The Road of Healing

I’m Back

So after a few months hiatus, I’ve decided to return to blogging, but to change things up a bit… because I myself, have changed things up a bit.

The Last Few Months…

After spending 2 months in Canada, I returned back home to England in August, in a very bad mental state.

I was still grieving, couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, and just over all, not in a good place.

But I picked myself up, and I clawed my way out of hell.

I got 2 jobs, worked my arse off, mentally, emotionally and physically for months until I am where I am now…

I stripped myself raw, broke myself down and hit rock bottom, and in doing so, I found out who I truly am.

I found out how strong I am, and I came to appreciate the person I am.

And in doing this, it was if gaping wound I constantly felt in my chest, started to heal, started to repair.

There was actually a light at the end of the tunnel…

Now don’t get me wrong, I still have my bad days, where the pain is so crippling I feel like I’m physically drowning…

but overall… I’m happy…

Healing

Having a job was definitely a good outlet. Something to focus on, and so I could actually get some money finally, after months of not working!

Having a steady income, being able to afford to buy little things like coffee, or lunch with friends… and then finally, after 10 months of having no phone, I bought one just after Christmas! Go me!

Tarot

I’m also a Tarot reader, and I found at my darkest times I would neglect the cards, yet I really needed them.

It’s no coincidence when after a few weeks of not doing many tarot reads, when I finally picked my deck back up and threw myself into it full force I began to heal faster! Began to understand the world more, and my place in it.

Having Tarot as an outlet really helped me focus my energy positively, and look at the world in a different light. Instead of looking at the negative, I was seeing the positive.

Friends

I know I mention them quite often, but I am so eternally grateful to all my friends I’ve met along the way, old and new!

You guys have seriously had my back and I really couldn’t have done it without you! So Thank You, all!

Realisations

On the path of healing, I had many realisations… about myself, life, what I wanted to do…

Before I was so lost, and afraid… petrified! When I returned, I was a broken shadow of my former self. I was fragile. I was in physical pain daily from the emotional grief I felt.

I was alone, and I was isolated.

I was on the brink of tears for weeks!

And I look at myself now. Strong. Independent. Fierce. Free Spirit. Care free. Hippie. Healer.

I am not what I was. I am so much more!

And I love who I am… Like a phoenix, I rose from the ashes, stronger, and more assured than ever.

The fire inside me ignited, and now I’m more passionate, impulsive, loud, and I love it, because I love me.

“I love who I am, because I fought to become her”

The Blog Change Up

So as you see, yes travel is my passion, but it’s so much more than that!

I’m a free spirit, a gypsy soul, literally crying out to be on the road again. And I don’t think that will ever go away.

So how can I have a blog for travel, when it’s not just travel, it’s freeing my gypsy soul, so I can run off with the faries!

Going forth, my blog is going to include all aspects about me. All my weird quirky sides… I want to write about anything and everything…

… whatever’s going through my head… my adventures… my dreams…

So I hope you enjoy the ride, cause I sure as hell will!

Currently

I’m now back home, working full time as a server. I’m starting to save my money for the next adventure! Who know’s what it’ll be… a 2 week African Safari? Maybe a tour in South America? I’ll keep you guys posted!

Don’t worry, it won’t be too long, my soul is literally crying out to be free again!

Until then, I will be working, working, working, oh, and did I mention working?

Ha! See you on the flip side!

Peace Out

Looking for Blue Skies, on a Cloudy Day

First of all, sorry for the short hiatus… I haven’t been doing so well recently, hence the lack of posts. 

What’s been going on

After living in Indiana for 2.5 months I then went to NYC, and after all I’ve faced…

Getting robbed in Cambodia… Night trains in India…. Solo travel through Thailand… Spending 2 nights alone in a hospital in Cambodia…I’ve finally broken… In the US of all places. 

I’ve spoken about my depression, but never really go into too much depth. The last few weeks, I felt myself slide back into anxiety and depression, whilst I watched helplessly, caged in my own mind. 

Stuck in a deep depressive state, I did what I always do… I hid it. I hid it from my dad, I hid it from my friends, I even hid it from my roommate. 

No one knew the extent of my struggles. How I spent most of the day crying, stopped eating, and eventually I stopped wanting to see people. 

Instead of reaching out, as I said would be my New Years resolution… I hid it, deeper. To the point where I would be on the phone to my friends smiling and laughing for them, but my cheeks were wet from the tears sliding down my face. 

To the point where after making plans I’d need to take a shower to make sure no one could see the tears or the swollen eyes. 

To the point where my lip would be wobbling, threatening to tremble and cry right up till the moment they walked through the door and I would smile like nothing was wrong. 

I hid it all. From everyone. 

And I sat, day in, and day out in agony. Screaming for help, but no one could hear me. I didn’t know how to ask for help, how to reach out. Or even, how to accept help. 

Catalyst

The problem is… I’ve been suffering from depression (undiagnosed and untreated) for as long as I can remember. It’s always been hard, but there was always one saving grace. 

One light at the end of the tunnel… 

… My mum. 

So what do you do when the light goes out?

Falling further and further down the rabbit hole of grief, I can’t seem to stop the fall. 

Depression… Anxiety… Grief… They feed off each other, pushing me down, keeping me down. I need a life jacket, a hand, a lifeline, anything! 
But that’s the thing with depression and grief… It feels like there’s never anyone or anything that can help. 

And further I fall. 

Rock Bottom

I’m not sure when I quite hit rock bottom. Somewhere in my last week in Indiana… I had next few months planned out and I couldn’t cope. 

Couldn’t cope with any of it. Mums passing, being away from home, being low on funds, being unhappy. 

I have no idea what I want in life. None. 

I thought I knew, then again I always thought I knew. 

I was determined to join the army…. Then it was the police… Then teacher…Then it was a writer or publisher… Now, it’s a worldwide explorer/travel blogger. 

Every future want I’ve ever had, I’ve always been confident it’s what I want in life, and I’ll succeed. 

Yet I never do… 

Not because I fail, or give up… But because something newer, and more me is always right round the corner begging for my attention. 

But this time there’s not. 

I don’t know what I want to do in life. 

I don’t know where I want to live, what job I want, I know nothing. 

All I know is I miss my mum, and I miss my dad. 

I’m sad most of the time, and the world feels hopeless. 

Mentality

For me, I’ve always felt if I returned home, I’d have failed. 

I voiced these fears to others’ and they assured me that I’m not failing. The problem is, you can’t help how you feel. 

It wasn’t until I spoke to my older sister, that I finally accepted I haven’t failed. Me and my sister aren’t close, and she’s not exactly the touchiest feeliest person around. So for her to tell me I haven’t failed, that I’ve done so much, I travelled, I conquered, I’ve been away a long time, coming home to sort my mental health is not failing. 

And it reminded me of a clip I saw once. Mental health is just as crippling as a physical injury. 

If I were to return home to heal a broken leg or something, then I wouldn’t feel like I failed. It would be going home to recover. 

And that’s what I’m going to do with my mental health. 

The grief isn’t getting better, only more crippling. So I’m going to go home, seek the help I need and surround myself with my lifelong friends and family. 

Because I haven’t failed. If anything, I’m finally succeeding in knowing that I need to put my mental health above and beyond anything else. 

So England, guess I’m returning a little sooner than expected… But that’s okay, just another plot twist. 

I’m going to get healthy (physically and mentally) and then who knows… Maybe I’ll move abroad, maybe I’ll go long term travelling, or maybe I’ll just do a month away here and there. 

The point is, who cares!? As long as I’m healthy and working toward happiness, then in the words of he Beatles and my great uncle Owen… Let it be…

What’s Next – May 2017

Hey Folks!

So the question of the month, what’s next…

And I honestly have no idea! I’m currently in Indiana, USA, living with my friend Mercede who I met in Thailand. My ESTA for the US is up in June, and
I have to decide where I want to go next…

Do I want to go straight to Australia and start working? Or do I want to visit family in Canada and Trinidad?
Do I want to go back to Asia and work/ travel? I honestly don’t know what I’d like to do… I have no idea what my plan is… and you know what, I’m okay with that.

I’m going to use this time as a reset button. I’m going to research all my options again and create a rough plan as to where I’m going to be in the next 3 months before I have to go to Australia…

Any suggestions!?

New York, New York

3 years ago I went to New York City for a few days to see my Grandma… and I’ll be going back again in June!

Last time I went with my older sister, who is a shopaholic… meaning I got dragged round the shops for half the trip. I like shopping as much as the average person, but a whole day spent at a retail park, not my cup of tea thanks.

Brooklyn Bridge

This time however, I’ll be going on my own, so I’m looking forward to being able to do everything on my time.

Despite the shopping trips, and subsequently the money I spent on those shopping trips, I did enjoy NY last time, and actually managed to keep all my other costs to a minimum.

The Food

Stuffed Lobster… Score!

The Food in America is insane! The portion sizes are bigger than any other country I’ve been to… meaning in most places you go to eat, you can split a main course between 2 people, thus saving you money!

Me and my sister went to Red Lobster, where they were having a special, meaning we both got to stuff our faces with lobster without breaking the bank!

First time trying lobster!

Brooklyn Bridge

Chosen by the BBC to be one of the 7 Industrial Wonders of the World, the Brooklyn Bridge is not only free, but was also the first link connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Along the bridge, there’s collections of “Love Locks”, where couples put a lock on the bridge, as a sign of their eternal love.

That’s a lot of eternal love

The bridge took 14 years to construct more than 150 years ago. With more than 120,000 vehicles crossing the bridge every day, and 4,000 pedestrians on the actual bridge, be prepared for it to be busy if you go in the middle of the day.

But despite the crowds, you can still see the structural beauty of the bridge and get those tourist photo’s!

The first time I went was around mid-day, when I go back I think I’ll try for both sunrise and sunset… if I can get out of bed for sunrise, that is!

Top of the Rock

On Top of the Rockefella Centre

Standing 850 feet high, the Rockefella Centre isn’t the highest building in New York, but it does have some of the best views!

With 3 observational decks, every time you climb another floor, you don’t think the view could get any better, and yet it does!

I do have to say, the one thing that frustrates the photographer in me, is the thick glass they have all round the observational decks. This is understandable, it’s to stop any accidents, but when you have hundreds of people leaning on, breathing on and touching the glass, it pretty much ruins all chances of a decent photo.

If I were to go again, I’d go earlier in the day in the hopes that the glass will be clean, and there will be less people. Although, that being said, the views at night are stunning!

Times Square

One of the busiest places you’ll ever go to, Times Square truly personifies “The City that never sleeps”.

After having a drink in Manhatten with my sister and Grandma, we walked to the subway station to go home when we saw a large queue of people. Turns out they were all camping outside one of the shops on Times Square so they could buy the new Jordans the next day. These people, were literally camping on the streets of New York overnight for trainers… insane!

Despite the hustle and bustle, I really enjoyed Times Square. Taking in the business of it, watching the commuters hurry, and the tourists stare in awe, as well as browsing the cheap shops. (I never said I hated shopping, I just like shopping in small doses).

Central Park

Another freebie! Central Park is enormous, meaning you can walk around for hours and still not see it all.

I didn’t spend much time here as the weather wasn’t great for a lot of the time I was in NYC, but when I return to June, I’ll be sure to explore properly, and spend some real time in the park.

Ground Zero

One of the most eco-friendly plaza’s, this memorial commemorates both the 9/11 attack and the WTC Bombing.

I keep trying to find the words to describe the memorial, yet I can’t. I can only say go there, experience it for yourself, and expect for it to affect you more than you anticipated.

Empire State Building

It was once the tallest building in New York, the Empire State building, though a little pricey, is still worth going to the top of.

If you’re on a tight budget, I’d recommend doing either Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building, as although they’re in different parts of the city, and offer different views, the views aren’t varied enough for you to lose sleep over if you don’t get to see one of them.

Inside the Empire State Building

Inside the Empire State Building is a ride called “NY Skyride”. When I went, we had bought New York Passes, though a little pricey, it allows free entry into most of New York’s main attractions, as well as discounts and coupons for restaurants, bars and retail.

The pass allowed us to get in free to the Empire State and the NY Skyride. If you have one of these passes, then I would definitely recommend the NY Skyride. Voiced by Kevin Bacon, the ride will take you through the history of the Empire state. outlining it’s construction, building spec, and how many people have visited over the years.

If you don’t have a New York Pass, I’d say give it a skip. With an adult ticket costing $47 this price seems a little steep compared to what you get.

The Statue of Liberty

Standing tall on Liberty Island, the only way to reach her is via boat, though it can be quite pricey.

There is a free way to do it, however. If you catch the free ferry to Staten Island, which runs every hour, you’ll actually go past the Statue Of Liberty and will be able to take photo’s.

Grandma, Sister and Me… On our way to Staten Island

Granted, it’s not as good as actually going up there, but due to the popularity of it, the queue to even get on the Island was insane when I went, so I can’t begin to imagine how crowded it was inside.

Street Performers

I got lucky on my first performance, wherever I turned there were street performers… but the best by far was a breakdancing crew who’d perform all kinds of crazy stunts such as jumping over 6 people whilst barely breaking a sweat.

This group is seriously talented and I’m hoping for another chance to see them live and get some awesome photo’s.

New York Pass

So there you have it folks, what I did the first time I went to the city, and how to do it on a budget. On a side note, if you’re planning on doing a lot of attractions (Statue of liberty, top of the rock, empire state building etc.) I highly recommend buying a New York Pass that allows you free entry, as well as discounts at major restaurants such as Hard Rock.

Koh Ta Kiev – My Little Island Paradise

Koh Ta Kiev, is a Cambodian Island that has no electricity, wifi, or running water. Even the toilets are squat toilets that you have to hand flush with a bucket.

Me and my friend Mercede, who I met in Pai, decided to do something a little different. So we packed up our stuff, left it at our hostel, and only taking our daysacks, caught the boat to Koh Ta Kiev.

The company we booked our boat ticket with actually booked us on a tour boat, meaning we got to go to another island and snorkeling before we even reached Koh Ta Kiev!

Once we reached the Island, the tour guide said to be back at the boat for 1:30pm so they can all go cliff jumping.

Island Life

Now here’s the dilemma we had… We really wanted to stay on this remote island, in a hammock on the beach…but… the chance to go on a free island hopping tour… hell yeah!

After a little discussion, we decided to stick with our original plan, and got off on the Island.

The Island itself is literally something straight off a movie set. Turquoise, warm, clear, ocean water. White sandy beaches, and acres and acres of thick jungle.

This island was heaven on earth!

The tour guide took us to a guesthouse, that charged us $3 a night to hang up our hammocks, on the beachfront. We were 20ft from the waves.

We set up a little camp, that soon became home for the next 2 nights.

Being poor backpackers, we decided to really slum it on the island… making our own tuna mayo sandwiches everyday, sleeping in hammocks or on the beach itself, and even sharing meals.

We kept our costs down to a minimum and were able to live in island paradise for a few days, for less than $10 USD per person!

There’s plenty to do on the Island, from trekking through the jungle, to swimming in the clear waters in the day, or with bioluminescent plankton at night.

Be warned though, if you’re near coral beach, there may be a sign or two that warns you of sea urchins… this is a gross understatement. We actually avoided that part of the beach all together at one point as the amount of sea urchins was insane! A snorkel was definitely required to see where it was safe to put your feet!

After the initial 2 nights, we walked over to a small cafe to order lunch whilst we waited for our boat… there we heard about a massive party being thrown later that night at one of the hostels.

It was their anniversary. and they were expecting at least 500 guests to come and party with them.

Not ones to miss an opportunity we booked another night on a different part of the island, for only $1.50 a night! Score!

 

Unfortunately, we missed the boat to the party, and then there was a massive thunderstorm so we couldn’t walk there… though I suppose that was good for us as it meant we were not caught outside in the rain!

Nevertheless, we still had an amazing night lighting candles and talking to the early hours of the morning. It was the perfect last night to our little island paradise, before returning to the mainland.

En route back to the mainland, the booking company also took us to Elephant Rock… a rock shaped like an elephant that you can jump off. When you’re staying on the island, if there’s enough people interested, one of the hostels actually runs daily excursions to Elephant Rock, where you can all jump off.

DO IT! It’s amazingly scary, yet awesomely fun!

If there’s one place in Cambodia (other than Angkor Wat) I recommend going to, it’s Koh Ta Kiev! Island paradise!

What’s Next – April 2017

I’m currently stateside, and have set up camp with some friends in Indiana, the mid-west, of all the random places in the world.

The current plan, and you all know how I am with sticking to plans, is to stay in Indiana for another couple of months, before making my way to New York to see my Grandma.

Whilst in Indiana, I’m hoping to make trips to New Orleans and Tennessee, both of which I’m excited to visit. New Orleans has been my dream for years, and I can’t believe I actually have a shot of making it there!

Wish me luck!

From New York, the plan is to head up into Canada and see some family. My visa is approved, and I’m all ready to go!

From there, I honestly have no idea. I could head east towards Trinidad, or west towards Vancouver… or even directly to Australia, it all depends on finances, and what mood I’m in.

Do I want to go to Trinidad, and explore the islands? Or do I want to head through Canada and see the National Parks and lakes…?

So whilst I’m costing up and researching each option… any suggestions on what to do in either country are welcome!

 

 

Western Lifestyle… What I Have To Relearn

Now that I’m in the US, it’s taking some getting used to… and I don’t mean because it’s different than England… I mean because living in Asia, travelling on your own, gives you a certain lifestyle that’s hard to snap out of…

1. No Longer Sleeping With One Eye Open

Spending the last 3 weeks of my trip to Asia in India, taking 24 hour trains and staying in hostels, you learn to sleep with one eye open.

Constantly ready to spring into action at the drop of a hat starts to take it’s toll on you… as evident from how much I’ve slept since I’ve been here.

Sleeping in a bed, with an honest to god real mattress, staying at friends house where I have my own room and bathroom, it takes some getting used to not constantly looking over your shoulder… or maybe it didn’t because I now sleep like the dead!

2. Not Having To Watch Your Things 24/7

From being able to go to a restaurant and hang your bag off your chair, to leaving your computer in your room without hiding it first and locking the door, boy does it feel good to know your stuff is going to be safe!

3. Everyone Can Understand You – Easily!

The past few months, most of the people I was around, English was not their first language. be it from other travellers, to the locals I met along the way… everyone had varying skills in fluency of English.

I managed to learn a few words in multiple languages, and got by a lot with body language. To suddenly have everyone speaking English and understanding you, is quite a shock.

I went out to dinner the other night and I could overhear a conversation from the table next to me… and actually understand! Took me a minute to realise why I was so shocked!

4. Showering

Most of the places I went in Asia didn’t have hot water, which was fine when the sun was high outside, a cold shower was a welcome respite from the blistering heat. However, once the sun set, the air didn’t stay too warm for long… meaning a cold shower would leave you shivering for hours after.

Getting used to timing your shower with the sun, takes some breaking! I’m constantly reminding myself that I don’t have to shower in the middle of the day… in fact, I can take a hot bath 10pm at night should I choose!

5. Internet

When I say Wi, you say Fi! WIFI! So happy to have decent wifi again! I can now actually chat to my friends and family back home without having a 10 second lag, and the connection dropping every couple of minutes!

Being able to go to a public establishment and connect to the wifi without having to jump through hoops is such a relief! Every time I  at the cell plans in the states, and wonder why I would ever pay that much for 4G, I remember I don’t need to… there’s WiFi everywhere!

It’s weird to not have to go hunting for over an hour for WiFi just to book your hostel… WiFi is readily available everywhere!

Which means, that right now, I’m snuggled under a duvet in my living room, binge watching Netflix, and loving every minute of it!

Bliss!

7 Things I Missed About the Western World

I am now officially on American Soil (woop woop!) and though I loved my 4 months in Asia, man am I glad to be in the western world again, for a bit!

There’s some western comforts I’ve missed so much, I’ve had to make a list to share with you all!

1. Hot Showers!

Ah man! Showers! And I don’t have to time my shower with the sun! In parts of Asia, it gets really cold at night, and most of the places I went didn’t have hot water… meaning if you got back from a hot sweaty day after dark, you’d either have to go smelling or freezing!

2. English

As much fun as it is learning a new language, it’s nice not only to have a conversation, but to actually have people understand you!

To not have it be an effort to have a chat about nothing with someone.

3. Customer Service

Thailand is called the land of smiles for a reason! Everyone there is so friendly… I didn’t have quite the same experiences in Cambodia and India… in fact, most people were downright rude to us.

It’s nice to be in the US where they pride themselves on customer service (heck, they make their money through tips, they have to be nice to you).

4. Breathing

Take a deep breath… fill your lungs… smell that fresh air!? Not if you’re in India! The smells will make even the strongest of stomachs turn!

Think of the worst smell you can think of… Now times it by 10… that’s certain parts of India, and one thing I am not going to miss.

5. Couches

I’m currently sitting on a couch right now, writing this post… and it’s heaven! The few couches that we did sit on in Asia were old, lumpy and stained with god knows what.

Here at my friends house, on her new grey couch, with a fleecey blanket on my lap is bliss!

6. Spring

Living 4 months in unrelenting summer, man is it good to be in spring over here! Spring is my favourite season… the flowers, the overcast skies and the bite in the air… ah… heaven!

7. Food

Living on a backpackers budget, rarely do you splurge on frivolous things such as food… In Asia there’s not much point… the dollar street food is just as good as the $10 restaurants! And man do I love street food!

And as much as I love trying new food, every now and then you get a hankering for a steak… and now I’m in the US it’s like a steak buffet! Yum! And the best bit… they actually cook it rare! Oh yeaaah!

Though I am already missing the dollar pad thai’s!

8.

So there you have it folks, the 7 things I missed about the Western World! I’m going to soak it up before I’m off again on my travels!

 

How To Deal With Unwanted Attention In A Foreign Country.

After just having travelled through India, not only as a female, but with my travel buddy being a blonde, blue eyed female… we got a lot of unwanted attention.

India is one of the most dangerous countries to travel as a female, yet we got through…

Here’s my simple guide of how to help deflect that attention, I hope you find it useful!

Be Firm.

At first I would politely decline whatever was being offered. Some shop owners/ Tuk Tuk drivers would be fine with that, but others were a lot more… persistent.

If they don’t adhere to a polite no, be firm. Look them in the eye, firmly and strongly tell them no, then proceed to walk away.

Key word… walk… do not amble away like you have all the time in the world. Briskly walk away, and if they persist tell them no again and then ignore them.

Don’t Show Fear

Be it from men watching you sleep, to lecherously licking their lips whilst watching you, do not show them you are afraid.

Find a well lit, populated area and wait it out if need be. If you’re in a group, stick together, there’s strength in numbers.

Dress Respectfully

Everyone… guys, girls, I don’t care who you are, if you don’t want to be hassled in a foreign country then dress according to the countries culture.

If you’re in Asia, ladies keep your shoulders and knees covered. Guys, make sure you’re wearing a shirt if you’re walking round town.

Don’t draw unwanted attention to yourself because you haven’t bothered to research the culture. Do your homework first -it’ll save you a lot of hassle and stress later on!

Make Friends With The Hostel Owners

They’ll make sure no one bothers you, and will even help you when it comes to booking taxi’s or flagging down a Tuk Tuk to make sure you don’t get ripped off.

Shout Fire

If the absolute worse happens, and you’re being followed, or are in danger. Don’t shout help.

Shout Fire.

People will help when they here the call fire, but unfortunately will ignore a call for help or rape.

Don’t Go Out After Dark

If you’re alone, in a foreign city… rule of thumb… don’t wander the streets on your own at night. Seems obvious, but you’d be surprised!

Buddy up with someone from your hostel if you fancy seeing a night market in a city that’s not particularly safe.

This wasn’t a problem for me in Thailand, as despite it’s reputation, I actually felt very safe there, and never had, nor heard of anyone else having any problems.

India was a different kettle of fish. Even with 2 girls, we still didn’t go out after dark on our own, unless we got a registered taxi there, and then a taxi home, and that was mostly for going out to eat, or going to well lit market.

So there you have it guys. A few simple steps that will help minimize being hassled whilst travelling.

Good luck, and stay safe!

 

Taj Mahal… It’s One Of The 7 Wonders For A Reason!

A few days ago I was lucky enough to go see the Taj Mahal in Agra, ticking off another of the Seven Wonders. We decided to go at sunrise for the perfect photo opportunity, and low and behold we were not let down.

The History

This marble palace was built by 20,000 workers, over 22 years, that the prince commissioned to show his love to his wife.

The palace is perfectly symmetrical from all sides, and all the colored stone work you see, are infact precious stones carved and placed into the marble.

None of the marble or stones are dyed or painted, everything you see is another carving.

The symmetrical, intricate detail you see inside the palace were all chiseled by hand in the 22 years it took to build this monument.

Even the smallest of lotus flowers, no taller than your thumb, were hand crafted individually out of around 60 pieces of carnelian.

When the moon is full, and the light hits the palace, all the marble will glow. The coloured pieces such as Carnelian and Lapis Lazus will brighten and and almost become luminescent.

Do It Yourself

Agra is a fairly small town compared to the rest of India, with it’s main attraction being the Taj Mahal. I recommend getting a place close to the Taj Mahal if you fancy seeing it at sunrise.

It’s possible to get a double room for 1000 Rupees (around $15 USD), we even found a room for that price with a double bunk bed, big enough to fit 2 people in each bed!

You can hire a Tuk Tuk to take you to the Taj Mahal, and if you want, to show you the rest of Agra after.

Make sure you get to the ticket office for the Taj Mahal in plenty of time, as it can be a little hectic.

I highly recommend hiring a tour guide (we were charged 1500 rupees for 3 people). Though we didn’t particuarly want a tour guide, it allowed us to skip the queue and head straight to the Taj Mahal.

Be warned, the queue was at least 2 hours long, and by the time the sun had fully risen, the place went from having around 100 people, to closer to 500.

Paying for a tour guide is a small price to pay to skip the queue and learn more about the interesting history of Taj Mahal.

The tour guide took us round the whole palace and grounds, and even became our own personal photographer. Obviously having done this a million times before, he was able to show us the best shots to take, and took great photo’s of us outside the Palace.

The entire tour took us about an hour and a half, after which we decided to do a little bit of shopping. The shops down the cobbled street that leads to the Taj Mahal are actually really cheap!

We found some custom made flip flops, made from a velvet like fabric with gold stitching for 150 rupees (less than $2.50)!

If you’re heading to India anytime soon, make sure the Taj Mahal is at the top of your list, it’s one of the 7 wonders for a reason!