I can talk forever about my top bucket list this 2018 which is India! That's why for the second time around I am trying my luck to India's most acclaimed blogger press trip which is the Kerala Blog Express. I am not losing hope that maybe this year this is going to be right time for me to join fellow bloggers around the world to explore India together.
At some point, there were so many signs that happened in the past for me to say, "Hey there myself, yes I have had enough of inspirations - I will do my best to visit India soon."
Here's a list of reasons why I have fallen madly in love with India:
Celebrating the Holi Festival of Colors here in Manila twice already
The Holi Festival is India's most colorful and one of the world's most vibrant festivities. I was invited as a blogger to cover this event, my schedule was so tight that time that my plan was to spend only half an hour then go home to finish my online tasks. Guess what, I ended up staying from 3 pm until 10 pm! The one that I enjoyed the most is during the countdown when the crowd shouts "Holi Hey" and at the same time throw gulal, colored powder in the air. I couldn't explain it but there is a very refreshing feeling and a dose of positive energy is spread out while people shout and dance. There were no strangers in the crowd, everyone tries to talk to each other and put on more colored powder in the face, hands and on the clothes. I feel like I am literally blessed whenever these Indians would touch my cheeks to put gulals in my face! It's like I lost a ton of stress when I get home after the dancing, the singing (though I can't speak their language) and newfound friends to add on Facebook.
This year, I brought more friends because I know this is a fun and cultural thing that we will always cherish.
Read my blog about HOLI FESTIVAL OF COLORS IN MANILA - BLOG REVIEW.
Trip to Little India in Singapore 
They say every first in your life is always memorable. I do agree - my first trip abroad was in Singapore. We visited Chinatown that kind of transported me to China. We also dropped by to Little India. I have to say this small community of migrants from India really took my heart away because of their Instagrammable houses, Hindu temples and mosques. Also, these still wear their traditional dress even up to these times. I was amazed at how they preserve their culture even away from home. While walking down Serangoon Road, it's like I'm in India in an instant. We continued walking while some Bollywood music is playing in the air. Of course, my most favorite part when traveling is eating local food. I had a happy tummy after devouring some roti prata (pancakes), chicken biryani and fish head curry. Sri Veeramakaliamman temple and the House of Tan Teng Niah are so "colorfully unreal" that I have to take dozens of photos. We also met one Indian woman who can speak basic English but so nice and very accommodating while we were asking her a hundred questions about a laptop that my friend ended up buying. Indeed, Indians are one of the most friendly persons I have ever met while travelling.
Philipine International Day of Yoga
Now that I'm in my 30's, I am slowly embracing a healthy living. Yoga to me before was nothing but just a particular type of exercise. However, my naive expectation was proven wrong when I joined the Philippine International Yoga Day in 2016. This year, I was volunteering in Bangkok for almost a month so I wasn't able to celebrate. Yoga is a 5,000 year tradition, an invaluable gift from India. It's more than exercise, yoga promotes unity of mind and body, thought and action harmony between man & nature, a holistic approach to health & well - being and most of all a sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature. I was so lucky that time because I met a real sinyaki who shared his life as a vegetarian and enjoyed the Vinyasa music from a group of very talented Indian teens. If I have enough money and resources, I would choose to be a vegetarian so that I can live a much happier and healthier life. I really want to go to India and spend as much as I can to families who are vegans. I mean, here in the Philippines it is so hard to be one so I want to know what it's like.
Read my blog about MY 2ND PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA 2016 - BLOG REVIEW
Getting to know Ayurveda through a Catholic Indian priest living in Manila
Father Jacob Gnalian, is a Catholic priest who spent many decades here in the country. He now calls Manila his home. We were privileged to be invited to his home many years ago. Actually, this is the first time I was able to eat completely vegan food that suites my Filipino palate. He uses Ayurveda that offers expertise of Ayurveda practitioners to give complete treatment including Panchakarma therapy in Kerala tradition.Ayurveda is a traditional medicine practice originated in Ancient India 5, 000 years ago that provides a holistic approach to healthy living. It's primary goal is to promote bodily, mental and emotional health & wellness through healthy lifestyle practices. Since proper diet is very relevant to Ayurveda's teachings, Fr. Jacob showed us how to cook Ayurveda dishes. Preparing an Ayurveda meal means cooking more fresh produce and playing with basic Ayurvedic spices like ginger, turmeric, coriander, onion, garlic, green cardamom, cinnamon, claws, mustard etc. I really do hope someday, if I can't be a complete vegetarian at least eat a healthy balanced meal three times a day - more greens in my plate.
Read my blog about THE PINOY AYURVEDIC FIESTA 2014 BY SANDHI AYURVEDA CLINIC.
Read my blog about THE PINOY AYURVEDIC FIESTA 2014 BY SANDHI AYURVEDA CLINIC.
I'm so interested to learn about the culture and history of India
If you're a longtime reader of my blog, you'll be not surprised to know that I really love world history - that includes learning every country's culture. India is one of the countries in the world that's brimming with rich culture. My first taste of India's beginnings is thru a short performance courtesy of Travelife, a premier travel magazine many years ago. Here I learned that yoga, meditation, Indian mysticism and herbal treatments are some of the reasons why Filipinos keep on going back and forth to India. That Manila's origin of word actually has sanskritik link related to India. Our countries have undeniable millenia-old cultural and civilization links.
I have tried my luck at Kerala Blog Express, another outstanding international trip for bloggers but they have this voting system that would eat so much time for me whom got work to do. That's why I want to extend my heartelt gratitude to Incredible India and Ministry of Tourism of India because a voting process in a blogger selection like this is sometimes dubious because all they use to gauge the probability of a particular blogger to join is the number of likes. How about those who also deserve to win but just can't get throw votes like that?
I really just cannot wait for this trip to start and hopefully be able to fulfill a dream of mine that has been in my bucketlist. I'm doing my video entry soon. Wish me luck guys :)
I have tried my luck at Kerala Blog Express, another outstanding international trip for bloggers but they have this voting system that would eat so much time for me whom got work to do. That's why I want to extend my heartelt gratitude to Incredible India and Ministry of Tourism of India because a voting process in a blogger selection like this is sometimes dubious because all they use to gauge the probability of a particular blogger to join is the number of likes. How about those who also deserve to win but just can't get throw votes like that?
I really just cannot wait for this trip to start and hopefully be able to fulfill a dream of mine that has been in my bucketlist. I'm doing my video entry soon. Wish me luck guys :)
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