Greater Asia Page 2

India’s a unique country. Unless you stay holed-up in an expensive hotel, you can’t avoid memorable travel stories. Down every street and around every corner you’ll find something that either knocks your socks off, drives you bonkers, or stops you still with utter confusion. It … Continue reading →

I love Indian train travel. The journey itself is always an adventure, and if you’re in the right class, the ride is very comfortable. How many other countries would you visit just to ride the trains? Yes, seriously, it can be that good. But the … Continue reading →

‘No… 150 rupees’, said the rickshaw driver as I offered my bundle of scruffy notes. ‘No. We agreed 50!’ I realised straight away I was being ripped off. There’s no way he could have known whether my bundle was 50, 150 or even 1050; the … Continue reading →

Since leaving Sydney, we’ve lived in Montreal, Cusco, Buenos Aires, and now Bangalore. We’ve experienced the full gamut of living expenses; from 500-dollar dinners in Sydney to 7-cent samosas in far-Eastern India. But this odyssey isn’t just about saving a few quid. We left Australia to explore the … Continue reading →

‘There are still cannibals out there, you know.’ That was one of the first melodramatic responses from my family when I told them I was joining a two-month desert expedition. I’ll never forgot that comment, nor forget to bring it up at each and every Christmas … Continue reading →

Malaria is a tricky one. You can’t be vaccinated against it, but it can be cured. Yes, almost one million people die from it every year, but those who do, don’t have access to treatment. There are many ways to try and prevent malaria, but … Continue reading →

We’ve travelled around India non-stop for the last few weeks, spending only 2 out of 20 nights in the same bed. Not knowing the state of your next sleeping place (location and/or cleanliness) can be a little unnerving. Your travel dreams can quickly turn into a … Continue reading →

We travelled over 12,000 kilometers; that’s 3,000 more than the Trans-Siberian. On 15 different trains; from general class, all the way to 2AC. To 12 towns and cities; the Easternmost, Northernmost, Westernmost and Southernmost railway stations of India. With 20 undeniably crazy people; from Australia, … Continue reading →

Before coming to India, we were told we wouldn’t even last a fraction of the 4 months we had planned to stay. “Rubbish”, was my usual response. I knew I’d love India. I imagined loving the food, the colours, the festivals, the people, the fast … Continue reading →

Wow! Darjeeling is absolutely nothing like what I expected. The 3-hour taxi ride from New Jalpaiguri station is a nail-biting white-knuckle ride along a series of switchback to 2,050m above sea level. And although Darjeeling’s hotels have aristocratic English names, like the Windamere, this high-altitude … Continue reading →

In my chilled hands is a searingly hot, seriously tiny cup of chai. How I wish I’d invested in a thermos that could satisfy my tea needs beyond two mouthfuls. Instead, buying a cup for each hand, I’m immobilised to do anything, except sip. It’s … Continue reading →

After travelling through 6 continents, on a range of budgets, in a range of styles, there’s nothing more thrilling, culturally immersive, and enjoyable, than a shave at a local barber. I had a shave in Ledo today, the Easternmost railway stop in India. A couple … Continue reading →

Remember I said, ‘the longer the train trip the better’? Well, we really tested that theory by completing a 39 hour train trip from New Delhi to Dibrigah. We caught this train to reach the Easternmost railway station in India, called Ledo, where we planned … Continue reading →