With 1.4 million employees, the Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation, IRCTC, is the largest employer in this country and a fantastic mover of people. As a foreigner, learning how to book and travel on Indian trains is, to quote the Bible of Lonely Planet, “the quientissential experience.” There are websites and guidebook sections dedicated to explaining the…
Author: theyearofsarahjoy
Udaipur & Delhi 12.14.16
The usual Minnesota signs of the holiday season are not present in the cities I am visiting. There are no carols on the radio, decorated store windows, or Christmas lights. There is also no winter weather. Seeking familiar reminders of this season, Facebook delivered by filling my newsfeed with year in review videos and links to Top…
Pushkar 12.9.16
Pushkar is a holy city for Hindu people. It is one of 5 sacred pilgrimage sites in the world devout Hindu people aspire to visit at least once in their lifetime. The city surrounds Lake Pushkar, a lake that was believed to be created more than 60,000 years ago by the god Brahma when he dropped…
Jaipur 12.6.16
Traveling as a solo female in India was one of my larger concerns prior to leaving home. Media stories, including this piece from a few days ago, anecdotes from friends who visited India, and travel guide books contributed to my sense of caution. With these warnings on my mind, I am making efforts to travel with other people. My first journey from…
Eating Well: India 12.3.16
If you told 7-year-old me I would LOVE Indian food in about 20 years, I would have called you a liar. I may have said your pants were on fire too. You, however, would be speaking the truth. In India I am in food heaven. Food here is mostly vegetarian (veg. is the word Indian people use). Cheese, creme and butter are…
Agra 11.30.16
There is a cash crisis in India. November 8 the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced 500 rupee (~$7USD) and 1000 rupee (~15USD) notes would no longer be legal tender. The surprise announcement took effect 4 hours later. The purpose of the demonetization is to reduce corruption and and tax evasion. Now is a fascinating time to be…
A Delhi Wedding 11.28.16
I traveled to New Delhi, India to attend the wedding of a Carlson School classmate and friend, Tarun Jain, to his wife Sonal. This 3-day celebration will be one of the most memorable, special, colorful, fun, crazy and incredible opportunities from my year of travel. Bryana, another friend of Tarun’s from the Carlson School, came to…
Banlung & Phnom Penh 11.24.16
I am approaching four months of travel and I have also entered a slightly cooler climate. Now I wear jeans and my light dresses stay in my bag. My gear is holding up but starting to show the wear of travel. My white clothes have a grey/brown undertone, even when they are fresh from the wash. I am planning…
BeTreed Adventures in Ta Bos Village 11.22.16
Sitting in Siem Reap reading about potential next destinations on Trip Advisor, I found Be Treed Adventures. After a quick series of emails and a few phone calls with one of the owners, Sharyn, my transit to and lodging in this rural piece of Cambodian forest was confirmed. Ben, the other owner of this destination, is…
Eating Well: Cambodia 11.21.16
It has been a whirlwind week! I am in India now and had a spectacular, incredible experience as a guest at my first Indian wedding. The three day affair was better than anything I could imagine. Photos and updates to come. Using the restaurant tips from the ex-pat friends I made in Siem Reap,…
Siem Reap 11.14.16
The CIA’s World Factbook provides this economic summary of Cambodia: Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia and long-term economic development remains a daunting challenge, inhibited by endemic corruption, limited human resources, high income inequality, and poor job prospects. As of 2012, approximately 2.66 million people live on less than $1.20 per day, and 37% of…
100 Days, 100 Places 11.12.16
Via the wonders of technology, family and friends plus people I do not know are journeying with me. I appreciate your companionship on Facebook, Instagram, this blog, Face Time, email, and text message. Starting from a few days before I left home and continuing through today, here is a video of one place I visited each day. I am happy…
The Year of Sarah Joy 