Where am I: Exotic India
Exploring the chaos and colour of this amazing country whilst being impeccably hosted by Oberoi Hotels and Trail Blazer India.
From the bustling city of Delhi where we explored Old Delhi by Rickshaw, we then caught the train to Agra to see the highlight Taj Mahal. The train was a really local experience as you see so much life at the station – it’s busy, hot, sometimes a tad confronting but I loved it. We then continued to the Pink City of Jaipur where we explored the fairytale grandeur of the Amber Fort & Jaipur’s most-distinctive landmark, the Hawa Mahal which was constructed in 1799 to enable ladies of the royal household to watch the life and processions of the city below.
Our final stop was the very cosmopolitan city of Mumbai where the disparity of wealth was extremely evident; the most expensive residential building in the world is right next to the slums. Mumbai was a bit of a surprise for me and I really enjoyed it.
Highlight – The Taj Mahal has always been on my bucket list and it didn’t disappoint. Staying at the Oberoi Amarvilas Agra which has views of the Taj Mahal from each room made the experience even more special! A couple of surprise highlights were visiting Chand Baori, an ancient stepwell, and taking a tour of the slums in Mumbai.
Fav meal – So many delicious vegetarian curries and I especially loved all of the Naan & Roti breads. Delicious!
Lost in translation moment – certainly a lot of eye-opening moments involving very blasé public toileting.
Insider tip – A sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal is a must! When the temperature is cooler and tourist numbers are much lower, you almost have the place to yourself and should manage to take the odd photo without anyone else in it.
Fun fact – India is the only country with a bill of rights for cows. Cows are believed to be holy in Hinduism, and the Constitution has a set of rules in place that prevents the sale and slaughter of cows. They’re everywhere in India!
