Incredible India

India will stop you in your tracks... but only for a moment. It is all the things you might expect - it’s beyond hot, chaotic, loud, poor, dirty and, yes, it kinda smells. But it is also so much more. It is the most colourful place you will ever see, with the loveliest children who always have a big smile and a twinkle in their eyes. It is a place with beauty in the details – the tiny flowers carved into a marble cornice, grand architecture imbedded with the smallest mosaics of semi-precious jewels, a garland of carnations around a goat's neck, and in the intricate henna designs on palms and feet. And, it is a spiritual place where centuries of ancient tradition, architecture and culture still exist in a way you can touch and feel, not just look at from behind a glass partition.  But, in spite of your initial observations, at some point, maybe a day or two after you have arrived, you’ll find yourself walking confidently on the traffic-crazed streets, dodging cows and gypsies, oblivious to the persistent honk of horns and enjoying the warm sun on your face. I could talk all day about how much I loved my experience in India and how it surprised me in so many ways but I think I’ll just get on with it and share some of the highlights of my incredible adventure there.

I arrived in Delhi to meet up with my fellow travelers as part of a unique G Adventures tour called “Voluntour in Rajasthan”, a 15 day tour to include some volunteering at a school along with visits to five major cities within the province of Rajasthan. Fortunately it turned out to be a small group with just 5 of us – an Aussie couple (Keith and Sharon), a German girl (Anne) and a Brit-expat Aussie (Eric) along with our awesome (and funny) local tour leader Binu. After a delicious first meal together (Butter chicken, Kashmiri Pulao, Garlic Naan and cold Kingfisher!) I was very certain that I was in for a very special and fun two weeks with this great group of people. And I couldn’t have been more right.