A gift giving guide for that traveller on your list

Wondering what to get that person on your list who loves to travel? Well here is a quick list of items that I could never go without, and would make great presents this holiday season.

1. Every traveller, no matter where they are going, 5 star hotels to sleeping in parks, will always need a Maglite, the link sends you to my favorite one. Its the perfect size, you can pack it in your camera bag, keep it on a keychain, it is easily hidden so if you ever find yourself in an "unfavorable" part of town/village/city/hamlet, its good to have.

2. Moleskin, the perfect present for anyone on your list about to embark on a trip. My Father gave me one a few years ago for Christmas, and it is one of my treasured travel companions. I love the pocket at the end of the journal where you can store ticket stubs, airplane tickets etc.

3. For your super fabulous friend who loves the finer things in life, nothing is better than a Louis Vuitton Travel Guide. My sister bought me the London book, and while its lovely to dream about going to those places in London, its a great guide to the more fabulous things to splurge on while in a particular City.

4. For your more down to earth, backpacker type friend, obviously anything from Lonely Planet will be appreciated. From their guide books to coffee table books, with amazing photos, a perfect gift for anyone caught in wanderlust.

5. A sarong, yes this might sounds weird. But trust me, it can be used in the following situations: need to cover your legs to be allowed into a Greek monastery? boom the sarong works. Need to cover your hostel pillow because "you just aren't too sure about it", sarong FTW. Need a blanket, use the sarong. I got mine in 1999, in the Plaka in Athens, and have packed it on literally every single trip since then. Totally worth the 20 drachmas, and it takes up zero room in your backpack.

6. A compass, this is my favorite one which can be found for $8 at Mountain Equipment Coop, its actually attached to my maglite. It helps you find your bearings, and if its the middle of the night and you can only remember that your hotel is somewhere across a river, and forget the name, you have your compass, maglite and probably your lonely planet. The perfect trifecta will help you find your way. If that fails, those park benches are probably looking pretty comfy right about now, aren't they?

7. *Splurge Item* Ok so this item is a tad pricey, its from Barbour, a fantastic British company that makes some amazing rain wear. Its my go to carry on bag, it fits my DSLR, a wallet, iPhone, batteries, Lonely Planet, magazines, bottle of water, honestly you can put anything in it. Its hoenstly perfect, it took me a while to finally find a great messenger bag, and this is the winner. Mine is the traditional green plaid color, but they have a variety of colors.

8. If your friend just got back from a neat trip, a cool gift suggestion is finding a vintage map of one of the places they went to, or a map of the world and they can pin all the places they've been and where they want to go. You can find them virtually anywhere, etsy is a great place to start, I go to this store Write Impressions in Oakville and they always have some in stock. 

9. Large Ziploc bags - yes ziploc bags, they are always needed on trips, they act as clean/dirty cloth seperators, helps to protect your shampoo from exploding all over your clothes. Your friend will love you for this present.

10. If your friend fell in love with an NGO, or is planning a volunteering trip, give them a donation, the money goes a long way !!

I could go on and on, or you could just ask me for other suggestions :)

Have fun shopping !!

Kathmandu: Places to Stay

 Now that we have the party scene taken care of, lets find you a place to get some sleep (or lack thereof depending on how your evening went in Thamel). 

During my two weeks in Nepal I stayed at two hotels in Kathmandu, both at different price points, I will also add in the hotel my friend stayed at, because it looked amazing.

One thing to note is that heating isn't exactly "common" in some of these places, even at Hotel Vajra, where I paid $60/night and is considered a nicer place to stay I didn't have a great heating system. But my friend who stayed at Hotel Courtyard had awesome wifi and heat for the same price.

Hotel Magnificent View - Located in Thamel (the area you'll most likely want to stay in, since its close to shops, restaurants and attractions), its a good place to stay if you're on a budget, it averages about $25 a night. The breakfast was pretty good, plus its off the main road so its relatively quiet - there is a lot of residential noise in the building though. The Wifi was great, the rooms are quite large and staff are excellent. Heat not so much. Breakfast is included.

View of Hotel Vajra from the
grounds, my suite was the one
on the 2nd floor, with the
blinds open.

A part of the courtyard
at Hotel Vajra.

Hotel Vajra - This hotel is about a 5-10 minute taxi drive from Thamel, and not too far from the Monkey Temple, again it was off the main road, so I actually got some pretty decent sleep because I didn't hear any of the honking cars. I would recommend this hotel for people who want to be close to things but not in the middle of the chaos. A lot of trekkers were staying at the hotel, so they were in need of a comfy bed and peace and quiet. I had the breakfast at the hotel, and it was pretty good. My room was MASSIVE, I'm quite convinced the bed was larger than a king, it was awesome, and the pillows were divine. A drawback of the hotel was the Wifi, it wasn't always working, and since I was there by myself I wish the wifi would have been working in case I needed to send an emergency email or something. The hotel had a great 24/7 security, since I did happen to stay out late the 2 nights it was comforting to know I wasn't walking through a parking lot and garden by myself. It was a very unique hotel because they had a nice courtyard you could walk through, and had I stayed longer I could have been involved in some of the cultural activities at the hotel. Lonely Planet advises staying in the "new wing" of the hotel, I stayed in the Old Wing and thought it was awesome. Also, again because I was staying by myself I felt safer in the old wing because security was in that building, I'm not sure if the new wing had a security person though. Breakfast isn't included.

Hotel Courtyard - Located right in the heart of Thamel, this place is an awesome find, a quick walk to shops, restaurants and the bar scene. It is like a slice of heaven in the middle of a chaotic city. If I ever find myself back in Kathmandu I am definetly staying here. I even met one of the owners and she was so nice !!

There are sooooo many places to stay in Kathmandu, something for every budget. 

A quick blog note....

So my - Hot Night, Wind was blowin' - feature on Kathmandu is this blogs most popular article. I just thought I'd say I really love writing that feature because whenever I talk about the places I've been people always ask me "where would you recommend grabbing a bite to eat, a bar to go to". Which I love telling them about..

In my years of travelling I've heard a ton of stories, the best stories are about what happens when the sun goes down (and rises); yeah everyone has been to the Coliseum in Rome, the Eiffel Tower, and those are great stories. But I love those stories about what happened after you left the Eiffel Tower, or that time you were stranded on a cruise ship in Athens for a night, and of course everyone's stories about Amsterdam. Because that's whats great about travelling, whether you've been to 1 country or 34, you always come back with one of those "So this one time in..." stories, which are so awesome to hear.

I guess I just realized that a lot of my posts revolve around bars/drinking establishments and crazy evenings. Just thought I'd let you all know that I actually enjoy visiting museums, analyzing local landscapes, studying the built form of a country and experiencing the local culture etc. You know just putting it out there, don't want you guys to get the impression that all I do is party...

*crickets*

Yours in Wanderlust,
Meaghan

Hot Night, Wind was blowin': Kathmandu, Nepal

Chances are you are going to Nepal for one of four reasons, a trekking adventure, a volunteering trip, working, maybe you are going to backpack around Asia and Nepal happens to be a stop. No matter the reason, at some point you are going to want to cut loose for a night or two in Kathmandu, because you've deserved it #treatyoself. Here is a recommendation on how to enjoy your evenings in Kathmandu, I personally researched all of these places, it was tough work you guys.

A few key pieces of information you'll want to know before you start your night off:

* Bars typically close around 11pm - I use the word typically because they might stay open later, it completely depends on the establishment.
* There are after hours bars - careful though because I went to one and at 12:15am they locked every floor of the 3 storey building. Was I finally realizing my dream of being locked in a bar? Or was it the start of a made for tv movie, about the travelling nomad daughter who decided to go to the "after hours" bar with a guy who knew the area, except that Liam Neeson is not her father. But I digress.
* I would recommend starting dinner at 6pm, by the time you leave the restaurant it will be around 8pm, and then you only have about 4 hours of partying time. I mean if you're staying in a hostel and strike up a good relationship with the owners you can easily have an after after party at your place.

Alright let's start your night off, this was the song I chose to be my anthem of the evening, just to set the mood of what nightlife will be like.

Whether you are starting off your trip with partying, or ending your trip with a night out, you will want/need to eat food other than Dal (rice, lentils, curried vegetables). A place I went to twice was Fire & Ice  in the Thamel District of Kathmandu, a great italian restaurant with a huge selection of pizza and pasta. Please note the Spicy Buffalo pizza was very spicy, a guy in our team ordered it, it was sometimes painful to watch him try to eat it.

So following Lonely Planet's stellar recommendations, my friend and I headed to the legendary Sam's Bar, where for an evening I was transported back to Negril Jamaica, because it was all reggae music. The clientale of this bar ranged from ex-pats, backpackers, members of a commonwealth country's army (the country shall remain nameless), and a wide range of ages, late teens to people in their 60s. So literally everyone who you would see walking around Kathmandu during the day will be here. Everyone is super friendly here, you just grab a seat whereever and starting chatting with people at your table. They have an extensive drink menu, everyone signs the walls, the bathrooms are pretty bad so make sure you have your hand sanitizer. 

Around 11pm, my friend and I left this bar with a person we met at Sam's, and said person knew where there was an after hours, I want to say the name of the place was The Fire Club (go to the 3rd floor of the club - trust me), it was probably a 3 minute walk from Sam's. It was obviously dodgy, but the moment I entered I thought ok this is so awesome, there are cats in here, they are showing English Premiership soccer on the television, its super dark, just epic right? Time passed and then when I saw members of the Kathmandu Police force enter around Midnight, i thought "yup, ok meaghan, this is starting to resemble a scene from Dateline NBC, perhaps we should go" - the 3 of us tried to leave the bar but as we went down the stairs we realized we were locked in. You know what came to the rescue? My good old trusty maglite !! 

For the rest of the story of that evening, stay tuned for my never to be published memoir entitled "So this one time in..."

After my friend and I recovered the next day, thanks to the Roadhouse Cafe, hands down one of the best greasy spoons I've been to, I had a delicious plate of nachos with a side of regret. The food is great, they have a solid drink menu, and the BEST soundtrack, solid 90s grunge, I highly recommend this place, it has a lovely patio, if you like the sunlight. 

So on this evening, my friend and I decided to "take it easy", again what started as an evening with good intentions, ended with us walking through an alleyway, into an emergency stairwell going into the Lhasa Bar, a really awesome bar with a great cover band, I took so many videos, I might upload a few to youtube. This was a really neat place to spend my last night in Kathmandu, you sit on a raised platform of a floor, you can order shisha's, and just spend the night singing along with the band. Someone from the bar even joined the band for some covers of The Doors. 

In conclusion, have a great time in Kathmandu, trust me you will.

Debrief: Nepal

Ok so I've been back from Nepal for almost 2 weeks now, and wow what an experience it was, I've had some time to reflect on the whole trip, and obviously have some great hotel/restaurant/party recommendations. 

When I first landed in Kathmandu I was immediately brought back to the chaos that was India; people everywhere, lots of cars - so I thought to myself "ok here we go India re-dux". 
But the more time I spent there the more it proved me wrong. Nepal is a really chill country, something for everyone, really interesting architecture, trekking adventures, stunning landscapes, and really really fun. I found it to be a perfect country to visit if you want to disconnect from things for a bit, get lost, I mean as lost as you can get in a foreign country, knowing that you are returning to your western comforts after the trip.

This was my first time being involved with "voluntourism" and I highly recommend it to everyone, no matter what cause is close to your heart. You get to truly forget about everything going on back home, and get involved with a cause/project that is bigger than you for any duration of time of your choosing. 

I literally laughed for the 2 weeks while I was on the trip, everyone was so nice, all in all, one of the best experiences of my life.

Day 2: From Kathmandu to Itahari we go !!

What.a.day !!! So after we were on the road at 7:30 am, we hopped on a small plane to bring us to Biratnagar, then piled into a bus for about an hour and we finally arrived at our home for the next 10 days.

The plane ride was fun, we got to see good old Mount Everest ( in the mountain photo, it's the very left peak).

So once we settled at our hotel, had lunch, then it was off to Habitat for humanity headquarters for an information session about our family and what we exactly will be doing.

After the meeting we drove out to the site, the community residents had a very lovely welcoming ceremony for us. We met the family, we got blessed by the family. One of the best site visits I've been to, I wish everyone could be so happy when I show up to site visits back home lol.

During the blessing ceremony we revived little bouquets of flowers, so after I was walking around, and there were some goats, one goat started eating my bouquet. This baby goat had me in fear, I was honestly afraid of a goat that maybe weighed 15 pounds. A photo of the goat is attached.

This is a gorgeous part of the country, our build site is primarily in a rural farming community, a photo of the build site and community is attached.

Thanks for stopping by !!

Namaste from Kathmandu !! Day 1!!

Namaste everybody !!

Ok so it's 12:15pm right now in Kathmandu, I got to the hotel about 2 hours ago. I feel like this day will drag on because I got zero sleep over the last few days whilst en route.

So here are my initial thoughts of lovely Nepal:
- the plane ride into Kathmandu was stunning, the himalaya's are breathtaking. What I loved about them are the fact that there is very little development around the mountains so you literally see nature. Creeks, valleys, I didn't see roads until we started our descent into Kathmandu.
-it's a hipster haven here, I just went out of the hotel to grab some water and these people are hippy hipsters, it's nuts. Kensington market you have officially been served.
- Kathmandu is a very very dense city, it's also quite poor. But so far the people have been very nice.
- I've attached a few photos, one is a road scene from close to my hotel. The other is my hotel, love the name of it !!! It's not bad actually.

So tomorrow morning, we have to be up at 7:30am, we are on our next flight and on our way to Itahari, which is where the build site will be.

I'm crossing my fingers that I have wifi!!

Namaste,
Meaghan

3 days left: let the packing fun begin !!

So here we go, I'm in the final countdown before I leave for Nepal !! 3 more days (weird song choice I know, but it does reference 3 more days, so lets roll with it).

Ok so being an Urban Planner/Project Manager I am a tad "enthusiastic" about lists, lots of lists, gantt charts, constant countdowns going on, all of this can help, but also helps to get me overwhelmed. 

Packing for a trip like this is all over the place, I'm bringing my construction boots/work wear, plus clothes for the touristy days. And I hope to pack it all in my backpack, this is the backpack I swear by, the Mountain Equipment Co-Op Ibex 65. I have had it about 4 years now, its been on every trip with me. Except one, a trip that my mom made me buy a suitcase with wheels, I felt like I was cheating on my backpack, apparently backpacks are not "acceptable luggage" for a resort. I still beg to differ.

Some items that I never leave home without (results from lessons learned throughout the years) are: 
-a small mag light - I have used this more times than I can count.
-a collapsible bag (I use a Longchamp) its great because you can store it in your backpack, takes up minimal room, and as you travel you can use it for all of the stuff you buy that won't fit into your luggage. And its great as an extra carry on, or even works as a checked baggage as well.
-Lonely Planet, obviously

Packing aside, I'm starting to get really excited for the trip, I can't stay Nepal was ever on my "to visit" list but the more I'm learning about it the more I'm getting pumped.

A post to get us through Friday: Siena, Italy

Example of Italian architecture, and
well dressed Italian men.
Thank you Pentax DSLR.

It was one of those weeks where I had that moment, where I really really really need a vacation. I also saw "Eat, Pray, Love" this week, and really wanted to go back to Italy, eat copious amounts of pasta, gelato and drink a ton of wine, look at amazing clothes, and look/gawk at amazingly well dressed Italian men. So let's go to Siena Italy shall we?

Siena Italy is a wonderful City in the Tuscan region, a perfect place to stay if you want to tour the vineyards, but don't want to pay the high prices. I was there in October and thought it was a perfect time to visit. Siena lends itself to getting lost on its winding streets, and during the fall the colors of the buildings become that more vibrant. Its a wonderfully preserved town. It wasn't completely run over with tourists either, so you can stroll along at your own pace.

While in Siena we stayed at Albergo Bernini, it was perfect.  In fact aside from the place my friend and I stayed in Capri, this was our other favorite place. Its a charming B&B, in a great location, the owners are amazing, always making sure your stay is perfect. They helped us arrange a day tour of some Tuscan vineyards, which is a must, because you will fall in love with Truffle Oil...and the wine. 

The City does a great job at lighting
during the evening. 

Piazza Del Campo

Return Trips: Yay or Nay?

First off, I want to apologize for the severe lack of posts, the summer got in the way !!!

I generally have a rule that I won't go back to a City/Country that I've been to before, there's just so many places to see. Have I broken the rule? Yes, a few times, but for all valid reasons. Plus I take it a step further, where I have Cities that are on a list of being ok to visit more than once, London, Paris, New York City, Montreal and Vancouver are on that list. Do you have any travel rules?

Never in a million years did I think that I would have the chance to go back to India, but alas my trip to Nepal has a stopover each way through Delhi. Granted I will be there for a combined total of 16 hours, but still there, and at night. So now I am forced with the dilemma of, should I leave the airport and kick it in Delhi for a bit, or just hunker down in the airport and go on a shopping trip.

India Gate - Delhi, India

Next Trip Update: Nepal Bound !!!

Hi everyone !!

Ok so remember I told you that I was going to Sri Lanka? Well, that trip got cancelled because I was the only one who signed up for it lol. So now I am off to Nepal on October 25th. So please if you have any tips please let me know !!

I know I've been slacking with the posts but I have some lined up for this weekend and next week !!

Thanks !!
Meaghan

Hot night, wind was blowin' - Montreal

Hello !!! Sorry about the lack of posts, I was getting ready for a big music weekend in Montreal. I went to Osheaga , an awesome music festival over the August long weekend (at least it was one in Ontario). So many great bands at such a great price, for a one day pass to the festival for $85 I saw some amazing bands, one of my favorites being The Black Keys. A little musical interlude if you will, here is my favorite Black Keys song...

So I have a new crop of things to do, places to see while in Montreal. It was definetly a party weekend this time, as opposed to last time where it was super relaxing. Here we go:

We had a great lunch in Old Montreal at Bevo Bar and Pizzeria,  my friends had the pizza's and they loved them. I had a great caprese salad, sadly they didn't have any gluten free pizza options, le sigh. But I still highly recommend it, they a great patio as well.

A great street to party on is St.Laurent, now I come from a family of current and reformed hipsters, so these are their favorite places, you will have fun and they aren't you typical bars you would normally go to.

We started off our night at Bifteck, incredibly cheap drinks, 2 pool tables, what more do you need right? Its a great place to start your night off. Once you're ready to move on, just head north on St.Laurent to...

Korova, now this is the most hipster place I've been to, and I used to live next to Kensington Market in Toronto. But for a fun night of dancing, foosball and $5 Pabst you can't go wrong, I happened to have loved the music playing that night, it was retro music great for dancing. Its small, hot, sweaty, but you'll never go to a place like that anywhere else.

After your night of partying you need to go somewhere to help you out the next day, and what better than chicken shawarma, go to/order Boustan, get the trio, you'll thank me the next morning.

So enjoy an amazing night out in Montreal !!

Hot night, wind was blowin' - Toronto

I’ve said this countless times to my friends,very few things beat a hot night out in the City, there is something about the summer heat that brings out my love of Toronto.


A few summers back I had the chance to live in the heart of Toronto, at College and Spadina, next to Chinatown, Kensington Market and the University of Toronto. Basically a few of the places you want to visit while in town. So here are a few of my favorite places to go at night, that will help you discover Toronto at its finest.  

A great night out always starts with a great dinner:

Cremini Mushroom Pizza
at Pizzeria Libretto

1. Pizzeria Libretto - for the best pizza you will ever have, I advise on ordering the pizza with the sausage, as it is made in house. Sorry pals, no gluten free pizza here. I go to the location on Ossington, it is the original spot.


2. The Grilled Cheese - in Kensington Market, its grilled cheese done great, my little "insider tip" is, order your grilled cheese, and tell them you'll be at Ronnie's (the bar across the street from the restaurant) and they will deliver your grilled cheese to you !!! Ronnie's is a great place to start and end your night, but you can just stumble outside the bar and hit up any of the hidden bars in Kensington.


3. The Beaconsfield - the best macaroni and cheese you will ever have. Just go.


Watering Holes


After you have had your pizza at Libretto, Ossington Street is a great street to start and finish your night off, if you want dancing, head to Levack Block for a great night of d. Or The Painted Lady, if you don't feel like paying cover at Levack Block. The DJ's are outstanding at both places. Around the corner from The Painted Lady, on Dundas Street, is Communist's Daughter , its a little hidden, but once you find it, you won't forget it. It is seriously a chill place, but gets rowdy nonetheless. I spent a wild Halloween there, but that is another story for another day. Or never.


Another area that is worth discovering, is Roncesvalles (again in the West end of Toronto), its traditionally a Polish area, but its becoming the next great neighborhood with great shopping, and its proximity to High Park. The pub that my friends and I hang out is The Local, a tiny pub with a great selection of beers. A guaranteed great night out. 


After pub grub


After your night out on Ossington, you're going to need something to help you and your stomach the next day. Stumble over to Poutini's on Queen Street, for some Poutine, I always order the standard classic poutine. Tip, consider leaving the bar a tad early to get your poutine, yes its worth leaving the bar early for.




Do you have a list of favorite places that you wish tourists knew about for your City?

A gluten free travel snack idea

Full Disclosure: I'm pretty new to this whole "gluten free" way of life, so I'm not sure if this is a new snack idea or not, but it just hit me this evening.


I just started trying the Gluten Free Chex cereal this week, and its kind of bland. But I thought it would be a great snack, if you mix it in with some spices. If you pack it in the right container they won't break, so a great travel snack to bring along with you on trips. 


A great gift suggestion for yourself, or your favorite traveler is a Travel Spice Kit, no matter where you are, you can have the food to your liking. 

Tea Time: Chateau Laurier in Ottawa

High tea sandwiches, and desserts.

When I travel I don't normally do anything "fancy" per se, but a few years back I went to Ottawa Ontario (which is one of my favorite Canadian Cities), for a bachelorette weekend.


Yes, the bachelorette party did include a stop for High Tea at the Chateau Laurier, I know not exactly the crazy typical bachelorette you normally hear of, but it happened.


The Chateau Laurier is located next to the Parliament Buildings and the Rideau Canal, yet another gem of a Fairmont hotel property. Its in an ideal location, walking distance to everything you will ever need to see in Ottawa. The restaurant in the hotel that offers the High Tea service is named Zoe's Lounge.

Om nom nom, the cheese course

If you are in town and not staying at the Chateau Laurier, I highly recommend going there for afternoon tea, its a reasonable price starting at $30 for a traditional tea. If you're feeling particularly fancy there is a tea course you can for $55 that includes Moet Champagne, yes please.


The food is amazing, and they are really great at customizing your food tray for allergies. I didn't miss out on any of the deliciousness.




The tea barista, and tea cart.

The experience is amazing, when you place your order for the High Tea, you also indicate which tea you would like to have. The tea barista brings a large cart to your table and you watch the tea experience unfold. You have the opportunity to smell the tea leaves before the steeping process begins. Its quite the regal experience, and the food tastes amazing, all very fresh.


TRAVEL TIP: The most amazing Croissant you will ever eat in your life can be found at The French Baker. Trust me, just go, and enjoy.

The calming feel of the restaurant









A post to get us through Friday: Istanbul, Turkey

Blue Mosque

Whenever I hear people planning their trips to Europe, I always make sure to suggest that Istanbul is a city not to be overlooked.


I honestly had such an amazing time while there, and the nightlife was amazing. I never expected that when I was researching it. I had never visited a country that was a secular state, so I guess I didn't think it would be exactly a 24 hour party city. I was wrong !!

Inside the Blue Mosque

Now aside from the partying, Istanbul is a great city to visit for History, Architecture, Shopping. I mean I learned how to bargain for an amazing necklace at the Grand Bazaar, and the Blue Mosque took my breath away. If you go in colder months you can enjoy the turkish baths.


I was lucky to stay with my friend who was living there at the time, and she was able to show my friends and I the better parts of Istanbul (including the night life). You must go to Taksim, honestly you can party all night, we went to this awesome club that had something like 4 levels.


Also, if you go to Istanbul I strongly suggest staying in Taksim, its less touristy, you get amazing views of the Bosphorus, eat where locals eat. And you aren't that far from the main sights of Istanbul by tram.


TRAVEL TIP: The best places to grab a drink in Taksim are the small, back door type bars, if you think a door won't lead to anything, trust me open the door and chances are its a bar. **Use some discretion though, I don't want you walking into some person's house.


TRAVEL TIP #2: You wont' be able to access YouTube whilst in Istanbul, just a heads up.

View of Istanbul from the Bosphorus

A year ago: Ahmedabad, India

Its hard to believe that exactly a year ago I was traveling through India. My trip took me from Delhi to Agra (Taj Mahal), to Ahmedabad (for my friends wedding). Then to Mumbai, Jaipur and back to Delhi. 


Everyone hears about the big Cities in India, but today I am going to focus on Ahmedabad, in Western India, about an hour flight from Delhi. 

Traffic in Ahmedabad

Ghandi's Ashram in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad was also home to Gandhi, within the City is the Gandhi Ashram  and without a doubt the Ashram is the most peaceful place in India. You feel like you are in the middle of paradise, when in reality you are in the middle of complete chaos. I spent about 2 hours in the ashram just walking around, taking photos, learning more about Gandhi, it was superbly invigorating. Exactly what I needed at this point in my trip.

Hutheesing Jain Temple, Ahmedabad

After the ashram, I asked my rickshaw driver to bring me to the Step Wells, as per my Lonely Planet, the rickshaw driver had another idea, and brought me to the Hutheesing Jain Temple, it had just finished raining (I was there during the monsoon season afterall). 


Please note: During this trip I was reading Eat, Pray, Love -- in Ahmedabad I was in between "eat" and "pray" and felt this was the perfect City to have my "pray" part of the trip.


Its unfortunate I couldn't take photos inside the temple, but I channeled my inner Elizabeth Gilbert and took the entire experience in, got my feet wet, literally because you aren't allowed to wear shoes in the temple. Again, more peace was had, so it was a completely unexpected visit to a great Temple. Sometime you just have to go with the rickshaw driver, who doesn't speak english, and just trust him. Unless of course, he's trying to bring you to a "special place" and its a little too friendly at the ATM, but that is another story for another day.


And finally, this picture was the last piece of Ahmedabad before I flew off to Mumbai. After a crazy weekend full of an amazing Hindu wedding, the calmness of the River was a perfect way to bid adieu to Ahmedabad. 

Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad at Dusk

Next Major Trip Announcement

Friends !!! I have some big news !!! Big travel news !!


I'm going to Sri Lanka !!!  I'm so excited, I'm going in November to Negombo to participate in a Habitat for Humanity Build. I volunteer at the Habitat for Humanity restore in Burlington, Ontario. 


If you have any travel tips/suggestions in Sri Lanka, please let me know !!

Oh Canada Week Ends...On to New York City

I hope everyone enjoyed Oh Canada Week on Travel Nutsy, I chose not to write about the obvious Canadian cities (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver). I figured there is so much information about those Cities already, plus one of my first posts was about Montreal. I will eventually get around to my own City Guide's about Toronto and Vancouver don't you worry.


Now onto this post in honor of our friends across the border, and Independence Day, I haven't been to many American Cities (Boston, Buffalo, Disney World, Seattle, New York City and throughout New England). 


The City that started my passion for traveling was New York City, I went there in 1998 with my High School, and that's when I caught the travel bug, and for that I will ever be grateful to New York City. In retrospect I was very lucky to be there 3 years before 9/11, because at the time I took a panoramic picture of the twin towers, which is now framed by my parents. 


Going to New York City at 17 was a highlight for me, going there with my best friends, learning so much about the world, and where else I could go in the world - all happened in one city. I remember the moment well, we were in the United Nations building, and the fact that when you stepped on the UN soil you weren't technically in the USA. I was baffled by this, then seeing all of the flags, and that's when it hit, yup I can go anywhere in this awesome world.


So for that I thank New York City, the City that showed me that everything is possible.

Oh Canada Week: Banff, Alberta

So I'm sure almost everyone has heard of Banff, out in the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. Known for its stuning views of the mountains, the famous Banff Springs Hotel and its proximity to ski hills, and other outdoor activities.

My list for Oh Canada week on Travel Nutsy, had to include this town, I've seen my mother cry twice when on vacation, once when we were leaving Orlando, Florida, the second on our way into Banff, its as if the mountains slap you across the face and announce "you're here".

Banff is the perfect vacation spot, since there is something for everyone, shopping along Banff Avenue, to skiing, and just taking in the mountains. One of my favorite things to do there is soak in the natural hot springs, this is a must when you're in Banff.

Growing up, we were very very very lucky to stay in the now "fairmont" hotels across Canada. I would naturally suggest the Banff Springs Hotel when visiting Banff, even for just a night. Its worth the splurge, completely, you won't regret it. It is one of my favorite Fairmont's, and when at one of the hotels, promise me you'll order the Clubhouse Sandwich, because it will blow your mind. There is nothing overly fancy about the sandwich by any means, but its done right. Fairmont beds are also luxurious, so much so, that I found out what brand they were and now I sleep on the exact same bed.

TRAVEL EXPERIENCE: When at Banff Springs Hotel, rent some skates, you can do this at the hotel, at night, trek down a ton of stairs to the pond (Bow River). And admist a flood light from an adjacent building you'll be skating surrounding trees. Breathing in the crisp mountain air. Yeah this has to be in my top 5 travel experiences, hands down.

Oh Canada Week: Tide Head, New Brunswick

I was born in lovely New Brunswick, out on Canada's East Coast, subsequently I spent a lot of time there, visiting my family. There is one place that will always stand out for me, is a small town in Northern New Brunswick named Tide Head. To get to this area of New Brunswick you will have to fly into Bathurst, and rent a car and drive to Campbellton (more on their Salmon Festival later, and one of the best fried chicken places ever). You are literally across the bridge from the Gaspe region of Quebec in this neck of New Brunswick.


So Tide Head has an amazing beach, on the Restigouche River, granted its a rock based beach, but the scenery is stunning, and you can launch canoes out of there. Its a great "off the beaten" path kind of beach, and peaceful, I highly recommend canoeing out there, you will feel like its just you and the water.


So this area of New Brunswick is is extremely famous for its Salmon fishing, celebrities/politicial figures from both sides of the border come up and rent cabins to do some fishing. Which leads me into the best festival ever, the Salmon Festival in Campbellton New Brunswick, trust me the salmon in this part of the Country is the best.


Travel Tip: When in Campbellton, run don't walk to Dixie Lee Chicken, now I realize you can find this restuarant in some small towns in Ontario, and probably in other provinces, but I have yet to have better fried chicken. I mean is it healthy? No, but you're on vacation live a little !!!

Oh Canada Week: Sooke, British Columbia

View of the USA from Sooke's shores.

Sooke, British Columbia is about an hour drive west of Victoria. I have some family that live there, and was lucky to have visited in 2009. I had read about the natural beauty and cuisine for a few years about this part of Canada. Upon arriving in Sooke, my first words out of the car was a comment about how fresh the air was. I've traveled a lot, and never had I breathed such fresh air. I loved how you felt like you so far from any city, but in reality you are only about an hour away from Victoria. Sooke is such a naturally stunning town, it literally takes your breath away.

Sooke shoreline

Now I must say I am lucky, my cousin who lives there happens to be an amazing chef, and I had one of the best meals of my life there, and it was just a New Years Day meal at my family's house. But now everyone is lucky, you can all taste my family's food, at the Kemp Lake Store Cafe. And the awesome thing, they serve gluten free food, which funny enough is going to be an added focus on this blog, as I just found out I'm now allergic to gluten.

Also, I'm convinced the people of Sooke are fantastic chefs, Carl, the winner of Top Chef Canada 2012 is from there as well !!

Do you have a favorite place in British Columbia?

Oh Canada Week: North Hatley, Quebec

Tucked away in the Eastern Townships in Quebec is an amazing little village, North Hatley. If you're looking for a great day trip, or overnight trip from Montreal, I strongly suggest this town. Its south of Sherbrooke, so approximately a 2.5 hour drive from Montreal.


Its great no matter what time of year, I actually prefer it during the winter, especially during a snowstorm, because when you are walking around you literally feel like you're in a snow globe. Such a great feeling !!!


I was lucky to have gone to University not too far from there, and some friends and I would go to North Hatley for dinner at a great pub, the Pilsen, where you can look out and see Lake Massawipi. 


While at the same University we had a function at Manoir Hovey, I still remember walking into it and thinking I was in another world, it was so luxurious, and as a poor University student, any place that fed me an amazing meal had me as a fan for life.


On your way to North Hatley, you could always stop in at Lennoxville, Quebec and visit Bishop's University - to see the most gorgeous University campus in Canada, you know just a recommendation. 

Oh Canada Week on Travel Nutsy

Hello friends !!


So its the week leading up to Canada Day (yayy !! Such a great holiday full of pools, cottages, parties, fireworks). So I've decided to showcase some of my favorite places in Canada, with of course some corresponding eats you should all try when there. Some will be big popular cities, and some will be towns you've probably never heard of, but they are all worth the trip.


What's your favorite place in Canada?


Let's go traveling !!

Eating through India - Allergy Style

When I first started considering going traveling in India, the thought never crossed my mind that I would have a problem eating the fabulous Indian cuisine. That carefree attitude stopped when my friends informed me that a lot of curries are made with nuts in India.

My friends taught me the word to use for nuts, its "sing" - I am sure I butchered the spelling, but the pronunciation is exactly that.

Thinking I had all of the information with me, plus my epi-pen, benadryl and my trusty lonely planet guide, I thought it was going to be super easy and I would be able to eat safely.

Then, I got to India, where everything changed. I went into anxiety mode, and just didn't eat, because I was paranoid if any of the foods came into contact with peanuts/nuts. So I just started to eat corn flakes, and obviously drank a ton of water. 

But then after Day 3 of that eating pattern, I realized if I wanted to survive 2 weeks in India during the Monsoon/Extreme heat I would need to find a better option. So then I started to evaluate my food options, and decided upon anything from a Western chain (hotel or restaurant) would be the safest route. I literally thought that McDonald's and hotel chains wouldn't want to make people sick with an anaphylactic reaction, and I was right !! 

So was I able to taste all of the amazing Indian street foods? World famous curries? Nope, but I was ok with it, I did go to a pretty decent Italian restaurant in Jaipur, so that's a pretty solid food travel experience if I do say so myself.