A lifestyle expat travel blog about culture, history, Brexit, the Royal Family, travels around the world, Europe, and being British in Berlin!
I’m off to India!
Indiaaaaaa!
OMG!
I’m betting that most of my readers have never been to India, and probably have no plans to either.
But.
For the next few months weeks, I’ll be showing you that if you’re interested in visiting India.
I mean, reaaaaaaally interested.
You can.
So how did I do it?
Well, if you look at my about me page, you will see that I am married, I have a son, and I have a corporate job in Germany, as well as this wonderful lifestyle, travel, expat blog!
What I mean to say is that I live a normal life. Just like you.
I’m married, in a relationship with someone, or have been single. Just like you.
I have family responsibilities. Just like you.
I have a full-time job. Just like you.
And by god.
I have a daily budget.
Absolutely.
Just like you.
And for those of you who are over 30 (ahem!).
This blog and the next couple of months weeks, is for you.
The point I’m making is that you don’t have to do anything drastic if you want to afford a life of travel.
You don’t have to choose between having it all and having nothing at all, and you definitely don’t have to quit your lifestyle!
India isn’t easy, but if you want to go there.
You can!
For the next couple of months weeks, I’ll be breaking down posts into simple categories such as:
Mit wem, man auf Deutsch, sprechen kann – mein Mann – Frank Böster – Bitte klicken Sie hier!
And of course, if you’re really nervous, I offer a consultancy, and can help you organise or advice you on many parts of your trip to India! For more info, click here!
Funny you should ask ‘cos I’ve been to India before.
Thirteen (13) years ago!
And I have to tell you.
I’ve got mixed feelings about it!
I travelled solo and I was there for a month.
I went to North India and I really liked it and enjoyed it enormously.
But I didn’t love it!
And if I don’t like a place, I’m certainly going to tell you!!
I went to Rajasthan and saw tigers on safari at the Ranthambore National Park, adored the beautiful lakes at Udaipur, chuckled at the wedding cake cinema at Jaipur, licked and tasted camel ice-cream in Pushkar, rode elephants in Jodhpur, went camel-riding in the sandy desert of Jaisalmer, danced to the music of Bollywood, delighted in the openness of the local people, licked my fingers at authentic Indian food, and marvelled at the wonderful amazing-ness of the Taj Mahal.
It was awesome!
However, road traffic was mad and over-whelming, the noise was deafening, the dirt and grime was disgusting, the River Ganges at Varanasi was not only filthy, but I actually saw a bloated dead body being dragged across the water by a dog!
The beggar children were heart-breaking, the overnight train was horrific that I couldn’t sleep a wink, and the food-poisoning that I caught from stale / under-cooked eggs at a 5-star hotel restaurant was so awful, that my skin colour actually turned grey!
That wasn’t good news!
In fact, I was so exhausted by the shopkeepers and city of Delhi that for the only time in my life, I actually wanted to go home!
I stuck it out though, but was thrilled to be able to fly away, and leave it all behind me.
Eek!
Well, I wanted to show my family, otherwise known as – The Music Producer and The Tall Young Gentleman, the best of India.
In my eyes that means Rajasthan.
Rajasthan literally means “Land of Kings” and is a state in the north-western part of India.
Rajasthan is 342,239 square kilometres or 132,139 square miles and is the largest state in India and the seventh largest by population!
Rajasthan is famous for the Thar Desert, otherwise known as the Rajasthan Desert and the Great Indian Desert, and shares a controversial border with Pakistan!
Rajasthan is surrounded by five Indian states such as the Punjab in the north, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the northeast, Madhya Pradesh in the southeast, and Gujarat in the southwest. It is also very famous for the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilisation, the Dilwara Temples, Rajasthan’s only hill station – Mount Abu, the Keoladeo National Park, three (3) national tiger reserves – the world-famous Ranthambore National Park, the Sariska Tiger Reserve, and the Mukundra Hill Tiger Reserve!
The capital and largest city is Jaipur.
We’ll not only be going to Rajasthan, but also the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), otherwise known as Delhi, the northern state of Uttar Pradesh – Agra – and the capital city of the state of Maharashtra – Mumbai – otherwise known (up till 1995) as Bombay!
So let’s see where I’ll be going.
We’ve only got two (2) weeks so we’ll be going to:
Phew!
So how is it that I’m going back to India?
Again?
And to some of the very same places too!
?!!!?!
Ha! Ha! Ha!
I’m totally mad!
But I’m doing it anyway LOL!
Well, thirteen (13) years ago is a long time, and perhaps India has changed.
I know I have.
I’ll be going to Rajasthan again but as I said above, I’ll only be focusing on Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Pushkar, Udaipur and Mumbai.
I’ll also personally be doing all the planning and organising.
Gulp!
And this time I won’t be backpacking.
I won’t be taking any bumpy chicken-buses.
I won’t be going as cheap as chips.
I won’t be visiting Varanasi.
And I won’t be taking the over-night Indian train!
Who doesn’t like an exciting adventure?
Well, follow me over the next few months, and find out!
And if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll see all the daily details, the lost luggage, the Delhi-Belly story, and others!
So what are you waiting for?
‘Rah! ‘Rah!
This article is not sponsored, and all opinions and the incredible time in India that I’m hoping to have, are my very own!
Stay tuned.
Yay!
That’s it for now.
See you next week!
Watch this space!
Note! I never travel without insurance as you never know what might happen.
I learnt my lesson in Spain. And obviously, in countries like Qatar, where technically the risk is higher, I can’t imagine going that far beyond, WITHOUT INSURANCE. No siree! You can get yours here, at World Nomads!
Please note that there are now affiliate links (for the very first time) connected to this post. Please consider using the links, because every time some sort of accommodation or travel insurance is booked via my links I get a little percentage, but at no extra cost to yourself!
A win-win for all!
Thanks a million!
Looking forward to revisiting some of the places I went to vicariously, so exciting.
Thanks so much Kim!
India is very exciting indeed! 😀
woohoo!! great to hear about your India plans 😀 (got to know via your email newsletter). do let me know when you’ll be in Mumbai (my hometown!) … would be lovely to catch up on the other side of the world. also, needless to say… please also feel free to hmu if you need any help around. any time. Happy Travels!
Thanks so much for your comment Kaushal. I’m very pleased that you’re following my newsletter. Yay!
We’re running around and I feel as if we’re rushing through North India, but that’s not the case at all.
I think! 😉
Mumbai is already packed with activities and things to do, but I’ll certainly try my best to get in contact. Toot! Toot! 😀
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