How To Apply for an Indian Visa in Sri Lanka

If you are planning to visit India while you travel in Asia or if you want to return to India after your tourist visa expires then one good location from where you can apply for a new Indian Visa is Sri Lanka. It's very close to south India, the visa process is smooth and the staff working at the Indian Visa Application Centres are very friendly and polite.

How My Backpack Got Stolen in Sri Lanka -Traveler's Worst Nightmare

On a night bus from Colombo to Arugam Bay the traveler's worst nightmare happened to me. While I was deeply asleep my small backpack with all my valuables got stolen. I lost my passport, credit card, MacBook Air, 50,000 Sri Lankan rupees ( 330 Euros) and a 1.5 TB external hard drive with about 500 GB of movies. But what will probably shock you the most is the way it happened.

Yoga Gift Idea: 10 Hand Made Yoga Mat Bags on Etsy

Are you looking for the perfect yoga gift for the yoga lovers in your life? Then these hand made yoga mat bags can be an excellent gift idea for any occasion. Your partner, a friend, your yoga teacher or even yourself; every yogi deserves a unique bag to carry their yoga mats to their next class.

Should I Travel India With a Laptop, a Tablet or a Smartphone?

Should I bring to India a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone? Which gadget should I bring? Is it safe to travel with my gadgets? These are some of the questions that I get often from my readers. After all, I've been traveling with my gadgets for years. I couldn't imagine my travels without them. So let me share my thoughts and some safety tips with you.

What to Pack for Yoga in India [Packing List for Yogis]

(Updated 2024) Whether you only want to travel or also practice yoga in India, this India packing list is for you. It includes what to pack (and wear) for a yoga retreat, for an ashram experience, or for a yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, Goa, Mysore, Dharamshala, or anywhere else in India.

Finally I left Nepal

Every time that I travel to Kathmandu, Nepal I travel for the same reason, to apply for a new Indian visa, and this time was no different. I had actually been avoiding Nepal as much as I could. I've been there way too many times and I always stay way too long, but if you are in North India then this is the nearest and easiest place to reach to apply for a new visa.

Helping a Little Angel Rebuild Her Life After Earthquake in Nepal

On Thursday morning, just five days after the first earthquake, I met my neighbor Shane Basse, an ex U.S. army soldier. Shane, now a student of Buddhist philosophy at the Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery in Boudhanath, had just returned from a rescue mission to a remote village, sponsored by the Chokgyur Linga Foundation, to help the victims of the earthquake.

How Buddhist Monks Are Helping the Victims of the Earthquake in Nepal

By mid February I traveled from Delhi to Kathmandu to apply for a new Indian visa. Unfortunately that didn't work out so I had to stay in Nepal, but as we all know everything happens for a reason. An earthquake hit Nepal the 25th of April and I was giving a once in a life time opportunity to help and to witness first hand the amazing work that a group of Buddhist monks and foreign Buddhist volunteers are doing to help those affected by the earthquake.

What do Barbie Girl, Coconuts and a Palace Have in Common?

What do Barbie Girl, coconuts and a palace have in common? Coconuts and a palace? For some of you maybe not so hard to guess, but... Barbie Girl? Well, believe it or not they can all happen at the same time in only one place, Mysore.

Interview with BNS Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Teacher in Mysore

BNS Iyengar is a living legend, probably the most senior practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in the world, direct disciple of the great yogi Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (18.11.1888 - 28.02.1989) and a master of not only the physical aspects of yoga but also of philosophy including Yoga Sutras, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.

My Experience Teaching Yoga in Arugam Bay - The Ups and Downs

Just a couple of days after arriving in Arugam Bay a local invited me to teach yoga at his guesthouse. He promised to build a yoga hall in just a few days and he even invited me to stay for free. It took a month and half to complete the hall, with some disagreements in between, but even after the hall was finished I had still more challenges to face.

The Making of a Yoga Hall - How an Idea Manifested in Reality

When I was about to leave India end of April last year I wasn't sure where I was gonna go next but the only thing that I knew for sure was that I wanted to teach yoga. I ended up in a place that I had never heard of before, Arugam Bay, a top surf destination in Sri Lanka, but the most important question in my mind was, "Will I find a place to teach yoga?"

Arugam Bay Travel Guide - Top Surf Destination in Sri Lanka

(Updated Sep 2015) Paradise beaches, beautiful waves, warm seawater, no sharks, no rocks, no reefs (except at Main Point for the pros), cheap accommodation and great food. This is Arugam Bay, located on the South-East Coast of Sri Lanka, one of the top surf destinations in the world. Ideal for beginners and experienced surfers. If you are searching for where to surf in Sri Lanka then this is your spot.  Keep on reading to know how to get there, where to stay, where to eat and more.

The Yoga of Surfing: 9 Essential Mental Habits For Beginner Surfers

Learning to surf can be a fun and beautiful experience. Imagine being out there in the sea, fully present and flowing with ease, becoming one with nature, one with the waves, enjoying the sunrise, the sunset, or perhaps the beautiful rain. But the reality can be quite different, especially if you are a beginner surfer.

8 Ways Yoga Helped Me Learn How To Surf

Last May I learned how to surf in Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka. What an experience! I loved everything about it. Taking a first surf class with one of the local teachers, sharing a tuk-tuk with a surf buddy to reach the different surf spots while enjoying the beautiful landscapes, spending hours and hours surfing every day and hanging out day and night with friends from all around the world. What can I say, it was amazing.

The Ultimate Guide for Your Yoga Journey to India

How should I prepare for my yoga journey to India? Where in India should I go? Which ashram should I visit in India? Which Yoga Teachers Training Course should I do in India? How much money will I need? I get these kind questions all the time so I decided to write this Ultimate Guide for Your Yoga Journey to India to try to answer these and some other questions.

2014: A Year Without Plans

Looking back in time I can say that yes, 2014 was a great year. It was a year without plans, full of new adventures and manifested dreams, a year of being present and living in the moment and a year where I was fortunate enough to be able to do everything that I love to do.