“The journey itself is my home.”
365 days of homestays, high altitude cycling, and beautiful landscapes throughout India.
India Through the Lens: A Year of Memorable Moments Part 1
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Category Archives: India
To Delhi and Out
“Her secret of success is that she did it all with passion.”
After a year between India and Nepal I couldn’t be more excited to start the rest of this trip in Europe. Though the culture may not be so “crazy” or different than my own in many parts, I have come to realize that what I am really in search of are good people and beautiful mountains. Though I know nearly nothing about Georgia or Armenia, from what others have told me, these countries will provide a wonderful starting point for our gigantic European tour (yes, our plans have indeed changed again). Kevin and I plan to continue on through Turkey (where my brother and best friend will join us for a few weeks during Christmas) and Eastern Europe before heading up to Finland and, after crossing the arctic circle, make our way down Norway. After heading back down through Denmark we plan to traverse the Alps and Italy, eventually ending our two year European tour in Spain and Portugal as well as Morocco (yes yes, I know it’s part of Africa not Europe) for as many months as we please. Sounds fun, right?!
As You Read This Letter, I Am Behind Bars: Baha’i Persecution in Iran
“I see the good in the world because I choose to. I don’t imagine that it’s there; it’s there waiting to be noticed.”
I seem to be on a bit of a “peace and equality” theme here, both because what I have personally seen and because of the wars currently being waged in our world today in the name of religion (seriously, my ultimate pet peeve). There is a quieter war being waged in Iran today as well. It’s not in the mainstream media so most of you probably haven’t heard about it, but it’s there. The Iranian government has been persecuting the Baha’is for decades now, and recently, there has been an increase in imprisonment and inequalities towards this group of people just because of their beliefs.
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India: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”
Asia, more specifically India and Nepal, have taught me more about myself than I could have ever imagined. Spending a year between these countries, mostly alone as a young female, has lead to some of the best and worst experiences I have ever had. The memories of families who took me in, the beauty of the Himalayas, the wonderful nights in my tent, and the constant stares and harassment I received from trying to live in a scarily patriarchal society will stay with me forever. More than that though, this year has shown me how much I value where I grew up and the things, equality of women, openness to difference, and abolition of a ridged social hierarchy for instance, that I take for granted.
War Does Not Make Peace
“Too many young folks have addiction to superficial things and not enough conviction for substantial things like justice, truth, and love.”
Checking the news after two weeks without internet did not wield many surprises. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has intensified, Nigeria has seen many more deaths from the Boko Haram, Syria’s situation has become more dire than ever, and Ukraine is still trying to reclaim its territory from Russia. Oh, and someone just shot down a plane killing 300 innocent people in the process. In other words, it’s war after war after war, a never ending cycle of violence our world seems to deem necessary. Because of this, I have decided to dedicate this post to peaceful protesters, people like Gandhi and Mandela who have managed to influence our world without the use of violence.
Leh to Manali in Roadsigns
“Not all those who bicycle are lost.”
Anyone who has visited Ladakh will remember the hilarious roadsigns the government has set up for tourists along the way. And for those of you who haven’t seen them, here are just a few examples.
An Ode to the Himalayas: Nights on the Road
“I can’t have bad dreams when I sleep under the stars.”
As a final farewell to the Himalayas and to mountains in general for the next little while (ok, long while, the alps are still quite a few kilometers away) here are a few of my favorite camping spots (that I remembered to take pictures at) from my stay in the mountains.
The Caste System: The Demise of India
“India is a great place for backpackers who see what they come to see, but a difficult place for us cyclists who see it all.”
This was said by a fellow world touring cyclist, who, after visiting over fifty countries across five continents (over a seven year period) finds India to be the most difficult and frustrating of them all. This conversation, which I have now had several times with many different world touring cyclists (who all say India is their least favorite) got me thinking about what makes it so difficult.
India’s problems do not originate from poverty as many people believe, but rather from the harsh and despicable caste system which causes never ending inequality. Imagine being born into a low-caste and treated like a dirty dog from day one of your life. Imagine literally being called an “untouchable,” because the higher caste society around you avoids you at all costs. Imagine the never ending cycle of poverty and ignorance created from a system which puts you in your place from the second you enter into this world, which makes it clear to you from birth that you are not allowed to progress from the bottom rungs of society just because of your family’s name.
Mountains, Camping, and A Whole Lot of Cyclists: Part 2
“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine: it is lethal.”
When we woke up to an overcast sky on our sixth day of cycling we were relieved for a reprieve from the ever-present high altitude sun we have been constantly cycling under. Of course the clouds did turn into a rain storm, but surprisingly enough it still turned out to be our best day yet.
Mountains, Camping, and A Whole Lot of Cyclists: Part 1
“Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit is the answer to the mystery why we climb.”
The famous Leh to Manali highway was a wonderful 500km ride which combined tough high altitude cycling with beautiful Himalayan camping. This ten day adventure took us over five very high passes (including the second highest pass in the world) and led us out of the arid Himalayas and into the green foothills below. Best of all, since this route is so popular amongst world touring cyclists, we met nearly a dozen tourers just like us.
The Wandering Nomads 