India: In a Nutshell

Originally somewhere we never thought we'd venture (maybe due to the feared 'Delhi Belly' or it not being an obvious tourist destination), India has been fun.

Fun meaning chaotic, vibrant, loud, dynamic, tasty, shocking, raw..!!

Admittedly, the culture and way of life took a little getting used to, but once over the spitting and piles of rubbish, we really started to SEE India. Miles of lush farmland, whole families living in one room, the ingenuity to create business, the pride in one's appearance (immaculate saris and suits) and home (constant sweeping away of dust), the fearlessness of the people (crossing highways on foot), the freedom the children have, the reliance on and respect for animals (particularly cows and goats) and the importance of human contact and connections.

Here's a little summary:

>Mosquito bite count: Beth 6. Dan 10.

>Awkward money moments: 5 (First taxi ride, Tuktuk tip, toilet assistant - gave him 10 rupees which is 11p oops, Ranthambore housekeeping, Pushkar lake scam)

>Feel like an outsider: 10/10 (constantly and unashamedly stared at everywhere we went. Felt quite unsettled and weirdly a little exhausted by the end of each day. Could NEVER be famous!!)

>Cultural differences:

- Kids become adults very young (see 5 year olds carrying babies alone and many young children perform tricks in highway crossroads for money).

- The style of driving!

- People genuinely wish you good health and a prosperous future. The manner in which this is done feels different to the UK.

- From what we saw, women do the majority of manual labour in the fields. You go girls!

>Hospitality / friendliness: 10/10 in the hotels, very attentive. 5/10 out and about, smiley but very money driven.

>Smells: 6/10 (10 being bacon, freshly cut grass, Coco Mademoiselle, y'no). The incense and food were incredible, the human waste and rubbish not so much...

>Weather: Hot but not unbearable, ranged from 30-36 degrees C. No rain.

>What we're craving:

Good pillows

Honey salmon

Green beans

The ability to sleep anywhere

English brew!

A lounge / sofa

An English fry up --- BACON.

A cool breeze

Clean socks

>Highlights:

- The Taj Mahal at sunrise

- The Red Fort in Agra. In awe the whole time.

- Coming face to face with elephants.

>Funniest moment: Just the two of us staying up late after a few whiskeys in Mandawa!

>Fave comment: Dan showed Vinod (our driver) a photo of Beth standing on a frozen lake to demonstrate the weather in the UK. Vinod - "Oh FAT Bart! But ok because now you thin!" It's called layers Vinod! Layers!

>Top travel tips:

- Find yourself a driver. Their knowledge and experience is second to none and it took the stress of navigating and organising right out of the equation.

- Vary your diet! Beth had a few soups and chips instead of curry. Lifesaver.

- Organising a tour may seem daunting but TripAdvisor really is your best friend!

- Embrace it! Yes they'll be moments when a lady is throwing stones at a cow to move it out of the road, when you see a two seater tuk tuk transporting 12 (roof, sides, driver's lap occupied) and when you get the WHOLE (like, whole) chicken in a curry (#WasteNotWantNot), but it's amazing, and it works, so soak it all up.

>Right amount of time?

- We spent 2 weeks in India and felt this was perfect for Delhi and the Golden Triangle. By the end we were curried out and had enough of being stared at. The country is HUGE so going to Amritsar (The Golden Temple), Mumbai or Varanasi (a religious hub on the Ganges) would need at least another week.

>Would we go back?

- Beth: Yes, to see Varanasi (wanted to go since watching Sue Perkins' documentary) and the South.

- Dan: Yes, I'd buy a cheap car and drive from bottom to top in true Top Gear style. (Yikes!)

- Vinod: I live here.

We loved India. Amid all of the speed and trade, if you really looked, there is calm.

Many people spend their days lounging on wooden beds next to their stalls, chatting with family and neighbours, watching the world go by. And it looks so serene.

Whatever our preconceptions of India were, we leave seeing strength, happiness and simplicity.

Love,

B&D

The Queen of Sheba

Yum! Note gorilla plate (we don't know either)

I think we should create a new feature: 'Dan in Demand'