March 16, 2015
At the end of every trip, I like to do a highlights and lowlights summary. I have to say that India is up there with one of my favourite trips of all time (along with Vietnam, Italy, Greece and the former Yugoslavia). I would love to go back again, and take my time so that I can really immerse myself in this…
March 9, 2015
I am done. I cannot do another group tour. Ever. And I know I said that after my three back-to-back tours of Europe 2014, but this time I mean it. That’s not to say that this Explore tour has been bad—it hasn’t. For the most part, I’ve enjoyed it very much. I would have no hesitation in recommending Explore to…
March 8, 2015
India is crazy-amazing, full of crazy-amazing sights. This is a snapshot of the things I saw in my month-long sojourn there… An elephant and a naked man walking along the same stretch of road in Delhi Camels, horses and mules pulling carts Cows, pigs and bulls walking around loose on main roads Sheep, goats and camels being herded along highways Buses…
March 7, 2015
I had no idea that Kerala was a 1.5-2 hour drive from Cochin—I thought it would be relatively close. I was wrong. And the length of the drive depended entirely on the traffic and how much congestion there was. Luckily for us, the traffic wasn’t too bad, but the drive was uninteresting: lots of urban sprawl, large and small shops…
March 5, 2015
We arrived at the Trident Hotel, weary after 10 hours of travel from Ooty. The route we took through the Nilgiri Hills via toy train, coach, regular passenger train then autorickshaw was spectacular. The toy train took us through emerald tea plantations, villages replete with flat roofed houses, painted in pink, blue, yellow and green, quaint railway stations. When we…
The Monarch Hotel has the the dubious honour of being the only hotel I’ve photographed on this trip. And for good reason. It is one of the worst hotels I’ve stayed in—ever!—but is where I’ve spent one of the funniest nights. Picture a Russian prison and you have the basic layout of the hotel: rooms built up to overlook a large,…
March 3, 2015
We left Bandipur National Park for the city of Ooty, located high in the Nilgari Hills. The drive was stunning. Winding roads snaked through misty mountain peaks and through small villages buzzing with activity. Emerald tea plantations scaled up the sides of hills at impossible angles. Eucalypts were so plentiful I thought I was being driven through the Australian Blue…
March 3, 2015
I am writing this post from inside a tiger reserve—part of the the Bandipur National Park—which spans three states. It has been a peaceful couple of days spent here, punctuated by delicious food, tranquil surrounds and safaris. Away from hustle and bustle of crazy, chaotic India, this place is a Mecca for the soul. There is literally nothing to do…