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Let's go east

Disconnect to reconnect: getting lost heading east to discover unknown places and to meet new people with different ways of life :)
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  • 57footprints
  • 136days
  • 15countries
  • 12kkilometers
  • 440 photos
  • 11 videos
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  • JuJo Tours
    Day136

    Happy Hampi

     December 14, 2019 in India ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Hampi is a fairytale. The whole region is full with boulders, ancient temples and ruins. The little river is the meeting point where the local people take their bath with an elephant whilst they wash their clothes. The sunsets are magic and the people are very chilled. For us it was the perfect spot to explore by bicycle and to go hiking. We met Tara when we arrived, an independent Indian writer and solo traveller from Kolkata leaving the dream of travelling. Meeting her was indeed special because it doesn't happen often that you meet girls travelling alone in this country. Sadly too many women still suffer under the old traditional role in the society.Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day131

    Bangalore - Erasmus reunited

     December 9, 2019 in India ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    It's been about 10 years now since I met Thibaut in my Erasmus studies in Toulouse. Nowadays he works and lives in Bangalore with his Indian wife and his 2 kids. We enjoyed every minute with the kids playing at home (they are fluent in 4 languages!) and the non-Indian evening together eating western-style food and having some beers. Merci beaucoup pour la invitation :)

    Besides that Bangalore is a very modern city, also known as the IT capital. We visited the mind blowing huge flower market. Probably the most colourful place we have ever seen.

    PS: On the pictures you can appreciate why India is special: (1) telling you to respect traffic rules that no-one cares about, (2) a back with a robot (?) and (3) pretending to give some autonomy to pedestrians in a pedestrian way that ends in the bushes.    Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day127

    The magic region of Mysore

     December 5, 2019 in India ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    One thing every foreigner will experience in India is a phenomenon we would call "Selfiemania". You have always to be prepared for a photo, cause young generations as well as adults love to take a quick Selfie with tourists. Sometimes big groups approach you giving you the feeling of being a superstar. What we don't understand yet are their serious faces stricking a pose. Indians and their peculiarities...

    The best of doing a stop over in Mettuphalayam was meeting Chitrakani's family. We got to eat with them, frees like them and know more about their traditions. Thank you for your kindness!    Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day126

    Kerala - a green paradise

     December 4, 2019 in India ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    India, a dream come true :)
    A country so big and full of new impressions waiting for us to be dicovered.

    We did our first steps in this completely different world in the capital of the state of Kerala - Kochi.
    It couldn't have been a better start. India received us with open arms with its southern tropical weather, and friendly and colourful people. We visited Basheer, a Couchsurfing friend I met in Oman some years ago. He explained us about his social projects in his neighborhood. A traditional Kathakali performance showed us how intense gestures and facial expressions can explain you a whole story without any word.
    Heading to the biggest tea plantations of India - near Munnar- we experienced for the first time how long a bus ride in India can be.    Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day125

    Ocean connection

     December 3, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Meaning of happiness: surf, good people, beaches, palm trees, sun and fruit juices.

    Some of the things that I miss the most since living in Germany -apart from surfing- is the warm water from the ocean. Sri Lanka's water is around 28 degrees and perfect for early surf sessions.

    The western, southern and eastern part of the island offer you plenty of options to spend some time at the beach. I just visited Weligama's beach, Turtle's beach in Mirissa, where I was lucky to spot four big turtles swimming and Negombo's beach before flying to India. In this last one it was nice to see how fishermen pulled their fishing nets in the early morning hours.
    And of course, I couldn't miss the chance to take a trip to spot blue whales. It was a unique experience!    Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day123

    My family for 16 days

     December 1, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    The people that cross your way are unexpected. Some kind of coincidence that depending on the intensity of the connection that you have will leave a piece of them inside you or they will be a mere anecdote.

    I arrived in Weligama with the idea of staying there around one week. I looked for a cheap female dorm and I found Beach Break Surf Hostel. And then I met them. I met the people that would make my visit in this country worth it.

    They all are different kind of people, from three different countries but they all have something in common: the first that you see from them is their big smile and the second their big heart. Sharing the daily life with them made me appreciate their company and the simple fact of being around them. It didn't matter what we did together but it felt good.

    I really THANK YOU for being my family during those 16 days. For the laughs, the waves and for sharing your time with me. I left with my heart full of memories ♡    Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day122

    First solo trip to Sri Lanka

     November 30, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    First solo trip. Exciting. Scary. I packed all my courage and my excitement to go surfing and I left Turkey behind to discover this tropical island: Sri Lanka.

    Colombo was my first stop. I spent my days roaming around the city and the nights at Rasika's place, one friend from Jona from 3 years ago when he visited the country. We went out for dinner with a good friend from him, Dhanangeva, we had such a special connection. I could even call him "spiritual friend".

    The first insights of travelling alone didn't happen as expected. I felt observed all the time while walking down the street as a young white woman. Men would approach me and ask me too many personal questions that started blocking my friendliness to turn it into mistrust. Some people followed me, others wanted to pay things for me and that felt very uncomfortable.

    I continued my trip to Weligama to surf, main purpose of this trip. I spent a bit more than two weeks surrounded by very good people surfing, sharing wonderful evenings and delicious roti. The atmosphere with local people was amazing and I mostly spent my free time with Yehoram and Lior, two Israelis and with the Sarahs from Australia, that made my stay unforgettable ♡

    After laying at the beach like a lizard and surfing at the Sri Lankan coast for a while, it was time to discover the wilderness of the hilly part. Haputale, Ella and Mihintale followed with Leana, an Argentinian girl with whom I spent the last days in the country. It felt good to speak some Spanish and to share my adventures with a woman.

    Travelling on my own has been indeed an adventure but foremost a trip of self discovery. It's been a journey where I did things that scared me but I am glad I did them anyway. I had moments when I felt vulnerable and angry, and other moments left my heart full and I felt very grateful for being able to feel, to live, to be free. To be able to separate ways from my partner for a while and meet again with plenty of stories to tell each other.

    I wonder if travelling alone will feel the same next time. Maybe I just have to give it another try... :)    Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day120

    Dubai

     November 28, 2019 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Sure it was never my dream to go to Dubai, this artificial desert town built out of oil. After one night on a ferry I arrived together with some other globetrotter in Sharjah. It turned out to be 2 surprisingly interesting days, mainly because of the many Indians (~40% of the population) I met. They were very happy to see me travelling to their home country. The main population of the United Arab Emirates consists of expats. The 10% of the Emirati are rarely seen and if so the most of the time they are hiden behind tinted car windows. One fun fact I learned is that for the Emirati the amount of digits on their car licence plate is very important. They pay a lot of money to have few digits, only to show off that they can afford a rich life. This is just one of many examples about how life is in this bubble in the desert.Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day117

    Persian gulf islands & goodbye Iran

     November 25, 2019 in Iran ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    My last days in wonderful Iran were spent at the coast of the Persian gulf. I took my time to visit the laid-back islands of Qeshm, Hengam and Hormuz. This region is miles away from the rest of the country. In a homestay I got in contact with the still existing traditional gulf culture which in all other countries around the gulf has disappeard. Most of the people have Arabic origins (so called Bandaris). Some women still choose to wear colourful masks to cover their face. Fishing is the Nr.1 activity, so did I. The landscapes are incredible. Easily you can fill many days just hiking or cycling around in the moon-like surrounding.

    One more (last) time I felt the hospitality of the Iranians. Something that I will never forget in my life. It hurts to know that a huge part of the world opposes such a welcoming culture and politicians play with the fears of the people.
    I highly recommend to visit Iran, the people deserve it!    Read more

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  • JuJo Tours
    Day114

    Shiraz & Yazd

     November 22, 2019 in Iran ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    After the thrilling days in Esfahan we found some kind of peace in the deserttown Yazd. Full of historical mud-bricked buildings and wind catchers (called badgirs, the first A/Cs to cool down houses) the old town preserves a relaxed charm. Cold nights brought us to a traditional Iranian hamam. On our way to Shiraz we have been stopped by snow and had to sleep one night on the floor in the bus terminal. But our stay in magical Shiraz and the old ruins of Persepolis (meaning the City of the Persians) more than compensated all the hassle.Read more

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