S
Stanfordspearl
India
Our trip to India was an amazing experience. I think Encounters Travel did an excellent job! Everything was not perfect, but I also did not expect perfection! When you travel to a third world country, you always have to be ready for unexpected changes and try to be flexible. All in all I loved this tour. Our first stop was Delhi and we had an excellent guide, Jimmy, very knowledgeable and also funny. Very much enjoyed his company and time together. Second stop was Agra, where we spent one night. The hotel was a bit nicer than the one in Delhi, but both were really ok. Third stop was Jaipur, which is my favorite city on this tour, really amazing with the City Palace, the Amber Fort and the Jantar Mantar, a collection of astronomical instruments, built in 1738 and the largest sun dial of the world. We stayed in the fabulous Shahpura House, an old Heritage House, converted into Hotel. It was really great, with rooftop restaurant, Indian music and dance show at night and very nice swimming pool in the backyard. Next trip took us to the Shekhawati Region. Its a bit of a long trip, and it was hot. This region is famous for its Havelis, traditional, ornately decorated residences, with enclosed court yards. These residences are famous for its frescos, they belonged to the business men from the time when the silk road was striving and a lot of commerce
was conducted between Asia and Europe. However, the Havelis that we saw were very run down and hardly livable, with once house occupied by a care taker family. When we entered, we saw the man of the house peeing in the corner of the court yard, and that was not what we had expected, but when you travel in India, you get used to seeing men pee everywhere! Not really what you want to see, but India has this duality, modern and primitive! Our taxi had wifi, but the stench of the polluted air, the garbage everywhere and the dirt and lack of sanitary conditions accompanied us everywhere! The air in Delhi was terrible, smelled like a mix of fire and garbage and I woke up every day with my eyes very swollen, but, again, that's India. India's cities are the most polluted in the world today! The poverty and all the begging children is also very disturbing and heart breaking, but we were prepared that this is common in India and part of the experience. All in all this was an amazing trip and I would highly recommend it!
was conducted between Asia and Europe. However, the Havelis that we saw were very run down and hardly livable, with once house occupied by a care taker family. When we entered, we saw the man of the house peeing in the corner of the court yard, and that was not what we had expected, but when you travel in India, you get used to seeing men pee everywhere! Not really what you want to see, but India has this duality, modern and primitive! Our taxi had wifi, but the stench of the polluted air, the garbage everywhere and the dirt and lack of sanitary conditions accompanied us everywhere! The air in Delhi was terrible, smelled like a mix of fire and garbage and I woke up every day with my eyes very swollen, but, again, that's India. India's cities are the most polluted in the world today! The poverty and all the begging children is also very disturbing and heart breaking, but we were prepared that this is common in India and part of the experience. All in all this was an amazing trip and I would highly recommend it!
