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 all,…
So what exactly is a micro-destination?
I saw a video clip a few weeks ago by NDTV that made me smile. It was all about micro destinations and how they are the future of travel. Now I understand that marketing constantly needs new spins but what made me really smile about this was that they were featuring what I call destination…
Discovering India Differently: Jodhpur
THINK JODHPUR and quite rightly the image of Mehrangarh Fort pops in to your mind. It is undoubtedly magnificent, in my opinion, the most impressive of all the forts in Rajasthan (on the main circuit) and one monument that I encourage a visit to. It is excellently curated and well maintained, the jewel in…
Beyond the Tiger – A comprehensive guide to India’s wildlife
India’s Wildlife Beyond the Tiger India is often overlooked by wildlife enthusiasts, many of whom seem to prefer heading off to Africa to see the Big 5, those who do venture to the sub-continent some in search of tiger, in a single minded obsession, and yet, India has so much more than our stiped king…
People of India – The Young Naturalists – Sunny Shah
I only met Sunny relatively recently, in September to be precise. I’d asked my mentor if he knew of any good naturalists in Gujarat and he recommended Sunny. As it turned out, he was wrong, Sunny isn’t a good naturalist, he is incredible. He has foresight & insight, knowledge & passion, intelligence & vision. I…
People of India Project – Chef Jatin Mallick
I first met Jatin by chance, in a bar with a mutual friend of his who was from Oberoi. I was then persuaded to visit Tres and have been a fan ever since. Not only was the food great, but it is one of the few restaurants in Delhi which still believes in the art…
Olfactory India. Can the character of a city be determined by its’ aroma?
OK, the title may cause some sniggers. ‘’OMG, India stinks!’’ declare all the people who have never been there, the same ones who are convinced that all you will be confronted with are an overwhelming wave of poverty and will be struck down imminently, never to recover, with Delhi Belly as soon as one foot…
The People of India Project – Kartick Satyanarayan
Kartick Satyanarayan is a well-known wildlife conservationist, who has been tirelessly involved in wildlife conservation, animal welfare and nature protection for over twenty five years. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS and heads the Wildlife SOS anti- poaching unit, Forest Watch. Kartick manages Wildlife SOS as CEO and oversees 10 wildlife rescue…
Not the bloody Taj Mahal!
I am being controversial but honest, the Taj Mahal? It’s not all that. There you go, I have finally not only said it aloud, but put it in print and out there on the worldwideweb for all to see. I have had to visit it many times (forced by my career choice) but this ‘familiarity’…
If we cant visit India then she must come to us 2: 12 More Movies about this extraordinary country.
Hello hello hello, Following the sucess of part one of this series (of 2) I couldn’t not post all the wonderful recommendations that were sent to me by all gang over on FB. So here we have it, part two of, “If we can’t visit India, she must come to us,’ 12 More movies about…
An Interview With India’s Centre for Soft Power, Why Tourism Needs to Move Beyond The Taj Mahal.
India’s Tourism needs to move beyond the Taj Mahal Sudarshan Ramabadran March 25, 2019 An economic impact report (2018) by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has said that India is expected to establish itself as the third largest travel and tourism economy by 2028 in terms of direct and total GDP and that…
Let me tell you a secret about how I travel
Pre social media, there were dinner party destinations. The places people travelled to seemingly just so that they could drop the name at the next dinner party. 15 years ago, people would call and tell me they wanted to go to Bhutan, when I asked why, they were stumped. Everyone was talking about this last…
Discovering Destinations Differently: Jaipur
Back when I was a tour operator in London, in the early 2000’s, we decided to make Jaipur a three night destination, we saw the need for people to slow travel down and this was a destination that offered a lot. Since then I’ve spent two years living in Jaipur and have worked with various…
The People of India – Victor Dey
I first met Victor in 2000 just after he and his wife Jini had opened up their home, in a coffee plantation, to guests. They remain some of the most charming people I have met in my 18 years in India and are naturals when it comes to hospitality. I had the pleasure of meeting his…
Haven’t we seen this somewhere before?
There are monuments in India which have been copied in other destinations but did you know that there are also copycat monuments actually in the same destinations as the originals? In my explorations over the last 12 months, I have found two examples of monuments which have been copied and one entire city! They are…
Women of India – Marryam H Reshii
Marryam H Reshii has been writing about food and lifestyle for the last 30 years. She is the Times of India food critic besides being an independent writer on cuisine and matters gastronomic. She has been working on the Times Food Guide for Delhi for the last several years. In addition, she has done a…
Villages, where the true heart of India lies.
One can never fail but to be humbled by the hospitality of India’s rural population. Having recently been in Jaisalmer, exploring and inventing new sightsseeing options, I had one morning, got up at 0600 to drag myself around several monuments in 38C, before the day truly heated up. Chuntering incessantly about the heat, huffing and puffing…
People of India – Priyanka Devi Gupta
Priyanka has been practicing Sivanandas’ Hatha Yoga since she was 17. She spent months in ashrams teaching and assisting, yet wanted to deepen her awareness and understanding of the breath and embarked on a journey of Vipassana meditation. She has continued to explore other forms such as Acro Yoga, Kundalini, Jivamukti, Anusara, Partner and Yin Yoga….
People of India – About
Several years ago, I started to blog about the people of India, they are, for me, what makes this country so extra ordinary. I have never encountered such resilience and resourcefulness (aka jugaad) as I have from the people who truly belong to this country. From innovators to creators, artists to authors, tuk tuk drivers…
People of India – Bikram Grewal
Bikram Grewal is an ornithologist, author, birdwatcher and conservationist from Delhi, India who has written several guides to Indian birds. His father was a senior civil servant in the Indian government. He has been working with governments and private groups to promote Eco-tourism in Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal and Nagaland. His 2002 book Birds of India…
People of India – Sumant Batra
A lawyer of international repute, social commentator, thought leader and creative innovator, Sumant is a many-faceted person with accomplishments in diverse spheres. He romances with life, lives his dreams and thinks through his heart. A cultural champion, museum owner, collector and writer, Sumant Batra is the founder and architect of a number of innovative creative…
People of India – Kiran Manral
Kiran Manral is, amongst many other accolades, the author of five excellent books, she is on the planning board of the Kumaon Literary Festival, Chair of the Women Unlimited Series of the Taj Colloquium, a mentor with Sheroes and Qween, and is an advisor on the Board of Literature Studio, Delhi. Having (almost) met her for the…
GWOC – Something about which I know nothing
On my flight to Manchester last week on Etihad, I read an excellent article by Jamie Lafferty about the Great Wall of China. Excellent not only because it was well written but I also enjoyed the slightly humorous no nonsense style, akin perhaps to my own. It is rarely that I read travel articles, which…
Delhi Diaries, Encounters with Locals, part 2
It seems that it is impossible to walk down the street in India, or get through a single day without having some sort of wonderful if unexpected encounter. Here are some more random, sometimes funny, sometimes poignant encounters from my daily wanderings. Seriously, the Kohinoor Diamond? I was quite happily walking to work the other…
Delhi Diaries: Rules of the road – Delhi style
Well it’s taken six months after being reunited to finally get her back into road worthy condition but we made it! The Babe and I taking Delhi by storm. Of course my driving technique needs to be refind to suit local conditions. 1. At a local T junction: Do not slow down on approach, stop,…
The People of India – JANHAVI PRASADA
Hill stations in India are charming and reminiscent of the British Raj. I live in a house called Abbotsford that belonged to an Englishman, John Hope Simpson, Esquire of the Indian Civil Service in the erstwhile United Province of Agra and Oudh. My great grand parents bought it in 1903. A century year old legacy…
Delhi Diaries 7th September – The Old Fashioned Salon
This weekend I experienced two sides to Delhi that were at completely opposite ends of the spectrum. The first was a beauty parlour and the second was volunteering for a waste management company (literally collecting litter) at a ladies only marathon. Like I said, poles apart. As we have by now established, when it comes…
Travels in India, dress sense, east vs west
There really is nothing quite so elegant as an Indian lady in a sari. I don’t think any other national dress can even begin to compete and what is wonderful is that they are still widely worn throughout the country. The colours are so vibrant, reds, oranges, turquoise to name hardly any (there is no…
Delhi Diaries: 2nd August ’15
Life starts to settle down and routines start to form. I have time to venture further and I am intrigued to discover what changes have happened since I have been away, for sure, Delhi is still the same old crazy place, but it would appear that it is attempting a new level of sophistication –…
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 all,…
Delhi Diaries: 28 June 2015 When India works with you.
Twenty months ago, I wrote a couple of blog pieces about having moved back to Delhi, or so I thought, as in moved back to Delhi, not wrote the pieces, they are there for all to see. But you see, as I have said many times, India can be a cruel mistress, though in my…
Delhi Diaries: About Kalpana
“But you have to get a maid, you can’t survive without one!” This was the refrain I heard many times on moving to Delhi last time and one which I realised was very, very true. I was promptly found Flopsy by my landlady who was ultimately usurped by Kalpana – for that debacle,read https://memsahibinindia.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/dealing-with-house-staff-part-2-flips-flops-at-50-paces/ and that’s who…
Ayurveda Part 3 Sarcasm aside, day 6, it’s time to get serious.
Ok, all jokes aside, it’s time to explain what this Ayurveda is and the benefits of it. Don’t worry, I am not going to get technical but, it is an ancient vedic system of medicine which takes in all aspects of life, it is about following a daily regime and eating properly and basically keeping…
Ayurveda warts and all, part 2, the treatments announced
I know I said that Germans flock to these ayurvedic resorts in their hoards, but they really do! I am the only English person here, two Indian couples and the rest are Germans oh with a few Russians thrown in for good measure, you can spot them by the bling, very tight fitting clothes and…
Delhi Diaries: Finding Digs in Delhi
You wouldn’t think that finding accommodation in Delhi would be such a mine field, but as a single female, trust me, finding somewhere to live was shall we say tricky. You see, I am torn. I love Delhi, and to live in Delhi with all of its history and culture, rather than live in the…
Delhi Diaries: Dealing with house staff – part 1
Having never had staff in the UK I couldn’t see why I would need them just because I had moved to Delhi, ‘Oh, you must find staff’ everyone said, ‘a reliable maid and a good driver at least, they can make or break your life here’, and I was soon to realise just how true…