Its sunset in Varanasi and the pink and blue streaked sky is beginning to cast a glow over the slow-flowing Ganges River. It’s surreal to be here as it feels like it was just yesterday that I was wearing pajamas back in New York City, watching a CNN special on Varanasi, with my tabby… [Read More]
How to Avoid Sickness in India (and What to Do if You Get Sick)
When I told friends and family I would be traveling to India, I was always met with the same two statements: “India will be the most intense place you’ll ever visit” and “just start mentally preparing yourself now for getting sick.” Getting sick abroad has become somewhat of a tradition for me, unfortunately…. [Read More]
Bali Might Soon End Their Dog Meat Trade
Back in June, I traveled to Bali on behalf of Culture Trip to investigate the controversial dog meat trade that has been unfolding on the island. I had been to Bali before, but—like most travelers there—remained blissfully unaware of the many issues that plague “the island of the Gods,” distracted instead by my own solo travels and ‘Eat Pray Love’… [Read More]
Dispatch: Exploring the Dog Meat Trade in Bali
It’s the thin, white markings on Cinta’s otherwise black paws that are the first clue to her horrific past, evidence of being bound for days at a time. Cinta—whose name translates to ‘love’ in Bahasa—was rescued from a dog meat restaurant back in 2015, just one of an estimated 80 dog meat warungs (family-owned restaurants) found across… [Read More]
How to Spend the Perfect Day on Gili Trawangan
The Gili Islands—made up of Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air—are a 1.5 hour boat ride from Bali and off the coast of Lombok Island. Known for their white sand beaches and Caribbean-blue waters, the islands are a magnet for couples, backpackers, divers and partiers alike. Of the three islands, Gili Trawangan is the most developed… [Read More]
The Spiritual Side of Bali Most Tourists Don’t See
Every morning in Ubud, I woke up to the soft swishing of the family compound being swept with a coarse broom made of coconut branches. I laid in bed for a few more minutes, listening to the other morning sounds take shape: the cooing of the birds, the chirps of the geckos and the… [Read More]
Dining at Hong Kong’s Hello Kitty Restaurant
I’m a sucker for cliches. Macarons in Paris. Meditation in Ubud. Pizza in Rome. Icelandic horse selfies in Reykjavik. I love doing the things “people are supposed to do” in particular destinations. So, when I found myself in Hong Kong recently, I knew what cheesy cliche I wanted to pursue: The Hello Kitty Chinese Restaurant. … [Read More]
An Essential Guide to India’s Airport Customs
It is a new era. One of electronics ban, senseless travel bans and inconvenient restrictions that add new layers of complexities to our itineraries. No matter how exciting the trip, it is necessary to jump through the hoops of visas and customs before dropping our bags and beginning our adventure. In India, navigating… [Read More]
An Introduction & Guide to Eating in Hanoi, Vietnam
After a short flight from Bangkok, my boyfriend, Jeff, and I arrive in Vietnam late one Monday night. A blur of customs, on-arrival visa applications and airport taxis later, we drop our bags off at the Phoenix Hotel in the Old Quarter, just west of Hoan Kiem Lake. Famished, we decide to step outside… [Read More]
