The next step on TnT’s great Indian adventure is a really big one – 1000 km (600 miles) to be precise. That’s right, we’ve flown to the exotic Andaman Islands, an isolated archipelago of hundreds of islands in the middle of the Andaman Sea. Although our latest destination is actually much closer to Burma and Thailand, the island chain belongs to India. Think of it as the Indian version of Hawaii (with a hell of a lot more paperwork).

The mysterious Andamans are home to spectacular beaches, a phenomenal underwater world, undisturbed jungle-covered islands, exotic tribes… you’re probably thinking the place is an ecotourism hotspot. Actually, not really. For decades, the beautiful island chain has remained shrouded in a veil of Continue…

Ironically, just after we published “Urine Nation”, we came across an article in The Hindu asking their readers “Do we Lack Civic Sense?” It shows that it isn’t just sheltered Westerners who can’t take it anymore and complain all the time. Many Indians are fed up by the same behaviors and openly voice their opinions.

R. Rajasidambaram says, “Walk into most buildings and you will find even newly-painted walls stained with betel juice. Footpaths stink of urine, and garbage is dumped in every street corner…We need to undertake civic awareness campaigns in a big way.”

Armaan A. comments, “We are a society that follows ritualistic purification but does not hesitate to dump garbage over the compound wall. We can afford cars but roll down our windows to Continue…

The weirdest thing happened the other day. Our bus was winding its way through the crowded narrow streets of Chidambaram when we noticed the massive Nataraja temple off to the left. Worried that we had somehow missed the bus station, Thomas and I began to get worried. Thomas was pulling the Lonely Planet out of the backpack when I suddenly blurted out, “Oh, it’s OK, I smell the bus station.” At that very moment, we pulled around the corner into the station. I immediately knew, there was a blog posting in this.

As I stepped out of the bus, I noticed a line of men peeing against the station walls. One man was urinating on a bus’ tire and another seemed to be relieving himself against the side of a soft drink stall.

Everywhere in India smells of urine. This is a simple fact of life here. People pee on the sidewalk, in parks, in stairwells, in temples, and to my surprise in Continue…

As impressive as our pictures and videos of Hindu culture may seem at first, I can vouch for the fact that there is a tremendous amount that we cannot show you on our blog or in pictorials or videos because of limitations on photography at sacred sites.

Half of all Hindu temples refuse entry to foreigners, so they are clearly “out of the picture.” Of the remaining temples, many ban the photography of temple interiors, which is a serious Continue…

He’s been caste in a Bollywood epic tale of desert romance set in Rajasthan. The part pays reasonably well, but the most exciting thing is that he will be featured in a dance scene with King Kahn and Aishwarya Rai!!!

And,evidently, he is going to have to sing. Good luck with that one!

If you want to catch him in his role of a lifetime Continue…