Tag: udaipur

life

Be angry or be chilled…?

stanley & bear

Okay, so when things don’t go to plan you can do one of two things. Be angry or be chilled.

Although I have every right to be angry, it serves no purpose, so I’ve chosen the latter: to be chilled and accept that my elusive Indian visa will arrive in due course.

I’m a firm believer in fate: everything happens for a reason. I’m not here to question the reason, only to live by the hand fate has dealt.

So I remain in Australia with my departure date to India now visible only through the eyes of the Indian consulate.

But I have faith… stay tuned…

 

travel

‘You can stand on the cliff of life and play it safe. Or you can jump…”

stanley & bear

Since making the decision to move to India, the comments and opinions I’ve heard have been polarised.  From the negative: “India, are you mad…”,  to the positive: “you are an inspiration, I admire your courage…’.

So with the date of my departure now clearly visible on the horizon and the fundamentals of my move sorted (except for my visa but that’s another post), I’ve had time to reflect on this so-called courageous leap off my life’s cliff.

 


And how do I feel?

I know I’m not scared for I thrive on adventure, and I’m definitely ready to dip my toes into unclear waters, despite not knowing what lurks beneath the surface.

However from an emotional perspective, I know I’m in for a wild ride. My emotions will make me feel like I’m riding the X2 rollercoaster at Magic Mountain:  propelling to great heights one day, before plunging to the lowest of lows the next.  But I’m expecting that as it’s one of the side effects of travelling and choosing to live outside your comfort zone. I remember clearly experiencing the lows when I lived in Penghu, Taiwan a few years ago.  You can read about my little Penghu breakdown here…

Of course it would be ‘safer’ for me to remain where I am doing the same job, seeing the same people on a daily basis, yet lately I have been feeling like an extra in the movie, Groundhog Day.  And for me, that’s not living, that’s simply existing.

So despite knowing I’m about to ride an emotional rollercoaster, I’m going to jump, jump off my cliff.  I don’t know if I shall soar or crash, but I do know that jumping will allow growth, knowledge and most importantly, living life without regret.

 

street14©jenhammer copy

travel

So where is Udaipur & how did I get there…?

stanley & bear

Udaipur, known as the Venice of the east, lies in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

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Set around a series of lakes and bordered by the lush, green hills of the Aravallis, Udaipur’s stunning palaces, colourful streets and a lively art scene invite exploration.

With that said however, I’m going to leave further description of Udaipur for when I get there. For whilst I’m able to research and write about the city, being there and experiencing the people, the culture and the lifestyle and how it impacts my lifestyle is what I want to portray.

So how did I get to the point where Udaipur will be my new home?

Serendipity, chance, fate: call it what you will, just don’t call it planned, for living in India was something I had never entertained. That was until I read a Facebook post advertising the type of role I’d envisaged doing after completing my journalism degree 10 years ago: to work with an animal aid organisation, generating awareness of their cause through imagery and words.

impossible

At that moment something (fate or the like) whispered, ‘do it, you’re good enough, so write the email and hit send’.

So I did.

It was nothing fancy nor was the email awash with colourful adjectives, it was simple, honest and to the point. And to my complete surprise, 3 hours later I received a response.

Two weeks on, with my visa submitted, flights booked, and my beloved sausage dogs organised to remain in the care of my sons, the only thing left to do is go.

And go I shall…

 

Side by side, always…

 

travel

An Indian adventure…

stanley & bear

I’ve always been one to splash my life with colour. It’s been said at times the colours I splash across my world are somewhat extreme, but hey, as the cliche goes, that’s life.

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Once again, I’ve changed the colour of my world and I’m heading to Udaipur, India. Not to visit, but to live.

I head there knowing, or should I say, suspecting it will be a proverbial attack on the senses. For whilst I’ve travelled to many countries in my life, India is not one of them and I’ve no doubt that I’m about to be plunged into a life whereby my emotions and patience will be tested.

So this is the first of many posts where I shall share the laughter, the chaos and the colourful characters that will awash my new life .

 

Photo credit @stefan_haworth