Em & Tola's Travel Blog

As our plane was about to land at Arlanda Airport (outside of Uppsala and Stockholm) I looked outside and felt shocked. Tola and I had our faces pressed against the airplane window and both of us we surprised by the vast green land below. I suddenly wondered where we were going because Sweden seemed to be the middle of nowhere! :)


Yim, Nil, and Tonya welcomed us to Sweden as we arrived at Arlanda. It was wonderful to see familiar and welcoming faces. As the car drove towards Uppsala, there were not hundreds of motorbikes, cows in the middle of the road, or palm trees everywhere. Immediately I felt that everything was so clean and “perfectly” placed.


Now it has been a few weeks and things in Uppsala are beginning to feel more familiar. At first, Tola and I both had to recover from food poisoning. Tola has started working on gaining the 15 pounds he lost in India, and I have been trying to cleanse my body of all the germs, so I can get back to eating normal food. I am so thankful for our good health because during the past 6 months we have been really healthy. We have so much to be thankful for after our travels. I do feel incredibly blessed.



Uppsala is a beautiful little city. There are so many opportunities for photos and everything is so old yet well kept. I have enjoyed slowly exploring Uppsala’s gems, and I often have a hard time believing that I am in Sweden. The weather in Sweden has been outstanding since we have arrived. I honestly didn’t think I would be able to soak up so much sun in Uppsala, but we have spent a few wonderful days at different lakes and I try to be outside as much as I can. I don’t think Sweden could have been any more welcoming because it has been beautiful so far.


Since arriving in Uppsala I am also learning how to ride a bike with pedal breaks again. I haven’t fallen yet, but I am sure I give people a good chuckle when I stop on my bicycle. I would also not say I stop my bike gracefully. :) As I explore a new place, it is wonderful being active and pondering the past 6 months. There is still so much to think about and so much to take in.



There are many things I miss about the U.S., and there are many things I miss about Asia. I have learned that there are always things to be missed, but where I am at present is where I am supposed to be. If I left Uppsala tomorrow, I can say that I would already miss Uppsala’s beautiful silhouette; however, I am not ready to leave just yet. :) In fact, I think it is going to be time to stay in one place for a little while.

We landed safetly! Here is our long trip home marked on a map.

What a journey it was!

Finally it happened...

We have been talking a lot on our trip about how healthy we have been. Aside from the occasional fever, we have not had any more serious health issues, until now.

After the two first games of the World Cup, I got 2 hours of sleep before we had to get up to catch the morning train to Delhi. We were pleasantly surprised over the standard of the train, and when they started serving tea and breakfast, we were very impressed. Little did we know that the tiny little omelets that we were served would cause us so much torment.

It hit right away, and when we reached Delhi, we quickly decided to cancel the train to Jaisalmer in Rajastan where were supposed to head later that day. We managed to make it back to our old guest house, the Smyle Inn, and checked in.

72 hours later we were still in our room, we have left 3 times in attempts to eat something, but we were not very successful. Luckily the World Cup has kept us company and what would a trip through India be without the obligatory food poisoning?

After 4 days our chance of going on a camel ride through the desert in Rajasthan was gone, so we decided to give Delhi one last go. We met up with our friend Anning who would show us the better sides of India's bustling capital. First, we visited the Raj Ghat where the remains of Mahatma Gandhi rest. We paid our respects together with a few Indian tourists and jumped on an auto-rickshaw and headed towards maybe the biggest tourist attraction that Delhi has to offer.

The Red Fort seemed huge from the outside. A tall wall and a dried out moat covered the gigantic area that we now entered. Inside the walls, the area felt surprisingly small, but the old buildings and gardens made the visit worthwhile.

The day ended at a shopping mall where we enjoyed yet another World Cup game over our last Kingfisher in India.

The last day on our trip was spent shopping. We emptied our bags and threw out all of our old clothes that we had gotten so tired of wearing every day, and we filled the empty spaces with new clothes. India is a very, very cheap place if you are ready to haggle. After a few finds and our last Tikka Masala dinner on the trip, we are now ready to get on that plane to Sweden.

There are so many mixed emotions that surround my homecoming. We are going to miss so many things from the trip, but right now I just want to be clean, rested, wear other clothes than what I have for the last 157 days, not be on/in an uncomfortable bus/boat/rickshaw/taxi/tuk-tuk/mini van/train, eat meatballs and cheese (that I will never grow tired of), meet friends and family, watch the World C without interruptions (read power cuts), drink clean water out of the tap, brush my teeth using tap water and be able to be online all the time.

Thank you Asia!

We left Dharamsala and the cooler weather after a few days and as we drove away I kept looking out the back of the bus at the beautiful snow capped mountains. I was a bit sad as they continued to get further and further away, but our last glances of the mountains were spectacular. Our time in the Himalayas had come to an end, and our weeks in the Himalayas are some of my favourite weeks from our trip.

Our bus ride was quite fast compared to our other bus rides in India, so Tola and I were both shocked when we arrived in Amritsar so quickly. We both became excited when we arrived because Amritsar appeared to be a bustling and exciting place. A cycle rickshaw driver quickly took us to the guesthouse we had researched and we checked in right away. We also made sure that our TV had “ESPN Live” because the World Cup would start during our stay in Amritsar … very important, of course! :)

The two highlights of Amritsar (for tourists) are the Golden Temple and the Indian-Pakistani Border Closing Ceremony. The Indian-Pakistani Border Ceremony is something that takes place every evening as the border gets ready to close. On our first evening in Amritsar, Tola and I along with two French guys hired a taxi to take us to the border ceremony. The ceremony is very popular amongst tourists, but it proved to be even more popular among the Indians (of course there are millions of more Indians in India compared to tourists). :)

I would not say I was really looking forward to the border ceremony, but once we arrived at the border, I realized that the border ceremony would give me another chance to learn and research more about India’s history. I quickly became interested as locals from Amritsar and Indian tourists packed into the bleachers on the Indian side, and the Pakistani’s did the same. It was quite the sight and I was not really expecting such organization and so many people. The security to get into the border ceremony was quite tight, and the guards and police were very strict, but I think that this makes perfect sense especially with the hundreds of people that were attending.

The ceremony lasted about 40 minutes and it mostly entailed Indian soldiers and Pakistani soldiers doing a routine “against” each other. The soldiers would stand on both sides of the border and then walk quickly, in military style, towards each other. As the soldiers walked briskly, the crowds of people on both sides of the border yelled and cheered. It appeared that the point of the ceremony was to see which side would appear more nationalistic. I won’t state a winner because the competition was a bit one sided as many more Indians were present at the ceremony. It was quite an amusing 40 minutes with lots of chuckles and funny looks. With flags waving on both sides of the border, the ceremony ended and people gave out their last cheers. This evening became a good evening to experience the Indian nationalism, and Tola and I were both really happy that we made the effort to go.

After the border ceremony, Tola and I both recognized the friendliness of the people of Amritsar. They were all very welcoming and accepting of others, and a few kind individuals came up to us for simple conversation. It was fun being in Amritsar because again there was so much to look at, but it wasn’t completely overwhelming.

On our last full day in Amritsar we headed for the Golden Temple. Sikhs from around the world make pilgrimages to the Golden Temple every year. Many tourists also venture to Amritsar because the Golden Temple is a sight to see as far as its architecture goes. The Golden Temple also has a lot of recent history, so it was interesting to read about the history of the area.

Amritsar became a great place to spend a few days. I will admit I wasn’t excited about getting back into the heat, but it ended up not being bad at all. We felt settled for a few days and met many friendly faces during our time in Amritsar.

P.S. The World Cup has started!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our last and very bumpy night bus for our five month trip took us from Manali to Dharamsala, the home of all the Tibetans that cannot live in China. Including the most famous Tibetan of them all, the Dalai Lama. We quickly figured out why they picked Dharamsala to move to. It is a beautiful little town in the mountains with magnificent views over the valley below and snow capped mountain above.

The second that we reached the north of India we felt like we had left India. Reaching our new destination it felt like we were even further away from the big and bustling sub-continent. Many of the people living in the very north of India are Tibetans speaking both Hindi and their native languages. The Tibetan spirit was seen everywhere in town. Even the Indians seemed calmer and more laid back. It was quite fun to see the two cultures clash when Indians on vacation interacted with the Tibetans. The residential town of the Dalai Lama of course works as a magnet for tourists, most notably the "hippie backpacker" type that travel to Dharamsala for spiritual enlightenment, to play tabla (an Indian drum), to do Yoga, and to endulge in yet more of the northern hash. The hills around the town are filled with Yoga centers, cafés playing Bob Marley, hairdressers making corn rows, stores selling anything with the cannabis leaf on it, and guest houses named "Chilled Out" and "Ohm Guest House".

We found a beautiful hidden little guest house where only Indians seemed to stay and checked in. It had big windows through which we saw the valley and the snow capped mountains, an amazing view that we enjoyed as we recovered after our night bus ride.


When we woke up, we went to the Tibetan Buddhist complex, which is also the current residence of the Dalai Lama. After the big and very "bling-bling" temples and palaces that we have seen so far this trip, we expected something extravagant and gold covered, but the what revealed itself to us looked more like a run down old school. It was also extremely loud as the monks were doing some kind of ritual where they fake slapped each other. Even though we did not catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama it was a very interesting place to visit especially as it is soon the his birthday. This year will be his 75th birthday, and the complex had a small exhibit where there were pictures of him with Bush, Mao, and Prince Edward among others.

Dharamsala is supposed to be a very rainy place, and we got to experience that on our second day. The very heavy rain forced us to stay inside and watch TV all day. I got quite excited to see the old Beverly Hills 90210 episodes that I used to watch as a kid. The skies did clear in the evening and left some dramatic scenery as the mountains where covered in snow and as the sun set, the sky let off many different colours.

Our last day in the Himalayas was a beautiful one. A clear blue sky greeted us as we went out to explore the area around this special place. We understood why the Tibetans chose to take refuge in this area as the valley appeared to us, a very beautiful one. As we were heading back into town we bumped into a very friendly British couple who we had met on the bus going to Kratie in Cambodia. Reminiscing and catching up with them made us reflect on how great the trip has been and how many wonderful things we have experienced. It also made us realize that there are only a few days left and that we have to savor every last experience that we have.


We have really loved the northern parts of India, but now it is time to head south again to the heat. Next stop, the mecca of the Sikhs, Amritsar.

There is Manali and there is Old Manali. Manali is where Indians head to escape the summer heat and vacation for a few days in the summer. This is also a place where many Indians are given their first opportunity to see snow. It is quite a fun experience watching young and old touch snow for the first time. Then there is Old Manali. Old Manali as one Indian from Kashmir put it, is where one can meet hippies and young Israelis. This proved to be true as the more hippie crowd seemed to escape to Old Manali to hang out for a few days to a few months. Could there be a more perfect place to hide out and smoke hashish (marijuana) in the gorgeous mountains? Probably not ... I wonder if all of the foreigners are actually alert enough to realize the beauty of the Manali area.

Tola and I stayed in Old Manali, and not because we are drawn to the "chilled back" crowd. Old Manali is in fact beautiful and extremely quiet. The accommodation is also very cheap, and people are extremely friendly and welcoming. Tola and I enjoyed meeting Indians who work in Old Manali for part of the year. We even became friendly with a store owner and we ended up buying a few pieces of his handmade clothing. Old Manali and the area surrounding quickly became one of my favorite places because it was peaceful and calm.

On our first day in Old Manali we explored the Manali area. It was wonderful walking around in the perfect sunny (and cool) weather. We also noticed that Manali's location was priceless. Manali sits in a high valley among jagged mountains. The highest mountains were covered in snow, and it felt surreal to be sitting in an area so breathtaking. At times the mountains touching the sky above us looked artificial, and I had to blink a few times to realize they were actually real snow capped mountains.

Day two came too quickly, but Tola and I were both excited to head up to Rohtang Pass at 4,000 meters (13,000 feet). We decided to get closer to the snow ourselves and join the hundreds of Indian tourists. We booked a van and headed up to the pass with a hilarious group of guys from Mumbai (who immediately took to Tola) and a little Indian family. The group of guys even had Tola dress up as a "gangster" with them and I was able to snap a couple of pictures (check out his new look). I don't really know if they were dressing up though, but it allowed for a few good laughs. :)

The drive to Rohtang Pass was windy, but incredible. I prayed that the van would not slide off the cliffs as it skidded along, and we made it safely to the top after 3 hours of driving. Before we reached the very top, we stopped at the base of a few mountains and enjoyed the unforgettable snowy views. The mountains stood tall as Tola and I tried to comprehend the beauty of our surroundings.

Once we arrived at the top, we were in for a chilly (or perhaps freezing) surprise. It was cooolllddd!! Tola and I had noticed Indians renting fur coats, big rubber boots, and gloves, but we didn't think that we would really need thick and heavy clothing. Most of the Indians visiting Rohtang Pass are from very hot parts of India, and Tola and I felt that we had a bit of experience with cold weather. Well, I think we do, but we have not been used to cold weather for about 5 months now, so the cold winds and snow flurries were a bit of a shock. The cold didn't keep us from exploring the pass though, and we quickly headed out to explore the amazing area.

As we walked through the brisk wind and on the melting snowy pass, we had fun watching Indians experience snow for the first time. They tried out skiing, sledding, and there were more than a few snowballs thrown. :) Tola and I walked around for a while, so we could experience the beauty of the snowy pass, but it didn't take long until we were freezing to the bone. We found a cozy little food stand that had used plastic coverings to shelter everyone from the wind and we were warmly welcomed and warmed (a little bit). It was soothing to sip on delicious hot chai as we hid away from the chilling winds. The two people who ran the small food stand were very kind, and we enjoyed talking to the sweet hostess. After we thawed out a bit, we walked around a little more, but then we made our way back to the van. Our time on top of Rohtang Pass ended perfectly. We made our way down through the mountains much faster than climbing up them, and Tola and I sat quietly as our new Indian friends sang along to Indian music. While the van continued we tried to grasp the beautiful views outside the van windows.

On our last day in Old Manali we decided to take a small hike by ourselves. We made our way up quiet hills and through peaceful meadows. We had a little friend who ended up joining us, a sweet little dog. He led us along the paths and would wait for us when we slowed down. It seemed as if he wanted to be our guide, and he was one of the friendliest dogs. As we walked along, it was as if the dog was really ours. If we were traveling, I probably would have wanted to take him home; however, his collared proved that he probably had an owner. Our hike was wonderful and the views were spectacular. It was a very fitting way to end our days in Manali.

During our descent through the hills, we ran into a friendly Indian man and a guy from Portugal. The guy from Portugal had been staying with the Indian man for about one month. They were both very kind as we sat, rested, and chatted with them. The Portuguese guy told us about his stay in Manali and he shared a few very interesting stories. It seemed that the highlight of his stay was learning how to prepare joints from scratch. As we sat and chatted, the 70 year old Indian man offered Tola and I some of his homemade joints, but we politely declined as Tola and I looked at each other in a bit of surprise. :)

Our days in Manali were wonderful, and I definitely could have stayed in Old Manali for many more days, but again it is time to move on. I am so happy about our time in Northern India. It has been wonderful, relaxing, and we have had many peaceful days in the mountains.