The Greatest Birthday Gift Yet!

Okay, so when I was in Vietnam doing my first solo trip Feb of this year, I met someone who's been in and out of India. I have always been interested in India, Indian dresses, accessories, sculptures, Taj Mahal, Indian weddings, Indian food, even tried to regularly fill my own madala version. So I said to myself one day, "Okay, why don't I make it happen? Why don't I go there, on my birthday!? " So, there you go! I am now planning my trip! I prayed to God to give me resources for this trip, a 16 day trip which I'll be doing for the first time. 16 days. Some of you may say this is short, but for me this is huge leap. And I feel that everything is going well so far to fulfill this dream of mine. Yay!

Going to India via another country is way cheaper than having direct flight from here. So I'll be going to Singapore first, then India, then Malaysia, then back home. Going to three countries in one go is another first for me.

In India, I will go (or at least plan to go) to to New Delhi, Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi, and Kolkata. I will go to New Delhi because who doesn't wanna go to the capital when one visits India for the first time; Agra for Taj Mahal; Khajuraho for the more ancient, colorless temples with relief sculptures of deities and the sensual, (as what www.incredibleindia.com described) eternal expressions of love; Varanasi for the rituals along the Ganges River, which, as Lonely Planet says, makes it the the beating heart of Hindu universe; Kolkata, initially because this is where I found the cheapest flight going to Malaysia (hehe).

To slow me down a bit, I think I'll just be chilling, and eating in Malaysia. Comfort, and not so much tedious activity is on my plan. But then, these plans are all written in pencil :)

I'll be traveling solo (again) by the way. But hopefully I'll meet a few friends on some places through Couch Surfing. Will I survive? I hope so... I have to! One thing is for sure, I'm gonna leave my heart on these places :)