9 Days in Israel and Palestinian Territories

When I mentioned my Christmas/New Year plans to solo travel in Israel I was met with looks of confusion and comments such as “Oh be careful won’t you” and “Why would you want to go there?”  Yes, Israel and the West Bank have had their fair share of the limelight in international news over many years but they’re also incredible places with incredible people to meet.  There is some element of political danger there but on a day to day basis for a tourist it is overall very safe.  I felt safer walking in these countries at night than I would in some parts of the UK.

My trip didn’t get off to the best start as I just about caught my connecting flight from Frankfurt with minutes to spare due to a delay in London.  Unfortunately, my bag wasn’t so lucky and didn’t make it on with me!  I decided that I had no way of knowing when or if my bag was going to turn up so my best choice was to carry on with my journey, leaving an address I was planning to be at in a couple of days time.  I arrived at night so I shared a taxi travelling extremely light with the bare essentials in a small bag arriving at the Florentine Backpackers Hostel which is in the arty neighbourhood of Florentin in Tel Aviv.

Day One

I explored the quirky streets covered in street art and wandered to the old city neighbourhood of Jaffa.  It was great to see the sea again and feel the sun on my face.  Jaffa was bustling with little market stalls of homemade goods, interesting shops and street entertainers.  I stopped at a little cafe full of locals and ordered what everyone else was ordering which was of course a bowl of hummus.  It came with some pita type bread, raw onion and gherkins.  I walked along the promenade and saw churches, synagogues and mosques looking out towards the ocean.  Then I walked along the Wishing Bridge where you hold your hands on your horoscope sign, look out to sea and make a wish.  It was a Friday, so everything began to close for shabbat and the clouds started to come over so I decided to leave for my next destination: Jerusalem.  The buses don’t run after around 2pm on Fridays but there are minibuses that will take you to destinations when they are full.  I walked to the bus station to find one, which was a long way but as I was travelling extra light it didn’t matter!

An hour later  I arrived in Jerusalem late afternoon on a Friday and the streets were dead, nothing was open and no trams were running.  I walked to The Post Hostel which is part of the post office building on the main street.  The temperature is lower in Jerusalem as it is at a higher altitude.  I was exhausted but I couldn’t resist seeing the first glimpse of the old city at night plus I was hoping to find somewhere open selling essentials until my bag returned.  Jerusalem  is one of the holiest and oldest places on Earth and once I entered through the giant walls, lit up with Hannukah light projections on the outside, it felt like this was a place that time had forgotten.  I stumbled across the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where it is believed that Jesus was cruxified and reserected.  It was beautiful in there with little candle lights and very peaceful, unlike the day when it is full of noisy tourists.

Day Two

It was Christmas Eve!  After a delicious Israeli breakfast at the hostal, the most traditional dish being Shakshuka which is fried egg on top of a spicy tomato base.  The staff said there was no way I would possibly get my bag returned to me that day because it was Saturday, the first day of Hannukah and Christmas Eve!  Luckily everyone was really friendly and helpful and lent me toiletries etc so I went ahead with my plan to explore the Old City during the day and head over to Bethlehem for the evening.

I entered again through Jaffa Gate, one of the nine in the city walls.  This time it was swarming with tourists starting tours at the Tower of David.  The tiny stepped streets leading down towards the Western Wall were lined with little shops selling mainly trinkets and religious memorabilia.  The streets are like a covered maze and although the old city is not a large area, it’s easy to get lost among the stone doorways and walls.

I went through a brief security check and stood at the top of the steps to see my first glance of the Western Wall plaza and The Dome of the Rock.  The Dome is an Islamic shrine built on Temple Mount which is an incredibly sacred religious site for Jews, Muslims and Christians.  More on that another day!  I then headed to The Muslim Quarter and Damascus gate to find an arabic dessert and the bus.  I found the place serving Kanafah which cheese with pastry soaked in syrup… possibly one of the unhealthiest desserts to ever exist but also delicious!  Then I caught the bus to Bethlehem.

To get to Bethlehem which is in the West Bank Palestinian Territories you have to go through Israeli checkpoints where armed guards may check your passport.  My image of Bethlehem was a small desert town from all the Bible stories I’d grown up with at school but the reality is that it is a medium-sized busy town built in a hilly area with cars and mopeds buzzing around.  When I found the historical part it was more how I had imagined.  I made my way down the quaint streets after trying some amazing homemade herbal tea for 2 shekels and some street brilliant street falafel.  The man offering tea took some orders then ran off to his house to make the tea, returning with some strange concoction of every herb under the sun, it was really tasty and I ordered another.  After these distractions I came to Manger Square (Yes, it’s really called that!).  There were hundreds of people milling around and getting ready for the midnight mass, listening to the very questionable entertainment on stage.  You have to have a ticket to enter the Church of the Nativity for the mass so they also show it on a big screen in Manger Square.  It was quite surreal being in a place I’d heard about all my life that is so much a part of world history.  You can enter the church by day and visit the exact place that Jesus was born.  The temperature was an icy 3 degrees and I soon retreated indoors for non-alcoholic cocktails and some more Kanafah with a newly made Palestinian friend.  The last bus back to Jerusalem was at 10pm so I head back and walked around the Christian quarter to soak up more Christmas vibes.  I returned to the hostel  to discover a magical Christmas/first day of Hanukkah miracle had occurred, my bag had been delivered from the airline despite all odds!  I opened my bag with as much joy as a child would have opening presents from Santa on Christmas morning!

Day 3

It was Christmas Day but it was Sunday and business as usual in Jerusalem. After my Israeli breakfast I went straight to Jaffa gate to start a walking tour of the city.  The sun was shining and the guide told interesting stories about the history of the Armenian, Christian, Muslim and Jewish quarters as we wandered round the city.  He took us up high for a spectacular view of the Dome of the Rock which looked dazzling in the sun.  The Western Wall (also called the Kotel) is the closest point to Temple Mount apart from if you go into the wall tunnels where there is a closer point in the foundations.  Non-muslims are not allowed to go inside (you can enter the grounds at certain times of the day but not the shrine itself).  Therefore Jewish people pray the the closest point with is the Western Wall.  It is split into men and women’s areas and there are many religious books for you to use for prayer.  It is tradition to leave a prayer folded as small as you can to get it into the cracks in the wall.  Twice a year the Rabbi of the wall takes the prayers and buries them in the Jewish cemetery.  Needless to say the history of Jerusalem is incredible complicated.

I had a typical Israeli lunch of hummus to prepare me for the journey round the wall and up the Mount of Olives.  As you walk up the hill you encounter many important and beautiful religious buildings on the way including Gethsemane where the olive trees are said to be up to 2000 years old.  There are also fantastic views of the golden turrets of the Church of Mary Magdalene.  If you make it right to the top and beyond there is the Church of the Holy Ascension where it is believed Jesus ascended to heaven.  There is also a breathtaking view of the sunset over the city of Jerusalem and the vast Jewish cemetery.

Feeling happy and satisfied I headed off to the Palestinian town of Ramallah that was recommended to me by a local Israeli lady as an interesting place to visit.  I took the bus and arrived in the evening.  The Area D hostel was hard to find as the entrance is in a dark and unnerving empty car park at the bottom of a high rise building.  But the people of Ramallah and incredibly friendly and showed me the way.  As I arrived a dramatic thunderstorm began but I braved the rain due to hunger and dashed into the nearest restaurant where I was the only customer.  The menu was in Arabic so the waiter grabbed a local from the street who spoke a bit of English, brought him inside and I got him to translate that I’ll try anything without meat or nuts.  Eager to please, they brought me a delicious selection of dishes and I enjoyed my alternative Christmas dinner  washed down with mint tea very much!

Day 4

Ramallah is a small city considered to be the capital of the Palestinian territories.  It’s modern and bustling and the people will go out of their way to help you.  They are proud of their city and culture and I couldn’t walk down the street without encountering a big smile and an offer to help.  I clearly did not look like a local in this city as a looked wide eyed at all the delicious freshly baked breads in the market and within a minute a local man Oliy insisted on personally taking me to Yasser Arafat’s memorial after a lot of confusion of broken English communication!  Unfortunately the museum was closed that day but I did get to see Yasser Arafat’s grave guarded by very friendly soldiers.  They insisted that I have my photo taken with them and the grave and tried to explain as much as they could in limited English.

Oliy then offered to take me to some other interesting sights in the city that I wanted to go to.  Before that he took me to all of his friends shops to introduce me including an amazing dress shop where the owners insisted I try on a beautifully embroidered traditional Palestinian dress for a photo which was fun!

We then headed to the Mahmoud Darwish Museum who was a famous poet.  The museum is past the more affluent part of the city with new apartments and at the top of a hill overlooking the surrounding area.  Oliy showed me the separation wall in the distance and where some of the Palestinian communities used to be based before it existed.

“Exile is more than a geographical concept. You can be an exile in your homeland, in your own house, in a room.”  Mahmoud Darwish.

I really wanted to visit the refugee ‘camp’ in centre of Ramallah and get close to the wall but Oliy couldn’t understand why I would want to do this.  I found this with a few local people and I think it is because they are very proud of their city and want to show visitors the best parts.  I explained I wanted to see the Banksy street art on the wall which Oliy and people we asked for directions seemed to find a more acceptable request so we eventually headed that way in a shared mini-van which act like buses around the city.  Obviously this took some time as we stopped to talk to Oliy’s many friends along the way and conversation was challenging due to my extremely limited Arabic!  I was happy enough listening to the lovely rhythm of the language and seeing the city through the eyes of a local.  First we walked to the refugee ‘camp’ which is not a camp at all but a more crowded version of the rest of the city.  If it didn’t have a sign it would be hard to tell it was a refugee camp.  Oliy pointed out that displaced people from occupied towns and villages had been there for 60 years now and it had just become another part of the city although most people there would never recognise it as their home and hope to return to their land in the future.  On the way to the wall we passed a man selling Arafat bathmats and Oliy insisted I had a photo with one!

It was almost dusk as we approached the wall next to a checkpoint.  I went to walk closer but Oliy stopped me and insisted we asked permission from the Israeli soldiers there first in case we got shot.  I didn’t feel like there was danger of that but he has obviously seen or heard otherwise.  We walked right up the the looming concrete grey wall which is higher than the Berlin wall.  It was covered in political graffiti including a portrait of Arafat and messages of hope for peace.  It was extremely difficult to comprehend that this wall actually exists now in the world and that the current American president wants to build a new one.  We stayed there sometime, walking along the wall and reading the messages.  It made me feel incredibly sad.  We also saw one of the many Banksy pieces along the wall of the girl holding a balloon to rise over the top.

It got dark so we headed back to the centre.  On the way there was a large group of teenage boys who had lit a bonfire on the road.  I asked Oliy what was happening and he told me they were protesting and he said we should go and ask them why.  They explained that they were protesting because the Israeli army had switched off the electricity for a few hours that day which I had noticed as all the advert screens etc suddenly turned off.  They lit the fire so the army would come to them and they could ask why they had turned it off.  We moved on as these encounters can become dangerous and usually does not end well for the Palestinians.  The lady in the hostel explained to be the previous evening that Palestinian boys have been known to throw rocks in frustration and retaliation at the army but sadly they sometimes get shot in return. I asked why the local police/army don’t step in to protect them but she said they are too weak.

I’d had a fascinating day in Ramallah thanks to Oily and all his friends there.  The city is vibrant and lively with very welcoming people.

Day 5

My friend Walid that I had made in Bethlehem on Christmas eve wanted to show me further around the West Bank so I headed off with him by car to visit Jericho, the one of the world’s oldest cities.  On route we stopped to admire the dry desert lands, stopping at an important tomb on the top of one of the many sandy desert hills.  Jericho is a very small town with most buildings on one level.  Once there we looked around town, visited Elisha’s spring, the famous biblical Zaccheus’ sycamore tree, Tel es-Sultan and Hisham’s Palace ruins.  The city is the size of a small town and is pretty quiet.  Then we drove back to Bethlehem where I bid goodbye to Walid and headed back to Jerusalem on the bus amid a torrential downpour of rain.

Day 6

I got up early and met Priscilla and Stacey, friends I’d made at the Post Hostel, the bus station.  We got on the bus to the ancient desert fortress Masada.  It is built on top of a high rock plateau so you have 2 choices: walk up Snake Path which takes around an hour or take the cable car.  I opted for the cable car due to time-restraints getting the public bus, the fact it was very hot and that there were hundreds of other tourists  meandering up at snail’s pace.  The cable car takes a few minutes and you are up high on top of Masada.  The view from the top is spectacular overlooking the desert landscape and the flat lands around the Dead Sea.  It really gives you an idea of how big the Dead Sea is.  We looked around taking photos and exploring for about an hour and half which was enough time to see it all.  Then we head back on the cable car and waited at the bus stop.  We waited a long time here as the information we’d been given was incorrect.  Eventually the bus came and we returned on the same route stopping off at Kalia Beach on the Dead Sea.  By this time the sun was setting so we got changed as fast as possible and we covered ourselves in mud, took photos whilst it dried (difficult when you’re covered in mud!) and then emerged ourselves into the water which was quite warm.  It was great floating in the water and it’s true it’s impossible to swim because all your limbs just want to float above the water!  The scene was beautiful as the sun set and we were the last one to jump out in the dark and get changed as fast as possible to avoid the cold night temperatures.  My skin felt so soft and silky afterwards.  We walked back to the bus stop only to find that every bus coming past was full and refused to stop.  In the end some kind driver stopped for us and we sat on the aisle floor for the journey back to Jerusalem.  Although we had a very successful day in the end I think I would recommend for ease and comfort to take a tour to visit Masada and the Dead Sea.

In the evening I explored Jerusalem market which is basically cafes and bars by night.  It had a great atmosphere with people eating, drinking and dancing outside.

 

Day 6

My last day in Jerusalem.  I decided to get up very early and queue to see the Dome of the Rock.  I waited about an hour in the line and when I got in I only had about 20 minutes before they closed it.  It is an Islamic site so you need to dress modestly.

Visiting Hours for Monday to Thursday:

Winter: 7:30 am – 10:30 am and 12:30pm – 1:30 pm

Summer: 8:30am – 11:30am and 1:30pm – 2:30pm

It made a big difference seeing the Dome close up, the detail of this highly religious site is intricate and the colours are bright.  I looked around, taking in the wonderful sight until I was asked to leave Temple Mount by the guards.

After I headed back to the market to see it by day which was a completely different experience.  It was very busy and full of tempting smells and colours.  I saw many olives, breads, teas, desserts, spices, fruits, Turkish delight and more!  After buying a few tasters I took the bus back to Tel Aviv.  It was Friday so I knew that soon everything in Jerusalem would soon be closing for Shabbat anyway and I was looking forward to escaping the cold and getting back to the warmth of TA.

Day 7 – 9

My last few days I spent in Tel Aviv, 29th December until 1st January.  This time I stayed in Beachfront Hostel which, as you can probably tell from the name, was right on the beach.  In my room I was lucky enough to have 4 other female solo travellers from Hong Kong, Russia, Holland and Monaco.  When I arrived the hostel was making traditional Hannukah potato pancakes called Latkes served with sour cream and they were delicious!

I started the next day with a long traditional Israeli breakfast in the sun before sitting on the beach for a while and walking along the promenade.  I was looking for Neve-Tzedek neighbourhood which is comprises of quaint buildings, cafes and restaurants but instead I accidentaly found a large market or ‘Shuk’.  Here there was many types of freshly made delights and a bustling happy atmosphere.  I bumped into Stacey and Priscilla who took me to an South African bar just off the market.  There were a lot of little bars and cafes around the outskirts of the market full of people laughing and talking.  Then I walked around Neve-Tzedek which was really pretty.

In the evening I went out to a club called Bootleg with Stacey and Priscilla, the girls from the hostel and a local guy Kodi and his friend who put us on the guestlist.  It was a dark and dinghy club playing good techno music.  We stayed the whole night and sampled the local drinks!  The next day we were all feeling a little worse for wear but I managed to get up and have some lunch.  The weather was stormy but it made for the most beautiful sunset and Silvia and I watched the sun go down and said a emotional goodbye to 2016 and talked of our hopes for the new year.  Despite feeling pretty unwell Morena, Silvia and I went out for some dinner and to meet Nathan, my friend Rachael’s brother to see in the new year.  He took us to a bar which had a good atmosphere and we had a great time chatting to people and drinking leading onto another late night!

The next morning we had some breakfast and spent some time on the beach.  An old man was playing a pipe and I had a long conversation with him about life and he told me that “music is the universal language” which is very true.  Then it was time to leave so I shared a taxi to the airport thinking about all the adventures I’d had on this amazing trip.

Top Tips!

• Go to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at night to avoid crowds and feel the sacred atmosphere.
• Always carry your passport with you in case someone from the army wants to check it!
• Make the effort and queue to get close to the Dome of the Rock.
• Take a free walking tour round the old city of Jerusalem.
• Walk up the Mount of Olives by yourself –  you don’t need a tour despite what people may tell you.  Also go just before sunset for extra stunning views.
• Try Kanafeh in the Muslim quarter.
• Take a tour to Masada and the Dead Sea – buses are unreliable.
• Don’t plan to do anything from Friday around 3pm until lunchtime Saturday – nothing is open and everywhere is quiet due to shabbat.
• You can still get minibuses during shabbat but public buses don’t run.
• It’s a little expensive in Israel particularly for alcoholic drinks so make sure you budget for that.
• Get some local tips and recommendations: people are really friendly and helpful.

 

 

Guide to Ibiza

So I’ve written blog posts for a lot of international locations and it struck me that the place I know best and get asked most about is actually that little Mediterranean island I’ve spent a lot of my life on: IBIZA.  Many people ask me for holiday tips so here goes…

When to go

My personal favourite months in Ibiza are just before and just after the summer season i.e. April/May and October/November.  The weather is at the perfect temperature in those months, there’s enough going on events wise yet you avoid the crowds the summer brings.  You can park your car easily, get cheaper prices and get in some relaxing time too.  Other good times to visit include:

June: Summer is well and truly here with all the accompanying events but not as busy as the rest of summer if you avoid opening party week.

January:  New year is great in Ibiza plus the first Saturday of the month brings my favourite party of the year: San Antonio Flower Power.

Where to stay

This depends on your budget and can range from cheap room in a hotel to luxury villa!  Taxi’s are not cheap in Ibiza so I would advise staying where you think you will spend the most time unless you’re hiring a car.  The most popular areas to stay are San Antonio and Playa Den Bossa where you will find plenty of budget accommodation.  Villas are great for big groups but tend to be in more remote locations.  There are also a few budget hostels or you can always use the island campsites if you’re willing to brave the heat of the summer.

Getting around

Taxi: Very pricey in Ibiza but quick and reliable.  Can be long waits during peak hours (e.g. certain party arrival times)

Bus: Buses serve most parts of the island and are reasonably priced.  They include an airport bus and the famous ‘Discobus’ which runs throughout the night every 30 minutes -1 hour between San Antonio and Ibiza Town stopping at all the major clubs.  The Discobus runs off-season Fridays and Saturdays only at less regular times.

Water taxi:  There are some water taxis around the island which are a scenic and relaxing way to cut out walking in the heat particularly if you’re going from San Antonio town to the bay area.

Private boats:  There are many private boat companies that will take you and your friends around the island (or part of it) often including a drinks package.

Tourist boat services:  Only run in summer season to a few beach locations. San Antonio boats run to Cala Bassa, Cala Conte and Cala Gracio.  There is also trips to Es Vedra and back.  From Ibiza Town there are boats to Playa Den Bossa.

Ferry:  Ferries run between Ibiza and Formentera but are expensive costing around 45 euros to return in a day although they are reliable and fast.  There is a cheaper but slightly slower boat service for the summer season called Aquabus that runs from Ibiza port, Figueretas and Playa Den Bossa which is over half the price.

Car hire:  Car hire is the best way to get around Ibiza but can be expensive in the summer months.  Also make sure you read the conditions carefully as there have been cases where people have had to pay out a lot of money for silly reasons.  Parking during the summer season can be very difficult.  Arrive to your destination early to guarantee a spot and be prepared to pay an extortionate rate for the privilege.

Beaches

So many to choose from!  This really depends when you go and what you’re looking for.  I personally prefer a bit of space on the beach to breathe so some of the beautiful beaches that are great for a winter trip I would avoid like the plague in summer therefore I shall break things down in an award like fashion!

Best for posing: Salinas

Best for nudity: Aguas Blancas

Best 0ff-season: Cala Bassa

Best for sunset: Cala Conte (See photo above)

Best for remoteness: Cala Llentrisca

Best for families: Cala Llenya/ Cala Gracioneta

Best hippy vibes: Benirras

But there’s a lot more to explore aswell!  Try: Cala Salada, Cala San Vicente, Cala Llonga, Cala Carbo, Cala Vadella, Cala Tarida, Es Cavallet, the list goes on!

Restaurants

There are many amazing restaurants in Ibiza, in fact way too many to mention so I shall just name a few of my favourites!

Tapas:  Tapas is a local San Antonio favourite and you can’t have a bad experience here. Tapas fusion, great value dishes, amazing cocktails (I particularly recommend the strawberry daiquiri), relaxed dining outside dining area, great for large groups, friendly and efficient staff. (See photo above)

Ritas: San Antonio port.  A locals favourite still going strong after all these years and recent changes.  Great for breakfast and smoothies or sitting people watching with a cafe con leche.  Also their pancakes are a must!

Sa Capella:  Set in a beautiful old monastery near San Antonio, the food is always top quality here.  The service by very well-dressed waiters is impeccable and do not under any circumstances miss their homemade Hierbas de Ibiza at the end of your meal!  Booking in summer is essential.

La Boedga:  Great buzzing atmosphere in Ibiza Town, delicious tapas dishes and wine.  Can’t go wrong! Booking essential.

Es Boldado:  Spectacular view of Es Vedra, serves traditional Ibicencan and Spanish dishes.  I particularly recommend the paella although bullit de peix is also not to be missed! Book ahead!

Comidas bar San Juan:  Doesn’t take bookings, you need to be there waiting for it to open because it’s tasty food at a budget price in Ibiza Town always attracts a crowd, and it is not a large place!  Expect traditional Spanish food.

La Paloma:  Delicious healthy international food in a gorgeous garden setting or lovely dining room.  You’ll need a car to get to this restaurant up in San Lorenzo.

Bar Anita:  Up in San Carlos serving traditional Spanish food in an active post office.  Great atmosphere and good for coffee and cake!

Destino:  This lovely little tapas spot in San Jose never disappoints.  Sit outside and soak up the village atmosphere and eat some seriously tasty tapas dishes. Booking essential.

Seventeen:  Lovely little spot in Siesta that does simply delicious food.  That’s all there is to be said.

The Fish Shack:  This is a little pop up shack every summer that sticks mix n’match tables and chairs on the rocks and serves up amazing fresh fish! Perfect.

Can Tixedo:  Lovely local tapas near San Antonio.  Usually displaying local art and is great for coffee, a few canas or a delicious tapas meal for lunch or dinner.  It’s all good so try them all!

The Olive Tree:  If you’re missing the delights of England then this gastro pub in San Antonio bay is home from home and does the islands best Sunday roast by far!

Casa Colonial:   The food served here is gourmet and really quite special but be prepared to pay accordingly for it.  The surroundings are beautiful and service excellent.  Near Santa Eulalia.

There are so many more amazing restaurants in Ibiza…enjoy!

Sunset

Sunset is a big deal in Ibiza and you need to make sure you see one at least.  Get ready to clap as soon as the sun disappears on the horizon, it’s an Ibiza tradition.

Cafe Del Mar, San Antonio: The Classic.  Everyone should see one sunset here in their lives.  hundreds of people gather to watch it every night with the Cafe Del Mar famous soundtrack.  The atmosphere is electric as people contemplate their day in the sun and their night activities ahead. (See photo above)

Punta Galera:  Otherwise known as Flat Rocks because of the amazing rock formations that lend themselves perfectly to sunbathing and sitting with friends watching the sunset. More secluded than most sunset spots and with the odd random hippy cave dweller to entertain you or make you a mojito.

Kumharas: Right round the bay of San Antonio, Kumharas is always buzzing with life for sunset and often includes some great live music to accompany the sun’s ‘adios’ for the day.  Buy a drink in the bar or simply sit on the rocks in front. Don’t miss a regular performance by island flamenco fusion favourite Paco Fernandez here.

Hostal la Torre:  Arguably the best view of sunset on the island accompanied by dramatic classical music in this bar/restaurant on the rocks.

Sunset Ashram:  This bar/restaurant has the prime position in Cala Conte and you can’t go wrong watching the sunset from here with a shandy.  Always busy with a great atmosphere.  If it’s too crowded then join everyone on the beach or the surrounding coastline which is also gorgeous.

Es Vedra viewpoint:  Es Vedra is the mysterious rock that beams out of the sea next to Ibiza and there’s something incredibly special about it.  Watching the sunset with Es Vedra in view is spectacular.  If you’re there in good time and fancy a walk, make your way up to the pirate tower (sometimes locked) for an extra Wow factor! Read about the many legends surrounding Es Vedra here.

Golden Buddha:  This is a great place to meet friends and relax for sunset, avoiding the bigger crowds of the sunset strip in San Antonio.

Places to party 

Obviously Ibiza knows how to party and there is the best selection of international DJs and parties in the world here in the summer season.  My personal favourites are as follows:  (although these are subject to change yearly with new trends, new nights etc so to get the latest you’ll have to keep your ear to the street!)

Rock Nights at Pikes Hotel:  Intimate and quirky hotel with fun music and a great vibe. Hang out in the garden, dance to some tunes or visit the boudoir for dress up fun! Wednesdays for Rock Nights after the live gig at Ibiza Rocks is my favourite time to go.  Do not miss Sunny’s kareoke bathtub or a crazy piano session.

Nightmares on Wax at Las Dalias:  Always the best live music and vibes at NOW.  A locals favourite in the Las Dalias market. Setting is lovely in the garden or there’s some serious dancing to be done on the sweaty dance floor. (See photo above)

Underground:  Some great DJs play at Underground but without the big price tags.  Again, great outdoor area and some proper music to dance to here! This place is consistently good year after year and doesn’t need to advertise like all its big next door neighbours.

Glitterbox at Space:  It’s Space’s final year and what better way to see it off than dancing about covered in glitter to some classic house tunes? Great vibe, drag queens and sparkle!

Flower Power at Pacha:  Pacha is the prettiest of the super clubs and Flower Power is a long running iconic night playing 60s and 70s music.  Dressing up is a must, you’ll feel silly without it!  Expect lots of fun entertainment throughout the night.  Don’t miss the funky room!

Other big Ibiza clubs include: Amnesia (needs to be done once in your life I would say just to witness the sheer scale of things), Privilege, Es Paradis and of course the original Pacha.

Day trips/Places to visit

San Miguel caves:  These caves are well worth a visit combined with a beach in the north of the island or a walk.

Salinas:  These are the salt marshes of Ibiza and are very pretty at sunset comboned with a beach afternoon at Es Cavellet or Salinas beach.

Dalt Vila:  This is the old town of Ibiza surrounded by fortified walls.  It has narrow, pretty streets with many hidden gems for food and drinks.  Great for wandering around, looking out at views at the top or visiting the museum.

Cap Blanc Aquarium:  Combine this on a walk from San Antonio to Cala Gracio.  This is an aquarium/restaurant/bar.  All the seas creatures are released and re-caught from local waters every year and actually live in caves in the rock in the actual sea.

Waterpark:  Great for a kids (big kids!) day out with waterslides, pools and ice creams available.

Formentera: Ibiza’s little neighbouring island is absolutely gorgeous and worth a day trip.  Go early morning and come back in the evening to make the most of your day.  You can rent a motorbike or bicycle to explore the islands beaches or visit the remote lighthouse.(See photo above)

Markets

Ibiza has some great markets which make a great day trip and you might even pick up something to wear, eat or marvel at!  There are lots of seasonal markets that pop up all over Ibiza for various festivities but here is the lowdown on my favourite regulars:

San Jordi:   Imagine all the weird and wonderful characters in Ibiza and then imagine all the weird and wonderful things they have in their houses…well, at San Jordi on Saturdays these little gems can now be yours!  Set in the hippodrome near the airport, this flea market is very popular with locals out of season and has a cafe for that much needed cerveza break. In the summer it tends to be full of tacky sunglasses and the like but in the winter months you can pick up things you had no idea you needed for bargain prices!

Cala Llenya:  My personal favourite, this is a Sunday flea market with a little more class.  Things can be a little more expensive here but are of better quality and just much cooler.  You’re likely to pick up a cool vintage jacket or pair of cowboy boots here, think second hand hippy chic!  There is also delicious local food served and usually some entertainment in the form of a band.  Couple this market with an afternoon on Cala Llenya beach and you have the perfect day on your hands.

Las Dalias Hippy Market: Another Saturday morning market.  Great atmosphere and excellent quality handmade products but with the matching price tags!  This famous market now even has an online shop so is not always good for the budget but some beautiful things can be found here.  Your shop will usually be accompanied by some live music and a few drinks at the bar.

Money saving tips

There’s no denying it, Ibiza can be ridiculously expensive but it is possible to visit on a budget.  Here are my money-saving tips for those on a budget or just those who don’t want to spend their entire savings in one week!

Club entrance fees can vary from free to 80 euros plus!  Always look for deals or free entry given by promoters usually on the day or the day before on the beach. NEVER pay on the door: you will be charged maximum price.  Some club nights offer free entry before a certain time which may be a good idea.  For popular nights look online and try to scope out the best deal possible.

Drinks – A drink in the big clubs can be up to 18 euros for a spirit and mixer and even a water can be 10 euros!  The only saving grace is that the measures are a lot stronger than in the UK.   Drink before you go is the only advice here as this is a sure-fire way to blow your budget straight off.  Beer and wine in most restaurants and bars are a much cheaper option.

Use buses where possible…it’s a lot easier than you might think and a lot cheaper.

If you want to see big name DJs but not pay the club entrance prices then maybe go to one of the free sunset pre-parties at bars like Mambos.  There are often free beach bar parties on Playa Den Bossa aswell.

If you’re spending a lot on food, then why not eat in?  Ibiza has some amazing fresh fruit and vegetables and excellent seafood options.  If you want to find healthy and organic food try Herbarius in San Antonio.

Remember to take essentials such as water with you to the beach to avoid paying extortionate beach bar prices.  Also why not opt for a simple sarong rather than pay out for sunbeds on the beach…sand is exfoliating!

More advice

Ibiza’s resources are seriously stretched in the summer season so please be careful not to waste water and to recycle as much as possible to help the island and it’s residents have a happy life.  To save money and reduce plastic water bottle waste, refill bottles with water from portable water points on the island such as next to the petrol station in San Rafael.  Whatever you do, do not under any circumstances leave your litter on the beach.

I hope you’ve enjoyed by Ibiza guide.  This is just the tip of the iceberg of things to do in Ibiza but if you’re going on holiday to the island it should keep you quite busy!  For other advice about more specific topics please give me a shout!  Caroline 🙂

 

Beautiful Bali and Lombok

Bali seemed like pure luxury compared to India as soon as I stepped off the plane into the hot , sticky humid air.  It is a lot greener with lush jungle amongst the elaborate buildings and it’s much cleaner as well.  The main religion here is Hindu but it takes on a very different spin in Bali with offerings everywhere filled with flowers, sweets and incense and beautiful hand woven bamboo decorations.  I headed to my friend Anna’s place and enjoyed the sun and the pool.  Anna and I spent a few days whizzing around on her moped to various restaurants and bars, meeting our friend Amanda too.  The quality of food in Bali is very high and the surroundings are usually creative and artistic too.  It seems like every little detail to make something visually pleasing is always thought of in Bali.  After a few days relaxing Anna and I went up north to Amed, a small fishing bay.  The beach was a long stretch of black volcanic rocks. Amed is famous for being an amazing dive spot with reef not far from the shore and we stayed right on the beach at Ganesh Amed.  Anna went freediving every morning, she can hold her breathe for 5 minutes and dive 45 metres with no equipment!  One day we went out to the shipwreck which had beautiful coral and fish and another day we went to a water temple where we swam in fresh water with eels.   My friend Steph came to join us and Anna’s friend Kwab so we spent lots of time sunbathing, catching up and eating nice meals.

Then we headed back to Canggu and I met up with another friend Gavin and his parents.  They were staying in a lovely villa and we spent most of the time in and out of the pool, it was so hot and humid. We ate well and even went for a Balinese massage and an ear candle treatment where they burn candles in your ears to remove wax.  One day we went to Tana Lot which is a temple in a rock formation that has fallen partly into the sea.  We walked up the hill for a view of the temple and a coconut and found a Luwak coffee shop where there were civets, a fruit bat and other animals kept to make the finest coffee.  I couldn’t help but think the animals  should be roaming in the rainforest and not hanging out on coffee tables.

The next part of the Bali adventure was in Ubud with Pete. Ubud is an artistic inland town 2 hours from the coast surrounded by beautiful rice paddies.  The shops here are full with art, sculptures and creative pieces.  We stayed in a beautiful place out of town in the middle of a pond.  We visited the monkey forest where there are lots of semi wild monkeys playing, eating and stealing tourists belongings.  The monkeys here are small and look like they have little grey beards.  One baby monkey mistook Pete for a fellow monkey and started to groom his hair! The rest of the time we spent wandering through rice paddies stopping at lovely cafes and admiring views.

Next we headed over to Lombok to climb Rinjani volcano.  We woke up early and drove 3 hours to the start point and then spent the whole day trekking uphill to the camping spot almost at the top.  It was exhausting going through hot sun followed by cold wind and rain.  We camped looking up at the peak before waking up at 2am to begin the ascent to the top. It was pitch black, the icy wind was howling and the temperature was freezing.  I was not prepared for this.  The terrain was the hardest part, it started with climbing up steep parts in the dark and then continued on as volcanic crumbling rocks and ended up like sand on the steepest part near the summit. For every step forward you slid back two. Our guide would pop up every now and then and give some words of encouragement or warn of a dangerous part as some people have not made it back from this trek alive.  I wanted to give up so many times but I used every bit of will power and strength I had to make it to the summit just in time for the sunrise.  It felt amazing and I was so proud of myself.  At the top you could see the Gili islands, over to Bali’s volcanoes and the surrounding volcanic crater lake and clouds below.  You could even see steam coming out of the volcanic rocks. After looking at the spectacular view I couldn’t feel my hands of feet so started to make it down.  By this time the sun had risen and it was a little warmer but it took me a good hour to defrost properly.   The journey down was hard too, using different muscles and at one point I felt very faint, I had used all of the energy I had in my body.getting up to the summit and I couldn’t go on.  Pete went and got me a snack from our guide and I made it down for some proper breakfast.  We rested an hour and then it was time to continue on a treacherous path downhill to the crater lake where we had lunch. It was difficult to concentrate on the steps I was taking as I was so exhausted from the 2am start and the climb but after lunch we were rewarded by a stop in the natural hot springs and our guide saying that we could stay by a quiet spot round the lake that night.  The next day we had an early start walking up and down with gorgeous views and stopped for lunch in a wooded area before heading down into the jungle to finish our trek a around 4pm.  Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia at 3.726m and the climb is not for the fainthearted! I highly recommend training beforehand which I did not do!

After Rinjani we headed by private boat to Gili Meno island and literally jumped in the sea and collapsed for sunset wth a well deserved Bintang.  The Gilis are made up of 3 islands: Meno, Air and Trawangan or T as it’s known.  Gili T is a renowned party hangout for Australians with awful party nights and cheap, nasty booze.  Gili Meno is the quietest of the islands with a desert island feel, few restaurants and places to stay.  Restaurant We’Be has a great value and delicious fish BBQ but the best by far is Mahamaya stylish and romantic restaurant on the beach.  Gili Air is livelier than Meno but not as busy as T.  We stayed in a beautiful cabana in Sunrise Resort and spent some time cycling round the island, kayaking and paddle boarding, discovering that watersports are not Pete’s strong point!  The Gili islands have amazing snorkelling spots too including the Meno wall a short swim off shore and Gili Air Tanjung An reef where we spotted many unusual types of fish, beautiful coral and some sea turtles.

After relaxing on all three Gili islands we headed back to Ubud for more wandering and stayed in a homely and wonderful guesthouse with the friendliest staff in the world  called Gajah Biru.  The owner has an onsite metalwork art studio and they kindly gave us a sign that we liked that was hanging in the bathroom saying ‘it is what it is’.  We visited Cantika Spa which specialises in traditional Balinese treatments and makes their own natural products. I had a facial in the outdoor treatment room surrounded by trees and the sound of the birds in the rice paddies, absolute bliss. On our last day we visited the Blanco museum which displays the unusual artwork of eccentric Don Antonio Blanco.  His work spills onto the frames in many different themes although his favourite seems to be naked women!  For our last supper we went to Bridges restaurant aptly named because of it’s location next to a bridge.  The menu is exciting and different, the food is delicious and the service is excellent.  The next day Pete, Amanda and I had some pool time and lunch then headed to see Pete off to the airport.

Unfortunately I had to extend my one month tourist visa (extendable with $35 30 day visa on arrival – 30 day free visa non-extendable).  But I turned this into a fun activity by going on little trips to different places in Bali between Morotai Camp hostel in Denpasar and the Immigration office visits in Denpasar.  The first trip I took was to south Bali, to Padang Padang beach and the surrounding areas.  It was difficult to find some decent priced accomodation amongst the luxury but eventually I found a very basic room with even more basic bathroom.  The lovely family, the little warung and the good company of my neighbours next door made up for it though.  I hung out with Matt, Nick and Freddy for the few days at Balangan beach, Ulu Watu and some nice restaurants including a tiny Mexican warung and my favourite, Om Burger.  On the visa run I met Erin, a girl doing her visa at the same time and we walked in the sweltering heat to the Bali museum which has some interesting history and artefacts about Bali. On the way I was admiring some colourful decorations outside a house and then invited inside to celebrate a family wedding.  We were given food, sweets and a homemade alcoholic drink.  The men were doing Balinese kareoke and the women were gambling playing cards.  I explained to the only person who spoke English that in Europe it would be the other way round with the women doing kareoke and the men gambling!  After a couple of hours and some wedding photos we said our thanks and left.

The second trip between the visa stops was to Lembongan island with Amanda and Ellie.  We got the boat over and I found a nice place for us to stay.in Jungut Batu village.  Lembongan is a small quiet island with a lovely local feel.  We spent a few days on the beach, getting a moped to explore the island and popping over the bridge to neighbouring tiny Ceningan island, going to mushroom bay, watching sunsets, on a trip to find manta rays (none spotted) and amazing coral reef, a boat trip round the mangroves and generally relaxing.

Information for anyone extending their visa:  It takes one week or more and you will not have your passport at that time.  The first visit you need to fill in the form from the ‘Foreign counter’ and hand it in along with your passport, a copy of your passport, visa on arrival and details of your onward journey out of Bali. You wait and they will give you at day to come back.  Return on the date and time stated (for me it was 3 days later) to simply pay the fee (around $25) and get your photo and fingerprints taken.  You then will be given a day to return again although it can also be after the date given if you wish.  On the 3rd visit you will be given your passport and extended visa.  The process is time consuming but very straight forward.  The immigration staff spoke English and were very helpful.

A highlight of my time in Bali was a tour of the Green School which has been named ‘the greenest school in the world’.  The school is entirely made from locally grown sustainable bamboo, has outdoor classrooms, compost toilets, a hydroponics growing system, it’s own hydro-power vortex generator and solar panels.  It features a bamboo bridge, a safe place for children to swim in the river and a mud pit for local traditional dances.  It is still relatively new and it is still developing many aspects such as the aim to sponsor 20% of local Balinese children to attend the school.  I felt inspired by the dedication to sustainability and the environment and I am sure it is a fantastic learning environment for the students that attend.

Restaurants of Canggu I recommend:

Betelnut Café: Healthy salads and food, nice view from top balcony, great service.

La Dunia: Best for evening meal.

Shady Shack: Fantastic healthy and tasty menu, relaxed surroundings and great view.

Ithaka Warung: Small, local/international fusion, big portions.

Osteria: Lovely Italian with great rice field views.  Great ice cream.

Lacalita: Relaxed Mexican food and cocktails, don’t miss the mango ceviche.

Warung Heboh: Lunchtime buffet, pay per amount, local food.

Warung Satya: local food, great view of rice paddies, friendly staff.

Another interesting fact about Bali is that everyone is names according to the order they were born like so:

• First born names : Wayan, Putu, Gede,  Wayan is Balinese originally meant Wayah or oldest.

• Second born names : Made, Kadek, Nengah.  Made/Nengah means madya or middle. Kadek means little brother/sister

• Third born names : Nyoman, Komang
• Fourth born names : Ketut

This can be very confusing as you’re likely to meet many people with the same name!

Recommended taxi driver in Ubud: Ketut Jebin 087761114422

 

Amritsar

The bus journey to Amritsar was horrendous. Yes there was the usual driving at break neck speed, hitting your head on the roof when going over a speed bump, being moved to seats you didn’t book but this time we had the added factor of rain. Lots of rain. Outside AND inside the bus! First my bed got flooded so I moved in to Tasha and Zoe’s bed until we felt water seaping up from the mattress. Water was pouring from light fittings , windows and everything was wet with only another 10 hours to our destination.

Amritsar is not a pretty city in the Punjab state. It is busy with traffic and noise and very dirty but it does have two saving graces that make it a worthwhile trip up north. One is the daily flag lowering ceremony at the Indian/Pakistan border. Everyday thousands of people turn up, get security checked and sit on stands at the border gate to watch this unusual sight. When we arrived girls feom the crowd were dancing in the middle of the stands. Then it began, guards with strange fan like hats and uniforms marched towards the gate with their legs as high as they would go. There was a lot of bravado and testerone in the air and the crowd went wild. They looked like they were challenging Pakistan to a dance off! A microphone was held up and a guard shouted for as ping as he could manage and the marching started again. It was over quite quickly as the flags were lowered and everyone left.

The next day we went to the famous Sikh Golden Temple. The temple is in the middle of a square lake with koi carp and other fish. It is gold plated and the gleams in the sun light. The temple is open 24/7 and they also serve free food to anyone who visits. You can also stay in the temple for free. We put on the required scarf to cover our heads and walked through the footbath. We saw people bathing in the holy lake water and began to queue to get into the main temple. Everyone was
pushing and shoving and it took about 2 hours to get inside to see the ornate ceilings, chandeliers and shrines. In the evening I returned on my own. It was much calmer then with families sitting by the lake eating prasad (blessed food) and it had a sebse of calm deapite the many people. I stayed to see the sunset over the temple and watched the day turn into night. The temple looked magical with the lights turned on after dusk.

Delhi

Delhi is my final stop in India.  It has been a crazy journey and now I am ready to leave. It has been an amazing experience but it’s also exhausting, physically and emotionally. I’m tired.  tired of the layer of dirt I constantly have on my skin, tired of haggling with rickshaw drivers and pretty much everyone to get something for just double the price it actually costs, tired of long bus and train journeys, tired of spitting en first thing in the morning and most of all, the constant horn honking which seems to be the main driving rules here.

Still, I find my last bit of energy to explore Delhi and I am rewarded with the sights and atmosphere of a great city.  Tasha and Zoe arrive and we shop, have a fun lunch at a rooftop restaurant called Exotic Cafe. Then we meet Zach from Essex and go and watch a cricket game, England V Sri Lanka.  England win, just about and I remember some vague rules from playing cricket at secondary school.

The next day Suhaj my friend from Orccha takes me and Tash to the famous H ‘s tomb where we pose with Indian tourists and sit in the lovely ground enjoying the building.  Then we go to Old Delhi and eat lunch at a worldwide Indian branded restaurant.  I try Chole Bhatura which is like giant yorkshire puddings with chickpeas.  Then we visit Asia’s biggest mosque which is gigantic, we listen to the call to prayer which is shorter and sounds better than usual and then receive information that Zoe’s been robbed at the hostel.  India surprises me even on the last night as we spend my last night at the police station reporting Zoe’s losses.  My final day I spend 2 hours in the post office with Zach sending things home using a gluestick to stick on information and waiting for the guy to have his designated half hour break in the middle of the queue time.  The rest of the day is spent getting beauty treatments (Naturals, Greater Kailash) and my hair done ready to start the next part of my journey in Indonesia.  My journey finishes with a quick dosa dinner with Zoe, Tash and Zach and an easy, problemless journey to the airport on the metro. Phew!

Thank you India.  You have been astonishing in so many ways.  People have been so welcoming and h!ave brought a smile to my face even in the most difficult situations, and there have been many of those situations.

Rishikesh

Rishikesh was put on the tourist map when the Beatles came and stayed for months writing an album in an ashram in Ram Julhu.  It was a lot bigger than I imagined with 3 main places to stay along the ganges all within walking distance.  On one side there are no cars allowed and access is gained to there by 2 bridges across the river at Ram Julha and Laxman Julha.  It was very busy and most accomodation full until the end of march but I managed to find a room in an ashram at the end of Ram Julha close to where the Beatles stayed.  It was very peaceful with a 10pm curfew but I was scared of the barking dog gangs at the end of the street.

Famous guru Moogi was on a 5 week tour doing satsung everyday.  I went with my friend Nadia who had been attending the talks.  He said some interesting words of wisdom about meditation and life n general.  He told a funny story about the pigeons in London to illustrate his point that if you stop feeding thoughts, they will go away by themselves.

I went white water rafting on the Ganges one day which was fun.  There were some decent grade 3 – 4 rapids and we even flipped the boat at a wave and I found myself under the boat and swallowing a lot of Ganges water.  Another day I met Johanna on her day off from yoga teacher training and we went on a sunrise trek to the temple with a trek back down to the town.  The weather was stormy so we didn’t get a good view of the Himalayas but the scenery was lovely with a pretty waterfall.  In the afternoon we sunbathed on one of the beaches by the ganges.  Everyday I did yoga with the yoga teacher Manoj from Goa that I had met from Sanskar yogashala who I highly recommend.  One day I tried an ashtanga class which I loved.  Rishikesh is full of health shops and restaurants, hippies, yoga teachers, sadhus, backpackers and gurus which makes for a strange mix but is an amazing place to relax and do yoga.

I stayed in Sri Ved Niketan Dham ashram which is clean and peacefl and offers daily yoga.  I also stayed in Hardiwar for one night at Swagat Palace which has a more local feel and a large Ganges area to bathe in or perform ceremonies.  The evening puja was amazing with everyone taking a pledge to keep the Ganges clean.

Rajasthan

The state of Rajasthan is easier than some of India to travel around due to shorter distances and more obvious routes to take.  Unfortunately my Dad had to leave after our first stop in Jaipur due to family reasons.  It was a very sudden decision so it took me a few days to get used to travelling without him but luckily I met Johanna from Germany, Zoe from Manchester and Tasha from Essex so we travelled the rest of the state and beyond together.  Jaipur is allegdedly the pink city although at best it looks slightly orange in places.  We visited the astrology museum Chanta manta with many anceint working contraptions to measure the position of the stars and the sun.  We hired a rickshaw to take us to see the water palace which is basically a palace in a lake.  We visted Megarh fort and another fort for an amazing sunset view over the city.  In the evening we had a cooking lesson in Zostel hostel and ate the delicious food they made and went to the cinema to see a Bollywood film which turned out to be set in London!  The next day we went to the monkey temple which wasn’t very exciting and then shopping before my Dad headed to Delhi for his flight and Johanna and I got the bus to Pushkar.

We stayed in Najar Palace guesthouse and had dinner before moving the next day to The White House hotel which was a lot cleaner with more character.  The chef Hammand made us some delicious coconut milk porridge and I had a day on my own for the first time in a long time.  I took a route round to the Sikh guruwara, Hindu temples , round the lake and over the bridge to complete the circuit.  I stopped for falafel and to chat to people along the way. Pushkar in a small town in the desert set around a lake with holy ghats.  In the evening Johanna and I climbed up a mountain for a sunset view over the desert, it was beautiful.

The next day I wandered around and made a bracelet with a shopkeeper and found my friend Donna.  There are many tailors and fantastic fabrics in Pushkar so Donna was visiting on business for her clothes label.  We met her friend Suraj and arranged for me to go with him the next morning to visit Aloo Baba (the potato sadhu).  Then we went and had some heated discussions with various tailors before having dinner on a rooftop and catching up.  The next day I went with Suraj on his motorbike to visit the sadhu who has his own temple and only eats potatoes.  We sat with him for a while and then explored the desert around.  Suraj took me to his village on the way back where I met his wife and daughter.  They live in a little straw hut although he said they move to a tent in monsoon season when the rains come.  He made me a chai and played his homemade local instrument.  The main activity in Pushkar are shopping for various clothes and Donna took me to a magical wonderland shop of clothes a metre thick all over 2 floors!  The other thing to do is hang out at the lake at sunset and listen to various musicians and singers which is lovely.  The last day we went to Lauras Cafe for a delicious lunch and then hopped on the 4 hour bus to Bundi.

Bundi is a quiet little town which a beautiful crumbling palace that had kept some of the orginal paintings.  We stayed at the Raj Mahal guesthouse, visited the fort and hung out with leather shop owner Romeo who was a total character.  We tried Bhati for dinner which are like big chapati balls and were delicious.  The next day we walked around town and up to the fort.  We got chased by dogs in the little streets but were rescued by a teenage boy who invited us in for tea with his family.  There was an importnat muslim guru in town so it was quite busy as people went to satsung with him.  I receieved some the sad news that my grandad has died so we toasted his life with a beer overlooking the lake. We left that night on the 1am train to Udiapur.

I love Udiapur.  It is a city set round large lakes and is very scenic.  It is artistic city famous for minature paintings.  I organised for a few of us to have a lesson with Ashoka Arts where we spent 2 and half hours painting with incredibly thin paintbrushes onto a small silk square.  I chose to paint a typical peacock which was difficult but I enjoyed it a lot.  I also visited the palace there which is beautiful with collections of of kinds of art and artefacts inside.  Johanna and I walked up to a temple for a view of the city and we also had a cooking lesson with Shushi.  She was an inspirational woman.. She was married with children but in her 30’s her husband died.  She is of the highest caste (Brahma caste) and therefore she had to mourn for weeks, months, years.  She wasn’t able to leave the house so could not work to support her and her family. Luckily her brother supported them until one day they had some tourists stay with them.  They insisted she gave them a cooking lesson because her food was so good and that’s when the business was born.  She is now able to support her family and not upset the rules of her caste.  She is now number 1 for activities in Udiapur on Tripadvisor.  We stayed at the Bunkyard hostel where one night I gave everyone a henna design on their feet or hands.  The atmosphere was great there.  We continued our journey onwards with Tasha and Zoe to Jodhpur. Other things to try in Udiapur: famous dosas at Shree Nath Masala Dosa, Prakash’s unusual yoga class (8am and 7pm daily).

We went to the fort in Jodhpur and had a nice long lunch on the roof.  The next day was festival and people were making little shrines for Shiva.  We went on a bicycle tour of the city which was great.  We tried jalea which is basically batter fried and then dipped in syrup.  We went to famous ‘Fatso’ stall to get it where fatso himself sat with his belly hanging out and a big smile on his face serving the treat.  We learnt about the many Hindu Gods that get added to even now. the latest one is apparently the motorcycle god!  Then we went uphill to get a view of the blue part of town as Jodhpur is known as the blue city.  This is because this is the colour people of a high caste painted their houses. In the afternoon we went to a park with temples, monkeys and new brides and grooms. At 10pm we headed to the train station to go to Jalsaimer but unfortunately with wrong advice from strangers found ourselves on the wrong train going the opposite direction!  We waited 2 hours for the first stop and then managed to book a train for 3:30am to the correct place.  This train had no sleeper seats left and we were left to the women’s carriage which is also the luggage carriage and ended up sleeping in luggage compartments for the 10 hour journey.  Not fun.

 

In Jalsaimer we checked into the Roop Mahal hotel and decided to find the nearest hotel pool and treat ourselves with an afternoon relaxation after the horrific journey.  Johanna and I went to dinner with Yogi, a camel safari owner from Bikaner in an amazing restaurant.  We organised to do yoga there the next morning.  I spent the rest of the next day wandering round the castle on my own, talking to some interesting people until I met Alberto who was enjoying a beer by the cannon spot in the castle with a great view.  He invited me ti join him at a haveli for a photoshoot with a lady he’d met.  My shoe broke and we hunted for a new option that would fit while I walked bare foot round the dirty streets.  Eventually we found Santra who is a stunningly beautiful woman selling fake jewellery on the street.  Her husband is close by playing and selling the traditional Rajanthani instrument.  I instantly click with Santra who dresses me up in all her jewellery and let’s me play at being a street seller for a while.  We walk hand in hand talking about life, men and laughing all the way back to her little hut house on the hill with the best view of the castle in the city and a hundred meters from sunset point.  We meet the whole family. Her little son the youngest and the daughter ranging from 5 to 15.  One daughter is making chapatis on an outside fire when we arrive and we are soon made chai.  After playing with the children for a while Santra decides to dress me up in traditional clothes and put make up on me including eyeliner with a matchstick which hurt.

She then parades me up at sunset point in front of other locals and tourists where we dance and laugh.  Her husband explains to me and Alberto in English that they love their simple life up on the hill and they show us photos of people that have come to their house and sent them photos.  One girl even stayed for a month which I wasn’t surprised about as I felt very welcome and at home in their family. We were going to stay for dinner but unfortunately Alberto didn’t feel so well.  On the way back I got lost and was rescued by a passing shopkeeper I was speaking to that morning who drove me round on his Motorbike for half an hour before we could find the hotel.  I ate dinner with the girls and we prepared for our camel safari the next day.

The next day we checked out, had breakfast, bought some cookies and left our big bags behind n the office as we set off for a camel safari.  We drove into the desert until we stopped and the camels awkwardly rambled towards us.  They sat down as the guides packed our bags and told us to get on.  My camel was called Calu and the only other one I can remember was Michael.  They are comical creatures and seemed happy rambling along in line through the desert.  We stopped in a village for chai then continued to the sand dunes where we set up camp for the night in the open air.  It was a bit cloudy but we saw a bit of the sunset and some amazing night stars for a while. The guides cooked us a great dinner and then we went to sleep. In the middle of the night it began to rain so the guides came running over and said, “Rain? No problem!” and covered us with a large sheet or tarpulin! Not quite the rain protection we had in mind.  Luckily it stopped so we didn’t suffocate.  In the morning we went back on the camels and back to Jalsaimer.  That night we headed to Bikaner, another desert town which is busy and noisy. We spent the day there having trouble arranging onward transport but eventually Johanna headed to Rishikesh and we headed up to Amritsar.

Holi: Vrindavan and Mathura

Vrindavan take India to new levels of uncleanliness. More dusty, dirty than other places, with the fragrance of drains mixed with cow poo. I can’t even bear to shock you with the filthiness that is our hotel room. (If  you’re desperate or want to avoid it is Maa Padma Residency).  As if it wasn’t dusty enough, every year the town celebrates the Hindu God Krishna by throwing coloured dust over each other.

Tired from a 7 hour bus journey to Delhi followed by a 3 hour bus journey and a rickshaw I arrive, have a hotel booking confusion (scam) and move to find my friend Alberto. We get breakfast at a relatively cleaner restaurant in town. I feel exhausted by head out to explore the town ahead of the Holi madness tomorrow. Thus is the first town I’ve felt stares upon me when I walk down the street and I;m guessing the town receives foreign visitors only once a year for the festival. It’s not long before I’m targeted by a bomb of pink powder paint from a passing rickshaw filled to the brim with rowdy boys – double points if you hit a tourist, triple if it’s a female!

It seems a few temples are celebrating early as groups of men wearing white walk past covered in colour. I stop for a coconut refresher and give a small, skinny boy half. He reappears 5 minutes later with a friend wanting more but he’s too late, I’ve eaten it so he gives in and shares with his friend. I’m not in the mood for the deafening vehicle horns, mangy monkey and vicious dog dodging so I decide to head back to the safety of Alberto at the hotel and prepare for tomorrow. On the way back I can’t resist a quick look inside a big marble temple. Celebrations are starting, crowds of people are singing and dancing to praises of Hare Krishna songs. I go upstairs to find a walking meditation room with 108 lotus flowers painted on the floor around the edge of the room. Someone explains the idea that you chant /sing/say the usual words:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare hare.
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare hare.

You chant them for each time you walk on the next lotus flower to create a walking meditation. This is supposed to take about 7 minutes when in reality it takes a lot longer. I saw many devotees cheat and skip a few flowers or only say half the words each time!

The next day we were up early ready for Holi, we were told the temple celebration starts at 6am when it fact it was 8.30am but it was great to see the build up of excited people anyway. We woke at 5.30 and prepared. i wore a head scarf to protect my hair, long trousers and an old t-shirt. Shoes are essential for quick escapes! I also had sunglasses but these lasted 5 minutes in the crowd. We waited outside the temple, got interviewed by Indian TV and soon we had a crowd 30 or more strong simply staring at us. We paid a guy with a shop outside to take care of our shoes and a lovely guy Tarun took round the back of the temple where you could walk straight in without the push when they opened the front gates, only a few hundred people seemed to realise this was possible. Alberto is a professional photographer and it wasn’t long before a man approached us and let him bribe him to let us go up onto the balcony for a god view from above. I was very grateful to be up there with him because even before the temple doors opened it was full of people. When the doors opened people pushed and crushed each other to get a view of the idol Krishna. i wouldn’t be surprised if someone died in that crush, it was insane. They open and close the curtains every now and then so that women don’t get seduced by Krishna and their soul doesn’t go with him. The pushing and shoving went on for about an hour as people tried to get their offerings to the idol statue. When it calmed down we went downstairs and the paint fight began. Outside the temple it was crazy, we retrieved our shoes and made our way onto the streets surrounding the temple. I was targeted by groups of guys throwing paints in my face, pouring coloured water over me and coloured spray foam. I soon realised there were too many attackers to get revenge on them all so I’d pick one occasionally to shove a load of green powder in their face. Everyone was happy and saying Hare Krishna or haribo or other Krishna related greetings.

After a while we were exhausted from constant attacks and we wandered to find food and shelter from the sun. A young girl approached us and invited us to her family home where they gave us chai and traditional Holi sweets. They didn’t seem to mind that we were covering their house in a layer of powder. The girl told us her story. She is 17 years old and she gained a sponsorship for a course in the sciences in the college of Vrindavan. Unfortuately, being a girl, she cannot come and live on her own in another town so her entire family, mother, father, brothers and sisters came with her so she could complete the course. They rent a small house during term time, an incredibly supportive family. Alberto took some photos of the family and their father looked over them proudly.

We continued on and took refuge in a restaurant with other tourists needing a break from the constant bombardment. It was 3pm, we were multicoloured from head to toe and exhausted so we retired back to the hotel where we soon found that showers do not wash away Holi paint! In the evening we got a rickshaw to Flowers which was the only nice restaurant n town on a roof and had dinner with Colin, another photographer.

The next day we woke up and headed to Mathura where we thought the madness may have calmed a little from yesterday…WRONG! Mathura was crazy. Everyone seemed to have been out all night and were looking quite worse for wear. It was soon clear that there was a different atmosphere from the day before, only groups of guys on the streets and it is definitely not safe for a western woman to be there. I advise any woman to not go there for Holi at all for their own safety. We got invited by a funny character with a big moustache and massive gold beaded necklace into a small temple where it was just his family and friends celebrating. Of course they absolutely ahnilated us with buckets of ink water, powder and water guns but they did it with such a big smile on their faces that all we could do was laugh! Everyone wished us Happy Holi individually and they gave us a special hoii drink and sweets. There was music and the women taught me to Indian dance with them. They let of coloured smoke sticks and danced around them. It was a magical experience and we stayed for quite some time. We decided to continue to the big temple but before long decided that it was too dangerous for us to be on the streets so we jumped in a rickshaw back only to be attacked in the rickshaw by a big group of guys.

We took shelter in the hotel the rest of the day, sending Colin out for take away food and eventually the Holi players subsided in the evening allowing us to meet with Eric and his friends, 3 Canadian girls who reported that they’d had a very tough time of it aswell. I decided to give the 3rd Holi celebration a miss and head to Delhi the next day.

Future Travel Ideas

Whilst on my travels I couldn’t see EVERYTHING so I decided to note down great travel trips for the future if I ever get an opportunity to visit that part of the world again!  Here are my ideas:

• Mexico city and Oaxaca
• Northern Nicaragua and Corn islands
• Ecuador: Guayaquil, Montenita and coast, Quilatoa loop.
• Brazil: Amazon, Northern coast and Pantenal
• Amazon river Colombia, Leticia to Brazil, Mananus
• Torres del Paine national park W trek
• Peru: Lima – Cusco – Amazon – Huarez (loop)

2014 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,800 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 30 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.