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Personal Travel Blog

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Leopards, Tigers, and Monkeys, Oh My!

October 8, 2018 By Alyssa Samuelson

With time to spare after an entrepreneurship conference in Hyderabad, I was excited to explore the cultural and natural wonders of the beautiful Madhya Pradesh region.  My trip itinerary was jam-packed visiting ancient temples, riding through the wilderness on safari, and volunteering, but the true heartwarming moments of this place came from the people I met along the way.

The conference in the bustling city of Hyderabad had worn me out. I was looking to escape the mayhem for something quieter. I had toured the city and visited the beautiful of Chowmahalla Palace and the architectural wonders Qutub Shahi Tombs and Charminar Monument. It was also important to me to have a positive impact on the local communities and environment.

Charminar Monument and Mosque

Sri Vidhyas Centre: A Day of Learning in Hyderabad

I wanted to take a day volunteering in Hyderabad. I found Sri Vidhyas, a center committed to providing education to disabled children by creating a safe space for them. The day here was spent learning about the important work of the center and supporting them in their mission with the children. The center does all it can to give these children a chance to live a normal life and hopefully become independent adults one day.  The children were loving and happy and just wanted to share and have fun.  And seeing the compassionate staff genuinely working toward making a difference in the lives of these children was a beautiful experience to witness.

You can find more information about Sri Vidhyas Centre at http://srividhyaschool.org/

Safari

After spending a week in Hyderabad, I headed out to the state of Madhya Pradesh. This region is home to multiple national parks focused on species and habitat conservation.

After careful consideration, I decided to stay with Pugdundee Safaris which had amazing reviews. I stayed at Denwa Backwater Escape at Satpura National Park and Treehouse Hideaway at Bandhavgarh Tiger Preserve.

I cannot say enough positive things about Pugdundee Safaris.  They are committed to being eco-friendly and putting efforts back into conservation. The company provided paper garbage cans, handmade recycled newspaper totes, and stainless steel water bottles, all in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint.  All the staff who work at the lodges are passionate about their role in conservation and excited

Satpura National Park

The first of the parks, Satpura, is known for its high concentration of leopards, rare species of mammals, bird watching, and beautiful river life. Here the delicate ecosystem of central India is protected, thus protecting the wildlife living within it.

I stayed at Denwa Backwater Escape just outside the national park. For the duration of my stay, Swanand was my naturalist. Not only was he extremely knowledgeable but also patient (especially when I was wanting to take lots of pictures). On my first day we crossed the river by boat and then were assigned an open-air jeep, complete with driver and park guide.

We caught sightings of Spotted Deer, Sambar Deer, Bluebull Antelope, Indian Gaur, and Indian Gray Monkeys. With all this potential prey we were hoping to see leopards and tigers. Unfortunately, this time we weren’t lucky – although we did track a tiger and must have missed it by 10 minutes.

Grey Langur Monkey

Our second safari here was via canoe across the river and through the marshlands. This gave us the opportunity to get up close to water life and birds. Birds are probably some of the most graceful animals on the planet as they swoop and dive. We managed to get sightings of a large number of species. The Common Kingfisher, White Throated Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Gray Heron, Crested Honey Buzzard, Rosy Starling, and Painted Stork were just a few we had a good look at amongst many more.

Beautiful Sunset on Water Safari

On our final safari in the park we met the elephant family that resides and works in the park.  There was a mother, father, and two calves. Each elephant has its own caretaker that stays with it for many years.

One experience I won’t forget is getting a flat tire on our jeep our last day. Normally, for safety reasons, tourists are not allowed outside of the jeep except in designated areas.  We were not in one of those areas and since we seemed to not have a car jack, we waited for another jeep to drive by for assistance.  We all had to get out of the jeep and wait on the side of the road.  It took the power of 5 men to lift the jeep as the 6th man switched the tire and the 7th looked out to make sure no leopards or tigers were coming.  I think it would have been much more interesting if we had seen a tiger or leopard then!

One of the nicest things about Pugdundee Safaris was coming back to the home comforts of my cabin each night. The lodge was situated on the riverside with beautiful decor, vaulted ceilings, and a large deck and roof terrace. I could soak up the evening sun in the most beautiful surroundings of my room with nature just a step away.

Sunset from Patio Denwa Backwater Escape

Beautiful Lodging

Denwa Backwater Escape

Bandhavgarh Tiger Preserve

My second location with Pugdundee Safaris was near the Bandhavgarh Tiger Preserve. This park has one of the highest densities of Bengal Tigers in all of India and a large population of leopards.

Before I get into the details of the safari, I want to take the time to tell you about the dedication of the people who looked after us throughout our stay. Our tree house was built from local wood with a spacious room and huge patio for enjoying our proximity to nature. The bathroom even had hot running water which adds an extra something after coming home from a long day on safari. Prior to our arrival, I had kindly asked if it would be possible to try a custard apple – I’d never had one before and had always wondered what they tasted like. To my delight, they presented me with not just one custard apple but several with each meal. It wasn’t until later that I found out someone had driven an hour out of their way to find these for me during my stay. It’s the extra effort that makes you feel at home when you couldn’t be further away.

My Lovely Tree House

Beautiful Balcony in the Heart of Nature

Now back to the safari. I was again paired with an amazing guide for the duration of the stay. Ashish (he also happened to be the manager of the lodge) felt like a lifelong friend by the time I left.  He was so passionate about the park, tigers, and my safari that he even made sure my jeep was the first off into the park each morning. He would choose the path less traveled to find the earliest sightings of tigers. He was not only dedicated to his guests but to the wildlife the park supports.

On our first day of safari, I was blown away by the beautiful setting: vistas, plateaus, open grasslands, and forest. Then with Ashish, my expert guide, we had our first sighting of a tiger. This one was a male known as T71 or Pannalal. He is one of two dominant males living in the Khitauli Zone of the park.

Banghavgarh Tiger Preserve

There he was, casually laying in the road ahead of us minding his own business. He eventually got up and started walking toward our vehicle. He calmy walked around the jeeps before using a tree as a clawpost and then sauntering back into the forest.  At one point we were probably within 15 feet of this magnificent animal and he didn’t seem to have a care in the world.

Photo Courtesy of Ashish Tirkey

T71 or Pannalal, Photo Courtesy of Ashish Tirkey

They say Pannalal travelled 100 miles from Panna National Park. It is a massive feat for a tiger to make it through unprotected lands. It’s as if his luck rubbed off on us and we got to see this safari king up close. This was my highlight of being in India. Thank you Pannalal for putting on a show and delighting us.

I must say, it’s very rare to see such a shy and elusive creature being so bold amongst humans. There are some tigers throughout the park that are rarely sighted because they are so timid. Like on our last day, we had our final sighting of a tiger that was much shyer and headed into the woods quickly upon hearing our jeep but still just such a beautiful creature.

We also had a sighting of a jungle cat about 30 feet from our jeep. These are similar to bobcats. This one blended into the grasslands and we were lucky to spot this rare find in Bandhavgarh.

But really what touched me the most was the people. The staff were amazing, friendly, and attentive. I truly felt like I had been invited into someone’s home versus just staying at a lodge.  On my final night at Tree House Hideaway, I had dinner with Ashish (our guide) and his lovely wife Nancy. Together they are the general managers and thanks to them they added something extra special to the experience of Bandhavgarh. I had a lump in my throat when leaving both lodges thanks to the special people.

If you ever visit India going on safari is a must.  It not only increased my knowledge of the glorious creatures being protected here but tourism supports the local community to help ensure their continued conservation efforts.  On my next trip to India, I may just have to spend a couple of weeks in the tiger preserves, learning as much as I can and supporting the efforts to protect these animals who have touched my heart.

Filed Under: Asia, India Tagged With: Bandhavgarh Tiger Preserve, Hyderabad, Pugdundee Safaris, Satpura National Park, Tigers

Join Me for a Week of Bliss in Puerto Vallarta!

April 30, 2018 By Alyssa Samuelson

 

Looking for a place to get away?  To disconnect with life and reconnect with your inner-self?  Envision sitting by the ocean, feeling the gentle breeze, hearing the ocean waves and gentle rustling of the palm trees. Now imagine escaping the world as we know it, to meditate, practice yoga, eat amazing meals, and connect with like-minded people. This is what New Year Nature Connection is all about, a chance to come hOMe to your true being.

A Day at Xinalani

We awaken to the songs of tropical birds and soothing ocean waves. We then head barefoot to the open-air jungle studio overlooking Banderas Bay for a supportive and invigorating morning vinyasa practice, followed by a grounding Yoga Nidra meditation. After practice, we’ll be nourished by a fresh, local and organic breakfast.

The next six hours are yours to choose your own adventure: hiking through the jungle to the waterfall, enjoying an ocean-side massage, sea kayaking, relaxing pool-side with a freshly squeezed juice, or exploring our private beach.

We reconvene shortly before sunset for a restorative group practice. We close our day together with a nutritious community dinner as the light fades to darkness and the sky fills with stars inviting us into a restful night’s sleep.

Early Bird Pricing and Payment Plans are Available

Contact Alyssa at Alyssa@WhereIsAlyssa.com for more details.

Filed Under: North America Tagged With: Xinalani, yoga Mexico, yoga retreat

Not Much More Remote than This (But Give Me a Few Years)

July 6, 2017 By Alyssa Samuelson

Yes, I am that type of person.  I have signed up for who knows how many travel deal emails.  I get tons of junk weekly, but when those pop in to my inbox they deserve a once over.  And that’s how I got to Bequ Island, Fiji.  Thank you Travel Zoo, for this one, the many others, and the many yet to come.  I wonder how much money you have made off me?

We (myself, my 70 year old parents, and my boyfriend) headed to Fiji aboard Fiji Airways.  While the people were friendly and the food was good, they did not have a Delta Economy Comfort, British Airways World Traveller Plus, or and American Premium Economy.  Call me spoiled but I enjoy my extra 6 inches of knee space and 3 inches of additional recline on long transoceanic flights.  And maybe they did have this option and I just missed it.  Anyway, I was in the cattle section.  Moo!

We landed in Nadi, Fiji where we had a driver waiting for us, to take us on the 3 hours van trip to the southern part of the main island where we would catch the boat (yes, boat, not ferry, not yacht) to transfer across to our resort on Bequ Island.  I clarify the size of the boat because 1) it was pouring, 2) the ocean waves were quite large, and 3) it was a fair distance to travel under such circumstances.  Thank you dramamine.

Bequ Island Fiji

This is what the island looked like a few days later, NOT the day we arrived!

We “landed” on Bequ Island at the Lalati Resort and Spa, which was part of the package we had booked.  The resort communication had been superb up to that point – the resort manager and the dive shop/activities director were awesome in preparing us for our arrival.

It was still raining upon arrival and we were all ready to basically dive off the boat to get to land, we still received an incredibly warm greeting from the local staff – many genuine smiles, a reception cocktail, and foot wash complete with massage.

Lalati Resort and Spa  Lalati Resort and Spa

We were ready to get our vacation started, and for the rain to end.  We stayed 7 days and by day 3 we had sunshine and more sunshine.  It was beautiful.  There was a reef out a short distance from our shore and water activities were included – paddleboarding, sea kayaking, and crab racing.  Ok, that wasn’t part of the water activities but it did take place and my crab Cangrejo and I did not win.

Bequ Island Fiji Bequ Island Fiji

Sea snake off our beach after a kayak trip out to the other side of the island

We had a number of lazy days, pool and spa si de, massages 3 times (they were very cheap), went on a sunset cruise that was amazing, snorkeled, played cards, and of course spent time at the bar mingling with the other guests (it is a very small resort so you get to know everyone).

Sunset Cruise Fiji Sunset Cruise

I also went scuba diving a few times, including doing a shark dive where a famed tiger shark frequently visited.  Apparently my reputation precedes me and “Lady Joyce” (as she is known to the locals) decided to not show up.  However, we saw thousands (I mean thousands) of fish, around 15 sharks (reef, black tipped, not sure what else), and this really cool eel who came out to say hello to me.  It was my first experience with an underwater camera that was not a go pro (think big) so by the time I figured it out we were about 45 minutes in to the dive and getting ready to shortly go up.

Shark Dive Fiji  Shark Dive Bequ Island Hello Mr. Eel

The resort was mostly run by locals who live in a village right around the corner and walk to work.  The people and their culture are very welcoming, friendly and happy.  They wanted to share things about themselves and their culture which I appreciated.  They would do anything they could to make sure our stay was enjoyable, which was the same for the non-local management.

I enjoyed my trip and Bequ Island.  Its hard to say what the “best” part was – the tropical location and beauty, the water adventures, shark diving, or simply the rest and relaxation.  While the rest and relaxation come in a close second, all in all the best “thing” about this trip was the people.  Its funny how that happens time and time again, all over the world.  Thank you Fijians for your graciousness and kindness!

 

Filed Under: Fiji

How do You Pronounce Lodz?

July 6, 2017 By Alyssa Samuelson

If you are English speaking, you might very well pronounce Lodz, Poland as “LOTS” but with a more accentuated “D” sound.  You could not be more wrong.  I remember on my way to Warsaw I was looking at the airplane map – you know the one that shows you where you are and what you are flying over.  I saw Lodz, and I thought, hmmm, I wonder what this “lods” place might be like.  Little did I know that I was going to have the opportunity to experience Lodz and its Light. Move. Festival (LMF) in October 2016.

First, let’s clarify.  It is not “lods.”  It is more like “WOODGE.”  You know, rhymes with “SCROOGE.” The “L” in Polish is more like a “W” in English.  And the “O” with an accent over it is more like our “OO”.  Google tells me these types of letters are called diacritics.  Given that I was raised speaking English, can communicate fairly well in Spanish, and can understand French enough to make me dangerous, this “diacritic” alphabet within the Polish language was (is) quite the challenge.  I have digressed here….

My friends who live in Warsaw (and are in the process of actually moving to Lodz) offered the LMF as an option for something to see and do on my visit.  What could be better: a beautiful town in the countryside, a cool, brisk October, drinking hot wine (and vodka with apple juice) and experiencing one of the world’s renowned light shows.  I had no idea how “world renowned” it was.

We headed to Lodz by day, had a small tour of the town and then headed to the main drag on Piotrkowska Street (I will not further impress you with my knowledge of Polish pronunciation here, most likely because I have no idea how to say it).  Time to grab some dinner at an authentic Polish restaurant; think cold beet soup (borscht), stewed pork knuckle, sausage, sauerkraut, and my favorite – pierogi’s.  We saddled on up to the cute table by the window, ate our food, had our vodka and apple juice (mixed or shot, your choice) and warmed ourselves up to get ready for the evening’s festivities.

As the streets became more and more busy  (Piotrkowska is a pedestrian and bicyclist only street), and the sun slowly set (ok, I didn’t actually see it set as it was raining most of the day – but it did get darker) the buildings started to come alive.  We left our cozy corner cafe and headed up the street to find music in rhythm with light shows all around us.

Blocks upon blocks had various shows, all done by different artists.  There were over 40 shows, art installations, and attractions, way too much to see in our one night there.  The show is only one weekend a year (lucky = me) so if you intend to see everything, good luck, you would be better off planning a trip annually to visit.

Piotrkowska Street

Piotrkowska Street

Church of the Holy Cross

Lodz Light Move Festival

Along the way we of course stopped at various Polish food stands – pierogis, pretzels, sausage, and of course the hot wine needed to make it through the cold evening.

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If I ever find myself in Poland the same weekend as this festival I plan to visit again, see new installations an artists (they change every year).  It was quite the experience; something I would recommend adding to your bucket list.

You can find more info at http://en.lmf2016.lmf.com.pl/ 

Piotrkowska Street

Piotrkowska Street Piotrkowska Street

Lodz Light Move Festival

Church of the Holy Cross, Lodz Poland

Lodz Light Move Festival Lodz Light Move Festival Lodz Light Move Festival

 

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Filed Under: Poland

Amazing Carnival

July 5, 2017 By Alyssa Samuelson

Ready for Carnival

Ready for Carnival

Brazil Carnival Brazil Carnival Brazil Carnival Brazil Carnival Brazil Carnival IMG_2993

Filed Under: Brazil

Beautiful Turks and Caicos

July 5, 2017 By Alyssa Samuelson

Paradise

Paradise

 

Coco the cat at Coco Bistro

Coco the cat at Coco Bistro

 

Las Brisas with Friends

Las Brisas with Friends

 

Yoga by the Sea

Yoga by the Sea

 

Lounging

Lounging

 

Da Conch Shack

Da Conch Shack

Filed Under: North America, Turks and Caicos

Kenya

July 5, 2017 By Alyssa Samuelson

Kenya Giraffe

Kenya Giraffe

Kenya Lion

Kenya Lion

Kenya Zebra

Kenya Zebra

Filed Under: Africa, Kenya

Holiday Trip to Saint Marteen

January 28, 2016 By Alyssa Samuelson

I was lucky enough to spend Christmas to New Year’s on the island of St. Marteen (also known as St. Martin) in the Caribbean in 2015.  It was a quick getaway with a good friend – sun, beach, plenty of food, and some fun day trips and excursions!

We stayed at the Sonesta Great Bay all-inclusive beach resort.  St. Martin is divided in to two sides – the Dutch and the French side.  We were on the Dutch side and in the bay where all of the large cruise ships doc which made for interesting views and people watching.

I have stayed at other all-inclusives but never the Sonesta brand.  It was a nice enough hotel, relatively good food, and plenty of  beverages available.  They also attempted to have various games at the pool daily and different themed dinners and events at night.  Sonesta Great Bay

We stayed in a garden room that faced the street (and did not include alcohol in the minibar but you could stock up downstairs and bring back to your room) and the mountain.  It was an ok view, we were really just trying to stay in the lowest level room since traveling over the holidays is at the height of tourist season (and the most expensive time).

The highlights were the white sandy beach and clear blue water and also the hotel staff.  I saw a few different signs around the island that stated St. Martin was the friendliest Caribbean island and I must say I cannot disagree.

We had read about Friar’s Bay Beach and Happy Bay beach which is a beach you can hike to (cannot get there by car) from Friar’s Bay on the French side.  It was a quick, easy walk and the beach was beautiful and secluded (yes, was nude beach optional).  There is a little hut there where you can buy drinks however we went on a Sunday and it was closed.  It was easy however to hike the 10 minutes back to Friar Beach and grab some drinks to go.

This is at sunset on our hike back from Happy Bay Beach.

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Happy Bay Beach

We also went on a day excursion to Prickly Pear Island on a large catamaran.  The island was absolutely spectacular, everything you think of when you think of the Caribbean.  It took about 2 hours getting there and appetizers and drinks were served both ways.  The crew was extremely friendly and entertaining.

There were two huts once on the island.  We chose to go to the furthest one and rent beach chairs and an umbrella, while keeping our bucket of beers continually stocked.  We hiked around the side of the island where it was more desolate and isolated and the views even more beautiful.

We booked with Blue Beard Charters.

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Prickly Pear Island

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Blue Beard Charters

My favorite part of the trip was Maho Beach.  And yes, the photos below are real and no editing has been done!  I had read about this, seen photos and even seen this airport highlights on a TV show but none of that prepared me for how cool this actually was.

The sister hotel to Sonesta Great Bay is Sonesta Maho Hotel which is right by this flight pattern.  Since we were at the sister property we were able to go to Sonesta Maho Hotel and use their facilities as well as eat and drink all for free.  From the hotel we could see and hear the jets so after enjoying some time there we left and walked along the beach over to Maho Beach which is the beach the airplanes fly directly over.

We ended up at the Sunset Bar to the south of the beach which was quite festive and had inexpensive beers and food.  Despite being about 1 in the afternoon, the bar was packed and people were having a great time.  We enjoyed the company of some locals and visitors alike.

Now the cool part.  We happened to be there about 30 minutes before the huge KLM 747 was scheduled to land.  In addition to seeing it (think whale in the sky) we watched about 50 other private and commercial jets landing as well.  The noise, the smell of the jet engine fuel, and the drafts the engines created are hard to explain without experiencing it yourself.  Definitely worth a visit and if I am back in St. Martin one day I will make sure to spend some time at Maho Beach.

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Maho Beach KLM 747

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I had a great experience in St. Martin – the island was beautiful, the people were friendly, and there was a lot to do.  I hope to visit again soon but until then….. Cheers!

Cheers to St. Martin

Filed Under: St. Marteen

Kayaking in Antarctica

January 28, 2016 By Alyssa Samuelson

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Filed Under: Antarctica

Once in a Lifetime…

January 28, 2016 By Alyssa Samuelson

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Filed Under: Antarctica

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Recent Posts

  • Leopards, Tigers, and Monkeys, Oh My!
  • Join Me for a Week of Bliss in Puerto Vallarta!
  • Not Much More Remote than This (But Give Me a Few Years)
  • How do You Pronounce Lodz?
  • Amazing Carnival

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