All posts tagged: Photography

Under The Goan Sun

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It was time to head north to relax and enjoy some time on the beach.  I had ten days to experience the beaches of Goa and I was planning on splitting my time between Arambol, Vagator and Palolem.  All had been recommended by friends to visit. Known for their party vibes, I was warned Arambol and Vagator wouldn’t be quiet destinations, however the beaches were very quiet everywhere, but it was still nice to see more foreigners around. It was now April and with the season starting to wind down, each day resorts would dismantle their properties in preparation for the monsoon season ahead.  It was quite eerie to watch especially when the restaurant I had dined in Palolem the night prior, had disappeared the next day. Arambol with its long stretching coastline was an idyllic spot to rest for a few days. It was windy making it a popular destination for kite surfers, but it was nice to walk along the beach and enjoy the warmth of the sun.  I was greeted with the Buddha …

Old Versus New

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Goa was one of those intriguing places I wanted to visit.  I had heard so many mixed stories about it, from people loathing the place and it’s trance party night life, to others who never wanted to leave.  For me, my purpose was purely to relax by the sea. I was warned it would be quiet as it was heading into low season, but that didn’t bother me.  It had been quiet generally everywhere anyway. My first stop was in Panaji, in central Goa.  I arrived late on Good Friday evening, and I spent three nights there.  With it’s Portuguese influence, it was a great place to wonder and admire the architecture. Being Easter places were closed, but there was enough to do and see to keep me occupied.  I spent my first day walking through the streets of the new town and my second day visiting Old Goa.  I stayed in a fabulous guest house in a great location which made my stay that more enjoyable. NEW You can catch a bus from Panaji to …

The Only Way Is Up

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After leaving Amrutham Ayurvedic Village Resort refreshed, revived and rejuvenated, I was getting ready to head back up the continent with the view to visiting Hampi, Goa and Mumbai.  But before I made my way there I wanted to visit Madurai and Thanjuvar for their magnificent temples. Logistically it was a large area to cover on my own and I was having a dilemma of how to travel to each destination as I didn’t want to miss anything. But because I had diverted slightly at the start of my trip to meet a friend in Bengularu, I was going to have to zigzag my way back up which was proving to be difficult due to long train journeys, and flights weren’t flying directly to where I wanted to be.  In the end with another recommendation from a friend, I hired a taxi and looped from Kovalam down to the very bottom tip of India to Cape Comorin and then on to Madurai. Kovalam was my least favourite place and I couldn’t wait to leave.  I felt like I was on set …

Sweet Varkala

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Varkala was an idyllic place to stay in Kerala. It was recommended to me by a friend and I wasn’t disappointed by adding it to my itinerary. My only regret was that I couldn’t stay longer due to a retreat I had booked near Kovalam.  I spent three nights in Varkala and I could easily have spent a week.  With its beautiful red cliffs, it’s long stretching beaches and the sound of breaking waves, Varkala had a vibe where you could park up and lose yourself day after day. Varkala was my first beach experience in India and having read about the warnings of some of their beaches, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Being a beach lover, I was ready to enjoy sinking my toes into some sand and thankfully it was like spending time on any other beach I’d been too.  The water was clean and the beach was predominantly clear of rubbish. Sure there were roaming eyes and walkers, but there were patrols whistling them away and I was able to really relax …

The Backwaters Of Kerala

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The serene backwaters of Kerala are now a distant memory for me, though every time I look at these images I’m taken back to India and wishing I could be there steering into the warm still air.  There’s something very mesmerising about the backwaters.  There is a state of calm and tranquility as the landscapes blend and reflect into the water, locals bathe and wash in the abundance of water surrounding them, children ride their bikes (which seems for miles) to get to school and farmers walk the rice paddy fields. Anyone who’s researched about visiting Kerala will know that the backwaters is a mandatory stop on the itinerary and I was not going to miss the chance to see these stunning landscapes. Travelling on your own has its disadvantages and I was about to experience it first hand when I went to book a house boat tour in Alleppey.  My only option to experience a night on the backwaters was to book an entire house boat to myself.  Surely there must be other people …

Striking It Lucky

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One of the most wonderful things about India is its diversity when it comes to it’s towns and cities.  Some are bustling cosmopolitan delights and some are not and have a long way to go. What I enjoyed most on my travels was discovering the quaint smaller towns mixed with history and an infusion of European-Indo culture. Fort Cochin and its surrounding areas was one of these. Mixed with Portuguese houses, ancient Chinese fishing nets and an old Jewish Town there was plenty to observe as you strolled through the village streets.  I spent three nights staying in Mattancherry staying at Sui House a boutique B&B and one night in Fort Cochin at Bernard Bungalow. Sui House is a tranquil retreat located away from the crowds, but easily accessible to explore the surrounding areas on foot or by tuk tuk. Owners Kumar and Pauline make you feel welcome in their home which is filled with antiques and religious relics from their prior antique business. They also own an additional property and restaurant Caza Maria in the Jewish Town. …

An Ancient Tradition In Modern Times

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After being in Wayanad for a couple of days and taking some time to rest and relax, it was nice to be back by the water, this time the west coast of India enjoying my first views of the Arabian Sea.  I was in the Fort Cochin area for four days and on the must see list were the ancient Chinese fishing nets.  This ancient technique has been around since 1400AD.  At high tide it requires at least four people to pull up the nets which is was fascinating to watch. You can purchase seafood caught from the local fisherman at the numerous fish mongers located behind them.  The restaurants next to them will then cook the catch for you while you sit outside enjoying the warm weather.  I chose not to do this after seeing the abundance of rubbish that was collected in their nets.  With faster modern fishing techniques these fisherman are struggling financially and rely on tourists to help fund their living.  Judging by the small pathetic and polluted catches I saw, …

Happy Holi

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Holi festival, also known as the festival of colours and the festival of love is an ancient Hindu festival which celebrates the beginning of Spring.  I was fortunate enough to be in India to experience this wonderful festival.  Although the North of India traditionally celebrates the festival in its true entirety and is the best place to be for Holi, we were still pretty happy to be in Bengaluru to celebrate. The day progresses as a game of chase with dry powder and water.  Anyone and everyone is fair game.  If there are patches of bare skin showing, watch out! By the end of the day you are literally covered in colour.  When you think you have as much colour on you as possible, someone will think otherwise.  The best part about our day was the people we met. We were taught Bollywood dancing in the rain by complete strangers, we threw powder back as equally hard as we received it and my face was sore from laughing all day. If you are ever in …

We’ll Always Have Bengaluru

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There’s always something quite special about travelling when you’re able to share it with a friend or loved one creating memories to cherish for life. With the majority of my time in India to be spent travelling on my own, luck was on my side, my friend Majo was to be in India for work around the same time. Majo is the New Zealand Operations Manager for Fair Trade Australia & New Zealand. She studied international law and human rights at university which led her to work for the United Nations in countries such as Vienna, Afghanistan and Bolivia. She’s a wife, a mother to two gorgeous girls and someone I feel very lucky to call a friend. Unsure of when we would get to see each other again, I happily worked my itinerary to fit in with her so we could spend a few days together in Bengaluru. Bengaluru or previously known as Bangalore, is one of India’s major IT hubs. As I drove into the city it was a refreshing change after Chennai …

The Road To Bengaluru

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After three days in Chennai I retreated south to Puducherry in Tamil Nadu before looping back round to Bengaluru where I was due to meet a friend.  I loved this part of Tamil Nadu.  I wandered for hours up and down the streets of the French Quarter in Puducherry admiring its tranquility and beauty.  I was in awe of the grandness of the Matrimandir in Auroville and enjoyed the organic food and products on offer.  And even though the car journey from Puducherry to Bengaluru was a long day, it was nice to sit back and enjoy the scenery surrounding me. Images shot on a Fujifilm XT100