I LOVE Asia. One of the best things about it is how starkly different it is to the western world in certain regards. While many of these culture clashes invigorated me, other Asian habits annoyed me – and some just had no logic to them.
I’d like to think I give each place I visit a fair chance to show me what they’ve got. We shouldn’t be so quick to judge when we meet new people, so it’s only logical that we do the same when we visit new cities/countries.
I love solo travel, and I will happily sing its praises to anyone who will listen. But man, sometimes it’s nice to be able to split the cost of things with traveling companions – whether it’s ordering several dishes and sharing them all, affording a 5-star hotel room, or just sharing a cab to the airport.
Let’s be real: one of the major draws to Southeast Asia is how insanely affordable it is to travel there. I knew Cambodia was one of the cheaper countries to get by in, but it didn’t really hit home until I found myself indulging in $1.50 cocktails in Siem Reap.
I thought for sure I’d spend my month in India obsessing over the amazing food or the colorful markets. Clearly, neither really did it for me. Instead, I found myself being drawn to archways and doors in India.
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With just a few weeks left on my backpacking trip, I think I can accurately assess how well I did packing for Asia.
I kept this 3-bag setup throughout the entire 5 months and it worked quite well – but I won’t lie, it was quite cumbersome, especially at times where my backpack weighed more.
I knew my travel plans would change at some point during my 2013 Asia trip. In fact, I welcomed the spontaneity – which is why I didn’t plan much beyond a rough route map for those 5 months.
The ‘Best of India’ photo gallery below is a collection of images I took in March 2013 while traveling in Northern India. I spent most of my time in Rajasthan, culminating in celebrating Holi in Jaipur.
I had sworn off Phuket long before I’d even arrived there. Too touristy, too developed, and – relatively speaking – the beaches aren’t that great. I’d rather just fly in and jet straight to another island: first Koh Lanta, then Koh Kradan and Koh Phi Phi.