My month of travel in Thailand included visitors from Minnesota who planned their vacations to coincide with my trip. It was a gift to spend time with close friends. Meeting my first friend, Justin, showed me I am no longer the structured, organized, planned person who left Minnesota! We both found the following mistakes hilarious. Oops #1 I confused Justin’s…
Bangkok 2.2.17
New, pretty, clean gear purchased in Minnesota prior to departing 6 months ago, is appropriately dirty, torn, discolored and worn. Arriving in the western and cosmopolitan city of Bangkok, Thailand, I had the opportunity to replace clothes and restock toiletries. This post is an update on my gear. I bought jeans at The Gap and donated this pair to the…
Bangalore 1.24.17
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…
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…
A New Year’s Wish 1.1.17
It is a time of year when we reflect, evaluate, and goal set. In this spirit, humor me for a moment because I want to be your cheerleader. When I celebrated NYE 2014, I would not have imagined celebrating NYE 2017 as a world wander who traded a job, home, and stability for 12 kilos of possessions and a…
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…
The Year of Sarah Joy 