Sigulda is about 1 hour 20 minutes from Riga by train and I’ll share with you what to do in Sigulda Latvia! There’s a lot! The train there is around $4. I think if you’re in Riga it’s worth going even if just for the day. They have what is called the “Golden Autumn” so it seems I visited at the perfect time and I luckily had two days of sunshine, although it was windy and blistering cold (coming from a girl who lives in India so I guess take it with a grain of salt).

The biggest thing people here love is hiking. While I walked around with my tourist map, it seemed like all the locals were out hiking. There were paths through all the openings into the woods. It also offers many views points to see down over the valley and river.  You can walk everywhere here. It’s a VERY small cute town. You can actually see everything in one day if you want to.

What to do in Sigulda Latvia

1. Cable Car

For great views you can take the cable car across the valley. It’s about 10 minutes and you just come right back. You could get off if you wanted to on the other side though.

2. Cave

Being from Ohio where we have caves galore at Hocking Hills, this was a little “meh” for me. But, if you haven’t seen caves, you can come see this one which dates back to the 1600’s. You can see the carvings from people way way back.

3. Tarzans

This place was epic. If you have kids or are a kid like me, then GO HERE! Everything they offer is from $3-$6. I could have tried everything. I did the catapulting (20 meters) and the car track (what is this called) that went way faster than I thought it would.

You can do archery, paint-balling, zorbing, skiing, and more here.

4. Bungee Jump

You can bungee here! Like other things I’ll mention further down, you can do this only on the weekends. I wouldn’t have gone anyway, as I did this once in Uganda, and once was enough for me.

5. Aerodium

This is those machines that make you feel like you are skydiving. It was on my list, but also only open on the weekends. Catching these small town vibes?

6. Bobsled

Latvia’s bobsled team is the bomb! They have won gold at the Olympics. You can go with one of them down the track but only on the weekends, sadly for me I was there on a Monday. Go here for the viewpoint as well.

7. Sigulda Castle / New Castle complex

This castle is a main attraction and the “new” castle where the government works is in the same complex. You can wander around both at the same time.

8. Turaida Castle

I didn’t make it here but it’s a very popular castle and some prefer it to Sigulda Castle. It has a museum inside as well.

9. Eat at Doma

This was a cute cafe just 5 minutes from the train station. They serve fresh unique meals. I have a mushrooms soup and salad with pumpkin seeds. The bread came with dill butter. They have burgers, baguette, and lots of other yummy things. It’s a cute cafe and there are board games. Lots of people seem to come here to hang out.

10. Get spa treatments

It’s not known for it but the salon charged $7 for a manicure!

11. River fun

If you come when it’s warm then you can do kayaking, SUP, and such on the river.

Where to stay in Sigulda

I stayed just outside town, about 20 minutes drive, at Birinu Pils (Birini Castle). It was the CUTEST.

Receptionist showing me around…

“so here is the ball room… but you can’t dance because the floors might break. We also have piano here that is from this guy (she points to the photo of the man on the wall)”

We walk a bit further and she points to another photo of a young man:

“…and also we have a ghost, of course. These brothers killed themselves here.”

It was the best. It was said so nonchalant and not as a joke. One thing that I noticed is Latvians say “of course” at the end of a lot of their sentences.

The history of the castle is amazing. It’s so cool to stay in castles, and feel like you are in the space of royalty. You can wander around the grounds and inside on your own. It’s been preserved to look like it did back in the day.

The food was exceptional. You HAVE to try the tomato soup with goat’s cheese and cinnamon foam.  I wasn’t brave enough to try the beaver. The prawns with chocolate sauce was really nice, although it seemed like a strange combination to me.

Make sure to take time to see the stables and ride the horses. In winter they do sleigh rides and ice skating. It’s family run and just overall a really relaxing place to stay and escape. I could have stayed a lot longer!

Pin it for later:

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If you wanted to visit one of the top wineries in Ohio, look no further than award-winning Gervasi Vineyard in Canton, Ohio. It’s won multiple awards to receive the honor and is also known to have the most luxurious villas in Ohio. I stayed with my mom for a night just recently. Here’s my review of Gervasi Vineyard.

My stay at Gervasi Vineyards

Gervasi winery is not just a vineyard but is a great place for fancy dinners, casual lunches, a setting for an Italian vineyard wedding setting, and for weekend getaways. We were set to do a vineyard tour! In the season, they have cooking classes as well you can look into.

Gervasi Villas

You do need to book ahead for these villas (you can use that link to book) as they fill up pretty far ahead of time. My mom is already about to call and book to go back with my dad!

I stayed in the Sorrento villa. This is one which is a suite inside a house that has 4 suites in it. The suites have a shared common area which was no hassle at all, in fact it was nice to meet the other people staying there out on the balcony. Out in the common area was a kitchen with complimentary juice, tea, water, and yogurt (the nice brands too!).

common area, plus living room not pictured

Rooms are all decorated in Italian style, from the walls to the floor! The lighting fixtures, and every small touch in the room is Italian themed. Beds were super soft, towels warming on towel warmers, and there were robes and slippers. 

In the mornings, they brought breakfast to the room in little wooden baskets that had sandwiches, quiche, and pastries. The coffee was in the common room were you could grab your other snacks and drinks from the fridge. I love not having to leave the room for breakfast. 

The back porch opened to the lake which was nice (and a short cut to walk to dinner). It was a nice place to sit. You can look across to the Bistro & Piazza and people watch. There were SO many people out on a Tuesday night who came for dinner and drinks. It was actually pups on the piazza so lots of cute dogs out there. 

Spa services by Divine Touch

They offer spa services to the room from Divine Touch a local company. My mom and I did facials last year in Dublin, Ohio and had massages in Hocking Hills (twice), so we wanted to try a facial here too!

You can make your booking through Gervasi once you book a room. Check this page for a list of services and prices. We had the oxygen facial which was SO relaxing. Mom wanted to nap after but I wouldn’t allow it!

The facial isn’t like one I’ve had before. The product bubbles up on your face like pop rocks which was crazy! It does work though and my mom and I felt we had really soft skin for the week following. It’s always good to get all that dead skin off your face, especially in the summer.

Touring the Ohio Winery

We did the vineyard tour, which is another think you need to book for when you make a reservation. You don’t have to be a guest to take a tour though, go ahead and call to make a reservation even if you aren’t staying at the villas.

You do a wine tasting with the tour and learn about the pairings for different types of wine. My mom really noticed the changes, more than I did, but then again I eat Cheetos, Hot Pockets, and Kool-aid on the regular. I suppose my palate isn’t too sophisticated lol!

Gervasi Bistro & other eateries

We ate lunch at the Crush House which was so so tasty! We got a quesadilla, cheese sticks (so good!) and I had a meatball sandwich. I have learned a lot traveling, and one of those things is you can never go wrong ordering a meatball sandwich.

For dinner we ate at the Bistro which is the fanciest option on site for dining. There’ also the Piazzo which is kind of like the Crush House but is outside on the patio with live music and an open grill.

You HAVE to order the sausage stuffed banana peppers. They have a good kick to them and are so tasty I am going to try to make them at home ask my mom to try and make them at home! The wedge salad was great, and the short rib was the bomb. I think our favorite was the pizza though. Such a perfect crust!

For dessert we had the gelato sampler. Chocolate was my favorite! Mom surprisingly liked the pistachio the most. It was only $7 for all this ice cream, that’s crazy!

Last mentions about Gervasi!

If you want to buy the wine you try, you can at the Marketplace. We picked up FOUR bottles of wine and a couple of chocolates (bacon chocolate for Ben!).

I thought this was so funny. Bombay Sapphire is the most popular gin in India and one of the most popular drinks, after maybe Old Monk. I just thought that was the most random thing to find! A necklace made with the bottle.

Another thing to note is that you can get married at Gervasi Vineyard. There is a big area off to the side of the lake with a platform that can be enclosed in the case of rain. They have an extra catering kitchen and a ceremony area by the water. They also have another place to get married in the little greenhouse.

Want to stay? Check out the TripAdvisor review and click-through to make a booking on their site!

The post Gervasi Vineyard & Villas Review (top winery in Ohio) appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I recently went on a trip with Visit Florida and saw on our itinerary that while in Orlando we would be visiting Artegon Marketplace. At first I just skimmed past it thinking it must be their biggest mall and didn’t think it would be something unique I would write about- yet, now here I am writing about my 9 days in Florida and it’s the first thing I want to write about!

Artegon Marketplace is called the “anti-mall” because it’s 99% local artists and shop owners, yet it’s still a huge complex with so many shopping options, art installations from Florida artists, and unique food. With a Food Truck Fridays, games, a new fresh produce marketplace opening, and the possibility to see art shows in Florida right here at the mall, it’s definitely something I wanted to share with you guys.

It’s 865,000 square feet of shopping paradise and there are more than 150 local artisans here. The new marketplace Eat Street is going to be a lot like Pike Place in Seattle and opens in 2017. For now, they have I’d guess about 15 food options such as ice cream, waffles, sushi, booze, tea shop, frozen yogurt, and more.

There is a movie theatre, glow in the dark 18 hole mini golf, indoor trampoline park, and a tightrope to walk with a harness on called Skytrail, the largest ropes course in Florida.

I’ll start with my favorite part which was candle-making at Bowes Signature Soy Candles… while drinking and island cocktail out of a fresh pineapple from the neighboring Tiki Bar. I made candles in Goa one season and I love mixes scents. I did it in Hocking Hills last year with my mom. I bought Ben a candle from here called Monkey Farts. It smelled like bananas lol, hilarious.

I made a creation I called “coconilla” which was coconut and vanilla. The colors go opaque and pastel as they dry so that turned out a light pink. Just what I wanted!

I’ve written about my love for Etsy in the past when I ran that huge giveaway. I love to shop for local things when I travel, and in Florida I thought I wouldn’t be buying anything as often at the beaches it’s those typical souvenir shops. I loved this “anti-mall” because it was kind of like if you searched on Etsy for designers in Florida, except you saw the results in person!

Another unique thing about Artegon Marketplace was that all the shops designed their own shop fronts in cool ways. My favorite design was the beehive for the honey shop. There were interactive areas too- for example, a charging station where you pedal bike pedals to make the electricity. One guy was sitting there doing that while he ate his pizza- genius.

A few other shops at Artegon Marketplace that caught my eye were an Indian henna shop, Sweet Mermaids candle and soap shop, and Simply Savory who sold homemade dips and sauces (and gave free samples which I’m a sucker for). I was looking for baby gifts and loved Baby ME. There was an entire corner of the mall that was full of art, like a mini-Orlando art gallery. If you’re into art, you’ll love this place. From the bathrooms to the walls there is art everywhere and as a blogger, I have to say it made for some great photos!

While it’s 99% local places there a few shops that already had space there and still stuck around once Artegon came to exist like Subway, Bass Pro, and Ron Jon Surf Shop. To me, these things don’t matter but I know some people would be curious why those brands were there.

Artegon Marketplace location and contact information:

The address is Artegeon Marketplace, 5250 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819. International Drive or “I Drive” is where you find attractions like Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, Sea Life, and the Orlando Eye as well as shopping centers.

To find out more details on exact shop listing, check out their website: www.artegon.com. The hours are 11a-9p except on Sundays when it’s 11a-7p. They have free shuttle buses, WiFi, and wheelchairs. It is pet friendly and there are water bowls outside some shops.

Pin it for later.

I visited this anti-mall during my trip to Florida in collaboration with Visit Florida tourism board. All opinions are my own and I loved this place!

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Welcome back to This is India! I always have funny/weird stories about India to share with friends or family when I talk to them. This is just meant to be an honest portrayal about my life in India through short anecdotes. I also share here what I’ve been up to online outside Hippie in Heels.

What I was up to other than here:

• This week has been nice and relaxing hanging at home in Ohio. I’ve got about two weeks until Ben is here and we’re all excited to see him
• My mom and I went to Gervasi Vineyard on Tuesday. I’ll be writing about staying the night there and checking out their spa services. Last year my mom and I went to Hocking Hills and did crafts and horseback riding.

Now your story,

Our backyard was 100% dirt from the dogs running around and playing with each other. It’s so dry all season that the grass is mostly dead so it doesn’t take much to turn a yard into a dirt field.

This photo is from just two weeks after the rain started in Goa (in June). Ben went out and found a snake curled up on the pooper scooper and nearly picked it up without thinking! The dogs are clever and must have known there were snakes around so they didn’t want to go into the grass.

It was raining for days and our groundskeeper only has an electric (plug in) mower, so Ben had to do some trimming by hand (lol) so he didn’t get electrocuted.

I am not a bad person for taking pictures haha there was only one set of cutters- what else was I supposed to do!?

We have lots of snakes around: multiple pythons (one was over 8 feet just behind that wall) in the garden, a baby python under couch, a King cobra behind trash cans… to name a few.

In case you missed it before here is the video of the biggest python we had in our back garden:

This is India!

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The post This is India! 111 appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I love going home from India. It works out that I can go home a month each summer (in Ohio), which is monsoon in Goa. There are about a million reasons why I love going home. We love Goa, but home is where my family and lots of my friends are.

There’s a third “F” though.. Friends, Family, and FOOD! I don’t need to do anything but sit on the couch with my mom watching TV, eat dinner with my family, hang out with friends, and just chill (and snack).

Even though I didn’t make plans, they sort of came to me. I had told the Ohio Tourism board I’d be in town for a month. They ended up reaching out to me and I came up with a couple of fun things to do with my mom (so she can see my job is real, lol).

We also had thought about going on a vacation, but I pitched to my parents like I do a tourism board, a trip to Toronto! I told them how it’ll be so international, cultural, and we’ll have the best time eating the best food and doing to fancy museums. It worked.

I bet you’re wondering why Ben didn’t come to the US with me. For one, it’s quite expensive and we were just in Hawaii, he’d just seen my parents in India, and he hadn’t been to England to see his own family since the last time he was in the US….. THEN there was the big reason, the one that made it impossible anyways…. Shanti ate his passport.

Some of my favorites things I did while home:

Trip to Hocking Hills with my mom

Hocking Hills is this gorgeous area of Ohio. If you’re from Ohio, you’ve surely heard of it! It’s a big vacation spot especially in the autumn months.

• A mother/daughter day in Dublin
• Glamping in Hocking Hills at Glenlaurel Inn
• Spa day & crafts in Cedar Falls

Family Vacation in Toronto.

Toronto is only 6 hours away from Lexington, Ohio by drive, it was an easy trip that I think we will make again. We seriously had SO much fun in Toronto and even though I was working with the tourism board, it didn’t feel like work. it was also cool to show my parents my new “job”.

• Family friendly hotel: Le Germain Maple Leaf Square
• 20 things to do in Toronto
• Splurging at the Four Seasons

The Bonfire @ Home

The most memorable thing was a cook out with all our friends just before I left at my house. It was so good to see Whitney’s twin babes, hear Erin talk about her new house, and have Arielle back at her second home. My college friend Colleen came up from Columbus with her boyfriends, and Rochelle my best friend growing up brought her husband over. Of course they ALL brought their parents, who are also my parents’ best friends. There were lots of other people as well, like the Cramers who are like second parents. It was such a good night!

Just chilling with my dog Brandi!

So, I had written this a couple weeks ago & now have to edit it because Brandi passed away. So, going through this post is hard since I have pictures of her throughout. I’m glad I was home as long as I was and pretty much spent the whole time with her. She was 12 and had skin cancer. She was the best dog ever. So, I guess her, Huck, and Piso are all running around in dog heaven!

Lake with my mom

We went up to Lake Erie which is less than two hours away for the weekend. It was pretty much the only sunny weekend we had. It was fun to just relax and sit on the beach. I read The Goldfinch which was pretty good but really long. We also stopped by my friend Jenna’s house and saw her cute baby Hudson!

July 4th @ Cincinnati

I went to Cinci to my BFF Rachel and her husband Ian’s house for fireworks on the 4th… partied with her parents, husband, and Melissa and Brad (Mel is my BFF from HS) & went to a couple breweries. That’s the thing to do back home now, drinking “craft beers” but I just get the lightest beer possible.

More fun things:

I also got to see my Grandma and Aunts and Uncles which was cool. I took yoga class with my mom, started working out (my friend Mel played basketball in college and came to teach me ones I can do at home)… and really we just hung out at home. I also got to meet my cousin, Des’s, baby. It was the perfect 6 weeks away from India! Also look how cool the present I got my dad was!!

Breaking Bad gifts from etsy

Amazing food I ate in the USA and Canada

(obviously the most important thing)

parmesan wings and breakfast tacos 

ice cream cake
broccoli salad is my FAVE

dad’s famous ribs

pot roast

pizza hoagie & loaded fries

I made this chicken haha, my mom made literally everything else we ate at home

PANERA
mexican food… yum

steak, wedge salad, home fries

favorite meal ever, stuffed peppers

The post What I did (and ATE) while home in Ohio appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Hocking Hills is so full of things to do, so it was really hard to pick our next activity. Horseback riding and eating enough bologna for 4 people had made me pretty tired! If you haven’t, check out Glamping in Hocking Hills Part 1 to read about Happy Trails & also the amazing luxury digs of Glenlaurel Inn, as well as a little bit about Hocking Hills in general.

Craft Time in Hocking Hills

I freaking LOVE crafts and this area is packed full of them. As a candle maker by profession (lol), candle making at the Candle Shop was the clear choice for us! Much different from my old school stove top, beating wax down with sledge hammers, and double pour system, this place had a little wax crock pot with a spout that poured hot wax in to your candle with ease. Dammit. Everything is easier in America! The wax was also ideal, soy wax that can double as lotion. My wax is paraffin and I’m pretty sure you’ll get sick if you rub it all over your body, ha ha.

You can pick your scents, up to 3, and play mix and max until it’s just right. This is such a better way of making candles than my way… We both went for Hawaiian scents and I made a “Maui” candle with Awapuhi, Pineapple, and Lei. Mom went for Coconut, Pineapple, and Awapuhi. Hers was better, her crafts always turn out better. You get to decorate your labels, and the whole thing is just perfect. The shop is super cute and on the way out I bought a lemon cake candle made in Amish Country that I have burning here now in India (it always makes Ben hungry).

Location: 29205 Ilesboro Road, Logan, Ohio, 43138 and call them at 877.385.9537. Prices for candle making at the same as buying them off the shelf! Candles start at $15 but there is a discount for multiple candles.

Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls

Since this is a glamping trip, why not have another massage? We headed off to the famous spa located at the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls for even more pampering than we had at Glenlaurel. We both got hour massages, mom getting an upper back and hand massage (random combo but pretty cool and she loved it) and I got a bamboo massage (in Ohio even though I have traveled SE Asia where it originates, go figure).

The massages were SO good. I chose the bamboo because it was hot bamboo, and I love hot stone massages. It wasn’t quite the same, but the bamboo sticks are short (maybe 5 inches) and it did feel really cool. The strokes were kind of like lomi lomi in Hawaii where they use their forearm. That’s my favorite type of massage, so it was great.

We stayed in the redbud cabin which was actually the biggest on the property. The property is so big that you have to drive to and from your cabin and the diner/lobby. They grow their own veggies and herbs up on a rooftop, pictured below. Rooms start at $168, then there are cottages, and on the higher end cabins which start at $269 per night but seeing as though they can fit at least 4 people, it’s a great rate for this area. One of the cabins is even dog friendly!

The cabin was just adorable with a loft up top holding a second bed. The decorations were cute, it was clean, cozy, and the kitchen was fully stocked with equipment and was adorable. I loved that there were bookcases and board games as well! The bedding was great with a really soft bed and satin sheets- I got in bed at 8 PM to read and fell asleep until 10 AM the next day.

Although there’s a kitchen and a back porch with a grill (and you can bring your own food onto the property), the food in the restaurant was great and unless you’re trying to save money, it’s so nice to just eat there. We had pork belly mac n cheese, chicken with orzo, wild mushoom ravioli, and lastly a raspberry cheesecake. I definitely didn’t need cheesecake, but knew you guys would want a picture, so ate it just for research purposes… you’re welcome.

Overall, our girls’ trip to Hocking Hills was a smashing success & I loved seeing it from a different perspective than just hiking and being outdoorsy. We had a full weekend of adventure, and actually only did a 15 minute hike. There were so many other options. If you haven’t been to Hocking Hills as we have, then you should totally make room for exploration of the caves and gorges and not just have a girly weekend like ours. So, realistically it’s best to go about 4 days if you want to see the girly side and outdoorsy side.

This trip was in partnership with the Hocking Hills Tourism Board & Ohio Tourism Board, but no matter who pays, opinions are my own!

The post Glamping in Hocking Hills Part 2: Crafts & Spa appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

My family, and many families in Ohio have made a few trips to Hocking Hills on vacation! The state park boasts the famous Old Man’s Cave & lots of gorge waterfalls. In fact, Old Man’s Cave is a very popular Pinterest pin, so I bet even if you’re not from Ohio you may have seen it. It’s got a lot of history from all the way back to the Native Americans, to the Civil War, and was a hide out place for bootleggers, bank robbers, and horse thieves.

Glamping in Hocking Hills

For reference, there are 5 areas of the park: Cedar Falls, Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Rock House, and Cantwell Cliffs. Hocking Hills was first inhabited by the Shawnee, Wyandot, and Delaware Native American tribes. There are 200 campsites in the park. We have stayed at the State Park cabins in the past and they are great.

Most trips are here are spent in hiking through the forest and crashing out by fires in log cabins. It’s very old school! It’s not only family fun, as my OSU friends and I used to rent out a cabin in the Spring and rage for the weekend. That’s where I learned to pour peppermint schnapps and chocolate syrup in my mouth and shake it up… and where I became a wizard (aka drank enough beers, that while stacking one top of the other, they reached my height). I also fractured my cheek bone that night, go figure.

This trip was totally different, a girly getaway with my mom glamping in Hocking Hills. Plus, I’m not 19, errr I mean 21, anymore. There are a few luxury locations in the area, but none more popular and fancy than the Scottish Glenlaurel Inn.

Glenlaurel Inn | A Scottish Inn and Cottage

My mom has been telling everyone about how great our stay was at Glenlaurel Inn, she should be put on a commission basis there. I feel like all her friends will be booking trips this fall. But, fair warning to book early as this place fills up fast and there are about a million reasons why! Click here for rates and availability. The first, is the warm greeting everyone working there gives you, especially Tracey the Innkeeper. Real Inns have an actual Innkeeper who live on the property (who knew!). She personalizes the trip for everyone and as it’s a small place, she is really involved in making sure your trip is planned out, kind of like a concierge.

A very cool thing about Glenlaurel is the unique packages and discounts on offer. They have an “Eat, Pray, Love” (“Starting a new chapter in your life? No need to go to Bali, you can find yourself here!” starting at $209 a night, included a gourmet pizza delivered to room & 3 course breakfast), a “Girls Getaway” (for 2 nights includes a 1 hour massage for each person, 6 course fine dining, gourmet pizza the second night, and 3 course breakfast each morning starting at $666), “Golfing” and more.

We did the Girls Getaway and it was divine! The spa team brought massage tables to the room and we have mint foot scrubs and massages. Then I had to wake mom out of her coma. If you look at all the things you get at the price, it’s a really amazing deal, so it seems like getting a package is the way to go. If you celebrate your anniversary, you’ll get 10% off the following year, 20% the year after and so on, until you reach 50% off. Very cool.

they got the monster out form under the bed ;)

There are rooms, suites, crofts, and cottages. We got a gorgeous cottage complete with a hot tub, two fireplaces, giant soft bed, big fluffy robes, antipasti platter in the fridge, and more but the photos explain best.

hot tub outside the room, pretty nice!

you can get fresh flowers added to the room

At the end of my 6 weeks, my mom asked me what my favorite meal was in the USA, and other than my meatballs at Mezzo and her home-cooked hoagies & stuffed peppers, I said our dinner at Glenlaurel. Any meal that starts with a poem before the first course of 6, is bound to be a winner.

What was served?  Stuffed filo pastry, salad with heirloom tomatoes, corn and pico de gallo bisque soup, the best pork ever with a fancy name that cooks for like 15 hours, glazed carrots, vanilla mousse, and tea!  If you want a quick fix, you can get a packed picnic lunch to take hiking for just $30 bucks for two. Breakfast wasn’t bad either ;)

FYI: for dinner, you do have to dress nice. I was pretty under-dressed as I didn’t realize how fancy it was! This place was amazing, I couldn’t recommend it more!

Happy Trails | Horseback riding in Hocking Hills

The following morning we got up early, had that amazing breakfast, then headed off about 10 minutes to Happy Trails, one of the most booked horseback riding agents in Hocking Hills. I hadn’t ridden a horse in a while (a camel? sure, an elephant? maybe, a yak? of course…). I was stoked. My mom was pretty excited too, asking the guy, “It’s like riding a bicycle, you never forget right?”. He’s like uhh yeah sure… and off we went!

We did a two-hour ride instead of 3 because of time constraints but that was okay because it was a really wet day and we worried about the horses walking in mud. We were reassured it was totally fine and horses are the strongest most capable 4wd ever ;)

We did our hike up to 21 horse cave, named after an incident where a horse thief got busted with his collections on horses there and called the townspeople dumb for not realizing over the years he’d always had “no less than 21 horses in here at all times!”

Location: 25851 Big Pine Road, Rockbridge, Ohio 43149. Email them at markh@HThorsebackrides.com or call 740.380.6372 to book an ride. Prices start at $27 per hour per person.

Lunch at the Hocking Hills Dining Lodge

Because horseback riding works up an appetite, you MUST go to the State Park lodge and have a giant fried bologna sandwich. Location: 20020 Hocking Hills State Park Cabins, Logan, OH 43138 and in case you need to phone call 740.380.0400.

Everything on menu is made locally & the food was SO good. Look for yourself:

This trip was in partnership with the Hocking Hills Tourism Board & Ohio Tourism Board, but no matter who pays, opinions are my own!

The post Glamping in Hocking Hills Part 1: Glenlaurel & Horseback Riding appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Welcome back to This is India! I always have funny/weird stories about India to share with friends or family when I talk to them. This is just meant to be an honest portrayal about my life in India through short anecdotes. I also share here what I’ve been up to online outside Hippie in Heels.

What I was up to other than here:

• This week was spent recovering from our big adventures in Toronto, and glamping with my mom in Hocking Hills. Now, I have only one week left in the US. Doing all kinds of last minute things before getting back to Goa, Ben, Shanti dog and Kit Kat where I’m going to start a brand new secret project!
• Hippie in Heels stayed on this list of top 50 travel bloggers, which gets updated 4x a year (and I hold my breath hoping to stay on it!). It’s based on traffic and social media engagement. I bumped up 17 spots to number 33! So pretty stoked!

Now your story,

While on the train back from Ratnagiri with Ben’s brother Josh we had quite a funny conversation with the family across from us (Ben had to stay in Ratnagiri longer). One thing I love about Indian trains is talking to the people sitting near me and sometimes they’ll even share delicious food with me! Actually what I love even more is if someone wants to watch what I’m watching on my laptop so I give them an ear bud, and it’s the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and the woman watching is like lol’ing can’t believe what she’s seeing…. ahh the hilarious memories! Ok back to the story…

Josh and I were chit chatting about what he needed to buy in Goa when he decided he wanted a “Indian shirt” like the one the guy across us was wearing. We asked what it was called and where to buy it, which started us into a conversation.

They were from Kerala and expressed how much they wished we would go to Kerala as it’s “God’s own country”. I told them I spent a lot of time in Kerala, since my boyfriend used to work there. They got really excited thinking that my boyfriend was Keralan, and were less excited to eventually understand I was living in sin with a British guy.

They wanted to know why we weren’t married and I saw I was too young, 25… which they laughed hard about! Then I said my parents would kill me if I got married! That shocked them. They decided they were done talking to me, ha ha. They moved on to Josh.

He was from London… so how could he not have a girlfriend? He said girls give him a headache. The guy from Kerala said, but you live in LONDON!!! You should get a girlfriend. It would be so easy!!”  He was seriously flabbergasted.

The very cute mother of the family told him to come visit her. She knew a woman who was good, “educated”, and would take very good care of him.

We ended up taking a picture with them because Josh wanted a photo of the guys’ shirt. It was an interesting journey, as always on an Indian train.

This is India!

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feature image: monsoon

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Maui is not a place to sit around on the beach. It’s a place to go play and be active! Everyone else around will be, so why not join in? Even if you have a budget of 20 bucks you can rent a SUP (stand up paddleboard) and look into the clear blue ocean for turtles! And remember, you can always kill two birds with one stone. For example, in whale watching season don’t book a whale tour. Book a snorkeling tour instead, and you’ll see whales while you’re out there. Here are my 10 favorite adventure activities to do in Maui Hawaii.

Tips for Visiting Maui, Hawaii

• For flights to Maui, check out Kiwi to get the cheapest options. I use it now for all my flight bookings (you can see a full post here), whether it’s domestic or international.
• If you’re not a US Citizen, make sure you check out any visa requirements to visit. I use iVisa for everything related to tourist visas.
• Also, US Healthcare is expensive (take it from a former nurse!). One small, broken ankle could wind up costing more than your whole trip if you don’t have insurance. I highly recommend World Nomads while you’re here, especially with these activities. You can easily get a quote in the box on my sidebar or clicking here.
• For a full guide to Maui beyond these activities, check out my little guide here.
• If you want to look through all the tours you can do, Viator has a huge list!

10 Adventurous Activities to do in Maui Hawaii

1. Helicopter Ride over Maui

My tour with Air Maui really topped the charts of “coolest shit I did in Hawaii.” I think it’s absolutely worth the money. The trip is short and sweet, takes up hardly any of your day, and you get to see a glimpse into so many areas of the island. You can even do the Road to Hana by helicopter in an hour rather than drive it which takes all day.

Check out Helicopter Tours on Viator here

2. Canopy Zipline Tour

I’d only ever been once before back in Ohio at Hocking Hills with my parents. If you’re an Ohioan, the ones in Maui are a little bigger but no scarier. I chose Piiholo Ranch Zipline. It’s located in the cowboy town of Makawao (779 Piiholo Road) in what they call “upcountry Maui”; I suggest going early to the town, exploring and having lunch before your tour.

See all similar Zipline tours here

Tip for Families: If you’re looking for free activities to do in Maui Hawaii, or things to do with kids, this is free for kids under 12 with an adult accompanying them. They have a couple different options and both seemed pretty in the middle on a scale of hiking to skydiving.

There was a drop after one zip where you have to just walk off the platform and a suspension cable will catch you part way and slow you down to the ground – with this part, I got the same adrenaline as bungee jumping! So, pretty cool.

This is the drop part that I loved, and below you see the staff pulling another zipper (is that a word) in. He was a blast as a tour guide! 

The ranch itself goes back all the way to 1830 when missionaries came. During the tour, you’ll hear stories and see the forests of Haleakala. I did the 5 line which was $190 USD. You must wear closed-toe shoes, long pants work best, you can take a camera with a safety strap, and you must be over 8 years old and over 50 pounds (max 275). Tours are rain or shine. I had some rain; they gave us coats and I actually enjoyed the showers.

3. Snorkeling from a catamaran

You HAVE to go snorkeling while in Maui. The coral reefs are cooler than any I’ve seen in places like Thailand, and the water has such good visibility. I chose “luxury sailing charters” Alii Nui and was not disappointed.

See similar snorkeling tours here

When we showed up, it seemed like there were too many people for the boat and they said: “just wait until we’re out and you’ll see there is loads of space…” They were right. When you arrive, it’s early, cold, and breakfast is piled high for everyone, so of course, people jam into the bottom of the boat to eat. As soon as we took off, people spread out over the trampolines and outside the edges of the catamaran. They never take more than 60 people.

Other than the snorkeling being amazing (we went to two locations, gear was great, and wetsuit tops provided), staff was funny and helpful, they were fully stocked with sunscreen, towels, blankets, and fresh water hoses to rinse off, and the FOOD was amazing – even though goPro’s don’t do it justice.

Granted, I just got in from a year in India, but I devoured everything. Full breakfasts with bacon, eggs, croissant, bagels, fruit and more), to snack time (one of my favorite times of day lol) which were veggies, pita and dips, and cookies, to a yummy Hawaiian lunch of pulled Kalua pork, macaroni salad, and more. It was a six-hour tour which was just right to snorkel, lay out and enjoy the boat, eat and mingle. You can also scuba or huka dive from the boat at an extra fee.

I did the morning snorkel deluxe. Arrive at 6:30 am at Ma’alaea Harbor (slip #56, parking is free). The cost is $165 USD and you can book online through the link above.  Tip: bring clothing for COLD weather. It was freezing in the morning. Also, yes, booze is included in the price!

4. Surf like a local!

I really wish my photos would have turned out better for this, but sadly most are blurry as the zoom was messed up on my camera, or actually, I think I just need a new camera.I went surfing with Nancy Emerson Surf Clinic. She is a pro surfer herself and has been a Hollywood stunt double. She has schools in Oahu, Maui, and the Gold Coast. She’s not only the first school to open in Maui, but she focuses on safety and teaching people about the ocean instead of just throwing loads of people in the sea on boards and collecting cash.

It’s individualized attention from the pros and the most there would ever be are 5 people if you choose the least expensive option. My instructor was huge and could probably have blocked a wave for me with his body if he tried haha, but he was like a lifeguard and also gave me a push for each wave since at first people can’t really paddle hard enough to catch the fast waves.

If spots are booked up during your stay, check out more surfing places here

sad these are blurry :(

We had a land lesson first then spent over 2 hours in the water even though my lesson was only two hours (my instructor was a really good surfer, and I think just loved being in the water so neither of us was keeping time). We only stopped because I literally couldn’t paddle anymore. My arms were so tired and my legs were shaky. But, thanks to snowboarding almost my whole life, I got up on the first wave and by the third was turning. It was amazing, and I’ve been daydreaming about surfing ever since.

Their lessons were one of the most memorable parts of my trip, and I highly recommend taking lessons through her clinic. Lessons start at $95 for two hours. Also, while doing land lessons I looked over and saw THIS GUY:

5. Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) & Kayaking

Something that anyone can do! You just need to get used to balancing on the board and start out in really, really calm water. We saw a turtle go by and since the water is so clear, you can see all the cute fish underneath. It’s also a great workout! Renting was once as cheap as $10 so it’s easy to just do on a whim anywhere. One well-known company to rent from is called Hawaiian Paddle Sports who you can also get kayaks from.

make sure to wear sunscreen!

If you want some more guidance, check here for SUP lessons

6. Road to Hana

This road starts near Paia and goes up to the small isolated town of Hana on the east coast. We weren’t in AWE of the road to Hana, but it was very cool. Luckily, our hotel Paia Inn gave us a printed out personalized guide of what to stop and see because the signage isn’t great. Alternatively, you can buy CDs that explain the stops along the way. You’re going to need something to tell you which mile markers to slow down at. Also, they make it out like you need a lunch, and there’s NOTHING on the way, but there were loads of stalls selling food. Still, we took a lunch because we didn’t know. Mana food is amazing and has delicious sandwiches and salads. For car rentals, check rentalcars.com; they compare all the major car hire sites.

If you’d prefer, there are tons of different tours for the Road to Hana.

We stayed in Paia, but if you aren’t, then save time to see this cool little town. Also, go to Ho’okipa to watch the kite-surfers (most famous windy surf place in the world). The first bits are Twin Falls, a Bamboo Forest, and painted Eucalyptus trees. Basically, after that, we just drove. We didn’t stop for, well anything until we got to Hana Bay. To be honest, it was raining and all the cars were driving slow, so we got kind of bored. The views were covered by clouds. We’re used to Indian traffic, and it was exhausting not to be able to pass people ;)

You need 3 hours to drive out there. If you make stops, then you need a whole day dedicated to this drive and you should get started early in the morning.

7. Bike to the beach

I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was a kid, and Ben sort of hates riding bikes, but we did it anyways ha! Our apartment at Spreck’s Plantation had a few lying around so we went to the beach, and it was really fun. There are bike rentals all over the island and bike lanes making it safe.

If you want, you can even go on bike or mountain bike tours

(and now a few things we didn’t do, but are great options for your trip to Maui!)

8. Horseback riding

I really wanted to do this but didn’t have time. I was looking at Mendes Ranch because it is in the mountains and views of the ocean too. Most of the ranches in Makawao don’t have sea views.

Check out other horseback riding tours here

9. Scuba diving

We didn’t have it in our budget to do it while out on our Alli Nui tour, but you could on that boat or you can use a variety of companies. Actually, if you want to snorkel, but with a smaller group of people, like 6-8, you can look into Snorkel Safari, a company I wanted to try but didn’t have time.

Here are some scuba diving tours

10. Drive up and hike Haleakala

This is a volcanic crater that’s famous to see at sunrise, and it’s a drive… which means waking up at 4:30 am. I’d just been to Bandung seeing huge craters that were amazing, and we didn’t want to get up early, so skipped. I know people will think that’s crazy, but sometimes when you travel you have to do what you feel like. I have a feeling I’ll be back and able to do this another time. You can mountain bike down from this!

Check out the different Haleakala tours here

If you’re going to be on the island a while, it’s worth taking the time to read up on the local secrets in Maui and find some ways to get off the beaten path – we hired a local guy one day to show us some secret places and it’s one of our favorite memories. You can read my whole guide to Maui here.

Pin 10 Maui Adventures for later so you never run out of things to do in Maui while you’re there!

Disclosure: Some of these activities invited me in exchange for a review and exposure on my blog- all opinions are always my own! This post also contains affiliate links.

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Welcome to my blog, Hippie in Heels!
I’m glad you’re here.

I always told my friends I would work any job six months a year if I could travel the other six. Travel AND shop: my two favorite things. I saved all year in college to spend my summers backpacking in Europe, or my winter having Christmas alone in Africa.

I grew up in a small town in Ohio, in a close knit family of 4. My dad worked at General Motors and my mom is a special education aid. I have one older brother (I’m hoping him and his wife pop out some babies soon to take the pressure off me).

When I graduated with my BSN, my brother, Travis finished his Masters

I have been lucky enough to have some of the same friends since preschool, perk of being from a small town. High School was a blur of soccer, studies, and getting into lots of secret trouble on the weekends.

High School graduation and best friends weddings

College was typical, lots of partying, working, and trying to study (but not really). It was the summer between my sophomore and junior year that I started to really think about the course in which I wanted my life to go. I spent two summers backpacking a little in Europe, and one month in Uganda my senior year.

Somehow, even with all of the great things and people that my life had blessed me with; I knew that something was missing. I knew in my heart that I belonged among the wildflowers, I belonged somewhere that I could feel free (Tom Petty, my favorite song of all time).

College at OSU when I got addicted to travel

Upon graduating with honors as a Nurse I moved on from OSU to Charlotte, NC where after 11 months of cardiac care I was ready for retirement. Obviously it hadn’t taken long for me to realize the “real world” and I didn’t click. So I chose to create my own reality.

I chose the world on the road, living out of my backpack, eating street food and getting $4 massages…over the world where I’m barely breaking even to pay rent and worrying about finding car insurance willing to take on 3 speeding tickets.

I wanted to ride a camel & climb a mountain. It was as simple as that. I didn’t want to waste any time. I set off for India for a 3-month solo trip. I met the love of my life…in a bar, in southern India.

Back in Seattle when my boyfriend came to visit; fellow nurse gypsies

I went back to the states and tried out Seattle as a travel nurse for 3 months but couldn’t sit still. I was back in India before I knew it.

I see this quote often: Travel is only glamorous in retrospect. (Paul Theroux) and although on my first couple trips I could agree, I am learning how to make it glamorous IN the moment, while not spending a fortune (despite my unfortunate newly gained allergy to champagne). I want to show you another side of India; a pretty side the movies hide.

Sometimes I fail miserably, but I’ll teach you what not to do. There is a balance; taking the cheaper option for transportation, like a local bus, will give you the extra money to stay in a nice hotel when you arrive. I am a pro at finding the cutest boutique hotel with a pool, bargaining in the markets for precious jewels, and finding exotic yet sometimes expensive silks and cottons to make my own clothes.

Yes, I may have to take the lowest class sleeper train with 3 people trying to share my bed to be able to afford it… but with a little sleeping pill and my iPod, it’s the ADVENTURE that makes it so worth it.

Views from Charlotte, my dog Huckleberry Finn, England with Ben; Thailand nights

I have been told I’m a contradiction (my bf calls me the hippie barbie). I love to put on a full face of makeup and a new dress for a club just as much as I love to spend a week love-drunk on a beach forgetting what a hairbrush is. Some of my friends think I’m a girly-girl and some think I’m a dirty hippie. I’m a little of both, hence the name of my blog. I call this a glamorous travel blog because I like luxury, but don’t need to be in a 5 star hotel- I enjoy girly beach shacks with a hammock and cozy homestays where the owners make local food for dinner.

I love fashion, jewelry, coffee, reading, the Real Housewives of almost everywhere (I’m a writer for Bravo TV’s travel section of their website), and my pup Huckleberry Finn (edit, my pup passed away this year… but I love him too much to erase this. I now have two new dogs and a cat: Shanti, Omni, and KitKat).

I think I’m becoming what people call a “foodie” to be nice, but really I just eat a lot.

If I were two people mixed together it would be Liz Lemon (30 Rock) and Monica Geller (Friends). Does that make me a nerdy, socially-awkward, clean freak? I don’t think so… but people have frequently made these comparisons, so it’s worth mentioning as a warning.

Not all those who wander are lost (JRR Tolkien) is another one of my favorite quotes, and although I’m not lost in life… if you see me wandering down a road I probably am lost. I have been known to not know which country I was in on a couple occasions… don’t get on a ferry drunk, my friends.

Now I’m living in Goa, for the past 3 years, learning what being an expat is all about as well as continuing my travels all around the world. Some of my favorite places have been Hawaii, Jordan, Turkey, and Sri Lanka. I’ve now been to 30 countries and counting!

I come home to see family and friends every “monsoon” season in Goa for a month in July. We usually take family vacations and I’ve written about our trips to Toronto, Hocking Hills, Vegas and Nashville.

I am sharing my stories to inspire other girls (and boys) that you can quit your job, travel, and look cute doing it. You don’t have to be rich (but you do need some money folks!), you don’t have to be with your friends, and we are only getting older… There’s always going to be an excuse not to travel, and it’d be a shame to keep waiting just for it to never happen.

Get to know me better

Below are some posts about how I ended up living in India after quitting my job in the U.S. which is what a lot of people e-mail asking about, plus a few posts to get to know me better.

How I Afford Travel: Learn Thai Yoga Massage in India

What do you do all day? (pff! my most asked question!)

How I make money from travel blogging (my main income)

So, You Want to Travel to Find Yourself?

My Accidental Boyfriend

Travel Playlist: What’s On My iPod (this is embarrassing and friends say I should take it down… )

Shop My Favorite Things (everything I pack on trips organized into a list.. organization & lists are two of my favorite things)

Why I Don’t Think You Should Quit School to Travel

Travel Resources

When it comes to booking flights and rooms, I use a variety of sites. For full details see my Travel Resources.

I have a discount code: you can get $35  off your stay if you use this airbnb link to book.

New Here?

If it’s your first time visiting Hippie in Heels, I’m linking below a few posts that I think are a great place to start reading. I write a lot about travel beauty products, packing, health, some of the more off the beaten track places I’ve been, and the dumb predicaments I’ve found myself in while traveling abroad.

That Time I Called my Couchsurfing Host from Jail…

Survive Dengue Fever Symptoms Like A Boss

On Money:
9 Tips for Saving Money toward Travel & 14 Ways to Earn Money Abroad & 12 Ways to Travel the World for Free & 13 Tips to Save Money While Traveling

On Health:
11 Ways to Stay Healthy Without Sacrificing Experience & 10 Tips for Not Gaining Weight While you Travel

That Time I was Head-butted by a Cow

Hippie in Heels

A Year in Review:

Top 10 Backpacking Europe Experiences

9 Things You Need in Your Beach Bag

India

I write about India, obviously. I have lived here for two years and have over 200 posts on this site, most about India. These are a great place to start if you’re just thinking of planning a trip to India:

My India Travel Bucket List

Ultimate Guide to India: All the FAQ Answered

My Guide: the Best Itinerary for India

When to Travel to India

Everything You Need to Know

Your Backpacking India Budget

20 USD per day

Love Hate Relationship With India

Backpacking India Alone

Do’s and Don’ts of How to Dress in India

14 Tips for Solo Female Travel

Traveling India Alone is Hard: Here’s a Pep Talk

50 things to do in Goa

10 Common Mistakes Everyone who Travels to India Makes

Step by Step: How to Apply for a Tourist Visa

WARNING: 20 Common Tourist Scams in India

10 Safety Tips for Train and Bus Travel in India

15 Tips for Eating Street Food in India & Not Getting Sick

10 Tips for FIRST time travel to India

A Complete Guide to Karnataka (with links to dozens of articles I’ve written on the state… a really overlooked amazing tourist destination)

How to Rent a House in Goa: Tips & Prices

Two Months in India Itinerary & Experiences

Blog Series on Hippie in Heels

I do a series called International Boho-Chic Designers, where I share some of the coolest designers, artists, and models I meet abroad. I shop a lot when I travel, and I had so many friends back home asking me where I get my clothes and jewelry. Most of it is from local designers. I let you in on the shops I find and how you can purchase online from them too and sometimes there’s even a giveaway if I can talk the designer into it ;)

Another series is called This is India. Each Friday I post a story about something crazy/silly/funny that happens here in India. Although most my posts outside this series about India are informative, these are more to help you picture what it’s like living here and prepare you for culture shock before a visit.

Feel free to check out my Ask Me Anything posts. I share FAQ I get via e-mail and let you know the answer I give the readers who mailed in.

Lastly, I have a series on Sundays called Backpackers Boutique.

• Interviews with other bloggers about what specifics they pack- what brand bag, what hair products, or how many pairs of shoes… (I’m no longer taking more of these)
• Luxury guides from expats who know the area very well. If you’re a blogger and you’d like to share a place you know well, e-mail me at rachel@hippie-inheels.com

Don’t forget to check out my most popular posts on the column to the right or you can search by category at the top. Thanks for stopping by Hippie in Heels! Be sure to contact me if you have any questions.

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