Definitely the #1 attraction in Yangon and is so for a reason. It's a beautiful, powerful site and has a different aura to it than the rest of the city. It was awe-inspiring to see the reverence of the Burmese people visiting the sight.

We visited twice in a single day – once in the morning, and once at sunset, and I would highly encourage you to visit at both times. A monk talked to us (well, me and vicariously-through-me to Anaïs) during the evening session and seeing the surrounds light up as the sky cools from daylight to deep blue is incredible. For visiting details, visit http://theshwedagonpagoda.com/.

2. Twante

Step 1: Head to the Pansodan Ferry terminal and purchases ferry tickets to Dawa.
Step 2: Enjoy a brief, no-holds-barred ferry-turned-market boat ride to Dawa

Step 3: Find a minibus heading to Twante and wait around for it to fill up.

Step 4: After 45 minute ride to Twante, bargain a lower price for a trishaw ride around town

Step 5: Check out a pot-making facility, a few pagodas, some local sights

Step 6: Return to Yangon, reversing steps 1-3

In hindsight, was this an awesome day? Not really, to be honest – nothing about it was awe-inspiring. However, it was, fun to see a lot of locals going about their daily lives and seeing some sights few others will make the trek for. If you're in Yangon during high season and fancy a trip with a few less tourists around, this is it for you.

3. Free walking tour

Free Yangon Walks offers a great tour that gives you a solid foundation about the history of the city via its architecture and explores current-day life through local food suggestions and day-trip ideas. Gino does a great job keeping everything interesting, weaving in his signature humor while making sure you learn a lot during the 2 hour tour. We both enjoyed the stop at Pansodan Scene Cafe and Gallery, seeing the revival of the historically-active art scene in Yangon.

Gino has great recommendations on what to do and a lot of like-minded people will be on the tour with you. We ended up spending the evening with some tour-mates, eating dinner and watching the World Cup at a local bar drinking Burmese beer. The next day, we teamed up for this:

4. Circle Train Ride

Although it seems to have become more of a tourist attraction of late, this is a fantastic way to see the outskirts of Yangon and see local life up close. It takes about 3 hours to go all the way around nonstop, but the market half-way through at the Danyingon stop it is fun to stop and look through. It's in a neighborhood tourists rarely venture to unless they arrive via this train and is a great experience. It's mostly locals, hawking and buying everything under the sun (not literally – it's mostly covered). There was even a lady giving haircuts right near the food market.

Yep, after some poking and prodding from friends, I got my haircut there. It was perhaps not the best crop of my life, but easily the most memorable. The lady spoke no English, she had to turn on a generator to get the clippers going, kids were watching from the windows/doorway – it was priceless. She then refused to take any money, so I had to leave it on the counter. One of my favorite moments in Myanmar.

The train leaves from the Central Railway station. Tickets were only a few hundred kyat at the time we went in June, 2014.

5. Kandawgyi Lake

A large lake in the middle of the city, there is a walking path that will take you around the edge and makes for a pleasant stroll. We visited in the early afternoon after visiting Shwedagon in the morning and found many people enjoying one of the few green spaces within the inner city. At the southeast corner of the lake you will find Off The Beaten Track Cafe, run mainly by former tour guide who decided to set up shop and give out free advice about traveling around his country. The food and drinks aren't exactly cheap, but the advice you'll receive is well worth the up-charge. We visited at the end of our visit, but had a good time reminiscing with one of the owners. Definitely stop by if you're starting your visit in Yangon.

Notes:

We stayed at Hninn Si Guesthouse for $23 in June, 2014. Not very central, but good enough for the 3 nights we were there (we aren't averse to walking!). The breakfast was fine, if not a bit odd to eat in the lobby of a tailor's. There was nothing special about it – rather sterile, few decorations, not much of a traveler's environment. Go for a place to sleep, but little else.

Bonus points: one of the coolest mail delivery systems we saw on our travels:

There was our time in the market where I selected my longyi (similar to a sarong but sewn together at the ends to form a sort of tube) and got it sewn right then and there before the shop owner came over and showed me how to put it on. Wearing a longyi as a tourist in Burma was one of my favorite experiences because of the immense smiles I got from locals. I already thought of the Burmese as the friendliest people we'd met but putting on a longyi increased that tenfold. Smiles, waves, handshakes and friendly talks (though I did get some confused or surprised glares every once and a while) were guaranteed whenever I slipped into that piece of cloth.

There was the morning we booked a ride on the lake to visit a market 2 hours away and it started raining within the first half hour. When we arrived to the market, the storm was so bad, almost everyone had already left. Disappointed, we returned to our hostel, changed clothes and went for a bike ride where we visited some local villages in the area. We stopped for lunch in Kaung Taing to try their famous tofu. After sitting down in a restaurant and asking the owner if she had any of this delicious tofu we'd heard about, she let us know we'd come on the wrong day, “no fresh tofu today”. Of course! We must have both displayed intense looks of disappointment because all of a sudden, one of her employees left on his motorbike and came back with fried tofu salads. A few minutes later, they magically appeared in front of our noses. It doesn't sound like much but it was such touching gesture. When we left, her and her granddaughter waved goodbye to us as they sent us on our way.

There was the cooking class we took with Bamboo Delight. Sue usually teaches the class but she was busy that day so her husband, Lesly, was our teacher. He met us at the local market where we shopped for the produce we needed to make the courses we chose. Lesly told us he liked to buy groceries from people with fewer means and always made sure to rotate between sellers so he wasn't always buying from the same ones. The class was only meant to last a few hours but we ended up spending the entire afternoon with him. We talked about the cooking class, the farm him and his wife owned, the supplies they donated to school kids who couldn't afford them, his family, our trip, his favorite movies. We played with his children and dogs and laughed a lot. We couldn't have felt more welcome but just in case we didn't, he made sure to let us know we were always welcome in his home whenever we returned to Myanmar. It was an afternoon I won't forget anytime soon.

P.S. If you're looking for the best BBQ in town, make sure to check out Sein Yadanar (recommended to us by Lesly). Only locals so you know it's delicious!

Finally, there was our last day when we decided to go back on the lake. It was a sunny afternoon and after our first attempt failed, I was eager to see the beauty of Inle Lake without the rain pounding on us. After some negotiation, we boarded our boat and set out. As we made our way around a small part of the lake, I was completely mesmerized by the beauty of the place. The houses sat on the water so delicately yet stood firmly in the ground and the gardens surrounding them were so lush and green. People waved to us from all directions – two little kids kept yelling “Hey! Hey! Hey!” from their house, eventually coming up in a boat behind us. Before we left the dock, I'd convinced our boat driver to bring us somewhere that most tourists don't get to see. He ended up taking us to a small house in his village where 4 women were sitting making cheroot cigars. Now, I know this is not absolutely original and plenty of tourists have done this before but it definitely felt authentic. As soon as we sat down, we were both handed a couple cigars to try. Children followed us in and stayed with us the whole time. We mostly watched TV though I think I was staring more at the women making the cigars – they moved at lightning speed! They must have made 100 cigars each while we sat there. Although we couldn't speak with each other, that didn't keep us from enjoying our time together. Not much was said but a lot of smiles were shared.

This stop reminded me just how important it is to keep an open mind and make the most out of everyplace you visit. You never know what memories you'll end up making when you travel to somewhere new and Inle Lake was no exception. Sometimes it's the places you least expect that will amaze you the most.  

Through TripAdvisor and Google searches we were introduced to Thura, a local tourism-legend as running the very best tours you can find in town (his website is the third listing when you Google Kyaukme). Visiting when we did in June, he was free with only a couple days notice and, after a night in town, we were off the next morning to motorbike into the mountains. 

Although I had driven a motorbike already on our trip, it was my first experience with a semi-automatic model: no clutch, but you shift gears with the left foot while braking with the right. It took some adjusting, but I got the hang of it and trailed Thura and Anaïs into the mountains as the weather threatened to break at any minute. 

On the paved road I had little difficulty with shifting and braking, but once we hit the mountain roads, it was a different story. The whole first day, I had a difficult time keeping the bike in gear on the slick, rocky declines and in the thick mud we'd come across occasionally. Thura advised me to shut the bike off and glide down those hills on the brakes, which I had mixed success with. I got a little better as each day passed, and Thura was unceasingly patient with my driving, but it was stressful and exhausting to learn how to drive a semi-automatic on rainy, rocky, steep mountain roads. 

That disclaimer made, it was undeniably worth it. 

We watched locals pick tea leaves on foggy, hillside paths and learned how this activity was the main economic activity of the region. We often had to duck out of rain and found our way into many homes: a Nepali family descended from migrants of decades past; a carpenter who had just moved into a new home he did not build (it would be like “cutting the handle of his knife with his own knife”); a local hunter who was providing a shelter for three migrant female workers from the south of the country. We ate fresh figs and raspberries (!) as we hiked between riding sessions and were able to see local life in the villages. We saw how fresh tea leaves were steamed and rolled in preparation for drying or the production of laphet toke, pickled tea-leaf salad. Whether Thura knew these people already or not (the latter was more often the case), we were always welcomed warmly with tea and snacks and stories of these peoples' lives. 

Some people question the validity of hikes like these, where one “gets to know village life”. How much of their real lives do you witness when they are set up for tourists to pass through on a daily basis? How much is done just for profit? On this trek, regarding where we stayed, it felt like we were bystanders in our hosts' lives, witnessing what a normal day was for them. Assisted by Thura, we helped the children with their English homework. The father told us stories about the home and his grandfather, whose shrine sat in the corner. We would drink tea and watch grandma and grandpa prepare dinner. The host mother was very pregnant during our visit, but carried on with cooking, cleaning and couldn't ride a motorbike, so she walked for 2 hours each way to the family's tea plantation. 

We were lucky to visit that plantation and have lunch one day with all the workers, being fed different things by everyone and Anaïs was plumped up by the oldest woman there. We were fed local ants that Thura had collected that day, fried in oil and garlic, which tasted absolutely delicious (I said popcorn, Anaïs says chicken). Although everyone seemed accustomed to tourists already, there was a friendliness and casual comfort that I relieve whenever I think about our trek. 

Nothing about this tour was extravagant or felt overly planned. We chose to stay both nights at the same place after I had a rough couple days on the bike – switching would have entailed another 45 minutes on the bike. A women who owned the remote village shop we stopped in for tea wouldn't let us leave without a huge bag of tea leaves, which seemed to surprise Thura. And, seriously, we walked by a school with undoubtedly the cutest kids in the country:

It's been nearly a year since we went on this trek, and we had many wonderful experiences, but this one holds a special place in our hearts. For me, overcoming the difficulties I had with the motorbike and seeing such a beautiful place and meeting such friendly, happy people is something special that will stay with me forever. 

NOTES

We stayed at Ar Yone Oo Guesthouse, which was the only place open at the time. It was the only place to stay in town for a long time thanks to government restrictions, and it showed. Northern Rock is open now, and I saw on TripAdvisor the restaurant on that street may be opening their own place soon – check those two out first. 

Thura's website is basic, but the best way to get in touch with him is by email: thuranaing84@gmail.com. He's really easy to get along with and, although he seems a bit passive at times, does try hard to give you a great tour and will answer any questions you ask. And, by god, he can eat a lot. Very highly recommended!

Kyaukme is pronounced chow-may. ky = 'ch' sound in Burmese transliteration.

To start with, there was our guesthouse, Royal Flower Guesthouse, which is owned by a family. When the mother wasn't cooking delicious breakfasts (local specialties or eggs & toast with homemade strawberry jam), she was preparing snacks. One evening, we were sitting outside with a bunch of other guests, drinking beer and she came out with a tray of fried tofu! Another afternoon, when Tyler and I came back drenched after getting caught in an afternoon rain storm, she brought us an entire freshly fried fish for us to share. The son was just as friendly, giving us all kinds of advice on things to do and places to see. Oh! And the afternoon we came back drenched, they took our muddy shoes and cleaned them for us, just because. By the way, if you happen to stay there, make sure to ask the son, Coco, to bring you to his neighbors so you can buy some homemade wine. It doesn't get much better than that.

Then, there was that time we went to have dinner at the Shan market. With no menu on hand, we were left to our own devices and our “Point It” book. We were craving noodles so we pointed to that picture and at the same time asked “noodles?” while attempting whatever hand motion you would imagine noodles to look like. But he couldn't quite tell what we were talking about (understandably) so he took the book and passed it on to a couple others for their opinion. Soon, there were about 8 people, including some customers, hovering over the book. Finally, the owner brought a fistful of fresh noodles, Tyler and I both nodded enthusiastically and within minutes, we were devouring a delicious dinner.

Finally, we rented a motorbike one day and after pulling over on the side of the road to wait for the rain to stop, we couldn't figure out how to get the key back in the hole (there was a cover on it). Luckily, a gentleman nearby didn't hesitate to come over and help us. From there, we rode to Anisakan Falls and hiked down the muddy path to the waterfall. Of course, within 5 minutes, we were hit with another rainstorm (you guessed it, this was the day we came back to the guesthouse with muddy shoes). After watching a couple kids splash water at each other while we sought cover under a tarp, a man came over and invited us to a small hut nearby. A few of the monks from the nearby monastery were hanging out in there and we were greeted with wide smiles. They spoke to us in Burmese but after failed attempts at understanding each other, they called over an older monk who did speak English. He asked us a few questions such as where we were from, how old we were and long we were staying in Burma before offering us some of their tea leaf salad. One of the monks left for a few minutes before returning with coffee and powdered cream. After a good half hour of enjoying some coffee and smiles, we thanked them and hiked back up, warm and happy.

When we weren't busy making friend, we also enjoyed some nice afternoons biking around town and walking around the National Kandawgyi Gardens.

From Pyin Oo Lwin, we left for Kyaukme by train, which meant crossing the Gokteik Viaduct, the highest bridge in Burma and the largest railway trestle in the world when it was completed in 1900. Crossing over a 102 meter-high drop (335 ft) was quite exciting, especially considering how slowly the train moved, giving you plenty of time to really freak out.

The tour that every tourist is offered focuses on Sagaing, Amarapura, and Inwa. We did this via taxi for 35,000 kyat and I had conflicting feelings throughout the day. After visiting a gold leaf workshop and a longyi production house, we headed to the Mahagandayon monastery in Amarapura. Every morning, novices line up for their meal and tourists flank on either side. The idea itself could be positive - there were tourists that morning that presented offerings to the novices ranging from snacks and treats to toothpaste. Others, like us, were content to stand on the side and be witness to what happened. Unfortunately, some were more interested in capturing profiles of the young men and boys - and not from the sidelines, instead getting in the way of the procession, impeding the novices’ movement, just to take a picture. The lack of respect was appalling.

And for me, that kind of set the tone for the rest of the day. Even though we knew there was a bridge to get over to Inwa and we could avoid the boat ride/horse carriage ride, our taxi driver refused to budge, even for a few extra thousand kyat. So, we paid another 1600 kyat to cross the miniscule river by boat and then had a helluva battle with the horse carriage driver over the fare we would pay (finally agreed on 5000 kyat). That thankfully ended with jokes and smiles, but the tour itself felt so much more forced than anything else we experienced in Myanmar.

That being said, you may think we disliked Mandalay. The truth is that Mandalay, being an area where ancient capitals sprang up repeatedly, is a place well worth visiting. The taxi/horse-cart tour does take you to some impressive sights especially at Inwa. U Bein Bridge, the longest teak example in the world, is usually where you end your tour for sunset. A boat ride out onto the lake is definitely worth it to catch the sun as it falls behind the bridge’s supporting beams.

Our other excursions in the city were very enjoyable. We rented bikes for a day and explored Mandalay Hill and the surrounding area in the morning and visited Mahamuni Paya in the evening. The pagoda contains an impressive golden Buddha relic moved to Mandalay from Arakan (seen in the pictures above) and is a highly-revered holy site. Bicycle was a great way to get around as it gave us the chance to see the city while in transit, something that often gets blurred in a taxi or on a motorbike.

My favorite part of our time in Mandalay was our visit to Mandalay Hill, located north of the city palace. We hiked up the west staircase (in between the golf course sections on Google Maps) in about 15 minutes and as soon as we reached the top, three novice monks came up to us and asked to take a picture with us. Only one spoke a little English, but they all exuded a warmth that lifted our spirits and left us smiling. Not two minutes later, a young woman came up to us to talk. She told us how she had just graduated high school that day and was just so happy to practice her English with someone. Anaïs wasn’t kidding when she said the Burmese people were incredibly nice!

After descending the hill - and having another young student talk to us - we visited Kuthodaw Pagoda. Famous for being the largest book in the world - 729 inscribed stones reveal the entirety of the Tripitaka (plus one more to describe how the work was done) - it was impressive to see each of the stones protected in its own stupa. Just as enjoyable was the massive teak door that marked the entrance to the pagoda.  

Very near lies Shwenandaw Monastery, which was once part of the royal apartments of the king who built Kuthodaw. After his death, his son dismantled the building in Amarapura and moved it to Mandalay. The teak monastery is covered in intricate carvings depicting various Buddhist stories and motifs and was once gilt over in gold.

A couple days in Mandalay felt like enough to us and we were soon on our way out of the valley and up in the hills for the first “cool” (aka, below 25°C/77°F) weather in months.

Notes

We stayed at 79 Living Hotel for $33 a night. Centrally located with a decent buffet breakfast, the rooms were well kept and shower pressure was good. Not the cheapest option in the city, but we felt like it was a good option. If you plan on taking the early morning train towards Pyin Oo Lwin or Hsipaw, you won’t beat this location - it’s directly behind the train station.

For food, we had delicious chapati and curry at the intersection of 81st and 27th - you won’t miss it as it will be packed. We also had a good dinner at the market near 29th and 84th. Aye Myit Tar was our other dinner spot and it was a good place to experience Burmese cuisine. The waiters we had were fun and personable and they are accustomed to tourists, so it was a fun dinner, albeit a bit more expensive than most street food. Delicious, though, and well worth it.

From Anais: If you're interested in witnessing a very local sight, check out the jade market early one morning. I went alone one morning at about 6 am by motorbike taxi and walked around the whole place. I was the only tourist – as far as I could tell – so I did get a few stares but I couldn't care less. It was fascinating. While there are people selling jade outside the market, the most interesting part was the dealer's market. The whole place is cramped with sellers trying to shove their way to a dealer for him (yes, they were only men that day) to inspect your jade. They'll use water & flashlights to inspect the quality of it, which explains why people sell flashlights right outside (see pictures below). I didn't see a transaction happen but there was a lot of negotiating and banter. The whole thing was awesome to witness and I urge you to go if you like seeing true local scenes.

We gave ourselves 3 days to explore, which we felt was enough time to see plenty and not get “templed out”. We woke up most days to watch the sunrise, explore a few temples before returning for lunch and staying in during the hottest time of day. We'd go back out in the late afternoon for more exploring before watching the sunset. During our visit in June, temperatures surpassed 30°C (85°F) every day so going out in the morning and evening felt most comfortable. On top of it all, Bagan lies in the middle of plains, so the lack of shade meant it felt even hotter. I thought we'd be okay renting bicycles to get around but thankfully, as I'm sure Tyler will tell you (Tyler: Amen), I quickly regained my senses and by the second day, we were out and about on our electric bikes like most tourists around. Distances between temples can be quite far at times so renting an electric bike or motorbike makes the most sense.

I'd like to tell you there's an organized way to visit these temples but there simply is not. There's no real organization and, to be honest, I probably would have gotten lost 100 times had Tyler not been around. But my sense of direction is one of the worst so that's not saying much. There are maps for sale or you can just print one online before your visit. Tyler and his trustee GPS were all we needed. Really, all HE needed since I was just following him. After reading a few online guides of people's favorite temples, we constructed a rough itinerary making sure we saw the “largest” and “tallest”, etc. but also making stops whenever we saw something that looked interesting. These temples range in size, architecture, details, etc. so it's worth seeing a few different ones. Our itinerary looked something like this:

Day 1

Dhammayangyi (largest)
Thatbyinnyu (tallest)
Ananda
North Guni (sunset)

Day 2

Shwe Leik Too (sunrise)
Htilominlo
Bulethi (can only climb)
Sulameni
Pyathada (sunset)

Day 3

Shwesandaw (sunrise)
Seinnyet Nyima & Seinnyet Ama (sister temples)
Nagayom
Gubyaukgyi (AMAZING wall paintings, need flashlight to see)
Shwe Gu Gwi
Shwesandaw (too packed at sunset for our taste)
Lawkashaoung
North Guni (sunset favorite)

With our trip over, I can tell you that Burma is, by far, the country with the nicest people (that we visited anyway). We'll talk about this in probably every post about this country and our first stop was a great introduction. In Bagan, the locals opened gates (many of the smaller temples are locked) and often showed us around temples, every little nook and cranny we might not have noticed otherwise. Of course, there are always those who will try to sell you things (in this city, mostly paintings) but let them know you're not interested and they'll stop and tell you a random story, just to chat. Just make sure you don't tell them you might buy something as it will keep their hopes up. On our last day, we ended up talking with an artist for a while. He let us borrow some very powerful flashlights so we could see the paintings in Gubyaukgyi Pagoda and when we came out, he gave us each a few small canvases he made for us on the spot. While we were riding back to the hotel, another guy came up to me on his motorbike to practice his English and welcome me to the country. Excuse me?!! I couldn't believe it.

Tip

Currently, there is a $20 fee to enter the historical park. If you visit during low season, manage to get very lost from the start, and generally avoid the main tourist office, you might not have to pay. Also, we drove straight past the tourist office one day and no one stopped us. Hooray low season!

If you can afford it, stay somewhere with A/C and a pool. We had A/C but no pool and with frequent power outages, a pool would have been quite welcome. Plus, it gives you something to do in the afternoon while you wait for the temperatures to cool off. We usually read or took naps.

In terms of navigating, you can star most of the major temples you want to visit and save your work to Google Maps to use the GPS on your phone. Not all paths are shown on Google Maps, and you may inadvertently ride your e-bikes into the inner complex of Shwesandaw at sunset and receive dozens of dismayed/confused looks, but you'll be able to get around. The Maps.Me Android app also came in quite handy as they had some smaller temples marked as well. 

We set a budget of $50 a day for the two of us, or $25 per person. How'd we do?

Here's the breakdown:

How did accommodation account for so much of our budget if rooms could be had for $3? We didn't stay in those rooms. Being there in May, the hottest time of the year, made me nervous about what the conditions would be like. So, for the first few cities in Rajasthan, I convinced Anaïs to stay in A/C rooms that were more expensive. From Khajuraho on, we stayed in fan rooms and didn't miss the A/C. As a result, we could have traveled for less -- probably $2-5 a day less -- depending on the city. Here are the places we stayed in each city:

Delhi - Moustache Hostel
Located in Greater Kailash 1, we were happy to find a place not in Paharganj. We had heard and read enough horror stories to know we didn't want to stay there. This isn't the most budget-friendly option at 650 rupees a night for a dorm bed, but it has a good atmosphere, the included breakfast is filling, and you're not in Paharganj. The showers are decent, the beds fine, and the lockers are big enough to put your whole bag in it, plus some. WiFi depended on how many people were connected at once, so evenings meant it was slow. If we backpack through Delhi again, we wouldn't hesitate to stay here. Say hi to Raj for us!

Jaipur - Explorer's Nest
Again, not very budget friendly, but we enjoyed our stay here. Arvind, the owner, is a great host and the room we had included a comfortable bed, A/C, private bathroom, and sitting chairs in the room. Breakfast is not included, but a simple one of an omelette for Anaïs, toast and jam for me, and some chai cost 32 rupees a morning - just over 50 cents. The location is great, inside a gated community that actually locks down at night, close enough to walk to the Pink City, and there are good food options located close by. The rooftop offers a nice place to watch the sun set and see residents go about their daily lives. WiFi worked consistently, neither fast nor slow. Transfer to/from the train station was included in the 1,050 rupee price tag. They will cook a veg dinner here for you at 200 rupees a person. It's a simple home cooked affair which is a nice change from the ghee/cream infused restaurant food.

Jodhpur - Kesar Heritage
Located down an alley off an alley through cows and behind three other buildings in the blue part of town, we had a huge room, private bathroom, and A/C for 900 rupees a night. No meals included, but their rooftop/restaurant has incredible views of Mehrangarh Fort and that alone is worth the price. The staff is generally friendly, but there was one young teen boy who couldn't have cared less about the guests and that was frustrating, especially one morning when we were trying to get a quick breakfast before heading to the fort. Everyone else was attentive. WiFi worked most of the time but was not very fast. The food at the restaurant was meh, better for breakfast than anything else.

Udaipur - Udai Haveli
At 680 rupees a night for an A/C room, this was a good deal. Normally 800 a night with breakfast, we agreed to a reduced rate during the low season because the owner's family didn't want to have to make breakfast for us. It worked out as we had a more relaxed schedule in Udaipur and didn't have breakfast during our stay. Grandma does make tasty chai, though. We mainly interacted with Vicky and he was responsive to our needs - they set us up in a spare room when we arrived at 5 AM on the night bus from Jodhpur and didn't charge us extra. Fan rooms were cheaper, around 400 or so a night, and would have been fine given the cooler temperature of Udaipur.

The one issue we had was when we tried to book a car to take us to Chittorgrah. After discussing the options with Vicky, and clearly saying we wanted to go to Chittorgarh, we were booked on a different tour that took us to Ranakpur Temple and Kumbulgarh. We enjoyed the latter tour, and Vicky made amends by returning some of the fee we paid, so it turned out OK. Never ended up visiting Chittorgarh though - next time!

Khajuraho - Hotel Isabel Palace
We knew we would be arriving late after at least 22 hours on the train and we didn't want to be hustling into town to find a place to stay. The other options available online weren't great, so we went with this place for 1150 rupees a night. We had a great stay here with a massive fan room, comfortable bed, more dressers than we had clothes for, private bathroom, breakfast, and an outdoor seating area. The restaurant prepared tasty meals and the included breakfast was tons of food: eggs, toast, pancakes, juice, coffee, tea - have it your way. The staff were great, transport to/from the train station was included, and we felt like the money was well spent. It was a long walk outside of town, so keep that in mind. There are also certainly cheaper options available.

Orchha - Friends of Orchha Homestay
At 600 rupees a night, this was an incredible value. The experience we had was amazing and one of the best stories of our trip. The air-cooled room was large, the beds comfortable (straw mattresses on cotton slats with a bamboo frame), and I spent hours in the seating area just watching life happen. Food is not included but is pretty cheap - 40 rupee for breakfast, 80 for lunch and/or dinner per person - and is good. I also promise grandma will not let you run out of chapati. The experience of spending time with the family was why we came here and that part was great.

Agra - Friends Paying Guest House
There weren't great options in Agra at our price range, but this seemed the least offensive of the bunch. Hard bargaining only brought the price down to 400 rupees a night and, with the enclosed hotboxes they call rooms, not a good value for May. No food included, but what they made was tasty enough. The WiFi worked fine, but there were issues with the network multiple times (or so they claimed...). We weren't thrilled with this place, or this city, but it was good enough for two nights. Probably a much better deal in the winter when the hotbox nature would be of more use...

Transport contains the usual suspects - taxis, rickshaws, and trains. We could have saved more here if we had chosen different trains. For Delhi-Jaipur, Jaipur-Jodhpur, Orchha(Jhansi)-Agra, and Agra-Delhi, we rode in the AC Chair class. Udaipur to Khajuraho and Khajuraho to Orchha were both in 2nd class AC. We could have paid a fraction of the price and ridden sleeper or third class AC. In hindsight, the AC Chair class rides that included food were worth it, but we would have been fine with 3rd Class for the two trips we took in 2nd. In cooler months, sleeper would definitely be an option. 

We made all of our train bookings before we arrived because May is peak domestic tourism season when all the kids are out of school. India Mike has a great guide on how to sign up for and use Cleartrip for train bookings. We did so and had zero issues with our tickets -- using their mobile app to purchase provided a small discount as well.

Anais has covered the food in pictorial detail so I won't rehash, but I will emphasize that India is delicious. Heavy, lots of ghee and bread, but insanely delicious. It's never a surprise to see we spend a good chunk of our budget on food. Entertainment was higher than usual as we visited a ton of monuments and sites that involved paying an entrance fee, sometimes also a camera fee. Some may gripe that foreigners have to pay more than locals, but even so the fees are reasonably low and with such poverty rates, it's nice that the average Indian can visit these national treasures without spending an excessive amount of money. Going Out includes our first night in Delhi in Hauz Khas and beers with Ricky in Jaipur. Groceries is mostly water but also includes a few snacks.

Schedule - 24 Days

Delhi - 3 days
Jaipur - 4 days
Jodhpur - 3 days
Udaipur - 5 days
Khajuraho - 2 days
Orchha - 3 days
Agra - 2 days
Delhi - 2 days

India in Retrospect

I'll just say it - we loved India. The hardships we faced fade away when we think of all the incredible people we met, food we ate, and places we experienced. This becomes more and more true as time continues to pass - it was much easier for us to remember details about the good things and write about them than the bad. The negative stories from our Rajasthan and Pradeshes posts are a vital part of our India narrative, but they do not define our time in country. They are the necessary antithesis to our positive experiences to help us better frame the story and remember India for what it was.

I believe there is a magic to India and if you open your heart to it, it will infect you with a happiness that can only come from a place of difficulty. People talk about the poverty, the dirtiness, the spitting, the staring, the poor hygiene, the constant bartering, the rampant scams, the utter chaos of daily life - all of it true. If you get stuck on these issues - and we certainly did at times - the entire experience will be negative. It is when you look past these impediments that you start to see the beauty behind it all.

In order to help you with names and such, below are some of the most used ingredients in Hindi & English.

Hindi                       English
Palak                      Spinach
Mutter                    Green peas
Paneer                    Cottage Cheese
Aloo                        Potato
Chola                      Chickpeas
Gobi                        Cauliflower
Dal                          Lentil
Malai                      Cream
Masala                   Spices
Bangen                   Eggplant

Mutton Korma

Lamb marinated in yogurt and spices then cooked in a gravy made of onions, tomatoes and more spices. From Karim's (Jama Masjid) in Delhi: a must visit for the traditional Indian eatery alone. The delicious food doesn't hurt.

South Indian Food

I realize this isn't a dish but we tried a multitude of different foods from Southern India one night thanks to Bani, a friend of my mom's so I lumped them all together. From Sagar Ratna in Delhi, we tried dosas, vadas & idlis (pictured here) as well as coffee and gulab jamun.

Khoya paneer

Cottage cheese with khoya (dairy product made from dried milk or heated milk), onion, garlic, ginger, tomato and spices. From Rhada Govind in Jaipur (recommended by Ricky!).

Momos

Vegetable / chicken momos (dumplings)

Rajasthani thali

Aloo pyaz (potato with onion curry), kadi (spiced yogurt soup), gatta curry (flour dumplings cooked in a yogurt sauce), dal fry (fried lentils), jeera rice (rice with cumin seeds), lasun chutney (garlic chutney), boondi raita (yogurt dip), missi roti (flat bread), papad (thin, crisp cracker), ghewar (sweet made with flour and soaked in sugar syrup) and rajbhog (sweet made with paneer and stuffed with almonds & pistachios). All from Surya Mahal in Jaipur.

Mirchi bada

Green pepper stuffed with potato and deep fried. From Shahi Samosa in Jodhpur. You might recall the following picture from a couple posts ago...

Royal Shahi Paneer

Fresh cottage cheese made of rich gravy with cashew nuts. From Jhankar Choti Haveli in Jodhpur.

Dal Makhani

Black lentils and red beans simmered overnight. From Jhankar Choti Haveli in Jodhpur.

Jeera aloo

Potatoes spiced with cumin. From Dagley in Jodhpur.

Keema bati

We were recommended to try keema bati by Bani and, boy, was it the best decision we ever made! Even the staff at the restaurant, Spice Court, were excited for our first try of these delicious fried flour balls stuffed with mutton then covered in ghee (clarified butter). It's worth a visit to Jaipur just to try this dish.

Lassi

You can't go to India without having at least one lassi, the famous Indian yoghurt drink. Our favorite came from Shri Mishrilal Hotel in Jodhpur with their Makhaniya lassi (pictured right) made with cardamom and lemon. A close second? The lassi from Lassiwala in Jaipur which served them in terra cotta cups (pictured left).

Coffee & chai

Along with lassis, India offers delicious coffee and tea, which we enjoyed as often as possible. For a great cold coffee, try out Indian Coffee House in Jaipur.

Gujarati Thali

If in Udaipur, please, please go to Natraj (the one near Surajpole, not the other one) where an all-you-can-eat gujarati thali costs 140 rupees per person ($2.25). It differs daily (as you can see on our pictures) but is always delicious. Best part? You can sit there for hours & eat as much as your stomach can take. You might get weird looks but when the food is this good, who cares, right?

Dal baati

Dal (cooked spiced lentils) poured over crumbled baati (unleavened whole wheat baked bread rolls brushed with ghee). It's messy but oh-so-good. From Santosh Restaurant in Udaipur.

Potato & onion pakora with coriander chutney & mango chutney

We took a cooking class in Udaipur and these potato/onion pakoras along with the chutneys were some of the dishes we learned how to make. The potato parantha and naan with cheese/tomato (below) were two more of our creations.

We definitely took advantage of our time in India to try as much as the food as we could & we are so happy with what we ate. If only, we'd had more days to try even more ;)

When we arrived after 22 hours on the train from Udaipur, our hotel had sent someone to pick us up. Rajeek was his name and he spoke English the way you see in the movies. On our bumpy rickshaw ride to the hotel, after he explained our route to get there, he turned to me and said, "What is your good name, kind sir?" I didn't quite hear him and told him my full name (good and full sound the same, right?) and my confusion elicited laughs from Rajeek and Anaïs. For the rest of our stay it was his mission to make us happy, serving us our dinners and asking how our days went and beaming with positivity as he served breakfast each morning.

The city is famous for its temples and their erotic carvings. Our guide explained that this was done in order to get lay people interested in visiting and to keep them coming, which I suppose makes sense - it certainly keeps tourists coming these days. The carvings are interesting - my favorite being the peeking elephant - and the craftsmanship made our long train ride from Udaipur worth it.

One of the best moments was walking a little south of the Kandariya Mahadev temple, amongst the freshly flowering trees. We sat on a bench mesmerized by the magnificently carved monument, reflecting on our trip in India and overall. It was a simple moment, filled with retrospection and meaning that was heightened by our surroundings. We felt peace on that bench, peace amongst the chaos and calamity that often defines India. A young Indian couple joined us, sitting at a nearby bench, and reveled in the same silence we did. It was a gentle reminder that we're all the same, searching for the moments that fill our soul with joy.

Orchha

Famous for its medieval palace Jahangir Mahal and the Chhatris, burial sites for deceased kings, Orchha will be remembered first through our homestay. Located a walk out of town, we stayed with a family that had two rooms set up for tourists to stay in. It was nothing like a guesthouse, though, as the view from our door was of the front yard where life was for the family. We woke up to mom and grandma making breakfast and chapati and the kids playing, had lunch as everyone went about their chores, and dined on delicious thalis and bread served by the oldest child, a girl, Neeku, who had all the hopes and dreams of childhood that infected her every word and action. It wasn't a proper meal, of course, if Grandma didn't stop by once or twice with her calls of "chapatiii?" that I could never refuse.

In fact, it was our time spent with the kids that was most special to us. Neeku had two younger brothers, Visham and Sahil, both full of mischief. We spent the blistering afternoons with the three of them playing mikado (pick-up sticks) with the youngest and chess with the two older ones. Neeku played chess cautiously, calculating each move to protect her valuable pieces. Visham, the middle child attacked with reckless abandon, sacrificing whatever in hopes of the quick kill. His impatience showed even when not playing as he would counsel his sister into losing maneuvers just so he could play sooner! Full of mischief I tell you..

Anaïs had henna applied by one of the cousins. For two hours on the last day, the cousin painstakingly applied the ink in various patterns that, while not as intricate as those from expensive shops, were more meaningful given the circumstances. All the women in the family made appearances to see the progress and, in the end, it turned into a free-for-all henna party with the leftover henna.

Agra

Life is full of ups and downs, pushes and pulls but events tend to balance each other out. Such was the case when we were waiting for the train to Agra. Being on the platforms and getting stared at was unnerving still but something we had accepted. We were used to the kids coming up with their hands out or doing the food-into-mouth motion. What had yet to happen was any sort of truly negative interaction with beggars. That changed with a certain old man. He followed around the station as we found our platform, and then found the new platform when it was changed. He followed us when we went to sit down for half an hour, waiting for the train, and occasionally asked for money. It wasn't until we bought a drink that he started acting poorly, getting in my way and refusing to back down. I looked him in the eyes and gave him a firm no. In response, he pushed me backwards and screamed at us to get the @#$% out of India. I couldn't believe it happened and was left dumbstruck as he stormed off. Poverty is a serious problem in India: it stared us in the face on a daily basis and broke our hearts in a million ways. As much as it shocked me, in hindsight I hope to never judge that man for what he did - I will never know what it feels like to live his life. 

In regards to Agra.....we didn't like this city. For starters, Anaïs was spit on when we visited Fatehpur Sikri as we removed our shoes. That was after someone spit at me earlier in the morning as I walked down the street (he missed). People were generally ruder, the food choices weren't great, and the city was dirtier than the others we had visited. It was also the most touristy and plenty of people were looking to rip you off any way they could. One of those things alone is forgivable, but when you combine it all into one city, well, it's hard to like that place.

But you have to visit at least once for the Taj.

Experiencing the Taj was near the top of both our Must See lists and it was a dream come true to see it as we entered the gate. There simply aren't words for this place.

I'm not going to say our morning there was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to get there, but it kind of felt like that. The Taj had a mythical property in my mind growing up - it seemed so far away and so exotic that I wasn't sure it could be real. All the movies, TV shows, documentaries - I'd seen it from every different angle. But nothing compares to walking through the gates and stepping onto the platform, looking over the exquisite gardens, and seeing it with your own eyes. Every time I look at our photos I'm in awe that we were there, that we fulfilled our dreams to see it.

By strange luck, our visit coincided with the visit of one of my best friends and roommates from college, Will. He decided on a last minute visit to India and, despite some transportation issues, we were able to meet up for 24 hours in Agra. It was the first time I had seen him in years and being able to visit the Taj with him will be one of my favorite memories from our time abroad.

Return to Delhi

Our train ride back to the capital provided another wonderful chance encounter. Seated in a row of three, we found ourselves amongst a group of soldiers on their way to a training exercise in northern India. Luckily for us, we were seated next to one of them and he was one of the more interesting people we met. Incredibly grounded and quick witted, he wasn't your stereotypical young soldier. Indeed, he had worked for a few years before joining the army and had worked for a company that did business with the main internet provider in the area I grew up - he recognized the names of some of the suburbs I lived near. We had a great conversation, from outsourcing jobs to military life and his views of the election of Modi that had happened a few days past. It was a conversation you'd have with a friend at home on the commute to work, except he was a stranger in a far-off land. Our interaction with him was another reminder that we're all searching for the same thing.

Conclusion

There are other stories from our time in India, such as the first night dinner when it took me asking a question four times before I recognized the head-nod answer, sibling to the famous head-wiggle. India is a place where you can't help but have memorable experiences on a (seemingly) daily basis. Our time in these three cities was filled with reminders of how beautiful life will be if you accept it into your heart. 

Jaipur

"Your train is cancelled!! Go upstairs to the tourist office to deal with it!!!"

Getting yelled at is not pleasant, even less so when the clock reads 5:30 AM. But this was how our trip to Jaipur started, with one of the more common scams at the New Delhi train station. We started to fall for it, heading upstairs towards the office after someone told us our train had been canceled. Another man looked like he was coming out of the office - really, he was jingling the locks on the door - and talked to us in a much nicer manner. He walked us back downstairs and led us towards the exit, explaining we needed to take a government rickshaw to a different train station to get a refund, then go to another agency and book a new train. At this point, the cobwebs shook off and I said "I'm going to check with the police about the train." At that, the men disappeared and we were on our way.

Arriving in Jaipur we were flagged down by Sabir, the rickshaw driver our guesthouse had sent to pick us up. A tall, affable man, he would be our tour guide a few days later as we saw a few of the usual touristy things. But more than that tour, what I remember about him was how calm he was. Nothing rattled him at any point, he didn't care what we did or did not want to see, and at the end he said, "Pay me whatever you want." He even tried to get me to drive the rickshaw in rush-hour traffic - an opportunity I regret not seizing. He was the first of many great people we met in India.

Our first afternoon, we decided to take a walk through the old Pink City that Jaipur is partly famous for. We figured it would be a nice way to pass time until restaurants opened for dinner. It didn't go as planned: the chaos of it all overwhelmed us. No one really bothered us - aside from the staring - and nothing happened to us, but the sheer amount of movement, sounds, and smells was too much for our senses. Cows were walking head on into traffic, people were shouting at each other from every direction, and the distinct smells of garbage and sewage and grilled food and gasoline after a long afternoon's sun were unmistakable. We stopped about one kilometer into our walk, took a minute to regroup, and took the shortest path out. We had been traveling for eight months already - shouldn’t we have been mentally prepared for this? Our first day was turning into a bust. Even a tasty Rajasthani thali couldn't break us out of the funk that had descended.

Walking home from dinner, a young man called out to us to talk. Wrongly assuming he was a rickshaw driver, I blew by him, but he kept calling out saying "I just want to talk!" Exasperated and disappointed, we ignored what we thought we should do and stopped to talk. A few introductions and pleasantries turned into an evening drinking five rupee chai with him and his buddy in their rickshaw, drinking Kingfisher on a rooftop bar, and learning about their lives. Both hailing from the slums of Jaipur, we heard fantastic tales of teaching music classes for the slum children and of dreams of playing music across Europe. We heard the best bawdy jokes they could muster and told us their truth about arranged marriages. It was exactly the type of night you dream of having as a traveler. A planned visit to their slums unfortunately fell through, but Ricky's optimism and positivity is something that will always be with us. He will always be what I think of first when I think of Jaipur.

Jodhpur

The old blue city is where you stay as a backpacker and is the best place to be in the city. The labyrinthine streets lead between guesthouses, cow enclaves, restaurants, and more history than you can believe. For us, though, the best part in staying there was the rooftop of our guesthouse and the incredible view it afforded of Mehrangarh.

We would eat breakfast with that view, dine with that view, and just sit and stare for no other reason than to gawk. We watched a fierce lightning storm roll over the fort, illuminating the nooks and crannies missed by the floodlights illuminating the fort at night. Being so close to such an incredible monument was awe-inspiring. We were also fortunate enough to have visited the fort on Founder's Day which, along with free entrance, gave us a chance to see a bit of pomp as dignitaries were escorted in by car before us plebeians could enter. The fort was very busy with locals, many dressed up for the occasion, making for a wonderful experience. I think we enjoyed the view from our guesthouse more than our visit - it had more magic to it.

I know - so many words and we haven’t talked about food yet?!? Well, the best lassi of our trip came from a joint by the clocktower. Shri Mishrilal is the name of the place and it is located at the southern entrance of the market. It's to the left of the gate if you have your back to the clock tower. Just go.

Heading south from clock tower, we had mirchi vada and samosas from Shahi Samosa. The operation is impressive, turnover is very rapid, and the food is delicious. Just don't take your food south towards Jantar Sweet Home. We went there to try some sweets (which were good. Not a clue what we ended up getting though...) and were swarmed by child beggars looking for food and money. A saddening site that recurred repeatedly near many tourist sites, it was difficult to deal with. No is the right answer with child beggars as they are often forced into it, but that doesn't make it easier to say the words or face the oppressive poverty that engenders such tactics.

Udaipur

He was the manager at our guesthouse and quite the interesting character. He was a nice guy, ready to help us when he could, and gave us a better deal on our room than agreed upon by email. But he was also very sad, telling us about an arranged marriage he had backed out of (or was trying to, the details were fuzzy), how his parents nearly disowned him, and how he wanted nothing more to leave India. He was soon leaving to return to his hometown for the monsoon season and spoke at length about how he hated the idea of being there. One night, he asked for help on his CV and we said yes, not expecting to find out he has three bachelor degrees and two masters degrees, mostly focused on social work. He had told us his dream was to work on a cruise ship! It was hard to see how sad he was and be able to do nothing, but his intense honesty was beautiful.

In a city with many incredible restaurants, two stuck out the most to us. Natraj is an Udaipur institution with two locations. The better one is near Suraj Pol, where we went twice, and is where you get an all-you-can-eat thali for 120 rupees. Servers flew around with dhal, rice, fresh chapati, and many different curries, dishing out as much as you could handle. The first visit, we shared a table with a man our age who said little as he ate. At one point, a tray came around with small bowls of orange something and he said "Mango. Have it." So, we did. It was an incredible mango coulis dish that was the icing on an incredible meal. After slurping up the last bit, he grunted at us and asked "Good?" Effusive nods from both of us, a brief smile escaped his rocky demeanor before he got up to leave.

The second joint, Sun & Moon restaurant, is a touristy place. Locals eat there as well, but its location is in the heart of the tourist area. The food we had was good and they have Octopussy on offer with your dinner if you please (part of the movie was shot in Udaipur and screenings are ubiquitous). What had us return on our last night for a crappy pot of chai tea before an overnight train was the incredible view of the city. Make sure to go up all of the stairs to the highest & smallest terrace they have. It only has space for one table but it was empty both times we went.

We spent our last day at Shashi's Cooking Class in a suburb of the city as they were in the process of building their new guesthouse/restaurant. Shashi herself was a bit distant and acted like she was on autopilot most of the time. It was also one of the only cooking classes we've taken where we weren't directly involved in every aspect of each dish. That made sense for the huge class in Ubud, but here it was just the two of us. While that was disappointing, the food we learned to cook was all really easy and I didn't feel like we missed much by not doing it ourselves. Plus, the really important part we did get to do by hand - making the bread. Chapati, naan, roti, and paratha, stuffed, plain, buttered, and garlic - we did that ourselves. It was a shining moment when serious Shashi told me I had a gift for making chapati - surely the highest praise you could get from an Indian chef, no? More importantly, we learned the basics of Indian cuisine (the northern variety) and, once you have that, everything else will fall into place.

Speaking of, Udaipur was the place where we started to feel more comfortable traveling in India. We were getting used to the bargaining, the heat, the staring - it was becoming our familiar. I don't think we could ever truly become comfortable in India, not without a long time spent there, but we were becoming comfortable with ourselves in our new unknown. Thinking of the last night in Udaipur on the very top deck of the restaurant as we stared out across the city takes me right back to those feelings and fills my heart with peace and fulfillment. It reminds me of how special India is.

Hah! Bet you thought it would be food first again, huh? Not so fast my friend! Our Top 5's aren't ratings, just lists, but in this case Humayun's Tomb was a clear favorite. Arriving early in the morning after a pleasant rickshaw ride, we started exploring the whole complex, consisting of multiple compounds beyond just the tomb. The main tomb was the architectural inspiration for the Taj Mahal and it shows. Set amongst manicured gardens and water channels, the tomb was one of the first truly grand historical buildings we visited and it blew me away. As with every similar construction in India, the pictures will never do it justice.

Exploring one of the smaller tombs on the grounds, we also had one of our favorite encounters in our entire trip. As we looked around the mosque near the tomb, a young boy and his little sister walked up the path towards us as Anaïs was trying to get a picture of the tomb. The kids walked past and wandered around until their parents showed up. Then, their father told us the kids wanted a picture. Not of us, or of us with them, but they just wanted Anaïs to take a picture of the two of them, together. Afterwards, they shook our hands and said thank you, something many parents had their kids do in India. A really special moment for us, the picture is below.

2. Food

You knew it was coming. I mean, Indian food is too damn good to not be a focus of any trip to the subcontinent. As with most capitals, food from all over the country is represented here and we were able to sample quite a few different dishes. We visited the institution that is Karim's, dined at Saleem's in GK1, and was treated to some fabulous dosas and other south Indian staples by a friend - thanks Bani!

Thin on advice, I know, but we only spent a few short days in Delhi and didn't explore restaurants as much as usual. Anaïs will of course have a food post detailing our culinary adventures in the country as we made it a mission to not repeat dishes for as long as we could. A simple task considering how much variety exists in Indian cuisine, but equally hard when you try something really amazing and want it over and over, which happened just about every meal. Anyway, I think we lasted 18 days before a repeat.

A special thanks to Bani and Artee for your awesome advice on what to eat!

3. Akshardham Temple and the Lotus Temple

India has many historic monuments, but Delhi is host to two incredible modern religious complexes that we thoroughly enjoyed. Akshardham Temple is a Hindu complex consecrated in 2005 that was designed and constructed on the basis of holy scripture. Impressive in size and grandeur, it provides a glimpse of what India's great temples may have been like not long after their construction. A huge amount of tourists - foreign and domestic - visit the complex, so don't expect meditative serenity. That being said, it is absolutely worth visiting.

We wish we could post a better picture, but security at the temple is pretty strict - no cameras or cell phones are allowed past the entrance, which has a cloakroom to store all of your prohibited possessions. Access is easiest by taking the metro to the Akshardham stop. Walk out the front of the building, ignore the taxi and rickshaw drivers, and turn right. Walk towards the highway and turn right onto the road that passes underneath it. You will be able to see the complex from there.

The Lotus Temple is a Baha'i complex completed in 1986 and open to all, regardless of faith. Exquisitely designed and constructed in the shape of a lotus flower, the complex is beautifully maintained and sees thousands of visitors every day. Beyond the architectural interest, our favorite part was sitting inside the temple during a service, where scripture from different religious texts were read or sung aloud. We took a rickshaw from our nearby hostel, the temple is near the Kalkaji Mandir metro stop.

4. Hauz Khas

An enclave to the west of South Delhi, this is where the younger crowd goes to let off steam. Filled with restaurants and bars, this is a popular place to hang out and get away from the city for a bit. We spent our first evening in India here with friends from our hostel and had a fun night taking in the views from a rooftop bar. If we'd spent more time in Delhi, we would have liked to come back during the day to see what it was like.

5. Red Fort

Most visits to Delhi include a stop here and we made our visit as well. A huge complex, the many different buildings provided a stunning introduction to the historic architecture we would see over and over again in our time in India. From the incredibly ornate arches, to the flower motifs, and on to the water channels used to cool buildings down, the fort contains incredible craftsmanship. As the seat of Shah Jahan's new capital, the level of detail and care shown in the remaining buildings is no surprise.

Honorable Mentions

There are a ton of things worth visiting not mentioned above. We also visited Qutab Minar, the Lodhi Gardens, and Jama Masjid and all were very beautiful. We were taken to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, the largest Sikh temple in Delhi, and were able to witness the evening worshippers and their devotions. Delhi sometimes gets shunned on itineraries and that's a shame as there is plenty worth seeing there.

We traveled to Ayutthaya for a long weekend as we waited on our India visas to arrive in Bangkok. On the way up, Tyler and I made the acquaintance of a cute old Thai lady who provided countless hours of entertainment for the slow train up. Can you really complain when a ticket is $0.45? After offering us the bench across from her, she shared her mango with us (making sure we dipped each bite in the side of sugar) in between giggle fests with our fellow train passengers, picking her nose hairs, cleaning her ears with one of these and last but not least, briefly massaging Tyler's legs after telling him to stretch them out. Let's just say, we didn't get bored on this train ride for one second! She also made sure we got off at the right stop, almost pushing us out of the train (in a friendly way). Definitely a good start.

We stayed two full days in Ayutthaya, plenty of time to get a feel for this old capital city. With countless ruins scattered all across the historical park, it can feel a bit daunting and overwhelming but wander in any direction and you'll find plenty to see. Many people visit Ayutthaya as a day-trip from Bangkok and seek the must-see wats, such as Wat Maha That with the Buddha head in the Bodhi tree but there's so much much to the historical park than just the few famous wats. In fact, I'd recommend ignoring online guides and just taking a couple morning walks, when the tourists are few & the temperatures cooler, to explore on your own and take it all in. Included below are my favorite pictures from our time in Ayutthaya. Notice the details that make each of these wats worthy to see.

We also managed to see quite a few animals during our stay in Ayutthaya. From dogs, cats, bats & birds to an owl, a turtle and a snake, here are the pictures I captured of these cute and sometimes surprising animals.

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Notes & A Few Helpful Hints

• Be careful of fake guards standing at the entrance of wats. We arrived early one morning, paid our entrance fee to a man wearing a nice shirt and khakis. When he didn't give us a ticket, I knew we'd made a mistake but there was no one around to catch him. After we finished visiting the wat, we found our bikes locked up and proceeded to get scolded by the real employees before they let us leave. They took our word that we'd paid & we tried as best we could to give them an accurate description of the man and his bike. But please be careful as this does happen.
• Make sure to try roti sai mai, a local sweet, best described as thai cotton candy wrapped in a sweet roti. You can find it across the Phra Nakorn Si Ayutthaya Hospital. For more than roti sai mai, here's a helpful food guide (note: the boat noodles are delicious!)

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• We stayed at Tamarind Thai Guesthouse, a perfect location as we could either walk or bike everywhere easily. The staff is also very nice & the rooms huge as well as comfortable!
• We took a boat cruise to see the wats on the outskirts of the historical park (Wat Chaiwattanarm, Wat Phutthaisawan, Wat Phanan Choeng) & both of us felt it didn't us give enough time to properly do them justice. I'd recommended visiting them on your own.

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Anaïs is going to follow up in a few weeks with a food post for the entirety of Thailand, so look for more details then, but know that the majority of our time in Bangkok was spent eating. Staying where we did just off Silom Road, we were walking distance away from great food areas: Soi Convent, Bang Rak near Saphan Taksin BTS station, Silom Soi 20 for breakfast, and Lalai Sap for lunch. Short BTS rides would take us to Sukhumvit Soi 38 or any of the major mall food courts. We weren't pioneers, searching out the newest places, but we followed the great advice of others and visited many of Bangkok's institutions. There isn't a place in the world where it's easier to find cheap, delicious food no matter the time or day of the week.

2. Chatuchak

The largest market in SE Asia, this place is a madhouse on the weekend. Getting there early will give you a couple hours to enjoy it before the masses descend and snag a few deals before they disappear. The majority of stalls are dedicated to clothing and you can find anything you could imagine, from the cheapest shirts to the hip designer shops of the day. With tons of food vendors on offer, make sure to sample a few of the different things on offer and then head straight to one of the Bee Berry smoothie stalls. If they have it, you must try the marian plum as it is just incredible. The mango was delightful as well.

Easiest way to get here is via BTS and head to the Mo Chit station. If you can't follow the masses of people already heading there, tax Exit 3 to head to Chatuchak. Get there before 10 AM.

3. Movie

There are some very swanky movie theaters in Bangkok, including some filled with couches and foot massages, others that include food and drink, and our favorite: 4D movies. Can't imagine that? Well, start with a 3D movie, then add seats that toss and throw you around, blow air on you, and spray water in the air, all in coordination with what's happening in the movie. It was a blast and we enjoyed the splurge. Sometimes we need to do something "normal" to keep traveling fresh and if you find yourself in the same boat, this will fill that need perfectly.

4. Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market

There are many options to visit a floating market in Bangkok, some of them extremely touristy or far away. Instead of that, on the advice of Mark at Migrationology, we went to this market in the western outskirts of Bangkok. Although there is a tourist presence here - it is Bangkok, after all - mostly Thai people packed the market tasting the endless foods on offer. There aren't many boats plying the canal here, just a few fruit and fresh food vendors, but it's a great place to step outside the city and eat delicious food. Make sure to try the gac fruit juice, the banh xeo boat lady, the som tam with crab, and tons of fresh fruit.

Take the BTS to Bang Wa BTS station and then take a taxi to the market. We showed our taxi driver the Thai text that Mark linked to in his post and our driver knew exactly where to go. Taxi cost 80 baht one way and there were plenty around when we decided to leave the market - no need to ask a taxi to stick around.

5. Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun

We never got around to visiting the Grand Palace/Wat Pho/Wat Arun trio until after we returned from Burma. That's not to say they aren't worth visiting, it's just how our schedule worked out. Wat Po ranks as our favorite of the three, but experiencing them together enhances the experience. Seeing the massive reclining Buddha and massage inscriptions at Wat Pho wouldn't feel complete without also visiting Wat Phra Kaew and seeing the Emerald Buddha.

Entrance per person is 50 baht at Wat Arun, 100 baht at Wat Pho, and a very steep 500 baht for the Grand Palace. Make sure to dress appropriately with covered shoulders and knees.

Bonus:

There are plenty of bars you can try out for sunset. We visited the Pullman G Hotel and had a nice pair of cocktails overlooking western Bangkok. Why there? The drinks were much cheaper than the Hangover-famous Sky Bar that is towards the southern end of Silom Road, the area we were staying in.

Adventurous Kate and Never Ending Voyage are big fans of the island and we understand why. As you head south from Ban Sala Dan along the coastal road, the world quiets down. While developing at a fast pace, Koh Lanta still retains a little charm that was missing from the other island we visited. Local life went on around you and while restaurants and hotels and the like abound, you can still hop on a motorbike and find yourself in a different world on the east side of the island or in the National Park on the southern tip. We had plenty of good food, got more sleep than I thought possible, and we were able to unwind, get healthy, and let go of travel for a bit.

Life is pretty damn good when most nights start with sunsets like this:

A week later, a long day of travel brought us to Koh Phangan. We wanted another island to relax on and, since our visit coincided with the Full Moon Party, we thought we'd check it out. Arriving without accommodation, we got a little caught off-guard and stayed at a place that wasn't the greatest. But, we got a fair deal for the FMP time period and it was located off a path right across the main street from  a wonderful café that served delicious Belgian waffles, tons of syrup, and tasty cappuccinos and lattes. I know, not really Thai food, but it was too delicious not to have every morning. Our days here passed much like on Koh Lanta with late wake ups, slow brunches, reading by the pool/beach, and leisurely dinners.

We were also here for Songkran, which was nowhere near the production it is in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, but was still a very fun day interacting with the local people and celebrating an important day with them. Everyone was jubilant, greeting everyone else in whatever language they could think of, dumping water freely, and spreading shaving cream or whatnot for good luck. We received more hugs and handshakes on that one day that the rest of our time in Thailand combined. We felt welcomed and were grateful to be a part of their festivities. 

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When the day of the FMP came, we applied our glow-in-the-dark paint, tossed on our uniforms (tank tops and shorts, of course), and prepared to rage. Our hotel was fairly antisocial, but we armed ourselves with a couple old water bottles filled with Thai whiskey and coke - no Red Bull as we had sampled a bucket a few nights before and it sent my heart into a somewhat scary overdrive - and joined a few people in a songthaew for the ride to Haad Rin. After paying half-price to get in (Anaïs just walked straight through security. Like a Boss.), we headed down to the beach to experience the mayhem.

It wasn't as crazy as we expected. Plenty of drunk people dancing/passed out/peeing in the ocean, plenty of drink and food vendors, and of course the fire sign was there, but I kept saying to Anaïs all night that it was basically Las Vegas on a beach. Which is to say it was a ton of fun - we reveled as we danced and drank our way between the different bars, checking out the designated sleeping areas, and watching the mass of inebriated travelers rage in the dark.

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After a day to recuperate (and eat more waffles, duh), we got back on the ferry to the mainland and caught the night train to the city that became our home base for the next two and a half months - Bangkok.

Notes

On Koh Lanta, we stayed at Lom La Lanta. Located directly across the street from the Red Snapper restaurant, we thought it was in a good location near good food. They rent motorbikes for 250 THB per day and don't care what the fuel situation is when you return it. The rooms were comfortable - especially the beds - and we had a small balcony with a mountain view. Price was 800 THB per night, which was a little expensive for not being on the ocean side of the road, but we had a good experience.

On Koh Phangan, we stayed at Phangan Great Bay Resort. Nothing special about this one, but considering it was FMP time, we were happy with our little room for 800 THB per night. The pool was nice enough, the beach meh, and the atmosphere was pretty boring considering the impending party. Also, the restaurant was overpriced, but who cares about that when you can find the waffles above just across the street. Speaking of which, those can be found at 100 Islands Coffee Bar. Certainly not cheap, as two orders of waffles, an iced latte, and an iced cappuccino came in at 440 THB, but considering we would eat it as brunch and only eat dinner else wise, it was worth it to us. 

Pretty good! Here is the breakdown:

Again, Accommodation reigns supreme. It's not easy to find a cheap place to stay in KL and, since I was under the weather, we wanted to have a room to ourselves. We stayed at Suzie's Guesthouse in a private double, shared bathroom, with A/C and breakfast for $23.58 a night. The bed was comfortable enough, the WiFi was incredibly fast, and the included breakfast was simple but filling – make sure to try the coconut jam and if you love peanut butter one-tenth as much as I do, you'll be happy. On the downside, there was a night of heavy rain and the one window in our room leaked a fair bit. Nothing happened to our stuff – we just pulled the bed away from that wall – but it's something to keep in mind. That being said, most of the rooms don't have windows. The staff was friendly and helpful and it was located a very short walk from Chinatown and the rail system, so overall we'd recommend it as a place to stay.

Eating Out will remain high throughout SE Asia as we end up eating most meals out. Anais's post provides a good breakdown of the kinds of food we ate. Overall, the cuisine wasn't as fantastic as some others had reported, but we still ate really good food. The hot pot we had was delicious, hokkien mee became a favorite, and of course we couldn't skip out on a little more kopi before we left the peninsula. Entertainment covers our visit to the Islamic Arts Museum and Anais's visit to the Dark Cave and Batu Caves. Groceries includes incidentals like extra water, gum, cookies for our bus to Thailand, and some fruit. Transport covers the Express train from the airport to the city, a few metro rides, and our bus out of KL to Thailand. Our costs here could have been higher, as we did a lot of walking around the compact city, but only marginally as the metro was relatively inexpensive.

Miscellaneous comes in second only because of my hospital visit to figure out what was going on my neck/arm. Anaïs already told you the story, but here's the exact conversation between the doctor and myself (at Tung Shen Hospital, in case you need to visit in KL):

Doctor: “Why are you here today?”
Me: “I have this rash on my neck and arm and it's kind of painful.”
Doctor: “Does it itch at all?”
Me: “No, not at all. Just the pain when I turn my head either direction.”
Doctor: “I see.” A minute pause and some scribbling of notes. “You have herpes.”
Me: *cue shocked face* “Herpes?....How do you get it?”
Doctor: “Poor hygiene.”

Anyway, the Miscellaneous category consists of the cost of my visit as we have a small deductible with our health insurance and had to pay for this one out of pocket. It's certainly not a normal expense, but it was part of our experience so we included. Without this cost, our daily budget drops to $47.86 per day for the both of us. So you can see, Kuala Lumpur is actually quite a cheap place to visit despite accommodation costs.

Kuala Lumpur in Retrospect

Overall, we weren't overly impressed with the city. It was certainly a let down as compared to Singapore, but more than that it just didn't have any kind of charm or energy that attracted us to it. There was a ton of construction going on, the streets were all fairly dirty, exploring various neighborhoods didn't inspire us at all – we just weren't taken. It didn't help that, beyond just my herpes, I was having stomach issues the whole visit as I got used to spicier foods.

The Islamic Arts Museum was a worthwhile visit, though, as it covers a subject that neither of us had been exposed to much before. There was an exhibition showcasing work by master calligraphers who had used scripture from the Quran to produce various effects, all meant to highlight the script and message of the scripture in a beautiful way. On the upper floors, there were a number of permanent displays displaying the history of Islam and many artifacts from various regions, including the Middle East, China, India, and Southeast Asia. Since our trip isn't taking us into the Middle East, it was a great way to learn more about the religion and the history of it around the world.

All in all, a short visit and not much to report about KL. It's not high on our list of places to return, but we know we missed out on a lot in Malaysia, including the Cameron Highlands, Penang, Georgetown, Malacca, and of course Malaysian Borneo. We certainly don't hold our time in KL as representative of the whole of Malaysia and are hoping someday to explore more of it. Capital cities can offer a lot, but they rarely represent the truest picture of life in a country. Someday we'll be back.

It was time to move on though. Given my sickness and our obvious exhaustion, we needed somewhere to unwind. We needed somewhere to sit around and do nothing all day but read, eat, and relax. Thankfully, we were just a little bit south of one of the places most famous for that in the world. Next stop – the islands of southern Thailand.

Wantan Mee from Koon Kee

Egg noodles served with char siew (barbecued pork), cabbage and a small bowl of wantan dumplings on the side. Though it was good, we weren't overly impressed with this dish, especially when compared to everything else we tried in the city.

Claypot Loh Shu Fun from Chinatown Seng Kee

Minced pork meat served with a raw egg over noodles in a claypot. Mix it all together and enjoy! Watch out because the servings are quite large, even for us food lovers! One medium claypot would have been more than enough for the both of us. We ordered two. Hey, who knows when we'll be back here, right?

Brunch at Yut Kee

We couldn't pass up on the opportunity try Yut Kee, a legendary kopitiam in the heart of KL that's been open since 1928. We arrived mid-morning on a Sunday to a packed restaurant. After putting our names down and waiting in line for a good half hour, we were seated with a family of three. There's no way you'll get a table to yourself on weekends but that's part of the charm! We ordered two famous dishes: the roti babi, which consists of minced pork and onion stuffed in pockets of fried dough & the pork roll stuffed with pistachios and peach served with their homemade apple sauce. We both thoroughly enjoyed the pork roll (hello, crackling!) but weren't wowed by the roti babi. Nevertheless, the experience alone made it worth it! Fortunately for us, we visited Yut Kee just in time. The eatery was forced to relocate (after 86 years in the same location!) due to an exorbitant rent.

Note: the pork roll is only available Friday-Sunday. Make sure to get there before noon as it sells out quickly!

Hokkien Mee from Lian Bee

A hole-in-the-wall stall you'll definitely miss if you're not looking for it. Hidden in a back alley, don't let the lack of cleanliness deter you from eating here (I did spot a couple rats on both visits). Their hokkien mee, noodles served with dark soy sauce, pork and tons of deep-fried, crunchy pieces of lard, is incredible. It's no wonder they've been operating for over 60 years!

Note: try the pork soup -it's a great complement to the noodles.

Chicken Biryani at Vishalatchi

For a little something different, we ventured over to Vishalatchi for some Indian food. As soon as we arrived, we were served a humongous portion of the chicken biryani along with the vegetable side curries it comes with. That would have been enough for us but we got a bit too carried away with additional orders of crab, shrimp, calamari, cauliflower (and more!) we were talked into by our server. So what should have been a cheap meal turned out to be quite expensive. Thank goodness it was delicious!

Laksa Curry at Madras Lane

We missed out on laksa curry during our few days in Singapore so we made sure to give it a try when we were in Kuala Lumpur. Though they differ from place to place, the one we tried included vermicelli, bean sprouts, snake beans, eggplant alongside cockles and fish in a hot curry broth. I did not like this dish simply for the cockles, which gave the whole soup a very fishy taste but don't worry, Tyler was happy to have it all to himself.

Beef Noodles from Shin Kee

Shin Kee deserves their title of “noodle specialist” if only for their minced beef sauce, a family secret, which keeps customers coming back. Choose your noodles and wait for the delicious bee-f-antastic bowl to appear, which is served with beef cuts and beef balls along the minced beef sauce in a clear broth. I told you it was bee-f-antastic.

Apam Balik

We weren't quite sure what these were when we found them walking along Petaling Street but after seeing what looked like a peanut filling, we were sold. So what are they? Pancakes filled with peanuts, sugar and creamed corn kernels. Yum. A great late night snack.

Our time in Kuala Lumpur didn't start in the best of ways. After noticing a big red patch on the back of Tyler's neck that clearly wasn't a sunburn, we ventured out on the first hospital visit of our trip. We quickly found out out that he'd contracted a form of herpes (really, it was shingles) because of... “bad personal hygiene”, according to the doctor he met with. Herpes? Poor hygiene? I don't think so. Tyler and I are together almost 24/7 and I can tell you that it was not poor hygiene but most likely, stress and fatigue. He drove around the entire country of New Zealand solo and our visits to Australia and Bali had been fast-paced, to say the least. Regardless of what caused it, he had it and it hurt. On top of that, his stomach remained unsettled so when he wasn't letting loose (you know what I mean), he was in pain from simply moving his neck.

In order not to drain Tyler but still do some sightseeing, we kept our time out of the hostel short and sweet, only seeing a few places a day. After our hospital visit, we walked around our neighborhood, which included the very busy, very touristy, Petaling Street in Chinatown. Neither of us were interested in buying cheap knockoffs so the continuous shouting from sellers was unpleasant. Another day, we went out to eat at the legendary coffee shop, Yut Kee, before checking out the Petronas Twin Towers and the malls around them. We also managed to squeeze in a visit to the National Mosque the next day for the few short hours it's open to tourists as well as the Islamic Arts Museum. The museum was one of my favorites. It did a wonderful job of explaining the history of Islam throughout the years and around the world while showcasing beautiful pieces of art, jewelry, paintings, etc.

On our final day, I took the train out to the Batu Caves and did a bit of sight-seeing on my own. I rode in the women's coach, which wasn't necessary but a nice option. I conquered my fear of monkeys and went up the 272 steps while they jumped from side to side, slid down railings, stealing food wherever they could. Truth be told, I wasn't as impressed by the Batu Caves as I thought I'd be. Though the statue of Lord Murugan was incredible to see at 42.7 meters high (!), the caves themselves didn't offer much but empty space with a few shrines here and there. I'm sure it's a different story during the Hindu festival of Thaipusam when more than a million devotees make the 15 km pilgrimage from Kuala Lumpur but on any other day, I didn't see the magic of it. In fact, I liked my visit to the Dark Cave much better. I arrived only a few minutes before the next tour started. Thankfully, they had one spot left – I guess sometimes it's nice to travel alone! – and I was off into the darkness almost immediately. The cave sure lived up to its name. Armed with just a headlamp each, our group followed the guide along the slippery path, while taking in the limestone formations and the many bugs. Though we didn't see the rarest spider in the world, the elusive Trapdoor Spider, we managed to spot quite a few of its friends. It was a fun visit and one I would make again as I'm sure you get to see new things every time you go. A hard place to take pictures though as they don't keep any lights on inside, something else I really enjoyed. They tried to respect the ecological system as best they could while educating people at the same time.

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All in all, though we enjoyed our time in Kuala Lumpur, Tyler's sickness definitely put a bit of damper on our visit. We were also still getting used to the humid heat of SE Asia. Walking outside for hours was hard on us and we usually came back tired and moody. Taking that into consideration, I'm not too surprised we didn't fall in love with the city. At the same time, maybe it's just one of those places that left me unimpressed. You can't love every single place you see and every single thing you do and Kuala Lumpur definitely reminded me of that. I would still like to go back someday and give it another visit. Until then, I'll leave it towards the bottom of my list of SE Asia capital cities.

Note: Tyler will cover our accommodation in his wrap-up post. Stay tuned!

Juuuust a bit too much. I mean, we were over budget by the price of two ice cream cones we bought in Kuta. Literally. I'm OK with over-budget for ice cream, you?

Accommodation reigns supreme now in the budget world thanks to the low cost of transportation in SE Asia. Now, the amount we spent might more appropriately reflect a low-level flashpacker budget as there were cheaper options to be found. But, we thought it worthwhile to spend a little extra and our experiences at Tanaya, Si Pitung, and Kamol were confirmation of that. All three included breakfast, A/C (except Si Pitung), and friendly staff willing to help out however they could. The pool at Si Pitung offset the missing A/C and being in the middle of the rice fields at Kamol was incredible. Transport, the usual King of the Budget, was only so high because of the fast boat ride we took from Bali to Gili Air and back that clocked in at $48.40/550,000 IDR per person round trip and included a bus from Kuta to the pier and from the pier to Ubud. Otherwise, we only spent on taxis to/from the airport and the 150,00 0 IDR Departure Tax that everyone pays when they leave. Don't forget to bring that with you!

Eating Out ranks second as every meal but breakfast was had at some restaurant or – our favorites – warung. I'm surprised a bit that we didn't spend more as we really loved the food and we splurged on a few meals, like a big, fresh seafood dinner on Gili Air and a few more expensive options in Kuta and Ubud. In Kuta/Legian, search out Warung Yogya and De Yogi Warung for cheaper meals. Warung Muslim was the best meal we had on Gili Air and is a must for lunch. Chill Out was a good spot for dinner and we enjoyed the gado gado, vegetable curry, and had a delicious fresh-fish BBQ there. In Ubud, we didn't do very well finding cheap food, but we did enjoy our meals at Fair Warung Bale, Melting Wok, and Dapur Bunda Homecooking.

Groceries includes plenty of water (we were still getting used to the heat and humidity.....and still are six months later!), ice cream, beer, and snacks. Don't judge – when the food is as good as it was, there's no need to buy anything else! Entertainment was pretty heavy as we did a few expensive activities while we were in Ubud. The Paon Bali cooking class was 700,000 IDR for two of us, or $61.60; the Eco Cycling tour was 840,000 IDR/$73.92 for two. We also had massages at Iman Spa, went to the Semara Ratih cultural show, visited the Monkey Forest, and spent an afternoon at the Puri Lukisan museum. Miscellaneous includes a dress and pair of sarongs that Anaïs bought and 700 IDR left over that some lucky soul found on a Singapore Air flight...

Schedule – 14 days

Kuta/Legian – 4 days
Gili Air – 4 days
Ubud – 5 days
(Our 14th day was waking up in Ubud and heading to the airport to catch our flight, so 4+4+5+1=14.)

Bali in Retrospect

I really don't have many thoughts other than the ones expressed in our last post. We both wish we had spent one night in Kuta and immediately moved on to Gili Air. We also wish we would have had more time as there was a lot of the island we didn't explore, including the West Bali National Park in the northwest and the last not-super-touristy area, Amed (so-called by an Australian woman we met who visits Bali multiple times a year). And we also want to eat a lot more of the food. I mean, a ton of it. A metric ton, even. We weren't acquainted with Balinese and Indonesian cuisine and – as I've said 42 times already – we loved it. Sadly, we didn't take enough pictures of it all to warrant its own food post.

After a layover in Singapore and some more delicious kaya toast, we hopped on our short connecting flight to Kuala Lumpur. There's never enough time to see everything and like everyone, we had to make cuts. Malaysia was one of those places and we only had 5 days to see her capital city. What did we think? Stay tuned!

Hell

Arriving in Kuta just after the sun had set, our taxi ride to our hotel was a portent of our time in this tourist debacle. After an hour-plus in bumper to bumper traffic, we arrived to the wrong hotel. Then drove to another wrong one. Finally we got to near the right one and we just got out and walked - something we should have done much earlier, but hadn't since we'd paid the flat fee for a taxi at the airport. Our hotel - Tanaya Bed and Breakfast - was on the border between Kuta and Legian right on Jalan Legian, right in the action. Our first impression of the area was soured by incessant horns, touts trying to sell us drugs, and five drunk, scantily-clad tourists for every local.

Our subsequent days were no better as we struggled to find any peace and quiet in the area. Having foolishly booked four nights in advance, we did our best to ride out the constant calls of "buy something" and overpriced food, searching wide for fair-priced warungs. We visited the beach and found it sorely lacking. That's an understatement - it was covered in trash with water so dirty we would never swim in it. We walked around Legian and Seminyak and were not impressed by the many souvenir, clothing, and convenience stores. Our hotel was the highlight of our time here, with friendly staff constantly greeting us upon return and asking us how our day went. The included breakfast was simple and served on the hotel verandah...which would have been nice if it wasn't overlooking the busy street below.

Yes, a lot of complaining, but the high hopes Singapore gave us for Asia were scattered upon arrival in Kuta. Thankfully, that wasn't our only stop.

Heaven

After much trepidation thanks to horrible online reviews, we booked a speedboat ride to Gili Air. Our voyage was thankfully uneventful and we arrived on the small island ready to relax. Kuta had given us both head colds and we needed somewhere quiet for some R&R. Si Pitung Village fit the bill. Located in the middle of the island, it was secluded from the noise (what little there was) from the ocean road and other resorts. With a pool and included breakfast, we thought it was a great deal at 250,000 IDR a night. We sent our mornings lounging by the pool after breakfast, followed usually by delicious nasi campur from Warung Muslim - an institution on the island and one of the best meals and cheapest we had in Bali. Afternoon followed a similar routine by pool or by beach and dinner was usually had at a seaside resort, sampling delicious fresh seafood or gorging on gado gado and colorful curries.

It was very much a paradise, especially compared to Kuta. Missing were any aggressive touts, any motor transportation at all, or swarms of tourists. Everyone was here to relax and enjoy the island life. It was the antithesis of what we had just experienced and the four very short days we spent here remain a highlight of our trip so far.

Reality

When the shuttle dropped us off on the main road of Ubud near the side street our guesthouse was on, we were afraid a repeat of Kuta was in store. Where were the rice fields we expected to be staying amongst? All we saw were tourist buses and convenience stores. We hitched up our packs and started up the side street searching for our temporary home. Passing multiple guest houses, meeting halls, and chickens stored in cages on the back of a pickup in a garage, we finally found a sign for our places and followed it through a small passageway. Stepping onto a stone pathway that traced amongst verdant paddies, a huge sigh of relief passed through us as we arrived at Kamol House. Run by a young couple who have spent time in the US, the hospitality is amazing and the property fantastic. We had a humongous room with AC, private bathroom, and delicious breakfast for 250,000 IDR a night.

As it worked out, staying at Kamol was very fortunate as it gave us an oasis to which we could retreat to from hot, touristy Ubud. Again we were fighting off touts, vendors, and pricey restaurants, but unlike in Kuta, we were able to have some really amazing experiences as well. We spent one morning with Bali Eco Cycling, exploring the middle of Bali by bike. Starting with a buffet breakfast overlooking Mount Batur, the tour wound its way through villages and rice fields and included a stop at an agrotourism joint where we had the famous catpoo-ccino as our guide was fond of calling it. Kopi luwak to most, the beans harvested from the feces of the civet cat, we found it a bit disappointing in terms of taste, although it was certainly smoother and less bitter than most arabica.

The Monkey Forest received a visit from us as well. The lowlight of Ubud attractions, neither of us really felt comfortable around the monkeys as they wreaked havoc, jumping on people with bananas and getting into screeching battles and physical fights. I suppose it was an interesting sight, but any enjoyment on our part was lost amongst the tourists. Thankfully, we balanced out this negative experience with positive ones the next day, visiting the Puri Lukisan museum, focused on Balinese art, and the Semara Ratih Spirit of Bali cultural performance. While neither offering completely blew our socks off, both provided a deeper appreciation for the unique artistic styles that have developed on the island.

Another morning was spent with the wonderful crew at Paon Bali Cooking School learning how to make some of the signature dishes from a cuisine which both of us consistently rate in our top three. Ingredient prep was followed by satay grilling which yielded to sauce-making, finally concluding with meal preparation. Although you don't make each dish yourself, instead switching off with your partner, we still both felt like we learned how to cook each dish. Of course, the end was a massive meal of everything we had cooked and it was perhaps our best meal on Bali. Although the class size was too big to get to know your classmates, the setting was somehow still intimate on the family compound and it was a great way to get out of Ubud for the day.

Triumvirate

Peaking highs, sinking lows, and everywhere in between, Bali produced the spectrum of experiences for us. We fell hard for the food, met many incredible locals, became fascinated by the caste system and its modern application, and were awed by the bountiful natural beauty. At the same time, we were appalled by how overrun the Kuta area was by tourists and trash, annoyed at being constantly harangued by touts, and had a hard time getting to know the local life. And while we hope never to return to Kuta, cannot wait to return to Gili Air, and have fond memories of Ubud, our overall time in Bali was greater than the sum of its parts. As often happens, Heaven and Reality overcame Hell and we had a wonderful two weeks.

Notes

In Kuta, we stayed at Tanaya Bed and Breakfast. At around $28 a night, it was of decent value. We could have gone cheaper, and probably should have, but with how little we enjoyed the area, it was nice to have a private room with A/C, WiFi, and a small breakfast included. The shower and toilet were also separate and the shower had great pressure. 

On Gili Air, we stayed at Si Pitung Village. Located in the middle of the island, it's not the place to go if you want to be right on the beach/main road. But, that's also a positive side to it as it is a very quiet location, great for R&R. 250,000 IDR/$22 a night was good for a fan ensuite room and a good breakfast each day. The staff were very smiley and as helpful as they could be. There is also a pool on the grounds which is great for a dip. 

Kamol House was our home in Ubud and was a true oasis in the rice fields north of town. A bit of a walk - about 1.5 KMs - that was oh-so-worth it to us. We loved our massive corner room that had great A/C, a good bathroom with a separate shower, a balcony, free drinking water, and a hearty breakfast each morning. The owner, a musician, is great to talk to about Ubud and what to do. Plus, on the last morning when our arranged airport taxi driver called and bailed on us, the owner drove us all the way to the airport for the same price as the taxi, throwing his own day into chaos. That's damn good service.

Editor's Note: We realize Gili Air is not a part of Bali and is just a short boat ride from Lombok. In our minds, Gili Air was a vacation from Bali so we are including as such. Also, Tyler couldn't come up with a better title for the post. Editor out.