India is huge. No, really, it is the 7th largest country in the world, you can fit the UK into India 20 times. With all that distance to cover, it may be tempting to jump on a plane and reach your destination quickly, but you will miss out on all the fun. Instead, I am here… Continue reading Riding the Rails – Why Travelling India by Train is the Best Way to See the Country
Welcome to the next instalment of our five month trip around south east Asia. You join us in a rattling second class train bound for volunteering in Kolar Gold Fields, India. The heat is kept manageable by the dusty breeze rushing through the window bars. Mr Fluskey has a small child squeezed between him and… Continue reading Volunteering in Kolar Gold Fields, India
Mumbai is the capital of Maharastra state, located on India’s western coast. Until 1995, it was also called Bombay; you will still have your airline bag tagged with BOM. Mumbai is India’s richest city, but is also home to Dhavari, one of the world’s biggest slums. It is home to almost 1,000,000 people. You will… Continue reading Mumbai, India – Bombay Dreaming
Our time in Kolkata was very special. A very happy diary clash meant that we were in Kolkata for Diwali and Kolkata for Kali Puja. These happen at around the same time, and so we were able to join in with all of the festivities. Kali Puja in Kolkata is something you will never forget!… Continue reading Celebrating Diwali & Kali Puja in Kolkata – A Double Whammy
There is an expression about Kolkata, “Where Kolkata leads, India will follow”. Well that’s the gist anyway. This can be seen throughout its recent history. Kolkata, then known as Calcutta, was the centre of the British Raj until the capital was moved to New Delhi. During this time money poured in from the British Empire… Continue reading Kolkata, India – A Glimpse of the Past
From one holy city (Varanasi), to another and this time it is Bodh Gaya. An unassuming town that holds the most holy sight for Buddhists in India. Bodh Gaya (or Buddhagaya) For such an important location, Bodh Gaya is quite a modest place. It definitely has a small town feel about it, with the touts… Continue reading Bodh Gaya – Buddhas, Boys and Balls
Writing about vibrant Varanasi has been surprisingly difficult. My memories of this extraordinary place were so jumbled, more a feeling than a narrative. After struggling with this concept, I decided that Varanasi, with its colourful collage of life and confusing lanes, is the inspiration for the structure of this piece. Let’s call it a maze of… Continue reading Vibrant Varanasi
Just a few hours away from Delhi, is the city of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. It sits on one point of “The Golden Triangle” that comprises of Jaipur, Agra and Delhi. This makes a short trip to Jaipur perfect to see all the best sights in Jaipur. If you have just 24 or 48… Continue reading How to Spend Two Days in Jaipur, India – A Jaipur Travel Blog
Squeezing down a dusty alley in Agra, I was incredibly nervous to think that the Taj Mahal would fall in to the most unfortunate of travel categories. You see there is a moment, and most travellers will experience this at some point, when you finally lay eyes on a place that you have dreamed of.… Continue reading Is the Taj Mahal Worth the Hype?
Sawai Madhopur is a small diversion from the 3 points of India’s golden triangle. It is a tiny town that sits next to the Ranthambore National Park. Why is it so popular? Tigers! The Hotel We spent two nights at the Raj Palace Resort, which lay on the road between the town and the national… Continue reading Tracking Tigers in Ranthambore National Park, Sawai Madhopur
