GRRRL TRAVELER - Part 42

Festival time in Delhi with friends

Filed under Delhi, India by Christine Ka'aloa on October 9, 2008 at 12:06 pm {no comments}

Regina & Sandeep in front of giant Ramlila dolls that will be burnt as part of the festivities

I’ve hired a driver for a day to see Delhi.

For 700Rs (a little over $10 and equal to a OW cab trip from Soho to my apt in Hell’s Kitchen ) this is a bargain! Both Sandeep and Regina are joining me for the day. Sandeep offered his car for this, but I declined. Also, it’s Regina’s last day to sightsee Delhi. We need to see this city!

Tourist sights: Lotus Temple, Hanumayun’s Tomb & Quatab Minar (both to drop R off), the government sector full of government building & the (more…)

Raj’s Cozy Inn Hotel: A decent budget hotel in Paharganj’s backpacking district

Filed under Accommodations, Delhi by Christine Ka'aloa on October 9, 2008 at 11:38 am {2 comments}

raj's cozy inn paharganj

From the outside, Raj’s Cozy Inn Hotel doesn’t look very inviting. But in Paharganj, Delhi’s budget hotel and backpacker district, most hotel welcome mat come stained as a general standard.

Surprisingly, Raj’s Cozy Inn Hotel is not in Lonely Planet’s Guide to India. I found this hotel because the two hotels that were in my guidebook, Hotel Namaskar and Smyle Inn, were fully booked. Hotel Namaskar, referred me to RCI, just around the corner. The hotel itself is smaller with less rooms on each floor, but it was a newer hotel.

The lobby and rooms were clean and bright. My room was fairly spartan- a double-sized mattress w/ fan, TV and western style bathroom- but it (more…)

Delhi Metro, an Indian SIM & Making New Friends

Filed under Delhi by Christine Ka'aloa on October 8, 2008 at 12:03 pm {no comments}

: On the delhi metro

Back in Delhi. This time around (post scam tour), I am CONVINCED I will make it better!

Getting an Indian SIM

I met R at the Vonnage store in Connaught Place. We needed to report that the SIM cards Regina had purchased for us were NOT working and we’ve been without use of our phones since. The store gave us the run-around & it’s true that anything dealing with the purchase of SIM’s in (more…)

Lessons of a first-time Solo Traveler in India

Filed under I Survived!, India by Christine Ka'aloa on October 7, 2008 at 11:59 am {no comments}

Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008: Delhi

Back in the U.S., when I was on the road for MTV, I had a GPS, Hertz rental car, a mobile phone with internet access, a 4-5 star hotel with meal stipends and a support office back home working 24/7 for my minute travel questions. Safe to say, I’ve been spoiled a bit.

Here in India, I’m completely on my own– being far from familiar faces, I’ve no tour guides for help; no shoulder to cry on when things go wrong.

When you’re on your own for the first time in a developing country and you don’t have all the conveniences and safe glass bubble partitions protecting you from the outside world, what do you do?

1. Allowing yourself to trust strangers when you travel.

Your mom probably told you to never trust strangers. Well, when you’re alone, often, a stranger is all you have.

Traveling solo is the quickest way to learn how to make friends out of strangers as locals and fellow travelers are your only option for conversation and advice. While this can feel scary and a dangerous gamble, being a foreigner in foreign country, I am reliant upon them. What alternate choice am I given? In these cases I realize, I also have to utilize good street smarts and rely on my intuition to tell me when something isn’t feeling right. (more…)

Ghat Life in Varanasi

Filed under Religious, SOLO TRAVEL by Christine Ka'aloa on October 7, 2008 at 11:57 am {no comments}

: On the ghats of Varanasi

Today is my Rest day

It is my last day in Varanasi. I will let the Spirit of Varanasi guide me to where she wants and I humbly obey. Hopefully, she’s a bit more seductive and a little less buffeting this time.

First, the Spirit tells me to laze in the clean sheets of my ahhhhh AC palace. I enjoy time off from the heat, the stink, the cows and the scams. I hang out to the cafe patio, have a nice Thali meal (aka a dish comprised of small samplings of different curries, yogurt -for cooling- and rice) and spend time on the internet looking for a hotel in Delhi.

(more…)

Written by Christine Ka'aloa Religious

Varanasi’s Rawest Stains: Will you Love it or Hate it?

The darker side of Varanasi
When you first arrive Varanasi’s streets and alleyways, especially closer to the Ganges can feel like a shit hole… one giant toilet! It takes time to acclimate to all that’s going on in the surrounding environment.

October 6, 2008 0

Written by Christine Ka'aloa I Survived!

Varanasi’s Holy & Humorous Underbelly Tour

My first sightseeing day in Varanasi

October 5, 2008 0

Written by Christine Ka'aloa Religious

Durga Puja Festival in Varanasi

October 5, 2008 0

Written by Christine Ka'aloa Religious

Sunrise on the Ganges & Burning Bodies

My boat cruise down the Ganges at 6 AM felt beautifully special …and not, with reason that at least a 100 of other tourist boats were out on the waters racing to make the length of the Ganges before sunrise!