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The Delhi to Agra train scam.

Fog + Gatiman = latest train scam. At an ungodly hour, bleary eyed, and trying to enter New Delhi train station, we heard, “No madam, you must go to that entrance.” Half asleep I complied. At that entrance, an official looking man in a suit said, “Madam, tickets please.” I complied. Then, “Madam, Bhopal Shatabdi,…

Roaming with the Wild: India’s Top 10 Wildlife Parks

India’s diverse landscapes are a playground for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers. From majestic tigers prowling through lush jungles to the Wild Ass which thrive in the desert of Kutch, Asiatic elephants in the lush and verdant jungles of Corbett in the north and Nagarhole south, lions in Gujarat and a burgeoning leopard population throughout,…

Discovering Destinations Differently

The origin of “Discovering Destinations Differently.” Back in 2015 I started visiting mainstream destinations, spending a day visiting what all tour companies showcase and then, bucket list ticked I’d spend another week there finding out what else made those destinations tick. Why else they were ‘famous?’  What did locals do,  where did they eat, what…

Discovering Nepal Differently – Have you heard of Kirtipur?

 Discovering Nepal Differently. You’ve heard of Kathmandu, but have you heard of Kirtipur? It’s one of those little-known gems that’s only 7 kms from Kathmandu but a world away from the mainstream tourist circuit. Sitting on a hillside next to the Hattiban Forest, it is actually one of the Kathmandu Valley’s oldest Newari towns dating back to 1099AD….

CHN: Introducing New Destinations Whilst Combatting Over Tourism in Nepal.

How do you cope, in these days of gross over tourism, with promoting fabulous new destinations that you discover and want to shout to the world about, but don’t want to see go the same way? I now see destinations I visited some 20-25 years ago which were extraordinary and my heart bleeds at what…

Sustainable Travel: An Interview with Shiva Dhakal Founder of Community Homestays Nepal

The year was 2020 and, as I would, thinking that the pandemic would be a storm in a tea cup, I set off to Nepal on a consultancy project as part of the work we do with Indian Experiences. A few weeks earlier, I had been introduced to Shiva Dhakal, found of Royal Mountain Travel…

Sula Wine – Sustainability and Stays

Think Nashik 20 or even 10 yrs ago, and people mentioned temples, pilgrimages & the Kumbh Mela. But today, the first word from most people’s lips is ‘wine.’ This is thanks to Rajeev Samant who, having returned from California, was having trouble sourcing good quality, affordable wine in India. Quickly realising that if this situation…

Slow it down

Travel: The written word vs reality. I’m currently consulting on a wonderful project, putting together India, Nepal and Bhutan portfolios. This has involved writing up itineraries and I had an awakening! Itineraries are, more often than not, put together determined by facts. The drive is so long, these are the activities clients do on arrival,…

Reflections on a Perfect Stay, Sarai at Toria

Take a wildlife biologist, author, film maker and conservationist and a wildlife photographer, film maker & writer, add specialist knowledge of Panna National Park (since 1995) a location adjacent to the Ken River, and an idea which initially began as a community project & you know it’s going to be good. Good is in fact,…

Changing the narrative at The Indian Summer House.

Changing The Narrative. I stayed recently at the rather fabulous Indian  Summer House in Kerala. The owner happened to be out of station and so we had a video call. I think my opening gambit was, “Well you don’t need me to tell you how fabulous this is.” His reply, “Thank you, I have always…

Roopesh Rai on being pro-planet, pro-people, and for profit!

Roopesh and I keep meeting, chatting and discussing various projects. He called in to see me recently to discuss his latest project,  a mission to cross 6 states of India by cycle.  He is doing this to reach out to the people of India, as he says, ‘The last remaining custodians of our natural heritage…

Delhi’s Top 10 (Original) Eateries according to Celebrated Food Critic Marryam Reshii

Marryam H Reshii has been writing about food and lifestyle for the last 35 years. She is the Times of India food critic  and has  worked on the Times Food Guide for Delhi for many years, besides being an independent writer on cuisine and matters gastronomic. In addition, she has written a number of books…

Has tourism failed the camels which made Pushkar Camel Fair a Globally Recognised tourist event?

It has become a scene as synonymous with India as the Taj Mahal, thousands of Raika camel traders with their immaculate white dhotis and brilliant and intricately tied red turbans, squatting, drinking chai amidst their brilliantly festooned camels. ‘’Every year, some 30,000 camels descend on Pushkar, a small town in the state of Rajasthan, in…

The Raika Journey – Immersive Tourism Supporting the Camel herders of Rajasthan

The Raika are a community in peril, their lifestyle is in danger and their future is uncertain. The Raika provide the globally recognisable images we see of the Pushkar Camel Fair and yet, this fair provides nothing towards their wellbeing and sustainability. To delve a little into their history is to open a Pandora’s Box of…

WTM RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARDS INDIA LEADS THE WAY – 17 WINNERS REVEALED

India was the standout destination at this year’s awards, winning 17 accolades and emerging as a “leading country for responsible tourism.” An international panel of judges came together remotely to determine the top achievers. First launched in 2004, the awards recognise and reward businesses, destinations and operations contributing to a more sustainable and tourism industry….

Three hotels in Gujarat which aren’t quite what you’d expect.

Think of Gujarat and what comes to mind? The first thing every inbound agent will say is that you can’t drink, not strictly true but yes, it can be off-putting to those who enjoy a drink or two with dinner. But once that hurdle has been overcome, what are the words that spring to mind…

The Mistress That Is India

India can’t be instantly appreciated, nor can she be rushed. She will reveal herself in her own time, she will move at her own pace. You can’t demand from her nor hurry her along. India is magical, baffling, confusing and unfathomable and frustrating.    She is captivating and beguiling, fascinating, awe inspiring but most of…

My Top Five Books Tiger Centric Books – A great and diverse small collection for International Tiger Day 2020

It’s International Tiger Day, social media will be flooded with images of this truly magnificent animal, hopefully also praise for the forest guards who spend their lives protecting them, the conservation groups who also do their utmost to raise awareness to protect this endangered species, and the lodge owners who provide wonderful accommodation for you…

Vindaloo,Who Knew?

This is, or should I say was, a pork vindaloo.  I kind of forgot to take the before picture. It was rather tasty. Now, the mere mention of a vindaloo in the UK gives connotations of toilet rolls being placed in fridges and lager louts at the end of the Westgate run, a pub crawl…