Our Slow Backpacking Travel Experience Across South East Asia!

It was time for us to set out on yet another memorable long trip but this trip would be nothing like our previous ones, not in the comfort of our homeland. The trip focused on South East Asian countries and we finally zeroed down on visiting Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar for 75 days in all. The different culture, people, fantastic food, language barriers and challenges that came with this Asia trip was just the perfect travel experience that we were longing for.

It was a smooth sail and we had the most amazing experiences where we got to spend a night on a cruise, fired an AK 47 at a Gun Range, kayaked in deep blue waters, swam into a dark cave with just a helmet mounted torchlight. The stunning architecture distinct to these Nations was visible in their palaces, temples and monasteries. Their beaches and islands showed us the stunning natural beauty that these nations have to offer. We also were able to experience some extreme weather conditions from being blazing hot to continuous rains for days to experiencing the after effects of a typhoon. Their museums gave us more insight into their past and we learnt so much more about their History. We also had our first dormitory experience in one of the hostels and this trip was not just an amazing journey but a great teacher as well.

We started our trip with Cambodia, the land of ancient Hindu temples and fell in love with not just the Angkor Wat temple but the beautiful temples surrounding the complex. Though these temples are not much in the limelight, we feel they are way more deserving than the Angkor Wat itself. The other beautiful highlight of Cambodia was the stunning Koh Rong Samolem island. This beautiful island with crystal clear water was the most spectacular experience. Getting to meet so many lovely people from across the Globe and going for a swim under the cover of darkness at the Plankton Beach was definitely a trip highlight. We ended up snorkeling and fishing while on a boat and feasting on barbecued fish right on the boat - an experience that we can never forget.

While in Phnom Penh, on one hand we witnessed the amazing water festival and on the other we learnt about the depressing past that still haunts this wonderful Nation. A visit to Killing Fields and S21 Prison showed a glimpse of the terrible times and what the people had been through making our eyes moist. Under the Khmer Rogue rule, the atrocities committed by them were gut wrenching. The mass killings by the regime lead to the death of close to 2-3 million people (25% of Cambodia's population) just because they were educated or were not following the ideologies laid out by the communist Khmer Rogue.

After spending 15 days, with a heavy heart we bid adieu to Cambodia and flew into Vietnam. We wouldn't even know where to start with the awesomeness of Vietnam. The cruise on stunning Bai Tu Long Bay, beautiful Tra Ang grottoes, heart stopping caves of Phong Nha, rich history of Hoi An, lovely beaches of Nha Trang and the chaos of Ho Chi Minh city was a complete package. The sheer number of UNESCO world heritage sites, cool coconuts, pagodas, Palaces and amazing local beers literally made our 30 days in Vietnam feel like 3 minutes. Also, not to forget trying out the local cuisine and instantly falling in love with their sinful coffee so much so that we became coffee addicts and we are not really coffee drinkers. The coffee is so amazing here that we picked up 2 kilograms of coffee powder and two very beautiful and cute Vietnamese coffee filters. Though we experienced stormy weather in Vietnam, we still managed to enjoy the cultural history that the Nation has to offer in the beautiful city of Hoi An.

These beautiful places are so pristine, it is difficult to digest that some of these places were bombed on a daily basis for close to 20 years by Uncle Sam. The courage and valor of these people needs to be saluted.

We also got a glimpse of the harsh reality of the Vietnam War and the repercussions that the war has left on the people of Vietnam. Many parts of the country are still suffering due to the unrepairable damages caused by the war and the atrocities carried out during the war. The museum in Ho Chi Minh city displays photographs wherein many regions have suffered due to the toxic chemical sprays (Agent Orange) and the deformities that people are now born with. These pictures are pretty graphic and not for the faint-heart. While most of us were in tears reading the atrocities carried out, it is unimaginable to even think that these people are still suffering and for no fault of theirs. Human mind can think of such inhumane things and not have a bit of remorse is shameful.

After 45 days of strict budget backpacking, it was time to pamper ourselves on the beautiful islands of Thailand with creature comforts and we did not have to look far. The calm and serene Koh Yao Yai island off Krabi would come second to none. Koh Yao Yai offered perfectly calm, secluded beaches that we had pretty much to ourselves the entire time.

All the 3 nations have amazing local breweries that dish out inexpensive and the best beer on the planet. It was a very budgeted trip and while in Cambodia we managed to travel by local buses, in Vietnam we preferred the train services. Despite opting for some pricey excursions- Bai Tu Long, Trang An, Angkor Wat, plenty of foreigner priced entry tickets, internal flights, plenty of walk and public transport and very few cabs, we managed to spend almost the same amount or less had we been travelling in our homeland. In none of these countries we opted for local sim cards. One could also do the same trip in a way lesser budget.

Due to prior commitments, Reshma flew back home while Ram continued the journey to the beautiful Burmese Land- Myanmar.

While travelling to Myanmar, it was on the news for all wrong reasons and it still is but it was simply the best travel destination in South East Asia. In my experience, Burmese people were really nice, warm and welcoming. Though it might sound cliché, it was truly the warmth of these people that made me fall in love with this Nation. Will dedicate detailed post about the issues the country is facing (political/Rohingya crisis.)

Myanmar took me back in time with it's laid back and chilled out life. While the lovely city of Mandalay welcomed me with some historic monuments and lip smacking food, a hand written train ticket took me on an adventurous train ride over the breathtaking Giotduct bridge and this train journey is a must. The colonial homes in the lovely hills of Pyin ya Loo were enchanting and one of them now converted into a hostel was my home for 4 days where I did nothing but enjoy the pleasant climate, cycle around and soak in the scenery. Of course, Myanmar experience is incomplete without visiting the mighty Bagan pagodas and monasteries and it was out of the world. Watching the sunrise over these ancient monuments was an icing on the cake. Finally, I wound up my trip in Yangon and after 75 days was back to home sweet home.

Individual posts on each destination that will help plan your future trips to South East Asia will be up on the blog shortly!

Nagaland Inner Line Permit Procedure

Nagaland is one of the 3 North Eastern States that still requires tourists to obtain the Colonial Era 'Inner Line Permit.' One can get the Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Nagaland in Dimapur. We got our Inner Line Permit issued at the 'Deputy Commissioner Office' in Dimapur.

It is a fairly simple process but a little time consuming. The permit is issued for 30 days by default. The documents required are a photocopy of address proof, one passport size photo and the ILP form needs to be duly filled in block letters. Post this, a picture of yours is clicked while submitting the form. After this we had to wait for the DC to sign the ILP. The entire process took us about 3 hours and we were armed with the official permit papers to visit Nagaland.

We were charged Rs.10 per form and Rs.130 per person for the permit. However, we were not provided any receipt and upon questioning all of a sudden came the language barrier and our further questions were unanswered. After this we were pretty certain that it was not a fee but a polished way of taking bribe.

There are various Army check-posts in Nagaland that may ask for your ILPs so remember to keep them safe and handy.

If you are flying into Dimapur, ILP can be obtained at the airport.

6 Years Of Living A Nomadic Life After Quitting Google

A sailor is truly content only when s/he ventures out in the ocean. Standing on the shore with the ocean beckoning he craves to be where he truly belongs. The fear of storms, currents, getting lost all seem to be there but the urge to be in ocean overpowers these fears and a possibility of  never returning to land also does not deter him. He is safe when he's on shore but that defeats the whole point of being a sailor.

We dreamt of living a nomadic life i.e. be armed with a map, hit the open road, explore new destinations with no fixed schedule and no return ticket. We were fortunate to have been living this dream life for the last 4 years. But has our life been a bed of roses? No, definitely not! It has its own share of thorns and like Everyone else we have our Ups and Downs but that is what Life is all about. The burning question is are we happy doing what we are doing despite all hardships and challenges. Hell yes, and if we had a chance to go back in time, we would've taken the same decision in fact to be honest, maybe a bit earlier than we actually did.

Introspecting if our lives have changed for better or worse, we sure had one hell of a ride. Over these four years we had experiences that were extremely good and not so good. We have spent nights like royals in a palace, kayaked late in the night and watched the bio luminous phenomenon, snorkeled in the ocean, fell in love with architecture and ruins of our country, hiked up mountains while it poured like cats and dogs, witnessed one of its kind traditional boat race, managed to spot a one horned rhino while on a jungle trek, hiked up 3000 steps to visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridge, witnessed crystal clear natural swimming pools, hiked up the Tiger Nest Monastery, travelled to one of the highest lakes in the world, were audience to the great migration of millions of Amur falcons, lived with locals and dined with the headhunters. We had the luxury to travel for months on multiple road-trips covering a total distance of 33615 km, stop where ever we wanted and change our plans frequently. We were able to pretty much see every place to our heart's content.

On the other hand, there were times when we had to walk kilometers in search of food only to find a place in the middle of nowhere that served just tea and boiled eggs and at times biscuits were substituted for meals. On multiple occasions with no signal or maps to bail us out we were lost on the road. We have also been conned and ended up paying lot more that we should have. At times, we were not sure if we would get a place to sleep and other times we slept in the dingiest of rooms with rats and insects keeping us company. We have worn the same set of clothes for several weeks and have literally lived out of our rucksacks. We have got locked in forts and lived in places when there were riots and unrest, even witnessed a cylinder blast. We have been away from home for several festivals, there were days when we had fallen ill and missed the comforts of our cozy home but not once have we regretted our decision to embark on a nomadic life.

Travelling taught us a lot about life. Patience, things do not go per plan, adjusting to situations, living out of our comfort zone, not worrying too much, not judging people, being sensitive to others feelings, agreeing to disagree, becoming more mature and budgeting. For months we have been on the road, we backpacked travelling like locals taking the train, bus, ferry and sometimes even hitchhiking to reach our destination. We were overjoyed to ride and drive on roads that were brilliant and gave us a chance to wander into so many hidden trails that would have otherwise not been possible. We have learnt so much about many local cuisines and found the best of food at our homestays and many a local small eat outs. Met some extraordinary  people, made some amazing friends and learnt how to live life each day rather than worry about where we stand 5 or 10 years down the line.

We learnt how to live out of a 65 liter rucksack and not once regretted that we are carrying so little. This helped us detach ourselves from materialism and made us realize how little we needed to be genuinely happy and contended. Since the time we stopped receiving our hefty paychecks we have always managed to live happily on a very small budget. Well planned advertisements and mega sales by online giants have never managed to lure us into buying things that we do not need. One of us has been using a mobile with a cracked screen for the last one year. 

A couple of experiences made us realize how bad it is to judge people and not to stereotype them. People who we may never meet again in our life have become our best buddies and few of those whom we considered to be close friends turned out to be complete strangers. Though we spent festivals away from our families, we were welcomed by locals who celebrated their festivals and had such big hearts to invite us and join them in their celebrations. Most importantly we as a couple have matured and the bonding that we share has definitely increased.

Language has never been a hindrance or a barrier, we have learnt how to communicate in sign language and through expressions. We have come so far out of our comfort zone and understood the importance of appreciating varied cultures, traditions, faith and views. Things that were a taboo for us turned out to be someone else's way of living and we learnt to respect that. There are several unforgettable memories that we have had in the last four years which we would cherish until we hit our graves. All these journeys taught us invaluable lessons that no university could teach.

This post in no way suggests that everyone should quit their jobs and travel. When every person is not alike, how can their paths be. And who are we to say what one should or should not do. We have taken the road less travelled and want to share that it made us happy following our passion as opposed to our office desks. Off late we have seen quite a few articles where people following their passion especially travel are being ridiculed and mocked. Everyone has their own passion and interests that they would want to pursue. For us it was travel, for others it could be art or stand-up comedy or acting etc. Just because some people do not follow the society prescribed lifestyle it does not mean that they are an outcast or plain stupid. Our request to people who echo such thoughts is 'if you cant motivate at least do not discourage.'

Choosing this style of living was not an emotional decision that we took at the spur of a moment. We always wanted to do this but the calling came a little earlier than expected. We thought this through had a faint idea of the challenges that we would face and took a leap of faith. Our motto in life is 'Never borrow money to buy anything.' If you cant afford it forget it or save till you can afford it.

Money is always a concern, it is for us too. We try and see how we can make ends meet. Just FYI, we are not loaded, we still have to pay our rent, take care of our living expenses but note that 'changes' and not 'sacrifices' in our lifestyle have helped us realize this dream. Life has ups and downs but in the end if you are happy doing what you are doing that is what counts. 

People are skeptical to take up their passion as profession fearing lack of opportunities and remuneration. In our case, in a span of four months, we were approached by online magazines and travel portals to contribute our travel write-ups. One of us even got an opportunity to be briefly trained as a 'Naturalist' by Taj safaris. 

The question raised by Alan Watts- “How would you live your life if money was no object ?” - pretty much sums up our lives post quitting, happy and content, following our passion- to travel.

Himalayan Motorcycle Odyssey!

"It's a part of our life that we spent in the mountains."

Our love for travel, road, mountains and the bike took us to the Himalayas for a road trip that we would cherish and take to our graves. The three of us, Guy, Girl and Motorcycle headed out in search of salvation to Nepal, Bhutan and the hidden treasure, Sikkim.

Our trip started with Nepal, then we rode to Sikkim and from there we headed to Bhutan. During the entire trip of 50 days, we covered 4269 km. We made hotels our homes, fell in love with Momos, Nepali thali, Datshi, Paa, people, culture, roads, landscapes and many more.

Our Route Map

It is very difficult to put in words all the fun and excitement that we had over these two months. However hard we think, we are running short of words to describe how awesome we felt and how lucky we are to do things that our hearts have always craved for. Over the last several days, we spent a part of our lives with the incredible people of North East India, Bhutan and Nepal.

This adventurous road trip on our motorcycle took us to three places that are an extension of the graceful Himalayas, but are unique in their own way and left us enchanted by their magic. Nepal offered us a chance to see some of the most exotic migratory birds in Koshi Tappu, the birth place of Goddess Sita - Janakpur. We rode on an elephant back into the Royal Chitwan national park in search of the imperil one horned Rhino. Katmandu treated us with abundant heritage and history, we had spectacular views of Himalayas from Pokhara and visited the birth place of Buddha - Lumbini.

Our very own Sikkim offered us a change to see one of the highest lakes in the world - Gurudongmar lake, 16th century Rumtek monastery, second capital of Sikkim - Rabdentse Ruins, glimpse of super rare and highly endangered wildlife, rode on the second highest bridge in Asia, saw the gears used by the great Tenzing Norgay.

Bhutan - The awesome Kingdom that puts Happiness ahead of Money. A country that does not believe in traffic lights, yet maintains impeccable driving sense. Home of the breathtaking Tiger nest monastery.

All of this would not have been possible without the help of an integral part of our family - our Royal Enfield motorcycle. He turned out to be the best companion to do this trip with. Throughout the testing climatic conditions and terrible roads, he did run like a champ and never gave us any trouble or threw fits around. True to his tag line -"Made like a gun, goes like a Bullet," this machine is indeed a true legacy. We just fell in love with our bike all over again.

This trip will always stay very close to our hearts.