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Local Craft Village Orissa, India

Raghurajpur, a small village in Orissa, holds a prominent position in the cultural map of India as it is perhaps the only one of its kinds where families are engaged in and specialize in a particular craft. The rich traditions of Orissa’s arts and crafts have been well preserved by the skilled villagers through passing on the arts from generation to generation. There are 311 artisans living within 103 households in the village of Raghurajpur. Some of these artists are winners of National Awards....

September 7th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Take A Ride On Chillika Lake Orissa, India

Known as India’s largest fresh body of water, Chillika Lake rests about an hours drive outside the beach town of Puri and offers daily boat tours of the lake, which is home to the rare Irriwaddy Dolphin. Depending on your group size, the long motorized boats can be hired for Rs.200 to Rs.500 (local currency) and will take you out onto the waters for roughly one hour, weather and guest dependant.

September 5th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Life By the Beach, Puri, Orissa, India

Staring off into her distance, the Bay of Bengal may seem all too much at first, but soon you begin to understand her thunderous roar and powerful current can be calmed once you become acquainted. If swimming in between the crashing waves makes you fear for your life, no need to worry too much as the local lifeguards are often at shore ready and willing to save a life. The sandy shores of Puri are also a great place to stroll and take in the local life, as the beach is shared with the local fishing...

September 3rd, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Why Not Puri? Orissa, India

With smiling faces on every corner of every street, a thriving seafood industry and a slow paced feel to a beautiful beachside town, Puri has a lot to offer to a wide range of tourists, both local and foreign. With a population of roughly 150,000 people, Puri is not only recognized as being one of the four holiest places of Hinduism but also the home to Lord Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe and is highly regarded throughout India for this reason. Many people are drawn to Puri each year for different...

September 1st, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Dhimsa Dancers of the Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh, India

Wearing purple and gold saris in a way I had never seen, some 12 women, anywhere from mid-teens to early thirties, stand together and look around as the small crowd of tourists gather round to watch the evenings performance. A trio of men begin tuning their instruments, consisting of a hand drum, tin flute and a symbol like percussion instrument. Puffing away at their last beedie (leaf wrapped cigarette), the women begin removing their footwear and a hush falls over the makeshift stage. Not knowing...

August 30th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Jungle Bells, Andhra Pradesh , India

Tucked away in the Araku Valley is a small-scale eco-tourism project called Jungle Bells, introduced by the Andhra Pradesh Official Tourism Operators. The resort, reached most often by a short walk from the Tyda train station, is geared towards integrating green tourism through steps such as no plastic bags allowed on the premise as well as keeping electricity usage to a minimum. Guests are invited to stay in cottages, ranging in price from $13 to $25 (USD) per night, depending on your desired level...

August 28th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

Commonly seen as the honeymooners paradise of the eastern Indian coast, Vishakapatnam is highly regarded by local people as one of the most beautiful beaches in India today. With fancy resorts and palm fringed shores complementing the sandy beach, the hours seem to melt into the sun’s rise and fall. If the heat gets a little too much, the city itself has a plethora of activities to offer including endless shopping and an amusement park for children. This is also a central point from which you can...

August 26th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Train Travel, India

Indian Railways is the nation’s Government owned and operated railway system that links some 7500 stations and moves roughly 20 million people daily. Not only is it seen as a efficient mode of transportation, but it is also a fascinating alternative to seeing India’s countryside while traveling from destination to another. The train is divided in to four different compartments starting with first class where passengers are provided with clean sheets, pillows, blankets and air conditioning in...

August 24th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Street Food, Kolkata, India

Walking the streets, the smoke rises from the advent calendar like stalls tucked into the walls, with each little slot offering up a different exotic splendor yet to be discovered. There is a lassie stand offering up sweet and salty curd (yogurt) based smoothie like cold drinks, and for the more curious pallet, there is an array of tropical fruits that can be added to the dairy drink. If you are looking for something with a little more girth to it, why not the Hawka noodle stand, serving up vegetable...

August 22nd, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Volunteering, Kolkata, India

There is a new wave of travel coming from the western hemisphere, crashing onto the shores of Kolkata, wearing different masks in search of varying truths and satisfactions. Volunteering has become a must do on the checklists of many when boarding the planes heading eastbound, away from the comforts of our western homelands. Some people bearing crosses hoping to fill God’s quest for them, some looking to inflate their ego to a heroic level where they have managed to save the world in a matter of...

August 20th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Sudder Street, Kolkata, India

Horns blow as the yellow and black three-wheeled rickshaw races through the streets in the early hours of this sunny Kolkata morning. Your eyes can’t help but widen despite the early 6am arrival time as the streets are alive and buzzing like a hive in full bloom. People of all ages and classes walk the streets filling their baskets with fruits, vegatables and whatever live meats lay in front of them at the daily morning market. With one final sharp turn we have landed in a world within a world...

August 17th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Over a Cup of Chai, India

Whether it be the east or west, north or south, India and it’s infamous cup of Chai go hand in hand all across the nation. The price may vary a few rupees depending on how you like your cup served to you, large or small, street stall or classy restaurant, but the consistency of the chai remains the same. Made of warm milk, sugar and ground tea leaves, chai is more than a drink, it is the water of India and is enjoyed by all classes, ages, and sexes. Depending on where you are, chai may come in...

August 15th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Welcome to Kolkata

Back in Kolkata after three some years and it feels like I’ve never been here…a stranger walking familiar streets. Faces seem blurry at a glance, but as the chai goes down one clay cup a time, a clarity passes over the grins stretching from ear to ear with empty hands reaching out for anything that will help. Familiar stories flow about the crowded streets, while yellow and blue round top taxi cabs make their way through the thick lanes of human traffic along this two way street with only one...

August 13th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

CNG Adventure in Dhaka

The CNG, more commonly known as the auto-rickshaw, is a three wheeled, forest green mini taxi that is able to maneuver itself even through the tightest of traffic jams. Meant to carry roughly three adults, rush hour tells a different story with arms and legs spilling out from the now low-riding green hornet. Like their taxi cab cousins, CNG’s do have meters, but for some reason these meters seemed to not work much when we foreigners jumped in the back. The uniformed driver, sporting a faded navy...

August 11th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Botanical Gardens of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Set in a tranquil bamboo forest, the Botanical Gardens of Dhaka are a place of serenity within the chaos of city life. For only five taka (70 Taka is one American dollar), people of all ages and backgrounds can stroll the motorcycle- patrolled grounds and discover some of nature’s hidden treasures. Whether it be an after school adventure with friends, a place for young lovers to relax under the shade of bamboo trees, or a wedding celebration, the gardens are often dusted with visitors enjoying...

August 9th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Dhaka's City Bus

Being one of the world’s poorest nations, and having 45% of the country’s population living on less than one dollar a day, Bangladesh relies heavly on pubic transportation, city buses being the favorite and least expensive choice in Dhaka. Running on diesel fuel and carrying anywhere from 60 to 90 passengers at a time, city buses are the scariest form of transportation but will get you to your destination on time…no questions asked. Bus stops are not clearly marked and there is...

August 7th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Dhaka Never Sleeps

With 12 million people inhabiting Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital city, its no wonder it seems as though the country’s largest city never seems to sleep. In this image you can see a birds eye view of Old Dhaka taken from our guest house balcony. We called Ramna Baban (area within old Dhaka) home for two weeks and got to know it fairly well. It is a bit rougher and run down than New Dhaka in that the buildings are older and streets are more crowded and there feeling is more alive then the...

August 6th, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Cycle Rickshaws of Dhaka 101

The cycle rickshaw, introduced to Bangladesh in the year 1919, provides a daily form of transportation for roughly ten percent and employs twenty-fiver percent of the nations population. The simple yet elaborately decorated vehicles are constructed from spare bicycle parts, rugs, bamboo sticks as well as plastic sheets (for rain protection during the monsoon season). There is no offical count avaliable for the exact number of cycle rickshaws operating in Bangladesh, but the estimates lie in...

August 1st, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dhaka, a city oozing with life, lights, traffic and 12 million people waiting for anything to happen. The capital city of Bangladesh, where roughly 30% of the population are living below the poverty line, all seems a little too much at first glance. Once you let yourself delve beneath its sweaty surface, you’ll come to see why people’s smiles stretch from ear to ear. Curious eyes almost always settle on a strange face, one that just doesn’t seem to fit the dark hair, eyes and skin complexion...

July 31st, 2009 | Global Nomad | Read More