen. But we managed to fit in the Kali temple, the Marble Palace and a rooftop bar as well. The Kali temple is the busiest temple I’ve seen so far. You literally have to push and fight to bring your offerings and pray to the gods. For us it was a bit overwhelming, but for sure an experience to never forget. Be aware, in one of the corners they sacrifice goats.

After seeing those poor goats, you probably need a good cocktail. The place to go: Lindsay hotel. It has a classy and laid back rooftop bar and restaurant. Some cocktails, a shisha, and you’re all relaxed, with a nice view on the city. And if you have some time left in Calcutta, go for a visit to Marble Palace, a white marble big mansion.

I hope some of my activities already appeal to you! If you have the chance, go to Calcutta! Do keep in mind: the traffic is the worst and there is still quite some garbage around.

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It’s been a week and a half since we stopped biking. In the mean time I welcomed two girlfriends to India. One of them Marijs, who shares her stories as well, on her blog Rooftop Antics! We already took two cooking lessons, spent the night on a houseboat in Allepey, did an Ayurveda massage and went to the beach in Kovalam. A nice place with a lovely beach, but a bit too touristy for my taste.

I truly enjoyed the relaxation after our bike trip. As written in my previous post, the trip was unforgettable, but also intense. Especially with that crazy traffic.

I wonder what people learn in driving school. Probably to honk, triple pass and drive on the other lane. Yes, they do it all… and very convincing.

Aside of the scary moments on the road, I definitely recommend renting a motorbike in India. You will see so much more than with the regular way of travelling. But there are some things to keep in mind.

Be confident
Most of the time I’m closing my eyes, trying to get my heartbeat down or shouting: “he’s f*cking crazy!” Luckily my boyfriend has his shit together. To be able to drive in that chaotic environment, you need a dose of confidence. Dare to drive offensive or the traffic will swallow you.

Learn the language of honking
Honking is a language on its own in this country. Say goodbye to your blinkers or mirrors (many Indians don’t use them) and start pushing that button.
Indians honk:
– when they want to pass you
– to say hi
– before taking a turn (basically in the mountains you almost honk at every turn, so people in the other direction stay in their lane)
– when you’re in the way and you have to move
– as a respond to your honk
Not a lot of peaceful moments as you can imagine.

Smile!
You will meet a lot of friendly people along the road. A big smile makes their day too. I especially loved the children that were waving and smiling. But two cops also left an impression. A police car made us stop to ask where we were from and wish us good luck. I don’t see that happening in Belgium.

Rent a Royal Enfield
I know everyone has their own taste, but a Royal Enfield is the bike to rent in India! You’re riding on a piece of history. A classy piece! The brand is 125 years old and they’re not made in Europe anymore. It is a good and comfortable bike. And don’t worry about the money. We paid 165 euros for 11 days.

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We left with the bike in Fort Kochi – a nice place by the way – to go into the nature. There was a road in particular we were really looking forward to: route 21 from Chalakudy (Kerala) over Valparai (Tamilnadu) to Pollachi (Tamilnadu). We’d read great things about it.

And we were not at all disappointed. You pass the largest waterfall in Kerala, drive into a thick rain forest and meet tons of photogenic monkeys. I was smiling the whole time and feeling so lucky. (Yes, I love monkeys!). The road is unbelievable, but it comes with some restrictions. Beyond Vazachal it is only open from 6am until 6 pm.

After moving further, the forest disappears and coffee and tea plantations takes its place. By then we reached the top of the Annamalai hills and were facing an impressive steep and curvy road down. Again, owned by monkeys. For Nico it was great fun to do all those curvy turns. I just held on and enjoyed the view!

When we arrived in the hilly Coonoor, the scenery and temperature changed. We were back in the middle of the tea plantations. Because we got a little sick – yep the Indian food always gets to you – we stayed for two nights in a fancy hotel. Took it a bit easy and enjoyed the green. It reminded me a of Munnar, another town with tea plantations I wrote about in a previous post.

From Coonoor you have to take the train to Ooty. It is a little blue – Unesco World heritage – train on the side of the mountain. Takes about an hour and is a good way to soak the surroundings in.

On many roads through the parks, forest and nature there were signs for wild animals, like elephants. I was screening the bushes like a maniac, but only found elephant poo. We already gave up hope until we entered the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. It suddenly felt like we were in Africa. We were back in the plains, in a dryer area.

And then it happened. “Oh My GOOOD!! An elephant!” Nico thought I was joking, but no, there he was, a big dark male right on the side of the road. So close. We turned the bike around to face it and enjoy the view. He didn’t really like it and tried to intimidate us, but then he nicely crossed the road and disappeared. I still can’t believe I saw a wild elephant crossing the road in front of us. I’ve seen many elephants already, for example in Thailand, but they were all in captivity. To see one in the wild just gave me goosebumps. Of course it all happened too fast, so I couldn’t take a picture. Luckily further in the park (and the day after) we saw some more. If you want to spot elephants, I think that’s the place to go in Tamil Nadu. So remember: it is the road from Ooty to Mudumalai (we slept there) and then from Mudumalai to Bandipur.

Another nice area is that of Meppadi, with many tea plantations. A bit north there are also the Eddakal caves, with old murals in it. Actually almost all the roads we took were nice. We really looked for the small roads, tried to avoid highways and for sure avoid cities.

By then we only had two days left. Two not so smooth days. We wanted to take some roads into parks but weren’t allowed. We also tried a safari in Silent Valley National Park, but inefficiency, bureaucracy and unwillingness of the park officer kind of screwed us, so we could not enter. A bit frustrating, but nothing to do about it.

In the end we had an interesting and pretty damn cool trip on a Royal Enfield to add to our checklist. Some happy travellers here!

By the way: yes Indian drivers are crazy, but I will go into details on that topic in another blog post!

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I tried to find that peace in a botanical garden in India. Well… don’t go to a botanical garden in India. From the second the boyfriend and I sat down in the grass, people came over en masse. “Sir, Madam, Photo please?”

The first time it is funny and we have a laugh; but when they keep coming you start to wonder if you will ever get that rest!

People told me before that Indians like to take pictures with tourists, but I didn’t expect it was this intense.

Anyways, we made a lot of new friends and will be a hit on many Indian Facebook profiles!

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We arrived in Chennai, a busy city on the east coast in the province Tamil Nadu. Imagine a lot of people, noise and smells. The streets are packed with cars, motorbikes, bicycles and here and there a cow. And all of them are honking the whole time.

I didn’t really experience a culture shock. The only thing I had to adapt to a bit were the heat and the never ending noises. The latter I solved by wearing earplugs in the street.

What pleases me, is that we haven’t felt unsafe one single time. On the contrary, everyone is so friendly and happy to smile, shake a hand or talk to us (although their English vocabulary often stops at hello and where you from).

A moment I really enjoyed was when we visited a temple in Chennai. We were looking at the entrance and an Indian woman saw us. She took us all around in the temple integrating us in the rituals (waving fire to you, touching statues and putting a little dot between our eyes). This all with very little English but many smiles.

So far the busy Chennai. After 3 days we escaped more south to Pondicherry and later to Kodaikanal and Munnar in the mountains.

Pondicherry
An easy and cheap bus ride (3,5hours) brings you from Chennai to Pondicherry. This city is a lot calmer, especially the French district. Pondicherry used to be a colony of France, therefore a lot of buildings are in colonial style and you find crepes everywhere. It is nice to have a stroll around town and at the coastline. On the other hand, there are a lot more tourists here, which gives you a less Indian feeling.

Kodaikanal
After two cities it was finally time for some mountains! An overnight bus trip took us there.

Kodaikanal is a small town at 2133 m high. It attracts a lot of Indian tourists, it is apparently very popular as a honeymoon destination. The attraction of the town is the lake. You can walk around it, rent a bicycle, shoot on balloons or ride a horse (driver on a bike included..).

Nico and I liked the place, because it was a nice getaway after the cities, the temperatures were cooler and it was calm. But it didn’t really blow our mind.

Munnar
An then it was time for Munnar, another village in the mountains (from 1450 to 2695 high) and so beautiful! Finally the nature we love.

But to get there first, Nico and I had to take 3 buses. It is really cheap (we paid around 1,5 euro) and it went actually quite smooth. Everyone is keen to help you, so we could jump from bus to bus. The only time we had to wait, we amused ourselves with a barber, getting rid of Nico’s beard.

The area of Munnar is beautiful. So green, with all its varieties in colour. Munnar is known for its tea production, so you’re actually surrounded by tea plantations. Amazing to see! If you are not by car or motorbike, I can recommend you to rent a rickshaw for a couple of hours (don’t forget to bargain about the price!) There are a lot of nice spots to see in the area and it’s just great to be out there in the green all day.

The city itself is actually also quite nice. Not too big, not too small, but still cosy. There is a little bridge you take into the Main Street and there you’ll find a market, shops and food. And the food is so good!

Another nice bus ride (not being sarcastic here) lead us out from Munnar, to Cochin, where I’m writing this from. Time to discover a different province: Kerala! And we will do that in style! Soon more about that

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A little bit of that Indian chaos I already experienced while still being in Belgium. I was worried my visa would not be valid on time. A visa starts on the day it is being issued by the embassy. Looks logical, but on the India Visa Information site it says the opposite thing. There you can read that the validity of a visa starts from the date demanded on the application form. This is not true. It caused me quite some stress, because I had already booked a flight that was leaving before the date demanded on the application form – meaning I wouldn’t have a visa and could not board the plane.

Anyways it all turned out well. I can leave, that’s the most important. Nico and I didn’t prepare much for our travel yet. We just have the first 3 nights in Chennai booked. There is some stuff that can help you though if you’re planning to go too (one day).

1. Don’t apply for your visa too long in advance. As you can read above the date you enter on the application form has no meaning. If you apply too long in advance, it is being approved by the embassy long in advance too, and your visa will already start running. This is especially important if you’re planning to stay for a couple of months.

2. To find cheap flights I use a mix of Skyscanner or Kayak. I’ve used Skyscanner so many times. I love the fact that you can get a price overview from a whole month. If you’re flexible and it doesn’t matter which day you leave, it can be so convenient and a lot cheaper. Or if you want to go on a holiday, but you don’t know where, you just enter your dates, no destination and press enter. It then shows destinations with the price ranked from low to high. Who knows where you’ll end up!

3. When looking for accommodation in Asia, a good site to use is Agoda.com. I recently discovered it and am quite happy about it. It is more focused on Asian accommodation than for example European. And all the taxes and fees are included in the prices (which is not the case with Booking.com).

4. Be sure you have all your vaccinations, anti-Malaria-pills and read about the food and drinking safety. Lonely Planet has quite an extensive file about all the things.

5. Don’t pack too much. As a woman in India they recommend to dress appropriate. This means pants, long dresses or skirts and shirts with no nude shoulders. I don’t have a lot of light pants or long skirts, so my plan is to leave with almost nothing. I will buy some clothes on the spot. It is not expensive and you have some Indian clothes to add to your closet. Win-win!

AND HAVE FUN! That’s at least what I’m planning to do! I will keep you posted where I end up.

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