Writing this post almost three weeks after leaving India, I still feel mixed emotions about departing. Previous visitors to India told me I would either love or hate my time in that country. Difficulties included, I declare myself a member of the ‘love it’ camp. Even as a fan of travel in India, when I booked my flight to…
Category: India
Kochi & Day Trips 1.16.17
A slice of daily life in India and my reflections: Joost and I departed the Rainforest Retreat via tuk-tuk. We hoped to leave at 11:00am. For unknown reasons our tuk-tuk arrived around 1:00pm. We chatted and rested while waiting. It is rarely possible to rush others in India. After a 45-minute ride, we arrived at…
Eating Well: India 1.11.17
I will miss the food in India. Easy access to vegetarian items, liberal use of ghee and cream, and amazing breads are a few of my food highlights. During these two months I did not always clean my plate, but I never left a meal unfinished because I did not like an ingredient or a flavor. When I return,…
Mysore & Madikeri 1.9.17
As I collected advice on where to travel in India, a few friends said, “visit a hill station.” With help from Google, I learned a hill station is not a specific place. Instead, it is a term referring to towns located at high altitude that are used as refuges from the summer heat. There are hill stations throughout India at…
Goa 1.6.17
In Goa I enjoyed my first experience scuba diving. PADI, an accreditation organization in the diving world, created a program called Discover Scuba for people who are interested in ‘exploring underwater’ but are not ready for a 3-day certification course. Participation in Discover Scuba requires no prior diving knowledge or skills. I was a perfect fit. On our way to the first dive…
Hampi 1.5.17
The word diverse is not big enough to describe the differences in this country. From language, weather, customs, religion and food to income, education, and government services, the variations between people, states and regions are large. From Mumbai (formerly Bombay) onward, regions known as the western and southern areas of India, I feel more comfortable…
Mumbai (Bombay) 12.31.16
The global network of 55,000 Carlson School graduates is a source of pride for the school. When I worked at the Carlson School, I remember public addresses and communications from Dean Sri Zaheer highlighting the deep network I am now benefiting from. My journey is enriched when I meet in person or chat virtually with an alum. Building…
Eating Well: India 12.25.16
The food I ate these past few week is not the usual holiday goodness but it is just as delicious. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! And peace to all this holiday season. Chai and a samosa at a roadside stand in Rishikesh. A collection of meals eaten in Rishikesh including dal fry (lentils) and naan, pecora, a…
Varanasi 12.21.16
Well, I finally had my India breaking point. Here is a story from about two weeks ago. After camping two nights in Bayasi outside of Rishikesh, I returned to the hostel in Rishikesh at midday to wait for a night train to Varanasi, 705 km away. I also returned to the hostel hoping to find another traveler…
Rishikesh 12.17.16
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…
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…
The Year of Sarah Joy 