I woke early again and had time to look at apartments on Craigslist Vancouver and even send some emails to available places that I was interested in. By 8:45 I was ready for the 20 minute walk to YYoga Kitslano studio on West 4th Ave. The air was crisp and fresh in the early hours of the morning and I warmed myself up with a fast paced walk. This morning I opted for a more soothing Hatha Yoga class lead by Jason. He played relaxing music throughout the entire class which helped me switch off thinking and on to the present moment. Jason had a direct but calm and soft teaching approach. This class actually reminded me of a yin style practice as we spent longer breathing time in deep stretching poses. Just what I needed on a Monday morning especially after an intense Hot class the day before. Jason noticed I was new to class and helped me through with some gentle hands on adjustments making sure I was comfortable and happily breathing each time. It was a pleasure to join this calming and soothing morning class and I left feeling lighter, more focused and uplifted. In the evening Tessa and I decided to attend a Flow class at a new studio. YYoga on 6th Ave, slightly closer to our house. As this was a Flow class it was much faster pace with less breaks and more breathing with movement. This is my favourite style of class as I feel connected breath, mind and body at the same time as challenging myself both mentally and physically. The class was energizing and strengthening with longer holds in more challenging asanas. I worked up a bit of a sweat and definitely felt warm inside out but it was the right amount of sweat for a good clean workout. Flow Yoga is like a dance and should always be conducted with as much grace as possible. I’m going to sleep happy and satisfied this evening knowing I have completed three wonderful classes in two days. I even came home after the evening flow class to vege dogs made by my wonderful fiance, Rhys. Alana xx Street Art in Gokarna, Karnataka, South India. "Om Namah Shivaya".
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This morning I woke early as usual. My body is struggling to get used to the time in Vancouver and I usually rise around 5 am. The only difference this time is the excitement I felt about attending my first Hot Yoga class in a long time. Over our 6.5 months of travel I tried to keep a daily self practice when we were in areas without Yoga classes available. It was definitely a struggle at times mostly after a long day or two of travel usually by bus or train. It was sometimes just physically and mentally impossible to keep up a regular practice. I felt guilty and slowly became less and less motivated the less I practiced with a teacher and other students.
Even though I have spent the past 6.5 Months in mostly 40° Celsius temperatures I was not prepared for the intense focused heat I felt when walking into the beautiful YYoga Kitsilano studio. I was able to buy my first months membership for only $42 CAD and was recommended this particular studio by a friend that I am staying with. The studio is beautiful and has gorgeous facilities including a sauna (not that you need a sauna after hot yoga, not all classes are hot). I felt empowered and happy to be practicing in a studio again and committing to 30 days of Yoga practice. My motivation is coming from the desire to teach Yoga here in Vancouver but also to learn and become dedicated once again and stronger but also softer in my daily practice. This morning Tessa and I chose a HOT class because we wanted to detox through sweat and just really feel like we had done something amazing for our bodies to start the day. The heat was stronger than I anticipated and I felt quite faint part way through class. I had to quietly leave the room and take a breather in the fresh air. I tried my best not to disturb anyone when I walked through the door, I don’t like being interrupted in my practice either. After some time in the cool air and after a drink of fresh water I was able to return to class and get on with it. I finished and lay happily, peacefully and exhaustedly in Savasana with my eyes closed and my mind wide open. At first I was sad that my fitness had slipped and depleted along with my daily practice but now I’m just happy and excited to see what comes from this new 30 day Yoga challenge. I’m looking forward to the results both mentally and physically. It’s great to feel grounded and be in one place plus now I have a home studio to visit as much as I want. So glad to be committed to daily practice once again. My heart is full! Alana xx The natural beauty of North India is breath-taking. There is nothing I have seen so spectacular as a drive/ride through the Rhotang Pass and the Himachal Pradesh region. The North of India (specifically the Himalaya region) has proved to be far more costly than our trip in the South of India. I would recommend a budget of $50-$60 NZ for a couple wanting to travel here as accommodation, food, hiring a moto, getting around and touristy things are generally double what we were paying in the South of India. Again this is another super long blog but it is divided up by sub titles which should help you to guide your way through. Getting around: -Sleeper train- Rhys and I rode the non A/C sleeper train from Goa to Chandigarh. A total of 2300 kilometres taking 38 hours. If you want a comfortable journey then book the A/C sleeper well in advance. If you are a seasoned budget backpacker and can handle a bit of discomfort than definitely take the non-A/C sleeper. It is literally half the price costing us 2400 rupees for two tickets. The biggest difference that I noticed was how much more culture you experience in the non-A/C sleeper carriages. At every train stop locals fill the carriages selling food, drink and trinkets raising their voices to let everyone know what it is they are selling. The carriages are dark and dingy at night filled with sleepy resting bodies, babies crying or laughing and families chatting away throughout the night as passengers jump on and off at each stop. Rajasthan reached a high of 46 degrees Celsius making a few hours of our journey extremely hot and there was no cold water available but we were lucky enough to have an entire 6 bunk booth to ourselves for majority of the long journey. We filled our time with card games, reading and writing and of course watching the incredible scenery float by. Make sure to take a sheet to put over your bunk and use your valuables bag as a pillow covering it with your sheet. I also use a padlock on my bag just to be extra safe. Take a few packets of baby wipes and a roll of toilet paper with you. The toilets really aren’t bad but maybe that’s because I have been travelling a while and I have seen much worse. There are plenty of delicious vegan meals and snacks available on board but it’s always a good idea to take some on with you. -Local Bus- Travelling by local bus in India is always a good way to save money however be prepared to give up any comfort when boarding a local bus. At the best of times the driving is horrendous which makes for a pretty scary drive through Himachal Pradesh/Himalayas when trucks are over taking buses on blind corners with a sudden drop cutting off one side of the road as you incline and increase altitude. Also the local buses can get really packed and you may end up standing squashed between 10 or so people. It is possible to book private owned buses which usually have more comfortable seats and each seat is allocated with your ticket purchase for a hundred or so rupees more which if you are taking a longer journey then I definitely recommend. It depends on how uncomfortable you are willing to be to save a few rupees. -Mini Van (Manali to Leh)- The minivan ride took 18 hours from Manali to Leh and cost a total of 3000 rupees each purchased in Manali however in Leh you will find tickets for 2000 rupees each. Pick up at 1:30am before watching the sunrise at a certain spot before the Rhotang Pass opens for the day. Admittedly it is extremely difficult to sleep on the long bumpy drive but the views and experience of driving amongst the Himalayan mountains is all worth it. There were at least 6 toilet stops and 2 stops for food along the way. In our van were 12 other backpackers all excited by the journey drifting in and out of restless sleep – we were all exhausted and glad to have finally reached Leh willing to pay whatever it was to be taken to a hot shower and comfortable bed. The man driving us has been doing this run for 15 years and had a lot of experience driving on the dangerous mountain roads. The drive was seat gripping at times but for the most part I felt safe. The return journey from Leh was dreamy scenery wise as we drove through the night leaving at 7pm. Thousands of stars sprinkled over the sky and the moon glowed bright in a perfect crescent leaving only black shade of mountain shapes to be seen. It was impossible to get any rest as the roads are rough and rugged and we were awake for over 36 hours. It was a hard and tiring journey both ways but I am so glad to say that I have done it witnessing the most stunning views I have ever laid eyes on. Arrival was the following day at 1:30pm. Rhys paragliding in Manali. Where to stay: We have reached Himchal Pradesh in the peak season April – June. -Shimla- In Shimla (Himchal Pradesh capital) a very busy , bustling town with a spectacular view we searched most places around Mall Road area for accommodation but the best deal was to stay at the YMCA. It is the cheapest place in town offering cosy double rooms with clean shared bathroom for 1000 rupees per night including breakfast for two and the most spectacular view. The staff are also very accommodating and helpful when you have questions about where to head to next. A visit to the Jakhoo temple or Monkey temple is definitely worth the hard flight of stairs but make sure to remove any glasses, hats or loose items as the monkeys will steal them. Take a walking stick to help with the walk and fend off any cheeky critters. Take some fruit to share as there are hundreds and hundreds of monkeys and an incredibly large statue of Hanuman the Hindu monkey god which is worth seeing all on it’s own. -Kullu- We spent two nights with Mr Kundan and his wife Kala a vegetarian family in Kais, Kullu. This has been one of the highlights of my entire journey through India. Mr Kundan and Kala have a family of 4 children, 1 lovely boy and 3 beautiful girls and they own a small vegetable farm growing crops of tomatoes, garlic, rice, wheat to name a few. The hospitality here was beyond what we had bargained for and we paid $15 NZ per night to stay with them via Air BnB app not including all of the delicious vegan friendly food that was cooked for us to enjoy. For breakfast, lunch and dinner for two days they asked for only 250 rupees but as they are a big family with little money we ended up giving them 500 rupees which is easily what we would have paid for one day of eating at restaurants let alone 2 days of delicious meals - not to mention the countless cups of tea that were offered and accepted. All of the food is made with love and vegetables grown on the farm. From the house you can have a breath-taking view of other small mountain villages surrounding the valley as well as the fresh green crops of neighbouring farms. Kais is so completely full of life! We spent most of our time getting to know the family, teaching each other English and Hindi (Mr Kundan and Kala speak very little English), playing traditional board games, enjoying the lively mountain scenery and being shown about the small village and the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery by the children. We were their first western guests and they were so pleased and excited to have us. This is a very real Indian Himalaya experience and I highly recommend staying with this wonderful family on your trip North of India. https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/13132282?s=tVcYbZl9 (I note that their price on Air BnB now includes food and has increased to $18 NZ.) -Manali- Backpackers and travellers should jump in a rickshaw and head straight to old town Manali where you will find guesthouses ranging from 500 – 1200++ rupees per night, great restaurants offering delicious meals and many roadside shops offering snuggly warm clothing and many beautiful Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan trinkets. You will be extremely lucky to get your hands on a room at 500 rupees in the high season and should expect to pay closer to 1200 rupees per night for a double private room. Old town Manali is bustling with foot traffic of other backpackers and is the hub of excitement and ease for all travellers. You will be surrounded by offices booking travel elsewhere in the country as well as touristy events such as paragliding, rafting and trekking – my only tip would be to ask around about prices and never take the first price offered. Make sure you ask about everything included in the deal you are purchasing and write it all down or even better ask your booking agent to. Hippies in couples or singles will love the vibe in old town Manali however note that it is by far the most expensive town in Himachal Pradesh. -Leh Laddakh- Jammu and Kashmir is marked as a ‘high risk’ area to travel on the NZ safe travel website and so most insurance companies will not cover you in this area – something to keep in mind when wanting to visit the beautiful desert mountains in the far North of the Himalayas. After conversation with the locals in Manali we were told to head to Changspa road where there are many guesthouses ranging from 600-2000 rupees per night. We actually booked a place before arriving (which we never do) and upon arrival I wished we hadn’t – a walk up Changspa road will prove easy to find accommodation. After checking out of our booked accommodation we stayed at the Krishna Yoga and Meditation centre for 600 rupees per night. The room and bathroom were clean, warm and comfortable. Leh attracts tourists who love to go trekking at high and this is the main attraction in this town. Changspa road is laid out with booking and hire agents offering all sorts of trekking and mountaineering opportunities from 3-15++ days depending on your level of experience and fitness – due to many difficulties we weren’t able to do a trek but decided that we preferred to hire a Royal Enfield and cruise around the scenic town checking out the incredible views and archaeological sites. Please research ‘Altitude Sickness’ if a visit to Leh is beckoning you. -Rishikesh- The most popular tourist spot in all of India. An ashram, yoga and meditation holy town located at the very start of the Ganga river. The Luxmanjula bridge will take you across the Ganga to the more popular and tourist friendly side of Rishikesh where you will find guesthouses and ashrams to stay at starting from around 200 rupees per night. The street of Luxmanjula is decorated either side with yoga classes, aryuvedic medicines and other emotional therapy type treatments as well as touristy clothing and trinket stores. I attended one painful but incredible emotional blockage healing treatment which left me feeling uplifted and lighter, I wish I could have stuck around for more sessions. The food available in Rishikesh has been the most vegan friendly that we have come across especially the German Pumpernickel Bakery and Little Buddha Cafe. You can walk along the streets and be emerged in hundreds of people praying and performing daily rituals outside and inside ashrams as well as in the Ganges. Sadhus are prevalent and roam the streets of Rishikesh more so than I have seen anywhere else. Beware the red monkeys when walking with fruit in hand as I was attacked by one who wanted my bag of bananas – red monkeys are far more evil than the black faced monkeys who you can sit beside and share bananas, just don’t touch them! At 5000 m altitude, driving from Manali to Leh. Shey Palace, Leh Laddakh surrounded by desert mountains at 3300m altitude. A cheeky monkey in Rishikesh. Where to eat:
Eating out as a vegan in India is so simple. India has got to be the #1 country at catering to vegetarian and vegan customers. Most restaurants will have a large vegetarian menu but I prefer to eat at ‘pure vegetarian’ or ‘all vegetarian’ restaurants which are very easy to come across. As per my blog about backpacking in South India the only things to look out for are – Curd, Milk or Cream, Butter/Ghee, Eggs. Even when eating at a pure vegetarian restaurant (eggs are never served in pure veg food) make sure to ask for no milk or butter even if they are not stated in the dishes ingredients and most people will understand and happily cater to your wants and needs. Not everyone understands the word ‘vegan’ but when you head to more touristy restaurants and areas it is far more common that people understand. -Recommendations for tasty Indian vegan dishes- Puri Bhaji, Pav Bhaji, Masala Dosa, Gobi Manchurian, Aloo Gobi, Vada sambar, Idli, Veg/Navratan Korma, Channa Masala, Veg Uttapam, Veg Kurkeij (Shimla only), Tomato soup, Aloo Paratha. Just remember to request that the dish contains no unwanted ingredients! Bargaining: Bargaining when shopping is a huge part of Indian culture. Occasionally stores will have a ‘no bargaining’ policy in tourist areas and as a visitor you should respect this – the prices will usually be very fair in these stores anyway. The only other time not to bargain is with fruit and food stall holders. Other than this bargaining for clothing and trinkets can be tricky or intimidating for someone who is not used to this way of shopping. I always start by asking how much they are selling an item for and if I think it’s over the top I’ll try by going to half of the price they have said. Usually you will settle on about 60-80% of the original quoted price but don’t be afraid to walk away and try other stores for the same item. Sometimes you’ll be called back and offered the price you quoted but not always. Overall a trip to the North of India is perfect for those interested in trekking, beautiful lush mountain scenery, shopping for Tibetan and Nepalese trinkets, and awesome motorbike adventures. Earlier this week I made a post on Facebook reaching out to my family and friends to help Rhys and I feed as many homeless street dogs as possible for our last month of adventure in India. The post was shared by some and pasted into groups by others and I am so glad to say that in 7 days we have raised over $300 NZ and the money keeps flowing in to the dog dinner fund. Such amazing work can be achieved when people come together to help each living being on this planet – imagine if we could all stand in unity what greatness could be shared to people and animals world wide. This is such a great gesture of the existence of love for people to give something of their own to help another life. Why feed dogs when there are humans that need help in India?: Many people know even those who have not visited know that India is a country that screams poverty. It surrounds you in every town you visit and is prevalent on almost every street. Majority of people here live off very little and life is often considered disposable human or animal. There are people and animals both living on the streets all begging for money to sustain life. I do not want to compare the worth of human vs animal life and will say only that dogs are less able to ask for help when desperately needed and are completely honest in all situations. If I see a human in dire need of help I will always offer a helping hand to them also. Street dogs are often very shy and steer away from people. This is because of the constant beatings and swipes they receive daily just for being dogs. Street dogs are constantly looked down upon as dirty, sickly creatures by majority of locals and are even drawn into situations only to be hit or swiped at by a nasty person. There are many times I have seen dogs kicked and whacked and have had to tell a person to stop what they are doing - one man even replied that ‘he didn’t like dogs’ assuming this gives him the right to kick a puppy out of his way. Animals can easily pull on heart strings especially vulnerable, skinny and helpless animals living on the streets. Mountain dogs in India are covered in lots of fur to keep them warm which helps them in the Winter months when they are left to their own outside. Beach dogs in India look much skinnier as they have far less fur and usually roam the hot beaches all day keeping guard of their territory. Feeding a large pack of street dogs in Manali, Himachal Pradesh. Feeding the dogs: We originally stated that $1 NZ could feed one street dog but we completely over estimated the cost of feeding strays. Most meals for the dogs consist of a large handful or two of fried rice with vegetables – a cheaper and more filling meal than most other options that are available. We will usually purchase 5 portions of fried rice (one portion costing around $2 NZ) open them all into one cloth bag to let them cool and then roam the streets where we have seen dogs needing a feed to hand out dinner/lunch. Some of the dogs can be super picky and won’t eat the rice (mainly in Manali) so we offer biscuits with it or instead and they love the biscuits. The biscuits we purchase are called ‘50/50 Sweet and Salty’ for 10 rupees per pack. One pack will feed 1-2 dogs depending on dog size. Just be aware when hand feeding biscuits that some of the dogs can be a little snappy as they get super excited about food. Feeding street dogs can be tricky business as they can not be fed all together. Street dogs are usually always hanging out in packs but will fight or growl at their own pack members when food is involved. The larger more alpha dogs will growl or attack younger dogs so that they can eat first so my trick is to always feed and distract the older dogs and make separate piles for the energetic pups. Always make separate piles for the dogs you are feeding so that they don’t start to get all crazy and fight or growl at each other. Some dogs eat super fast and then try to intrude on others meals. If you are standing near by and tell them to stop they usually will but it depends on just how hungry they are. An easy way to spot the mother of pups is that she will never fight with her pups for food and will always gladly share with them no matter how quickly they gobble up the meal. A mother protecting her babies from other street dogs hides and lives next to a local car park in the darkest corner. We offer her crackers, rice and fresh water. Each day we have been handing out food to all the dogs we can find and I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped contribute to the dog dinner fund. Every single $ has helped in a huge way! The aim is to continue feeding homeless doggies daily until the end of our trip in India and if we have money left over at the end we will collectively decide with everyone who has made a contribution what to do from there. We have considered donating to dog loving charities in India to help feed the large amount of homeless dogs in the bigger cities like Delhi (where we will visit at the very end of our trip and will definitely roam the streets to feed some doggies). The hardest part of this all is hoping that some great folks carry on this work when we are gone. This is only a tiny scratch in the work that I want and plan to do for street animals in the near future. Feeding the hungry and helping even in the slightest way. When you see the dogs wagging their tails and coming for pats and hugs to say thank you it is clear to see that you have made a difference for them even on just one day of their lives. Remember to help each other especially those in need, human and otherwise. If you have any questions about India: The Street Dog Mission please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can find all contact details on the ‘CONNECT’ page and you can stay up to date via my facebook pages ‘The Vegan Yogi’ and ‘Mind Body Flow’. Alana xx The dogs want to say 'Thank you' to everyone who has helped us on this mission. This is a really long blog but there is SO much to say about the South of India. There are sub headings to guide you so please take and use the parts that you need and I hope some of the tips you find here help you on your pilgrimage along India’s tropical coastline. Why you should definitely visit the south of India: Southern India’s coastline is dotted with dreamy tropical beaches. The weather is usually ridiculously hot so it is the perfect place for a cheap holiday in the high season or the low tourist season but you wouldn’t want to come here in the monsoon season as you won’t get to enjoy the beaches – they all disappear with so much rain. The locals are very friendly, welcoming and hospitable and will help you out in any way they can. There is something for everyone here from Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda for people like me seeking the more spiritual side of India to the trance, dance party’s in Goa where you can groove all night with people from all over the world including the party loving locals. Budgeting and Money: Rhys and I have been budgeting for 2000 rupees per day or $40 NZ between us in the low tourist season of Indian Summer (May-July) not including more pricey, touristy fun events or long distance travel. This has been plenty to eat 3 delicious meals each, shop around and buy trinkets/clothing/souvenirs, drink about 5-7 cold bottles of mineral water each day, feed a few stray animal friends and share some small rupees with beggars, catch rickshaws here and there and have a comfortable bed to sleep in each night. We have been averaging about $330 NZ per week which means some days we have been a bit over budget with myself attending yoga classes and shopping up a storm but this is including all we need to live a fun and exciting life here in India and also our longer more expensive nights of travel usually costing around $60 NZ for the two of us to travel on a sleeper bus or train with AC. Getting around: -Local bus- If you are travelling somewhere only an hour or two away from your current location try to catch a local bus. You can talk to any travel agent for more information or if you are in a non-touristy town with no travel agents ask any local where the bus station is and head there for more information. The local bus will usually be your cheapest option to move here or there. To travel 65 kms by bus cost the two of us 110 rupees for two tickets which is around $2.20 NZ. Madego in Goa has a fantastic bus station where you are able to catch buses to any of the beaches starting from 10 rupees and they all have pumping tunes to listen to along the way. The only down side to buses is that they can sometimes get very crowded, smelly and hot and more often than not the drivers drive like absolute lunatics trying to win an F1 race. -Trains- Sleeper trains are a great way to travel long distance and of course it covers overnight accommodation. We used the cheapest option of the AC carriages which was 3 tier. On one side of the train there are booths with three tiers of beds and on the other side there are couples booths with only two tiers. Sleep with your valuables really close by and tucked somewhere beside you. You will be given two sheets per bed which I used one to cover my bunk and one to make a curtain for some privacy – take a couple of pegs to secure it and get creative. You can also travel a few hundred kilometers on the non AC carriages with the locals for a few hundred rupees or so. The carriages can get very crowded and hot and keep in mind that women can only sit next to their husbands and family members or other women. There is usually plenty of room to store your large bags in the over head area. When travelling overnight by train try to book at least 7 days in advance (book it sooner if you have a strict plan for your trip) as they get booked up insanely fast. You can usually order food on the train but it’s always a good idea as a vegan to take some small things with you to snack on. The coffee and Chai that they serve on board all contains milk. India has PLENTY of delicious vegan friendly treats, snacks and meals available. -Rickshaws and Taxis- Always try to do a little research before arriving in a new place so you have an idea of how many kilometers you are from the main town where hotels, guesthouses, hostels and food is located. Rickshaws in South India are cheap and will generally cost around 10-20 rupees per kilometer in most but not all towns. We always manage to fit our two large 20 kg bags and two smaller 5-10 kg bags into one rickshaw. Taxis are sometimes twice the price but the driving does not improve with cost increase. Eating out: Eating at touristy places will often cost you about 3x as much as eating with locals. In Kochi it was cheaper for Rhys and I to catch a rickshaw 3 km and back and eat 3-4 dishes than it was to eat a meal each in the touristy location of Fort Kochi. Plus the food where the locals ate was far tastier than any food we had in the tourist area. We found the Krishna Cafe on Palace Road, our favorite spot for lunch simply by asking a driver to take us to a Masala Dosa (he didn’t understand anything else I was saying). 50 meters up the road toward the Portuguese Palace was another place we went every night for dinner called Athurveya fast food pure Vegetarian – a must try is the Vada Curry (it’s spicy) with Paratha and my favorite: Masala Dosa. Just ask for no butter on the Dosa. Each place will cost around 30-40 rupees per dish = 80 cents to $1 NZ eating at a local restaurant. As a vegan the main things you will need to look out for are milk, butter and ghee. There are ‘Pure Veg’ places on almost every street in the South of India but this means no eggs and no meat – they still use milk and butter/ghee. Don’t be shy to ask for your meals to be made without these ingredients and most people will understand and oblige with a friendly smile. When eating at local places do not drink the water or tea that is on the table. All of the locals use the cups over and over throughout the day – you will notice they do not touch the cups with their lips. Always stick to bottled mineral water that is sealed and never let anyone open the bottle for you. Try to avoid ‘licking the plate clean’ it’s better to leave a layer of food between what you eat and the dishes. Take hand sanitizer with you and use it before every meal and then don’t be afraid to eat with your hands. It’s likely they are cleaner than the cutlery! Where to sleep: I guarantee you will always get a better price showing up in person than you will by booking any accommodation online or in advance. It can be a good idea to see how pricey other places are in the area before showing up as most guesthouses won’t even be advertised online. Also to give you an idea of how much you will be asked for so you have an amount to go by. With a bit of bargaining we have managed to get prices down to half of what was originally quoted. Always ask to see the room before you commit to staying and paying. Sometimes the rooms can be grotty and absolutely filthy. I can deal with a bit of filth and grot for one night but sometimes people will want way too much money so it’s better to move on and find somewhere cleaner for the same or lesser price. Around 500-700 rupees is what we generally pay each night = 10-$15 NZ and each room we have had has been clean and comfortable. This cost does not include air-conditioning but will always have a ceiling fan. The best way to get used to the insane heat is to get rooms with no air-conditioning. Also, get used to the idea of large cockroaches popping out of nowhere. If you are travelling to a different state try to catch a sleeper train AC or a semi sleeper/sleeper bus. That way you can save on accommodation and you get to wake up somewhere new and explore. Culture: - It is fantastic to visit smaller towns that aren’t so touristy but please just be super careful if you are travelling alone as you already stick out like someone snorting crack in a church. Indian people are incredibly friendly but just remember to never let your guard down and always have your wits about you. Most of the time in the South you will get big smiles from lots and lots of staring faces and probably get asked for countless selfies daily. - As a man you can wear anything you like in India but as a woman there is a lot of oppression here. When walking around cities and towns always dress modestly to avoid unwanted attention from men, local gangs and freaky drug dealers. Cover your shoulders with a t-shirt or shawl and wear long loose fitting pants or a skirt. Trust me, you will already stick out enough and by dressing with too much skin showing you will only attract more unwanted attention. The only place where you can wear anything you like is Goa. When you are at some more touristy beaches it is accepted that westerners swim in bathers/togs but always have a shawl or large scarf close by to give yourself some privacy – Indian people always swim fully clothed and it is not odd to see a woman in full gorgeous, saree in the ocean. You can look up other blogs with more information on how to dress in India if this is something that worries you. - Be mindful when entering the incredibly enchanting temples throughout India. Some Hindu people really do not appreciate westerners or non-Hindus entering the temples just to have a look around which is completely fair enough – these are their sacred areas where they pray each day and they want to preserve it as it is. You will not be aloud to take photos inside temples however you can take some snaps from outside which is usually the architecturally exciting, wow-factor, ‘how did they build this?’, type shots that I was looking for. Always ask a religious person if they mind you taking a photo of them before whipping out your camera as some people will get really upset. Try building a friendship first. Other than the above most people of the south are super friendly and are intrigued when they see a gora/westerner so don’t be offended when locals ask you 100 questions. They are genuinely curious of your life story and why you have chosen to visit their country. Give them a big toothy smile and you will generally get one back with a friendly head nod or wave. Sunset at Varkala Cliff Road. My top spots in the South/Beach hopping: Varkala Cliff Road- Yoga, Meditation and all things Ayurveda. Fort Kochi- A small part of the city that is covered in colourful artwork and is the tourist hub. Venture to Palace road for vegan noms with the locals. Catch the ferry to Vippin Island for 3 rupee and watch dolphins chasing after fish in the ocean. Karwar- For one night to pick up cheap trinkets and have a great view of the sun set over the Arabian sea. This is not a touristy town but the locals are very friendly and helpful. Gokarna- Stay at Kudle beach for cheap accommodation right on the beach, around 500 rupees. Venture into the quaint Hindu temple town for a day of exploring the ancient religious village, shopping and photography but do not enter the temples without permission. Have a day to relax on the beautiful Om beach just South of Kudle and watch the Monkeys playing in the tree tops on a walk through the jungle. Goa- Majorda beach is a white sand, clean beach with hardly any visitors and is a beautiful, private tropical get away. Palolem beach is a tourist hub with gorgeous white sand and a thick row of Palm trees providing shade - the perfect place to grab some beautiful bargains to return home with and a busy rave spot during the high tourist season. Coconut Palms at Majorda Beach, Goa. Boats lined up at Palolem beach, Goa. I spent my adolescent years planning my escape of the 9-5 life. I had always dreamed of travelling the world and experiencing culture, learning new things and developing my emotional and spiritual self through travel. With a keen interest in throwing myself into situations outside of my comfort zone I convinced my fiancé (with little work) that instead of having a wedding we should sell everything we own, save as much of our earnings as we possibly could and jet off to the cheapest countries to explore and adventure there for as long as our money would last.
I bought the ticket because I wanted to follow my dreams. I ached for something that wasn’t there and I didn’t know what it was. Suffering from anxiety and depression in a job I once loved and had been in for over 3 years my soul was craving something more and I thought that travelling would magically heal me as well as being super easy and 100% fun 100% of the time. What a cliché. 5 months ago I stepped onto a plane hoping travel would change my life. Here’s how it has: New Zealand > Australia > Thailand > Vietnam > Cambodia > India I have learnt that getting out of my comfort zone is essential for mental, emotional and spiritual growth: When Rhys and I first arrived in Bangkok we were both nervous as hell after everything we had been told. I vividly remember the first drive from the airport to our hotel both of us completely silent staring out the taxi windows at the extremely dodgy looking power lines crossing over hundreds and hundreds of tangled lines and wires while motos and cars zoomed past us weaving in and out of traffic. I remember the first time hoping onto the back of a moped and cruising along Laem Mae Pimh roads and begging Rhys not to go over 40ks and to stay directly to the side of the road out of harms way. Getting stuck and kicked out of our taxi van in the middle of nowhere 2 hours from where we had supposed to be surrounded by non English speakers. Having to visit a local hospital and being stared at by over 200+ people like I was an alien in Saigon, Vietnam. Arriving in Cambodia with $0 cash and no internet to transfer money onto our credit card at 10pm at night. Becoming more incredibly and painfully ill than I ever remember being in my life, more than once; just for eating food. Being scammed by professional hustlers and feeling pressured into doing something when someone starts getting angry at you. Getting pulled over by an extremely corrupt police force and standing up to them and getting away with it. These times that I have felt 100% uncomfortable are the times I feel like I have really learnt the most about people, places, systems and cultures while travelling. In the end they turned out not to be such bad things after all. I have learnt gratitude for a country I never wanted to return to, my home; New Zealand: How often in New Zealand do we take for granted that our streets aren’t overflowing with rubbish and plastic? Or that the water in our toilet bowls is cleaner than water available to entire villages? That our streets aren’t teething with skinny, hungry, stray animals covered in fleas, ticks and who have contracted rabies and who knows what else (adopt don’t shop!)? Most of our children have access to public education. The fact that freedom of speech means we can protest things that we don’t agree with without being bashed and even shot in the face by our own policemen and women. That it is illegal to rape a woman and communities will band together to push out the rapist and not the victim and their entire extended family. I took New Zealand for granted many times over and every time I tell someone in the world where I am from they always start with “wow!” and tell me that it’s the best country in the world, or that they have heard so from other people they have met. How lucky are we to be able to live in such a desired place that some people can only dream of visiting let alone moving to. By absolutely no means am I suggesting that all New Zealanders have it easy. I have learnt to be more patient, understanding and compassionate toward my fellow human beings: For a long time I had little to 0 tolerance for other people. I would get frustrated at friends and family for saying the wrong things and would end up feeling sorry for myself and falling into a pit of depression letting other peoples moods and words dictate how I felt about myself. Through travel you see and speak to so many diverse people with different backgrounds. Street beggars missing limbs who won’t leave you alone until you give them some money for food, tuk tuk drivers who don’t make more than a couple of dollars each day to support their wives and children at home, shop owners who try so desperately to get you to buy something, anything from them as it may be their only sale they have made in who knows how long, street kids trying to sell you postcards and bracelets that may end up giving the money to gangsters who are forcing them to be out there – my point is that we always see each other for who we are on the outside and it’s easy to see a pushy saleswoman who is being completely rude and annoying or a tuk tuk driver trying desperately to sell you a dodgy deal for sightseeing but what we don’t see is how these people got to where they are today. We don’t see the mental state they are in or their background and the obstacles that they have had to over come trying to live a better life. We have all had obstacles in life to over come. Every single one of us. There is no one on this earth who hasn’t been handed a harsh lesson by life but there is one thing that every being on this planet is seeking regardless of where they are in their life now: Kindness, love and companionship. Our experiences shape who we are as people and everyone has a different story to tell. Most of us are just trying to live a comfortable life by our own standards. I have learnt that my body is stronger than I ever realized: Everyone I talk to says I have had one of the worst run of illness they have ever heard of while travelling. Obviously I know there are people out there who have had it worse than me. There are people out there who can’t even afford the most basic of medical care but when illness happens to you it feels like the hardest thing to overcome. I have suffered food poisoning in Thailand that landed me in hospital hooked up to a drip and lasted 5 days after that interrupting my Yoga teacher training. I endured an endoscopy in a local Vietnam hospital and was diagnosed with mild gastritis. My most recent run was a trip to an expensive western hospital in Cambodia after a night of hallucinations, high fever, vomiting and diarrhoea being told I had a parasite eating the tissue inside of my large intestines. It was all of these times that I felt like all I wanted was to go home to New Zealand desperately and considered booking flights but at the same time something inside me was holding on to travelling. Pain is only temporary even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. It is so incredibly hard to hold on to any sort of positivity when you don’t even have enough strength to lift yourself out of bed but with Rhys help I made it through and I’m so glad I didn’t give up and go home. There is still so much world out there that I have to see! I have learnt again and again why I sill never stop speaking up for animals: In a world where animals and people are constantly treated like rubbish it is easy for some people to point fingers at Cambodian and Vietnamese people and say “how disgusting that these people eat dogs!”. Unfortunately I had the heart-breaking experience of coming face to face with a pile of dead, skinned, dog bodies piled on top of each other when we were staying in the ghetto of Saigon and it only strengthened my belief that speciesism is another form of oppression used by humans to claim that we are on top of the food chain. How come it is ok to eat a pig that has been forced to live a horribly depressed life which is smarter than a dog but it is not ok to be completely poor and have absolutely nothing and eat a dog? There are 1.5 billion starving people in the world but in the western world we can grown enough food to feed 70 billion livestock to serve to people who are unwilling to accept that eating mass produced factory farmed meat is destroying us as a species. It is destroying our land, it is destroying our mental and physical health and it is oppressing and destroying innocent living, breathing, feeling beings. Ignorance in the age of information is a choice. Also, please stop riding Elephants! - https://www.thedodo.com/elephant-rides-trek-1132645600.html I have learnt that there is something to love about every country: There have been some rough moments in each country but over all the parts that I remember are the bits that I loved about each and every place. Every single new place that we travelled to became my new favourite and all for different reasons. The ease of getting around in Thailand made it a breezy place to travel exploring the Northern mountains and the beautiful South beaches, the delicious vegan cuisine in Vietnam filled my taste buds with delight, the gorgeous, witty children of Cambodia always made me laugh and smile and the experience of traditional Yoga and meditation in India has really made me feel like I am slowly but surely learning how to become a good Yoga teacher. There are so many other things that I loved about each country and I will surely be back to visit good friends in Thailand, motorbike trip around the full North of Vietnam, volunteer helping children living in poverty in Cambodia after the wet season and complete my 500 hour YTT in India. I have learnt how much I love to connect with people and how really special my friends and family are: Never have I enjoyed so much writing letters and postcards home to family and friends. Skyping and catching up with friends and family on a video call and seeing familiar faces – there is always too much to say in not enough time. I have seen how supportive loved ones can be helping where they can from miles and miles away. It’s friends and family who make me often miss home. I have met inspiring, lovely, helpful people who have great travel and life advice and just generally great stories to tell. I have met people who I will never forget and will plan reunions with just to be in their presence again. I have created a stronger bond and many incredible, breath taking memories with my love and captured fantastic moments through the lens of our camera. I have met my stronger self through struggles and perseverance. I have met my self worth and my confidence again. And I have met a me who can express my thoughts whatever they may be through writing – something I really never thought I would be able or confident enough to do. Alana xx I have recently had the pleasure of practicing Pranam Hatha Yoga with master Joseph Konnoth. Each morning the class starts at 8:30am and is held in a peaceful, quiet and clean spot above the Feelin Hotel on Varkala cliff road. Classes cost 300 rupees which is equal to about $6NZ. There are also evening classes but as I am a morning yogi I love to practice first thing and start my day with a good stretch. There are over 20 yoga schools and classes in the Varkala cliff area that I had planned to attend but after only one class with Joseph I came back day after day until the end of my visit to Varkala. About Joseph: Joseph started practicing Hatha Yoga, the original Yoga practice as suggested by the Yoga sutras (the worlds oldest books), in 1984. In 1988 he began teaching his self practice to students and has now acquired followers from all over the world. Joseph is a master of advanced Yoga asana and this is evident in his self practice and the way he teaches his students with hands on adjustments and encouragement to believe you can achieve any asana. When I arrived at my first class Joseph told me that I had been practicing too many forward bends and instantly got to work on helping me improve my backward bends by showing me stretches for the spine to do at home as well as his hands on help and foot massages for the lower back helping to release my spine. He told me I had a fear of backbends which I soon realized was true and I started instantly to try and shift my mind frame and release the fear I was holding on to of falling backward. Within 5 days I have seen huge improvement in my spine flexibility with Josephs supportive help and encouragement; “you can do it” he would repeat to me multiple times each session. About classes: The first Yoga class I attended with Joseph was unlike any Yoga class I had ever been to. I love to experience new styles of Yoga as I think there is something I can incorporate into my self practice and teaching style from each and every teacher and practice. The class is started with a strong focus on relaxation and breathing. Chanting in Sanskrit to begin followed by Kapalbhati, breath holding and Nadi Shodan Pranayama. A warm up is followed to open up the joints and warm up the body’s muscles before performing strength building and deep stretch asana. As this is a Hatha practice each asana is held for around 15-20 seconds with Joseph taking time to adjust each student into the correct posture. Each class I attended really had a casual, friendly atmosphere where we would take turns to watch each other and cheer each other on when new accomplishments were reached. The next part of class would consist of building core strength in head stands and when each student was comfortable we would take turns to practice scorpion with the hands on support of Joseph. From arm balances and head stands we would move on to back bends which would generally be practiced for around 30-45 minutes. Joseph would help to adjust each person into deeper backbends as well as support each student from standing all the way into wheel pose and then into scorpion before Childs pose. I have never had a teacher do this for me and as these are the postures that I love to practice I really appreciated how safe and supported I felt throughout the whole process. Joseph would come and stand on the lower part of my back during backbends to help release the spine and muscles allowing me to go deeper into lower backbends. Classes are usually 2 hours before Savasana and final chanting in Sanskrit. If anyone is looking for a yoga teacher in Varkala Beach I would highly recommend Joseph Konneth. There are no levels in his class and he teaches what he knows equally to each and every student. Joseph's hands on approach to improve each students technique and practice. A final 'see you next time' after a 2 hour sweaty session. Travel saving tips: 1. Don’t have a life until you have reached your goal amount. But really. Stay home and read books and watch documentaries about the places you want to see. It will keep you inspired and will help you gain knowledge of the people and land that you are about to visit. Rhys and I stopped partying for one year and we saved $30,000 NZD after paying off $15,000 of debt and paying for all of our travel equipment/vaccinations/visa to Thailand/flights to Thailand and Vietnam. 2. Don’t treat yourself (too often) and really consider each particular purchase carefully – travelling will be the best treat of your lifetime! An added bonus: you can buy anything (and I really want to emphasise ANYTHING here) in SE Asia for half the price you would pay at home. 3. Vegan cheesy but works for me: create a vision board covered in pictures of the places you want to go and the things you want to see and put it in a spot where you will see it and look at it every day. Seeing the board I created helped me to stay motivated. 4. Pay yourself first! Every single pay check I would have a certain amount that would be directly transferred into my savings account and then I would live off the rest of the money that was in my account. It became a good habit and I would get so excited to see my savings account increasing weekly, it fuelled my motivation. Avoiding theft and injury: 1. Don’t keep all of your cash in one spot. When you are walking the streets try to keep flashy jewellery to a minimum. If you do end up getting mugged or robbed you will be happy to have cash stored away in another safe spot but when leaving it in a room try to keep it well hidden if not in a safe box. 2. Keep all valuables in your ‘day’ bag when flying/bussing/training. Every flight that we have caught my check in bag has been opened and fiddled with. Every single flight! 3. (Mostly with Thai people) never raise your voice even if you are truly pissed. Stay cool, calm and collected and smile. Sabai sabai. If you point out where someone has gone wrong or tried to rip you off locals will usually pretend they don’t understand what you are saying. It is good to stand your ground. You can walk away from any situation but do not get angry and loud – this will not go down well. Locals here are very big on ‘saving face’. Apps and planning/moving around: 4. Use the sky scanner app for booking flights. The app has an ‘everywhere’ option to show you where the cheapest flights are near you. This app will also show you which day of the month is cheapest to fly to or from your desired destination. 5. In my personal experience it is easier and cheaper to organize things like over night buses face to face with a travel agent or at the bus station rather than online. Have a plan of the things you would like to see but it is super easy to plan movement when you are in the country. An added bonus is having the freedom to go and see things when locals or fellow travellers point you in the direction of a quiet, undiscovered slice of nature. 6. Do some research on where it is you want to go and discuss and agree on a price with the driver before they take you. Tuk tuks are a fun and cheap way to get around in Cambodia and Thailand if you discuss the price first. Meter taxis in Thailand will get you the best bang for buck (if you can convince them to run the meter, try asking in Thai) but in Vietnam a lot of the meters are rigged to jump from one price to a higher price very quickly (the only exception being Vina Sun company). 7. Travel like a local. Taking overnight buses will mean you can save on accommodation for a night while moving and waking up to a new town to adventure. All of the buses we have taken have aircon so take some warm clothes on-board with you. The overnight buses in Thailand are good bang for buck especially Nakhongchai Air – a bus line designed for people who don’t like airplane travel with (nearly) all the comforts of a business class flight. Plenty of leg room, a comfortable seat that folds back , blankets, bottled drinking water and a tv to watch movies or play games before you drift off. Shopping and bargaining: 8. When bartering only ask the price of an item if you actually want to buy it. Give a price that you think is fair and if they say ‘no’ walk away, you will usually get called back. On this note: don’t be a rude traveller trying to get the best price on everything. Really pay what you think is a fair price – some of these shop keepers won’t make more than a couple of dollars each day and some days they will not make any money so please be considerate of the local people. 9. Learn the basics of the language. Hi, goodbye, thank you, how much?, too expensive, vegan specifics (for foodies) etc. In my experience if you speak even a little of the local language shop owners will generally give you a discount off the bat (this does not include food, don’t bargain with food stall holders). Crossing borders: 10. If you are crossing borders by bus then make sure you have researched the company that you want to purchase a ticket with. I have heard some horror stories (from expat locals) about cheap transport across borders. It’s definitely worth it to pay a bit more and have a good company take you to where you want to go instead of getting to the border and feeling like you have been left in the dust, literally. If you are going via Thailand to Cambodia or the other way around I highly recommend Nattakan transport company who helped Rhys and I cross with ease. 11. Make sure you have thoroughly researched the visa requirements to enter a country before you are about to catch a flight to avoid any last minute emergency visa applications that will end up costing a lot of money. Unfortunately we learnt the hard way before our flight into Vietnam – you will need to apply for the visa about a week in advance online so that you can get your visa on arrival. You can not simply get a visa on arrival like we first originally thought. An emergency 4 hour visa cost us $150 USD for 2 people. Food and dining out (VEGAN ❤): 12. Rhys and I have found it incredibly easy to find delicious, flavour filled, vegetable packed food for a good price in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Read my blog ‘Vegan in Vietnam’ for a more specific spread on Vietnamese cuisine. 13. Things to look out for: Fish sauce and egg noodles. 14. Download Happy Cow app (free version or paid version for adding reviews and new restaurants). This app has been a god send for us on our travels and constantly leads us to find delicious places to eat however sometimes the restaurant is not exactly where it says it is on Happy Cow. We have had a little trouble finding a couple of places from the apps directions but over all has really been incredibly helpful. The app will tell you how many $$$ the food is selling for and just how far away it is (supposedly) from your current location. 15. Be specific! Even better if you can ask in the local language. In Thai: Shan kin jair – I eat vegetarian, mai sai khai – no eat egg, mai kin nom – no eat milk, mai kin cheese – no eat cheese, aroy mak – it was delicious! Practice with locals who can speak English and then when you meet people who can’t you will be well prepared for the conversation ahead. 16. If you order a fruit smoothie always ask for no milk even if it isn’t listed with the ingredients. Same when you are ordering vegetable pizza always request no cheese even if it isn’t listed on the menu. Money and budgeting: Budgeting is not really something that we have been able to stick to with so many surprise costs popping up eg. visiting the hospital, application for an emergency visa, catching a flight out of a place you just aren’t feeling, being stuck with more expensive than usual accommodation for a night or two or going on an adventure that you hadn’t originally planned. Rhys and I have been travelling for over four and a half months and we have spent a total of $11,250 USD or $16,000 NZD – this is a lot of money but we have been on many cool adventures and done a lot of shopping for our future home (one day when we have one, somewhere, wherever that may be). We have averaged about $1400 USD each per month which is around $46 USD each per day. This covers our 2-3 meals, drinks, transport, accommodation, shopping, adventuring, donations and whatever else has popped up. We have had a lot of surprise costs come through which has meant spending more than we originally wanted to. We had budgeted to spend less than this by now but we have also paid for flights to Canada and India, 4 visas to enter countries, 4 surprise flights, three hospital visits and a whole lot of medicine, two 10kg packages sent home (around $75 each), travel adventures and tours around beautiful Islands and in hidden mountain villages, a ride on the Mekong River, an ounce of skunk, and a whole lot of cool stuff to decorate our future home (wherever, whenever that may be). Not to mention the countless bus rides we have taken cross country even though these don’t cost too much at all. Health and Medical: After being ill and visiting hospitals in all three countries we have visited I think I am well accustomed to talk about this. After suffering food poisoning for five days with a drip in my arm at the hospital in Thailand, an endoscopy which resulted in a gastritis diagnosis at an extremely busy local hospital in Vietnam and a parasite eating the tissue of my intestines in Cambodia with constant diarrhoea, vomiting and even some hallucinations my best advice is if you are feeling unwell for more than 24 hours see a dr. I will generally try to fight illness of on my own before resorting to a dr or hospital appointment. You can explain your symptoms to any pharmacist and get medicine over the counter (for very cheap). Like I said if 24 hours has passed and you are still feeling like rubbish go and see a local dr after researching the closest international or western friendly clinic near you. Food borne illness is no joke in the tropics and should be treated seriously. Stick to eating bananas and rice and drink plenty of water and electrolyte packed drinks to keep hydrated in the intense heat and avoid any foods that are spicy or fried. Be careful to avoid ice in drinks from street vendors, unpeeled fruits and salads that may be washed in unclean water. Try to eat foods that are well cooked with plenty of vegetables. If you want to eat fruit (which you definitely will in the heat) try to purchase fruits that are unpeeled and have the skin on which you can peel and wash yourself with bottled water. Make sure to brush your teeth and wash your toothbrush with bottled water. Try to always clean your hands before you eat or carry around a small bottle of hand sanitizer to use before meals. I hope these tips help at least someone who is planning to travel in SE Asia. The most important tip is to HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE, enjoy the incredible scenery and the energy of the local, bustling people who fill the cities and towns with life and take care. If you have any other questions please contact me and I will do my very best to help. You can find my email address and various other socail medias on the 'connect' page. Alana xx Cambodia is an enchanting country from Angkor Wat in Siem Reap to the gorgeous beaches and Islands located in the south. The locals are friendly and helpful and can be very cheeky when making cash deals especially the tuk tuk drivers. We arrived in Cambodia later than we had expected and everything was closed. We got off the bus in the middle of the Phnom Penh with motorbikes and tuk tuks continually swooshing past as we argued about weather to take shelter in a temple or wait up all night until we could go somewhere with wifi to transfer money to our card so that we could get cash out. We were completely unprepared. Rhys and I eventually found somewhere with wifi and an ANZ ATM which lead to us catching a tuk tuk to a cheap guesthouse on 172 and ordering tofu burgers from the menu. With a cold shower and a comfortable bed to sleep in we went to bed preparing for an emotional day ahead visiting both the killing fields and S-21 prison and genocide museum to learn more about Cambodia’s heart-breaking history. S-21 prison museum and 1 of 300 killing field locations The night we arrived we had made a deal with a tuk tuk driver after searching online how much we should pay to be taken to these places. Making a deal with a driver is a great way to easily get around Phnom Penh and the hectic traffic that takes over the city. We paid $15 to be taken to both locations and he waited outside for us at each place giving us a time frame of 1.5 hours at each stop. Visiting the prison museum and the killing fields is an important although hard trip. I learnt a lot about the history of this country and the past that each family has had to endure. To visit each location will cost you $3 USD each or $6 with an audio tour. I would recommend the audio tour to visit the killing fields to understand more deeply the story of the land however the prison itself is a bit more self explanatory with more photos and descriptions and a lot of reading material. Both locations were eery. It’s so difficult to even begin to imagine what the people here have been through but it is important to empathize especially when visiting the country. It took us just over half a day to visit both locations before we headed back to our guesthouse after convincing the driver that we did not want to shoot an AK47 or throw any hand grenades (around $50 USD). Over years, travelers leave behind friendship bracelets as a symbol of peace and love for all who perished on this land. Victims of the Khmer Rouge were held in S-21 prison, a public school that was turned into one of the most notorious prisons known in Cambodia. Over 14,000 well educated people were killed here after months of unmentionable torture. We also got completely ripped off by a tuk tuk driver in Phnom Penh who had an Australian accent. Rhys and I were meandering along to the Mekong Delta, as you do, and he pulled up next to us to start talking. I should have instantly walked away before creating conversation but it’s not really who I am as a person. He told us we could go out on his boat to watch the sunset and he would give us free beers for the evening for a total of $35. I said no way and got him down to $25 (even though this is still a lot of money) and together we decided it was a good idea. The driver told us he would take us to the boat and drop us back off afterwards. We got to the boat and he told us he would wait for us after the ride was over so it wasn’t actually his boat. We went out and the scenery was really incredible. Watching the sun set over Phnom Penh from the worlds largest river. We drank a couple of beers and when we arrived back to shore he was no where in sight. I paid the boat driver $20 and he insisted I owed him $5. He and I went back and forth about the deal we had made with the driver and I said that I wouldn’t be paying any more money until we were picked up like we had agreed on. He never showed and we ended up walking back to our guesthouse. The best part was that on the walk back we saw boat rides for $5 instead of $10 each! He had driven us the long way so that we wouldn’t have seen any of the $5 advertisements. Watch out for a Cambodian driver with an Australian accent and just try to be generally aware when making deals with tuk tuk drivers. Travelling South The next day we took a five hour long bus ride to Sihanoukville in the South of Cambodia costing around $8 each. We paid $5 (far too much) for a tuk tuk to a cheap hotel costing us $8. The room was basic but suited our needs for one evening and it only took a minutes walk to get to the beach. That night we bought a bag of weed from one of the local people. About half an ounce of skunk for $50. You will get offered everything on a plate as long as you are a westerner and have money. The worst consequence for holding a bag of weed is a bribe payment if the cop cares enough to even deal with you. The police here know they have much bigger issues to deal with. Along the beach you are welcomed to buy ‘happy shakes’ and ‘happy pizzas’ both a specialty in other areas of the country also. Pizzas and fruit shakes garnished with marijuana. From personal experience I prefer the shakes with banana and coconut milk. The bartenders, sun-glass sellers, random people and tuk tuk drivers will all offer to sell you marijuana (among a list of other a-class drugs which have much harsher consequences). Throughout the day and the evening young locals (mostly girls) will walk the beach selling bracelets and hair wraps. Some of the girls look very young however they will lie about their age. Some look as young as about 7 years old. The youngest children (3-6 years) walk around the beach leading the disabled and begging for a donation which can be really hard to watch. When the girls become teenagers they will start selling fruit on the beach and as adults they will sell seafood on a small barbecue that they carry around over the shoulder. As elderly the woman will roam the beaches offering pedicures, manicures and massage and the men will more often become tuk tuk drivers or laborers all paying a very minimal wage. The Islands Koh Rong Saloem Our journey among the Islands started at Koh Rong Saloem, a small Island that is a long stretch of perfectly white, squeaky, powder like sand. I could have happily lived out the rest of my days sheltered by coconut palms while napping in the hammock hung between the beams of our beach front bungalow. Reading, writing, eating, practicing yoga, bathing and lazing about while getting some well needed rest from months of moving around quite constantly. The beach is completely picturesque with crystal clear waters that softly lap against the sands descending edge as the tide moves in. Our beach front bungalow cost us $35 per night and we stayed for two. That is by far the most expensive accommodation we have paid for this entire trip but it was completely worth it to spend three days internet-free lapping up the beams of the suns bright energy. We did see others put up tents beside the ocean which would be a fantastic idea if you don’t carry a lot of luggage and you wanted to save money (we have far too much luggage for tent life). We found vegan food at a restaurant near by on the beach however the food on this island can be quite pricey too. One of my favorite things about this island was the minimal amount of people that were actually here. There weren’t many travelers at all and there were no locals selling food/trinkets/anything along the beach so it was a great stop to recollect our thoughts and get some peace of mind. The perfect, crystal clear waters of Koh Rong Sanloem. Waking up and stepping onto squeaky, white sand from our beach front bungalow at 'Cast Away' bungalows. Koh Rong Our next stop after Koh Rong Saloem was to the bigger and more populated, Koh Rong. Koh Rong is a cheaper more backpacker friendly Island to visit. We stayed in ‘Zen Bungalows’ hidden high above the village and away from the main areas. We found Zen Bungalows on agoda.com and it works out to be $15 per night. The bungalows have an amazing view of the sea and another small island where local boats make visits to show tourists the glowing plankton after sunset. It is peaceful and calm here. A fantastic spot for practicing yoga in the mornings on the deck and meditating as the sun rises in front of you. The bungalows are very basic but have mosquito nets and comfortable beds to sleep in. In our room we had two large gecko friends who liked to watch over us in the evenings but were great for getting rid of mosquitoes. They also loved to change from black and orange in the day time to bright clear-sky, blue with fluorescent yellow spots in the evenings. Koh Rong has a higher local Khmer population with lots of gorgeous wee kids running around usually in the nude jumping too and from the refreshing waves of the sea. Most of the restaurants and guesthouses on Tui beach are run by westerners and most places are constantly seeking new staff. There are signs everywhere as you walk along the beach ‘western staff wanted’ so if you are looking for a job on a beautiful chilled out island this is definitely the place to be. Our favourite place to eat (and the cheapest and tastiest that we have found on the Island) is run by a local family. Nice Food 2 have many delicious vegan and vegetarian friendly options to suit a backpackers budget. Noodles, soups, curries, sandwiches wrapped in fresh baguette and many other flavour filled, vegetable packed options to suit any preference. The food and accommodation are cheaper on Koh Rong compared to Koh Rong Saloem. The beach can sometimes be dirty with rubbish washing ashore or people simply leaving their rubbish behind however we found an area that was always spotless. The water is bright aqua blue and crystal clear along the whole beach. The water at this beach, unlike Saloem, is constantly rolling in large waves which can be really fun and refreshing to float on or bathe in. Swimming in the evenings is just as fun when the water still holds a warm temperature. There are other villages on the island however we didn’t make it to any of them – just Tui beach where the boat drops off and picks up at the pier. We had originally planned to stay on Koh Rong for 3 nights but stayed a couple more simply to enjoy the fresh air, the beautiful Island scenery and to rest in the shade eating fresh fruit and bathing in the sea. We got a wee bit stuck enjoying our relaxing days and didn’t do so much adventuring as we usually would. After 3 and a half months of travel and quite constant moving every 2-3 days Rhys and I were keen to lay back and enjoy the clear sky and some down time. Watching the waves roll in on Koh Rong The 9 cats from Happy Cat Bungalows. Two mama cats and the youngest baby is only 1 and a half months old. Enjoying the chill life at Zen bungalows with a great view of the sea. The Vietnamese people are super accommodating to vegans. On most menus you will see multiple vegan or vegetarian options that you can make vegan. The food is flavoursome and full of vegetable goodness and usually tofu packed (which I love). There are two main dishes that the Vietnamese eat Côm and Pho.
Côm is a steamed rice dish served topped with different types of vegetables and tofu soaked and marinated in delicious sauces. Using the Happy Cow app we have found many places along our travels to eat vegan côm some as cheap as 10,000 Vietnamese Dong which is less than $1 NZ (around 80 cents). Côm is my favourite flavour packed Vietnamese dish and always leaves my taste buds completely satisfied. Com at 'An Lac' in Danang. Pho is the other popular dish which is a noodle soup. Pho is often not vegan and is made with bone broth so it’s hard to fond vegan versions of this dish. Some restaurants will offer vegetarian pho but sometimes that just means without meat so it always pays to ask if the broth is vegetarian before making your order. Pho is delicious when you do find a place that serves it vegan but sometimes it can be tasteless if there are not many vegetables. If you are ordering pho at a strictly vegan/vegetarian restaurant then you are bound to get a delicious vegan option of this dish. The Vietnamese have so many other dishes to offer that will make your taste buds dance but these are two of the most popular dishes that you will find on your travels. Vegan restaurants aren’t too few and far between but it pays to know where you are going so you are not searching around for a long time especially in more rural areas. In the areas of larger cities where there are many backpackers or travellers it is much easier to come across food as most places will have options for you on the menu. You will generally find things like spring rolls, fresh rolls, fried noodles topped with vegetables, vegetarian sandwiches made with fresh baguettes, vermicelli noodles topped with fried tofu and peanuts, delicious vege packed hot pots cooked right in front of you on your table and a lot of pizza and french fries. Each dish averaging around 60,000 VND ($3NZ, £1.50) in the larger cities. Make your own spring rolls in Hoi An. On a budget vs treating yourself:
Most of the time on our travels we eat on a budget as we want our money to last as long as possible so that we can keep travelling and exploring the world however sometimes you have to treat yourself to a delicious, soul warming meal that will make your senses implode with happiness like when you eat a home cooked meal made by mama. In Hue and Danang we found two completely vegan places that served us the most mouth-watering food and both meals were great for our budget. In Hue we found a place called Lac Thien which is one of my favourite restaurants that I have been to in all of Asia. The food was ridiculously cheap but packed with flavour and fresh vegetables. To buy a vegan côm you will pay 10,000 VND per dish and there are many other options on the menu. We also got a large hot pot for 40,000 VND ($2.50 NZ) that was full of fresh tofu and came with a full plate of greens, mushrooms and sprouts to be cooked all together right in front of our eyes. The place is ALWAYS busy and bustling with local people which is usually a good sign that the food is awesome. We went back here three times in our one night stay in Hue and every time we were lucky to get a table seated right next to some local people. The vegan restaurant that Rhys and I loved in Danang was ‘An Lac’ about a 5 minute walk from Danang backpackers hostel. We each paid 15,000 VND for a plate of delicious côm. You can also buy a wee fried bun that is jam packed full and stuffed with vegetables. Perfect for dipping in the soup that comes along side a plate of côm. An Lac was not as busy as the first place we went to but still had many locals gathering around a feast fit for a king. Tofu, mushroom and vegetable packed hot pot for 40,000 VND at 'Lac Thien'. We treated ourselves in Hanoi at Loving Hutt. Loving Hutt is an all vegan chain so it is possible you have seen a Loving Hutt branch in another city somewhere in the world. There is a minimart downstairs full of vegan treats. You can even buy Daiya (imported from America) and fresh tofu and vegan paté. The restaurant was beautifully set up. The ladies dressed in traditional Vietnam fancy dress and the men in suits. The food was some of the best I have ever had especially the baked macaroni. The prices are definitely quite high for a backpacker but by New Zealand standards eating out you definitely get your moneys worth. We ended up spending $40NZ which is far more than we would usually spend on a meal. We got four dishes – One baked macaroni, one mushroom curry cooked in a clay pot, a traditional Vietnamese pancake and a cheesy pizza. It was one of those days where we just needed a heap of good food that would make us feel at home. Every bite was divine! The delectable dishes at Loving Hutt. Aside from cooked food you can find fresh fruit everywhere you go. Try to buy fruit that isn't peeled as it is less likely to make you ill. If you purchase fruit that is already chopped you are risking the fact that it could have been washed in Vietnam tap water which could cause problems for your health and affect your travel plans. you can pick up all sorts of bugs and illnesses from the tap water here so avoid it at all costs.
Vietnam has been amazing for vegan food and has some of the most flavour filled dishes I have ever eaten. The hardest part to stomach is the animal cruelty here. Unlike western culture who like it behind closed doors so is easier to forget it is out in the open with no shame. This is definitely the hardest part of travelling in Asia. Rhys and I have fed street dogs and puppies, we have saved a rat from getting squished in the middle of the buzzing traffic, paid to release smaller birds and even untied a chicken that had his foot tied to a tree that was clearly about to be prepared for ‘dinner’. Do the best you can and what you can because at the end of the day that is all we can do in life. Be the change you wish to see in the world! |
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October 2016
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