WATCH OUT FOR SCAMS IN THE BORDER THAILAND - CAMBODIA

I wish my first blog post about Cambodia was something incredibly beautiful but I have to tell you about my story so you don't pass thru the same situation. 

I booked my bus ticket from Bangkok to Siem Reap in one of those zillions agencies in Khao San Road for 8 dollars, a pretty good deal. I was by myself and nothing to fear, I was booking thru a physical agency and all my friends told me how easy is to get a cambodian visa in the border for 30 bucks. (The agency I booked my ticket is called: Lampoo Travel & Tours; Address: 42 Viengtai Hotel Rambuttri Rd. Banglumpoo Bangkok 10200)

LET'S GO TO CAMBODIA!

Hey guys!! 

You might be wondering what's going on, the free bird girl doesn't travel anymore? Nahhh. Traveling is my passion, how is supposed to live without passion? 

My trip to Asia - my fave continent - is around the corner and as always, I leave everything for the last day, including the plan. Ok, we all know by now I simply don't plan, I read some blog posts from travelers fellows and write down some tips. I don't really like to read all information because my expectations will be high and also, I love to be surprised in all places I visit :)

SAPA: THE STUNNING HIGHLANDS OF VIETNAM WITH A SPECIAL TRIBE

For the first time in my solo backpacking trip I was craving to be alone. It sounds silly because I'm traveling solo but as a matter of fact during those almost 3 months traveling I had mostly of the time company: either I was couchsurfing or connected with a traveler(s) in the bus or met friendly locals. 

It was the last week of the year (2011) and I wanted to be alone to reflect about my life, to try to organize my mind with all these last weeks of learning and meeting new people who gave me interesting information that would change my life forever. 

ONE WEEK IN HANOI (VIETNAM)

Vietnam belongs to the group of countries that was not in my travel list but I ended up there because so many travelers tell great stories about it so I had to go check. 

This time I had the hard decision of one entire month in Vietnam or 15 days in Vietnam and 15 days in Cambodia... I picked the first option since I didn't want to rush in my solo backpacking trip, I wanted to travel slow and emerge in the culture. Also, Vietnam is not big but is really long and I only travel by land inside the countries so I had no option :) Now a days I understand why I didn't go to Cambodia (on my travel list since ever): to go with my best friend Ana, we will probably spend our birthdays in a cambodian island next year. 

LIVING SIMPLE IN LAOS VILLAGES

Exploring is my favorite thing to do while traveling. But exploring small villages is the best of the best. Usually tourists didn’t find out about them so the essence of the place is not changed. But hey we need hostels to sleep so good thing there are a bit of tourists there :P

I talked before of Laos Towns so now it’s time to know more of my feelings about Laos villages. Sorry if I completly forgot the villages’ names I have been but there are plenty to choose from. I went to a travel agency in Luang Prabang and checked all tours and wrote down the villages names ;) I booked my bus to Vietnam with this agency so I was able to leave my big backpack and bring only a small bag with essential stuff for a week. It’s so awesome to travel ultra light!

LUANG PRABANG AND VAN VIENG [LAOS, ASIA]

Last month I went thru all my travel photo folders and found out there are several countries I never talked about here in the blog. If you click Destinations Category and then Asia you’ll find out I didn’t post much about asian countries and the reason is that I backpacked Asia 7 months in 2011 + 2012 and this blog born in 2013 after my Central America trip. I just can’t keep these amazing World pictures in folders I want to have them in my blog, I want to share them with you and the World.

This being said, Laos is one of those countries I didn’t mention here yet. But how? This is the purest and more genuine asian country, it was such a relief from all the crazy traffic and busy life in Bangkok. Actually I was only two weeks or so in Thailand when I woke up and decided to get a bus ticket to Vientiane, capital of Laos. I was dying to explore North Thailand but I can’t explain, I think Laos was calling me. But I fell asleep in the bus and missed Vientiane, when I woke up I was surrounded by giant green mountains and curvy roads, I was heading to Vang Vieng. “Hmmm? Never heard about that place!”

PUSHKAR FAIR IN INDIA

Today I bring you a bit more of Indian Culture but this time thru the eyes of Sashin Kaushik. This amateur photographer from Jaipur (India) quit his engineering course to follow his dream of being a photographer. 

I support arts and talented beings who had the guts to fight against what society wants you to be, to live an happy life being yourself and doing what you really want.   

Sashin is the author of all photography and text that is coming. I was present in Pushkar Fair 2011 and I highly recommend this event! This is also a glimpse into indian lifestyle, rituals and culture. Enjoy :)

NAME 3 IN INDIA... ADVICE FROM LOCALS

Since a bunch of my friends are going to travel to India soon, I thought would be helpful to ask indians about their own country in a easy way: answering all questions with 3 words. Just small tips, an idea of what to do, eat or see... The explore part, the experience and the memories are with you!

Dhanyavaad (thank you in hindi) to all indians who sent me their answers, this information is very useful! Can't wait to go back to India and follow your tips :)

If you enjoyed this "Name 3..." post and you're traveling to any country you'd like to know more local tips, please let me know which country in the comments, maybe I can make another "Name 3 in (insert country) for you and whoever is interested.

INDIA STOLE MY HEART

Invite me to go to India and I will go with you! I could go to India twice a year, no problem :) When I was a kid, me and mom used to spend Saturday noon and evening watching Bollywood movies, sometimes 3 in a raw. Once a lady told me I was indian in another life, I had a suffering and tough life with an arragement wedding. I don't really know from where came this passion for India but it's something surreal, magic and cosmic.

Today I decided to show you five places in India I heart and hopefully will come back soon.

 Goa :: This picture represents pretty well what is Goa: Green everywhere. Also beaches with cows :) Some people don't know but Goa is not a city but a state. And no, you won't listen portuguese in the streets but you'll find churches and coffee shops with portuguese names.

Q&A ABOUT ASIA

Last month I received an email from Shanti Free Bird reader with few questions about Asia. Since I didn't post much about my Asia travels (I started this blog 2 years after this trip) I decided to share with you this information, in case you are going to travel in Asia soon or merely curiosity.

- Where have you been in Asia? What places were most beautiful and/or would you recommend?

I've been in India twice, Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia. I have a big passion for India, I guess because of the spirituality, also the food, rich culture, the 4 days wedding, ladies in colorful saris. The islands of Thailand are to die for, I've been in Koh Phanghan. Pretty cheap food and accomodation, completly Paradise with crystal water and white sand, great for scuba diving. Laos has the cutest old and young people, also stunning views. I only been in the North and Luang Prabang, although touristy is very worth it! Also the surroundings. You can get a slow boat and relax (it can take 7 hours). Vietnam was a very good surprise, the best food in Asia so far, a lot of historical facts. Some people still have the war scars so I felt that South vietnamese were more friendly. You can book a bus for about $35 to visit the whole country but if you can buy (and sell in the end) a motorbike is a better choice to visit hidden corners. Malaysia is the most expensive asian country I've been so far but very worth going, beautiful nature and beaches. Nepal is very special for me, Annapurna Circuit trekking is very very worth it but you need some gear for 10-20 days. The only cities are Phokara (chilled place) and Kathmandu (perfect for shopping, busy, polluted but many interesting spots to visit including Kathmandu valley). Nepalese people are friendly and helpful. They eat Dal Bhat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

As you may see I cannot choose one country, one place :)

BUNDI FESTIVAL IN INDIA

TEN DAYS IN SILENCE AT TUSHITA RETREAT CENTER

Exactly 2 years ago I went back to India to finish my visa there (Yes, I loved so much this country that after 3 months traveling in Asia and Australia I went back!!)

After one week there I didn't feel right, I was backpacking solo for almost 6 months and I needed a challenge in my life. Once again, I didn't search for anything, I waited until the Universe send me a message. I was having dinner with 2 traveller fellows when one talked about this retreat she was about to join in 2 days! I asked more details and the more she spoke the more I was envolved. The deal was 10 days in silence, in a Meditation Centre with buddhism teachings (called dharma) many hours meditation and no electronics allowed. I start doing some math and actually the money I was spending daily in India was exactly what the meditation centre was asking for :) (food, accomodation and retreat included) When all answers go to the same direction means you gotta give it a try. Let's do this.

This is the Stupa and praying tibetian flags all over the place

TRAVEL JOURNAL PEEKS

I'm pround of my Asia and Australia Travel Journal, it's full of stories, colors, happy moments, images, tickets, postcards, junk I collected from the ground and much more.

Like I mencioned before in this post about my most recent travel journal I like to keep journals to go back and read all my adventures, how's going my progress as a human being, what changed in me and my opinions and on. While taking pictures of this journal I realized how much I miss to travel to a different culture country, last six months we travelled in Europe and California and the culture is pretty much similar as in Portugal. I miss unique hand crafts, dancing, songs, food, religion, people's faces.

MERHABA ISTANBUL

This trip to Istanbul wasn't planned at all but we learned macrame, basically is the art of knots :) We found out the string to make macrame was quite cheap in Istanbul, we looked at the map and found out it was only 5 hours away!! I been in Istanbul for one day, but like the turkish people tell me: one day in Istanbul, you never been in Istanbul. True. There are almost 20 million inhabitants here so think of the giant size of this place...

HAPPY CHILD'S DAY

I know, I know, Child's Day or Mother's Day or Valentine's Day is every single day, TRUE.

But today I decided to share few pictures of Children in Asia. It was so easy, I have zillions of them. These cute little fellows make my day <3

Children are the future, teach them well and love them as much as you can.

From Nepal with love

KOH PHANGAN ISLAND

Long time Thailand was on my Countries List, I was always so amased by the dreamy islands, the light blue sea, white sand, diving and watch the Aquatic World.

When my israeli friends told me about this Island as a Party place, cheap, beautiful I didn't think twice and flew from Kolkata (India) to Bangkok (Thailand), took a train directly to Koh Phangan Island and to be honest? It was one of the best decisions of my life!! Only when I arrived there I reconize how much I needed "civilization" again. I mean, India is a big part of my heart but is very poor, many places there're no conditions to even go to the bathroom, the constant rip offs from rikshow drivers, I definitly needed this break!

FEMALE SOLO IN ASIA

This was a phase in my life I decided to leave my well paid Social Worker job in Portugal to finally meet the incredible India. Of course everyone around me though I was crazy: a good job, a house, a car and I was just quiting. In fact, I was escaping from the old same routine.

Even thought some of you still think I'm crazy to travel by myself in Asia, I think that people who never experienced that before should do it, I had the time of my life!

First of all you are never alone. I guess people are more sensible when see people alone so they come to talk with you often and the same way around. I remember the first time I enter a indian kinda restaurant and sit down in the same table as an indian family. They talked with me very curious about my culture and gave me tons of food to try, all the different curries and how to eat rice with your hands (this was lot of fun, it's not so easy as it seems, you gotta make rice balls otherwise there will be rice all over you!!).

So you meet people in the bus, in the hostel, when you are eating, when you are in a line! Means, YOU ARE NEVER ALONE! All depends on you though, one time I was in North Vietnam and decided to be alone for few days so I was literally running away from people lol If you have a negative attitude toward others you will be alone but if you are smiling and interested believe me, you will make tons of friends :D

Indian Wedding in Jaipur