India

Of all the countries on our itinerary we were looking forward to India the most. I guess we had romanticized picture of what the country would be like. The food, the colours, the cities that are full of life. In a way, India was exactly what we expected, it was just all the extra things that were starting to wear us down at the end of our 3 weeks there. The never ending haggling over prices, the food poisoning, the constant stares from strangers. Don't get us wrong, the overall experience was unforgettable, but it has definitely hardened us as travellers. 

Barely keeping it together as we are battling food poisoning while trying not to miss any major tourist attractions.

We took a direct flight from Sri Lanka to the laid back province of Kerala in the south of India. Our first destination was the town of Alleppey, famous for it's backwater canals that act as highways connecting several cities. It was low season but there were still dozens of boats out on the water while we were out on our 1 day tour. This was without a doubt our favourite stop in India. The locals were friendly and every single meal we had during our 3 days there was amazing. Our preferred dish was mutton biryani, served layered in a bowl with the meat at the bottom, followed by rice and nuts. 

On our second day in Alleppey there was a province wide vehicle strike. Apparently this is a common thing in the south and everyone joins in to support the strikers. This means that from sunrise to sunset there were no vehicles on the roads (except for the occasional motorbike) and all the shops and restaurants were closed. The owner of our guesthouse was very hospitable and cooked us both breakfast and lunch. He also let us use bicycles for free since it was the only way to get around. For a few magical hours we had the streets of India all to ourselves. 

Palm trees in the backwaters of Alleppey. 

Some of the other boats cruising through the backwaters. It's a very popular activity, even among locals. We hardly saw any other foreigners while we were on the water.

From Alleppey we took our first Indian train up to the beach state of Goa. The journey took about 12 hours and was reasonably comfortable even though Aaran and I were in different carriages. We then made the long journey to our hostel on local buses from the train station. We stayed near Anjuna beach which we had heard was a bit less touristy than other locations. Apparently the Goan beaches are becoming like small Russian tourist settlements along the coast. We were told on more than one occasion that restaurants and market shops have elevated prices specifically for Russians. 

Our train from Alleppey to Goa. We stayed in a 3rd class carriage which means that the beds are stacked three high. To climb to the top you have to awkwardly step on people's beds as they are sleeping. 

 

Anjuna Beach in the province of Goa.

You can't talk about India without talking about food. We LOVE Indian food. Actually even in countries like Malaysia or Laos we were stopping at every Indian restaurant we could find. Luckily, we were not at all disappointed with the food once we reached the real deal. For every meal we would order 2 dishes (usually vegetarian to avoid questionable meat) and at least 3-4 of whatever bread they were serving. Our absolute favourite was the buttery paratha bread. Unfortunately this culinary bliss came to a screeching halt when we both got a horrible case of food poisoning. 

As in most countries, the best food comes from rather average looking restaurants. The less decor, the better the food. If the restaurant doesn't have a name on the outside, even better.

  

Indians eat with their hands, always. I saw a man on the train butter his bread with his fingers even though a knife was provided. Luckily most waiters were very quick to give us whatever utensil they could find, usually a huge serving spoon.

Our first taste of the REAL India was in New Delhi. We got off the train and were blown away by the amount of cars/bikes/trucks/cows on the road. It was hectic. In the rest of Asia there seemed to be a natural flow to the traffic, with a bit of practise crossing the road was no problem. Not in India. If you want to get anywhere you need to hold your breath and make a mad dash across the road. We had planned to explore the city independently, but once we got there we realised it would be nearly impossible to get around. We very wisely decided to book a bus tour instead. 

The highlight of our New Delhi tour was the Qutub Minar archaeological site. It was built in the 12th century and is said to be a great showcase of Muslim architecture from that time. 

From Delhi we took a short train ride to the beautiful city of Jaipur. There are so many places to visit in this area that we struggled to see them all in 3 days. Our favourite places were the grand forts that are perched on the mountain tops overlooking the city. They are hundreds of years old and surrounded by impressive fortress walls. 

This was our most interesting stop in terms of places to see, but it was also where we got scammed by a tuk-tuk drivers. We were very use to having to negotiate prices for a ride. We were told that the initial price quoted is usually 3-4 time what you should actually pay. Because of this we were always very firm with what we were willing to pay drivers before getting in to their vehicle. On our first day in Jaipur we took a tuk-tuk to the Pink City where we went into a mosque to take some pictures. When we exited we couldn't find our driver who was suppose to meet us outside. After looking for him for over an hour (we hadn't paid him so we didn't want to leave right away), we decided to just find another driver to take us to our hotel. Later than evening our first driver showed up at the hotel, demanding that we pay him for 5 hours of work since he had apparently been waiting for us all day... This was clearly impossible since we had looked for him ourselves. The problem is that in India arguments in public places quickly become out of hand with dozens of locals joining in and choosing sides. Aaran gave him half of what he was demanding and we left it at that. 

The impressive Amber Fort in Jaipur. 

The gardens of Jaigarh Fort.

Walking around Jaipur's Pink City. By law, all the buildings in this area must be painted pink. There is a heavy fine if you decided to paint your shop or house a different colour.

After spending a few days in Jaipur we took the train to Agra, the city that houses the Taj Mahal. We got there in the early afternoon and decided to leave our trip to the Taj for the next morning to avoid the crowds. It turns out that there are quite a few other things to visit in the Agra area so we hired a driver to take us around. We could have taken a bus but our stomachs were still recovering from days of illness. We asked him to take us to Fatehpur Sikri an old city 40km away from Agra. The location has several palaces and adjoining gardens and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) inside the Fatehpur Sikri complex.

The next day we were up at sunrise to visit the Taj Mahal. We were told that there is usually a long line up in the morning so we bought our tickets the day before. The whole area was absolutely stunning. It's not just the actually Taj Mahal but the gardens and surrounding buildings that make the it such a site to see. We entered and quickly walked all the way to the Western side of the Taj to be ready for the sun to rise above the walls. The big feature of the Taj Mahal is it's stark whiteness which can only really be seen with direct sunlight. When you stand on the unlit side it almost looks yellow. After getting are pictures we walked up to the entrance (wearing special white socks over our shoes..) and walked around the building. Everything was built with incredible detail and precision, it's easy to see why it took 20 years to build. 

The key to visiting any major attraction is getting there first thing in the morning before the tourist buses arrive. 1 hour after sunrise and this place was already packed.

A closer view of the Taj Mahal from the back. Everything is designed with close attention to detail.

Flower detailing on the side of the Taj Mahal.

On either side of the Taj Mahal are these beautiful buildings which perfectly mirror each other. You can get the best view of them by standing on the walkway around the Taj itself. 

Our best attempt at capturing the whiteness of the Taj Mahal. Apparently air pollution is causing the marble to turn yellow over time.

After visiting the Taj Mahal we scouted the streets for an honest looking tuk-tuk driver. We managed to find one who agreed to take us around for the day for about $8. He took us to Agra Fort, one of the top sites to see in Agra. It's a huge walled city that was built in the 16th century. We also visited the Tomb of Akbar and a place known locally as the Mini Taj Mahal. 

The entrance to Agra Fort

 

Inside the walls of Agra Fort. 

The Tomb of Akbar

Inside the heavily decorated Mini Taj Mahal.

In terms of places to see India has to be one of the more remarkable countries we have visited. There is so much history there and it's unbelievable that so many of these ancient sites have survived. While we really enjoyed ourselves it wouldn't be fair to omit how exhausting the whole experience was. Near the end of our time there we just didn't want to deal with it all. In our opinion the best way to see India would be to go on an organized tour. It's the best way to see all the amazing places without having to deal with the constant hassle.