TRISHA’S INDIA

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What are they sinking about??[/caption]

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Mike and Lesley at the Red Fort in Jodhpur[/caption]

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Taj Lake Palace roof top dinner for me for 600 US dollars and thats just for the table. No, it wasn’t us. Mike said it cost nothing to watch!!!![/caption]

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Peter looking at the Sacred cow[/caption]

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Mike showing the boys on the ferry what snow looks like from our pics at home[/caption]

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Family Reunion[/caption]

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This little boy danced all day in the courtyard while his dad played.[/caption]

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About to board our train to the National Park[/caption]

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Fabulous hotel in the Game Park[/caption]

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Bengal Tiger in the distance[/caption]

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Came right by our land rover[/caption]

Never thought I would go to India. Not on my bucket list but my sister suggested we all go for our family reunion, which we try to do each year. Of course my sister looked after us all and organized the tour. We did India in style and I have to say, that so many things that I would never have thought possible blew me away. I am so grateful to have seen this part of the world. How amazing is India. We started in Delhi and traveled north to Rajistan. We stayed in Taj hotels, some were converted palaces others were heritage hotels but all were an experience onto their own.

We had an amazing and very knowledgeable guide, driver and helper for the 20 of us who traveled together for 12 days. We had South Africans, Americans and Australians who became good friends by the end of the trip and all exchanged emails and promised to keep in touch.

What did I love about India the most? The people and the food for sure. The people no matter who they are and what their circumstance were so happy and friendly. Actually they wanted to take our pictures and wear our hats and have their pictures taken with us. The food was delicious no matter weather a 5 star hotel or street food. Yes, I actually did the street food. Of course I have stayed vegetarian throughout the trip and have not missed meat, as the food is so yummy.

Another aspect of India that stood out was the security everywhere. All hotels have two screens before one can enter. The car’s are searched, bonnet and boot and inside before one can enter the driveway and then further screening for bags and then body search. This was similar everywhere. Airport security is like fort knocks. One cannot gain access even into the airport without a ticket and passport. You then go through two more screens before you hit the security check for the bags. Makes me feel a little uncomfortable now with the security back home

The children are a delight to see and talk to. They are so enthusiastic and want to talk to you and find out about you. It was so refreshing and lots of fun.

So very sad to see the homeless especially the young women with babies whom are everywhere begging for money. On our way to the airport in Mumbai today we passed the slums where Slum Dog Millionaire was filmed and came to a stop with the traffic and a young girl of maybe 7 or 8 came right up to the window and had tears in her eyes touching her mouth for food. So so sad. Many children don’t go to school but we heard that this is all changing from next year and it will be compulsory for all children to attend school, which is wonderful news.

In Mumbai we passed a 27-story building that was built for one family (in oil) to live in with 600 servants. Each member of the family has its own floor and floors for swimming pool, floor for a gym, floors for gardens, floors for the cars etc. Incredible really how the wealth is distributed but this is the world over I guess. Delhi is going through a terrible time with the smog and it has reached dangerous levels so much so that schools have been closed and people have been advised to stay in doors. They have started a law comes into effect on Monday that all cars have to take it in turn to be on the road. Registration number plates with odd numbers one day verses even the next in the hope to bring down the smog rating.

So our trip here has come to an end but hope to come back and do the south of India if possible. It was so sad to say goodbye to by brother Nick and Rossi and today Les and Pete, wish they could carry on with us to our next destination.

We are now on our own the two of us and on more of a budget from now on but we are both excited for the next part of our trip.

Trish

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Riding through the streets of Delhi. An experience once was enough[/caption]

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View through the arches at the hotel in the game reserve Ranthambhore[/caption]