adena

Though I believe that this city has much more to offer than a weekend visit can expound, most travelers seem to allot 48 hours to this Udaipur.  Only 5 hours from Jaipur, and less than that from Jodhpur or Ajmer, and an even shorter jaunt from the dessert oasis that is Pushkar, many backpackers pass through here, and for good reason – Udaipur, on the shores of Lake Pichola, is gorgeous.

Udaipur: Photo by Adena H.

Don’t miss out on Udaipur – check out my tripwolf guide to 48 Hours in Udaipur.  Find where to stay, eat, shop and what to do in this simple guide.  It’s available in the tripwolf app for iPhone or Android, or even as a print and go PDF.

Bridges and Balloons follows the personal journey of Victoria and Steve, a writer/yoga teacher and filmmaker from London, who took their careers on the road.  This inspiring blog is an exploration of living the life you want to, not the life you think you should – and the ups and downs involved in the attempt.

“We started the blog when we left London and set off for Rio in March 2012…We want to share inspiring stories and beautiful photography, which will encourage other people to live their dreams too. It’s taken a while to find our feet, but we try to publish posts we’d like to read – photo stories and personal tales of the ups and downs of trying to stay true to one’s dreams.”

“Life is one big puzzle and we’re trying to find out the best way to put ours together. Bridges and Balloons is just as much a lifestyle blog as a travel one.”

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Sometimes a stunning backdrop is as affecting as excellent actors in making films memorable.  Mood and theme can often only be conveyed in an authentic milieu.   We’ve chosen to feature our most loved and memorable movies, filmed in gorgeous locations around the world.  A few of these cities are regular filming locations, where you might be lucky enough to see some action at any time.  Others are not usual or popular locations for filming, but those films could never have been shot any where else – and their images are now inseparable from the narrative.  Most of them are just darn good films, and some of our travel favorites – did we list yours?

Lost in Translation

Tokyo – Lost in Translation

A subtle travelers love affair between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. The neighborhood where we see much of the bond forming between the two characters is the bustling Shibuya:  The karaoke scene is filmed here, and the luxurious Park Hyatt hotel is where we see Bill Murray quite often, contemplative over whiskey, and solo.

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“Watch out for the monkeys,” was about the only piece of travel advice I got when I told people I was heading to Vridavan, about 3 hours south of Delhi.  They also said ‘Oh, Vrindavan, such a holy place.”  (Others replaced ‘holy’ with ‘dirty.’)

Well, I loved the little city – and though this story does not contain any incidents with monkeys, I aim for it to be more informative than anything I found out there.  Vrindavan is a holy city, and yes, parts may be ‘dirty.’  I found it also to be one of the most friendly and ‘authentic’ places I’ve visited in India ~ bright, beautiful,  and loud, dripping with dogma, and yes, a little monkey poo, too.

There are probably hundreds of temples and holy sights in Vridavan (it’s the Jerusalem of India, being Krishna’s birthplace) but here are a few of my favorites.

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I met Hannah last month in a serendipitous travel blogger’s meet-up in Patnem, Goa.  I immediately connected with Hannah’s story – and thought you would, too – partly because it’s incredibly honest.  She’s learned to write that way, the hard way, and shares stories of past deceit, debts, and do-overs.  Plus, I just love her style!  A  graphic designer as well as writer, Hannah’s branded herself beautiful and practical with her more-than-just travel blog, Further Bound.

Hannah of Further Bound

“[Further Bound contains] tales of my personal journey dealing with issues such as debt, love, health scares, fear and chasing your dreams. I try to live honestly and wholeheartedly, and I think my blog reflects that.

” ~ Hannah

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As with every part of wedding planning, it’s different strokes for different folks.  Part of the deal of doing all that preparation is planning your escape after the big day – your honeymoon, of course, I didn’t mean an annulment…

Some people dream of the “big white wedding” and an equally lavish honeymoon.  Others avoid the spotlight as much as possible, and plan a courthouse ceremony and a weekend camping in the Maine wilderness.   The worst things can happen to those good people who book an all-inclusive vacation to some tourist-ridden hovel just to make it easy.  So what about the rest of us?  Those of us who aren’t afraid of making our own itinerary, or applying for a visa if necessary, and who just want a low-key vacation to enjoy their new,  and very official, boo?

Here are my top 5 picks for a super chill honeymoon ~ tried and tested!

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This article is brought to you by Direct Travel Insurance, where you will find policies for a wide range of budgets and travel situations, allowing you to tailor your policy to your specific needs. Additionally we offer car hire excess insurance – visit here for more info.

London is a top priority stop for most backpackers in Europe.  Often the cheapest flights touch down in Heathrow, especially those coming from the US or Asia, so by default, London becomes the start or end of many trips.  It can be tough to backpack in London -  it’s one of the most expensive cities in the world, and a backpacker needs to stretch her pounds to their limits, and there is just so much to DO and SEE.  So what’s worth it? 

In this guide, we’re featuring our ideal London itinerary for backpackers based on our own experiences!

Thongs, flippers, slip slops…jandals?  Perhaps you’ve heard the Kiwi term for the ubiquitous flip flop, but I hadn’t until I heard of Four Jandals, adventure travel blog of one of the worlds leading independent adventure travel blogging couples, Cole and Adela. (Phew!)  They’ve been slipping and slopping, flipping and flopping, around the world since 2009.

Four Jandals Snowboarding

“Our main goal is to inspire others to travel. And we do that by providing stunning photos, adventure travel tips and tales to help you step out of your comfort zone, in comfort.” – Cole and Adela, 2013

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Allow me to introduce to you  Flora The Explorer ~ a blogger that recently came on our radar, recommended by trusted and well-read travel blogger friends.  After spending 6 months in India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, Flora is headed to South America to teach English, and check more than a few experiences off her long bucket list.

This is a blog more of prose than photos – with many bloggers moving towards sleek and minimal, Flora stays with the tried a true: honest writing, will of straightforward, simple reflections as she discovers herself and the world.

“I’ve always been writing ever since I started traveling but it was normally on paper, in various diaries and notebooks, and I had never made a dedicated effort to document my travels online…Over the last year I’ve realized that there are more people than just my friends who are interested in what I do and how I think.”

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This post is brought to you by Dealchecker.co.uk, a free online resource that helps you find the best deals out there to plan your future holidays.  With Dealchecker.co.uk, you’ll get the best seats on Brisbane flights.

Brisbane is located smack in the middle of the East Coast of Australia, and also in between Sydney in the south, and Cairns in the North.  It’s a popular spot for young travelers and back packers, as the youth culture is strong: surfers, hippies, and students dominate. Brisbane is the perfect jumping off point for the Gold Coast, the more remote beaches near Byron Bay, and the Moreton Islands.  Here’s how you can explore Brisbane on a budget.

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