lindsay traveling

I have visited some amazing places on this trip . Some have been charming, some welcoming, some delicious, some jaw-droppingly beautiful. But none as utterly picturesque as Patagonia and Vietnam . None that gave me quite such a sense of urgency to grab my camera, none that made me quite so scared to lose my memory card. None, that is, until I got to India. When I get home, I'll upload my photos and process them properly, and then will hopefully claw out of some of my trip debt by selling them on Etsy . Until then, enjoy my favorite views of India in all their rough draft splendor. By the way, I post lots more travel photos on Facebook and Instagram . And, as always, portraits are only taken with permission. Udaipur City of Lakes Delhi National Capital Territory Agra Land of Palaces Jaipur The Pink City Jaipur The Pink City Jaipur The Pink City Udaipur City of Lakes Delhi National Capital Territory ...

I entered New Zealand with mixed expectations. It had never been that high on my list, but it seemed like a must-see if I was going all the way to Australia anyway. People rave about New Zealand. On the other hand, I was coming from an amazing time in Argentina , and any subsequent destination would have a hard time following that! After two weeks in New Zealand, my impression is pretty much as mixed as my expectations had been. It had lots of pros, a handful of cons, and a whole lot of weird. Here's a taste... 1. Beautiful but overpriced natural wonders. The Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland boasts tectonic activity out the wazoo. Lakes steam with sulfur. Giant pools glow bright green. Reds, yellows, and blues naturally intersect in boiling hot danger zones. Well-adapted birds happily walk amongst the bubbles. Though the park is not accessible to wheelchairs, the paths and stairs are fairly accessible to a range of ages and fitness levels. It's really unique an...

The newly-named but long-existent voluntourism industry is rife with potential problems. People project their culture's values on cultures they view as "lesser." People start initiatives that matter to them, without listening to what matters to the community. Even when a project is responsive to community voice and values, it is often not sustainable. The privileged among us like to view ourselves as white knights who can swoop in and make everything better, when often we are really just bulls in china shops: wreaking havoc, interrupting functional systems, creating dependencies, and leaving things worse off than when we got there. So if we tourists want to find some useful ways to fill our time, how do we go about doing it conscientiously? As a teacher volunteering at a clinic in Bolivia, I've had the chance to think about this in a new way. I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I've been considering some guidelines that I hope to keep in mind  ...

People always ask me if it's hard to eat vegetarian when I travel. Spoiler alert: it's actually not hard at all. Finding meals that aren't meat-centric may seem challenging to those of us from the U.S. (or other countries where excess is king). But the truth is, lots of other cultures know how to create delicious plant-based meals much better than we do. Chances are, if you already enjoy vegetarian food, you won't have much trouble at all. But for those of you looking for concrete tips, here are my rules for eating vegetarian on the road...   1. Eat your veggies. Talk about preaching to the choir, right? But it is easy to fall into the rice-and-beans routine, especially at places that serve mostly meat dishes. Make a point of including veggies in each meal, even if it's not convenient. Figure out how to safely cook produce in your kitchen, or ask your vendor if it's possible to add vegetables even if you don't see that on the menu.   2. Watch ...

Friday. Last night in Oaxaca . Enjoy a bittersweet last night out with a few of my favorite new friends. One of them is particularly impressed at how laid back and easy going I am about traveling to Cuba. Me, laid back and easy going? You know this doesn't end well. Saturday. Arrive in Mexico City. Visit a friend from Spanish school at his girlfriend's French bakery (yum). After some wandering, spend the rest of the evening eating and drinking and reading at a great restaurant on a great roundabout. Spend about 30 minutes researching how to get into Cuba, which obviously I should have done earlier. After some last minute jitters and messages to friends, rest easy knowing everything will be fine because they won't stamp my passport. Sunday. They stamped my passport. Commence in-airport freakout. No idea what to do or what might happen, or how to find out what to do or what might happen. Repeatedly replay the interaction with the immigration officer in my hea...

En Vía is a microfinance organization serving the villages surrounding Oaxaca City . I had the pleasure of taking their tour and meeting several of their inspirational borrowers. The tour costs about $45USD, 100% of which becomes microloans. Allow me to share my experience in the hopes that, after this virtual tour, you might be moved to fund a microloan as well! On the road to San Miguel, Andrea, an En Vía volunteer, introduced us to the program. She explained that the founders of En Vía did a lot of research before committing to the model they use today. And it shows. The program has been hugely successful -- they have a 99% loan repayment rate!! The basic model is this: three women form a triad of trusted peers, then enroll. They take a business course that covers everything from basic money management to business development. They then receive their first loan. This loan is relatively small, and must be paid off within 15 weeks. All the while, they continue to attend mon...