View from the Inside:
India Tours
Written by
Charlotte Curran, Data Control/Sales Consultant, who recently travelled to, India.
"From the moment I arrived in India my senses were overloaded, from the colourful saris to the fragrant spices and hustle and bustle of daily life.
Our first destination was Mumbai, we arrived on a Jet Airways flight into a city of extremes. It is a real eye-opener to witness the existence of two worlds living together - the wealth in the country’s centre of finance, fashion and Bollywood amidst slums and poverty. During our short stay here we visited the gothic style Victoria Terminus Railway Station, India’s busiest railway station built to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria which was a chaotic hub of commuters. The city tour also brought us to the Gateway of India, Mumbai’s most famous monument and symbolic entry to India. Our last stop in Mumbai was to the famous Juhu Beach which was filled with locals enjoying games of their beloved cricket and tempting street food vendors.
We then flew onto Jaipur the home to the Amber Fort. Although stunning from the outside it is the inside of the fort that is least expected – intricate carvings and mirrored walls create a grand appearance. In the evening we returned to Amber Fort for the sound and light show, which told the history of the fort along with special lighting effects. This was a great way to piece together the facts you had learnt from the guide during your visit whilst showing a spectacular view of the fort.
Nimaj was one of my favourite experiences on our journey. From the moment we arrived we were treated like royalty (as are our clients) as we boarded bullock carts and were led by a band through the narrow streets up to Nimaj Palace, in the heart of this rural village. We arrived into a beautiful courtyard to a grand welcome by the family and owners of this character hotel. The rest of our stay here continued in much the same way; with impressive, individually decorated rooms and charming local villagers.
Our itinerary provided us with a chance to travel on India’s railways; we boarded the clean and comfortable Shatabdi Express from Ajmer to Delhi which was an efficient way of avoiding India’s busy roads and gave an interesting insight into authentic India. Once in Delhi we viewed India Gate, a poignant reminder of 90,000 soldiers who laid down their lives during the First World War.
Of course a tour to this area of India cannot miss out the stunning Taj Mahal, an impressive structure with a romantic story. It truly is an unforgettable experience and exceeds every expectation one may have about it.
The diversity of India makes it a place that can be visited time and time again, with new experiences just around the corner at each destination. The road journeys which are necessary to view these incredible destinations offer a chance to see the different aspects of everyday life; in fact I did not want to close my eyes for a minute in fear of missing something! This taste of India has left me with a wish to visit India again to see more of what this incredible country has to offer.
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