Agra

We arrived in Agra in late afternoon and made our first stop at the Red Fort. A beautiful structure, it is here that I got my first glimpse of the white ghost that is the Taj Mahal. That first peek of its beauty was special but it did not really prepare me for my actual visit.

There is no way that I could properly muster the perfect phrase to describe it. I mean, I was expecting to enjoy seeing one of the wonders of the world, but I was not prepared to have my breath completely taken away by the (hands down) most beautiful building I have ever seen. These photos were taken early morning as the sun was rising. Enjoy. Hopefully you will get the chance to marvel at it up close one day too.

Delhi Dancing

After an incredible two weeks travelling with my new friends, we spent our last night exploring the modern side of life in India. After a delicious farewell dinner at the same place we had our first meal together, we popped a bottle of good French champagne to celebrate. This was followed by a hilarious rickshaw race back to the hotel for some more drinks. Which was followed by a fabulous night out clubbing in Delhi!

Which was followed by an enormous hangover the next day. But totally worth it!

After some goodbyes and a promise to meet again, I made my way to the airport to catch my domestic flight north to Rishikesh - yoga capital of the world, a source of inspiration to The Beatles and my home for the next week.

Step Wells

On our way from Jaipur to Agra, we visited some Step Wells. Ancient - yet perfectly balanced and symmetrical. Unbelievable.

Jaipur: Pretty in Pink

In the same way Jodhpur was a blue city, Jaipur is pink! Its city-centre filled with rosy coloured, intricately carved buildings. A true mix of old and new – with KFC and street food vendors on the same strip, and big trucks and old fashioned wooden carts traveling on the same roads. It is said that in the late 19th century, the entire city was painted pink to celebrate a visit from The Prince of Wales. Now that's what I call hospitality!

We booked into the Jaipur Inn for our 2 night stay and enjoyed the first night drinking beer on the roof while watching a beautiful Indian wedding below – complete with a groom on a white horse followed by a procession of lit lamps and musicians. The reception, just a short distance from our vantage point, afforded us some spectacular fireworks. A truly magical way to start our visit to this pretty, pink place!

Our second day was spent visiting the Amber Fort. Stunningly beautiful – it’s a place that recalls the kind of exotic desert locales you'd find drawn in children’s storybooks. A golden fortress perched high on a mountain, surrounded by winding walls, gates and the desert. We make a regal climb to the top by elephant. Not too shabby.

After some haggling for jewellery in the market, we stop for lunch at one of Jaipur’s famous restaurants and I order the Punjabi Thali platter. In the evening we then make our way to the famous Raj Mandir theatre for a Bollywood movie! The Raj Mandir is a beautiful art-deco style theatre with a large spacious cinema. We see the film "Rascals" and the only thing more enjoyable than the movie is the crowd who really get into things by cheering wildly throughout the film. And while I don't understand a word of Hindi, I am fairly confident I totally understood the plot. A good time…and a taste from home (popcorn!) had by all.

Udaipur

I was psyched to visit Udaipur even before I knew much about it's beauty. As you might know from reading this, I'm a lover of all things Bond. And if you happen to have seen Octopussy, you'll know that Udaipur's Lake Palace was quite famously featured in the film. Naively, I thought I could work a bit of magic by emailing the Palace, now a very exclusive hotel, in advance to arrange a visit for a cocktail (shaken, not stirred) at their bar. This type of magic email has worked for me in the past, but this time I was denied, albeit, in the most polite manner. No big deal. I still managed to get close to the stunning white hotel, which is completely surrounded by a lake, on a sunset boat ride. And although I was wearing an awkward, orange life-jacket instead of some glamorous Bond Girl ensemble, it was still pretty cool and an amazing thing to see.

Udaipur is very, very beautiful. Watching the sun set on Lake Pichola is like stepping into some expressionist painting - wild purples and blues streak the sky and reflect off the shimmering lake. A view so pretty you'd think it was photoshopped. 

My time in Udaipur was extremely chill. Our group attended a cultural show featuring musicians and dancers which was followed up by a fun dinner on a rooftop. We met another group of travellers and there was an impromptu chile pepper eating contest, and lots of glasses of rum. When there was still no winner after two dozen or so chiles were eaten, it was called as a draw.

Our second day was spent visiting the City Palace - a beautiful historical site , high up on a hill in the heart of Udaipur. It was a stunning site to see with beautiful views of the lake, colourful mosaics and glass windows. One favourite part was the charming "elephant parking spaces" next to the palace.

Afterwards, I relaxed back at the hotel with a massage and had my hands and feet painted with henna. The Henna artist came to my hotel room to apply the die - a bit of a shady set up but I was really happy to have the beautiful designs on my hands and tops of feet. Dinner that night was on a very cool outdoor restaurant patio where we ordered up an apple flavoured hookah after our meal. Definitely one of my favourite meals of the trip.

Jodhpur the Blue

I have never felt farther from home than in Jodhpur, India.
And, although I loved all of my time in India, Jodhpur has a special place in my heart. The romantic in me loved its blue facade that looked so beautiful under the setting sun, and the almost full moon that hung in the sky just beside the incredible fortress of rock that keeps watch over the city. Every street was like a movie set - perfectly lit, props and extras in place and painted walls perfectly chipped. The old part of the city had streets so narrow (and filled with cows) they are not even accessible by car.
We started our visit with an afternoon at the spectacular Mehrangarh Fort perched 400 feet up overlooking the blue painted homes of the city. Although the colour is certainly striking, it is actually said that the blue paint serves to keep the mosquitos away. We did a self-guided audio tour which was really incredible as we moved at our own pace through each intricately decorated room in the fort which is made up of multiple palaces. As this was my first visit to a cultural site in India, I was truly overwhelmed by what I saw. Some of my favourite photos of my entire trip were taken here, including this one - a man who was sitting in the fort and offered me some opium to smell.

Towards the end of the tour, a few of us came across a fortune teller who read our palms in his little office. He used geometry equipment - a protractor, a small ruler and a compass - to tell my future...in between not-so-secretly snapping photos of me on his cell phone.

After our visit to the Mehrangahr Fort, we made our way to an amazing little hotel in the centre of old Jodhpur. It was perfect! Something right out of a movie set with quirky, exotic decor (a swing hanging in the lounge) and a beautiful rooftop deck where we drank cold beer, listened to music and watched the sun go down. For dinner we ventured into the busy main drag for good local food (I got the vegetarian Thali platter) and some delicious ice-cream. Afterward - more beer on the roof under that big, beautiful moon.

Field trip to Pushkar

For our last day of volunteer work with the Bal Prakash Children's Centre, we decided to have a smaller group of the children meet us in Pushkar for an exursion. The children rarely leave the school, so it was a fun way to explore the sites, treat them to lunch (plus chocolate and ice cream!) and bid them farewell.

Hopefully, I will see their sweet faces again some day.

Voluntour: Bal Prakash

When I discovered I was set to lose my job at the end of last summer, I used the months leading up to the end to loosely plan a dream trip. I wanted to use my time off wisely. I had worked hard for the past 15 years but had only recently become committed to a life travel and adventure, and I had never taken off for any extended amount of time. Although I wanted to leave some time for random adventures along the way, certain trips do require some planning and entry Visa’s so I formulated a loose plan of where I’d like to be, and when. But…it all changed when I came across one particular tour of India - G Adventures' "Voluntour in Rajasthan" - that included a volunteer component, and it became the one trip that everything else was built around.

The Bal Prakash Children’s Centre in Ajmer, India is home to 80 or so underprivileged children who study and live on premise. Not only are they educated here, they are also taught life skills as they contribute to the daily maintenance and upkeep of their home and the property – cleaning, caring for the plants and gardens, and making their daily bread (chapatti). The school, founded by Mrs. Paliwal, is funded privately through donations and the support of local community members who often stop by with medical expertise, food or even simple services like providing haircuts for the children.

The facility itself is a simple but functional structure, with each room serving multi-purposes. The larger sized rooms where the children sleep and do their homework also serve as their school room. Each day starts with a very strict schedule – tea then chores, school then lunch, school then play, school then chores, dinner then homework, then bed. All the children are divided into teams to tackle their chores and it’s hard not to notice that they approach each task with the same vigour that they have for their play time. Each plant is lovingly watered, floors swept tidy, and school desks carried away; all with a smile. Even the bigger children seem to help out the smaller ones without being asked. They have great pride in their home and are extremely grateful to be given the chance to learn.

It did not take long for us to fall in love with the children…and the children to fall in love with us. Though there were some language barriers, it soon became easy to communicate. We spent some time playing with the children –  cricket and badminton, learning some clapping songs, teaching them the limbo (a big hit), making jewellery, dancing and singing. We also helped with some of the chores – picking cotton from their small crop and making chapatti (though I wasn’t very good at it). In addition, we joined in some of their classroom activities and made a presentation about our home countries, which the children loved. Each day the children were waiting for us to arrive, and each day they followed our van out waving as we left.

My days visiting at Bal Prakash Children’s Centre were truly special – an experience that would be difficult to describe within this little blog. I strongly encourage anyone considering a tour in India to visit the school first-hand (or send your support through Planeterra). And, feel free to contact me via the comments section of this post should you have any questions about my experience or how you can get involved.

Push car...in Pushkar.

Yep...I do enjoy a good play on words.
When we came across a car that needed a push on the dark streets of Pushkar, the boys pitched in. Pushing a car in Pushkar. Still makes me giggle.

Pushkar Lake

It wouldn't be right to talk about my time in Pushkar and not show a photo of the lake. Pushkar Lake, sacred to the Hindu people, is surrounded by over 50 ghats (steps for bathing) as the lake is said to have healing powers. I didn't bathe...but I did take this pretty photo...

Pushkar

5 AM comes early no matter which side of the globe you happen to be on. Our train left very, very early from the station in Delhi but we did get to see the sun rise on the way. The station was packed with people – families, beggars and businessmen. We boarded our rail car, which was surprisingly comfortable, and readied ourselves for the six hour ride. Tea and breakfast (a tasty Indian-style vegetable cutlet) were served and we spent our time relaxing or taking photos out the open rail car door, which was especially wonderful as we reached each new station along our route.

When we finally arrived at our destination – Ajmer – we were met by our drivers and a luxury coach (actually…more of a “short bus”) in which we would be touring around for the next two weeks. We drove for about an hour through Ajmer and over a mountain to reach our hotel in the Holy city of Pushkar, which would be our home base for the next five days.

As I mentioned, Pushkar is a Holy city – which means no meat and no alcohol. Fortunately, that didn’t also mean no fun. We were able to pack in a lot in between our days Volunteering in Ajmer (which I will cover in a separate post). Lots of shopping, great eating (I recommend “Little Italy” for thin crust pizza, espresso and “special” drinks served in tin-foil), sightseeing, photography and, of course, some truly random adventures.

A few of us crashed a “Gypsy Dance Party”  on our first night and were warmly welcomed with food, live music and spectacular dancing under the moonlight.

Another highlight was a camel safari – riding a few hours into the desert to watch the sunset, eat some delicious Indian food cooked by our guides on an open fire and some live entertainment by some local gypsies. This is a must-see for anyone visiting Pushkar.

Pushkar is also great for shopping. I struggled greatly with what to pack for my trip to India. Knowing that it is important to dress conservatively, with shoulders and knees covered…in the blazing heat of the sun. However, I now would highly recommend bringing a few basics but buying the rest on arrival. The clothes are extremely cheap and there are many cute Western-ish styles that work well. I quickly became addicted to the brightly coloured “ali-baba” style cotton pants which work well with a simple T-shirt and scarf. At only about $3 a pair, it’s a steal. And they are beyond comfortable and great in the heat. Also - you must please fill your backpack with the beautiful and affordable jewellery, colourful pashmina scarves and handmade shoes. I regret that I didn't ship a whole box of Indian jewellery back to Canada before I left. 
Here are some photos from the market in colourful Pushkar...Enjoy!

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.

London Calling

By the time I arrived in London, my jet-lag had finally set in and I wasn't in the mood to fight it. After taking a very expensive taxi ride, I arrived at my hotel in Soho just after 10pm. My hotel - Hazlitt's - is a charming historical townhouse in the very heart of Soho on Frith Street. I was shown to my room through a maze of corridors and stairwells and was delighted when I reached my room - Sir William Ross. (They use names not numbers for their rooms.) The room itself was very cute with a huge wooden wardrobe and matching headboard, red velvet drapes, fireplace and claw foot tub. Like something from the set of some period costume drama. The most interesting part was that the floor was not level. And when I say not level, I mean it had about a difference of about 1 foot in height between my headboard and the desk on the opposite wall. I exaggerate, not. It was hard not to feel just a little drunk the entire time I was in the room. During this short visit to London I managed to cover quite a bit of territory - the National Gallery, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St. James Park - and enjoy quite a few decent (but pricey) meals.

On my last night, I met up with some friends who live in London for some dinner and then went out to see their band - TAT - perform at a rock club called Scala. They are an awesome band to see live. If you haven't heard of them, you must check them out. I stayed out way, way too late which made for a very lazy day before my overnight flight to Delhi. Good thing I caught a few winks on the plane because India was about to shake up my world.

The Blue Lagoon

Yes, this is the place that was featured on The Bachelorette. And, yes, it’s a big tourist spot. But you absolutely cannot leave Iceland without a visit to The Blue Lagoon.

It is extremely easy to coordinate a visit. I booked my bus passage to the airport to include a stopover at the Blue Lagoon. My luggage was conveniently stored while I went in for a pre-flight swim. Inside you are given a bracelet with which you can make charges to your account at the spa, restaurant, bar (swim-up!). You are also able to rent towels and robes (I did) and even swimsuits (umm...no thanks). A large sized locker will hold all your things in the large, modern change rooms while you lounge about in the milky blue waters. Unfortunately my underwater camera was not charged up for my swim but I did take a few snaps of the incredible pools – heated naturally to a perfect temperature (warmer than a pool and cooler than a Jacuzzi). I had a cold beer (or, maybe two) at the swim up bar and purchased a lava scrub for my face. And, I met a couple of guys from Seattle who didn’t mind having a beer with a girl with black stuff all over her face. It was a very nice time but after a few relaxing hours it was time to get back on a plane and head for my next destination. I truly loved Iceland….but London was calling so it was time to move along.

Green Iceland

It is said they named Greenland “green” land to encourage people to go there and Iceland “ice” land to keep people away.
Don’t stay away. Iceland is very green. And very, very beautiful. It has some of the most diverse landscapes you can find – volcanoes, glaciers, lava fields, waterfalls, mountains, exploding geysirs and natural geothermally heated pools.

To make sure I saw some of this natural beauty before I left I joined a half day tour (called the Golden Circle Afternoon) that would take me to some of the key sights. After a drive through the rolling green hills, past grazing Icelandic horses and stone farmhouses we reached our first stop, a lookout point with a beautiful view of a river and church. So pretty, like something straight out of The Shire in Lord of the Rings.

Our next stop was Gulfoss – the “golden” waterfall. It would be very hard to explain the scale (and beauty) of this place so I will let my photos do the talking on this one. I climbed all the way to the top and should point out that there are no barriers, only “Icelandic fences” (i.e. ropes) protecting you from the water’s edge.

After feeling the cold spray of the falls, I decided to have a warm bowl of traditional Icelandic stew of vegetables and lamb in the visitors centre café before we headed on to our next destination – Geysir. All geysirs happen to be named after this particular blow hole which is called Geysir. Surrounded by several other smaller blow holes, Geysir is really something to see. Every 5 -7 minutes or so, boiling hot water blows up a good thirty or forty feet in the air. I took a video to explain it properly. I hope you appreciate it because I had to stand perfectly still for 5 – 7 minutes in the cold waiting for the water to spurt…

I would recommend this tour (and any of the day tours in Reykjavik) but be sure to get a window seat to see all the beauty in between the destinations – beautiful horses, Hekla volcano in the distance, and the small painted houses in the lava fields for the fairies (or, as Icelanders call them, The Hidden People).