Rachel first visited and wrote about this beautiful landmark back in 2014. You can read her original post here. With the help of one of her close friends, Jules, we’ve given this post a much needed update. Here’s your guide to the best things to do in Hampi today!

I, Jules, first made a last minute trip to Hampi in 2016 on my last holiday to Goa before I decided to move there. It was a crazy trip squashed in the middle of a jam packed 2 week holiday with 15 people. We decided we didn’t want to be away from Goa for too long so 5 of us thought it would be a good idea to do a rapid overnight trip to Hampi and back. Looking back it was great but wow it was quick with a lot of time spent in the car and I am not sure I would recommend going for that short of a time. Instead I’d spend at least two nights here.

We left at 10am from North Goa and arrived in Hampi after the sun had gone down and actually the boats across the river had stopped. This left us no choice but to take an illegal Karnataka coconut boat (these are explained below) trip across the river in absolute silence and complete darkness so we didn’t get caught by the police. We stayed one night, did one full day of temple sight-seeing, watched one glorious sunset, and got back in the car and drove 8 hours back to Goa.

My second trip to Hampi was in 2017 where I gave myself a more reasonable 2 night stay which included a huge thunder and lightening storm, two glorious sunsets, and some of the same and a few new temples.

Before I tell you all about Hampi, I want to make sure you know about the India Guide ebook which is literally everything you need to know about traveling in India safely and will make sure you see all the best “do not miss” places here on your budget, which can be under $20 a day if you wanted it to. Buy it here. Read more about the book and see reviews here.

Hampi is like something straight out of the set of Jurassic Park. The huge boulders don’t seem to make sense. How are they placed in such strange positions? Why aren’t they rolling down hills and squashing all tourists in their paths? Not to mention the sheer size and open landscape of it all. It is literally a magical town where they must have used some form of magic or sorcery to build the temples all those hundreds of years ago… To have all those beautiful boulders scattered around as they are – some are even purposefully balanced on top of another. Apparently some of that magic is erosion but we will come on to that.

If you can fit Hampi into your trip schedule, do not hesitate and if you can’t then you should try and re-work your schedule. Hampi has the right balance between history, beautiful architecture, nature and fun backpacker vibes.

What is Hampi?

Hampi is a UNESCO world heritage site in Karnataka, India, about 7 hours from Bangalore or 10 from Goa by overnight bus.

While you can only see it in ruins now, it was once one of the richest cities in the world. Yep, the whole world, not just India. It was the capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire for over 200 years. Once upon a time, you would enter an ancient metropolis adorned with temples, palaces, markets streets, and religious monuments. It flourished between the 14th and 15th century with most temples and monuments being Hindu alongside a few Jain temples and one Muslim mosque and tomb.

In 1565, everything changed after the battle of Talikota took place and the city of Vijayanagara was defeated. Armies spent 5 months destroying monuments, and what you see today is what remains.

As Rachel said, unlike Stonehenge, where the attraction is a small area, the entire town of Hampi is the attraction. This city is in the middle of nowhere and you can spend days exploring different corners.

Hampi Travel Tips

When to Go to Hampi

Don’t go in the hottest months (April and May) as sightseeing will be unbearable.

How to Get to Hampi

By Bus

If you are travelling from Goa, a bus can be taken from the bus stands of Mapusa or Panjim, directly to Hospet. This is an overnight bus and takes around 11 hours. Have a look or on Redbus and if traveling solo think about booking 2 sleeper beds next to each other to avoid having a stranger in your compartment.

The bus stop is also a small market.

By Train

Additionally, you can take a daytime train from Vasco De Gama in the South of Goa to Hospet. Check all my tips for booking a train here. If you want to book, you book here.

Once at Hospet take a rickshaw to your chosen accommodation in Hampi which should be approximately 13km away.

Getting Around Hampi

The best way to explore Hampi is by rickshaw (more on that below). If you want to stay on the same side of the river as Rachel did, do not drive there, it’s a huge wrap around. Instead, take the taxi boat across. It only takes 3 minutes, BUT it stops running at 5:00 PM, and there is no way to the other side except to drive for an hour. If it’s late at night you’re bound to get lost in the jungle as Rachel did!

Where to Stay in Hampi

2020: Please check the area you have booked is not Anegundi, across the river as most places are unfortunately closed awaiting demolition

View From the Room

Boulders

Another great and slightly more expensive option is Boulders. It is located outside of the main tourist area of Hampi and is approximately 7km from the main World Heritage sites. It is set on the banks of the Tunghbadra River in the Yamini Hills. Perfect for nature lovers and travellers who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the usual India. The accommodation can help with a driver to take you around sightseeing during the day. Check prices here

Shanthi Guesthouse

Rachel originally stayed at Shanthi Guesthouse which was 12,000 INR for 3 nights, although she thinks they could have negotiated better had they not been fairly intoxicated the majority of the time. That price included breakfast and laundry and was in December at peak season (when rates are doubled). The cottages are along the rice paddies and you are GUARANTEED a badass view of the greatest sunset of all time from a swinging porch bed. Check prices here

Sloth Bear Resort

Another spot Rachel also stayed was at the Sloth Bear Resort, which is part of a National Park and you can, as you might guess, see sloth bears on safari. Read the review here and check prices here

Mowgli Guesthouse

If you want another option for where to stay in Hampi, Rachel also stayed at Mowgli Guesthouse which is pretty identical and has similar reviews online. They have the same exact view from the rooms, which are now called “vista rooms,” as well as many guesthouses in Hampi.

The service wasn’t great. It’s the view that counts. Hampi doesn’t have a lot to offer for accommodation so these are your best bet. Check prices here

Hyatt

When Rachel’s parents came, these were booked and nothing else looked appealing so they stayed 45 minutes away at the Hyatt, which was in a unique workers complex. Check prices here

Check here for more places to stay in Hampi

Places to Visit in Hampi

When visiting Hampi, be ready to spend your day exploring temples. There’s a lot, like really a lot, of incredible landscapes to see and unbelievably huge boulders you’ll want to take photos next to. Rachel walked through mazes of boulders wondering how in the hell it all came to be, and when it is your turn, you will be feeling the same. After doing a quick Google search you will find out that geologists state after millions and maybe even billions of years of erosion from rain, sun and wind, the monoliths began to crack, break and fall into what we see today. Still sounds pretty magical!

The Vijaya Vittala Temple is famous for its intricately carved chariot while the Virupaksha Temple is an impressive 49-meters tall. The Narasimha Statue, which was Rachel’s favorite and also one of mine, is carved from one single stone, and the Hanuman Temple sits on top of a hill. There’s also the underground Shiva Temple which remains partially flooded all year round and many many more temples you’ll want to see!

Rachel wrote that Hampi is said to be the Vanara Sena, or Kingdom of the Apes, which as Hindus believe, is where Lord Rama fought in the Ramayana. You will understand this reference when faced with the large groups of monkeys trying to steal the bananas you were coerced into buying from the local salesman – be careful!

10 Things to Do in Hampi: What Not to Miss!

From Rachel’s trip with her mom and dad

1. Hire a local rickshaw driver to take you around all the sites for a day

There is a lot see in Hampi so maybe narrow it down. If you have time, split your temple visits across a few days. After a few temples I know we all can feel a bit temple-d out and then miss the beauty of what we are meant to be seeing. My advice would be to find a rickshaw driver you like and ask him to take you to 3 temples, somewhere for lunch and one sunset spot each day.

If you are lucky some rickshaw drivers will tell you information about each temple as you are about to enter it. However, I suggest buying a little information book from the bazaar with facts and pictures of each World Heritage Site to help explain the beauty of what you are seeing. Your rickshaw driver may also have some secret spots to show you, away from the crowded tourist track! And if you are lucky, he might even let you have a sneaky test-drive on the deserted back roads of Hampi. It is definitely more difficult that it looks!

The price you should pay per day really depends on the amount of sites you visit, the distance covered and how much you enjoyed the day. I would suggest between 500 and 800 INR per day per rickshaw – not per person.

2. Take the taxi boat across the river to the “hippie” side of Hampi, Anegundi.

2020 Update: Unfortunately, Anegundi is currently going through some major developments with a majority of the area about to be demolished. Hold off any plans to stay on this side for now and hopefully we will have some good news by the beginning of next season – October.

Don’t forget to see both sides of the river! As Rachel said, this is so you can take part in drum circles, dread-lock making, and whatever other hippie activities. This also puts you on the side of the reservoir where you can experience the quiet of Hampi. You will usually find a big hippie community with hostels, restaurants, movie nights, bouldering groups, and lots of lovely luscious green rice paddy fields.

3. Catch the sunset from Hanuman Temple on top of the hill

This is a beautiful spot that gives you a 360 degree view over the amazing and unbelievable selection of boulders in Hampi. It is a 572 step climb so don’t make the mistake of trying to conquer this hill during the daytime heat and don’t let the step count put you off as it really is a view you shouldn’t miss. It does get busy at the peak sunset hour so if you are feeling motivated, try and make it for sunrise instead. You will need to hire a rickshaw to take you to this spot – ask for Monkey Temple Hill or Hanuman Temple.

4. Go cliff jumping and cool off in Hampi’s lake – watch out for the crocs!

Cool off in the large swimming lake a short drive outside the main sites of Hampi. This lake has a huge warning sign for crocodiles painted on the rock but Rachel never saw any and everyone there was swimming. Locals said there aren’t any in the lake, only the river. You’ll see a group of people laying out near the main cliff, and if it’s empty that day, ask a guide where people jump. The water isn’t clear, but people have been jumping from this same place for years! Take a rickshaw or ask the locals for directions to the swimming lake.

Colorful Guests Visiting the Elephant Stables 

5. Be amazed by the size of the Elephant Stables.

The old Elephant Stables are on the same grounds as the Lotus Mahal. Venture inside what used to be where the Maharajahs would keep their elephants and compare the size of these to your usual horse stables. Have a seat in the shaded grassy area with a freshly cut coconut and think about the unlucky soul who had to clean each one.

6. Enjoy views from Matanga Hill after all your temple sightseeing.

This is a slightly more challenging climb that doesn’t have a specific route, more like a climb up along some man-made rock steps. It should take no more than 30 minutes with reasonable fitness and gives you a 360 degree view of Hampi including some of the World Heritage Sites. A great place to see the full beauty of Virupaksha Temple from a distance. Another great spot for sunrise and sunset.

Rachel did it with a guide who gave her some cool bits of information. For example, the statue of Ganesh (who is her favorite god!) has a snake around his stomach. The guide/driver shared that it was to keep him from eating too much food!

7. Get a guide at Vijaya Vittala Temple – Chariot Temple

You are probably sick of being offered guided tours around every single site you visit but if you are going to choose one in Hampi, do it at Vijaya Vittala Temple which is also where the famous carved stone chariot is. I suggest a guide here because they will show you how to play music on the 56 musical pillars (probably/hopefully not all of them) at the Ranga Matapa. If hit in the right way each pillar makes a different note. You can have a try yourself but good luck finding the right pillars!

8. Hire a Karnataka boat and driver to take you out in the lake. Go for a swim!

The boats are traditional fishing boats for the state and are made from trees and tar. Maybe even buy the boat, like Rachel did. On the Hampi lake you shouldn’t pay any more than 250 INR for a little boat trip around the lake. These are the same boats that were used to cross over to Anegundi before the introduction of the actual motor boat, and the same boat I had to sneak across the river in on my first trip to Hampi! 

9. Take a break at Mango Tree

On the same side of the river as the Virupaksha Temple there is a great restaurant for backpackers called Mango Tree. Take a break from the Hampi heat and have a mango shake or a thali. Word has spread about this place so it can be difficult to get a seat at peak times.

10. Go bouldering

I am sure you are well aware by now but in case you aren’t, Hampi is full of boulders. All different shapes and sizes that keep you waiting for a dinosaur to pop its head around the corner any minute. If you are feeling like you can’t see another temple or you’re in the mood for a challenge then pay a visit to to one of the few bouldering centres located in Anegundi. Tom and Jerry, Goan Corner – Boulder Centre (also a great hostel) and Sunny’s Bouldering School. We don’t have any personal testimonials but check out their TripAdvisors page for the latest reviews. And if you are lucky you might even get a few dogs to oversee your climb!

Again seeing as this is taking place in Anegundi, we will need to wait for some more information regarding the demolition and update you in October, until then please do contact the centres directly as the boulders will be there, demolition or no demolition.

And there you have it, all the best things to do in Hampi. Have you been? What did you think?

General India Travel Tips

• Can’t go to Hampi, if you can’t get into India. Yes, you do need a visa, even if you’re only here for a short time. It’s super easy, and you can get it right on iVisa.
• Don’t forget to get some travel insurance! Especially if you’re going to do some of the more adventurous activities. We always recommend World Nomads, and you can even easily get a quote on the sidebar or going here.
• For cheap domestic flights, compare on Kiwi.
• If you need a phone while in India and you can’t use SIM cards, try out Trabug.

Pin for Later!

The post 10 Cool Things to Do in HAMPI: Chasing Sunsets and Climbing Boulders first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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I’m trying to write more of these “Ask Me Anything” series posts since I do get asked similar questions very often. I’ve been writing them down and slowly will write posts answering them. One thing I get asked a lot is “Why India?” There are a number of reasons I am still living as an expat in India. “Will you ever move?” is another common question. So, let’s dive in!

Why I Chose India…

I did choose to travel to India and move here but it wasn’t based on an impulse decision. You might know that I met my boyfriend while traveling in India when I was here backpacking solo almost five years ago.

I loved India but truthfully never saw myself living here. While backpacking I loved it but also got scammed, very sick with Dengue, lost, and annoyed quite often. I thought “it’s a great place but I can’t imagine staying forever…” I know this might surprise people, as since I’ve grown to love it as a home so much.

When I got to Goa as a traveler, It was totally different.

Goa is like an island in a sense it’s not like the rest of India. It is very westernized, has amazing food varities, laid-back people, siesta from 1-3, and of course the sea.

I loved Goa.

Then I met Ben after a couple days here. He was here from England working and had been for about 3 years. I went back to the US for a travel nursing assignment and we planned on me moving to India.

It really happened that fast and there wasn’t a lot to think about. It was just a simple decision.

I didn’t think my move to Goa would be permanent. I didn’t even have a job! I didn’t even know Ben and his life well enough to know if his job here would be permanent.

What we do know is that I can’t stay in England very long as a tourist and he can only stay in the USA something like 30 days. Unless we were married, we can’t really live in each other’s countries unless we got work visas, which aren’t easy to get.

So, we stayed in Goa.

We love it here. We have friends here and people who are like family to us. But, we have said that it’s not our “forever place”. Every time we think about moving so many complications come up.

I’ve been here over 5 years now. These are the things we question:

• Where can we move with 3 Indian pets? How expensive and safe is it to ship them on a plane journey that could be 30+ hours overall. We can’t be moving all the time because of our pets so no “nomadic lifestyle” for us. Wherever we choose, we better like because we’ll be there a while.
• Where to go? We’ve thought about Mexico. We know we want to always be on a beach. We don’t want to be in the USA or the UK because 1. visas and 2. it’s really expensive
• Where can we have a similar lifestyle? With India being affordable we are free to eat out at restaurants, see movies, travel by train and more very cheaply. We have a housekeeper, driver, and security. In somewhere like the US, we would be spending all our money just on rent.
• I can work from anywhere since I travel blog but Ben has a very specific job, and it’s one that he loves (building artificial reefs to prevent coastal erosion). He can’t just get that job anywhere and he doesn’t want to go back to a 9-5 (which is why he left Microsoft in London so many years ago)
• If we did move somewhere expensive and supplement with me getting a 9-5 then I couldn’t really travel and then my travel blog would die. Now that it’s kind of a legit career, I really don’t want that to happen and a two-week vacation a year would actually kill me slowly, not just my blog. Now, we get to travel A LOT and I like that.

Do we want to stay in India?

We love Goa. We could stay here and live happily and comfortably but no I don’t think it’s our forever place.

There are so many places in the world I think we could love. I do want to be closer to my family. It’s not cool to only see them once a year. He misses his friends and family, too.

So, what’s next?

Literally, you know as much as me. We have no idea! We are just kind of going with the flow for now.

So, I guess I haven’t really answered the question that well but it’s because I don’t know the answer myself.

I definitely didn’t think I’d be here as long as I have, so only time will tell what happens next!

The post Ask Me Anything: Why Are You Still In India & Will You Ever Move? first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Ask Me Anything: Why Are You Still In India & Will You Ever Move? appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Does living in Italy and getting paid to travel around Europe sound like a dream job to you? Well, as a freshly graduated college student who fell in love with Italy when studying abroad, it sounded like the perfect job for me! I’m going to explain how to become a travel guide in Europe.

Today, I’m talking all about my year living and working in Italy as a student travel guide. As someone who has always been passionate about traveling, I wholeheartedly believe that choosing to live and work in Italy after graduating is one of the best decisions I’ve made.

While most of my friends were settling into their 9-5 routines, I was busy traveling around Europe and exploring Italy. In fact, in my year working as a student travel guide, I actually got paid to visit over 10 countries and 20+ cities.  Working as a student travel guide was such a rewarding experience, and is a huge reason why I was able to afford to travel so much!

That being said, working abroad wasn’t all pretty Instagrams and gelato-keep reading to learn more about this travel job, and see if working as a student travel guide is right for you!

How I Found The Job

Believe it or not, the job actually sort of fell into my lap while I was studying abroad in Florence, Italy. If you have ever studied abroad in Europe, you may remember meeting a few Americans, fresh out of college, working for student travel companies in your city. I headed on a couple of trips with the company I would later work for, and the tour guide I befriended would later become my boss! When the time came around to apply, my friend made sure to send me an application, and the rest is history.

Landing The Job

You don’t always have to know someone at a student travel company to get hired, however, it definitely helps. The job is very social, so having someone to vouch for your personality will definitely get your resume to the front of the applicant pile. If you are planning on studying abroad and think this job might be for you, then I highly recommend befriending a tour guide or two who you can use as references later.

If you don’t know anyone at a student travel company or haven’t studied abroad, then just be sure to put together a great application that shows how perfect of a fit you are for the job.

What are student travel companies looking for?

Student travel companies are looking for outgoing, social, motivated leaders who love traveling and are great at selling and putting themselves out there. On your application, you will want to highlight any involvements you had in college, and social groups you may have been a part of. On my application, I emphasized my love of travel, social media savvy, past work experience, and my involvement in a sorority in college. If you are serious about applying, you can read a bit more about what else these student travel companies are searching for here!

So what exactly does a student travel guide do?

While the travel aspect of the job is what immediately comes to mind for most people, the reality is that the job can be broken down into 3 main categories: sales, nightlife, and lastly, travel. I’m putting travel last because even though this is the reason most people dream about working for a travel company, you actually will only be traveling on weekends, and have many responsibilities during the week!

Sales

The most important part of the job is, surprisingly, sales! Most tour guides are paid on commission, meaning that you are paid based on how many trips you sell. The more trips you sell, the more money you’ll make, so this part of the job is paramount.

You’ll spend your weekdays trying to meet as many study abroad students (aka potential clients) as possible in the hopes that they will use your promo code to book a trip. This requires excellent social skills and social media know-how, as your primary way of reaching out to students is either in person or via Facebook.

During the beginning of each semester, you’ll pretty much be working around the clock. You’ll spend long days walking around handing out flyers, constantly messaging students on Facebook, meeting up with students in person, and being a brand ambassador 24/7.

Nightlife

This brings me to the second most important part of the job-nightlife. Many travel companies require you to attend at least 1 nightlife event each week, and oftentimes one every night during the first few weeks of the semester. After all, one of the best ways to meet study abroad students is out at the bars, and travel companies often work with local establishments to promote bars, clubs, and nightlife events while promoting their travel company at the same time.

If you love going out, then you will love this part of the job. To many travel guides it is a great way to extend those college years a bit. If you are like me, and prefer going out 1-2 times a month, this will quickly become one of your least favorite parts of the job.

Tour Guiding

Finally, the best part of the job-traveling! After working hard to sell as many trips as possible, you will finally be able to enjoy all of your hard work on the weekends. Many travel companies base who is going on a weekend trip on sales, so it is important to sell well during the week if you are hoping to go somewhere during the weekend. As a travel guide, you will be expected to help lead a group of around 50 study abroad students with another guide or two.

You will start out as an assistant guide-usually taking photos, counting to make sure the group is all there, making sure no one gets lost, and assisting the Lead guide.

Lead guides, which you may be promoted to at some point, are in charge of everything else-coordinating with the bus driver, making sure the group arrives at scheduled activities prepared and on time, leading walking tours, and dealing with any unexpected situations that may pop up. It can be quite a responsibility!

As a top seller in my company, I was traveling nearly every weekend-which was totally awesome but can also be very exhausting! Long overnight bus rides, late nights out with students in different countries, and tour guiding can be quite tiring, but getting to explore different places all the time was so worth it.

How much do student travel guides make?

This is a tough question to answer, as pay varies greatly between different companies, and often depends on your sales abilities.

Generally, tour guides have free accommodation, earn commission from sales, and may (or may not) be paid to lead or assistant guide on tours. Commission percentages, housing situations, and tour guide pay varies widely between companies, so it is hard to put together an exact number.

In my particular situation, my rent was covered as I lived in company housing, I had all of my expenses paid when on a trip, and I was also paid to be a lead guide (although I was not paid as an assistant guide).

My first semester, I pretty much broke even, however, during my second semester working I was able to save enough money to help fund a three month trip through Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. That being said, few tour guides make this much money-I was a top seller at a smaller company, whereas some larger travel companies are much more competitive.

If you are thinking about working as a student travel guide, then I highly recommend heading abroad with some savings-there is no way to know in advance if your company will have a successful semester or if you will consistently make sales. Make sure you have some money saved up in case you are struggling to earn enough for groceries, and you will definitely want to have enough saved up for a flight home.

The perks of the job

The main reason I wanted to work for student travel company was to travel, and travel I did! During my year working for a student travel company, I was able to visit over 10 countries and well over 20 cities around Europe-while getting paid. It was basically a dream come true. Here is a list of all the places I traveled with my company, many of which I visited more than once!

Europe:

• Austria 
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• France
• Germany
• Hungary 
• Netherlands
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Switzerland

Italy: 

• Capri
• Chianti
• Cinque Terre
• Elba Island
• Naples
• Pisa
• Perugia
• Pompeii
• Positano
• Rapolano
• Rome 
• San Gimignano
• Siena
• Venice
• Verona

The pros and cons

While every person has a different experience working for a student travel company, I’m pretty sure that everyone can agree that there are definitely pros and cons to the job. While traveling around so much sounds like a dream come true, and in many ways it is, there are some pretty big downsides to the job as well.

The pros:

My favorite parts of being a travel guide were being able to visit so many places without having to spend a dime, living in my favorite city, Florence, and the amazing friends I made while working. I also had some unforgettable life experiences made possible by working as a travel guide-like attending Oktoberfest, sleeping in a prison in Slovenia (it isn’t what it sounds like, I promise), and hiking in Cinque Terre nearly every weekend in the summertime.

The cons:

Over time, repeating the same itineraries every trip can get a little boring, and my bed in Florence started sounding more and more appealing as I boarded yet another 6-hour bus ride to the Amalfi Coast. I also really had a difficult time keeping up with all of the nightlife events while I enjoy going out occasionally, mandatory nightlife was not much fun for me, and quickly became my least favorite part of the job.

Living with co-workers can also be problematic, but I was fortunate to work for a close-knit company and had great roommates throughout my time living in Italy. Working for an Italian company also took quite a bit of getting useful, and cultural differences (and not always getting paid on time) sometimes made work frustrating.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I had an amazing experience and would highly recommend looking into working for a student travel company to anyone interested in living and working in Europe while also getting paid. That being said, make sure you are clear on exactly what the job entails before applying-I know many people who have gotten the job only to quit within a few months because they severely underestimated exactly how much they would be working, are not outgoing or dislike sales, or couldn’t handle the often competitive work environment, lack of sleep, and nightlife requirements, among other reasons.

For a peek into life as a student travel company, check out these 26 signs that you worked for a student travel company in Europe.

Pin how to become a travel guide in Europe for later:

The post Dream Travel Jobs: How I Lived in Italy + Got Paid To Travel To 10 Countries first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Dream Travel Jobs: How I Lived in Italy + Got Paid To Travel To 10 Countries appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I recently found out that the Dead Sea might only be around for 50 more years and it got me wondering about other places that are disappearing and which they might be. I found some really interesting places, some of which are on many people’s bucket lists. So, take a look at these places that are disappearing before they are gone forever!

Places that are disappearing – go see them NOW!

1. Dead Sea

The Dead Sea fills up from the River Jordan (where Jesus was baptized). People drink that water though and the Dead Sea (which is a lake, not a sea) is slowly lowering. Scientists say it could be gone in 50 years. The Dead Sea is mineral rich and so salty you can float in it. It’s also the lowest place on earth. I recently visited; read about it here.

2. Maldives

Ben builds artificial reefs as a job so I have been hearing about the disappearing Maldives for years. I didn’t realize before I met Ben. It’s the most stunning place I’ve seen in photos and is SO ON MY BUCKET LIST! I love the water villas which are spread out over 1,000 islands. Sadly, the islands are disappearing. The water level is increasing and land is disappearing. It will be gone in the next 100 years. The Maldives even has a backup plan already in place. They bought nearby islands.

image via Hiroyuki-H

3. The Great Barrier Reef

Because of water temperature changes and pollution, this magical place might go away forever. One small thing people should keep in mind when snorkeling ANYWHERE is that sunscreen is bad for the coral. You should use a brand like Sun Bum which is approved for corals to help protect them. This is somewhere I’ve wanted to go since a kid and is so sad to hear is decreasing- it’s gone down in size by half in the last 50 years.

image via FarbenfroheWunderwelt

4. Seychelles

Just like the island paradise of Maldives, Seychelles is that Pinterest perfect location that many people dream about honeymooning at. The corals around the islands are disappearing which means eventually the islands will too. Corals protect the island (ask Ben he could tell you about it for hours!) because the waves break on the coral. When there is no coral, the waves break on the land which destroys the beaches and eventually will decimate the island. This happens in smaller scales which can be fixed with artificial reeds (like the one Ben did in Ratnagiri!).

image via Olivier Cochard-Labbé

5. Madagascar

You guys… scientists say we have only 35 years to see this incredible place! While this island used to be a dense rainforest, they’re doing “slash and burn” here (and many places around the world) but unfortunately it’s been taken to the next level and the forest and all the animals inside are going to be gone. It’s a biodiversity hotspot and some species will go extinct. It’s famous for lemur’s which could be gone soon.

image via Teza Harinaivo Ramiandrisoa

Other places that are disappearing

Sadly, these 5 are not the only ones. There are many places that are disappearing. I’ll share some others that might interest you and make you book a ticket. One that I’ve luckily been to already is Venice due to huge amounts of floods.

The Everglades (in Florida which in case you didn’t know have SO many Burmese pythons in it!) are also disappearing over time due to encroaching development and invasive creatures. Those pythons are natural there, so you can imagine that would mess with the ecosystem. Another in the US is the Glacier National Park in Montana. There used to be 150 glaciers and are now 25. It could be zero in 15 years due to climate change.

The North and South Poles are also at risk! It’s said that within 20-40 years, there will be no ice in Antartica for example. That would mean no penguins there. It’s so sad to think about and makes me want to travel to all these places as soon as possible!

Another places affected by climate change is the Alps which are not that high of a mountain range. Scientists say that glaciers here could be gone by 2050. TIME also says Alaska could disappear!

I canyoned in the Alps in Interlaken years ago and it’s one of my favorite experiences.

There’s one right here in India, Ranthambore National Park. Half of the worlds’ tigers live in India! Here are some stats from CNN that shocked me:

• There were 100,000 tigers in 1900 and now are 3,200 in the world.
• They estimate a tiger a day is killed for Chinese medicine

I don’t share this to depress you but just because it was something that surprised me and I thought you’d want to know. The reasons behind a lot of this are related to Global warming and pollution. Here is an article that explains how you can help prevent green house gases!

The post 5 Places that are Disappearing – go see them NOW! first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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I have made so many mistakes in my travels! I try not to, but I have been traveling Internationally for around 8 years and to nearly 40 countries so you’re bound to make some mistakes. I mean, even on my third trip to Thailand, I went to the wrong airport in Bangkok when I was leaving. Woops! So, I wanted to share some mistakes travelers make and how you can AVOID them.

Mistakes Travelers Make (& how to avoid them)

1. Having crazy high expectations

You’re going traveling. It’s going to have its ups and downs and it can be stressful. Maybe your travel companion will drive you bonkers. Maybe you will be hoping to have a life-changing experience and be constantly looking for it (Eat, Pray, Love style). 

Maybe you’ll try to act like a “traveler” and not really be yourself hoping to become someone you’re not.

I’ve written before about how you need to BE yourself to “find yourself” when you travel. Sometimes travel can be life-changing, but sometimes it’s just cocktails on the beach with an incredible sunset!

2. Spending all your time stressing out about logistics and money

It’s easy to get caught up in counting pennies. You’ll be spending a lot more daily when you travel than you would at home. Hotels and food every day plus all the fun travel things.

This is why you budget for a trip; so that you don’t have to stress about it later.

Plan ahead! Download travel apps to help you with maps and transportation. Be a little prepared so that you can totally let loose and relax on your trip.

You KNOW you’ll be spending money when you travel, so no use in worrying about it while the inevitable is happening.

3. Winging it when you are not an easy-going person

I am super Type A but I do love the idea of “winging it” on a trip. When you have a good amount of money to blow and time on your hands, this is okay. But, if you’re on a tight budget and not a “go with the flow” type of person at home, you’re most certainly not going to become that type of person when you travel.

I actually wrote a post on how to travel without planning.

If you are not super easy-going, have a travel plan!

4. Being an introvert and not making new acquaintances

It’s okay to be a loner. I’m not the type to go up and talk to strangers either. But… when traveling you should try to break out of your shell a little bit. Sometimes the people you meet are what make your travels so incredible. Actually, that is usually the case!

In hostels, you can meet people. You can use apps to meet people. You can do drop in yoga, cooking classes, or other classes to meet people.

You won’t want to enjoy the nightlife alone and the nightlife is always a big part of travels so it’s good to make buddies to go out with.

5. Not having any cultural experiences

You can just go from city to city and stay in a hotel, eat at the hotel, go to the hotel spa, and fly back home… but what kind of vacation is that!?

You should get out in the thick of things! Meet locals! Do things that seem touristy if they help you understand the culture. I met the tribals in Ziro Valley (epic cultural experience) and went to a luau in Maui (touristy cultural experience) but they were both memorable and I had a great time at both.

There’s no reason you can’t find a cultural experience anywhere that you travel!

6. Being too stingy to splurge on adventure or spa activities

Go big or go home! Just kidding, sort of.

When I think of Uganda, I think of Bungee Jumping.

When I think of Interlaken, I think of canyoning in the Alps.

When I think of Finland, I think of dog sledding.

So many incredible memories are from splurging out on the most amazing adventure activities on offer in these beautiful travel destinations.

I personally love spas so I like to try unique spa experiences when I travel and those don’t come cheap. Hamams in Istanbul, Ayurveda in India, and Lomi-lomi in Hawaii all come to mind as memorable!

Give yourself some wiggle room or use a credit card because you might not make it back to these places and you will regret not having these epic experiences.

7. Packing like you’re going to outer space

You can buy much of what you *might* need while you’re traveling so you don’t need to take so much “just in case” stuff.

Take what you need.

Take clothes you actually like and would wear at home. You want to be comfortable and feel like yourself while you travel.

You can take some band aids and such, but don’t go overboard on things like medical kits and other “travel” necessities you see in that isle of Wal-Mart. You don’t need most of it!

8. Trying to do too much

This is pretty self-explanatory, but if you try to do too much and add too much on your itinerary, then you’re going to burn out. You’ll be tired and stressed and that’s no way to spend your holiday.

9. Not being practical and forgetting to buy travel insurance

It’s a risk you don’t want to take. I use it when I travel outside India but as I’m in India for such long stretches normal travel insurance doesn’t work for me here. I use World Nomads and have always recommended it on the blog.

You can see everything they cover here and some tips on what to consider before buying.

10. Not booking enough time between flights or other flight mistakes

This is a more technical issue.

When you book flights, often flight hacking sites will urge you to separate your journey into smaller flights to save money. But, this can lead to you accidentally booking your flights with too little time between layovers. If you miss a flight, then you’ll be totally screwed as you booked separately therefore, the next airline won’t have any legal reason to help you get on a new flight.

This is one of the reasons I book with Kiwi. They search each leg separately but offer a guarantee that if you miss a flight, they’ll put you on the next one for free. (review for kiwi here)

You’ll also want to check that you are leaving for the same airport you land in during a layover. Often in Paris or London websites will book you with an “airport change” and that can be a huge hassle; one that I always avoid.

I hope you can avoid these 10 common mistakes travelers make! You can also check out my post “Advice I Dish Out But Can’t Seem to Follow Myself!“

Pin it for later:

The post 10 Mistakes Travelers Make & How to Avoid Them first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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My time in Finland was spectacular and I have so much amazing information to share with you so that you can do some of the cool things I got to do on the Nordic Blogger’s Experience, which I was invited to this year.

If you’re like me and have a wanderlust for everywhere, then it won’t take much to push you over the edge to book a flight to Finland! Here are 20 photos to inspire you to visit Finland!

20 Photos to Inspire you to Visit Finland

a traditional lappish teepee, where of course you drink Fazer hot cocoa!

my new bestie!

blueberry juice is totally Finnish and you’re going to have it a lot on your trip!

the backgrounds are just stunning

In Vantaa, near Helsinki, there is SO much amazing graffiti to explore and photograph, and yeah I’m getting like NO air lol 

You can stay in the cutest log cabins, too!

Helsinki is a hipster paradise

They love breakfast here and it’s SO full of flavor. Don’t miss the cloudberry jam!

Reindeer sledding is a MUST

Ever heard of a kuksa? It’s a little wooden cup that Finns carry around with them to drink tea and coffee. Of course, I bought one.

It’s only sunlight from 11 am to 3 pm in the winter so you’ll definitely be awake for the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. 

reindeer photo bomb!

dog sledding with huskies is an unbeatable experience

From dogsledding with huskies to riding on a sleigh with reindeer, there is so much adventure to be had in Finland! I hope these photos to inspire you to visit Finland, worked!

I loved every moment of that, but actually just seeing the snow-covered trees and being in crisp, cold, fresh air, was enough to make me love Finland. The blueberry juice, cloudberry jam, and delicious rye bread were some of my favorite foods.

Finland is easy to get to with budget flights from WOW Air in the USA or Finnair in Finland. From India, Jet Airways will get you to Amsterdam with ease and you can take Finnair from there.

For more on Finland, check out my other posts:

• Visiting a reindeer farm
• 5 adventures in Oulu
• Dogsledding with Huskies
• Packing for Finland
• A Forest Adventure
• Tips for Helsinki
• Vantaa Tips

The post 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Finland first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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After much deliberation and going through over 200 applicants for Hippie in Heels new travelers, I chose 7 wonderful bloggers representing different areas in the world to travel in my place when I can’t go and write about it on the blog!

They will be writing guest posts on the blog occasionally so you can get to know them and fingers crossed some trips come up that I can send them on! I want to tell you who these amazing travelers are so you can follow their own blogs or check them out on Instagram. You’ve got to be tired of reading my words by now, ha ha!

Hippie in Heels New Travelers & Writers

Nam Cheah, Asia

A photo posted by Nam | 嵐 | Travel blogger (@laughtraveleat) on Jan 1, 2017 at 4:35am PST

Nam was born and raised in Hong Kong and spent a lot of time in the UK in her adolescence. She likes to write about cultural sites, hiking, and experiences. She’s a fan of geology (Sheldon from Big Bang wouldn’t be impressed lol) and loves volcanoes. Check out her blog and Instagram

Michelle & Nicky, SE Asia

A photo posted by Cheeky Passports (@cheekypassports) on Jan 31, 2017 at 5:27am PST

Michelle is a pharmacist and Nikki is an engineer, and they have a couple’s travel blog. They’re from Malta, in their late 30’s, and have traveled over 50 countries. They’re now based in SE Asia, but bouncing around exploring. They love to write about food! Check out their blog and Instagram

Monet Sommers, Europe

A photo posted by Monet (moh • ney) (@monetsommers) on Jan 6, 2017 at 12:51pm PST

Monet is from Tennessee but living as an expat in Germany as her husband was relocated there for work. She loves fashion and cooking, and she’s also a great photographer. Her Instagram is just amazing! Check out her blog and Instagram

Susan Ripley, Central & South America

A photo posted by Susan Ripley (@brooklyntropicali) on Jul 26, 2016 at 6:11am PDT

I didn’t even have a need for a traveler here as I’m not often requested to go on trips here, but Susan is just too cool! She spent a lot of time the last two years in this region after leaving her job as a fashion designer in NYC. She travels with her husband and is a great photographer. Check out her blog and Instagram

Sophie Nadeau, UK

A photo posted by Sophie Nadeau | solosophie.com (@sophieannenadeau) on Jan 8, 2017 at 4:41am PST

Sophie lives in London. She’s all about traveling like a local and she takes amazing photos. Her Instagram is #goals. I love her style! She’s lived all around the world and studied Classics (Ancient Greek and Latin) in school. She just finished her study abroad in Paris. Check out her blog and Instagram

Reshman Narasing, India

A photo posted by Reshma Narasing (@thesologlobetrotter) on Jan 31, 2017 at 9:30pm PST

Reshma is based in Mumbai and used to be an engineer before quitting her job to travel. She’s into hiking, trekking, and hanging out in the mountains. I’m sure we can learn ab lot more about India from her. Check out her blog and Instagram

Catalina Todd, USA

A photo posted by Catalina (@missadventuresabroad) on Feb 4, 2017 at 7:01am PST

I’ve followed Catalina on Instagram for a while, so was familiar with her. She’s also from the midwest and moved to Italy after school. She’s now back in the USA though and keen to keep traveling. She wants to show people off-beat adventures and help people get our of their comfort zones. Check out her blog and Instagram

The post Let’s Welcome Hippie in Heels New Travelers! first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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In my ‘Ask Me Anything’ blog posts, I answer questions that I am frequently asked via e-mail. You can see more by clicking here. 

I’ve been seeing a trend in the e-mails that I receive. It seems like not only do many of you want to travel, but you want to find a way to sustain your travels to travel long-term like I am. I want to share that I do have a travel blogging backup plan and why it’s important for you to have one too if you choose travel blogging as a career.

Travel Blogging Backup Plan

Some of you have a career skill from University or have been working in a job for many years, while others are still in University or even High School wondering if they should go to college.

There are so many successful travel blogs and people “traveling the world for free” that I can see how it looks like the perfect viable option to start a travel blog and do the same.

But there’s something I want to talk about and that is “What if travel blogging hadn’t worked out?”. There was a real chance that it wouldn’t have for me.

• 2-3 Million blog posts are written and posted online every single day.
• There are 152 million blogs on the internet.
• A new blog is created every half second.

What would I have done if travel blogging hadn’t worked out… and what will you do?

There are a few things that I always tell people who ask how to travel long-term. Travel blogging is not the only answer (although it is a fantastic one).

There are a few things you should seriously keep in mind. That is:

1. You need so save money before you go abroad. Yes, there are ways to travel for free and that could last a couple of years. But, this is a long-term goal. You have to earn money abroad and be saving for a future, too.
2. You need to have a backup plan and that is often times in education.

When I moved, my nursing degree became useless to me in India but it wasn’t useless in life. I have always kept my nursing license active and do my CEU’s (continuing education) so that I don’t lose the four years of University that I worked so hard for.

Travel blogging is very competitive and there are probably hundreds of thousands of travel bloggers. When I moved to India, I was a masseuse and made candles for a year before my blog made money. I had savings to hold me over.

In my first year, I made just over $10,000 with my travel blog. It’s not a lot to live on but it was a good starting point. The following year, I did better and this third year I am finally seeing travel blogging as a viable career.

But, the internet is fickle. Things change. We watched Vine die this year. Facebook pages no longer share your posts to all your “fans”. You have to pay for that. Instagram followed suit and most people’s “likes” dropped by more than half. You can’t bank on the internet because things are always changing, like Google ranking algorithms.

Pinterest is a great tool and I’m all about using Pepo, a new app… but I’m not so into Snapchat/IG stories. Technically, though, as a blogger, you have to be “into” all of these social media channels! And they are always changing.

So, my backup plan was nursing. I have the degree, and active license, and if need be I can go back to the USA and take a job at a nursing home to work my way back up to a nicely paid hospital job.

No, it’s not my dream.

But I’m a very type-A practical person. I assume some of you are as well since you e-mail for advice on this matter.

If you are in High School: I do recommend going to University (if that’s something you can afford). I think having a part-time job in college is a great way to travel in the summers. If you haven’t been abroad you might find that your dream of traveling isn’t actually your dream once you actually DO travel.

If you are getting ready to choose a major in college: I think that it’s a good idea to go into something that you truly love. If you want to travel you can either use your degree to travel (like my friend Colleen who did fashion design and now travels all over Asia or IT workers who get to come here to India) or you can think of it as a backup – either way you need a job you will like. If you are serious about blogging, you can go into creative writing, marketing, PR, media, and for all I know there is a blogging major by now. If you are serious about travel and want a job that gets you involved, think about anthropology or oceanography… don’t only choose business or healthcare because it is a surefire job (although there’s nothing wrong with that if you don’t care about making a life of travel!).

If you are in college now: I will never recommend someone to drop out. The only reason I can travel like I do now and take the risk of moving abroad and creating a blog is because I have a backup plan.

If you have been in your career a while: Don’t just consider starting a blog as a means to an end. If you have a career then you have skills. Think outside the box. What can you do abroad with your skill set? Where can you apply for a similar job outside the country?

These are only my opinions, which is what people want when they shoot me an e-mail. I know my personal opinion may be different from yours and that’s okay. My boyfriend isn’t the type who thinks University is important. Many people think going to college is a waste of time and money. Maybe so! I have had success with the choices I made and even though I don’t use my nursing degree, just having it is a safety net that I need to feel secure.

I am not trying to scare you off from travel. In fact, I’m trying to do the opposite. I want to show you how you can travel but still be a practical person. We’ve all seen the quotes about quitting your job and never coming home.

It’s actually exactly what I did.

A friend recently visited me in India, met a guy from Scandinavia, and is considering doing the same thing moving to Sweden to be with him!

When you travel, options in life you never thought you had are opened up to you.

I 100% think that traveling helps you learn more about the world than school teaches you (not math, science, etc obviously). But, this travel blogging thing is a HUGE trend right now and so many people are trying to find success in this field. 17% of millenials consider themselves “digital nomads”, meaning they work from online anywhere in the world.

You should go for it too! But, please please have a backup plan.

So, you’ve read all this and feel sure that travel blogging is the route you want to take…

That’s fantastic and I wish you all the luck! Here are a few things that I would keep in mind before you start your blog.

Since there are millions of blogs out there try to find your voice. You should think of how your blog can stand out.

You need a unique name.

You need a beautiful looking website theme and logo. I use Avada.

You need a great host that will support your website. Get a good one from the start. For beginners, go with Bluehost for just 2.95/month (with this discount link). For those of you already blogging with decent pageviews, try Siteground for more support.

You need to watch YouTube videos and read articles about travel blogging and learn everything about it that you can. If you want to do this to prolong your travels and earn money than you must look at it as a business from day one.

If you want a short cut you can take classes. The top travel blogger is Nomadic Matt and he has a course. There are LOTS more courses out there as well.

You need to WRITE, and write, and never stop writing. If you hate writing, don’t start a blog. I have written over 800 posts in the last 3 years. That’s 1,095 days and I’ve written 800 posts… it’s a hell of a lot of writing.

You can’t write if you have nothing to say. So, you must also be traveling while you do all this writing, mastering social media, answering e-mails, pitching to brands, managing invoices, and reviewing services you use while you travel. You’ll probably work more than you do at a 9-5 job your first year to try to get on top.

Lastly, you have to persevere. When I started my blog I remember checking my Google Analytics and for two weeks I had 7 readers a day. I know I was one. Ben and my mom and dad were as well. It’s rough but you have to keep going. The numbers will increase!

Travel blogging is a great gig.

There’s a pretty good chance if you succeed at it, you will love it.

Of course, I know that the lifestyle I’m living is pretty amazing. I also know it wasn’t handed to me and maybe only I know how much work and effort I put into this website. When you start blogging you’ll see right away how much work it is!

Chances are your parents would be as keen as you are and they probably have a good reason for that. I did this for 3 years before I hit my income goal. I would be making more as a travel nurse and working a LOT less, and I know that. Our parents want us to succeed and be taken care of so don’t feel upset if they aren’t excited for you.

So, if you emailed me asking how to travel long-term and if I think travel blogging is a good way to do this, I hope that this advice can help you. I hope that you think about the practicalities of it all and make a travel blogging backup plan before you make the jump!

Here are some of my articles on blogging.

• How I Make Money From Travel Blogging
• How to Design your Blog + Tips After 3 Years of Blogging
• My Tips After My First Year of Blogging

The post Ask Me Anything: What Is My Travel Blogging Backup Plan? first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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UPDATE: Application deadline is Jan 26, 2017

Yes, this title is real! I’m looking for someone to travel for Hippie in Heels on my behalf.

I need someone to go at times when I can’t or I’m not in the right timezone for the trip. I am looking for bloggers who want to help me out by traveling for me.

Because these trips do involve professional photography and writing, you must have a blog and social media accounts. I’ll look through them to see if your vibe matches the Hippie in Heels vibe.

I started thinking about this a lot and think 2017 is the year to start. I am very blessed to get invited on press trips but sometimes I can’t go for a variety of reasons.

Last year, I turned down a trip to Croatia because I was on another trip. I turned down a trip to Xi’an, China and one to Taiwan because I was on another trip. I turned down a yacht trip and a one-week luxury villa review in Mallorca because I wasn’t based in Europe (a mandatory requirement for their team). I’ve turned down multiple trips in India because I was tired of traveling in India and needed a break (sad, but true).

It’s a shame because I wish I could be everywhere and review everything so that I can share that information with my readers (you guys!).

But, as my blog has grown, one thing I’ve learned is I need to let go of control a little bit and allow other people to work for me. I’ve hired a developer, a designer who redid my website, and someone to help me with small tasks.

Now, it’s time to bring on a travel assistant!

Here is the run down. I am looking for 5 people, one from each based in these 5 regions:

• North America
• Western Europe
• Asia
• Southeast Asia specifically
• India

Why not South America, Eastern Europe, Australia, or others? Because they aren’t places that press trips often come up for me. At this point, I want to start small.

When a trip comes up that I cannot go on, I will choose from these new 5 people the person who is closest to go on that trip.

If you are not based in one of these regions but feel you make a great fit for this position, then sure go ahead and e-mail me.

What you get out of this and what is expected of you

This is not a paid job. This is just the opportunity to travel for free. If you’re cool with that then please do apply. Also, please note that there is a chance a trip may not come up for your region. That would suck, but I cannot guarantee travel!

Here is what is expected of you if you are keen to be chosen for this:

• You would have to fulfill the deliverables of the trip. Typically, that means writing a few blog posts (within 30 days after, the amount depends on how long the trip is) and sharing about the trip on social media during the trip. You’ll be sending me snaps to share on social media during the trip.
• You would have to understand my blog’s vibe and the “voice” of my blog. I want you to have your own personality, but also keep it light/fun and talk to the readers like you would a friend. I would say that’s the voice of Hippie in Heels! I would talk with you before the trip about some blog post ideas which would match my blog’s niche.
• You would upload the blog posts yourself and save them as drafts. That means you need to know how to use WordPress, make a cute Canva image and Pinterest pin, and upload sized images to the post.
• You have to take detailed notes while on the trip. That means keeping contact and pricing information from tours you do, noting down exact information about how to do the same fun things you got to do, so you can tell my readers about it.
• You would have to someone who likes to have fun and have adventures! I would hope that you would seek out all the opportunities given on the trips and enjoy them while documenting them. You’ll have to be easy-going and open to meeting new people.
• You have to be on time and very professional. These trips are work (even though they are a lot of fun). You cannot get drunk, party, or do something that would make the Hippie in Heels brand look bad. If you have to meet at 5 am for a sunrise, then you must be on time. You don’t get to skip out on things during the trip unless you have a very good reason.
• You cannot use the tourism board/press trips you work with on your media kit or blog as brand partners as you are going on my behalf. You can include that you do press trips and write for my blog on your media kit.
• You need to be able to travel at the drop of a hat. So, that means no full-time job or a job that is very flexible.
• Lastly, I have to get to know you and so do my readers. I would ask that if you are chosen you write one blog post a month on my blog about a topic we agree on. This way my readers get to know your style and you aren’t a stranger sharing about the trip later. Another reason for this is because if I send one of my writers on my behalf for a trip, I need to show that tourism board samples of your work on my blog to get this approved.

Here is what you get in return:

• A free trip if one comes up leaving from your region (this would be flights, accommodation, food, etc)
• The blog posts you write on my blog would bring you exposure to your own blog. I have over 260,000 monthly page views on here and it also helps your domain authority to guest post on my website.
• When I share your images during a trip on social media, I will tag you as the photographer. I have 160,000 social media followers who will soon get to know you!
• Once we decide what articles you will write on my blog about the trip you go on, you are free to then write about the trip on your own blog giving you great content!
• You absolutely do not have to promote Hippie in Heels or even mention my blog’s name on your website. I am definitely not looking for any self-promotion here.
• I will find out ahead of time if tips are expected on the trip and if so, I will tell you want activities or meals to tip at and I will reimburse you for that.

The worst case scenario is that no trips come up for your region and you write a guest post on my blog once a month gaining exposure with it. I truly hope that trips do come up, though, because this will be so much fun and give my readers much more content than I can do on my own.

How to apply to travel for Hippie in Heels:

1. Please e-mail me (rachel@hippie-inheels.com) with the subject line “Insert Your Name Application”.
2. If you have a media kit please attach it.
3. Mention your blog and share with me 3 bog post examples you’ve written about a destination or adventure which would show how you would write about future trips I could send you on.
4. Give me a little background about where you’re from, where you’re based, what your niche is, and any work you’ve done professionally.
5. Tell me why you want this job and why you think your voice would match the Hippie in Heels vibe in the articles you would produce on a trip.
6. Tell me your Instagram handle. Photos are SO important and I am looking for someone who has a great eye!
7. Give me 3 example blog post titles you could write for the monthly articles mentioned above
8. Tell me anything that makes you stand out. Do you do video? Do you write freelance for someone and have writing samples? Are you into fashion?

It will take me some time to go through all the applicants. I may not have time to reply to each e-mail. If you don’t get a reply then I’m sorry, that means you weren’t selected. I am so excited to see what this could bring and I can’t wait to see who will make a good fit for this.

Pin it for other people to find!

The post Do you want to write and travel for Hippie in Heels? Apply Now! first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Do you want to write and travel for Hippie in Heels? Apply Now! appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Whether you’re more of a mountain or beach person, looking to relax or enjoy an adventure… Whether you’re more into traveling to places for the food or the people, a well-known place or somewhere off the beaten track, we’ve got something to suit your taste! Of course, you could visit any of these places by yourself, but these are some of our top destinations for couples in 2017.

“You’ll never know until you go.” – Your Passport

With so much to see and so little time, we’ve compiled a list of 17 places to visit in 2017. While we understand it may be a bit ambitious to cover them all in a 12-month period, pick your favorites and go now!

Top Destinations For Couples in 2017

1. Adams Peak, Sri Lanka

With many lovely places to visit in Sri Lanka, we’d definitely recommend making a trip to Dalhousie. Here, you can climb to the summit of Sri Pada or Adam’s Peak in Ella. Enjoy a scenic trip as you wind down the road after your arrival in Hatton. Get an early night’s sleep and wake up for a sunrise trek up the mountain (2:30 am start needed). After climbing nearly 6,000 stairs, remove your shoes at the top. Then prepare to witness the first footstep of Buddha, Lord Shiva, or Adam (depending on your religious beliefs).

2. Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Feeling on top of the world at Mt. Mitchell. #sunset #clouds #takemybreathaway : @tom.moors. Use the hashtag #visitasheville for a chance to be featured on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

A photo posted by Asheville CVB (@visitasheville) on Nov 21, 2016 at 3:47pm PST

Ahhh, that fresh mountain air! With the beautiful landscapes, a variety of food and a plethora of entertainment, Asheville should definitely be on your 2017 agenda! Home to the Biltmore House, Asheville is a brilliant place to visit any time of year. It is also considered to be the LGBT capital of the East Coast. Enjoy the laid back vibe while you explore with your loved one.

3. Bagan, Myanmar

Our favourite travel apps now up on the site link in bio #OnMyWanderlist#Bagan #Myanmar @doyoutravel

A photo posted by Wanderlist (@wanderlist.travel) on Nov 22, 2016 at 7:42pm PST

Opening its borders in 2012, now is the time to visit Myanmar. While it is still a developing country, there is adequate infrastructure in place making it easier for tourists to travel around the country. And Bagan should not be missed. With over 2,000 temples in the area, you’ll never be able to visit them all, but why not give it a shot. With many comparing it to the stunning beauty of Angkor Wat and Borobudur, you are sure not to be disappointed!

4. Batad, Philippines

Sunsets are proof that endings can often be beautiful

A photo posted by Jarms (@jarmainearingay) on Nov 22, 2016 at 7:31pm PST

Wow! Still one of the most amazing places we’ve visited to date. After exploring the brilliant beaches the Philippines has to offer, we didn’t know how we could beat it. That is until we made our way to Northern Luzon. A 30-minute hike into the Batad area leads you to an area full of B&B’s ready to welcome you as you soak in the beauty of the rice terraces surrounding you.

5. Eriyadu, Maldives

What a beautiful day. this view keeps all the negativities away. Smile! #eriyadu #beautifulmaldives #maldives #amazingmaldives #paradise #beach @ustomaldives

A photo posted by Mace Morales (@thelosttrvlr) on Sep 21, 2016 at 10:04pm PDT

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, we finally made the Maldives a reality as part of our delayed honeymoon. And, it was definitely worth the wait! The blue water is so inviting and the life underwater is incredible. And did we mention how romantic it is? Be sure to check it out before climate change further impacts the corals and sea life in this region.

6. Flores, Indonesia

Another day on the boat . . . #florestrip #exploreflores #flores #floresisland #floresindonesia #floresislands #beutifulindonesia #wonderfulindonesia #indotravellers #exploreidku #kompasnusantara #exploreindonesia #thisisindonesia #travelindonesia #pesonaindonesia #enjoyindonesia #asriputri #journeyera #lifetravelchannel @beautifuldestinations #serialtraveler #wonderful_places #travellerscantik #runningroundtheworld #travelkorn #funadventure #lensaNTT #pinkbeach #padarisland #padarflores

A photo posted by ASRI PUTRI (@traveldiaryofasri) on Nov 23, 2016 at 3:05am PST

If you’re looking for a well-rounded paradise then look no further than Flores. Whether you’re looking for crystal clear waters with amazing diving, snorkeling, and beach lounging, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. If hiking active volcanos or witnessing the giant Komodo dragon in its natural environment is what you’re looking for, Flores is the place for you!

7. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef is suffering from an unprecedented level of bleaching with studies showing 93% is affected. ⠀⠀ Climate change fuelled by the burning of fossil fuels like coal is heating the ocean and killing our reefs. Australia’s reef and those around the world are a sign of things to come if we don’t urgently take action to rein in climate change. ⠀⠀ Check out @GreenpeaceAP to follow the quest to #SavetheReef⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ #Greenpeace #activism #poeplepower #lategram #pictureoftheday #globalwarming #picoftheday #GreatBarrierReef #Queensland #NorthQueensland #Australia #ocean #beach #reef #diving

A photo posted by Greenpeace International (@greenpeace) on Nov 23, 2016 at 12:51am PST

With half of our duo being from Australia, it’s ridiculous we haven’t visited here yet. But, it’s going to happen! The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system stretching for over 2,300 km’s. With the Reef being under heavy environmental risks, we want to encourage you to visit before it’s too late.

8. Havana, Cuba

#havana #wakeup

A photo posted by Vir Us (@virginitis) on Nov 23, 2016 at 12:55am PST

Only legally opening to US citizens in 2015, now is the time to go! While we tend to avoid large, capital cities where possible, Havana is an exception. Live music, Latin dancing, and Spanish cuisine sound like the perfect combination to us!

9. Kauai, Hawaii

Another stellar day on Kaua’i! I never tire of this view from the St. Regis at Princeville hotel. #visitkauai #kauaidiscovery #nofilter

A video posted by Kauai Visitors Bureau (@kauaidiscovery) on Nov 5, 2016 at 10:47pm PDT

You will fall in love with many parts of Kauai. But, in particular, head to Polihale State Park. Beach camping? Falling asleep under the stars? Yes please! See arguably the best coastline Kauai has to offer with mountains as your backdrop. You won’t want to leave this peaceful destination.

10. Khövsgöl Lake, Mongolia

Take in some of Mongolia’s most beautiful landscapes while you make your way through the surrounding forests. Khoskovol Lake is huge and is the most stunning lake we have seen throughout our travels so far. Sleep in one of the local gers. And if you love the outdoors, why not organize a 2-3 day horse trek through the area. Highly recommended!

11. Koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia

Another day in the office

A photo posted by K ∧ R O L I N ∧ (@outsideboxx) on Nov 22, 2016 at 1:58am PST

When you think of Cambodia, beaches aren’t normally the first thing that comes to mind. But head south, an hour off the coast, and you’ll find yourself in a little piece of paradise called Koh Rong Samloem. The island has different pockets, each offering a unique experience. Enjoy a day out soaking up the sun (don’t forget your SPF), before kicking back and watching the sunset!

12. Marlborough, New Zealand

New Zealand’s enchanting wine country! ・・・ Pic cred to @kevinphotography.nz. #NewZealand #Marlborough #SauvignonBlanc #grape #winecountry #beauty #nature #mountains #vines #vineyards #clouds #wine #WineDestinations

A photo posted by Wine Destinations (@winedestinations) on Nov 21, 2016 at 8:27pm PST

Technically, we’ve already been to New Zealand (but it was only for work, so it doesn’t really count). And to be honest anywhere in New Zealand could have made our list. But as we are especially partial to the South Island, we wanted to make sure you experience the magic Marlborough has to offer. Known for its wine, this is a place not to be missed!

13. Namibia, Africa

Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future. D.M., Cloud Atlas

A photo posted by Donal James Boyd (@donalboyd) on Nov 20, 2016 at 5:33am PST

If you think of a city like Bangkok for example, Namibia is completely the opposite! Not crowded. Surrounded by wildlife. And one of the most beautiful places on earth. What could be more romantic than watching zebras graze in the wild? Sign me up! When can we go?

14. Pokhara, Nepal

SURREAL. Back in Nepal for one last epic sunrise hike before heading back to Manila . This Himalayan addiction is seriously getting out of control, really thinking about climbing the Everest. Lol! #Accesstrips #Nepal #Pokhara

A photo posted by Angely Dub (@angelydub) on Nov 21, 2016 at 9:39pm PST

If you love being at one with nature with your significant other, Nepal is waiting for you! Test your mental and physical fitness on a trek (ranging from 1-21 days depending on what you’re up for). You will immediately fall in love with the amazing landscapes Nepal has on offer. Being a lakeside town, Pokhara is the perfect place to unwind and relax after your trek.

15. Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

This is not a sight you’ll see everyday, but it is something you can look forward to when diving in Sabah. Photo by @geoffreidnz at Mabul Island. #instagood #instadaily #instanature #instatravel #SabahOkBah #LoveSabah #diving #water #blue #turtle

A photo posted by Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (@sabahtourism) on Oct 26, 2016 at 12:44am PDT

What could be more romantic than interacting with a orangutang! And with a lush jungle at your doorstep (assuming they slow down on the palm oil extraction)! Plus you can climb one of the highest mountains in Southeast Asia, Mt. Kinabalu. While you’re at it, dive off the coast at the infamous Sipidan Island. Seriously, a one-stop shop for couples!

16. La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Last day in #LaFortuna. I’m gonna miss waking to this view. #CostaRica #VolcanArenal #volcano #roomwithaview

A photo posted by Danielle Jones (@danno_1333) on Nov 22, 2016 at 5:08am PST

If adventure is your thing, head to Costa Rica. Swim in local waterfalls and zip-line through the jungle. Hike the volcanoes and relax in the hot springs. An adrenaline junkie’s dream, why not experience it with your partner! Get out of your comfort zone and grow closer together in the process.

17. Udaipur, India

Birdsandblack… #karenknorrs#indiasong#myths #aplacelikeamravati#udaipurpalace#photography#inspiration

A photo posted by @corvusandblack on Oct 6, 2016 at 3:43pm PDT

Known as the “Venice of the East,” Udaipur offers magnificent views over the lake from any number of rooftops. Indulge in a drink, enjoy a meal, or just sit back and enjoy each other’s company. Visit the local cultural show to get a taste of the Rajasthan style of music and dance. It’s the perfect place to take it all in!
Wherever you go, make sure you spend time together. Whether it’s cuddling up to watch a movie, or just sleeping in, take the time to just appreciate each other!

We’re curious, what’s on your radar for 2017?

This was a guest post from Kim. Kim is a freelance writer and the Co-Founder of Simply Travelled. Simply Travelled is a travel blog that encourages people to take a LEAP! An adult gap year, career break, sabbatical – call it what you will. Despite her klutzy nature, she believes life is all about balance. Being the recipient of so much generosity to date, Kim wants to pay it forward, by offering her top travel tips and advice to everyone interested keen on travelling. You can connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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The post 17 Top Destinations For Couples in 2017 first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post 17 Top Destinations For Couples in 2017 appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

While I look forward to travels in 2017, I can’t help but think about all the great travels I had in 2016 – and there were a lot of them! In 2016 I was in England, Turkey, Latvia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Israel, Morocco, USA, and of course India.

Turkey and Israel were surprise invitations for work (travel blogging) so I was totally stoked to go there and they weren’t on my radar at all which is kind of the most fun part.

Here are 5 travel memories that really stand out from 2016

1) The blue town of Chefchaouen

Morocco was a dream place when it came to photography, and the all blue town of Chefchaouen was the prettiest place I’ve been. I just got a new camera (will be sharing information on the camera and some photography tips in another post) and had so much fun taking pictures in this town, exploring, shopping, and being on a non-work trip with a friend.

Other than reviewing hotels for the blog after the trip, I didn’t do work there and really got to relax. I haven’t had a real vacation so to speak in a while- although I’m sure some would say my life is a vacation to which I wouldn’t really argue. At the same time, when you are on a press trip you really don’t have a minute of downtime and it can get very tiring especially since it’s not always activities you want to do. I only write about the stuff I like when I travel, but there are often many other activities that I did on press trips that don’t get blog coverage.

So, overall 10 days in Morocco just having a girls’ trip was very relaxing. My biggest concerns were how I was going to get 5 sequin baskets back to India!

Read some articles on my time in this perfect blue town:

1. Chefchaouen Tips
2. My Bravo article on Chefchaouen
3. Photos to Inspire You to Visit Chefchaouen

2) Spending time alone in Istanbul

Istanbul was a very last-minute trip for me. I went as a guest of the World Tourism Forum which was a 4-day conference. I decided to extend the trip a week so I could explore after. I hadn’t traveled alone in a while. I was either with other bloggers, friends, or Ben so it was really nice to do solo travel, which is how I always used to travel.

It’s kind of selfish thing but it’s nice to do what you want when you want. If I want to nap or go to McDonald’s no one is judging me, ha ha. But I actually stay crazy busy. I did so much research before this trip that I had a list a mile long of places I wanted to check out and food I wanted to try. There are a LOT of tourist attractions in Istanbul and they’re all pretty spectacular something I don’t normally say.

Right before I went there was a terrorist bombing in the main square. A few weeks later when I was there, you could still see the debris and extra police. I thought it was a one-time thing and that it wouldn’t happen again. Unfortunately, after leaving, Istanbul and Turkey, in general, were attacked again and again, with horrible terrorist attacks. The whole country then was in turmoil as a military coup took over. I watched the news there this year with such sadness and can only hope things get better from here in Turkey.

Read some articles on my time exploring Istanbul

1. My Little Guide to Istanbul
2. Where to Stay in Istanbul + How to Get Around

3) A trip with Ben in Jordan

Ben and I have traveled in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mexico, and well basically all beach paradise places. So going to Jordan with Ben was totally different!

We rode camels and donkeys, slept in the desert, hiked around Petra, floated in the Dead Sea, explored ancient ruins, and so much more. It was different that my other trips with him and both of our first times to the Middle East.

Read more about Ben and I’s trip in Jordan

1. My 5 favorite things to do in Jordan
2. Your perfect 10 day Jordan itinerary 

4) Actually Traveling around the USA: Vegas, Florida, Nashville

For the last 3 years, I have gone home each summer to Ohio to see family but don’t really have time to go travel around the US (and really don’t want to since I just want to be home).

This time, I got an invite from Visit Florida to spend 8 days with them in Orlando, the Palm Beaches, and Space Coast so I changed my flight ticket to go back sooner. Not surprisingly my favorite memory is Disney when I got to do a VIP tour (OMG BEST THING EVER!)

I also went to Vegas for my BFF’s bachelorette party and hung out in Vegas for a week before. Then, my family including Ben went to Nashville for a long weekend. It’s nice to see the USA and there’s actually a lot I want to do there in California and the West Coast. I’m thinking I might try to do something next year too.

A few more articles about my time in the USA

1. My little guide to Nashville
2. My week in Vegas
3. Should you visit Sea World (a bit of a controversial piece)

5) Feeling those Tel Aviv vibes

Tel Aviv was hands down my favorite city I’ve traveled to not just this year, but maybe even ever. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. From the graffiti tours and art scene to the nightlife, surf culture, and of course the food – there was so much I loved about Tel Aviv. I enjoyed Israel in general and cannot recommend it enough as a place for you to visit next year.

One of the coolest things in Tel Aviv was going to the black out restaurant where the food is cooked and served by people who are blind or severely visually impaired. There are only 10 restaurants like this in the world and it’s something very interesting to check out. We met with the people behind Na Laga’at who also put together shows with actors who are blind/deaf to learn more about their company. I highly recommend it and will share about it more in an upcoming post.

Articles about my time in Israel

1. 20 photos to inspire you to visit Israel
2. Article I wrote for Bravo on why I loved Israel & Tel Aviv
3. 9 experiences you don’t want to miss in Tel Aviv

So, what were your best memories of 2016? Even if they aren’t about travel, I would love to hear about them.

The post My 5 Favorite Travel Memories From 2016 first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post My 5 Favorite Travel Memories From 2016 appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Morocco was such a beautiful and photogenic country. I spent 10 days here with my friend Tia and went into tourist mode, shopping, exploring and taking each day as it came. I have many articles coming up to share tips about how you can do the same. It’s all really quite affordable too!

We started in the tiny blue town of Chefchaouen which is “Pinterest famous”, we went to the ancient medinas of Fes, the luxury of Marrakesh, got lost in the souks, and rode camels in the desert.

For More Morocco Travel

• The Perfect Morocco Itinerary for 2 Weeks
• Shopping in Morocco | What to Buy in Morocco and How Much to Pay
• Crazy and Delicious Foods to Try in Morocco

20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Morocco

Chefchaouen Outfit from TIA

Fes Outfit from TIA

Marrakesh

Desert Camping Outfit from TIA

Karawan Riad, Fes

Chefchaouen

Breakfast, see here for all the foods to eat in Morocco

Desert Camp

Les Cinq Djellabas, Marrakesh

Read my full guide on shopping in Morocco here

Hammam at Karawan Riad Outfit from TIA

Shopping in the medina Outfit from TIA

Desert Camp Outfit from TIA

Chefchaouen Outfit from TIA

Royal Palm, Marrakesh

Chefchaouen, the Blue Pearl

Karawan Riad, Fes

Moroccan lunches

Fes

Chefchaouen

Want more information on these locations in Morocco? I have lots of blog posts coming soon that will have detailed information about these places!

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The post 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Morocco first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Morocco appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I reached out to all my favorite bloggers to see what their BEST tips for saving money while traveling. I wanted to know what their swore by, whether it was a website or a travel product. Some of these bloggers have been traveling for 10 years and have expert knowledge on the subject. I hope these money saving travel hacks will help you out.

Want to start your own travel blog? Sign up with Siteground. I used godaddy in the past and it wasn’t a company I can recommend. My new host has been amazing so far!

BEST Tips for Saving Money While Traveling

Do as the locals do

To save money, I tend to ask the locals where they eat, or how they get around. If there’s a truly local restaurant, I eat there too or if there’s a local bus rather than a tourist bus, that’s what I take. The locals, especially in developing countries where there is a big difference between tourist prices and local prices, are the key to traveling cheaply, and authentically! -Kristin, Be My Travel Muse (Kristin also has an ebook for girls traveling solo)

Get creative with layovers

I like to get creative when booking my flights. If you are strategic, you can get free, extended stopovers! I like to research multi-leg flights to see where I can go without having to pay extra. For example a roundtrip flight from LA to Cancun might have a 1 hour layover in Miami as part of the trip. Try searching for a multi leg flight, flying from LA into Miami, then a few days later flying from Miami to Cancun, then instead of returning directly to LA, you can try adding a leg from Cancun to Mexico City, then Mexico City to LA. This strategy works all over the world and often you won’t have to pay any difference in fare since those stops are considered layovers. I’ve been able to book month-long trips with multiple destinations using this method! -Kiersten, The Blonde Abroad

Choose your destination wisely

I usually find that if you travel and live the way the locals do then travel really doesn’t have to be expensive – actually I find it’s much more affordable than maintaining a comfortable lifestyle back home. You really don’t need much money to travel. Firstly, when traveling on a budget I make sure that I am traveling in one of the world’s cheapest destinations. I stay in local homestays or guest houses ( don’t book online – I often get a much cheaper deal just by turning up and asking around – the cheap places are not listed on online yet).

Instead of taking AC tourist buses and taxis I hop on the local bus for a fraction of the price, and instead of eating western food in fancy restaurants I eat street food or go to places where local people eat. By traveling like a local I can get survive on less than $15 a day in places like India and South East Asia, plus I get a better insight into the local life! – Anna, Global Gallivanting

Work abroad

Think outside the box with lodging

Try this arrival routine

We go with unofficial taxi drivers, we get in a rickshaw when the hotel is just a few blocks away, we end up exchanging money at a terrible rate because some ‘helpful’ person in the airport lead us to some sketchy money exchange booth while we were exhausted and confused after a 12 hour flight.

If we just stop and sit for 20 minutes, we can collect ourselves, relax and figure out how the official taxi system works, how much things should cost, who to avoid and more. This can be done online or by simply looking around and figuring out the signs or even asking the waitstaff or police officers or any trustworthy person for assistance. Then, once the 20 minutes are up and we feel more confident in our surroundings and how to reach our accommodation, we can proceed knowing that we won’t get ripped off or make any bad decisions that might lead to a rough start to our trip.” Derek, Wandering Earl

Try this important planning technique

I find this way of budgeting way more rewarding than simply trying to spend as little as possible on everything – I guess I’m more of a save hard spend hard kind of girl, ha. In fact, my focus on priorities helped me to save $44,000 in two years while living in Japan (you can read the full story of how I saved the money here. – Silvia, Heart My Backpack

Use the kitchen for TWO reasons

Experience over meals

Our biggest money saving tip is to find the accommodation that has a kitchen or at least has a fridge where you can eat meals in. We find that the majority of our budget seems to go on eating out. Once you order a bottle of wine, appetizers and dessert the bill can easily reach $200. Going to the supermarket to buy wine, cheese, bread and meats can save you a lot.

Pack a picnic snack for lunch and find a nice spot in a park or by a river to eat your meals. There are many creative ways to save money on food. Instead of blowing your budget on fancy meals, save it to out towards adventures and experience. -Dave and Deb, the Planet D

Go Slow

Travelling slowly is an amazing way to not only save money, but to really integrate yourself into the places that you visit. You’ll save money due to not having to pay for transport as often, but also because you’ll save on accommodation. The longer you stay, the cheaper your hostel / hotel / apartment will be.

Our second tip is to eat locally. Always go for the traditional food, and eat where the locals eat. Not only is the locally sourced food the cheapest option, but more often than not, it’s the tastiest! Nick & Dariece, Goats on the Road

Don’t pay for transportation

Try hitch hiking – it will save you money and it’s exciting. Jonathan and I tried it many time in South East Asia and Latin America. If you’ve never tried it before, it’s understandable to think that it’s dangerous, but in reality most people out there are good, you just need to use your common sense and trust your instinct. If you’re still unsure, then you can try ride sharing, where people with cars advertise the route they’ll be driving and try to find travel buddies to join them and share the expenses. It can be a great way to meet cool new people and to travel in a bit of extra style. Kach & Jonathan, Two Monkeys Travel

Don’t say no to an invitation

While I may not be the best person to ask about saving money while traveling (because I’m all for spending money on experiences and food rather than pinching pennies and cooking in a hostel), there are a couple of things I like to do. One is having a good site for searching flights. I met a guy while I was traveling around Easter Island who was on the road for 2+ years. He found all his flights on www.momondo.com, and I have since started using that site, at least for a starting point in flight research. Another thing I do is take advantage of invitations from international friends. The more you travel, the more you are likely to meet people overseas who will invite you to visit them in their home countries. I have used these invitations to stay with locals in Brazil, Mexico, Ireland, Denmark, Korea, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Italy, Spain and Hong Kong, just to name a few. (Shout out to Rachel for being a super fun host in Goa!) While visiting those friends, don’t forget to buy your hosts a nice bottle of wine or make them dinner or even bring a special gift from home. And of course, insist they come visit you once you’re home (or elsewhere in the world) so you can really return the favour! The guy I met on Easter Island made a stop in my hometown after we spent several days whipping around the island together. I was happy to show him around, and maybe one day I’ll make the trek to see him in Japan where he has settled. Colleen, Colleen Brynn Travels

Think ‘working holiday’

My biggest money saving hack for travel I’ve followed now for almost 20 years is to make it a working holiday! You don’t have to save as much to begin with and you can explore your new country while earning money! My strategy was to work in expensive countries, like England and the US, explore those regions while earning the local currency, and then travel long-term in less expensive countries, like Africa and South East Asia. My money went further and I could travel longer in between jobs. I now follow the same strategy, except this time I have my own digital business so no longer have to rely on working holiday visas. Caz and Craig, Y Travel

Choose less places to stop

My tip is something I really stick by when I travel- to pick less cities on my itinerary. When I first went to India I had about 3 places per state to see, while Lonely Planet says 7-10 are amazing. Once you narrow it down to the ones that really appeal to you (with a lot of research) you will be able to have a much better trip. Transportation costs are some of the biggest expenses on a trip, so if you stay put in each place longer, you’ll spend less on trains and flights.

As a bonus, you’ll be more relaxed and by getting to know a few select cities in depth, you’ll feel like you know the state or country better in the end. I’d also like to add that if you choose less stops on your itinerary it’s easier to plan and to think ahead for each place in terms of an affordable hotel and activities to do. When you rush, you end up somewhere with no hotel booked and spend more than you intend. Rachel, Hippie in Heels (had to add myself here!)

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The post Travel Bloggers BEST Tips for Saving Money While Traveling first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Travel Bloggers BEST Tips for Saving Money While Traveling appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Looking back at my trip in Jordan, I am in awe of how many cool things I got to do there! I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much as my favorite places are beaches, followed by cities, and then lastly, nature. Not that I don’t like nature, but it’s just not my top choice. Jordan has a unique history that blows your mind as you travel there and learn about it (not just Greeks and Romans, but all the way back to the Bible!). Here are my 5 favorite things to do in Jordan!

Before you go: You DO need a visa. You’ll get it on arrival and I think it was around $60. You will likely fly to Amman and start your travels from there. It’s a good hub. You will want around 10 days in Jordan to see everything. Here is my itinerary. DO get travel insurance for all the adventure activities. Here is a list of what is and isn’t covered by World Nomads so you can choose the right plan.

5 “Must Do” Things to do in Jordan

1. Hot Air Ballooning in Wadi Rum

This is my number one- even though while I was up there I felt sick- because it was beautiful, adventurous, and something I won’t forget. I always wonder what it would feel like being in a basket in the sky and let me tell you, it didn’t feel like I thought it would!

• Read more about my time in Wadi Rum
• If you want to do a hot air balloon and are coming here only for a night, then check out this tour on Viator which is $200 and includes transport there and back from Amman, hot air balloon ride, all meals, camping in desert, 4×4 Jeep ride, and other things. You can read up on it and book it on Viator with this link.

2. Exploring Petra

I guess this is a given! You can’t come here and NOT see Petra right? Definitely ride an animal here! The camels, donkeys, and horses are everywhere and make they day a little more adventurous. Petra was amazing. Because I was tired, hot, and sweaty I don’t know if in the moment I realized HOW amazing it was. I was so hot I had a hard time even listening to my guide. I recommend coming and resting up the day before so you’re really fresh and mentally prepared for a little trek in the heat!

• Essential tips for visiting Petra
• You can take a full day tour to Petra from Amman for $190. It’s definitely more expensive than going on your own, but I know some of you prefer tours. This is the highest ranked tour on one of the top tour sites, Get Your Guide. Read more and book it here.

3. Checking out Rainbow Street in Amman

Like I said, I really like the cities. I loved exploring this trendy little street, eating ice cream, and just people watching. You learn about places in the cities as much as the rural areas. I mean, Wadi Rum, Petra, and more were quite touristy. Cities are just people living! So, it was cool to see the architecture, the small shops, people on their way to work, the types of cars they drove… really just all the small details.

• Top things to do in Amman

4. Getting a Spa Treatment at Ma’in Hot Springs

I am such a sucker for massages! I literally am addicted because they are around $8 in India (and that’s when the masseuse comes to my house!) so I get them nearly weekly and actually feel stiff when I go too long without one… I know.. it’s ridiculous. But Ma’in is the best spa in Jordan based on many publications and the tourism board there, and I was NOT disappointed. Beyond that, the place and food were great and Ben LOVED being in the hot springs and natural waterfalls. Like a kid in a candy shop!

• More on Ma’in, prices, review, and photos

5. Floating in the Dead Sea

Of course this is on the list… Like Baloo in the Jungle Book, I floated around.. “forget about your worries and your strife.. I mean the bare necessities, old mother nature’s recipes, that bring the bare necessities of life!” The Kempinski Hotel is a masterpiece and I only wish I could have stayed longer. I love that you can use the mud from the pit and do a DIY spa treatment… plus there were 7 swimming pools.

• My top tips for visiting the Dead Sea and where to stay

So there we have it, my 5 favorite things to do in Jordan and the main memories I think of when I look back on my time in Jordan. I wrote SO many articles about it and you can see them all HERE.

Pin these fun things to do in Jordan for later:

The post My 5 Favorite Things to do in Jordan From Adventure to Spa Time first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post My 5 Favorite Things to do in Jordan From Adventure to Spa Time appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Jordan was truly the trip of a lifetime! There are multiple places in Jordan that are on your bucket list. This Jordan itinerary could be done in 7-15 days but I put 10 just for ease of the title – as it’s really up to you how you want to travel. As you can see on the map below, all the ducks are in a row, so to speak. The airport is in Amman in the middle so you need to cover the North than the South or vice versa. I’ll help with that in the Jordan itinerary below.

Also below for most places I have a link to my blog post on tips for each place, so I won’t go into detail here.

Views from the road:

the countries’ flower, black iris

You may even choose to skip the North entirely, as most major sites are in the South and it would save a lot of time in the car. For reference, you can drive from the most Northern star on this map, Um Qais, to the most Southern, Aqaba, in 5-6 hours with no traffic if you take the main Highway. I suggest the Kings Highway for parts which are slower but shows the “Grand Canyon of Jordan” with fantastic views through winding hilly roads, in the photos just above.

Jordan Itinerary Sample: 10 Days

Amman

Amman International airport is where you will fly in therefore you have to be in Amman. It is worth seeing. The citadel and Roman theater and amazing ruins and I enjoyed seeing trendy Rainbow street. I stayed at one of the most famous luxury hotels, the Intercontinental.

Check out my blog post on things to do in Amman and see the best tour options as well.

From here if you want to take the time to go North, the spots to visit are Um Qais, Ajloun, and Jerash. You can read about these places and decide and if not skip ahead to the South starting at Amman to Karak Castle.

Um Qais

So what’s worth visiting here? More ruins! There are some amazing Greek ruins to explore. At the top, there is a delicious (seriously) restaurant Um Qais Resthouse, a Romero restaurant, which while we were there we saw the King’s Uncle eating at. Very cool. From the top when you look out you interestingly see both Isreal and Syria. Even cooler, you can see the “Sea of Galilee” where Jesus walked on water! I thought that was just amazing. It was my first time seeing biblical references (that I can remember).

Ajloun

Ajloun is a great place for nature lovers and is where you could stay the night after seeing Um Qais. We stayed at the Aljoun Eco Lodge which was peaceful, clean, and quiet. We heard animals all through the night. Food is served in the lodge buffet style. Here you can take hikes and although we only stayed the night you could spend time here bird-watching. There is a castle here as well.

Jerash (Jarash)

Jerash is one of the two places on this list I did not visit due to time. These are also famous ruins and if I could go back I would see them. In my opinion, if you’ve been to Athens and Rome, then you don’t need to see all the ruins in Jordan you can pick and choose. These are quite famous, though. The ruins had been covered because of an earthquake and were only found in 1806. In photos, the hippodrome and theater look impressive!

Now drive back down past Amman to the South.

Karak Castle (Kerak)

If you fancy seeing this castle, now would be a great time to do it. This is a larger crusader castle that was built in 1140. From wiki: Because of its position east of the Dead Sea, Karak was able to control Bedouin herders as well as the trade routes from Damascus to Egypt and Mecca. It is quite impressive, but unless you have a guide to tell stories (which is what makes it special) you may find it underwhelming. We ate lunch here and it was delicious!

Dana Nature Reserve

Dana is another nature-lovers’ place and we stayed at the Dana Rummana campsite. I’m in two minds about the place because the tents are not waterproof, nor is the dining area and we were there in a thunderstorm. I think on a sunny day if you like camping, then this is a beautiful option for you. I think if you are a hotel-type traveler you might want to just see Dana passing through – or if you’ve been to Ajloun, give it a skip. The views were stunning. We ended up asking to leave and go to their nearby guesthouse which was a good option, as that evening the remaining group of Italians there came in drenched around midnight- they had to leave their luggage behind and wait for someone to bring it separately as they woke up with flooded tents. Great idea of a place, but not perfectly executed. The staff was so nice though and the campfire and tea were lovely. The guesthouse, unfortunately, I don’t know the name was the same company and was very cozy! It has some reviews from people saying it was their favorite part of Jordan and others that had not so great experiences. Check them out in the link above and keep in mind tents are a little less than $100.

More photos from Dana:

Petra

Petra, one of the new wonders of the world and the #1 reason people visit Jordan. Obviously, you CANNOT miss Petra while you are here. I have written an extensive amount of tips which you can read here. We stayed at the awesome Movenpick which I highly suggest. It is literally at the doorsteps of the entrance to Petra and it has a pool. 5 stars in Jordan are relatively affordable.

Wadi Rum

Again, I have written all about Wadi Rum (the most popular desert destination). I did hot air ballooning here, stayed at a campsite I don’t recommend, and rode a camel! There’s a lot to do here but many people choose to stay just for the day. Please read up on my article on Wadi Rum for full advice on this.

Aqaba

The second and last town on this list that I did not get to visit while in Jordan was Aqaba which is the popular coastal vacation spot and where you can scuba dive in the famous Red Sea. Ben was really looking forward to going here but it just didn’t work out this time. I definitely would go here if I was given a second chance! I would actually skip seeing the North of Amman in exchange for going here. Wadi Rum, Petra, and Aqaba are sometimes called the tourists “Golden triangle”. Read all about it here.

Ma’in

Ma’in is the home of amazing hot springs (and I mean, HOT!) and huge waterfalls that drop the hot water on your back for a massage! We stayed at the fantastic Ma’in Resort. I wrote all about the resort and spa in a blog post of it’s own which you should check out – but definitely don’t skip Ma’in. It was Ben’s favorite other than Petra and he doesn’t even like spas.

Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is, after Petra, the next biggest tourist attraction for outsiders! I loved seeing it; it’s been on my bucket list since I can remember. I wrote all about it with SO many tips and a look at our hotel, the Kempinski, which was amazing.

Head back to Amman to fly home!

Some tips for booking your Jordan trip:

• I search kiwi.com first for flights.
• Make sure to get travel insurance. I use World Nomads.
• You can rent a car, hire a driver, or take a tour. I use rentalcars.com when I rent. Roads are great here.
• You will get your visa on arrival.
• You’ll want to pre-book hotels here. I have info on all the places I stayed in my articles on each city I went in Jordan.

The Top Tour Options to Cover a Similar Jordan Itinerary

It can seem like a lot to plan a trip like this from scratch and I had the help of the tourism board, who gave me a driver. You can rent a car and do the trip yourself (the roads are very good) or you can book a tour with a driver. I use Get Your Guide and Viator when I book day tours and tend to look at G Adventures for longer tours like this, but I compared them all. Keep in mind, G Adventures tours are run by them while the others are outsourced to anyone who wants to add a tour there – so that is why G Adventures is so mugh higher in price. I am going to link the highest rated tours here with the price and where to read more information and book it.

• 8-Day Highlight of Jordan tour from G Adventures. Book it here for $999. This tour covers all the big highlights (for real) and also goes down to Aqaba. You go by private car and hotels are included. It’s actually a really good price. You can look at their other tours as they have one focused on adventure in the same price range.
• 3-Night Jordan tour to Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea from Viator. Book it here for $456. This tour has the same inclusions for the most part but open them up and compare. It comes down to how much time you have and if you want to see everything or just these key places in the 3-day tour.

I hope that this Jordan itinerary can help you plan out your trip. Jordan was an incredible experience. Thank you to the Visit Jordan for facilitating the trip.

The post Perfect 10 Day Jordan Itinerary, Let the Adventure Begin! first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Perfect 10 Day Jordan Itinerary, Let the Adventure Begin! appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

There is so much information on the internet these days and so many helpful websites, but I guess the point of writing this blog is to help you narrow down the information and give it to you in a simplified format aka save you the hard work. These are the website I use and I hope you will use for planning your next trip abroad. They will save you money AND introduce you to some cool and unique things in each destination.

9 websites for planning your next trip

World Nomads

I’ve been using World Nomads travel insurance since 2012 and it’s the first step for me in travel planning once I know my dates. I know I’ll have to buy travel insurance anyways, so I try to do it right away so it will just be done and taken care of. It’s also good to do right away so that it doesn’t pop up as an expense you’ve forgotten about later. World Nomads is the brand trusted by most bloggers, Lonely Planet, and other guide books.

Next Vacay

I found out about Next Vacay a few months ago and think it’s a great website to help you plan a trip because it might just inspire your next trip. I wrote a full review here, but to sum it up, you pay $25 a year and in return they send you only the craziest and best deals from your closest airports to fun places around the world (not a random Tuesday, last-minute flight to some random US town). If you don’t see a deal you like, you can cancel and get your money back so it’s a win-win. I’m holding out for a Christmas deal for my parents because we want to meet up somewhere in the middle next year.

Rome2Rio

This is SUCH a useful website when you’re planning. You can type in your point A to point B and it will tell you the price, distance, and time in transport for all the available forms of transportation available: ferry, taxi, car rental, train, bus, flying, etc. It’s the perfect way to set your route at the best price taking into account all the parameters. Definitely download this app.

Kiwi.com

I live for booking through Kiwi.com! I wrote all about why I always book with them here. They use a unique method where they don’t just search for flights that are in code-shares but also ones that are not related, meaning you’d have to re-check in during your layover and recheck bags. It saves a ton of money, though. If you do a multicity trip, that won’t matter though if you use their anwhere tool. I’ve even shown exactly how you can use their flight search engine to travel cheap with these two examples:

1. Flying to all India’s tourist cities for under $200
2. Flying to 9 cities in 7 countries in Europe for $355 

i-escape

As soon as I know where I’m going, I check out i-escape to see what cute, unique, boutique properties there are. They do not post just anything- only the coolest more unique properties. I can tell you from experience (having visited all the best properties over 3 years in Goa) that they have the ones that matter on their site. It seems to be the case for other cities too. I love their reviews and the easy interface. I don’t book through them though, I then heard over to Agoda.

Agoda 

This is my go-to booking site for travel in Asia. I have gone back and forth with others, but lately the best deals have been here on Agoda. I usually have an idea of where I want to stay based on blogs and i-escape before I go to Agoda and book. When I travel elsewhere around the world, I book with HotelsCombined.

iVisa

Need a visa where you’re headed? If you want an easy process you can use iVisa. India’s visa is a pain in the ass and some people can’t be bothered to go through so much hassle and would happily pay iVisa’s fee to do it all for them. They do it for everywhere though, not just India and if you’re overwhelmed with planning it’s one thing you can delegate and cross off your list. The bonus is if you apply on your own for a 30 day visa to an embassy, the day it gets approved is when the visa starts. That means you can’t do it very far ahead of time. If you let iVisa do you can cross it off your list early and they will wait to submit so you have the most days where you are going.

Airbnb

Of course airbnb must be on this list! When people come in a group to Goa, I always say get a villa on airbnb not multiple hotel rooms. You will save so much money! Plus, you have a kitchen, pool, housekeeper, and usually security. There are benefits all over the world to airbnb though, not just India. If you use this link, you’ll get $35 off your first airbnb booking.

Blogs

Maybe I’m biased but blogs are the perfect help in planning your trip. I know that I can give more information about Goa than some top guidebooks just by checking their recommendations and realizing they are outdated or missing something incredible. That is because their writers often come for two weeks and visit the places suggested by other guidebooks and I’ve been here 3 years. It’s the same with other bloggers. When planning for Nashville, I was all over Camels & Chocolate. She’s been there for years! You can just search “travel blogger ____” or “food blogger ____” and insert the city to find someone who focuses on a certain place. It is priceless information. Here are my 17 favorite bloggers from 2016.

Pin it!

The post Use These 9 Websites for Planning Your Next Trip first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Use These 9 Websites for Planning Your Next Trip appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Wow I can’t believe it’s already June! And tomorrow is my birthday!

This year is going by so quickly. I would say that one thing I don’t like about travel is how fast time goes (time flies when you’re havin’ fun!).

I actually enjoy being a homebody sometimes and always try to make sure I balance my time going places and being home. It’s so easy and affordable in India to jump on a train and go check out a new town but after 3+ years here places are starting to blend and I find myself feeling tired when I do this.

I wrote a post at the beginning of the year about what I thought I’d be up to in 2016 and I wasn’t too far off. So far this year, I went to 5 countries, only 2 of which were new to me:

• India Goa which doesn’t really count since I live here
• Turkey Istanbul for the World Tourism Forum & to explore
• Sri Lanka for a visa run with Ben where we did lots of underwater adventures
• Jordan which was an amazing last-minute adventure with Ben
• Singapore for a friends’ wedding with Ben

Goa

Goa, Nilaya pool

Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

Istanbul, Turkey

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Friends’ Wedding, Singapore

I had more listed which I’ll be doing still and a few new opportunities have come my way! So here’s what the rest of my year looks like so far, most of which is in the US.

The rest of 2016 travel plans

NYC

Sadly I’ll only be here for a night. I saw a flight option which was way cheaper but had a 17 hour layover in NYC. My friend Ann lives there and said I could crash at hers and I haven’t seen her since I moved to India! It will be so good to meet up and see where she lives.

Florida

I was invited to a trip around Florida for 9 days by their tourism board along with 3 other bloggers. I have only been twice; to Disney as a kid and to Daytona beach for my 22 birthday actually with Ann the girl I’ll be seeing in NYC! I’m excited to explore more in the US as I haven’t done that since I started blogging. I don’t have my itinerary yet for this trip but know I”ll get a little beach time and “nature” time.

Ohio

I am going to be in Ohio most of July and the first half of August. I’m from Ohio and will be so happy to see all my family and friends (and friends’ new babies!) while I’m home. Last year, I wrote about post about what I ate in Ohio while I was home and I”m going to do the same this year because I am in love with pub food (basically what we eat in Ohio) and every meal there makes me happy!

My friend Rachel here had a baby while I was gone!

Vegas

I have a bachelorette party in Vegas one weekend, and the way flights worked out it’s much cheaper to fly there on a Tuesday so I’m going a lot earlier and working with some brands out there. The bride, my BFF, is coming early as well so we can explore the “non party” side of Vegas a little bit.

Nashville

Family trip! Last year we went to Toronto which as a lot of fun and wanted to try somewhere else that was a little unique for us and ended up on Nashville. It is my mom/dad, brother/his wife, Bre, and me and Ben. We’re going for just 3 days and will be eating lots of BBQ! My brother has been before which is cool because he can show up around a little bit. I think Ben will be surprised by Nashville since he hasn’t really traveled in the US much and is a stranger to country music. His favorite food is BBQ ribs so this is a dream for him. 

India

Back to India from end of August through mid September! I will have lots of work to catch up on I’m sure and it will be raining in Goa all month so it’s a good time to just relax.

blogging in Goa

Israel

WHAT!! I know! It’s crazy exciting. I was invited on a boutique tour of Israel with Vibe Israel for a week starting September 15th. I cannot wait to explore this country and really feel a pull to this part of the world after my time in Jordan so this is just perfect for me and the blog! The tour is completely up my alley focuses on trendy boutique experiences, food, shops, and hotels. I’ll be showing you the trendy young side of Israel.

London

Ben’s sister is getting married at the end of September so we will be going there for the wedding and I’ll be going straight from Israel over. It’s so nice to see all his friends and family and I wish he got more time off work to see them ever longer. We’ll probably try to stay 10 days or more if we can push it.

Latvia

I am randomly going to Latvia! I’d been talking with the tourism board about coming to visit the next time I was in Europe and it worked out well that at the two weeks in London I can head over for a week and explore a few cities in this beautiful country. I’ll be checking out a spa town, a coastal getaway, a castle, and the capital city of Riga.

Morocco

I am so excited to say I’m going to Morocco. I was thinking to myself I really want to go somewhere different that I don’t know much about.. I’m always in Asia! My friend whatsapp’d me saying hey we’re in Europe at the same time and flight to Morocco from London are sooo cheap… let’s go shopping!” I said yes right away. I’ll go back to London from Latvia, meet my friend Tia, who owns a shop in Goa, and we will go to a few towns in Morocco. It was a lot of fun to plan. We’ll have 10 days then come back to Goa via London.

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

The post My New and Exciting travel plans for the rest of 2016 first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post My New and Exciting travel plans for the rest of 2016 appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

So, I actually wrote this post nearly 3 years ago and never posted it. I just found it while sorting through my draft folder. I edited it so it made sense for now, but it was interesting to see what I was thinking back then.

Girls email more often than you would think because they are moving to India and want to know how they can meet other Western friends. In “smalltown” India there aren’t really many online ways. It’s usually fine and you meet people as you go along, but when you’re feeling “ugh” and having a bad day, you can really start to miss your friends back home!

Per usual, when I write a personal post, it’s mostly unorganized and hard to follow. I even edited this one! Ha, but my thought process is just scrambled lol.  But, I hope if you’re feeling a little down you can relate and see that everyone who moves abroad, at first, doesn’t know a soul and might feel a bit down- but it won’t stay that way!

Priyanka & Niki, Ben, Tia & Ava (my friend Amy’s baby that’s so stinkin cute!)

Even in a beach paradise, a bad day can happen. When you’re an expat in a foreign country, a bad day can remind you how many hours from home you are (40), how your friends back home have babies you haven’t met, and how many days it’s been since your last Taco Bell (300) (kidding sort of). That bad day becomes a whole lot worse.

bad day face

Moving to a big city in your home country, you might know someone who knows someone and voila! Friendships form. For me, moving to Charlotte was nothing compared to moving to India. Even if you didn’t know a soul you could find some on couchsurfing.org, meetup.com, in yoga class, work, or at the gym.

Expats Tips | Meeting other expats

I’ve been here over 3 years now and am lucky that I’ve made some friends I know I”ll stay friends with even after I leave India.

Making friends doesn’t just fall into your lap when you move abroad. I was 22 when I moved here and used to making new BFFs every other day back home through friends of friends and at bars or house parties.

In a village in India meeting people is nothing like it is at home. When I first came to India, I was meeting cool people but they were often passing through. I also found with different nationalities it can take longer to get to know someone. It’s also different when you’re 26 because it’s not like girls are having sleep overs at that age! Now we, ya know, meet for coffee.

Goa nights out Italian dinner with Tia & babycakes, nights out in Baga

There are groups for expats like InterNations, but most of these are for big cities. No options for Goa, India (yet). With tourist season bus loads of like-minded tourists come rolling in. As fast as they come, they leave.  This is the downside of living in one of the most travelled places in India.

When I first came here, my boyfriends’ guy friends were my only friends. It’s weirdly harder to make friends with girls when you’re older and don’t have a job ha ha. Ben’s friends weren’t up for trying a sugar facial I found on Pinterest and talk about makeup or if the choker necklace trend is going to stick around.

I’ve tried making Ben watch Mean Girls multiple times, but he always finds a way out of it

Nothing makes a place feel more like a home than having friends over for movie nights, drinking games, or getting dolled up for a night out. What if you don’t have any girls to come over for a mani/pedi, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills watching sesh?

I’ve been hugely blessed in the friend department back home and luckily have met some girls here too.

I’ve lived in different states than most of my friends back home and when we see each other nothing has changed at all, so why should living in another country be different? But, for some reason it is.

Since I’ve left friends have gotten married, I’ve missed close friends wedding, the birth of their babies, and their first home purchases. They’re all grown up! This Mother’s Day I message 3 of my BEST friends since I was little and told them happy Mother’s day. Every summer that I go home I get a bridesmaid dress on for a friends’ wedding.

I watch my reality TV here so I can remember what America is “really” like. 

This was not the first time I’ve started over.  First there was college, but going to university an hour from home doesn’t count when on a walk to class you are probably going to see a familiar face. Then I moved to Charlotte where I didn’t know anyone in the state (really in the south for that matter) and I met girls I will stay friends with for life. That was easy. I moved to Seattle with one of them for a few months last winter. It’s not always that easy in another country.

Another country means another culture.

Trance music trumps hip-hop. As for country music…not a chance someone will relate. Replace Hollywood with Bollywood and Hot Pockets with samosas.

Differences make it harder to relate to people and even though deep down we all have the same issues like work dilemmas & relationship problems, those little things are what made me become close with friends easier back home.

When you first move abroad, knowing no one, I guess it’s something you just need accept: it’s going to take some time to meet a group of friends. People can be clicky. People can see you as another tourist passing through and not want to bother. Especially here in Goa, there aren’t other Americans (there are like 2) and we are known for being over friendly- chatting to people in the grocery store. English people would think you were mad if you did that. In the US Ben actually said to me at the grocery store, “what’s going on, people keep smiling at me”. I’m like because you made eye contact so it’s just what you do. He’s like that’s odd. You have to take into account different nationalities and how they act. But it turns out even French girls are sweethearts unlike the stereotype.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is that no matter how far I am from my friends in the US, I can still call them and I might as well be in the same town with apps like skype and whatsapp.

No, it’s not the same as sharing a bag of Cheetos on the couch with them or sneaking Oreos and milk into a movie theater, but considering when I first moved here I knew no one, it was helpful.

I miss these kinds of get togethers… throw back to one of our Christmas Extravaganzas almost 10 years ago complete with gingerbread village! 

Remember that if a friendship has faded because of distance, it probably would have anyways. Try not to stress about losing touch and try to be in the moment with new friends you’ve made along the way. I find that my closest friends and I still talk a lot and even the ones I don’t are like sisters to me that when I do come home and see them nothing has changed. As you grow older, you lose touch with people anyways- even if you don’t move away so you don’t have to feel guilty for that.

As indians say “time passing” by doing photoshoots for Tia’s clothing & bikini line

Also remember that if you’ve just moved somewhere new, it takes time to meet people (especially girls!) and especially if you aren’t out partying.

I would suggest a few things:

• If you get asked to dinner by a group of possible new friends, go even if you don’t feel like it. They might not ask you again.
• Remember that even if someone you start hanging out with isn’t really your cup of tea, you can meet more people through them.
• Go out more! Get out of your house. Even if you’re too old to party, go to some bars. Eat out at restaurants, get to know the locals.
• Try to find some classes. Even in small towns you can often find a yoga or work out class. I hate yoga, but I gave it a go when I moved here.
• If you see signs for some type of get together or reading club, hit it up. You might meet your new bestie!
• If you’re shy, try to be a little less shy when you meet new people and maybe even bring up a time to go hang out again. You have to get out of your shell a bit.

If you’re having a lonely expat day or are new to an area, try to remember why you moved where you did. It was beautiful, or you fell in love with someone beautiful. Maybe you had a connection with a person or place and you just couldn’t leave.

Update: I wrote an ebook, Insider’s Guide to Goa. It’s 170 pages filled with the most up to date, comprehensive information about Goa plus it has all my secret places to go that I’ve found after living here almost five years.This book has 50x more information about Goa than my blog and is organized to make things easy for you to find. Click here to buy it now. It has a whole section on meeting people and information for those moving to Goa.

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big purple box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

The post What it was like moving to Goa knowing no one first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post What it was like moving to Goa knowing no one appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

These are the most luxurious Indian islands… that you didn’t know existed!

 1. Lakshadweep

 

A photo posted by Gods Own Country Kerala (@godsowncountrykerala) on Aug 19, 2016 at 8:06am PDT

When I think of this island, I think of the cheap scuba certificate I could get in the Laccadive sea, but when Pinterest users look they see this usually with the wrong place captioned:

Lakshadweep (meaning one hundred thousand islands) is off the coast of Kerala to the West of India and made up of 36 small islands. Kavaratti is the most popular and has more development on it. Kadmat is where you want to get your scuba on; it has the prettiest water in India! This is mostly visited by Indian tourists as it’s still pretty secret around the world. Other popular islands here are Agatti and Bangaram.

Tips: Get here from Kochi easily and dress modest for the Muslim crowd. Avoid July through September for monsoon. Technically no alcohol is allowed and tourists need to get a permit to visit.

2. Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 

A photo posted by junnybox (@junnybox) on Aug 24, 2016 at 12:06am PDT

The Andaman’s are probably the most popular set of islands for foreign tourists to go to while in India. These are in the Andaman Sea to the East side of India. From the beginning of literature these islands have been discussed by explorers, and some wrote they were full of cannibals.  They were known as “black waters” of the Indian Ocean and were full of prisoners! Now they are full of 5-star hotels and tourists. This is another great place to get your scuba certificates.

The Islands have had a fight to stay alive while Tsunamis and earthquakes literally tear the small islands into pieces and hit the large ones hard. They have recently been declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. You may have heard about the Nicobar Islands, as some theorists believe the missing Malaysia airlines flight landed here.

Tip: beware of swimming. Nearby to Havelock Island is a reservation for saltwater crocodiles and I know of someone who was with a friend who was tragically killed swimming outside a fancy resort. In the last 25 years, there have been 24 deaths from crocodile attacks. There are apparently not enough signs up warning tourists, although I haven’t been to see for myself. Even swimming in open ocean away from rivers and mangroves is not always safe. Also, keep in mind there are some tribal areas here and you will need permits to visit.

3. St. Mary’s Islands

 

A photo posted by Rudranil Das (@rdas_photography) on Aug 21, 2016 at 8:16am PDT

St Mary’s islands are a set of four, located off Udupi, Karnataka. These “coconut islands” are in the Arabian sea (west side of India). Here you’ll see giant columns of lava stone because of the split off of Madagascar, way back when… well, you know. I seriously struggle in science, but I do know that the lava situation here is incredible rare.

Tips: there are guards to make sure you don’t swim anywhere dangerous, but in case they are on tea break, use good judgment near rocks. You’ll go here by boat for a day trip (this is your only option).

4. Netrani Island.

 

A photo posted by Sukanya Raju (@sudotkanya) on Nov 22, 2015 at 11:25am PST

Also called Pigeon Island, this is off the coast of Karnataka in the Arabian Sea about 20 km from Murudeshwara to the west of India. This is a major scuba destination for tourists in Goa and Kerala. During monsoon, you can’t go to this island. Any island that is shaped like a heart is worth a visit!

Tip: Don’t try to go here alone. The Indian Navy uses the island adjacent for target practice.

So there we have the luxury Indian islands… with beaches of white sand you didn’t think was possible in India! I am determined to visit at least one of these beauties while I live here! Have you been to one?

The post 4 Luxurious Indian Islands (many people don’t know exist) first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post 4 Luxurious Indian Islands (many people don’t know exist) appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

If you are a 18 year old girl going abroad for the first time and emailing me for advice on backpacking India solo, don’t be surprised if I tell you to go to Europe first. I have traveled a lot before coming to India in Europe and Africa and was a little older (and wiser hahah! jk).

Honestly, the thing that inspired me to write this was reading this article where the writer asks can women travel India alone and calls me out a little bit.

“Well, of course you can. Before trekking off to India, countless travel bloggers (such as Hippie in Heels) told me Yes! I can travel India alone! Unfortunately, they never told me if I should – whether or not the day-to-day life in India would be exhausting or exhilarating; whether or not the risks were worth the reward.”

Go ahead and read it. She goes on to say “It definitely is possible to travel India as a woman alone. But I would never, ever, ever recommend it.”

I totally respect her opinion and I think it’s so important to share because I don’t want to just tell people “yeah, go you’ll love it!!” and not be realistic about the worries and fears they’ll have here in India. So thank you to Alison for getting me inspired to write this post!

Traveling India Alone

When you say you want to go to India you’ll get a variety of reactions. Parents will say you’re crazy and a bit of an idiot… friends will say they’re jealous and wish they could get off work… some will say you’re brave, others will say that you’re going to call home regret it.

It doesn’t matter what any of them say because it’s impossible to have a real opinion about India without having gone there yourself.

In some publications you’ll see India portrayed as perfect, clean, and full of incredibly nice locals there to help you travel. Others like mainstream news say it’s a no-go zone and imply you’ll basically be raped upon exiting the airport. Neither of these drastic views are the truth! On my bog, I try to find the balance and show you the real India, especially through my series, This is India.

The following are extracted from two longer comments from my blog this month who hadn’t yet been to India.

“Dont know why you dumb white women go to countries like this, India and Pakistan are shitholes and not worth risking your life over.”

“I stayed up all night reading your many posts and I’m very excited for my trip now! I know I am going to love India.”

Two totally different opinions of a place they hadn’t been, but two that I’ve heard over and over. The truth is, India is unique… maybe the most unique country in the world even, and your experience there will be based a lot on LUCK.

India is a contradiction, something that I’ve mentioned when I talked about the love hate relationship with India that many backpackers have.

It’s full of incredible riches and extreme poverty. The slums meet the sky scrapers and the BMW’s dodge the cows who stand in the road munching trash.

The religion is beautiful and the people are inviting, but the culture is different, in ways that can make foreigners uncomfortable.

India’s been around too long to cater to want you think is right. India is “set in her way” like an old lady and you’re not going to change it.

A man may stare at you or push you out of line and another man may offer you a snack on the train and help you get your heavy bag down from the top bunk. As you think of eating the snack, you’ll see a Government approved sign saying don’t take snacks from strangers- they will poison and rob you. 

A neighbor may curse you for shacking up with a boyfriend unmarried, and another may fix your car when you’re not looking.

In some ways, the people are like people everywhere else, but the culture is one of a kind.

Is traveling to India worth the risk?

On this little blog, I try not to be bias, but also try to stay politically correct so as to not offend people. It’s a balance and it doesn’t always work.

Although I will always promote India as a travel destination because that is something I believe in, I would be wrong to not prepare people for what it is really like here. As this blog grows, and more Indian people start to read it, I do worry that I may upset someone. Sometimes I do. But, those Indians who read the blog often, know that with 1 bad thing I share on here, I share 20 good ones. I am so thankful for my Indian readers who leave comments and show open-mindness and understanding, as well as explain things I can’t wrap my head around.

Not just some of my readers are Indian, but some of my friends are. I have been here for 3 years. I even wrote about how I’m “turning Indian“ as a joke. Most of my readers know I have traveled and lived here a while, by choice, and love this country. I give advice out of necessity to readers, not because I want to diss India. But not all realize that.

I get nasty comments either way. Sometimes it can be frustrating! I think it’s important to share the things that I love here and the things I don’t.

Overall, it’s a positive experience living in India or we wouldn’t be here. I love living in Goa. Are there annoyances? Yes. Mostly, they are funny. Although sometimes they are scary or unfair. I tell those stories in my “this is India” series on Fridays, though to be honest the very negative things I don’t write about because I don’t want to deal with the backlash or I don’t feel I want to share every single detail about my life here.

It’s irresponsible to generalize India as a bad place to travel, but it’s just as irresponsible to tell a 18 year old girl who emails me leaving abroad for the first time, it’s 100% safe to travel here alone and not warn them of what is different from home.

For me, India was amazing and I stayed here. Yes I got sick while I first traveled here, but I loved my days backpacking.

But…

Some girls leave India and have PTSD because of the things they encountered.

Because I run a travel blog, I get emails asking for advice from girls telling me they are nervous.

I get emails from girls in hotel rooms whose nerves are making them afraid to go out on the streets, and I get emails from girls who are in hysterics saying they are totally overwhelmed and have booked a flight home having never left Bombay.

It’s sad, but because it happens it shouldn’t be ignored when writing about India as it can set people up for failure. If a girl reads India will be perfect and she feels scared and overwhelmed, she’ll feel very alone in that feeling. That’s why I wrote this pep talk on traveling India & shared about a time I remembered how hard backpacking India really is.

It’s not all doom and gloom. I also get emails from girls who came to India and had a beautiful trip. They say they feel connected to India and are planning a trip back. Most want to know how to get a extension on their visa to stay longer.

Even if you feel prepared (reading lots of advice online and packing appropriately), you should know India is hard… and it’s really as simple as that. I sat with travel bloggers at a conference this weekend and they all said India was the hardest place they traveled. Others said they wouldn’t come to India. A guy who has spent the last 10 years traveling all but 18 countries (so far), and 6 months in India, said he would never tell a girl to travel India alone.

I think a lot of Indians would agree that it can be difficult to travel alone here. Some girls tell me their fathers would never let them travel alone. If you watch a documentary like India’s Daughter, chances are you’ll never want to come here. That is real life. But, that doesn’t define over a billion people. My Indian readers know that it is not the norm for an Indian girl to go off traveling on her own here and there is a “blame” culture to women who break the mold.

The truth is, India is as harsh as it is accepting- depending on who you meet and where you go.

Because the truth is, whether or not you have a good or bad time in India could come down to sheer luck…

So, what can help you find the good luck? You have to be prepared. You have to be open to imperfection. You have to accept a culture different from your own. You have to try new things, smile and have patience. You also (I hope you realize after this post) will need to manage your expectations.

I think that if you are young, haven’t traveled much, and feel nervous before going, then it is best to travel with a friend or even a group rather than alone. I am not sharing this to scare you! I had a blast backpacking India. So do many girls I chat with via the blog. As you can see from the blogger at the beginning of the article, it’s not always that way and I just want everyone to be as prepared as possible.

If traveling India alone doesn’t sound like it’s something you want to try, and you’re interested in a tour, I recommend using G Adventures. Lots of readers have emailed me over the years saying they did a tour with them and it was a great success. They offer all types of ranges in price. Personally, I haven’t used them but I don’t know any other company to suggest!

Coming to India?!

• backpacking India by yourself recap
• tips for solo female travelers
• how to dress in India
• All the FAQ about India I get asked
• If you are coming to Goa, I have written the ultimate guide to Goa. Click here to buy it.

The post The TRUTH About Traveling Alone in India first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post The TRUTH About Traveling Alone in India appeared first on Hippie In Heels.