Best Ways to Go Backpacking Without Hitting the Over-crowded Tourist Spots

Backpacking can be a lot of fun and this is a great way to see the world even if you are on a tight budget. There are lots of hostels to choose from in Europe and the rest of the world where you can grab a bed very cheaply. However, the main drawback with choosing to stay in cheap and cheerful hostels aimed at backpackers is that they tend to be very crowded and are located in major tourist hotspots. Here are some great ways to travel for backpackers who are planning to go off the beaten path a little. 

Find a Travel Buddy



Travelling with someone is a great way to keep costs low as you will be able to share the cost of accommodation, travel and food and will be able to afford to branch out a little bit and get out of the main tourist zones. If you don’t have a friend or family member at home who wants to go travelling, you can always look out for ads on popular traveller and social media sites and find a travel buddy who shares the same interests as you. 

Make Friends with Local People



Local people are an excellent source of information on the best places to go to avoid the crowds and they are likely to know about places that the not mentioned in guidebooks. Taking the time to make friends with local people in cafes and bars will give you access to these great places and if you are lucky your new friend may even decide to pay tour guide for the day and take you to these places themselves.

Choose Homestay Accommodation



A large number of local people choose to rent out a room in their home and provide meals for a small fee. This type of homestay accommodation is often located off the beaten track and will give you the opportunity to explore a different place. This is also a great way to meet local people and gain an insight into their lives. You will also be able to find out first hand about the best things to see and do in the area and this is a great way to escape from the crowds and do something a bit different. 

Take your Own Tent



Bringing a tent with you means that you will have the freedom to sleep underneath the stars and get back to nature. A large number of national parks and other areas allow people to pitch their tents for the night either free of charge or for a small fee and many of the latest tents that are available to buy are very light weight and fold up small enough so that they can be stored easily in a backpack and carried with you wherever you go. Of course, it is a good idea to arrange backpacker travel insurance before leaving home to protect yourself and your belongings and give yourself pure peace of mind while you explore.

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Spiti Valley Trekking and Backpacking: My Upcoming Trip

I am headed to the Western Himalayas after a gap of 6 years! The last time I was in this part of the country, I was on my India motorcycle trip and I was traveling solo. This time, the agenda is more #backpacking and #trekking and giving me company is a good friend of mine and a great travel buddy. Today, we are flying to Chandigarh from Bangalore and Hyderabad respectively, where we plan to indulge in a traditional Punjabi lunch, before we make our way to Shimla. The original plan was to take the toy train from Kalka to Shimla, but as the train tickets are not available, we are taking the bus from Chandigarh to Shimla.

From Shimla we make our way to Sangla and Chitkul in the Baspa valley for our first pit stop enroute to Spiti valley. If required, we might go to Recong Peo, though I don’t intend to go to this busy town in the Kinnaur region. The plan is to spend more time at Chitkul (considered the closest Indian village to the Tibetan border) and enjoy the Kinner Kailash view, the apple orchards and the Baspa valley.

From here, for the next 3 weeks, we intend to spend in the Spiti Valley, where we will explore the following places:

1) Nako

2) Tabo and Tabo Monastery

3) Dhankar, Dhankar Lake and possibly some volunteering at the monastery

4) Sherkhang Gompa

5) Trekking in Pin Valley

5) The villages of Mulche, Demul, Komic, Hikkim, Langza and Tashigong

6) Kaza, Ki and Ki Monastery, Kibber and Chicham

7) Batal, Kunzum Pass and Chandra Taal Lake

8) Gramphoo and finally Manali

Weather and road conditions permitting…The idea is to walk most of this loop from Shimla to Manali, especially in the core of Spiti valley, between the high villages, the Pin Valley and Chandra Taal Lake. In between, we will be taking public transport to commute between the long distances. 3 weeks won’t do enough justice to all these places. Hence, depending on weather conditions, we will choose between the high villages and the Pin valley trek.

Stay in touch with me through my social channels and join me virtually as I trek and backpack through the scenic high Himalayas of Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh.

Like always, I have made no plans, which means no hotel bookings, no trekking bookings and no fixed itinerary. If any of you have any suggestions: hotels, homestays, places, attractions, conservation efforts, volunteering, etc., please be kind enough and share it with me through your comments below.

P.S. If any of you happen to be in the vicinity, do give me a shout. I would love a meet up! You can find my email and phone coordinates on my 'about me’ page.

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Turkey Food Travel through this Vegetarian’s Gut

Turkey is one of those countries that is famous the world over for its delicious Kebabs. It is also one of those countries that loves its meat. But, it is also one of those countries that is insanely vegetarian-friendly and its vegetarian spread is so high that you will be spoilt for choice. Be its main course, appetizers, cold mezes or desserts, Turkish vegetarian food is such an elixir for the taste buds



I figured this out for myself when I trotted through different regions of Turkey cooking with locals, eating with locals, checking out local restaurants, trying out the street food and simply filling my stomach with lip smacking food. I am not talking about packaged or processed food. I am talking about fresh produce and foods that are consumed by local Turkish people in their home on a regular basis and one that is also available at the restaurants all over the country.


Its Mediterranean weather and rich soil ensure that it has some of the best vegetable produce in the region and this richness provides Turkish food with all its necessary ingredients and that includes the spices too. If you head to the Aegean or the Mediterranean coast, you will actually see so many vegetarian options that you will think if you are really in a meat loving country. The fertile Anatolian region also adds to that list of breads, vegetables and fruits. The local bazaars are full of fresh vegetables and fruits. Olives, cheeses, milk, butter and nuts are available in plenty. All you have to do is consume them directly, cook it for yourself (if you know Turkish cooking) or consume it through a Turkish kitchen.


While I was on my vegetarian food trail through Turkey, I tried many of its foods and the below are some of the best options and they have been categorized across Main course, Salads and toppings, Mezes, Snacks, Cheeses, Starters, Soups, Desserts and Drinks.

Main Course

Turkish Breakfast Fresh cucumber and tomatoes, 2 or 3 varieties of cheese, especially the beyaz peynir and Labneh, homemade jams, freshly baked breads, eggs and fruits with Turkish Tea or Coffee is the perfect way to begin your day. This breakfast is a perfect combination of vitamins, fiber, carbs, fats and proteins

Breads

Turkey is one of those countries where bread is inexpensive, delicious to eat and available in plenty and fresh all over the country.  Pide, Lavash, Bazlama, , Ebeleme, Fodla, Gilik, Tandir Bread, Somun, Tepsi Ekmegi, and Yufka are some of the names that I remember from the so many varieties that I tasted. You can eat these breads with cheese, vegetables, eggs, cooked preparations, toppings and much more.

Croissants, Doughnuts and Cookies
The croissants might have originated in France, but they are as much a staple dish in Turkey as they are in France. The Simit (sesame croissant) is an iconic croissant that is available all over the country. In fact, it is so popular that people carry it on their way to work from home on ferries (in Istanbul) and share it with the sea gulls who have also taken a liking to it. Pattiseries are present all over the country and they dish out a variety of freshly baked croissants, doughnuts and cookies that are made from different ingredients. A fantastic option for breakfast.

Menemen

This is one of my favorite breakfast and/or lunch dishes. Menemen is a dish made up of Scrambled eggs with cheese, butter, vegetables and chillies. And it is served with bread.

Turkish Omelette

The Turkish Omelettes have cheese in them. They are fluffier, contain bell peppers, onions and tomatoes and are garnished with local herbs and spices. They make for a great meal all through the day, especially on colder days and nights.

Turkish Dolma
Again, a favorite of mine, it is a rice dish that is mixed with vegetables and spices and stuffed in vine leaves. It is served with olive oil and spicy or tangy sauces.

Pilav

This is rice cooked in butter. Sometimes, garlic is roasted in butter and mixed with the rice. Or at other times, they mixed it with butter, herbs and spices.

Sevketi Bostan

This is an Aegean specialty that I got to try out at Denizli on the recommendation of my Turkish friend whose family hails from Tire in the Izmir region. It is a yellow flowered thistle plant that is cooked with olive oil, vinegar, chick peas, herbs and spices. It is one of those dishes for which I would travel all the way to Aegean Turkey.

Chickpeas Curry

Boiled chick peas are cooked together with onion, tomatoes, chillies and herbs to make for a great dish that goes very well with rice.
 
Beans Curry

This is a dish that is similar to Chickpeas curry as it is made in a tomato puree with long white beans and garnished with herbs and spices.

Gozleme
This is a thin white bread that is cooked over an inverted vessel (on fire) and garnished with grated potatoes, peynir, spinach and spices. It is a great choice for a light meal.


 
Pottery Kebabs

These are vegetarian kebabs (especially aubergines) that are marinated with herbs and spices and cooked inside a clay pot. The final dish is served with hot bread.

Biriyani Rice

This is one of the famous rice dishes of Turkey where the rice is cooked with herbs, spices and oil.

Dishes with Spinach, Celery

Turkish food includes two or 3 dishes that are made from Spinach, Celery and other greens. These are usually cooked with local herbs and spices.

Croquettes

This is a deep fried breadcrumbed roll that has either potato or cheese as it main ingredients.

Stuffed Eggplant
A very delicious preparation, the eggplants are roasted over a fire and stuffed with a herb and spice paste and then cooked slowly

Kizartma

When zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes and/or okra are stir fried in olive oil and served with strained yoghurt and thick tomato sauce, the dish is called Kizartma. It is great as a healthy lunch or dinner option.

Cheeses

There are a lot of cheeses available in Turkey, but during my 30 days in this country, I got the chance to try out  beyaz peynir (plain white cheese), Canakkale Izina Cheese (a Canakkale special cheese), Kashar Cheese (fresh light yellow colored cheese made from cow’s milk), Eski Kashar (aged cheese), Tulum (goat cheese), Smoked Cheese, Dil Peyniri (stringy fresh milk cheese), Labneh (cream cheese), Lor (low fat, low salt cheese curd) and Halloumi cheese. Out of these, I absolutely loved the beyaz peynir, Tulum, Labneh and Canakkale Izina cheese. These cheeses go with most of the Turkish breads when they are served fresh and hot. Labneh goes well even when the bread is cold.

Mezes, Salads and Toppings

The mezes and salads are something that you will enjoy all round the country with each meal of yours. Served cold, they  go well with fresh warm bread and with Raki, as part of a Raki Sofrasi session.

Haydari
This is strained yoghurt with garlic, herbs and spices.

Hummus
This is a chick peas paste with olive oil, herbs and spices.

Izmir

This is green chillies in a tomato paste with herbs and spices.

Tabouleh
One of the freshest salads, this is tomato, onion and tomatoes served with parsley, herbs and olive oil.

Moutabel and Baba Ghanoush
They are mashed eggplant served with herbs and olive oil.

Cacik
This is a strained yoghurt dish with cucumber, herbs and garlic.

Patilican Salatasi
This is a cold eggplant salad.


Then there are others like Fattoush, Artichoke Salad, Olives and Strained Yoghurt.

Starters

Cigarette Rolls
These are deep fried bread rolls that are stuffed with peynir and spinach.

Falafel

Falafel is deep fried chickpeas batter with some herbs.

Kabak Mucveri
These are Turkish Zucchini Fritters that are cooked with eggs, zucchini, wheat flour and herbs.

Soup
While Turkish food has a lot of soups, only a couple of them Sorbas are vegetarian. They are lentil or tomato based, are extremely delicious and go well with both rice and bread.

Desserts
Turkey is blessed with great desserts. You will be always spoilt for choice here, especially if you have a sweet tooth. I have tried many of the Turkish desserts and seem to have a fondness for most of them.

Baklava

This is the king of all Turkish desserts. Originating from the South-Eastern Turkish city of Gaziantep, this dessert is made from phyllo dough, pistachio nuts, vanilla, butter and cinnamon.

Ayva Tatlisi

Not as heavy as the Baklava as it is made from the quince fruit, it is my favorite dessert from Turkey.

Firinda Sutlac

This is a cold dessert that is made from condensed milk, rice, vanilla and cinnamon.

Pistachio Khadiyif, Peynirli Khadiyif

The Khadayif is in the same league as the baklava. Made either from Pistachios or Peynir cheese, it tastes best when served hot. It is extremely filling and is best had as an in-between meal snack.

Sultan Tatlisi
Made from apricots, lemon juice and whipped cream, this is also a light weight dessert.

Pistachio Dondurma

Dondurmas are the local ice cream of Turkey. The one that is made from fresh pistachios is one of my favorites.

Strained Yoghurt and Honey

This is a classic dessert of Turkey and is one of the healthiest options too.

Kunefe

This is a crispy cheese-filled dessert made with kadayif.

Turkish Delights

These are Turkish candies that are flavored with rose water, lemon juice, sugar and fruits and nuts.

Snacks

As a vegetarian who needs a lot of proteins, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, you can snack on the fresh Mediterranean produce of Figs, Walnuts, Pistachios, Cashewnuts, Peanuts, Almonds, Chestnuts, Sunflower seeds and Watermelon seeds from this fertile country.

Drinks

One never says ‘NO’ to a cup of tea in Turkey. Called cay (pronounced as chai), it is like the national drink of this country and is consumed with every meal and many times between meals too. Turkish Coffee or Kahve comes a close second and follows an usage pattern similar to that of cay. 


During winter time, Sahlep, a drink made from the roots of an orchid, milk, sugar and cinnamon is extremely popular and can be found all over Istanbul, Cappadocia and other colder parts of the country. Raki, an anise drink is the national alcoholic beverage of Turkey.


Pomegranate Juice is one of the most commonly consumed juices in the country and Orange juice comes a close second. Ayran, a salty and thin yoghurt drink is also extremely popular with locals and is my favorite too, especially on a hot day. Efes beer and local wines, especially cherry wines are other popular alcoholic beverages.

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World House Hostel: Great Party Hostel in Beyoglu, Istanbul

Generally, as a thumb rule, backpacker hostels have prime locations, but even among them, there are some that leave you totally spoilt with respect to location. I stayed at one such place in Istanbul and this place is called the World House Hostel. I stayed here for 4 days and 4 nights and the below hostel review is based on this experience of mine.

1) This hostel has phenomenal location. It is located right next to the Galata tower, one of the top tourist attractions of Istanbul. It is right at the edge of Istiklal Street on Beyoglu, which is Istanbul’s eating and nightlife district. It is a short walk from the Galata Bridge and 2 to 3 tram stops from the other key tourist attractions of Istanbul. What more can one ask for?

2) The place is run by an interesting mix of local and international staff who love to interact with travelers and give great advice. They have dorms and private rooms. Since they are located within the party circuit of Istanbul, their prices tend to increase over the weekend.

3) The place is great with lovely Turkish breakfast that comes free, safety lockers, hot showers and comfortable beds. The only problem with respect to amenities was weak room heating.

4) They offer free wi-fi in the hostel, but the speeds can be slow at many times.

5) One of the big problems with this hostel is that the people who stay here are party lovers. So, if you are not the party going type and wish to turn in earlier, you will have a tough time as the sound levels stay high till midnight.

6) The sound from the mosque tends to wake most of the people in the mornings. But, that is true with most of the places in Istanbul.

7) The hostel has an in-house restaurant that serves affordable and delicious lunch that is very popular with the locals.

8) Shopping, ATMs, restaurants, supermarkets and other amenities are just a stone’s throw away.

9) The hostel has a lounge area, but it tends to be small when the hostel is fun, which is most of the time.

If you love to party and are looking for great location in your hostel and value for money, then the World House Hostel can make an interesting choice.

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50 Random Things about Iran

Happy New Year to all you lovely people!!

2015 is here, but I still have a lot of stories from 2014 to share with you. Iran was my last destination in 2014 and what a destination it was. I spent 27 days traveling across its mountains, deserts and cities. During these 27 days, I visited the capital of Tehran, the desert cities of Kashan, Isfahan, Na’in and Yazd, the ancient Persian kingdom at Shiraz, the sand dunes of Verzaneh, Abyaneh – a scenic mountain village that used to follow Zorastrianism and stayed with a local family at Darya Kenar by the Caspian Sea. While I was exploring these various places across Iran, I came to understand various facets of this country. Some of them blew my mind away. Some of them are very interesting and some are extremely handy to know for people who are planning a holiday to Iran. Below are these so called 50 random things from the land of Persia.


1) Iran is a very safe country.

2) 4 litres of gasoline costs 1 US Dollar. A year back, the fuel price was 10% of this number.

3) Road infrastructure across Iran is very impressive.

4) It is very difficult to survive as a vegetarian in Iran. Even most of their vegetable dishes contain meat sauces and their sweets, desserts and fats contain animal fats.

5) The women of Iran are drop dead gorgeous.


6) There is a tad bit of racism towards Indian citizens in Iran.

7) The Chador (full body veil) that the women wear is not like a dress, but like a wrap around.

8) The people of Iran are incredibly friendly towards the tourists. Most of them do this to practice their foreign language skills, while some of them are genuinely interested in talking to foreign nationals.

9) Most Iranian citizens will offer to pay for your bills (hotel, travel, food, gifts, etc.). This is called Tarouf and is sometimes taken to extreme levels.

10) A lot of Iranian women love to color their hair blonde, get a nose job done and sharpen their eye brows.



11) Even though many things are banned in Iran (access of internet, alcohol, satellite television, etc.), the locals have their own workarounds.

12) Iranians have insanely long lunch breaks.

13) As a city, Isfahan can compete with any top city around the world in terms of layout, organization, cleanliness and appeal.

14) Food portions are very large in Iran. This especially holds good for lunches.


15) Even though the official currency in Iran is Irani Rial, people make transactions in tomans where 1 toman equals 10 rials.

16) The VIP buses in Iran are super roomy and possibly the best in the world for tall people.

17) There are some parts of Iran where the women wear white or colorful Rusaris or Hijabs. These women originally belonged to Zoroastrianism, before they converted to Islam.
 
18) Bus ticket prices are much cheaper than the train ticket prices in Iran.

19) Locals say that they prefer to travel by road or rail than by plane. This is because air crashes are quite common in Iran.


20) There are dense jungles with wildlife in the north of Iran.

21) The younger generation of Iran is very unhappy with the country’s restrictions and wants to emigrate to foreign countries.

22) Family bonding is very high in Iran. This can be seen every evening and especially on holidays when families gather together over a meal or at a nice location for a picnic lunch.

23) Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can be accessed through a VPN tunnel in Iran. By default, Skype, email, Instagram and Whatsapp work.

24) International credit cards and debit cards do not work in Iran. This applies to online transactions as well unless you change your IP Address.


25) International debit cards cannot be used to withdraw money from ATMs in Iran.

26) Iran has one of the world’s largest supply of natural gas and crude oil, but has very few refining facilities.

27) Cars and motorbikes in Iran are many generations old.

28) There is an import duty in excess of 100% for foreign cars.

29) There are more luxury cars (like Maserati, Lamborghini, Porsche, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, etc.) in Tehran than on the Autobahn.


30) The people of Iran love their poetry.

31) The people of Iran have a sweet tooth and love to consume lots of sweets and other desserts with their cup of tea.

32) A lot of people in Iran smoke. This includes the cigarette or the traditional hookah.

33) Iran is the nose job capital of the world. It is also famous for other cosmetic treatments, like lip jobs, hair transplantations, etc. And these are inexpensive too.

34) Many people of Iran live in the shadow of its rich and glorious past.


35) Saffron in Iran is 4 times cheaper than the ones in India.

36) A lot of Iran is mountainous and most of these mountains see snow during the winter.

37) Most of the women in the smaller villages weave carpets to keep themselves occupied and to supplement the family’s income. Sometimes, they might work for many years just to weave a single carpet.

38) It is very difficult to get a large silk carpet out of Iran. In all probability, you will be stopped at customs in Iran.

39) It is just a 2 hour boat ride from the South of Iran (Bandar e-Abbas) to Sharjah.


40) There is a lot of inflation in Iran.

41) During Moharram and other dates where important people of Iran died, people cry, beat themselves up and demonstrate all this in public.

42) Tourism is on the upswing in Iran. Lots of new hotel properties are being built to supply to this future demand.

43) Iran is extremely popular with motorcycling enthusiasts who tour this country during the summer months.

44) The people of Iran hold a bitter feeling towards the Arabs.


45) Even though Iran is largely a Muslim country, it has some of the most beautiful churches in the world.

46) A lot of Iran’s younger generation are not religious and wish to emigrate to other parts of the world.

47) All the citizens of Iran get money towards fuel compensation every month. This money is transferred into the bank account of the head of the family.

48) Normal foreign exchange rates peg 1 USD as roughly 26000 Irani rial and 1 Euro as roughly 33000 Irani Rial, but when you are in the country, you will get a rate that is much superior to this externally quoted rate. As an example, I got 34,700 Irani Rial for 1 US Dollar and my traveler friends from Europe got 41,300 for their 1 Euro.

49) Irani Rial has no value outside of Iran.

50) Eating roasted sunflower seeds is a favorite past time of the people of Iran. Some might include pistachios and almonds too.

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