Being a Tourist is Not Easy While Overpaying Every Day

After traveling to so many countries around the world, it is not a new thing to realize that I have to pay the tourist price at every new place, especially the foreign countries. Even though I am an Indian, I have to pay a higher price in the local markets of different cities. Different areas in India have varied prices for the services they offer, but the situation is even worse abroad.

When I was in Karnataka, I had hired Self-Drive Cars in Bangalore for a much cheaper price than in Thailand. A few Asian countries are much ahead than India in quoting a higher price from the tourists. And Vietnam, for example, is even worse in this regard. I would often hear the local Vietnamese girls asking for money if we wanted to click their photos. Even for drinks and food, we had to pay more money than the locals.

Paying extra money to the locals seems fair only to an extent, but it starts bothering me when the feeling of being ripped off starts setting in. Since I am an Indian, I have an idea how I have to haggle with people, but I have seen some westerns getting frustrated at this behavior since they are not habitual of haggling so much.

The locals in many tourist places often give an excuse that the holiday makers earn more money than them. Therefore, it is their duty to pay more for the local facilities. I agree to it up to a point that we do put a lot of pressure on the local amenities for a few months in a year, so we must pay for it. However, this should not become a blame game; it is not a tourist’s fault that she earn more than an Asian woman in a household. If all the travelers were rich, they would not mind paying more than the locals for everything, but it is not true at all. Not all travelers are rich; many of them work hard to save money for their holidays. And if I have to analyze my budget five times a day, it is not a good idea at all, and no one else would like to do that either.

How do you keep a check on the financial status of a tourist?

Just by looking at the color of their skin?

That’s not fair at all. A white-skinned person can be poor and a brown-skinned person can be wealthy. Appearance, color of the skin, or any other visible thing cannot be the criteria to charge more from a tourist. Many people travel on a strict budget, and if they do not keep a check on it, their journey is over much sooner than it would. In my case, if I stay for three days in Thailand just because I cannot afford to stay for seven days on a strict budget, it is their financial loss, not mine, even though it’s I would feel emotionally unfulfilled.

The tourist price is justified only when it is kept in check. It should not become a menace like it has become now in most countries of the world.

My Travel Journal with an Unconditional Friend

They say that friends may come and go from your life, but some people make a permanent mark of their presence. I, being a mother of two adorable children, always thought that the life of an Indian woman revolves around her family until I got married. It is not that my husband encouraged or discouraged me from doing anything, but he never said anything. When I came to Bangalore from a small town nearby, I found my soul sister in a neighborhood friend.

Initially, we would meet each other to borrow little household things, but the friendship grew so deep with time that I actually started looking forward to talk to her or meet her. We would call each other often and home visits were frequent when our kids were not at home. She was a travel enthusiast and a writer. She wrote about various things online, but was confined to the city of Bangalore because her husband wanted her to stay at home. On the other hand, my husband never stopped me from doing anything, but I never had to incentive to do something progressive. Karuna, that sweet soul sister, motivated me and I reciprocated to encourage her. Our husbands met and we grew into a small family in this completely unknown city.

Eventually, Karuna and I decided to go for a few temple visits, to which her husband never argued about. It was surprisingly pleasant for her, and we had a great time traveling around various temples around Bangalore. Every time we sat at any temple, we enjoyed the solitary time to the core of our hearts since we did not have to worry about the household work or any other domestic worries.

After a few months, we took a car rental Bangalore and went to Chikmaglur. A wildlife sanctuary, waterfalls, and scenic beauty are just a few things that we enjoyed at the hill station. We dealt with the decisions of booking rooms, tickets for entertainment activities, and travel plans on our own, which gave us a newfound confidence. Not even once did we feel that we were two ladies coming from a small town in Karnataka who had never taken their decisions alone.

Even though I knew driving, I had never really done it for so long because Dad or brother were always there to do the job. It was only men’s job to drive in my house before marriage. Thankfully, we both have got progressive husbands who understand that it is time for women to live a happy life as well.

From each travel article that I had read online before our road trip, I felt that the travelers are right when they say that travel is empowering. You get to deal with challenges and take your own decisions since there is no one to take care of you. While returning from Chikmaglur, we decided that we will soon make a plan with our husbands and go for a road trip again.

How My Dog Acts Smart While Traveling

I have never trained my dog, ever. Still, Bruno is smart enough to amaze me every time I am with him. It seems like he had taken some combat training even before he was born. I often hide his toys, but he finds them, every time without any hint from my side. He can find, as well as hide, my things as well. I often lose my stuff at home, and whenever I am frantically searching for them, Bruno brings them to me. I don’t know how he does it, but he knows what I want at what time, and he brings the thing right in front of me.

His schedule  

I was too careless to get him trained from a professional trainer, so I did the best of it on my own. Now whenever I tell Bruno that its bedtime, he would quickly go to my son’s room, and lie down on his bed. This Labrador is actually a caring creature. He would look at each member of my family with affection in his eyes every night as if he wants to thank us. During the entire day, I ask him to get ready for meals, and he starts jumping every time.

The walk

He has been to many trips with me. I have lived in many cities in India, and taken him almost everywhere with me. At home or wherever I am, whenever he feels like going for a run, he would bring his leash to me, and ask me to take him out. I am happy to do it for him most of the times, even if I am tired. However, whenever I don’t feel like going out of the house, he would never force me for it, and sit near me. He is happy to just lie down by my side and have a quiet time.

Possessive  

Bruno is very possessive about his family, and would never let anyone come near us, especially my younger daughter who is five years of age. He is highly protective when it comes to caring about her. We were at someone’s house once, and my friend wanted to carry Naina in her arms. She went near my daughter and asked her to jump in her arms. However, Bruno jumped between them faster than Naina, and looked angrily at my friend. Although he loves my friend as well, he did not want her to touch my little daughter. It gave a clear message that no one can harm Naina if Bruno is there.

The reasoned barking

It happens many times that Bruno barks at nothing, or at least I think so. However, it is never the meaningless bark; he has a reason for it every time. I just need to say, “Show it Bruno”, and he would lead me to the place that makes him bark. Mind you, I never taught him this thing. I had hired a Car Rental Bangalore once to go for a trip to the hills. As I was talking to the car delivery guy, Bruno started barking at the car. We both could not understand what was wrong with Bruno. I asked my baby to show me what had happened, and he led to the rear wheel of the car and started looking under it. There was a rat stuck in the back side of the car, and was crying for help. It would have died had I driven the car. I could not help but feel grateful to Bruno for detecting what none of us could see at that moment.

 

How I Learned About Forbidden Things on My India Travel

It was not by chance that I was there in India last year; I had thought about it well and planned it in the best way possible. Having heard a lot of things about the country, I wanted to be twice as sure about being there for a long time, especially being a female. My friends had told me that Indians are quite touchy about a few things, and I must take care that I do not offend anyone. I totally understand this fact, being from Japan, I realize that religion and belief do play an important role in one’s lives.

An Indian friend

Being friends with an Indian guy helped me a lot before I traveled to India. I have been in touch with him for more than three years after I met him in a seminar in Japan. Whenever I would talk to him over the phone or text, we would exchange information about our cultures. The way I am keen on Indian culture, he wants to know about the Japanese ethos. He knows my nature as a person, and he assured me that I would find many friends in India when I go there.

So I happened to travel to India after I gained confidence that I can stay there for quite a long time since I planned to work while I lived there. I decided to stay in Bangalore so that I can explore south India first, and then move on to Delhi to wander around North India. The first warning he gave me was that I must not talk anything about any religion in India. Some Indians may be more sensitive than others in every place, and I must respect those differences. If someone takes an offense to my comments, it can be a legal challenge as well. It was good enough warning for me to begin with traveling in India.

Respecting the national anthem

No nation would tolerate disrespect for its national anthem, and it is a little more evident in India. Rohit, my Delhi buddy, told me that I might have to participate in the recitation ceremony at cinema halls, sports tournaments, etc. I had two choices- I could either stand in respect for it or not participate in it at all. Nonetheless, I should never deliberately disrupt the Singing Ceremony of the national anthem, which may land me in jail if someone files a complaint. Never in my life would I want to see the jail in my country or that of someone else.

Stopping a train

The Indian Railways are way different than that in Japan; the trains in India have a chain system that one can pull to stop the train in case of an emergency. However, there has to be a legit reason to pull the chain. Otherwise, it can lead to a hefty penalty or even jail. Even out of curiosity, I decided not to play with the string in the train. Although I had planned to take Car Rental in Bangalore without Driver or cabs for the most part of my journey, I still wanted to experience the trains in the country.

I, although being a well-intended person did not want to hurt anyone, I still thought better to learn about things that are not acceptable at any cost, religion being one of them. Rohit advised me to be a spectator when I did not understand anything or better ask someone about the norms at religious places. Therefore, even before I had set my feet in India, I had gained a lot about the nation.

How I Found a Way Out to Survive Cheap While Traveling

When I thought of long-term solo travel, it was not easy to convince myself that I would be able to sustain myself throughout the year or two. After thinking and constantly researching for a few months, I managed to gather the guts to leave my city and travel abroad for a few years. Since I am not a passionate online geek, I knew that I would not be able to be a digital nomad. Therefore, I had to search for an offline job that could let me sustain in a foreign country at a cheaper cost than other travelers. Ever since I started researching about solo travel in different countries, I could realize that the only way I could sustain long-term travel was to live like a native.

The finances

I had to make a financial plan before I left Bangalore for Dubai, which is otherwise a favorable country for Indians. Dubai runs several programs for Indian employees in several fields. The state has a huge demand for teachers in various subjects for their students, and I chose to teach the English language. Teaching was a great way to make ends meet, and have a great time in a gorgeous country like Dubai. I spent two years in Dubai, three years in Indonesia, and another two in Nepal working as a teacher, mentor, writer, etc.

One thing I had noticed being a solo traveler that it takes a mountain of guts to leave home. In the beginning, I had thought that I would never return to Bangalore if I liked it being a wanderer. However, after a few years of teaching and learning, I started missing my country. No matter how great other countries are, I always found solace in India only. I returned to my hometown after 10-12 years of roaming around the world in various countries, which was a great thing given that I had traveled to my heart’s content during this time.

After coming home

After being in India for a week only, I noticed that my city had changed a lot. In the initial period, I would rent a Car Bangalore to explore the things that had changed in all these years. I loved to live in my own country like a solo traveler again as everybody in my family had moved on. I could not keep grudges with them, apparently because I had chosen a different path in life. Many of my cousins had got married, were promoted in their jobs, blessed with kids and planning for more children in the next few years. They had their own beautiful life, which was running perfectly fine with or without me.

Nevertheless, even now when I think about my life and that of others, I feel absolutely satisfied. I have had my share of experiences and shortcomings, in just a little different manner than others. I have been with the locals in different cities and countries and learned about their thoughts about life. Being on my own for such a long time has made me strong, so much so that I can dare to face any challenges without any significant fear. It has taught me to take every challenge as it comes, no matter I succeed or fail. Given another opportunity of life, I would like to be a solo traveler for one more time in my youth as I feel that I lack the energy now to wander as I did earlier. All the same, I am grateful for everything that I learned and did in this beautiful life.

A Day in Bangalore from a Foreigner’s Perspective

I do not want to brag about the fact that I come from a foreign land, but this point impacts my perspective to view any new city around the world. I come from New Zealand where you will not find many people or much of traffic jam. I find it a pleasing sight to be among warm-hearted people, and that too millions of them in just one city. Since I have origins from Hindu grandparents, I can understand a bit of Hindi language. The best part about the urban cities of India is that I can easily find English-speaking people, so I do not face much trouble in communication.

I began my day stepping out of my hotel, and I came across a temple where I offered my prayers, in not-so-proper style. However, as soon as I walked out of the temple, it was shocking for me to notice the huge bunch of garbage on the floor. There were cows finding something to eat from the trash. One thing that I observed in India is that one moment I may be passing through the most unpleasant smell of garbage or sewer, and the next moment, I may come across the most pleasant fragrance of food cooking in the kitchen of a restaurant. Every step in Bangalore is a great adventure of various kinds of aromas.

Some corners of the roads are marked as coconut corners, where I could find more than a hundred green coconuts with the vendors. It is just so refreshing to drink fresh coconut water and eat the cream, which often comes as a surprise to me. The price of the coconut and many other foods in India is quite nominal, and the vendors or the government do not charge additional taxes and charges on the products. One may pay several hundred dollars for a meager coconut in the USA, but here in Bangalore, you can get it for only 30-40 INR.

In many of the places in Bangalore, I am not allowed to record a video, some of them being the trains, malls, and grocery stores. Therefore, I suffice my cravings for blogging by memorizing as much as I can and then pen it down. Since it was my first day in the city, I decided to buy groceries for the entire month, at least as many things as I could remember. It is great fun to hire a service apartment in India and live like a local person. And the best part is that the residents would not resist you based on your ethnicity.

As I was driving my car, I saw a man riding a bike along with his dog sitting on the fuel tank. Usually, the kids sit on the tank with their parents in India, but it was absolutely hilarious to see a dog park himself on the place and enjoy the weather. Once more during the night, I saw a passenger on the rear seat carrying a goat on his lap while sitting on the bike. I realized that you could transport everything on a motorbike, and maneuver your way through traffic.

Bangalore, during its summer days, becomes very hot, so I find it better to hire a Car Rental in Bangalore without driver and drive anywhere I want. However, I avoid the office hours to come out on the roads because I never want to be stuck in the back to back traffic. And on any day, if I feel dehydrated, I would just grab a green coconut and gobble down the refreshing water. It is refreshing for me to just be in Bangalore. I get to see a lot of places inside and outside the city. And when I have a car with me, I do not have to worry about catching a bus or a train. Someday, I feel, I might even come to live here forever!

One of My Most Gorgeous Trips to Karnataka

When I have a travel buddy with the likes of a DSLR, I do not need anyone else with me. I can live for days and days in a row on my own in any corner of the world. I am generally a sunshine soul, but something about monsoon brings out a different personality of me altogether. The hide and seek of the sun gives a feeling that the phenomenon should never end. The mirroring reflections of the sea and sky create an astounding impact as the dark clouds envelope the blue sky. I witness all of these elements of nature whenever I am in Karnataka. Yet more, my last trip to the place was the best of all when I went there in August without no one else, but my Canon camera.

I visit Bangalore for work many times in a year but rarely get a chance to explore the places around the city. However, this time I decided to make time at any cost, even if I had to leave behind everything I think is essential. Over the last few years, I have tried to relax somewhat more than I used to do. I recognize that the world can function without my contribution to it as well. I adopted the slow form of travel this time so that I can spend more time at a place rather than rushing around to see as many places as I can in the shortest time possible.

While wandering around the roads of Karnataka in my car rental, I loved the rain battering on me all through the day. Although I had to take extra care of my camera, the nature rewarded me with some of the most breathtaking views. The backwaters and rivers would change colors more often than I could capture. The trees and plants would spread a pleasant aroma, which would be at variance after every few kilometers.

While playing with the manual settings of my DSLR, I discovered a lot of things that would have remained hidden forever had I not come to Mangalore. The Netravathi River made me recall the delightful memories of my childhood when I would go to my maternal grandparent’s home in Kerala. South India is indeed replete with many such landscapes where I can sit with a book in hand, and have a leisurely time practically every day of the year. I love working what I do for a living, and I have the opportunity to work remotely. As soon as I would be able to gather the courage to shift my home base, I would do it.

It is amazing to do photography in India since people are always enthusiastic to get clicked. They would do what they were doing with much more passion and a huge grin on their faces. Even if I do not play with the settings of my phone, I can click some of the most astonishing shots. It makes my day to roam around such places in the villages of India where people are innocent, yet passionate about life.

When we drove to Malpe, it warmed my heart to see the amalgamation of the river and sea at the Delta Beach. In the backyard of almost every house, I could see the bright blue sky transforming into a dark grey. Taking a Self-Drive Car Bangalore was indeed a great idea because I had to wander around several places without planning for my next destination. I could hop on from one village to another without any plan, and yet feel great about it. At every hamlet, I created such memories that would last a lifetime with me. Again, as soon as I would feel fed up with my metropolitan life, I would make a plan with my friends or maybe alone once again, but I would surely explore another South Indian state next time.

How Helping the Homeless Became Possible with a Simple Idea

Roaming around in India is not possible without feeling sympathetic towards the downtrodden. The sheer number of the poor is enough to give an idea of the gravity of the situation. Since I had been witnessing the scenario for a long time in Bangalore, which is supposedly a metropolitan of India, I decided to do something about it. There are several homeless people in every corner of the country, and Bangalore is no exception. I wanted to do something substantial for these people so that they can sustain themselves during the winter on their own rather than depending the on the rich, who come out of their shells to help them occasionally.

There is an NGO in the city that has just started functioning. My friend, Sahil is already associated with this organization, so I asked him if I can contribute in any productive way to help a few people in the city. He told me that he was planning to be creative this time, and told me about his idea to donate clothes to the poor and the vagrants. In India, we do not have a systematic arrangement of donation and acceptance of alms. Whoever wants to make contributions to the down-and-out does not have any clue how to do it. We often donate clothes and food to our servants, maids, drivers, etc. However, we forget one thing that the people who work for us may afford these things, but there are millions of other people on the roads who cannot. We never think of making an effort and reaching out to them.

The winters are the most severe time of the year for the rich as well, not to mention the poor. The destitute cannot afford warm clothes and blankets for themselves. They always wait for other people to donate these things to them so that they can survive the winters since they have to live on the streets. Sahil mentioned to me that his NGO is planning to build a donation wall that would be peppered around the city. We would require painting any random wall that can attract the attention of the people passing by, embellish it a little to make it more attractive, and penetrate five or more heavy-duty nails in it. The idea would be to spread the message that the wall is meant for people to donate clothes for the poor and hang them on the nails. Anyone can come and give anything they want on the wall; we also made space under the nails where people can place things they wish to donate.

We would spread the message that a few such places in the city are created where people can contribute their alms in any form. The wall is meant to provide a place for those who are willing to do something for the homeless, but they do not know where to begin. Just by knowing that there are places like these donation walls in the city, which we had created by carrying raw material in the Car Rental Bangalore for several days in a row, people may come forward and contribute in various forms. Winters, which play havoc with the lives of the subjugated, may be more bearable this time just because we could provide them with clothes to wear, or blankets to drape their bodies while sleeping. And the best part about this initiative was that the give and the takers both felt dignified. No one had to ask for anything from the rich, and the rich did not have to feel embarrassed while passing on their things. It gave me immense satisfaction while making efforts with Sahil, and I promised him that I would join hands with him the next season as well.

Not Feeling Lonely on My Solo Trip

Choosing solo travel for me was never tricky since I had a lot of reasons to do it, and I did it as quickly as I could. While finalizing my first solo trip, I realized that it was a choice rather than a compulsion. I found myself too much occupied with work and I could not bring my schedule into line with my friends. I wanted to visit Morocco, India, and many other places, but my friends did not wish to go there. My travel style conflicted with my buddies, and there were budget conflicts as well. The most prominent issue was that I could not wait forever for my family and friends to begin accomplishing my dreams. Nevertheless, despite feeling self-motivated to take up a vacation on my own, I had self-doubts.

I could not assure myself that I’ll be able to manage everything on my own. I doubted that I’d not be ready to eat every meal alone. What if I put myself into trouble and I cannot find anyone to help me out. All the same, solo travel does not have to be lonely at all. It never happens like that, at least most of the times. The only point when I felt a little lonely was while traveling solo when I had to make my own choices and be responsible for them.

Meeting other people

As opposed to my solo vacation, I have seen such times when I found myself feeling alone in the company of my friends. When they wanted to party, I would want to read a book. When I tried to have a quiet time, they would feel full of life to wiggle. All in all, it resulted in times when I would feel lonelier with my loved ones than I would do so alone. Moreover, traveling alone makes me easier to talk to, and people find me approachable.

I used to be a shy person earlier, but solo traveling to a few destinations in India and abroad has forced me to leave my shell. I learned that being confident is a different thing, and to sustain yourself in all situations is another. I would need help to ask for directions, read road signs, and the only way to accomplish is to speak to the locals.

Making friends with the environment

My first solo trip was an escape from the urban life of Bangalore in India. I wanted to be at a place where I could adapt to a peaceful environment, and I decided to go to Pondicherry. At that time, I learned that the conditions around me were my only companion, and I made friends with them. After that, wherever I went, I made sure that whenever I felt lonely, I would either immerse in the activities going around me or just talk to other travelers and locals. It made me naturally more social with others. I had the advantage of choosing whatever I wanted from the world. I can hardly have that choice when I am with my pre-set friends or family. When I do want to be just myself, I can walk around and not care about anyone.

Making friends with people, the hills, a dog, a restaurant, or a river is so much natural when you are alone. When I was categorically fed up with my life in the city, I just took a Car Rental Bangalore and left for Pondicherry. I had never been to this place, but like all other tours, this solo trip enhanced my sense of being. I feel that I am a better person now than ever before, and the question of being lonely when I am alone is invalid for me now.

Why I Avoid Deep Thinking While Traveling

The only simple answer to this question is that I consider my vacation time as the period to explore new things. I do not find myself fit for deep thinking at all. The process itself seems so boring to me. In the fast-paced urban life that we live, who has the time to take a week off just to sit back and indulge in deep and serious thoughts. The thought of thinking so much sounds so dull to me that I don’t want to even think about it. I am an active person who remains to be busy at all times. I don’t have time to waste on petty issues of life.

Some people may call me selfish and mean for not winking an eyelid about things that hold significant substance for others. I have heard things about myself when people have called me unfit for social life. They do not want to be with me because I do not give right and proper importance to their concerns of life. Men do not want to make me their spouse because they do not find me serious enough for a stable relationship. I don’t mind listening to things like this because I know that it is not my job to please everyone. I have a very close-knit relationship with my family and a couple of friends. Only the space for a spouse is vacant, which I am sure will fill up when the right time comes. I am in no hurry to jump into a relationship or get married.

In spite of this, I have been with people who have been really sweet with me and accepted me the way I am; and most of these generous folks are travelers. I am a real wanderer at heart, and people who love me know this about me. I am a detached person, which makes me different from others, but not evil. It is just a fact, which not most of the folks around me are not able to understand. After spending a good deal of time explaining my perspective to people, I have given up the challenge to transform the world. I, now, maintain a low profile of existence and do not elucidate my ideas to anyone.

I have understood that most people in office and society are there just to find fodder for gossip. They are not capable of understanding the broader values of life as they are happy existing in their shells. As opposed to most of the crowd, I am inclined towards learning new things, talking to new people, exploring new cultures, and uncovering various facts unknown to regular folks. During my journeys to multiple cities in India, I loved the time I spent in Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, McLeodganj, Manali, and various other places. Each of these cities has taught me a lot about their culture, people, their habits, and food. However, nowhere in the city did I try to seek the peace of mind.

I do not want to flaunt anything, but I find myself at peace at all times. Even though I do not have time to even think about my next meal while working for Car rental Bangalore, I do not have anything to complain about life. Sometimes, I feel the need to relax, unwind, and take a breather, but that does not mean I want to think about things that hold no value for me, but for others. I have realized that over thinking about problems never solves them. It is only when I relax and stop thinking about issues that I can find better answers to them.