Aloha Spirit Alive and Well

Yes I've returned back to England, ready for the next adventure; aka living back with the parents and job hunting! However I'm continuing to finish and update the blog of my travels as writing my experiences down is a chance to relive them, remember what I have learnt and it serves as a reminder that it really did happen and wasn't just a dream. 

Community is everything

One of the things I was most curious about prior to reaching the Valley was the way people would organise themselves and how they'd live together away from roads, shops and electricity. I had my reservations - would it just be hippies living out there in attempt to escape society? How harmoniously can people really live? Would I have enough space, privacy and time to myself or would I be inducted into some kind of cult?

Exploring the Valley

Despite these reservations, I very much felt, and feel more than ever, that community is important. Over the past few years I became fascinated by ways in which people could unite, realising the potential of what humans can achieve together is far greater than alone. I'd been trying to encourter different types of communities to understand what works well and not so well. My dad's tales of kibutz living in his younger years had somewhat disheartened my idealism about group working and living situations and I heard tales from others of reasons it can't work - personality clashes, power struggles, varying levels of commitment, different beliefs etc. The politics sounded exhausting and it's easy to see why people would prefer just to live their own lives.

Yet my personal experience in the past three years of community situations (including those where people live or work together) has proved otherwise and all of the different types of communities that I've been part of or encountered are flourishing, growing in size and are creating richness for the people involved.

Aloha Spirit Alive and Well
The Valley was no exception and I was pleasantly surprised by how respectful and sharing people were. The sense of community, or as they'd say in Hawaii - 'Aloha Spirit', is very much alive and thriving, despite the unusual dynamic of it being a fairly transient community. This was a good reminder to me that you can find great people wherever you go.

At any one time there are between ten to twenty long term residents who live in the Valley permanently.  Their camps tend to be far from any other people, impossible to find without being shown.  Camps were amazingly sophisticated and charming, created with a great deal of thought and effort.   Residents had created incredible wooden structures to sleep under, they'd collected and carried stones from the beach to create patios, walls and walkways and had built fire pits and cooking facilities. The 'hardcore' Valley veteran, as I like to call them, leave only a few times per year to fetch supplies. The still dedicated (but more sensible ones!) leave for the challenging wet months escaping the constant rain and thus avoid having to spend months preparing by ensuring they have enough wood and food supplies.

The cooking facilities

A handful of people, myself and Scott included, stay for a good chunk of time such as a few weeks, or a month. These are those who are 'in the know' and come with proper supplies planning to stay. However for some that go there, the beauty of the place just draws them in and their other plans to visit the rest of the Hawaiian islands melt away. Why go else where when you are already in paradise?

'David' (not his real name) was a popular character who had made it a tradition to visit for a month every year in October and saw it as a vital part of his sanity! The long term residents look forward to him coming every year and have built deep friendships with him. Each visit he opens up his camp to everyone, hosting bonfires and providing people with morning coffee and pancakes. People come with their instruments to play music and bring offerings of fresh fruit, foraged from the jungle to contribute. It's a wonderful atmosphere.

It can be hard for people to leave when this is the view!

The majority of people staying in the Valley hike in, stay just a night or two and then depart again, which is a shame as there is just so much to see and experience there, but it does keep it dynamic and interesting. If they are unlucky (or lucky depending on how you look at it) they can be stuck there for a few days if the weather is too wet to hike out because the trail gets too dangerous.

No going hungry in the jungle
One wonderful aspect of the community there is that regardless of whether you're there one night, one month, or even one year, you're welcomed with open arms; so long as you're respectful of others and the nature around you. There's the most amazing sense of sharing what you have - the wisdom of 'you give and you shall receive' rings true.

There were just so many nights that Scott and I had the most delicious dinner made for us that you just wouldn't expect living in the wild; from pizzas (jungle style cooked on an open fire) to fish stews, pancakes, fruit pies, curries to freshly caught goat and prawns. The list goes on. The food was of such great quality and you just felt so truely nourished. In return, whenever we cooked and whatever it was, we would welcome others to join us or we would bring our meal to another camp to share.

Jungle cooked pie made of pastry, fruits and topped with raw chocolate

I was astounded by how organically this worked - there was always enough food for eveyone without lots of formal planning. It was an adjustment to share our food as there is this innate want to cling to what you have to ensure you can take care of your own needs. It's not that I don't ever share, but I have always had limits, this experience broadened my sense of generosity because others were so generous.

In the Valley in particular your instinct is to protect and hold onto your limited supplies to ensure you never go hungry and can stay as long as possible (as it's not like you can pop to a shop out there!). Add to that the fact that getting your supplies there in the first place takes blood, sweat and tears and you want to know that in times when you seek your creature comforts that yes there will be some hidden supply of chocolate to dig into!

Yet letting go of this thinking, was extremely rewarding and beneficial. I learnt that once you start sharing what you have, however little that may be, you just can't help but continue . We all need a good balance of giving and receiving - if we're always giving we exhaust ourselves, yet if we are always taking, we don't feel fulfilled and others will grow wary of us. I truely think that deepening our generosity whilst also being able to accept other's hospitality and help is such a great way to live.

Food I foraged from the jungle; a selection of salad leaves, lemons, chillis, papaya, taro root

In the past my thinking around this was that it would be just me giving, giving, giving and others would take advantage of this, but it was the opposite in the Valley and it was just unbeleivable how much people were giving away things all of the time. My theory is that if you give generously to all, only a small handful of people wouldn't reciprocate in some way. Another way I've heard it being described is as 'paying it forwards', doing good deeds, which you'll later reap the benefits of at some point when you need the help or support. Yes, I am a dreamer and an idealist, but it makes life so much nicer! And so this is the spirit I will try to continue.....

Food in the Valley always felt abundant. Those that came for just a few days would want to hike out with as little weight as possible thus would donate their remaining food to share among the community. We aquired all sort of goodies this way - from smoked salmon and nori sheets, to macaroni cheese and teas. As I said, we were eating very well.

Sushi Wraps (with avacado, salmon & quinoa) for lunch

I was reassured knowing that if your hiked in supplies run out, that was always going to be food to forage from the forest as this is just so abundant with fruits and vegetables. Not necessarily what you would want to live off for a long time, but then again, eating only fresh fruit and vegetables is what the Hawaiians would have done when they lived here and it would make you extremely healthy!

For me food is a major part of my enjoyment of life and having eaten so well for every meal in the Valley meant that despite the fact I was living very simply outside, without electricity, I still felt like I was living well and richly, better than ever in fact. The satisfaction of sharing meals together, sharing stories, sharing music, cooking for others and being cooked for in itself felt like nourishment for everyone creating such a positive environment to live and learn in.

The adventure is in the journey

The valley remains relatively quiet as you can't get there by road, the options are limited to hiking, boating and going by helicopter.  I enjoyed travelling in different forms, each of which had it's own charms (and drawbacks!)

We travel not to escape life, 

but for life not to escape us'

Hiking it up
The 11 mile hike is not for the faint hearted taking about eight hours over treacherous terrain and requires the weather conditions to be just right.  However if you can manage it, it's got stunning views and is very rewarding to finish. We hiked out of the Valley at the end of our trip, a great way to gradually transition back to 'reality', yet I still don't quite understand how I managed it but am proud to know I can push myself when I need to.

The stunning beach

No, actually I take that back....... the secret was beef jerky.  If you ask anyone that knows me well this would surprise them as I very much eat a vegeterian diet at home and never buy meat.  However living in the jungle my vegetarianism went somewhat out of the window and I knew that in order to finish that hike I needed a constant supply of salty meat to get my protein and salt.  Scott had a difficult job of wrestling the jerky away from me and it was nearly the source of our first argument!

We completed the hike in one day, with Scott and I both carrying a large rucksack on our back and a smaller pack on our fronts.  Most people hike out with as little as possible, giving away any remaining food they have and leaving behind large items such as tents.  I on the other hand often find myself not taking the easiest option, and so I even carried out my guitar on my back as I couldn't bring myself to leave it behind. Despite it being thoroughly battered, it just had too many good memories and I had gotten so used to playing it.  For some reason I also decided it would be good to hike out a bottle of home brewed Java plum wine made by one of the residence of the valley who has lived there over 25 years.  Not practical to be carrying litres of liquid (other than water) but I thought it would be a good gift for my parents and was determined enough to do it.  Needless to say the wine actually got drunk way before I made it back to England.

Half way through the hike and somehow we are still smiling

The hike is such a challenge because you have to carry anything on your person that you want to take and you're battling the tropical rain.  Kaua'i has an array of unusual and unique  micro climates and the hike passes through a notoriously wet region, where it is constantly raining and nearly the whole first half of the hike, you are literally moving at snails pace as you have to watch your every step on the slippery rocks, which are coated in mud, and watch out for the narrow ledges with rocks crumbling away at your feet by a sheer drop. The second half is much easier, but by that point you are already totally drenched and pretty exhausted.

There is also a notorious river crossing, famous for the amount of people that have lost their lives there and this is one of the reasons the hike is rated as one of the world's most dangerous. A tally on a rock indicates at least eighty deaths, but it's likely to be more. The river can look fine to cross but if you fall in when the water is too high, the river just sweep you away in one fowl swoop and you'll be bashed against the many rocks, never to be seen again.

I got a taste of the river's power filling up my water bottle. I slipped forwards dropping my water bottle into the river and toppling forwards, landing on my front pack, which was bulky enough to wedge me between two boulders. Had it not been for that bag, I would have been floating head first down the river. The water bottle lid was forever lost but luckily I wasn't hurt and escaped with just a lot of wet clothes, wet shoes (which would be impossible to keep dry anyway as you are forced to walk through some proper muddy puddles) and a slightly bruised ego. Thankfully Scott also fell in which meant I didn't feel so silly!

Crawlers ledge - watch your step here!

The hike is an excellent meditation and test of patience but not something you want to try if you have any sort of injury or are feeling unwell. It does however act a very effective security measure to deter the masses from flocking to this special place as it is such a challenge.

Boat
You can also boat into the valley.  This option is not strictly legal, but some friendly, local Hawaiians run an operation which means you can avoid the long, exhausting hike and be there in just one and a half hours. Nearly every day there will be a boat dropping off and picking up those who don't have the heart to hike. It comes at a high price - $100 per trip, but we found it to be the best way to bring in a decent stockpile of basic supplies to allow us to stay for weeks at a time. It ends up being fairly cheap overall as once you are living in the valley, you have no use for money; it is obsolete as there is nowhere to spend it. If you do need something, you are most likely to get it by trading with other longer term campers who always want chocolate, coffee, honey, flour and of course tobacco so they don't have to hike out to get it.

The boat ride in also made it far easier to bring in the beloved travel guitar which I would not have been without. However the guitar certainly took a beating, as the waves in Hawaii are so powerful that, even in the guitar case, it was pummeled into the ground. Thank god for the invention that is duck tape. "Fuck it, just duck it" as one of my new travel companions would say and thus the cracks were covered by two bit of duck tape. During our trip duck tape also served as the best and only real way of covering up wounds that would otherwise so easily be infected, preventing water, sand, dust, mud, anything from getting in. I rocked the duck tape around ankle look for a good few days.

Duck tape does the trick nicely

A truely surreal and magical experience was boating in with one of the big Hawaiian chiefs (big in all senses of the word) who loved pointing out various caves and parts of the trail. Suddenly, out of nowhere, we were boating through a flock of dolphins. It was so exciting! Suddenly there were three dolphins swimming together just meters from the boat with several more in the distance - it really was beautiful.

Another adventure was having to jump off the boat and swim to shore with our many bags.  Prior to setting off we sealed everything we wanted to take with us into ziplock bags to keep it dry.  Once on the boat, we put each rucksack into a large black bin liner with a strong knot and then another bin bag for safe measure.  When these were thrown overboard they floated nicely on the waves so that we could bring them to shore.  Amazingly we managed not to lose anything and I was just glad that I managed the swim to the beach as I wasn't sure how difficult it would be.  It was no ride in the park, but equally it was still very manageable.  It was so strange to suddenly be washed up onto a stunning. quiet beach with lots of bags and very little idea of what to expect.

Hooray Freedom!!!!

Helicopter
The final way to get to the valley is helicopter; mainly used only by the rangers, maintenance staff and island tour guides who sweep overhead every morning as part of their 'Jurassic Park' tour but do not stop. So unless you are a millionaire, or in a rescue situation, you are unlikely to encounter this.

If life wasn't already surreal enough living off grid in the jungle, I acclimatised to waking up to the sound of helicopters overhead. Strange to be living in tropical paradise with the daily reminder we are not alone and that the modern world still exists. The loud, helicopters were annoying and would disturb the peace, however  they did serve as a good way of indicating the time as you could be sure that when you heard the first helicopter overhead in the morning that the time was 8am.

These journeys in themselves were quite the adventure.  I guess that getting to paradise was never going to be easy, but the difficulty of getting there is imperative to preserving the beauty of the valley and so I'm all for the epic journeys.

Paradise on earth

What if I told you that paradise on earth really does exist? That there is the most beautiful of valleys filled with rich jungle, situated by a white sandy beach, bursting with nature, abundant with food, where you can drink the water straight from the rivers and where there are no dangerous predators and the weather is just great for outdoor living....... Where there is a sense of community, with people caring for one another and living in harmony with nature; not taking too much without giving back, ensuring the environment is clean and treated with respect by passing visitors. Where people live by the sun (as there is no electricity), time slows down (as there are no clocks), where every waterfall is a handy shower (as the water is so clean) and where there is no pollution or traffic (as there are no roads).

Just a dream or was it a reality? 
I am fortunate enough to have been taken to this magical valley by Scott who lived there for three months during his last trip and insisted I go.  I was somewhat apprehensive given I would be heading into the middle of nowhere without any phone or internet signal, or road access with a man I'd not seen for two years.  On top of that, living in the jungle sounded pretty hardcore and I wondered what kind of community would be living there.  How would they be organised? Would I still have my privacy? Would it be a commune of crazy hippies avoiding the real world!?

Yet, it was adventure that I wanted from my time away:  I knew I could trust Scott from the short time we'd spent together on our previous trips and so I felt in safe hands and took a leap of faith into the unknown.  I just hoped no one would worry about me given I would not have any contact for a while but I made sure I warned the family of my absence to avoid any concern and they were surprisingly relaxed, having grown used to me going off radar from time to time.

Full of history and ancient ways of living
The valley was previously home to the ancient Hawaiians and was an abundant food growing region.  We learnt that in it's hey day the valley was producing enough food to feed thousand of people on the nearby islands. You can still see the remains of the ancient, stony terraces throughout the valley which they built to grow and irrigate their crops of bananas, taro and fruit trees. They are now very much overgrown by trees and bushes but it is incredible to think that this peaceful jungle was once a bustling home to many families and you still find food growing everywhere you go once you learn to recognise what is edible.

We spent a total of five weeks here, leaving once after three weeks in order to stock up on supplies and recover from injuries and ailments, which you notice so much more living outside. Five weeks genuinely felt like about three months. Life becomes so much more spacious when you are just making sure you have the basics - food, water, shelter, good company, warmth. I find this way of life to be deeply satisfying and the beauty of the place is that you leave the valley full of life, charged with energy or 'mana' as they call it in Hawaiian. The challenge and adventure will be bringing this spirit of simplicity and sharing, back to the everyday living experience.

The valley is one of the few places on earth that I know of where it really is possible to live off the land, be completely off grid and live outside all year round. There is nothing better for the soul than spending all of your time outside, rising with the sun, staying fit from the physical activity required to live in this way ( collecting wood, trekking to get food, washing clothes in the river etc ) and going to bed when the sun has set. There were no dangerous animals to be concerned about, the wild animals were goats, pigs and feral cats. The most harmful creature was a stinging centipede which we never encountered. Nature provided us with it's own entertainment; our version of tv was watching the sun set and looking up at the sky packed full of more stars than I have ever seen. All of this with the ocean soundtrack in the background.

Energetic Charge
The valley is said to be highly charged with an intense form of energy or 'Mana'. Local legend says that the intense energy manifests in different forms depending on the people that are visiting and their state of being. For example, it is not uncommon for relationship break ups to happen within a few day of arriving in the valley, when couples are finally away from their creature comforts and routines and are facing just one another au natural.  For those who don't want to be there, and there are a few (those dragged along by friends, or those with injuries) it can be utter torture with no distraction, just your own thoughts and can certainly send you pretty loopy! Others develop an incredible knowledge of how to navigate the jungle, barefoot jumping across the rocks, up steep slopes and hopping across the rivers, mastering the art of flourishing in the jungle.

Whatever your beliefs, it makes a lot of sense as things are always more intense when contained in a small, isolated area, away from distraction. However other also frequently accredit the strong energy to the spiritual force of the island, creating a visceral feeling of high energy.  I most certainly experienced this for myself, often times feeling super charged and alive and bursting with ideas. For a few weeks I found it hard to fall asleep in the valley as my mind was whirring away and my body was just not ready to sleep. However it's hard not to feel charged when you live so much in nature, in the moment, nourished by the sun.

For me the intensity and energy came in the form of musical expression which was just so exciting. I ended up writing nearly an albums worth of songs, pretty good for someone who wasn't intending to write. I actually had hoped to facilitate singing workshops, my passion in England, but this never quite happened for many reasons.  Yet I am so grateful for that burst of creativity with songs just coming to me and then having the time to develop my singing and guitar playing to a level where I felt comfortable performing and sharing these songs. I so much enjoyed people asking me to play for them as I find it one of the most satisfying ways of being.

My time in the valley gave me many gifts and experiences to learn from but I now truely believe that whatever may come in life I can take solace in my singing and guitar playing, and in writing my own music. I can literally have the right song for any emotion or situation I encounter. Songs are also wonderful reminders of past events, ways to celebrate, give gratitude - whatever is needed I can create. So it really was a very inspiring time and I am pleased that my songs are a good mixture of styles, moods and topics. For a glimpse of my songs, see my you tube videos, unfortunately the sounds is not great due to wind and helicopters but it gives you an idea.  More to come in the future......

In every little thing -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1ng9ClqYZI

If these trees -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-G_yCm6Frg

Feelin' free...in Kaua'i

Kaua'i, Kaua'i, Kaua'i - oh how I do love this Hawaiian island. Known as the garden isle, Kaua'i was formed by volcanoes and is the oldest of the main islands. It really is the garden of Eden with it's lush, green plants, flamboyant flowers and vast array of delicious tropical fruits growing in abundance. The warm sea and golden sands aren't too shoddy either. And if that's still not enough to tickle you, there's the epic Waimea Canyon right in the middle and several national parks that are all just stunning.  Driving around the island, there is an ongoing stream of natural beauty that draws your attention.

Waimea Canyon

To top that off, the weather is wonderfully sunny and warm with a refreshing amount of rain to keep the plants nice and healthy. Fascinatingly the weather changes hugely around different parts of the island, many of which have their own micro climate.  There is even one place that holds the record for the wettest spot on earth and the most rain in one hour - I actually avoided this place as it I felt I'd already had my fair share of rain in England.

Anyway as you can imagine adjusting to island life was tough. Somehow I managed!

In my first week everything was super surreal and of course very exciting. Not only was I back to tropical paradise and free time, I was also reunited with Scott, who I'd not seen for 2.5 years since the last visit to Kaua'i where I'd left an unfolding romance, that, for the most part, I'd let go of any attachment to, given he lives in LA and I live in London. The distance felt like too much of a barrier, teamed with the fact we'd only ever seen each other in India and Hawaii in our free spirit, holiday mode, which meant our time together always just felt like the best ever dream.

This was technically only our third meeting in four and a half years, though we both found that every time we met, it felt like no time has passed and we could pick up right where we left off. Better still, in the time we'd spent apart, we were both just doing our own things, growing stronger as individuals, not needing to cling to the other person, just wishing them the best from afar. The best kind of relationship.

The palm trees of Kaua'i

Scott could stay on the island with me for two months before having to return to work. I would then have the last month of the trip alone, which I looked forward to. It felt crazy, but also weirdly normal, to suddenly be spending all of our time together and it was just great to have this positive, adventurous, caring, funny (handsome yay) presence back in my life. So I felt very lucky for the double blessing of wonderful island and wonderful company. What more could you want?

I honestly was already on cloud nine and thought it couldn't get any better, but Scott kept assuring me the best part was yet to come.  The adventures were yet to begin and I was about to experience a whole new way of living.....

When does the adventure end? Or should I say when does the next begin?

After a good three years of living in London, it was time for my grand escape and for those of you who know me you'll know it's not the first. I was through with the hectic pace of life, the pollution, congestion and grime of the city and of course the cold, wet, English weather!

Balfron Tower - My Brutalist home as a property guardian for two years

'Another gap year Renee? How many gap years are you going to have?!' - a common question.

The answer is that I'm not yet sure; but I've decided life will be my adventures and that whilst I'm fit, healthy and have the opportunity to travel I want to explore. I've talked to many people about my travels and always the response from those older than me is that it's the right time, before commitments kick in and health declines. I often hear people saying their biggest regrets are not exploring the world and spending too much time working.  Surely it makes the most sense to be active and use my body now to keep it well? There will be plenty of time to sit down later in my life I am sure.

Letting go of what others think of my lifestyle choice has been liberating .  The life of adventure and creativity suits me, I feel healthier and happier than ever and my world is full of richness and wealth beyond money.  However of course, that is not to say it would suit everyone.

Bath time in Balfron (we didn't have a shower, one of the down sides of cheap living!
However we could draw on the walls which made up for it in my opinion)

The right decision?

Four and a half years ago I set off on a voyage to India with a one way flight and ended up being away for more than a year as I just loved it, the cliches of 'finding yourself' were annoyingly but also thankfully true. Post India, I wanted to experience what it would be like to live and work the London life, which I found on my travels to be so sought after by people from many countries.  I felt this was an opportunity too good to miss, having this world class city on my door step.

My challenge was to master the art of living cheaply and well by being resourceful, networking and finding new ways to live. It was a wonderful experience, with it's ups and downs, and I found many people to connect with in this supposedly lonely city.  It was a pleasant surprise to learn that a sense of community could still exist in such a large city.  For me, I found this in the community choir scene and via the London Buddhist Centre where I would go to meditate.  I am grateful for this time and the wonderful, friendly, open and generous people I met.Yet after three years of living in London, I had itchy feet and knew it was time for a new adventure.

The Prayer Flags at the London Buddhist Centre

I had strong doubts, mulling over what I would be giving up; my house, living with my wonderful best friend, leaving behind the community choir I ran, saying goodbye to a whole bunch of great people and I would be giving up the job opportunities available in such a diverse city.   Should I be earning money to save up and get a house and stability?  Yet to me that just didn't feel right and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was still more out there and that there are many types of life you can live. So I impulsively booked a flight, though looking back, it was not so impulsive as it's been at the back of my mind since that epic India trip when I felt so very alive.

Preparing for a concert with the Castle Choir

But where to go?

I was very confused as to where to go, the world is indeed your oyster and the cheap flights site Skyscanner even has an option to look at cheap flights 'anywhere' if you're feeling brave (good for you if  you have the guts to try that one!).  Talking to a good friend who was already travelling, encouraged by her enthusiasm, I was definitely tempted by this option, however three years of city living meant that prospect was a bit too daunting for me.  After some brainstorming, I quickly ended up booking a flight to the island of Kauai for three months - the longest I could stay without a visa and by some serendipity this was also the cheapest flight there.

I'd spent three weeks on this gorgeous island of Kaua'i, one of the Hawaiian islands, two years ago for a holiday to visit Scott -a friend/romantic interest from LA who I'd met in India during my travels and spent about six weeks with.  During my last trip to Kaua'i I completely fell in love with this island (and nearly Scott) and so it just made sense to go back.  I liked the idea that I already knew it was a great place to go and that the nature and weather would truely be paradise.  In addition the fact they speak English makes it all super easy. The more I thought about it, the more it really did make sense and the more excited I became.

First time in Kaua'i in 2013

'What are you going to do there for three months?' Another common question, and one I didn't fully have an answer to, but it is hard to actually tell people that!

But I honestly wasn't concerned about this as I knew how easy it would be to pass the time there, even just having sun, beach, tropical fruit and time to slow down was enough. However India taught me how easy it is to pass the time just exploring, meeting people, pursuing my creative side through my singing and guitar playing, having time to read, write, learn; so I knew I was in for a treat . 

The thoughts 'this is just too good to be true' and 'how is this really happening?' have often run through my mind in the past few months. Yet this is all the result of my own decisions and actions. I made it happen and we all have a vast array of opportunities open to us so let's make the most of them.

And so on the 17th of August I said Aloha to Kaua'i, new adventures, and stepped into the unknown.

Going, Going... Gone to Goa

Finally I got to share the experience of what it feels like to be on an Indian train for thirty hours with my friends as we went overnight from the state of Rajastan to Goa. We took the cheap and cheerful option by going in sleeper class which is my favourite way of travelling the rails as it costs so little money, passengers are friendly, you have some great views out of the window and of course there is a constant stream of men selling chai for 5R a cup, each with their own distinctive call - 'CHAI chai CHAI chai' or 'chai, chai, chaaiiiiiiiiii' or 'Chhhhaiiiiiiiii, Chaiiiiiiiii'.

On the sleeper train to Goa -

Lucy resting in the upper berth and James and Paul enjoying some chess

We headed to the town of Arambol, infamous among people on the traveller circuit. I was very dubious about the place because I just wanted to spend time with my friends and wasn't after the hedonistic beach life that I had heard about where people party all night and recover on the beach in the day. I am sure it is a fun life - for a while, but knowing myself and my personality, this wouldn't be fulfilling for me or make very content. However by chance we went at the perfect time of year to get what I was looking for. Monsoon was literally just ending and the weather had just begun to brighten up meaning the beach was practically empty aside from at the weekends when the crowd was mainly middle class Indians coming from Mumbai to unwind.

Fun times with Friends on the beach (Lawrence, me, James, Zoe and Lucy)

As we were completely off season we got the best ever bargain paying 400R (just 5 pounds) for an apartment for four people, only 2 minutes from the beach with TV, AC, a fridge and last but not least - a kitchen! This was so exciting to me having not cooked my own food for nearly a year and this is why I ended up staying on in Goa for another 2 weeks with Lucy and Paul (my other fellow Hertfordian India travellers) after the others had left. We had such a chilled out week hiring mopeds to explore the back roads and discovering other beaches close by. Each night we would take it in turn to cook in pairs and try to beat the people that cooked the night before.

There is nothing quite like watching the sunset everyday

Having access to the mopeds was incredible for giving us more freedom. We discovered the local fish market which sold a huge variety of fish and from then on we started experimenting in the kitchen. My favourite meal has to be the calamari rings that Lawrence and Paul made from scratch - good effort! I have to also admit that Lucy, Paul and I got quite addicted to watching Masterchef Australia each morning with our breakfast as it was also quite a novelty having access to a TV again.

Fresh fish at the local fish market (including shark - bottom right!)

We were excited as we had seen posters when we arrived in Goa for a huge concert in the capital of Panajim, not too far from us, for the famous Indian sitar player called Ravi Shankar who is known in particular for playing with the Beatles in the era that they came to India. We booked a taxi to take us there and treated ourselves to a nice meal in a Goan restaurant. We arrived just in time to get a space on the sand behind the main crowd and waited anxiously for the music to start..................

The crowd anticipating the appearance of Ravi Shankar

Ravi came on stage and started to speak only in Hindi so another Western man dressed in a long white robe kindly started to translate for us. Ravi asked whether the audience would like to talk or sing. We found it quite strange and it took us a good half hour to realise that we certainly had our wires crossed because this was not at all the right Ravi Shankar. The one we intended to see must be about eighty now and no longer appears in public, whereas this guy is a famous India guru that gives advice on the 'Art of Living' which is why we had to listen to two hours of questions be asked to him as he occasionally walked down the stage sprinkling rose petals over the crowd. It was an amusing mix up and slightly embarrassing!

Paul and Lucy on Arambol beach

Goa is a very strange state. The reason it is so much more 'liberal' than the rest of India is that it was previously in the hands of the Portugese who spread the religion of Christianity. It is a huge relief to be able to be on the beach and have your shoulders uncovered, for me it felt like a privilege having had to dress conservatively for nearly a year even in the hottest of weathers. But sadly, Arambol beach did have a great deal of litter and I think that it does just become over run by foreigners, especially at Christmas. It is a nice place to go for a beach holiday, but it is only thanks to the scooters that we got to experience more of 'real' Goan life, driving through the small villages. I think inland Goa is beautiful, the green forests and lines of palm trees around the crops. It's very endearing and it looks like, compared to other villages, the standard of living is fairly high as everyone has their own livestock, water supply and the houses are made of stronger building materials than I have seen anywhere else. I enjoyed seeing these bits of Goa, if not more, than I enjoyed being on the beach as it has a really nice atmosphere to it.

The lovely view from our brilliant apartment

My Goa days were incredibly relaxed and I spent a great deal of time swimming in the sea, on the scooters, practicing my singing and guitar, doing yoga and enjoying cooking (and then eating) delicious food. It was a great time but the phrase 'you can have too much of a good thing' also rings true. It was incredible to reunited with old friends and share experiences, but something was missing as I wasn't feeling as productive as at other points in the trip. Had it not been for the fact I knew that the next part of my trip I would have to be committed and work hard at something, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the beach life so much. However I had a new challenge and a purpose to look forward to. The next part of my journey saw me take two over night trains totalling 40 hours to get back to Varanasi, a city I had never envisioned I would ever see again, but that is the beauty of travelling, you literally can't even begin to guess where it will take you if you have a completely open mind.............

Racing Round Rajastan

Hesitantly I said goodbye to Bagsu where I had experienced such good times in the nature of the mountains and learning about music. But I was comforted by the idea that I was moving on for a good reason - to go and meet some close friends from home who were coming to India for a three week holiday and adventure. Had it not been for this, who knows how long I would have stayed there. I headed to Pushkar, in the state of Rajastan, the site of a holy lake where Brahmins (the highest caste of people) come to perform pujas and be blessed by the sacred waters.

The lake in Pushkar

Pushkar has a great atmosphere as it has a small backpacker community but is mainly full of Indians visiting the lake. The bustling streets around the square lake are a blur of colour with the sounds of horns, chanting and touting for business ringing in your ears. Here I ate some of my favourite street food and enjoyed wandering around the ghats to take in the feeling of the place, the lake itself feels very calm and my guesthouse had a great view for people watching.

Cheesy shot of Lawrence and I playing guitar at our guesthouse overlooking the Holy lake

When I arrived I wasn't quite sure how I would find James and Lawrence, in my head I had an image of me spotting them and sneaking up on them. But it happened the other way round as they caught me off guard wandering around looking for an internet cafe to send them a message. After 11 months of not seeing them, I had a huge moment of excitement as I heard my name shouted from afar and then suddenly being in the middle of a hug, which I was quite enjoying, until my sensible side reminded the group that it wasn't a good idea in the middle of the Indian street as it is very disrespectful. Things like this are frustrating however they are part of the package if you come to India. Having said that, I have met plenty of Westeners who have no concept of respect and walk around in the most ridiculous clothes exposing their bodies... but that's a separate rant.

Being persuaded to come and play drums at sunset was alot of fun

The next week in Rajastan flew by and was more about relaxing and catching up with old friends than sightseeing for me. The feeling of being reunited with people you really care about is very special. Having been away from home for so long, I felt in my element and it was great to share everything I had learnt and be a useful tour guide and barterer with my continuously improving Hindi. We had fun hiring mopeds to drive around the surrounding countryside. I'd never driven one before but had been desperate to attempt it ever since my last India trip when I was seemingly the only backpacker in Goa who had to use a bicycle in the intense heat to get around. It completely lived up to my expectations as it gave us so much freedom to go anywhere, right off the tourist trail and India being the incredible country that it is, we paid just 2 pounds, gave no passports, needed no insurance, and not even a deposit. It's crazy, but brilliant in my eyes!

Aghhhhhhhhhhh - the first time on the back of the moped with James

Soon another very close friend, Paul, joined us in Pushkar and then a few days later, in a strange town called Chittogarh, I was reunited with my darling Lucy, who I had spent 6 months with before and had been seperated from for 2 months. It was brilliant to see her but very surreal as it was like seeing and hearing myself as I guess we are so similar. We went to Chittogarh as it is the site of India's largest fort but it turns out that most tourists only go there for day trips as the town itself has little to offer. It ended up being hilarious because our time there coincided with the local Ganesha festival which, in my opinion just seemed like an excuse for a huge party. Had it not been for that it wouldn't have been much fun there.

Group picture of us at the Fort in Chittogarh

You'd expect the locals in Chittogarh to be used to tourists but I have never experienced such a reception. In India it is quite normal for people to come and ask to have a photo with you You can imagine that this is becoming tiresome by now! But in Chittogarh it was even more surreal, as if being white automatically made you famous and gave you some kind of elevated status. Walking through the streets both in the daytime and at night during the festival, was like attending a carnival. There was a long procession of floats blaring out loud, dance music to which men were enthusiastically raving to all the way down the main road as the women watched at the side. The streets were packed full and every time we passed a float with huge blaring speakers, there was an uproar of shouts and screams as we were spotted and people came to drag us to dance. All children wanted to shake our hands and ask where we were from, photos were being taken of us from all sides on people's phones. Dancing would have been fun but given that other women weren't, Lucy and I decided to also watch from the side line which was hilarious to watch the boys get sweaty and be mounted by Indian men doing there hip jiggling dances.

Mad crowds dancing to the pumping music at the Ganesh Festival

Other highlights included the many friendly cows, laughing at Lawrence for being pushed into buying a pair of shoes, assured that they are 'excellent quality' and 'very good price sir' and then later finding the same shoes being offered for a quarter of the price in the shop next door. I also really enjoyed having Lawrence around to play music with, having been practising my guitar skills since buying a guitar in Kathmandu. But most of all it was just nice to spend some quality time with good friends, regardless of what situation we found ourselves in. In Rajastan we travelled very quickly, not my usual way, as you may have noticed by how long I have been away, as it is too tiring and you don't get a good feel for the place. Rajastan was alot of fun but after the craziness of the festival and the travelling from place to place, I think my friends wanted some time to unwind which is understandable.........so off we headed to Goa.

Me in Chittogarh outside the most brightly decorated mosque I have ever seen (only in India!)