🇮🇳 First Days in India: Street Cobblers, Food Poisoning, & Apple Wizardry

🇮🇳 Face-to-Face with Kali: A Stunning Encounter at Dakshineswar Temple

This week, I visit the legendary Dakshineswar Kali Temple and experience something I’m still trying to put into words. Standing before Kali, I had a strange, ineffable moment that felt like an initiation. We also explore the temple complex, including the 12 Shiva shrines that line the river, each one containing a shiva lingam illuminated with neon blue light. The atmosphere is surreal and intense. I wrap up with reflections on couchsurfing in India, along with some grounded advice and insights for Western travelers navigating the country for the first time. India continues to surprise me in the best ways, and I can’t wait to share more stories in the weeks ahead. Show Notes * 🛕 Dakshineswar Temple [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakshineswar_Kali_Temple] overview on Wikipedia * 🎧 My Hawaii audiobook on YouTube, now FREE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsyFamU-cdM&list=PLi3Aqh7T1R89mhg5FjUui7EEuAoZDAgiE] (10+ hours of immersive storytelling) * 💌 FOR SUPPORTERS: 20 Exclusive Dakshineswar Kali photos [https://www.patreon.com/hellocrusoe] drop Wednesday on my Patreon * 📸 PATREON PERKS: Member-only episodes, behind-the-scenes photos, & exclusive videos: https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe [https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe] (free to follow)  * 📚 READ FOR FREE: A new edition of my Tropical Sci-Fi novel The Truth Beyond the Sky is now available on RoyalRoad for free. Start reading for free here → [https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/135833/the-truth-beyond-the-sky] * 🎧 SUBSCRIBE: Follow WANDEROUS for free on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, YouTube & more so you never miss an adventure! All links here → [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/hellocrusoe]

🇮🇳 Eco Park Review: India’s Largest Urban Park & The 7 Wonders of the World Inside

This week, I wander through Eco Park on the east side of Kolkata, the largest urban park in all of India. The highlight is “Seven Wonders,” a quirky park-within-a-park that features scaled recreations of the pyramids of Giza, the Great Wall of China, Easter Island, and more. I share what impressed me, what didn’t, and whether it’s worth your time. Also, many people ask me for a photo, and we have a short discussion about boundaries and culture. Along the way, we also get into practical food tips for surviving spicy Indian cuisine, debate the health reality of Chola Bhatura, and confront the shocking truth that ketchup is absolutely not a sauce. Around this time, India started to really open up for me, and I can’t wait to share it with you. Show Notes * 🏞️ Eco Park on Wiki [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco_Park_New_Town] – a good breakdown * 🎧 My Hawaii audiobook on YouTube, now free! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsyFamU-cdM&list=PLi3Aqh7T1R89mhg5FjUui7EEuAoZDAgiE] (10+ hours of immersive storytelling) * 💌 FOR SUPPORTERS: 35 Exclusive Eco Park photos [https://www.patreon.com/hellocrusoe] drop Wednesday on my Patreon. * 📸 PATREON PERKS: Member-only episodes, behind-the-scenes photos, & exclusive videos: https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe [https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe] (It’s free to follow!)  * 📚 READ FOR FREE: A new edition of my Tropical Sci-Fi novel The Truth Beyond the Sky is now being released to RoyalRoad every Monday and Friday, free! Start reading for free here → [https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/135833/the-truth-beyond-the-sky] * 🎧 SUBSCRIBE: Follow WANDEROUS for free on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, YouTube & more so you never miss an adventure! All links here → [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/hellocrusoe]

🇮🇳 First Days in India: Street Cobblers, Food Poisoning, & Apple Wizardry

My first days in India were… eventful. From food poisoning to waking up to a dead MacBook, things started off rocky. But my couchsurfing hosts made it unforgettable—such incredible people (and food!). I got my shoes repaired on the street, wandered Kolkata’s vibrant streets, and anxiously waited to see if the local tech wizard could bring my expired-warranty MacBook back to life. Tune in to see how the India saga begins! Show Notes * 🛂 Indian Government eVisa Website [https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/] – where I got my visa * 🏠 Couchsurfing.com [http://Couchsurfing.com] – for my first few weeks of accommodation * 🎧 My Hawaii audiobook on YouTube, now free! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsyFamU-cdM&list=PLi3Aqh7T1R89mhg5FjUui7EEuAoZDAgiE] (10+ hours of immersive storytelling) * 💌 FOR SUPPORTERS: Exclusive India photos [https://www.patreon.com/hellocrusoe] drop Wednesday on my Patreon. * 📸 PATREON PERKS: Member-only episodes, behind-the-scenes photos, & exclusive videos: https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe [https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe] (It’s free to follow!)  * 📚 READ FOR FREE: A new edition of my Tropical Sci-Fi novel The Truth Beyond the Sky is now being released to RoyalRoad every Monday and Friday, free! Start reading for free here → [https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/135833/the-truth-beyond-the-sky] * 🎧 SUBSCRIBE: Follow WANDEROUS for free on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, YouTube & more so you never miss an adventure! All links here → [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/hellocrusoe]

🇳🇵 Nepal Adventure: Golden Temple Tour, Tibetan Singing Bowls & Freezing January Tales

This week: we wrap up my Nepal adventure with a visit to the Hiranya Varna Mahavihar (The Golden Temple) in Patan, Kathmandu. Along the way, we explore the six realms, admire stunning tapestries, and enter the wrong temple at the wrong time. With early January temperatures below freezing, I experience life in a traditional house with no heating—such fun! Join me for a hilarious farewell to this magnificent country. Show Notes * 🎥 TikTok Short: Golden Temple Tour (only on TikTok) [https://www.tiktok.com/@hellocrusoe/video/7336588505524489515] 🛕 * 🎥 YouTube Short: Sound Healing with Tibetan Singing Bowls [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gwxvIIPVrN8] 🥣 * 🎥 YouTube Short: Incredible tapestries & A Lesson About the Bhairab (or Bhairav) [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ecMhx_bAqkY] 👹 * 🎧 My Hawaii audiobook on YouTube, now free! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsyFamU-cdM&list=PLi3Aqh7T1R89mhg5FjUui7EEuAoZDAgiE] (10+ hours of immersive storytelling) * 💌 FOR SUPPORTERS: 40 Golden Temple and Kathmandu photos [https://www.patreon.com/hellocrusoe] drop Wednesday on my Patreon. * 📸 PATREON PERKS: Member-only episodes, behind-the-scenes photos, & exclusive videos: https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe [https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe] (It’s free to follow!)  * 📚 READ FOR FREE: A new edition of my Tropical Sci-Fi novel The Truth Beyond the Sky is now being released to RoyalRoad every Monday and Friday, free! Start reading for free here → [https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/135833/the-truth-beyond-the-sky] * 🎧 SUBSCRIBE: Follow WANDEROUS for free on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, YouTube & more so you never miss an adventure! All links here → [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/hellocrusoe]

🇳🇵 Nepal Adventures: My Last Day in Sauraha & A Magical New Year’s Eve in Pokhara

We wrap up my time in Sauraha and Pokhara, Nepal, exploring the far side of the elephant center suspension bridge and stumbling on some unforgettable souvenirs and photogenic moments. Then, M and I part ways, and I catch a wild bus ride back to Pokhara — just in time for an unusual Christmas and an epic New Year’s Eve. Show Notes * 🎥 YouTube Short: Souvenir Shopping & Suspension Bridge in Sauraha Village [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4HY3MvO97oo] (plus the infamous “cow with a boob in the front and the back” 😆 — one of my favorite looping shorts I’ve ever made) * 🎥 YouTube Short: Badminton in the street & other funny Nepal moments [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SmNRxAO8ZYs] * 🎥 YouTube Short: A Taste of New Year's Eve in Pokhara, Nepal! [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wwu6USdZouA] 🎆 * 🎥 YouTube Short: The bus ride back to Pokhara — complete with a dramatic burn pile for my receipts [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UaXZwieV97g] 😆 * 🎧 My Hawaii audiobook on YouTube, now free! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsyFamU-cdM&list=PLi3Aqh7T1R89mhg5FjUui7EEuAoZDAgiE] (10+ hours of immersive storytelling) * 💌 FOR SUPPORTERS: 22 Final Sauraha and Pokhara photos [https://www.patreon.com/hellocrusoe] drop Wednesday on my Patreon. * 📸 PATREON PERKS: Member-only episodes, behind-the-scenes photos, & exclusive videos: https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe [https://patreon.com/hellocrusoe] (It’s free to follow!)  * 📚 READ FOR FREE: A new edition of my Tropical Sci-Fi novel The Truth Beyond the Sky (now with over 450 ratings on Amazon) is being released to RoyalRoad, with new chapters every Monday and Friday, free! Start reading for free here → [https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/135833/the-truth-beyond-the-sky] * 🎧 SUBSCRIBE: Follow WANDEROUS for free on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, YouTube & more so you never miss an adventure! All links here → [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/hellocrusoe]