Hawa Mahal, the “Palace of Winds”, Jaipur, Rajasthan
At first sight a chaotic, congested, hot city, but Jaipur abounds with highlights and is definitely worth spending several days to somewhat scratch below the surface. The good news, if you have enough time to explore more of the city than just the Amber Fort, the City Palace and Palace of the Winds (visited by groups in this very order), you will meet very few tourists.
Taj Mahal, Agra
There is so much more to Agra than “only” the Taj Mahal. It is sad to see that many tours consider Agra only worth a day trip from Delhi. Agra has a lot to offer, and you will need 2.5 to 3 days to explore it all without rushing around.
A Photo Essay
Hairdresser, Beauty Salon, Mandalay, Myanmar
It won’t take long until young Burmese men with funky hairdos draw your attention. Obviously the thing to do: a very, very creative part of local fashion! Young men proudly adorn themselves with the strangest haircuts. You think it’s a small number of extravagant people, oh no! It is a very widespread trend. Continue Reading →
A Photo Essay
Pahto Dhammayangyi, Bagan, Myanmar
A bird’s view of the temples of Bagan left us thunderstruck. Yes, these unforgettable 45 minutes in a hot air balloon cost 320 USD. But what can we say except: “Je ne regret rien”. Seeing Bagan from that perspective was definitely worth every cent, the experience of a lifetime. Besides, it is probably one of the best and most scenic places to have your first balloon flight… Continue Reading →
Monks @ Mahamuni Paya, Mandalay
Mandalay is neither an attractive nor a pleasant city at first sight: a hot, modern, bustling grid of endless streets lined up with dull concrete blocks. Not a city that invites for long and pleasant strolls! Nevertheless, Mandalay abounds with amazing sites, and you will need at least 3 days if you want to visit those – More if you aim at diving deeper into this surprising city. The good news, even though Mandalay is on everyone’s itinerary, you will seldom see “tourists en masse”, and sometimes really feel like being the only visitor! Continue Reading →
Gokteik Viaduct, between Pyin Oo Lwin & Hsipaw, Myanmar
An epic journey to places we could hardly pronounce… It all started with a bizarre way of buying a train ticket in Pyin Oo Lwin and ended with hitch-hiking a ride on a truck into Hsipaw!
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Surroundings of Hpa An, near Saddan Cave, Myamar
Myanmar is currently experiencing an exponential increase in international tourism, mainly through large, organized tours. Nevertheless, we found places Off The Beaten Track, actually many more than we had expected. And not all that far away from the main tourist drag Yangon / Mandalay / Bagan / Inle!
South of Yangon we discovered quite a few areas where even independent travelers are rare but highlights abundant! Continue Reading →
Bac Ha Sunday Market, North Vietnam
Given that Vietnam is a very large country, five weeks simply weren’t enough. Like usually, the rushing sets in at the end of a trip. So four days was all we could spend in Vietnam’s scenic Northwest, focusing on SaPa and Bac Ha. In each place we moved around independently, avoiding tours! Continue Reading →
Yangon’ Circle Line, Myanmar
Have you ever taken a 3 hour train ride arriving precisely where you started off? Being twirled around like laundry during the spin cycle? If not, take the Circle Line in Yangon and do the whole loop, for as little as 300 Kyats or 0,25 Euro. This commuter train takes you to neighborhoods in the north of the city, where you feel like being in the countryside rather than in a capital city.
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Taragarh Fort, Bundi, Rajasthan, India
In April 2012 we had our first brush with India, to be precise Eastern Rajasthan. For eleven days we gazed at the most incredible Moghul architecture in Agra and Jaipur. We also threw in a bit of wildlife by visiting Ranthambhore National Park. When we returned in March 2013, we headed for the Southwest of Rajasthan for twelve days, to marvel at these impressive forts & palaces in Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Bundi, Chittorgarh and last but not least Pushkar & Ajmer. Delhi was our hub during both trips. Continue Reading →
