I arrived on the Isle of Arran on the first ferry Friday morning and left on the last ferry Sunday night. Arran is an island just off the West coast of mainland Scotland. It was my first time really getting out of Glasgow and exploring what one might think of as the ‘real Scotland’ - hills, sheep, men in kilts waiting outside the ferry terminal, etc. Glasgow is lovely and interesting and is quickly beginning to feel like home, but sometimes it feels not so different from Vancouver. The grande houses along Fenwick Road remind me of Point Grey, while the stone facades of Buchanan Street feel like Gas Town. The hipsters in Shawlands would fit right in on Main Street. The overcast skies and driz
In my first two weeks in Glasgow I’ve already experienced a great many things. I accompanied a group of 12-year-olds as they volunteered at 'Diversity Day', where they represented Judaism to 300 11-year-olds. There were tables for all the different religions, as well as accompanying activities like 'Baptize-your-own-baby' for Christianity and 'try-on-a-saree' for Hinduism. There were also stations for both Bollywood and Israeli dancing, where all the children followed along to Hava Nagila and London Thumakda. I've settled into my office, as well as many of the partner sites where I'll be working. I've cleared off all of the tables and hung photos of my friends and family on the wall. I have
This is the follow-up post to Where To Go, What To Do: South, which showcases my travels in South India and gives some itinerary planning tips. It also has an overview of what it's like to travel around India, so make sure to check out that one first! HIMACHAL PRADESH I spent 17 days in Himachal Pradesh (with a few days in Amritsar and Chandigarh added on) in June 2018. Flight to Amritsar (1 night) Early morning train to Chandigarh Overnight bus to Manali (3 nights, including Shabbat) Bus to Kasol (1 night) Bus through Manikaran to Kalga (3 nights) All day and night bus to Dharamshala (6 nights, including Shabbat) Bus to Kangra, train to Dharamshala (1 night) Flight to Mumbai Amritsar - see
India is huge. And not only is it physically large, but each region is vastly different culturally, many with their own distinctive written and spoken languages as well. It can take hours to travel short distances (it once took me seven hours in a cramped share jeep to travel 127 km), and transit doesn't always work out like you planned. That being said, experiencing the different regions can prove so rewarding, and can give you such deep insight into the different aspects that make up Indian society. I've been blessed with two years of exploring (albeit having a full time job at the same time), which has allowed me to really travel around the country and experience different parts. Lots of
