You are currently browsing the monthly archive for February, 2008.
In case you visit London this spring, don’t miss the latest offer Hop into Spring from Maybourne Hotel Group. A hotel stay at Claridge’s or The Berkeley will definitely not disappoint.
If you prefer design hotels, check out Morgan Hotel Group’s Spring Has Sprung. Their St Martins Lane hotel in the heart of Covent Garden has the friendliest staff I have ever met, stylish minimalist rooms and delicious food at the Asia de Cuba restaurant.
Is it possible to ever get enough of adventures? I am fully convinced that it isn’t. Scroll down for some good suggestions on various travel companies with a focus on adventure vacations and activities across the world.
Adventure Life - Tours in South & Central America including Amazon tours, Iguazu Falls, Rainforest and Ruins in Belize, Pure Patagonia and Hiking Galapagos.
Mountain Travel Sobek - Small-group adventure travel and adventure vacations as the classics ”Into the Himalaya”, “Climb Kilimanjaro”, “Alaska Adventures” and new trips like “Russia: Climb Mount Elbrus.”
Alaska Discovery - Thirteen Alaska Adventures including “Tatshensihni River”, ”Glacier Bay Escape” and “Whales of Point Adolphus.”
Geographic Expeditions - Tours, treks, walk and expeditionary voyages to remote and challenging destinations.
Wilderness Travel - Extraordinary Cultural, Wildlife and Hiking Adventures.
Myths and Mountains - Custom cultural and immersive tours in Asia, South America, Antarctica and Africa.
Intrepid Travel - For travellers wishing to get off the beaten track. Travels for all styles and budgets.
Tusker Trail - Kilimanjaro Climbs, Tanzania Safaris and Worldwide Treks.
Mountain Tracks - Off-piste Skiing, Ski Touring, Ice Climbing, Trekking, Climbing and Worldwide Expeditions.
Ski Safari - Tailor-made skiing holidays to Canada & USA, Switzerland & Austria, and Japan & Chile.
Ski Dream - Luxury ski holidays to America and Canada.
Skiers Lodge - Skiing in the French off-piste paradise La Grave.
Nahanni River Adventures - Canadian River Expeditions for beginners and enthusiasts.
Element - Extreme Sports Courses and Experiences including their bestsellers bungee jumping, kitesurfing and skydiving.
Alpine Ascents - Mountain Guides & Climbing School
Adventure Sports Holidays - Trips, Experiences and Courses Across the World.
G.A.P Adventures - Small Group Adventure Tours around the world.
Vertikal - Climbing and skiing guide service by certified Mountain Guide Dick Johansson.
Pallefrobe.com - The Swedish mountain guide Palle Frobe’s website. Climbing, mountaineering, skiing and avalanche courses in Chamonix and La Grave.
MwS Guide - Climbing, mountaineering and off-piste skiing with the Swedish mountain guide Martin W Svensson.
JoPe Fors & Fjäll - Adventures in the Swedish area Jämtland. Rafting, boogiesurfing, whitewater kayak, cave tours, climbing and different winter activities.
Skysport - Sky sports in Åre in north Sweden.
It was over two and a half weeks since I took a single photograph. My digital camera is broken, it’s something wrong with the objective. I’ve had such a busy schedule lately, so haven’t been able to go to the store Siba where I bought it. I will take time to do it this weekend, hopefully they can fix it. If not I will return it and choose another model. Anyway, I’m glad it happened while I’m in Sweden and not during a trip.
Since I don’t have any newly taken photographs to show at the moment, take a look at some of my favourite photographers’ sites: Jollence Lee, Jonathan Tan, Pete Seaward, Sarah Fretwell, Steve McCurry, Tom Carter, Mattias Fredriksson, Scott Markewitz and Bart Groenhuizen.
Also, I can recommend Rough Guides Photo Gallery featuring thousands of pictures from the whole world. I especially like the Lisbon photo.
So far I haven’t visited any national park in the U.S, but friends of mine who travelled in USA recommended the national parks below. Have you been to any of them?
Grand Canyon National Park in Grand Canyon, Arizona. Established 1919.
Yosemite National Park in Sierra Nevada, California. Established 1890.
Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park and Grand Lake, Colorado. Established 1915.
Yellowstone National Park in northwestern Wyoming and parts of Montana and Idaho. Established 1872.
Olympic National Park near Port Angeles, Washington. Established 1938.
Grand Teton National Park - Northwestern Wyoming. Established 1929.
Channel Islands National Park - Visitor Center in Ventura, California. Established 1980.
Thanks to Hoosta luxury News, I heard about Hotel des Académies et des Arts, a three-star boutique hotel owned by Charlotte and Laurent Inchauspé. It’s located in the Montparnasse district just opposite the famous art school Atelier de la Grande Chaumiére.
After having watched the youtube video by TV “Intérieurs” above, I know exactly which hotel to choose for my next stay in Paris.
Ski resorts worth a visit:
North America
South America
Chile
Argentina
Europe
Switzerland
Austria
France
Italy
Norway
Sweden
New Zealand
Temple Basin, New Zealand
Skating in Sweden might not be as good as in Barcelona, Copenhagen or Prague, but we do have at least three terrific skate parks.
1. Stapelbäddsparken, Malmö
2. Fun Park, Linköping
3. Fryshuset, Stockholm
We all know what a cliché is, but everyone might not know what count as a cliché. Therefore I wrote down all the clichés I could think of.
Have I have missed any? Just let me know and I will add it to the list.
Writing clichés
A dime a dozen
Acid test
Artistic license
At loose ends
Better late than never
Brought back to reality
Black as pitch
Blind as a bat
Bolt from the blue
Bright idea
Busy as a bee
Busy as a beaver
Cat’s meow
Climb the ladder to success
Cloud nine
Cool as a cucumber
Cool, calm and collected
Crack of dawn
Cross your fingers
Cruel twist of fate
Crushing blow
Cry over spilt milk
Dead as a doornail
Dog-eat-dog world
Don’t count your chickens
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Dreaded clichés
Easier said than done
Easy as a pie
Every inch of the way
Feathered friends
Face the music
Flash in the pan
Flat as a pancake
Flushing money down the drain
Gentle as a lamb
Go at it tooth and nail
Good time was had by all
Happy as a lark
Head over heels
Heart sings
Heavy as lead
Home is where the heart is
Horns of a dilemma
Hour of need
In the blink of an eye
Keep a stiff upper lip
Ladder of success
Last but not least
Leave no stone unturned
Meaningful dialogue
Money doesn’t grow on trees
Moving experience
Needle in a haystack
Open-and-shut case
Pain in the ass
Penny for your thoughts
Point with pride
Pretty as a picture
Put it in a nutshell
Quick as a flash
Rat race
Ripe old age
Ruled the roast
Sad but true
Sadder but wiser
Search high and low
Seeing dollar signs
Set the world on fire
Sick as a dog
Sigh of relief
Skeletons in the closet
Smart as a whip
Sneaking suspicion
Spread like wildfire
Straight as an arrow
Swimming with the sharks
Strong as an ox
Take the bull by the horns
Thin as a rail
Through thick and thin
Time is money
Tired but happy
To coin a phrase
To make/cut a long story short
Tongue tied
Trial and error
Tried and true
Turn back time
Under the weather
Wear your heart on your sleave
White as a sheet
Wise as an owl
Work like a dog
Worth its weight in gold
Travel writing clichés
A city/country of contrasts
All with a price tag to match
Authentically/typically
Breath taking vistas
Brit of alright
Bustling market place
Bustling markets
Castles nestling on the hillside
Clear-blue water
Colourful markets
Crystal clear lakes
Culture vulture
Discerning travellers
Eastern Promises
Explore every avenue
For adrenalin junkies
For a fraction of the price you’d pay at home
Friendly locals
Golden beaches
Green and pleasant land
Jagged ridges
Kaleidoscopes of colours
Lands of contrasts
Lively nightlife
Majestic mountains
More than just X
Off the beaten track
Old towns with cobbled streets
Panoramic views
Party till dawn
Picture-postcard cottages
Picturesque villages
Quaint chateaux perched on hillsides
Quaint villages
Quirky designer shops
Rich in history
Seething masses of humanity
Simple peasants
Sleepy backwaters
Snow-capped mountains
Souk it and see
Spa treatments to die for
Swing when you’re winning (on travel articles on golf)
‘Take a bite out of the Big Apple’ when visiting New York
Towering monuments
Tower of strength
Turkish delight
There’s something for everyone
Vibrant culture
I love Shepherd Market. It was too bad they closed my favourite store, REN skincare, but there are lots of other good stores and restaurants worth a visit here.
Shepherd Market is best reached from Curzon Street in Mayfair or by following White Horse Street from Piccadilly.
Top Posts (All Time)
1. 50 Places to Visit Before You Die
2. The New Seven Wonders of The World
3. London’s Best Vintage Clothing Shops
4. Bangkok is Threatened by Flood
5. The World’s 30 Biggest Airports
6. Free Things in New York City!
7. The World’s 10 Highest Bungee Jumps
9. Montreux Jazz Festival 2008
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11. Mexico’s Best Design Hotels
The most popular search engine terms are “bangkok”, “zurich”, “new york city”, “seven wonders of the world”, ”broadway”, “highest bungee”, “jon olsson”, “bora bora”, “malaysia”, “mexico” and “central park.”
The best day ever was February 18, 2008, when Blissful Travel had 1,021 visitors.
Also, I’d like to thank my biggest referrers… WordPress.com, Blogcatalog, Travel Rants, and MyBlogLog.
Thanks to the Swedish skate, surf and snow magazine Transition, I found some good tips on stores, art galleries and places to visit in Los Angeles.
American Apparel - 104 S Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood
Arcana: Books on the Arts - 1229 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica
BLK/MKRT Gallery - 6009 Washington Blvd, Culver City
District Skateboarding and Surf Shop - 12015 Venice Blvd, Venice
Fred Segal - 420 / 500 Broadway, Santa Monica
Green Sector - 19641 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana
The Lab 101 - 8530-B Washington Blvd, Culver City
New Image Art - 1005 N Fairfax, West Hollywood
The Roxy Theatre - 9009 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood
Val Surf - 4810 Whitsett Ave, North Hollywood
Volcom - 126 S La Brea Ave, West Hollywood
WE - 114 S Robertson Blvd, Beverly Hills
Surfing © Eva Morris
Would you like to know more about surfing, where to find the best breaks, and when to travel where? Read on!
First, let me explain the different types of breaks.
Beach breaks are waves that break either on an offshore sandbank or directly on to the beach.
Good Beach Breaks
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Hossegor, France
Duranbah, Australia
Reef breaks are waves that are steep, hollow, and top to bottom (the lip of the wave breaks directly into the base of the wave). The reefs can be rocky, volcano or coral, but it always breaks at the same point. The water is deeper around the reef and no waves break there, so surfers are able to paddle around the breakline easily.
Good Reef Breaks
Pipeline, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
Cloudbreak, Fiji
Uluwatu, Bali
G-land, Java
Point breaks have the longest rides, and the take off can be difficult.
Good Point Breaks
Kirra, Australia
J-Bay, South Africa
Rincon, California
If the wave breaks along its whole lenght, it’s called a “close out”.
Waves that break on islands have more power, are faster. Demanding waves will require concentration, skill, and commitment.
Tube Riding
You get into a tube by:
1. Slow down to let the breaking wave and the tube catch up with you. This is called “stall.”
2. You can take off right on the inside and you will actually surf into the tube from behind it. This is called “backdoor.”
Avoid wipeouts!
Decide beforehand whether you are going to take the wave or not. You can’t think something like “well, I start paddling and see how it goes”, you must give it all you got to actually catch the wave.
Surfing Big Waves
< 2 feet - Not real waves, but it might be better than just sitting on the beach.
< 4 feet - Fun small waves. Ideal for beginners and for practicing new moves.
5 feet - Less serious than fun. Some adrenaline.
6 feet - Bring a bigger board and don’t underestimate these waves. Lots of adrenaline.
6-8 feet - Watch out for larger sets, otherwise same as 6 feet waves.
8 feet - Intensive big waves.
8-10 feet - Full of adrenaline. If you manage 6 feet waves, give it a try. Put your fear aside, paddle out, and try to make it safely back to the beach.
10 feet - Don’t get caught by larger sets. You can’t paddle out if the waves are higher than 10 feet. The ultimate is clean conditions, well co-ordinated sets, clearly defined lineups, and a smooth water surface.
10 feet > - Waves higher than 10 feet can be life threatening.
18 feet > - Waves higher than 18 feet are only for a really extreme group of surfers.
Best Known Big Wave Spots
Waimea Bay, Jaws, Hawaii
Todos Santos, Mexico
Mavericks, California
Margret River, Australia
Waves Around the World
Europe: France, Spain, and Portugal have surf all year, and is best at the end of summer. In winter it’s usually cold.
Hawaii: November to April is best with medium to monster-sized waves.
Bali: May to August is dry season on the west coast (Uluwatu) and December to March is monsoon season (Nusa Dua).
Australia: East coast (Queensland and North South Wales) is best during winter. The south and west coast are best during summer.
South Pacific: Fiji and Tahiti are best May to August.
Mexico: North Baja is best in winter, South Baja and mainland are best during summer.
Ecuador: Surf all year. Best during the European winter, from November to January.
Costa Rica: Good surf all year round. In winter it’s dry season on the Caribbean side and in summer it’s wet season on the Pacific side.
California: Good surf all year round. In winter big waves, but very cold.
Atlantic Coast - Europe
Best time is late summer to autumn, in winter cold water.
Just above Bourdeaux to St Jean de Luz:
Hossegor/Seignosse has the most powerful beach breaks. The main surf spot is Estagnots belonging to the village Seignosse. Biarritz is the surfing capital of Europe and it’s often good surf by the stone pier at Plage des Cavalier. La Grand Plage isn’t that good because of water pollution.
San Sebastian towards Bilbao:
Mundacca is the best and longest left wave in Europe. The spot is located at Amorebieta, turn off in direction of Guernica.
Portugal has super cold water, even in summer. Best time from September. The surf spots are concentrated around the areas of Ericeira and Peniche peninsula.
The Canaries
The best surf spots on Lanzarote are Famara and La Santa on the west coast. Surfers travelling to Fuerteventura hang out at Corralejo.
USA
West coast has surf all year, and winter is the best time. California is one of the best surfing regions in the world.
Windansea - In La Jolla, part of San Diego. Stony bottom. Hollow left and right.
Blacks - Lies at the foot of the steep coast line between San Diego and Encinitas. Steep hollow wave, tubes.
Trestles - Past San Ofre. One of the most famous spots, two waves usually.
New Port - Many stone piers, crowded.
Huntington Beach - ”Surf city”, often crowded.
Rincon -Most well known point break in California. North from Rincon colder water, larger waves and smaller crowds.
Morro Bay, Monterey, Santa Cruz.
Steamer Lane - At the foot of the cliff. Infamous because of sharks.
Maverick’s - Not far from San Francisco. Named after someone’s dog (I think it might have been Jeff Clark). Extremely dangerous and powerful big-wave reef break.
Hawaii
Hawaii is a surfing paradise all year. The main surf islands are Oahu, Maui, Kauou and Hawai. The North Shore is about 45 minutes from the airport. Pipeline is best November to March, main season December. Come in January to avoid most of the crowds. Pipeline is directly opposite Sunset Beach school.
Ala Moana Bowl - Big left tube.
Lainakea - Right reef break, many hollow sections.
Tocko’s and Churi’s - Quick hollow left. One of the easiest waves on the North Shore, 2-8 feet.
Waimea Bay - Experts only.
Pipe - Ultimate left hand tube.
Backdoor - Right hander on the same wave as Pipe.
Sunset Beach - Right, 800 m out, 4-20 feet.
Maui is known for its windsurfing, especially at Hookipa Beach.
Honolua Bay - (north) best waves long right hand
Peahi (Jaws) - Tow in surfing, 30+ feet.
Australia
The focus is on the east coast.
Winter (June-October) best in Southern Australia, Western and the East coast. Cold but powerful waves.
Summer (November-February). Often smaller waves, and onshore winds. Feb-April has cyclone swell.
Sydney to Brisbane:
Kirra - 100 m north from Greenmount, best and longest right hand tube, sand break.
Burleigh Heads - Right hand point break. Long clean tubes on a sandy bottom.
Surfers Paradise - A party town, not a surfing paradise.
Noosa Heads - Under the right conditions, this can be on the best waves in Australia.
Surfing Trip Tip: Fly to Australia after the end of January, buy or hire a car in Sydney, and drive up the coast.
Victoria, South Australia: Best March to October (autumn and winter). Many white and tiger sharks, colder waters.
Torquay - Surfing Mecca.
Bells Beach - Long big waves.
North South Wales has good surfing all year. The best spots in Sydney are Manly, and Bondi Beach. Further north, there are two good reef breaks called Freshwater and Avalon.
The Australian Pipeline is 15 south of the town Nowra. Take the turn off to Jerris Bay, follow to Wreck Bay. Called “Summer Cloud Bay”. Walk 20 minutes through the bush until you’re at Pipeline.
The weather and water gets warmer north of Sydney.
Crescent Head - Long right hand point break.
Byron Bay - Popular among longboarders.
Queensland is best October to April.
Duranbah - One of the best beach breaks.
South Pacific (April to October)
Fiji:
Cloudbreak is one of the best lefts in the world, it’s a fast hollow beach break that lies in the middle of the ocean on a coral reef, 15-30 minutes by boat.
Teahupo’o get their swells from the Antarctic storms from south west.
Haapiti is a left hand reef break. Bluest, cleanest barrels in the world, great, but expensive.
Indonesia:
Bali (2-12 feet waves)
Uluwatu - South, near the temple with the same name.
Padang Padang and Bingin - Fast hollow, break in shallow water over coral reefs.
On the south east tip of Java is Garajigang (G-Land), a left point reef break. Take a boat from Jimbaran Bay to Plenkung. A plus for the warm water.
Mexico
Surfing is possible at Baja California, Mainland, and Veracruz (Gulf of Mexico). During the summer, it’s swell from tropical cyclones coming from the south. Surf at the southern tip of Baja or mainland.
In the winter, the best surfing is at the northern tip of Baja.
Todos Santos - Big wave.
Puerto Escondido - The Mexican Pipeline.
Playa Zicatela - Beach break.
Cabo San Lucas - Popular party town.
Good point breaks are “Shipwrecks”, Cabo Wabo, Squid Roe, and Killers (only reachable by boat, 20+ feet).
Ecuador
Casa Blanca in the province Esmeraldas has good surf. In Manabí, Río Chico and San Matero are the best locations. Montanita in Guayas is seen as the surfing capital of Ecuador, Montanita is a right hand barrel that is close to great beach breaks.
In the morning, the winds are light or non-existent and the rest of the day has tropical glassy conditions.
The beautiful Galapagos islands have some spots for experienced surfers. Try El Tongo, Loberia, El Canon and Carola. Many of them are only a short taxi ride from the main town.
Costa Rica
Good surfing all year
Jaco - 2 hours from San Jose on the Central Pacific coast.
Tamarindo - 5 hours north peninsula de Nicoya.
The dry season is from December-April, and the rainy season from May to November.
The Pacific coast has good point breaks and long sandy beaches.
Further south in the direction of Panama is one of the longest waves, Dominical.
South Africa
Number one surf spot in South Africa is Jeffrey’s Bay (J-Bay) about 100 km south of Port Elizabeth.
Réunion
Good surf June to September. The west side has 10-12 spots, mostly reef breaks.
The Perfect Surf Conditions
Morning sessions are often the best. The perfect conditions is just before the wind turns around, when it’ stillness with no wind at all - “glassy”.
Tides
Low tide and high tide go in a 6 hourly rhythm. The time jump is 1 hour each day. King tides means that it’s an extreme difference between high and low tide. Before surfing, you must always know if the tide is going out or coming in.
Surfing Terms
I also found a few great sites with surfing terms, Surfing terms glossary, Surfing Terms, Surfing San Diego Surf Terms, and a special surf lingo lexicon called Riptionary.
A quick tips for people interested in travelling along Africa’s coast. The website Coast to Coast has some very good tips on what to see and do.
Linköping Jazz & Blues Festival is a must for all jazz and blues lovers. The festival takes place in Linköping Konsert & Kongress (Consert & Congress) Saturday 5th April 2008. From four o’clock in the afternoon to an hour after midnight, 300 artists, including the Swedish jazz singer Victoria Tolstoy, will perform on 12 different stages.
Recently I heard about Via Yoga, a Yoga Retreat in Sayulita in Mexico that offers special yoga/surfing vacations. I hope I will have the opportunity to go on a yoga retreat vacation to a sunny warm place someday.
The best thing with yoga is that you can do it anywhere, anytime. I remember when a friend and I stayed at a hostel in New York City in 2004. Our twelve-bed dorm room was way too small for yoga, so I went out in the private garden and did my yoga there instead. It was perfect.
If I ever choose to live in Los Angeles, New York or Orange County, I will definitely join a class at YogaWorks. For people living in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, L.A or NYC, I can recommend exhale mind, body and spa. Apart from yoga, they offer two mind body classes called ‘core energy flow’ and ‘core fusion’.
Thanks to one of Blogetition’s latest contests, you can win $50 via paypal. There are several ways to enter, writing about the competition will give you the most credits.
Apart from blogging about the contest, you earn credits if you stumble/digg/reddit any of the content on the site, leave a comment on a post on blogetition.com, or submit a contest that doesn’t already appear on the site.
Fifty bucks aren’t that much you might think. Depends on what you’re looking for. You can always buy a few new travelogues, book a flight with a low-cost airline, it might even be enough for a stay at a nice B&B.
For more info about the competition, visit Blogetition holds its second contest - win $50 via paypal.
Buenos Aires can be hot in the beginning of the year, so it’s a good idea to pay a visit to one of the city’s swimming pools.
The following pools are open until March 17.
Parque Norte (on the street Av Cantilo y Güiraldes).
Punta Carrasco (on the street Av. Costanera Norte y Sarmiento).
Nuevo Circuito KDT (Salguero 3450).
If you just want to escape the hectic city life for a while, the Japanese Gardens is the perfect place for some peace and quiet.
Or take a stroll along Buenos Aires Harbour…
Chai © Taylor Davidson
One of the best things with travelling is learning from locals and other travellers. Taylor Davidson who recently came home from a two months trip to India gained valuable information by chatting with friends and people he met on the road. Since he hadn’t been to India before and a friend of his was moving there, it seemed like a good time visit. Luckily, Taylor said yes to share his experiences with Blissful Travel.
I hope you enjoy the interview and also get some useful tips for future travels.
E.J: Where in India did you travel?
T.D: I went to India knowing I had two months to explore, and without a firm idea of where I was going to visit outside of a couple of cities to visit friends. My travel itinerary evolved over time, as I talked to friends, locals, fellow travelers, and just tried to absorb information and learn more about the different places and potential experiences (and also how to actually get from one place to another). Since I was lucky to have a friend living in Delhi gracious enough to let me stay with him, I had a good base to use to explore, as well as give me some time and experience to get comfortable traveling in India.
In deciding where to go, I fought two conflicting principles:
1) The more I saw, the more I realized the more I was going to be unable to see, simply due to time.
2) I have also realized on past trips abroad that you can have a much richer experience by visiting fewer places but spending more time in each place, rather than rushing between places, trying to fit everything in, because you get the chance to explore and see local life much deeper.
So, in the end, I ended up going to:
Delhi
Punjab: Amritsar
Uttar Pradesh: Agra
Rajasthan: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur
Maharasta: Mumbai, Pune
Karnataka: Bangalore, Hampi
Kerala: Trivandrum, Kollam, Allepehy, Kochin
Tamil Nadu: Ooty
Himanchal Pradesh: McLeodganj
(Actually, I have a map to view where I went:
http://www.taylordavidson.com/india/map.htm)
In retrospect, what would I have done differently? I would have spent more time in the hill stations and smaller towns in the south, staying out of the major cities a bit more, exploring some smaller towns for longer periods. But then, I am not a “big-city” person anywhere in the world, so that’s just my preference.
E.J: What was the best part of your journey?
T.D: Best places: Mcleodganj, Ooty, Hampi, Udaipur, and Jaisalmer. Why? For me, it was about the opportunity to wander the areas, to talk to and interact with locals in a different way than I would in the bigger cities. In each of these places I had amazingly interesting conversations with locals and fellow travelers, and got to explore some wonderful natural scenery.
Best activity: talking to locals in the cities, learning about people and life. While talking to locals was often the most annoying part of the day, simply because of the sheer volume of people that approach solo travelers, I had some amazing conversations and met some great people. And I’m not really a “people person”.
Best singular moment: camping in the desert, under the stars, Christmas Eve.
E.J: What did you learn from this trip?
T.D: About photography:
People LOVE having their pictures taken. They also love having their pictures taken with foreigners. Take their picture, and get used to having your picture taken.
About traveling in India:
1) Learn patience. Learn to forget about schedules, and learn to be comfortable without a carefully planned itinerary. India is an easy place to travel without a lot of planning, and it’s definitely the most fun way. The journey may not always be smooth, but it will work out in the end.
2) Learn to ask. Information is most easily available by asking people, and everyone is so friendly and open to helping, it is by far the best way to get information about how to get around, about what to do, about how things work. But don’t ask just one person: ask multiple people, verify and corroborate what people tell you.
3) Learn to answer questions that you might not answer at home. People are very inquisitive, and are eager to ask questions about you, your home, your country. Depending on where you are from, you might get asked questions which are more personal than you would ordinarily answer at home. It is incredibly common for people’s first questions to be if you are married / dating, what your job is, how much money you make, or other similar questions. These are all important ways for people to understand you based on values and beliefs in Indian culture, much in the same way in Western culture we may ask about school, jobs, hobbies, or personal interests. The questions are normal, and whether you choose to be truthful or not, answer them, but remember that you will be judged and “slotted” by your answers.
4) Learn when to be aggressive, and when to be passive. Perhaps the toughest of all, it takes some time to be able to grasp and assess situations appropriately. While people are very warm and friendly once they recognize you as an individual, there is also an “individual callousness” that requires you to be a little more aggressive than you might otherwise. At least that is my experience, as a male traveling solo: it might be different if you are female and/or travel with friends in a group.
5) Logistics:
Booking: all hotels, travel agents, Internet cafes, etc., will help you book tickets and provide advice, for a commission. All business in India is done through middlemen, and using middlemen to book tickets for you can often save you a lot of time and hassle.
Trains: multiple classes of service are available; take what you’re comfortable with. Trains are a great way to meet people and talk to locals and fellow travelers. You can book easily online with a credit card. If you can sleep on trains (I can sleep anywhere, anytime), trains can be pretty efficient way to travel overnight. If you’re going non-AC class in the winter, take a blanket.
Buses: intra-city buses can be intimidating, but actually quite easy if you get comfortable asking people how to get to where you want: often people will take you under their wing and tell you where to get off or change buses. Inter-city buses are similarly easy, and for some, the popular routes are the easiest way to get around, cheaply and without any advance booking. For some routes you should book ahead, for others, just show up at the station and take the next bus.
Cars: if you have the money, or are short on time, for some routes cars (with drivers) are also an option, and can take you between and within cities quite easily. Definitely much more expensive than buses and trains, but I met numerous travelers who chose to hire drivers to take them between cities, often on self-directed tours between a group of cities.
Boats: I only took one, and if you go to Kerala, definitely take a backwaters tour by boat.
Flights: easy to book, usually does not require much advance booking, much faster than trains and buses for long distances. But flying is much, much more expensive, apt for delays, and you will not get the chance to meet people or see the landscape as you would by bus or train.
Overall: the key, in the end, is to ask people about the route you want to take to get their advice on which method to use, times, schedules, and of the variety of options available.
About India:
The diversity in culture, people, places, etc., continues to remind you that the more you see, the more there is to see. Every day is an opportunity for creating experiences, both good and bad. If you have an open mind, interact with people, embrace Indian culture, and bring a positive spirit, India can be an incredibly powerful, warm, inviting place to travel.
Editor’s note: Thank you for the interview Taylor. Definitely interesting to hear about your journey. I can understand that camping in the desert under the stars was the best moment. Who wouldn’t appreciate sleeping under a starlit night sky?
I must say I love the composition of the photo above from Rajasthan.
To see further shots from India, I recommend Taylor’s India Close & Afar photo gallery. For more reflections, see the blog posts Unordered Thoughts from India and Cultural Tourism.
42nd Street © Erwin Alonzo
If I lived near 42nd Street I would probably go to the theatre at least once a week. I absolutely love musicals. For people visiting New York City, I think an evening at the theatre is a must.
My all-time favourite musicals are:
1. Annie.
I love Annie, the young orphan girl who gets the chance to leave Miss Hannigan’s miserable orphanage and live with the wealthy Oliver Warbucks. I first saw Annie at the theatre Göta Lejon in Stockholm when I was 14, and the film was one of my favourites as a kid.
2. Fame
Sometimes I used to wish I had the opportunity to study at New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts on 46th Street. The musical follows a group of students as they struggle with demanding school work, identity issues, prejudices, sexuality, love, and their determination to succeed.
3. Rent
Set in Alphabet City in the bohemian East Village, Rent is a rock musical inspired by Puccini’s opera La Boheme. I saw it with my family in Stockholm several years ago, would love to see the English version.
4. Aida
When we booked Broadway tickets to Aida in 2004, I knew nothing about the musical drama based on Guiseppe Verdi’s opera with the same name. I was pleasantly surprised by the performance, the moving story, Elton John’s music, and the lyrics by Tim Rice. I especially remember the song ‘How I know You’. Definitely worth seeing.
5. Chess
Also Chess has lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves two players in the world chess championship and the woman who falls in love with one of them. Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson from the Swedish pop group Abba wrote the music.
Bye, Bye 2007 © Lize Rixt
We’re all humans, and sometimes we procrastinate… or forget. Below are some of the news I meant to write about last year, but for different reasons never took the time to cover. Late is better than never, so I figured it would be good to deal with it today.
For the second time in a row, First Hotels was chosen the best hotel chain in Denmark by the Danish Travel Award. Danish travellers voted through the analyse company DMA Research.
Vagabond Travel Boutique in the Stockolm, Sweden, had their premiere at Götgatan 95 - the city’s best address to get some travel reading done.
Selma Spain Sunne received the award Sweden’s Leading Spa Resort. Selma Spa opened in 1991 and became Scandinavia’s first Spa resort. On February 5th, the Spa got their second branch - a city spa at the top floor of the new hotel Clarion Sign in Stockholm.
And some lists…
If you have followed Blissful Travel, you probably know that I love lists.
Last year, the American Automobile Association listed the top ten walking-friendly U.S. and Canadian cities. The results were as follows:
1. Old Town Alexandria (Virginia)
2. Boston
3. New Orleans
4. Downtown Los Angeles
5. Washington
6. Charleston
7. St. Augustine
8. Old Québec City
9. Greenwich Village
10. San Francisco
New York Times listed The 53 Places to Go in 2008. Apparently, Vietnam and Cambodia are so 2007. Rather travel to Laos, and Vientiane, and enjoy boat cruises down the Mekong river. Lisbon came second, Tunisia third, and Mauritius fourth. Thanks to Latin America’s first five-star gay (and also “heterofriendly”) hotel Axel Hotel Buenos Aires, the 27th place went to Buenos Aires. Luckily they didn’t overlook New York City (53rd spot). The Broadway strike is settled and new shows have scheduled their premieres. Lovers of street theater will find what they look for in the Meatpacking District.
Since it’s almost Valentine’s Day I think we end with a bit of romance. In December, the staff at Frommers picked out the Most Romantic Travel Destinations. If Southern California, Boston, Patagonia, Angkor Wat, and Costa Rica sounds appealing to you, head over to Frommers and read the article.
I was a bit curious where in the world some of my blog’s readers live, so I just checked out Alexa.com. According to Alexa, Blissful Travel’s readers come from these countries:
United States 34.3%
United Kingdom 22.9%
Italy 11.4%
India 8.6%
France 5.7%
Canada 5.7%
Ireland 5.7%
Romania 2.9%
Sweden 2.9%
Last year, SOS International and Länsförsäkringar in Sweden researched the most accident-prone countries for Swedish travellers. The numbers in parentheses are the amount of reports SOS International received in 2007.
Most Robberies
1. Spain (121)
2. Thailand (94)
3. France (52)
4. Italy (40)
5. Turkey (33)
Most Assaults
1. Thailand (12)
2. Ecuador (11)
3. Turkey (10)
4. The Canaries (9)
5. Spain (6)
Most Car Accidents
1. Germany (17)
2. Turkey (16)
3. Thailand (13)
4. Spain (12) Croatia (12)
5. Florida (7)
Most MC Accidents
1. Thailand (61)
2. Greece (13)
3. Germany (5)
4. Spain (4)
5. Poland (3)
Until June 30, you can visit 14 French national museums and historic sites without needing to pay anything. Normally most national museums offer one free open-house day a month, but this six-month try out guarantees free entrance to some of the best museums in the country.
In Paris, the museums include the Musée Cluny, the Musée Guimet, Arts et Métiers, the renaissance museum at Ecouen, the national archeology museum of St. Germain-en-Laye, and the Bourget museum of Air and Space. Also, the Pompidou Center offers free entrance for 18-25-year-olds to its contemporary art shows Wednesday evenings, the Orsay is free on Thursday evenings, and the Louvre doesn’t charge on Friday evenings.
In November 2007, Design Hotels released its 2008 edition of the Design HotelsTM Yearbook featuring almost 40 new members. The 15 years anniversary issue includes over 650 pages of outstanding photography and comprehensive articles on design and architecture. The theme “Looking Forward” mirrors the company’s objective to encourage a new time in hotel design. Nine selected hoteliers and designers share their ideas for the future.
Design HotelsTM portfolio is improved with a selection of some of the best newly built design hotels in the world. Below, you can see the member hotels opening in 2008.
Europe
Belgium-Genk: Carbon Hotel - April
Germany-Frankfurt: Roomers - September
Germany-Hamburg: The George - August
Hungary-Budapest: Hotel Rosslyn - November
Norway-Oslo: Grims Grenka - January
Switzerland-Laax: The Rocks - February
UK-London: The Franklin Hotel - February
UK-London: Sanctum Soho Hotel - May
UK-Southport: Vincent - March
Asia/Pacific
Indonesia-Bali: Alila Villas Uluwatu - June
Maldives-South Male: Alila Villas Hadahaa - June
Maldives-South Male: Alila Villas Lonudhua - June
Apart from in selected member hotels and retailers, The Design HotelsTM Yearbook 08 is available online at www.designhotels.com/shop at a cost of 39 Euros.
The latest opened member hotel was Alila Cha-Am, a modern beachside resort only two hours south of Bangkok.
Design HotelsTM member hotels are united by a dedication to individualism and progressive design. The company has its headquarter in Berlin and branches in London, Barcelona, New York, Singapore, Bali and Tokyo.
This week’s Travel Blog Carnival got many good posts for consideration. The blog carnival was an initiative by Darren at Travel Rants as a way to unite bloggers, share interesting travel content online and help others promote their blogs. See Promote your Blog and Join our Carnival for more information.
I loved the post Celestial Paradise: Tawang at Heaven’s Garden. Described as the “Land of Dawn-lit Mountains”, Tawang is a magical place in North East India where grand mountains, peaceful lakes, rivers, high waterfalls and the often clear blue sky create magnificient views. Kalayan writes “… a hidden paradise beyond imagination enriched with pure scenic beauty, a place no words or pictures can describe; only the mind can feel it.” Popular Tawang sights are the Tawang monastery, the yearly Buddhism festival and the holy Mount Gorichen.
Hutongs Beijing China at Escape From New York tells how the run up to the Beijing Summer Olympics changes the surroundings since modern developments replace many of the city’s hutongs. These neighbourhoods hold a slower pace and a stroll through one of them will definitely take you back in time. Wendy suggests joining a tour of the hutongs, preferably via cycle rickshaws followed by a walk on your own.
At Go Visit Hawaii, you can read an informative post on Why Staying in a Condo on a Hawaii Vacation is a Savvy Choice. Apart from the obvious reasons, privacy and more space, a condo stay allows you to pack lighter, save money on meals, and is more convenient than booking an expensive hotel room. After reading this post, I am convinced to spend at least one week in a condo during my future Hawaiian vacation.
Last, but not least. Go Green Travel Green gives us 15 Reasons to Travel Green. Being a responsible traveller is an important part of a trip. Far many people think too much about themselves without considering the consequences of their actions. Just take a look at Mount Everest’s base camp. By preserving and protecting, and not tearing down the environment, you can travel cheaper, meet more people when staying in hostels, learn more from the locals, stay healthier, and focus more on what you experience rather than what you consume. You will feel sooo good about yourself. The last one is self-explanatory, when we do good we feel good.
I hope you enjoyed my picks and make sure to submit your own post to next week’s travel blog carnival.
If you are in London next week and wish to spend Valentine’s in style, do check out the latest offer Truly Madly Deeply… from Maybourne Hotel Group.
A friend of mine who recently spent a week skiing in La Grave was nice enough to share some of his pictures. For more info on La Grave, see Helicopter Skiing in La Grave.
The photos are shot by Anders Larsson and enhanced by me.
The winter is a great time to catch up on some reading. In case you’re looking for a couple of good suggestions, check out the travelogues and non-fiction books below.
Louise Purwin Zobel - The Travel Writer’s Handbook
Louisa Peat O’Neil - Travel Writing
Paul Theroux - The Great Railway Bazaar, Dark Star Safari
Tom Thumb - Hand to Mouth to India
Wilfred Thesiger - Arabian Sands
Tony Horwitz - In Baghdad without a Map and Other Misadventures in Arabia
Pamper yourselves with an exclusive Valentine’s stay at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, the finest address in London. Arrive to a flower adorned room and indulge in a glass of Dom Perignon with your loved one before having afternoon tea in the elegant Park Room. The skilled Chef offers various delicious treats such as heart-shaped cup-cakes, mille-feiulles or rich, dark chocolate cake.
A romantic promenade in Hyde Park might be just what you need before taking a seat in the sumptuous Red Bar where you can sip cocktails and enjoy each other’s company, a perfect Valentine’s delight.
Later you can order an appetising course from room service and spend the evening in privacy in the comfort of your own hotel room.
The Valentine’s package costs £1,200 (excluding VAT) and can be booked through reservations on +44(0)20 7399 8008. Full payment in advance is required and rooms are subject to availability.
After serving as a private home for the Grosvenor family, Grosvenor House opened to the public in May 1929 and quickly became the hotel for a high-profile circle. Its current four year multi-million pound renovation finishes this year when Grosvenor House will acquire the status as the European flagship for the JW Marriott brand.
For more information about the hotel, visit Grosvenor House.
When I first read about Goldsmith Jewelry’s Giveaway and saw the beautiful 1 carat diamond stud earrings, I thought about Blood Diamond. Since I watched this movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Danny Archer, a conflict diamond smuggler in a 1990s civil war affected Sierra Leone, I’ve been very skeptical to the diamond market. And even though the situation in Africa is better, it’s still not solved.
Fortunately Goldsmith Jewelry use a reputable supplier in India who supports the Kimberley Process. Since conflict diamonds is such an important issue, I think they can inform website visitors that they cooperate with a dealer who stays away from conflict diamonds. Apart from this I have no complaints and can recommend Orlando based Goldsmith Jewelry to anyone. As the area’s most popular diamond broker, they specialise in premium diamond earrings and has been selling jewelry for o