Our Indian trip 2019

[Gaston aires]

Hi, your obviously in Kerala judging by the photos. We loved it there too, and Goa next door.
Enjoy yourselves.
Phil

 

[bellabee]

I'm guessing the Taj Exotica, Benaulim ?

 

[mojo]

How busy are the beaches ? Are the beach shacks built yet.Curious because a lot of people arrive January or even December.

 

[Mousy]

Beaches not busy at all. Shacks will be built mid November apparently.

Our son Harry was in North Goa for a social hostel, younger party vibe.

We enjoyed Benilium but we really just chilled out on the beach or pool side for the week so can’t profess to much local knowledge.

From Goa we flew to New Delhi and luckily missed the awful smog by a few days.

We stayed the night in the Afghan quarter and didn’t explore much except to find food which was super tasty.

We then took the train to Agra.

 

[Drum Major]

Lovely pictures after a very frosty day here in Kinross keep them coming really cheers us up ?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[denisejoe]

Another vote for Cavelossim try the dolphin trip with jack’s its hard to come back sober

 

[Southdowners]

That looks like a substantial upgrade on the hotel in Hampi!

I have to say your wife is pretty stoic... I'd have walked straight out of the Hampi hotel!

 

[cliffanger]

Our most expensive accomadation in India was a DeLux Tent at the Camel Fair.

View attachment 345235

If you were quick you could run around the back to view.
View attachment 345236

Puts a whole new meaning to the game of Poo Sticks!

 

[Mousy]

Agra fort ..

£5.00 entry, like all the attractions here, there is a “Foreigners“ price and an “Indian” price. In this case about 40p for Indians.
And yes we’ve tried dressing like a local...

Well worth a few hours wandering around, good views including the Taj in the distance, huge courtyards and lots of intricate stone work.

We laugh at the complete lack of elf n safety...this empty fountain is slap in the middle of a courtyard, just where everyone steps backwards to take pictures of the gate!

 

[Mousy]

Our homestay host insisted we visit the baby Taj after the fort and I’m so glad we did. It receives nothing like the 40k visitors daily to the Taj Mahal but if you are ever in Agra it’s a must..

A white marble building with 4 red sandstone gateways. Truly beautiful in the evening light and wonderful to see the stone inlay up close.

Me ruining Harry’s Instagram or tinder pic!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[cliffanger]

Did you see where Shah Jahan was building his matching black Taj for himself on the opposite side of the river - he only got to foundation level before his son threw him into jail for spending his inheritance ! (Better not let Our Little ‘Un hear that - he might get ideas ...)

 

[cliffanger]

Mousy and Mr Mousy missed a photo opportunity....

 

[Yorick]

I spent 3 months in India and Nepal in 1985.
Agra was certainly one of the highlights.

 

[Taran_Las]

Mousy and Mr Mousy missed a photo opportunity....

View attachment 345821

I thought Cliff would have proposed to you Geraldine not the other way around
​

 

[Mousy]

Mousy and Mr Mousy missed a photo opportunity....

View attachment 345821

We tried to recreate your photo Ger...best we could do..

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Might as well join in.

 

[Mousy]

We got up really early to see the sun rise over the Taj Mahal, it was worth it...thought it would be a cliche tourist trap but it was one of the best places we’ve seen..

The scale and work involved is immense.

We’d watched the sun set over it from the river opposite the night before but seeing it up close was something else.

 

[Lenny HB]

We got up really early to see the sun rise over the Taj Mahal, it was worth it...thought it would be a cliche tourist trap but it was one of the best places we’ve seen..

I don't do mornings, got dragged out of bed at some ungodly hour to see some old rocks covered mist, well couldn't realy see them for an hour or two.

 

[cliffanger]

We got up really early to see the sun rise over the Taj Mahal, it was worth it...thought it would be a cliche tourist trap but it was one of the best places we’ve seen..

View attachment 346325

View attachment 346326

View attachment 346327

View attachment 346328

View attachment 346329

The scale and work involved is immense.

We’d watched the sun set over it from the river opposite the night before but seeing it up close was something else.

View attachment 346332

We loved it too. Couldn’t believe we were there. The guide told us not to get up before dawn to see it the following day - and he was right - we got there mid morning, just as the fog had cleared!

You were lucky - no scaffold! You know us - we’re followed around by our own rain clouds and scaffolders....

 

[Yorick]

We were there in 1986. We'd been travelling 10 months and getting a bit weary. Canada, USA, NZ, Oz, Singapore, etc .

But it just blew us away. Ended staying 3 days in local hotel run by a Sikh with Brummie accent.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Grianan]

Loving your thread. Glad you saw the Baby Taj ... was one of our highlights too albeit over 25 years ago.
Are you going to Orchha?
Also Abhaneri near Jaipur ... ?

 

[Mousy]

After Agra and the mighty Taj we traveled to Jaipur and spent 4 nights in an Haveli (once a private home). It was an oasis in the somewhat crazy city.
Lots to see and do in Jaipur, the amazing fort, observatory gardens with the worlds largest sundial, city palace and gardens, markets and the old town with its rich red walls.

These 2 silver vessels carried water from the Ganges to London when the maharaja visited as he didn’t trust our water! They are taller than me and made from smelted coins but with no soldering.

Palace of the winds.

Fort.

I can recommend a Bloody Mary at Samode Haveli.

We really enjoyed Jaipur but I can imagine if it’s your first visit to India it would be overwhelming. It’s noisy, filthy and busy. Kinda standard for India!

 

[Mousy]

Jaisalmer is as far north as we go. Very different again, on the edge of a desert with a high Muslim population, people come here to camel safari, staying overnight in the desert watching the stars.

We arrived by train very early in the morning to be met with rain. Our hosts were delighted and considered us lucky as a child can get to 7 here and not experience rain! We are from Wales so were underwhelmed.

Harry and I both had colds, feeling rough so we weren’t that disappointed that the camel safari was cancelled due to rain.

The boys went out exploring..

The fortified town was interesting and they liked the walls etc.

The town itself had a downtown Beruit feel to it. I certainly wouldn’t walk outside alone as a female. We only saw men everywhere, apparently all women stay at home.

This is the recycling center outside our hotel!

Unless you have a overwhelming urge to ride a camel I’d suggest giving Jaisalmer a miss. Not one of the places we return to. But a perfect place to be ill in bed for 2 days!

 

[Yorick]

Been there and bringing back some good memories

 

[Mousy]

Jodphur is known as the blue city, an indigo paint used on the walls of some homes. It acts as a insect repellent and helps to keep the home cool.

We were here for 3 days so had plenty of time to explore the fort and old town.

A musician counting his days takings. Born into this caste, he will spend his life providing music for people. Called Bhopairs they are not to be confused with the beggars on the side of the road.

The fort was amazing and well worth spending a day wandering around with an audio guide.

From these handprints of the kings wives as they passed through the gate for the last time before sitting silently on his funeral pyre (the last Royal sitir), to the bold servant who offered to be entombed alive in the fort walls as a sacrifice for water. The fort abounds with interesting history.

As well as great beauty.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Yorick]

Jodphur is known as the blue city, an indigo paint used on the walls of some homes. It acts as a insect repellent and helps to keep the home cool.

View attachment 347568

We were told that the blue houses were owned by Brahmins and was a snobbery thing. Maybe our tour guide was having us on ?

 

[cliffanger]

We were told that the blue houses were owned by Brahmins and was a snobbery thing. Maybe our tour guide was having us on ?

You had the same guide as us then!

 

[Mousy]

From Jodhpur we went to Pushkar via a private driver. 6 hours to travel 100 miles so you can imagine the state of the roads! Was interesting watching rural India pass by, monkeys in trees, oxen pulling carts and cows wandering across the road. Stray dogs dodging the mopeds and tuk tuks.

Groups of men sitting outside the chai stalls and women in brightly coloured orange, yellow or red saris working in the fields.

 

[Mousy]

You had the same guide as us then!

And us! We were told there used to be strict laws as to who could paint their houses and you could tell when walking around which community you were in. But now anyone can use blue paint (although it’s heavily taxed).

 

[Mikey RV]

Loving this thread. Thanks for sharing your trip. On my list of places to go.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}