May 11, 2013 - Shimla

The British empire could have ceased to exist, however its echoes linger on in Shimla (2130m). because the 'summer capital' of Brits in Republic of India. This was the country's focus for the higher a part of each year and currently, it's the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Today, its well developed facilities, simple accessibility and diverse attractions build it one amongst India's most well-liked hill resorts. Placed within the tower ranges of Himalayas mountains, it's enclosed by pine cedar, oak and bush forests. Towards the north lie the...

May 1, 2013 - My Trip to Kolkata - City of Joy

Tantalising tastes and smells, alluring structural design and cultural surprises, pickle it all up and consider a million miles from home at Kolkata city. A city of friendly contrasts, Kolkata has an alluring traditional charm and soothing pace of life which cannot be experienced in other metros of India like Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. It is tough to discover an explanation that would do justice to Kolkata, capital of West Bengal. My perception towards this city changed when I first visited Kolkata in December...

Apr 23, 2013 - Mumbai, India

Our final port of call on the beautiful Regent Seven Seas Voyager is India’s city of Mumbai. It has been a great 68 days visiting many diverse countries and cultures ranging from the opulence of Hong Kong and Shanghai to the poverty of Cambodia and rural India. It seems appropriate that our last stop further emphasizes this diverse theme. Mumbai is one of the most populous cities in the world with 21 million and is home to the Bombay Stock Exchange, National Stock Exchange of India, Reserve Bank of India and corporate headquarters almost...

Apr 23, 2013 - Jaipur, India

After our morning flight from Mumbai, we arrived in the “Pink City” of Jaipur in time for yet another great Curry/Masala lunch! This is a very good trend! Jaipur is a sleepy little city by India standards with about 6 million residents! It has far expanded past the pink sandstone walls that used to surround this beautiful city. You travel through a city that looks like any other until you reach the amazing endless pink buildings of the old town! Every building is made from the same pink sandstone that is produced locally making it the...

Apr 23, 2013 - Agra, India

The only thing that made the 5 hour bus ride to Agra tolerable was the fact it is the only way to get to see the legendary Taj Mahal! We got teased all afternoon when we visited the Agra Fort, a World Heritage Site, because we could see the Taj Mahal in the distance along the Yamuna River! This fort was absolutely stunning in its own rite and if located in a different city, would be the main attraction and well worth a big effort to visit! The massive walls of red sandstone look more like a painting than a sturdy fortress! This fort was...

Apr 20, 2013 - One Week in GOA

A chill-out week in Goa at a TimeShare Resort – one bedroom, living area, kitchen, dining, and outdoor sitting. Settled in quickly and checked out the closeby street market, and met our jolly pool barman, Joyvan. Live music and good food at the Resorts Trattoria restaurant; walks to Benaulim beach and along to other beaches; dips in the Arabian sea; dips in the pool; dinner at other local restaurants; local red and white wine – Madeira; local ‘brew’ alias Rocket Fuel ‘Fenni’ and ‘Urek’; some dancing (by ourselves... up and around the...

Apr 18, 2013 - Mumbai - (Bombay) here we come

Flight on Indigo was good - A3480 airbus. Airports tidy and well organized. Excellent airport security checks. Taxi at Mumbai chucked our bags on top on a rack (not tied down) Eeeeks! – a sinking feeling on the drive to our accomm. Shanty towns (slums) everywhere and a feeling of squalor. Our room – clean but extra basic. Does have a/c and ensuite AND WI FI. In the ‘burbs away from the Tourist area but still plenty of little shops and market stalls. A walk through the streets and a Baskins & Robins icrecream calmed the senses enough to...

Apr 17, 2013 - Back in Delhi - Red Fort; India Gate; Parliament House and the Presidential Palace; Akshardam; Step Well

Visit Red Fort; India Gate; Drive to see Parliament House and the Presidential Palace; Akshardam; and the best spot – a Step Well in the heart of the city. At the Red Fort no guides appeared so we used audio – a poor second best as some of the markers were hard to find and didn’t seem to follow a pattern. Maybe we had the map upside down? The Red Fort covers a big area. When we sat down to rest people wanted to have their photos taken with us. The standard in Delhi ... where are you from? Australia .... ahhh Ricky Ponting. Cricket is #1 in...

Apr 16, 2013 - Amber Fort in Jaipur ...and more

Our Mission today - Amer (or Amber Fort),Panna Meena Ka Kund step well, tiny village and ancient ‘in use’ village Hindu temple; view the Water Palace; drive through the Pink City and a late lunch at Maharini Hotel on the way back to Delhi. After our frazzled delivery the night before, Parwan was bright a cheery next morning to pick us up. His brother, who’s studying English as well as to be a school teacher, joined us for the day in Jaipur which added to the fun. Amer (or Amber) Fort is magnificent and so well preserved. Having a guide at...

Apr 15, 2013 - Abandoned City - Fatehpur Sikri

Abandoned city approx 40k from Agra – After only 14 years and in its hey day being the Moghul capital, Fatehpur Sikri was abandoned possibly due to a diminishing water supply. A ghost town immaculately preserved. “Akbar was religiously curious. He regularly participated in the festivals of other faiths, and in 1575 in Fatehpur Sikri—a walled city that Akbar had designed in the Persian style—he built a temple (ibadat-khana) where he frequently hosted scholars from other religions, including Hindus, Zoroastrians, Christians, yogis, and...

Apr 15, 2013 - Taj Mahal (no ... its not that highset in Woodridge)

AD1631 the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan carrying out the last wish of his dying wife (giving birth to her 14th child), Mumtaz Mahal, and in her memory commenced the contructions of this awesome mausoleum. According to our guide, it took 20,000 men 22 years to complete. 1000 elephants transported the building materials from all over India and Asia. You can see the beautiful inlay work in the photos. The descendants of the original artisans still live in the adjacent workers village, Taj Ganj, and still practice their art and craft. Imagine all...

Apr 15, 2013 - Agra Fort

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Agra Fort stretches along the Yamuna River and overlooks the Taj Mahal. An impressive and imposing red standstone structure, the Fort was founded in 1565 by the Moghul Emperor, Akbar (Akbar the Great – vastly expanded the Moghul empire; had 3 wives – a Christian, a Hindu, and a Muslim; and he was a liberal leader with a policy of religious co-operation, followed by Jahangir (Akbars eldest son); then Shah Jahan(1628 - 1658) and then his son, Aurangzeb (1658-1707) ... the Moghul empire then fell into decline....