Tag Archives asia

Finally I can show the lower half of this gorgeous dress on the blog. This was my outfit for New Year’s Eve on the Maldives and has been my go-to outfit for any fancier occasion during my trip. But first I want to tell you the story about my New Year’s Eve experience on the Maldives because it’s a story worth telling, if only for the entertainment value. Next to being a stunning country with the most beautiful colors of water (upon arrival the first thought is: Does this really exist?!), kind people and the best dive sites in the world, the Maldives is also a Muslim state. This means that they do not serve alcohol, not a drop, nor are you allowed to bring it across the border, at least not onto the local islands. The country is divided between resort islands and local islands, which also has different laws in place. The resorts basically buy an entire island and run their hotel like any retreat worldwide. A local island is different in the sense that it abides by local muslim laws, which means no bikinis on the beach and no alcohol. A bit different from what you expect when you’re first planning a trip to the Maldives, right? The reason why you should visit only local islands anyway? It’s the only way to experience the local culture and also … budget. Resorts are not just pricey, they are very very expensive. But more on that in a different post.

Surfing in India, it’s a thing? No really? Ok I was a bit surprised when I heard this, I didn’t take India for a place where you could surf, let alone as a country with a surfer’s paradise. However in Kerala (which is in the south of the country) the sport is becoming more and more popular. Some of the local surfers are even turning it into a careers as they’re competing on an international level (including my surf instructor, Sha). Right before sunrise you see them coming out, eager to catch the biggest waves of the day. It’s quite a spectacle to watch as most of the Indian tourists and locals also head to the beach when the sun is going under. Together with these surfers, the beach really is the place to be at this time of the day.

When you are going traveling for a longer period, your backpack basically becomes your home away from home. Therefore choosing a backpack is just as crucial as choosing what goes into said backpack (more about thàt later). While planning for my big adventure I knew this was going to be one of my most important decisions. Like always, I love my research and as the departure date grew closer, I became more known into the field of backpacks and which kind I was looking for. Around this time I got into contact with the people from Osprey, a brand that is better known in America than it is here. I love how streamlined and minimal their packs are and that they have a lot of travel-savvy features. Because they have such a wide selection, I thought they were the perfect brand to use when you’re deciding between certain packs. There truly are a lot of features and different qualities to choose from so I narrowed it down to 6 question that you should ask yourself.