Souvenirs are a great reminder of all the diverse and beautiful places you have been to in India. India also produces some incredible products that they’re known worldwide for. You might want a warm and light cashmere shawl, saffron, a Taj Mahal replica made of marble, a banarasi silk saree, Indian spices, or maybe to […]
Bargaining is an integral part of Indian culture. It’s a game that intimidates most but in reality is very simple and just takes practice to acquire. You will be an expert in it after a few goes. I’m going to show you how to give them a run for their money so you get a […]
You pay for what you get. Nowhere is this truer than in India. In India, everything, not only accommodation, is available at prices ranging from super budget to super luxury. Sometimes it seems like a competition to see who can sell the cheapest and the worst quality of product. You can buy a dirt-cheap pair […]
For first time travellers, getting to your hotel is, unfortunately, a challenge to overcome when you land in India. You might already have that nervous feeling as you walk through the airport, but it really hits when you look out the exit door and see the organized chaos of India for the first time. This […]
In 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan abolished the need for foreign tourists to get No Objection Certificates (NOC) to travel around Pakistan. And while foreigners can practically travel anywhere in Pakistan, there are still a few restrictions in place. Restrictions when visiting Pakistan as a tourist Balochistan is difficult All provinces of Pakistan are open […]
When I’m travelling alone in India or Pakistan, I don’t want to be that foreigner trying to lug around a big suitcase on the streets, and I don’t want to be sticking out like a sore thumb because of what I’m wearing. It just attracts unwanted attention. If I’m in Pakistan and I stumble into a […]
What do you first think when you hear the word Pakistan? For me, living in New Zealand and India, since 9/11, it’s been synonymous with terrorism. News reports, the movie Zero Dark Thirty, and Mark Owen’s book No Easy Day were, like most, all I knew about Pakistan. I had similar worries about India from […]
Kerala Police have finally caught the two men who drugged, raped and beheaded a tourist – Liga Skromane from Latvia. Liga had been missing since February when she went to visit a beach in Kovalam. She had come to India in search of ancient Indian Ayurvedic (natural Indian healing) treatment for depression. The suspects are […]
The only time I’ve ever had things stolen from my hotel room was when I was in New York. I was sharing a bunk bed with a German tourist. I remember thinking when I met him that he wasn’t very friendly. That should’ve been a sign. There were no lockers for luggage in the tiny room, […]
Stalking. It’s only ever happened to me once in India, that I know of. Once is enough to give you that sickening feeling in your stomach and ask yourself, “What could have happened?” The sun was setting in Ranchi, the capital of one of the poorest states in India, Jharkhand. I’d just left my hotel […]